Rig Veda Sukta 2
Mandala 7Sukta 211 Mantras

Sukta 2

Sukta 7.2

Rishi

Vasiṣṭha

Chandas

Triṣṭubh (probable)

تُوقِدُ هذه الترتيلةُ لفاسيشثا أغني بوصفه كاهنَ القربان المتألّق، وتستدعوه أن يقبل الحطب، وأن يشتعل صاعدًا إلى العلوّ، وأن يتّسع منسجمًا مع أشعّة سوريّا. وهي تنسجُ كاملَ مشهدِ الياجنا: الفجرَ والليلَ قوتينِ مُساندتين، والمقعدَ المقدّس (البرهِس)، وحمايةَ أديتي، ومجيءَ إندرا والآلهة، لكي تجلبَ التقدمةُ سوفيتا (العبورَ الحسن)، والوفرةَ، والابتهاجَ الإلهي.

Recitation with translationRig Veda 7.2

In this hymn

Addressed to

  • AgniMantras 1, 3-5, 7, 11with strong solar alignment to Sūrya’s rays

    Agni is the invoked fire, bright, worship-worthy, smoke-raising, tongue-flamed, who touches the luminous summit and spreads with the Sun’s rays, carrying prayers and offerings to the gods.

  • NarashamsaMantra 2Narāśaṃsa (ritual divinity closely allied with Agni) and the Devās as acceptors of havis
  • UshasMantra 6Uṣas and Naktā (Dawn & Night) as paired powers supportive of yajña
  • BharatiMantra 8Bhāratī
  • IliaMantra 8Iḷā
  • SarasvatiMantra 8Sarasvatī (the three goddesses)
  • TvashtriMantra 9Tvaṣṭṛ (with implied soma-pressing imagery)

Mantras

Mantra 1

जुषस्व नः समिधमग्ने अद्य शोचा बृहद्यजतं धूममृण्वन् । उप स्पृश दिव्यं सानु स्तूपैः सं रश्मिभिस्ततनः सूर्यस्य ॥

تقبّلْ حطبَ الإيقادِ منا، يا أغني، اليوم؛ وتلألأ عظيمًا جديرًا بالعبادة، رافعًا دخانك. المسْ القمّةَ المضيئةَ بألسنةِ لهبك؛ وانبسطْ منسجمًا مع أشعّةِ سُوريا (الشمس).

Mantra 2

नराशंसस्य महिमानमेषामुप स्तोषाम यजतस्य यज्ञैः । ये सुक्रतवः शुचयो धियंधाः स्वदन्ति देवा उभयानि हव्या ॥

سنُسبّح بعُباداتِ اليَجْنَا عظمةَ هؤلاء—عظمةَ نَرَاشَمْسَا، المعبودِ الجديرِ بالتقريب. فالآلهةُ ذوو القوّةِ الحسنة، الأطهار، حاملو الـdhī (البصيرة/الفكرة المقدّسة)، يذوقون ويتمتّعون بكِلا نوعَي الـhavya (القرابين): الظاهر والباطن.

Mantra 3

ईळेन्यं वो असुरं सुदक्षमन्तर्दूतं रोदसी सत्यवाचम् । मनुष्वदग्निं मनुना समिद्धं समध्वराय सदमिन्महेम ॥

نُمَجِّدُ لكم أغني الجديرَ بالابتهال، الآسورا الحاذقَ كاملَ البراعة؛ الرسولَ الباطنَ بين السماء والأرض، الناطقَ بالحقّ. وكما في سنّة البشر، أغني المُوقَدُ بمانو (الذهن)، فليكن على الدوام مُنسَجِمًا منّا لأجل اليَجْنَة—أبدًا لرحلةِ الصعود.

Mantra 4

सपर्यवो भरमाणा अभिज्ञु प्र वृञ्जते नमसा बर्हिरग्नौ । आजुह्वाना घृतपृष्ठं पृषद्वदध्वर्यवो हविषा मर्जयध्वम् ॥

يا خُدّامَ القُربان، الحاملينَ القرابينَ بعِلمٍ وبصيرة، ابسطوا بخشوعٍ البَرْهِسَ (المقعدَ المقدّس) لأغني. وأنتم تُفيضون، أضيئوا بالهَفِسِ المذبحَ ذا ظهرِ السمنِ المصفّى، الموشّى بالأشعّة—صُقلوا وأتمّوا اليَجْنَةَ بالقُربان.

Mantra 5

स्वाध्यो वि दुरो देवयन्तोऽशिश्रयू रथयुर्देवताता । पूर्वी शिशुं न मातरा रिहाणे समग्रुवो न समनेष्वञ्जन् ॥

مُتَحَكِّمينَ في ذواتِهم، يفتحُ طالِبو الإلهِ الأبوابَ على سَعَتِها؛ ويثبتونَ في مقامِهم، مُتَشَوِّقينَ لمجيءِ الألوهة. وكما تَلْحَسُ أُمّانِ وليدَهما، كذلك تُرَبّيه القوى القديمة؛ وكالمُنشدينَ في مجالسِهم، يَمسحونَه بالدُّهن ويُقيمونَه على الوِفاق.

