Rig Veda · 305 of 1027
Mandala 4: HYMN IX. Agni.
1.AGNI, show favour: great art thou who to this pious man art come, To seat thee on the sacred grass.
2.May he the Immortal, Helper, bard to be deceived among mankind, Become the messenger of all.
3.Around the altar is he led, welcome Chief Priest at solemn rites, Or as the Potar sits him down.
4.Agni in fire at sacrifice, and in the house as Lord thereof, And as a Brahman takes his seat.
5.Thou comest as the guide of folk who celebrate a sacrifice, And to oblations brought by men.
6.Thou servest as his messenger whose sacrifice thou lovest well, To bear the mortal’s gifts to heaven.
7.Accept our solemn rite; be pleased, Aṅgiras, with our sacrifice: Give ear and listen to our call.
8.May thine inviolable car, wherewith thou guardest those who give, Come near to us from every side.
Asked of Guide
Why does this hymn call Agni both messenger and guest at the sacrifice?
The hymn presents Agni as messenger because he carries mortals’ offerings to the gods—“To bear the mortal’s gifts to heaven”—so his role is functional and divine transit. It calls him guest and priest because Agni also dwells in the ritual space and household, taking a seat among the worshippers and acting as the sacrificial chief, visible presence and honored participant.
This pairing makes the ritual relational: Agni secures protection—“inviolable car…wherewith thou guardest those who give”—while enabling communion between humans and immortals. This double role echoes the Bhagavad Gita’s portrayal of sacred duties where an agent both performs action and embodies its spirit, bridging world and altar.
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