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Sukta 10.51
Agni Jātavedas (cosmogonic fire-consciousness)
Is mantra mein Agni Jatavedas ko bulaya ja raha hai. Wo pehle paani mein ghus ke bahut saare roop lete hain. Phir wo sab janmon ko janne wala ban jaate hain. Ab wo haviyon ke liye manushyon ke yahan aake baithne ko keh rahe hain. Wo devtaon ki raaste khol ke unko le aayein. Jisse poora yajna unmein pakka ho jaaye.
Mantra 1
महत्तदुल्बं स्थविरं तदासीद्येनाविष्टितः प्रविवेशिथापः । विश्वा अपश्यद्बहुधा ते अग्ने जातवेदस्तन्वो देव एकः ॥
Bahut bada aur mazboot cover tha us waqt. Usmein chup ke paani mein gaya. Agni, tumne bahut saare roop dekhe alag-alag tarah se. Ek bhagwan ho, lekin bahut body li.
Mantra 2
को मा ददर्श कतमः स देवो यो मे तन्वो बहुधा पर्यपश्यत् । क्वाह मित्रावरुणा क्षियन्त्यग्नेर्विश्वाः समिधो देवयानीः ॥
Kaun mujhe dekh raha hai? Kaunsa devta hai jo mere saare roop dekh raha hai? Mitra aur Varun kahan rehte hain? Agni ke saare diye kahan hain jo bhagwan tak le jaate hain?
Mantra 3
ऐच्छाम त्वा बहुधा जातवेदः प्रविष्टमग्ने अप्स्वोषधीषु । तं त्वा यमो अचिकेच्चित्रभानो दशान्तरुष्यादतिरोचमानम् ॥
Maine tumhe bahut jagah dhoonda, paani mein aur ped-paudhon mein. Yama ne tumhe pehchaan liya, tum bahut chamak rahe the. Das seema se aage tak tumhara roop chamak raha tha.
Mantra 4
होत्रादहं वरुण बिभ्यदायं नेदेव मा युनजन्नत्र देवाः । तस्य मे तन्वो बहुधा निविष्टा एतमर्थं न चिकेताहमग्निः ॥
Varun, main hotra ka kaam karne se darr gaya. Devtaon ne mujhe yeh kaam nahi diya. Mere roop bahut jagah phail gaye. Main Agni hoon, mujhe yeh samajh nahi aaya.
Mantra 5
एहि मनुर्देवयुर्यज्ञकामोऽरंकृत्या तमसि क्षेष्यग्ने । सुगान्पथः कृणुहि देवयानान्वह हव्यानि सुमनस्यमानः ॥
Agni, aaja. Manu yagya karna chahta hai, bhagwan tak pahunchne ka irada hai. Usne andhere mein teri jagah taiyaar kar di hai. Tu raste aasaan kar de, jo bhagwan ki taraf le jaate hain. Aur jo cheezein bhagwan ko chadhayi jaati hain, woh le ja. Jo yagya kar raha hai, uska dil saaf hai, isliye khush ho ja.
Mantra 6
अग्नेः पूर्वे भ्रातरो अर्थमेतं रथीवाध्वानमन्वावरीवुः । तस्माद्भिया वरुण दूरमायं गौरो न क्षेप्नोरविजे ज्यायाः ॥
Agni ke bade bhaiyon ne bhi yahi maanga tha, jaise koi gaadi chalane wala sadak pe raasta dhoondta hai. Isliye main darr gaya, Varun. Main door bhaag gaya. Jaise koi jungli bail darr ke bhaag jata hai jab koi uspe chamda maare, waise main bhi bhaag gaya.
Mantra 7
कुर्मस्त आयुरजरं यदग्ने यथा युक्तो जातवेदो न रिष्याः । अथा वहासि सुमनस्यमानो भागं देवेभ्यो हविषः सुजात ॥
Agni, hum tere liye aisi zindagi ki dua karte hain jo kabhi na buddhe. Tu sahi jagah pe laga ho, Jatavedas, tujhe koi takleef nahi honi chahiye. Phir tu khush hoke bhagwan logon ka hissa le jaata hai. Tu acche ghar ka hai, aur yeh kaam acche se karta hai.
Mantra 8
प्रयाजान्मे अनुयाजाँश्च केवलानूर्जस्वन्तं हविषो दत्त भागम् । घृतं चापां पुरुषं चौषधीनामग्नेश्च दीर्घमायुरस्तु देवाः ॥
Bhagwan log, mujhe woh sab cheezein do jo yagya mein pehle aur baad mein chadhayi jaati hain. Saaf saaf cheezein, taakat wali cheezein. Paani mein jo chamak hai, aur podhon ka ras, woh bhi chahiye. Aur Agni ko lambi zindagi mile, jo lamba chale.
Mantra 9
तव प्रयाजा अनुयाजाश्च केवल ऊर्जस्वन्तो हविषः सन्तु भागाः । तवाग्ने यज्ञोऽयमस्तु सर्वस्तुभ्यं नमन्तां प्रदिशश्चतस्रः ॥
Agni, tere liye woh sab cheezein hon jo yagya mein pehle aur baad mein chadhayi jaati hain. Saaf aur taakat wali cheezein. Yeh poora yagya tera hai. Chaaron taraf se log tujhe naman karte hain, tere aage jhukte hain.
It portrays Agni Jātavedas as the primordial, many-formed fire that enters the Waters and then, in the ritual present, becomes the priestly power who opens the divine path and carries offerings to the gods.
It is a cosmogonic image: the divine fire is shown as hidden within the undifferentiated primal realm (the Waters) and then revealing and shaping many forms—fire as the principle of manifestation and knowing.
It functions as an Agni-invocation for establishing the fire, requesting safe and clear ‘god-leading’ paths, and dedicating key offering portions (prayāja and anuyāja) and the whole yajña to Agni as the carrier and mediator.
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