Rig Veda 5.28.2: Mandala 5, Sukta 28, Mantra 2
Sukta 5.28
- Devata
- Agni
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
समिध्यमानो अमृतस्य राजसि हविष्कृण्वन्तं सचसे स्वस्तये । विश्वं स धत्ते द्रविणं यमिन्वस्यातिथ्यमग्ने नि च धत्त इत्पुरः ॥
samidhyámāno amṛ́tasya rājasi havíṣ kṛṇvántam sacase svastáye | víśvaṃ sá dhatte dráviṇaṃ yám ínvasy ātíthyam agne ní ca dhatte ít púraḥ ||
Quand tu t’embrases dans le domaine de l’immortalité, tu accompagnes celui qui prépare l’offrande (havis), pour son bien-être (svastí). En lui tu déposes toute la richesse (draviṇa) et la plénitude de l’être; et l’hospitalité (atithyá) qu’il déploie, ô Agni, tu l’établis fermement — au premier rang, comme appui de sa vie.
Word by Word
- समिध्यमानः
- being kindled, kindling (himself)Participle (Adjectival)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम् (अग्निविशेषणम्)Role कर्तृ (विशेषणरूपेण कर्तरि)Root सम्-इध् (धातु) → समिध्य (कृदन्त-प्रक्रिया)
- अमृतस्य
- of immortality / of the immortal (nectar)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्गम्, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root अमृत (प्रातिपदिकम्)
- राजसि
- in the (luminous) realm/spaceNounनपुंसकलिङ्गम्, सप्तमी, एकवचनम्Role अधिकरणRoot रजस् (प्रातिपदिकम्)
- हविष्कृण्वन्तम्
- making/performing the oblationParticiple (Adjectival)पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम् (अग्निम्)Role कर्म (सचसे इति क्रियायाः)Root हविस् + कृ (धातु) → हविष्कृ (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिकम्)
- सचसे
- you accompany / you followVerbलट् (वर्तमान), मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, आत्मनेपदम्Role क्रियाRoot सच् (धातु) अथवा सच्/सञ्च् ‘to accompany, follow’
- स्वस्तये
- for well-being, for welfareNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, चतुर्थी, एकवचनम्Role सम्प्रदानRoot स्वस्ति (प्रातिपदिकम्)
- विश्वम्
- all, the whole (of it)Adjective (used substantively)नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्म (धत्ते इति)Root विश्व (प्रातिपदिकम्)
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिकम्)
- धत्ते
- he places, bestowsVerbलट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, आत्मनेपदम्Role क्रियाRoot धा (धातु)
- द्रविणम्
- wealth, treasureNounनपुंसकलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot द्रविण (प्रातिपदिकम्)
- यम्
- whom / whichRelative pronounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्म (इन्वस्याति इति)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिकम्)
- इन्वस्याति
- he impels/pursues (it), he sets (it) in motionVerbलट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Role क्रियाRoot इन्वस्/इन्व् (धातु; ‘to set in motion, impel, pursue’—वेदिक)
- अतिथ्यम्
- hospitality, guest-offeringNounनपुंसकलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्म (धत्ते/धत्त इति)Root अतिथि (प्रातिपदिकम्) → अतिथ्य (भाव/कर्म-नाम)
- अग्ने
- O AgniNoun (Vocative)पुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन, एकवचनम्Role सम्बोधनRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिकम्)
- नि
- down, in, intoIndeclinableअव्ययम्Role क्रियाविशेषण (उपसर्गः धा-धातोः)Root नि (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- च
- andIndeclinableअव्ययम्Role समुच्चयRoot च (निपात)
- धत्त
- place! bestow!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Role क्रियाRoot धा (धातु)
- इत्
- indeed, justIndeclinableअव्ययम्Role निपात (बलवाचकः)Root इत् (निपात; emphatic)
- पुरः
- in front, beforeAdverbial nounअव्ययवत् (पुरः = ‘in front’), मूलतः नपुंसक/अव्ययप्रयोगःRole अधिकरण (स्थानवाचकः)Root पुरस् (प्रातिपदिकम्)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सम्भाव्यः): समिध्यमानः | अमृतस्य | राजसि | हविष्कृण्वन्तम् | सचसे | स्वस्तये || विश्वम् | सः | धत्ते | द्रविणम् | यम् | इन्वस्याति | अतिथ्यम् | अग्ने | नि | च | धत्त | इत् | पुरः || 1) समिध्यमानो ← समिध्यमानः (पुं. प्रथ. एक.) + (अगला पद उदात्त-प्रभाव/संहितापाठ-रूप). 2) हविष्कृण्वन्तं सचसे: अन्त्य -म् + स- आरम्भे संधिः न परिवर्तनम् (अनुस्वार/परसवर्ण-नियम लागू नहीं). 3) यमिन्वस्याति: संहितायां यम् + इन्वस्याति → यमिन्वस्याति (म् + इ → मि).
