Rig Veda 1.76.2: Mandala 1, Sukta 76, Mantra 2
Sukta 1.76
- Rishi
- Gautama
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
एह्यग्न इह होता नि षीदादब्धः सु पुरएता भवा नः । अवतां त्वा रोदसी विश्वमिन्वे यजा महे सौमनसाय देवान् ॥
éhya agne ihá hótā ní ṣīdā́dabdhaḥ sú puraetā bhavā naḥ | ávatāṃ tvā ródasī viśváminve yájā mahé sáumanasāya devā́n ||
अग्नि, यहाँ आ जा। यहाँ बैठ जा हमारे लिए पुजारी बन के। तू हमारे आगे चल, हमें सही रास्ता दिखा। आसमान और धरती दोनों तुझे पकड़े रखें। भगवानों के लिए यज्ञ कर ताकि हमारा मन खुश रहे और सब ठीक चले।
Word by Word
- एहि
- come!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदRoot इ (धातु)
- अग्ने
- O AgniNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- इह
- hereIndeclinableअव्ययRole अधिकारणRoot इह (अव्यय)
- होता
- the Hotṛ-priest (invoker)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot होतृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- नि
- down, inIndeclinableअव्यय (उपसर्ग)Root नि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- षीद
- sit downVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (वैदिक रूप: षीद < सीद)Root सद्/सीद् (धातु; √sad ‘to sit’)
- अदब्धः
- unharmed, unbeguiledAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (होता इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृ (विशेषणरूपेण)Root अदब्ध (प्रातिपदिक; a- + dabdhá)
- सु
- wellIndeclinableअव्ययRoot सु (अव्यय)
- पुरएता
- the one who goes in front, leaderNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (अग्नेः/होतुः विशेषणवत्)Role कर्तृ (विशेषणरूपेण)Root पुरएतृ/पुरएता (प्रातिपदिक; पुरस्- + एतृ)
- भव
- become, beVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदRoot भू (धातु)
- नः
- of us, ourPronounषष्ठी, बहुवचन (एन्क्लिटिक)Role सम्बन्धRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- अवताम्
- let (them) help/protectVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदRoot अव (धातु; √av ‘to help/protect’)
- त्वा
- youPronounद्वितीया, एकवचन (एन्क्लिटिक)Role कर्मRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- रोदसी
- Heaven and Earth (the two worlds)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग (द्यावापृथिव्यौ), प्रथमा, द्विवचनRole कर्तृRoot रोदसी (प्रातिपदिक; द्विवचन-शब्द)
- विश्वम्
- entirely, allAdjective (used adverbially)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (क्रियाविशेषणवत्)Root विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्वे
- moves/impelsVerbलट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदRoot इन्/इन्व् (धातु; √inv ‘to set in motion/impel’)
- यज
- worship, sacrifice toVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदRoot यज् (धातु)
- महे
- to the greatAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन (देवान् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role सम्प्रदानRoot मह्/महा (प्रातिपदिक)
- सौमनसाय
- with goodwill/favorNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (भाववाचक)Role करणRoot सौमनस (प्रातिपदिक)
- देवान्
- the godsNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- संहिता-पाठः: एह्य॑ग्न इ॒ह होता॒ नि षी॒दाद॑ब्ध॒: सु पु॑रए॒ता भ॑वा नः । अव॑तां त्वा॒ रोद॑सी विश्वमि॒न्वे यजा॑ म॒हे सौ॑मन॒साय॑ दे॒वान् ॥ पदच्छेद (मुख्य): एहि + अग्ने + इह + होता + नि + षीद + अदब्धः + सु + पुरएता + भव + नः | अवताम् + त्वा + रोदसी + विश्वम् + इन्वे | यज + महे + सौमनसाय + देवान् | सन्धि-निर्णयः: (1) एह्यग्न → एहि + अग्ने (इ + अ = य्; सम्बोधन-रूप ‘अग्ने’)
- (2) षीदादब्धः → षीद + अदब्धः (द् + अ = दा)
- (3) विश्वमिन्वे → विश्वम् + इन्वे (म् + इ = मि)
The meaning
Outer meaning
A direct invitation to Agni to come, sit as the Hotṛ (invoking priest), lead the rite from the front, supported by Heaven and Earth, and to offer sacrifice to the Gods for a state of harmony and goodwill.
