Rig Veda Sukta 58
Mandala 1Sukta 589 Mantras

Sukta 58

Sukta 1.58

Rishi

Viśvāmitra Gāthina (traditional for RV 1.58)

Devata

Agni (Hotar; as messenger)

Chandas

Jagatī (probable for RV 1.58; verify in critical edition)

Is mantra mein Agni ki tareef hai jo hamaare liye pujari ka kaam karta hai. Wo aag ke roop mein aasman ke beech se guzarta hai aur devtaon ko bulaata hai. Agni apni taakat se jungle mein bhi jalta hai aur hawa se tez chalta hai. Wo devtaon tak hamaari puja pahunchata hai. Ant mein hum Agni se suraksha maangte hain. Wo humein dukh se bachaaye aur subah laaye. Hum use dhan aur sukh bhi maangte hain.

Recitation with translationRig Veda 1.58

Mantras

Mantra 1

नू चित्सहोजा अमृतो नि तुन्दते होता यद्दूतो अभवद्विवस्वतः । वि साधिष्ठेभिः पथिभी रजो मम आ देवताता हविषा विवासति ॥

Abhi abhi woh aaya jo kabhi marne wala nahi hai. Woh taakat se paida hua. Jab purohit Surya ka paigam le ke aaya, tab yeh hua. Woh seedha raasta le ke aasman se guzarta hai. Hawan ke saath woh bhagwan ko bulata hai ki aao.

Mantra 2

आ स्वमद्म युवमानो अजरस्तृष्वविष्यन्नतसेषु तिष्ठति । अत्यो न पृष्ठं प्रुषितस्य रोचते दिवो न सानु स्तनयन्नचिक्रदत् ॥

Agni apne ghar aa raha hai. Woh kabhi buddha nahi hota, hamesha jawaan rehta hai. Woh pyasi jagah se guzarta hai aur apne nishan chhodta hai. Uski peeth chamakti hai jaise kisi ghode ki. Woh aasmaan ki tarah chamakta hai. Awaaz karke sabko jaga deta hai.

Mantra 3

क्राणा रुद्रेभिर्वसुभिः पुरोहितो होता निषत्तो रयिषाळमर्त्यः । रथो न विक्ष्वृञ्जसान आयुषु व्यानुषग्वार्या देव ऋण्वति ॥

Agni Rudra aur Vasu devtaon ke saath badi taaqat rakhta hai. Woh aage se aage chalta hai. Woh hawan karta hai aur achhi cheezein paise waise laata hai. Woh rath ki tarah sabke beech chalta hai. Logon ki zindagi mein achhi cheezein faila deta hai. Yeh devta hai jo sab kuch chalaata hai.

Mantra 4

वि वातजूतो अतसेषु तिष्ठते वृथा जुहूभिः सृण्या तुविष्वणिः । तृषु यदग्ने वनिनो वृषायसे कृष्णं त एम रुशदूर्मे अजर ॥

Agni hawa ki taakat se aage badhta hai. Yeh aag un sab ke beech khadi hai jahan log havan karte hain. Iska kaam bekaar nahi jata, yeh taakat se chamakta hai. Jab Agni pyaase pedon mein bail ki tarah uchalta hai, tab uski kaali rukawat toot jaati hai. Phir uski chamak dikhne lagti hai. Yeh kabhi purana nahi hota.

Mantra 5

तपुर्जम्भो वन आ वातचोदितो यूथे न साह्वाँ अव वाति वंसगः । अभिव्रजन्नक्षितं पाजसा रजः स्थातुश्चरथं भयते पतत्रिणः ॥

Agni jalti hui jawan ke saath aage badhta hai. Hawa use dhakka deti hai. Woh pedon ke beech mein utarta hai jaise koi bada sardar apne logon ke beech chalta hai. Uski taakat kabhi khatam nahi hoti. Woh apni aag se jagah ko dhak deta hai. Uske saamne jo khada hai aur jo chal raha hai, sab kaanpne lagte hain. Udne wale pakshi bhi dar jaate hain.

Mantra 6

दधुष्ट्वा भृगवो मानुषेष्वा रयिं न चारुं सुहवं जनेभ्यः । होतारमग्ने अतिथिं वरेण्यं मित्रं न शेवं दिव्याय जन्मने ॥

Bhrgu rishiyon ne Agni ko logon mein bheja hai. Woh aise hai jaise koi accha dhan mil gaya ho. Log use aaram se bula sakte hain. Agni mehman ban ke aata hai, puja ka main pandit banta hai. Log use chunte hain kyunki woh accha hai. Woh Mitra jaisa dost hai jo accha karta hai. Yeh hamare andar ek divya janam laata hai.

Mantra 7

होतारं सप्त जुह्वो यजिष्ठं यं वाघतो वृणते अध्वरेषु । अग्निं विश्वेषामरतिं वसूनां सपर्यामि प्रयसा यामि रत्नम् ॥

Agni puja ka pandit hai, yagya ke liye sabse sahi hai. Jo log mehnat karte hain woh use chunte hain. Saat chammach se havan karte hain. Yeh kabhi thakta nahi, kabhi fail nahi hota. Main use apni bhent se puja karta hoon. Main usi ke paas jaata hoon khazane ke liye.

