rigvedaagnifireyajna

Agni Suktam (Agnim Ile)

अग्नि सूक्तम् (अग्निमीळे) in English · English

🕉️ vedic·📿 3× repetitions·🕐 At dawn, during Agnihotra or any homa/havan, and on auspicious yajna occasions·📜 Rigveda 1.1

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हिन्दी / देवनागरी తెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀEnglishසිංහල 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

✦ Meaning

The Agni Suktam is the very first hymn of the Rigveda (1.1), nine verses by the seer Madhuchchhandas Vaishvamitra invoking Agni, the sacred fire and divine priest who carries every offering to the gods. It praises Agni as the bestower of wealth, the protector of cosmic order, and one who is dear as a father. As the opening of the oldest scripture, it is among the most revered and frequently chanted hymns of the Veda.

Origin & Story

Rigveda 1.1 · Rishi Madhuchchhandas Vaishvamitra (Madhuchhandas, son of Vishvamitra) · Vedic period (c. 1500–1200 BCE)

This is the opening hymn of the entire Rigveda, and therefore of the oldest layer of the Vedas. Composed by the seer Madhuchchhandas, the youngest son of the great Rishi Vishvamitra, it sets the tone for the whole collection by invoking Agni — the sacred fire who serves as priest, messenger and treasure-giver, mediating between mortals and the gods. Because Agni is the indispensable beginning of every sacrifice, his hymn fittingly stands at the head of the Veda.

✦ As told in scripture

Vedic tradition holds that wherever Agni is kindled and praised with this hymn, the offerings are unfailingly received by the gods; the seer declares that whatever good Agni promises to his devotee 'comes truly to pass' (tavet tat satyam), and so the hymn is recited to make one's righteous aspirations bear fruit.

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Complete Text with Meaning

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Verse 1

Om Agnim īḷe purohitaṁ yajñasya devam ṛtvijam Hotāraṁ ratnadhātamam

Meaning:I praise Agni, the priest set before the sacrifice, the divine minister, the invoker who bestows the richest treasures.

Verse 2

Agniḥ pūrvebhir ṛṣibhir īḍyo nūtanair uta Sa devāṁ eha vakṣati

Meaning:Agni, worthy to be praised by the ancient seers and by those of today — may he bring the gods here.

Verse 3

Agninā rayim aśnavat poṣam eva divedive Yaśasaṁ vīravattamam

Meaning:Through Agni one wins wealth and increase day by day, glory and abundance of heroic offspring.

Verse 4

Agne yaṁ yajñam adhvaraṁ viśvataḥ paribhūr asi Sa id deveṣu gacchati

Meaning:O Agni, the sacrifice and rite which you encompass on every side — that alone reaches the gods.

Verse 5

Agnir hotā kavikratuḥ satyaś citraśravastamaḥ Devo devebhir ā gamat

Meaning:May Agni the invoker, wise of will, true and of most resplendent fame, come, a god with the gods.

Verse 6

Yad aṅga dāśuṣe tvam agne bhadraṁ kariṣyasi Tavet tat satyam aṅgiraḥ

Meaning:Whatever good you, O Agni, will do for your worshipper — that promise of yours comes truly to pass, O Angiras.

Verse 7

Upa tvāgne divedive doṣāvastar dhiyā vayam Namo bharanta emasi

Meaning:To you, O Agni, day by day, by night and by day, we come, bearing our homage in our thoughts —

Verse 8

Rājantam adhvarāṇāṁ gopām ṛtasya dīdivim Vardhamānaṁ sve dame

Meaning:to you, the radiant lord of the sacrifices, the guardian of the cosmic order, ever growing in your own abode.

Verse 9

Sa naḥ piteva sūnave 'gne sūpāyano bhava Sacasvā naḥ svastaye

Meaning:So be easy of access to us, O Agni, as a father is to his son; abide with us for our well-being.

