thoughts, menʼs priest of the call,¹ who encircles all like heaven, the Male with hair of flaming-light whom may these peoples cherish for his urge.

3. Many things illumining with his wide-shining energy he becomes one who cleaves through those who would hurt us, like a battle-axe he cleaves through those who would hurt us, he in whose shock even that which is strong falls asunder, even what is firmly fixed falls like trees; overwhelming with his force he toils on and goes not back, like warriors with the bow from the battle he goes not back.

4. Even things strongly built they give to him as to one who knows: one gives for safeguarding by his movements of flaming-power, gives to the Fire that he may guard us. Into many things he enters and hews them with his flaming light like trees, even things firmly fixed he tears by his energy and makes his food by his energy even things firmly fixed.

5. We meditate on² that fullness of him on the upper levels, this Fire the vision of whom is brighter in the night than in

¹ Or, the priest of the call for men who see, ² or, we hold

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the day, for his undeparting life brighter than in the day. Then does his life grasp and support us like a strong house of refuge for the Son, — ageless

fires moving towards the happiness enjoyed and that not yet enjoyed, moving his ageless fires.

6. He is many-noised like the army of the storm-winds hurrying over the fertile lands full of our labour, hurrying over the waste lands.¹ He takes and devours the offerings, he is the eye of intuition of the sacrifice in its due action; so all men follow with pleasure the path of this joyful and joy-giving Fire, as on a path leading to happiness.

7. When in his twofold strength, bards with illumination upon them, the Bhrigu-flame-seers have made obeisance and spoken to him the word, when they have churned him out by their worship, — the Flame-Seers, the Fire becomes master of the riches, he who in his purity holds them within him, wise he enjoys the things laid upon him and they are pleasant to him, he takes joy of them in his wisdom.

¹ Or, in the esoteric sense, the army of the Life-Powers moving with fertilising rain over our tilled and our waste lands.

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8. We call to thee, the Lord of all creatures, the master of the house common to them all for the enjoying, the carrier of the true words for the enjoying, — to the Guest of men in whose presence stand as in the presence of a father, all these Immortals and make our offerings their food — in the Gods they become their food.

9. O Fire, thou art overwhelming in thy strength, thou art born most forceful for the forming of the Gods, as if a wealth for the forming of the Gods; most forceful is thy rapture, most luminous thy will. So they serve thee, O Ageless Fire, who hear thy word serve thee, O Ageless Fire!

10. To the Great One, the Strong in his force, the waker in the Dawn, to Fire as to one who has vision, let your hymn arise. When the giver of the offering cries towards him in all the planes, in the front of the wise he chants our adoration, the priest of the call of the wise who chants their adoration.

11. So, becoming visible, most near to us bring, O Fire, by thy perfect consciousness, the Riches that ever accompany the Gods, by thy perfect consciousness the Great Riches. O most strong Fire, create for us that which is great for vision,

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for the enjoying; for those who hymn thee, O Lord of plenty, churn out a great hero-strength as one puissant by his force.

DIRGHATAMAS AUCHATHYA

SUKTA 140

1. Offer like a secure seat that womb to Agni the utterly bright who sits upon the altar and his abode is bliss; clothe with thought as with a robe the slayer of the darkness who is pure and charioted in light and pure bright¹ of hue.

2. The twice-born Agni moves (intense) about his triple food; it is eaten and with the year it has grown again; with the tongue and mouth of the one² he is the strong master and enjoyer, with the other he engirdles and crushes in his embrace³ his delightful things.

3. He gives energy of movement to both his mothers on their dark path, in their common dwelling and both make their way through to their child⁴ for his tongue is lifted upward, he destroys and rushes swiftly through and should be chosen, increasing his father.⁵

¹ Or, white; śukra, a white brightness.
² Or, with his tongue in the presence of the one

³ Mṛś is used of the sexual contact; vāraṇaḥ from vṛ to cover, surround.

⁴ Or, following their child

⁵ Expl. Heaven and Earth, Mind and Body dwelling together in one frame or in one material world move in the darkness of ignorance, they pass through it by following

the divine Force which is born to their activities. Kupaya is of doubtful significance. The father is the Purusha or else Heaven in the sense of the higher spiritual being.

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