Rig Veda 3.17.2: Mandala 3, Sukta 17, Mantra 2
Sukta 3.17
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Tr̥ṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
यथायजो होत्रमग्ने पृथिव्या यथा दिवो जातवेदश्चिकित्वान् । एवानेन हविषा यक्षि देवान्मनुष्वद्यज्ञं प्र तिरेममद्य ॥
yáthā́yajo hotrám agne pṛthivyā́ yáthā́ divó jā́tavedas cikitvā́n | evā́néna havíṣā yakṣi devā́n manuṣvád yajñáṃ prá tirémám adyá ||
अग्नि, पहले तुम धरती पर पंडित का काम करते थे। फिर आसमान से भी तुमने यह काम किया, जातवेदस। तुम्हे सब पता था कैसे करना है। अब भी इस हवन के साथ भगवानों की पूजा करो। यह इंसानों का तरीका है। आज इस यज्ञ को आगे बढ़ा दो।
Word by Word
- यथा
- just asIndeclinableसम्बन्ध/उपमानार्थ अव्यय (यथा = ‘as, just as’)Root यथा (अव्यय)
- अयजः
- you sacrificed / you performed worshipVerbलुङ् (अorist), परस्मैपद, 2nd person singularRole (त्वम्) कर्ताRoot यज्
- होत्रम्
- the Hotṛ-function / priestly office (invocation)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्मRoot होत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- अग्ने
- O AgniNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- पृथिव्याः
- of the earthNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचन (वेदिक रूप: -याः)Role सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root पृथिवी (प्रातिपदिक)
- यथा
- just asIndeclinableउपमानार्थ अव्ययRoot यथा (अव्यय)
- दिवः
- of heavenNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग (द्यौः), षष्ठी एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root द्यौ/दिव् (प्रातिपदिक)
- जातवेदः
- O Jātavedas (Agni, knower of births)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन एकवचन (वेदिक voc. in -ः)Role सम्बोधनRoot जातवेदस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- चिकित्वान्
- the wise/knowing oneAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; विशेषण (अग्ने/जातवेदः)Role कर्तृविशेषणRoot चिकित्वस्/चिकित्वान् (कृदन्त; √चित् ‘to perceive/know’ with intensive/perfect base)
- एव
- thus, indeedIndeclinableनिश्चय/उपमान-समुच्चयार्थ अव्ययRoot एव (अव्यय)
- अनेन
- with thisPronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचनRole करणRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- हविषा
- with the oblationNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचनRole करणRoot हविस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- यक्षि
- worship! / sacrifice to!Verbलोट् (imperative), परस्मैपद, 2nd person singular (वेदिक: यक्षि)Role (त्वम्) कर्ताRoot यज्
- देवान्
- the godsNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- मनुष्व
- in the manner of Manu / as men doIndeclinableक्रियाविशेषण (वेदिक): ‘in manly/according to Manu’s manner’Root मनु (प्रातिपदिक) + -ष्व (अव्ययीभाव/क्रियाविशेषणीय प्रत्यय)
- अद्य
- today, nowIndeclinableकालवाचक अव्ययRole अधिकरण (काल)Root अद्य (अव्यय)
- यज्ञम्
- the sacrificeNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्मRoot यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableउपसर्ग/क्रियाविशेषण (‘forth, forward’)Root प्र (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- तिरेम
- may we cross over / may we carry throughVerbलोट्/विधिलिङ्-सम्भाव्य (वेदिक injunctive/optative usage), परस्मैपद, 1st person pluralRole (वयम्) कर्ताRoot तॄ/तॄ॑ (to cross, overcome)
- अमम्
- this (here)Adjective/Pronoun-likeपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; ‘this’ (वेदिक deictic)Role कर्म-विशेषणRoot अम (प्रातिपदिक)
- अद्य
- today, nowIndeclinableकालवाचक अव्ययRole अधिकरण (काल)Root अद्य (अव्यय)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (padapāṭha-style): यथाय॑जो → यथा अयजः
- हो॒त्रम॑ग्ने → होत्रम् अग्ने
- पृथि॒व्या → पृथिव्याः (gen.sg. Vedic -yāḥ)
- दि॒वो → दिवः
- जातवेदश्चिकित्वान् → जातवेदः चिकित्वान् (visarga before c-)
- ए॒वानेन॑ → एव अनेन
- ह॒विषा॑ यक्षि (no change)
- दे॒वान्म॑नु॒ष्वद्य॒ज्ञं → देवान् मनुष्व् अद्य यज्ञम् (final -न् before m; मनुष्व as indeclinable)
- प्र ति॑रे॒मम॒द्य → प्र तिरेम अमम् अद्य
The meaning
Outer meaning
As you once performed the priestly work on earth, and as from heaven you did it with knowing, O Jātavedas—so now by this offering sacrifice to the gods in the human way; carry this yajña forward beyond its present limit today.
