Rig Veda 1.23.24: Mandala 1, Sukta 23, Mantra 24
Sukta 1.23
- Rishi
- Medhātithi Kāṇva
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Anuṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
सं माग्ने वर्चसा सृज सं प्रजया समायुषा । विद्युर्मे अस्य देवा इन्द्रो विद्यात्सह ऋषिभिः ॥
sáṃ māgne várcasā sṛja sáṃ prajáyā sám ā́yuṣā | vidyúr me asya devā́ índro vidyāt sahá ṛ́ṣibhiḥ ||
अग्नि, मुझे ताकत से बना दे। ऐसे बना दे कि मुझमें आगे बढ़ने की शक्ति आए। ऐसे बना दे कि लंबी उम्र मिले। देवता जानें कि मैं ऐसा हूँ। इंद्र भी रिशियों के साथ यह मानें।
Word by Word
- सम्
- together, completelyIndeclinableउपसर्गः (क्रियाविशेषणम्)Root सम् (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- मा
- mePronounद्वितीया एकवचनम् (एनक्लिटिक रूपम्)Role KarmaRoot अस्मद्
- अग्ने
- O AgniNounपुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन एकवचनम्Role सम्बोधनRoot अग्नि
- वर्चसा
- with splendor, with brillianceNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, तृतीया एकवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot वर्चस्
- सृज
- send forth, bestowVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Role (क्रिया) —Root सृज्
- सम्
- together, completelyIndeclinableउपसर्गः (क्रियाविशेषणम्)Root सम् (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- प्रजया
- with offspring, with progenyNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, तृतीया एकवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot प्रजा
- सम्
- together, completelyIndeclinableउपसर्गः (क्रियाविशेषणम्)Root सम् (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- आयुषा
- with lifetime, with vital spanNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, तृतीया एकवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot आयुस्
- विद्युः
- may they know, may they recognizeVerbविधिलिङ् (आशीर्लिङ्/संभावना), प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Role (क्रिया) —Root विद् (√विद् ‘जानाति’)
- मे
- of me, myPronounषष्ठी एकवचनम् (एनक्लिटिक रूपम्)Role सम्बन्ध (Genitive)Root अस्मद्
- अस्य
- of thisPronounषष्ठी एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध (Genitive)Root इदम्
- देवाः
- the godsNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot देव
- इन्द्रः
- IndraNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot इन्द्र
- विद्यात्
- may (he) knowVerbविधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Role (क्रिया) —Root विद् (√विद् ‘जानाति’)
- सह
- together withIndeclinableसह-योगे (साकम्/सह) — सह ‘with’Root सह (निपात/उपसर्गार्थक अव्यय)
- ऋषिभिः
- with the seersNounपुंलिङ्गः, तृतीया बहुवचनम्Role Karaṇa/सहयोग (associative instrumental)Root ऋषि
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धि-निरास): सं मा॑ग्ने॒ → सम् + मा + अग्ने
- वर्च॑सा (तृतीया) स्वतंत्रम्
- सृज॒ (लोट्) स्वतंत्रम्
- सं प्र॒जया॒ → सम् + प्रजया
- समायु॑षा → सम् + आयुषा
- विद्युर्मे॑ → विद्युः + मे
- दे॒वा इन्द्रो॑ → देवाः + इन्द्रः (विसर्ग-लोपः/सन्धिः)
- विद्यात्स॒ह → विद्यात् + सह. (स्वरचिह्नाः संहिता-पाठानुसारं; पदपाठे ‘सम्’ इति निपातः पृथक्.)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Agni, unite/shape me with radiance; unite me with offspring/progeny and with full lifespan. May the gods know this of me; may Indra, with the seers, know/affirm it.
Inner meaning
Agni is asked to ‘compose’ the seeker into an integral personality by varcas (luminous force). ‘Prajā’ becomes the power of becoming—creative issues of consciousness (right works, right formations, inner ‘children’ of thought and action). ‘Āyus’ is the sustained rhythm of life-energy aligned to the soul. Indra and the ṛṣis represent illumined mind and higher seeing that confirm and stabilize this new formation.
Universal truth
True wholeness is luminous integration: radiance (clarity), creative power (becoming), and enduring vitality (life-span) harmonized and witnessed by higher intelligence.
Themes
Consecration, Empowerment, Life and creative force, Divine confirmation
The seer
- Rishi
- Medhātithi Kāṇva
- Lineage
- Kāṇva
- Other hymns
- RV 1.23.22, RV 1.23.23, RV 1.24.1-2
Family tradition
Kāṇva emphasis on building the luminous human instrument through Agni and Indra—purification followed by integration and affirmation.
Significance
The seer completes the inner rite: not merely cleansed, but re-formed (saṃ-sṛj) into a radiant, creative, enduring vessel recognized by the gods.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni (with Indra and Viśve Devāḥ as confirmers)
- Epithets
- Agni: varcasvān (by function here), jātavedas (implicit), Indra: sah ṛṣibhiḥ (with the seers), vṛtrahan (implicit confirmer of light)
- Related deities
- Āpaḥ (preceding purification), Soma (delight that supports varcas), Aditi (vastness that receives the formed being)
Cosmic role
Agni forms and perfects the offering-being; Indra confirms by illumination; the gods collectively establish the new order in the sacrificer.
Inner power
Agni: integrative aspiration and transformative heat that yields luminous cohesion; Indra: strengthening insight and victorious clarity.
In ritual
Where it is used
Concluding consecration after water-purification; blessing for vitality, creative power, and radiance.
