Sukta 78
Sukta 1.78
Gautama (Gotama lineage; ‘Gotamāḥ’ indicates the family-seers)
Agni (Jātavedas)
Gāyatrī (3×8 syllables)
ຄຳສັງເຊີນກາຍາຕຣີອັນສັ້ນນີ້ຮຽກຮ້ອງອັກນີ ຊາຕະເວທັສ, ເທວະໄຟຜູ້ຮູ້ທຸກສິ່ງ, ໃຫ້ໄດ້ຮັບການຈູບເຜົາຢ່າງມີພະລັງ ແລະ ຖືກຊຸກຍູ້ໄປຂ້າງໜ້າ ໂດຍຄຳເວົ້າທີ່ມີຄວາມດົນດີ ແລະ ພະລັງອັນສະຫວ່າງ. ບັນດາຮາຊີຂອງສາຍພັນໂຄຕະມ ແລະ ຣາຮູຄັນ ໄດ້ອວຍພະວະອັນນີ້ໃນຖານະຜູ້ມີສາຍຕາກວ້າງຂວາງ ແລະ ເປັນຜູ້ຊະນະຢ່າງຍິ່ງໃນການຍາດເອົາວາຊ, ຄື ພະລັງຊີວິດ ແລະ ຄວາມສົມບູນ, ເພື່ອໃຫ້ແສງສະຫວ່າງ ແລະ ພະລັງງານຂອງພະອົງໄດ້ປະຕິບັດພາຍໃນຜູ້ນະມັດສະການ.
Mantras
Mantra 1
अभि त्वा गोतमा गिरा जातवेदो विचर्षणे । द्युम्नैरभि प्र णोनुमः ॥
ບັນດາໂຄຕະມກົ້ມຫົວໄປຫາເຈົ້າ, ພະຊາຕະເວດ, ພະລັງຜູ້ເຫັນກວ້າງຂວາງ, ດ້ວຍຄຳເວົ້າ; ດ້ວຍພະລັງອັນສະຫວ່າງ ພວກເຮົາກົ້ມຂົ້ນເຈົ້າໃຫ້ກ້າວໄປຂ້າງໜ້າພາຍໃນພວກເຮົາ.
Mantra 2
तमु त्वा गोतमो गिरा रायस्कामो दुवस्यति । द्युम्नैरभि प्र णोनुमः ॥
ພຣະອັກນີໂຜດທ່ານໂຄຕາມຮັກສາດ້ວຍຄຳສັກສິນ, ປາຖະຫວັງຣາຍິຄວາມສົມບູນແຫ່ງການມີຢູ່; ດ້ວຍພະລັງສະຫວ່າງສະຫວ່າງພວກເຮົາຂົວທ່ານໃຫ້ກ້າວໄປຂ້າງໜ້າພາຍໃນຕົວເຮົາ.
Mantra 3
तमु त्वा वाजसातममङ्गिरस्वद्धवामहे । द्युम्नैरभि प्र णोनुमः ॥
ພວກເຮົາຮຽກຫາທ່ານ, ຜູ້ຊະນະສູງສຸດໃນການຄອບຄອງວາຊາຄວາມສົມບູນແຫ່ງພະລັງ, ໂຜດອັງຄີຣາສທີ່ສະຫວ່າງດຸ່ນ; ດ້ວຍພະລັງສະຫວ່າງສະຫວ່າງພວກເຮົາຂົວທ່ານໃຫ້ກ້າວໄປຂ້າງໜ້າພາຍໃນຕົວເຮົາ.
Mantra 4
तमु त्वा वृत्रहन्तमं यो दस्यूँरवधूनुषे । द्युम्नैरभि प्र णोनुमः ॥
ພວກເຮົາຮຽກຫາທ່ານ, ຜູ້ທຳລາຍວະຣະຕາທີ່ມີພະລັງສູງສຸດພາຍໃນ, ຜູ້ຂັບຂູ່ດາສະຍູທັງຫຼາຍຄືກຳລັງຂອງການຂັດຂວາງ; ດ້ວຍພະລັງສະຫວ່າງສະຫວ່າງພວກເຮົາຂົວທ່ານໃຫ້ກ້າວໄປຂ້າງໜ້າພາຍໃນຕົວເຮົາ.
