Rig Veda 7.7.5: Mandala 7, Sukta 7, Mantra 5
Sukta 7.7
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
असादि वृतो वह्निराजगन्वानग्निर्ब्रह्मा नृषदने विधर्ता । द्यौश्च यं पृथिवी वावृधाते आ यं होता यजति विश्ववारम् ॥
asā́di vṛtó váhnir ā́jaganvān agnír brahmā́ nṛṣádane vidhartā́ | dyáuś ca yáṁ pṛthivī́ vāvṛdhā́te ā́ yáṁ hotā́ yájati viśvávāram ||
બેસેલો, પસંદ કરાયેલો, વહન કરનાર જ્વાલા આવી પહોંચ્યો—અગ્નિ, બ્રહ્મા, મનુષ્યોના આસનમાં ધારક. જેને દ્યૌ અને પૃથ્વી વધારતા રહે છે; જેને હોતૃ સર્વ-વરદાયક તરીકે યજ્ઞમાં અર્પે છે.
Word by Word
- असादि
- sat down; took its seat; was establishedVerbAorist (injunctive/augmentless aorist), 3rd person singular, ParasmaipadaRoot √सद् (सीदति) / √सद् (सद् ‘to sit, settle’)
- व्रतः
- the ordained one; the one of sacred ordinanceNounMasculine, nominative singularRole Kartā (appositional epithet of अग्निः) / or predicate-nounRoot व्रत- (prātipadika) < √वृ (to choose/resolve; ‘vow, ordinance’)
- वह्निराजगन्वान्
- the bearer, royally advancingNoun/Adjective (compound epithet)Masculine, nominative singularRole Kartā (epithet of अग्निः)Root वह्नि- (carrier, fire) + राजगन्वन्- (prātipadika; ‘going/advancing royally’)
- अग्निः
- Agni (Fire)NounMasculine, nominative singularRole KartāRoot अग्नि- (prātipadika)
- ब्रह्मा
- the Brahman-priest; the sacred-formulatorNounMasculine, nominative singular (agent noun ‘brahmā’ = the Brahman-priest)Role Kartā (in apposition to अग्निः)Root ब्रह्मन्- (prātipadika) ‘sacred formulation; priestly power’
- नृषदने
- in the seat/assembly of menNounNeuter, locative singularRole AdhikaraṇaRoot नृ- + सदन- (prātipadika) ‘seat of men; assembly’
- विधर्ता
- the supporter; the sustainerNoun (agent)Masculine, nominative singularRole Kartā (apposition to अग्निः)Root वि-√धृ (to hold, support) → विधर्तृ- (agent noun)
- द्यौः
- Heaven (Sky)NounMasculine/Feminine (Vedic), nominative singularRole Kartā (with पृथिवी)Root द्यौ- (prātipadika) ‘sky’
- च
- andIndeclinableConjunctionRoot च (indeclinable)
- यम्
- whomPronounMasculine, accusative singularRole KarmaRoot यद् (relative pronoun)
- पृथिवी
- EarthNounFeminine, nominative singularRole Kartā (with द्यौः)Root पृथिवी- (prātipadika)
- वावृधाते
- the two have increased; have made (him) growVerbPerfect (reduplicated), 3rd person dual, ĀtmanepadaRoot √वृध् (to grow, increase) with reduplication (intensive/perfect-like) → वावृधाते
- आ
- unto; towardsIndeclinablePreverb ‘towards, unto’Root आ (preverb/indeclinable)
- यम्
- whomPronounMasculine, accusative singularRole KarmaRoot यद् (relative pronoun)
- होता
- the Hotṛ-priest (invoker)NounMasculine, nominative singularRole KartāRoot होतृ- (prātipadika) < √हु (to sacrifice, invoke)
- यजति
- worships; sacrificesVerbPresent, 3rd person singular, ParasmaipadaRoot √यज् (to worship, sacrifice)
- विश्ववारम्
- all-boon; bringing all desirable giftsAdjective (compound)Masculine, accusative singular (agreeing with यम् = अग्निम् understood)Role Karma (qualifier)Root विश्व- + वार- (prātipadika) ‘all’ + ‘choice/good/boon’
Sandhi Notes
- Resolved padapāṭha-style segmentation: असादि | व्रतः | वह्निराजगन्वान् | अग्निः | ब्रह्मा | नृषदने | विधर्ता | द्यौः च | यम् | पृथिवी | वावृधाते | आ | यम् | होता | यजति | विश्ववारम्. Notable: अग्निर्ब्रह्मा → अग्निः ब्रह्मा (final -r from visarga sandhi)
- द्यौश्च → द्यौः च
- आ यं is preverb + relative pronoun
- accent marks retained as in saṃhitā but not re-applied per pada
The meaning
Outer meaning
Seated and chosen, the carrier-flame has come—Agni the brahman, the upholder in the seat of men. Heaven and Earth increase him; the priest offers to him, rich in all boons.
