Sukta 7
Sukta 6.7
Agni Vaiśvānara
Trishtubh (probable; requires metrical verification)
हे सूक्त वैश्यानर अग्नीचे स्तवन करते—ऋत (विश्वनियम)ातून जन्मलेला, सर्वव्यापी अग्नी; “स्वर्गाचे शिर” म्हणून प्रतिष्ठित आणि पृथ्वीवर मार्गदर्शक शक्ती म्हणून कार्य करणारा. यात अग्नीला द्रष्टा-राजा व लोकांचा “अतिथी” म्हणून वर्णिले आहे; तो अर्पणे मध्यस्थीने पोहोचवतो, तेजस्वी लोकांचा विस्तार करतो आणि अमरत्वाचे रक्षण करतो—जेणेकरून देव आणि मनुष्य जीवन, नियम व संरक्षण यांत सहभागी होऊ शकतील.
Mantras
Mantra 1
मूर्धानं दिवो अरतिं पृथिव्या वैश्वानरमृत आ जातमग्निम् । कविं सम्राजमतिथिं जनानामासन्ना पात्रं जनयन्त देवाः ॥
देवांनी ऋतापासून जन्मलेला वैश्वानर अग्नी उत्पन्न केला—तो द्यौचे मस्तक, पृथ्वीच्या गतीचा मार्गदर्शक; तो कवि, सम्राट, जनांचा अतिथी, आणि आपल्या अंतरीच्या हविर्दानासाठी जवळच असलेले, तत्पर पात्र आहे.
Mantra 2
नाभिं यज्ञानां सदनं रयीणां महामाहावमभि सं नवन्त । वैश्वानरं रथ्यमध्वराणां यज्ञस्य केतुं जनयन्त देवाः ॥
देवांनी वैश्वानराला यज्ञांची नाभी, रयींचे सदन, आणि महान आह्वानध्वनी म्हणून प्रतिष्ठित केले. त्यांनी त्याला अध्वर-यात्रांचा रथमार्ग, यज्ञाचा केतू—त्याचा ध्वजचिन्ह, मार्गदर्शक प्रकाश—म्हणून उत्पन्न केले.
Mantra 3
त्वद्विप्रो जायते वाज्यग्ने त्वद्वीरासो अभिमातिषाहः । वैश्वानर त्वमस्मासु धेहि वसूनि राजन्त्स्पृहयाय्याणि ॥
हे अग्ने, तुझ्यापासूनच बलसमृद्ध विप्र जन्मतो; तुझ्यापासूनच शत्रु-मताचा पराभव करणाऱ्या वीरशक्ती उगवतात. हे वैश्वानरा, हे राजन्, आमच्यात ती वसू स्थापन कर—ज्या वांछनीय निधी आम्ही धारण करण्यास आतुर आहोत.
Mantra 4
त्वां विश्वे अमृत जायमानं शिशुं न देवा अभि सं नवन्ते । तव क्रतुभिरमृतत्वमायन्वैश्वानर यत्पित्रोरदीदेः ॥
हे अमृत! तू जन्माला येताना, नवजात शिशूभोवती जसे देव एकत्र येतात तसेच सर्व देव तुझ्याभोवती जमून येतात. हे वैश्वानरा! तुझ्या क्रतूंनी (संकल्प-शक्तींनी) ते अमरत्व प्राप्त करतात; कारण तू दोन पालकांच्या मध्ये प्रकाशमान होतोस.
Mantra 5
वैश्वानर तव तानि व्रतानि महान्यग्ने नकिरा दधर्ष । यज्जायमानः पित्रोरुपस्थेऽविन्दः केतुं वयुनेष्वह्नाम् ॥
हे वैश्वानरा! हे अग्ने! ती तुझी महान व्रते (नियम/विधान) आहेत—त्यांना कोणीही भंग करू शकत नाही. तू दोन पालकांच्या कुशीत जन्माला येताना, दिवसांच्या सुव्यवस्थित कार्यांत ‘केतु’ (मार्गदर्शक प्रकाश-चिन्ह) तू शोधून काढतोस.
Mantra 6
वैश्वानरस्य विमितानि चक्षसा सानूनि दिवो अमृतस्य केतुना । तस्येदु विश्वा भुवनाधि मूर्धनि वया इव रुरुहुः सप्त विस्रुहः ॥
वैश्वानरासाठी, ऋषि-दृष्टीने (चक्षसा) दिव्य लोकाच्या उंच कड्या मोजून ठरवल्या आहेत—अमृताच्या ‘केतु’ने (दीप्त ध्वज/प्रकाश-चिन्हाने). त्याच्याच मस्तकावर सर्व भुवने अधिष्ठित आहेत; पंखांसारख्या शक्तींप्रमाणे ती उंचावतात—वेगवेगळ्या दिशांनी वाहणाऱ्या सात धारा, एकाच ज्वालेच्या बहुरश्मी गती.
