Agni Stuti in the Sabha Parva of Mahabharata

In the दिग्विजय पर्व within सभापर्व of the महाभारत, there is an episode where सहदेव goes into a battle with राजा नील who was the king of माहिष्मती. राजा नील had the support of अग्नि which was troubling the army of सहदेव and the battle was being lost by him. In this state, सहदेव resorted to doing a स्तुति of अग्नि. Since ऋषि वैशम्पायन specifically states that chanting this स्तुति is beneficial for overall well-being of a person, I have decided to bring this here for everyone’s benefit. The quality of translation is not personally satisfying to me and readers may consult a ज्ञानी who may obtain a deeper व्याख्या of these स्तोत्र. 

सहदेव उवाच

त्वदर्थोSयं समारम्भः कृष्णवर्त्मन्‌ नमोSस्तु ते। मुखं त्वमसि देवानां यज्ञस्त्वमसि पावक॥

O पावक! O कृष्णवर्त्मन्‌! (having) smoke as your indicator, I bow to you. You are the mouth of the देवता; you are यज्ञ itself.

पावनात् पावकश्चासि वहनाद्धव्यवाहनः। वेदास्त्वदर्थं जाता वै जातवेदास्ततो ह्यसि।।

You are called पावक because you purify everything. You are called हव्यवाहन because you carry the ghee offered into यज्ञ. The वेद have sprung from you, hence you are referred to as जातवेद.

चित्रभानुः सुरेशश्च अनलस्त्वं विभावसो। स्वर्गद्वारस्पृशश्चासि हुताशो ज्वलनः शिखी॥

You are सुरेश, you are चित्रभानु, अनल, विभावसु,  you take us up to स्वर्गद्वार, हुताश, ज्वलन, शिखी

वैश्वानरस्त्वं पिङ्गेशः प्लवङ्गो भूरितेजसः। कुमारसूस्त्वं भगवन् रुद्रगर्भो हिरण्यकृत्॥‌

वैश्वानर, पिङ्गेश, प्लवङ्ग and भूरितेजस. You are the origin of कुमार (कार्तिकेय). O भगवन्! You are referred to as रुद्रगर्भ and हिरण्यकृत्

अग्निर्ददातु मे तजो वायुः प्राणं ददातु मे। पृथिवी बलमादध्याच्छिवं चापो दिशन्तु मे॥

O अग्नि! Let you grant me तेज and वायु‌ grant me प्राण. Let पृथिवी grant me बलम् and nourishment and let water grant me prosperity.

अपांगर्भ महासत्त्व जातवेदः सुरेश्वर। देवानां मुखमग्ने त्वं सत्येन विपुनीहि माम्।।

O the first cause of आप (Waters), O great सत्त्व, O जातवेद, O सुरेश्वर, O the मुख of the देवता,  purify me by your Truth

ऋषिभिर्बाह्मणैश्चैव दैवतैरसुरैरपि। नित्यं सुहुत यज्ञेषु सत्येन विपुनीहि माम्।।

The ऋषि, the ब्राह्मण,‌ the देवता & the असुर everyday pour ghee into the यज्ञ according to the ordinance. Let the rays of Truth emanate from you and as you exhibit yourself in the यज्ञ, purify me.

धूमकेतु शिखी च‌ त्वम् पापहानिलसम्भवः। सर्वप्राणिषु नित्यस्थः सत्येन विपुनीहि माम्।।

O One with smoke as an indicator, O possessor of flames, O देवता‌‌ born of वायु, O one who is present or situated in all life forms , purify me by your rays of Truth

एवं स्तुतोSसि भगवन् प्रीतेन शुचिना मया। तुष्टिं पुष्टिं ‌श्रुतिं चैव प्रीतिं चाग्ने प्रयच्छ मे।।

O भगवन्! Having lovingly cleansed myself, I do your स्तुति. O अग्नि! Grant me contentment, prosperity, knowledge and a loving demeanour. 

वैशम्पायन उवाच

इत्येवं मन्त्रमाग्नेयं पठन् यो जुहुयाद् विभुम्। ऋद्धिमान् सततं दान्तः सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते।।

He who will pour Ghee into अग्नि reciting the मत्र, will be ever blessed with completeness or infinitude.  Having his आत्मा under his complete control, he will be cleansed of all पापकर्म. 

Source:

Transalation of Mahabharata by MN Dutt

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