Sukta 13
Sukta 3.13
Viśvāmitra Gāthina (Mandala 3; Agni hymn)
Agni
Jagatī (opening verses of many Agni hymns in Book 3 frequently use jagatī; this verse is longer and fits jagatī movement)
विश्वामित्र का यह संक्षिप्त अग्नि-सूक्त देव-अग्नि से प्रार्थना करता है कि वे देवताओं के साथ यहाँ आएँ और बर्हिस् (पवित्र आच्छादन) पर आसीन हों, तथा यज्ञकर्म को यथाविधि और सम्यक् क्रम में स्थापित करें। इसमें अग्नि से शान्ति देने वाले आश्रय, द्यौः–पृथिवी–अप्सु (जल) में व्याप्त तेजस्वी धन, और ऐसा अच्युत, दीप्तिमान वीर्य (सुवीर्य) माँगा गया है जो घटे नहीं, बल्कि निरन्तर बढ़ता रहे।
Mantras
Mantra 1
प्र वो देवायाग्नये बर्हिष्ठमर्चास्मै । गमद्देवेभिरा स नो यजिष्ठो बर्हिरा सदत् ॥
हे जनो! देव अग्नि के लिए अपना परम-श्रेष्ठ स्तोत्र आगे बढ़ाओ; उसी के लिए गाओ। वह देवों के साथ यहाँ आए, और यज्ञ में अति-श्रेष्ठ वह हमारे भीतर के पवित्र बर्हिस् (विस्तीर्ण आसन) पर आसीन हो।
Mantra 2
ऋतावा यस्य रोदसी दक्षं सचन्त ऊतयः । हविष्मन्तस्तमीळते तं सनिष्यन्तोऽवसे ॥
वह ऋतावान् है—ऋत का धारक; जिसके लिए द्यावा-पृथिवी अपनी दक्षता और सहायता को साथ जोड़ती हैं। हविष् धारण करने वाले उसे पूजते हैं, रक्षा और सन्मार्ग-प्रेरणा के लिए उसे प्राप्त करने की कामना करते हुए।
Mantra 3
स यन्ता विप्र एषां स यज्ञानामथा हि षः । अग्निं तं वो दुवस्यत दाता यो वनिता मघम् ॥
वह इन कर्मों का नियन्ता, इनका विप्र (द्रष्टा) है; वही यज्ञों का नायक भी है। उस अग्नि की तुम सेवा करो—वही दाता है, जो हमारे लिए मघ (समृद्धि) को जीतकर लाता है।
Mantra 4
स नः शर्माणि वीतयेऽग्निर्यच्छतु शंतमा । यतो नः प्रुष्णवद्वसु दिवि क्षितिभ्यो अप्स्वा ॥
अग्नि हमारे भोग के लिए अत्यन्त शान्तिदायक आश्रय हमें प्रदान करे। उसी से हमें उज्ज्वल वसु (धन) प्राप्त हो—यहाँ पृथ्वी पर, ऊपर दिवि में, और भीतर अप्सु (जल) में भी।
Mantra 5
दीदिवांसमपूर्व्यं वस्वीभिरस्य धीतिभिः । ऋक्वाणो अग्निमिन्धते होतारं विश्पतिं विशाम् ॥
ऋक् गाने वाले गायक समृद्ध धीतियों (प्रेरणाओं) से उस दीदिवांसम्—सदा दीप्त, अपूर्व्य (अद्वितीय) अग्नि को प्रज्वलित करते हैं। वे उसे होता और विशाम् विश्पति—जनसमुदायों के स्वामी—के रूप में जगाते हैं।
Mantra 6
उत नो ब्रह्मन्नविष उक्थेषु देवहूतमः । शं नः शोचा मरुद्वृधोऽग्ने सहस्रसातमः ॥
और हे ब्रह्मन्, हमारे उक्थों में देवों को बुलाने में सर्वाधिक समर्थ हे अग्नि, हमारी वाणी/ब्रह्म की भी रक्षा करो। हमारे लिए कल्याण हेतु प्रकाश करो; हे मरुतों के वर्धक, हे सहस्र-सातम (हज़ार लाभों के विजेता), हमारे भीतर विजयी ज्वाला का विस्तार करो।
Mantra 7
नू नो रास्व सहस्रवत्तोकवत्पुष्टिमद्वसु । द्युमदग्ने सुवीर्यं वर्षिष्ठमनुपक्षितम् ॥
अब हे अग्नि, हमें वह वसु प्रदान करो जो सहस्रवत् (हज़ार-शक्ति वाला) हो, जो तोकवत् (संतति/वंश सहित) हो और पुष्टि-युक्त हो। हे द्युमद् अग्नि, हमें सुवीर्य—दीप्तिमान वीर-बल—दो, जो सर्वाधिक प्रचुर हो, जो घटे नहीं, जिसकी वृद्धि कभी न रुके।
Inside Sukta 13
How it unfolds
- Where it opens
A strong summons: the poets bring forth their highest praise and invite Agni to arrive with the gods and sit on the barhis.