- केवल पदसीमा. 5) इत्पुरः: इत् + पुरः → इत्पुरः (त् + प् = त्प्)
The meaning
Outer meaning
As Agni blazes in the realm of immortality, he accompanies the one who prepares the offering for well-being; he places all wealth in him and firmly establishes the hospitality set in front.
Inner meaning
When the inner Fire grows (samidhyamānaḥ) in the immortal expanse (amṛtasya rājasi), it becomes the companion-force of the sādhaka who shapes the offering (haviṣ kṛṇvantaṃ). This awakened Will brings ‘all wealth’—integral resources of being (draviṇa)—and stabilizes the soul’s right openness to higher influences (ātithyam) as a front-line habit of life (puraḥ): a constant readiness to receive and serve the Divine movements.
Universal truth
Sincere inner offering attracts a sustaining power that reorganizes life: well-being arises, capacities increase, and receptivity becomes stable rather than occasional.
Themes
inner hospitality, stabilizing the offering, wealth as fullness, Agni as companion
The seer
- Rishi
- Atri (Atri-family attribution for RV 5)
- Lineage
- Atri
- Other hymns
- RV 5.27, RV 5.28, RV 5.30
Family tradition
Atri hymns often stress the practical yoga of offering: preparing haviṣ as inner discipline and receiving draviṇa as spiritual resources.
Significance
The rishi-voice presents Agni not only as invoked power but as a companion in the immortal wideness—guiding daily life toward stable receptivity and integral prosperity of the being.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- samidhyamāna (ever-kindling), svastidā (giver of well-being, implied), dhanadā/draviṇodā (giver of wealth of being, implied), sakhā (companion, via sacase)
- Related deities
- Aditi (wideness/immortality), Soma (bliss that supports immortality), Indra (illumined power that uses the gained resources)
Cosmic role
Sustains the link with immortality; supports the sacrificer; establishes right relations between human and divine.
Inner power
A steady companion-flame that converts discipline into widening, protection, and inner abundance; stabilizes receptivity (ātithya).
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni kindling with offerings (havis) and invocation for svasti; hospitality motif aligns with receiving devāḥ in yajña.
स॒मि॒ध्यमा॑नो अ॒मृत॑स्य राजसि ह॒विष्कृ॒ण्वन्तं॑ सचसे स्व॒स्तये॑ । विश्वं॒ स ध॑त्ते॒ द्रवि॑णं॒ यमिन्व॑स्याति॒थ्यम॑ग्ने॒ नि च॑ धत्त॒ इत्पु॒रः ॥
स॒म्ऽइ॒ध्यमा॑नः । अ॒मृत॑स्य । रा॒ज॒सि॒ । ह॒विः । कृ॒ण्वन्त॑म् । स॒च॒से॒ । स्व॒स्तये॑ । विश्व॑म् । सः । ध॒त्ते॒ । द्रवि॑णम् । यम् । इन्व॑सि । आ॒ति॒थ्यम् । अ॒ग्ने॒ । नि । च॒ । ध॒त्ते॒ । इत् । पु॒रः ॥
sam-idhyamānaḥ | amṛtasya | rājasi | haviḥ | kṛṇvantam | sacase | svastaye | viśvam | saḥ | dhatte | draviṇam | yam | invasi | ātithyam | agne | ni | ca | dhatte | it | puraḥ
44
4×11 (approx.)
Grave and supportive; a ‘walking’ rhythm fitting companionship (sacase) and establishment (ni dhatta).
