Rig Veda 2.1.5: Mandala 2, Sukta 1, Mantra 5
Sukta 2.1
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Gāyatrī
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
त्वमग्ने त्वष्टा विधते सुवीर्यं तव ग्नावो मित्रमहः सजात्यम् । त्वमाशुहेमा ररिषे स्वश्व्यं त्वं नरां शर्धो असि पुरूवसुः ॥
tvám agne tváṣṭā vidhaté su-vī́ryaṃ táva gnā́vo mitra-mahaḥ sa-jā́tyam | tvám āśu-hemā rariṣe sváśvyaṃ tváṃ narā́ṃ śárdho asi purū́vasuḥ ||
હે અગ્નિ, તું જ ત્વષ્ટા છે—વિધાતા (યજમાન) માટે સુવીર્ય, વીર્યબળ, ઘડે છે. હે મહામિત્ર, તારા ગ્નાવો (સહજ અગ્નિઓ) એકજ જાતિના, એકજ જન્મના છે. તું શીઘ્રે હિરણ્ય-સમૃદ્ધિ લાવે છે; તું સ્વશ્વ્ય—ઉત્તમ અશ્વબળ/સુઘોડા—અર્પે છે. તું નરોનું શર્ધ (સમૂહ/સેન્ય) છે; તું પુરુવસુ—વિસ્તૃત વૈભવવાળો—છે.
Word by Word
- त्वम्
- thou (you)Pronounपुं/स्त्री/नपुं; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अग्ने
- O AgniNoun (vocative)पुं; संबोधन; एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- त्वष्टा
- Tvaṣṭṛ (the divine artisan)Nounपुं; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृ (समनाधिकरण/विशेषण-भावेन त्वम्-सम्बन्धी)Root त्वष्टृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- विधते
- to the worshipper/ordainer (for the sacrificer)Nounपुं; चतुर्थी; एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot विधत् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘विधत्’ = यजमान/विधाता/उपासक) अथवा √धा (वि+धा) से ‘विधत्’
- सुवीर्यम्
- excellent manly power/heroic strengthNounनपुं; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot सु-वीर्य (प्रातिपदिक) < वीर्य
- तव
- of thee/thyPronounषष्ठी; एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- ग्नावः
- (thy) divine women/consortsNounस्त्री; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot ग्ना (प्रातिपदिक; ‘देवपत्नी/स्त्री’)
- मित्रमहः
- whose greatness is friendly/beneficentAdjective (epithet)पुं; प्रथमा; एकवचन (अग्ने/त्वम्-समनाधिकरण)Role कर्तृ (समनाधिकरण-विशेषण)Root मित्र-महस् (प्रातिपदिक; बहुव्रीहि/तत्पुरुष)
- सजात्यम्
- kinship, common birth, fellowshipNounनपुं; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot स-जात्य (प्रातिपदिक) < जाति
- त्वम्
- thouPronounप्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot युष्मद्
- आशुहेमा
- swift as gold / swiftly-glittering (epithet)Adjective (epithet)पुं; प्रथमा; एकवचन (अग्ने/त्वम्-समनाधिकरण)Role कर्तृ (समनाधिकरण-विशेषण)Root आशु-हेमन्/हेम (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
- ररिषे
- thou hast assailed/struck (art.)Verbलिट् (परफेक्ट), आत्मनेपद; मध्यम?—वेदे प्रायः 2nd sg. ‘ररिषे’ = ‘thou hast harmed/assailed’ अथवा ‘thou dost rush/strike’ (वेदिक प्रयोग)Role क्रियाRoot √रिष् (रिष्/रिष् ‘हानौ/क्षतौ’), पुनरुक्त-परफेक्ट/इंटेन्सिव-रूप
- स्वश्व्यम्
- good horsemanship / abundance of good horsesNoun/Adjectiveनपुं; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot सु- अश्व्य/स्व-अश्व्य (प्रातिपदिक) < अश्व
- त्वम्
- thouPronounप्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot युष्मद्
- नराम्
- of menNounपुं; षष्ठी; बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root नृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- शर्धः
- host, troop, bandNounनपुं; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृ (समनाधिकरण: त्वम् … असि)Root शर्धस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- असि
- thou artVerbलट्; परस्मैपद; मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot √अस् (भू-अर्थे)
- पुरूवसुः
- rich in many goods/treasuresAdjective (epithet)पुं; प्रथमा; एकवचन (त्वम्-समनाधिकरण)Role कर्तृ (समनाधिकरण-विशेषण)Root पुरु-वसु (प्रातिपदिक; बहुव्रीहि) < वसु
