Rig Veda 10.87.4: Mandala 10, Sukta 87, Mantra 4
Sukta 10.87
- Devata
- Agni
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism)
यज्ञैरिषूः संनममानो अग्ने वाचा शल्याँ अशनिभिर्दिहानः । ताभिर्विध्य हृदये यातुधानान्प्रतीचो बाहून्प्रति भङ्ध्येषाम् ॥
yajñáir iṣū́ḥ sán-namamāno agne vācā́ śalyā́m aśánibhir dihānáḥ | tā́bhir vidhya hṛ́daye yātu-dhānān pratī́co bāhū́n práti bhaṅdhy eṣām ||
अग्नि, यज्ञ के काम से तुमने अपने तीर बनाए हैं। बोली से उन्हें और तेज़ किया है, बिजली की तरह। इन दुश्मनों के दिल में तीर मारो। उनके हाथ तोड़ दो जो गलत काम करते हैं।
Word by Word
- यज्ञैः
- with/by sacrificesNounपुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति; बहुवचनRole करणRoot यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
- इषूः
- arrowsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot इषु (प्रातिपदिक)
- संनममानः
- bending/aiming (together), directingVerb (participle)वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ/शानच्-प्रत्यय); प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन; पुंलिङ्गRole कर्तृRoot √नम् (नमति) + सम् (उपसर्ग)
- अग्ने
- O AgniNounपुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन; एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- वाचा
- with speech/with a formulaNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति; एकवचनRole करणRoot वाच् (प्रातिपदिक)
- शल्यान्
- barbs, spikes (arrow-heads)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot शल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- अशनिभिः
- with thunderbolts/with lightningNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति; बहुवचनRole करणRoot अशनि (प्रातिपदिक)
- दिहानः
- smearing/applying (i.e., arming, fitting on)Verb (participle)वर्तमान कृदन्त (शानच्); प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन; पुंलिङ्गRole कर्तृRoot √दिह् (दिहति/देहति ‘to smear, to anoint, to apply’)
- ताभिः
- with those (weapons/arrows)Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति; बहुवचनRole करणRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- विध्य
- pierce!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ); मध्यम-पुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot √व्यध् (विध्यति ‘to pierce’)
- हृदये
- in the heartNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति; एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot हृदय (प्रातिपदिक)
- यातुधानान्
- the Yātudhānas (demonic beings)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot यातुधान (प्रातिपदिक)
- प्रतीचः
- turned toward (you), facing (you)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; बहुवचनRole विशेषण (कर्मणः)Root प्रतीच् (प्रातिपदिक)
- बाहून्
- armsNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot बाहु (प्रातिपदिक)
- प्रति
- against, towardIndeclinableअव्ययRole उपपद/दिशा-निर्देशRoot प्रति (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- भङ्धि
- break!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ); मध्यम-पुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद (वैदिक रूप: भङ्धि)Role क्रियाRoot √भञ्ज् (भनक्ति/भङ्क्ते ‘to break’)
- एषाम्
- of these (demons)Pronounपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-विभक्ति; बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सम्भाव्य): यज्ञैः इषूः सं-नममानः अग्ने वाचा शल्यान् अशनिभिः दिहानः । ताभिः विध्य हृदये यातुधानान् प्रतीचः बाहून् प्रति भङ्धि एषाम् ॥ मुख्य संधि/रूप-विशेष: (1) संनममानः = सम् + नममानः (उपसर्ग-संधि; m+n → nn). (2) शल्याँ इति संहितायां शल्यान् (द्वितीया बहु.)—वैदिक पाठे अनुनासिक/चन्द्रबिन्दु-प्रयोगः. (3) यातुधानान् प्रतीचः बाहून्—क्रमेण कर्मपदानि
- प्रतीचः विशेषणम्. (4) भङ्धि वैदिक आज्ञार्थ-रूपम् √भञ्जः (क्लासिकल: भङ्क्धि/भङ्क्तु इत्यादि अपेक्ष्य)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Agni bends arrows by sacrifices, sharpens darts by speech, forges them like thunderbolts, and is asked to pierce the yātudhānas in the heart and break their opposing arms.
Inner meaning
The instruments of inner battle are not hatred but yajña (consecrated action) and vāc (true speech/mantra). Through disciplined offering, the will ‘bends’ its arrows—directing energy precisely. Through purified speech, it sharpens the inner darts—clarity of naming and rejection. ‘Thunderbolt’ signifies irresistible illumination-force. The heart is the seat of intention: strike the hostile impulse at its core motive. Breaking the ‘backward’ arms means disabling reactive habits that pull consciousness away from the right movement (ṛju gati).
Universal truth
Spiritual force becomes effective when action is consecrated and speech is truthful; then it can strike resistance at its root-intention and disable habitual reactions that oppose growth. The deepest victories are won by purified will and word.
Themes
mantric-weaponry, heart-purification, breaking-opposition
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 10.87.1-23
Significance
The seer emphasizes the Vedic method: victory over darkness is achieved by yajña and vāc—offering and mantra—rather than by outer violence, pointing to the inner discipline of transformation.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- Iṣudhāra (arrow-bearing, implied), Vācā-dihāna (sharpened by speech, implied)
- Related deities
- Indra (aśani/vajra resonance), Sarasvatī/Vāc (speech power)
Cosmic role
Executor of the sacrifice who turns offerings into effective divine force; purifier and warrior against distortion.
