Rig Veda 4.2.9: Mandala 4, Sukta 2, Mantra 9
Sukta 4.2
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
यस्तुभ्यमग्ने अमृताय दाशद्दुवस्त्वे कृणवते यतस्रुक् । न स राया शशमानो वि योषन्नैनमंहः परि वरदघायोः ॥
yás tubhyam agne amṛ́tāya dā́śad dúvas tve kṛṇávate yátasruk | ná sá rāyā́ śaśamānó ví yoṣan náinam áṃhaḥ pári varad aghāyóḥ ||
Who offers to you, O Agni, to the Immortal, and makes his reverent service in you with disciplined ladle—he does not fall away from plenitude though he strives; distress does not close around him, nor the malice of the ill-willer.
Word by Word
- यः
- who (he who)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- तुभ्यम्
- to youPronounउभयलिङ्ग-प्रयोगः, चतुर्थी, एकवचनम्Role SampradānaRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अग्ने
- O AgniNounपुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन, एकवचनम्Role (सम्बोधन)Root अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- अमृताय
- for immortalityNoun/Adjective (used substantively)नपुंसकलिङ्गः, चतुर्थी, एकवचनम्Role SampradānaRoot अमृत (प्रातिपदिक)
- दाशत्
- gave / offeredVerbलुङ् (आगम-रहितः/आर्षः), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role (क्रिया)Root दाश् (धातु)
- दुवः
- worship, service (devotion)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot दुवस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- त्वे
- in youPronounउभयलिङ्ग-प्रयोगः, सप्तमी, एकवचनम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot त्वद्/युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- कृणवते
- (he) makes / accomplishesVerbलट्, आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role (क्रिया)Root कृ (धातु)
- यतस्रुक्
- having the directed ladle (ritual ladle in due course)Adjective/Nounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role Kartā (विशेषणरूपेण यः इति) / Karaṇa-संबन्धः (यज्ञोपकरण-विशेषः)Root यतस्रुच् (प्रातिपदिक; यत- + स्रुच्)
- न
- notIndeclinableनिषेधार्थक-अव्ययम्Role (सम्बन्धक)Root न (निपात)
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- रायाः
- of wealthNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Role (सम्बन्धः)Root राय्/रायि (प्रातिपदिक)
- शशमानः
- toiling, exerting (striving)Participleपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम् (वर्तमान/आर्ष-प्रयोगः)Role Kartā (सः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Root शम् (धातु) + शशमान (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; परिपूर्ण/आर्ष-रूप)
- वि
- apart, awayIndeclinableविभाग/वियोगार्थकःRole (क्रियाविशेषणम्)Root वि (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- योषन्
- let (him) not fall away / be separatedVerbलोट्/आर्ष-आज्ञार्थकः, परस्मैपदम्, तृतीयपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role (क्रिया)Root युष्/युष् (धातु) → योष् (आर्ष-धातुरूप) / ‘योष्’ (वियोगे)
- न
- notIndeclinableनिषेधार्थक-अव्ययम्Role (सम्बन्धक)Root न (निपात)
- एनम्
- himPronounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अंहः
- distress, sin, troubleNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role Kartā (परि-वरद् इत्यस्य) / हेतुभूतम्Root अंहस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- परि
- aroundIndeclinableपरितः/आवरणार्थकःRole (क्रियाविशेषणम्)Root परि (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- वरदघायोः
- of the two enclosing harms / of the two surrounding injuriesNoun (dual) / compoundस्त्रीलिङ्गः (आर्ष-प्रयोगः), षष्ठी, द्विवचनम्Role (सम्बन्धः)Root वरदघा (प्रातिपदिक; वर- + दघा)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (pada-wise): यस्तुभ्यमग्ने → यः तुभ्यम् अग्ने
- अमृताय दाशद्दुवस्त्वे → अमृताय दाशत् दुवः त्वे
- कृणवते यतस्रुक् (no sandhi)
- न स रायाः शशमानो वि योषन् → न सः रायाः शशमानः वि योषन्
- नैनमंहः → न एनम् अंहः
- परि वरदघायोः → परि वरदघायोः (no further split; treated as a dual genitive compound-form)
- Accent marks in the input are retained in citation but not repeated on every pada here
The meaning
Outer meaning
Who offers to you, Agni, to the Immortal, and serves you with a disciplined ladle—he does not lose wealth though striving; distress does not enclose him, nor the malice of the ill-willer.
Inner meaning
Agni is the immortal principle in us—divine Will that does not perish with fluctuations. The ‘disciplined ladle’ (yata-sruk) is right measure and control in giving: regulated thought, regulated desire, regulated action. Such measured offering prevents leakage of force; therefore the seeker does not ‘fall away’ from plenitude even amid effort and struggle. Negative formations (aṃhas) and hostile suggestions (aghāyu, the ill-willer—outer or inner) cannot ring-fence the consciousness when the inner sacrifice is exact and sincere.
Universal truth
Rightly measured practice creates immunity: not by avoidance of struggle, but by a stable inner order that prevents collapse under pressure or hostility.
Themes
disciplined sacrifice, protection from constriction, steadfast abundance
The seer
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 4.2.8, RV 4.2.11
Family tradition
Vāmadeva’s Agni hymns stress disciplined offering as the secret of protection and stable gain; the Gautama line often links right measure to ṛta.
Significance
The seer presents yoga as exact sacrifice: control (yata) is not repression but right measure that safeguards the growing plenitude against leakage and attack.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- अमृताय (amṛtāya, belonging to the Immortal)
- Related deities
- Indra (slayer of coverers), Varuṇa (guard of ṛta), Soma (immortal delight)
Cosmic role
Immortal flame in mortals; purifier and protector; establishes inviolable order around the sacrificer.
