Rig Veda Sukta 6
Mandala 3Sukta 611 Mantras

Sukta 6

Sukta 3.6

Rishi

Viśvāmitra Gāthina (mandala 3 attribution; RV 3.6 continues the Viśvāmitra cycle)

Chandas

Triṣṭubh (probable)

Himne Viśvāmitra ini menyeru Agni sebagai Hotṛ yang terilham, yang menghalakan fikiran dan tutur manusia kepada para dewa serta membawa persembahan kepada mereka. Agni didesak agar memasang kuk pada kuda-kudanya yang kemerah-merahan, bersinar terang oleh ghee, menurut ṛta (tertib kosmik), menghadirkan para dewa ke korban suci, dan menganugerahkan kepada pemuja kekayaan yang berkekalan, cahaya (go), serta keturunan yang menang.

Recitation with translationRig Veda 3.6

In this hymn

Addressed to

  • Agni

    Agni is the luminous fire-principle, the household and ritual flame, invoked as Jātavedas (“knower of all births”) and as Hotṛ who receives oblations and summons the gods.

Mantras

Mantra 1

प्र कारवो मनना वच्यमाना देवद्रीचीं नयत देवयन्तः । दक्षिणावाड्वाजिनी प्राच्येति हविर्भरन्त्यग्नये घृताची ॥

Majulah, wahai para penyanyi, dengan membentuk fikiran dan menata kata; halakanlah ia ke arah para dewa, wahai kamu yang mendambakan para dewa. Kuasa pembawa anugerah bergerak ke timur, membawa persembahan kepada Agni—dia yang perjalanannya bercahaya oleh kejernihan ghee.

Mantra 2

आ रोदसी अपृणा जायमान उत प्र रिक्था अध नु प्रयज्यो । दिवश्चिदग्ने महिना पृथिव्या वच्यन्तां ते वह्नयः सप्तजिह्वाः ॥

Pada kelahiranmu engkau memenuhi dua dunia; dan engkau maju menuju warisanmu—kini sebagai pemimpin kerja-persembahan. Wahai Agni, dengan kebesaranmu yang melampaui bahkan langit dan bumi, semoga para pembawamu—kuasa-kuasa bertujuh lidah—disuarakan untuk bertindak.

Mantra 3

द्यौश्च त्वा पृथिवी यज्ञियासो नि होतारं सादयन्ते दमाय । यदी विशो मानुषीर्देवयन्तीः प्रयस्वतीरीळते शुक्रमर्चिः ॥

Wahai Agni, Langit dan Bumi, yang layak bagi yajña, mendudukkan engkau sebagai Hotar di rumah; tatkala kaum manusia, yang mendambakan para dewa, kaya dengan bahan persembahan, memuja nyalamu yang gemilang.

Mantra 4

महान्त्सधस्थे ध्रुव आ निषत्तोऽन्तर्द्यावा माहिने हर्यमाणः । आस्क्रे सपत्नी अजरे अमृक्ते सबर्दुघे उरुगायस्य धेनू ॥

Agung, teguh di singgasana bersama, ia didudukkan di antara dua langit, bergerak dengan daya yang luas. Dua lembu perah Sang Yang melangkah luas—tidak pernah gagal, tidak menua, tidak terluka, tiada saingan—bersama-sama mengalirkan susu yang memancar.

Mantra 5

व्रता ते अग्ने महतो महानि तव क्रत्वा रोदसी आ ततन्थ । त्वं दूतो अभवो जायमानस्त्वं नेता वृषभ चर्षणीनाम् ॥

Agni, agunglah vrāta-mu, sungguh perkasa; dengan kratu-mu engkau membentangkan dua dunia. Engkau menjadi dūta sejak kelahiranmu; engkau pemimpin, wahai Banteng, bagi kaum-kaum manusia.