Word-by-Word Meaning

Click any word to hear its pronunciation

agnim īḷe🔊I praise / extol Agni (the sacred fire)

purohitam🔊The one placed in front, the appointed priest of the sacrifice

yajñasya devam🔊The divine being / god of the sacrifice

ṛtvijam🔊The officiating priest (who offers at the right season)

hotāram🔊The invoker, who calls the gods to the offering

ratnadhātamam🔊The greatest bestower of treasures / jewels

pūrvebhir ṛṣibhir🔊By the ancient seers (Rishis)

nūtanair uta🔊And also by the modern / present ones

sa devāṁ eha vakṣati🔊May he bring the gods here (to the sacrifice)

agninā rayim aśnavat🔊Through Agni one obtains wealth

poṣam eva divedive🔊And nourishment / increase, day by day

yaśasaṁ vīravattamam🔊Glorious and most abounding in heroes (offspring)

adhvaram🔊The sacrifice (literally, the unharmed / non-violent rite)

viśvataḥ paribhūr asi🔊You encompass / pervade on all sides

kavikratuḥ🔊Of the wisdom and will of a seer (poet-sage)

satyaś citraśravastamaḥ🔊Truthful and of most wonderful, manifold fame

devo devebhir ā gamat🔊May the god come here with the gods

bhadraṁ kariṣyasi🔊Whatever good you will do (for the worshipper)

tavet tat satyam aṅgiraḥ🔊That indeed comes true, O Angiras (Agni)

namo bharanta emasi🔊Bearing our homage, we come to you

gopām ṛtasya🔊The guardian / protector of cosmic order (Ritam, truth)

sa naḥ piteva sūnave🔊Be to us as a father is to his son

sacasva naḥ svastaye🔊Abide with us for our well-being and welfare

Benefits of Chanting अग्नि सूक्तम् (अग्निमीळे)

✦

Invokes the grace of Agni, the conveyor of all offerings between humans and the gods

✦

Traditionally chanted to bestow wealth, nourishment, glory and worthy progeny day by day

✦

Sanctifies and empowers any homa, havan or yajna in which it is recited

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Connects the chanter to the very fountainhead of the Vedas as its opening hymn

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Cultivates an attitude of constant homage and gratitude toward the divine

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Invokes Agni as the guardian of Ritam (cosmic truth and order) in one's life

How to Chant अग्नि सूक्तम् (अग्निमीळे)

Repetitions3times

Best TimeAt dawn, during Agnihotra or any homa/havan, and on auspicious yajna occasions

Recite ideally before or during a fire ritual (homa/havan), with proper Vedic svara (intonation) if learnt; otherwise chant clearly and devotionally. Begin with 'Om' and proceed through all nine verses. As you chant, visualise the sacred flame carrying your prayers upward to the divine. It is especially powerful when offered with ghee oblations into a consecrated fire.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete अग्नि सूक्तम् (अग्निमीळे) written in the English script — the same Sanskrit/Hindi verses, transliterated character-by-character so you can read and chant comfortably. Tap any line (or the ▶ button) to hear it recited aloud.

Yes — only the script changes; the words and their meaning are the original. The verse-by-verse meaning, benefits and how-to-chant guidance on this page apply exactly the same.

It is the very first hymn (sukta) of the Rigveda — Mandala 1, Sukta 1 — comprising nine verses to Agni, the god of fire. It begins with the famous words 'Agnim ile purohitam' and was revealed to the seer Madhuchchhandas, son of Vishvamitra.

Agni is the divine priest who carries every offering to the gods; no Vedic sacrifice can begin without him. Placing this hymn first signifies that all worship begins with the kindling of the sacred fire, the link between the human and the divine.

It means 'I praise Agni, the appointed priest of the sacrifice.' Agni is hailed as the purohita (one placed in front), the ritvij and hota who bestows the richest treasures.

It is chanted at dawn, during the Agnihotra, and as the opening invocation of any homa, havan or yajna, sanctifying the fire and the offerings made into it.