Rig Veda 10.6.4: Mandala 10, Sukta 6, Mantra 4
Sukta 10.6
- Devata
- Agni
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
शूषेभिर्वृधो जुषाणो अर्कैर्देवाँ अच्छा रघुपत्वा जिगाति । मन्द्रो होता स जुह्वा यजिष्ठः सम्मिश्लो अग्निरा जिघर्ति देवान् ॥
śūṣébhiḥ vṛdhó juṣāṇó arkáiḥ devā́ṃ ácchā raghu-pátvā jigāti | mandró hótā sá juhvā́ yájiṣṭhaḥ sámmiślo agnír ā́ jigharti devā́n ||
अग्नि अपनी ताकत से बड़ा होता है और गाते हुए देवियों के पास जल्दी पहुँचता है। वो पूजा का मेन पंडित है जो सबसे अच्छा पूजा करता है। वो अपने हाथ में पूजा की थाली लेकर देवियों को बुलाता है। वो सब मिल के ऐसा करता है जैसे सब एक हो जाएँ।
Word by Word
- शूषेभिः
- with/through strengths, with vigorNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति; बहुवचनRole करणRoot शूष (प्रातिपदिक)
- वृधः
- growing, increasing (one)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन (अग्नेः विशेषणम्)Role KartāRoot वृध् (धातु) → वृध्/वृध (कृदन्त ‘वृध्’/‘वृध’ = वर्धमान/वर्धक)
- जुषाणः
- enjoying, accepting, taking pleasure inParticipleपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन; वर्तमानकालिकः (आत्मनेपदी)Role KartāRoot जुष् (धातु) → जुषाण (वर्तमान कृदन्त/शानच्)
- अर्कैः
- with hymns/songs of praiseNounपुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति; बहुवचनRole करणRoot अर्क (प्रातिपदिक)
- देवान्
- the godsNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- अच्छ
- towards, toIndeclinableअव्ययRole (गत्यर्थे) कर्म-प्रवचनीय/उपसर्गार्थRoot अच्छ (अव्यय)
- रघुपत्वा
- with swift flight / with speedNoun (compound) / Adverbial instrumentalनपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन (भावे—‘रघुपत्वेन’)Role करणRoot रघु (प्रातिपदिक) + पत्वन्/पत्व (प्रातिपदिक; ‘flight/speed’)
- जिगाति
- goes, comes, approachesVerbलट् (वर्तमान); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचनRole (मुख्यक्रिया)Root गम् (धातु) → जिगाति (वेदिक-लट्; पुनरुक्त/इच्छार्थ-प्रायः ‘to go, to come’)
- मन्द्रः
- gladdening, pleasant-soundingAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन (होतुः/अग्नेः विशेषणम्)Role KartāRoot मन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- होता
- the Hotṛ-priest (invoker)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचनRole KartāRoot होतृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचनRole KartāRoot तद् (सर्वनाम)
- जुह्वा
- with the ladle / with the offering-tongueNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति; एकवचनRole करणRoot जुहू (प्रातिपदिक; ‘ladle/tongue of offering’)
- यजिष्ठः
- most worshipful / best at sacrificeAdjective (superlative)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन (अग्नेः विशेषणम्)Role KartāRoot यज् (धातु) → यजिष्ठ (श्रेष्ठार्थे इष्ठन्)
- सम्मिश्लः
- well-mingled, blended (with offerings/with ghee)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन (अग्नेः विशेषणम्)Role KartāRoot सम्-√मिश्र (धातु) → सम्मिश्ल (कृदन्त/विशेषण)
- अग्निः
- Agni (Fire)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचनRole KartāRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- आ
- towards, hither; inIndeclinableअव्यय (उपसर्गः)Role (क्रियाविशेषण)Root आ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- जिघर्ति
- sprinkles, anointsVerbलट् (वर्तमान); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचनRole (मुख्यक्रिया)Root घृ (धातु) → जिघर्ति (वेदिक-लट्; ‘to sprinkle/anoint’)
- देवान्
- the godsNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धिविच्छेद): शूषेभिः | वृधः | जुषाणः | अर्कैः | देवान् | अच्छ | रघुपत्वा | जिगाति || मन्द्रः | होता | सः | जुह्वा | यजिष्ठः | सम्मिश्लः | अग्निः | आ | जिघर्ति | देवान् || 1) दे॒वाँ अच्छा॑ → देवान् + अच्छ (न् + अ → न् अ, पदपाठे ‘अच्छ’ पृथक्)
- 2) अग्निरा → अग्निः + आ (विसर्गलोपः/रुत्व-प्रभावः; संहितायां ‘अग्निरा’)
- 3) सम्मि॑श्लो → सम्मिश्लः (ओ/अः संहितारूप-परिवर्तन; पदपाठे प्रथमा एकवचन ‘सम्मिश्लः’)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Growing by strengths and delighting, with hymns he swiftly goes to the gods. The rapturous Hotṛ, most fit to sacrifice, with the offering ladle—Agni, perfectly mingled, draws the gods to us.
