Rig Veda 1.36.16: Mandala 1, Sukta 36, Mantra 16
Sukta 1.36
- Rishi
- Medhyātithi Kaṇva
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Jagatī
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Raudra (fury)
घनेव विष्वग्वि जह्यराव्णस्तपुर्जम्भ यो अस्मध्रुक् । यो मर्त्यः शिशीते अत्यक्तुभिर्मा नः स रिपुरीशत ॥
ghanéva víṣvag ví jahi arā́vṇas tápuṛjambha yó asmadhrúk | yó mártyaḥ śiśī́te áty aktúbhir mā́ naḥ sá ripúr īśata ||
जैसे कोई बड़ा हथौड़ा मारता है, वैसे ही दुश्मन को हर तरफ से मारो। जो हमारे साथ गद्दारी करे, जो रात में हमें नुकसान पहुँचाने के इरादे रखे, ऐसा दुश्मन हमारे ऊपर कभी राज न करे। उसको हमारे पास नहीं आने देना।
Word by Word
- घने
- with/like a cloudNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-एकवचन (उपमान-प्रयोगः)Role Karaṇa (उपमान-तृतीया)Root घन (प्रातिपदिक)
- इव
- like, asIndeclinableउपमानार्थक-अव्ययRoot इव (निपात)
- विष्वक्
- on all sides, everywhereIndeclinableदिशासर्वत्रार्थक-अव्ययRole Adhikaraṇa (देश/व्याप्ति-अर्थे)Root विष्वक् (अव्यय/क्रियाविशेषण)
- वि
- apart, asunder (prefix)Indeclinableउपसर्गः (विभाग/विशेषणार्थकः), जहि इत्यस्य सहRoot वि (उपसर्ग)
- जहि
- strike! slay!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole Karma (आज्ञाक्रिया)Root हन् (धातु)
- अराव्णः
- of the hostile/ill-willed oneNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-एकवचन (सम्बन्ध/अधिकार)Root अराव्ण (प्रातिपदिक; ‘अरावन्’ इति निन्दार्थक-विशेषण)
- तपुर्जम्भ
- O scorching-jawed (one)Adjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-एकवचन (देवसम्बोधन)Role SambodhanaRoot तपुर्जम्भ (प्रातिपदिक; बहुव्रीहि/कर्मधारय-समासः: तपु: + जम्भ)
- यः
- whoPronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचनRole Kartā (सापेक्ष-उपवाक्ये)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अस्मध्रुक्
- the one who harms us; our betrayerNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन (बहुव्रीहि/तत्पुरुषार्थः: ‘अस्मान् द्रुह्यति’)Role Kartā (यः…)Root अस्मद् + द्रुह् (धातु √द्रुह् ‘द्रोह’), कृत्-प्रातिपदिक ‘द्रुक्’
- यः
- whoPronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचनRole Kartā (सापेक्ष-उपवाक्ये)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- मर्त्यः
- a mortalNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचनRole KartāRoot मर्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- शिशीते
- sharpens (himself/itself); whetsVerbलट्, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपदRole Karma (क्रिया)Root शा/शि (धातु √शा/√शि ‘तेजने/शाणने’ → शिशीते)
- अति
- over, beyond; excessivelyIndeclinableअतिक्रम/अतिशयार्थकः, ‘अत्यक्तुभिः’ इत्यत्र सहRoot अति (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- अक्तुभिः
- with nights/darknessesNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-बहुवचनRole Karaṇa (साधन/सहकारि)Root अक्तु (प्रातिपदिक; ‘रात्रि/अन्धकार’ इत्यर्थे वैदिक)
- मा
- do notIndeclinableनिषेधः (प्रार्थना/आज्ञा-निषेध)Root मा (निषेध-अव्यय)
- नः
- to us / of usPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी-बहुवचन (एन्क्लिटिक ‘नः’)Role Sampradāna (हित/अहित-लक्ष्ये) / सम्बन्धRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचनRole KartāRoot तद् (सर्वनाम)
- रिपुः
- enemyNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचनRole Kartā (सः रिपुः…)Root रिपु (प्रातिपदिक)
- ईशत
- may (he) rule/prevailVerbविधिलिङ्/लट्-प्रयोगः वैदिकः (आशीर्लिङ्-सदृश प्रार्थना), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole Karma (प्रार्थित-क्रिया)Root ईश् (धातु √ईश् ‘ईश्वरे/प्रभुत्वे’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: घने इव विष्वक् वि जहि अराव्णः तपुर्जम्भ । यः अस्मध्रुक् । यः मर्त्यः शिशीते अति अक्तुभिः । मा नः सः रिपुः ईशत ॥ मुख्य-सन्धयः: (1) घनेव = घने + इव (स्वर-सन्धि)
- (2) विष्वग्वि = विष्वक् + वि (क् + व् → ग्व्)
- (3) जह्यरा॑व्णः = जहि + अराव्णः (इ + अ → य)
- (4) अत्य॒क्तुभिः = अति + अक्तुभिः (इ + अ → य)
- (5) नः स = नः + सः (विसर्ग-लोपः/एन्क्लिटिक-सन्धिः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Agni is urged to strike down the hostile one on every side like a crushing mace; he is ‘burning-jawed’. Whoever betrays us, whoever among mortals sharpens himself excessively in the nights—may that enemy not rule over us.
