Rig Veda Sukta 3
Mandala 2Sukta 311 Mantras

Sukta 3

Sukta 2.3

Rishi

Gṛtsamada (Bhārgava)

Chandas

Triṣṭubh

Este himno entroniza a Agni como el Hotṛ encendido, asentado en la tierra, que mira a todos los mundos y conduce a los dioses al sacrificio. Alaba su inteligencia purificadora y luminosa y su función de portador de las ofrendas —en especial del ghee— para que el rito quede debidamente formado y sea fructífero para el sacrificante.

Recitation with translationRig Veda 2.3

In this hymn

Addressed to

  • AgniMantras 1, 3, 9-11

    Agni is the kindled fire placed upon the earth, the purifying Hotṛ-priest, bright-minded and divine, who stands oriented toward all the worlds and calls the gods to the offering.

  • NarashamsaMantra 2Narāśaṃsa (a sacrificial deity/function allied to Agni)
  • DvarasMantra 5Dvāras (Divine Doors)
  • UshasMantra 6Uṣas
  • NaktaMantra 6Naktā (Dawn and Night)
  • SarasvatiMantra 8Sarasvatī
  • IlaMantra 8Ilā
  • BharatiMantra 8Bhāratī (speech/inspiration triad)

Mantras

Mantra 1

समिद्धो अग्निर्निहितः पृथिव्यां प्रत्यङ्विश्वानि भुवनान्यस्थात् । होता पावकः प्रदिवः सुमेधा देवो देवान्यजत्वग्निरर्हन् ॥

Encendido, Agni está puesto en la tierra y, de frente, se yergue ante todos los mundos. El Hotar purificador, del cielo que va delante, de lúcida inteligencia: que Agni, el divino, el digno, ofrezca sacrificio a los dioses.

Mantra 2

नराशंसः प्रति धामान्यञ्जन्तिस्रो दिवः प्रति मह्ना स्वर्चिः । घृतप्रुषा मनसा हव्यमुन्दन्मूर्धन्यज्ञस्य समनक्तु देवान् ॥

Que Narāśaṃsa, encendiendo las moradas, resplandezca con su propia llama hacia los tres cielos en su grandeza. Derramando la ofrenda con una mente que destila luz clarificada, que unja a los dioses en la cima del sacrificio.

Mantra 3

ईळितो अग्ने मनसा नो अर्हन्देवान्यक्षि मानुषात्पूर्वो अद्य । स आ वह मरुतां शर्धो अच्युतमिन्द्रं नरो बर्हिषदं यजध्वम् ॥

Oh Agni, adorado por nuestra mente, digno: realiza hoy, como antaño, el sacrificio a los dioses desde el linaje humano. Trae aquí la hueste de los Maruts y a Indra, el inconmovible, sentado sobre la hierba sagrada; oh hombres, cumplid el sacrificio.

Mantra 4

देव बर्हिर्वर्धमानं सुवीरं स्तीर्णं राये सुभरं वेद्यस्याम् । घृतेनाक्तं वसवः सीदतेदं विश्वे देवा आदित्या यज्ञियासः ॥

Oh divinos, la hierba sagrada (barhis) crece, rica en fuerza heroica, extendida para la plenitud, bien portadora en este asiento del altar. Ungida con ghee—sentaos aquí, oh Vasus; todos vosotros, dioses, oh Ādityas, dignos del sacrificio.

Mantra 5

वि श्रयन्तामुर्विया हूयमाना द्वारो देवीः सुप्रायणा नमोभिः । व्यचस्वतीर्वि प्रथन्तामजुर्या वर्णं पुनाना यशसं सुवीरम् ॥

Que se abran de par en par en su vastedad, invocadas con homenaje, las Puertas divinas, de buen conducir. Que se desplieguen, llenas de espacio libre, sin envejecer—purificando su forma radiante, trayendo fama y fuerza heroica.

Mantra 6

साध्वपांसि सनता न उक्षिते उषासानक्ता वय्येव रण्विते । तन्तुं ततं संवयन्ती समीची यज्ञस्य पेशः सुदुघे पयस्वती ॥

Uṣas y la Noche, cumpliendo rectamente las obras antiguas para nuestro crecimiento, deleitosas como dos aves, tejen en armonía el hilo tendido; ellas dan forma al sacrificio: dos buenas ordeñadoras, colmadas de la esencia nutritiva.

Mantra 7

दैव्या होतारा प्रथमा विदुष्टर ऋजु यक्षतः समृचा वपुष्टरा । देवान्यजन्तावृतुथा समञ्जतो नाभा पृथिव्या अधि सानुषु त्रिषु ॥

Los dos Hotar divinos, los primeros y más sabios, sacrifican rectamente con el himno, más perfectos en su forma. Ofreciendo a los dioses según las estaciones, se armonizan en el ombligo de la Tierra, sobre sus tres alturas.

Mantra 8

सरस्वती साधयन्ती धियं न इळा देवी भारती विश्वतूर्तिः । तिस्रो देवीः स्वधया बर्हिरेदमच्छिद्रं पान्तु शरणं निषद्य ॥

Sarasvatī, que lleva a cumplimiento nuestro pensamiento inspirado; e Iḷā la diosa, Bhāratī que trae el impulso que todo lo realiza: que estas tres diosas, por su propio poder sustentador, sentándose en esta hierba de barhis, guarden para nosotros el refugio intacto.

