Rig Veda 10.21.7: Mandala 10, Sukta 21, Mantra 7

Sukta 10.21

Devata

Agni

Chandas

Likely Triṣṭubh/Jagatī

Rasa

Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)

Samhita Patha (Devanagari)

त्वां यज्ञेष्वृत्विजं चारुमग्ने नि षेदिरे । घृतप्रतीकं मनुषो वि वो मदे शुक्रं चेतिष्ठमक्षभिर्विवक्षसे ॥

Recitation with translationRig Veda 10.21.7

Transliteration

tvā́ṃ yajñéṣv ṛtv́ijaṃ cā́rum agne ní ṣedire | ghṛtápratīkaṃ mánuṣo ví vo made śukráṃ cétiṣṭham akṣábhír vívakṣase ||

Translation

अग्नि, लोग यज्ञ में तुम्हे पुजारी बना के बिठाते हैं। तुम्हारे चेहरे पर घी चमकता है। जब हम खुश होते हैं, तुम एक चमकता हुआ तेज़ बल दिखाते हो। वो बल इतना तेज़ है कि वो सब कुछ देख लेता है।

Ask anything about this verse...Ask

Word by Word

त्वाम्

you (as object)Pronoun · द्वितीया-एकवचनम् (पुं./स्त्री. सामान्य)Role कर्म · Root युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

यज्ञेषु

in the sacrificesNoun · पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-बहुवचनम्Role अधिकारण · Root यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)

ऋत्विजम्

the officiating priest (ṛtvij)Noun · पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचनम्Role कर्म · Root ऋत्विज् (प्रातिपदिक; ऋतु+इज् ‘यज्’)

चारुम्

lovely, dearAdjective · पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचनम् (ऋत्विजम्/त्वाम् विशेषणम्)Role कर्म · Root चारु (प्रातिपदिक)

अग्ने

O AgniNoun (vocative) · पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन-एकवचनम्Role (सम्बोधन) · Root अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)

नि

down, in (as preverb)Indeclinable · उपसर्गः (षद्/सीद् धातोः सह)Root नि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)

षेदिरे

they have seated (thee), have set (thee)Verb · लिट् (परिपूर्ण/परफेक्ट); प्रथम-पुरुष; बहुवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्Role कर्तृ · Root षद्/सीद् (धातु; वैदिक रूप ‘षद्’)

घृतप्रतीकम्

having a ghee-bright face/frontAdjective/Noun · नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचनम् (त्वाम् विशेषणम्)Role कर्म · Root घृत-प्रतीक (समास; घृत + प्रतीक)

मनुषः

of Manu / of man (the human)Noun · पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी) · Root मनु (प्रातिपदिक) → मनुष्य/मनुष् (वैदिक)

वि

apart, forth (as preverb)Indeclinable · उपसर्गः (वक्ष् धातोः सह)Root वि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)

वः

for you / of you (pl.)Pronoun · षष्ठी-बहुवचनम् (एन्क्लिटिक)Role सम्प्रदान/सम्बन्ध (contextual: ‘for you/your’) · Root युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

मदे

in exhilaration, in the (soma-)raptureNoun · पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-एकवचनम्Role अधिकारण · Root मद (प्रातिपदिक)

शुक्रम्

bright, shiningAdjective · नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचनम् (त्वाम् विशेषणम्)Role कर्म · Root शुक्र (प्रातिपदिक)

चेति-स्थम्

most conspicuous/most noticeableAdjective (compound) · नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचनम् (त्वाम् विशेषणम्)Role कर्म · Root चेतय्/चित् (धातु) + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक; ‘standing’)

अक्षभिः

with the eyesNoun · नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया-बहुवचनम्Role करण · Root अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)

विवक्षसे

you speak forth / you utterVerb · लट् (वर्तमान); मध्यम-पुरुष; एकवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्Role कर्तृ · Root वक्ष् (धातु; ‘to speak/utter’) + वि (उपसर्ग)

Sandhi Notes

• पदच्छेदः: त्वाम् | यज्ञेषु | ऋत्विजम् | चारुम् | अग्ने | नि | षेदिरे | घृतप्रतीकम् | मनुषः | वि | वः | मदे | शुक्रम् | चेति-स्थम् | अक्षभिः | विवक्षसे । मुख्य-सन्धयः: (1) यज्ञेष्वृत्विजम् = यज्ञेषु + ऋत्विजम् (उकारस्य ‘उ’ + ‘ऋ’ → ‘वृ’ संधि-रूप). (2) चारुमग्ने = चारुम् + अग्ने (म् + अ → म् अ, लेखने ‘मग्ने’). (3) नि षेदिरे: ‘नि’ उपसर्गः + वैदिक ‘षद्/सीद्’ (परफेक्ट) रूपम्. (4) मनुषो वि = मनुषः + वि (विसर्गः + व् → ओ (विसर्ग-सन्धि) ; पदपाठे मनुषः | वि). (5) वो मदे = वः + मदे (एन्क्लिटिक ‘वः’). (6) चेति॑ष्ठम् = चेति-स्थम् (समास/संयोग; ‘स्थ’ = स्थित/स्थायिन् अर्थे). (7) अक्षभिर्विवक्षसे = अक्षभिः + विवक्षसे (ः + व् → र्व्).
• पदच्छेदे मूल-स्वरः सामान्यतः संरक्षितः।

The meaning

Outer meaning

Men have seated you in the sacrifices, O Agni, the lovely seasonal priest; with a ghee-bright face you seek to reveal, in our ecstasy, a shining and most discerning power by the eyes (of vision).

Inner meaning

Agni is installed in the inner yajña as the awakened Divine Will (ṛtvij—right-timed executor). When the will is made “ghṛtapratīka” (ghee-faced), it becomes luminous, smooth, and unobstructed—fit to reflect higher light. In the uplift (mada) of aspiration and glad intensity, Agni presses toward manifestation (vivakṣase): he brings forward a “śukra cetiṣṭha” power—pure, bright, and supremely perceptive consciousness—through the awakened inner sight (akṣabhiḥ).

Universal truth

When the guiding will is consciously placed at the center of life, it becomes a clear mirror of truth; then perception sharpens, and higher intelligence naturally seeks embodiment in thought, speech, and action.

Themes

installation of Agni, right timing, clarified oblation, inner vision

The seer

Other hymns

Rig Veda 10.21.1-10 (same sūkta context; Agni as manifesting power)

Significance

The voice is of a later Rigvedic contemplative style: Agni is emphasized less as external fire and more as the inner priest who brings luminous perception into manifestation—close to Aurobindonian ‘psychological Agni’.

The deity

Devata

Agni

Epithets

ṛtvij (right-timed priest), cāru (the lovely), ghṛtapratīka (ghee-faced, luminous), śukra (bright, pure)

Related deities

Soma (bliss that feeds the flame), Uṣas (illumination that Agni ushers), Bṛhaspati (word-power that supports manifestation)

Cosmic role

Mediator between human and divine worlds; carrier of offerings; awakener of light and order in the sacrifice.

Inner power

Divine Will and aspiration that kindles discernment, opens inner vision, and presses realization toward embodiment.

In ritual

Where it is used

Agni-stotra/Agni-invocation within Soma and other śrauta yajñas (general placement of Agni as ṛtvij)

Accents and Padapatha

Chandas Analysis

Key Symbols

Ritual Application

Etymology

Philosophical Concepts

Vedic Cosmology

Natural Symbolism

Academic Analysis

Yogic Application

Chanting Notes