Inner meaning
Agni is ‘seated’ when the will is established as a stable presence, not a passing enthusiasm. ‘Chosen’ indicates conscious selection of the divine aim over mixed motives. As vahnī (carrier), Agni bears the offering of the whole nature upward. Calling Agni ‘brahmā’ points to the creative Word-power and formative knowledge within the flame: will and truth are one movement. In the ‘seat of men’ (nṛṣadane) Agni becomes the supporter (vidhartā) of human evolution—holding the practice steady through difficulty. Heaven and Earth increasing him means both higher inspiration and embodied energy nourish the flame when rightly aligned. Then the inner priest can offer continually to the all-boon-giving Fire: the divine will becomes the receiver and giver of plenitude.
Universal truth
Stable transformation comes when we consciously choose the divine aim and seat the inner will as a sustaining power; then both higher light and earthly life-force can nourish it, and our works become a continuous offering that yields fullness.
Themes
Agni as carrier (vahni), Agni as brahman, Enthronement/establishment
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha (Maitrāvaruṇa lineage)
- Other hymns
- RV 7.7.1, RV 7.7.2, RV 7.7.3, RV 7.7.4
Family tradition
A lineage of establishing the divine order in the human seat; emphasis on stability, support, and the brahmanic power of the Word united with Fire.
Significance
This verse culminates the sequence: Agni is installed, chosen, and recognized as brahmā—creative truth-will sustaining human evolution between Heaven and Earth.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- वह्निः (carrier), ब्राह्मा (brahmā), विधर्ता (upholder), विश्ववार (all-boon-giving)
- Related deities
- Dyāvā-Pṛthivī, Bṛhaspati (brahman/word), Soma
Cosmic role
Sustainer of the sacrificial order in the human world; receiver and transmitter of offerings; power that grows by Heaven-Earth cooperation.
Inner power
Truth-will and word-force that stabilizes practice and supports the whole being.
In ritual
Where it is used
Selection and seating of Agni; affirmation of Agni as brahmā and vidhartā in the human seat.
असा॑दि वृ॒तो वह्नि॑राजग॒न्वान॒ग्निर्ब्र॒ह्मा नृ॒षद॑ने विध॒र्ता । द्यौश्च॒ यं पृ॑थि॒वी वा॑वृ॒धाते॒ आ यं होता॒ यज॑ति वि॒श्ववा॑रम् ॥
असा॑दि । वृ॒तः । वह्निः॑ । आ॒ऽज॒ग॒न्वान् । अ॒ग्निः । ब्र॒ह्मा । नृ॒ऽसद॑ने । वि॒ऽध॒र्ता । द्यौः । च॒ । यम् । पृ॒थि॒वी । व॒वृ॒धाते॒ इति॑ । आ । यम् । होता॑ । यज॑ति । वि॒श्वऽवा॑रम् ॥
asādi | vṛtaḥ | vahniḥ | ājaganvān | agniḥ | brahmā | nṛ-sadane | vi-dhartā | dyauḥ | ca | yam | pṛthivī | vavṛdhāteiti | ā | yam | hotā | yajati | viśva-vāram
44
4 x ~11
Grave and स्थापक (establishing); strong caesura-like rests suit ‘seating’ and ‘upholding’.
Instills steadiness and commitment; supports resolve to maintain practice over time.
