This suuktam has nine verses: the verses contain prayers to the universe for long life and knowledge. Living is compared to a Yagna and actions are like clarified butter that are offered during Yagna to keep fire burning. Devotee asks for life-force by un-attached action and by offering fruits of his well directed actions to Universe. Similar prayer is found in the 10th anuvaka of Sri Rudram and in 3rd chapter of Bhagvad-Geeta. It is profitable to compare this to Purusha Suuktam (hymn of creation) as well: The Purusha gives part of His spirit to create universe and provides energy to keep universe in motion. Purusha creates this universe through Yagna.
यो ब्रह्मा ब्रह्मण उज्जहार प्राणैः शिरः कृत्तिवासाः पिनाकी ।
ईशानो देवः स न आयुर्दधातु तस्मै जुहोमि हविषा घृतेन ॥ १
Through creation (ब्रह्मा ब्रह्मण feminine and masculine forms of creation) who (यः) produces and kills (उज्जहार ) with life energy (प्राणैः ) शिरः कृत्तिवासाः who has a snake (on his head) and lives in food (कृत्ति house or abode or skin) He is a house dweller (body mind intellect compared to a house), holds a bow (पिनाकी) Isana ईशानो देवः, to us (नः) आयुर्दधातु (give life force). तस्मै (to that Isana), घृतेन (with ghee) as an offering (हविष) in a yagna, जुहोमि I submit
विभ्राजमानः सरिरस्य मध्याद्रोचमानः घर्मरुचिः य आगात् ।
स मृत्युपाशानपनुद् य घोरानिह आयुषेणः घृतमत् तु देवः ॥ २
अनपिनद्ध: unbound मृत्युपाश the noose of death घोर fearful अनिह not here आयुषेणः the one who gives life-force, food, breath घृतमत् तु देवः the one who provides fertilizing rain (clarified butter in a Yagna) विभ्राजमानः luminous सरिरस्य मध्या in the middle of waters घर्मरुचिः hot essence य आगात् that comes from अद्रोचमानः free from falsehood
The luminous life-force which is free from false hood comes from middle of hot waters. O Deva, the one who provides the fertilizing rain and clarified butter, please unbind the life from the noose of death.
Usage of यम्..तम् construction is seen in this verse. पुरुरूपमं the form of roots (Prana, life force). जयन्तम् birth took place आदधात् from root word ध (strong longing to give birth)ब्रह्मज्योतिः ब्रह्मपत्नीषु गर्भं that great light from the womb of creator सुवर्णरंभग्रहम् अर्कं अर्च्यं that is in golden color, beautiful home अर्कं luminous अर्च्यं of embers आयुषे locative case for आयुष; घृतेन by clarified butter (by our actions) वर्धयाम: Imperative verb form for वर्ध we beg to fill
श्रियं लक्ष्मीम् औबलाम् अंबिकां गां षष्ठीं च याम् इन्द्रसेनेत्युदाहुः ।
दाक्षायण्यः सर्वयोन्यः स योन्यः सहस्रशः विश्वरूपा विरूपाः ।
ससूनवः सपतयः सयूथ्या आयुषेणो घृतमिदं जुषन्ताम् ॥ ५
Prajapati created many worlds and many beings. They serve Him for long life (by providing fruits of actions in the form of clarified butter)
दिव्या गणा बहुरूपाः पुराणा आयुश्छिदो नः प्रमथ्नन्तु वीरान् ।
तेभ्यः जुहोमि बहुधा घृतेन मा नः प्रजागं रीरिषो मोत वीरान् ॥ ६
ब्रह्मज्योतिः ब्रह्मपत्नीषु गर्भं यमादधात् पुरुरूपमं जयन्तम् ।
सुवर्णरंभग्रहम् अर्कं अर्च्यं तमायुषे वर्धयामो घृतेन ॥ ३
Usage of यम्..तम् construction is seen in this verse. पुरुरूपमं the form of roots (Prana, life force). जयन्तम् birth took place आदधात् from root word ध (strong longing to give birth)ब्रह्मज्योतिः ब्रह्मपत्नीषु गर्भं that great light from the womb of creator सुवर्णरंभग्रहम् अर्कं अर्च्यं that is in golden color, beautiful home अर्कं luminous अर्च्यं of embers आयुषे locative case for आयुष; घृतेन by clarified butter (by our actions) वर्धयाम: Imperative verb form for वर्ध we beg to fill
श्रियं लक्ष्मीम् औबलाम् अंबिकां गां षष्ठीं च याम् इन्द्रसेनेत्युदाहुः ।
तां विद्यां ब्रह्मयोनिगं सरूपाम् इहायुषे तर्पयामः घृतेन ॥ ४
Usage of याम् ..तां construction is seen. In Vedic times, Indra is equated to Brahman. Six attributes are used here: riches, wealth, strength, creation, final destination, sixth letter (षष्ठ) to mean compassion. This knowledge comes from Brahma himself and for that true knowledge provides health (आयुष्); we beg to provide clarified butter (butter here implies fruits of actions)
दाक्षायण्यः सर्वयोन्यः स योन्यः सहस्रशः विश्वरूपा विरूपाः ।
ससूनवः सपतयः सयूथ्या आयुषेणो घृतमिदं जुषन्ताम् ॥ ५
दाक्षायण्यः Son of Dakshyani = prajapati.
