Rig Veda Sukta 70
Mandala 10Sukta 7011 Mantras

Sukta 70

Sukta 10.70

Rishi

Traditionally attributed to Vādhryaśva (continuation into RV 10.70 opening Agni-invocation)

Devata

Agni (with Ila as associated power of inspired offering)

Chandas

Triṣṭubh

Cet hymne en triṣṭubh s’ouvre en allumant Agni et en déposant l’offrande brillante de ghee sur le siège d’Ilā, en priant que le feu s’élève sur la terre comme la force de l’intelligence juste qui porte le culte vers le haut. Puis la vision s’élargit en une liturgie du seuil : l’Aurore et la Nuit sont invoquées pour asseoir les dieux dans le « sein » ordonné du rite—aboutissant au rôle d’Agni comme convocateur, qui amène Varuṇa, Indra, les Maruts et tous les Dieux au siège sacrificiel pour l’accomplissement intérieur et extérieur.

Recitation with translationRig Veda 10.70

Mantras

Mantra 1

इमां मे अग्ने समिधं जुषस्वेळस्पदे प्रति हर्या घृताचीम् । वर्ष्मन्पृथिव्याः सुदिनत्वे अह्नामूर्ध्वो भव सुक्रतो देवयज्या ॥

Accueille, ô Agni, cet allumage qui est mien; sur le siège d’Iḷā, réjouis-toi de l’offrande brillante de ghee. Sur les hauteurs de la Terre, dans la vaste clarté des jours, dresse-toi vers le haut — ô toi à l’intelligence juste — vers le culte des Dieux.

Mantra 2

आ देवानामग्रयावेह यातु नराशंसो विश्वरूपेभिरश्वैः । ऋतस्य पथा नमसा मियेधो देवेभ्यो देवतमः सुषूदत् ॥

Qu’ici vienne Narāśaṃsa, guide en avant de la marche des dieux, avec des coursiers de toutes formes. Par le sentier de Ṛta, avec révérence, qu’il établisse comme il convient (en nous) le consacré—le plus divin parmi les puissances divines—dans ses sièges.

Mantra 3

शश्वत्तममीळते दूत्याय हविष्मन्तो मनुष्यासो अग्निम् । वहिष्ठैरश्वैः सुवृता रथेना देवान्वक्षि नि षदेह होता ॥

Sans cesse les humains, porteurs de l’offrande, louent Agni pour l’œuvre du messager. Avec ses coursiers les plus puissants et son char bien ajusté, amène les dieux vers nous; assieds-toi ici, ô Hotar, comme prêtre d’invocation en nous.

Mantra 4

वि प्रथतां देवजुष्टं तिरश्चा दीर्घं द्राघ्मा सुरभि भूत्वस्मे । अहेळता मनसा देव बर्हिरिन्द्रज्येष्ठाँ उशतो यक्षि देवान् ॥

Que s’étende largement le siège agréable aux dieux, en travers et en longueur, longuement déployé, devenant pour nous parfumé. Ô Barhis divin, l’esprit sans hostilité, rends culte aux dieux qui désirent l’offrande, avec Indra pour premier parmi eux.

Mantra 5

दिवो वा सानु स्पृशता वरीयः पृथिव्या वा मात्रया वि श्रयध्वम् । उशतीर्द्वारो महिना महद्भिर्देवं रथं रथयुर्धारयध्वम् ॥

Touchez le vaste faîte du ciel, ou bien, selon la mesure de la terre, déployez-vous au loin. Ô Portes d’Uṣas, désirées, puissantes dans votre grandeur, soutenez le char divin pour celui qui conduit la marche du rite.

Mantra 6

देवी दिवो दुहितरा सुशिल्पे उषासानक्ता सदतां नि योनौ । आ वां देवास उशती उशन्त उरौ सीदन्तु सुभगे उपस्थे ॥

Ô divines filles du Ciel, façonnées avec art — Uṣas et Naktā — asseyez-vous dans votre sein de l’Ordre. Que les dieux, vous désirant, désirant l’offrande, s’asseyent au large, ô Bienheureuses, dans votre giron heureux.

