Rig Veda 1.96.3: Mandala 1, Sukta 96, Mantra 3
Sukta 1.96
- Rishi
- Parāśara Śāktya
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
तमीळत प्रथमं यज्ञसाधं विश आरीराहुतमृञ्जसानम् । ऊर्जः पुत्रं भरतं सृप्रदानुं देवा अग्निं धारयन्द्रविणोदाम् ॥
tám īḷata prathamáṃ yajñá-sādhaṃ víśa ārī́r ā́hutam ṛñjasānám | ū́rjaḥ putráṃ bharatáṃ sṛprá-dānum devā́ agníṃ dhārayann dráviṇo-dām ||
लोग पहले अग्नि की पूजा करते हैं, क्योंकि वो यज्ञ पूरा करता है। सबने उसे आगे बिठाया, हवन किया और उसको चमकाया। वो ऊर्जा का बेटा है, सबको संभालता है और ताकत देता है। देवताओं ने अग्नि को पकड़ा, जो सबको आगे बढ़ाता है।
Word by Word
- तम्
- him (that one)Pronounपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- ईळत
- they praise / invokeVerbलट्, प्र. पु., बहुवचनम्Role (क्रिया)Root ईळ् (स्तुतौ/प्रार्थनायाम्) धातु
- प्रथमम्
- firstAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम् (तम् इति विशेषणम्)Role कर्मRoot प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक)
- यज्ञसाधम्
- accomplishing the sacrificeAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम् (तम् इति विशेषणम्)Role कर्मRoot यज्ञ-साध (प्रातिपदिक; यज्ञं साधयति इति)
- विशः
- the clans / peoplesNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot विश् (प्रातिपदिक)
- आरीराहुः
- have duly satisfied / have worshippedVerbलिट् (परिपूर्ण), प्र. पु., बहुवचनम्Role (क्रिया)Root राध्/राध् (सिद्धौ/आराधने) धातु; परिपूर्ण-रूपेण ‘आ-री-राह्’ (परिपूर्ण/रेडुप्लिकेटेड परस्मैपद)
- हुतम्
- offered (as oblation)Participleपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम् (तम् इति विशेषणम्)Role कर्मRoot हु (यज्ञे/होमने) धातु → क्त (कृदन्त) ‘हुत’
- ऋञ्जसानम्
- making (things) straight/right; setting in orderParticipleपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम् (तम् इति विशेषणम्)Role कर्मRoot ऋञ्ज् (प्रसादने/अलङ्कारे/ऋजुकरणे) धातु → शानच् (आत्मनेपद-वर्तमान कृदन्त) ‘ऋञ्जसान’
- ऊर्जः
- of nourishment / of strengthNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे षष्ठी एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्धRoot ऊर्ज् (प्रातिपदिक)
- पुत्रम्
- sonNounपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम् (अग्निम् इति समानाधिकरण/विशेषणभावः)Role कर्मRoot पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- भरतम्
- bearing; sustainingParticipleपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम् (अग्निम्/तम् इति विशेषणम्)Role कर्मRoot भृ (भरणे) धातु → शतृ (वर्तमान कृदन्त) ‘भरत्’
- सृप्रदानुम्
- giving bright flame/energy; flame-bestowingAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम् (अग्निम्/तम् इति विशेषणम्)Role कर्मRoot सृप्र-दानु (प्रातिपदिक; ‘सृप्र’=ज्वाला/तेजस्, ‘दानु’=दानी/दातृ-स्वभावः) बहुव्रीहि/कर्मधारय-समास
- देवाः
- the godsNounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- अग्निम्
- Agni (fire)Nounपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- धारयन्
- bearing; upholdingParticipleपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम् (देवाः इति विशेषणम्/सहक्रिया)Role कर्तृRoot धृ (धारणे) धातु → शतृ (वर्तमान कृदन्त) ‘धारयन्त्’
- द्रविणोदाम्
- the giver of wealthNoun/Adjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम् (अग्निम् इति विशेषणम्)Role कर्मRoot द्रविण-दा (प्रातिपदिक; ‘wealth-giver’)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (pada-wise): तमीळत → तम् + ईळत (m + ī = mī)
- आरीराहु॑तमृञ्जसा॒नम् → आरीराहुः + हुतम् + ऋञ्जसानम् (visarga before h often written without explicit ḥ in saṃhitā; hutaṃ ṛñjasānam with vowel sandhi a+ṛ→ar not applied here because word-boundary retained in pada)
- ऊर्जः पुत्रम् (no sandhi; genitive + accusative apposition)
- दे॒वा अ॒ग्निं → देवाः + अग्निम् (ḥ + a → a, visarga sandhi)
- धारयन्द्रविणो॒दाम् → धारयन् + द्रविणोदाम् (n + d → nd)
The meaning
Outer meaning
They adore him first, the accomplisher of the sacrifice. The peoples have set him in front, offered him, made him straight and radiant. He is the son of energy, the bearer, the strong giver; the gods sustained Agni, giver of plenitude.
