Opening the text

Sukta 5.12
Vasiṣṭha (traditional attribution for RV 5.12)
Agni
Triṣṭubh
Is mantra mein rishi apni saaf suthri baat ko Agni ke liye samarpit karte hain. Agni ko ek bada aur sach bolne wala bail bataya gaya hai jo yagya mein dharam ko sthir rakhta hai. Yeh puchha ja raha hai ki dushman taakaton ko kaun baandhta hai aur Agni ka hissa jhooth se kaun bachaata hai. Saath hi yeh bhi poocha hai ki shabd ko kaun surakshit rakhta hai. Iska matlab hai ki sahi tarah se yagya karna, sach baat karna aur devataon ki raksha se hi jeet milti hai. Aise hi bhakt ko ek achha ghar milta hai.
Mantra 1
प्राग्नये बृहते यज्ञियाय ऋतस्य वृष्णे असुराय मन्म । घृतं न यज्ञ आस्ये सुपूतं गिरं भरे वृषभाय प्रतीचीम् ॥
Agni ke liye mera mann nikalta hai jo bada hai aur yagya ke layak hai. Woh satya ka sher hai aur badi shakti ka malik hai. Jaise ghee saaf hota hai, waise hi meri baat saaf hai aur main use Agni ki taakat tak le jaata hoon.
Mantra 2
ऋतं चिकित्व ऋतमिच्चिकिद्ध्यृतस्य धारा अनु तृन्धि पूर्वीः । नाहं यातुं सहसा न द्वयेन ऋतं सपाम्यरुषस्य वृष्णः ॥
Hey satya jaanne wale, satya ko jaan, sach mein jaan. Satya ki dhaaraon ke saath chal. Main zor se nahi pahunch sakta, na hi do raaste se. Main us laal sher Agni ki satya ko pakad leta hoon.
Mantra 3
कया नो अग्न ऋतयन्नृतेन भुवो नवेदा उचथस्य नव्यः । वेदा मे देव ऋतुपा ऋतूनां नाहं पतिं सनितुरस्य रायः ॥
Agni, tum sach ke raaste chalte ho aur sach ko pakad ke rakhte ho. Humein batao, tum kaise naye-naye gyaan de rahe ho? Tum samay ke rakhwale ho, tumhe mausam ka poora pata hai. Main abhi tak is dhan ka maalik nahi ban paaya.
Mantra 4
के ते अग्ने रिपवे बन्धनासः के पायवः सनिषन्त द्युमन्तः । के धासिमग्ने अनृतस्य पान्ति क आसतो वचसः सन्ति गोपाः ॥
Agni, batao tumhare dushmanon ko kaun-kaun baandh ke rakhta hai? Kaun chamak-damak wale log jeet lete hain? Kaun tumhara hissa jhooth se bacha ke rakhta hai? Kaun log baat ko galat hone se bacha rahe hain?
Mantra 5
सखायस्ते विषुणा अग्न एते शिवासः सन्तो अशिवा अभूवन् । अधूर्षत स्वयमेते वचोभिॠजूयते वृजिनानि ब्रुवन्तः ॥
Agni, yeh tumhare saathi the, alag ho gaye the. Achhe lagte the par phir bura ho gaye. Khud hi aage badh gaye aur seedhi baat ko tedha kar ke bolne lage.
Mantra 6
यस्ते अग्ने नमसा यज्ञमीट्ट ऋतं स पात्यरुषस्य वृष्णः । तस्य क्षयः पृथुरा साधुरेतु प्रसर्स्राणस्य नहुषस्य शेषः ॥
Jo koi Agni, ijzat se yagya karta hai aur sach ke saath chalta hai, usko woh laal bail ki shakti bacha ke rakhti hai. Uske liye ek bada aur pakka ghar banta hai. Woh insaan jo hamesha aage badhne ko sochta hai, use sahi phal milta hai.
It teaches that when the sacrifice is done in harmony with Ṛta (truth-order) and with purified speech and reverence, Agni protects the worshipper, restrains hostile forces, and grants stable well-being.
In Vedic thought, speech is powerful and must be kept truthful and ritually pure. The hymn asks for protectors who keep the mantra and Agni’s share safe from anṛta—falsehood, confusion, and disorder.
It can be recited at the lighting of a sacred fire (or lamp) with a small ghee offering, focusing on truthful intention, careful speech, and asking for inner protection and steadiness in daily life.
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Rig Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.