Rig Veda 7.6.2: Mandala 7, Sukta 6, Mantra 2
Sukta 7.6
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
कविं केतुं धासिं भानुमद्रेर्हिन्वन्ति शं राज्यं रोदस्योः । पुरंदरस्य गीर्भिरा विवासेऽग्नेर्व्रतानि पूर्व्या महानि ॥
kavím ketúṃ dhā́sīm bhā́num ádreḥ hinvánti śáṃ rā́jyaṃ ródasyoḥ | purandaráṣya gī́rbhir ā́ vivāse ’gnér vratā́ni pū́rvyā mahā́ni ||
إنهم يَدفعون الكافي—العلامة (كيتو)، والسَّنَد (دهاسي)، واللهيبَ المشعّ المولودَ من الحجر—نحو مُلكٍ مُباركٍ للعالَمَين. وبأناشيدي أُقيم العبادةَ لمُحطِّم الحصون؛ وأُوقِظُ سننَ أغني القديمةَ العظيمة.
Word by Word
- कविम्
- the sage/poet (Agni)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot कवि (प्रातिपदिक) < √कु/कव् (कवने/क्रान्तौ; व्युत्पत्तिः अनिश्चित)
- केतुम्
- the banner; sign; radianceNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot केतु (प्रातिपदिक)
- धासिम्
- the nourisher/support; (ritual) sustenanceNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot धासि (प्रातिपदिक; ‘पोषक/धारक/आहार’—वेदिक)
- भानुम्
- the shining light; beamNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot भानु (प्रातिपदिक)
- अद्रेः
- of the stone/rock (pressing-stone; mountain)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root अद्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
- हिन्वन्ति
- they impel/drive onVerbलट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot √हिन्व् (प्रेरणे/चोदने)
- शम्
- auspiciously; for welfareIndeclinableअव्ययRole विशेषण-भाव (क्रियाविशेषण) / प्रयोजनRoot शम् (अव्यय; ‘कल्याणम्/शान्तिः’)
- राज्यम्
- sovereignty; kingshipNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- रोदस्योः
- of the two worlds (heaven and earth)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग (द्विवचन-प्रयोगः), षष्ठी-विभक्ति, द्विवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root रोदसी (प्रातिपदिक; द्विवचन-शब्दः ‘द्यावापृथिवी’)
- पुरंदरस्य
- of the fort-destroyer (Indra)Noun (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root पुरंदर (प्रातिपदिक; ‘पुरं-दर’ = fort-destroyer; इन्द्रस्य विशेषणम्)
- गीर्भिः
- with hymns/voicesNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचनRole करणRoot गीर् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘वाक्/स्तुति’)
- आ
- towards; untoIndeclinableअव्यय (उपसर्गः)Role क्रियाविशेषणRoot आ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- विवासे
- I worship/revereVerbलिट् (परिप्रास/परफेक्ट; वेदिक-प्रयोग), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपदRole क्रियाRoot √वस् (निवासे/उपसेवायाम्) → विवास् (वेदिक: ‘पूजयति/उपासते’)
- अग्नेः
- of AgniNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- व्रतानि
- vows; ordinances; sacred lawsNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचनRole कर्म (विवासे) / विषयRoot व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
- पूर्व्या
- ancient; formerAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (व्रतानि इति विशेष्येण सह)Role विशेषणRoot पूर्व्य (प्रातिपदिक; ‘पूर्व’ से व्युत्पन्न)
- महानि
- greatAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (व्रतानि इति विशेष्येण सह)Role विशेषणRoot महत् (प्रातिपदिक; बहुवचन-रूप ‘महानि’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: कविम् | केतुम् | धासिम् | भानुम् | अद्रेः | हिन्वन्ति | शम् | राज्यम् | रोदस्योः || पुरंदरस्य | गीर्भिः | आ | विवासे | अग्नेः | व्रतानि | पूर्व्या | महानि || 1) भानुमद्रेः = भानुम् + अद्रेः (म् + अ → म् अ; संहितायां ‘मद्रेः’ इव दृश्यते)
- 2) गीर्भिरा = गीर्भिः + आ (विसर्ग-लोपः; ः + आ → रा)
- 3) विवासेऽग्नेः = विवासे + अग्नेः (ए + अ → एऽ; अवग्रहः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
They impel the seer-sign-support, the radiant flame born from the stone, toward the blissful sovereignty of the two worlds. With hymns the poet serves the fort-splitter; he awakens Agni’s ancient great laws.