Mantra 7

ऊर्ध्वो ग्रावा बृहदग्निः समिद्धः प्रिया धामान्यदितेरुपस्थे । पुरोहितावृत्विजा यज्ञे अस्मिन्विदुष्टरा द्रविणमा यजेथाम् ॥

Dressée est la pierre du pressurage; le vaste Agni est allumé; les sièges chers sont disposés dans le giron d’Aditi. Ô deux prêtres placés en avant, ṛtvij, les plus savants: accomplissez ici ce sacrifice et apportez-nous la richesse de la plénitude.

Mantra 8

तिस्रो देवीर्बर्हिरिदं वरीय आ सीदत चकृमा वः स्योनम् । मनुष्वद्यज्ञं सुधिता हवींषीळा देवी घृतपदी जुषन्त ॥

Ô trois déesses, asseyez-vous sur ce barhis plus vaste, ce siège sacré ; nous vous avons préparé un repos heureux, un lieu propice. Qu’Iḷā, la déesse aux pas resplendissants de ghee, prenne plaisir au sacrifice accompli selon la voie des hommes et aux offrandes bien disposées avec sagesse.

Mantra 9

देव त्वष्टर्यद्ध चारुत्वमानड्यदङ्गिरसामभवः सचाभूः । स देवानां पाथ उप प्र विद्वाँ उशन्यक्षि द्रविणोदः सुरत्नः ॥

Ô Tvaṣṭṛ divin, lorsque tu atteignis la belle puissance de façonner, lorsque tu devins le compagnon des Aṅgirases — alors, connaissant bien la voie des dieux, avec désir rends-leur le culte ; ô dispensateur de richesses, riche de joyaux véritables.

Mantra 10

वनस्पते रशनया नियूया देवानां पाथ उप वक्षि विद्वान् । स्वदाति देवः कृणवद्धवींष्यवतां द्यावापृथिवी हवं मे ॥

Ô Vanaspati, lié par la corde, conduis-nous, toi qui sais, sur la voie des dieux. Que le dieu rende les offrandes douces au dedans; et que Ciel et Terre protègent mon appel.

Mantra 11

आग्ने वह वरुणमिष्टये न इन्द्रं दिवो मरुतो अन्तरिक्षात् । सीदन्तु बर्हिर्विश्व आ यजत्राः स्वाहा देवा अमृता मादयन्ताम् ॥

Ô Agni, amène-nous Varuṇa pour l’accomplissement du désir; amène Indra du ciel, les Maruts de l’espace intermédiaire. Que tous les dieux dignes du sacrifice s’asseyent sur le barhis; svāhā — que les dieux immortels se réjouissent de l’offrande en nous.

Inside Sukta 70

How it unfolds

  1. Where it opens

    A direct Agni-kindling: the poet offers samidh and a ghee-bright oblation, asking Agni to rise on Earth as sukratu (right intelligence) toward divine worship.

  2. Development

    The hymn expands from the single fire to the ordered cosmos of the rite—time itself is harmonized by invoking Dawn and Night, and the gods are envisioned as taking their seats in a vast, auspicious lap of order.

  3. Climax

    Agni’s full mediating power is declared: he is commanded to bring Varuṇa, Indra, and the Maruts, and to seat all adorable gods upon the barhis.

  4. Where it settles

    With svāhā, the rite is sealed in joy: the immortals are asked to ‘take delight’ in the offering—outerly as oblation, inwardly as awakened devotion and fulfillment.

