Rig Veda Sukta 3
Mandala 4Sukta 316 Mantras

Sukta 3

Sukta 4.3

Rishi

Vāmadeva Gautama (traditional attribution for Mandala 4)

Devata

Agni (with Rudra-epithet/force invoked as king and hotṛ)

Chandas

Triṣṭubh (probable for RV 4.3; verse-length and cadence fit the dominant meter of this section)

本颂召请阿耆尼为祭祀之王、真实的祭官(hotṛ),贯通两界;其力如鲁陀罗般威烈、净化而具主权,于仪轨中为王。颂词赞美阿耆尼循真理而行的能力:使生者成熟(āmā→pakva),令隐秘者显现,并以隐微的“nīthāni”(引导之途)领行祭者。末了,先见献上精心锻造的内密(niṇyā)言辞——奥义之语与灵感之赞——以奉献给知者阿耆尼。

Recitation with translationRig Veda 4.3

Mantras

Mantra 1

आ वो राजानमध्वरस्य रुद्रं होतारं सत्ययजं रोदस्योः । अग्निं पुरा तनयित्नोरचित्ताद्धिरण्यरूपमवसे कृणुध्वम् ॥

请为你们迎来祭献之王——鲁陀罗之力——作为两界(天地)真实行祭的祭司(hotṛ)。请使阿耆尼——古老者、由养育之能所生——呈现黄金之形,成为我们的护佑之力,唤醒那未被觉知者。

Mantra 2

अयं योनिश्चकृमा यं वयं ते जायेव पत्य उशती सुवासाः । अर्वाचीनः परिवीतो नि षीदेमा उ ते स्वपाक प्रतीचीः ॥

这是我们为你造作的胎座(yoni);如妻子为其夫君,渴慕而衣饰端美,我们为你备置。请转向此方,周身披覆而来,安坐其上;这些我们的供献,哦善烹者(svapāka),将以相应之力回归于你。

Mantra 3

आशृण्वते अदृपिताय मन्म नृचक्षसे सुमृळीकाय वेधः । देवाय शस्तिममृताय शंस ग्रावेव सोता मधुषुद्यमीळे ॥

致那位垂听者、未曾沉醉者——人之先见、慈悯而赐安者:噢智者(维陀),请为他宣吐这灵感之思(manman)。向神、向不死者(amṛta)宣告赞颂;如同榨石之于压榨者(sotṛ),倾注甘蜜(madhu),我呼名而敬拜他。

Mantra 4

त्वं चिन्नः शम्या अग्ने अस्या ऋतस्य बोध्यृतचित्स्वाधीः । कदा त उक्था सधमाद्यानि कदा भवन्ति सख्या गृहे ते ॥

即便自引火木(śamī)而起,噢阿耆尼(Agni),也请为我等觉知此一ṛta(宇宙正序);噢知真者(ṛtacit),以善意之慧而明达。何时你的颂辞(uktha)与同欢之宴(sadhama)将临?何时友谊将在你家中诞生?

Mantra 5

कथा ह तद्वरुणाय त्वमग्ने कथा दिवे गर्हसे कन्न आगः । कथा मित्राय मीळ्हुषे पृथिव्यै ब्रवः कदर्यम्णे कद्भगाय ॥

噢阿耆尼(Agni),你将如何向伐楼那(Varuṇa)作答?你又如何在天(Dyaus)之前受责——我们的过失(āgas)究竟何在?你将如何对慈惠的密多罗(Mitra)与大地(Pṛthivī)言说?又将对阿梨耶曼(Aryaman)说什么,对薄伽(Bhaga)说什么?

Mantra 6

कद्धिष्ण्यासु वृधसानो अग्ने कद्वाताय प्रतवसे शुभंये । परिज्मने नासत्याय क्षे ब्रवः कदग्ने रुद्राय नृघ्ने ॥

噫,阿耆尼,在诸圣座中增长者——你将说出何言?又将对前驱而施惠的伐多(Vāta)说何言?对远行的那萨提亚双神(Nāsatyā)——为我等安居之所,你将陈说何语?噫,阿耆尼,你将对鲁陀罗(Rudra),那诛灭敌害者,说何言?

Mantra 7

कथा महे पुष्टिम्भराय पूष्णे कद्रुद्राय सुमखाय हविर्दे । कद्विष्णव उरुगायाय रेतो ब्रवः कदग्ने शरवे बृहत्यै ॥

你将如何向伟大的普尚(Pūṣan)——那负载丰盈者——陈说?又将对善祭而施供的鲁陀罗(Rudra),那赐与供献者,说何言?对广步的毗湿奴(Viṣṇu),你将说出何种“种子之言”(retas)?噫,阿耆尼,你将对远飞之箭(Śarava),对那广大者,说何言?

