Rig Veda 7.8.4: Mandala 7, Sukta 8, Mantra 4
Sukta 7.8
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
प्रप्रायमग्निर्भरतस्य शृण्वे वि यत्सूर्यो न रोचते बृहद्भाः । अभि यः पूरुं पृतनासु तस्थौ द्युतानो दैव्यो अतिथिः शुशोच ॥
prá-prā́yám agnír bharatásya śṛṇve ví yát sū́ryo ná rócate bृहádbhāḥ | abhí yáḥ pūrúṃ pṛ́tanāsu tastháu dyutā́no daivyó átithiḥ śuśoca ||
આગ્નિ આગળ-આગળ પ્રસર્યો છે; ભરત માટે તે સાંભળાય છે—જ્યારે તે સૂર્ય સમાન મહાપ્રકાશે વિશાળ રીતે તેજે છે. જે પુરુ માટે યુદ્ધોમાં અડગ ઊભો રહ્યો—દ્યુતમાન, દૈવી અતિથિ—તે જ્વલિત થઈ ઊઠ્યો છે.
Word by Word
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableupasarga (preverb)Root प्र (upasarga)
- प्रायम्
- went forth, advancedVerbimperfect (laṅ), 3rd person singular, parasmaipadaRoot प्र + √इ (इण्) → प्रायम्
- अग्निः
- Agni (fire-god)Nounmasculine, nominative singularRole KartāRoot अग्नि-
- भरतस्य
- of BharataNoun (proper/tribal name)masculine, genitive singularRole Sambandha (genitive relation)Root भरत-
- शृण्वे
- I hearVerbpresent (laṭ), 1st person singular, ātmanepadaRoot √श्रु (श्रवण) → शृण्वे
- वि
- apart, widely, distinctlyIndeclinableupasarga (preverb)Root वि (upasarga)
- यत्
- when/that whichPronoun/Relativeneuter, nominative/accusative singular (relative)Role (links clause)Root यद्-
- सूर्यः
- the SunNounmasculine, nominative singularRole Kartā (of रोचते)Root सूर्य-
- न
- like, asIndeclinableparticle of comparisonRoot न
- रोचते
- shines, is radiantVerbpresent (laṭ), 3rd person singular, ātmanepadaRoot √रुच् (दीप्तौ) → रोचते
- बृहद्भाः
- of great radianceAdjective (bahuvrīhi/karmadhāraya sense)masculine, nominative singularRole Viśeṣaṇa (of अग्निः)Root बृहद्- + भाः (< √भा ‘to shine’)
- अभि
- towards, against, uponIndeclinableupasarga/prepositionRoot अभि (upasarga)
- यः
- whoPronoun/Relativemasculine, nominative singularRole Kartā (of तस्थौ)Root यद्-
- पूरुम्
- PūruNoun (proper name)masculine, accusative singularRole Karma (object of अभि…तस्थौ)Root पूरु-
- पृतनासु
- in battlesNounfeminine, locative pluralRole AdhikaraṇaRoot पृतना-
- तस्थौ
- stood, took his standVerbperfect (liṭ), 3rd person singular, parasmaipadaRoot √स्था (तिष्ठति) → तस्थौ
- द्युतानः
- shining, flashingParticiplemasculine, nominative singularRole Viśeṣaṇa (of अतिथिः/अग्निः)Root √द्युत् (दीप्तौ) → द्युतान-
- दैव्यः
- divineAdjectivemasculine, nominative singularRole Viśeṣaṇa (of अतिथिः)Root देव- → दैव्य-
- अतिथिः
- guest (Agni as the guest)Nounmasculine, nominative singularRole Kartā (of शुशोच)Root अतिथि-
- शुशोच
- blazed, shone (intensely)Verbperfect (liṭ), 3rd person singular, parasmaipadaRoot √शुच् (दीप्तौ/शोके) → शुशोच
Sandhi Notes
- External sandhi resolved: अग्निर्भरतस्य → अग्निः भरतस्य (visarga before voiced consonant becomes r)
- यत्सूर्यो → यत् सूर्यः (t + s)
- रोचते बृहद्भाः kept as separate padas
- other items are already pada-separated in the given text. प्रप्रायम् analyzed as प्र + प्रायम् (preverb + verb), with initial प्र repeated for emphasis/metrical style
The meaning
Outer meaning
Agni moves forward and is heard for Bharata; he shines widely with a vast light like the Sun. He stood by Pūru in battles; shining as the divine Guest, he blazed.
