Rig Veda 10.7.4: Mandala 10, Sukta 7, Mantra 4
Sukta 10.7
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
सिध्रा अग्ने धियो अस्मे सनुत्रीर्यं त्रायसे दम आ नित्यहोता । ऋतावा स रोहिदश्वः पुरुक्षुर्द्युभिरस्मा अहभिर्वाममस्तु ॥
sidhṛ́ā agne dhíyo asmē sánutrīr yáṃ trā́yase dáma ā́ nítyahotā | ṛtā́vā sá róhid-aśvaḥ purukṣúr dyúbhir asmai áhahbhir vā́mam astu ||
अग्नि से दुआ है कि हमारे दिमाग सही काम करें और हम जीते रहें। वो घर में रह के हमारी रक्षा करता है, दिन रात पूजा करता है। यह सच का काम है, लाल घोड़ों वाला, और बहुत बढ़ता है। दिन चमक रहे हो और सुबह हो, उसके लिए अच्छा मिले।
Word by Word
- सिध्राः
- skilful, effective, successfulAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग/स्त्रीलिङ्ग? (प्रयोगतः स्त्रीलिङ्ग बहुवचन प्रथमा) — प्रथमा बहुवचनRole विशेषण (कर्म/सम्प्रदान-सम्बन्धः) — ‘धियः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्Root सिध्र (प्रातिपदिक) < √सिध् ‘सिद्धौ/साधने’ (निरुक्त-सम्बन्ध) अथवा ‘सिध्र’ विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक
- अग्ने
- O AgniNounपुंलिङ्ग — सम्बोधन एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- धियः
- thoughts, prayers, inspirationsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग — प्रथमा बहुवचनRole कर्म (याच्यमान-वस्तु) / विषयःRoot धी (प्रातिपदिक)
- अस्मे
- for us, among usPronounसप्तमी एकवचन (वैदिक-रूप; अर्थे ‘अस्माकम्/अस्मभ्यम्’ = ‘for us/among us’)Role सम्प्रदान (हित-सम्बन्धः) / अधिकरण (प्रयोगानुसार)Root अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- सनुत्रीः
- protecting, saving, bringing safetyAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग — द्वितीया बहुवचनRole कर्म (धियः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Root सनुत्री (प्रातिपदिक; ‘सनु’ + -त्री)
- यम्
- whomPronounपुंलिङ्ग — द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्म (त्रायसे इत्यस्य)Root यद् (सर्वनाम)
- त्रायसे
- you protect, you saveVerbलट् (वर्तमान) — मध्यमपुरुष एकवचन, आत्मनेपदRole क्रियाRoot √त्रा (त्राणे)
- दमे
- in the house, at homeNounपुंलिङ्ग — सप्तमी एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot दम (प्रातिपदिक)
- आ
- towards, hitherIndeclinableउपसर्ग/निपातRole क्रियाविशेषण (आगमन/समन्तात्-भाव)Root आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- नित्यहोता
- the ever-officiating priestNoun (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग — प्रथमा एकवचनRole कर्तृ (अग्नेः विशेषणम्)Root नित्य-होतृ (समास; नित्य + होतृ)
- ऋतावा
- possessing ṛta; truthful, in accord with cosmic orderAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग — प्रथमा एकवचन (वैदिक-रूप: ऋतावा < ऋतावान्)Role विशेषण (सः इत्यस्य)Root ऋतावन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्ग — प्रथमा एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot तद् (सर्वनाम)
- रोहिदश्वः
- having ruddy horsesNoun (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग — प्रथमा एकवचनRole कर्तृ-विशेषण (सः/अग्निः)Root रोहिद-अश्व (समास; रोहिद ‘reddish’ + अश्व)
- पुरुक्षुः
- dwelling in many places; wide-rangingAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग — प्रथमा एकवचनRole कर्तृ-विशेषणRoot पुरुक्षु (प्रातिपदिक; पुरु ‘many’ + क्षु/क्षु- ‘abodes/dwellings’ इत्यर्थे वैदिक)
- द्युभिः
- with days / with heavenly lightsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (वैदिक) — तृतीया बहुवचनRole करण (साधन/सहचर्य)Root द्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
- अस्मै
- to him / for himPronounचतुर्थी एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- अहभिः
- with daysNounपुंलिङ्ग — तृतीया बहुवचनRole करण (काल-परिसरः: ‘by days’)Root अहन् (प्रातिपदिक; वैदिक बहुवचन-रूप ‘अहभिः’)
- वामम्
- good, boon, благоприятम्Noun/Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग — प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (अत्र प्रथमा एकवचन, ‘अस्तु’ इत्यस्य कर्तृ/विधेय-नाम)Role कर्तृ/विधेय (फल-रूपम्)Root वाम (प्रातिपदिक)
- अस्तु
- may it beVerbलोट् (आशीर्लिङ्/विधिलिङ्-सदृश आदेश) — प्रथमपुरुष एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot √अस् (भुवि/सत्तायाम्)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धि-विच्छेद): सिध्राः | अग्ने | धियः | अस्मे | सनुत्रीः | यम् | त्रायसे | दमे | आ | नित्यहोता । ऋतावा | सः | रोहिदश्वः | पुरुक्षुः | द्युभिः | अस्मै | अहभिः | वामम् | अस्तु ॥ 1) ‘सिध्रा’ इति पदे विसर्गः पदान्ते (सिध्राः) पुनर्निर्मितः। 2) ‘अस्मे’ वैदिक-सप्तमी-रूपः, अर्थे ‘for us/among us’। 3) ‘अहभिः’ वैदिक-रूपः ‘अहन्’ शब्दस्य तृतीया बहुवचनम्। 4) ‘ऋतावा’ वैदिक-प्रथमा एकवचनः ‘ऋतावान्’ इत्यस्य।
The meaning
Outer meaning
A prayer to Agni to make the worshipper’s thoughts effective and victorious, protected within the home where Agni serves as the constant priest; Agni, aligned with ṛta, possessing ruddy horses and abundant increase, grants desirable good through bright days and dawning times.