Mantra 9

पिशङ्गरूपः सुभरो वयोधाः श्रुष्टी वीरो जायते देवकामः । प्रजां त्वष्टा वि ष्यतु नाभिमस्मे अथा देवानामप्येतु पाथः ॥

De forma leonada y luminosa, bien portante, sustentador de las fuerzas de vida, nace el héroe—obediente al oír, deseoso de lo divino. Que Tvaṣṭṛ despliegue la progenie y ensanche para nosotros el centro del ombligo, el asiento interior de la formación; entonces que el sendero hacia los dioses se abra y se acerque.

Mantra 10

वनस्पतिरवसृजन्नुप स्थादग्निर्हविः सूदयाति प्र धीभिः । त्रिधा समक्तं नयतु प्रजानन्देवेभ्यो दैव्यः शमितोप हव्यम् ॥

Que Vanaspati, soltando la leña de la ofrenda, se acerque y permanezca; y que Agni, con nuestros pensamientos despiertos, prepare la oblación. Conociendo el orden correcto, que el divino Śamitṛ conduzca la ofrenda—bien mezclada de triple modo—hasta los dioses, los celestes.

Mantra 11

घृतं मिमिक्षे घृतमस्य योनिर्घृते श्रितो घृतम्वस्य धाम । अनुष्वधमा वह मादयस्व स्वाहाकृतं वृषभ वक्षि हव्यम् ॥

El ghee está mezclado; el ghee es su matriz; en el ghee está asentado, y el ghee es su morada. Conforme al justo deleite de tu propia ley, trae (la ofrenda), embriágate en ella; oh toro de poder, lleva la oblación hecha con svāhā.

Inside Sukta 3

How it unfolds

  1. Where it opens

    Agni is kindled and established in the earth, standing toward all worlds as the purifying Hotṛ.

  2. Development

    Agni’s priestly capacity and luminous intelligence are praised; the hymn links cosmic order and ritual craftsmanship, showing how the rite is ‘shaped’ and made effective.

  3. Climax

    The sacrificial power is concentrated in the ghee-fed fire: ghee as Agni’s womb, seat, and dwelling, making him the perfect bearer of offerings.

  4. Where it settles

    A direct request: let Agni, strong as a bull, bring and enjoy the svāhā-made oblation, completing the exchange between worshipper and gods.

The deity: Agni

  • Cosmic functionMediator between human and divine realms: he conveys oblations upward, brings the gods to the rite, and maintains ṛta (right order) through the sacrificial exchange.
  • Inner significanceThe awakened flame of aspiration and discernment—an inner priest that purifies intention, concentrates mind, and translates human effort into spiritual offering.

The seer

  • Gṛtsamada (Bhārgava)Bhṛgu lineage (Bhārgava); associated with the Gṛtsamada family of Mandala 2 · Principal seer of much of the Second Maṇḍala, celebrated for powerful Agni hymns that establish Agni as Hotṛ and as the ritual’s central mediator.

Famous verses

samiddho agnir nihitaḥ pṛthivyām
Verse 2.3.1Defines Agni’s core identity in this hymn: kindled on earth, facing all worlds, the purifying Hotṛ who performs the divine sacrifice.Read verse 2.3.1 →
tantuṃ tataṃ saṃvayantī
Verse 2.3.6A striking sacrificial-metaphor verse: Dawn and Night ‘weave’ the thread and fashion the form of the sacrifice, expressing yajña as a cosmic fabric.Read verse 2.3.6 →
ghṛtaṃ asya yoniḥ
Verse 2.3.11Culminating ghee-doctrine: ghṛta is Agni’s womb and home; it seals the rite with svāhā and the request to carry the offering.Read verse 2.3.11 →

Attributes of the deity

  • Hotṛ (invoking priest)
  • Pāvaka (purifier)
  • Deva among devas; worthy (arhan)
  • Messenger and carrier of oblations
  • Ghee-nourished, radiant, intelligent
  • Upholder of ṛta through yajña

Also by this seer

  • Large portions of Rig Veda Maṇḍala 2 (notably many sūktas attributed to the Gṛtsamada family)
  • Agni-centered hymns that articulate the Hotṛ function and the ghee-fed fire symbolism
  • Hymnic formulations used as models for later śrauta-style invocations to Agni

The rite, step by step

  • Prepare and tend the fire-place; kindle Agni with kindling and ghee so he is ‘samiddha’ (fully lit).
  • Invite Agni as Hotṛ to face and encompass the worlds, and to summon the gods to the rite.
  • Offer ghee/oblations with svāhā, requesting Agni to carry them and to purify the sacrifice.
  • Maintain the fire with repeated offerings and recitation, affirming right order (ṛta) and ritual form (yajñasya peśaḥ).
  • Conclude with a final ghee-oblation, asking Agni to bear the svāhā-made offering and grant increase/protection.

Offerings

  • Ghṛta (ghee)
  • Samidh (kindling sticks)
  • Havis/oblations made with svāhā (general offering substance; later often including milk, grains, or soma in appropriate rites)

Frequently Asked Questions

It presents Agni as the central priest of the sacrifice—kindled on earth, purifying the rite, calling the gods, and carrying offerings so the yajña succeeds.

Ghee is the classic fuel and offering for Agni; calling it his “womb” and “home” highlights that Agni is sustained by clarified intention and properly offered nourishment.

It portrays the sacrifice as a carefully woven cosmic order: time (day and night) and right action together “shape” the yajña, making it harmonious and effective.

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