Mantra 6

ऋतस्य वा केशिना योग्याभिर्घृतस्नुवा रोहिता धुरि धिष्व । अथा वह देवान्देव विश्वान्त्स्वध्वरा कृणुहि जातवेदः ॥

Pasangkan pada gandar dua kuda merah itu, yang mengalir dengan cahaya ghee yang jernih, dengan ikatan-ikatan Kebenaran (ṛta). Kemudian, wahai Jātavedas yang ilahi, bawalah semua para dewa; jadikanlah jalan yajña kami suatu perjalanan yang baik dan tidak terputus bagi persembahan batin.

Mantra 7

दिवश्चिदा ते रुचयन्त रोका उषो विभातीरनु भासि पूर्वीः । अपो यदग्न उशधग्वनेषु होतुर्मन्द्रस्य पनयन्त देवाः ॥

Bahkan ruang-ruang bercahaya di langit menyalakan sinarnya untukmu; wahai Uṣas (Fajar), engkau menyusul dengan banyak sinar awalmu. Apabila, wahai Agni, di celah kayu-kayu air pun terjaga, para dewa bersenang dalam keriangan nyala hotṛ yang meriah itu.

Mantra 8

उरौ वा ये अन्तरिक्षे मदन्ति दिवो वा ये रोचने सन्ति देवाः । ऊमा वा ये सुहवासो यजत्रा आयेमिरे रथ्यो अग्ने अश्वाः ॥

Sama ada mereka bersukacita di hamparan luas antarikṣa, atau para dewa berada di cahaya langit—kuasa-kuasa yang layak dipuja, mudah diseru: bagi mereka, wahai Agni, kuda-kuda kereta telah datang dalam kekang, sedia untuk perjalanan persembahan.

Mantra 9

ऐभिरग्ने सरथं याह्यर्वाङ्नानारथं वा विभवो ह्यश्वाः । पत्नीवतस्त्रिंशतं त्रीँश्च देवाननुष्वधमा वह मादयस्व ॥

Dengan ini, wahai Agni, datanglah ke mari dengan satu kereta yang seia—atau dengan banyak kereta, kerana kuda-kudamu mempunyai daya yang beraneka. Bawalah ke mari tiga puluh tiga dewa beserta para patnī (Śakti) mereka, menurut kesukaan yang menjadi hak mereka; dan bergembiralah dalam persembahan yang telah disempurnakan.

Mantra 10

स होता यस्य रोदसी चिदुर्वी यज्ञंयज्ञमभि वृधे गृणीतः । प्राची अध्वरेव तस्थतुः सुमेके ऋतावरी ऋतजातस्य सत्ये ॥

Dialah Hotṛ yang bahkan Langit dan Bumi yang luas pun menambahkannya dengan sanjungan mereka, pada setiap yajña. Seperti dua tiang yang mara, keduanya berdiri dalam upacara, berpasangan indah—penjaga Ṛta—teguh dalam Kebenaran milik dia yang lahir daripada Ṛta.

Mantra 11

इळामग्ने पुरुदंसं सनिं गोः शश्वत्तमं हवमानाय साध । स्यान्नः सूनुस्तनयो विजावाग्ने सा ते सुमतिर्भूत्वस्मे ॥

Wahai Agni, sempurnakanlah bagi yang menyeru Ila—yang kaya dengan kuasa yang banyak—sebagai keuntungan kekal daripada Sapi, pencapaian Cahaya yang teguh. Semoga bagi kami ada seorang putera, zuriat yang membesar, menang dalam pertempuran hidup. Wahai Agni, biarlah itulah kurnia baik-budimu pada kami.

Inside Sukta 6

How it unfolds

  1. Where it opens

    The hymn opens by urging the singers to craft inspired thought and effective speech and to lead it ‘godward,’ while the oblation-bearing power moves toward Agni’s bright course.

  2. Development

    Agni is praised as the ordered, ṛta-aligned force who can be ‘yoked’ and set in motion, making the sacrifice a smooth path and functioning as the divine priest who gathers the gods.

  3. Climax

    The pivotal request: Agni/Jātavedas is entreated to yoke his ruddy, ghee-streaming steeds with the harnessings of ṛta and to bring all the gods to the rite.

