Wednesday, March 4, 2026 · 天火 · tianmu.org
Mandala 5
✦ ─── ⟐ ─── ✦
Texts
◇ Direct Verse Index – Maṇḍala 5|1-25|26-50|51-75|76-87| |---|---|---|---| |V.1|V.26|V.51|V.76| |V.2|V.27|V.52|V.77| |V.3|V.28|V.53|V.78| |V.4|V.29|V.54|V.79| |V.5|V.30|V.55|V.80| |V.6|V.31|V.56|V.81| |V.7|V.32|V.57|V.82| |V.8|V.33|...V.1Come, O Agni, to this shrine of the Atris! Thou whom we kindle in the breaking dawn, Beloved priest of our ancestral fire, Approach the altar where our fathers stood.V.2Born again! O Agni, born anew! Each dawn thou risest from the kindling wood, As though no night hath ever dimmed thy radiance, As though the dark had never touched thy form.V.3Thou art the hotṛ, O Agni, the divine priest! Above all priests thou standest in thy office, For thou dost speak the words that bind the gods, That call the Immortals down to the altar.V.4Behold the radiant one! O Agni, shining! Thy flames do leap as high as heaven's dome, Illuminating all the earth beneath thee, Making the darkness flee as thou dost rise.V.5O Agni, guest of every hearth and home! In humble dwellings thou art ever welcome, The honored visitor who comes unbidden, And none dare turn thee from their door away.V.6Swift messenger! O Agni, thou dost carry Our trembling prayers up to the gods on high. None other is so swift, none else so faithful In bearing what we offer to the Immortals.V.7Son of great strength! O Agni, thou art born From two mothers who labor without ceasing. The sacred sticks do hold thee in their bosom, And with their friction call thee forth to life.V.8O Agni, thou art guardian and protector! Around this dwelling thou dost set a wall More strong than any fashioned out of stone, More impenetrable than bronze or iron.V.9O Agni, purifier and renewer! All things pass through thy flames and are made clean. What comes to thee as dross shall leave thee shining, What enters thee as soiled shall emerge as pure.V.10Ancient one! O Agni, thou art old Beyond the measure of all human counting. Thou burnest now as thou didst burn of old When Manu made the first of all sacrifices.V.11Hear us, O Agni! Take our prayer and praise! We lift our voices to thy blazing altar, We bring our gifts of butter and of grain, Our humble offerings of heart and hand.V.12Behold him! Agni cometh forth most shining! His light doth break the bonds of endless darkness, His flames ascend like unto a great mountain, A peak of fire that reacheth toward the heavens.V.13Rise up, O Agni! This is the morning! The dew still gleams upon the grass and clover, The birds are singing their awakening hymns, And all the world doth stir from sleep's embrace.V.14O Agni, friend most cherished of the Atris! We have kept thy sacred flame alive now Through countless generations of our kindred, Since first our ancestor did kindle thee.V.15O Agni, sovereign lord of all the sacrifice! Thou rulest over all the sacred rites, The keeper of the cosmic ritual order, The overseer of the way things are.V.16O Agni, thou art born anew each dawn, bright messenger between the worlds of men and gods. We kindle thee with sacred wood and grass; the flames leap upward in their spiral dance, and heaven takes not...V.17O Agni and Indra, conjoined in glory! Fire and thunder walk together in the cosmos, each mighty in their separate way, yet mightier still when they move as one. The flame that burns below meets the li...V.18Agni, thou art the cosmic priest who stands at the center of all ceremonies. Every sacrifice made upon earth is magnified a thousandfold when it passes through thy sacred flames. Thou art the bridge,...V.19O Agni, thou art the slayer of the Dasyu! Thy flames consume the enemy in his hidden places. Where he lurks in shadow, plotting ruin against the righteous, thou dost expose him and burn away his malic...V.20O Agni, most beloved by the Atri clan! Our ancestors knew thee first among the gods. They poured the soma into thy flames. They called upon thee when the darkness pressed close and fear whispered in t...V.21O Agni, thou art joined with soma in the sacred rite! Where fire meets the wine of the heavens, there is born the supreme intoxication, the ecstasy that bindeth mortal consciousness to immortal awaren...V.22O Agni, thou art the all-knower! Thy flames pierce through every veil. What is hidden from mortal eyes, thou seest clearly. What is concealed in the deepest caverns of the heart, thy gaze doth penetra...V.23We pour the ghee into thy