Rig Veda 10.187.1: Mandala 10, Sukta 187, Mantra 1
Sukta 10.187
- Devata
- Agni
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
प्राग्नये वाचमीरय वृषभाय क्षितीनाम् । स नः पर्षदति द्विषः ॥
prágnáye vā́cam īraya vṛṣabhā́ya kṣitīnā́m | sá naḥ párṣad áti dvíṣaḥ ||
अग्नि के लिए बोल, वो दुनिया की ताकत हैं। अग्नि हमें दुश्मनों से बचाएँ, हमें आगे ले जाएँ।
Word by Word
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableउपसर्ग (preverb)Root प्र (उपसर्ग)
- अग्नये
- to AgniNounपुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी (सम्प्रदान) एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot अग्नि
- वाचम्
- speech, utteranceNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot वाच् (प्रातिपदिक: वाच्/वाक्)
- ईरय
- impel, set in motion, utterVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे) मध्यमपुरुष एकवचन; परस्मैपदRoot ईरय् (√ईर्/इर् caus.)
- वृषभाय
- to the bull (mighty one)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot वृषभ
- क्षितीनाम्
- of the peoples / of the dwellingsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; षष्ठी बहुवचनRoot क्षिति
- स
- hePronounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनRole KartāRoot तद् (सः)
- नः
- for us / to usPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी बहुवचन (एन्क्लिटिक); अत्र दत्तिव-प्रयोगःRole SampradānaRoot अस्मद्
- पर्षत्
- may he carry across, saveVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे) प्रथमपुरुष एकवचन; परस्मैपदRoot √पॄ (पारयति/पर्षति)
- अति
- over, beyondIndeclinableउपसर्ग/क्रियाविशेषणRoot अति
- द्विषः
- the haters, enemiesNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया बहुवचन (वैदिक रूप: -ः = -न्)Role KarmaRoot द्विष् (प्रातिपदिक: द्विष् ‘द्वेष्टा’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: प्र | अग्नये | वाचम् | ईरय | वृषभाय | क्षितीनाम् || स | नः | पर्षत् | अति | द्विषः || 1) प्राग्नये = प्र + अग्नये (स्वर-सन्धि/संयोग; ‘प्र’ उपसर्गः ‘अग्नये’ इत्यस्य पुरः)
- 2) पर्षदति = पर्षत् + अति (त् + अ → द; जश्त्व/सवर्णदीर्घाभावः; वैदिक संधि-लेखनम्)
- 3) द्विषः वैदिके द्वितीया-बहुवचनस्य प्राचीन-रूपम् (क्लासिकल ‘द्विषः/द्विषान्’ इत्यर्थे)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Send forth the word to Agni, the bull of the peoples/worlds; may he carry us beyond the haters (hostile forces).
Inner meaning
Vāc is the expressive power of truth; to “send the word forward” is to project aspiration/mantra into the inner fire. Agni as vṛṣabha (bull-power) is the strong initiating Will that can bear the worlds (kṣitīnām) and lead the sacrifice. The “haters” are inner resistances—doubt, inertia, falsehood, hostile suggestions—that oppose the rising of the flame and the right utterance. By kindling Agni with true speech, the seeker is ferried beyond these formations.
Universal truth
When speech is aligned with truth and offered to the inner fire of will, consciousness gains a force that crosses opposition. Right word and right will together become a passage beyond inner conflict.
Themes
agni-invocation, mantric-speech, victory-over-hostility, purification
The seer
Significance
The refrain-like structure (‘sa naḥ parṣad ati dviṣaḥ’) suggests a practical, protective mantra-cycle: a yogic formula of transition beyond opposition by the agency of Agni.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- Vṛṣabha (Bull-power), Jātavedas (knower of births, implied), Purohita (inner priest, implied)
- Related deities
- Soma, Indra, Sarasvatī/Vāc, Bṛhaspati
Cosmic role
Mediator between human and divine; igniter of sacrifice; carrier of offerings; purifier and path-maker.
