Rig Veda Sukta 13
Mandala 5Sukta 136 Mantras

Sukta 13

Sukta 5.13

Rishi

Atri (Ātreya) (attribution for RV 5.13 generally)

Devata

Agni

Chandas

Gāyatrī (probable for this short 3-pāda verse)

Este breve himno a Agni de Atri alaba al Fuego como aquel a quien despierta el canto, el Hotṛ elegido que hace que el sacrificio se extienda ampliamente y sea eficaz. Reitera el vínculo entre la alabanza (arc-) y el encendido, la protección y el acercamiento de una prosperidad «multicolor», presentando a Agni como el eje que congrega a los dioses en el rito.

Recitation with translationRig Veda 5.13

Mantras

Mantra 1

अर्चन्तस्त्वा हवामहेऽर्चन्तः समिधीमहि । अग्ने अर्चन्त ऊतये ॥

Cantándote, te invocamos; cantándote, te encendemos por completo. Oh Agni, cantándote, buscamos tu auxilio: tu protección que eleva en la obra.

Mantra 2

अग्नेः स्तोमं मनामहे सिध्रमद्य दिविस्पृशः । देवस्य द्रविणस्यवः ॥

En la mente formamos el stoma de Agni — eficaz hoy, que toca el cielo. Somos buscadores de la riqueza del Dios, de sus dones sustentadores que sostienen el viaje interior.

Mantra 3

अग्निर्जुषत नो गिरो होता यो मानुषेष्वा । स यक्षद्दैव्यं जनम् ॥

Que Agni acepte nuestras palabras — el hotar que mora entre los humanos. Que él sacrifique y acerque a nosotros el linaje divino (las potencias).

Mantra 4

त्वमग्ने सप्रथा असि जुष्टो होता वरेण्यः । त्वया यज्ञं वि तन्वते ॥

Tú, oh Agni, eres amplio en tu despliegue; eres el hotar aceptado, digno de elección. Por ti el sacrificio se extiende y se teje hasta su forma plena.

Mantra 5

त्वामग्ने वाजसातमं विप्रा वर्धन्ति सुष्टुतम् । स नो रास्व सुवीर्यम् ॥

A ti, oh Agni, el más victorioso en la conquista de la fuerza, los videntes inspirados te acrecientan con una alabanza bien compuesta. Concédenos, pues, suvírya: la verdadera potencia heroica, energía de fuerza luminosa.

Mantra 6

अग्ने नेमिरराँ इव देवाँस्त्वं परिभूरसि । आ राधश्चित्रमृञ्जसे ॥

Oh Agni, como el cubo alrededor de los radios, tú circundas a los dioses; eres su señor que todo lo abarca en el rito. Acercas hacia nosotros una riqueza multicolor: poderes variados de cumplimiento.

Inside Sukta 13

How it unfolds

  1. Where it opens

    Sung praise as the very means of calling and kindling Agni—invocation through ‘arcantas’ (those who hymn).

  2. Development

    Agni is affirmed as the accepted, choice Hotṛ whose power makes the sacrifice spread out and take full shape.

  3. Climax

    Agni is envisioned as the nave that encompasses the gods—central, integrating, and sovereign in the rite.

  4. Where it settles

    The hymn settles into the practical boon: Agni’s protective help and the drawing-near of vivid, manifold prosperity.

The deity: Agni

  • In the VedaAgni is the kindled Fire and the divine priest (Hotṛ), invoked by hymns and established on the altar; he is ‘juṣṭa’ (well-pleased/accepted) and ‘vareṇya’ (choice-worthy), the one through whom the yajña is woven and completed.
  • Cosmic functionMediator between humans and gods: he carries oblations, gathers the deities to the sacrifice, and sustains ṛta by enabling right ritual action and divine reciprocity.
  • Inner significanceThe awakened will and luminous intelligence in the practitioner—when kindled by disciplined speech and praise, it integrates the inner powers (the ‘gods’) and draws fulfillment and clarity into life.

The seer

  • Atri (Ātreya)Ātreya (Atri-gotra) · One of the great Vedic seers (Saptarṣi), closely associated with luminous vision and with Agni-centered sacrificial poetry; progenitor of the Ātreya line prominent in the Rigveda’s 5th Maṇḍala.

Famous verses

अर्च॑न्तस्त्वा हवामहे
Verse 5.13.1Sets the hymn’s core method and mood: praise (song) both invokes and kindles Agni, and immediately asks for his uplifting protection (ūtí).Read verse 5.13.1 →
जुष्टो॒ होता॒ वरे॑ण्यः
Verse 5.13.4Defines Agni’s liturgical identity—‘juṣṭa hotā vareṇyaḥ’—and states his essential role in ‘weaving out’ the yajña into completeness.Read verse 5.13.4 →
ने॒मिर॒राँ इ॑व
Verse 5.13.6Offers the hymn’s strongest image: Agni as the hub around spokes, encompassing the gods; culminates in the boon of ‘many-hued’ richness (rādhaḥ citram).Read verse 5.13.6 →

Attributes of the deity

  • Hotṛ (sacrificial priest)
  • Messenger and carrier of offerings
  • Protector and helper (ūtí)
  • All-encompassing center of the rite (like nave to spokes)
  • Expander/weaver of sacrifice (yajñaṃ vi tanvate)
  • Bestower of varied prosperity (rādhaḥ citram)

Also by this seer

  • Principal seer-family of Rigveda Maṇḍala 5 (many hymns attributed to Ātreyas)
  • Later Vedic memory connects Atri with solar/light motifs and powerful seerhood (ṛṣi-tradition surrounding Atri and the Ātreyas)

The rite, step by step

  • Prepare the altar and fuel; seat the fire in a clean, ordered space.
  • Recite the hymn while kindling/brightening the fire (sam-idh).
  • Invite Agni as Hotṛ, asking him to ‘extend’ the yajña and make it well-formed.
  • Offer oblations with Agni as the carrier, envisioning him gathering the gods around the rite.
  • Conclude with a request for protection (ūtí) and for ‘many-colored’ wealth/fulfillment (rādhaḥ citram).

Offerings

  • Ghee (ājya)
  • Kindling sticks/samidhs
  • Grain or simple havis (as appropriate to the rite)
  • Soma (where part of a Soma-sacrifice context)

Frequently Asked Questions

It teaches that Agni is awakened by praise and is the key priestly power that makes a sacrifice complete, gathers the gods to it, and brings protection and prosperity.

Because in Vedic ritual, well-formed speech and hymnody are the means to kindle Agni’s presence and effectiveness—praise is both invocation and activation.

It portrays Agni as the central hub of the ritual: just as spokes are held together by the nave, the gods and powers of the sacrifice are gathered and coordinated through Agni.

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