Inner meaning
The inner Fire (Agni), the awakened divine Will in the seeker, presses forward and becomes unmistakably “heard” (felt as an imperative guidance) in the Bharata-nature—one who bears and carries the offering upward. When the will is aligned, Agni expands like an inner sun: a wide illumination (bṛhad-bhāḥ) that makes the path clear. In the inner battles against obscurity and resistance, Agni ‘stands for Pūru’—the human soul-personality striving toward fullness—supporting it with steadfast force. As the daivya atithi (divine Guest) in the heart, he blazes, consuming inertia and lighting the way for transformation.
Universal truth
When aspiration becomes sincere and consistent, an inner guiding power arises that both illumines and protects in life’s conflicts; it is experienced as a luminous presence within, demanding progress and purifying what obstructs.
Themes
Victory-support, Agni as guest, Great light, Tribal memory as symbolic psychology
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha (Maitrāvaruṇa lineage)
- Other hymns
- RV 7.1, RV 7.2, RV 7.3, RV 7.4, RV 7.5, RV 7.6, RV 7.7, RV 7.8, RV 7.9
Family tradition
Seer-family of Book 7; hymns emphasize Agni as inner guide, protector, and establisher of ṛta in the human journey.
Significance
Vasiṣṭha’s voice is marked by steadiness (vasu-sthiti), clarity of inner law (ṛta), and a disciplined aspiration where Agni is the conscious force that organizes the being and leads through trials.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- daivya atithi (divine guest), bṛhad-bhāḥ (wide-great light), dyutāna (shining)
- Related deities
- Sūrya, Uṣas, Indra
Cosmic role
Mediator between human and divine; carrier of offerings; awakener of the gods (powers) in man; establisher of order through illumination.
Inner power
Flame of will and discernment that advances the sādhanā, stands by the soul in inner battles, and expands into sun-like clarity.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agniṣṭoma/Soma-related śrauta invocations to Agni as hotṛ and protector; also general Agni praise in morning/evening offerings.
प्रप्रा॒यम॒ग्निर्भ॑र॒तस्य॑ शृण्वे॒ वि यत्सूर्यो॒ न रोच॑ते बृ॒हद्भाः । अ॒भि यः पू॒रुं पृत॑नासु त॒स्थौ द्यु॑ता॒नो दैव्यो॒ अति॑थिः शुशोच ॥
प्रऽप्र॑ । अ॒यम् । अ॒ग्निः । भ॒र॒तस्य॑ । शृ॒ण्वे॒ । वि । यत् । सूर्यः॑ । न । रोच॑ते । बृ॒हत् । भाः । अ॒भि । यः । पू॒रुम् । पृत॑नासु । त॒स्थौ । द्यु॒ता॒नः । दैव्यः॑ । अति॑थिः । शु॒शो॒च॒ ॥
pra-pra | ayam | agniḥ | bharatasya | śṛṇve | vi | yat | sūryaḥ | na | rocate | bṛhat | bhāḥ | abhi | yaḥ | pūrum | pṛtanāsu | tasthau | dyutānaḥ | daivyaḥ | atithiḥ | śuśoca
44
4 pādas of ~11 syllables each
Forward-driving, martial yet luminous cadence; suited to proclamations of power and progress.
Energizes resolve and invokes a sense of widening light; supports concentration in dynamic meditation and inner struggle.