Inner meaning
Agni as Jātavedas (‘knower of births’) is the conscious flame that knows how powers manifest in us. He has worked ‘on earth’ (in the embodied nature) and ‘from heaven’ (from higher mind/ideal planes) with cikitvān—awake intelligence. The seeker asks that same conscious will to act now through the offered substance of life-energy (havis), in a truly human way (manuṣvat): i.e., with reflective consent, sincerity, and conscious participation rather than mechanical rite. ‘Carry the yajña beyond its limit’ is the push past present capacity—beyond habitual boundaries—so the inner sacrifice becomes progressive transformation today (adya), not postponed.
Universal truth
Progress comes when practice is guided by conscious intelligence that bridges higher inspiration and embodied execution. Offerings made with awareness expand our limits and make growth immediate and real.
Themes
Agni as mediator, continuity of primordial rite, crossing beyond limits
The seer
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Lineage
- Viśvāmitra (Gāthina line)
- Other hymns
- RV 3.17, RV 3.1, RV 3.62
Family tradition
Seer of disciplined aspiration; emphasizes conscious method (cikitvān) and the bridging of earth and heaven through Agni.
Significance
In Viśvāmitra’s vision, the sacrifice is a psychology of ascent: the same divine will must operate in body (earth) and in illumined mind (heaven).
The deity
- Devata
- Agni (Jātavedas, Hotṛ)
- Epithets
- Jātavedas, Hotṛ
- Related deities
- Uṣas, Indra, Bṛhaspati, Sarasvatī (as inspired flow)
Cosmic role
Knower and establisher of sacrifice across worlds; links heaven and earth through right invocation and offering.
Inner power
Discerning will that knows how to translate higher light into embodied practice; guide of method.
In ritual
Where it is used
Invocation to Agni as Hotṛ in soma-yajña sequences; also suitable at the moment of offering (havis) to request right performance.
यथाय॑जो हो॒त्रम॑ग्ने पृथि॒व्या यथा॑ दि॒वो जा॑तवेदश्चिकि॒त्वान् । ए॒वानेन॑ ह॒विषा॑ यक्षि दे॒वान्म॑नु॒ष्वद्य॒ज्ञं प्र ति॑रे॒मम॒द्य ॥
यथा॑ । अय॑जः । हो॒त्रम् । अ॒ग्ने॒ । पृ॒थि॒व्याः । यथा॑ । दि॒वः । जा॒त॒ऽवे॒दः॒ । चि॒कि॒त्वान् । ए॒व । अ॒नेन॑ । ह॒विषा॑ । य॒क्षि॒ । दे॒वान् । म॒नु॒ष्वत् । य॒ज्ञम् । प्र । ति॒र॒ । इ॒मम् । अ॒द्य ॥
yathā | ayajaḥ | hotram | agne | pṛthivyāḥ | yathā | divaḥ | jāta-vedaḥ | cikitvān | eva | anena | haviṣā | yakṣi | devān | manuṣvat | yajñam | pra | tira | imam | adya
44
4×11 syllables
Instructional and expansive; the second half tends to ‘push forward’ (pra-).
Creates a felt bridge between higher inspiration and present action; energizes the will to exceed limits.