flames, O Agni! The butter flows like liquid gold. It burneth bright and clear, sending forth a fragrance that delighteth the gods. The sweet smoke riseth upward in spiraling...V.24O Agni, thou watchful flame that burneth through the night! When darkness falleth upon the land and fear creepeth into the hearts of men, there art thou, burning steadfast and resolute. Thy light doth...V.25O Agni, thou wealthy one! Riches and prosperity flow from thy flames like water from a spring. Those who honor thee become rich; those who neglect thee fall into poverty. Thy favor is the secret of al...V.26O Agni, thou summoner of the divine assembly! When thou raisest thy voice in the form of sacred smoke, all the gods hear thy call and assemble in the heavens. Thou art their herald and their inviter t...V.27O Agni, accept this hymn of praise for the generosity of Tryaruna and Trasadasyu, the great patrons of the Atri clan! These men have poured forth their wealth upon the altar of the gods with hands as...V.28O blazing one! O raging one! O thou that art all fury and all light! Thy flames consume and destroy with a violence that feareth nothing. There is in thy essence an ancient and terrible power that str...V.29O Indra, thou slayer of Vṛtra! Thou art the mighty one whose deeds are sung in the heavens and upon the earth. Before thy advent, the world was held in thrall by the serpent, and the waters were impri...V.30O Indra, thy strength is beyond measure! In thy arms thou hast grasped the very destiny of the world and molded it according to thy will. What other power could do such a thing? What other god command...V.31O Indra, thou who drinkest the soma with mighty lips! The sacred draught hath entered thy flesh; thy sinews grow taut as bowstrings. The soma-fire burneth within thee, and thy limbs are full of radian...V.32The great serpent Vṛtra reared his thousand-headed form against the sky. From his fangs came poison; from his maw came shadow. He barred the waters in his coils, and the rivers ceased to flow. The sun...V.33Indra is the friend of those who trust in him. He standeth as a bulwark between the faithful and their foes. When the wicked gather in malice, he rideth forth upon his car drawn by the storm-horses, a...V.34O Indra, giver of riches! Thou art the friend of the generous man who poureth out the soma in thy honor. To him that giveth thee the finest libation, thou givest cattle beyond number. His barns are fi...V.35In thy hand gleameth the Vajra, O Indra! That golden thunderbolt, most terrible and beautiful. It was forged in the heart of the mountains by the divine craftsmen. The Fire-god himself breathed life i...V.36None can match thy prowess, O Indra! No deva, no man, no creature under heaven can rival thee in strength. Thou standest alone at the peak of all power. The Devas themselves bow before thee and acknow...V.37We go forth to battle, O Indra! Our chariots are prepared; our spears are sharpened. Our warriors stand ready with hearts of stone. But without thee, all our strength is naught. Grant us thy blessing,...V.38O Indra, thou art the friend of man! When we cry out in our suffering, thou hearest us. When we are lost in darkness, thou shinest as a guiding light. Thou art nearer to us than our own breath, more i...V.39O Indra, giver of all good things! We come before thee with open hands and humble hearts. We ask not for thy divine form or the secrets of thy being. We ask only for the gifts that make life worth liv...V.40The Atri sage hath fallen into a deep pit, O Indra! Darkness surroundeth him on all sides. He crieth out for aid, but his voice echoes back from the stone walls. No man can reach him; no ordinary rope...V.41O ye Viśvedevas, all-gods, the divine assembly of the heavens! We call upon you together, united in this sacred hour. Come forth from the realm of light! Come ye from the waters and the air! Come from...V.42Hear us, O gods assembled! We cry out for your protection in this world fraught with perils. The evil spirits wander the darkness, seeking those whom they might devour. The demons plot in hidden place...V.43The divine assembly gathereth at the call of the sacred hymn! From the far corners of the cosmos they come, drawn by the offering and the prayer. The heavens themselves seem to open and pour forth the...V.44To thee, O Indra, the foremost of the gods! We offer this praise. Mighty art thou, matchless in valor, unrivaled in power. Thou