Mantra 8

कथा शर्धाय मरुतामृताय कथा सूरे बृहते पृच्छ्यमानः । प्रति ब्रवोऽदितये तुराय साधा दिवो जातवेदश्चिकित्वान् ॥

你将如何答复那群风暴神——马鲁特(Marut)——在其正法之中?又将如何答复被问及的伟大太阳(Sūrya)?请回言于迅疾的阿底提(Aditi),并成就此事:噫,贾塔维达斯(Jātavedas),具明知者——使那趋天的圆满得以坚立。

Mantra 9

ऋतेन ऋतं नियतमीळ आ गोरामा सचा मधुमत्पक्वमग्ने । कृष्णा सती रुशता धासिनैषा जामर्येण पयसा पीपाय ॥

我以ṛta(宇宙正法、真理之序)礼赞ṛta——那被坚定导引者;噢阿耆尼(Agni),与母牛同来:生者与熟者相伴的甘蜜。此一黝黑者,依凭光辉的容器而成明耀;又以养育同伴之乳,使之充盈膨大。

Mantra 10

ऋतेन हि ष्मा वृषभश्चिदक्तः पुमाँ अग्निः पयसा पृष्ठ्येन । अस्पन्दमानो अचरद्वयोधा वृषा शुक्रं दुदुहे पृश्निरूधः ॥

诚然,凭借ṛta,连那公牛也被膏立:雄性的阿耆尼,背负着乳。毫不摇动地行进,他是赐丰盈者;公牛挤出光明之乳,而斑驳者亦倾出其乳房。

Mantra 11

ऋतेनाद्रिं व्यसन्भिदन्तः समङ्गिरसो नवन्त गोभिः । शुनं नरः परि षदन्नुषासमाविः स्वरभवज्जाते अग्नौ ॥

凭借ṛta之力,他们劈开岩石;安吉라萨(Aṅgirasa)诸圣同心,以光之牛群(光线、光芒)奋然推进。强健之人环坐在黎明(Uṣas)周围,广阔而吉祥;当阿耆尼在其中诞生时,光明天界(Svar)便显现于世。

Mantra 12

ऋतेन देवीरमृता अमृक्ता अर्णोभिरापो मधुमद्भिरग्ने । वाजी न सर्गेषु प्रस्तुभानः प्र सदमित्स्रवितवे दधन्युः ॥

凭藉ṛta(宇宙正法、秩序),诸神圣之水——不死而不与杂染——以甘蜜之流而行,噢阿耆尼。她们如战马于奔突之势中高鸣,恒常向前推进,为了涌流而不断倾注。

Mantra 13

मा कस्य यक्षं सदमिद्धुरो गा मा वेशस्य प्रमिनतो मापेः । मा भ्रातुरग्ने अनृजोॠणं वेर्मा सख्युर्दक्षं रिपोर्भुजेम ॥

愿我们哪怕片刻也不陷入任何敌对势力的妖魅;愿我们不落入宗族失序之削弱之力。噢阿耆尼,愿我们不背负无权之兄弟的债;愿我们不作敌人巧计之享用者,也不滥用朋友的才能。

Mantra 14

रक्षा णो अग्ने तव रक्षणेभी रारक्षाणः सुमख प्रीणानः । प्रति ष्फुर वि रुज वीड्वंहो जहि रक्षो महि चिद्वावृधानम् ॥

护佑我们吧,噢阿耆尼,以你护卫之力——护佑着我们,善颜者,欢悦者。反击之,击碎那稠密的恶;诛灭罗刹(Rakṣas),纵使它已膨大而强盛。

Mantra 15

एभिर्भव सुमना अग्ने अर्कैरिमान्त्स्पृश मन्मभिः शूर वाजान् । उत ब्रह्माण्यङ्गिरो जुषस्व सं ते शस्तिर्देववाता जरेत ॥

阿耆尼啊,愿你以这些颂歌而心怀欢悦;勇士啊,以我们的意念触及这些丰盈的赐予。又愿你——盎吉罗——悦纳这些梵语圣制;愿那由诸神所鼓动的赞颂,在你之中成熟圆满。

Mantra 16

एता विश्वा विदुषे तुभ्यं वेधो नीथान्यग्ने निण्या वचांसि । निवचना कवये काव्यान्यशंसिषं मतिभिर्विप्र उक्थैः ॥

维陀(施设者)啊,阿耆尼——你是知者——我为你造作这一切引导的路径与隐秘的言辞。为诗圣而藏密的宣说,为先见而成的诗性真言;我以意念与灵感的颂歌,将它们宣告颂扬。

Inside Sukta 3

How it unfolds

  1. Where it opens

    Agni is brought forward as the king of the sacrifice—Rudra-like in force—true hotṛ of the two worlds, asked to appear in golden radiance and protective help.

