Rig Veda · Mandala 3 · Sukta 2
Rig Veda 3.2 — Agni
Deity: Agni. Rishi family (Mandala 3): Vishvamitra and the Kushika line. This Sukta contains 15 verses presented below in Devanagari Sanskrit, IAST romanisation, and Ralph T. H. Griffith's English translation. Click any verse to read a fuller explanation.
Verses
Rig Veda 3.2.1
वैश्वानराय धिषणां रताव्र्धे घर्तं न पूतमग्नयेजनामसि | दविता होतारं मनुषश्च वाघतो धिया रथंन कुलिशः सं रण्वति
vaiśvānarāya dhiṣaṇāṃ ṛtāvṛdhe ghṛtaṃ na pūtamaghnayejanāmasi | dvitā hotāraṃ manuṣaśca vāghato dhiyā rathaṃna kuliśaḥ saṃ ṛṇvati
Rig Veda 3.2.2
स रोचयज्जनुषा रोदसी उभे स मात्रोरभवत पुत्र ईड्यः | हव्यवाळ अग्निरजरश्चनोहितो दूळभो विशामतिथिर्विभावसुः
sa rocayajjanuṣā rodasī ubhe sa mātrorabhavat putra īḍyaḥ | havyavāḷ aghnirajaraścanohito dūḷabho viśāmatithirvibhāvasuḥ
He made the heaven and earth resplendent by his birth: Child of two Mothers he was meet to be implored, Agni, oblation-bearer, gracious, ever-young, infallible, rich in radiant light, the guest of men.
Rig Veda 3.2.3
करत्वा दक्षस्य तरुषो विधर्मणि देवासो अग्निं जनयन्त चित्तिभिः | रुरुचानं भानुना जयोतिषा महामत्यं न वाजं सनिष्यन्नुप बरुवे
kratvā dakṣasya taruṣo vidharmaṇi devāso aghniṃ janayanta cittibhiḥ | rurucānaṃ bhānunā jyotiṣā mahāmatyaṃ na vājaṃ saniṣyannupa bruve
Within the range of their surpassinq power, by might, the Gods created Agni with inventive thought. I, eager to win strength, address him, like a steed, resplendent with his brilliance, with his ample light.
Rig Veda 3.2.4
आ मन्द्रस्य सनिष्यन्तो वरेण्यं वर्णीमहे अह्रयं वाजम्र्ग्मियम | रातिं भर्गूणामुशिजं कविक्रतुमग्निं राजन्तं दिव्येन शोचिषा
ā mandrasya saniṣyanto vareṇyaṃ vṛṇīmahe ahrayaṃ vājamṛghmiyam | rātiṃ bhṛghūṇāmuśijaṃ kavikratumaghniṃ rājantaṃ divyena śociṣā
Eager to gain, we crave from him the friendly God strength confident, choiceworthy meet to be extolled: The Bhṛgus' bounty, willing, strong with sages' lore, even Agni shining forth with light that comes from heaven.
Rig Veda 3.2.5
अग्निं सुम्नाय दधिरे पुरो जना वाजश्रवसमिह वर्क्तबर्हिषः | यतस्रुचः सुरुचं विश्वदेव्यं रुद्रं यज्ञानांसाधदिष्टिमपसाम
aghniṃ sumnāya dadhire puro janā vājaśravasamiha vṛktabarhiṣaḥ | yatasrucaḥ surucaṃ viśvadevyaṃ rudraṃ yajñānāṃsādhadiṣṭimapasām
For happiness, men, having trimmed the sacred grass, set Agni glorious for his strength before them here; Yea, with raised ladles, him bright, dear to all the Gods, perfecting aims of works, Rudra of solemn rites.
Rig Veda 3.2.6
पावकशोचे तव हि कषयं परि होतर्यज्ञेषु वर्क्तबर्हिषो नरः | अग्ने दुव इछमानास आप्यमुपासते दरविणं धेहि तेभ्यः
pāvakaśoce tava hi kṣayaṃ pari hotaryajñeṣu vṛktabarhiṣo naraḥ | aghne duva ichamānāsa āpyamupāsate draviṇaṃ dhehi tebhyaḥ
Around thy dwelling-place, O brightly-shining Priest, are men at sacrifice, whose sacred grass is trimmed. Wishing to do thee service, Agni, they are there, desirous of thy friendship grant them store of wealth.
Rig Veda 3.2.7
आ रोदसी अप्र्णदा सवर्महज्जातं यदेनमपसो अधारयन | सो अध्वराय परि णीयते कविरत्यो न वाजसातयेचनोहितः
ā rodasī apṛṇadā svarmahajjātaṃ yadenamapaso adhārayan | so adhvarāya pari ṇīyate kaviratyo na vājasātayecanohitaḥ
He hath filled heaven and earth and the great realm of light, when at his birth the skilful held him in their hold. He like a horse is led forth to the sacrifice Sage, graciously inclined, that he may win us strength.
Rig Veda 3.2.8
नमस्यत हव्यदातिं सवध्वरं दुवस्यत दम्यं जातवेदसम | रथीर्र्तस्य बर्हतो विचर्षणिरग्निर्देवानामभवत पुरोहितः
namasyata havyadātiṃ svadhvaraṃ duvasyata damyaṃ jātavedasam | rathīrṛtasya bṛhato vicarṣaṇiraghnirdevānāmabhavat purohitaḥ
Honour the oblation-bearer, him who knows fair rites, serve ye the Household Friend who knows all things that be. He drives the chariot of the lofty ordinance: Agni most active, is the great High Priest of Gods.