Inner meaning
The seeker calls on Agni’s forceful discrimination to smash the ‘hostile will’ (arāvṇa) that attacks from many directions—doubts, temptations, perversions of energy. ‘Burning-jawed’ is the power that consumes falsehood at its root. The ‘betrayer’ is the inner traitor: a part of oneself that turns against the aspiration. The one who ‘sharpens himself in the nights’ is the nocturnal subconscious activity—rehearsed resentments, fear-scripts, obsessive thinking—gaining edge when awareness sleeps. Agni must act as a vigilant inner guardian so the ripu (enemy formation) does not gain mastery.
Universal truth
Transformation requires both warmth and firmness. Compassion without discernment leaves one vulnerable; discernment without inner fire lacks power. Nightly unconscious patterns can consolidate resistance unless the will is kept awake and luminous.
Themes
smiting hostility, truth vs deceit (druh), night-obscuration, Agni as consuming judge
The seer
- Rishi
- Medhyātithi Kaṇva
- Lineage
- Kaṇva
- Other hymns
- RV 1.36.15 (protect), RV 1.36.17 (Agni’s winning power)
Family tradition
Kaṇva hymns often combine invocation with practical inner psychology: protection, purification, and victorious advance of the sacrifice.
Significance
The seer’s emphasis is on active spiritual combat: Agni is not only adored but commissioned as the executive force that breaks resistance in all directions, including the subtle nocturnal subconscious.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- tapurjambha (burning-jawed), ghaneva (mace-like smiter, metaphor)
- Related deities
- Indra (slayer of Vṛtra—illumined victory), Rudra (fierce purifying force)
Cosmic role
Destroyer of obstruction and guardian of the rite; purifier who makes the path safe for the gods (higher powers) to descend.
Inner power
Kriyā-śakti of the soul’s will: incisive, consuming, uncompromising toward falsehood; establishes mastery of the sādhanā over the lower nature.
In ritual
Where it is used
Protective/expulsive (rakṣoghna) usage in Agni rites; could accompany offerings meant to repel hostile influences
घ॒नेव॒ विष्व॒ग्वि ज॒ह्यरा॑व्ण॒स्तपु॑र्जम्भ॒ यो अ॑स्म॒ध्रुक् । यो मर्त्य॒: शिशी॑ते॒ अत्य॒क्तुभि॒र्मा न॒: स रि॒पुरी॑शत ॥
घ॒नाऽइ॑व । विष्व॑क् । वि । ज॒हि॒ । अरा॑व्णः । तपुः॑ऽजम्भ । यः । अ॒स्म॒ऽध्रुक् । यः । मर्त्यः॑ । शिशी॑ते । अति॑ । अ॒क्तुऽभिः॑ । मा । नः॒ । सः । रि॒पुः । ई॒श॒त॒ ॥
ghanāiva | viṣvak | vi | jahi | arāvṇaḥ | tapuḥ-jambha | yaḥ | asma-dhruk | yaḥ | martyaḥ | śiśīte | ati | aktu-bhiḥ | mā | naḥ | saḥ | ripuḥ | īśata
48
4 pādas × ~12 syllables
Commanding, martial, with strong caesura points supporting imperative verbs (vi jahi).
Energizes courage and clarity; helps cut through fear and hesitation, especially when chanted before sleep or at dawn.
