Rig Veda 3.18.4: Mandala 3, Sukta 18, Mantra 4
Sukta 3.18
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Tr̥ṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
उच्छोचिषा सहसस्पुत्र स्तुतो बृहद्वयः शशमानेषु धेहि । रेवदग्ने विश्वामित्रेषु शं योर्मर्मृज्मा ते तन्वं भूरि कृत्वः ॥
úc chóciṣā sahasasputra stutó bṛhád váyaḥ śaśamānéṣu dhehi | revád agne viśvāmitreṣu śáṃ yór marmṛjmā́ te tanvàṃ bhū́ri kṛ́tvaḥ ||
अग्नि, अपनी आग के साथ ऊपर उठ। लोग तुम्हारी तारीफ करते हैं, तुम ताकत के बेटे हो। जो लोग सच्चे दिल से भगवान को ढूंढते हैं, उनको बड़ी ताकत दे। विश्वामित्र रिशियों के बीच में तुम बहुत धनी हो। हम तुम्हारे शरीर को साफ और चमकदार बनाना चाहते हैं। शांति और अच्छे जीवन के लिए यह करते हैं।
Word by Word
- उत्
- up, forthIndeclinableउपसर्ग (prefix/adverb)Root उत् (उपसर्ग)
- शोचिषा
- with flame/splendourNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot शोचिस्
- सहसः
- of might/strengthNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचनRole SambandhaRoot सहस्
- पुत्र
- O sonNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole SambodhanaRoot पुत्र
- स्तुतः
- praisedParticiple (Adjective) / Kṛdantaपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकृत् (क्त), कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगःRole Kartā (as predicate of Agni) / ViśeṣaṇaRoot स्तु (धातु) → स्तुत (कृदन्त)
- बृहत्
- greatly, loftyAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग (or अव्ययवत्), प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; here adverbial useRoot बृहन्त्
- वयः
- vital strength, vigorNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनRole Karma (object of धेहि) / or intended giftRoot वयस्
- शशमानेषु
- among the toiling/striving onesParticiple (Noun/Adj) / Kṛdantaपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, बहुवचन; परिपूर्ण/वर्धमान अर्थे (intensive/perfect participial stem)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot शम् (धातु) → शशमान (कृदन्त)
- धेहि
- place, bestowVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole KriyāRoot धा
- रेवत्
- richly, splendidlyAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग (or अव्ययवत्), प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; here adverbial/qualifyingRoot रेवत्
- अग्ने
- O AgniNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole SambodhanaRoot अग्नि
- विश्वामित्रेषु
- among the ViśvāmitrasNoun (proper/tribal name)पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, बहुवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot विश्वामित्र
- शम्
- well-being, auspiciousnessIndeclinableअव्यय (निपात)Root शम्
- यः
- who/whichPronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचनRole Kartā (relative clause) / ViśeṣaṇaRoot यद्
- उः
- indeed, andIndeclinableएन्क्लिटिक निपात (emphatic/connecting)Root उ (enclitic particle)
- मर्मृज्मा
- the purifier/cleanserNoun (agent/quality) / Kṛdanta-derivedपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; reduplicated formation from √मृज् ‘to wipe/clean/purify’Role Kartā (relative clause predicate) / ViśeṣaṇaRoot मृज् (धातु) → मर्मृज्मन् (कृदन्त/नाम)
- ते
- of you, yourPronounषष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन (enclitic)Role SambandhaRoot त्वद्
- तन्वम्
- body, personNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot तनू
- भूरि
- much, abundantlyIndeclinable / Adjectiveअव्यय (बहु अर्थे)Root भूरि
- कृत्वः
- deed, act; (as) accomplishmentNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Vedic form)Role Karma (appositional to तन्वम्) / or mannerRoot कृत्वस्
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (major): उच्छोचिषा → उत् + शोचिषा (उत् before श- gives उच्छ- by assimilation)
- सहसस्पुत्र → सहसः + पुत्र (visarga before प becomes s)
- बृहद्वयः → बृहत् + वयः (final -t before v becomes -d)
- शं योर्मर्मृज्मा → शम् + यः + उः + मर्मृज्मा (enclitic उः after यः; mṛj-reduplicated noun)
- ते तन्वं → ते + तन्वम् (anusvāra/phonetic)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Agni, son of Force, is asked to rise with flame; to place a vast winged power in the praising seekers. Among the Viśvāmitras, rich Agni is asked for peace and well-being; the worshippers would make his body bright and great.
