Sukta 21
Sukta 10.21
Agni (Hotar, Pāvakaśociṣ)
Jagatī or Triṣṭubh (requires full metrical count by pāda)
This hymn selects Agni as the Hotṛ of the sacrifice and praises him as the radiant purifier who makes the rite effective and the mind expansive. It recalls Agni’s ancient birth and lineages (Atharvan, Vivasvat, Yama), presenting him as messenger between worlds and as the power that plants a new “germ” of life and insight among kin and clans. The purpose is both ritual—successful yajña through the rightly kindled fire—and inner—awakening a luminous, steady will through Agni’s purifying flame.
Mantras
Mantra 1
आग्निं न स्ववृक्तिभिर्होतारं त्वा वृणीमहे । यज्ञाय स्तीर्णबर्हिषे वि वो मदे शीरं पावकशोचिषं विवक्षसे ॥
हम अग्नि को अपनी कोशिश से बुलाते हैं। तुम्हे यज्ञ के लिए पुरोहित चुनते हैं। यज्ञ की जगह साफ बिछा दी है। खुशी में तुम चमकदार आग दिखाना चाहते हो। वो साफ करती है और जलती है।
Mantra 2
त्वामु ते स्वाभुवः शुम्भन्त्यश्वराधसः । वेति त्वामुपसेचनी वि वो मद ऋजीतिरग्न आहुतिर्विवक्षसे ॥
अग्नि, तुम्हारा रूप खुद बनने वाली ताकतें सजाती हैं। तुम्हारी ताकत बहुत तेज़ है। लोग तुम्हारे पास आके हवन करते हैं। हम खुश होके सीधा भाव से भगवान को पुकारते हैं।
Mantra 3
त्वे धर्माण आसते जुहूभिः सिञ्चतीरिव । कृष्णा रूपाण्यर्जुना वि वो मदे विश्वा अधि श्रियो धिषे विवक्षसे ॥
अग्नि में धरम बैठे हैं, जैसे पानी छलकर ढलता है। तुम अंधेरे और रोशनी दोनों को सही जगह रखते हो। हम खुश होके सारी चमक तुम्हारे ऊपर देखते हैं।
Mantra 4
यमग्ने मन्यसे रयिं सहसावन्नमर्त्य । तमा नो वाजसातये वि वो मदे यज्ञेषु चित्रमा भरा विवक्षसे ॥
अग्नि, तुम जो भी खुशी सोचते हो, वो बहुत बड़ी है और कभी खत्म नहीं होती। उस खुशी को हमें दो ताकि हम आगे बढ़ें। हम खुश होके यज्ञ में अच्छी चीज़ तुमसे माँगते हैं।
Mantra 5
अग्निर्जातो अथर्वणा विदद्विश्वानि काव्या । भुवद्दूतो विवस्वतो वि वो मदे प्रियो यमस्य काम्यो विवक्षसे ॥
अग्नि, अथर्वन रिशि ने तुम्हे पैदा किया। तुमने सारी ज्ञान की बातें ढूँढ ली। तुम विवस्वत के लिए पैगम बनके गए। हम खुश होके तुम्हे प्यारा और इच्छित मानते हैं जो सच्चे रास्ते पे ले चलते हैं।
Mantra 6
त्वां यज्ञेष्वीळतेऽग्ने प्रयत्यध्वरे । त्वं वसूनि काम्या वि वो मदे विश्वा दधासि दाशुषे विवक्षसे ॥
अग्नि, लोग यज्ञ में तुम्हारी पूजा करते हैं जब यह शुरू होता है। तुम जो लोग देंगे उनको सारी अच्छी चीज़ें देते हो। हम खुश होके देखेंगे कि तुम उनको क्या दोगे।
Mantra 7
त्वां यज्ञेष्वृत्विजं चारुमग्ने नि षेदिरे । घृतप्रतीकं मनुषो वि वो मदे शुक्रं चेतिष्ठमक्षभिर्विवक्षसे ॥
अग्नि, लोग यज्ञ में तुम्हे पुजारी बना के बिठाते हैं। तुम्हारे चेहरे पर घी चमकता है। जब हम खुश होते हैं, तुम एक चमकता हुआ तेज़ बल दिखाते हो। वो बल इतना तेज़ है कि वो सब कुछ देख लेता है।
Mantra 8
अग्ने शुक्रेण शोचिषोरु प्रथयसे बृहत् । अभिक्रन्दन्वृषायसे वि वो मदे गर्भं दधासि जामिषु विवक्षसे ॥
अग्नि, तुम्हारी चमकता हुई आग बड़ी हो जाती है। तुम ज़ोर से आवाज़ करते हो और एक ताकत की तरह बहते हो। जब हम खुश होते हैं, तुम हमारे अंदर एक नया बल पैदा करते हो। यह बल हमारे दिल में नया जीवन लाता है।
Inside Sukta 21
How it unfolds
- Where it opens
The community ‘chooses’ Agni as Hotṛ for the sacrifice with strewn barhis, calling him the strong purifier with radiant flame (10.21.1).
