Rig Veda 6.5.6: Mandala 6, Sukta 5, Mantra 6
Sukta 6.5
- Devata
- Agni
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Raudra (fury)
स तत्कृधीषितस्तूयमग्ने स्पृधो बाधस्व सहसा सहस्वान् । यच्छस्यसे द्युभिरक्तो वचोभिस्तज्जुषस्व जरितुर्घोषि मन्म ॥
sa tat kṛdhīṣitas tūyam agne spṛdho bādhasva sahasā sahasvān | yac chasyase dyu-bhir akto vacobhis taj juṣasva jaritur ghoṣi manma ||
Vollbringe denn dieses Werk, o Agni, schnell, wenn du angetrieben wirst; vertreibe die rivalisierenden Mächte, du, der du mit Kraft gewaltig, allgewaltig bist. Und was immer dir verkündet wird – von Tagen erhellt, mit Worten gesalbt –, das nimm an; lass den Gedanken des Sängers widerhallen.
Word by Word
- सः
- he (Agni)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) → स- (प्रonominal stem)
- तत्
- that (deed/aid)Pronounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- कृधी
- do! / make!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्Role (क्रिया)Root कृ (धातु)
- ईषितः
- impelled, urged onParticiple (Adjective)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (विशेषणम् सः इति)Root ईष्/ईष् (धातु) → ईषित (कृदन्त, क्त)
- तूयम्
- swiftlyIndeclinableअव्ययम्Role क्रियाविशेषणम्Root तूयम् (अव्यय; ‘शीघ्रम्’)
- अग्ने
- O AgniNounपुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन, एकवचनम्Role सम्बोधनRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- स्पृधः
- hostilities, rivalsNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्Role कर्मRoot स्पृध् (स्त्रीलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिक ‘स्पृध्’ = rivalry/hostility)
- बाधस्व
- repel! / drive away!Verbलोट्, मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्Role (क्रिया)Root बाध् (धातु)
- सहसा
- with might, by forceNoun (instrumental used adverbially)नपुंसकलिङ्गः, तृतीया, एकवचनम्Role करणRoot सहस् (नपुंसकलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिक)
- सहस्वान्
- mighty, powerfulAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (विशेषणम् सः/अग्निः इति)Root सहस् (प्रातिपदिक) → सहस्वन्त् (विशेषण)
- यत्
- what (that which)Relative pronounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- शस्यसे
- you are praisedVerbलट् (वर्तमान), मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्Role (क्रिया)Root शंस् (धातु)
- द्युभिः
- with lights / with heavenly (splendours)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, तृतीया, बहुवचनम्Role करणRoot द्यु (स्त्रीलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिक ‘द्युः’ = heaven/brightness)
- अक्तः
- anointed, adornedParticiple (Adjective)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (विशेषणम्—अग्निः)Root अञ्ज् (धातु) → अक्त (कृदन्त, क्त)
- वचोभिः
- with words, with hymnsNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, तृतीया, बहुवचनम्Role करणRoot वचस् (नपुंसकलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिक)
- तत्
- thatPronounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- जुषस्व
- enjoy! / accept graciously!Verbलोट्, मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्Role (क्रिया)Root जुष् (धातु)
- जरितुः
- of the singer/praiserNounपुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root जरितृ (प्रातिपदिक; ‘singer, praiser’)
- घोषि
- resoundingAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम् (कर्मणि—मन्म इति)Role कर्म (विशेषणम् मन्मनः)Root घोषिन् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘sounding, resounding’)
- मन्म
- hymn/thought (prayer)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot मन्मन्/मन्म (नपुंसकलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिक; ‘thought, hymn, devotion’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धि-निरसनम्): सः तत् कृधी ईषितः तूयम् अग्ने | स्पृधः बाधस्व सहसा सहस्वान् || यत् शस्यसे द्युभिः अक्तः वचोभिः | तत् जुषस्व जरितुः घोषि मन्म || 1) तत्कृधीषि॒तस्- → तत् + कृधी + ईषितः (इ + ई संधिः: दीर्घ ‘ई’)
- 2) स्पृधो बाधस्व → स्पृधः बाधस्व (विसर्ग-लोप/ओ-आदेशः पदसंहितायाम्)
- 3) द्युभिरक्तो → द्युभिः + अक्तः (विसर्गः + अ- आरम्भे लोपः)
- 4) वचोभिस्तज्जु॑षस्व → वचोभिः + तत् + जुषस्व (विसर्ग-लोपः; तत् + ज- → तज्ज- (व्यञ्जनसन्धिः))
- 5) जरि॒तुर्घोषि॒ → जरितुः + घोषि (विसर्ग-लोपः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Agni is urged to act swiftly when impelled, to drive away rival powers by his force, and to accept the brightened, word-anointed praise; to make resound the singer’s thought.
