Rig Veda 1.21.6: Mandala 1, Sukta 21, Mantra 6
Sukta 1.21
- Devata
- Indrāgnī
- Chandas
- Gāyatrī
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
तेन सत्येन जागृतमधि प्रचेतुने पदे । इन्द्राग्नी शर्म यच्छतम् ॥
téna satyéna jāgṛtam ádhi pra-cetúne padé | indrāgnī śárma yacchatam ||
Durch jene Wahrheit: wacht und seid wachsam auf dem lichten Schritt der weiten Einsicht; Indra und Agni, gewährt uns śárman — schützende Zuflucht, Frieden und Heil.
Word by Word
- तेन
- by/with thatPronounनपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया-एकवचनम्Role करणRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सत्येन
- with truth; by truthNoun (abstract)नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया-एकवचनम्Role करणRoot सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- जागृतम्
- be awake (you two)!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), मध्यमपुरुषः, द्विवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Role (आह्वान) कर्ता = युवाम् (इन्द्राग्नी)Root जागृ (धातु)
- अधि
- upon; overIndeclinable (preverb/preposition)अव्ययम्Role Adhikaraṇa (उपरि/अधिष्ठाने सूचक)Root अधि
- प्रचेतुने
- to/for the foreknowing one (the wise/Provident)Noun/Adjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्गे चतुर्थी-एकवचनम्Role सम्प्रदानRoot प्रचेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
- पदे
- in/at the step, place, footingNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी-एकवचनम्Role अधिकरणRoot पद (प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्राग्नी
- O Indra and AgniNoun (dual deity name)पुंलिङ्गे सम्बोधन-प्रथमा, द्विवचनम्Role सम्बोधनRoot इन्द्र + अग्नि (समासः; द्वन्द्व)
- शर्म
- shelter; protection; blissNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया-एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot शर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- यच्छतम्
- grant (you two)!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), मध्यमपुरुषः, द्विवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Role (आह्वान) कर्ता = युवाम् (इन्द्राग्नी)Root यम् (धातु; यच्छ-आदेशः)
Sandhi Notes
- पदपाठानुसारं सन्धिविच्छेदः: तेन | सत्येन | जागृतम् | अधि | प्रचेतुने | पदे | इन्द्राग्नी | शर्म | यच्छतम् ।
- ‘इन्द्राग्नी’ इति द्वन्द्वसमासः (इन्द्र + अग्नि) एकपदत्वेन।
The meaning
Outer meaning
By that Truth, stay awake upon the step of wide discernment; Indra and Agni, grant us shelter/peace.
Inner meaning
The mantra shifts from summoning and battle to vigilant establishment. ‘Satya’ is a power of truth-consciousness; by it, the seeker remains awake (jāgṛtam) on the ‘pada’—the stable step or plane—of ‘pra-cetuna’, a widened, forward-moving discernment. Indra-Agni then bestow ‘śarma’: a guarded peace, not mere comfort, but a protective harmony that allows the ascent and right action without collapse into lower movements.
Universal truth
Truth is not an idea but a sustaining force: when we stand on a clear step of discernment and remain awake, peace becomes an active protection that supports growth.
Themes
Vigilance, Truth-consciousness, Protection and peace (śarma), Inner progress (pada)
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 1.21.4-5 (invocation and protection preceding this stabilization)
Family tradition
A seer-line that values vigilance (jāgṛti) and truth-force (satya) as conditions for stable ascent.
Significance
The rishi’s psychology is sequential: invite the powers, remove distortions, then establish wakeful truth on a stable step and receive protective peace.
The deity
- Devata
- Indrāgnī
- Epithets
- satya-vrata (truth-keeping—functional here), jāgarūka (wakeful—functional here), śarma-dā (givers of shelter)
- Related deities
- Varuṇa/Mitra (Satya/R̥ta guardians, thematic kinship), Savitṛ (awakening/impulsion toward right seeing)
Cosmic role
Sustainers of truth and guardians of the upward step; they secure the path of the sacrifice and the ascent of consciousness.
Inner power
Wakeful truth-guidance: illumined discernment (Indra) plus steady aspirational heat (Agni) producing protected peace (śarma).
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma rite—invocation for vigilance and protective peace in the sadas
तेन॑ स॒त्येन॑ जागृत॒मधि॑ प्रचे॒तुने॑ प॒दे । इन्द्रा॑ग्नी॒ शर्म॑ यच्छतम् ॥
तेन॑ । स॒त्येन॑ । जा॒गृ॒त॒म् । अधि॑ । प्र॒ऽचे॒तुने॑ । प॒दे । इन्द्रा॑ग्नी॒ इति॑ । शर्म॑ । य॒च्छ॒त॒म् ॥
tena | satyena | jāgṛtam | adhi | pra-cetune | pade | indrāgnī iti | śarma | yacchatam
Likely Gāyatrī (3×8 approx.; contemplative but firm)
24
3×8 (approx.)
