The Secret Of The Veda Aurobindo - HolyBooks.com

The Angiras Rishis 163
navagvo nu da´sagvo a ˙ngirastamah. sacā deves.u ma˙mhate, ninerayed,
ten-rayed, most “Angiras”, this Angiras clan becomes
together full of plenty with or in the gods; aided by Indra they
set free the pen of cows and horses, they give to the sacrificer the
mystic eight-eared kine and thereby create in the gods ´sravas,
the divine hearing or inspiration of the Truth. It is fairly evident
that the Angiras Rishis are here the radiant lustres of the divine
Agni which are born in heaven, therefore of the divine Flame
and not of any physical fire; they become equipped with the nine
rays of the Light and the ten, become most a ˙ngiras, thatisto
say most full of the blazing radiance of Agni, the divine flame,
and are therefore able to release the imprisoned Light and Force
and create the supramental knowledge.
Even if this interpretation of the symbolism is not accepted,
yet that there is a symbolism must be admitted. These Angirases
are not human sacrificers, but sons of Agni born in heaven,
although their action is precisely that of the human Angirases,
the fathers, pitaro manus.yāh. ; they are born with different forms,
virūpāsah. , and all this can only mean that they are various forms
of the power of Agni. The question is of what Agni; the sacrificial
flame, the element of fire generally or that other sacred flame
which is described as “the priest with the seer-will” or “who
does the work of the seer, the true, the rich in varied light of
inspiration,” agnir hotā kavikratuh. satya´s citra´sravastamah. ?If
it is the element of fire, then the blazing lustre they represent
must be that of the Sun, the fire of Agni radiating out as the
solar rays and in association with Indra the sky creating the
Dawn. There can be no other physical interpretation consistent
with the details and circumstances of the Angiras myth. But this
explanation does not at all account for the farther description
of the Angiras Rishis as seers, as singers of the hymn, powers of
Brihaspati as well as of the Sun and Dawn.
There is another passage of the Veda (VI.6.3-5) in which
the identity of these divine Angirases with the flaming lustres of
Agni is clearly and unmistakably revealed. “Wide everywhere,
O pure-shining Agni, range driven by the wind thy pure shining
lustres (bhāmāsah. ); forcefully overpowering the heavenly Nine-