Rig Veda 10.69.6: Mandala 10, Sukta 69, Mantra 6
Sukta 10.69
- Rishi
- Vādhryaśva
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Raudra (fury)
समज्र्या पर्वत्या वसूनि दासा वृत्राण्यार्या जिगेथ । शूर इव धृष्णुश्च्यवनो जनानां त्वमग्ने पृतनायूँरभि ष्याः ॥
sám ajryā́ parvatyā́ vasū́ni dā́sā vṛtrā́ṇy ā́ryā jigetha | śū́ra iva dhṛṣṇúś cyávanā jánānāṃ tvám agne pṛtanāyū́ṃr abhí syāḥ ||
पहाड़ जैसी ताकत से तूने खज़ाने जीते हैं। बुरी ताकतों पर तू जीता है। जैसे बहादुर योद्धा लड़ाई में सबसे आगे होता है, वैसे ही अग्नि, तू भी दुश्मनों पर जीत कर दिख्हा।
Word by Word
- समज्र्याः
- together-moving / united (as one)Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (पर्वत्या इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role Kartā (पर्वत्या-कर्तृपदस्य विशेषणम्)Root सम् + अज्रि (प्रातिपदिक) / समज्र्य (विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक)
- पर्वत्या
- the mountain(-like one) / the mountain (as a personified power)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot पर्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
- वसूनि
- treasures, richesNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot वसु (प्रातिपदिक)
- दासाः
- Dāsas (hostile tribes/foes)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole Kartā (जिगेथ इत्यस्य कर्ता)Root दास (प्रातिपदिक)
- वृत्राणि
- obstacles, Vṛtras (obstructing powers)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot वृत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- आर्याः
- Āryas (the noble/ritual people)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole Kartā (जिगेथ इत्यस्य कर्ता)Root आर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- जिगेथ
- thou hast conqueredVerbलिट् (परिपूर्ण/परफेक्ट), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचनRole (क्रिया) —Root √जि (जये)
- शूरः
- a hero, valiant oneNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (त्वम् इत्यस्य विशेषण-रूपेण)Root शूर (प्रातिपदिक)
- इव
- like, asIndeclinableउपमा-अव्ययRoot इव
- धृष्णुः
- bold, daringAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (त्वम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Root धृष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
- च्यवनः
- the shaker/dislodgerNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (त्वम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Root च्यवन (प्रातिपदिक; √च्यु/च्यव् ‘to move, shake, dislodge’ से)
- जनानाम्
- of the peoplesNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचनRole Adhikaraṇa/सम्बन्ध (च्यवनः—कस्य? जनानाम्)Root जन (प्रातिपदिक)
- त्वम्
- thouPronounप्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अग्ने
- O AgniNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- पृतनायूः
- battle-seeker / fighterNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (त्वम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role Kartā (त्वम्—कर्तृपदस्य विशेषणम्)Root पृतनायू (प्रातिपदिक; पृतना ‘battle’ + यु ‘joining/going’)
- अभि
- towards, againstIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्यय (अभिमुख्ये)Root अभि
- स्याः
- mayest thou beVerbविधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचनRole (क्रिया) —Root √अस् (भू)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धि-विग्रह): समज्र्याः | पर्वत्या | वसूनि | दासाः | वृत्राणि | आर्याः | जिगेथ | शूरः | इव | धृष्णुः | च्यवनः | जनानाम् | त्वम् | अग्ने | पृतनायूः | अभि | स्याः । विशेषम्: (1) ‘वृत्राण्यार्या’ इति संहितायां वृत्राणि + आर्याः → वृत्राण्यार्या (इकारादेश/यण्-सन्धि: इ + आ → या)
- (2) ‘धृष्णुश्च्यवनो’ इति धृष्णुः + च्यवनः → धृष्णुश्च्यवनः (विसर्गस्य श्-आदेशः ‘च’ परे)
- (3) ‘त्वमग्ने’ इति त्वम् + अग्ने → त्वमग्ने (म् + अ)
- (4) ‘अभि ष्या:’ पाठे ‘ष्या:’ = ‘स्याः’ (वेदपाठ-विशेषे षकार-लेखन/उच्चारण-परम्परा)
The meaning
Outer meaning
With swift-moving and mountain-strong force you have won treasures; the Arya has conquered the Vṛtra-like obstructers of the Dasa. Like a hero, vehement and unshaken among men, be thou, O Agni, the overcomer of the battle-hosts.