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धि-निरसन): त्वम् | अग्ने | त्वष्टा | विधते | सुवीर्यम् | तव | ग्नावः | मित्रमहः | सजात्यम् || त्वम् | आशुहेमा | ररिषे | स्वश्व्यम् || त्वम् | नराम् | शर्धः | असि | पुरूवसुः || 1) ‘त्वमग्ने’ = त्वम् + अग्ने (म् + अ → म)
- 2) ‘अग्ने त्वष्टा’ सन्धि-रहित पद-सीमा
- 3) ‘सुवीर्यं तव’ = सुवीर्यम् + तव (म् + त → म्)
- 4) ‘ग्नावो मित्रमहः’ = ग्नावः + मित्रमहः (विसर्ग-लोप/ओ-आदेशः पदपाठ-परम्परा अनुसार)
- 5) ‘सजात्यम् । त्वम्’ = सजात्यम् + त्वम् (म् + त → म्)
- 6) ‘त्वमाशुहेमा’ = त्वम् + आशुहेमा
- 7) ‘ररिषे स्वश्व्यम्’ = ररिषे + स्वश्व्यम् (ए + स्—पदसीमा)
- 8) ‘त्वं नरां’ = त्वम् + नराम्
- 9) ‘शर्धो असि’ = शर्धः + असि (विसर्ग-लोपः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Agni is Tvaṣṭṛ who fashions heroic power for the worshipper; his kin-fires are of one birth. He swiftly brings golden riches, grants good horses, and is the host of men, rich in abundance.
Inner meaning
The inner Fire is the divine artisan (Tvaṣṭṛ) shaping the soul’s capacities into effective strength (suvīrya). The ‘kin-fires’ (gnāvaḥ) are the many flames of aspiration and faculties born from the same psychic source, made harmonious in one lineage of consciousness. ‘Golden riches’ are luminous values—clarity, joy, and perfected substance. ‘Good horses’ are disciplined vital energies that can carry the will swiftly. The ‘host of men’ becomes, inwardly, the organized multiplicity of human powers led by Agni toward wide abundance (purūvasu).
Universal truth
Transformation is an artistry: the divine will shapes raw energy into heroic force, unifies scattered impulses into one lineage, and converts desire into luminous wealth and capable action.
Themes
formation, heroic force, plenitude, collective energies
The seer
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada (Bhārgava)
- Lineage
- Bhārgava
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 2.1, Rig Veda 2.9
Family tradition
Bhārgava hymns often develop Agni as craftsman of the inner life, not merely receiver of offerings—an initiatory psychology of forming and perfecting powers.
Significance
Here the seer emphasizes formation (Tvaṣṭṛ) and energetic equipment (horses) for the journey—key to Aurobindo’s reading of the Veda as a manual of inner transformation.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni (as Tvaṣṭṛ; giver of vīrya and rayi)
- Epithets
- tvaṣṭā, mitramahaḥ (friend of the great), āśuhemā, giver of svaśvya, narāṃ śardhaḥ, purūvasuḥ
- Related deities
- Tvaṣṭṛ, Indra (heroic force), Savitṛ (impulsion), Aśvins (swift energies/healers)
Cosmic role
Artisan of forms and powers; increases heroic capacity; bestows abundance and effective energies.
Inner power
Formative tapas that refines the vital and mental into heroic instruments; unifies multiple inner flames into one coherent force; brings luminous substance and swift energies.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni praise in offering rites seeking vīrya (strength) and rayi (plenitude); suitable in preparatory portions of soma/fire ceremonies.
त्वम॑ग्ने॒ त्वष्टा॑ विध॒ते सु॒वीर्यं॒ तव॒ ग्नावो॑ मित्रमहः सजा॒त्य॑म् । त्वमा॑शु॒हेमा॑ ररिषे॒ स्वश्व्यं॒ त्वं न॒रां शर्धो॑ असि पुरू॒वसु॑: ॥
त्वम् । अ॒ग्ने॒ । त्वष्टा॑ । वि॒ध॒ते । सु॒ऽवीर्य॑म् । तव॑ । ग्नावः॑ । मि॒त्र॒ऽम॒हः॒ । स॒ऽजा॒त्य॑म् । त्वम् । आ॒शु॒ऽहेमा॑ । र॒रि॒षे॒ । सु॒ऽअश्व्य॑म् । त्वम् । न॒राम् । शर्धः॑ । अ॒सि॒ । पु॒रु॒ऽवसुः॑ ॥
tvam | agne | tvaṣṭā | vidhate | su-vīryam | tava | gnāvaḥ | mitra-mahaḥ | sa-jātyam | tvam | āśu-hemā | rariṣe | su-aśvyam | tvam | narām | śardhaḥ | asi | puru-vasuḥ
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8+8+8
Energetic and constructive; the cadence feels like hammer-strokes shaping substance.
