Rig Veda Sukta 45
Mandala 10Sukta 4512 Mantras

Sukta 45

Sukta 10.45

Devata

Agni (Jātavedas)

Chandas

Trishtubh (likely)

この讃歌は、アグニを「一切の生まれを知る者」(ジャータヴェーダス)および「普遍の人」(ヴァイシュヴァーナラ)として讃え、天において、人間の間において、そして水の中においてという「三重の誕生」をたどり、正しい意志と巧みな技によって絶えず点火されるさまを描く。アグニは浄化者・導き手として、また死すべき者の内に据えられた不死の臨在として示され、その煙と光輝は天へと昇る。結びには、静穏なる天地への呼びかけと、英雄的な力に富むrayi(充溢/繁栄)を願う祈りが置かれる。

Recitation with translationRig Veda 10.45

Mantras

Mantra 1

दिवस्परि प्रथमं जज्ञे अग्निरस्मद्द्वितीयं परि जातवेदाः । तृतीयमप्सु नृमणा अजस्रमिन्धान एनं जरते स्वाधीः ॥

彼は天より生まれ、まずアグニ(Agni)となる。ついで我らのもとに再び生まれ、ジャータヴェーダス(Jātavedas)となる。第三には水のうちにて、人の意志が絶えず彼を燃え立たせる。正しき心の者は、みずからの主宰の力により、常に焚きつつ彼を育て増す。

Mantra 2

विद्मा ते अग्ने त्रेधा त्रयाणि विद्मा ते धाम विभृता पुरुत्रा । विद्मा ते नाम परमं गुहा यद्विद्मा तमुत्सं यत आजगन्थ ॥

我らは知る、アグニよ、汝の三重性が三つの姿としてあることを。我らは知る、汝の住処が多くの所に分かち置かれていることを。我らは知る、秘奥に隠された汝の至上の名を。我らは知る、汝がそこより来たり出でたる源泉を。

Mantra 3

समुद्रे त्वा नृमणा अप्स्वन्तर्नृचक्षा ईधे दिवो अग्न ऊधन् । तृतीये त्वा रजसि तस्थिवांसमपामुपस्थे महिषा अवर्धन् ॥

海の水のうちにて、人の意志は汝を内に燃え立たせる。アグニよ、汝は天の乳房、聖なる視座により見られるもの。第三の空界に立ち固まり、諸水の懐において、偉大なる者たちは汝を増し育てる。

Mantra 4

अक्रन्ददग्निः स्तनयन्निव द्यौः क्षामा रेरिहद्वीरुधः समञ्जन् । सद्यो जज्ञानो वि हीमिद्धो अख्यदा रोदसी भानुना भात्यन्तः ॥

アグニは雷鳴する天のごとく叫び、地を舐め、その触れによって草木をまとわせた。生まれるやただちに点ぜられ、広く見渡す。光の光線により二つの世界を満たし、その間の内に輝く。

Mantra 5

श्रीणामुदारो धरुणो रयीणां मनीषाणां प्रार्पणः सोमगोपाः । वसुः सूनुः सहसो अप्सु राजा वि भात्यग्र उषसामिधानः ॥

彼は光輝を広く施す者、富の支え、霊感を前へ運ぶ者、ソーマの守護者。輝ける者、力(サハス)の子、水のうちの王は、曙(ウシャス)に先立って点ぜられ、前面に光り出る。

Mantra 6

विश्वस्य केतुर्भुवनस्य गर्भ आ रोदसी अपृणाज्जायमानः । वीळुं चिदद्रिमभिनत्परायञ्जना यदग्निमयजन्त पञ्च ॥

万有の標(しるし)にして、世界の胎。生まれ出るや、二つの世界を満たした。進みゆくとき、堅き岩すら裂き開く――五つの民がアグニに祭祀を捧げたその時に。

Mantra 7

उशिक्पावको अरतिः सुमेधा मर्तेष्वग्निरमृतो नि धायि । इयर्ति धूममरुषं भरिभ्रदुच्छुक्रेण शोचिषा द्यामिनक्षन् ॥

