Rig Veda 1.13.1: Mandala 1, Sukta 13, Mantra 1
Sukta 1.13
- Rishi
- Medhātithi Kāṇva
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Gāyatrī
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
सुसमिद्धो न आ वह देवाँ अग्ने हविष्मते । होतः पावक यक्षि च ॥
súsamiddho na ā́ vaha devā́ṃ agne havíṣmate | hótaḥ pāvaka yákṣi ca ||
സുസമിദ്ധനായി (നന്നായി ജ്വലിച്ച്), ഹേ അഗ്നേ, ഹവിഷ്മതനുവേണ്ടി ദേവന്മാരെ ഞങ്ങളിലേക്കു കൊണ്ടുവരിക; ഹേ ഹോതൃ, ഹേ പാവക, യജ് (യജ്ഞകർമ്മം) നിർവഹിക്കുകയും അന്തർഗത സ്വീകരണവും നടത്തുകയും ചെയ്യുക.
Word by Word
- सुसमिद्धः
- well-kindledAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (अग्नेः विशेषणम्)Root सु- (उपसर्ग) + सम्- (उपसर्ग) + इन्ध् (धातु) → समिद्ध (कृदन्त)
- नः
- of us / for usPronounषष्ठी, बहुवचन (एन्क्लिटिक)Role Sampradāna (अस्माकम्/अस्मभ्यं हितार्थं—प्रयोजन-सम्बन्धः)Root अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- आ
- hither, forthIndeclinableउपसर्गः (आ-गमनार्थे)Root आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- वह
- carry / bringVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole KriyāRoot वह् (धातु)
- देवान्
- the godsNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- अग्ने
- O AgniNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole Sambodhana (सम्बोधन-प्रयोगः)Root अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- हविष्मते
- to the oblation-offerer / to him who has an offeringNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot हविस् (प्रातिपदिक) + मतुप् → हविष्मत्
- होतः
- O Hotṛ (invoking priest)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन (वैदिक रूप: होतः < होतृ)Role SambodhanaRoot होतृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- पावक
- O purifierAdjective/Nounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole Sambodhana (अग्नेः विशेषणम्)Root पू (धातु) → पावक (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
- यक्षि
- worship / sacrificeVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole KriyāRoot यज् (धातु; वैदिक: यक्ष्-आदेशः)
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चयार्थक अव्ययRoot च (निपात)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: सुसमिद्धः | नः | आ | वह | देवान् | अग्ने | हविष्मते | होतः | पावक | यक्षि | च । 1) सुस॑मिद्धो → सुसमिद्धः (विसर्ग-लोप/पदपाठे विसर्गः). 2) दे॒वाँ → देवान् (वैदिक नासिक्य/अनुस्वार-प्रयोगः; पदपाठे -आन्). 3) होत॑: → होतः (वैदिक लेखन में ':' = विसर्ग). 4) यक्षि वैदिक रूप: यज् धातोः लोट्
- ज् → क्ष् (यक्ष्-आदेशः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Agni, well kindled, bring the gods to us for the offerer; O priest, O purifier, perform the sacrifice.
Inner meaning
When the inner Fire is fully lit (susamiddhaḥ), it becomes the carrier that brings down the ‘gods’—the awakened powers of consciousness—into the human field. The ‘havis’ is our offered substance: attention, breath, works, emotions. Agni as hotṛ is the discerning priest within who knows what to offer and how; as pāvaka he purifies the movements. ‘Yakṣi’ implies the act of giving and establishing exchange: offering upward and receiving downward as transformed force.
Universal truth
Spiritual progress depends on a steady inner flame: when will is kindled and purified, higher capacities naturally descend and participate in life, turning ordinary actions into a conscious sacrifice.
Themes
Agni as Hotar, Summoning the gods, Purification, Ritual as inner process
The seer
- Rishi
- Medhātithi Kāṇva
- Lineage
- Kāṇva
- Other hymns
- RV 1.13.1-10
Family tradition
Kāṇvas articulate the operational steps of the inner yajña: kindling, invoking, bringing down the gods, and purifying the nature.
Significance
The seer emphasizes method: first kindle the will, then invoke and host the divine powers—suggesting a disciplined sādhanā rather than a vague devotion.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- Susamiddha (well-kindled), Hotṛ (priest), Pāvaka (purifier)
- Related deities
- Tanūnapāt, Nārāśaṃsa, Indra
Cosmic role
The messenger and priest who conveys offerings and escorts divine forces to the human sacrifice.
Inner power
Disciplined will + purifying intelligence that makes life a conscious exchange with the higher Self.
