Rig Veda 1.1.5: Mandala 1, Sukta 1, Mantra 5
Sukta 1.1
- Rishi
- Madhucchandas Vaiśvāmitra
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Gāyatrī
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
अग्निर्होता कविक्रतुः सत्यश्चित्रश्रवस्तमः । देवो देवेभिरा गमत् ॥
agnír hotā́ kavíkratuḥ satyáś citráśravastamaḥ | devó devébhir ā́ gamat ||
അഗ്നി—ഹോതാ, കവി-ക്രതു (ഋഷിയുടെ ഇച്ഛപോലെയുള്ള സംകല്പമുള്ളവൻ)—സത്യസ്വരൂപൻ, ചിത്രശ്രവസ്തമ (പ്രകാശമയ പ്രചോദനങ്ങളിൽ അത്യന്തം സമൃദ്ധൻ)—ആ ദിവ്യശക്തി മറ്റു ദേവശക്തികളോടുകൂടെ ഇവിടെ വരട്ടെ.
Word by Word
- अग्निः
- Agni (fire-god)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot अग्नि- (प्रातिपदिक)
- होता
- the Hotṛ (invoking priest)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot हु (धातु) → होतृ- (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
- कविक्रतुः
- of sage-like wisdom / having seer’s resolveAdjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot कवि- + क्रतु- (समासः: कर्मधारय/बहुव्रीहि-प्रायः)
- सत्यः
- trueAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot सत्य- (प्रातिपदिक)
- चित्रश्रवस्तमः
- most famed for splendid renownAdjective (superlative)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot चित्रश्रवस्- (प्रातिपदिक; समासः: चित्र- + श्रवस्) + तमप्
- देवः
- the godNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot देव- (प्रातिपदिक)
- देवेभिः
- with the godsNounपुंलिङ्गः, तृतीया विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्Role सह/करण (सहकारक-प्रयोगः)Root देव- (प्रातिपदिक)
- आ
- hither, towardsIndeclinableउपसर्गः (गम्-धातोः सह)Root आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- गमत्
- may (he) comeVerbलोट् (विधिलिङ्/आज्ञार्थे वैदिक-लोट्), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Root गम् (धातु)
Sandhi Notes
- संहिता-पाठः: अ॒ग्निर्होता॑ = अग्निः + होता (विसर्गस्य ‘र्’ आदेशः)
- दे॒वेभि॒रा ग॑मत् = देवेभिः + आ + गमत् (विसर्गस्य ‘र्’ आदेशः, ‘आ’ उपसर्गः पृथक् पदम्)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Agni the invoker, whose resolve is that of a sage, true, most famed for brilliant hearing/renown, the god—may he come here with the gods.
Inner meaning
Agni is hotā: the power that calls and articulates the inner offering. He is kavi-kratu: the will in us that becomes illumined—an inspired intelligence guiding action, not blind impulse. Satya: aligned with truth-being, incapable of self-deception. Citraśravas-tama: richest in manifold inspirations—‘hearings’ of the inner word, intuitive messages, luminous intuitions. When this divine flame is active, it brings with it allied powers (devebhiḥ): a coordinated descent of light, force, harmony, and delight.
Universal truth
When will is united with insight and truth, inspiration becomes abundant and higher capacities arrive together, transforming the whole life-system.
Themes
Invocation, Agni as mediator, Truth-conscious action, Inner sacrifice (adhyātma-yajña)
The seer
- Rishi
- Madhucchandas Vaiśvāmitra
- Lineage
- Vaiśvāmitra
- Other hymns
- RV 1.1.1, RV 1.1.2, RV 1.1.3, RV 1.1.4
Family tradition
Mantric tradition where speech (hotā) and will (kratu) are perfected into seerhood (kavi) to host the gods.
Significance
He culminates the opening set by defining the quality of the guiding flame: inspired will, truth, and abundant intuition—conditions for a collective descent of divine powers.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- hotā, kavi-kratu, satya, citraśravas-tama, deva
- Related deities
- Sarasvatī (inspiration/word), Bṛhaspati (mantra-power), Indra (illumined mind-force), Soma (delight that supports inspiration)
Cosmic role
Priest and messenger; awakener of inspired action; channel for divine inspiration into the human world.
Inner power
Illumined will and inspired speech that calls down a harmony of higher powers; sincerity that stabilizes realization.
In ritual
Where it is used
Āhvāna of Agni with the devāḥ in soma/havis rites; concluding the opening invocations
अ॒ग्निर्होता॑ क॒विक्र॑तुः स॒त्यश्चि॒त्रश्र॑वस्तमः । दे॒वो दे॒वेभि॒रा ग॑मत् ॥
अ॒ग्निः । होता॑ । क॒विऽक्र॑तुः । स॒त्यः । चि॒त्रश्र॑वःऽतमः । दे॒वः । दे॒वेभिः॑ । आ । ग॒म॒त् ॥
agniḥ | hotā | kavi-kratuḥ | satyaḥ | citraśravaḥ-tamaḥ | devaḥ | devebhiḥ | ā | gamat
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3×8
Bright and declarative; epithets stack in a compact litany, then resolve in a clear invitation.
