Rig Veda 1.36.1: Mandala 1, Sukta 36, Mantra 1
Sukta 1.36
- Rishi
- Kaṇva
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Gāyatrī
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
प्र वो यह्वं पुरूणां विशां देवयतीनाम् । अग्निं सूक्तेभिर्वचोभिरीमहे यं सीमिदन्य ईळते ॥
prá vo yáhvaṃ purūṇā́ṃ viśā́ṃ deva-yatī́nām | agníṃ sūktébhir vácobhir īmahe yáṃ sīm íd anyá īḷate ||
हम लोग अग्नि भगवान को बुला रहे हैं। बहुत सारे लोग भगवान की तरफ जाना चाहते हैं। हम अच्छे से गाना गाके और पूजा करके उन्हे पुकारते हैं। दूसरे लोग भी उन्हीं की पूजा करते हैं।
Word by Word
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableupasarga (preverb)Root प्र (upasarga)
- वः
- of you; for youPronoungenitive plural (enclitic)Role Sampradāna (beneficiary/for you) / संबन्धRoot युष्मद्
- यह्वम्
- the mighty/impetuous (one)Adjectiveaccusative singular masculineRole Karma (object; epithet of Agni)Root यह्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- पुरूणाम्
- of manyAdjectivegenitive plural (common gender; here with feminine viśām)Role सम्बन्ध (genitive relation)Root पुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
- विशाम्
- of the clans/peoplesNoungenitive plural feminineRole सम्बन्ध (genitive relation)Root विश् (प्रातिपदिक)
- देवयतीनाम्
- of the god-seeking/devout (women/peoples)Adjective (participle)genitive plural feminineRole सम्बन्ध (qualifier of viśām)Root देवयन्ती (देवय √यत्/यत् ‘to strive/seek’, present participle feminine)
- अग्निम्
- Agni (Fire-god)Nounaccusative singular masculineRole Karma (object of īmahe)Root अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- सूक्तेभिः
- with well-spoken hymnsNouninstrumental plural neuterRole Karaṇa (means)Root सूक्त (सु-उक्त) (प्रातिपदिक)
- वचोभिः
- with words/utterancesNouninstrumental plural neuterRole Karaṇa (means)Root वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- ईमहे
- we seek/imploreVerbpresent, 1st person plural, ātmanepadaRole Kartā (we)Root √यम् (आत्मनेपद; desiderative/precative-like Vedic usage ‘to seek, to strive for’)
- यम्
- whomPronounaccusative singular masculineRole Karma (object of īḷate; relative)Root यद्
- सीम्
- indeed, justIndeclinableemphatic/enclitic particleRoot सीम् (enclitic particle)
- इद्
- indeedIndeclinableemphatic particleRoot इद् (particle)
- अन्यः
- another; each other (one)Pronoun/Adjectivenominative singular masculineRole Kartā (subject of īḷate)Root अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- ईळते
- praises/invokesVerbpresent, 3rd person singular, ātmanepadaRole Kartā (he/one) with Karma = yamRoot √ईळ्/√ईड् (Vedic) ‘to praise, to invoke’
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: प्र | वः | यह्वम् | पुरूणाम् | विशाम् | देवयतीनाम् | अग्निम् | सूक्तेभिः | वचोभिः | ईमहे | यम् | सीम् | इद् | अन्यः | ईळते । Sandhi: (1) वचोभिः + ईमहे → वचोभिरीमहे (visarga before vowel becomes r)
- (2) सीम् + इद् → सीमिद् (final m + initial vowel coalescence in continuous recitation)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The singer brings forth mighty Agni for the many communities devoted to the gods, and seeks him with well-made hymns and words—Agni whom others also worship.
Inner meaning
Agni is the awakened divine Will in the human being. The ‘many peoples’ are the multiple parts and tendencies of our nature (mind, life, body, and their sub-personalities) that begin to turn godward (devayatī). The offering here is chiefly vāc—well-woven speech and thought—by which aspiration rises and Agni is kindled. The line ‘whom others too adore’ suggests Agni’s universality: every sincere path, knowingly or not, calls the same inner Flame.
Universal truth
Spiritual progress begins when the inner will is placed in front and all parts of the being consent to a higher aim; right speech and thought can kindle that will into a steady guiding fire.
Themes
invocation, mantric speech, Agni as divine will, collective seeking
The seer
- Rishi
- Kaṇva (Kāṇva lineage)
- Lineage
- Kāṇva
- Other hymns
- RV 1.36.1-20 (Agni hymn, Gāyatrī)
Family tradition
Kaṇva seers are renowned for practical inner-ritual psychology: kindling Agni, organizing the sacrifice, and invoking the gods as powers of consciousness.
Significance
The Kaṇva voice is direct and efficient—establish Agni first. This verse sets the program: a collective turning of many inner ‘peoples’ toward the divine through mantra and aspiration.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- yahva (mighty), hotṛ (implicit priestly function), universal adorable (yaṃ sīm id anye īḻate)
- Related deities
- Indra, Soma, Uṣas, Mitra-Varuṇa
Cosmic role
Mediator between worlds; carries offerings to the gods; establishes the sacrificial order in earth and man.