सर्वयोन्यः to all wombs (dative case) स योन्यः from that womb (ablative case)
सर्वयोन्यः to all wombs (dative case) स योन्यः from that womb (ablative case)
सहस्रशः many (as in thousands)
विश्वरूपा many worlds
विरूपाः different kinds of worlds
ससूनवः manifested beings (born)
सपतयः along with masters
सयूथ्या with other people (herd)
आयुषेण with life force / for life
इदं घृतं this clarified butter
जुषन्ताम् root word is जुष् class 6. Imperative (लोट् )third person plural आत्मनेपद (seeking permission for serving "they serve")
सयूथ्या with other people (herd)
आयुषेण with life force / for life
इदं घृतं this clarified butter
जुषन्ताम् root word is जुष् class 6. Imperative (लोट् )third person plural आत्मनेपद (seeking permission for serving "they serve")
दिव्या गणा बहुरूपाः पुराणा आयुश्छिदो नः प्रमथ्नन्तु वीरान् ।
तेभ्यः जुहोमि बहुधा घृतेन मा नः प्रजागं रीरिषो मोत वीरान् ॥ ६
आयुश्छिद: ones cuts away ayush (life)
बहुरूपाः पुराणा many forms who are ancient
दिव्या luminous and out of the world
गणा groups of beings
प्रमथ्नन्तु = प्र मथ्नन् तु; मथ्नन् : churning away
नः वीरान्: our warriors
तेभ्यः जुहोमि बहुधा घृतेन to those we offer butter and worship
नः प्रजागं our people मा वीरान् our warriors
रीरिषो मोत not want to slay
The various ancient heavenly forces that cut away the life, to those, we offer worship so that our people and our warriors may not be harmed
दिव्या luminous and out of the world
गणा groups of beings
प्रमथ्नन्तु = प्र मथ्नन् तु; मथ्नन् : churning away
नः वीरान्: our warriors
तेभ्यः जुहोमि बहुधा घृतेन to those we offer butter and worship
नः प्रजागं our people मा वीरान् our warriors
रीरिषो मोत not want to slay
The various ancient heavenly forces that cut away the life, to those, we offer worship so that our people and our warriors may not be harmed
एकः पुरस्तात् य इदं बभूव यतो बभूव भुवनस्य गोपाः ।
यमप्येति भुवनगं सांपराये स नः हविर्घृत मिहायुषेत्तु देवः ॥ ७
भुवनस्य of this world पुरस्तात् at the beginning एकः the One य इदं बभूव here who existed यतो बभूव गोपाः from whence came into being many protectors सांपराये related to presence of calamity (7th case in the presence of संपराय calamity) यमप्येति Lord of death's arrival नः हविर्घृत मिहायुषे we offer for protection of life havis.
स देवः that lord
From the One that exists the many forces came. From Lord of death's calamitous arrival we seek protection by offering havis to that lord.
वसून् रुद्रान् आदित्यान् मरुतोऽथ साध्यान्
ऋभून् यक्षान् गन्धर्वाग्श्च विश्वान् ।
भृगून् सर्पग्श्च अंगिरसोऽथ सर्वान् घृतगं
हुत्वा स्वायुष्या महयाम शश्वत् ॥
8 vasus eleven rudras 12 adityas 49 airs Siddha purushas architects, yakshas, gandharvas etc.
महयाम imperative mood for मह to honour and to respect
आयुष् 7th case for the sake of आयुष्या
Various forces are being honored for the sake of life with clarified butter
