Rig Veda · 253 of 1027
Mandala 3: HYMN XIX. Agni.
1.AGNI, quick, sage, infallible, all-knowing, I choose to be our Priest at this oblation. In our Gods’ service he, best skilled, shall worship: may he obtain us boons for strength and riches.
2.Agni, to thee I lift the oil-fed ladle, bright, with an offering, bearing our oblation. From the right hand, choosing the Gods’ attendance, he with rich presents hath arranged the worship.
3.Of keenest spirit is the man thou aidest give us good offspring, thou who givest freely. In power of wealth most rich in men. O Agni, of thee, the Good, may we sing forth fair praises.
4.Men as they worship thee the God, O Agni, have set on thee full many a brilliant, aspect. So bring Most Youthful One, the Gods’ assembly, the Heavenly Host which thou to-day shalt honour.
5.When Gods anoint thee Priest at their oblation, and seat thee for thy task as Sacrificer, O Agni, be thou here our kind defender, and to ourselves vouchsafe the gift of glory.
Asked of Guide
Why is Agni repeatedly called the Priest and Sacrificer in this hymn?
The hymn makes Agni the ritual intermediary: the poet chooses him “to be our Priest at this oblation” and lifts the oil-fed ladle to him, portraying Agni as the agent who carries offerings and secures the Gods’ attendance. Calling him Priest and Sacrificer locates religious power in a divine figure who performs the sacrificial act on behalf of humans and guarantees blessings like “good offspring” and “strength and riches.”
The language treats Agni as both officiant and guarantor of social goods; when “Gods anoint thee Priest” he becomes the communal mediator who confers honor and protection. This functional theology resembles the role of a priest in other Vedic hymns and in later ritual manuals, where the priestly figure stands between worshippers and deities to obtain boons.
Guide is the guide inside the Gnosis app, where every book on these shelves is free to read. Guide is the part you pay for — your guide has read all of them, and answers about the passage you’re actually on. Ask your guide your own question.