Shloka 12

Matsya Purana — The Sun-Vow

Devanagari script

अग्निम् ईडे नमस्तुभ्यम् इषेत्वोर्जे च भास्कर अग्न आयाहि वरद नमस्ते ज्योतिषां पते //

Transliteration

agnim īḍe namastubhyam iṣetvorje ca bhāskara agna āyāhi varada namaste jyotiṣāṃ pate //

Translation

I praise Agni; salutations to you. O Bhāskara, you who grant nourishment and vital strength—O Agni, come here as the giver of boons. Salutations to you, Lord of all lights.

Word by Word

• अग्निम् (agnim): Agni, the Fire-god

• ईडे (īḍe): I praise, I adore

• नमस् (namas): salutation

• तुभ्यम् (tubhyam): to you

• इषे (iṣe): for nourishment, for food/refreshment

• त्वा (tvā): you

• ऊर्जे (ūrje): for strength, vigor, vital power

• च (ca): and

• भास्कर (bhāskara): the radiant one, Sun-like (Bhāskara)

• अग्ने (agne): O Agni

• आयाहि (āyāhi): come here, draw near

• वरद (varada): boon-giver

• नमस् ते (namas te): salutations to you

• ज्योतिषाम् (jyotiṣām): of lights/luminaries

• पते (pate): lord, master

Speaker

• Suta (narratorial recitation of a ritual hymn within the Matsya Purana’s discourse tradition)

Entities Mentioned

• Agni
• Bhaskara

Tags

• Agni Stotra
• Ritual
• Mantra
• Upasana
• Jyotis

FAQs

What does this verse reveal about the creation or dissolution (Pralaya)?

This verse is not a Pralaya narrative; it is a devotional-ritual invocation identifying Agni as the cosmic ‘lord of lights,’ a sustaining principle associated with vitality and order rather than dissolution.

How does this verse relate to the duties of a King or Householder?

It supports the householder’s duty of daily worship (nitya-karma) by invoking Agni for iṣa (nourishment) and ūrj (strength), ideals also expected in righteous kingship—maintaining prosperity, vigor, and auspicious order.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

Ritually, it functions as an Agni-upāsanā mantra: inviting Agni (‘āyāhi’) and praising him as boon-giver, aligning with fire-rite preliminaries used in consecrations and offerings where Agni is treated as the divine mouth of oblations.