1.77.1
क॒था दा॑शेमा॒ग्नये॒ कास्मै॑ दे॒वजु॑ष्टोच्यते भा॒मिने॒ गीः |
यो मर्त्ये॑ष्व॒मृत॑ ऋ॒तावा॒ होता॒ यजि॑ष्ठ॒ इत् कृ॒णोति॑ दे॒वान् ||
How shall we pay oblation unto Agni? What hymn, Godloved, is said to him refulgent? Who, deathless, true to Law, mid men a herald, bringeth the Gods as best of sacrificers?
How shall we offer to Agni? What God-loved song is spoken to this radiant one—who, immortal and keeper of ṛta among mortals, as Hotar most fit for worship, brings the Gods?
Again the Rishi begins with method: dāśema (how we give) and gīḥ (sacred speech) must be devajuṣṭa—pleasing to the Devas. Agni is amṛta and ṛtāvān amid mortals: the immortal Law-keeper who as Hotar ‘makes’ the Gods present (kṛṇoti devān) in the human rite.
Craft matters: tone, timing, and sincerity of communication determine whether help arrives. Ask not only what to say, but whether the saying is worthy of the presence you seek.
1.77.2
यो अ॑ध्व॒रेषु॒ शंत॑म ऋ॒तावा॒ होता॒ तमू॒ नमो॑भि॒रा कृ॑णुध्वम् |
अ॒ग्निर्यद् वेर्मर्ता॑य दे॒वान्त्स चा॒ बोधा॑ति॒ मन॑सा यजाति ||
Bring him with reverence hither, most propitious in sacrifices, true to Law, the herald; For Agni, when he seeks the Gods for mortals, knows them full well and worships them in spirit.
With reverent bows draw near that most peaceful Hotar of harm-free rites, keeper of ṛta; for when Agni seeks the Gods for a mortal, he knows them and worships them with mind.
Adhvara (non-harming sacrifice) and namas (humble homage) establish Agni. His unique power is manasā yajati—worshipping the Devas through conscious knowing. Agni is not a dumb messenger; he is a knowing Hotar who discerns divine frequencies for the mortal.
Effective advocacy requires knowing the other party’s values. Be the informed intermediary: map stakeholders deeply, then represent with intelligent respect rather than noise.
1.77.3
स हि क्रतु॒: स मर्य॒: स सा॒धुर्मि॒त्रो न भू॒दद्भु॑तस्य र॒थीः |
तं मेधे॑षु प्रथ॒मं दे॑व॒यन्ती॒र्विश॒ उप॑ ब्रुवते द॒स्ममारी॑: ||
For he is mental power, a man, and perfect; he is the bringer, friend-like, of the wondrous. The pious Āryan tribes at sacrifices address them first to him who doeth marvels.
For he is purposeful will (kratu), he is the noble companion, he is the accomplished one; friend-like he becomes charioteer of the wondrous. Godward clans in their rites address him first—the marvel-worker.
Agni as kratu unites insight and decisive sacred will; as mitra-like rathī of the adbhuta he conveys wonder into human life. Viśas that are devayantīḥ (turning toward the divine) place him prathama—first—in medha (wise sacrifice), the Sanātana order of invocation.
Put foundational energy first: clarity of purpose and trustworthy partnership before spectacle. Teams that skip ‘first principles’ rarely sustain wonder.
1.77.4
स नो॑ नृ॒णां नृत॑मो रि॒शादा॑ अ॒ग्निर्गिरोऽव॑सा वेतु धी॒तिम् |
तना॑ च॒ ये म॒घवा॑न॒: शवि॑ष्ठा॒ वाज॑प्रसूता इ॒षय॑न्त॒ मन्म॑ ||
May Agni, foe-destroyer, manliest Hero, accept with love our hymns and our devotion. So may the liberal lords whose strength is strongest, urged by their riches, stir our thoughts with vigour.
May Agni, most manly among men, destroyer of the hostile, accept our songs with protective favor and our thoughtful devotion; and may the mighty liberal lords, strongest, spurred by vigour-wealth, quicken our insight.
Agni as nṛtama and riśādā clears opposition so giraḥ and dhīti (hymn and contemplative resolve) can be received. Maghavans—generous powers—then iṣayanta manma: energize sacred thought. Outer patronage and inner Agni together ripen manīṣā.
Protection and inspiration belong together: clear blockers, then let resources actually fertilize ideas—not vanity metrics, but vigorous thought.
1.77.5
ए॒वाग्निर्गोत॑मेभिर्ऋ॒तावा॒ विप्रे॑भिरस्तोष्ट जा॒तवे॑दाः |
स ए॑षु द्यु॒म्नं पी॑पय॒त् स वाजं॒ स पु॒ष्टिं या॑ति॒ जोष॒मा चि॑कि॒त्वान् ||
Thus Agni Jātavedas, true to Order, hath by the priestly Gotamas been lauded. May he augment in them splendour and vigour: observant, as he lists, he gathers increase.
Thus has ṛta-keeping Agni Jātavedas been praised by the wise Gotamas. May he swell splendour and contest-strength in them; knowingly, as he wills, he goes toward nourishing increase.
The closing names the lineage: Gotamas as vipras laud Jātavedas, knower of all births, ṛtāvān. Dyumna (radiant prestige), vāja (vital winning-power), and puṣṭi (nourishing growth) are the triad Agni ripens—sattvic prosperity under conscious will (cikitvān).
Praise that is lineage-true seeks measurable flourishing: clarity (splendour), capacity (vigour), and sustainable growth—not empty branding.