SUPPLEMENT TO VOLUME   11

HYMNS TO THE MYSTIC FIRE

 
1. The following two versions of Hymns to Agni- Mandala I Sukta 74 - were found in Sri Aurobindo's manuscripts, one a translation and the other an inter- pretative paraphrase.
2. Among Sri Aurobindo's Notes on Vedic Hymns was found this valuable exercise of a translation of a Hymn according to Sayana followed by a rendering of his own.

A  HYMN TO AGNI

MANDALA  I, SUKTA  74

1. As we move forward to the path of the sacrifice (Alternative reading: pilgrim) let us speak out the word of our thought to Agni who hears us from afar and from within.

           

2. He who supreme (ancient, first) in the worlds of our action that pour forth the clarity meeting together (or, when our labours that drip their fruit combine together), protects for the giver his offering (or movement).

           

3. Yea, let all creatures born (be able to) say, "Up Agni comes into being, slayer of Vritras, conqueror of our wealth in battle after battle."

            

4. He whose messenger thou art, to his house thou takest his offerings on thy journey; (or takest his offering on thy journey to be eaten by the gods or comest to the offering); thou makest effective his path of sacrifice.

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5. Him men call the man blessed ¹ in his offering, blessed¹ in his godhead, blessed (Alternative reading: complete) in his base of sacrifice, O Angiras, O Son of Force.

           
6. Thou bringest both those gods here that we may express them and bearest, O rich in delight, the offerings on their journey (or, to be expressed and to eat the offerings).

            
7.No tramp is heard of the horses of thy chariot in its going when thou goest on thy embassy, 0 Agni.

           
8.By thee fostered the horse of life goes undeviating each one
after that which preceded it and the giver of sacrifices progresses, 0 Agni.

           
9. Yea, and thou lodgest throughout his being for the giver and his gods, O God, Agni, vast and luminous completeness of energy.

*

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 The Hymn is a hymn of the Adhwara Yajna, the Sacrifice of the Path. Agni, the Divine Will-Force or Power of Consciousness, is the deity.

1.The Gotamas, illumined minds, are to proceed to the path of the sacrifice; let them then give voice to the thought in them which is to be the governing word of their progress for the Divine Will-Force to use; that Force hears the word and responds whether as the deity realised within or as the deity of the universe seated in the highest and most distant worlds.

2.The Divine Will-Force is the first and supreme among divine powers; it protects our movement in the sacrifice from plane to plane and all the planes of our being on which the Work proceeds come together in a conscious harmony and stream forth their reaction in response to our giving.

3.Let this Divine Force manifest itself so that all shall say, "It is born and comes on high, slaying all the hostile powers that obstruct our progress and winning wealth on new wealth for the soul in battle after battle."

4.These results are attained, because the Divine Will-Force becomes a compelling envoy who carries our offerings in their journey to the goal which is our home and the home of the gods, the divine plane of the Truth, thus it makes the sacrifice of the path effective; the worlds meet together and drop their riches under the compulsion of the all-creative, all-manifesting Truth of Surya Savitri.

5.The man then becomes perfect in his sacrifice; the offering is effective, the godheads are completely manifested, the base of sacrifice in the soul includes all the various planes of our being. The Divine Force, the Angiras, the puissance of Seer Will and the Son of Strength overpowering the Panis and Vritras, effects this completeness.

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6.He is the envoy and effects the great commerce between earth and heaven, bringing the gods down, from the higher planes so that they may be manifested in man in the terrestrial, and taking our offerings, the fruits of our terrestrial life upwards to be divinised, transformed into the divine essence, eaten, in the Vedic image, by the gods. That transformation is effected in the perfect bliss of the Divine Will- Force.

7-8.This great going and coming is effected in a silent spiritual rapidity; there is no rumour or clamour at all of the trampling hooves of the Vital Forces in their swiftness; but the chariot of the movement gallops swiftly.

9.Finally, the Divine Will-Force lodges in all our being for the benefit of the soul itself and of the gods who work in him, a complete and utter heroic energy, vast with the vastness of the Truth and luminous with its light.

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