Rig Veda Sukta 4
Mandala 4Sukta 415 Mantras

Sukta 4

Sukta 4.4

Rishi

Vāmadeva Gautama (attributed for RV 4.4)

Chandas

Triṣṭubh (probable)

RV 4.4 ialah seruan yang bertenaga kepada Agni agar meluaskan kuasa nyalanya, mara seperti angkatan diraja, dan menumpaskan Rakṣasa yang memusuhi serta segala bentuk kegelapan yang mencelakakan. Penyair-imam Vāmadeva berulang kali “menggilap” dan menyalakan Agni dengan nyanyian dan bahan bakar, memohon agar baginda menerima madah pujian ini, melindungi para pemuja daripada tipu daya dan fitnah, serta meneguhkan kṣatra (penguasaan, kekuatan yang berkesan) mereka sepanjang hari-hari.

Recitation with translationRig Veda 4.4

In this hymn

Addressed to

  • Agni

    Agni is the luminous Fire, kindled on the altar, borne by fuel, awakened by hymns, who acts as priest, messenger, and protector, burning away impurity and hostile forces.

Mantras

Mantra 1

कृणुष्व पाजः प्रसितिं न पृथ्वीं याहि राजेवामवाँ इभेन । तृष्वीमनु प्रसितिं द्रूणानोऽस्तासि विध्य रक्षसस्तपिष्ठैः ॥

Bangunkan kekuatan nyalamu; bentangkan langkahmu seluas Bumi. Majulah seperti raja, gagah dengan kekuatan gajah. Mengikuti serbuan yang dahaga, meluru deras—engkaulah sang pemanah; tembuslah Rakṣasa dengan kuasa-kuasamu yang paling membakar.

Mantra 2

तव भ्रमास आशुया पतन्त्यनु स्पृश धृषता शोशुचानः । तपूंष्यग्ने जुह्वा पतंगानसंदितो वि सृज विष्वगुल्काः ॥

Wahai Agni, nyala-Mu yang berpusar terbang pantas; menyentuh dan menjilat, wahai Yang berani, menyala-nyala. Dengan senduk persembahan (juhū) Engkau melontarkan yang bersayap dan membakar; tidak terputus, lepaskan bara api-Mu ke segala arah.

Mantra 3

प्रति स्पशो वि सृज तूर्णितमो भवा पायुर्विशो अस्या अदब्धः । यो नो दूरे अघशंसो यो अन्त्यग्ने माकिष्टे व्यथिरा दधर्षीत् ॥

Lepaskan para pengintai melawan (musuh); jadilah yang terpantas, pelindung yang tidak pernah gagal bagi kaum ini. Sama ada si pengharap celaka itu jauh atau dekat, wahai Agni, jangan biarkan sebarang kesusahan menimpa kami.

Mantra 4

उदग्ने तिष्ठ प्रत्या तनुष्व न्यमित्राँ ओषतात्तिग्महेते । यो नो अरातिं समिधान चक्रे नीचा तं धक्ष्यतसं न शुष्कम् ॥

Bangkitlah, wahai Agni; rentangkan dirimu ke hadapan sebagai jawapan—tundukkan para musuh dengan senjata-Mu yang tajam. Sesiapa yang menyiapkan kemalangan bagi kami ketika Engkau dinyalakan, bakarlah dia hingga rendah, seperti rami kering.

Mantra 5

ऊर्ध्वो भव प्रति विध्याध्यस्मदाविष्कृणुष्व दैव्यान्यग्ने । अव स्थिरा तनुहि यातुजूनां जामिमजामिं प्र मृणीहि शत्रून् ॥

Wahai Agni, bangkitlah ke atas dan balaslah memukul; nyatakanlah bagi kami kuasa-kuasa ilahi. Tundukkan dan bentangkan dengan teguh gerak-gerik para yātu; remukkanlah sama sekali musuh—baik yang seakan kerabat mahupun yang asing.

Mantra 6

स ते जानाति सुमतिं यविष्ठ य ईवते ब्रह्मणे गातुमैरत् । विश्वान्यस्मै सुदिनानि रायो द्युम्नान्यर्यो वि दुरो अभि द्यौत् ॥

Ia mengetahui bimbinganmu yang berakal-budi, wahai Api termuda—dia yang telah menemukan jalan bagi Sabda suci (Brahman). Baginya kuasa mulia bersinar: segala hari cerah kelimpahan dan kemenangan yang bercahaya, yang membuka lebar pintu-pintu.

Mantra 7

सेदग्ने अस्तु सुभगः सुदानुर्यस्त्वा नित्येन हविषा य उक्थैः । पिप्रीषति स्व आयुषि दुरोणे विश्वेदस्मै सुदिना सासदिष्टिः ॥

Semoga dia sungguh berbahagia dan kaya dalam memberi, wahai Agni—dia yang memeliharamu dengan persembahan tetap dan dengan kidung-kidung, yang ingin memenuhi engkau dalam hidup dan rumahnya sendiri. Baginya semoga setiap hari cerah datang duduk; setiap penyempurnaan yajña (korban suci).