- अग्निः (agniḥ)
- Literal: fire. Symbolic: divine Will; inner priest and leader of the sacrifice
- प्रप्रायम् (pra-prāyam)
- Literal: pressing forward, advancing. Symbolic: progressive movement of aspiration and will toward higher consciousness
- शृण्वे (śṛṇve)
- Literal: is heard. Symbolic: becomes inwardly perceptible as guidance/inspiration (śruti within)
- सूर्यः (sūryaḥ)
- Literal: sun. Symbolic: supramental/illumined consciousness; truth-light
- बृहद्भाः (bṛhad-bhāḥ)
- Literal: wide/great light. Symbolic: vast illumination and wideness of being
- पृतनासु (pṛtanāsu)
- Literal: in battles. Symbolic: inner conflicts with ignorance, desire, fear, inertia
- दैव्यः अतिथिः (daivyaḥ atithiḥ)
- Literal: divine guest. Symbolic: indwelling flame in the heart; the god who comes when invoked
- शुशोच (śuśoca)
- Literal: has blazed, has shone intensely. Symbolic: purifying intensification; burning away of resistance
Agni as protector in conflict; invoked for communal victory and inner conquest; ‘divine guest’ motif aligns with domestic fire-cult and hospitality sacrality
At kindling and strengthening of the sacred fire; before/around calling the deities and before conflict/undertaking (symbolically).
Kindling (samidh), offering ghee, recitation to invoke Agni’s protective and illuminating force.
Use as a ‘before-action’ mantra: chant before difficult conversations, decisions, or inner work to invoke steady will and clear light.
√ruc ‘shine’ (roca-te) and √dyut ‘shine’ (dyutāna) stack light-roots for a ‘truth-sun’ equivalence; átithi ‘guest’ (a- ‘not’ + tithi ‘fixed day’) = one who comes without fixed appointment—Agni as unexpected divine arrival; pṛtanā ‘battle’ frames inner struggle; Bharata and Pūru are also historical/tribal, but symbolically can be read as ‘bearers’ and ‘plenitude’ within the psyche.
Truth-vision (Sūrya as symbol), Divine immanence (Agni as Atithi), Inner battle (pṛtanā as psychological struggle)
Agni’s forward movement signifies the ascent along ṛta—right progression from obscurity to clarity.
Sun-simile indicates truth-light that reveals and corrects.
Fire as first awakener: from the hidden to the manifest; illumination spreads wide.
Proto-Vedāntic/Integral Yoga affinity (Aurobindonian): ascent by Agni (will) toward higher light (sūrya).
dawn-to-sunrise transition (implied by sun-like shining)
The inner flame expands into solar consciousness; conflicts are psychological resistances; victory is widening illumination.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Agni as the divine ally who ‘stands’ with the seeker in battles and blazes like the Sun: the mythic pattern of divine fire aiding the clan in conflict becomes, inwardly, the truth-fire supporting consciousness in its struggles.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The light lexicon √ruc/√dyut is widely IE; the ‘sun-like’ simile is an inherited poetic device. The epithet átithi (guest) encodes a social-ritual institution (sacral hospitality) that is also common in IE cultures.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- Agni is ‘heard’ (śṛṇve) when invoked—reciprocal responsiveness. The rishi remembers/affirms Agni’s protective stance in conflict, strengthening faith (śraddhā) and inviting the same luminous intervention in present inner battles.
Invoke the forward-moving will: feel a flame in the heart/solar plexus rising and widening into clear light.
Anāhata to Maṇipūra (heart-will axis)
4-4-6 breathing: inhale 4 (kindle), hold 4 (steady flame), exhale 6 (widen light); repeat while chanting mentally.
Dynamic concentration leading to luminous wideness and calm courage.
Before chanting, set an intention: ‘Let the divine Will lead me.’ During ‘bṛhad-bhāḥ’ imagine the light expanding beyond the body; during ‘pṛtanāsu’ offer your inner conflict into the fire.
Vedic svara as in śākala recitation: udatta/anudatta/svarita distributed per pada; follow pada-pāṭha accents for precision.
Keep the udatta lift on accented syllables (marked by traditional svara in full-text editions); avoid flattening ‘bṛhad-bhāḥ’—give it a slight rise to convey wideness.
Differentiate ṛ in pṛtanāsu (short vocalic r)., Maintain aspirates: bharatasya (bh), dyutānaḥ (dh/ty cluster clarity)., Atithiḥ: crisp dental t, short i., śuśoca: both ś sounds palatal; keep vowels pure.
Bright, steady, slightly forceful; let the tone ‘advance’ with pra-pra.
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