Mantra 4
Agni invoked as protector of the sacrifice and remover of hostile powers
अग्ने यजिष्ठो अध्वरे देवां देवयते यज होता मन्द्रो वि राजस्यति स्रिधः
agne yajiṣṭho adhvare devāṃ devayate yaja hotā mandro vi rājasyati sridhaḥ
ágne1 yajiṣṭhó2 adhvaré3 devā́n1 devayáte2 yaja3 hotā́1 mandró2 ví3 rājasyati1 srídhaḥ2
Agni, der Opferwürdigste: im Adhvára verehre die Götter für den, der die Götter verehrt; du, der erfreuende Hotṛ, strahlst weithin und zerstreust die Hemmnisse.
agne | yajiṣṭhaḥ | adhvare | devān | deva-yate | yaja | hotā | mandraḥ | vi | rājasyati | sridhaḥ
Agneya-sāman (generic; specific tune not stated in input)
{ "prastava": "Stobha prelude establishing brightness; prepares the imperative ‘yaja’.", "udgitha": "Main song; clear emphasis on yajiṣṭho and yaja; ‘mandro’ sung with sweeter, sustained vowel.", "pratihara": "Response reinforcing the worship-for-the-devotee theme (devayate).", "upadrava": "After-song expands ‘vi rājasyati’ with luminous prolongation; depicts shining forth.", "nidhana": "Final cadence collectively sung, sealing the ‘obstruction-dispersal’ effect.", "structure_notes": "Let ‘mandraḥ’ sound audibly sweeter (without violating pitch discipline); articulate sridhaḥ cleanly to mark ‘cutting through’.", "singer_assignments": "Prastotṛ (prastāva), Udgātṛ (udgītha+upadrava), Pratihartṛ (pratihāra), all (nidhana)." }
{ "gloss_summary": "devayate = yajamāna devoted to deva-worship; hotā = Agni as divine Hotṛ conveying offerings; sridh = impediments to the rite (hostile beings/ritual faults) which Agni separates/disperses; yajiṣṭha = most fit to worship.", "ritual_interpretation": "Agni is enjoined to perform deity-worship on behalf of the patron and to remove all ritual impediments so the sacrifice proceeds successfully.", "theological_insight": "Agni’s radiance is functional: shining forth is the mechanism by which obstacles are dissolved and the gods are properly reached.", "etymology_highlights": "yajiṣṭha superlative of √yaj; mandra ‘gladdening/sweet’; sridh ‘obstruction’ as that which blocks the adhvara-path." }