Rig Veda 5.2.12: Mandala 5, Sukta 2, Mantra 12
Sukta 5.2
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
तुविग्रीवो वृषभो वावृधानोऽशत्र्वर्यः समजाति वेदः । इतीममग्निममृता अवोचन्बर्हिष्मते मनवे शर्म यंसद्धविष्मते मनवे शर्म यंसत् ॥
tuvigrī́vo vṛṣabhó vāvṛdhānó ’śátrv aryaḥ sám ajāti védaḥ | itī́mám agním amṛ́tā avocan barhíṣmate mánave śárma yaṃsad havíṣmate mánave śárma yaṃsat ||
De cuello poderoso, toro que crece siempre en fuerza, el noble sin hostilidad: conoce el nacimiento común. Así hablaron los Inmortales de este Agni: «Que conceda paz y amparo al hombre que extiende el barhis; que conceda paz y amparo al hombre que porta la ofrenda (havis).»
Word by Word
- तु॒वि॒ग्रीवः
- having a mighty neckAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (अग्नेः विशेषणम्)Root तु॒वि- (प्रातिपदिक ‘बहु/प्रबल’) + ग्रीव (प्रातिपदिक ‘ग्रीवा’)
- वृष॒भः
- bull (strong one)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (अग्निः)Root वृषभ (प्रातिपदिक)
- वा॑वृधा॒नः
- growing, increasingVerb (participle)वर्तमानकाले कृदन्तः (शानच्), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (अग्नेः विशेषणम्)Root √वृध् (वर्धने)
- अश॒त्र्वर्यः
- having no hostile foe; friendly to the AryaAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (अग्नेः विशेषणम्)Root अ- (निषेध) + शत्रु (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्य (प्रातिपदिक ‘आर्य/मित्र’)
- सम॑जातिम्
- common birth/kinshipNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (वेद ‘जानाति’ इत्यर्थे)Root सम्- (उपसर्ग) + जाति (प्रातिपदिक)
- वेद॑
- knowsVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रिया (कर्तृ = अग्निः)Root √विद् (ज्ञाने)
- इति
- thusIndeclinableअव्ययRole वाक्य-समाप्ति/उद्धरण-सूचकRoot इति (निपात)
- ईम्
- him (indeed), justIndeclinableअव्ययRole सम्बन्ध/प्रत्यवमर्श (एनम्/इमम्-प्रायः)Root ईम् (निपात)
- अम्
- (enclitic particle)Indeclinableअव्ययRole पदपूरण/एन्क्लिटिक (बल/सम्बन्ध)Root अम् (निपात; वेदिक-एन्क्लिटिक)
- अग्निम्
- AgniNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (अवोचन्—‘उवाचुः’)Root अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- अमृता॑ः
- the immortals (gods)Noun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (अवोचन्)Root अमृत (प्रातिपदिक)
- अवोचन्
- spoke, proclaimedVerbलुङ् (अorist), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot √वच् (वचने) + अव- (उपसर्ग)
- बर्हिष्मते
- to the one possessing sacred grass (with barhis)Adjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदान (यंसत्—‘ददुः/प्रायच्छन्’)Root बर्हिस् (प्रातिपदिक) + -मत् (मतुप् प्रत्यय)
- मनवे
- to ManuNounपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot मनु (प्रातिपदिक)
- शर्म
- shelter, protectionNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (यंसत्)Root शर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- यंसत्
- they granted, bestowedVerbलुङ् (अorist), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot √यम् (यच्छने/नियमे)
- हविष्मते
- to the one possessing oblationAdjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot हविस् (प्रातिपदिक) + -मत् (मतुप् प्रत्यय)
- मनवे
- to ManuNounपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot मनु (प्रातिपदिक)
- शर्म
- shelter, protectionNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot शर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- यंसत्
- they granted, bestowedVerbलुङ् (अorist), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot √यम् (यच्छने/नियमे)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धि-विग्रह): तुविग्रीवः | वृषभः | वावृधानः | अशत्र्वर्यः | समजातिम् | वेदः/वेद | इति | ईम् | अम् | अग्निम् | अमृताः | अवोचन् | बर्हिष्मते | मनवे | शर्म | यंसत् | हविष्मते | मनवे | शर्म | यंसत् । 1) ‘वेद॑:’ इत्यत्र विसर्गः पदान्त-चिह्नः
- पदे ‘वेद’ (लट् 3sg) । 2) ‘वावृधानोऽशत्र्वर्यः’ = वावृधानः + अशत्र्वर्यः (अः + अ → ’/लोपः) । 3) ‘इती॒मम॒ग्निम॒मृता॑’ = इति + ईम् + अम् + अग्निम् + अमृताः
- वेदिक-एन्क्लिटिक ‘ईम्/अम्’ पदपूरक-प्रत्यवमर्शकौ । 4) ‘अवोचन्बर्हिष्मते’ = अवोचन् + बर्हिष्मते (न् + ब → न्ब्) । 5) अन्त्यपादे पुनरुक्तिः: बर्हिष्मते…यंसत् / हविष्मते…यंसत् ।
The meaning
Outer meaning
Mighty-necked, a bull growing stronger, the noble one without hostility, he knows the common birth. Thus the Immortals have spoken of this Agni: ‘May he grant peace and shelter to the man who spreads the sacred seat, and to the man who bears the offering.’
