Rig Veda 3.22.1: Mandala 3, Sukta 22, Mantra 1
Sukta 3.22
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
अयं सो अग्निर्यस्मिन्त्सोममिन्द्रः सुतं दधे जठरे वावशानः । सहस्रिणं वाजमत्यं न सप्तिं ससवान्त्सन्त्स्तूयसे जातवेदः ॥
ayáṃ só agnír yásmint sómam índraḥ sutáṃ dadhé jaṭháre vāvaśānáḥ | sahasríṇaṃ vā́jam átyaṃ ná saptíṃ sasavā́nt sán stū́yase jātavedāḥ ||
Dies ist jener Agni, in den Indra, jauchzend, den gepressten Soma in den Leib gelegt hat. Nachdem du die tausendfache Fülle der Kraft gewonnen hast — wie ein schneller Hengst, wie ein dahinjagender Renner — wirst du gepriesen, o Jātavedas, als siegreicher Träger.
Word by Word
- अयम्
- this (one)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सः
- he/thatPronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अग्निः
- Agni (fire-god)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- यस्मिन्
- in whom/whereinPronounपुंलिङ्गः/नपुंसकलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, एकवचनम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सोमम्
- Soma (the pressed drink)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्रः
- IndraNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- सुतम्
- pressed, expressedAdjective/Participleपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम् (सोमम् इति विशेष्यस्य) अथवा नपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot सु (धातु) → सुत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; क्त) अथवा सुत (विशेषण)
- दधे
- has placed/has putVerbलिट् (परिप्रास/परफेक्ट), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, आत्मनेपदम्Role KriyāRoot धा (धातु)
- जठरे
- in the bellyNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, एकवचनम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot जठर (प्रातिपदिक)
- वावशानः
- eagerly desiring, yearningParticipleपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम् (इन्द्रस्य विशेषणम्)Role KartāRoot वाश्/वश् (धातु; ‘to desire/long for’, वेदिक) → वावशान (कृदन्त; लिट्-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान-भावक/आत्मनेपदीय)
- सहस्रिणम्
- thousand-fold, possessing a thousandAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम् (वाजम् इति विशेष्यस्य)Role KarmaRoot सहस्रिन् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘having a thousand’)
- वाजम्
- prize, strength, winning powerNounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot वाज (प्रातिपदिक)
- अत्यम्
- a steedNounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot अत्य (प्रातिपदिक; ‘steed’)
- न
- like, asIndeclinableउपमा-निपातःRoot न (अव्यय)
- सप्तिम्
- a steed (swift horse)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot सप्ति (प्रातिपदिक; ‘horse/steed’, वेदिक)
- ससवान्
- having won/produced (victorious)Participleपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम् (अग्नेः/स्तुत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role KartāRoot सू (धातु; ‘to press/impel/bring forth’) → ससवान् (कृदन्त; लिट्-परफेक्ट-भागवत्/क्वसु)
- सन्
- beingParticipleपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot अस् (धातु) → सन् (शतृ/वर्तमान कृदन्त)
- स्तूयसे
- you are praisedVerbलट् (वर्तमान), मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, आत्मनेपदम् (कर्मणि-प्रयोगः/मध्यस्थ-भावः)Role KriyāRoot स्तु (धातु)
- जातवेदः
- O Jātavedas (Agni, knower of births/all beings)Noun (vocative epithet)पुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन, एकवचनम्Role SambodhanaRoot जातवेदस् (प्रातिपदिक; अग्नेः नाम)
Sandhi Notes
- संहिता-पाठः: अ॒यं सो अ॒ग्निर्यस्मि॒न्त्सोम॒मिन्द्र॑: सु॒तं द॒धे ज॒ठरे॑ वावशा॒नः । स॒ह॒स्रिणं॒ वाज॒मत्यं॒ न सप्तिं॑ सस॒वान्त्सन्त्स्तू॑यसे जातवेदः ॥ पदच्छेदः (सन्धि-विच्छेद): अयम् । सः । अग्निः । यस्मिन् । सोमम् । इन्द्रः । सुतम् । दधे । जठरे । वावशानः । सहस्रिणम् । वाजम् । अत्यम् । न । सप्तिम् । ससवान् । सन् । स्तूयसे । जातवेदः । मुख्य-सन्धयः: (1) अग्निः + यस्मिन् → अग्निर्यस्मिन् (विसर्ग-रेफः) । (2) यस्मिन् + सोमम् → यस्मिन् सोमम् (नासिक्य-सन्धि/संहिता में -न्त्स- लेखन: यस्मिन्त्सोमम्) । (3) सोमम् + इन्द्रः → सोममिन्द्रः (अकार-सन्धि) । (4) ससवान् + सन् → ससवान्त्सन् (त्-आगम/व्यञ्जन-सन्धि) । (5) सन् + स्तूयसे → सन्त्स्तूयसे (न् + स् → न्त्स्) ।
The meaning
Outer meaning
Agni is praised as the fire in whom Indra places the pressed Soma, rejoicing; Agni wins a thousandfold prize of strength like a swift horse and is lauded as Jātavedas.
