Rig Veda · 526 of 1027
Mandala 7: HYMN X. Agni.
1.HE hath sent forth, bright, radiant, and refulgent, like the Dawn’s Lover, his far-spreading lustre. Pure in his splendour shines the golden Hero: our longing thoughts hath he aroused and wakened.
2.He, like the Sun, hath shone while Morn is breaking, and priests who weave the sacrifice sing praises, Agni, the God, who knows their generations and visits Gods, most bounteous, rapid envoy.
3.Our songs and holy hymns go forth to Agni, seeking the God and asking him for riches, Him fair to see, of goodly aspect, mighty, men’s messenger who carries their oblations.
4.joined with the Vasus, Agni, bring thou Indra bring hither mighty Rudra with the Rudras, Aditi good to all men with Ādityas, Bṛhaspati All-bounteous, with the Singers.
5.Men eagerly implore at sacrifices Agni, Most Youthful God, the joyous Herald. For he is Lord and Ruler over riches, and for Gods’ worship an unwearied envoy.
Asked of Guide
Why do the priests call Agni their messenger and invite other gods through him?
The hymn shows Agni as the connecting presence at sacrifice: “men’s messenger who carries their oblations” and “rapid envoy” who brings the worship and offerings to the gods. Priests address Agni because his radiant, present nature—“bright, radiant…like the Sun”—makes him the visible medium that links human rites with the divine company.
Agni’s invocation gathers deities into the ritual space—Vasus, Rudra, Aditi, the Ādityas—by name, asking him to “bring hither” them and Bṛhaspati with the Singers. This matches what Aurobindo and other commentators note about Vedic ritual: Agni functions as the indispensable priestly channel through which sacrifices reach the pantheon.
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