Inner meaning
The seeker asks the inner Fire (Agni as divine Will) to perfect the dhī (inspired intelligence) so it becomes siddhrā—accomplishing and victorious in the inner sacrifice. “Within the home” points to the embodied consciousness (the heart/psychic habitation) where Agni is nitya-hotā, the perpetual priestly flame. When Will is established in ṛta (truth-law), it moves with “ruddy steeds” (purified vital energies) and brings growth (purukṣu) of the soul’s capacities. The ‘luminous days and awakenings’ are recurring states of clarity and progressive dawnings in sādhanā.
Universal truth
When aspiration and will are made steady and true, the mind’s discernment becomes effective; inner guardianship stabilizes life, and repeated illuminations accumulate into enduring well-being and growth.
Themes
rightly-ordered inspiration, Agni as constant priest, inner home as altar, progress through illuminations
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 10.7 (hymn context: Agni as the established priest and inner power)
Significance
Even with an unknown rishi, the voice is that of the ‘seeker-community’ (yajamāna consciousness): it emphasizes dhī perfected by Agni, a hallmark of the psychological reading—Agni as the steady inner officiant who turns inspiration into realized victory.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- nityahotā (constant priest), ṛtāvā (truth-possessor), rohidaśva (with ruddy steeds), purukṣu (wide-increasing)
- Related deities
- Uṣas, Indra, Soma, Mitra
Cosmic role
Mediator between human and divine; carrier of offerings; establisher of ṛta in the worlds; awakener of dawn-like illuminations.
Inner power
Divine Will and aspiration that transforms thought into effective realization and protects the inner work.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agnihotra / daily fire tending; also general Agni stotras in Soma rites
सि॒ध्रा अ॑ग्ने॒ धियो॑ अ॒स्मे सनु॑त्री॒र्यं त्राय॑से॒ दम॒ आ नित्य॑होता । ऋ॒तावा॒ स रो॒हिद॑श्वः पुरु॒क्षुर्द्युभि॑रस्मा॒ अह॑भिर्वा॒मम॑स्तु ॥
सि॒ध्राः । अ॒ग्ने॒ । धियः॑ । अ॒स्मे इति॑ । सनु॑त्रीः । यम् । त्राय॑से । दमे॑ । आ । नित्य॑ऽहोता । ऋ॒तऽवा॑ । सः । रो॒हित्ऽअ॑श्वः । पु॒रु॒ऽक्षुः । द्युऽभिः॑ । अ॒स्मै॒ । अह॑ऽभिः । वा॒मम् । अ॒स्तु॒ ॥
sidhrāḥ | agne | dhiyaḥ | asme iti | sanutrīḥ | yam | trāyase | dame | ā | nitya-hotā | ṛta-vā | saḥ | rohit-aśvaḥ | puru-kṣuḥ | dyu-bhiḥ | asmai | aha-bhiḥ | vāmam | astu
44
4 pādas of ~11 syllables each (Triṣṭubh norm; exact counts may vary by resolution/sandhi)
Forward-driving, declarative, suited to invocation and aspiration.
Builds will-force and clarity; the cadence supports a sense of victorious progress and guarded steadiness.