Inner meaning
Agni is to be invoked first because the divine Will is the initiator and accomplisher of the inner sacrifice (yajñasādha). The ‘peoples’ (viśaḥ) are the multiple powers in us—mind, life, body, and their sub-forces—placing Agni at the forefront as leader. ‘Offered’ indicates self-giving; ‘made straight’ (ṛñjasānam) is purification and rectitude—aligning crooked movements into a direct ascent. As ‘son of Urj’ (energy), Agni is born from the awakened dynamism of the being; as ‘bharata’ he bears and carries the offering upward; as ‘sṛpradānu’ he gives strong, flowing increase—vigorous capacities for action and endurance.
Universal truth
Transformation succeeds when the will-to-truth is placed first, and all parts of the nature consent to align behind it. Rectitude and self-offering make the inner force radiant and fruitful.
Themes
Agni first in sacrifice, right ordering, strength-giving, collective consecration
The seer
- Rishi
- Parāśara Śāktya
- Lineage
- Śāktya
- 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
Agni as leader (purohita) and ‘front’ of the journey; emphasis on rectitude (ṛju/ṛñj) and collective inner consent (viśaḥ)
Significance
The rishi teaches practical yoga: put Agni first, align the many within, straighten the nature, and strength will be given as a flowing increase.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- yajñasādha, ūrjaḥ putra, bharata, sṛpradānu, draviṇodā
- Related deities
- Viśve Devāḥ (the gods as powers of consciousness), Urj (energy/nourishment principle)
Cosmic role
First priest and path-maker; ensures the sacrifice reaches the gods; sustains communities (viśaḥ) through right order.
Inner power
Unifying executive will that coordinates inner multiplicity and purifies crooked impulses into straight aspiration.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni as ‘first’ in rites—opening praise at iṣṭi/soma; establishing the āhavanīya fire
तमी॑ळत प्रथ॒मं य॑ज्ञ॒साधं॒ विश॒ आरी॒राहु॑तमृञ्जसा॒नम् । ऊ॒र्जः पु॒त्रं भ॑र॒तं सृ॒प्रदा॑नुं दे॒वा अ॒ग्निं धा॑रयन्द्रविणो॒दाम् ॥
तम् । इ॒ळ॒त॒ । प्र॒थ॒मम् । य॒ज्ञ॒ऽसाध॑म् । विशः॑ । आरीः॑ । आऽहु॑तम् । ऋ॒ञ्ज॒सा॒नम् । ऊ॒र्जः । पु॒त्रम् । भ॒र॒तम् । सृ॒प्रऽदा॑नुम् । दे॒वाः । अ॒ग्निम् । धा॒र॒य॒न् । द्र॒वि॒णः॒ऽदाम् ॥
tam | iḷata | prathamam | yajña-sādham | viśaḥ | ārīḥ | āhutam | ṛñjasānam | ūrjaḥ | putram | bharatam | sṛpra-dānum | devāḥ | agnim | dhārayan | draviṇaḥ-dām
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4×11 approx.; strong imperative/commendatory tone
Martial and directive—suited to leadership and rectitude
Instills discipline and forward alignment; gathers scattered energies into a single line of effort.
