Rig Veda 1.14.1: Mandala 1, Sukta 14, Mantra 1
Sukta 1.14
- Rishi
- Kaṇva
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Gāyatrī
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
ऐभिरग्ने दुवो गिरो विश्वेभिः सोमपीतये । देवेभिर्याहि यक्षि च ॥
ā́bhir agne dúvo gíro víśvebhiḥ sómapītaye | devébhir yā́hi yákṣi ca ||
अग्नि, मैं यह शब्द बोल रहा हूँ। सब भगवान साथ हैं। सोम रस पीने के लिए आओ। और यज्ञ भी करो। सब ठीक से चले, और खुशी मिले।
Word by Word
- एभिः
- with thesePronounपुं/स्त्री/नपुं, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचनRole करणRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) → एतद्-श्रुति
- अग्ने
- O AgniNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- दुवः
- worship/serviceNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot दुवस् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘पूजा/सेवा/नमस्’)
- गिरः
- songs/hymnsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot गिर् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘वाक्/स्तुति’)
- विश्वेभिः
- with allAdjectiveपुं/स्त्री/नपुं, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचनRole करणRoot विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- सोमपीतये
- for Soma-drinkingNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी विभक्ति, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot सोमपीति (प्रातिपदिक; सोम + पीति ‘पान/पेय’)
- देवेभिः
- with the godsNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचनRole करणRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- याहि
- come/goVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot या (धातु) ‘गच्छ’
- यक्षि
- worship/sacrificeVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद (वैदिक रूप)Role क्रियाRoot यज् (धातु) ‘यजन/पूजन’
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चयार्थक अव्ययRole समुच्चयRoot च (निपात)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: एभिः | अग्ने | दुवः | गिरः | विश्वेभिः | सोमपीतये | देवेभिः | याहि | यक्षि | च । संधि-विशेषः: (1) ऐभिः = एभिः (वृद्धि-आदेशः: ए + ए → ऐ, पदसंहितायाम्). (2) विश्वेभिः: मन्त्रपाठे ‘विश्वेभि॒:’ इति विसर्ग-चिह्नः पदान्त-रूप-निर्देशः
- पदपाठे ‘विश्वेभिः’। (3) देवेभिर्याहि = देवेभिः + याहि (विसर्गस्य ‘र्’-आदेशः यकारादौ: ः + य → र्य)
The meaning
Outer meaning
With these words of service, O Agni, with all the gods for Soma-drinking, come; and perform the sacrifice too.
Inner meaning
Agni, the divine Will and priest in us, is invoked through mantric speech (giraḥ) to arrive with the totality of divine powers (viśve devāḥ). The purpose is Soma-pīti—receiving the delight/immortal essence—meaning a conscious assimilation of ānanda into the system. “Come and sacrifice” means: enter the being, arrange the offering, and effect the inner exchange so delight is rightly received and distributed.
Universal truth
When aspiration speaks rightly, the inner flame brings all higher faculties into a unified action; then delight is not mere pleasure but a conscious nourishment that strengthens the whole being.
Themes
Agni invocation, Soma-ritual, Mediation, Collective gods (Viśve Devāḥ)
The seer
- Rishi
- Kaṇva
- Lineage
- Kaṇva (Kaṇva-gotra)
- Other hymns
- RV 1.14 (Agni and Viśve Devāḥ), RV 1.1 (Agni as purohita—theme across the Saṃhitā)
Family tradition
Kaṇvas are master-invokers of Agni as the initiator of all inner workings; their hymns often begin new sūktas by re-establishing Agni’s leading presence.
Significance
This is a doorway mantra: it gathers speech, will, and the host of powers for Soma—signaling that bliss must be approached through ordered sacrifice, not seized by desire.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni (with Viśve Devāḥ)
- Epithets
- leader implied by invocation, yajña-kartṛ (yakṣi—do the sacrifice)
- Related deities
- Soma, Indra (Soma-drinker), Viśve Devāḥ
Cosmic role
Mediator between human and divine; awakener of consciousness; carrier and transformer of offerings; brings the gods.
Inner power
Aspiring will and psychic flame that unifies faculties, purifies motives, and enables the descent of delight.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma-yajña opening/approach: calling Agni with Viśve Devāḥ for Soma-drinking
ऐभि॑रग्ने॒ दुवो॒ गिरो॒ विश्वे॑भि॒: सोम॑पीतये । दे॒वेभि॑र्याहि॒ यक्षि॑ च ॥
आ । ए॒भिः॒ । अ॒ग्ने॒ । दुवः॑ । गिरः॑ । विश्वे॑भिः । सोम॑ऽपीतये । दे॒वेभिः॑ । या॒हि॒ । यक्षि॑ । च॒ ॥
ā | ebhiḥ | agne | duvaḥ | giraḥ | viśvebhiḥ | soma-pītaye | devebhiḥ | yāhi | yakṣi | ca
24
3 pādas × 8 syllables
Bright, swift, and uplifting; classic gāyatrī ‘launch’ rhythm.