Inner power
Flame of aspiration and will that transforms, purifies, and leads the ascent; power to unify the divided parts into a single offering.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agnyādhāna/Agnihotra-related invocations; opening of hymns to establish Agni as first deity in the rite.
प्र वो॑ य॒ह्वं पु॑रू॒णां वि॒शां दे॑वय॒तीना॑म् । अ॒ग्निं सू॒क्तेभि॒र्वचो॑भिरीमहे॒ यं सी॒मिद॒न्य ईळ॑ते ॥
प्र । वः॒ । य॒ह्वम् । पु॒रू॒णाम् । वि॒शाम् । दे॒व॒ऽय॒तीना॑म् । अ॒ग्निम् । सु॒ऽउ॒क्तेभिः॑ । वचः॑ऽभिः । ई॒म॒हे॒ । यम् । सी॒म् । इत् । अ॒न्ये । ईळ॑ते ॥
pra | vaḥ | yahvam | purūṇām | viśām | deva-yatīnām | agnim | su-uktebhiḥ | vacaḥ-bhiḥ | īmahe | yam | sīm | it | anye | īḷate
24
3 pādas × 8 syllables
Bright, compact, forward-driving.
Quickens aspiration; easy to memorize; creates a clean ignition-like pulse suitable for kindling Agni.
- प्र (pra)
- Literal: forward, forth. Symbolic: placing the divine will in the forefront of life
- यह्वम् (yahvam)
- Literal: mighty, impetuous. Symbolic: irresistible upward force of the soul’s will
- देवयतीनाम् (devayatīnām)
- Literal: seeking the gods. Symbolic: parts of nature consenting to the divine orientation
- अग्निम् (agnim)
- Literal: fire. Symbolic: divine will, inner priest, leader of sacrifice
- सूक्तेभिः (sūktebhiḥ)
- Literal: well-spoken hymns. Symbolic: truth-linked mantra-thought, inspired formulation
- वचोभिः (vacobhiḥ)
- Literal: words. Symbolic: conscious speech as offering; formative thought-power
- ईमहे (īmahe)
- Literal: we seek/aspire. Symbolic: upward call, yearning toward the flame
Agnihotra/Ishti framework: opening invocatory verse to kindle Agni as Hotṛ and summon the gods; used broadly in fire-ritual sequences as Agni-pravara.
At the beginning of a soma/śrauta sequence or daily fire offerings as an opening praise.
Kindling/establishing the fire; recitation while offering ghee or mentally offering speech.
As a ‘start mantra’ before meditation or work: bring the inner flame to the front; offer a few truthful sentences (sūkta-vāc) as intention-setting.
Agni < √ag/añj? (traditional: 'to move'/'to drive'; also linked with brightness): in RV, Agni is the divine Will/Fire. yahvá- 'impetuous/mighty' (epithet of dynamic power). īmahe from √ī 'to go, seek, strive' underscores aspiration as motion. īḷate from √īḷ 'praise, invoke' (ritual speech as inner calling). su-ukta 'well-said' = su- + ukta (ppp √vac/√uk 'say'): right speech aligned with ṛta.
Vāc as creative power (vacaḥ, sūkta), collective aspiration (viś) toward the divine, Agni as mediator (inner priesthood)
Agni is the establisher of rite/order; the ‘well-spoken’ is speech aligned with ṛta.
Sūkta as true-formulated word that carries consciousness upward.
Ignition of the transforming principle that builds the inner worlds.
Integral Yoga/Vedic psychology: Agni as evolutionary will in matter.
Ignition of aspiration; speech as fuel; gathering of inner collectivities into a single sacrificial movement.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Agni as the universally adored mediator: the Fire is invoked by many peoples and seekers; mythically he is the priest-power present in all sacrifices; psychologically he is the common flame of aspiration that different parts of the being can approach.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The prominence of formulaic particles (sīm íd) reflects archaic Indo-European discourse emphasis. The semantic field of 'praise/invoke' (√īḷ) and 'speak' (ukta/vacas) continues Indo-Iranian poetics where correct speech effects contact with the divine.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer does not command but 'presses toward' (īmahe) Agni through shaped speech (sūkta/vacas). The offering is the word itself, and Agni reciprocates by becoming present as the awakened will that can carry the collective seeking upward.
Kindle the inner fire with a clear intention; unite scattered motives into one offering.
maṇipūra (will, transformative heat)
3 rounds of bhastrikā (mild) or kapalabhāti (gentle) followed by quiet nasal breathing to stabilize the flame.
Alert, aspiring, forward-moving concentration.
Chant once, then silently repeat ‘pra’ as a felt forward push; offer one thought and one impulse into Agni; end with a minute of stillness to feel the flame steady.
Gāyatrī chanting with clear pāda triplet; follow Vedic udatta/anudatta/svarita as transmitted—keep the ‘pra vo’ lift crisp.
Mark pāda breaks after ‘devayatīnām’ and after ‘īmahe’. Keep ‘yaṃ sīm id anye īḻate’ as a single concluding sweep.
‘yahvam’—aspirate ‘hv’ lightly (yah-vam)., ‘devayatīnām’—long ī in -tīnām., ‘sūktebhir’—long ū; keep ‘kt’ cluster clear., ‘īḻate’—retroflex ḻ (as in Vedic), not plain ‘l’.
Bright, kindling tone; articulate consonant clusters.
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