Inner meaning
Agni is the powerful ‘bull’ of the will, with a ‘mighty neck’—the capacity to bear and lift the full weight of aspiration and transformation. ‘Aśatru aryaḥ’ indicates a force that does not act from egoic enmity but from noble truth. ‘Sam ajāti veda’—he knows the common origin: the one divine birth behind all powers and movements, enabling integration rather than fragmentation. The Immortals affirm that this Agni brings ‘śarma’ (peace, safe felicity) to the one who prepares the inner seat (barhis: the spread, receptive foundation) and to the one who carries the offering (havis: consecrated energies).
Universal truth
True strength is not hostility but integrated power rooted in a single divine origin; when we prepare a receptive foundation and offer our energies sincerely, the inner fire grants peace and protection.
Themes
Agni as strengthening bull, divine benediction, shelter for sacrificer, prepared seat and offering
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha (Maitrāvaruṇa)
- Other hymns
- RV 7.15, RV 7.16, RV 7.20
Family tradition
Vasiṣṭha’s Agni is protector and giver of śarma; the clan’s hymns often end with benediction for the prepared sacrificer.
Significance
The seer frames Agni not only as warrior but as the guarantor of inner peace when the foundation (barhis) and offering (havis) are rightly established.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- tuvigrīva, vṛṣabha, vāvṛdhāna, aśatru, arya
- Related deities
- Viśve Devāḥ (immortals), Varuṇa-Mitra (order and harmony, thematic), Indra (power, complementary)
Cosmic role
Strength that increases in the worlds; knower of the one origin; bestower of shelter (śarma) to the sacrificer.
Inner power
Steady, non-hostile power of transformation that integrates the being and establishes peace as a result of right offering.
In ritual
Where it is used
Benedictive close of an Agni hymn; used to secure ‘śarma’ for yajamāna and officiants
तु॒वि॒ग्रीवो॑ वृष॒भो वा॑वृधा॒नो॑ऽश॒त्र्व१॒॑र्यः सम॑जाति॒ वेद॑: । इती॒मम॒ग्निम॒मृता॑ अवोचन्ब॒र्हिष्म॑ते॒ मन॑वे॒ शर्म॑ यंसद्ध॒विष्म॑ते॒ मन॑वे॒ शर्म॑ यंसत् ॥
तु॒वि॒ऽग्रीवः॑ । वृ॒ष॒भः । व॒वृ॒धा॒नः । अ॒श॒त्रु । अ॒र्यः । सम् । अ॒जा॒ति॒ । वेदः॑ । इति॑ । इ॒मम् । अ॒ग्निम् । अ॒मृताः॑ । अ॒वो॒च॒न् । ब॒र्हिष्म॑ते । मन॑वे । शर्म॑ । यं॒स॒त् । ह॒विष्म॑ते । मन॑वे । शर्म॑ । यं॒स॒त् ॥
tuvi-grīvaḥ | vṛṣabhaḥ | vavṛdhānaḥ | aśatru | aryaḥ | sam | ajāti | vedaḥ | iti | imam | agnim | amṛtāḥ | avocan | barhiṣmate | manave | śarma | yaṃsat | havi ṣmate | manave | śarma | yaṃsat
Triṣṭubh (with repetitive cadence in final pādas)
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4×11 syllables; last portion includes a refrain-like repetition of ‘śarma yaṃsat’
Majestic and stabilizing; repetition produces a benedictive, sealing cadence.
Grounds energy into peace; repetition imprints a protective assurance in the listener.