Inner meaning
The seeker calls the inner Fire (Agni) to descend into the present field of consciousness (“iha”), to take the seated throne in the heart as the unfailing priest of the inner yajña. Agni is asked to become the “puraetā”—the forward-leading will that goes before thought and action, opening the way. Heaven and Earth (Rodasī) are not merely physical realms but the higher mind and the embodied nature; when they ‘uphold’ Agni, the ascent and descent are harmonized: illumination above supports transformation below. The offering is the conscious self-giving of energies to the divine powers, for “saumanasa”—a luminous concord of the soul-nature where mind, life, and body consent to the divine intention.
Universal truth
Spiritual progress begins when the inner will-to-truth is enthroned and made leader; then the higher and lower in us can collaborate, and all our faculties become offerings that invite greater powers of consciousness into effective presence.
Themes
invocation, installation of the inner priest, cosmic support, harmonization of mind for sacrifice
The seer
- Rishi
- Gautama (Gautama Rahūgaṇa tradition)
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 1.76, Rig Veda 1.77
Family tradition
Angirasa-associated seer-line emphasizing Agni as the initiator of the inner sacrifice and the pathfinder of illumination.
Significance
Gautama’s vision here is practical and yogic: establish Agni as the stable inner priest, then let the higher and lower nature support the work—an Aurobindonian pattern of descent-and-ascent leading to integral harmony.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- Hotā, Adabdhaḥ, Su-puraetā, Vahni (implied as carrier)
- Related deities
- Rodasī (Heaven and Earth), Vishve Devāḥ (the Gods collectively)
Cosmic role
Divine Fire as mediator between human and godhead; carrier of offerings; awakener of the gods in the sacrifice; opener of the paths.
Inner power
The flame of conscious will and aspiration that organizes the inner yajña, purifies motives, and leads the being toward illumination and right action.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agnyādhāna / Agni-invocation at the opening of a soma-yajña or general śrauta offering sequence
एह्य॑ग्न इ॒ह होता॒ नि षी॒दाद॑ब्ध॒: सु पु॑रए॒ता भ॑वा नः । अव॑तां त्वा॒ रोद॑सी विश्वमि॒न्वे यजा॑ म॒हे सौ॑मन॒साय॑ दे॒वान् ॥
आ । इ॒हि॒ । अ॒ग्ने॒ । इ॒ह । होता॑ । नि । सी॒द॒ । अद॑ब्धः । सु । पु॒रः॒ऽए॒ता । भ॒व॒ । नः॒ । अव॑ताम् । त्वा॒ । रोद॑सी॒ इति॑ । वि॒श्व॒मि॒न्वे इति॑ वि॒श्व॒म्ऽइ॒न्वे । यज॑ । म॒हे । सौ॒म॒न॒साय॑ । दे॒वान् ॥
ā | ihi | agne | iha | hotā | ni | sīda | adabdhaḥ | su | puraḥ-etā | bhava | naḥ | avatām | tvā | rodasī iti | viśvaminve itiviśvam-inve | yaja | mahe | saumanasāya | devān
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4 pādas × ~11 syllables
Firm, forward-driving cadence suited to invocation and command; balanced yet energizing.
Creates a steady upward push in attention, helping ‘seat’ the will in the heart and sustain a disciplined, luminous offering.
- एहि (ehi)
- Literal: come. Symbolic: invocation of descent of the divine force into present awareness
- होता (hotā)
- Literal: invoking priest. Symbolic: the inner mediator that calls and establishes higher powers in the being
- नि षीद (ni ṣīd)
- Literal: sit down. Symbolic: enthronement/stabilization of Agni in the heart-consciousness
- अदब्ध (adabdhaḥ)
- Literal: unharmed, inviolable. Symbolic: the will that cannot be deceived by desire or obscured by inertia
- पुरएता (puraetā)
- Literal: going in front, leader. Symbolic: the forward-driving divine will that pioneers the path
- रोदसी (rodasī)
- Literal: Heaven and Earth. Symbolic: higher mind/illumination and embodied nature; the two poles to be harmonized
- विश्वमिन्वे (viśvaminve)
- Literal: all-impelling, all-stimulating. Symbolic: the universal dynamism that stirs evolution in both planes
- यज (yaja)
- Literal: sacrifice, worship. Symbolic: consecration; offering of energies and movements to the Divine
- सौमनस (saumanasa)
- Literal: goodwill, harmony of mind. Symbolic: luminous consent of the soul-nature; psychic harmony enabling right action
Enthronement/installation of Agni as Hotṛ in the rite; invocation to seat Agni and begin the effective offering to the deities (standard opening function in Śrauta sequences).
