Rig Veda Sukta 3
Mandala 7Sukta 310 Mantras

Sukta 3

Sukta 7.3

Rishi

Vasiṣṭha

Chandas

Triṣṭubh

تستدعي هذه الترتيلة لفاسيṣṭها أغني بوصفه أكرم رسول (دوتا) وأقوى سلطة كهنوتية، راسخًا بين البشر الفانين ومع ذلك حاملًا للـṛta (نظام الحقّ/الصدق). ويُمجَّد أغني في بهائه المتلألئ، شمسيّ الإشراق رعديّ الجلال، ويُسأل أن يُشعل الرخاء، وصفاء الذهن (su-cetas/kratu)، والعافية الدائمة للمنشدين ولمجتمعهم.

Recitation with translationRig Veda 7.3

In this hymn

Addressed to

  • Agni

    Agni is the yajiṣṭha (most worship-worthy) fire and the dūta (messenger) who carries offerings, purifies with luminous heat, and manifests with a radiant face like gold, with force like thunder and brilliance like the sun.

Mantras

Mantra 1

अग्निं वो देवमग्निभिः सजोषा यजिष्ठं दूतमध्वरे कृणुध्वम् । यो मर्त्येषु निध्रुविॠतावा तपुर्मूर्धा घृतान्नः पावकः ॥

اجعلوا لكم أَغني الإلهَ—متآلفًا مع النيران الإلهية—أكرمَ رسولٍ للعبادة في اليَجْنَة؛ ذاك الذي بين البشر راسخُ المقام، حاملُ ṛta (ناموس الحقّ والنظام)، ذو رأسٍ من قوّةٍ متّقدة، مُغذّىً بالغِهْرِتا ghṛta (العصارة المضيئة)، المُطهِّر.

Mantra 2

प्रोथदश्वो न यवसेऽविष्यन्यदा महः संवरणाद्व्यस्थात् । आदस्य वातो अनु वाति शोचिरध स्म ते व्रजनं कृष्णमस्ति ॥

يندفعُ كالجوادِ يبتغي عُشبَه، حين يبرزُ من الحِمى العظيم. ثمّ تتبعُ الريحُ لهيبَه؛ فحقًّا يصيرُ مسارُ سيرِك مُسودًّا—حيثما مرّت النارُ احترقَ الظلامُ وصارَ علامةَ عبور.

Mantra 3

उद्यस्य ते नवजातस्य वृष्णोऽग्ने चरन्त्यजरा इधानाः । अच्छा द्यामरुषो धूम एति सं दूतो अग्न ईयसे हि देवान् ॥

حين تُولَدُ من جديد، يا أَغني، أيّها الثورُ القويّ، تتحرّكُ إيقاداتُك التي لا تشيخُ وتنتشر. ودخانُك الأَحْمَرُ يصعدُ نحو السماء؛ وبصفتك الرسولَ تسيرُ حقًّا إلى الآلهة، جامعًا العوالم.

Mantra 4

वि यस्य ते पृथिव्यां पाजो अश्रेत्तृषु यदन्ना समवृक्त जम्भैः । सेनेव सृष्टा प्रसितिष्ट एति यवं न दस्म जुह्वा विवेक्षि ॥

يا أغني، إنَّ بأسَكَ ممتدٌّ على الأرض؛ حينَ تُنقّي بأنيابِكَ الأقواتَ في المواضعِ اليَبْس. واندفاعُكَ إلى الأمامِ يمضي كجيشٍ أُطلِقَ سراحُه؛ أيها العجيب، وبِلِسانِ القُربانِ (juhvā) تُميِّزُ الحَبَّ—عارفًا ما ينبغي أن يُرفَعَ إلى النار.

