Rig Veda 3.1.16: Mandala 3, Sukta 1, Mantra 16
Sukta 3.1
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
उपक्षेतारस्तव सुप्रणीतेऽग्ने विश्वानि धन्या दधानाः । सुरेतसा श्रवसा तुञ्जमाना अभि ष्याम पृतनायूँरदेवान् ॥
upa-kṣetā́ras táva supranīté ’gne víśvāni dhányā dádhānāḥ | surétasā śrávasā túñjamānā abhí syāma pṛtanāyū́ṃr ádevān ||
Mögen wir in deiner Nähe wohnen, o Agni, unter deiner guten Führung, alle Glücksgüter tragend. Vorandrängend mit edlem Samen der Kraft und mit Ruhm, mögen wir die kampfbegierigen, der Göttlichkeit entbehrenden, überwinden.
Word by Word
- उपक्षेतारः
- (they) dwell near / are resident attendantsNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot उप-क्षि (धातु) → उपक्षेतृ (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
- तव
- of you / yourPronounषष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)Root युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सुप्रणीते
- O well-guiding / well-ledAdjective (used vocatively)नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन (अग्ने इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role सम्बोधनRoot सु-प्र-नी (धातु) → सुप्रणीत (कृदन्त/विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक)
- अग्ने
- O AgniNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- विश्वानि
- all (things)Adjective (substantivized)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot विश्व (सर्व/विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक)
- धन्यानि
- prosperous goods / auspicious richesAdjective (substantivized)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (विश्वानि इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role KarmaRoot धन्य (विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक)
- दधानाः
- placing, bestowing, holdingParticipleपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; वर्तमानकाले कर्तरिRole KartāRoot धा (धातु) → दधाना (शतृ/शानच् कृदन्त)
- सुरेतसा
- with good seed/impulse; with good generative powerAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (श्रवसा इत्यस्य सह समुच्चयः)Role KaraṇaRoot सु-रेतस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- श्रवसा
- with fame / gloryNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot श्रवस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- तुञ्जमानाः
- urging on, impellingParticipleपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; वर्तमानकाले कर्तरिRole KartāRoot तुञ्ज्/तुञ्जय् (धातु, ‘to urge/press on’) → तुञ्जमान (शानच् कृदन्त)
- अभि
- towards, againstIndeclinableअव्ययRole (directional/goal marker with verb)Root अभि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- स्याम
- may we be / may we becomeVerbविधिलिङ् (optative), उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole (main verb)Root अस् (धातु) → स्याम (विधिलिङ्)
- पृतनायून्
- battle-foes / fightersNoun/Adjective (substantivized)पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot पृतना-यु (प्रातिपदिक; ‘battle-seeking/hostile in battle’)
- अदेवान्
- godless (ones), non-divine enemiesAdjective (substantivized)पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (पृतनायून् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role KarmaRoot अ-देव (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: उपक्षेतारः तव सुप्रणीते अग्ने विश्वानि धन्यानि दधानाः । सुरेतसा श्रवसा तुञ्जमानाः अभि स्याम पृतनायून् अदेवान् ॥ 1) सुप्रणीतेऽग्ने = सुप्रणीते + अग्ने (अ/अ → ’ अवग्रह). 2) विश्वानि धन्या दधानाः: संहितायां धन्या इति रूपं दृश्यते
- पदे धन्यानि (नपुं. द्वि. बहु.) विश्वानि इत्यन्वयात्. 3) पृतनायूँरदेवान् = पृतनायून् + अदेवान् (न् + अ → र् संधिः; नकारस्य रेफादेशः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
A prayer to live near Agni under his good guidance, possessing all good things, and to conquer the battle-seeking non-divine adversaries with strong seed and fame.
Inner meaning
To ‘dwell near’ Agni is to keep consciousness close to the inner flame so that life is lived under supraṇīti—right leading of the divine Will. ‘All felicities’ (dhanyā) are the harmonized powers of the being when guided by Agni: clarity, strength, joy, and effective action. Suretas (noble seed) is the pure generative force—upright vital energy and creative potency disciplined by the soul; śravas is the luminous recognition/fame of the truth-force (inner hearing and inspired affirmation). The ‘battle-seekers without the divine’ are movements of ego, falsehood, inertia, and hostile formations that attack the ascent; the mantra asks for victorious advance (abhi ṣyāma) through illumined will.
Universal truth
Staying close to the inner guiding principle brings integrated prosperity and the power to overcome inner conflict. Victory in life’s battle depends on right guidance, purified energy, and steadfast aspiration.
Themes
divine guidance, spiritual victory, abiding near Agni, overcoming hostile forces
The seer
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Lineage
- Viśvāmitra (Gāthin lineage)
- Other hymns
- RV 3.1, RV 3.2, RV 3.3, RV 3.4, RV 3.5
Family tradition
Warrior-seer tradition: conquest (jaya) is inwardized as victory over darkness and disorder through tapas and mantra.
Significance
His hymns often frame sadhana as a battle under divine leadership—Agni as commander of the inner march.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- supraṇīta (good leader), netṛ (guide, implied), uśij (eager flame, thematic in this maṇḍala)
- Related deities
- Indra (victory/illumination), Maruts (battle-force), Sarasvatī (inspired flow of word)
Cosmic role
Leader of the march of the gods in the human; awakens and directs the sacrificial journey.
Inner power
Directive will that disciplines energy (retas) and turns it into victorious force for the soul’s aim.