सं मा॑ग्ने॒ वर्च॑सा सृज॒ सं प्र॒जया॒ समायु॑षा । वि॒द्युर्मे॑ अस्य दे॒वा इन्द्रो॑ विद्यात्स॒ह ऋषि॑भिः ॥
सम् । मा॒ । अ॒ग्ने॒ । वर्च॑सा । सृ॒ज॒ । सम् । प्र॒ऽजया॑ । सम् । आयु॑षा । वि॒द्युः । मे॒ । अ॒स्य॒ । दे॒वाः । इन्द्रः॑ । वि॒द्या॒त् । स॒ह । ऋषि॑ऽभिः ॥
sam | mā | agne | varcasā | sṛja | sam | pra-jayā | sam | āyuṣā | vidyuḥ | me | asya | devāḥ | indraḥ | vidyāt | saha | ṛṣi-bhiḥ
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4 × ~8
Firm, constructive, ‘binding’ rhythm; imperatives and blessings give a sealing cadence.
Energizes and stabilizes; leaves a sense of completion and protected radiance.
- सम् सृज (saṃ sṛja)
- Literal: join, compose. Symbolic: integrate scattered parts of the being into a coherent divine formation
- वर्चसा (varcasā)
- Literal: splendor, radiance. Symbolic: tejas of purified consciousness; charisma of truth-force
- प्रजया (prajayā)
- Literal: with progeny. Symbolic: creative manifestations—right thoughts, works, inner realizations born from the sacrifice
- आयुषा (āyuṣā)
- Literal: with life-span. Symbolic: stable prāṇic continuity; sustained growth without collapse into inertia
- विद्युः/विद्यात् (vidyuḥ/vidyāt)
- Literal: may they know / may he know. Symbolic: higher recognition: the divine powers ‘seal’ the attainment in consciousness
- इन्द्रः (indraḥ)
- Literal: Indra. Symbolic: illumined mind, lord of luminous force that confirms and strengthens realization
Benediction after purification: establishing varcas, prajā, and āyus; apt for concluding segments of cleansing rites and for consecratory moments seeking wholeness and recognition by divine powers.
After cleansing and before undertaking study, work, or sacred practice; also as a closing mantra after japa/meditation.
Touch heart/forehead while chanting ‘saṃ māgne varcasā sṛja’; envision a protective luminous sheath.
Use as an ‘integration mantra’ after therapy, pranayama, or intense meditation—asking for wholeness and stable life-force.
Repetition of sam- marks the key operation: integration. prajā (pra- + √jan ‘to be born, generate’) extends from biological offspring to any true ‘becoming’ that proceeds forward from the soul’s intention. āyus (from √i ‘to go’ with ā-; ‘life as a moving course’) is not mere longevity but a harmonized life-current. √vid ‘to know’ in optative frames attainment as something to be ‘recognized/ratified’ by the gods—i.e., stabilized in the cosmic order and not merely momentary.
Wholeness/integration (sam), Creative manifestation (prajā), Sustained life-current (āyus), Divine recognition/ratification (vid)
Agni’s integration establishes right functioning; Indra’s knowing affirms the order as stable in consciousness.
Recognition by gods/ṛṣis implies alignment with satya; radiance is the mark of truth-force.
Fire as shaper of forms; creation as ordered manifestation (prajā) sustained by life-force (āyus).
Integral-Vedic psychology: transformation of the instrument (mind-life-body) to carry higher consciousness.
morning/evening (times of consecration)
winter (fire-strength) or any (for tejas-building)
Fire = will; sun = steady illumination; lightning = decisive insight; progeny = new formations of consciousness; lifespan = stable prāṇa.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘forging’ of the human by Agni into a coherent instrument of light (varcas), creative becoming (prajā), and enduring life (āyus), then the public/cosmic ‘acknowledgment’ by the gods—especially Indra with the seers—so the attainment stands in ṛta.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √jan ‘beget’ reflects PIE *ǵenh₁- (cf. Greek génos, Latin gignere). √vid ‘know’ reflects PIE *weyd- (cf. Latin vidēre ‘to see’, English ‘wit’). The semantic bridge ‘seeing = knowing’ is inherited and central to Vedic epistemology.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- Agni is the artisan-power shaping the seeker; Indra and the ṛṣis function as guarantors of the realized state. The rishi’s role is to consent to being remade (‘sam… sṛja’) and to ask that the inner change be stabilized by higher faculties of knowledge and victory.
Integration (saṃ-sṛj): gather scattered attention into the heart-flame; invite radiant coherence through the whole body.
maṇipūra (fire/tejas) with support to anāhata (heart integration)
4-4-6 breathing: inhale 4 (gather), hold 4 (kindle), exhale 6 (spread varcas through body) while chanting mentally.
Collected, luminous, ready-for-action calm (sthira-tejas).
Chant 3, 9, or 27 times; after each set, sit and feel ‘varcas’ as a warm golden field around the skin and a clear flame in the chest.
Standard Vedic accenting; consult svara-pāṭha for precise udatta marks (not fully derivable from provided text alone).
Keep ‘saṃ māgne’ joined smoothly; emphasize ‘varcasā’ with a bright tone; clear caesura at ‘…āyuṣā |’.
saṃ: anusvāra as light nasalization before ‘m’, māgne: long ā; avoid ‘mag-ne’—it is ‘māg-ne’, prajayā: ‘j’ voiced; keep final long ā, ṛṣibhiḥ: retroflex ṛ; final visarga soft
Bright, steady, confident; avoid harshness—let vigor remain calm.
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