Rig Veda Sukta 6
Mandala 3Sukta 611 Mantras

Sukta 6

Sukta 3.6

Rishi

Viśvāmitra Gāthina (mandala 3 attribution; RV 3.6 continues the Viśvāmitra cycle)

Chandas

Triṣṭubh (probable)

Dieser Hymnus Viśvāmitras ruft Agni als den inspirierten Hotṛ an, der menschliches Denken und Sprechen götterwärts wendet und die Opfergabe zu den Göttern trägt. Agni wird ermahnt, seine rötlichen, ghee-glänzenden Rosse gemäß ṛta (kosmischer Ordnung) anzuschirren, die Gottheiten zum Opfer zu bringen und dem Verehrer dauerhaften Reichtum, Licht (go) und siegreiche Nachkommenschaft zu gewähren.

Recitation with translationRig Veda 3.6

In this hymn

Addressed to

  • Agni

    Agni is the luminous fire-principle, the household and ritual flame, invoked as Jātavedas (“knower of all births”) and as Hotṛ who receives oblations and summons the gods.

Mantras

Mantra 1

प्र कारवो मनना वच्यमाना देवद्रीचीं नयत देवयन्तः । दक्षिणावाड्वाजिनी प्राच्येति हविर्भरन्त्यग्नये घृताची ॥

Zieht aus, o Sänger, den Gedanken bildend und das Wort gestaltend; führt es gottwärts, ihr, die ihr die Götter begehrt. Die gabenbringende Kraft schreitet ostwärts und trägt die Opfergabe zu Agni — sie, deren Bahn von geklärtem Glanz (ghṛta) leuchtet.

Mantra 2

आ रोदसी अपृणा जायमान उत प्र रिक्था अध नु प्रयज्यो । दिवश्चिदग्ने महिना पृथिव्या वच्यन्तां ते वह्नयः सप्तजिह्वाः ॥

Bei deiner Geburt erfülltest du beide Welten; und du zogst aus zu deinem Erbteil — nun als der, der das Opferwerk voranführt. O Agni, durch deine Größe, die selbst Himmel und Erde überragt, mögen deine Träger, die siebenzüngigen Mächte, zum Wirken aufgerufen werden.

Mantra 3

द्यौश्च त्वा पृथिवी यज्ञियासो नि होतारं सादयन्ते दमाय । यदी विशो मानुषीर्देवयन्तीः प्रयस्वतीरीळते शुक्रमर्चिः ॥

Himmel und Erde, opferwürdig, setzen dich als Hotar im Hause nieder, wenn die menschlichen Stämme, die Götter suchend, reich an Opfergabe, deine helle Flamme verehren.

Mantra 4

महान्त्सधस्थे ध्रुव आ निषत्तोऽन्तर्द्यावा माहिने हर्यमाणः । आस्क्रे सपत्नी अजरे अमृक्ते सबर्दुघे उरुगायस्य धेनू ॥

Groß, im gemeinsamen Sitz fest gegründet, ist er zwischen den beiden Himmeln niedergesetzt, von gewaltiger Macht bewegt. Die zwei unversiegenden, unalternden, unverletzten, ohne Nebenbuhlerin, melkenden Kühe des Weit-Schreitenden lassen gemeinsam ihre strömende Milch fließen.

Mantra 5

व्रता ते अग्ने महतो महानि तव क्रत्वा रोदसी आ ततन्थ । त्वं दूतो अभवो जायमानस्त्वं नेता वृषभ चर्षणीनाम् ॥

Groß sind deine Gelübde und Ordnungen, o Agni, wahrhaft gewaltig; durch deine Kraft hast du die beiden Welten ausgespannt. Du wurdest der Bote bei deiner Geburt; du bist der Führer, o Stier, der menschlichen Geschlechter.