At the commencement of the rite when establishing Agni as Hotṛ and summoning the devatās
Inviting Agni to the seat, kindling/strengthening the fire, initiating offerings
A short pre-meditation ‘inner kindling’: sit, invoke the will-to-truth, and dedicate the session for inner harmony (saumanasa).
ni-√sad ‘sit down’ indicates installation of Agni as a stable inner presence. adabdha (a- + √dabh ‘to deceive, injure’) marks Agni as a force that cannot be confused by hostile powers—psychologically, a will not perverted by desire/falsehood. puraḥ-etā ‘going before’ expresses Agni as the evolutionary leader. su-manas (sau-manasa) from manas: not mere ‘good mood’ but harmonized mind-substance receptive to the gods.
stability of consciousness (niṣad), protection (ava), su-manas (harmonized mind), interworld mediation (Agni between rodasī)
Agni as the executor of ṛta: the right arrangement of inner movements so higher powers can act.
Adabdha Agni guards truth from distortion by the lower nature.
The ‘seating’ of Agni echoes the founding of a stable center from which manifestation and transformation proceed.
Proto-Vedāntic and integral-yogic reading (Aurobindo/Kashyap): gods as powers of consciousness; yajña as inner transformation.
Fire = awakened will; Heaven/Earth = higher mind and embodied nature; their support = integrated ascent/descent in sādhanā.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘seating of Agni as Hotṛ’—the ritual-mythic act where the divine Fire is installed as mediator who can call and satisfy the gods. Psychologically, the will is established in the embodied field (‘here’) so that higher powers can be invoked into the human instrument.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √sad ‘sit’ (ni sīda) continues PIE *sed- (cf. Latin sedēre). manas from PIE *men-. dyāvā (implicit in rodasī pair) related to PIE *dyew- ‘sky, brightness’ (cf. Zeus, dies). These cognates mirror the shared Indo-European poetic grammar of ‘installing’ a sacred mediator between heaven and earth.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi commands and welcomes: Agni is invited to become the community’s forerunner and officiant. The reciprocity is explicit—Agni, supported by Heaven and Earth, performs yajña to the gods, while the human side seeks saumanasa (harmonized mind) as the fruit and condition of right offering.
Enthrone the inner will (Agni) as the leader of practice; offer thoughts and impulses into that flame for harmonization.
Anāhata (heart)
Moderate nāḍī-śodhana for 6–8 rounds, then silent inhalation ‘inviting’ Agni, exhalation ‘seating’ Agni.
Collected, luminous, forward-moving concentration (tapas with calm).
Before any practice, inwardly say ‘ehi… ni ṣīda’: invite the truer will, feel it settle in the chest, then dedicate the session to saumanasa—no inner conflict, only consecrated movement.
Vedic tri-svara (udātta/anudātta/svarita) as per śākhā tradition; preserve udātta on key invocatives like ‘ehi’ and deity-name accents (as marked in the text).
Follow the printed svara marks: raised pitch on udātta, glide on svarita (typically following udātta), low on anudātta (unmarked/marked by context). Keep pāda breaks clear at ‘|’ and ‘||’.
Agne: pronounce ‘ag-ne’ (two syllables), clear dental ‘n’., ni ṣīda: retroflex ‘ṣ’, long ‘ī’ in ṣī- (hold gently)., adabdhaḥ: aspirate ‘bh’ lightly; final visarga ‘ḥ’ audible but soft., rodasī: long ‘ī’ at end; do not turn into ‘roda-see’—keep pure ‘ī’., saumanasāya: ‘au’ as a single diphthong; keep all short ‘a’ clear.
Steady, warm, kindling tone; firm on commands, softening on ‘saumanasāya’.
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