熱心なる炎、浄める者にしてよき導き手、光り輝く叡智——不死なるアグニ(Agni)は人々のうちに据えられた。彼は赤き煙を上へと送り、担い上げる;そして清らかな光焔をもって天にまで届き、触れる。

Mantra 8

दृशानो रुक्म उर्विया व्यद्यौद्दुर्मर्षमायुः श्रिये रुचानः । अग्निरमृतो अभवद्वयोभिर्यदेनं द्यौर्जनयत्सुरेताः ॥

黄金の輝きとして見られ、広く照りわたった——美のために光り、屈せぬ生命力を帯びて。創造の種に富む天(ディヤウス Dyaus)が彼を生み出したとき、アグニ(Agni)はその増大の力によって不死となった。

Mantra 9

यस्ते अद्य कृणवद्भद्रशोचेऽपूपं देव घृतवन्तमग्ने । प्र तं नय प्रतरं वस्यो अच्छाभि सुम्नं देवभक्तं यविष्ठ ॥

今日あなたのために備える者は誰であれ、吉き炎の神よ——酥油(ghṛta)に満ちた供物の菓(apūpa)を、アグニ(Agni)よ。彼を前へ導け、より善くより望ましき境へ、神々に分かち与えられる恩寵へと。最も若く、最も力ある炎よ。

Mantra 10

आ तं भज सौश्रवसेष्वग्न उक्थौक्थ आ भज शस्यमाने । प्रियः सूर्ये प्रियो अग्ना भवात्युज्जातेन भिनददुज्जनित्वैः ॥

アグニよ、真の聴聞を得る者たちの中へ、彼を汝のもとに迎え入れよ。讃歌ごとに、讃えられるその時ごとに、彼を迎え入れよ。太陽に愛され、アグニによって愛しき者となる。湧き上がる誕生によって(閉ざしを)打ち破り、湧き上がる生成の数々によって開き現す。

Mantra 11

त्वामग्ने यजमाना अनु द्यून्विश्वा वसु दधिरे वार्याणि । त्वया सह द्रविणमिच्छमाना व्रजं गोमन्तमुशिजो वि वव्रुः ॥

アグニよ、祭主たちは日ごとに、あらゆる望ましき財、選び取るべき宝を汝のうちに据えてきた。汝とともに資財の充溢を求める者たち――炎を求めるウシジ(uśij)――は、光り輝く囲い(vraja)を開き放った。そこはゴー(go)に富む、すなわち光線と知の輝きに満ちる。

Mantra 12

अस्ताव्यग्निर्नरां सुशेवो वैश्वानर ऋषिभिः सोमगोपाः । अद्वेषे द्यावापृथिवी हुवेम देवा धत्त रयिमस्मे सुवीरम् ॥

人々に慈恵をもたらすアグニ、遍在の火ヴァイシュヴァーナラ(Vaiśvānara)は、ソーマ(Soma)を護るリシ(ṛṣi)たちによって讃えられ、確立された。怨みなき安らぎのうちに、われらは天と地を呼び招く。神々よ、われらのうちにラユ(rayi)――霊的な充溢――を、勇士の力に富むものとして据えたまえ。

Inside Sukta 45

How it unfolds

  1. Where it opens

    Agni’s origin and grandeur are introduced through the doctrine of his threefold birth—first from heaven, then from humans as Jātavedas, and again in the waters.

  2. Development

    Agni is portrayed as the immortal power installed among mortals: purifying, well-guiding, and rising upward through smoke and radiant flame to the heavenly realm.

  3. Climax

    The vision of Agni’s ascent—smoke borne aloft and bright blaze touching heaven—culminates in Agni as the inner immortal intelligence that bridges human and divine.

  4. Where it settles

    The hymn ends by affirming Agni as beneficent Vaiśvānara praised by seers, invoking Heaven and Earth in non-hostility, and praying for rayi (plenitude) endowed with heroic vigor.