Mantra 6

ऋतस्य वा केशिना योग्याभिर्घृतस्नुवा रोहिता धुरि धिष्व । अथा वह देवान्देव विश्वान्त्स्वध्वरा कृणुहि जातवेदः ॥

Spanne an die Deichsel die zwei rötlichen Rosse, die vom geklärten Licht strömen, mit den Anspannungen der Ṛta; setze sie ins Joch. Dann, o göttlicher Jātavedas, bring alle Götter herbei; mache unseren Opferweg gut und ununterbrochen, eine Fahrt der inneren Darbringung.

Mantra 7

दिवश्चिदा ते रुचयन्त रोका उषो विभातीरनु भासि पूर्वीः । अपो यदग्न उशधग्वनेषु होतुर्मन्द्रस्य पनयन्त देवाः ॥

Selbst die leuchtenden Räume des Himmels entfachen für dich ihr Strahlen; o Uṣas, du folgst, aufglänzend, mit vielen frühen Lichtern. Wenn, o Agni, in den Wäldern die Wasser erwachen, freuen sich die Götter an der Wonne des mandra, des priesterlichen, wohlklingenden Feuers.

Mantra 8

उरौ वा ये अन्तरिक्षे मदन्ति दिवो वा ये रोचने सन्ति देवाः । ऊमा वा ये सुहवासो यजत्रा आयेमिरे रथ्यो अग्ने अश्वाः ॥

Ob sie im weiten Zwischenraum jubeln, ob die Götter im leuchtenden Himmel wohnen — jene verehrungswürdigen Mächte, leicht zu rufen: für sie, o Agni, sind die Wagenrosse zum Geschirr gekommen, bereit zur Fahrt der Darbringung.

Mantra 9

ऐभिरग्ने सरथं याह्यर्वाङ्नानारथं वा विभवो ह्यश्वाः । पत्नीवतस्त्रिंशतं त्रीँश्च देवाननुष्वधमा वह मादयस्व ॥

Mit diesen, o Agni, komm herbei auf einem einträchtigen Wagen — oder auf vielen Wagen, denn deine Rosse sind von mannigfacher Macht. Bring her die dreißig und drei Götter samt ihren Patnīs (Gattinnen-Kräften), nach ihrem eigenen Recht und Wohlgefallen; und freue dich am vollendeten Opfer.

Mantra 10

स होता यस्य रोदसी चिदुर्वी यज्ञंयज्ञमभि वृधे गृणीतः । प्राची अध्वरेव तस्थतुः सुमेके ऋतावरी ऋतजातस्य सत्ये ॥

Er ist der Hotṛ, den selbst die weiten Himmel-und-Erde in jedem Opfer durch ihren Preis mehren. Wie zwei vorschreitende Pfeiler stehen sie im Ritus, schön gepaart — Hüterinnen des Ṛta — gegründet in der Wahrheit dessen, der aus Ṛta geboren ist.

Mantra 11

इळामग्ने पुरुदंसं सनिं गोः शश्वत्तमं हवमानाय साध । स्यान्नः सूनुस्तनयो विजावाग्ने सा ते सुमतिर्भूत्वस्मे ॥

O Agni, vollbringe dem Rufenden die Iḷā, reich an vielfacher Kraft — einen dauernden Gewinn der Kuh, das beständige Erlangen des Lichts. Möge uns ein Sohn zuteilwerden, ein wachsender Spross, siegreich im Lebenskampf. O Agni, das sei deine gütige Gesinnung, deine Gnade für uns.

Inside Sukta 6

How it unfolds

  1. Where it opens

    The hymn opens by urging the singers to craft inspired thought and effective speech and to lead it ‘godward,’ while the oblation-bearing power moves toward Agni’s bright course.

  2. Development

    Agni is praised as the ordered, ṛta-aligned force who can be ‘yoked’ and set in motion, making the sacrifice a smooth path and functioning as the divine priest who gathers the gods.

  3. Climax

    The pivotal request: Agni/Jātavedas is entreated to yoke his ruddy, ghee-streaming steeds with the harnessings of ṛta and to bring all the gods to the rite.