Inner meaning
The awakened Divine Will (Agni) becomes the vessel and transformer of delight (Soma). The illumined Mind (Indra) ‘places’ the pressed ecstasy into the inner being (jaṭhara = the receptive depth), so the will can act with joy (vāvaśānaḥ). From this union arises sahasriṇaḥ vājaḥ: a manifold force of accomplishment—swift, victorious, and progressive like the urged vital energies (aśva imagery) now governed by the soul’s fire.
Universal truth
When aspiration (Agni) is fed by higher illumination (Indra) and sustained by inner delight (Soma), action becomes both powerful and joyful; victory is not strain but a luminous, many-sided abundance.
Themes
Soma-Agni-Indra integration, Victory and plenitude (vāja), Inner digestion/transformation, Praise as activation
The seer
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Lineage
- Viśvāmitra (Gāthina lineage)
- Other hymns
- RV 3.1, RV 3.2, RV 3.3, RV 3.4, RV 3.62.10
Family tradition
Maṇḍala 3 is the Viśvāmitra family book, marked by mantras of conquest of light, widening (uru), and establishment of the inner sacrifice through Agni–Indra powers.
Significance
Viśvāmitra embodies the transition from forceful seeking to illumined mastery: the will (Agni) yoked to the light-mind (Indra) to win the ‘cows’ (rays) and found a wide, ordered consciousness (ṛta).
The deity
- Devata
- Agni (with Indra as associated actor)
- Epithets
- Jātavedas, Vāvaśāna (rejoicing/ardent), Hotṛ (implied inner priest)
- Related deities
- Indra, Soma, Uṣas (implicit dawn-illumination that follows release of light)
Cosmic role
Mediator between worlds; carrier of offerings; awakener of the gods (powers) and establisher of the sacrifice.
Inner power
Aspiration and transformative will that digests Soma (delight) and converts it into victorious force and right action.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni-stotra/Agni-invocation within Soma-yajña setting (Soma placed/received; praise of Jātavedas)
अ॒यं सो अ॒ग्निर्यस्मि॒न्त्सोम॒मिन्द्र॑: सु॒तं द॒धे ज॒ठरे॑ वावशा॒नः । स॒ह॒स्रिणं॒ वाज॒मत्यं॒ न सप्तिं॑ सस॒वान्त्सन्त्स्तू॑यसे जातवेदः ॥
अ॒यम् । सः । अ॒ग्निः । यस्मि॑न् । सोम॑म् । इन्द्रः॑ । सु॒तम् । द॒धे । ज॒ठरे॑ । वा॒व॒शा॒नः । स॒ह॒स्रिण॑म् । वाज॑म् । अत्य॑म् । न । सप्ति॑म् । स॒स॒वान् । सन् । स्तू॒य॒से॒ । जा॒त॒ऽवे॒दः॒ ॥
ayam | saḥ | agniḥ | yasmin | somam | indraḥ | sutam | dadhe | jaṭhare | vāvaśānaḥ | sahasriṇam | vājam | atyam | na | saptim | sasavān | san | stūyase | jāta-vedaḥ
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4 pādas × ~11 syllables (with Vedic resolution/length variations)
Strong, forward-driving cadence suited to victory and expansive affirmation.
Energizes aspiration; produces a feeling of uplift and dynamic assurance, as if the inner forces are being yoked and set into motion.
