Rig Veda 1.96.1: Mandala 1, Sukta 96, Mantra 1
Sukta 1.96
- Rishi
- Parāśara Śāktya
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
स प्रत्नथा सहसा जायमानः सद्यः काव्यानि बळधत्त विश्वा । आपश्च मित्रं धिषणा च साधन्देवा अग्निं धारयन्द्रविणोदाम् ॥
sá pratnáthā sáhasā jā́yamānaḥ sadyáḥ kā́vyāni báḷ adhatta víśvā | ā́paś ca mitráṃ dhiṣáṇā ca sā́dhan devā́ agníṃ dhārayann dráviṇo-dām ||
अग्नि पुरानी विधि से पैदा हुआ, ताकत के साथ। उसने तुरंत रिशियों का काम संभाल लिया। पानी, मित्र और बुद्धि ने मिलके उसे बनाया। देवताओं ने अग्नि को पकड़ा, जो सबको आगे बढ़ाता है।
Word by Word
- सः
- he (that one)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (अग्निः—अन्तर्निहितः) / विषय-निर्देशRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- प्रत्नथा
- in the ancient way, as of oldIndeclinableअव्ययम् (प्रकार/रीति)Role क्रियाविशेषण (रीति)Root प्रत्न (विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक) + -था (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
- सहसा
- with might, by forceIndeclinableअव्ययम् (साधन/बल-भाव)Role करण (बल/साधन-भावेन) / क्रियाविशेषणRoot सहस् (नपुंसकलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिक) / सहसा (अव्यय-प्रयोगः)
- जायमानः
- being born, coming into beingParticipleवर्तमानकाले, आत्मनेपदीयः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्, पुंलिङ्गःRole कर्तृ (विशेषणम्—‘सः’)Root √जन् (जायते) + शानच् (वर्तमान-कृदन्त)
- सद्यः
- immediatelyIndeclinableअव्ययम् (काल)Role क्रियाविशेषण (काल)Root सद्यस् (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
- काव्यानि
- poetic works / inspired utterancesNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्Role कर्मRoot काव्य (नपुंसकलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिक)
- बळधत्त
- he set/placed, he establishedVerbलुङ् (आगम-रहितः वैदिक-आओरिस्ट), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role क्रिया (कर्तृ ‘सः’)Root √धृ (धत्ते/धत्त) + बल्/बळ् (उपसर्ग/पूर्वाङ्ग-समासभावः) → बळधत्त (वैदिक रूप)
- विश्वा
- allAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम् (काव्यानि इति विशेषणम्)Role कर्म-विशेषणRoot विश्व (सर्व/विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक)
- आपः
- the WatersNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृ (साधन् इति क्रियायाः) / सहकर्तृRoot आप् (स्त्रीलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिक; बहुवचन-नित्य)
- च
- andIndeclinableअव्ययम् (समुच्चय)Role समुच्चयRoot च (निपात)
- मित्रम्
- Mitra (the deity Mitra)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्म (साधन् इति) / ‘आपः … साधन्’ इत्यत्र साध्य-वस्तुRoot मित्र (पुं/नपुंसक-प्रातिपदिक; यहाँ नपुंसक)
- धिषणा
- Dhīṣaṇā (inspiration/holy intelligence; personified)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (साधन् इति क्रियायाः) / सहकर्तृRoot धिषणा (स्त्रीलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिक)
- च
- andIndeclinableअव्ययम् (समुच्चय)Role समुच्चयRoot च (निपात)
- साधन्
- they accomplished, they brought aboutVerb (Vedic finite/archaic form) / participial-finite usageप्रथमपुरुष-बहुवचनार्थे वैदिक-रूपम्; ‘they accomplish/bring about’Role क्रिया (कर्तृ: आपः, धिषणा)Root √साध् (साधयति) / वैदिक: साधन् (लट्-लकारे शतृदन्त/प्राचीन-रूपेण)
- देवाः
- the godsNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot देव (पुंलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिक)
- अग्निम्
- AgniNounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot अग्नि (पुंलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिक)
- धारयन्
- bearing, upholdingParticipleवर्तमानकाले, परस्मैपदीयः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्, पुंलिङ्गः (देवाः इति विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृ-विशेषण (देवाः)Root √धृ (धारयति) + शतृ (वर्तमान-कृदन्त)
- द्रविणोदाम्
- the wealth-giverAdjective (epithet) / Noun-likeपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम् (अग्निम् इति विशेषणम्)Role कर्म-विशेषणRoot द्रविणोद (विशेषण/नाम; द्रविण ‘wealth’ + उद ‘giving’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सम्भाव्य): सः | प्रत्नथा | सहसा | जायमानः | सद्यः | काव्यानि | बळधत्त | विश्वा | आपः | च | मित्रम् | धिषणा | च | साधन् | देवाः | अग्निम् | धारयन् | द्रविणोदाम् । मुख्य-सन्धि: (1) स + प्रत्नथा → सः प्रत्नथा (विसर्ग-सन्धि) । (2) काव्यानि + बळधत्त (स्वर-सन्धि नहीं; पद-सीमा) । (3) आपः + च (विसर्ग/ओष्ठ्य-पूर्व; संहिता में आपश्च) । (4) देवाः + अग्निम् (विसर्ग-सन्धि; संहिता में देवा अग्निम्) । (5) धारयन् + द्रविणोदाम् (अनुस्वार/नकार-सम्बन्ध नहीं; पद-सीमा) ।
The meaning
Outer meaning
Agni is described as being born with force in the ancient manner; immediately he takes up all inspired works (kāvyāni) and establishes them in power. Waters, Mitra, and Dhīṣaṇā (forming intelligence) accomplish him; the gods hold/sustain Agni as the giver of draviṇa (plenitude, riches).
