Rig Veda 2.1.6: Mandala 2, Sukta 1, Mantra 6

Sukta 2.1

Rishi

Gṛtsamada

Devata

Agni

Chandas

Gāyatrī

Rasa

Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)

Samhita Patha (Devanagari)

त्वमग्ने रुद्रो असुरो महो दिवस्त्वं शर्धो मारुतं पृक्ष ईशिषे । त्वं वातैररुणैर्यासि शंगयस्त्वं पूषा विधतः पासि नु त्मना ॥

Recitation with translationRig Veda 2.1.6

Transliteration

tvám agne rudró ásuro mahó divás tváṃ śárdho mārutáṃ pṛkṣá īśiṣe | tváṃ vātáir aruṇáir yāsi śaṃgayás tváṃ pūṣā́ vidhatáḥ pāsi nú tmanā́ ||

Translation

अग्नि, तुम रुद्र हो, जो आसमान के ऊपर बड़े हो और बहुत ताकत रखते हो। तुम मरुत सेना के स्वामी हो जो हवा के साथ चलते हैं। तुम लाल हवा के साथ शांति लाते हो। तुम पूषा हो, जो लोगों की हिफाजत करते हैं और उनका काम ठीक से चलाते हैं।

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Word by Word

त्वम्

thou (you)Pronoun · पुं/स्त्री/नपुं (सर्वनाम), प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ · Root युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

अग्ने

O AgniNoun · पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधन · Root अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)

रुद्रः

RudraNoun · पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ-समानााधिकरण (त्वम्) / विधेय-नाम · Root रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)

असुरः

Asura (lordly one)Noun · पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ-समानााधिकरण (त्वम्) / विधेय-नाम · Root असुर (प्रातिपदिक)

महः

of the greatAdjective (used substantively) · नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive) · Root महत् (प्रातिपदिक)

दिवः

of heaven/skyNoun · स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive) · Root द्यौ/दिव् (प्रातिपदिक)

त्वम्

thouPronoun · प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ · Root युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

शर्धः

host, troopNoun · नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्म/विधेय-नाम (त्वम् … शर्धः) · Root शर्धस् (प्रातिपदिक)

मारुतम्

Marut-like / of the MarutsAdjective · नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (शर्धः इति विशेषणम्)Role विशेषण · Root मारुत (प्रातिपदिक)

पृक्षः

the strong/robust one (epithet)Noun/Adjective (epithet) · पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ-समानााधिकरण (त्वम्) / विधेय-नाम · Root पृक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)

ईशिषे

thou rulest, hast powerVerb · लट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रिया · Root ईश् (धातु)

त्वम्

thouPronoun · प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ · Root युष्मद्

वातैः

with windsNoun · पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole करण · Root वात (प्रातिपदिक)

अरुणैः

ruddy, tawnyAdjective · पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन (वातैः इति विशेषणम्)Role विशेषण (करण) · Root अरुण (प्रातिपदिक)

यासि

thou goest, movestVerb · लट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रिया · Root या (धातु)

शंगयः

bringer of welfare/auspiciousnessNoun/Adjective (epithet) · पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ-समानााधिकरण (त्वम्) / विधेय-नाम · Root शंगय (प्रातिपदिक)

त्वम्

thouPronoun · प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ · Root युष्मद्

पूषा

PūṣanNoun · पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ-समानााधिकरण (त्वम्) / विधेय-नाम · Root पूषन् (प्रातिपदिक)

विधतः

of the worshipper/ritual-performerNoun · पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive) · Root विधत् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘विधत्’ = worshipper/ordainer)

पासि

thou protectestVerb · लट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रिया · Root पा (धातु)

नु

now, indeedIndeclinable · निपात (emphatic/now)Root नु (निपात)

त्मना

by thyself, in thine own personNoun (instrumental of manner) · पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करण/प्रकार (by oneself) · Root त्मन् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘self, person’)

Sandhi Notes

• पदच्छेद (सन्धि-निरसन): त्वम् अग्ने रुद्रः असुरः महः दिवः | त्वम् शर्धः मारुतम् पृक्षः ईशिषे | त्वम् वातैः अरुणैः यासि शंगयः | त्वम् पूषा विधतः पासि नु त्मना || 1) दिवस् + त्वम् → दिवस्त्वम् (स् + त्)
• 2) वातैः + अरुणैः → वातैररुणैः (विसर्ग/रेफ-सन्धि: ऐः + अ-)
• 3) नु + त्मना → नु त्मना (पद-सीमा; निपातः)

The meaning

Outer meaning

Agni is Rudra, the mighty lord of the great heaven; he rules the Marut host, strong in increase. He moves with ruddy winds as a bringer of peace; he is Pūṣan, guarding the worshipper by his own power.

Inner meaning

Agni becomes the intense purifier (Rudra) whose force can heal by confronting and burning impurity. As lord of the Maruts, he governs the storm-forces—dynamic life-energies and thought-winds that can either scatter or, when ruled, increase power (pṛkṣa). The ‘ruddy winds’ are the prāṇic currents colored by awakened energy; guided by Agni they become śaṃgaya—carriers of peace, not turbulence. As Pūṣan, Agni protects the path and the traveler: the inner guide who guards the worker (vidhataḥ) through self-force (tmanā), ensuring safe progress through difficult passages of transformation.

Universal truth

The same divine force that can seem fierce is also the healer and protector. When our energies are governed by the inner fire, turbulence becomes growth and peace; the path is safeguarded from within.

Themes

protection, purification, storm-forces, guidance

The seer

Rishi

Gṛtsamada (Bhārgava)

Lineage

Bhārgava

Other hymns

Rig Veda 2.1, Rig Veda 2.33 (Rudra hymns in RV corpus are thematically allied)

Family tradition

Bhārgava vision often integrates fierce and benevolent aspects of the divine Fire—purification (Rudra) and guidance (Pūṣan) as one continuous yogic process.

Significance

The seer shows that transformative intensity is not opposed to peace; peace is the outcome of mastered energies. This is central to inner sacrifice: purification leads to protection and guidance.

The deity

Devata

Agni (as Rudra, lord of Maruts, and Pūṣan)

Epithets

rudraḥ, asuraḥ, maho divaḥ, īśiṣe (ruler), śaṃgayaḥ, pūṣā

Related deities

Rudra, Maruts, Pūṣan, Vāyu (winds/prāṇa)

Cosmic role

Purifier-healer; ruler of dynamic storm-forces; guide and protector of the journey.

Inner power

Burns obscurity, disciplines energetic currents, converts turbulence into peace, and guards the practitioner’s path by innate divine strength.

In ritual

Where it is used

Invocations for protection and successful passage; Agni as guardian and purifier in rites; also relevant where Rudra/Marut energies are invoked for strength and healing.

Accents and Padapatha

Chandas Analysis

Key Symbols

Ritual Application

Etymology

Philosophical Concepts

Vedic Cosmology

Natural Symbolism

Academic Analysis

Yogic Application

Chanting Notes