MEANING:
Oh Lord HayagrIvA! When the YajamaanAs (the performers of Yaj~nam) conduct Yaagams, they offer consecrated oblations in the bright and towering flames emanating from the agni kuNTam. At that time, You present Yourself in the form of the manthrams that they recite and receive their Havis (Oblations such as parched rice, pressed somA juice et al) directly. Afterwards, You pass on those tasty oblations to the DevAs and make them fully contented.
The beauty of majestic flames constituting the seven-tongued Agni BhagavAn is invoked by the choice words: “SamiddhArcchishi Saptha tanthO:”. The first Rk (manthram) of Rg Vedam (agnimeeLE PurOhitham –) salutes this high priest of cosmic activities, who works out the eternal laws (dharmams) and who feeds and sustains all that is divine and luminous. He is the antharyAmi Brahmam inside Agni BhagavAn.
COMMENTS ON THE FIRST RK OF THE FIRST HYMN OF RG VEDAM:
There are nine rks in this first hymn that can be related to the “Manthra mayam sarIram” of Lord HayagrIvan that NigamAntha MahA Desikan saluted in his tenth slOkam. We will focus on the first RK:
“agnimeeLE PurOhitham Yaj~nyasya devamruthvijam hOthAram
RathnadhAthamam” –Rg Vedam I.1
Here are brief comments on the selected Vedic words pregnant with meaning praising the anugraha soubhAgyam (blessing power and glory) of this Yaj~na Moorthy:
Agni: the Brahman and Vrathapathi (Lord of observances and pledges).
Yaj~nasya Devam: the divine Lord of cosmic activities guided by the manthrams of Yajur Vedam.
Rithvijam: the One with no beginning, middle or end working through His eternal Laws (Rutham).
HotAram: the One who feeds (the dEvAs the havis)
RatnadhAtamam: the One who sustains all that is divine and luminous and one who is the best giver of joyous gifts and rayi (affluence of all kinds). In the remaining 8 Rks, we come across additional insights (6-15) :
HOthA: the giver and acceptor of Rayi (wealth of any realm).
Kavikrathu: “Source of Knowledge”.
Satya: Truth personified, the embodimnet of Divine Truth
Deva: Matchless divine One (TannoppArillappan), DevaRaajan (PeraruLALan).
Chitra-sravastama: “The source of divine inspiration”.
Anga: “the friend of All”.
Gopam: the protector of the Cosmos
Rtasya: “the true eternal knowledge”.
Supyana: soulabhyan (easy of access by one and all)
SvastayE: “Blessing, Prosperity, success and benediction”. He is the AadhAram for Svasthi of the world.
That Lord HayagrIvan with His manthra maya sarIram stands in the middle of the seventongued agni of Yaaga KunTam (Saptha tanthO: Samiddha archishi madhyE mantra mayam sarIram aatasTivAn) All the Vedic names given to Agni stand in for the SvayambhU (selfmanifest)
and Parameshti (the Supreme ruler) :
A. JaatavEdas (All-possessor)
B. Paavaka (The Purifier)
C. Jvalana (Burning as saptha jihvA/seven tongued)
D. VibhAvasu (Rich in radiance)
E. ChitrabhAnu (Multi-colored)
F. BhUritEjas (Resplendent)
G. Sikhin (Flaming)
H. VaisvAnara (All Pervader /VishNu)
J. DraviNodas (the giver of wealth).
That Lord with “Manthramaya SarIram” accepts “akhaNda Saarai: HavishAM pradhAnai:” and distributes them to the DevAs and makes them happy and contented (vyOma-sadhAm aapyAyanam vidhathsE). Vyoma means aaakasam. VyOma Pureesan (Aakasa NagarIsan) is the name of ThiruviNNagarappan. VyOma sathAm means celestials (dEvAs). VyOma Pureesan is their Lord. He blesses them with gifts of tasteful Havis (akhaNda Saarai: HavishAM pradhAnai:). They are filled with paripUrNa thrupthi or complete contentment (AapyAyanam vidhathsE). Thus ends the beautiful salutation to the Yaj~na Moorthy, the embodiment of Veda manthrams.
Source
To be continued…
