Rig Veda 5.20.3: Mandala 5, Sukta 20, Mantra 3
Sukta 5.20
Rishi: Atri (Ātreya tradition) (traditional attribution for Mandala 5 Atri hymns)
Devata: Agni
Chandas: Trishtubh (probable for RV 5.20; verify against pada count in critical edition)
Samhita Patha (Devanagari)
होतारं त्वा वृणीमहेऽग्ने दक्षस्य साधनम् । यज्ञेषु पूर्व्यं गिरा प्रयस्वन्तो हवामहे ॥
Transliteration
hótāraṁ tvā vṛṇīmahé’gne dákṣasya sā́dhanam | yajñéṣu pū́rvyaṁ girā́ práyasvanto havāmahe ||
Translation
Dich, o Agni, erwählen wir zum Hotar, zum Vollbringer des dakṣa, der rechten Einsicht und Kunstfertigkeit; in den Opfern rufen wir den Uralten mit dem Wort — wir, erfüllt von Glut und rechtem Bemühen.
Word by Word
होतारम्the Hotṛ-priest (invoker)
होतारम्:
कर्म (हवामहे/वृणीमहे का)
TypeNoun
Rootहोतृ (प्रातिपदिक; √हु ‘यज्/आह्वान’ से)
त्वाyou
त्वा:
कर्म (वृणीमहे/हवामहे का)
TypePronoun
Rootयुष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
वृणीमहेwe choose
वृणीमहे:
क्रिया
TypeVerb
Root√वृ (वृणोति ‘चुनना/वरण करना’)
अग्नेO Agni
अग्ने:
सम्बोधन
TypeNoun
Rootअग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
दक्षस्यof skill/ability (dakṣa)
दक्षस्य:
सम्बन्ध (साधनम् का)
TypeNoun
Rootदक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
साधनम्accomplisher; means of accomplishment
साधनम्:
कर्म (वृणीमहे का; ‘त्वा … साधनम्’ = ‘you as the accomplisher’)
TypeNoun
Rootसाधन (प्रातिपदिक; √साध् ‘सिद्ध करना/सम्पादयितुम्’ से)
यज्ञेषुin the sacrifices
यज्ञेषु:
अधिकरण
TypeNoun
Rootयज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
पूर्व्यम्ancient; primeval
पूर्व्यम्:
विशेषण (होतारम्/त्वा का)
TypeAdjective
Rootपूर्व्य (प्रातिपदिक; ‘पूर्व’ से)
गिराwith a hymn/voice
गिरा:
करण (हवामहे का)
TypeNoun
Rootगिर् (प्रातिपदिक)
प्रयस्वन्तःpossessing refreshment/strength; vigorous
प्रयस्वन्तः:
कर्तृ (हवामहे का)
TypeAdjective
Rootप्रयस्-वत् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘प्रयस्’ = refreshment/strength + -वत्)
हवामहेwe invoke
हवामहे:
क्रिया
TypeVerb
Root√ह्वे/√हू (हवते ‘आह्वान करना’)
Ritual Application
Philosophical Concepts
Vedic Cosmology
Natural Symbolism
Academic Analysis
Cross References
Yogic Application
Chanting Notes
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
Not sure where to start?
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Rig Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.