hast slain the demons and protected the righteous. Thy name shall endure...V.45O Viśvedevas, we lift our voices in petition! We come before you not as supplicants abasing ourselves before tyrants, but as children approaching their parents with open hearts. Thou knowest our needs...V.46We call upon you, Viśvedevas, All-Gods who dwell in heaven's compass. Attend this dawn-sacrifice, O divine host! Ye who feed upon the oblation, ye who drink of the soma-wine—come forth to our altar, d...V.47The gods are gathered! See them descend from the highest heaven, each gleaming with power, each bearing his gift of strength. They come to the sacrifice as the birds come to water, as the rivers flow...V.48Bless us, O Viśvedevas! Cast forth thy protection as a shield over our dwelling-places. Ward off the demons that prowl in the darkness. Turn away the sorcerer's curse, the evil eye, the poison of the...V.49O Viśvedevas, ye are the custodians of ṛta, the cosmic order that sustains all things. Ye hold the truth in your hands as one holds water in a vessel. By your will does the sun rise and set. By your l...V.50Hear us, O Viśvedevas! We bring before thee the welfare of our tribe, the prosperity of our people, the harmony of our settlements. Bless our assembly when we gather to speak and decide. Grant wisdom...V.51Come, O Viśvedevas! Ye who are called by a thousand names, who wear a thousand forms, who dwell in the highest heaven and in the lowliest stone—come now and receive this closing invocation. We have ki...V.52Hark! The thunder rolls across the heavens! The lightning cracks the vault of sky! The Maruts come—those wild and terrible sons of Rudra, the storm-gods incarnate, the thunder-warriors of the cosmic b...V.53The wild band rides forth! The untamed Maruts, the unconquerable ones, tear across the sky like a river breaking its banks. Mountains quake at their approach. The clouds split asunder before them. The...V.54Behold the Maruts in their splendor! See how they shine in golden armor, each breastplate forged in the fires of heaven, each helm a crown of light. The gold burnishes in the lightning-flash, brillian...V.55Sing praise to the Maruts! O ye singers of hymns, raise your voices! The storm is coming—the great and glorious storm that brings life to the parched earth. The sky darkens. The wind rises. The first...V.56The Maruts shine with their own light! They are self-luminous, burning with an inner fire that no darkness can extinguish. Each Marut blazes like a star fallen from heaven, trailing light across the s...V.57O Maruts, ye sons of Rudra! The fearsome lord, the wild one, the destroyer—he is your father. From his fierce and untamed nature ye have inherited thy valor. He begat thee in the storms of the cosmos,...V.58O Maruts, ye liberators! Ye who break the bonds and shatter the chains! The demon Paṇi—that wretched one—hoarded the cattle in a hidden cave, a mountain fastness sealed with sorcery. The waters were i...V.59Tremble! The Maruts take up their weapons! Each Marut draws forth a lightning-spear, each blade crackling with the fury of the storm. The weapons glow incandescent. The air around them shimmers with h...V.60Accept this final hymn, O Maruts! As we have sung thy praises throughout all these verses, now we raise the closing invocation. Hear us one last time as the fire burns lower and the soma has been pour...V.61Come forth, ye Maruts, terrible and bright! The storm-lords, roaring through the vast and wind-swept sky. Your chariots thunder over earth and heaven, drawn by coursers swift as the hunter's arrow. Th...V.62Twin lords of order! Twin masters of the cosmic law—Mitra and Varuṇa, ye who hold the world in righteousness. By your will the sun riseth, by your will the stars do hold their courses. All creatures t...V.63Behold the eye of heaven! The sun doth hang in the vault of sky, the all-seeing gaze of Mitra-Varuṇa. Nothing escapeth that burning eye—not the secret deed done in darkness, not the whispered lie, not...V.64From the treasure-house of heaven ye release the waters! Mitra-Varuṇa, ye masters of the rain, the flood, the river's surge. The clouds hang heavy with thy gifts; the earth drinketh deep and groweth f...V.65Have mercy upon us, O twin lords! We are but dust and weakness; our days are numbered like the stars that fade at dawn. Yet we have sinned—we have broken thy laws, we have forgotten thy covenant, we h...V.66Ye are the shield