Sukta 191
Sukta 10.191
Saṃvanana (saṃvananaḥ)
Agni
Virāḍ-anuṣṭubh
Dieser kurze Hymnus verknüpft das Entfachen Agnis mit dem Entfachen der Eintracht unter den Menschen: Wie das Feuer durch zusammengetragenes Brennmaterial zur Fülle gelangt, so wird eine Gemeinschaft durch gebündelte Absicht gestärkt. Er bittet um gemeinsame Rede, gemeinsamen Geist und gemeinsamen Ritus und stellt das Yajña als das praktische Mittel dar, in der Vielheit «ein Bewusstsein» zu formen.
Mantras
Mantra 1
संसमिद्युवसे वृषन्नग्ने विश्वान्यर्य आ । इळस्पदे समिध्यसे स नो वसून्या भर ॥
O Agni, starker Stier, du Junger, du wächst durch das zusammengetragene Entzünden; bring herbei alle Kräfte des edlen Strebens. Entzündet am Sitz der Iḷā, bring uns die Reichtümer — die Füllen des Seins.
Mantra 2
सं गच्छध्वं सं वदध्वं सं वो मनांसि जानताम् । देवा भागं यथा पूर्वे संजानाना उपासते ॥
Geht zusammen; sprecht zusammen; lasst eure Gedanken zu einem Verstehen erwachen. Wie die Götter der Vorzeit, in Eintracht, zusammenkamen und ihren Anteil verehrten, — so vereinigt auch ihr euch in der rechten Darbringung eures gemeinsamen Werkes.
Mantra 3
समानो मन्त्रः समितिः समानी समानं मनः सह चित्तमेषाम् । समानं मन्त्रमभि मन्त्रये वः समानेन वो हविषा जुहोमि ॥
Einer ist euer Mantra, eine die Versammlung, eins der Sinn und eins der erwachte Wille in euch allen. Mit demselben Mantra stimme ich euch zusammen; mit derselben Opfergabe (havis) spende ich die Darbringung — damit aus den Vielen ein einziges Bewusstsein werde.
Inside Sukta 191
How it unfolds
- Where it opens
Agni is kindled by gathered fuel and asked to bring plenitude—material and spiritual—into the ‘seat of aspiration’.
- Development
The hymn turns from fire to society: walk together, speak together, and let minds become mutually knowing, taking the gods’ ancient concord as the model.
- Climax
The declaration of oneness—one mantra, one assembly, one mind and awakened will—presenting unity as a sacred technology of success.
- Where it settles
Unity is ritually sealed: one shared mantra and one shared oblation are offered, so concord becomes embodied and enduring.
The deity: Agni
- In the VedaAgni is the ever-young fire kindled in the iḷā-pada (ritual seat), the carrier of offerings and the awakener of noble striving (ārya). He is invoked as vṛṣan (vigorous, potent) who brings vasu (riches, good things) when properly enkindled.
- Cosmic functionMediator between humans and gods, transformer of offerings into divine share, and the ordering principle that gathers scattered powers into a single, efficacious act of yajña.
- Inner significanceThe inner fire of aspiration and clarity that unifies speech, thought, and will—turning a group from scattered impulses into a coherent intention aligned to dharma and right action.
The seer
- Saṃvanana (saṃvananaḥ)Traditionally associated with the Saṃvanana (concord) hymns of the late Ṛgveda, emphasizing social unity, common counsel, and collective ritual harmony.
Famous verses
iḷaspade samidhyase
saṃ gacchadhvaṃ saṃ vadadhvaṃ
samāno mantraḥ
Attributes of the deity
- Kindler of unity (saṃ-)
- Priest and messenger (hotṛ/dūta)
- Transformer and purifier
- Bestower of vasu (wealth, plenitude)
- Center of the sacrifice (yajña-nābhi)
Also by this seer
- RV 10.191 (Saṃvanana-sūkta) is the principal attribution in the received tradition
- Associated in later usage with saṃvanana-prayoga (rites/recitations for agreement and reconciliation)
The rite, step by step
- Prepare the ritual space and seat the participants with an agreed intention (saṃkalpa) of harmony.
- Kindle Agni with gathered fuel while reciting RV 10.191.1, invoking Agni to bring ‘all powers’ and vasu.
- Have the group recite or respond together to RV 10.191.2, affirming unified movement, speech, and mind.
- Conclude with RV 10.191.3, sealing a single mantra, single assembly, and single offering-intent.
- Optional: share prasāda/food or a common portion to embody the ‘bhāga’ (shared share) motif.
Offerings
- Samidh (kindling sticks)
- Ghee (ājya) oblations
- Optional: cooked offering (caru) or simple shared food as a social ‘bhāga’
Frequently Asked Questions
It teaches concord: people should move together, speak together, and think together, using shared ritual and shared intention to create unity.
Agni is the fire that gathers and transforms offerings; symbolically, he also gathers scattered human energies into one clear purpose and brings prosperity (vasu).
It can be recited before group work, meetings, or ceremonies to set a shared intention—especially verses 10.191.2–3, which explicitly invoke unified speech, mind, and action.
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