Rig Veda 5.2.9: Mandala 5, Sukta 2, Mantra 9
Sukta 5.2
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
वि ज्योतिषा बृहता भात्यग्निराविर्विश्वानि कृणुते महित्वा । प्रादेवीर्मायाः सहते दुरेवाः शिशीते शृङ्गे रक्षसे विनिक्षे ॥
ví jyótiṣā bṛhatā́ bhāty agnír āvír víśvāni kṛṇute mahitvā́ | prádevīr māyā́ḥ sahate durévāḥ śíśīte śṛ́ṅge rákṣase viníkṣe ||
Agni resplendit d’une vaste lumière et, par sa grandeur, rend manifeste tout ce qui est. Il triomphe des ruses non divines et des voies mauvaises; il aiguise ses deux cornes pour frapper le Rakṣas qui s’insinue et s’établit.
Word by Word
- वि
- apart, forth, widelyIndeclinableउपसर्ग (क्रियाविशेषक)Root वि- (उपसर्ग)
- ज्योतिषा
- with lightNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot ज्योतिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- बृहता
- with great (vast)Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (ज्योतिषा इति सह विशेषणम्)Role KaraṇaRoot बृहन्त् (प्रातिपदिक)
- भाति
- shinesVerbलट् (वर्तमाने), परस्मैपद, प्रथमा, एकवचनRoot भा (धातु)
- अग्निः
- Agni (fire)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- आविः
- manifestly, openlyIndeclinableअव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण)Root आविस्/आविः (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
- विश्वानि
- all (things)Adjective (substantive)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- कृणुते
- makes, brings aboutVerbलट् (वर्तमाने), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमा, एकवचनRoot कृ (धातु)
- महित्वा
- by (his) greatness, through mightNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot महित्व (प्रातिपदिक; -त्व भाव)
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableउपसर्ग/निपात (क्रियाविशेषक)Root प्र- (उपसर्ग)
- अदेवीः
- ungodly, non-divineAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (मायाः इति विशेष्यस्य)Role KarmaRoot अदेवी (प्रातिपदिक; अ-देवी)
- मायाः
- deceptions, magical powersNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot माया (प्रातिपदिक)
- सहते
- overcomes, withstandsVerbलट् (वर्तमाने), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमा, एकवचनRoot सह् (धातु)
- दुरेवाः
- evil-minded ones, ill-wishersAdjective (substantive)पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (अदेवीर्मायाः इत्यस्य विशेषणवत्/समनाधिकरणे)Role KarmaRoot दुरेवा (प्रातिपदिक; दुर्-एवा)
- शिशीते
- sharpensVerbलट् (वर्तमाने), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमा, एकवचनRoot शि/शै? (धातु: शि ‘तीक्ष्णीकरणे/शाणने’ → शिशीते)
- शृङ्गे
- (his) two hornsNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्विवचन, द्वितीया/प्रथमा (वेदे द्विवचन-रूपम्; ‘his two horns’)Role KarmaRoot शृङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
- रक्षसे
- for the demon/hostile spiritNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot रक्षस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- विनिक्षे
- casts down, lays lowVerbलट् (वर्तमाने), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमा, एकवचनRoot वि-नि-क्षि (धातु; ‘to cast down/lay down’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धिविच्छेद): वि | ज्योतिषा | बृहता | भाति | अग्निः | आविः | विश्वानि | कृणुते | महित्वा | प्र | अदेवीः | मायाः | सहते | दुरेवाः | शिशीते | शृङ्गे | रक्षसे | विनिक्षे । मुख्यसन्धयः: (1) भाति + अग्निः → भात्यग्निः (य्-आदेशः) । (2) अग्निः + आविः → अग्निराविः (र्-सन्धिः) । (3) आविः + विश्वानि → आविर्विश्वानि (र्-सन्धिः) । (4) प्र + अदेवीः → प्रादेवीः (आगम/वृद्धि) । (5) दुरेवाः + शिशीते → दुरेवाः शिशीते (विसर्गः पदान्ते) ।
The meaning
Outer meaning
Agni blazes with vast light, makes all things visible by his greatness, overcomes undivine deceptions and evil ways, and sharpens his two horns to strike the Rakṣas that has settled in.