Inner meaning
The inner powers (aspirations and godheads within) drive forward Agni as kavi (seer-will), ketu (banner of discernment), dhāsi (supporting power), and bhānu (radiant illumination). ‘Born from the stone’ (adrer) indicates the flame released from dense substance: consciousness emerging from the inert foundation. This fire is urged toward ‘śaṃ rājyaṃ rodasyoḥ’—a blissful sovereignty harmonizing the two worlds (inner heaven of mind and inner earth of embodied life). ‘Purandara’ here is Agni as the splitter of the forts: breaker of fixed formations and subconscious enclosures. By mantra-speech the rishi serves and awakens Agni’s ‘vratāni’—the eternal laws of right action and right becoming—so the inner kingdom stands in ṛta.
Universal truth
Transformation requires a luminous will released even from dense inertia; it must rule both inner and outer life, breaking imprisoning structures and re-establishing timeless principles of right order.
Themes
kindling myth, fort-splitting, ancient cosmic law, Agni as kavi
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vāsiṣṭha
- Other hymns
- RV 7.6.3-6 (Agni’s ordering power, likely continuation), RV 7.2 (Agni’s laws and leadership themes)
Family tradition
The Vasiṣṭha corpus often stresses ‘vrata’—Agni’s fixed laws—as the basis for stable realization after breakthroughs.
Significance
Vasiṣṭha integrates breakthrough (fort-splitting) with law (vrata): liberation must be followed by right order in the whole being.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni (Purandara aspect)
- Epithets
- Kavi, Ketu, Dhāsi, Bhānu, Purandara
- Related deities
- Indra (also Purandara in many hymns), Bṛhaspati (breaker of caves/forts of ignorance)
Cosmic role
Illumined will that sustains and governs both worlds; breaker of enclosing ‘forts’ of darkness; establisher of ancient ordinances.
Inner power
Releases consciousness from inertia, breaks limiting structures, and installs stable right habits aligned with ṛta.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni kindling with arani/stone imagery; hymnic service to awaken Agni’s ‘vrata’ (ritual laws)
क॒विं के॒तुं धा॒सिं भा॒नुमद्रे॑र्हि॒न्वन्ति॒ शं रा॒ज्यं रोद॑स्योः । पु॒रं॒द॒रस्य॑ गी॒र्भिरा वि॑वासे॒ऽग्नेर्व्र॒तानि॑ पू॒र्व्या म॒हानि॑ ॥
क॒विम् । के॒तुम् । धा॒सिम् । भा॒नुम् । अद्रेः॑ । हि॒न्वन्ति॑ । शम् । रा॒ज्यम् । रोद॑स्योः । पु॒र॒म्ऽद॒रस्य॑ । गीः॒ऽभिः । आ । वि॒वा॒से॒ । अ॒ग्नेः । व्र॒तानि॑ । पू॒र्व्या । म॒हानि॑ ॥
kavim | ketum | dhāsim | bhānum | adreḥ | hinvanti | śam | rājyam | rodasyoḥ | puram-darasya | gīḥ-bhiḥ | ā | vivāse | agneḥ | vratāni | pūrvyā | mahāni
44
4 × ~11
Dynamic propulsion (‘hinvanti’) followed by solemn establishment (‘vratāni’).
Energizes will to break inertia, then anchors resolve into disciplined order.
