Sukta 122
Sukta 10.122
Vasiṣṭha (as indicated by later verse 10.122.8 mentioning Vasiṣṭhas; traditional attribution of the hymn to Vasiṣṭha-lineage)
Agni
Jagatī (likely; 10.122 commonly in Jagatī—needs manuscript confirmation)
अयं सूक्तोऽग्निं स्तौति—सौभाग्यकरं गृहस्य अतिथिं अद्रोहिणं च, तथा मनुष्येभ्यो देवेभ्यश्च हविर्वरान् च वहन्तं नित्यमावश्यकं होतारम्। अग्निं प्रार्थयते यत् सः धनस्य प्राणबलस्य च बह्वीः स्रुतयः प्रस्रवेत्, यजमानगृहे प्रज्वाल्यः शुद्धश्च भवेत्, यजमानेभ्यः चिरस्थायि कल्याणं वृद्धिं च निश्चिनोतु। वसिष्ठवंशः स्वयमेव एतामाह्वानं स्वीकृत्य, सूक्तं जीवति कुलपरम्परायां यज्ञस्तुतिरक्षणयोः परम्परायां च स्थापयति।
Mantras
Mantra 1
वसुं न चित्रमहसं गृणीषे वामं शेवमतिथिमद्विषेण्यम् । स रासते शुरुधो विश्वधायसोऽग्निर्होता गृहपतिः सुवीर्यम् ॥
वसुं न चित्रमहसं गृणीषे वामं शेवमतिथिमद्विषेण्यम् । स रासते शुरुधो विश्वधायसोऽग्निर्होता गृहपतिः सुवीर्यम् ॥
Mantra 2
जुषाणो अग्ने प्रति हर्य मे वचो विश्वानि विद्वान्वयुनानि सुक्रतो । घृतनिर्णिग्ब्रह्मणे गातुमेरय तव देवा अजनयन्ननु व्रतम् ॥
जुषाणोऽग्ने प्रति हर्य मे वचः, विश्वानि विद्वान् वयुनानि सुक्रतो। घृतनिर्णिग् ब्रह्मणे गातुमेरय, तव देवा अजनयन् अनु व्रतम्॥
Mantra 3
सप्त धामानि परियन्नमर्त्यो दाशद्दाशुषे सुकृते मामहस्व । सुवीरेण रयिणाग्ने स्वाभुवा यस्त आनट् समिधा तं जुषस्व ॥
सप्त धामानि परियन्नमर्त्यो दाशद्दाशुषे सुकृते मामहस्व। सुवीरेण रयिणाग्ने स्वाभुवा यस्त आनट् समिधा तं जुषस्व॥
Mantra 4
यज्ञस्य केतुं प्रथमं पुरोहितं हविष्मन्त ईळते सप्त वाजिनम् । शृण्वन्तमग्निं घृतपृष्ठमुक्षणं पृणन्तं देवं पृणते सुवीर्यम् ॥
यज्ञस्य केतुं प्रथमं पुरोहितं हविष्मन्त ईळते सप्त वाजिनम्। शृण्वन्तमग्निं घृतपृष्ठमुक्षणं पृणन्तं देवं पृणते सुवीर्यम्॥
Mantra 5
त्वं दूतः प्रथमो वरेण्यः स हूयमानो अमृताय मत्स्व । त्वां मर्जयन्मरुतो दाशुषो गृहे त्वां स्तोमेभिर्भृगवो वि रुरुचुः ॥
त्वं दूतः प्रथमः वरेण्यः; आहूयमानोऽमृतत्वाय मत्स्व। त्वां मर्जयन् मरुतो दाशुषो गृहे; त्वां स्तोमैर्भृगवो वि रुरुचुः॥
Mantra 6
इषं दुहन्त्सुदुघां विश्वधायसं यज्ञप्रिये यजमानाय सुक्रतो । अग्ने घृतस्नुस्त्रिॠतानि दीद्यद्वर्तिर्यज्ञं परियन्त्सुक्रतूयसे ॥
इषं दुहन् सुदुघां विश्वधायसं यज्ञप्रिये यजमानाय सुक्रतो। अग्ने घृतस्नुस् त्रिॠतानि दीद्यद् वर्तिर्यज्ञं परियन् सुक्रतूयसे॥
Mantra 7
त्वामिदस्या उषसो व्युष्टिषु दूतं कृण्वाना अयजन्त मानुषाः । त्वां देवा महयाय्याय वावृधुराज्यमग्ने निमृजन्तो अध्वरे ॥
त्वामिदस्य उषसो व्युष्टिषु दूतं कृण्वाना अयजन्त मानुषाः। त्वां देवा महयाय्याय वावृधु राज्यमग्ने निमृजन्तो अध्वरे॥
Mantra 8
नि त्वा वसिष्ठा अह्वन्त वाजिनं गृणन्तो अग्ने विदथेषु वेधसः । रायस्पोषं यजमानेषु धारय यूयं पात स्वस्तिभिः सदा नः ॥
नि त्वा वसिष्ठा आह्वयन्त, वाजिनम्, गृणन्तोऽग्ने विदथेषु वेधसः। रायेः पोषं यजमानेषु धारय; यूयं स्वस्तिभिः सदा नः पात।
Inside Sukta 122
How it unfolds
- Where it opens
Agni is hailed as a treasure-like, splendid, benevolent guest—fit to be praised and welcomed into the home and rite.