Inner power
Precision of will guided by consecration; truth-speech as a sharpening edge; lightning-like decisiveness.
In ritual
Where it is used
Rakṣohā protection within yajña; also aligns with vāc-based rites (recitation while tending fire)
य॒ज्ञैरिषू॑: सं॒नम॑मानो अग्ने वा॒चा श॒ल्याँ अ॒शनि॑भिर्दिहा॒नः । ताभि॑र्विध्य॒ हृद॑ये यातु॒धाना॑न्प्रती॒चो बा॒हून्प्रति॑ भङ्ध्येषाम् ॥
य॒ज्ञैः । इषूः॑ । स॒म्ऽनम॑मानः । अ॒ग्ने॒ । वा॒चा । श॒ल्यान् । अ॒शनि॑ऽभिः । दि॒हा॒नः । ताभिः॑ । वि॒ध्य॒ । हृद॑ये । या॒तु॒ऽधाना॑न् । प्र॒ती॒चः । बा॒हून् । प्रति॑ । भ॒ङ्धि॒ । ए॒षा॒म् ॥
yajñaiḥ | iṣūḥ | sam-namamānaḥ | agne | vācā | śalyān | aśani-bhiḥ | dihānaḥ | tābhiḥ | vidhya | hṛdaye | yātu-dhānān | pratīcaḥ | bāhūn | prati | bhaṅdhi | eṣām
44
4 × ~11
Crafting rhythm—phrases feel like ‘forging’ and ‘aiming’, then a sudden strike.
Improves focus and directedness; supports cutting clarity and firm resolve.
- यज्ञ (yajña)
- Literal: sacrifice, offering. Symbolic: consecrated action; inner giving of energies to the Divine
- इषु (iṣu)
- Literal: arrow. Symbolic: directed will-force; intention aimed toward truth
- वाच् (vāc)
- Literal: speech. Symbolic: mantric power; conscious articulation that shapes reality
- शल्य (śalya)
- Literal: dart, thorn. Symbolic: piercing discernment; pointed truth that dislodges falsehood
- अशनि (aśani)
- Literal: thunderbolt. Symbolic: sudden decisive illumination; irresistible force of truth
- हृदय (hṛdaya)
- Literal: heart. Symbolic: core will/intention; psychic center where motives arise
- प्रतीच (pratīca)
- Literal: turned backward, opposing. Symbolic: retrograde tendencies; reactions that resist the forward movement
Protection of yajña by mantra-weapon imagery; supports rites needing warding against contamination/hostile intrusion.
Before/at moments of offering and recitation to ward off disturbances to the rite
Offer ghee/sticks; recite as ‘weaponizing’ the rite through mantra and intention
As a practice for speech-discipline: recite before important conversations to align words with truth and reduce reactive speech.
iṣu ‘arrow’ is a standard RV metaphor for directed intention; vāc as formative power (speech that makes). aśani ‘thunderbolt’ aligns with Indric/fiery irresistible force; hṛd- ‘heart’ as central seat. pratīca ‘turned back/opposed’ marks reactionary movements in consciousness.
mantra (vāc) as shaping force, Rita vs. reaction (pratīca)
Breaking ‘pratīca’ (backward) arms restores forward motion of ṛta in the being.
Vāc becomes satya when sharpened by inner sincerity; then it pierces falsehood.
Manifestation is shaped by word and offering; distortion is removed by truth-forged force.
Mantra-śakti and yajña as inner psychology (Aurobindo/Kashyap line): vāc and yajña are instruments of consciousness-evolution.
Arrows = intentions; thunderbolt = lightning illumination; forging heat = tapas shaping the will.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘weapons of the rite’ mythologem: yajña and vāc become arrows/darts/thunderbolts in Agni’s hands to strike the hostile power at its core (hṛdaya) and disable its agency (arms).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- Weapon metaphors for speech and ritual action are widespread in IE poetics (word as spear/arrow). hṛd- ‘heart’ has clear IE cognation (Lat. cor/cord-, Gk. kardia).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- Human agency supplies the ‘materials’ (yajña, vāc), while the deity executes the decisive strike—an explicit collaboration between disciplined practice and divine force.
Consecrate action and speech: feel each breath as offering; let words arise only from clarity; aim intention like an arrow into the heart of a recurring pattern.
Anahata (heart motive) + Vishuddha (purified speech)
Moderate: inhale ‘gather’, exhale ‘offer’; on exhale silently ‘pierce’ the core impulse with awareness.
Collected, purposeful, ethically aligned clarity.
Identify one resistant pattern; during recitation, visualize a flame-arrow formed by sincere offering and true speech, striking the pattern at its motive in the heart, then relax into quiet strength.
Three-tone Vedic contour; exact accents require supplied svara text.
Keep ‘yajñair iṣūḥ’ deliberate (crafting); quicken slightly on ‘aśanibhir’ to mimic thunder; land firmly on ‘hṛdaye vidhya’.
yajñair: ‘jñ’ palatal cluster, not ‘gy’, iṣūḥ: long ū; retroflex ṣ, saṃnamamānaḥ: nasal ‘ṃ’ before n; keep vowels clear, śalyān: palatal ś; long ān, bhaṅdhi: aspirated bh + nasal ṅ before dh
Bright and focused; crisp consonants like ‘forged edges’.
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