- कवि (kavi)
- Literal: seer, poet. Symbolic: visionary will: consciousness that knows and acts
- केतु (ketu)
- Literal: banner, sign. Symbolic: discriminating light; guiding signal of the path
- धासि (dhāsi)
- Literal: support, foundation. Symbolic: holding power that sustains the practice and the worlds
- भानु (bhānu)
- Literal: radiance. Symbolic: illumination that reveals and empowers
- अद्रेः (adreḥ)
- Literal: from the stone. Symbolic: from dense matter/inconscience; fire released from inertia
- शं राज्यम् (śaṃ rājyam)
- Literal: blissful sovereignty. Symbolic: harmonized inner governance bringing peace and joy
- रोदस्योः (rodasyoḥ)
- Literal: of the two worlds (heaven & earth). Symbolic: mind and life/body; inner heaven and inner earth to be unified
- पुरंदर (puraṃdara)
- Literal: fort-splitter. Symbolic: breaker of rigid formations, subconscious enclosures, and limiting habits
- व्रतानि (vratāni)
- Literal: laws, vows, ordinances. Symbolic: eternal principles of right action and right becoming (ṛta-dharma)
Kindling/awakening verse (fire from stone; hymns as ignition); supports rites where Agni’s ‘vrata’ is affirmed as the rule of the sacrifice.
At moments of ignition and consecration; also when reaffirming correct procedure (vrata) in a rite
Recitation during kindling and offerings; emphasis on correct observance and successful breakthrough of obstacles
For habit-change: invoke Agni to ‘split the forts’ (rigid patterns) and establish new ‘vratas’ (disciplines) grounded in peace.
adreḥ ‘stone’ evokes the archaic ignition motif (fire struck from stone) and symbolically ‘light released from the hard inconscient’. puram-dara ‘fort-splitter’ is a classic victory epithet; here applied to Agni to stress inner obstacle-breaking. dhāsi ‘support’ relates to sustaining/placing semantics (√dhā family).
awakening of ancient laws (vrata), sovereignty of the two worlds, release of light from inertia (stone)
‘Agner vratāni’ are the operational forms of ṛta—how order functions in action and growth.
Ketu/bhānu indicate truth-revealing light guiding right sovereignty.
Fire born from stone: emergence of consciousness from the Inconscient; creation as progressive illumination.
Vedic psychology aligned with Aurobindo: ascent and transformation via Agni, harmonizing mind and life, establishing dharma/vrata.
dawn or ignition-time (symbolic of emergence)
Stone = inertia/subconscient density; Fire = awakening will; Forts = fixed ego-structures; Two worlds = mind and embodied life needing unified rule.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ignition myth (fire impelled from stone) joined to the obstacle-breaking ‘fort-splitter’ theme: Agni’s radiance is awakened and made to rule blissfully over the two worlds by hymnic service, implying inner liberation and establishment of right sovereignty.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- kavi as inspired poet reflects an Indo-Iranian sacral-poetic institution; √hi ‘impel’ and √bhā (bhānu) continue archaic IE motion/light semantics. The dense appositional noun-string (kavim ketum dhāsim bhānum) is a hallmark of early IE hymnic style.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi ‘serves’ (vivāse) with hymns to awaken Agni’s ancient workings (vratāni). The relationship is collaborative activation: the deity is the inner seer and breaker of closures; the seer’s speech releases and directs that power toward a blissful sovereignty in the being.
Visualize a flame emerging from a stone at the base of the spine/earth-nature, rising to rule both ‘worlds’: calm mind-space above and embodied life below; affirm a new inner law (vrata) to live by.
Mūlādhāra (stone/inertia) → Ājñā (ketu/illumination) integration
Kapalabhati-light (gentle) or strong exhales for ‘fort-splitting’ followed by long calming breaths to establish ‘śaṃ rājya’.
Breakthrough into ordered sovereignty—strong, clear, disciplined peace.
Choose one ‘vrata’ (truthful speech, steady practice time, non-reactivity). Use the mantra to energize the break from old forts, then keep the new law unwaveringly for 40 days.
Rigvedic accenting; keep energetic lift on ‘hinvanti’ and clear settling cadence on ‘vratāni pūrvyā mahāni’.
Do not rush consonant clusters: ‘puraṃdarasya’, ‘gīrbhir ā vivāse’. Place a slight pause after pāda 2 to mark the shift from propulsion to service.
‘kaviṃ ketuṃ’ nasal anusvāra in kaviṃ; keep vowels short/clear, ‘adreḥ’ with rolled/clear r and visarga ḥ audible but light, ‘puraṃdarasya’ keep anusvāra before d as nasalization, not full ‘m’
Bright, forceful, penetrating—then more solemn on the final pāda.
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