Sukta 15
Sukta 4.15
Agni
Gāyatrī (probable; short 3-pāda form typical of gāyatrī-like verses)
ଏହି ସୂକ୍ତରେ ଅଗ୍ନିଙ୍କୁ ପ୍ରେରିତ ପୁରୋହିତ ଭାବେ ସ୍ତୁତି କରାଯାଇଛି—ଯିଏ ଆହୁତିମାନଙ୍କ ଚାରିପାଖେ “ଚଳି” ସେଗୁଡ଼ିକୁ ପବିତ୍ର ଓ ସମ୍ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ କରି ଯଜ୍ଞକୁ ସିଦ୍ଧ କରନ୍ତି, ଏବଂ ଦାତାକୁ ରତ୍ନ-ଧନରେ ପୁରସ୍କୃତ କରନ୍ତି। ଏଠାରେ ଅଗ୍ନିଙ୍କ ଦୈନିକ ପ୍ରଜ୍ୱଳନ ଓ ପରିଷ୍କାର/ପୋଲିଶ କରାଯିବାକୁ ଉଲ୍ଲେଖ କରାଯାଇଛି—ଦ୍ରୁତ ଦୌଡ଼ୁଥିବା ରଥଘୋଡ଼ା ପରି ଏବଂ ଦ୍ୟୁଲୋକର ରକ୍ତିମ ଶିଶୁ ପରି—ଯାହା ଦେଖାଏ ଯେ ଅଗ୍ନି କିପରି ବୃଦ୍ଧି ପାଇ ଏକ ଦୀପ୍ତିମାନ, ସୁସଂଗଠିତ ଶକ୍ତି ହୋଇ ଆହୁତିକୁ ଦେବମାନଙ୍କ ପାଖକୁ ବହନ କରନ୍ତି ଏବଂ ଯଜ୍ଞକ୍ରିୟାକୁ ଧାରଣ କରନ୍ତି।
Mantras
Mantra 1
अनायतो अनिबद्धः कथायं न्यङ्ङुत्तानोऽव पद्यते न । कया याति स्वधया को ददर्श दिवः स्कम्भः समृतः पाति नाकम् ॥
ଆମର ଅଧ୍ୱର ଯଜ୍ଞରେ ଅଗ୍ନି—ହୋତା—ବାଜୀ (ବିଜୟୀ, ବଳବାନ) ହୋଇ ପରି (ଚାରିପଟେ) ନିୟତ ଭାବେ ନେଇଯାଯାଏ। ଦେବମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ଯଜ୍ଞିୟ (ପୂଜ୍ୟ) ସେ ଦେବ, ଅର୍ପଣ ପାଇଁ ନିଜ ସ୍ଥାନ ଗ୍ରହଣ କରେ।
Mantra 2
अग्निर्होता नो अध्वरे वाजी सन्परि णीयते । देवो देवेषु यज्ञियः ॥
ଅଗ୍ନି ସୁସଂବିଧିତ ଅଧ୍ୱର (ଯଜ୍ଞ)କୁ ରଥୀ ପରି ପରିକ୍ରମା କରେ; ସେ ଦେବମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ହବିଷ୍ୟ ଏବଂ ତାହାର ପ୍ରେରିତ ଗତି (ପ୍ରୟଃ) ସ୍ଥାପନ କରେ।
Mantra 3
परि वाजपतिः कविरग्निर्हव्यान्यक्रमीत् । दधद्रत्नानि दाशुषे ॥
ବାଜପତି, କବି ଅଗ୍ନି ହବିଷ୍ୟମାନଙ୍କ ଚାରିପାଖେ ପରିକ୍ରମା କରି ଅଗ୍ରସର ହୁଏ; ଦାଶୁଷରେ (ଯଜ୍ଞରେ ନିଜକୁ ଅର୍ପଣ କରୁଥିବା ଦାତାରେ) ରତ୍ନମାନଙ୍କୁ ସ୍ଥାପନ କରେ—ସିଦ୍ଧିର ରତ୍ନ ଧାରଣ କରି।
Mantra 4
अयं यः सृञ्जये पुरो दैववाते समिध्यते । द्युमाँ अमित्रदम्भनः ॥
