Rig Veda 7.94.4: Mandala 7, Sukta 94, Mantra 4
Sukta 7.94
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Indra and Agni
- Chandas
- Gāyatrī
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
इन्द्रे अग्ना नमो बृहत्सुवृक्तिमेरयामहे । धिया धेना अवस्यवः ॥
índre agnā́ námo bṛhát suvṛktím ér ayāmahe | dhiyā́ dhénā avasyávaḥ ||
A Indra y a Agni ofrecemos la vasta reverencia; ponemos en marcha una palabra bien labrada. Con inteligencia inspirada, como vacas lecheras de abundancia, buscamos vuestra ayuda y vuestro sustento.
Word by Word
- इन्द्रे
- in/with IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी एकवचन (वेदिक रूप: इन्द्रे = इन्द्रे/इन्द्रेऽ)Role अधिकारणRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- अग्ना
- in/with AgniNounपुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी एकवचन (वेदिक रूप: अग्ना = अग्नौ)Role अधिकारणRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- नमः
- homage, reverenceNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोग: ‘नमः’ = homage)Role कर्मRoot नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- बृहत्
- greatAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन (विशेषणम्)Role कर्मRoot बृहन्त् (प्रातिपदिक)
- सुवृक्तिम्
- well-fashioned hymn/praiseNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्मRoot सुवृक्ति (प्रातिपदिक; सु- + वृक्ति < √वृज्/√वृक् ‘to choose/arrange’, स्तुतिरूपेण)
- ईरयामहे
- we raise/utter/impelVerbलट् (वर्तमान); आत्मनेपद; उत्तमपुरुष; बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (क्रियापद)Root √ईर्/ईरय् (प्रेरणे ‘to set in motion, to raise, to utter’)
- धिया
- with thought/insightNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया एकवचनRole करणRoot धी (प्रातिपदिक)
- धेनाः
- (like) milch-cows; nourishing streams (of praise)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot धेनु (प्रातिपदिक)
- अवस्यवः
- seeking aid/favorAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन (धेनाः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृRoot अवस्यु (प्रातिपदिक; अवस् ‘help/favor’ + -यु ‘desiring’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: इन्द्रे | अग्ना | नमः | बृहत्-सुवृक्तिम् | ईरयामहे | धिया | धेनाः | अवस्यवः । 1) ‘बृहत्सुवृक्तिम्’ = बृहत् + सुवृक्तिम् (व्यञ्जन-सन्धि: त् + स → त्स)
- 2) ‘इन्द्रे’ तथा ‘अग्ना’ सप्तमी-एकवचन के वैदिक रूप हैं (क्लासिकल: इन्द्रे/इन्द्रेऽ ~ इन्द्रे, अग्नौ)
- 3) उच्चारणचिह्न (॑, ॒) वैदिक स्वर (उदात्त/अनुदात्त/स्वरित) सूचित करते हैं
The meaning
Outer meaning
To Indra and Agni we offer great reverence; we set in motion a well-fashioned hymn. With inspired thought, like milk-cows, we seek your aid.
Inner meaning
Reverence (namo bṛhat) is made vast—an opening of the being. The ‘well-wrought utterance’ (suvṛkti) is not mere poetry but a correctly formed inner vibration that aligns mind and will with the gods. ‘Dhiyā dhenāḥ’ indicates the illumined intelligence producing streams of nourishment: thoughts that are like milk—pure, sustaining, and abundant. The seekers (avasyavaḥ) turn to Indra-Agni for fostering of the inner sacrifice and growth of consciousness.
Universal truth
When aspiration becomes vast and sincere, speech and thought can be shaped into a mantric force. Right expression born of insight becomes nourishment, and the higher powers respond to a consciousness that offers both devotion and clarity.
Themes
praise, mantra formation, nourishment imagery
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha-gotra
- Other hymns
- RV 7.1 (Agni), RV 7.19 (Indra), RV 7.88 (Varuṇa)
Family tradition
Vasiṣṭha’s school is noted for ‘right speech’ and harmonizing power—suvṛkti as a disciplined mantric craft.
Significance
Embodies the priest-seer who perfects the inner offering through accurate word, devotion, and luminous intelligence.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra and Agni
- Epithets
- bṛhat (vast) reverence received, receivers of suvṛkti
- Related deities
- Sarasvatī (speech), Bṛhaspati (mantric power), Soma (delight)
Cosmic role
Indra brings the victorious illumination and release of the Light; Agni carries the offering and builds the divine formation. Together they accept the mantric offering and turn it into effective help.
Inner power
Indra: clarity, courage, decisive discrimination. Agni: aspiration, purification, forward-driving will. Their combined response converts inspired thought into abundance (dhenāḥ).
In ritual
Where it is used
Praise-invocation to Indra and Agni in Soma-related rites; also suitable at the start of recitation as a consecration of speech.
