Rig Veda 1.65.2: Mandala 1, Sukta 65, Mantra 2
Sukta 1.65
- Rishi
- Gautama Rāhūgaṇa
- Devata
- Agni
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
सजोषा धीराः पदैरनु ग्मन्नुप त्वा सीदन्विश्वे यजत्राः ॥
sajóṣā dhī́rāḥ padaír ánu gmann úpa tvā sīdan víśve yájatrāḥ ||
रिशि एक साथ चले और पास आए। यह सब लोग हवनकुंड के पास बैठते हैं। वो अग्नि के आस पास इकट्ठे हो जाते हैं।
Word by Word
- सजोषाः
- being in concord/associated (together)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot स-जोषस् (प्रातिपदिक; सह + जोषस् ‘सन्तोष/अनुग्रह/सहभाव’)
- धीराः
- the wise/steadfast onesNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot धीरा (प्रातिपदिक; धीर ‘बुद्धिमान्/स्थिर’)
- पदैः
- with steps/footsteps (by their tracks)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole करणRoot पद (प्रातिपदिक)
- अनु
- after, alongIndeclinableअव्ययRoot अनु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- ग्मन्
- they went/cameVerbलुङ् (आorist), 3 पुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद (वैदिक रूप: ग्मन् = अग्मन्)Root गम् (धातु)
- उप
- near, towardsIndeclinableअव्ययRoot उप (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- त्वा
- you (as object)Pronounद्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सीदन्
- they sat down/settledVerbलुङ् (आorist), 3 पुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद (वैदिक रूप: सीदन् = असीदन्)Root सद् (धातु)
- विश्वे
- allAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- यजत्राः
- worthy of worshipAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot यजत्र (प्रातिपदिक; यज् धातु से ‘यज्ञयोग्य/पूजनीय’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदपाठानुसार विच्छेद: सजोषा धीरा: पदैर् अनु ग्मन् उप त्वा सीदन् विश्वे यजत्राः। 1) धीरा॑: = धीराः (विसर्ग-रूप)
- 2) पदैरनु = पदैः + अनु (ः + अ → र्; पदैः अनु → पदैरनु)
- 3) ग्म॒न्नुप॑ = ग्मन् + उप (न् + उ → न्नु; ग्मन् उप → ग्मन्नुप)
- 4) सीद॒न्विश्वे॒ = सीदन् + विश्वे (न् + व → न्व; सीदन् विश्वे → सीदन्विश्वे)
- वैदिक लुङ्-रूपों में ‘अ’ आगम (अग्मन्, असीदन्) प्रायः पदपाठ/संहिता में लुप्त/अनुदात्त हो सकता है।
The meaning
Outer meaning
In harmony, the inspired seers follow the established steps of the rite, approach Agni, and sit near him—all who are fit for worship gather close around the fire.
Inner meaning
All the awakened parts of the being (dhīrāḥ) move in a single consent (sajoṣāḥ), following the progressive ‘steps’ (padāni) of inner discipline, and take their seat near the psychic Flame (Agni) so that the whole nature can participate in the inner yajña. The verse describes concentration: the many powers of the seeker collect around the central will-to-truth.
Universal truth
When the human faculties become concordant and follow a clear inner method, they naturally gather around the soul’s guiding fire; unity of intention is the condition for sustained transformation.
Themes
Assembly, Approach to Agni, Concentration, Harmony
The seer
- Rishi
- Gautama Rāhūgaṇa
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 1.65, RV 1.66, RV 1.67, RV 1.68, RV 1.69, RV 1.70, RV 1.71, RV 1.72, RV 1.73
Family tradition
Gautama line of seers; hymns to Agni stressing right guidance and the ordered inner offering.
Significance
As a seer of Agni, Gautama voices the psychology of the yajña: the collecting of scattered powers into a single aspiration around the inner Fire that leads the journey.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- yajatra (worthy of worship), hotṛ (priest of the offering), purohita (placed in front), jātavedas (knower of births)
- Related deities
- Indra, Soma, Uṣas, Varuṇa-Mitra, Bṛhaspati
Cosmic role
Mediator between human and divine; carrier of offerings; awakener of the gods in the sacrifice; establishes ṛta in the worlds.