- ghaneva
- Literal: like a mace/club. Symbolic: decisive force of discrimination that breaks hardened formations
- viṣvak
- Literal: on every side. Symbolic: attacks arise in mind, life-force, and body; protection must be integral
- vi jahi
- Literal: strike down, slay apart. Symbolic: separate and destroy the hostile formation, not merely suppress
- tapurjambha
- Literal: burning-jawed. Symbolic: power that ‘bites’ and consumes falsehood at the root
- asmadhruk
- Literal: one who harms/betrays us. Symbolic: inner traitor—habit-nature opposing the soul’s intention
- martyaḥ
- Literal: mortal (human). Symbolic: ego-bound consciousness
- śiśīte
- Literal: sharpens himself. Symbolic: resistance becoming more refined/intelligent and persuasive
- aty aktubhiḥ
- Literal: beyond measure in the nights. Symbolic: subconscious/night activity where desire and fear intensify
- ripuḥ
- Literal: enemy. Symbolic: organized adverse formation in consciousness
- īśata
- Literal: may rule/have mastery. Symbolic: domination of the nature by the adverse force
Protective and adversary-subduing recitation; suitable where ritual purity is threatened by hostile persons/forces; also night-warding usage
Evening fire, night-protection prayers, or before entering uncertain situations
Oblation with a forceful imperative; mentally ‘casting out’ the hostile formation
A short ‘psychic self-defense’ mantra: chant when noticing intrusive thoughts, manipulative influences, or recurring nighttime anxiety loops.
ghana ‘mace’ conveys concentrated force; Agni is asked to act as decisive power. tapuḥ-jambha: tapas ‘heat’ (√tap ‘burn, be ardent’) + jambha ‘jaw’—Agni as consuming discernment. asmadhruk from √druh ‘deceive, harm’ (cf. Avestan druj ‘lie/demon of deceit’)—a key Indo-Iranian moral-psychological opposition: truth vs. druj. aktu ‘night’ symbolizes obscuration; ‘ati aktubhiḥ’ indicates an adversary empowered by darkness/excessive nocturnal force.
dru(h) as betrayal/falsehood vs. ṛta, tapas as purifying ardour, mastery (īś) vs. surrender to hostile forces
The hostile one is anṛta seeking mastery; Agni restores ṛta by decisive removal.
Truth must be defended against inner betrayal and nocturnal distortion.
Fire as the active principle that shapes and protects the evolving consciousness against regression into darkness.
Integral psychological interpretation (Aurobindo-Kashyap line)
night (explicit)
Night = subconscious field; sharpening at night = rehearsed samskāras; fire-weapon = conscious will cutting through tamas.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Agni as the weapon and devourer who strikes down the hostile—‘like a mace’. The adversary is defined by betrayal (druh) and nocturnal sharpening (aktu), i.e., powers that grow in darkness; Agni is invoked as the fiery jaw that consumes them.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √druh aligns with Indo-Iranian ethical vocabulary: Vedic druh vs. Avestan druj (Lie), reflecting a shared mythic polarity. √īś ‘to have power’ reflects an old IE concept of mastery/possession expressed in verb roots of ruling; the jussive ‘mā… īśata’ is a typical Vedic prohibitive construction.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi asks for active intervention, not mere blessing: Agni must strike, consume, and prevent hostile mastery. The reciprocity is protection-through-ardour: the invoked flame becomes the inner force that refuses domination by deceitful impulses and darkened energies.
Detect and break adverse formations; strengthen inner sovereignty (no ripu-īśat).
maṇipūra (will) and ājñā (discernment)
Short, firm exhalations on ‘vi jahi’; then settle into calm nasal breathing to stabilize after the cut.
Dynamic wakefulness; from rajasic agitation to controlled force under the soul’s command.
Use at the first sign of ‘inner betrayal’ (self-sabotage). Name the pattern, feel it as a formation, then chant once with full force, followed by silent witnessing so the energy does not rebound into anger.
Maintain traditional Vedic accents; imperatives (jahi) should be clearly articulated without shouting; keep svarita transitions smooth.
Emphasize ‘ví jahí’ as the action-kernel; keep ‘tápur-jambha’ compact with clear retroflex jh.
ghaneva: aspirate gh- and keep -eva light, viṣvak: pronounce ṣv cluster cleanly (viṣ-vak), tapurjambha: jh is voiced aspirate; avoid collapsing into ‘jamba’, asmadhruk: keep dhru as a conjunct (dh-ruk), śiśīte: both ś sounds palatal; long ī, aty aktubhiḥ: separate aty | aktubhiḥ; keep kt conjunct
Firm, bright, controlled—martial clarity rather than anger.
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