- अग्निः (agniḥ)
- Literal: fire. Symbolic: divine will, inner priest, power of aspiration that carries offerings upward
- इन्द्रः (indraḥ)
- Literal: Indra. Symbolic: illumined mind, lord of light who releases the hidden rays
- सोमम् सुतम् (somam sutam)
- Literal: pressed Soma. Symbolic: distilled bliss/ānanda extracted by inner discipline
- जठरे (jaṭhare)
- Literal: in the belly. Symbolic: inner receptacle; the vital-psychic depth where energies are digested/transformed
- वावशानः (vāvaśānaḥ)
- Literal: rejoicing, desiring. Symbolic: glad assent of the being when delight enters the will
- सहस्रिणं वाजम् (sahasriṇaṃ vājam)
- Literal: thousandfold prize/strength. Symbolic: plentitude of effective force; abundant capacities released by illumination
- अत्यं न सप्तिम् (atyaṃ na saptim)
- Literal: like a swift steed/racer. Symbolic: purified life-force and dynamic energies made swift under the divine guidance
- जातवेदः (jātavedaḥ)
- Literal: knower of all births. Symbolic: Agni as the consciousness that knows origins, processes, and right ordering of energies
Soma-sacrifice linkage: Agni as the receiver/digester of Soma placed by Indra; inwardly, assimilation of delight into victorious force.
During Soma pressing sequences and Agni praise sections; also adaptable to daily Agnihotra-style invocations.
Kindling/praising fire; offering ghee and Soma-libations (symbolically: offering breath, attention, delight).
Use as a pre-meditation ‘inner kindling’: invoke will, then consciously ‘place Soma’—a cultivated joy—into the heart-belly region to make action luminous.
Indra ‘places Soma in Agni’s belly’: symbolic digestion—delight is transformed into force. vāja is multivalent: ‘prize/food’ but rooted in strength and fullness; here ‘plenitude of force’ (sahasrin vāja) consistent with victory language (√san). saptí ‘racer’ and atyá ‘steed’ are kinetic images: the divine force moves swiftly through obstacles. √stu ‘praise’ frames the hymn as activation by speech.
transmutation (digestion of soma into power), victory/attainment (√san), integration of will (Agni) and mind-force (Indra)
Agni as executor of ṛta: right action becomes possible when Soma-delight is rightly held and transformed.
Jātavedas knows the true origin (satya) of movements and aligns them toward victory.
Transformation of essence into force: delight distilled becomes power of becoming (vāja) through the fire of consciousness.
Proto-Vedāntic/Vedantic-yogic reading aligned with Aurobindonian psychological symbolism.
Fire = will; Soma = bliss; horse-speed = liberated life-energy; belly = inner assimilation where delight becomes strength.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is the collaboration of Indra and Agni around Soma: Indra ‘installs’ Soma in Agni, and Agni becomes the victorious, swift force winning plenitude (vāja). In the inner sense, illumined mind-force (Indra) places delight (Soma) into the transformative will-fire (Agni), producing a thousandfold energy for progress.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √dhā ‘place’ (dadhé) is PIE *dʰeh₁-. √san ‘win/attain’ (sasavān) continues Indo-Iranian attainment vocabulary. Horse imagery as a metaphor for force and victory is pan-Indo-European poetic inheritance.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi identifies the operative divine configuration (Agni as vessel of Soma placed by Indra) and praises Agni as the victorious mover. The reciprocity is that recognition and praise stabilize the divine action, allowing the inner delight to be converted into effective power.
Unite will (Agni) with illumined mind (Indra) and cultivate a ‘pressed Soma’—quiet joy—before action.
Manipura (jaṭhara/inner fire) with ascent toward Anahata (joyful offering)
Gentle kapalabhati-like warming (very mild) followed by slow nasal breathing; on inhale ‘receive Soma’, on exhale ‘offer into Agni’.
Dynamic calm: energized, clear, and glad.
Begin by invoking a steady flame of aspiration; recall a pure joy; let that joy sink into the belly-heart depth; then choose one action and perform it as an offering, maintaining inner gladness.
Vedic tri-svara (udātta/anudātta/svarita) as per śākhā tradition; maintain udātta peaks on key nouns (agniḥ, indraḥ, soma).
Keep the natural rise on udātta syllables; avoid flattening compounds; pause lightly at the | (pāda break).
Hold long vowels clearly: sū- (in stūyase), jā-ta-ve-daḥ, Retroflex ṭh/ḍh: dadhe, jaṭhare, Clusters: stūyase (stū-ya-se) without inserting extra vowel, Visarga: agniḥ with soft aspiration before following sound
Bright, steady, slightly forceful; let ‘vāvaśānaḥ’ sound joyful rather than harsh.
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