Agni Rigveda

This is the first richa ऋचा (couplet) of the Rigveda.

ॐ अग्निमीळे पुरोहितं यज्ञस्य देवमृत्विजम्  । होतारं रत्नधातमम्  ।।

agnimILe purohitaM yajñasya devamRtvijam | hotAraM ratnadhAtamam ||

I worship the Fire God, who is the divine priest of the ritual of the sacrifice, who bestows excellence.

‘Agnim’ = fire. ‘Agni‘ here refers to the fire god himself.

ILe = doing prayer

purohitaM = Priest exclusive for family (clan)

yajñasya= The ritual of sacrifice

devam= Devine

Rtvijam= Chief priests

hotAraM = Chief priest in leading or presiding role(The hotṛ who recites invocations and litanies of the rigveda.

ratna = excellence, shining brilliance, literal meaning is gems

dhAtamam = who gives, bestows