Mantra 8

अच्छिद्रा सूनो सहसो नो अद्य स्तोतृभ्यो मित्रमहः शर्म यच्छ । अग्ने गृणन्तमंहस उरुष्योर्जो नपात्पूर्भिरायसीभिः ॥

Agni, tum mein koi kami nahi hai. Tum taakat ke beta ho. Aaj ham gaane wale logon ko shanti de do. Tum bade dost ho. Agni, jo log tumhare naam se gaate hain, unko taklif se bacha lo. Tum khushhali ke beta ho. Apni lohe ki deewar se hamara bachao karo.

Mantra 9

भवा वरूथं गृणते विभावो भवा मघवन्मघवद्भ्यः शर्म । उरुष्याग्ने अंहसो गृणन्तं प्रातर्मक्षू धियावसुर्जगम्यात् ॥

Agni, tu jo chamakta hai, gaane wale ke liye chhaya ban ja. Jo log daan dete hain, unke liye shanti ban ja. Agni, jo gaata hai usko dukh se bacha aur uska raasta choda. Subah hone tak humare paas soch ka dhan aana chahiye.

Inside Sukta 58

How it unfolds

  1. Where it opens

    Agni is ‘set in motion’ as the immortal, power-born Hotṛ who becomes the messenger and summons the gods through the offering.

  2. Development

    The hymn expands Agni’s movement and reach—his perfected paths through the mid-space—and then intensifies into vivid imagery of his wind-driven, forest-consuming force.

  3. Climax

    Agni’s overwhelming blaze covers the realms; still and moving beings tremble, and even the winged fear him—his cosmic potency is unmistakable.

  4. Where it settles

    The poet turns that same power into refuge: Agni is asked to become shelter and peace, to widen protection from distress, and to bring dawn-swift inspired wealth.

The deity: Agni

  • In the VedaAgni is the luminous fire-priest: kindled by humans yet divine, he carries offerings, awakens the rite, and calls the gods to the sacrifice. He is also a fierce blaze—wind-driven, consuming wood with ‘burning jaws’—before whom beings tremble.
  • Cosmic functionMediator between heaven and earth: he transports oblations to the deities, establishes the sacrifice as an ordering power (ṛta), and links human speech/praise with divine presence.
  • Inner significanceThe awakened will and illumined intelligence that ‘moves’ through the inner mid-space, transforming raw impulse into consecrated offering, and turning prayer into protective clarity and inspired prosperity.

The seer

  • Viśvāmitra GāthinaGāthin (Viśvāmitra gotra; traditionally linked with the Kuśika line) · A paradigmatic seer-king (rājarṣi) whose hymns emphasize inspired speech (dhī), divine friendship, and the power of ritual to draw the gods; later tradition remembers him as a key figure bridging royal and brahminical authority.

Famous verses

hotā yad dūto abhavad vivasvataḥ
Verse 1.58.1Programmatic opening: Agni as Hotṛ and Dūta who traverses the mid-space and ‘calls the godheads’ to the offering—encapsulating Agni’s mediating role.Read verse 1.58.1 →
tapurjambho vana ā vātacoditaḥ
Verse 1.58.5Striking theophany: Agni’s fierce, wind-driven advance through the forest, portraying his irresistible, world-shaking energy.Read verse 1.58.5 →
bhavā varūthaṃ gṛṇate vibhāvo
Verse 1.58.9Concluding benediction: petitions for shelter (varūtha), peace (śarma), protection from aṃhas, and dawn-bringing inspired wealth—showing the hymn’s practical devotional aim.Read verse 1.58.9 →

Attributes of the deity

  • Hotṛ (sacrificial priest)
  • Dūta (messenger)
  • Vibhāvasu (all-luminous)
  • Vātacodita (wind-driven flame)
  • Protector and giver of shelter (varūtha, śarma)
  • Summoner of the gods (devatātā ā-vivāsati)

Also by this seer

  • Rig Veda Maṇḍala 3 (many hymns traditionally ascribed to Viśvāmitra and the Viśvāmitras)
  • Major Indra hymns in RV 3 (e.g., RV 3.32–3.34 in traditional attributions)
  • Gāyatrī mantra in later tradition (commonly linked to Viśvāmitra, though not a Rigvedic attribution claim)

The rite, step by step

  • Prepare the altar and kindling (samidh) and purify the space with orderly arrangement (ṛta-minded preparation).
  • Kindle Agni and address him as Hotṛ and Dūta, requesting that he ‘set in motion’ the rite and traverse the paths to the gods.
  • Offer ghee/oblations while reciting praise that acknowledges both Agni’s beneficence and his formidable, wind-driven blaze.
  • Ask Agni to bring the devatās to presence at the offering and to protect the singer and patrons from aṃhas (distress).
  • Conclude with a dawn-oriented petition for dhī (inspired thought) and prosperity to arrive swiftly.

Offerings

  • Ghṛta (clarified butter)
  • Samidh (kindling sticks/wood)
  • Havis (general oblation)

Frequently Asked Questions

Agni is praised as the Hotṛ (ritual priest) and Dūta (messenger) who carries offerings and invites the gods to be present in the sacrifice.

Because Agni is not only a gentle ritual fire but also a cosmic force: wind-driven, consuming wood, spreading light and heat so strongly that beings ‘tremble’ before him.

It asks Agni to be a shelter and peace, to protect the worshipper from distress (aṃhas), and to bring inspired wealth and clear thought swiftly at dawn.

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