Inner power
Divine Will and aspiration in the heart; the psychic fire that gathers, purifies, and uplifts all movements toward illumination.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni-stuti in soma-yajña opening/Agni invocation sequence (general)
स॒जोषा॒ धीरा॑: प॒दैरनु॑ ग्म॒न्नुप॑ त्वा सीद॒न्विश्वे॒ यज॑त्राः ॥
स॒जोषाः॑ । धीराः॑ । प॒दैः । अनु॑ । ग्म॒न् । उप॑ । त्वा॒ । सी॒द॒न् । विश्वे॑ । यज॑त्राः ॥
sajoṣāḥ | dhīrāḥ | padaiḥ | anu | gman | upa | tvā | sīdan | viśve | yajatrāḥ
44
4 pādas; probable 11-syllable cadence per pāda (triṣṭubh-type)
Forward-moving, processional rhythm suited to ‘following the steps’ and approaching.
Creates a gathering, converging effect—many impulses settling into one steady center.
- सजोषाः (sajoṣāḥ)
- Literal: in one accord, unanimous. Symbolic: harmonised movements of mind-life-body consenting to the soul’s aim
- धीराः (dhīrāḥ)
- Literal: steadfast, wise, seers. Symbolic: illumined discernment; the awakened inner faculties that can ‘see’ truth
- पदैः (padaiḥ)
- Literal: by steps/feet/tracks. Symbolic: graded stages of sādhanā; ordered movements of the inner sacrifice
- उप त्वा (upa tvā)
- Literal: near to you. Symbolic: turning inward toward the psychic center/Agni as guide
- सीदन् (sīdan)
- Literal: sit down, take seat. Symbolic: establishing stable concentration; inward settling around the flame
- यजत्राः (yajatrāḥ)
- Literal: worthy of sacrifice/worship. Symbolic: purified energies fit to be offered and transformed in Agni
Describes the assembly around Agni: priests/deities ‘sit near’ the fire; in inner usage, gathering of faculties around the central will-fire for concentrated working.
At the kindling/approach to the fire and during invitatory praise to establish the sacrificial seat.
Approaching, seating around the āhavanīya; offering ghee with focused recitation.
Use as a pre-meditation ‘collecting mantra’: bring attention from scattered thoughts to the heart-flame before japa or contemplation.
dhīra- from dhī ‘inspired thought’ + -ra (agentive) → ‘one possessing dhī’. √gam ‘go’ (PIE *gʷem-) is a basic inherited verb. sad/√sīd ‘sit, settle’ indicates establishment (not mere arrival), supporting inner ‘fixing in presence’.
collective harmony (sajoṣā), staged approach (padaiḥ), inner yajña (sacrifice as self-ordering)
Agni is the organiser of movements according to ṛta; the ‘steps’ imply ordered law in ascent.
Truth is approached by unanimity of the being; satya is stabilised by ‘sitting near’ the inner fire.
Concentration precedes manifestation: the many gather around the one flame that shapes becoming.
Proto-Vedāntic / Integral-Vedic (Aurobindonian) emphasis on inner yajña and ascent of consciousness.
dawn-or-morning (typical Agni kindling context, not explicit)
unspecified
The hearth-flame becomes the psychic center; ‘steps’ become stages of inner growth; ‘assembly’ becomes integration of faculties.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘gathering at the fire’: divine-worthy powers and seers assemble and take their seats near Agni. Psychologically it is the convergence of inner faculties around the central flame of will and discernment.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The motion-to-presence sequence √gam (come) → √sad (sit) is a common IE narrative pattern: approach culminating in established participation (council/ritual). It encodes a move from movement to settled order.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi presents Agni as the center of convergence: by ‘following the steps’ and ‘sitting near’, the dhīras align themselves with Agni’s working, indicating a reciprocal field where invocation draws the divine presence and the human faculties become ordered.
Unify the being around the heart-flame (psychic will) and follow a steady inner method step by step.
Anāhata (heart)
Gentle nāḍī-śodhana or slow 1:1 breathing while feeling warmth at the heart-center.
Collected, centered, receptive to guidance.
Before meditation, recall the ‘many’ in you (thought, emotion, impulse) and invite them to sit near one aspiration; maintain a single consent for the session.
Vedic svara not fully determinable from provided text alone; chant with standard Ṛgvedic udātta/anudātta/svarita as per śākhā notation if available.
Keep udātta syllables bright and slightly raised; avoid musical sliding; let cadence ‘settle’ on sīdan and yajatrāḥ.
sajoṣāḥ: clear ‘ṣ’ retroflex; long ‘āḥ’ visarga audible, dhīrāḥ: long ī; light visarga at end, padaiḥ: diphthong ai clean, not ‘e’, upa tvā: keep ‘tvā’ with clear v, long ā, viśve: ś palatal, not s, yajatrāḥ: j soft, ṛ not present; long āḥ with visarga
Warm, steady, gathering tone; end each pāda with settled firmness.
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