Mantra 8

अर्चामि ते सुमतिं घोष्यर्वाक्सं ते वावाता जरतामियं गीः । स्वश्वास्त्वा सुरथा मर्जयेमास्मे क्षत्राणि धारयेरनु द्यून् ॥

Aku melagukan dengan suara nyaring dan dekat pujian akan bimbinganmu yang baik; nyanyian ini, walau menua, tetap bergema untukmu. Semoga kami menggilapmu—yang berkuda baik dan berkereta baik; dan semoga engkau menegakkan bagi kami kuasa-kuasa kṣatra (kewibawaan pemerintahan) sepanjang hari-hari.

Mantra 9

इह त्वा भूर्या चरेदुप त्मन्दोषावस्तर्दीदिवांसमनु द्यून् । क्रीळन्तस्त्वा सुमनसः सपेमाभि द्युम्ना तस्थिवांसो जनानाम् ॥

Di sini semoga kekuatan yang melimpah bergerak mendekat kepadamu; semoga ia menghampiri diri-inti, wahai yang bersinar, sepanjang malam dan hari. Bermain bersamamu dengan hati yang gembira, semoga kami mengikutimu—tegak dalam daya-daya bercahaya di kalangan manusia.

Mantra 10

यस्त्वा स्वश्वः सुहिरण्यो अग्न उपयाति वसुमता रथेन । तस्य त्राता भवसि तस्य सखा यस्त आतिथ्यमानुषग्जुजोषत् ॥

Dia yang datang kepadamu, wahai Agni, dengan kuda-kuda baik dan kekayaan emas yang gemilang, menaiki kereta yang sarat kelimpahan—baginya engkau menjadi pelindung, baginya sahabat: dia yang menerima jamuan/keramahtamahanmu menurut cara manusia, berulang-ulang.

Mantra 11

महो रुजामि बन्धुता वचोभिस्तन्मा पितुर्गोतमादन्वियाय । त्वं नो अस्य वचसश्चिकिद्धि होतर्यविष्ठ सुक्रतो दमूनाः ॥

Dengan kata-kata aku merungkai terbuka suatu pertalian kekeluargaan yang agung; ini datang kepadaku, mengikut warisan daripada ayahku, Gotama. Perhatikanlah ujaran kami ini, wahai Hotar, yang termuda, berkehendak jernih, damūnāḥ—tuan rumah.

Mantra 12

अस्वप्नजस्तरणयः सुशेवा अतन्द्रासोऽवृका अश्रमिष्ठाः । ते पायवः सध्र्यञ्चो निषद्याग्ने तव नः पान्त्वमूर ॥

Terbit daripada jaga, pantas dan penuh sejahtera; tidak mengenal lelah, tidak bersifat serigala, paling sedikit disentuh kepenatan—moga para penjaga itu, duduk rapat bersama, wahai Agni, melindungi kami; mereka milik-Mu, dan mereka melindungi tanpa kesesatan.

Mantra 13

ये पायवो मामतेयं ते अग्ने पश्यन्तो अन्धं दुरितादरक्षन् । ररक्ष तान्त्सुकृतो विश्ववेदा दिप्सन्त इद्रिपवो नाह देभुः ॥

Para penjaga-Mu itu, wahai Agni, melindungi putera Mamata; bahkan titik buta pun mereka nampak, lalu daripada malapetaka mereka memelihara. Engkau, Yang Maha Mengetahui, meneguhkan keselamatan mereka dengan perbuatan benar mereka; walau musuh berhasrat mencederai, langsung tidak berjaya.

Mantra 14

त्वया वयं सधन्यस्त्वोतास्तव प्रणीत्यश्याम वाजान् । उभा शंसा सूदय सत्यतातेऽनुष्ठुया कृणुह्यह्रयाण ॥

Denganmu kami menjadi berupaya meraih kemenangan yang benar; disokong olehmu, dengan pimpinanmu semoga kami sampai kepada kelimpahan daya. Suburkanlah kedua-dua pujian kami, wahai Anak Kebenaran; sempurnakanlah menurut tertib yang tepat, tanpa gopoh dan tanpa tersadung.

Mantra 15

अया ते अग्ने समिधा विधेम प्रति स्तोमं शस्यमानं गृभाय । दहाशसो रक्षसः पाह्यस्मान्द्रुहो निदो मित्रमहो अवद्यात् ॥

Dengan penyalaan ini, wahai Agni, kami hendak berkhidmat kepadamu; terimalah sebagai balasan madah yang sedang dilagukan. Hanguskanlah rakṣas—kuasa kegelapan yang menyimpang—dan peliharalah kami daripada penipu dan pencela, wahai engkau yang luas persahabatan, daripada segala yang tercela dan menyimpang daripada Kebenaran.