Mantra 5
अवोचाम रहूगणा अग्नये मधुमद्वचः । द्युम्नैरभि प्र णोनुमः ॥
ພວກເຮົາຊາວຣາຮູຄານາໄດ້ເວົ້າຕໍ່ພຣະອັກນີເປັນຄຳທີ່ຫວານຊື່ນ, ເປັນຄຳເວົ້າທີ່ມີຄວາມຊື່ນບັນລຸແລະຄວາມຈິງ; ດ້ວຍພະລັງສະຫວ່າງສະຫວ່າງພວກເຮົາຂົວພຣະອົງໃຫ້ກ້າວໄປຂ້າງໜ້າພາຍໃນຕົວເຮົາ.
Inside Sukta 78
How it unfolds
- Where it opens
The Gotamas press toward Agni with the word, addressing him as Jātavedas and wide-seeing, and immediately introduce the refrain of urging him forward with luminous strengths.
- Development
Agni is further defined as the most victorious winner of vāja and as aṅgirasvat—fire in the priestly, inspired mode—making the invocation both cosmic and ritual-practical.
- Climax
The seers declare their 'honeyed word' to Agni (madhumat vacaḥ), presenting speech itself as an offering that kindles divine power.
- Where it settles
The repeated refrain (dyumnair abhi pra ṇonumaḥ) seals the hymn: Agni is not only called to the altar but propelled into active presence within the worshippers.
The deity: Agni
- In the VedaAgni is the flame that is "born in many places" yet one, the knower of births (Jātavedas), wide-seeing (vicarṣaṇi), and the divine messenger who carries the offerings and the poet’s word to the gods.
- Cosmic functionHe mediates between human and divine realms, transforms offerings into subtle nourishment, and sustains ṛta by kindling light, warmth, and sacrificial order.
- Inner significanceAgni signifies awakened consciousness and will-power: the inner fire that digests experience, clarifies the mind, and propels aspiration when urged by truthful, honeyed speech (madhumat vacaḥ).
The seer
- Gautama (Gotama family-seers; incl. Rahūgaṇa branch as named in 1.78.5)Gotama gotra (Gotamāḥ); Rahūgaṇa as a sub-line mentioned within the hymn · A prominent early ṛṣi-line in the Rigveda, celebrated for Agni-centered hymns and for a style that stresses inner kindling—Agni as power awakened by mantra and offering.
Famous verses
dyumnair abhi pra ṇonumaḥ
तमु त्वा वाजसातममङ्गिरस्वद्धवामहे । द्युम्नैरभि प्र णोनुमः ॥madhumad vacaḥ
Attributes of the deity
- Jātavedas (knower of all births/origins)
- Vicarṣaṇi (wide-seeing, far-ranging vision)
- Aṅgiras-like (priestly fire of inspired lineage)
- Vājasātama (best at winning vāja—strength, plenty, victory)
- Dūta (messenger) and hotṛ (invoking priest)
- Transformer of offerings into divine reach
Also by this seer
- Rigvedic hymns attributed to the Gotamas, especially in Mandala 1 (Agni and related deities)
- Association with the wider Angiras tradition of fire-priests (Agni invoked as aṅgirasvat in this sukta)
The rite, step by step
- Prepare the altar/fireplace and arrange fuel (samidh) and clarified butter (ghṛta).
- Kindle or rekindle Agni while reciting the hymn in Gāyatrī meter with focused intention.
- Invoke Agni as Jātavedas and vicarṣaṇi, urging him forward "with dyumna" (luminous powers).
- Make oblations into the fire, aligning speech (vāc) with offering so the word becomes effective.
- Conclude with a final oblation and inward recollection of Agni as the awakened force within.
Offerings
- Ghṛta (ghee/clarified butter)
- Samidh (fuel sticks)
- Optional: grains or soma-substitute offerings as per śrauta/gṛhya context
Frequently Asked Questions
It calls Agni (Jātavedas) to be strongly kindled and made active through sincere mantra and offerings, so his light and strength work both in the ritual fire and within the worshipper.
The refrain emphasizes the act of “urging forward” Agni with dyumna—luminous power or brilliance—showing that the hymn is meant to intensify Agni’s presence and effectiveness.
It means “honeyed speech”—words that are pleasing, true, and spiritually effective—treated as an offering that kindles Agni and brings beneficial results.
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