  2. Development

    The hymn deepens into ṛta: Agni is praised as truth-guided, the one who ripens and sweetens, transforming raw potency into mature offering and luminous nourishment.

  3. Climax

    A strong symbolic revelation of transformation: darkness becoming radiant through the shining vessel, swelling with sustaining ‘milk’—Agni as the alchemist of life and rite under ṛta.

  4. Where it settles

    The seer offers ‘nīthāni’ and ‘niṇyā vacāṃsi’—hidden, poetic utterances—affirming Agni as the knower who receives inspired speech and completes the sacrificial intention.

The deity: Agni

  • In the VedaAgni is the divine Fire—hotṛ of the gods and men, the ritual priest who receives offerings, carries them upward, and manifests as a golden, radiant power. Here he is hailed as rājā of the adhvara and as a Rudra-like potency: awe-inspiring, exacting, and irresistibly purifying.
  • Cosmic functionMediator between earth and heaven (rodasī), transformer of substances and intentions, establisher of ṛta (cosmic order) through sacrifice, and awakener of what is latent or ‘unperceived’.
  • Inner significanceThe awakened will and discerning flame of consciousness that converts raw impulse into mature insight, burns away obscurity, and guides the seeker along hidden inner paths of truth (ṛta).

The seer

  • Vāmadeva GautamaGautama gotra (Vāmadeva family of seers) · Principal seer of Rigveda Mandala 4, celebrated for profound Agni hymns and for voicing inner, symbolic interpretations of sacrifice and inspiration.

Famous verses

rājānam adhvarasya … rudraṃ hotāram satyayajam ("king of the offering… Rudra, the true-sacrificing hotṛ")
Verse 4.3.1Programmatic invocation: Agni is enthroned as rājā of the rite and identified with a Rudra-force, the true hotṛ of both worlds, asked to awaken unseen powers and become hiraṇyarūpa for aid.Read verse 4.3.1 →
ṛtena ṛtaṃ niyatam īḻe ("by Truth I adore the firmly guided Truth")
Verse 4.3.9Central ṛta-teaching and symbolism of transformation (raw/ripe sweetness; darkness becoming luminous), portraying Agni as the truth-guided ripener and nourisher.Read verse 4.3.9 →
niṇyā vacāṃsi ("hidden words")
Verse 4.3.16Concluding self-offering of the poet: ‘hidden words’ and guiding leadings dedicated to Agni the knower, highlighting esoteric speech and inspired hymn-craft as ritual power.Read verse 4.3.16 →

Attributes of the deity

  • Hotṛ (true sacrificing priest)
  • Rājā of the adhvara (sovereign of rite)
  • Rudra-force (fierce purifier, commanding)
  • Hiraṇyarūpa (golden-formed radiance)
  • Ṛta-guided (truth-aligned)
  • Transformer (āmā/pakva—raw to ripe)
  • Revealer of the hidden (acittāt—what is not yet noticed)

Also by this seer

  • Rigveda Mandala 4 (many sūktas traditionally attributed to Vāmadeva)
  • Hymns to Agni, Indra, and related deities within RV 4, noted for esoteric diction (niṇyā vacāṃsi) and ritual-psychological depth

The rite, step by step

  • Prepare the vedi (altar space) and arrange fuel (samidh) and kuśa; establish ritual purity and intention.
  • Kindle or rekindle Agni; invoke him as rājā of the adhvara and as the true hotṛ who spans both worlds.
  • Offer ghee into the fire with recitation, asking Agni to become ‘golden-formed’ and to awaken what is hidden or unperceived.
  • Praise Agni as ṛta-guided and request his transformative power—making the ‘raw’ offerings and energies mature and sweet.
  • Conclude with crafted stotra/uktha: ‘hidden words’ and guiding formulas offered to Agni the knower, sealing the rite with inspired speech.

Offerings

  • Ājya (ghee)
  • Samidh (kindling sticks)
  • Milk/curds imagery and offerings (as applicable)
  • Soma-related oblations where part of a soma sequence (context-dependent)

Frequently Asked Questions

Because Agni governs the whole ritual process: he is invoked first, receives the offerings, and ensures the rite proceeds in right order (ṛta), like a sovereign directing the adhvara.

It highlights Agni’s fierce, purifying power—an awe-inspiring force that burns away impurity and compels truthfulness in the ritual and in the worshipper.

It refers to inward, symbolic or esoteric utterances—carefully crafted poetic formulas and insights offered to Agni, who is praised as the knower able to receive and fulfill them.

Ask anything about Sukta 3 of the Rig Veda

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