Invokes a sense of capability and readiness; helpful for energizing disciplined action while keeping unity of purpose.
- त्वष्टा (tvaṣṭā)
- Literal: fashioner/artisan. Symbolic: divine formative power shaping faculties and destiny
- विधते (vidhate)
- Literal: to the one who serves/ordains. Symbolic: the sincere practitioner who orders life toward the sacrifice
- सुवीर्य (suvīrya)
- Literal: good heroism/power. Symbolic: purified strength of soul and mind for conquest of ignorance
- ग्नावः (gnāvaḥ)
- Literal: kin-fires/associated flames. Symbolic: multiple inner flames—aspirations, energies, powers—of one psychic birth
- सजात्य (sajātya)
- Literal: same birth/kinship. Symbolic: harmonized unity of parts of being under one soul-origin
- आशुहेमा (āśuhemā)
- Literal: swift-golden. Symbolic: rapid descent of luminous richness; quick alchemy of consciousness
- स्वश्व्य (svaśvya)
- Literal: good horses/own steeds. Symbolic: well-trained vital energies; forces of action under the soul’s rein
- शर्धः (śardhaḥ)
- Literal: host/troop. Symbolic: organized collective of faculties and life-forces
- पुरुवसु (purūvasu)
- Literal: wide in wealth. Symbolic: abundant inner resources—light, force, joy, capacity
Invoked for formation of strength and right energies in the sacrificer; supports rites seeking vīrya, rayi, and collective support (śardha).
When the sacrificer seeks effective power, prosperity, and well-yoked energies for undertaking works.
Offer ghee with intention for strength and right-formed energies; invoke Agni as the inner shaper.
Recite before study, creative work, or disciplined training—invoke Agni-Tvaṣṭṛ to ‘shape’ ability and unify scattered energies.
Tvaṣṭṛ from √tvakṣ/√tviṣ? associated with fashioning; the maker of forms. vīrya from √vīr 'man/hero' indicates effective potency. heman/gold as symbol of light (not materialism): 'golden' frequently marks supramental radiance. aśva (horse) from √aś 'to move swiftly'—innerly, dynamic energies.
tapas as formative heat, rayi as plenitude, organized energies (śardha) under a single will
Right formation of powers is ṛta in action—energies are arranged into their true function.
True strength (suvīrya) arises when energies are aligned to truth-intent, not ego desire.
Creation as craftsmanship: the divine artisan shapes forms and capacities; ‘gold’ indicates perfected substance of consciousness.
Vedic psychological evolution (Aurobindo): formation of instruments for higher consciousness.
Gold = purified luminosity and value; horses = vital dynamisms; host = organized faculties; fire = shaping will/tapas.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is 'the divine craftsman within the fire': Agni as Tvaṣṭṛ shapes vīrya and grants luminous richness and swift energies. Innerly, aspiration kindles a formative power that crafts capacities and organizes a host of forces toward the victory of consciousness.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- aśva 'horse' continues PIE *h₁éḱwos (Latin equus, Old English eoh). This shared IE symbol of speed/force becomes in Vedic a standard image for dynamic energies of life and action.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi positions himself as vidhat (one who orders/serves the rite) and asks Agni-as-shaper to form heroic capacity and grant right energies. The exchange is: disciplined offering yields crafted strength and luminous resources.
Invoke Agni as inner craftsman: feel him shaping thought, speech, and action into a single heroic capacity; then call disciplined vital ‘horses’ to carry the will.
Manipura (power/formation) with support to Svadhisthana (vital energies)
Kapalabhati (mild) or brisk ujjayi for short rounds, followed by quiet sitting; use mantra to ‘yoke’ the energy after activation.
Energized, capable, unified; readiness for right action.
Offer one weakness or scattered impulse into the flame; on each pāda, imagine it being forged into strength, then yoked as a steady force for service.
Maintain clear udātta on marked syllables; let the rhythm feel ‘forged’—clean transitions between pādas without dragging.
Emphasize: tváṣṭā, suvī́ryam, mítramahaḥ, sajā́tyam, āśuhemā́, sváśvyam, śárdhaḥ, purū́vasuḥ.
tvaṣṭā: retroflex ṣṭ cluster; keep ṭ crisp, suvīryaṃ: long ī; ‘ry’ as quick glide, gnāvo: initial gn- conjunct; do not insert a vowel (not ‘ga-na’), āśuhemā: long ā; ś is palatal; he- with clear h, svashvyaṃ (svaśvyaṃ): śv cluster; keep ś distinct from s
Firm, bright, slightly more forceful than surrounding verses; end with a steady grounded finish.
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