Mantra 5

तमिद्दोषा तमुषसि यविष्ठमग्निमत्यं न मर्जयन्त नरः । निशिशाना अतिथिमस्य योनौ दीदाय शोचिराहुतस्य वृष्णः ॥

إيّاه في الليل، وإيّاه عند الفجر—أصغرَ نارٍ—يُجَلّيه الرجال كما يُجَلّى الجواد. يُحدِّدونه، ذلك الضيف، في مَقرِّه هو؛ فتتوهّجُ شعلةُ القويّ حين تُوضَعُ القُربانُ في جوفه.

Mantra 6

सुसंदृक्ते स्वनीक प्रतीकं वि यद्रुक्मो न रोचस उपाके । दिवो न ते तन्यतुरेति शुष्मश्चित्रो न सूरः प्रति चक्षि भानुम् ॥

بهِيٌّ للنظر وجهُكَ المتلألئ؛ وتسطع قريبًا كحُلِيٍّ من ذهب. وقوّتُكَ تنطلق كقصفِ رعدِ السماء؛ وكشمسٍ عجيبةٍ تلتفتُ بشعاعِكَ—فتُنيرُ ما ينبغي أن يُرى.

Mantra 7

यथा वः स्वाहाग्नये दाशेम परीळाभिर्घृतवद्भिश्च हव्यैः । तेभिर्नो अग्ने अमितैर्महोभिः शतं पूर्भिरायसीभिर्नि पाहि ॥

لكي نقدّم «سْفَاهَا» لأغني بصلواتٍ مُحيطةٍ من كلّ جانب، وبقرابين (هَفْيَا) غنيةٍ بالسمن المصفّى—فبتلك العظَمات التي لا تُقاس، يا أيّها النار، احرسنا؛ وبمئةِ حصنٍ من حديدٍ صُن كيانَنا.

Mantra 8

या वा ते सन्ति दाशुषे अधृष्टा गिरो वा याभिर्नृवतीरुरुष्याः । ताभिर्नः सूनो सहसो नि पाहि स्मत्सूरीञ्जरितॄञ्जातवेदः ॥

وأيًّا ما كانت لديك من أقوالٍ لا تُقهر للواهِب—تلك القوى الكلامية التي بها تُوسِّع وتحمي الطاقات الرجولية—فبها احرسنا، يا ابنَ القوّة؛ واصرفْ عنّا القادةَ المستنيرين والمنشدين، يا جاتافيداس.

Mantra 9

निर्यत्पूतेव स्वधितिः शुचिर्गात्स्वया कृपा तन्वा रोचमानः । आ यो मात्रोरुशेन्यो जनिष्ट देवयज्याय सुक्रतुः पावकः ॥

حين يخرجُ مُنطلقًا، طاهرًا كفأسٍ مُطهَّر—مضيئًا، متلألئًا بجسده المصوغ بذاته—ذاك المرغوب، المولود من الأُمَّين، يأتي لعبادة الآلهة: المتوهّج الصافي، ذو الإرادة الحسنة والعمل القويم، بافاكا.

Mantra 10

एता नो अग्ने सौभगा दिदीह्यपि क्रतुं सुचेतसं वतेम । विश्वा स्तोतृभ्यो गृणते च सन्तु यूयं पात स्वस्तिभिः सदा नः ॥

يا أغني، أضرِمْ لنا هذه السعادات؛ ولْنبلغْ كْرَتُو (kratu)—الإرادة المضيئة بالفهم الصافي. ولْتكنْ كلُّ الخيرات للْمُسبِّحين والمنشدين؛ وأنتم احفظونا أبداً بسْوَسْتي (swasti)—تناغمات العافية والسلام.

Inside Sukta 3

How it unfolds

  1. Where it opens

    Agni is established as the unanimous choice of the rite—most worshipful messenger, firmly set among mortals, bearer of ṛta and purifier.

  2. Development

    Praise expands from Agni’s ritual role to his visible epiphany: golden radiance, near-at-hand brilliance, and a power that moves like thunder while illuminating like the sun.