Creates steadiness and confidence; helps the listener feel accompanied and inwardly resourced.
- समिध्यमान (samidhyamāna)
- Literal: being kindled, increasing in flame. Symbolic: growing aspiration; progressive intensification of will
- अमृतस्य राजसि (amṛtasya rājasi)
- Literal: in the luminous realm of immortality. Symbolic: in the deathless consciousness-plane; wide luminous mind
- हविष्कृण्वन्त् (haviṣ-kṛṇvant)
- Literal: one preparing the oblation. Symbolic: the practitioner shaping thoughts/acts into offering
- स्वस्ति (svasti)
- Literal: well-being, auspiciousness. Symbolic: inner harmony; protected progress under ṛta
- द्रविण (draviṇa)
- Literal: wealth, substance. Symbolic: powers of being—clarity, force, joy, capacity
- आतिथ्य (ātithya)
- Literal: hospitality. Symbolic: receptive openness to the gods; welcoming the higher consciousness
- पुरः (puraḥ)
- Literal: in front, in the fore. Symbolic: made primary; established as the leading attitude of life
Agni as the divine guest-priest who ensures proper reception (ātithya) of the gods; inner ritual: cultivate the 'front' of consciousness as a prepared space where higher influences can be received and stabilized.
At the stage of establishing the fire and beginning offerings; also in rites seeking prosperity and protection.
Offer ghee/grains; recite to affirm Agni’s companionship and the settling of auspicious order.
Before meals/work: a brief inner offering and resolve to keep ‘hospitality’—openness to higher guidance—at the forefront.
amṛta: a- 'not' + mṛta 'mortal' from √mṛ 'die' (PIE *mer-). svasti: su 'good' + asti 'is' (PIE *h₁es- 'to be'). draviṇa: from √dru/drav 'run/flow' (wealth as flowing substance), extended to 'means/treasure'. ātithi- from atithi 'guest' (a-tithi 'without fixed day' → one who arrives unexpectedly), ritualized as the gods arriving to the sacrifice.
amṛta (immortality), svasti (integral well-being), ātithya (right receptivity to the divine)
Agni ‘places’ and ‘establishes’—language of ordering; svasti is the lived harmony of ṛta.
Draviṇa as true substance: enduring capacities rather than transient gain.
The immortal realm supports the mortal by descending order and resources into life.
Integral yoga reading: immortality as a plane of consciousness accessible through progressive kindling and offering.
Rajas = wide field of consciousness; fire growing there = aspiration established above the ordinary mind, then supporting life below.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Agni as the divine guest-priest who makes the sacrifice successful by accompanying the offerer and establishing 'hospitality'—the correct conditions for gods to arrive. Psychologically, Agni builds the receptive fore-space of consciousness where truth-powers can be hosted.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- amṛta rests on √mṛ (PIE *mer- 'die'). svasti uses asti from PIE *h₁es- 'be'. The guest/hospitality complex is an archaic Indo-European social-religious institution mirrored in Vedic ātithya.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi relies on Agni not merely to carry offerings outward but to shape the inner condition: Agni companions the doer of the offering and installs draviṇa (fullness) and ātithya (receptive order) in the forefront—divine help as inner formation.
Feel Agni as a companion-flame in the vast mind; cultivate ‘ātithya’—welcoming higher impulses before acting.
anāhata (hospitality/open-hearted receptivity) with ājñā (luminous rajas)
Inhale: widen awareness above the brow; exhale: offer a chosen thought/impulse into the heart-fire; repeat evenly.
Widened, protected, quietly luminous; readiness-to-receive.
Before decisions, pause and ‘set hospitality in front’: invite the higher will, then act only after a quiet assent arises.
Rigvedic accentuation as marked; emphasize the lift on samidhyamānáḥ, amṛtásya, svastáye, draviṇám, ātíthyam.
Keep pāda breaks clear; let ‘ni ca dhatta’ be articulated firmly to convey establishment.
samidhyamāno: articulate -dhy- clearly (not ‘jya’)., amṛtasya: ṛ as syllabic, light and central., draviṇam: retroflex ṇ; avoid dental n., ātithyam: keep short i in -ti-; aspirate th softly.
Steady, supportive, warm; less ‘soaring’ than v.1—more establishing.
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