The deity: Agni

  • In the VedaAgni is the ever-kindled fire-principle: born in heaven, reborn among men through kindling, and present in the waters; he purifies, carries offerings, and with bright flame and rising smoke links earth to heaven. As Jātavedas he is the knower of all births/creatures; as Vaiśvānara he is the universal fire dwelling in all domains.
  • Cosmic functionMediator between humans and gods (hotṛ and messenger), transformer of offerings into divine reach, and cosmic connector whose flame and smoke establish the vertical axis from earth to heaven; he maintains ṛta by illumination, purification, and right conveyance.
  • Inner significanceThe inner fire of will, aspiration, and discernment—an “immortal” clarity set within mortals that can be steadily nourished by right-minded effort (svādhīḥ). It symbolizes the disciplined energy that uplifts consciousness from obscurity (smoke) to illumination (radiance).

The seer

  • AniruktaThis hymn is attributed in the Anukramaṇī tradition to an unnamed seer, a common feature in parts of Maṇḍala 10 where compositions are preserved without a fixed ṛṣi-name; the poetic signature here is theological reflection on Agni’s triple manifestation and his installation in human life.

Famous verses

divas pari prathamaṃ jajñe agniḥ
Verse 10.45.1States the hymn’s central theology: Agni’s threefold birth (heaven, humans, waters) and the role of right-minded continual kindling (svādhīḥ) in sustaining him.Read verse 10.45.1 →
उशिक्पावको अरतिः सुमेधा मर्तेष्वग्निरमृतो नि धायि । इयर्ति धूममरुषं भरिभ्रदुच्छुक्रेण शोचिषा द्यामिनक्षन् ॥
Verse 10.45.7Vividly depicts Agni as the immortal set within mortals, whose smoke rises and whose bright flame reaches heaven—an iconic image of mediation and inner ascent.Read verse 10.45.7 →
rayim asme suvīram
Verse 10.45.12Concluding benediction: Agni as Vaiśvānara affirmed by seers, followed by a peace-invocation of Heaven and Earth and a prayer for rayi rich in heroic strength.Read verse 10.45.12 →

Attributes of the deity

  • Jātavedas (knower of births, all-knowing)
  • Vaiśvānara (universal, belonging to all men)
  • Pāvaka (purifier)
  • Immortal within mortals
  • Messenger and carrier of offerings
  • Upward-leading (smoke and flame rising)
  • Threefold manifestation (heaven, humans, waters)

Also by this seer

  • Several late Rigvedic hymns in Maṇḍala 10 are similarly attributed to Anirukta (unnamed) seers in the Anukramaṇī lists; the exact set varies by recension and cataloging tradition.
  • The hymn’s doctrinal motifs (Agni’s multiple births; Agni as inner immortal in mortals) are echoed across Agni-sūktas of the Rigveda, though not uniquely tied to a single named family.

The rite, step by step

  • Prepare the altar and establish/rekindle the sacred fire with kindling sticks (samidh).
  • Offer preliminary oblations to Agni while reciting verses that affirm his births and his role as Jātavedas.
  • Sustain the flame with measured fuel, maintaining purity and focused intention (svādhīḥ).
  • Make main offerings (ghee and, where applicable, Soma-related offerings) asking Agni to carry them to the gods.
  • Conclude with a peace-oriented invocation (Heaven and Earth, and the gods) and a request for rayi (plenitude) and heroic strength.

Offerings

  • Ghee (ājya)
  • Kindling sticks (samidh)
  • Grains/cakes in fire rites (as applicable)
  • Soma offerings in Soma context (where integrated)

Frequently Asked Questions

It presents Agni in three domains: first as a heavenly fire, second as the ritual fire kindled by humans (Jātavedas), and third as a hidden fire in the waters—showing Agni as a cosmic principle present everywhere.

Jātavedas means “knower of all births/creatures.” In the hymn it highlights Agni’s all-knowing, guiding nature and his fitness to carry offerings and intentions to the gods.

The hymn seeks peaceful well-being (without hostility) and asks the gods to establish “rayi”—plenitude/prosperity—described as suvīra, rich in heroic strength and vitality.

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