- असादि (asādi)
- Literal: has sat down/is seated. Symbolic: Stabilized establishment of the inner flame
- वृतः (vṛtaḥ)
- Literal: chosen. Symbolic: Deliberate selection of the divine intention (consecration)
- वह्निः (vahnīḥ)
- Literal: carrier, bearer. Symbolic: Force that carries offerings and transports consciousness
- ब्राह्मा (brahmā)
- Literal: brahman/priest of the Word. Symbolic: Word-power/creative knowledge within the will; mantra-consciousness
- नृषदने (nṛṣadane)
- Literal: in the seat of men. Symbolic: In human embodiment; the psychic center in earthly life
- विधर्ता (vidhartā)
- Literal: upholder, supporter. Symbolic: Sustaining power that holds the sadhana together
- द्यौः (dyauḥ)
- Literal: heaven. Symbolic: Higher mind/light/inspiration
- पृथिवी (pṛthivī)
- Literal: earth. Symbolic: Embodied stability, life-force, practical field
- विश्ववारम् (viśvavāram)
- Literal: all-boon-giving. Symbolic: Fullness of powers and realizations released by consecrated will
Enthronement of Agni and identification with brahman-power; supports recitation when Agni is installed and when the hotṛ frames Agni as bearer of offerings.
When the fire is established and acknowledged as central support; during offerings by the hotṛ.
Seating/kindling, formal offering, recitation affirming Agni’s sustaining role.
Use when recommitting to a discipline: ‘choose’ the aim, seat the flame, and feel supported by both higher inspiration and practical life-energy.
vahni (from √vah ‘to carry’, PIE *weǵh- ‘carry’ cf. Latin vehō, English way via Germanic is different but *weǵh- yields vehicle semantics); brahman (from √bṛh ‘to expand’ → expansive word/force); vidhartṛ (vi- + √dhṛ ‘to hold’, PIE *dʰer- ‘hold’).
Brahman as formative word-force, Sustaining order (vi-dhṛ), Reciprocity of worlds and inner fire
Agni as vidhartā sustains ṛta in the human seat—right order maintained through time.
Agni as brahmā indicates satya as creative word and knowledge shaping life.
Heaven-Earth nourish the transformative fire: a cosmological cooperation enabling evolution of consciousness.
Mantra-yoga and karma-yoga antecedents: word-power (brahman) united with will (agni) to transform life.
Seated fire = stabilized aspiration; heaven = descending light; earth = embodied support; their joint increase = integral transformation.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Agni enthroned as the bearer (vahni) and as brahman-power in the human seat: the myth of the divine Word-Fire arriving, being chosen, and upheld by Heaven and Earth, while the priest offers through him.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √vah ‘carry’ continues PIE *weǵh- (vehō, wagon/vehicle family). √dhṛ ‘hold’ continues PIE *dʰer- (Greek thronos in broader holding/seat field is not direct, but the holding root is widespread). The Heaven/Earth pair again reflects archaic IE cosmology.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi frames Agni as both the medium (vahni) and the meaning (brahman): the priest’s yajña becomes effective because Agni is already established in the human seat and sustained by cosmic powers; the human act aligns with a pre-existing divine order.
Seat the inner flame; consciously choose the divine aim; feel supported by above and below.
anāhata
Slow inhale imagining light from above (dyauḥ), slow exhale imagining steadiness from below (pṛthivī), meeting at the heart-flame.
Stable, centered, quietly strong.
Before chanting, inwardly ‘choose’ one clear intention; during chanting feel the flame seated in the heart; after chanting, offer one concrete action as oblation (a small vow), sustaining it through the day.
Observe Vedic pitch accents; give a settled tone on ‘asādi’ and ‘vṛtaḥ’ to convey establishment/choice.
Keep ‘agnir brahmā’ clearly articulated; pause lightly after key appositions (Agni—brahmā—vidhartā).
‘asādi’: long ā; avoid shortening., ‘ājaganvān’: keep long ā; pronounce ‘nvān’ smoothly., ‘nṛṣadane’: clear syllabification nṛ-ṣa-da-ne; retroflex ṣ., ‘vāvṛdhāte’: long ā; roll the vāvṛ- without adding extra vowels.
Deep, steady, sustaining; minimal ornamentation.
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