Rig Veda 10.21.1: Mandala 10, Sukta 21, Mantra 1
Sukta 10.21
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Jagatī or Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
आग्निं न स्ववृक्तिभिर्होतारं त्वा वृणीमहे । यज्ञाय स्तीर्णबर्हिषे वि वो मदे शीरं पावकशोचिषं विवक्षसे ॥
ā́gniṃ na svavṛ́ktibhir hótāraṃ tvā vṛṇīmahe | yajñā́ya stīrṇábarhiṣe ví vo made śīráṃ pāvakáśociṣaṃ vívakṣase ||
A Agni, con nuestras obras hechas por nosotros mismos, te elegimos como Hotar para el sacrificio, para el rito del barhis extendido. En nuestro arrobamiento deseas manifestar al Fuerte: el Purificador de llama radiante.
Word by Word
- अग्निम्
- Agni (as object of choice/praise)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot अग्नि- (प्रातिपदिक)
- न
- like, asIndeclinableउपमा/सादृश्यार्थक निपातRoot न (निपात)
- स्ववृक्तिभिः
- with our choices/acts of choosing (i.e., with our own selections/means)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया; बहुवचनRole करणRoot स्व-वृक्ति- (प्रातिपदिक; स्व + वृक्ति < √वृज्/वृञ्ज् ‘to choose/arrange, prepare’ → ‘choice/selection; (ritual) preference/act of choosing’)
- होतारम्
- the Hotṛ-priest; the invokerNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot होतृ- (प्रातिपदिक; कर्तृ-नाम; √हु ‘to sacrifice, offer’)
- त्वा
- youPronounद्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot युष्मद्- (सर्वनाम)
- वृणीमहे
- we chooseVerbलट् (वर्तमान); उत्तमपुरुष; बहुवचन; आत्मनेपदRoot √वृ (वृणीते) ‘to choose, select’
- यज्ञाय
- for the sacrificeNounपुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी; एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot यज्ञ- (प्रातिपदिक; √यज् ‘to worship/sacrifice’)
- स्तीर्णबर्हिषे
- for (him/it) whose sacrificial grass is strewnAdjective (compound epithet)नपुंसकलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी; एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot स्तीर्ण-बर्हिस्- (समास; स्तीर्ण < √स्तृ ‘to strew’ (कृदन्त) + बर्हिस् ‘sacrificial grass’)
- वि
- apart, forth, widely (intensifier)Indeclinableउपसर्ग; विशेषणार्थ/विभागार्थRoot वि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- वः
- of you; yourPronounषष्ठी (एन्क्लिटिक); बहुवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot युष्मद्- (सर्वनाम)
- मदे
- in (your) exhilaration/raptureNounपुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot मद- (प्रातिपदिक; √मद् ‘to be exhilarated’)
- शीरेम्
- refreshing drink/sap (milk-like draught)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot शीरा- / शीर- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘milk/refreshing drink, sap’; RV usage)
- पावकशोचिषम्
- having purifying flame/radianceAdjective (compound epithet)नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन (विशेषणं ‘शीरेम्’)Role कर्मRoot पावक-शोचिस्- (समास; पावक ‘purifying’ < √पू ‘to purify’ + शोचिस् ‘flame, radiance’)
- विवक्षसे
- you wish to speak/utterVerbलट् (वर्तमान); मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचन; आत्मनेपदRoot √वच् ‘to speak’ with desiderative stem विवक्ष-
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: अग्निम् | न | स्ववृक्तिभिः | होतारम् | त्वा | वृणीमहे || यज्ञाय | स्तीर्णबर्हिषे | वि | वः | मदे | शीरम् | पावकशोचिषम् | विवक्षसे || 1) आग्निं → अग्निम् (अनुस्वार/निग्रह-समायोजन)
- 2) स्ववृक्तिभिर्होतारम् → स्ववृक्तिभिः + होतारम् (विसर्ग-लोपः/र्-आदेशः: भिः + हो-)
- 3) वि वोः → वि + वः (एन्क्लिटिक सर्वनाम)
- 4) शीरं → शीरम् (पदान्त-निग्रह)
The meaning
Outer meaning
With our self-fashioned works we choose Agni as Hotar for the sacrifice with the strewn seat; in ecstasy he desires to manifest the strong purifier with radiant flame.