Mantra 7
वि यो रजांस्यमिमीत सुक्रतुर्वैश्वानरो वि दिवो रोचना कविः । परि यो विश्वा भुवनानि पप्रथेऽदब्धो गोपा अमृतस्य रक्षिता ॥
जो सुक्रतु (उज्ज्वल-प्रज्ञ) वैश्यवानर कवी रजांसि—अंतरिक्षातील विस्तार—मोजून ठरवितो, आणि दिव्याच्या दीप्त रोचनांना विस्तीर्ण करतो। जो सर्व भुवनांना परितः पसरून व्यापतो—अदब्ध गोपा, अमृताचा रक्षिता—तोच आमच्यातील सत्य-सत्ता सुरक्षित राखतो।
Inside Sukta 7
How it unfolds
- Where it opens
Agni Vaiśvānara is proclaimed as born from Ṛta—head of heaven and the guiding power of earth—installed by the gods as the ready vessel of offering.
- Development
He is praised as seer-king and universal guest; the gods gather around his birth, and by his purposeful powers (kratu) they attain immortality, as he shines between the ‘two parents’.
- Climax
Vaiśvānara measures out the cosmic spaces and opens the bright heavenly realms, spreading through all worlds in sovereign radiance.
- Where it settles
He is affirmed as the unerring guardian and protector of the immortal principle, securing order and safety for the worshipper and the worlds.
The deity: Agni Vaiśvānara
- In the VedaAgni as Vaiśvānara is depicted as born of Ṛta, the “head of heaven” and the earth’s guiding course; a kavi (seer-poet), samrāj (universal king), and atithi (guest) who becomes the ready vessel for offering.
- Cosmic functionHe establishes and measures the spaces, opens the shining realms of heaven, pervades the worlds, and mediates between gods and humans by carrying oblations and sustaining ṛta.
- Inner significanceThe awakened inner fire of discernment and aspiration—hospitality to the divine within—by which the mind becomes ordered, luminous, and capable of ‘immortality’ (amṛtatva) as enduring truth-consciousness.
The seer
- Bharadvāja (Bārhaspatya)Bharadvāja-gotra; Bārhaspatya (linked to Bṛhaspati) · Principal seer of Mandala 6, renowned for Agni-centered hymns that portray fire as priest, protector, and cosmic organizer; a foundational voice of the Bharadvāja tradition in Vedic ritual theology.
Famous verses
mūrdhānaṃ divo aratim pṛthivyā
śiśuṃ na devā abhi saṃ navante
adabdho gopā amṛtasya rakṣitā
Attributes of the deity
- Born from Ṛta (cosmic truth/order)
- Kavi (seer) and Samrāj (sovereign)
- Atithi (guest) dwelling among peoples
- Mediator of offerings (havyavāhana)
- Expander of luminous realms (rocanā)
- Guardian/protector of amṛta (immortal principle)
- All-pervading, world-embracing (vaiśvānara)
Also by this seer
- Rig Veda Mandala 6 (many hymns traditionally attributed to Bharadvāja and his lineage)
- Agni and Indra hymns emphasizing yajña-priesthood, protection, and ṛta (notably within RV 6.x as a family collection)
The rite, step by step
- Prepare the vedi/altar space; establish purity and intention (saṃkalpa).
- Kindle or rekindle Agni (ādhāna/āhavana) and seat him as the honored ‘guest’ (atithi).
- Recite the sukta while offering oblations, visualizing Agni as born of ṛta and pervading the worlds.
- Offer concluding oblations with a request for guardianship, widening of light, and protection of vitality.
- Complete with śānti/closing recitations and respectful tending of the fire (no neglect of embers).
Offerings
- Ghee (ājya)
- Samidh (fuel sticks)
- Grain/oblations (havis, as appropriate)
Frequently Asked Questions
He is Agni as the “universal” or all-pervading Fire—praised as a seer-king who lives among peoples as the honored guest and carries offerings to the gods.
It means Agni embodies cosmic order and truth: when the fire is kindled and honored rightly, it supports harmony, clarity, and the right working of the sacrifice and life.
It is used to invoke and establish the sacred fire at the start of a rite, asking Agni for protection, luminous understanding, and successful offering-carriage in household and sacrificial worship.
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