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Dhammapada · narration sample

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Rig Veda · 447 of 1027

Mandala 6: HYMN VI. Agni.

1.HE who seeks furtherance and grace to help him goes to the Son of Strength with newest worship, Calling the heavenly Priest to share the banquet, who rends the wood, bright, with his blackened pathway.

2.White-hued and thundering he dwells in splendour, Most Youthful, with the loudvoiced and eternal- Agni, most variform, the Purifier, who follows crunching many ample forests.

3.Incited by the wind thy flames, O Agni, move onward, Pure One! pure, in all directions. Thy most destructive heavenly Navagvas break the woods down and devastate them boldly.

4.Thy pure white horses from their bonds are loosened: O Radiant One, they shear the ground beneath them, And far and wide shines out thy flame, and flickers rapidly moving over earth’s high ridges.

5.Forth darts the Bull’s tongue like the sharp stone weapon discharged by him who fights to win the cattle. Agni’s fierce flame is like a hero’s onset: dread and resistless he destroys the forests.

6.Thou with the sunlight of the great Impeller hast boldly over-spread the earth’s expanses. So drive away with conquering might all perils. fighting out foemen burn up those who harm us.

7.Wondrous! of wondrous power! give to the singer wealth wondrous, marked, most wonderful, life-giving. Wealth bright, O Bright One, vast, with many heroes, give with thy bright flames to the man who lauds thee.

Asked of Guide

Why does the hymn call Agni both 'Purifier' and 'Bull' and emphasize his destructive power?

The hymn names Agni

Purifier

and likens him to a

Bull

to show two sides of the same force: cleansing through sacrificial fire and overwhelming strength in nature. Verses describe Agni ripping forests, his “fierce flame” as a “hero’s onset,” which frames destruction as the active, purifying work that clears danger and secures prosperity for worshippers.

This chapter treats sacrifice and protection as connected: Agni’s consuming power removes foes and impurities while delivering “wealth bright” and life to the lauder. Compare Hymn VI in the Rig Veda to Max Müller’s commentary, which also reads Agni’s destructiveness as ritual purification and social blessing.

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