ଏହି ସେଇ—ଯେ ସୃଞ୍ଜୟ ପାଇଁ ଦୈବବାତ (ଦିବ୍ୟ ପ୍ରେରଣା) ପୂର୍ବେ ପ୍ରଜ୍ୱଳିତ ହୁଏ; ମନରେ ଦ୍ୟୁମାନ, ଅମିତ୍ରଦମ୍ଭନ—ଅସତ୍ୟର ଶତ୍ରୁ ବଳମାନଙ୍କୁ ଭଙ୍ଗ କରୁଥିବା।
Mantra 5
अस्य घा वीर ईवतोऽग्नेरीशीत मर्त्यः । तिग्मजम्भस्य मीळ्हुषः ॥
ଏହି ଅଗ୍ନିର—ବେଗବାନ ଦାତାର—ଅଧିକାର ସତ୍ୟରେ ମର୍ତ୍ୟ ବୀରଙ୍କୁ ମିଳେ; ତୀକ୍ଷ୍ଣ-ଜହ୍ନୁବିଶିଷ୍ଟ, ବଳବାନ ସହାୟକ ମୀଳ୍ହୁଷ (ଆବଶ୍ୟକ ସହାୟତା ଦେଇଥିବା) ଉପରେ ସେ ସ୍ୱାମୀ ହୁଏ।
Mantra 6
तमर्वन्तं न सानसिमरुषं न दिवः शिशुम् । मर्मृज्यन्ते दिवेदिवे ॥
ତାଙ୍କୁ ସେମାନେ ଦିନେଦିନେ ମର୍ଦ୍ଦନ କରି ଉଜ୍ଜ୍ୱଳ କରନ୍ତି—ଜିତ ପାଇଁ ଧାଉଥିବା ଅଶ୍ୱ ପରି, ଦ୍ୟୌର ରକ୍ତିମ ଶିଶୁ ପରି; ଏଭଳି ଜ୍ୱାଳା ନିଜ ଦୀପ୍ତ ରୂପରେ ପରିପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ହୁଏ।
Mantra 7
बोधद्यन्मा हरिभ्यां कुमारः साहदेव्यः । अच्छा न हूत उदरम् ॥
ଯେତେବେଳେ ସାହଦେବ୍ୟ କୁମାର ହରିଦ୍ୱୟ ସହ (ଦୁଇ ତାମ୍ରବର୍ଣ୍ଣ ଅଶ୍ୱ ସହ) ମୋତେ ଜାଗ୍ରତ କଲେ, ସେ ଆହ୍ୱାନିତ ହୋଇ ଆମ ପାଖକୁ ଆସିଲେ—ସିଧା ହୃଦୟର ଗଭୀରତାକୁ—ଯଜ୍ଞାର୍ପଣ ପାଇଁ ଦ୍ୱାର ଖୋଲିଦେଇ।
Mantra 8
उत त्या यजता हरी कुमारात्साहदेव्यात् । प्रयता सद्य आ ददे ॥
ଏବଂ ସେଇ ଯଜନୀୟ ଦୁଇ ହରି (ଅଶ୍ୱ)—ସାହଦେବ୍ୟ ଯୁବକ ଠାରୁ—ପ୍ରସ୍ତୁତ ହୋଇ ସତ୍ୱର ଆସି ଆମକୁ (ସହାୟତା) ଦାନ କରନ୍ତି।
Mantra 9
एष वां देवावश्विना कुमारः साहदेव्यः । दीर्घायुरस्तु सोमकः ॥
ହେ ଦିବ୍ୟ ଅଶ୍ୱିନୌ, ଏହି ତୁମର (ରକ୍ଷିତ) ସାହଦେବ୍ୟ ଯୁବକ; ସୋମକ ଦୀର୍ଘାୟୁ ହେଉ—ତୁମ ପୋଷକ ସମନ୍ୱୟରେ ସ୍ଥିର ରହୁ।
Mantra 10
तं युवं देवावश्विना कुमारं साहदेव्यम् । दीर्घायुषं कृणोतन ॥
ହେ ଦେବ ଅଶ୍ୱିନୌ, ଏହି ସାହଦେବ୍ୟ ଯୁବକକୁ—ତୁମେ ଦୁଇଜଣ—ଦୀର୍ଘାୟୁ କର।
Inside Sukta 15
How it unfolds
- Where it opens
Agni is invoked as the inspired priestly power who takes charge of the rite and approaches the offerings in a purposeful, ordered way.