Inner meaning
‘Ajryā’ (swift-moving) and ‘parvatyā’ (mountain-strong) describe the dynamic and stable powers of Agni when fully kindled: rapid progress with unshakeable foundation. The ‘treasures’ (vasūni) are inner riches—light, force, delight, wideness. ‘Dāsa’ here symbolizes the dark, divisive, inertia-bound movements; ‘vṛtrāṇi’ are the coverings/obstructions that block the flow of consciousness. ‘Ārya’ is the upward-striving soul-force aligned to ṛta. The prayer culminates: Agni, become the pṛtanāyūn abhi syāḥ—one who overcomes the battle-hosts, i.e., the organized resistances of the subconscient and habitual nature. This is inner victory: not hatred of parts, but conquering obstruction by luminous will.
Universal truth
Progress requires both speed and solidity. When the inner will is strong and luminous, it wins the real treasures of life by overcoming entrenched resistance and confusion.
Themes
Vṛtra-slaying (innerized), Arya vs Dasa (psychological), treasure-winning, battle-protection
The seer
- Rishi
- Vādhryaśva
- Other hymns
- RV 10.69.1, RV 10.69.2, RV 10.69.3, RV 10.69.4, RV 10.69.5
Family tradition
Hymn-cycle emphasizing victory of inner Agni; the seer speaks from experience of conquest of obstructions and winning of ‘treasures’.
Significance
Vādhryaśva embodies the steadfast vital force yoked to the inner fire—capable of both swift advance and mountain-stability in the battle with the coverer.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- Pṛtanāyū-jit (conqueror of battle-hosts, by sense), Śūra (heroic), Dhṛṣṇu (bold), Cyavana (unshaken)
- Related deities
- Indra (slayer of Vṛtra), Maruts (battle-force/energies), Soma (released delight as treasure)
Cosmic role
Divine warrior-priest who leads the Aryan ascent and breaks the Vṛtra-coverings to release treasures.
Inner power
Victorious will and transformative heat; organizer of energies into a coherent overcoming force.
In ritual
Where it is used
Victory/protection invocation within Agni rites; also suitable in soma contexts where ‘treasures’ are sought
सम॒ज्र्या॑ पर्व॒त्या॒३॒॑ वसू॑नि॒ दासा॑ वृ॒त्राण्यार्या॑ जिगेथ । शूर॑ इव धृ॒ष्णुश्च्यव॑नो॒ जना॑नां॒ त्वम॑ग्ने पृतना॒यूँर॒भि ष्या॑: ॥
सम् । अ॒ज्र्या॑ । प॒र्व॒त्या॑ । वसू॑नि । दासा॑ । वृ॒त्राणि॑ । आर्या॑ । जि॒गे॒थ॒ । शूरः॑ऽइव । घृ॒ष्णुः । च्यव॑नः । जना॑नाम् । त्वम् । अ॒ग्ने॒ । पृ॒त॒ना॒ऽयून् । अ॒भि । स्याः॒ ॥
sam | ajryā | parvatyā | vasūni | dāsā | vṛtrāṇi | āryā | jigetha | śūraḥ-iva | ghṛṣṇuḥ | cyavanaḥ | janānām | tvam | agne | pṛtanāyūn | abhi | syāḥ
44
4 pādas × ~11 syllables
Martial and driving; alternating thrust and pause mirrors swift advance with firm footing.
Invokes courage and momentum; mobilizes inner energy to confront resistance.