- Development
Agni’s ancient pedigree and functions unfold—born through Atharvan, knower of inspired wisdom (kāvya), becoming the messenger of Vivasvat and connected to Yama’s path (10.21.5).
- Climax
Agni’s bright flame expands the Vast; he roars and pours forth as bull-force, placing the ‘germ’ of new life/awakening among the kindreds (10.21.8).
- Where it settles
The hymn settles into the assurance that rightly kindled Agni completes the rite and internalizes its fruit—purity, right guidance, and renewed vitality—within the worshippers’ circle.
The deity: Agni
- In the VedaAgni is the bright, purifying fire with radiant flame (pāvaka-śociṣ), chosen as Hotṛ to carry offerings and to “make manifest” (vivakṣ-) the godward power within the rite. He is remembered as first kindled by Atharvan and as a messenger connected with Vivasvat and with Yama’s realm, linking sacrifice to ancestral and cosmic order.
- Cosmic functionMediator between humans and gods: he receives offerings, conveys them to the deities, and returns blessings; he also sustains ṛta through correct ritual fire and guards the threshold between the living world and the fathers.
- Inner significanceThe awakened flame of discernment and aspiration: the purifying heat that clarifies intention, expands consciousness (“the Vast”), and implants a new inner birth (garbha) of insight and right will among one’s own people and faculties.
Famous verses
आग्निं न स्ववृक्तिभिर्होतारं त्वा वृणीमहे । यज्ञाय स्तीर्णबर्हिषे वि वो मदे शीरं पावकशोचिषं विवक्षसे ॥अग्निर्जातो अथर्वणा विदद्विश्वानि काव्या । भुवद्दूतो विवस्वतो वि वो मदे प्रियो यमस्य काम्यो विवक्षसे ॥अग्ने शुक्रेण शोचिषोरु प्रथयसे बृहत् । अभिक्रन्दन्वृषायसे वि वो मदे गर्भं दधासि जामिषु विवक्षसे ॥Attributes of the deity
- Hotṛ (invoking priest)
- Pāvaka (purifier)
- Śukra-śociṣ (bright-flamed)
- Dūta (messenger)
- Ancient-born/first-kindled (Atharvan tradition)
- Expander of the ‘Vast’ (bṛhat)
- Linked with Vivasvat (solar order) and Yama (path of the fathers)
Also by this seer
- Traditional Anukramaṇī attribution required for a reliable list.
The rite, step by step
- Prepare and strewn the barhis (sacrificial seat/grass) and arrange the altar.
- Kindle/rekindle Agni with kindling and ghee, invoking him explicitly as Hotṛ.
- Recite the hymn to ‘choose’ Agni for the rite, requesting his purifying, manifesting flame.
- Offer oblations into the fire (ghee and customary havis), maintaining steady flame and attention.
- Conclude with requests for expansion, vitality, and the planting of auspicious ‘seed’ (garbha) in the community/household.
Offerings
- Ghṛta (clarified butter)
- Samidh (kindling sticks)
- Havis (simple food-offerings such as grain/cakes, as appropriate to the rite)
Frequently Asked Questions
Agni is the main deity—praised as the Hotṛ (invoking priest) and as the bright, purifying fire (pāvakaśociṣ) who carries offerings to the gods.
These names place Agni in an ancient sacred lineage: Atharvan as the first kindler, Vivasvat as a solar/cosmic order he serves as messenger, and Yama as the lord of the path of the ancestors—showing Agni as a bridge between worlds.
Ritually it asks for fertility, continuity, and prosperity in the clan; inwardly it suggests Agni kindles a new birth of clarity and right will within one’s own nature and community.
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