In ritual
Where it is used
Opening invitation in Agni rites; calling the gods to the yajña
सुस॑मिद्धो न॒ आ व॑ह दे॒वाँ अ॑ग्ने ह॒विष्म॑ते । होत॑: पावक॒ यक्षि॑ च ॥
सुऽस॑मिद्धः । नः॒ । आ । व॒ह॒ । दे॒वान् । अ॒ग्ने॒ । ह॒विष्म॑ते । होत॒रिति॑ । पा॒व॒क॒ । यक्षि॑ । च॒ ॥
su-samiddhaḥ | naḥ | ā | vaha | devān | agne | haviṣmate | hotariti | pāvaka | yakṣi | ca
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3×8
Invocatory and processional; ‘ā vaha devān’ gives a carrying, forward rhythm.
Stabilizes attention and energizes the sense of inner ritual; supports a feeling of ‘hosting’ higher presence.
- सुसमिद्धः (susamiddhaḥ)
- Literal: well kindled. Symbolic: steady awakened will; sustained aspiration without fluctuation
- आ वह (ā vaha)
- Literal: bring here (carry). Symbolic: draw down higher powers into mind-life-body
- देवान् (devān)
- Literal: the gods. Symbolic: divine faculties: illumination, harmony, strength, delight
- हविष्मते (haviṣmate)
- Literal: to the offerer (one with oblation). Symbolic: the sādhaka who offers inner substance sincerely
- होतृ (hotṛ)
- Literal: invoking priest. Symbolic: inner discerning intelligence that calls the right power at the right time
- पावक (pāvaka)
- Literal: purifier. Symbolic: cleansing force that burns obscurity and refines desire
- यक्षि (yakṣi)
- Literal: perform sacrifice / worship. Symbolic: consecrate action; exchange between human and divine within consciousness
Opening of the iṣṭi: Agni is kindled and requested to bring devās to the barhis; Hotar-function emphasized (invocation + offering).
At the commencement of offerings, after Agni is kindled.
Recitation to invite deities and empower the hotṛ function; accompanies oblation.
Use at the start of meditation/puja: ‘kindle the flame, invite higher qualities, consecrate the sitting’.
√idh 'to kindle' → sam-iddha 'kindled together/fully'; √vah 'to carry' (PIE *wegh- cf. English 'way' via different developments; Latin vehō); hotṛ from √hu 'to invoke' (agent noun); pāvaka from √pū 'to purify' (causative/derivative); √yaj 'to worship/sacrifice' (yakṣi: 2sg imperative, class 1).
Rita (right exchange through yajña), Mediation (Agni as link between human and divine)
Agni as hotṛ establishes right order in the interchange of worlds—right invocation, right reception.
True offering is sincerity; when the flame is steady, truth becomes actionable.
Yajña as ongoing creation: the gods are brought to participate in forming a higher life.
Vedic yoga of works (karma as yajña) aligned with Aurobindo’s inner sacrifice.
dawn/evening (kindling times)
unspecified
Kindled fire = awakened will; bringing gods = descent of higher qualities; offering = self-giving of energies.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Agni as the psychopomp/mediator who 'carries' the gods to the human altar and performs yajña: the descent of higher powers into the prepared field of consciousness.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √vah aligns with PIE *wegh- 'convey' (Latin vehō). √yaj is Indo-Iranian (Avestan yaz-). The verse shows the archaic ritual syntax of imperatives addressed to a divine functionary (Hotar) who executes the transaction.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi depends on Agni’s awakened state (su-samiddha) for efficacy: when the will is fully lit, it can summon and host the divine powers; Agni is both invoked and commissioned as ritual agent.
Kindle steady will and invite higher qualities (peace, light, strength, delight) into the being.
manipura (kindling) and anahata (hosting)
3 rounds: inhale ‘susamiddho na ā vaha’ (kindle/draw), exhale ‘devām̐ agne haviṣmate’ (offer). Then normal breath on ‘hotāḥ pāvaka yakṣi ca’ (consecrate).
active receptivity—quietly dynamic.
Before practice, set a clear intention (havis). Chant 9 times; then silently ‘invite’ one divine quality to fill the mind and one to fill the heart; end with a brief offering of the day’s actions.
Gāyatrī; maintain clear accent peaks, especially on ‘devān’ and ‘hotāḥ/pāvaka’ per recitational tradition.
Keep ‘susamiddho’ smooth (no over-segmentation); give ‘ā vaha devān’ a carrying lift; ‘yakṣi’ ends with firm completion.
susamiddho: double d-dh articulation; avoid ‘susamidho’, devām̐: nasalization before pause, haviṣmate: retroflex ṣ, hotāḥ: long ā; final ḥ, pāvaka: long ā
steady and priestly—clear, resonant, not rushed.
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