A Faux-Vedic Agni Hymn

Tags:
Categories:
Authors:

Words: 625

Reading Time: 3 mins

Contents ▾

This is a faux-vedic Agni hymn that I did sometimes ago. In constrast to my other pieces so far, it is somewhat more Vedic in construction and employes some actual tropes and motifs found in the Ṛgveda. Still, it should not be very difficult for someone who is familiar with the classical language.

PDF Link

Original

In Devanagari

केतुर्नो अह्नामजनिष्ठ जेन्यः पुरू तमांसीमप भर्त्तवा उ । दिवस्पृथिव्या जातमार्षमेता धात्रीर्द्दशाऽमुमभि वर्द्धयन्ति ॥ १ ॥ ‎ पृष्टो न वा त्वमवदोऽनृतानि यद्रक्षसाऽपि तव सत्यमेतत् । बृहत्ते धाम यजतस्य दस्म सत्येन रुद्धं वि वृण्वन्ति नारः ॥ २ ॥ ‎ विप्रस्य ते भक्षयतो वनाऽकः किं वृत्रहा किं नु तवा न्यवारि । रक्षोवधायेह हवे सुनीथमत्रा यक्षि देवयतेऽध देवान् ॥ ३ ॥ ‎ वाजी न स्तोमो यजतस्य यह्वो द्विषो नु पर्षन्समया प्रयाति । अपां नपातमुप यन्ति मर्त्ता अत्रिवदर्च्चन्ति सत्येन नित्यम् ॥ ४ ॥

In IAST

ketur no ahnām ajaniṣṭha jenyaḥ purū tamāṃsīm apa bharttavā u । divaspṛthivyā jātam ārṣam etā dhātrīr ddaśā'mum abhi varddhayanti ॥ 1 ॥ ‎ pṛṣṭo na vā tvam avado'nṛtāni yad rakṣasā'pi tava satyam etat । bṛhat te dhāma yajatasya dasma satyena ruddhaṃ vi vṛṇvanti nāraḥ ॥ 2 ॥ ‎ viprasya te bhakṣayato vanā'kaḥ kiṃ vṛtrahā kiṃ nu tavā ny avāri । rakṣovadhāyeha have sunītham atrā yakṣi devayate'dha devān ॥ 3 ॥ ‎ vājī na stomo yajatasya yahvo dviṣo nu parṣan samayā prayāti । apāṃ napātam upa yanti marttā atrivad arccanti satyena nityam ॥ 4 ॥

Some Comments

  • Verse 1 : “ketur ahnām” ‘banner of days’. This refers both to the kindling of fire just before the dawn as well as the identification of the Sun as the heavenly fire."jenyaḥ" Noble or of good birth. “purū” Neuter accusative plural. “apa bharttavā u” Vedic style dative infinitive. I usually use geminated consonants ( corresponding unaspirated ones for aspirated consonants ) when they are preceeded by a ‘r’. “divaspṛthivyā” Genitive dual of Dyāvāpṛthivī. Agni is often called twin brother of Indra as he too is the son of Heaven and Earth."dhātrīr daśa" The ten nurses are the ten fingers which kindle the firewood.

  • Verse 2: “yad rakṣasā’pi” This refers to a myth found in the first book of the Mahābhārata. The wife of sage Bhṛgu, Pulomā was previously betrothed to an Asura named Puloman. Puloman chances to arrive on Bhṛgu’s hermitage sometime and asks Agni to testify that Pulomā was actually betrothed to him before so that he can abduct her. Unwillingly, Agni tells the truth and Bhṛgu curses Agni to eat not only the oblations to the gods but also impure substances. “nāraḥ” Nominative plural. The second line is of general sentiment.

  • Verse 3: “bhakṣayato vanā’kaḥ” vanā + akaḥ. akar ity akaḥ. Aorist indicative singular third of kṛ. vanā is neuter plural accusative. This refers to the burning of the khāṇḍava forest in the Mahābhārata. Vṛtrahan is Indra of course. “rakṣovadhāyeha” as Agni rakṣohan. “yakṣi” Aorist imperative singular second. “yakṣi devayate” i.e. act as a purohita for the pious man. “adha"="atha”.

  • Verse 4: “vājī na stomo … yahvo” ’na’ means ’like’ here and not ’not’. The prayer goes through everywhere like a prize race horse, flattening the enemies. “samayā” is a bit weird here. I used it just to include my own name somewhere. Hiding your name or anagram is not rare in the Ṛgveda. “vi vo made” (RV X.125.4) is a famous example. “parṣan” This verse often occurs in hymns to Agni as the demon-slayer. One even has the refrain “sa no parṣad ati dviṣaḥ” (RV X.187). “apāṃ napātam” Apāṃ napāt is identified as Agni here in accordance with late Vedic traditions. “atrivad” Specific mention of Atri and not other seers has nothing to with any specific relation of Atri to the Agni mythos but because I’m Ātreya myself. “nitya” here means ‘one’s own’ rather than ‘always’ or ’eternal’.

Previous: Struwwelpeter