  4. Where it settles

    It concludes with concrete boons—iḷā (nourishing inspiration), enduring gain of go (light/wealth), and a victorious son—sealed by a plea for Agni’s sumati (benevolent favor).

The deity: Agni

  • Cosmic functionMediator between worlds: he conveys offerings from humans to the devas, kindles the sacrificial path (adhvara), and sustains ṛta by orderly exchange between heaven and earth.
  • Inner significanceThe awakened will and discerning flame in the heart that refines thought into true speech, carries aspiration upward, and makes the inner sacrifice continuous and ‘unbroken’.

The seer

  • Viśvāmitra GāthinaGāthin (Viśvāmitra gotra; traditionally of the Kauśika line) · A royal-turned-seer celebrated for powerful Agni hymns and for articulating the movement from human inspiration (manas/vāc) to divine order (ṛta) in sacrifice; later tradition also remembers him as the seer of the Gāyatrī mantra.

Famous verses

प्र कारवो मनना वच्यमाना देवद्रीचीं नयत देवयन्तः । दक्षिणावाड्वाजिनी प्राच्येति हविर्भरन्त्यग्नये घृताची ॥
Verse 3.6.1Sets the program of the whole sukta: inspired cognition and shaped speech are directed toward the gods, and the oblation is carried to Agni in ghee-bright radiance—linking poetry, offering, and divine approach.Read verse 3.6.1 →
svadhvarā kṛṇuhi
Verse 3.6.6Central ritual image and theological peak: Agni’s ṛta-guided ‘yoking’ and his role as Jātavedas who brings all the gods and makes the sacrificial journey ‘su-adhvara’ (well-ordered, unbroken).Read verse 3.6.6 →
sa te sumatir bhūtv asme
Verse 3.6.11Concluding benediction that gathers the hymn’s aims into blessings: iḷā, enduring gain of go (often read as light/cow/wealth), and victorious progeny, grounded in Agni’s sumati (gracious intent).Read verse 3.6.11 →

Attributes of the deity

  • Hotṛ (priest of the gods)
  • Messenger and carrier of offerings
  • Jātavedas (all-knowing, all-born)
  • Ruddy steeds/yoked power of movement
  • Ghee-bright radiance (ghṛta/tejas imagery)
  • Upholder of ṛta and right action
  • Giver of iḷā (nourishing inspiration), rayi (wealth), and progeny

Also by this seer

  • Rig Veda Maṇḍala 3 (many sūktas attributed to Viśvāmitra and his family)
  • Agni-centric hymns in the Viśvāmitra cycle emphasizing Hotṛ-function and ṛta-guided sacrifice
  • Later Vedic/Itihāsa tradition associates him with the Gāyatrī (RV 3.62.10)

The rite, step by step

  • Prepare the altar and kindle/rekindle the sacred fire (āhavanīya), establishing Agni’s seat.
  • Invoke the poets/chanters to form the thought (manas) and shape the word (vāc) toward the gods (devayāna orientation).
  • Offer ghee and oblation while inviting Agni as Hotṛ/Jātavedas to carry the havis.
  • Visualize/declare Agni’s ‘yoking’—the ordered powering of the rite according to ṛta—so the sacrifice proceeds without obstruction (su-adhvara).
  • Request the arrival of all gods through Agni’s conveyance and conclude with petitions for iḷā, enduring ‘cow/light’ (go), wealth, and victorious progeny.

Offerings

  • Ghṛta (clarified butter)
  • Havis (general oblation: ghee, milk, grains as customary)

Frequently Asked Questions

It asks Agni, the divine priest, to carry the offering to the gods, bring the gods to the sacrifice, and make the rite proceed in a right and unbroken way according to ṛta.

The ‘yoking’ is a ritual-symbolic image for setting Agni’s power in ordered motion—so the sacrifice has a steady course and the gods are effectively invited.

The hymn seeks iḷā (nourishing inspiration and plenty), an enduring gain of go (often understood as cattle and also as light), and a victorious son/offspring, through Agni’s gracious favor (sumati).

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