Quickens aspiration and clarity; opens a luminous channel for invocation and reception.
- अग्ने (agne)
- Literal: O Agni, fire deity. Symbolic: Divine Will, inner priest, leader of the sacrifice
- दुवः (duvaḥ)
- Literal: service, worship, homage. Symbolic: Self-giving attitude; the soul’s obedience to the truth of its aspiration
- गिरः (giraḥ)
- Literal: words, hymns. Symbolic: Mantric speech—vibration that opens the way for descent
- विश्वेभिः (viśvebhiḥ)
- Literal: with all (the gods). Symbolic: Integral cooperation of multiple powers of consciousness
- सोमपीतये (soma-pītaye)
- Literal: for the drinking of Soma. Symbolic: For receiving and assimilating divine delight/bliss into the being
- याहि (yāhi)
- Literal: come/go (imperative). Symbolic: Descent/approach of the divine will into the adhāra
- यक्षि (yakṣi)
- Literal: sacrifice, offer. Symbolic: Perform the inner exchange: offer lower energies upward and bring higher gifts down
Agni as hotṛ/priest: invitation to bring the gods for soma-drinking; standard soma-yajña opening/continuation formula.
At the start of the sūkta/sequence to invite Agni and the gods to partake of Soma
Āvāhana of Agni and devas; initiating offering actions
At the start of meditation: invoke Agni (will) to bring the higher faculties together; then sit to ‘receive Soma’ as quiet joy in the heart and head.
duvaḥ: from √dū/√du ‘to give, honor, serve’ (semantic ‘service/homage’). giraḥ: from √gṛ ‘to sing, utter’—speech as formed force. soma-pītaye: purpose dative; soma from √su ‘press’ (outer) but inner sense ‘delight/immortal essence’; pītaye from √pā ‘drink’—to receive/imbibe. yāhi: imperative from √yā (PIE *h₁ei- ‘go’; cf. Lat. īre). yaj (yakṣi): √yaj ‘sacrifice/worship’ (PIE *h₁yeh₃g- often proposed; cognate field includes worship/reverence).
ṛta as right ordering of invocation and offering, Soma as ananda/immortalizing delight, Agni as will that mediates between human and divine
Agni acts according to ṛta—he brings the gods in the right sequence and measure, enabling true soma-pīti.
Mantric speech aligned with satya becomes an effective call (giraḥ as truth-word).
Exchange between planes: ascent of offering and descent of delight through Agni as mediator.
Integral Vedic yoga: Agni as psychic will; Soma as ānanda; devas as powers of consciousness.
dawn/morning (typical soma-pressing atmosphere, though not explicit)
Fire = concentrated will; Soma = subtle bliss-essence; ‘drinking’ = assimilation into nerves and mind as calm joy and strength.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Agni as the mediator-priest who ‘comes with the gods’ and ‘sacrifices’: the mythic action is the descent/arrival of the divine host led by Fire, enabling Soma reception. Psychologically, aspiration (Agni) gathers the higher faculties so the delight of truth (Soma) can be assimilated.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √yā ‘go’ (yāhi) corresponds to PIE *h₁ei- (movement verb; cf. Latin īre). The sacrificial lexeme √yaj is Indo-Iranian and central to the inherited Indo-European ritual-poetic register, paralleling broad PIE worship vocabulary though exact cognate mapping is debated.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi offers ‘duvaḥ giraḥ’—service through speech—and asks Agni to reciprocate by arriving with the gods and executing the sacrifice. The exchange is: human formulation and devotion → divine mediation and effective reception of Soma (inner delight/illumination).
Ignite the will (Agni) with truth-speech, then invite a unified descent of higher powers to receive bliss (Soma) without excitement.
Anāhata (psychic flame) rising to Ājñā (luminous clarity) with Soma settling as cool nectar.
Bhastrikā-lite (3 gentle rounds) or 6 brisk exhales to kindle Agni, then long exhale to ‘drink Soma’ as calm; chant once and sit.
Bright aspiration leading into receptive joy.
Chant, then feel a small flame in the heart; invite ‘all gods’ as qualities—clarity, peace, strength, love—to assemble; rest in a cool sweetness at the crown/forehead.
Follow Saṃhitā accents (e.g.,,,,, -); gāyatrī should be kept light and flowing with clear udātta rises.
Keep each 8-syllable pāda crisp; slight pause between pādas; let ‘yāhi’ and ‘yakṣi’ be clear imperatives.
aibhir: ‘ai’ diphthong clear; do not reduce to ‘e’, agne: final ‘e’ long and open, somapītaye: long ī in pītaye; split mentally as soma-pītaye, yakṣi: pronounce kṣ as conjunct (k+ṣ), not ‘kshi’
Bright, forward, lightly resonant; avoid heaviness to preserve gāyatrī lift.
9
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Rig Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