  3. Climax

    Agni’s luminous manifestation becomes a revelation of divine force that both purifies and makes truth-visible—linking cosmic power with the sacrificer’s right understanding.

  4. Where it settles

    The hymn closes with a direct petition: may Agni blaze forth prosperity and grant clear-minded kratu; may all good accrue to the praisers, and may Agni guard them always with svasti.

The deity: Agni

  • Cosmic functionMediator between humans and gods; transformer of offerings into divine share; upholder of ṛta through the ordered rite; energizer of life through heat, light, and sacrificial ascent.
  • Inner significanceThe awakened flame of discernment and aspiration—purifying intention, carrying prayer upward, and kindling a clear will (kratu) aligned with truth and harmony (svasti).

The seer

  • VasiṣṭhaVasiṣṭha (Vasiṣṭha-gotra); chief seer of the Vasiṣṭhas · Foremost among the Seven Ṛṣis and a principal poet of Maṇḍala 7; celebrated as a brahman-priestly seer whose hymns articulate ṛta, kingship, and the right ordering of sacrifice.

Famous verses

yajiṣṭhaṃ dūtam adhvare
Verse 7.3.1Programmatic opening: installs Agni as yajiṣṭha dūta in the adhvara and describes him as ṛtāvā, tapuḥ-mūrdhā, and pāvaka—defining the hymn’s ritual and spiritual focus.Read verse 7.3.1 →
सुसंदृक्ते स्वनीक प्रतीकं वि यद्रुक्मो न रोचस उपाके । दिवो न ते तन्यतुरेति शुष्मश्चित्रो न सूरः प्रति चक्षि भानुम् ॥
Verse 7.3.6Iconic theophany: Agni’s face shines like gold; his force goes forth like thunder and he illumines like a wondrous sun—capturing Agni’s solar-thunderous aspect.Read verse 7.3.6 →
yūyaṃ pāta svastibhiḥ sadā naḥ
Verse 7.3.10Concluding benediction: requests saubhāgya and a lucid, well-guided kratu, extending blessings to all singers and asking continual protection through svasti.Read verse 7.3.10 →

Attributes of the deity

  • dūta (messenger)
  • pāvaka (purifier)
  • ṛtāvā (aligned with ṛta)
  • tapuḥ-mūrdhā (burning/ardent-headed)
  • ghṛtānna (fed with ghee, luminous essence)
  • radiant, golden-faced presence
  • thunder-like force and sun-like illumination

Also by this seer

  • Large portions of Rig Veda Maṇḍala 7 (many sūktas attributed to the Vasiṣṭha family)
  • Vasiṣṭha-associated traditions in later Vedic-Itihāsa lore, including priestly roles and teachings on dharma (as developed in later texts)

The rite, step by step

  • Prepare and clean the altar/vedi; establish the sacred space and intention.
  • Kindle Agni (ādhāna/āhavana lighting) and seat him as hotṛ/dūta with recitation.
  • Offer ghṛta (ghee) and kindling while praising Agni’s ṛta-bearing, purifying nature.
  • Invite Agni to carry the offering to the gods and to illumine the sacrificer’s kratu (will/intelligence).
  • Conclude with blessings for saubhāgya (felicity), svasti (well-being), and protection of the singers/community.

Offerings

  • Ghṛta (ghee)
  • Samidh (kindling sticks)
  • Havis (simple oblations such as grains/milk, as appropriate to the rite)

Frequently Asked Questions

Agni is praised—the sacred Fire who serves as the messenger between humans and the gods and purifies the sacrifice.

The hymn asks Agni to blaze forth prosperity (saubhāgya), grant a clear and luminous will/intelligence (kratu), and protect the community with lasting well-being (svasti).

These images describe Agni’s visible and cosmic power: golden radiance (beauty and purity), thunder-like force (divine energy), and sun-like illumination (making truth and right action seen).

Ask anything about Sukta 3 of the Rig Veda

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