Mandala 1

Sukta 13: The Apri sukta of Medhatithi

Rishi: मेधातिथिः काण्वः · Devata: आप्री सूक्तं, अग्निरूपा देवताः (१ इध्मः समिद्धोऽग्निर्वा, २ तनूनपात्, ३ नराशंसः, ४ इळः, ५ बर्हिः, ६ देवीर्द्वारः, ७ उषासानक्ता, ८ दैव्यौ होतारौ प्रचेतसौ, ९ तिस्रो देव्यः सरस्वतीळाभारत्यः, १० त्वष्टा, ११ वनस्पतिः, १२ स्वाहाकृतयः · Metre: गायत्री

12 verses · 13 of 191

What happens in this chapter

The Apri sukta of Medhatithi

An Apri sukta is recited at the animal yajna, and each verse invites one form of Agni or one helper of the rite. Medhatithi Kanva's version runs through them in gayatri. Agni well kindled; Tanunapat, who makes the offering sweet; Narashamsa with honey on his tongue; Agni praised, set down by Manu as hotar; the strewn grass spread with ghee; the divine doors swinging open; Night and Dawn in fair form; the two divine hotars; the three goddesses Ila, Sarasvati and Mahi; Tvashtar of all forms; Vanaspati, the tree, asked to release the offering; and last the cries of svaha to Indra.

13.1

सुस॑मिद्धो न॒ आ व॑ह दे॒वाँ अ॑ग्ने ह॒विष्म॑ते ।
होत॑ः पावक॒ यक्षि॑ च

susamiddho na ā vaha devām̐ agne haviṣmate |
hotaḥ pāvaka yakṣi ca

13.2

मधु॑मन्तं तनूनपाद्य॒ज्ञं दे॒वेषु॑ नः कवे ।
अ॒द्या कृ॑णुहि वी॒तये॑

madhumantaṃ tanūnapādyajñaṃ deveṣu naḥ kave |
adyā kṛṇuhi vītaye

13.3

नरा॒शंस॑मि॒ह प्रि॒यम॒स्मिन्य॒ज्ञ उप॑ ह्वये ।
मधु॑जिह्वं हवि॒ष्कृत॑म्

narāśaṃsamiha priyamasminyajña upa hvaye |
madhujihvaṃ haviṣkṛtam

13.4

अग्ने॑ सु॒खत॑मे॒ रथे॑ दे॒वाँ ई॑ळि॒त आ व॑ह ।
असि॒ होता॒ मनु॑र्हितः

agne sukhatame rathe devām̐ īḻita ā vaha |
asi hotā manurhitaḥ