- सिध्राः (sidhrāḥ)
- Literal: successful, effective, straight-going. Symbolic: thought-forces that accomplish the aim of yoga; intelligence made operative by inner Fire
- धियः (dhiyo)
- Literal: thoughts, insights, inspirations. Symbolic: higher discernment (dhī) receiving truth-illumination
- सनुत्रीः (sanutrīḥ)
- Literal: winning, victorious, gaining. Symbolic: movements of consciousness that conquer resistance and secure the gain
- त्रायसे (trāyase)
- Literal: you protect, you save. Symbolic: Agni’s guardianship of the inner work against dispersal and obscurity
- दमे (dame)
- Literal: in the house, home. Symbolic: the embodied field of practice; the heart-home where the psychic fire is kept
- नित्यहोता (nityahotā)
- Literal: constant Hotṛ/priest. Symbolic: perennial inner offering—unbroken aspiration and self-giving
- ऋतावा (ṛtāvā)
- Literal: possessed of ṛta. Symbolic: will aligned with truth-law; right order in thought, life, and action
- रोहितश्वः (rohidaśvaḥ)
- Literal: having ruddy horses. Symbolic: purified vital energies (aśva) harnessed to illumination (rohit)
- पुरुक्षुः (purukṣuḥ)
- Literal: wide-increasing, much-growing. Symbolic: expansive growth of consciousness and capacities
- द्युभिः (dyubhiḥ)
- Literal: by lights, by luminous days. Symbolic: states of illumination; clarity that sustains progress
- अहभिः (ahabhiḥ)
- Literal: by days. Symbolic: successive awakenings and integrations over time
- वामम् (vāmam)
- Literal: desirable good, boon. Symbolic: the soul’s true welfare—joy, rightness, and fulfilled being
Prayer for protected inspiration and effective dhī within the sacrificial ‘home’ (dama); applicable in household fire and śrauta contexts as protective/boon-granting agnistuti.
At kindling and sustaining the household fire; also as a prayer for successful rite and protection of the sacrificer’s intention
Kindling/feeding fire, offering ghee, recitation to establish right thought and protection
Use as a morning/evening intention-setting mantra: ‘make my understanding effective; guard my inner home; grant luminous days’.
√sidh (sidhra ‘accomplishing, effectual’); dhī (insight, from √dhī/√dhā? traditionally dhī ‘thought’); √san (sanutrī ‘winning’); √trā (protection); dama ‘house’ (also inner seat of consciousness); hotṛ (invoking priest); ṛta + -vā (ṛtāvā ‘one who has/embodies ṛta’); rohitá (ruddy, dawn/fire hue); √kṣi with puru- (purukṣu ‘much-increasing’). Symbolic line: ‘house’ as inner field; ‘days/lights’ as successive illuminations; ‘ruddy horses’ as dynamic energies that carry the seeker toward wider being.
Rita (explicit: ṛtāvā), protection and guardianship (trā), growth/expansion (puru-kṣu)
Agni as ṛtāvā: the inner fire establishes right order in thought and life.
Dhī becomes ‘true-seeing’ when guarded by Agni; truth becomes effective (siddha) in action.
Growth (purukṣu) through repeated illuminations (dyu/aha) suggests progressive manifestation of higher consciousness in time.
Proto-Vedāntic and Yogic psychology (Aurobindo/Kashyap-style): ascent through illumination and right will.
dawn-to-day progression (implied by dyu/aha: luminous days and awakenings)
Fire = will; horses = vital energies; days/lights = recurring illuminations that consolidate realization.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Agni as the guardian-in-the-house (dame) and the ever-hotṛ who secures victorious inspirations. The mythic action is protective and developmental: Agni carries the seeker through successive ‘days/lights’ toward vāmam (the desirable good).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √trā ‘protect’ has Indo-Iranian parallels (Avestan tra-). The hotṛ-priestly diction reflects inherited Indo-European sacral-poetic roles, while dyu ‘sky/day’ relates to PIE *dyew- (daylight/sky).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi asks Agni to reshape the community’s dhī into sidhra/sanutrī—effective, winning forms. In exchange, the human offers continuity of worship to the nitya-hotā; Agni reciprocates by protection and by granting vāmam through ordered illuminations (ṛta).
Stabilize the inner flame in the heart-home; offer thoughts into Agni so dhī becomes effective.
Anāhata (heart)
Moderate nāḍī-śodhana for 6–8 rounds, then gentle inner ‘warming’ breath awareness at the heart
Collected, luminous steadiness; will aligned to truth-order.
Before chanting, recall one intention (saṅkalpa). While chanting, feel Agni guarding the ‘home’ (body-mind). After chanting, sit 2–3 minutes watching thoughts become quieter and more decisive.
Use Vedic svara as per śākhā tradition; in app default: mark udatta (raised), anudatta (lower), svarita (falling) on accented syllables; verify against a pada-text svara source for exact pitch.
Lean on the verb-forms and vocative: ‘agne’, ‘trāyase’, ‘nityahotā’; keep pāda-end cadences clear.
Keep retroflex/ dental distinct: ṛtāvā (ṛ), dama (dental d), rohidaśvaḥ: split ro-hi-da-śvaḥ; śva as ‘shva’ not ‘sva’, dyubhir: pronounce dyu as a single glide (d+yū)
Steady, warm, slightly bright; avoid force—aim for ‘guarded clarity’.
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