Inner meaning
When aspiration (iṣita) rises, the inner Fire must respond quickly—turning will into effective transformation. ‘Rivals’ (spṛdhaḥ) are competing impulses and hostile formations that contest the soul’s movement. The mantra asks Agni to repel them by spiritual strength (sahasā). The hymn and speech ‘brightened by days’ indicates the clarity gained through repeated illumination and practice; ‘anointed with words’ suggests speech made potent by sincerity. Agni is asked to accept this and amplify (‘ghoṣi’) the seer-thought (manma) so it becomes an effective vibration in consciousness.
Universal truth
Spiritual intention must be met by swift, forceful inner response; true speech and luminous thought, repeatedly clarified, become powerful instruments to dispel inner conflict.
Themes
obstacle-removal, swift-divine-response, mantric-empowerment, acceptance-of-offering
The seer
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja tradition (Mandala 6)
- Lineage
- Bharadvāja
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 6.5.4, Rig Veda 6.5.7, Rig Veda 6.6.1, Rig Veda 6.16.1
Family tradition
Bharadvāja hymns often combine urgency (tūyam) with a demand for effective inner action—Agni as executor of the yogic will.
Significance
The seer’s psychology: aspiration must translate into forceful purification; mantra becomes effective when accepted by the inner Fire and made resonant in the being.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- सहस्वान् (sahasvān) forceful, सहसः सूनु (son of force) (hymnic context), होता (hotā) divine priest (nearby hymn context)
- Related deities
- Indra (slayer of resistance), Bṛhaspati (lord of inspired word)
Cosmic role
Executor of the sacrifice; repeller of obstructing powers; awakener of inspired speech.
Inner power
Rapid transforming will; the capacity to refuse rival impulses and energize true thought into living realization.
In ritual
Where it is used
Invocatory and protective recitation within Agni rites; acceptance of stotra/praise
स तत्कृ॑धीषि॒तस्तूय॑मग्ने॒ स्पृधो॑ बाधस्व॒ सह॑सा॒ सह॑स्वान् । यच्छ॒स्यसे॒ द्युभि॑र॒क्तो वचो॑भि॒स्तज्जु॑षस्व जरि॒तुर्घोषि॒ मन्म॑ ॥
सः । तत् । कृ॒धि॒ । इ॒षि॒तः । तूय॑म् । अ॒ग्ने॒ । स्पृधः॑ । बा॒ध॒स्व॒ । सह॑सा । सह॑स्वान् । यत् । श॒स्यसे॑ । द्युऽभिः॑ । अ॒क्तः । वचः॑ऽभिः । तत् । जु॒ष॒स्व॒ । ज॒रि॒तुः । घोषि॑ । मन्म॑ ॥
saḥ | tat | kṛdhi | iṣitaḥ | tūyam | agne | spṛdhaḥ | bādhasva | sahasā | sahasvān | yat | śasyase | dyu-bhiḥ | aktaḥ | vacaḥ-bhiḥ | tat | juṣasva | jarituḥ | ghoṣi | manma
44
4 x ~11 syllables
Urgent, directive; imperatives give it a commanding rhythm.
Energizes will and decisiveness; helps cut through hesitation and inner noise.