Inner meaning
The seeker consciously selects Agni as hotṛ—the priest of invocation within—using svavṛkti (self-prepared formations): disciplined practices, crafted thoughts, and deliberate offerings. The ‘strewn barhis’ is the prepared inner seat—purified receptivity in the consciousness. In madá (uplift/rapture of inspired energy), Agni ‘wishes to manifest’ (vivakṣase) as śīra (strong, forceful) and pāvakaśociṣ (purifier with radiant flame): the inner will becomes a luminous power that cleanses and energizes the whole nature.
Universal truth
Spiritual life requires conscious choice and preparation: when we prepare a receptive field and appoint the divine Will as leader, a purifying strength awakens and acts through our joy and intensity.
Themes
choosing the divine priest, preparation of the inner altar, purification by luminous will, mantra as manifestation (vivakṣase)
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 10.21 (Agni hymn; fuller attribution requires traditional anukramaṇī)
Significance
The seer emphasizes deliberate sādhanā: self-preparation (svavṛkti) and conscious selection of the inner guide (Agni as hotṛ).
The deity
- Devata
- Agni (Hotar; Pāvakaśociṣ)
- Epithets
- Hotā (invoking priest), Pāvakaśociṣ (purifying radiance), Śīra (strong)
- Related deities
- Vāc (invocation function of hotṛ), Indra (strength/śīra as allied force), Soma (mada—ecstatic uplift)
Cosmic role
Invoker and purifier; establishes the sacrifice and carries offerings to the gods.
Inner power
Psychic will that both calls down higher consciousness and purifies the instruments of nature.
In ritual
Where it is used
Selection/installation of Agni as Hotṛ at the opening of a rite; general agni-invocation at yajña commencement
आग्निं न स्ववृ॑क्तिभि॒र्होता॑रं त्वा वृणीमहे । य॒ज्ञाय॑ स्ती॒र्णब॑र्हिषे॒ वि वो॒ मदे॑ शी॒रं पा॑व॒कशो॑चिषं॒ विव॑क्षसे ॥
आ । अ॒ग्निम् । न । स्ववृ॑क्तिऽभिः । होता॑रम् । त्वा॒ । वृ॒णी॒म॒हे॒ । य॒ज्ञाय॑ । स्ती॒र्णऽब॑र्हिषे । वि । वः॒ । मदे॑ । शी॒रम् । पा॒व॒कऽशो॑चिषम् । विव॑क्षसे ॥
ā | agnim | na | svavṛkti-bhiḥ | hotāram | tvā | vṛṇīmahe | yajñāya | stīrṇa-barhi ṣe | vi | vaḥ | made | śīram | pāvaka-śociṣam | vivakṣase
Jagatī or Triṣṭubh (Likely mixed or jagatī in parts—requires syllable count per pāda from full verse with proper division)
48
If Jagatī: 4 pādas × 12 syllables (probable); if Triṣṭubh: 4×11 (less likely given phrasing)
More expansive than triṣṭubh if jagatī—roomy, processional rhythm suited to ‘choosing’ and ‘preparing the seat’.
Encourages careful, deliberate invocation; creates a broad field of receptivity and then a bright surge on pāvakaśociṣ.
- स्ववृक्ति (svavṛkti)
- Literal: self-made/own fashioned workings. Symbolic: disciplined inner formations: practices, intentions, crafted thoughts
- होतृ (hotṛ)
- Literal: invoking priest. Symbolic: inner function that calls down higher powers; Agni as leader of aspiration
- यज्ञ (yajña)
- Literal: sacrifice. Symbolic: consecration of all energies to the Divine
- स्तीर्णबर्हिस् (stīrṇa-barhis)
- Literal: strewn sacrificial grass-seat. Symbolic: prepared, purified receptivity; a settled inner base for descent of light
- मद (mada)
- Literal: ecstasy, exhilaration. Symbolic: uplift of consciousness; energized delight that supports effort
- शीरा (śīra)
- Literal: strong, mighty. Symbolic: effective force of will; capacity to act and endure
- पावकशोचिस् (pāvaka-śociṣ)
- Literal: purifying flame/radiance. Symbolic: luminous purification—burning falsehood and inertia
- विवक्षसे (vivakṣase)
- Literal: you wish to display/speak forth. Symbolic: the divine Will pressing toward manifestation in life
Opening choice of Agni as Hotar in a yajña: installation/invocation formula suitable for soma and havis rites, emphasizing prepared barhis and the calling function.
