Sukta 23
Rishi: Atharvanic tradition (Agni-hymn; r̥ṣi attribution varies by anukramaṇī traditions)
Devata: Agni Jātavedas
Chandas: Anuṣṭubh-like cadence (Atharvanic mixed anuṣṭubh/triṣṭubh tendencies in this section; confirm by pada count per edition)
Mantras
Mantra 1
पाप-मोचनम्। अ॒ग्नेर्म॑न्वे प्रथ॒मस्य॒ प्रचे॑तसः॒ पाञ्च॑जन्यस्य बहु॒धा यमि॒न्धते॑ । विशो॑ विशः प्रविशि॒वांस॑मीमहे॒ स नो मुञ्च॒त्वंह॑सः
For release from evil: I acknowledge Agni, the first, the wise, the fire of the Five Peoples, whom in many a manner they kindle. Him, entered among clan after clan, we implore: may he set us free from anguish and from sin.
Mantra 2
यथा॑ ह॒व्यं वह॑सि जातवेदो॒ यथा॑ य॒ज्ञं क॒ल्पय॑सि प्रजा॒नन्। ए॒वा दे॒वेभ्यः॑ सुम॒तिं न॒ आ व॑ह॒ स नो॑ मुञ्च॒त्वंह॑सः
As thou bearest the oblation, O Jātavedas, as thou, knowing, duly orderest the sacrifice—so, for the Gods, bring hither unto us good favour; and may he release us from anguish.
Mantra 3
याम॑न्याम॒न्नुप॑युक्तं॒ वहि॑ष्ठं॒ कर्म॑न्कर्म॒न्नाभ॑गम् । अ॒ग्निमी॑डे र॒क्षो॒हणं॑ यज्ञ॒वॄधं॑ घृ॒ताहु॑तं॒ स नो॑ मुञ्च॒त्वंह॑सः
At every course—him, the harnessed, the best conveyor, bringing good fortune in each several act—I laud Agni, the slayer of demons, the increaser of sacrifice, ghee-offered: may he release us from anguish.
Mantra 4
सुजा॑तं जा॒तवे॑दसम॒ग्निं वै॑श्वान॒रं वि॒भुम्। ह॒व्य॒वाहं॑ हवामहे॒ स नो॑ मुञ्च॒त्वंह॑सः
Agni, well-born, Jātavedas, Vaiśvānara, the all-pervading—him, the oblation-bearer, we invoke: may he release us from anguish.
Mantra 5
येन॒ ऋष॑यो ब॒लमद्यो॑तयन् यु॒जा येनासु॑राणा॒मयु॑वन्त मा॒याः । येना॒ग्निना॑ प॒णीनिन्द्रो॑ जि॒गाय॒ स नो॑ मुञ्च॒त्वंह॑सः
Wherewith the Seers made strength to shine by yoking; wherewith they kept afar the Asuras’ wizardries; wherewith, with Agni, Indra conquered the Paṇis—may he release us from anguish.
Mantra 6
येन॑ दे॒वा अ॒मृत॑म॒न्ववि॑न्द॒न् येनौष॑धी॒र्मधु॑मती॒रकृण्वन्। येन॑ दे॒वाः स्व॑१राभ॑र॒न्त्स नो॑ मुञ्च॒त्वंह॑सः
Wherewith the Gods won immortality; wherewith they made the plants honey-sweet; wherewith the Gods brought hither heaven—may he release us from anguish.
Mantra 7
यस्ये॒दं प्र॒दिशि॒ यद् वि॒रोच॑ते॒ यज्जा॒तं ज॑नित॒व्यंऽ च॒ केव॑लम्। स्तौम्य॒ग्निं ना॑थि॒तो जो॑हवीमि॒ स नो॑ मुञ्च॒त्वंह॑सः
Whose is this All that in each region shineth forth—what hath been born, and what is yet to be engendered, wholly and alone: Agni I laud; in sore distress I call upon him ever. Let him release us from affliction and from sin.
Frequently Asked Questions
Aṃhas refers to constricting distress—misfortune, anxiety, guilt-like burden, and ritual/moral pollution that ‘binds’ a person and needs to be loosened.
Jātavedas means “knower of births/creatures.” It highlights Agni’s omniscience and competence to order the yajña and purify what is tangled or tainted in human life.
No. The hymn is centered on Agni and a simple offering (often ghee). Even a modest household fire with sincere recitation and a small oblation fits the hymn’s intent of release and pacification.
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