Rig Veda 10.21.2: Mandala 10, Sukta 21, Mantra 2
Sukta 10.21
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Likely Jagatī/Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
त्वामु ते स्वाभुवः शुम्भन्त्यश्वराधसः । वेति त्वामुपसेचनी वि वो मद ऋजीतिरग्न आहुतिर्विवक्षसे ॥
tvā́m u te svābhúvaḥ śúmbhanty áśvarādhasaḥ | véti tvā́m upasécanī ví vo made ṛ́jītir agne ā́hutir vívakṣase ||
अग्नि, तुम्हारा रूप खुद बनने वाली ताकतें सजाती हैं। तुम्हारी ताकत बहुत तेज़ है। लोग तुम्हारे पास आके हवन करते हैं। हम खुश होके सीधा भाव से भगवान को पुकारते हैं।
Word by Word
- त्वाम्
- you (as object)Pronounद्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्मRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- उ
- indeed, surelyIndeclinableनिपात (अव्यय)Root उ (निपात)
- ते
- of you, yourPronounषष्ठी एकवचन (एन्क्लिटिक)Role सम्बन्धRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- स्वाभुवः
- the self-existent ones / self-becoming (powers/ones)Noun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot स्वाभू (प्रातिपदिक; स्व- + आभू/भू-सम्बद्ध)
- शुम्भन्ति
- they adorn, they make splendidVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथम पुरुष, बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot शुभ् (धातु)
- अश्वराधसः
- those whose bounty is horses / horse-giving benefactorsNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (शुम्भन्ति इत्यस्य)Root अश्व-राधस् (समास; अश्व + राधस्)
- वेति
- he/it seeks, pursues (towards)Verbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथम पुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot वे/वी (धातु; ‘to pursue/seek/drive’—वेदिक प्रयोग)
- त्वाम्
- youPronounद्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्मRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- उपसेचनी
- the sprinkling/approaching libation (pouring)Noun (f.)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole कर्तृ (वेति इत्यस्य)Root उप-सेचनी (प्रातिपदिक; उप + सेचनी < सिच् ‘to pour/sprinkle’)
- वि
- apart, forth; intensifierIndeclinableउपसर्गRoot वि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- वः
- to you (pl.)Pronounचतुर्थी/षष्ठी बहुवचन (एन्क्लिटिक; ‘to you/for you’)Role सम्प्रदानRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- मदः
- exhilaration, raptureNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole कर्तृ/भाव (उत्साह-रूपः)Root मद (प्रातिपदिक)
- ऋजीतिः
- straight course / right-going impulseNoun (f.)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole कर्तृ/विशेषण-भावRoot ऋजीति (प्रातिपदिक; ऋजि/ऋज्-सम्बद्ध ‘straight/ardent’)
- अग्ने
- O AgniNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- आहुतिः
- offering, oblationNoun (f.)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole कर्तृ (विवक्षसे इत्यस्य हेतु/विषयः)Root आ-हुति (प्रातिपदिक; आ + हु ‘to pour/offer’)
- विवक्षसे
- you wish to utter/proclaim (or: you desire)Verbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, मध्यम पुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot वि-वक्ष् (धातु; वक्ष् ‘to wish/speak/utter’—वेदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (pada-splitting): त्वामु ते → त्वाम् + उ + ते
- शु॒म्भन्त्यश्व॑राधसः → शुम्भन्ति + अश्वराधसः
- वेति॒ त्वामु॑प॒सेच॑नी → वेति + त्वाम् + उपसेचनी
- ऋजी॑तिरग्न॒ → ऋजीतिः + अग्ने
- आहु॑ति॒र्विव॑क्षसे → आहुतिः + विवक्षसे. Accent marks are retained in the source but not re-applied per pada here
The meaning
Outer meaning
The self-born/independent powers adorn Agni who is rich in swift energies. The libation-like approach moves toward him; in the exhilaration of the rite, the straight-going offering seeks to utter itself to Agni.
Inner meaning
When the inner Fire (Agni) is kindled, autonomous soul-powers (svābhuvaḥ) clothe it with strength and beauty. The “pouring” is the steady inflow of aspiration and devotion into the flame of will; the offering becomes “straight-going” (ṛjītiḥ) when the intention is purified of crooked desire and turned directly toward the Divine. The mantra describes the moment when the seeker’s consecrated energy naturally runs toward the psychic flame and finds its right expression.
Universal truth
Spiritual progress becomes effective when inner energies align themselves around a central, conscious will for truth; then aspiration flows naturally and action becomes straight, luminous, and self-expressive.
Themes
adornment/clarification of Agni, swift powers (aśva symbolism), right-directed offering, speech/manifestation through ritual utterance
The seer
Significance
The seer-voice emphasizes Agni as the organizer of inner energies: aspiration (pouring), right movement (ṛjīti), and self-offering (āhuti) converge so the divine can ‘speak’ through the practitioner.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- aśvarādhas (rich in swift energies), leader of the offering (implicit through āhuti), vivakṣas (seeking manifestation/expression)
- Related deities
- Indra (illumined mind that works with Agni’s force), Soma (bliss that fuels rapture/mada)
Cosmic role
Mediator between human and divine worlds; awakener of the gods/powers through sacrifice; carrier of offerings.