- प्रथमम् (prathamam)
- Literal: first. Symbolic: priority of the divine will in all practice
- यज्ञसाधम् (yajñasādham)
- Literal: accomplisher of sacrifice. Symbolic: power that completes the inner offering and change
- विशः (viśaḥ)
- Literal: peoples, clans. Symbolic: multiplicity of inner parts and sub-personalities
- आहुतम् (āhutam)
- Literal: offered. Symbolic: self-offering of energies, thoughts, desires into the flame
- ऋञ्जसानम् (ṛñjasānam)
- Literal: made straight, made right. Symbolic: rectification/purification; alignment to ṛta
- ऊर्जः पुत्रम् (ūrjaḥ putram)
- Literal: son of energy. Symbolic: will born from awakened dynamism and right nourishment
- भरतम् (bharatam)
- Literal: bearer. Symbolic: carrier of the offering; sustaining force in practice
- सृप्रदानुम् (sṛpradānum)
- Literal: strong-giving, flowing giver. Symbolic: bestower of vigorous increase—strength that flows into life
Agni placed ‘first’ in the rite (Agni as mouth of the gods); also inner discipline: establish will-fire at the head of faculties before undertaking the work.
At commencement of sacrifice; also at moments requiring correction/straightening of rite
Offer ghee/oblations; recite while visualizing the flame becoming upright and bright
Use before meditation or important action to align motives: ‘place Agni first’ and offer distractions into the will-to-truth.
√īḷ ‘praise/seek’ is aspiration. yajña-sādha: √sādh ‘accomplish’. √bhṛ ‘bear’ (PIE *bʰer-). ū ‘sap/energy’. ṛñjasāna suggests ‘made right/straight’—alignment with ṛta and brightening (semantic overlap with colouring/brightening roots).
primacy of will in yoga of works, ṛta-alignment (straightening), collective faculties (viśaḥ) consenting to the divine lead
ṛñjasānam explicitly signals the straight path of ṛta—right ordering of the nature.
Radiance is the sign of truth in the being when crookedness is removed.
Formation of a unified inner polity (viśaḥ) under the leadership of Agni.
Vedic yoga of works (karma) guided by inner priesthood (Agni as purohita).
Upright flame = rectified aspiration; nourishment/Urj = consolidated life-energy supporting sādhanā.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Agni as ‘first priest/leader’ of the work: the peoples set him in front and by offering make him ṛta-straight. Mythically this is Agni’s enthronement at the head of the sacrifice; psychologically it is installing the awakened will as leader of the faculties.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- bharatam from √bhṛ reflects PIE *bʰer- ‘carry’ (Greek pher-, Latin fer-). The formula of placing the divine ‘first’ and ‘in front’ is a common archaic poetic strategy for primacy/sovereignty.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi speaks for the collective (viśaḥ): the human community/faculties adore and offer, and Agni reciprocates by accomplishing the work and giving strength. The relationship is functional reciprocity: consecration → effective inner yajña.
Unify inner parts by placing a single flame of intention in the foreground; offer each arising impulse into it until the mind becomes straight and bright.
maṇipūra (will/fire) with sahasrāra orientation (offering upward)
Even-count breathing (e.g., 4-4) while imagining the flame becoming vertical; on exhale, ‘offer’ one distraction.
Collected, upright, executive peace.
Start with a brief self-offering: ‘Let the true will lead.’ Notice conflicting sub-parts (viśaḥ) and bring them into consent by returning to the central flame.
Strong udatta on prathamam, yajñasādham; keep crisp svarita at pāda cadences; refrain chanted with firm stability.
Emphasize ‘tam īḻata’ (adoration) then ‘prathamam’ (priority); slightly lengthen ‘ṛñjasānam’ to convey straightening.
īḻata: long ī; retroflex ḻ (as in Vedic) approximated carefully; avoid turning into plain l., ṛñjasānam: vocalic ṛ and palatal ñ must be clear., sṛpradānum: cluster sṛp- articulated without adding extra vowel.
upright, resonant, directive; avoid softness that blurs consonants
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