- तुविग्रीव (tuvigrīva)
- Literal: mighty-necked. Symbolic: capacity to bear aspiration; steadfast support between mind and life
- वृषभ (vṛṣabha)
- Literal: bull. Symbolic: strong generative will-force; victorious power
- वावृधान (vāvṛdhāna)
- Literal: growing, increasing. Symbolic: ever-strengthening inner flame through practice
- अशत्रु (aśatru)
- Literal: without enemy. Symbolic: non-egoic force; power without hatred
- अर्य (arya)
- Literal: noble. Symbolic: truth-seeking, upward-oriented being
- समजाति वेद (sam ajāti veda)
- Literal: knows the common birth. Symbolic: knows the one source behind diverse powers; integrative wisdom
- अमृताः (amṛtāḥ)
- Literal: immortals. Symbolic: deathless powers of consciousness confirming the path
- बर्हिष्मते (barhiṣmate)
- Literal: to one who has barhis (sacred seat). Symbolic: one who prepares the inner basis of receptivity and order
- हविष्मते (haviṣmate)
- Literal: to one who bears the oblation. Symbolic: one who offers consecrated energies (works, breath, emotions)
Benediction for sacrificer: protection and well-being for the one who prepares the barhis and offers havis; applicable across śrauta offerings where Agni is central.
At concluding or consolidating moments of Agni praise/offerings; after establishing the seat and oblation
Spreading barhis (sacred grass seat) and presenting havis (ghee/offerings) with prayer for protection
As a closing mantra after meditation/ritual: dedicate practice (havis) and stabilize peace (śarma) in daily life.
√vṛdh ‘grow’ → vāvṛdhānaḥ (intensified growth). √vid ‘know’ → vedaḥ, central to Vedic gnosis. √yam ‘extend/give/hold’ → yaṃsat, here benedictive ‘grant’. śárman ‘shelter’ is a key boon: not mere comfort but a protected wideness for the sacrifice/inner work. barhis is the ritual ‘seat’; psychologically, a prepared ground of receptivity.
amṛta (immortality) as divine status, śarman (shelter) as stable foundation for ṛta, Manu as archetype of mental humanity
Preparing barhis and offering havis symbolize arranging the inner order (ṛta) so Agni can act harmoniously.
‘Common birth’ points to one truth behind multiplicity—unity-consciousness as basis of peace.
Growth of divine force in the human vessel (vāvṛdhāna) leading to shelter and harmony.
Integral unity: many powers arise from one origin; integration yields śarma.
Bull = robust will-force; barhis = prepared inner ground; havis = consecrated energies; śarma = settled harmony in the nerves and mind.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Agni as the ever-growing bull-power who grants śarman to Manu: the gods proclaim Agni’s function as protector of the prepared sacred space (barhis) and of the offering-bearer (havis). Mythically it is divine endorsement; psychologically it is the assurance that right preparation and sincere offering generate an inner shelter for transformation.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √vid ‘know’ is pan-IE (Latin vidēre, English wit/wise). √vac ‘speak’ is IE (Latin vox). √vṛdh ‘grow’ is Indo-Iranian with broader IE growth semantics. The repeated dative formula (barhiṣmate… haviṣmate… manave) is a liturgical syntactic pattern for boon-allocation.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi presents Agni’s identity as affirmed by the Immortals themselves, strengthening trust (śraddhā-like). The human offers preparation (barhis) and substance (havis); Agni reciprocates by granting śarman—protected inner space where the divine work can proceed.
Stabilize strong will into non-hostile nobility; prepare the inner seat; offer energies; rest in śarma.
mūlādhāra (stability/shelter) and anāhata (peace without hostility)
Lengthened exhale (1:2) while repeating ‘śarma yaṃsat’; feel settling in the lower abdomen and heart.
From active force to integrated repose; ‘strength that becomes peace’.
End practice by recollecting: (1) the seat prepared (posture, breath, sincerity), (2) the offering made (effort, aspiration), (3) receive śarma as a quiet canopy over thoughts and impulses.
Rigvedic accents; keep the refrain ‘śárma yaṃsat’ consistent each time; emphasize vṛ́ṣabha, vāvṛdhāná, ā́ryaḥ, amṛ́tāḥ.
Let the first two pādas be strong and stately; soften into benediction on the repeated ending; keep both repetitions identical in pitch contour.
tuvigrīvo: long ī in grī; avoid ‘gree-vo’ diphthong, vāvṛdhāno: vocalic ṛ; keep ‘dhā’ long ā, aśatrv aryaḥ: avoid inserting extra vowel between trv; keep cluster clean, yaṃsat: nasal ‘ṃ’ before ‘s’—light nasalization, not full ‘m’
Deep, steady, blessing-like; gentle emphasis on the refrain.
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