Inner power
Divine Will that kindles aspiration, burns obscurity, and leads consciousness across limiting formations.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agnihotra/Agni invocation (general)
प्राग्नये॒ वाच॑मीरय वृष॒भाय॑ क्षिती॒नाम् । स न॑: पर्ष॒दति॒ द्विष॑: ॥
प्र । अ॒ग्नये॑ । वाच॑म् । ई॒र॒य॒ । वृ॒ष॒भाय॑ । क्षि॒ती॒नाम् । सः । नः॒ । प॒र्ष॒त् । अति॑ । द्विषः॑ ॥
pra | agnaye | vācam | īraya | vṛṣabhāya | kṣitīnām | saḥ | naḥ | parṣat | ati | dv iṣaḥ
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2 pādas of ~16 syllables; compact refrain cadence
Marching, forward-driving; suited to ‘pra-’ impetus and crossing (‘ati’).
Builds confidence and propulsion; the refrain imprints a protective crossing-movement in the mind.
- वाचम् (vācam)
- Literal: speech/word. Symbolic: truth-expression; mantra-power; articulate aspiration
- प्र…ईरय (pra…īraya)
- Literal: send forth, set in motion. Symbolic: project the soul’s will forward; initiate the inner sacrifice
- अग्नये (agnaye)
- Literal: to Agni. Symbolic: to the divine Will-fire, leader of inner transformation
- वृषभाय (vṛṣabhāya)
- Literal: to the bull. Symbolic: strong, fertile force of power; irresistible will-energy
- क्षितीनाम् (kṣitīnām)
- Literal: of the habitations/peoples/worlds. Symbolic: the planes of embodied existence to be governed and uplifted
- द्विषः (dviṣaḥ)
- Literal: haters. Symbolic: hostile movements: denial, confusion, egoic opposition, subconscious resistance
Opening invocation: empowering mantra/speech to awaken Agni; protective crossing beyond hostility in undertaking rites and inner works.
At kindling of fire, before recitation, or when beginning a spiritual undertaking requiring protection.
Offering of speech/mantra into fire; protective prayer for passage beyond hostility.
Use before difficult conversations or decisions: align speech (vāc) with inner fire (Agni) to move beyond reactive opposition.
√īr ‘to set in motion’ governs vāc as dynamic mantra. vṛṣabha ‘bull’ denotes potency and generative power. √pṛ (parṣat) ‘carry over’ echoes the crossing motif. dviṣ ‘to hate’ (present participial noun) becomes an abstracted category of hostile forces.
vāc as creative power, agni as will and purifier, crossing beyond resistance (inner battle)
Vāc offered to Agni is Vedic method for establishing R̥ta in the human instrument.
Speech becomes effective when it carries satya; Agni is the tester and purifier of truth in expression.
Worlds are upheld by the force of divine will working through luminous speech.
Mantra-yoga orientation; anticipates Upaniṣadic emphasis on vāc/prāṇa/tejas as powers of realization.
Fire = will and aspiration; bull = concentrated power; ‘crossing beyond’ = transition from constricted mind to wide consciousness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Agni as ferryman across hostility: the mythic action is the kindling by vāc and the subsequent ‘crossing over’ enemies. Psychologically, truthful speech awakens the inner flame which then carries the practitioner beyond resisting formations.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- Agni (Lat. ignis, from PIE *h₁n̥gʷnis) is a prime Indo-European fire term. The performative role of ‘word’ (vāc) echoes inherited poetic traditions where speech effects reality. The verb of motion/impulsion √īr supports a dynamic, action-oriented syntax typical of archaic hymn style.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The Rishi offers vāc as the activating medium; Agni responds as power and protector. The reciprocity is functional: mantra awakens the god, and the god ferries the human consciousness beyond opposition.
Offer speech into inner fire; speak inwardly only what is aligned with truth and aspiration.
vishuddha
Gentle ujjāyī or slow exhale while repeating ‘sa naḥ parṣad ati dviṣaḥ’.
Steady, courageous clarity; speech emerging from a purified will.
Before speaking outwardly, chant 3–9 times; pause and feel a warm clarity in throat and heart; then speak from that flame, not from reaction.
Notated svara unavailable; keep a forward udātta lift on prā́gnaye and a decisive fall on dviṣaḥ.
Stress clusters: prā́gnaye | vā́cam ī́raya | vṛ́ṣabhāya | … | páṛṣad áti dvī́ṣaḥ.
prāgnaye: conjunct ‘gn’ (praag-na-ye), īraya: long ī (ee-ra-ya), vṛṣabhāya: vocalic ṛ + ṣa (vri-sha-bhaa-ya), dviṣaḥ: ‘dvi’ as ‘dvi’, ṣ as retroflex ‘sh’, final ḥ light
Clear, bright, slightly forceful; end refrain with firmness.
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