of the faithful! O Mitra-Varuṇa, protectors of those who hold to truth and justice. As the fortress wall defendeth against the enemy's arrow, so do ye defend the righteous from wicke...V.67Lo, behold their golden palace! Mitra-Varuṇa sit in splendor upon thrones of imperishable light. The walls of their dwelling are wrought from the substance of heaven; the pillars are the mountains the...V.68Hear us now, O twin lords most high! We gather at the dawn to praise thy names, to pour the sacred butter upon the altar, to sing the hymns that have been chanted since the world was young. Accept thi...V.69Come to us, O Mitra-Varuṇa! Come with thy swift feet to this altar where we have prepared thy seat. We have laid the sacred grass; we have poured the butter; we have kindled the fire. All is ready for...V.70All hail to thee, O Mitra! All hail to thee, O Varuṇa! Ye who art clothed in splendor and majesty, who holdest the destinies of gods and men in thy hands. We sing thy praise with voices trembling with...V.71Once more we call upon thee, O pair most blessed! Mitra-Varuṇa, ye who art one in purpose though two in form, accept this final invocation from thy servants.V.72Behold, the cosmos obeyeth thee, O Mitra-Varuṇa! The stars wheel in their courses at thy command; the seasons turn by thy decree. The very substance of being floweth from thy hands. Thou art the warp...V.73Come hither, ye divine twins! O Aśvins, ye horsemen of the dawn, ye healers and rescuers! Swift as the thought that flashes through the mind, swift as the eagle in his flight, ye traverse the sky from...V.74Hark! Do ye hear the rumble of their chariot wheels? The Aśvins approach in their golden car, drawn by horses whose hooves strike fire from the heavens. The dawn breaketh before them; the night fleeth...V.75Hear the tale of thy mighty works, O Aśvins! Ye who hath wrought miracles beyond the counting, ye whose deeds are sung in songs and told in stories passed from father unto son.V.76Come to us, O Aśvins, at the break of dawn, ye swift ones who ride across the sky in your golden car. At the first light, when the rooster calleth and the world stirs from sleep, be thou our companion...V.77Hear the tales of those whom the Aśvins have rescued, O singers! How many hath thou saved from the depths of despair and ruin? The blind man cried out in darkness, and thou didst restore his sight. Th...V.78O Aśvins, ye golden twins, ye riders of the morning, we make this final petition before thee. Hear us as thou hast heard the prayers of generations before us. Grant us what we ask with the fervor of t...V.79Behold! Uṣas appeareth upon the horizon, the radiant goddess wreathed in crimson and gold. She breaketh forth from the eastern sky like a bride adorned for her wedding, and all the earth trembleth at...V.80She cometh! Uṣas pusheth back the darkness with her relentless, gentle hands. The night that seemed eternal, infinite, unchanging—it recedes before her as the tide recedes before the moon. What hath r...V.81O Savitṛ, the impeller! Thou who settest all things in motion, the solar deity whose golden hands guide the cosmos through its eternal dance. From the beginning of time, thou hast pushed the sun acros...V.82Savitṛ, the golden-handed! As the day descendeth and the sun droppeth below the western horizon, thou givest thy final command. Thy voice, though silent to mortal ears, soundeth throughout all creatio...V.83Parjanya! The rain-god cometh! Lo, how the sky blackeneth with his presence. The clouds gather like an army amassing for battle, swollen and heavy, pregnant with the waters of heaven. The wind precede...V.84O Pṛthivī, the broad one, the wide, the steady, the eternal mother upon whom all things rest! Thou art greater than all the gods, for even they stand upon thee. Thou art their foundation, their suppor...V.85Varuṇa! The all-seeing sovereign, lord of cosmic law and order! Thou who rulest the heavens and the earth, the seen and the unseen realms. Before thee, nothing remaineth hidden. Thy thousand eyes see...V.86Praise to Indra and Agni, the mighty pair! Thunder and fire united in glory! When they march together, nothing can stand against them. The enemies of the Āryas flee in terror at their coming.V.87O Maruts, the storm gods, the wild and terrible ones! Ye who ride upon the winds with thy bands of warriors, thy voices thundering across the heavens, thy presence shaking the earth! This is the final...