Inner meaning
As inner Agni increases by śūṣa (victorious force), he takes joy (juṣāṇa) in the arkas—mantric forms that shape consciousness. He moves swiftly (raghupatvā) to the devas: the higher powers respond when the will is strong and the word is true. As mandra hotā—ecstatic priest—Agni becomes the faculty in us that can ‘offer’ rightly: the juhvā is the power of surrender/consecration that transfers our substance into the divine. ‘Sammiśla’ indicates integration: Agni is blended with our nature (mind-life-body) without distortion, so he can attract and bring down the divine powers into the field of practice.
Universal truth
When aspiration grows strong and takes delight in truth-word, it becomes an effective priesthood within: it can consecrate life and attract higher powers. Integration—not rejection—allows the divine to enter and act in the whole being.
Themes
Agni as Hotṛ, Invocation of the gods, Power of hymn, Harmony of forces
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 10.6.1, Rig Veda 10.6.2, Rig Veda 10.6.3, Rig Veda 10.6.5
Significance
This seer stresses the effective mechanics of inner sacrifice: strength + mantra + swift ascent + right priesthood yields ‘descent’ (bringing devas). It is a classic Aurobindonian pattern: ascent and descent mediated by Agni.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- Mandra (rapturous), Hotṛ (invoking priest), Yajiṣṭha (most fit to sacrifice), Sammiśla (well-mingled)
- Related deities
- All devas (collective), Indra, Soma
Cosmic role
Invoker and mediator who brings divine powers to the human field; transformer through sacrificial exchange.
Inner power
Ecstatic will and consecrating intelligence that integrates the nature and attracts higher forces.
In ritual
Where it is used
Hotṛ recitation in soma/fire rites; inviting devas to the yajña through Agni
शू॒षेभि॑र्वृ॒धो जु॑षा॒णो अ॒र्कैर्दे॒वाँ अच्छा॑ रघु॒पत्वा॑ जिगाति । म॒न्द्रो होता॒ स जु॒ह्वा॒३॒॑ यजि॑ष्ठ॒: सम्मि॑श्लो अ॒ग्निरा जि॑घर्ति दे॒वान् ॥
शू॒षेभिः॑ । वृ॒धः । जु॒षा॒णः । अ॒र्कैः । दे॒वान् । अच्छ॑ । र॒घु॒ऽपत्वा॑ । ज॒गा॒ति॒ । म॒न्द्रः । होता॑ । सः । जु॒ह्वा॑ । यजि॑ष्ठः । सम्ऽमि॑श्लः । अ॒ग्निः । आ । जि॒घ॒र्ति॒ । दे॒वान् ॥
śūṣebhiḥ | vṛdhaḥ | juṣāṇaḥ | arkaiḥ | devān | accha | raghu-patvā | jagāti | mandraḥ | hotā | saḥ | juhvā | yajiṣṭhaḥ | sam-miślaḥ | agniḥ | ā | jigharti | devān
44
4 x ~11 syllables
Quick, active; verbs of motion and attraction give a ‘summoning’ pulse.
Stimulates aspiration and devotional energy; good for energizing a practice session.
