Rig Veda · 978 of 1027
Mandala 10: HYMN CXLI. Viśvedevas.
1.TURN hither, Agni, speak to us: come to us with a gracious mind. Enrich us, Master of the house: thou art the Giver of our wealth.
2.Let Aryarnan vouchsafe us wealth, and Bhaga, and Bṛhaspati. Let the Gods give their gifts, and let Sūnṛtā, Goddess, grant us wealth.
3.We call King Soma to our aid, and Agni with our songs and hymns, Ādityas, Viṣṇu, Sūrya, and the Brahman Priest Bṛhaspati.
4.Indra, Vāyu, Bṛhaspati, Gods swift to listen, we invoke, That in the synod all the folk may be benevolent to us.
5.Urge Aryaman to send us gifts, and Indra, and Bṛhaspati, Vāta, Viṣṇu, Sarasvatī and the Strong Courser Savitar.
6.Do thou, O Agni, with thy fires strengthen our prayer and sacrifice: Urge givers to bestow their wealth to aid our service of the Gods.
Asked of Guide
Why does this hymn keep naming many gods when asking for wealth and gifts?
The hymn summons a long roll of deities—Agni, Aryaman, Bhaga, Bṛhaspati, Soma, Indra, Viṣṇu, Sarasvatī, Savitar—because each name signals a specific role in the ritual economy: Agni as mediator, Bhaga and Aryaman as dispensers of wealth, Bṛhaspati as priestly patron, Soma as a kingly power. Naming them stitches the community’s need into the Vedic network of forces that authorize giving and maintain social reciprocity.
This technique appears across the Rigveda: invoking multiple gods increases the ritual’s reach and persuasive force, as in many hymns of Mandala 10 where lists of gods accompany petitions. The practice resembles the cataloging in other sacrificial texts like the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa, which explains why particular deities are called for specific benefits.
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.