Mantra 6

उत योषणे दिव्ये मही न उषासानक्ता सुदुघेव धेनुः । बर्हिषदा पुरुहूते मघोनी आ यज्ञिये सुविताय श्रयेताम् ॥

ولْتَقْعُدِ العَذْرَاوَانِ الإِلٰهِيَّتَانِ—أُوشَسُ (الفجر) وَنَكْتَا (اللَّيْل)—الواسِعَتَانِ لَنَا كَبَقَرَةٍ حَسَنَةِ الدَّرِّ، عَلَى البَرْهِسِ (المَقْعَدِ المُقَدَّسِ)؛ الغَنِيَّتَانِ الكَثِيرَتَا الدُّعَاءِ، المُنْعِمَتَانِ بِالوَفْرَةِ. وَلْتَمِيلَا إِلَى عَمَلِ اليَجْنَا، لِسَيْرٍ سَعِيدٍ وَسَعَادَةٍ فَسِيحَةٍ.

Mantra 7

विप्रा यज्ञेषु मानुषेषु कारू मन्ये वां जातवेदसा यजध्यै । ऊर्ध्वं नो अध्वरं कृतं हवेषु ता देवेषु वनथो वार्याणि ॥

نَحْنُ رِشِيّونَ (رُؤَاةٌ) فِي اليَجْنَا البَشَرِيَّةِ؛ وَكَشَاعِرٍ أَرَى أَنَّكَ—يَا جَاتَافِيدَاس—جَدِيرٌ بِالعِبَادَةِ. قَدْ جُعِلَتْ حَرَكَةُ قُرْبَانِنَا مُسْتَقِيمَةً فِي النِّدَاءِ؛ وَبِهَا تَفُوزُ بَيْنَ الآلِهَةِ بِالثَّرَوَاتِ المَرْغُوبَةِ—قُوًى وَفُيُوضًا لَنَا.

Mantra 8

आ भारती भारतीभिः सजोषा इळा देवैर्मनुष्येभिरग्निः । सरस्वती सारस्वतेभिरर्वाक्तिस्रो देवीर्बर्हिरेदं सदन्तु ॥

لِتَأْتِ بْهَارَتِي مَعَ البْهَارَتِيَّاتِ فِي وَئَامٍ وَاحِدٍ؛ وَلْتَأْتِ إِلَا مَعَ الآلِهَةِ وَمَعَ البَشَرِ، وَلْيَأْتِ أَغْنِي مَعَهُمْ. وَلْتَأْتِ سَرَسْفَتِي مَعَ السَّرَسْفَتِيِّينَ مُتَوَجِّهَةً إِلَى هُنَا؛ وَلْتَجْلِسِ الإِلٰهَاتُ الثَّلَاثُ عَلَى هٰذَا البَرْهِسِ (المَقْعَدِ المُقَدَّسِ).

Mantra 9

तन्नस्तुरीपमध पोषयित्नु देव त्वष्टर्वि रराणः स्यस्व । यतो वीरः कर्मण्यः सुदक्षो युक्तग्रावा जायते देवकामः ॥

يا تْفَشْتَرُ، أيّها الإله المُغذّي، كُنْ لنا تلك الزيادة السريعة الاندفاع—وتألّقْ في عطائك المسرور. منك يُولَدُ البطلُ الصالحُ للأعمال، كاملُ الكفاية، وقد شُدَّتْ أحجارُ العصر، مُشتهيًا الإلهيّ.

Mantra 10

वनस्पतेऽव सृजोप देवानग्निर्हविः शमिता सूदयाति । सेदु होता सत्यतरो यजाति यथा देवानां जनिमानि वेद ॥

يا ربَّ الخشبِ (فانَسْبَتي)، أطلِقْ—ودَعِ الآلهةَ تقترب. أَغْنِي، مُنَظِّمُ القُربان، يُسَدِّدُ الهَفِسَ في مساره القويم. ثمّ الهوتَرُ، الأصدقُ في صدقه، يُقيمُ اليَجْنَا—لأنّه يَعرِفُ مواليدَ الآلهةِ وتكوّناتِهم.

Mantra 11

आ याह्यग्ने समिधानो अर्वाङिन्द्रेण देवैः सरथं तुरेभिः । बर्हिर्न आस्तामदितिः सुपुत्रा स्वाहा देवा अमृता मादयन्ताम् ॥

تعالَ، يا أَغْنِي، مُتَّقِدًا تمامَ الاتّقاد، مُقبِلًا إلى هنا—مع إندرا والآلهة في عربةٍ واحدة، مع القوى السريعة. لِيُثَبَّتْ لنا البَرْهِسُ؛ ولتكن أَدِتي، الغنيّةُ بالبنينِ النبلاء، حاضرةً هنا. سْفَاهَا—لِتَفْرَحِ الآلهةُ الخالدةُ وتَطْرَبْ في القُربان.