In ritual
Where it is used
General Agni-stuti in soma and non-soma rites; protective/victory prayer within yajña
उ॒प॒क्षे॒तार॒स्तव॑ सुप्रणी॒तेऽग्ने॒ विश्वा॑नि॒ धन्या॒ दधा॑नाः । सु॒रेत॑सा॒ श्रव॑सा॒ तुञ्ज॑माना अ॒भि ष्या॑म पृतना॒यूँरदे॑वान् ॥
उ॒प॒ऽक्षे॒तारः॑ । तव॑ । सु॒ऽप्र॒नी॒ते॒ । अ॒ग्ने॒ । विश्वा॑नि । धन्या॑ । दधा॑नाः । सु॒ऽरेत॑सा । श्रव॑सा । तुञ्ज॑मानाः । अ॒भि । स्या॒म॒ । पृ॒त॒ना॒ऽयून् । अदे॑वान् ॥
upa-kṣetāraḥ | tava | su-pranīte | agne | viśvāni | dhanyā | dadhānāḥ | su-retasā | śravasā | tuñjamānāḥ | abhi | syāma | pṛtanāyūn | adevān
44
4×11
Martial yet controlled; suited to aspiration and overcoming opposition.
Energizes resolve and courage while keeping the mind aligned to guidance rather than aggression.
- उपक्षेतारः (upakṣetāraḥ)
- Literal: dwellers nearby. Symbolic: abiding near the psychic fire; continuous recollection and alignment
- सुप्रणीति (supraṇīti)
- Literal: good leading. Symbolic: right guidance of the divine Will; inner governance
- धन्या (dhanyā)
- Literal: felicities, good things. Symbolic: harmonized attainments of the being (strength, joy, clarity, right action)
- सुरेतस् (suretas)
- Literal: good seed/virility. Symbolic: purified creative force; disciplined vital potency for spiritual works
- श्रवस् (śravas)
- Literal: fame, glory. Symbolic: luminous hearing and affirmation; recognized truth-force in consciousness
- पृतनायून् (pṛtanāyūn)
- Literal: battle-seekers. Symbolic: aggressive inner resistances, impulses that love conflict and division
- अदेवान् (adevān)
- Literal: without the gods, ungodly. Symbolic: movements not aligned with higher powers; anti-divine tendencies
Concluding aspiration: to live near Agni’s guidance, gain plenitude, and win over hostile forces; applicable in protective and victory-oriented sections of Agni worship within soma and domestic rites.
When seeking auspicious dwelling/protection and success against obstacles during ritual progress
Recitation with oblation and intention for protection and victory
Use before challenging tasks or during inner conflict: reaffirm ‘stay near the flame’ and invoke right leading over reactive impulses.
upa-kṣetṛ (upa- + √kṣi ‘to dwell’; PIE *tḱei- ‘settle, dwell’). supranīti (su- + pra-√nī ‘lead forth’): right leading. dhanya (from dhana ‘wealth’ < √dhan ‘to bestow/possess’): in RV often plenitude rather than material. retas ‘seed’ (creative essence). śravas (from √śru ‘hear’; also ‘fame’ as that which is heard): inner sense as receptive inspiration and its outward efficacy. pṛtanāyú ‘battle-seeking’ from pṛtanā ‘battle’. adevá ‘without the divine’—forces not aligned with ṛta.
ṛta-guidance (supranīti), rāyas/wealth as fullness (dhanya), conflict of divine vs non-divine impulses
Supraṇīti is Ṛta in action—right order governing the march of energies.
Adevāḥ represent departures from Satya; victory is return to truth-alignment.
The ‘holding of felicities’ suggests the building of a stable divine order in the embodied field.
Integral-vedic psychology: transformation of vital force into truth-force under Agni.
Dwelling near fire = living close to inner warmth of aspiration; seed = concentrated life-force; battle = friction of transformation.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The victory over the ‘non-divine battle-seekers’ is the generalized Vedic combat myth (light vs darkness) reframed as a request to dwell near Agni’s guidance. Psychologically, it is the overcoming of divisive, ignorant impulses by establishing life close to the transforming will.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √kṣi ‘dwell’ reflects an old IE settlement root family; √śru ‘hear’ (śravas) continues PIE *ḱleu- ‘hear, fame’ (cf. Greek kléos, English loud in distant relation), making śravas a key IE poetic inheritance: fame/hearing as power of the word.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi seeks sustained proximity (upa-kṣetra) and leadership (supranīti) from Agni, not a one-time boon. Agni’s reciprocity is guidance plus plenitude (dhanya) culminating in victory over forces ‘without the divine’—i.e., misaligned with ṛta.
Abiding near the psychic warmth; converting raw drive into ‘noble seed’—pure, steady force.
manipura (will/energy discipline)
ujjāyī light (or slow counted breathing 4-4-6) to stabilize and energize
Steady, courageous, guided; ready for decisive inner action.
Visualize a small steady flame at the navel/heart axis; with each inhale ‘hold the felicities’ (clarity, calm, strength); with each exhale release the ‘adevān’ impulses; end with a firm intention to act under guidance.
Tri-svara with emphasis on key compounds (supraṇīte, suretasā, pṛtanāyūn).
Let the cadence rise slightly on aspiration phrases and land firmly on abhi ṣyāma.
upakṣetāraḥ: kṣ cluster clean (k+ṣ), not ‘chh’, supraṇīte: ṇ retroflex; long ī, suretasā: su-re-ta-sā, keep vowels clear, tuñjamānāḥ: ñj nasal-palatal cluster; long āḥ ending, pṛtanāyūn: ṛ vocalic r; long ūn
Bright, forward, controlled power; avoid strain.
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