The deity: Agni

  • In the VedaAgni is the kindled fire, the “mouth of the gods,” the bright priest (hotṛ) who receives ghee and carries the oblation through flame and smoke to the divine worlds; Ilā is the nourishing, inspired speech/oblation-seat where the offering is gladly received.
  • Cosmic functionMediator between Earth and Heaven—he establishes the rite on Earth, opens the paths, and summons the gods so that cosmic order (ṛta) and human prosperity are mutually sustained.
  • Inner significanceThe awakened flame of discernment and aspiration: the will to offer, to purify, and to lift consciousness upward; Ilā signifies the receptive ground of inspired speech and right offering within the practitioner.

The seer

  • Vādhryaśva (traditional attribution)Vādhryaśva lineage (exact gotra not securely preserved in the Anukramaṇī tradition for this hymn) · Remembered as a late (10th Maṇḍala) seer connected with Agni-invocations that stress correct ritual order (ṛta) and the uplifting, heaven-leading power of the sacrificial fire.

Famous verses

ūrdhvo bhava sukrato
Verse 10.70.1Sets the hymn’s ritual and inner program: Agni accepts the kindling, delights in the ghee-bright offering on Ilā’s seat, and rises upward as sukratu—linking correct rite with uplifted consciousness.Read verse 10.70.1 →
देवी दिवो दुहितरा सुशिल्पे उषासानक्ता सदतां नि योनौ । आ वां देवास उशती उशन्त उरौ सीदन्तु सुभगे उपस्थे ॥
Verse 10.70.6Introduces the liminal cosmic order of the sacrifice by invoking Uṣas and Naktā as beautifully fashioned daughters of Heaven who seat the gods in the ‘womb’ of the rite—stabilizing time and auspiciousness.Read verse 10.70.6 →
svāhā devā amṛtā mādayantām
Verse 10.70.11The invitatory culmination: Agni is the summoner who brings Varuṇa, Indra, and the Maruts; all gods sit on the barhis, and the closing svāhā asks the immortals to rejoice in the offering and its fruits.Read verse 10.70.11 →

Attributes of the deity

  • Messenger and summoner of the gods (devadūta/āhvāna)
  • Priestly intelligence (sukratu) and right order (ṛta)
  • Purifier and transformer of offerings
  • Upward-rising flame that connects planes (earth–midspace–heaven)
  • Delights in ghee and kindling; establishes the sacred seat (barhis/āsana)

Also by this seer

  • Traditional association with adjacent late-maṇḍala Agni material and invitatory (āhvāna) style verses in RV 10 (attribution varies by verse in the Anukramaṇī).
  • Linked in later ritual memory to the theme of Agni as hotṛ and divine messenger who seats the gods on the barhis.

The rite, step by step

  • Prepare the altar and barhis (sacred seat/grass) and establish ritual purity.
  • Kindle Agni with samidh (fuel sticks), praying that he ‘accept the kindling’ and rise upward in right intelligence.
  • Offer ghee (ājya) into the fire, placing the oblation in the ‘seat of Ilā’—the inspired, nourishing offering-ground.
  • Invoke the threshold powers Dawn and Night to ‘sit in their ordered womb,’ stabilizing time and rite.
  • Through Agni, invite major deities (Varuṇa, Indra, Maruts) and finally the Viśve Devāḥ to take their seats on the barhis.
  • Conclude with svāhā and the wish that the immortals ‘take delight’ (mādayantām) in the offering and in the worshipper’s inner fulfillment.

Offerings

  • Samidh (kindling/fuel)
  • Ghṛta/ājya (ghee libation)
  • Havis (general oblation; optionally milk/grain preparations depending on rite)
  • Barhis (prepared seat for the gods)

Frequently Asked Questions

Its purpose is to kindle Agni correctly, place the ghee-offering in the inspired seat of Ilā, and have Agni summon the gods so the rite becomes fruitful and auspicious.

Dawn and Night mark the daily thresholds of time; invoking them stabilizes the ritual order (ṛta) so the gods can “sit” in the rite in a harmonious, well-timed way.

It means Agni is the power of right intelligence and effective will—both the ritual priestly skill that makes offerings reach the gods and the inner clarity that lifts the worshipper upward.

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