Inner meaning
The divine Will (Agni) is reborn in the seeker by tapas-force (sahasā) in the perennial way (pratnathā). As soon as it awakens, it gathers and organizes all ‘seer-workings’—inspirations, intuitions, mantric movements (kāvyāni)—and makes them effective powers in the nature. The ‘Waters’ are the flowing currents of consciousness and delight that nourish the flame; Mitra is the harmonizing light of right relation and luminous order; Dhīṣaṇā is the shaping intelligence that forms the inner sacrifice into a coherent ascent. When these cooperate, the gods (higher faculties) can ‘hold’ Agni steady so he becomes draviṇodā—one who gives the plenitude of being (not merely material wealth).
Universal truth
When the will to the Divine is kindled, it must be supported by (1) a purified emotional flow (Waters), (2) harmony and truth in relations (Mitra), and (3) clear discerning intelligence (Dhīṣaṇā). Then inspiration becomes power, and inner abundance arises as a stable state.
Themes
Agni birth, divine support, seer-power (kāvya), sustaining the flame
The seer
- Rishi
- Parāśara Śāktya
- Lineage
- Śāktya (line associated with Śakti/strength; traditionally linked to Vasiṣṭha stream)
- 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, RV 1.96
Family tradition
Angiras-like Agni tradition in Book 1 hymns; seer-poet emphasizing Agni as inner priest and power of accomplishment
Significance
Parāśara’s vision here is of Agni as the immediate organizer of inspired movements—showing the Aurobindonian theme that the ‘fire’ is the practical executive of the yoga, turning intuition into effective transformation.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- prathama (first), yajñasādha (accomplisher of sacrifice), draviṇodā (giver of plenitude)
- Related deities
- Āpaḥ (Waters), Mitra, Dhīṣaṇā, Uṣas
Cosmic role
Mediator between human and divine; carrier of offerings; awakener of the gods; establishes ṛta in works.
Inner power
Divine Will and psychic fire that purifies, concentrates, and executes the truth of the higher mind in life.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni-stotra/Agni-invocation in soma and iṣṭi contexts; general Agni praise at the opening of rites
स प्र॒त्नथा॒ सह॑सा॒ जाय॑मानः स॒द्यः काव्या॑नि॒ बळ॑धत्त॒ विश्वा॑ । आप॑श्च मि॒त्रं धि॒षणा॑ च साधन्दे॒वा अ॒ग्निं धा॑रयन्द्रविणो॒दाम् ॥
सः । प्र॒त्नऽथा॑ । सह॑सा । जाय॑मानः । स॒द्यः । काव्या॑नि । बट् । अ॒ध॒त्त॒ । विश्वा॑ । आपः॑ । च॒ । मि॒त्रम् । धि॒षणा॑ । च॒ । सा॒ध॒न् । दे॒वाः । अ॒ग्निम् । धा॒र॒य॒न् । द्र॒वि॒णः॒ऽदाम् ॥
saḥ | pratna-thā | sahasā | jāyamānaḥ | sadyaḥ | kāvyāni | baṭ | adhatta | viśvā | āpaḥ | ca | mitram | dhiṣaṇā | ca | sādhan | devāḥ | agnim | dhārayan | draviṇaḥ-dām
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4 pādas of ~11 syllables each (with Vedic variations/caesura)
Forward-driving, heroic cadence with a strong mid-line lift
Builds a sense of initiation and firm establishment—suited to ‘kindling’ resolve and making inner movements decisive.