Inner power
Psychic fire that converts raw energy into illumined will; makes the movement straight (ṛju) and expressive of truth.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agnihotra/Agni-stotra context (general Agni praise used in soma and fire rites)
त्वामु॒ ते स्वा॒भुव॑: शु॒म्भन्त्यश्व॑राधसः । वेति॒ त्वामु॑प॒सेच॑नी॒ वि वो॒ मद॒ ऋजी॑तिरग्न॒ आहु॑ति॒र्विव॑क्षसे ॥
त्वाम् । ऊँ॒ इति॑ । ते । सु॒ऽआ॒भुवः॑ । शु॒म्भन्ति॑ । अश्व॑ऽराधसः । वेति॑ । त्वाम् । उ॒प॒ऽसेच॑नी । वि । वः॒ । मदे॑ । ऋजी॑तिः । अ॒ग्ने॒ । आऽहु॑तिः । विव॑क्षसे ॥
tvām | oṃ iti | te | su-ābhuvaḥ | śumbhanti | aśva-rādhasaḥ | veti | tvām | upa-secanī | vi | vaḥ | made | ṛjītiḥ | agne | āhutiḥ | vivakṣase
Triṣṭubh (probable; hymn style suggests Triṣṭubh with occasional Jagatī tendencies)
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4 pādas × ~11 syllables (approximate; requires pada-by-pada scansion to confirm)
Forward-driving, declarative cadence with a strong ‘going’ movement (ṛjīti motif).
Builds momentum of aspiration; supports a sense of directed offering and inner alignment.
- अग्नि (agni)
- Literal: fire. Symbolic: divine will and conscious force leading the inner sacrifice
- स्वाभुवः (svābhuvaḥ)
- Literal: self-becoming/self-existent powers. Symbolic: autonomous soul-faculties that arise from the inner being and support transformation
- अश्व-राधसः (aśva-rādhasaḥ)
- Literal: rich in horses/horse-gifts. Symbolic: rich in swift vital energies and powers of effective action
- उपसेचनी (upasecanī)
- Literal: a pouring/approach with libation. Symbolic: the inflow of aspiration, devotion, and concentrated attention into the inner fire
- मद (mada)
- Literal: rapture/intoxication. Symbolic: ecstatic uplift of consciousness that energizes offering and insight
- ऋजीतिः (ṛjītiḥ)
- Literal: straight-going movement. Symbolic: right-directed will and action aligned with truth
- आहुतिः (āhutiḥ)
- Literal: oblation. Symbolic: self-giving of thought, breath, and action into the divine will
- विवक्षसे (vivakṣase)
- Literal: you wish to speak/manifest. Symbolic: the divine force seeks clear expression in the human instrument
Oblation dynamics: describing the approach (upasecanī) and the āhuti as straight-going (ṛjīti), useful in offering sequences where correct directionality and purity are stressed.
At kindling/invocation of Agni; during offering sequences to intensify the oblation’s intention
Pouring ghee/oblations while invoking Agni as carrier and awakener
Use as a short inner-offering mantra before meditation/work: ‘let my energy flow straight into the divine will.’
svābhúvaḥ: su- + ā-bhū ‘to become’ → ‘good-becoming’; śúmbhanti from √śubh ‘shine, adorn’; aśva-rādhas: aśva ‘horse’ (symbol of speed/power) + rā́dhas ‘gift, bounty’ (from √rādh ‘to succeed, grant’); upasécanī from upa+√sic ‘pour, sprinkle’; ṛ́jīti from ṛjú ‘straight’ (PIE *h₃reǵ-? ‘straight/right’ in Indo-Iranian) + -ti abstract; ā́huti from ā+√hu ‘to pour/invoke’.
R̥ta as straightness (ṛjīti), becoming (ābhū) as inner transformation
ṛjīti (straight movement) is a psychological form of ṛta: alignment of action with truth-order.
The offering ‘seeks to express’—truth wants utterance through purified will.
Manifestation through sacrifice: inner energies adorn the fire, enabling expression of divine intention.
Proto-Vedāntic/Integral yoga reading (Aurobindonian): sacrifice as inner transformation.
Fire = conscious will; pouring = steady aspiration; swiftness (aśva) = vital force made obedient to the soul.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The right-directed (ṛjīti) offering moving toward Agni: the mythologem of ‘straightness’ as a spiritual law—when the movement is aligned, the oblation becomes self-expressive (vivakṣase) and effective.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √sic ‘pour’ (secanī) corresponds to PIE *seikʷ- ‘to pour’ (cf. Lat. siccus is different; but Indo-Iranian has strong ‘pour’ lexicon). vi+√vac continues PIE *wekʷ- ‘speak’. The abstract -ti (ṛjīti) is an old Indo-European nominal formation for action/state.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The offerers energize and ‘adorn’ Agni through their self-becoming powers and right movement; Agni is the recipient and the clarifying center, while the āhuti becomes the conscious act that ‘speaks itself’ to the divine fire.
Offer the day’s energies into the inner fire; cultivate ‘straight-going’ intention (ṛju-saṅkalpa).
Anāhata to Maṇipūra axis (heart-offering guided by will-power)
Gentle nāḍī-śodhana for 6–12 rounds, then slow exhale on ‘āhuti’ feeling; pause and sense the inner flame.
Collected, uplifted, and directed (aspiration + clarity).
Before action, recall Agni at the center; let scattered impulses become one stream ‘pouring’ into the will for truth.
Vedic accenting with udatta/anudatta/svarita as per śākhā tradition; key lifts often occur on invocatory words (tvām, agne).
Keep the main udatta syllables clear and slightly raised in pitch; avoid modern melodic singing—use measured recitation with distinct svarita falls.
Hold long vowels: ā in āhutiḥ, ī in ṛjītiḥ., Retroflex clarity: ṛ in ṛjītiḥ; do not turn it into ‘ri’., Cluster care: śumbhanty (śum-bhan-ty) with clear nasal + aspirate., Agne: hard ‘g’ (not ‘j’).
Bright, steady, offering-toned; slightly intensified on ‘madé’ phrases.
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