Rig Veda Sukta 11
Mandala 3Sukta 119 Mantras

Sukta 11

Sukta 3.11

Rishi

Viśvāmitra Gāthina (traditional attribution for RV 3.11)

Devata

Agni

Chandas

Gāyatrī (probable for RV 3.11.1; requires metrical confirmation)

Ang himalayin na ito ay nagpapuri kay Agni bilang pinuno ng mga saserdote (hotṛ) na inilagay sa unahan ng rito, ang nakakaalam ng sakripisyo sa tamang pagkakasunod-sunod ng tao (ānuṣak) at isinasagawa ito nang walang pagkakamali. Tinatawag si Agni bilang ang hindi malabong pinuno ng mga angkan, mabilis at laging bago, na nagdadala ng mga diyos sa handog at tumutulong sa mga sumasamba na makamit ang kanilang ninanais na yaman at lakas.

Recitation with translationRig Veda 3.11

Mantras

Mantra 1

अग्निर्होता पुरोहितोऽध्वरस्य विचर्षणिः । स वेद यज्ञमानुषक् ॥

Si Agni, ang pumipintong saserdote na inilagay sa unahan, ang may malawak na pananaw sa sakripisyo, ay nakakaalam ng tamang pagkakasunod-sunod ng handog na pantao, at pinapatnubayan ito sa pamamagitan ng kanyang matayong pag-unawa.

Mantra 2

स हव्यवाळमर्त्य उशिग्दूतश्चनोहितः । अग्निर्धिया समृण्वति ॥

Siya, ang imortal na tagadala ng handog, ang masiglang liwanag, ang sugong itinakda para sa ating kasiyahan, si Agni, sa pamamagitan ng gising na isip, ay nagdadala ng mga kapangyarihan sa pagkakatugma at nagtatalaga ng gawain sa tamang kilos.

Mantra 3

अग्निर्धिया स चेतति केतुर्यज्ञस्य पूर्व्यः । अर्थं ह्यस्य तरणि ॥

Si Agni, sa pamamagitan ng kanyang inspiradong katalinuhan, ay nagiging may malay at gising; siya ang sinaunang tanglaw ng sakripisyo. Sapagkat siya ang nagdadala at tinataguyod ang tunay na layunin nito, ginagawang mabisa ang kahulugan at hangarin ng handog.

Mantra 4

अग्निं सूनुं सनश्रुतं सहसो जातवेदसम् । वह्निं देवा अकृण्वत ॥

Si Agni, anak ng Lakas, na kilala mula sa sinaunang panahon, ang nakakaalam ng mga kapanganakan, siya ay ginawa ng mga diyos na tagadala, ang kapangyarihang nagbubuhat. Kaya't ang mga banal na kapangyarihan ay nagtatag sa atin ng Apoy na kayang magbuhat ng handog at ng pagiging.

Mantra 5

अदाभ्यः पुरएता विशामग्निर्मानुषीणाम् । तूर्णी रथः सदा नवः ॥

Si Agni, ang hindi masasakmal, ay nagpapatungo sa unahan ng mga angkang pantao bilang kanilang pinuno; mabilis ang kanyang lakas ng karo, na laging bago, na nagpapanibago sa ating kilos at pagsulong.

Mantra 6

साह्वान्विश्वा अभियुजः क्रतुर्देवानाममृक्तः । अग्निस्तुविश्रवस्तमः ॥

Lahat ng sumasalungat na mga presyon ay kanyang nililampasan; siya ang di-nagkakamaling kapangyarihan ng mabisas na kalooban sa gitna ng mga diyos, si Agni, ang pinakamalawak na kilala, na ang gawa ay hindi mapipigilan.

Mantra 7

अभि प्रयांसि वाहसा दाश्वाँ अश्नोति मर्त्यः । क्षयं पावकशोचिषः ॥

Sa pamamagitan ng kanyang kapangyarihang tagadala, ang mortal na nagkakaloob ay nakarating sa mga patutunguhang pasulong, sa mga progresibong nakakamit; siya ay nananalo ng tahanan sa sinagang kadalisayan ng liwanag ni Agni.

Mantra 8

परि विश्वानि सुधिताग्नेरश्याम मन्मभिः । विप्रासो जातवेदसः ॥

Sana kami, ang inspiradong mga tagakita ni Jātavedas, ay masakop at makamit ang lahat ng mga yamang matitibay na inilatag ni Agni sa pamamagitan ng ating mga nabuong isipan, sa pamamagitan ng ating sinag na salita at panloob na hangarin.