- अज्र्या (ajryā)
- Literal: swift-moving, active. Symbolic: quick effective force; agile will and prāṇic energy under guidance
- पर्वत्या (parvatyā)
- Literal: mountain-like, strong. Symbolic: stable foundation; unshakeable endurance in practice
- वसूनि (vasūni)
- Literal: treasures, goods. Symbolic: inner riches: light, strength, joy, wideness
- दास (dāsa)
- Literal: Dasa (enemy people in outer reading). Symbolic: dark/inert movements; divided nature resisting the ascent
- वृत्राणि (vṛtrāṇi)
- Literal: Vṛtras/obstructors. Symbolic: coverings that block the flow of light and delight
- आर्य (ārya)
- Literal: Arya (noble). Symbolic: the upward-striving soul-force aligned with truth
- पृतनायून् (pṛtanāyūn)
- Literal: battle-hosts, fighters. Symbolic: organized resistances: habits, impulses, doubts, collective pressures
- अभि स्याः (abhi syāḥ)
- Literal: be over/against; overcome. Symbolic: mastery and victory of the divine Will over obstruction
Invoked in soma-offerings and victory/protection sequences: Agni as leader in the struggle against obstructive forces (vṛtra) and as safeguard of the sacrificer’s gains (vasu).
When seeking conquest over obstacles and gaining of vasu (wealth/inner riches)
Recitation as a call for Agni to lead and overcome opposing forces during offerings
Use before difficult work or during inner crisis: to summon steady, victorious will rather than reactive struggle.
vṛtra from √vṛ ‘cover, obstruct’ marks the mythic/psychological ‘enveloper’; ārya denotes the ordered, upward-striving force (not ethnicity here, but alignment with r̥ta); √ji ‘win’ (jigetha) indicates accomplished victory; pṛtanā ‘battle’ frames inner conflict as organized hostile formations.
R̥ta vs. anr̥ta (order vs. obstruction), inner conquest of coverings (vṛtra), transmutation of hostile energies into treasure (vasu)
Ārya vs Dāsa encodes ṛta vs anṛta within the being; Agni enforces ṛta by conquest of coverings.
Victory is not domination but truth’s emergence when coverings are removed.
Release of ‘treasures’ through breaking obstructions—creation as liberation of hidden light/force.
Integral yoga/psychological interpretation of Vṛtra-myth as inner battle.
Mountain = stable consciousness-base; swiftness = energized prāṇa under will; battle = inner conflict with habitual obstruction; treasures = recovered light and joy.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The Vṛtra-conquest pattern: obstructions (vṛtrāṇi) associated with ‘Dasa’ are overcome by the Arya force, with Agni asked to stand over and against battle-hosts. Myth becomes inner yoga: the flame of will breaks coverings and releases treasures (vasu).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √vṛ ‘cover’ (PIE *wel-) gives vṛtra ‘enveloper’; √ji ‘win’ (PIE *gʷʰei- / *gʰei- ‘to seize/overcome’, debated) encodes conquest; optative syāḥ from √as (PIE *h₁es-) expresses desired becoming under divine agency.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi recalls accomplished victories as proof of Agni’s efficacy and then petitions Agni to embody that same victorious stance within the human collectivity (‘among men’), making the divine will the active commander of inner battles.
Invoke Agni as the conqueror of inner battle-hosts: habits, doubts, inertia.
manipura (battle/force) integrated with ajna (right direction)
brisk kapalabhati light (30–45 strokes) if suitable, then 1–2 minutes quiet breathing and chant once; otherwise strong ujjayi on exhale
Focused, forceful, unshaken determination.
Identify one ‘battle-host’ today (a repeating pattern). Chant with the intention of steady conquest (parvatyā) plus decisive action (ajryā). After chanting, sit 2 minutes feeling a firm ‘mountain’ base and a clear forward-moving flame in the navel-to-heart axis.
Chant with strong but controlled udatta rises on heroic descriptors (śūra, dhṛṣṇu, cyavano); keep the line ‘tvam agne’ clear as the pivot of address.
Mark the contrast: ‘vasūni’ (treasures) with uplift; ‘vṛtrāṇi’ with a darker, weightier tone; climax on ‘pṛtanāyūn abhi syāḥ’.
: keep rv cluster (par-va-tyā), : retroflex ṭr (vṛ-ṭrā-ṇi), : retroflex ṇ; long ūn nasalized lightly at end, : clear gn cluster (ag-ne)
firm, martial, not shouted; grounded resonance
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