Inside Sukta 2

How it unfolds

  1. Where it opens

    Agni is asked to accept the kindling and blaze, lifting smoke and reaching the luminous heights in solar accord.

  2. Development

    The hymn broadens from Agni’s ignition to the full sacrificial ecology: divine timing (Dawn–Night), the prepared seat, and the gathering of beneficent powers for prosperity and safe passage.

  3. Climax

    Agni is summoned to come fully kindled with Indra and the gods in a single chariot—an image of unified divine arrival and empowered rite.

  4. Where it settles

    The barhis is established, Aditi is invoked for protection and good progeny, and the hymn seals the rite with svāhā, asking the immortals to delight in the offering.

The deity: Agni

  • Cosmic functionMediator between earth and heaven: he conveys oblations, summons the devas to the rite, and establishes luminous order by linking the terrestrial fire to the solar/celestial radiance.
  • Inner significanceAwakened will and discerning intelligence (tejas): the inner flame that lifts aspiration upward, purifies intent, and unites human effort with a higher, solar clarity.

The seer

  • VasiṣṭhaVasiṣṭha-gotra (one of the Saptaṛṣi lineages) · Foremost seer-priest of the Rig Veda’s seventh maṇḍala, celebrated for hymns of Agni and Varuṇa and for articulating ṛta (cosmic order) through a priestly, ritual mastery.

Famous verses

saṃ raśmibhis tatanaḥ sūryasya
Verse 7.2.1Sets the hymn’s signature vision: Agni’s flame and smoke rising to the ‘luminous summit’ while he expands ‘with the rays of the Sun,’ defining the sukta’s solar Agni alignment.Read verse 7.2.1 →
उत योषणे दिव्ये मही न उषासानक्ता सुदुघेव धेनुः । बर्हिषदा पुरुहूते मघोनी आ यज्ञिये सुविताय श्रयेताम् ॥
Verse 7.2.6Introduces the supportive pair Uṣas–Naktā as cosmic ‘two maidens’ who sit on the ritual seat and grant suvitā, showing the hymn’s concern for right timing and auspicious passage.Read verse 7.2.6 →
svāhā devā amṛtā mādayantām
Verse 7.2.11Liturgical culmination: Agni is called to arrive with Indra and the gods; barhis and Aditi are established; the concluding svāhā frames the hymn as a complete invitation-and-offering sequence.Read verse 7.2.11 →

Attributes of the deity

  • Hotṛ (priest) and messenger of the gods
  • Kindled by samidh (fuel) and strengthened by ghee
  • Radiant, expansive, and upward-striving
  • Solarly aligned (raśmibhiḥ sūryasya)
  • Purifier and protector of the rite
  • Summoner of Indra and the Viśve Devāḥ

Also by this seer

  • Principal author of Rig Veda Maṇḍala 7 (many hymns attributed to the Vasiṣṭha family)
  • Noted for Varuṇa hymns emphasizing ṛta, moral order, and release from bonds (e.g., RV 7.86–7.89)
  • Major Agni hymns in Maṇḍala 7 that shape the liturgical voice of the Vasiṣṭhas

The rite, step by step

  • Prepare and lay the barhis (sacred grass seat) and the altar space
  • Kindle Agni with samidh (fuel sticks), inviting him to blaze vast and worship-worthy
  • Offer ghee into the fire while reciting the hymn to ‘raise the smoke’ as the signal to the gods
  • Invoke supporting cosmic powers (Uṣas–Naktā) to ‘sit on the seat’ and favor the rite’s right timing
  • Invite Indra and the Viśve Devāḥ to come ‘in one chariot’ with Agni as convoy and messenger
  • Establish Aditi’s presence for protection, rightness, and noble increase
  • Conclude with svāhā, requesting the immortals to rejoice in the oblation

Offerings

  • Samidh (kindling/fuel sticks)
  • Ghṛta (clarified butter)
  • Optional soma/oblations appropriate to the rite (as contextually paired with Indra and the gods)

Frequently Asked Questions

It is a fire-kindling hymn that invites Agni to blaze powerfully and carry the offering, while aligning his radiance with the Sun’s rays and calling the gods to the sacrifice.

They represent the right cosmic timing and rhythm for worship. By asking them to “sit on the seat,” the hymn seeks an auspicious flow (suvitā) for the ritual and for life’s journey.

Aditi is invoked as a wide, protective power linked with well-being and noble increase. Her presence marks the rite as safeguarded, rightly ordered, and fruitful for the worshippers.

Ask anything about Sukta 2 of the Rig Veda

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