Mantra 9

अग्ने विश्वानि वार्या वाजेषु सनिषामहे । त्वे देवास एरिरे ॥

O Agni, sana kami ay manalo ng lahat ng ninanais na mga yaman sa mga sagana ng lakas; sapagkat sa iyo ang mga diyos ay nagkakilos, patungo sa ating gawain at handog.

Inside Sukta 11

How it unfolds

  1. Where it opens

    Agni is established as the foremost priest—purohita and hotṛ—who sees widely and knows the sacrifice in its proper sequence.

  2. Development

    The hymn expands Agni’s role as unconquerable leader of the human clans, swift in power and ever-renewed, ensuring the rite proceeds without obstruction.

  3. Climax

    Agni is affirmed as the decisive mediator in whom the gods are set in motion—his presence activates divine participation in the offering.

  4. Where it settles

    The hymn ends with a clear boon: may we win all desirable treasures and strengths through Agni, whose mediation secures success for the work and the worshippers.

The deity: Agni

  • In the VedaAgni is the hotṛ and purohita set in front, wide-seeing (vicarṣaṇi), the unfailing messenger who knows the correct order of offering and brings gods to the rite. He is praised as unconquerable (adābhya), the leader who goes before the clans and whose energy is swift and ever new.
  • Cosmic functionMediator between human and divine realms: he carries oblations upward, opens the paths for the gods’ arrival, and sustains ṛta (cosmic order) through correctly performed sacrifice.
  • Inner significanceThe awakened flame of discernment and aspiration—speech, will, and luminous intelligence that organizes life ‘in right sequence’ and turns ordinary action into offering.

The seer

  • Viśvāmitra GāthinaGāthina (Viśvāmitra lineage; traditionally linked with the Kuśika line) · A royal-turned-seer celebrated for powerful Agni and Indra hymns, for shaping the Viśvāmitra tradition of inspired speech (gāthā), and for articulating the ideal of the priestly leader who guides sacrifice and society by tapas and insight.

Famous verses

agnir hotā purohito
Verse 3.11.1Programmatic statement of Agni’s identity as hotṛ and purohita who knows the yajña ‘in right sequence’ (ānuṣak), establishing the hymn’s central ritual theology.Read verse 3.11.1 →
अदाभ्यः पुरएता विशामग्निर्मानुषीणाम् । तूर्णी रथः सदा नवः ॥
Verse 3.11.5Highlights Agni as adābhya (unconquerable) and puraetā (going in front), a leader of the people with swift, ever-new force—linking ritual leadership with social protection and advance.Read verse 3.11.5 →
tve devāsa erire
Verse 3.11.9Concluding prayer for winning all desirable riches and strengths; emphasizes that in Agni the gods are ‘stirred/impelled’ toward the offering, summarizing Agni’s mediating power.Read verse 3.11.9 →

Attributes of the deity

  • Hotṛ (invoking priest)
  • Purohita (placed in front/house-priest)
  • Vicarṣaṇi (wide-seeing)
  • Adābhya (unconquerable)
  • Puraetā (leader who goes before)
  • Dūta (divine messenger)
  • Ever-new, swift force (tūrṇi rathaḥ sadā navaḥ)

Also by this seer

  • Major portions of Rigveda Maṇḍala 3 (many sūktas attributed to Viśvāmitra and his family)
  • Agni and Indra hymns that emphasize right ritual order, protection, and victory
  • Later Vedic-Itihāsa tradition credits him with the Gāyatrī mantra (not a Rigvedic attribution within RV itself, but a strong traditional association)

The rite, step by step

  • Prepare the altar/fireplace and kindle Agni with proper kindling, establishing him ‘in front’ as purohita.
  • Recite the hymn as an āvāhana (invocation), acknowledging Agni as hotṛ who knows the rite’s sequence (ānuṣak).
  • Offer initial oblations to steady the flame and ‘open the path’ for the deities.
  • Continue with the main offerings while treating Agni as leader (puraetā) guiding the rite and the community.
  • Conclude with a petition for vārya (desirable riches) and vāja (strength/abundance), affirming that the gods are stirred in Agni toward the work.

Offerings

  • Ghee (ājya)
  • Kindling sticks/samidhs
  • Grains or cakes as appropriate to the rite (e.g., puroḍāśa in allied contexts)
  • Soma offerings in soma rites (context-dependent)

Frequently Asked Questions

It presents Agni as the leading priest of the sacrifice who knows the correct order of the rite and successfully brings the gods to the offering, granting prosperity and strength.

‘Purohita’ means placed in front as the guiding priest, and ‘hotṛ’ is the invoker who calls the gods; together they show Agni as the one who leads and completes the ritual properly.

It suggests “in proper human sequence” or “step by step,” emphasizing that Agni understands and carries out the sacrifice in the right order, without confusion or omission.

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