Energizes inspired clarity; evokes a ‘descent’ feeling at ā gamat.
- होता (hotā)
- Literal: invoker-priest. Symbolic: power of conscious calling; effective mantra-force in the being
- कविक्रतुः (kavi-kratuḥ)
- Literal: whose resolve (kratu) is that of a seer (kavi). Symbolic: illumined will; inspired intelligence guiding action
- सत्यः (satyaḥ)
- Literal: true. Symbolic: truth-aligned consciousness; sincerity and exactness
- चित्रश्रवस्तमः (citraśravastamaḥ)
- Literal: most of varied fame/hearings. Symbolic: richest in manifold inspirations, intuitive ‘hearings’ of truth
- देवः (devaḥ)
- Literal: god, shining one. Symbolic: luminous power active in the human instrument
- देवेभिः (devebhiḥ)
- Literal: with the gods. Symbolic: with allied higher faculties; coordinated descent
- आ गमत् (ā gamat)
- Literal: may (he) come. Symbolic: invitation for presence and operation in the being
Agnyādheya / Agnihotra and general āhavanīya invocations; commonly used as an opening invocatory verse in Agni-centered recitations (prakṛti for inviting the deities to the yajña).
At the moment of inviting the divine assembly to the rite
Calling Agni and the devas to ‘arrive’ and take their seats in the sacrificial space
Use before creative work or spiritual study: invoke illumined will (kavi-kratu) and sincerity (satya) so that inspiration (citraśravas) and supportive forces arrive together.
(agni-) is traditionally linked with √/√ in later etymologies, but Vedic usage centers on ‘fire’ as a conscious power. (hotā) from √ ‘to sacrifice, invoke, pour’—the caller who offers. avi from √/√ ‘to see/poetically perceive’ (seer-poet); from √ ‘to do’ with semantic development ‘power of will, resolve, effective intelligence in action’—hence ‘illumined will’. from sat ‘being’ (PIE *h₁es- ‘to be’) → satya ‘truth, accordance with being’. from √ ‘to perceive, notice’ → ‘bright/variegated, vivid’; from √ ‘to hear’ → ‘fame, glory’ and also ‘that which is heard’ (inspired hearing), allowing an inner sense of revelation. is an injunctive/optative-form usage from √ ‘to go/come’ expressing invitation.
Satya (Truth as being), R̥ta (implied: right order enacted by true will), Kratu (illumined will-force)
Inspired will acts rightly (ṛta) because it is guided by vision (kavi).
Satya as the condition for true inspiration and effective invocation.
From tapas (flame) arises inspired word and ordered action—manifestation guided by truth.
Mantra-yoga orientation: speech and will unified as a channel for divine descent.
Sparks = intuitive flashes; hearing = inner audition of truth; flame-tongue = purified speech that invokes and shapes reality.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘advent of the gods through Agni’: Agni as the divine messenger/priest who brings (and is brought with) the other deities into the sacrifice. Mythically, the fire is the doorway between worlds; psychologically, the awakened will-force (Agni) summons higher powers of consciousness to descend into the human instrument.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- satya- derives from sat ‘being’ (< PIE *h₁es- ‘to be’), showing the archaic equation of truth with being. √ ‘hear’ (śravas) has clear PIE cognates (e.g., Greek κλύω ‘hear’, English ‘loud’ via different developments), supporting the semantic field ‘hearing → fame/renown → inspired audition’. The optative/invitational force of ā́ gamat (√gam ‘go/come’) reflects an inherited Indo-European deictic + motion-verb pattern for ritual invitation.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The r̥ṣi’s speech does not merely praise Agni; it establishes reciprocity: the human offers aspiration/invocation (hotā/√hu) and in return Agni, as ‘kavi-kratu’ (illumined will), arrives with the full company of divine powers. The implied dakṣiṇā is the ordered offering of consciousness—truth-aligned intention—by which the gods are enabled to act in the human field.
Unite will and insight: feel a clear intention (kratu) lit by quiet intuition (kavi). Invite allied powers to cooperate.
vishuddha (inspired speech)
Soft ujjāyī to refine inner ‘hearing’; pause after exhale to listen inwardly before the next repetition.
Inspired, truthful, receptive readiness.
Before speaking/acting, inwardly ask: ‘Is my will illumined? Is it true?’ Then invoke Agni to bring supportive forces—clarity, courage, harmony—so action becomes a coordinated offering.
Observe Śākala udatta/anudatta/svarita; epithets should be clearly segmented without losing flow.
Slight emphasis (not volume, but clarity) on compound epithets: hotā | kavi-kratuḥ | satyaḥ | citraśravastamaḥ.
kavi-kratuḥ: break compound lightly; final visarga audible, satyaḥ: ‘ty’ cluster clean, citraśravastamaḥ: ś palatal; keep ‘śr’ cluster; avoid turning into ‘sr’, devebhir: bh voiced aspirate; r light trill, ā gamat: long ā; g hard ‘g’, not ‘j’
Clear, articulate, luminous; like inspired recitation rather than emotional singing.
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