- शूषेभिः (śūṣebhiḥ)
- Literal: by strengths. Symbolic: victorious energies, soul-force intensifying the fire
- वृधः (vṛdhaḥ)
- Literal: growing. Symbolic: increasing capacity for transformation
- जुषाणः (juṣāṇaḥ)
- Literal: delighting, consenting. Symbolic: joyful assent of the being to the divine work
- अर्कैः (arkaiḥ)
- Literal: hymns, chants. Symbolic: mantric formulations that build inner forms of light
- रघुपत्वा (raghupatvā)
- Literal: swift-going, quick-paced. Symbolic: unhesitating movement of will toward higher consciousness
- मन्द्रः (mandraḥ)
- Literal: gladdening, rapturous. Symbolic: ecstatic vibration of the soul in offering
- होता (hotā)
- Literal: invoking priest. Symbolic: inner officiant: the will that calls the gods/powers
- जुह्वा (juhvā)
- Literal: ladle. Symbolic: instrument of consecration; the act that transfers ego-substance into offering
- यजिष्ठः (yajiṣṭhaḥ)
- Literal: most sacrificial, best worshipper. Symbolic: most capable transformative will
- सम्मिश्लः (sammiślaḥ)
- Literal: well-mingled. Symbolic: integrated into the whole nature; harmony of parts enabling descent
- आ जिघर्ति (ā jigharti)
- Literal: draws near, attracts. Symbolic: calls down and brings the divine powers into manifestation
Hotṛ-Agni emphasis: verse suited to invitatory moments where Agni is invoked to bring the gods to the offering (āhvāna function).
During invitations and offerings, especially when calling devas to partake.
Chant while offering ghee and reciting arkas; establishing Agni as hotṛ who brings devas.
Use before group meditation/collective intention-setting to invoke higher qualities (clarity, strength, harmony) into the shared space.
√vṛdh ‘to grow’ (vṛdhaḥ). √juṣ ‘to enjoy, be pleased’ (juṣāṇaḥ). arka ‘hymn’ relates to shining/fit praise. yajiṣṭha is superlative of yaj- ‘to sacrifice’ (PIE *h₁yeh₂g- ‘worship’ debated). √ghṛ has ritual semantics of anointing/sprinkling; in Vedic usage jigharti often = ‘brings/sets in motion toward’.
yajña as inner exchange, harmonization (sam-miśra), divine advent through word and will
Right offering (yajiṣṭha) aligns action with ṛta, enabling divine participation.
Arkas as truth-word; when word and will are true, descent becomes possible.
Exchange between planes: human offering → divine response; integrated nature as vessel.
Integral yoga symbolism (ascent/descent; mantra as formative power)
Fire = transformative will; ladle = consecration; hymn = shaping vibration that builds inner forms.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Agni as the swift messenger-priest who ‘goes to the gods’ and ‘draws the gods’ into the human field. The mythic action is mediation: the Fire, empowered by hymns and strength, establishes the meeting-point of worlds.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The priestly role (hotā) and sacrificial superlative (yajiṣṭha) preserve archaic Indo-European sacral vocabulary and the formula of the divine mediator who conducts exchange between human and divine spheres.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi supplies arkas (mantric forms) and aspiration; Agni, delighted, converts these into effective approach and attraction—he makes the inner rite a living channel through which the gods can be ‘drawn’ into consciousness.
Invoke Agni as the inner priest: practice ‘offering’ thoughts into the flame, then invite higher qualities to descend into the mind and nerves.
Manipura (offering energy) and Vishuddha (mantra/arkas)
On inhale, feel ascent to devas; on exhale, feel devas drawn into the heart-space (ā jigharti).
Energized devotion with clarity; a sense of sacred action.
Chant as an active invocation: after each recitation, pause and consciously ‘call’ one deva-quality (light, strength, peace) to enter the day’s actions.
Keep a slightly rising emphasis on mandro hotā and yajiṣṭhaḥ; preserve svarita falls at phrase ends as per recitation.
Articulate consonant clusters in samm iśla (sammiśla) cleanly; do not blur double m.
juṣāṇaḥ: retroflex ṣ; keep ‘ā’ long., raghupatvā: aspirate ‘ghu’ lightly; avoid ‘ragu’., juhvā: pronounce as juh-vā (not ju-hu-vā)., ā jigharti: hard ‘gh’ (g + h), not ‘jigharti’ with soft g.
Invocatory, resonant, slightly intensified on calling phrases.
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