- सहसा (sahasā)
- Literal: by force, with might. Symbolic: tapas-energy; concentrated soul-force that births the divine will
- प्रत्नथा (pratnathā)
- Literal: in the ancient way. Symbolic: the perennial yogic method; the timeless inner sacrifice
- काव्यानि (kāvyāni)
- Literal: poetic/seer works. Symbolic: mantric inspirations, intuitive formations, spiritual ‘workings’ of the seer-consciousness
- आपः (āpaḥ)
- Literal: waters. Symbolic: currents of consciousness, feeling-substance, delight that nourishes the fire
- मित्रम् (mitram)
- Literal: Mitra. Symbolic: harmonizing light, right relation, luminous law in the mind
- धिषणा (dhiṣaṇā)
- Literal: intelligence, thought-power. Symbolic: forming intuition; the faculty that shapes inspirations into effective knowledge
- धारयन् (dhārayan)
- Literal: they held/sustained. Symbolic: stabilized the awakened force so it can act continuously
- द्रविणोदाम् (draviṇodām)
- Literal: giver of riches/plenitude. Symbolic: bestower of fullness of being—strength, light, joy, and capacity for works
Agni hymn for establishing and sustaining the sacrificial fire; also inner-ritual sense: stabilizing awakened will with the support of waters, harmony, and shaping intelligence.
At the kindling/establishing of fire and at Agni praises within larger yajñas
Āhuti into Agni; recitation to ‘hold’ the fire and invite divine powers
Use as a morning ‘inner kindling’ mantra: ignite will, harmonize emotions (waters), and clarify intelligence before work or sādhanā.
pratna ‘ancient’ marks perennial pattern. sahas ‘force’ denotes energic emergence. kāvya from kavi: inspired knowledge-acts. bala as consolidated strength. √dhā ‘place’ and √dhṛ ‘hold’ show the two steps: assumption of powers and stabilization. √sādh ‘accomplish’ (sādhan) indicates making the divine effective. draviṇa (wealth/plenitude) from √dru/drav ‘run/flow’ suggests ‘that which flows’—abundance as streaming fullness.
perennial archetype (pratna), support of cosmic powers in manifestation, draviṇa as plenitude of being
Agni establishes inspired actions (kāvyāni) in power—ṛta translating truth into right movement.
Dhīṣaṇā forms the truth-vision into workable knowledge; Mitra keeps it harmonious and exact.
Birth of the divine flame in the human field; stabilization by cosmic powers.
Proto-Vedāntic/Integral (Aurobindo): ascent through Agni, support of higher powers, manifestation in life.
Fire = will/aspiration; Waters = flowing consciousness and delight; their cooperation yields stable inner abundance.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Agni’s ‘ancient birth’—the ever-repeated kindling of the divine fire—followed by his immediate assumption of seer-powers (kāvyāni). The gods ‘hold’ him: the cosmic powers stabilize the awakened flame so it can become a giver of plenitude.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- dyew is not present here, but the formulaic ‘gods held’ (devāḥ… dhārayann) uses √dhṛ, an inherited IE root seen in Sanskrit dhar-, Avestan dar-, and broader IE ‘hold’ semantics. The birth-by-force motif (sahasā jāyamānaḥ) aligns with archaic IE poetics where divine emergence is an act of power/strength.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi presents Agni as a power that takes up inspired capacities immediately upon awakening; human aspiration kindles, but the sustaining is cosmic. The hymn positions the practitioner as beneficiary of draviṇa (plenitude) that results when Agni is both born and held steady by harmonizing and formative powers.
Kindle the inner flame of will and offer scattered thoughts/impulses into it until they become a single organized aspiration.
maṇipūra (fire/will) with support from anāhata (harmonizing Mitra in relations/affect)
Slow nasal breathing with a gentle inner ‘heat’ on exhale; brief natural kumbhaka after exhale to ‘hold’ the flame steady.
Collected, luminous, executive calm—will aligned to truth.
Begin by invoking Agni at the heart/solar plexus; feel the ‘waters’ as quiet, pure emotion; affirm Mitra as harmony; let Dhīṣaṇā shape a clear intention; then act from that steadiness.
Vedic tri-tone with udatta peaks on key verbs/nouns (jāyamānaḥ, kāvyāni, dhārayan); anudatta grounding with svarita falls on enclitics.
Keep a clear rise on udatta syllables; avoid flattening the cadence in the 3rd pāda; let the refrain-like close ‘devā agniṃ dhārayan draviṇodām’ land firmly.
Pronounce ṛ in pratnathā with a light vocalic r., Keep retroflex ḍh in dhārayan distinct from dental dh., In draviṇodām, keep the long ā sustained and the compound clean (dra-vi-ṇo-dām).
steady, bright, slightly forceful (tapas) with controlled breath
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