1.60.1
वह्निं॑ य॒शसं॑ वि॒दथ॑स्य के॒तुं सु॑प्रा॒व्यं॑ दू॒तं स॒द्योअ॑र्थम् |
द्वि॒जन्मा॑नं र॒यिमि॑व प्रश॒स्तं रा॒तिं भ॑र॒द् भृग॑वे मात॒रिश्वा॑ ||
As ’twere Some goodly treasure Mātariśvan brought, as a gift, the glorious Priest to Bhṛgu, Banner of sacrifice, the good Protector, child of two births, the swiftly moving envoy.
Mātariśvan brought as a gift to Bhṛgu the glorious Hotar—like a splendid treasure—banner of the rite, good protector, child of two births, the envoy who accomplishes his purpose at once.
Mātariśvan's gift of Agni to Bhṛgu is the archetypal transmission of sacred fire. Dvijanman—born of araṇi and of altar, or of heaven and earth—marks Agni's initiatory nature. Ketu of the vidatha and sadyaḥ-artha dūta: fire as instant, purposeful bridge in Sanātana ritual cosmology.
Cherish founding gifts of culture and mentor transmission. Tools that serve as 'banners' of shared purpose deserve protection and skilled handover.
1.60.2
अ॒स्य शासु॑रु॒भया॑सः सचन्ते ह॒विष्म॑न्त उ॒शिजो॒ ये च॒ मर्ता॑: |
दि॒वश्चि॒त् पूर्वो॒ न्य॑सादि॒ होता॒ ऽऽपृच्छ्यो॑ वि॒श्पति॑र्वि॒क्षु वे॒धाः ||
Both Gods and men obey this Ruler's order, Gods who are worshipped, men who yearn and worship. As Priest he takes his seat ere break of morning, House-Lord, adorable with men, Ordainer.
Both classes obey this ruler's teaching—Gods who receive offering and mortals who yearn and worship. As Hotar he sits before dawn, house-lord adorable among the clans, the Ordainer.
Agni's śāsana binds Deva and martya in one order. Niṣad before dawn continues sandhyā-agnihotra rhythm. Viśpati and vedhas: household sovereignty plus cosmic arranging intelligence—gṛha and jagat under one flame of ṛta.
Governance that both 'above' (ideals) and 'below' (daily life) respect is rare and precious. Start the day by seating your ordering principle early.
1.60.3
तं नव्य॑सी हृ॒द आ जाय॑मानम॒स्मत् सु॑की॒र्तिर्मधु॑जिह्वमश्याः |
यमृ॒त्विजो॑ वृ॒जने॒ मानु॑षास॒: प्रय॑स्वन्त आ॒यवो॒ जीज॑नन्त ||
May our fair praise, heart-born, most recent, reach him whose tongue, e’en at his birth, is sweet as honey; Whom mortal priests, men, with their strong endeavour, supplied with dainty viands, have created.
May our newest heart-born fair praise reach him whose tongue is sweet as honey even from birth—whom mortal priests, humans with strong effort and offerings, have kindled into being.
Hṛdā jāyamāna navyaśī kīrti—praise born from the heart, ever renewed—reaches madhujihva Agni. Human ṛtvijs 'generating' Agni affirms collaborative theurgy: Deva presence responds to mortal prayas. Honey-tongue is both liturgical sweetness and satya's pleasant force.
Keep language of appreciation heartfelt and renewed, not rote. What we 'kindle' through sustained effort becomes the sweet voice of our culture.
1.60.4
उ॒शिक् पा॑व॒को वसु॒र्मानु॑षेषु॒ वरे॑ण्यो॒ होता॑धायि वि॒क्षु |
दमू॑ना गृ॒हप॑ति॒र्दम॒ आँ अ॒ग्निर्भु॑वद् रयि॒पती॑ रयी॒णाम् ||
Good to mankind, the yearning Purifier hath among men been placed as Priest choice-worthy. May Agni be our Friend, Lord of the Household, protector of the riches in the dwelling.
Eager purifier, Vasu among humans, choice Hotar placed among the clans—may Agni be the household friend, house-lord in the home, master of the dwelling's riches.
Uśik pāvaka and vasu in mānuṣeṣu: Agni as purifying desire and indwelling treasure. Damūnas gṛhapati in the dama is the classical domestic theology later echoed in gṛhya-sūtras. Rayipati of rayīṇām: prosperity guarded by the sacred center, not by anxiety alone.
Make the home's center a purifying friendship—shared meals, honest talk, cared-for space—that actually protects material and emotional wealth.
1.60.5
तं त्वा॑ व॒यं पति॑मग्ने रयी॒णां प्र शं॑सामो म॒तिभि॒र्गोत॑मासः |
आ॒शुं न वा॑जम्भ॒रं म॒र्जय॑न्तः प्रा॒तर्म॒क्षू धि॒याव॑सुर्जगम्यात् ||
As such we Gotamas with hymns extol thee, O Agni, as the guardian Lord of riches, Decking thee like a horse, the swift prizewinner. May he, enriched with prayer, come soon and early.
Thus we Gotamas praise you with thoughts, O Agni, as lord-guardian of riches; grooming you like a swift prize-winning horse. May he enriched with prayer come soon and early.
Gotama-gotra signature of Nodhas: mati and stuti as horse-grooming (marjayantaḥ)—cultivating Agni's speed toward vāja. Closing dawn-refrain dhiyāvasu jagamyāt seals continuity with hymns 58–59: prayer-rich Agni as morning guest of the mindful.
Lineage practice—family, guild, school—polishes shared energy for worthy contests. Invite renewal early; do not wait until exhaustion to seek help.