- Development
Agni’s roles expand: Hotṛ, gṛhapati, first messenger; he is called to grant plenitude and to delight in the summons that leads toward immortality, while being ritually “brightened” by praise and allied powers.
- Climax
Agni is explicitly invoked by the Vasiṣṭhas in the public gatherings (vidatha), asking him to secure the increase of wealth for the yajamānas.
- Where it settles
The hymn ends in protection: a sustained request that Agni (and the invoked powers) guard the community always with svasti (well-being).
The deity: Agni
- In the VedaAgni is the luminous fire-principle: the household guest (atithi), the Hotṛ-priest, and the lord of the home (gṛhapati), praised as splendid, benevolent, and worthy to be chosen and invoked.
- Cosmic functionMediator between worlds—he receives offerings, conveys them to the gods, and returns boons; he also sustains order by kindling sacrifice and connecting human community with divine powers.
- Inner significanceThe awakened flame of aspiration and discernment—inner heat (tapas) that purifies, carries intention upward, and turns ordinary life into consecrated action.
The seer
- Vasiṣṭha (Vasiṣṭha-lineage seer)Vasiṣṭha gotra (Vasiṣṭhāḥ; family of seers explicitly named in 10.122.8) · One of the most eminent ṛṣis of the Rig Veda, renowned for powerful Agni and Varuṇa hymns and for establishing authoritative sacrificial speech (brahman) within the Vasiṣṭha tradition.
Famous verses
agnír hotā́ gṛhápatiḥ
tvaṃ dūtaḥ prathamo vareṇyaḥ
yūyaṃ pāta svastibhiḥ sadā naḥ
Attributes of the deity
- Hotṛ (invoking priest)
- Dūta (messenger)
- Gṛhapati (lord of the house)
- Atithi (welcome guest)
- Purifier and kindler
- Bestower of wealth, vigor, and protection
- Shining/splendid (citra-mahas)
- Auspicious and non-hostile (śeva, adviṣeṇya)
Also by this seer
- Major Vasiṣṭha-family corpus in Rig Veda Maṇḍala 7 (many hymns attributed to Vasiṣṭha and his descendants)
- Celebrated Varuṇa hymns (e.g., RV 7.86–7.89) within the Vasiṣṭha collection
- Agni hymns across Maṇḍala 7 that shaped later ritual language and Hotṛ practice
The rite, step by step
- Prepare and clean the altar/household hearth; establish āhavanīya or gārhapatya fire as appropriate.
- Kindle Agni and invite him as the atithi (guest) and dūta (messenger) with recitation of the hymn.
- Offer ghee into the fire while naming Agni as Hotṛ and gṛhapati, requesting “streams” of abundance.
- Invoke allied deities in Agni’s sphere (e.g., Maruts) for purification and strengthening of the rite.
- Conclude with a protective request for svasti and continued increase of wealth among the sacrificers.
Offerings
- Ghṛta (clarified butter)
- Samidh (fuel sticks)
- Havis (general oblations)
- Soma offerings (where part of a soma sequence)
Frequently Asked Questions
It praises Agni as the household fire and sacrificial priest who carries offerings to the gods and brings back prosperity, strength, and protection for the worshippers.
Because Agni is ritually welcomed into the home as the sacred fire; once kindled, he presides over the household rite like an honored guest and guardian of the family’s welfare.
It asks Agni to maintain growth of wealth among the sacrificers and to guard them continually with svasti—steady well-being and safety.
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