Rig Veda 10.6.7: Mandala 10, Sukta 6, Mantra 7
Sukta 10.6
- Devata
- Agni
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
अधा ह्यग्ने मह्ना निषद्या सद्यो जज्ञानो हव्यो बभूथ । तं ते देवासो अनु केतमायन्नधावर्धन्त प्रथमास ऊमाः ॥
adhā́ hí agne mahnā́ niṣádya sadyó jajñānó hávyo babhū́tha | táṃ te devā́so ánu kétaṃ ā́yann ádhā́vardhanta prathamā́sa ū́māḥ ||
अग्नि, आपकी बड़ी ताकत है, आप उसपे बैठे हो। आप तुरंत पैदा हुए और भगवान बन गए। देवता लोग आपके निशान के पीछे चले गए। उनकी पहली शक्ति ने आपको बड़ा कर दिया।
Word by Word
- अधा
- then, thereafterIndeclinableRoot अधा (avyaya)
- हि
- for, indeedIndeclinableRoot हि (avyaya)
- अग्ने
- O AgniNounMasculine, Vocative, SingularRole SambodhanaRoot अग्नि
- मह्ना
- by (your) greatness, through mightNoun (abstract/instrumental of ‘greatness’)Neuter (Vedic), Instrumental, SingularRole KaraṇaRoot महत् (प्रा. मह्न्/महन्-)
- निषद्य
- having sat down, having taken seatVerb (absolutive/gerund)Absolutive (having sat down/settled) with prefix नि-Root नि-√सद्
- सद्यः
- immediately, at onceIndeclinableRoot सद्यः (avyaya)
- जज्ञानः
- being born, having been bornVerb (participle)Masculine, Nominative, Singular; Perf. act. ptcp. (‘having been born’)Role KartāRoot √जन्
- हव्यः
- worthy of oblation; the oblation-bearerAdjective/NounMasculine, Nominative, SingularRole Kartā (predicate/epithet of Agni)Root हव्य
- बभूथ
- you have becomeVerbPerfect, 2nd person, Singular, ParasmaipadaRoot √भू
- तम्
- him, that one (you)PronounMasculine, Accusative, SingularRole KarmaRoot तद्
- ते
- for you, to youPronounDative, Singular (enclitic)Role SampradānaRoot त्वद्
- देवासः
- the godsNounMasculine, Nominative, PluralRole KartāRoot देव
- अनु
- after, along, followingIndeclinableRoot अनु (avyaya/preverb)
- केतम्
- sign, banner, signal, appearanceNounMasculine, Accusative, SingularRole Karma (object of ‘followed’) / Adhikaraṇa in sense ‘by the sign’Root केत
- आयन्
- they went/followed, they came afterVerbImperfect, 3rd person, Plural, Parasmaipada (Vedic: ā + ayan)Root √इ (with ā-)
- अधा
- thenIndeclinableRoot अधा (avyaya)
- अवर्धन्त
- they increased, they strengthenedVerbImperfect, 3rd person, Plural, ĀtmanepadaRoot √वृध्
- प्रथमासः
- the first ones, the earliestAdjective (substantivized)Masculine, Nominative, PluralRole Kartā (apposition to देवासः)Root प्रथम
- ऊमाः
- helpers/aids (protecting powers); (poetic) succoursNounFeminine, Nominative, PluralRole Kartā (subject of ‘increased’ in Vedic poetic usage) / or predicate-noun with ‘first’Root ऊमा
Sandhi Notes
- Padapāṭha-style resolution: अधा हि अग्ने मह्ना निषद्य सद्यः जज्ञानः हव्यः बभूथ । तम् ते देवासः अनु केतम् आयन् । अधा अवर्धन्त प्रथमासः ऊमाः । Notable sandhi: ह्यग्ने = हि + अग्ने
- निषद्या = निषद्य (absolutive of नि-√सद्)
- केतमायन्न् = केतम् + आयन्
- अधावर्धन्त = अधा + अवर्धन्त
- प्रथमास ऊमाः = प्रथमासः + ऊमाः (visarga lost before vowel in saṃhitā)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Agni, seated in his greatness, is born at once and becomes the oblation-worthy; the gods follow his sign, and the first energies (ūmāḥ) increase him.
Inner meaning
The flame of aspiration, once established, reveals an innate sovereignty (mahnā) and becomes immediately the true ‘havis’—the power in us fit to be offered and also the receiver of offering (the divine exchange). The ‘gods’ are the higher faculties/powers of consciousness that align themselves by following Agni’s ‘keta’ (sign, banner, perception). The ‘prathamāsa ūmāḥ’ are the primal impulsions/energies—original movements of life and mind—which, when turned toward the flame, feed and augment it. In Aurobindonian terms: the psychic fire, once kindled, becomes the organizing center; the higher powers take their cue from it, and the foundational energies are converted into fuel for growth.
Universal truth
When the central will-to-truth is kindled, it becomes the axis of transformation: higher capacities align to its direction, and even raw impulses can be transmuted into strength for the inner work.
Themes
Birth of Agni, Divine advent, Guiding light, Strengthening of the inner fire
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 10.6 (Agni hymn sequence)
Significance
The anonymous seer expresses a universal yogic event: the enthronement of Agni as the central guide-sign (keta) for all higher powers.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- Mahān (implied by mahnā), Havya (worthy of offering), Ketu (as sign/standard, by function)
- Related deities
- Indra (often follows Agni as power of illumination), Viśve Devāḥ (the gods as collective powers)
Cosmic role
First manifest power in the sacrifice; beacon for the gods; growth-point of divine energy in the worlds.