Inner meaning
The awakened inner Fire (divine Will) expands as a wide illumination in the consciousness, revealing hidden movements and bringing the whole being into clarity. It breaks the ‘adevī māyāḥ’—the false formations of the lower nature—and overcomes ‘durevāḥ’—habitual wrong turnings of desire and ignorance. The ‘two horns’ are Agni’s double-pointed force (discernment + power of execution) that pierces and expels the intrusive hostile vibration (rakṣas) lodged within the system.
Universal truth
When the will to truth becomes luminous and vast, it exposes obscurity, dissolves self-deception, and establishes a protective, discerning strength that removes hostile patterns from the inner life.
Themes
illumination, banishing Rakṣas, overcoming deception, protective fire
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha (Maitrāvaruṇa line)
- Other hymns
- RV 7.1, RV 7.2, RV 7.3, RV 7.18
Family tradition
Vasiṣṭha family hymns emphasize Agni as inner priest and protector establishing ṛta in the human instrument.
Significance
Vasiṣṭha’s seeing often turns Agni from outer flame into an inward guiding intelligence-force that reveals, purifies, and guards the path of truth.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- bṛhat-jyotis (vast-lighted), mahitvā (great in power), rakṣohā (slayer of hostile forces), purohita (inner priest, implied)
- Related deities
- Indra, Varuṇa, Mitra, Soma
Cosmic role
Mediator between human and divine; illuminator who makes the worlds and movements ‘manifest’.
Inner power
Psychic fire and will-force that exposes falsehood, burns impurity, and establishes a vigilant protection in consciousness.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni-stotra within soma-related or general agni invocations; protective recitation against rakṣas in yajña setting
वि ज्योति॑षा बृह॒ता भा॑त्य॒ग्निरा॒विर्विश्वा॑नि कृणुते महि॒त्वा । प्रादे॑वीर्मा॒याः स॑हते दु॒रेवा॒: शिशी॑ते॒ शृङ्गे॒ रक्ष॑से वि॒निक्षे॑ ॥
वि । ज्योति॑षा । बृ॒ह॒ता । भा॒ति॒ । अ॒ग्निः । आ॒विः । विश्वा॑नि । कृ॒णु॒ते॒ । म॒हि॒ऽत्वा । प्र । अदे॑वीः । मा॒याः । स॒ह॒ते॒ । दुः॒ऽएवाः॑ । शिशी॑ते । शृङ्गे॒ इति॑ । रक्ष॑से । वि॒ऽनिक्षे॑ ॥
vi | jyotiṣā | bṛhatā | bhāti | agniḥ | āviḥ | viśvāni | kṛṇute | mahi-tvā | pra | adevīḥ | māyāḥ | sahate | duḥ-evāḥ | śiśīte | śṛṅgeiti | rakṣase | vi-nikṣe
44
4 pādas of ~11 syllables each
Strong, forward-driving cadence with emphatic openings (vi / prā-) supporting a ‘breaking-open’ movement.
Builds expansive clarity and decisive protection; suitable for energizing concentration and cutting through inner obscurity.
- अग्निः (agniḥ)
- Literal: fire. Symbolic: divine will, inner leader of the sacrifice
- बृहता ज्योतिषा (bṛhatā jyotiṣā)
- Literal: with vast light. Symbolic: wide illumination of consciousness (bṛhat), revelatory knowledge
- आविः विश्वानि कृणुते (āvir viśvāni kṛṇute)
- Literal: makes all things manifest. Symbolic: brings subconscious and mixed movements into conscious clarity
- अदेवीः मायाः (adevīḥ māyāḥ)
- Literal: undivine deceits/illusions. Symbolic: false formations of ego-nature; ignorance constructing appearances
- दुःएवाः (duḥ-evāḥ / durevāḥ)
- Literal: evil paths. Symbolic: wrong habitual movements of desire, error, and inertia
- शृङ्गे (śṛṅge)
- Literal: two horns. Symbolic: twin powers of discernment and force; piercing clarity
- रक्षसे विनिक्षे (rakṣase vinikṣe)
- Literal: for the Rakṣas that has settled in. Symbolic: intrusive hostile influence lodged in the being (subconscient obstruction)
Protective/āpāṃśu-like apotropaic strain within Agni praise; employed to ward off Rakṣas and purify the yajña-space (outer and inner).