- Development
Agni’s movement around the havis is praised: he purifies, arranges, and makes the offering fit for the gods, while promising ratna to the generous worshipper.
- Climax
The vivid image of Agni being ‘polished day by day’ like a winning steed and like the ruddy child of heaven—Agni reaches perfected brilliance and efficacy.
- Where it settles
The hymn settles into assurance: properly kindled and tended, Agni sustains the sacrifice and returns blessings—prosperity, strength, and luminous fulfillment—to the giver.
The deity: Agni
- In the VedaAgni is the kavi (seer-poet) and hotṛ (invoking priest), the bright flame kindled by men, “polished day by day,” who knows the paths of sacrifice and makes offerings pleasing to the gods.
- Cosmic functionMediator between human and divine realms: he transforms material offerings into subtle essence, conveys them to the gods, and maintains ṛta (cosmic order) through the correctly tended fire.
- Inner significanceThe awakened will and luminous intelligence in the practitioner—purifying thought and action, concentrating aspiration, and carrying one’s intent upward toward higher truth.
The seer
- Vāmadeva Gautama (traditional attribution)Gautama gotra · A principal seer of Maṇḍala 4, renowned for visionary hymns that present Agni and Indra as inner and outer powers of illumination, and for the celebrated “Vāmadeva” insight-voice in Vedic tradition.
Famous verses
dadhad ratnāni dāśuṣe
marmṛjyante dive-dive
A riddle-like reflection on cosmic support and the ‘pillar of heaven,’ often read as pointing to Agni’s mysterious movement and sustaining power within the sacrificial/cosmic order.
Attributes of the deity
- Hotṛ and messenger of the gods (yajñasya dūta)
- Kavi (inspired seer) and vājapati (lord of plenitude/strength)
- Purifier and perfecter of the offering
- Daily-renewed, ever-young flame
- Bestower of ratna (treasures: prosperity, insight, success)
Also by this seer
- Many hymns of Rig Veda Maṇḍala 4 (traditionally associated with Vāmadeva)
- Notable Vāmadeva-associated hymns include RV 4.26–4.27 (famous for bold, visionary self-declarations in later reception)
The rite, step by step
- Prepare the vedi (altar space) and fuel (samidh), keeping purity and orderly arrangement
- Kindle Agni and invite him as hotṛ/kavi to take his seat at the sacrifice
- Offer ghee in measured oblations while reciting praise that Agni ‘circles’ the havis and perfects it
- Sustain the flame—“polish” it through careful tending, feeding, and attentive recitation
- Conclude with a request for ratna (boons) for the dāśuṣ (the giving sacrificer) and for the rite’s successful completion
Offerings
- Ghee (ājya)
- Samidh (fuel sticks)
- Havis/oblations in general (as appropriate to the rite)
Frequently Asked Questions
It praises Agni as the priestly fire who purifies and completes the sacrifice, carries offerings to the gods, and rewards the generous worshipper with “treasures” (ratna).
Because the fire is tended daily—fed, kept bright, and made steady. The image also suggests inner refinement: attention and discipline make one’s aspiration luminous and effective.
It can be recited at the lighting of a lamp or sacred fire, or before offerings, to invoke clarity, purification, and right order—symbolically asking Agni to carry one’s intention upward.
Ask anything about Sukta 15 of the Rig Veda
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