काली कराली च मनोजवा च
सुलोहिता या च सुधूम्रवर्णा ।
स्फुलिङ्गिनी विश्वरुची च देवी
लेलायमाना इति सप्त जिह्वाः ॥ ४॥
kālī karālī ca manojavā ca
sulohitā yā ca sudhūmravarṇā .
sphuliṅginī viśvarucī ca devī
lelāyamānā iti sapta jihvāḥ .. 4..
Kali (the Black), Karali (the Terrific), Manojava (the Swift as thought), Sulohita (the Very red), Sudhumravarna (of the colour of bright smoke; purple), Splulingini (the Scintillating) and the luminous Visvaruchi (the All-gleaming, all- formed)-these seven, flickering about, form the seven tongues of the fire.
Commentary:
In a properly performed sacrifice, seven flames of the fire are supposed to shoot up, not just one or two. The hungry fire will lap up in seven tongues. The seven tongues have their own names—kālī: the black one; karalī: the blacker one; mano-javā: rapid like the movement of the mind; sulhoitā: reddish in colour; sudhūmravarṇā: brownish in colour; sphuliṅginī: sparking forth; viśva-rūpī: radiant. Devī: divine are the flames. The god Agni himself rises up to receive our offering and take us to the gods so that, in their satisfaction, they lift us up to the abode of the gods. Lelāyamānā iti sapta-jiḥvāḥ: Oscillating flames of the agni, to which we offer the oblations, are designated in this manner. These names are to be remembered.