Rig Veda 3.2.9
तिस्रो यह्वस्य समिधः परिज्मनो.अग्नेरपुनन्नुशिजो अम्र्त्यवः | तासामेकामदधुर्मर्त्ये भुजमु लोकमु दवे उप जामिमीयतुः
tisro yahvasya samidhaḥ parijmano.aghnerapunannuśijo amṛtyavaḥ | tāsāmekāmadadhurmartye bhujamu lokamu dve upa jāmimīyatuḥ
They who are free from death, fain for him, purified three splendours of the mighty Agni, circling all. To man, for his enjoyment, one of these they gave: the other two have passed into the sister sphere.
Rig Veda 3.2.10
विशां कविं विश्पतिं मानुषीरिषः सं सीमक्र्ण्वन सवधितिं न तेजसे | स उद्वतो निवतो याति वेविषत स गर्भमेषु भुवनेषु दीधरत
viśāṃ kaviṃ viśpatiṃ mānuṣīriṣaḥ saṃ sīmakṛṇvan svadhitiṃ na tejase | sa udvato nivato yāti veviṣat sa gharbhameṣu bhuvaneṣu dīdharat
Man's sacrificial food hath sharpened like an axe, for brightness, him the Sage of men, the people's Lord, Busied with sacred rites he mounts and he descends. He hath laid down his vital germ within these worlds.
Rig Veda 3.2.11
स जिन्वते जठरेषु परजज्ञिवान वर्षा चित्रेषु नानदन न सिंहः | वैश्वानरः पर्थुपाजा अमर्त्यो वसु रत्ना दयमानो वि दाशुषे
sa jinvate jaṭhareṣu prajajñivān vṛṣā citreṣu nānadan na siṃhaḥ | vaiśvānaraḥ pṛthupājā amartyo vasu ratnā dayamāno vi dāśuṣe
He stirs with life in wombs dissimilar in kind, born as a Lion or a loudly-bellowing Bull: Vaiśvānara immortal with wide-reaching might, bestowing goods and wealth on him who offiers gifts.
Rig Veda 3.2.12
वैश्वानरः परत्नथा नाकमारुहद दिवस पर्ष्ठं भन्दमानः सुमन्मभिः | स पूर्ववज्जनयञ जन्तवे धनं समानमज्मं पर्येति जाग्र्विः
vaiśvānaraḥ pratnathā nākamāruhad divas pṛṣṭhaṃ bhandamānaḥ sumanmabhiḥ | sa pūrvavajjanayañ jantave dhanaṃ samānamajmaṃ paryeti jāghṛviḥ
Vaiśvānara, as of old, mounted the cope of heaven, heaven's ridge, well greeted, by those skilled in noble songs. He, as of old, producing riches for the folk, still watchful, traversesthe common way again.
Rig Veda 3.2.13
रतावानं यज्ञियं विप्रमुक्थ्यमा यं दधे मातरिश्वा दिवि कषयम | तं चित्रयामं हरिकेशमीमहे सुदीतिमग्निं सुविताय नव्यसे
ṛtāvānaṃ yajñiyaṃ vipramukthyamā yaṃ dadhe mātariśvā divi kṣayam | taṃ citrayāmaṃ harikeśamīmahe sudītimaghniṃ suvitāya navyase
For new prosperity we seek to Agni, him whose course is splendid, gold-haired, excellently bright, Whom Mātariśvan stablished, dweller in the heaven, meet for high praise and holy, sage and true to Law.
Rig Veda 3.2.14
शुचिं न यामन्निषिरं सवर्द्र्शं केतुं दिवो रोचनस्थामुषर्बुधम | अग्निं मूर्धानं दिवो अप्रतिष्कुतं तमीमहे नमसा वाजिनं बर्हत
śuciṃ na yāmanniṣiraṃ svardṛśaṃ ketuṃ divo rocanasthāmuṣarbudham | aghniṃ mūrdhānaṃ divo apratiṣkutaṃ tamīmahe namasā vājinaṃ bṛhat
As pure and swift of course, beholder of the light, who stands in heaven's bright sphere a sign, who wakes at dawn, Agni, the head of heaven, whom none may turn aside-to him the Powerful with mighty prayer we seek.
Rig Veda 3.2.15
मन्द्रं होतारं शुचिमद्वयाविनं दमूनसमुक्थ्यं विश्वचर्षणिम | रथं न चित्रं वपुषाय दर्शतं मनुर्हितं सदमिद राय ईमहे
mandraṃ hotāraṃ śucimadvayāvinaṃ damūnasamukthyaṃ viśvacarṣaṇim | rathaṃ na citraṃ vapuṣāya darśataṃ manurhitaṃ sadamid rāya īmahe
The cheerful Priest, the pure, in whom no guile is found, Friend of the House, praise-worthy, dear to all mankind, Fair to behold for beauty like a splendid car,—Agni the Friend of men we ever seek for wealth.
Want to hear this Sukta chanted? Subscribe to Pro for
full audio recitations of every verse, on-demand AI commentary, and verse
search across the entire Rig Veda.