- इषितः (iṣitaḥ)
- Literal: impelled, urged. Symbolic: the moment of true aspiration or divine prompting in the being
- तूयम् (tūyam)
- Literal: swiftly. Symbolic: immediate inner collaboration—no delay to tamas
- स्पृधः (spṛdhaḥ)
- Literal: rivals, competitors. Symbolic: conflicting desires, doubts, hostile suggestions, ego-claims
- बाधस्व (bādhasva)
- Literal: drive away, repel. Symbolic: reject and dissolve adverse formations
- सहसा सहस्वान् (sahasā sahasvān)
- Literal: by force, forceful. Symbolic: spiritual strength that is both power and endurance
- द्युभिः अक्तः (dyubhiḥ aktaḥ)
- Literal: anointed/brightened with days. Symbolic: clarified by repeated illuminations; matured by practice over time
- वचोभिः (vacobhiḥ)
- Literal: with words. Symbolic: mantric speech as a carrier of force
- मन्म (manma)
- Literal: thought, inspired mind. Symbolic: seer-intuition that must be made resonant and effective
Functional prayer during the rite: swift accomplishment, repulsion of rivals, and acceptance of the hymn; fits sequences where obstacles are removed and the offering is asked to become effective (śaṃs/ghoṣ).
When calling Agni to act as protector and accept praise; transitional moments of the rite (invocation → offering)
Recitation to ‘impel’ Agni; symbolic driving away of obstacles; offering of praise
Use before meditation/work to clear ‘rival’ impulses; as a short invocation for focus and swift alignment.
√bādh ‘to press, repel’ conveys energetic exclusion of rival formations (spṛdh). √śaṃs ‘to proclaim’ links to the power of utterance as effective act. juṣasva from √juṣ ‘enjoy, accept’ shows the deity’s 'tasting' of the offering—psychologically, the alignment where the divine force takes up and magnifies the human intention (manma → ghoṣi).
mantra efficacy (vacas/manma), Tapas/Sahas (force as spiritual might), battle of ascent (spṛdh as contesting powers)
R̥ta is restored when rival movements are repelled and true speech is established.
Words ‘anointed’ by truth become force; false speech cannot be accepted by Agni in the inner sense.
Speech and light (dyu) cooperate with fire to manifest effective order in the being.
Mantra-yoga orientation: sound/thought becomes power through inner acceptance (Aurobindo/Kashyap style).
day (implied by dyu)
Day = illumination; resonance = mantra’s embodiment; fire = transforming will acting swiftly.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The contest and the victorious rite: rival powers (spṛdh) oppose the ascent; Agni is commanded to repel them and to amplify the singer’s intention—turning speech into effective power.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √kṛ (do/make) reflects PIE *kwer-/*ker- complex of making/doing (broadly; Skt kṛ is a central inherited verb). √juṣ has Indo-Iranian parallels in the semantic field of enjoying/accepting offerings. dyu (day/sky) from PIE *dyew- (sky/day; Latin dies, Greek Zeus in the theonymic line).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi asks for immediate cooperation: human intention (manma) and speech (vacas) are offered; Agni must accept and make them resonate as power in life, while also clearing the field by repelling competing impulses and hostile pressures.
At the first sign of distraction, inwardly say ‘tūyam’—call swift Agni-response; offer the distraction into the flame.
Manipura (decisive will)
Brisk but controlled exhale with mental ‘bādhasva’ to expel rivals; then calm inhale to ‘juṣasva’ (receive).
Active purification leading to a resonant, inspired mind.
Make a clear inner command: ‘Drive away the rival.’ Then pause and listen for the ‘ghoṣi manma’—the thought that naturally resounds when conflict drops.
Keep udātta peaks on imperatives (kṛdhi, bādhasva, juṣasva) as natural tonal summits; allow svarita to fall cleanly after peaks.
Phrase 1 (commands) slightly stronger; phrase 2 (acceptance) smoother; emphasize ‘ghoṣi manma’ with resonant finish.
(spṛdhaḥ): conjunct ‘spr’ clean, final visarga audible, (bādhasva): aspirated ‘dh’, (dyubhiḥ): ‘dyu’ as one unit, not ‘di-yu’, (ghoṣi): voiced aspirate ‘gh’
Clear, directive, then warmly resonant at the end.
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