Rig Veda · 527 of 1027
Mandala 7: HYMN XI. Agni.
1.GREAT art thou, Agni, sacrifice’s Herald: not without thee are deathless Gods made joyful. Come hither with all Deities about thee here take thy seat, the first, as Priest, O Agni.
2.Men with oblations evermore entreat thee, the swift, to undertake an envoy’s duty. He on whose sacred grass with Gods thou sittest, to him, O Agni, are the days propitious.
3.Three times a day in thee are shown the treasures sent for the mortal who presents oblation. Bring the Gods hither like a man, O Agni: be thou our envoy, guarding us from curses.
4.Lord of the lofty sacrifice is Agni, Agni is Lord of every gift presented. The Vasus were contented with his wisdom, so the Gods made him their oblationbearer.
5.O Agni, bring the Gods to taste our presents: with Indra leading, here let them be joyful. Convey this sacrifice to Gods in heaven. Ye Gods, preserve us evermore with blessings.
Asked of Guide
Why does this hymn call Agni the 'envoy' who brings the gods to the sacrifice?
The hymn names Agni as the ritual intermediary because the fire is where offerings become communicable: “Three times a day in thee are shown the treasures” and he is asked to “bring the Gods hither like a man.” Agni’s role as priest and messenger — “the first, as Priest, O Agni” — makes him the visible channel through which mortals present gifts and the gods receive them.
That function appears across the Vedic corpus; see Mandala 1 where Agni similarly conveys offerings and awakens the gods. The poem insists on presence and transmission rather than abstract favor: Agni carries oblations, summons Indra to “taste our presents,” and secures blessings by his mediating act.
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