इन्द्रे॑ अ॒ग्ना नमो॑ बृ॒हत्सु॑वृ॒क्तिमेर॑यामहे । धि॒या धेना॑ अव॒स्यव॑: ॥
इन्द्रे॑ । अ॒ग्ना । नमः॑ । बृ॒हत् । सु॒ऽवृ॒क्तिम् । आ । ई॒र॒या॒म॒हे॒ । धि॒या । धेनाः॑ । अ॒व॒स्यवः॑ ॥
indre | agnā | namaḥ | bṛhat | su-vṛktim | ā | īrayāmahe | dhiyā | dhenāḥ | avasyavaḥ
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3 × 8 syllables (approx.)
Forward-moving and bright; the second pāda ‘suvṛktim erayāmahe’ naturally ‘lifts’ the cadence.
Encourages widening and clarity; supports articulation and confidence in chanting, making the mind feel ‘well-shaped’.
- namaḥ bṛhat
- Literal: vast salutation/reverence. Symbolic: widening of consciousness; surrender that makes room for higher descent
- su-vṛkti
- Literal: well-turned speech/hymn. Symbolic: mantric formulation—right word that carries right vibration
- ā īrayāmahe
- Literal: we set in motion, we impel forth. Symbolic: activation of inner speech-force and aspiration into effective movement
- dhiyā
- Literal: by dhi (inspired thought). Symbolic: illumined intelligence; the seeing mind
- dhenāḥ
- Literal: milk-cows. Symbolic: streams of luminous knowledge that yield nourishment (not literal cattle)
- avasyavaḥ
- Literal: desiring help/protection. Symbolic: souls seeking fostering (avasa) for the growth of the inner work
Stuti and hymn-raising (īraya) in Soma/Agni liturgy; emphasizes correct formulation (suvṛkti) and dhī as the instrument
Before or during offerings when invoking Indra-Agni for aid; as a preparatory hymn to ‘set the mantra in motion’.
Recitation with offering (āhuti) or as stuti; emphasis on correct utterance (suvṛkti).
Use before study, teaching, or meditation to purify speech and thought; as a ‘voice-opening’ mantra for chanting practice.
bṛhat is part of the RV triad satyam-ṛtam-bṛhat (truth-order-vast). suvṛkti: su- ‘good’ + vṛkti ‘turning/formation’ suggests speech shaped rightly. dhenu as ‘cow’ is a standard RV symbol for nourishing rays/streams; psychologically, dhiyā dhenāḥ = intelligence as a milking power that yields sustenance of realization.
bṛhat (the Vast), dhī (inspired intelligence), right speech (suvṛkti) as creative act
Suvṛkti is speech aligned with ṛta—right formulation that supports right action.
Dhi produces true seeing; the ‘milk’ is truth-nourishment rather than opinion.
Mantra as creative vibration: speech that shapes consciousness and invites the higher powers.
Mantra-yoga orientation; anticipates Upaniṣadic emphasis on vāk and prāṇa as powers of realization.
Milk = pure nourishment of consciousness; cows = rays of knowledge; fire = aspiration; sun = illumined truth.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The cow-as-nourishment mythologem applied to dhī: the ‘cows’ are not livestock but streams of yielding intelligence that feed the rite and the being. The hymn itself is ‘raised’ as a vast offering, aligning speech with the Vast (bṛhat).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- dhī relates to √dhī/√dhyā ‘think/meditate’ within the PIE *dʰeh₁-/*dʰiH- complexes debated in scholarship; more securely, √īr ‘stir’ shows an inherited verb pattern of arousal/raising. The symbolic ‘cow’ (dhenu) parallels widespread IE metaphors where cattle imagery encodes wealth and nourishment, here interiorized.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi’s offering is twofold: namas (reverent self-giving) and suvṛkti (well-formed mantra). The expected return is avas (help/fostering): Indra-Agni respond by empowering the dhī and its ‘milk’—the sustaining flow of insight and force.
Consecrate speech and thought: feel a vast bowing (namo bṛhat), then allow dhi to form a clear inner mantra (suvṛkti).
viśuddha (speech purification) with ājñā (dhi/insight)
Bhrāmarī (gentle) 5 rounds, then chant on a long exhale to ‘shape’ the voice; pause after each pāda to feel widening.
Widened, luminous, quietly joyful inspiration.
Before chanting, inwardly offer ‘namo bṛhat’; then speak slowly and precisely, imagining words as white nourishing streams; end by sitting in silence, receiving the ‘milk’ of insight.
Use śākha-based svara; emphasize natural lift on ‘suvṛktim’ and ‘dhiyā’; keep tonal steadiness across three pādas.
Do not swallow visarga in namaḥ; keep ‘indre agnā’ clearly separated; lengthen bṛhat slightly without dragging.
indre: clear dental ndr cluster, agnā: long ā at end, suvṛktim: ṛ as vocalic r; keep kt cluster crisp, īrayāmahe: long ī; avoid ‘eray-’ flattening, dhiyā: dhi as aspirated; yā long, dhenāḥ: dh aspirated; e long; nasalization minimal
Clear, resonant, devotional; slightly bright to evoke inspiration.
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