Inner power
Power of disciplined will that secures the gains of sadhana and wards off constriction and hostility.
In ritual
Where it is used
General Agni offering with emphasis on correct measure (yatasruk)
यस्तुभ्य॑मग्ने अ॒मृता॑य॒ दाश॒द्दुव॒स्त्वे कृ॒णव॑ते य॒तस्रु॑क् । न स रा॒या श॑शमा॒नो वि यो॑ष॒न्नैन॒मंह॒: परि॑ वरदघा॒योः ॥
यः । तुभ्य॑म् । अ॒ग्ने॒ । अ॒मृता॑य । दा॒श॒ऽहुवः॑ । त्वे इति॑ । कृ॒णव॑ते । य॒तऽस्रु॑क् । न । सः । रा॒या । श॒श॒मा॒नः । वि । यो॒ष॒त् । न । ए॒न॒म् । अंहः॑ । परि॑ । व॒र॒त् । अ॒घ॒ऽयोः ॥
yaḥ | tubhyam | agne | amṛtāya | dāśa-huvaḥ | tve iti | kṛṇavate | yata-sruk | na | saḥ | rāyā | śaśamānaḥ | vi | yoṣat | na | enam | aṃhaḥ | pari | varat | agha-yoḥ
44
4 × ~11
Compact and firm; negations (‘na… na…’) create a protective, sealing cadence.
Instills confidence and boundaries; the listener feels ‘un-enclosed’ by distress and defended from hostility.
- अमृत (amṛta)
- Literal: immortal. Symbolic: deathless consciousness; the divine principle beyond fluctuation
- दाशत् (dāśat)
- Literal: offers, gives. Symbolic: self-giving of energies and movements to the higher Will
- दुवस् (duvas)
- Literal: reverent service. Symbolic: humble, persistent aspiration and works offered in devotion
- यतस्रुक् (yata-sruk)
- Literal: with restrained/controlled ladle. Symbolic: measure, discipline, right proportion in practice
- राय (rāyā)
- Literal: wealth, plenitude. Symbolic: spiritual abundance: force, clarity, joy, right result
- अंहस् (aṃhas)
- Literal: distress, narrowness. Symbolic: constricting states, anxiety, oppressive formations
- अघायु (aghāyu)
- Literal: ill-willer, malicious. Symbolic: hostile forces or inner sabotage (doubt, resentment, perversity)
Praise of disciplined offering; protective efficacy against aṃhas and hostility; suitable in rites emphasizing right measure (yama) and purity.
During oblation sequences where precision is stressed; also as protective praise.
Measured pouring with ladle; recitation to secure fruit and protection.
Practice ‘measured offering’: set a sustainable daily minimum (time, breath count, japa count) and keep it exact; this steadiness prevents collapse in difficult periods.
dúvas ‘service, reverence’ relates to √du ‘to honor/serve’ (Vedic devotional register). yata-sruk: yata ‘restrained’ (√yam ‘restrain’; PIE *yem-) + sruk ‘ladle’ indicates controlled, right measure—psychologically, disciplined outflow of energies. pari-varat (√vṛ ‘to cover/enclose’; PIE *wer-) gives the image of aṃhas as enclosing constriction.
discipline/restraint (yam), non-separation from plenitude (rayi), hostility as obstructing force
Yata-sruk embodies ṛta as measure; through it, plenitude becomes stable and protected.
Truth in practice: exactness and sincerity make the gains non-negotiable.
Immortal order established within mortal effort; protection arises from inner law.
Yoga of works (karma) and tapas in an Aurobindonian sense—discipline as alignment with higher consciousness.
Fire = immortal will; ladle = instrument of right giving; enclosure = psychological constriction that is prevented by order.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Right-measured offering to the immortal Agni grants immunity from enclosing distress and hostile intent. Psychologically, disciplined giving prevents dissipation; the seeker remains joined to rayi (fullness) and cannot be ‘covered’ by aṃhas (constriction).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √yam ‘restrain’ (yata-) reflects PIE *yem- (cf. Latin iugum is different; but the restraint root is widely attested in Indo-European). √vṛ ‘cover’ (varat) is PIE *wer- ‘cover, shut’ (cf. English cover via French is different etymologically, but the PIE root is well-attested across IE).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi emphasizes inner correctness: service ‘in you’ (tve) and restraint (yata-). Agni reciprocates by maintaining the practitioner’s connection to fullness and preventing hostile constriction from surrounding the consciousness.
Exactness and right measure: offer one movement at a time into the immortal fire; cultivate non-leakage of energy.
Maṇipūra
Box breathing (4-4-4-4) gently to embody ‘measure’, then mantra; avoid strain.
Collected, protected, steady striving without anxiety.
Keep offerings ‘yata’: fewer vows, kept perfectly. When negativity arises, return to the measured act (breath + mantra) and feel Agni as an inner boundary that distress cannot cross.
Standard Ṛgvedic accents; observe the negation pairs with clear pitch resolution (exact requires pada-svara).
Give firm articulation to ‘na… na…’ sequences; keep cadence steady to embody ‘yatasruk’.
‘amṛtāya’ with clear ṛ., ‘yatasruk’ keep cluster -sr- crisp., ‘śaśamānaḥ’ articulate ś distinctly from s., ‘aghāyoḥ’ keep long ā and clear yoḥ.
Even, disciplined, unhurried; protective firmness without aggression.
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