Inside Sukta 4

How it unfolds

  1. Where it opens

    Agni is urged to enlarge his blazing force and stride widely, advancing like a king with elephant-like power to confront threats.

  2. Development

    The poet intensifies praise and proximity—song is made to resound, Agni is ‘polished’ and equipped with good steeds and chariot imagery, and the request for enduring kṣatra is repeated.

  3. Climax

    Agni becomes the archer/executor: he is asked to pierce and burn the Rakṣasas with the most scorching powers, establishing safety for the sacrificers.

  4. Where it settles

    The hymn closes with a formal exchange—fuel and hymn are offered; Agni accepts, burns hostile darkness, and guards the community from deceiver and slander, preserving what is true and blameless.

The deity: Agni

  • Cosmic functionMediator between humans and gods: he carries offerings upward, establishes the sacrificial order (ṛta in ritual form), and safeguards the community by consuming what is harmful.
  • Inner significanceThe awakened will and discerning flame in the seeker—clarity, aspiration, and transformative heat that burns falsehood, fear, and inner ‘Rakṣasas’ (obstructive impulses).

The seer

  • Vāmadeva GautamaGautama gotra (Gautama lineage; traditional attribution for Mandala 4) · A major seer of the Fourth Maṇḍala, celebrated for powerful Agni hymns and for articulating inner-vision themes later echoed in the Upaniṣadic tradition (e.g., the ‘Vāmadeva’ visionary strain).

Famous verses

कृणुष्व पाजः प्रसितिं न पृथ्वीं याहि राजेवामवाँ इभेन । तृष्वीमनु प्रसितिं द्रूणानोऽस्तासि विध्य रक्षसस्तपिष्ठैः ॥
Verse 4.4.1Sets the hymn’s martial-protective tone: Agni is empowered to expand, advance royally, and pierce Rakṣasas—an archetypal Agni-as-protector image.Read verse 4.4.1 →
अर्चामि ते सुमतिं घोष्यर्वाक्सं ते वावाता जरतामियं गीः । स्वश्वास्त्वा सुरथा मर्जयेमास्मे क्षत्राणि धारयेरनु द्यून् ॥
Verse 4.4.8Highlights the intimate priestly relationship: the seer’s ever-resounding song ‘polishes’ Agni, requesting sumati (right guidance) and sustained kṣatra through the days.Read verse 4.4.8 →
अया ते अग्ने समिधा विधेम प्रति स्तोमं शस्यमानं गृभाय । दहाशसो रक्षसः पाह्यस्मान्द्रुहो निदो मित्रमहो अवद्यात् ॥
Verse 4.4.15Concluding exchange of sacrifice and protection: with samidh the worshipper serves Agni, who accepts the stoma and burns Rakṣasas while guarding from deceit and slander.Read verse 4.4.15 →

Attributes of the deity

  • Hot, radiant, and swift-moving
  • Priest (hotṛ) and divine messenger
  • Protector against Rakṣasas and deceit
  • Receiver and conveyor of offerings
  • Bestower of strength (kṣatra), prosperity, and right guidance (sumati)

Also by this seer

  • A large portion of Rig Veda Mandala 4 is attributed to Vāmadeva (Gautama)
  • Multiple Agni-centered hymns in RV 4 that emphasize protection from Rakṣasas and the right ordering of sacrifice
  • Associated in later tradition with the Vāmadeva-vidyā/visionary teachings (post-Vedic remembrance)

The rite, step by step

  • Prepare the altar/fireplace and arrange kindling (samidh).
  • Kindle Agni and “build up” his pājas (flaming might) with fuel and breath/fanning.
  • Recite the hymn as praise (stoma) while inviting Agni to advance and guard the rite.
  • Offer oblations into the fire, asking Agni to burn Rakṣasas and protect from deceit and slander.
  • Conclude with acceptance-prayer: Agni receives the voiced hymn and sustains kṣatra through the days.

Offerings

  • Samidh (kindling sticks)
  • Ghṛta (ghee/clarified butter)
  • Optional: grains or simple āhuti appropriate to household fire worship

Frequently Asked Questions

It asks Agni to increase his fiery power, move forward like a royal force, destroy Rakṣasas (harmful powers), and protect the worshippers from deception and slander.

Because Agni is invoked not only as the ritual fire but also as a guardian power—able to lead, conquer obstacles, and enforce order by burning what is hostile to the sacrifice.

It can be recited during a simple fire offering (with ghee and kindling) or as a protective prayer at dawn/evening, focusing on inner purification and removal of negative influences.

Ask anything about Sukta 4 of the Rig Veda

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