At kindling/strengthening of the fire and protective moments of the rite (rakṣohā intention)
Offering with guarding intention; mental ‘expulsion’ of obstruction while maintaining the flame
Use as a protective clarity-mantra before meditation/work: invoke inner light, name self-deceptions, and release intrusive thoughts.
√bhā ‘shine’ and jyotis ‘light’ ground the illumination motif (Satyam-Ritam-Bṛhat: bṛhatā ‘the Vast’). māyā (from √mā ‘measure, form’) here is ‘measuring’ that becomes deceptive—constructs that mispresent reality. √sah ‘overcome/endure’ indicates victorious resistance. śṛṅga ‘horn’ (dual) is a Vedic weapon-image; √śī/śī ‘sharpen’ → śiśīte. rakṣas is the obstructive power of darkness; vi-nikṣe marks intrusion/settling of that force within the field.
Bṛhat (the Vast), truth-manifestation (āvis), struggle of knowledge vs. deception (māyā)
Agni’s vast light restores ṛta by making movements visible and therefore governable.
Truth as revelation: what is hidden becomes ‘āvis’ (manifest) to consciousness.
Revelation/manifestation (āvir-karaṇa) as a creative act of light.
Proto-Vedāntic/Integral (Aurobindonian) reading: consciousness-force reveals and transforms nature.
Fire/light = awakened will and knowledge; horns = piercing discriminative force that drives out hostile vibrations.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Agni as revealer and demon-slayer: the fire makes the hidden manifest and defeats Rakṣasic intrusion. The ‘horns’ image compresses a mythic combat motif into an inner discipline: sharpened powers of will and discernment drive out settled obscurity.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √bhā ‘shine’ is a classic IE radiance root (cf. Slavic *běl- ‘white’ is different; but Indo-Iranian bhā is robust). √mā ‘measure’ is pan-IE (Greek métron, Latin mētior), supporting māyā as ‘measuring/formation’ that can become deception. √kṛ ‘make/do’ is central Indo-Iranian/IE action verb.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer relies on Agni’s intrinsic greatness to make the whole field of experience ‘āvis’ (manifest). The human asks, implicitly, for inner protection: Agni’s light and force must actively confront the lodged Rakṣas—obscure habits and invasive impulses.
Invoke inner Agni as vast illumination; watch thoughts/impulses become ‘manifest’ and release deceptive formations.
maṇipūra (will/fire center)
Nādī-śodhana or slow exhale-focused breathing while repeating the first pāda; then firm kumbhaka (gentle) on ‘prādevīr māyāḥ’ to steady resolve.
From scattered surface-mind to wide, clear witnessing with decisive will.
1) Sit upright; 2) Repeat slowly, feeling ‘vi jyotiṣā bṛhatā’ widen the mind; 3) Identify one ‘māyā’ (self-justification, doubt, craving); 4) On the last pāda, imagine a clean expulsion—no struggle, only clear force.
Mixed udātta/anudātta/svarita per Rigvedic recitation; key emphases often fall on jyótiṣā, bṛhatā, āvíḥ, víśvāni, mahitvā́, māyā́ḥ, śṛṅgé, rákṣase.
Keep the lift (udātta) clear on marked syllables; avoid flattening compounds like bṛhatā-jyotiṣā; maintain caesura after each pāda.
ṛ in bṛhatā is a short vocalic ‘ri’ (not ‘ra’), ṣ in jyotiṣā is retroflex; keep tongue curled back, kh/gh aspiration: none here; but keep clear ‘prā-’ length, śṛṅge: pronounce ṛṅ with retroflex nasal coloring; do not insert extra vowel
Bright, steady, slightly forceful on the last two pādas (protective tone).
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