- Development
Agni is treated as the effective sacrificer and bestower—asked to establish well-being (śarman) and to pour out shining wealth across the threefold expanse (heaven, earth, waters).
- Climax
The hymn concentrates its boon: peace-giving shelters and radiant prosperity that fills existence in every realm.
- Where it settles
It ends with a decisive, present-tense request for thousand-powered, nourishing wealth and undiminishing, luminous suvīrya.
The deity: Agni
- In the VedaAgni is the shining Fire—kindled on the altar, yet also present in lightning and in the sun—praised as the foremost priest (hotṛ), carrier of offerings, and the one who brings the gods to the sacrifice. He is invoked to sit on the barhis and to make the rite effective, granting protection, prosperity, and strength.
- Cosmic functionMediator between human and divine realms: he conveys oblations upward, draws the devas downward to the ritual, and maintains ṛta by sustaining sacrificial exchange and luminous order in the worlds.
- Inner significanceThe awakened flame of aspiration and discernment: the inner fire that receives offerings of thought and action, purifies intention, and turns effort into clarity, courage, and growth of being.
The seer
- Viśvāmitra GāthinaGāthin / Kauśika (Viśvāmitra tradition) · A royal-turned-seer celebrated for transforming kṣatriya power into brahmanic vision; a principal poet of Maṇḍala 3 and a paradigmatic figure for tapas, mantra-dṛṣṭi, and the establishment of sacred order through speech.
Famous verses
yajiṣṭho barhir ā sadat
śarmāṇi ... śaṃtamā
sahasravat tokavat puṣṭimad vasu
Attributes of the deity
- Hotṛ (priestly power of invocation)
- Dūtá (messenger between worlds)
- Yajiṣṭha (most capable in sacrifice)
- Śuci (pure, purifying)
- Dīdyat (luminous, radiant)
- Rakṣohā (protector who wards harm)
- Vasu-dā (giver of wealth and well-being)
Also by this seer
- Major authorship/traditional ascription of many hymns in Rig Veda Maṇḍala 3 (especially Agni and Indra hymns)
- Association in later Vedic/Itihāsa tradition with the Gāyatrī mantra (RV 3.62.10) and the Viśvāmitra cycle
- Model figure in Brāhmaṇa and epic literature for the power of mantra and ascetic striving
The rite, step by step
- Prepare the vedi and spread the barhis (sacred grass) as the seat for the devas.
- Kindle or brighten the āhavanīya fire; establish Agni as hotṛ through recitation.
- Invite Agni to come “with the gods” and to take his seat upon the barhis.
- Offer oblations with the request for śarman (protective shelters/peace) and vasu (wealth) in all domains (earth, heaven, waters).
- Conclude with a direct petition for abundant, unfailing prosperity and suvīrya (luminous hero-force).
Offerings
- Ghṛta (clarified butter) into the fire
- Samidh (kindling sticks)
- Barhis (sacred grass spread as seat)
- Optional: simple havis (cooked offering) per household rite context
Frequently Asked Questions
It invites Agni to preside over the sacrifice—arriving with the gods and sitting on the sacred barhis—so the rite brings peace, protection, prosperity, and strength.
Barhis is the ritual seat prepared for the gods. Saying Agni sits on it means the divine presence is established and the sacrifice is properly set in motion.
The hymn asks for śarman (safe, peaceful shelters), shining wealth in heaven, earth, and waters, and suvīrya—luminous, heroic capacity that does not diminish.
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