  4. Where it settles

    It concludes with concrete boons—iḷā (nourishing inspiration), enduring gain of go (light/wealth), and a victorious son—sealed by a plea for Agni’s sumati (benevolent favor).

The deity: Agni

  • Cosmic functionMediator between worlds: he conveys offerings from humans to the devas, kindles the sacrificial path (adhvara), and sustains ṛta by orderly exchange between heaven and earth.
  • Inner significanceThe awakened will and discerning flame in the heart that refines thought into true speech, carries aspiration upward, and makes the inner sacrifice continuous and ‘unbroken’.

The seer

  • Viśvāmitra GāthinaGāthin (Viśvāmitra gotra; traditionally of the Kauśika line) · A royal-turned-seer celebrated for powerful Agni hymns and for articulating the movement from human inspiration (manas/vāc) to divine order (ṛta) in sacrifice; later tradition also remembers him as the seer of the Gāyatrī mantra.

Famous verses

प्र कारवो मनना वच्यमाना देवद्रीचीं नयत देवयन्तः । दक्षिणावाड्वाजिनी प्राच्येति हविर्भरन्त्यग्नये घृताची ॥
Verse 3.6.1Sets the program of the whole sukta: inspired cognition and shaped speech are directed toward the gods, and the oblation is carried to Agni in ghee-bright radiance—linking poetry, offering, and divine approach.Read verse 3.6.1 →
svadhvarā kṛṇuhi
Verse 3.6.6Central ritual image and theological peak: Agni’s ṛta-guided ‘yoking’ and his role as Jātavedas who brings all the gods and makes the sacrificial journey ‘su-adhvara’ (well-ordered, unbroken).Read verse 3.6.6 →
sa te sumatir bhūtv asme
Verse 3.6.11Concluding benediction that gathers the hymn’s aims into blessings: iḷā, enduring gain of go (often read as light/cow/wealth), and victorious progeny, grounded in Agni’s sumati (gracious intent).Read verse 3.6.11 →

Attributes of the deity

  • Hotṛ (priest of the gods)
  • Messenger and carrier of offerings
  • Jātavedas (all-knowing, all-born)
  • Ruddy steeds/yoked power of movement
  • Ghee-bright radiance (ghṛta/tejas imagery)
  • Upholder of ṛta and right action
  • Giver of iḷā (nourishing inspiration), rayi (wealth), and progeny

Also by this seer

  • Rig Veda Maṇḍala 3 (many sūktas attributed to Viśvāmitra and his family)
  • Agni-centric hymns in the Viśvāmitra cycle emphasizing Hotṛ-function and ṛta-guided sacrifice
  • Later Vedic/Itihāsa tradition associates him with the Gāyatrī (RV 3.62.10)

The rite, step by step

  • Prepare the altar and kindle/rekindle the sacred fire (āhavanīya), establishing Agni’s seat.
  • Invoke the poets/chanters to form the thought (manas) and shape the word (vāc) toward the gods (devayāna orientation).
  • Offer ghee and oblation while inviting Agni as Hotṛ/Jātavedas to carry the havis.
  • Visualize/declare Agni’s ‘yoking’—the ordered powering of the rite according to ṛta—so the sacrifice proceeds without obstruction (su-adhvara).
  • Request the arrival of all gods through Agni’s conveyance and conclude with petitions for iḷā, enduring ‘cow/light’ (go), wealth, and victorious progeny.

Offerings

  • Ghṛta (clarified butter)
  • Havis (general oblation: ghee, milk, grains as customary)

Frequently Asked Questions

It asks Agni, the divine priest, to carry the offering to the gods, bring the gods to the sacrifice, and make the rite proceed in a right and unbroken way according to ṛta.

The ‘yoking’ is a ritual-symbolic image for setting Agni’s power in ordered motion—so the sacrifice has a steady course and the gods are effectively invited.

The hymn seeks iḷā (nourishing inspiration and plenty), an enduring gain of go (often understood as cattle and also as light), and a victorious son/offspring, through Agni’s gracious favor (sumati).

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