At the beginning of sacrifice when the priestly function is affirmed; also at kindling
Choosing (vṛṇīmahe) and invoking Agni; preparing barhis (seat) and offering
A ‘begin practice’ mantra: recite before japa/meditation to set intention, prepare the inner seat, and invite purification.
svavṛ́kti-: svá ‘self’ + vṛ́kti ‘cutting/arranging’ (from √vṛj/√vṛk ‘to cut/prepare’), suggesting deliberate inner preparation; hótṛ from √hu ‘to call/invoke’ (PIE *ǵʰeuH- ‘to pour/call’ debated; Vedic hu is central to invocation); vṛṇīmahe from √vṛ ‘choose’ (PIE *wel- ‘to wish/choose’); yajñá from √yaj ‘to worship/sacrifice’; barhís (sacrificial grass) functions symbolically as the prepared foundation of receptivity; pāvaka from √pū ‘purify’ (PIE *pewH- ‘cleanse’); vivakṣase from vi+√vac ‘to speak/utter’ (PIE *wekʷ- ‘to speak’).
R̥ta as ordered preparation (svavṛkti, stīrṇabarhis), inner delight as catalyst (mada)
Hotṛ is the agent that calls the right powers in the right order—ṛta as correct invocation and action.
Purification by luminous flame removes falsehood and establishes truth-perception.
Preparation of the seat (barhis) as creating a world-field for divine descent; manifestation (vivakṣase) as creative emergence.
Mantra- and yajña-psychology (Aurobindo: inner sacrifice as method of transformation).
Grass-seat = calm receptive mind-field; purifier flame = discriminating will that burns impurities; ecstasy = energized delight supporting transformation.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘election’ of Agni as Hotar: the mythic pattern of installing the divine mediator who can call the powers into the prepared sacrificial field. The action is consecratory—setting the conditions for descent/ascent rather than narrating an external feat.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- vi-vakṣase (vi+√vac) continues the PIE *wekʷ- ‘speak’ (Lat. vox, Eng. voice). √bhṛ/√vah are not explicit here, but the same ‘ritual technology’ of PIE poetics appears: invocation (hotar) + speech (vac) + ordered space (barhis) as a triad for manifestation.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The human collective deliberately ‘chooses’ (√vṛ) Agni, implying consent and alignment. Agni reciprocates by desiring to ‘speak forth/manifest’ (vivakṣase) his strong purifying flame within their uplifted consciousness (made).
Prepare the inner seat (quiet receptivity) and appoint Agni as the leader of your practice.
Anāhata (inner altar) with activation of Manipura (purifying will)
3–6 rounds of slow inhale/exhale; on exhale mentally ‘spread the barhis’ (relax and widen attention); then a gentle internal ‘kindling’ on inhale
Sacred readiness—calm base with bright aspiration
Before practice, consciously ‘choose’ the divine Will: state your intention, relax into receptivity, then invite the purifier to act on one habitual impurity (restlessness, dullness, negativity) without strain.
Follow Ṛgvedic accent discipline; keep compound words (stīrṇabarhiṣe, pāvakaśociṣam) cleanly connected; exact svara needs śākhā notation.
Pause after ‘vṛṇīmahe’ to mark the act of choosing; give a luminous lift on ‘pāvakaśociṣam’.
svavṛktibhiḥ: articulate ‘vṛ’ with clear vocalic ‘ṛ’, hotāraṃ: long ‘ā’ held; anusvāra as ‘m’ before consonant as appropriate, stīrṇa: long ī; retroflex ṇ, pāvakaśociṣam: ‘śo’ palatal; ‘ciṣ’ with clear short i and retroflex ṣ
Steady, priestly, clear enunciation; build brightness toward the end
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