Inner power
Enthroned aspiration that becomes the criterion and rallying signal for all inner movements; transforms impulsions into fuel.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni installation/kindling hymnic context; general āhuti-invocation
अधा॒ ह्य॑ग्ने म॒ह्ना नि॒षद्या॑ स॒द्यो ज॑ज्ञा॒नो हव्यो॑ ब॒भूथ॑ । तं ते॑ दे॒वासो॒ अनु॒ केत॑माय॒न्नधा॑वर्धन्त प्रथ॒मास॒ ऊमा॑: ॥
अध॑ । हि । अ॒ग्ने॒ । म॒ह्ना । नि॒ऽसद्य॑ । स॒द्यः । ज॒ज्ञा॒नः । हव्यः॑ । ब॒भूथ॑ । तम् । ते॒ । दे॒वासः॑ । अनु॑ । केत॑म् । आ॒य॒न् । अध॑ । अ॒व॒र्ध॒न्त॒ । प्र॒थ॒मासः॑ । ऊमाः॑ ॥
adha | hi | agne | mahnā | ni-sadya | sadyaḥ | jajñānaḥ | havyaḥ | babhūtha | tam | te | devāsaḥ | anu | ketam | āyan | adha | avardhanta | prathamāsaḥ | ūmāḥ
44
4 × ~11 syllables (approx.)
Grave, establishing rhythm; ‘seating’ and ‘following the sign’ are supported by steady cadence.
Creates a sense of solemn installation of the inner fire; stabilizes attention and invokes alignment of faculties.
- मह्ना (mahnā)
- Literal: by greatness. Symbolic: inherent divine vastness/power of the inner flame
- निषद्य (niṣadya)
- Literal: sitting down, being seated. Symbolic: establishment/enthronement of Agni in the consciousness
- सद्यः (sadyaḥ)
- Literal: at once, immediately. Symbolic: sudden awakening—instant recognition of the inner fire
- हव्यः (havyaḥ)
- Literal: to be offered, worthy of offering. Symbolic: that which is fit for divine exchange; purified will/energy
- केत (keta)
- Literal: sign, banner, perception. Symbolic: inner indication, guiding light/signal of the flame
- देवासः (devāsaḥ)
- Literal: the gods. Symbolic: luminous faculties/powers of consciousness
- ऊमाः (ūmāḥ)
- Literal: energies/impulsions. Symbolic: primal dynamisms that can either scatter or, when offered, intensify the flame
Fire-establishment (ādhāna) and affirmation of Agni’s immediate birth and worthiness; thematically linked to kindling moments in Śrauta/Gr̥hya usage though not uniquely fixed here.
At the moment of kindling or affirming Agni’s presence; also before offerings
Recognizing Agni as havya and inviting divine powers to follow his lead
Use to ‘seat’ the flame before meditation: a short recitation to establish the inner center and invite alignment of thoughts and energies.
ni-√sad (niṣadya) ‘sit down, be established’. √jan (jajñānaḥ) ‘be born’ (PIE *ǵenh₁-). havya from √hū/√hav ‘to call’ or from the ritual noun ‘oblation’—here adjectival ‘fit to be invoked/offered to’. ketu ‘sign’ relates to shining/appearing (semantic field of ‘mark, radiance’). √vṛdh (avardhanta) ‘increase’.
sudden manifestation, divine following of the sign (guidance by light), increase by primal energies
The gods ‘following the sign’ depicts the restoration of right order by a central guiding principle.
Ketu as true perception/indication that guides movements toward truth.
Agni ‘born at once’ echoes the Vedic motif of sudden emergence of the first power that orders manifestation.
Integral psychology of the Veda (deities as powers; sacrifice as inner process).
Fire = awakened will; sign/banner = intuitive cue; ‘gods following’ = faculties aligning to the psychic direction.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The immediate birth and enthronement of Agni: once seated, he becomes the havya, and the gods align themselves by following his ketu (sign). The primal energies then increase him—an origin-myth of the sacrificial fire as the first organizing center of the divine work.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- jajñānaḥ from √jan continues PIE *ǵenh₁- ‘beget, be born’, a central IE cosmogonic verb. The narrative sequencing with adhā (‘then’) is typical of archaic hymn style presenting a mythic prototype as a template for present inner experience.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi recalls Agni’s archetypal establishment to reproduce it inwardly: when the inner fire is ‘seated’ it becomes the rightful receiver of offerings; then the seeker’s divine powers (devāsaḥ as inner forces) follow its guidance and strengthen it.
Enthrone the inner flame; follow its ‘sign’ as the criterion for thoughts and actions.
Manipura (fire of transformation) with support from Anahata (psychic warmth)
3-part breath (dirgha) with a brief pause after inhale to ‘seat’ attention in the flame
Centered, aligned, receptive to inner indication
Recite once, then sit silently: notice the subtlest ‘keta’—a quiet directive of truth; let all movements follow it; offer restless impulses into the flame as fuel.
Rigvedic accenting (udatta/anudatta/svarita) as per śākhā; consult accented Saṃhitā for exact syllables.
Mark pauses after each pāda; keep ‘sadyo jajñāno’ crisp; avoid dragging consonant clusters.
(adhā): clear dental ‘dh’, (niṣadya): retroflex ‘ṣ’, (sadyaḥ): final visarga lightly aspirated, (ketam): long ‘e’, (ūmāḥ): long ū, long āḥ
Seated, resonant, steady; let the second half slightly expand to convey ‘increase’.
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