Rig Veda · 955 of 1027
Mandala 10: HYMN CXVIII. Agni.
1.AGNI, refulgent among men thou slayest the devouring fiend, Bright Ruler in thine own abode.
2.Thou springest up when worshipped well the drops of butter are thy joy When ladies are brought near to thee.
3.Honoured with gifts he shines afar, Agni adorable with song: The dripping ladle balms his face.
4.Agni with honey in his mouth, honoured with gifts, is balmed with oil, Refulgent in his wealth of light.
5.Praised by our hymns thou kindlest thee, Oblation-bearer, for the Gods As such do mortals call on thee.
6.To that Immortal Agni pay worship with oil, ye mortal men,— Lord of the house, whom none deceives.
7.O Agni, burn the Rākṣasas with thine unconquerable flame Shine guardian of Eternal Law.
8.So, Agni, with thy glowing face burn fierce against the female fiends, Shining among Uruksayas.
9.Uruksayas have kindled thee, Oblation-bearer, thee, with hymns. Best Worshipper among mankind.
Asked of Guide
Why does this hymn call Agni an 'Oblation-bearer' and also tell mortals to worship him with oil?
The hymn calls Agni “Oblation-bearer” because he carries sacrificial offerings to the gods; verses 5 and 9 repeat that role—“Oblation-bearer, for the Gods” and “Uruksayas have kindled thee…with hymns.” Agni is the ritual mediator whose rising flame transforms butter, honey and oil into offerings that reach the immortals.
Worship with oil appears because oil and ghee are the liturgical substances the hymn lists—“the drops of butter are thy joy,” “honoured with gifts…is balmed with oil”—and those substances fuel Agni’s visible, purifying presence. The chapter treats Agni as household lord and protector whose bright flame both conveys gifts and destroys hostile forces, a theme also prominent in the Gṛhya-sūtras on domestic ritual.
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