Balanced and watchful; less percussive than 1.21.5, more stabilizing.
Induces alert calm—wakefulness without strain; settles the mind onto a clear footing.
- सत्येन (satyena)
- Literal: by/with the Truth. Symbolic: truth-force as a spiritual power that keeps consciousness aligned
- जागृतम् (jāgṛtam)
- Literal: be awake, keep watch. Symbolic: continuous mindfulness/vigilant awareness
- अधि (adhi)
- Literal: upon, over. Symbolic: establishment on a higher poise/plane
- प्रचेतुने (pra-cetune)
- Literal: to/for wide intelligence, discernment. Symbolic: expanding consciousness that perceives rightly and ahead
- पदे (pade)
- Literal: step, footing, station. Symbolic: stable level of realization; secure standpoint in sādhanā
- शर्म (śarma)
- Literal: shelter, peace, protection. Symbolic: guarded peace that preserves progress against relapse
Protective and elevating petition within Soma rite: invoking satya as the basis for vigilance; asking for śarma (protective peace) to stabilize the sacrificer’s progress.
After establishing the offering and protection, to maintain wakeful order and receive śarma (shelter) for the rite’s success.
Mantric establishment of satya and request for śarma from Indrāgnī.
As a mindfulness anchor: chant before decision-making or during transitions to remain awake on a ‘truth-based step’ and act from protected calm.
satya-: from sat ‘being’ (present participle of √as ‘be’; PIE *h₁es-) + -ya, ‘truth as being’. jāgṛtam: dual imperative from √jāgṛ ‘be awake’ (related to √jṛ/√gṛ; Indo-Iranian). pra-cetá: from pra- ‘forth’ + √cit ‘perceive, notice’ (PIE *ḱei̯t- ‘notice’; cf. Eng. ‘cite’ via Latin citare is different, but ‘cognize’ semantic parallels). pada-: ‘step’ from √pad ‘go/step’ (PIE *ped- ‘foot’; cf. Lat. pēs, Eng. foot via different root, but ‘ped-’ in ‘pedal’). śárman: ‘shelter, protection’ from √śṛ/√śar ‘cover, protect’ (semantic). yacchatam: dual imperative of √yam ‘hold, restrain, grant’; also ‘regulate’—granting śarma as regulated peace.
Satya (Truth as being), Pracetas (expanded consciousness/discernment), Rita-Satya foundation for protection (truth-based guardianship)
Wakefulness on the right ‘pada’ is the human participation in R̥ta—staying aligned rather than drifting into disorder.
Satya is explicitly invoked as the means of awakening and stability.
Ascent by steps: consciousness rises through stable stations guarded by truth and divine powers.
Early Vedic yoga of wakeful truth (jāgṛti + satya) anticipating Upaniṣadic emphasis on awareness and the ‘path’ (mārga/pada).
dawn-to-day vigilance (implied by ‘awake’)
Dawn-like awakening in consciousness; the ‘step’ as a stable plateau of clarity; peace as a protective atmosphere around the inner flame.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Truth as guardian-power: by satya the gods keep watch on the ‘step’ of awakened discernment. The mythic action is not combat but vigilance—maintaining the foothold of higher consciousness against lapse into darkness.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- satya is built on √as ‘be’ (PIE *h₁es-), a central IE root linking truth with being. pada ‘step/foot’ reflects PIE *ped-. The semantic pairing ‘truth + wakefulness’ echoes archaic IE sacral ideology where right order depends on vigilant, truthful speech and action.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi appeals to the devatā as executors of satya within the seeker: Indra-Agni are asked to maintain wakeful force and illumined will at the critical ‘pada’ of progress, and to grant śarma—peace that is not inertia but a protective stability for ascent.
Rest attention on ‘satya’ as a felt alignment; remain awake on a stable inner step; invite śarma as protective peace.
Ajna (discernment) with Anahata (peace/shelter)
Even breathing: inhale on ‘tena satyena’, pause lightly on ‘jāgṛtam’, exhale on ‘śarma yacchatam’.
Alert serenity; stable witness-consciousness with supportive warmth.
Ask inwardly: ‘What is true right now?’ Stand on that simplest truth (body breathing, intention sincere). Chant once, then sit for 5–10 minutes maintaining wakeful ease; let peace become a guard, not a lull.
Tri-svara Rigvedic contour; allow a gentle udātta rise on ‘satyena’ and ‘jāgṛtam’; settle on ‘śarma’.
Keep ‘tena satyena’ flowing; make ‘jāgṛtam’ crisp (wakeful); soften into ‘śarma yacchatam’ as a granting.
tena: short e; dental n, satyena: ‘ty’ conjunct clear; long e, jāgṛtam: long ā; retroflex ṛ; do not over-roll ‘gṛ’, pra-cetune: split pra-ce-tu-ne; dental t, śarma: palatal ś; short a
Clear, calm, slightly luminous; avoid heaviness.
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