- होत्रम् (hotram)
- Literal: priestly work of Hotṛ. Symbolic: the power of invocation—calling higher forces into the being
- पृथिव्याः (pṛthivyāḥ)
- Literal: from/on earth. Symbolic: embodied nature, physical-vital base of practice
- दिवः (divaḥ)
- Literal: from heaven. Symbolic: higher mind, luminous planes, ideal consciousness
- जातवेदः (jātavedaḥ)
- Literal: knower of all births. Symbolic: inner fire that knows origins, tendencies, and right means of transformation
- चिकित्वान् (cikitvān)
- Literal: knowing, conscious. Symbolic: wakeful discernment guiding aspiration
- हविषा (haviṣā)
- Literal: with offering. Symbolic: offered life-force, attention, breath, works
- मनुष्वत् (manuṣvat)
- Literal: in the human way. Symbolic: conscious, ethical, self-aware cooperation (not mechanical)
- यज्ञम् प्र तिरेम (yajñam pra tirema)
- Literal: carry the sacrifice forward/over. Symbolic: surpass present limitations; progressive inner evolution
Hotṛ-prayer: asking Agni to perform the offering and ‘carry across’ the rite—typical of soma-yajña progressions.
Before/at oblation, when asking Agni to perform the yajana and carry it to the gods.
Offer havis into fire; recite to align action with knowledge and tradition (manuṣvat).
Before work or a difficult conversation: inwardly ‘offer’ the action to the flame of conscious will and ask to exceed habitual reactions today.
jātavedas: jāta ‘born’ + vedas ‘knowing’ (< √vid) → knowledge inherent in becoming. manuṣvat: ‘as Manu’ (archetypal human) → the right human measure/order. pra-tira: pra + √tṝ ‘to cross’ → moving the sacrifice across obstacles/limits.
bridging heaven and earth, conscious will (cikitvān), right human law (manuṣvat)
Right sacrifice is continuity of ṛta across planes—what was done ‘then’ must be done ‘now’ in truth.
cikitvān implies satya-consciousness in method, not mere form.
Descent-ascent dynamic: heavenly knowledge embodied on earth through Agni.
Integral yoga hermeneutic: transform nature by bringing supraphysical light into physical action.
Earth = body and habits; Heaven = luminous mind; Fire = translating will that connects them.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The archetypal sacrifice spanning earth and heaven: Agni repeats the primordial offering in both planes and is asked to re-enact that bridging now, carrying the present yajña ‘across’ (√tṝ) its limitations.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √yaj ‘sacrifice’ is central to Indo-Iranian (Avestan yasna ‘worship’), showing a shared ritual lexicon. √tṝ ‘cross’ relates to PIE *terh₁- ‘cross over, overcome’ (cf. English ‘through’ is not cognate; but the PIE crossing root family is well-attested).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi appeals to Agni’s remembered competence (‘as you did before’) and requests present action: Agni must translate the human offering (havis) into a divine transaction, ensuring the rite advances successfully today.
Unite ‘higher intention’ (heaven) with ‘embodied execution’ (earth) by invoking Agni as conscious method.
Maṇipūra (will/transformative fire) with support from Ājñā (discernment)
4-4 breathing: inhale ‘from heaven’ (receive), exhale ‘to earth’ (apply); then offer one intention into the inner fire.
Conscious competence—alert, sincere, quietly forceful.
Before practice, recall a time of clarity (‘from heaven’). Bring it into the body (‘on earth’) by a single offered act done with full awareness (manuṣvat).
Follow Saṃhitā accents; keep cikitvān and jātavedaḥ clearly peaked where marked; avoid flattening the second hemistich which carries the ‘forward’ impulse.
Emphasize: yáthāyajo, hótram, pṛthivyā́, dívo, jātavedaḥ, cikitvā́n, yákṣi, manuṣvát, prá tirema.
Cluster ‘kṣi’ in yakṣi: keep it crisp (yak-ṣi), not ‘yashi’., Maintain long ā in yathā-, pṛthivyā., Retroflex ṇ not present here; keep dentals clear in manuṣvat.
Clear and directive, like giving the will a precise instruction; soften slightly on the closing adya.
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