Inner meaning
Agni is invoked to rise in intensity (‘ut chociṣā’) as the child of Sahas (Force): the awakened will must become luminous. The ‘vast winged power’ (bṛhad vayaḥ) is the capacity of ascent—inner flight beyond limiting habit. It is to be implanted in ‘śaśamāneṣu’—those who strive and labor in the sacrifice (sādhakas). The clan-name ‘viśvāmitreṣu’ signals a collective yoga: a lineage-field where Agni becomes ‘revat’ (rich, abundant) in peace (śam) and right enjoyment/wholeness (yoḥ). ‘Marmṛjmā te tanvam’ suggests polishing/clarifying the body of Agni: refining the instrument of will so it becomes smooth, bright, and vast—capable of holding higher force without friction.
Universal truth
As aspiration grows luminous, it grants wings to consciousness—an expansive power of ascent—and refines the instrument for peace-filled strength.
Themes
ascent, empowerment of seekers, clan invocation, purification and abundance
The seer
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Lineage
- Viśvāmitra (explicit: viśvāmitreṣu)
- Other hymns
- RV 3.1, RV 3.18.1, RV 3.18.2, RV 3.18.3
Family tradition
Collective sacrificial striving; hymns often build a communal field of aspiration where Agni grows vast and winged.
Significance
The mantra links lineage (saṅgha-like collectivity) with ascent: the rishi’s clan becomes a vessel for a greater winged consciousness.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- sahasas putra, stuta (praised), revat
- Related deities
- Vāyu (ascent/breath), Uṣas (illumination), Indra (victory in ascent)
Cosmic role
Upward leader of the sacrifice; gives the power of ascent and establishes peace and welfare in the human field.
Inner power
Uplifting flame that grants wings (vayaḥ) to consciousness; refines the instrument into a smooth, bright vessel for higher force.
In ritual
Where it is used
Praise at the strengthening of the fire; communal invocation within śrauta recitation cycles
उच्छो॒चिषा॑ सहसस्पुत्र स्तु॒तो बृ॒हद्वय॑: शशमा॒नेषु॑ धेहि । रे॒वद॑ग्ने वि॒श्वामि॑त्रेषु॒ शं योर्म॑र्मृ॒ज्मा ते॑ त॒न्वं१॒॑ भूरि॒ कृत्व॑: ॥
उत् । शो॒चिषा॑ । स॒ह॒सः॒ । पु॒त्र॒ । स्तु॒तः । बृ॒हत् । वयः॑ । श॒श॒मा॒नेषु॑ । धे॒हि॒ । रे॒वत् । अ॒ग्ने॒ । वि॒श्वामि॑त्रेषु । शम् । योः । म॒र्मृ॒ज्म । ते॒ । त॒न्व॑म् । भूरि॑ । कृत्वः॑ ॥
ut | śociṣā | sahasaḥ | putra | stutaḥ | bṛhat | vayaḥ | śaśamāneṣu | dhehi | revat | agne | viśvāmitreṣu | śam | yoḥ | marmṛjma | te | tanvam | bhūri | kṛtvaḥ
44
4 × ~11
Ascending and expansive; the imagery of wings matches the meter’s broad stride.
Elicits uplift and spaciousness; stabilizes the nervous system into confident peace.
- उत् शोचिषा (ut śociṣā)
- Literal: Rise up with flame. Symbolic: Intensification and awakening of inner will-light
- सहसः पुत्र (sahasaḥ putra)
- Literal: Son of Force. Symbolic: Agni as born from concentrated power; will emerging from tapas
- बृहत् वयः (bṛhat vayaḥ)
- Literal: Vast wing/strength. Symbolic: Power of ascent; expansive uplift of consciousness
- शशमानेषु (śaśamāneṣu)
- Literal: In those who toil/strive. Symbolic: Sādhakas engaged in sustained practice
- रेवत् (revat)
- Literal: Rich, opulent. Symbolic: Fullness of force and joy; abundance of inner resources
- विश्वामित्रेषु (viśvāmitreṣu)
- Literal: Among the Viśvāmitras. Symbolic: In the collective field of seekers aligned to universal friendship/light
- शं (śaṃ)
- Literal: Peace, auspiciousness. Symbolic: Settled harmony of the being
- योः (yoḥ)
- Literal: Welfare, well-being. Symbolic: Right enjoyment, wholeness, health of consciousness
- मर्मृज्म (marmṛjmā)
- Literal: We would polish/cleanse. Symbolic: Refinement of the inner instrument; removing roughness of ego
- तन्वम् (tanvam)
- Literal: Body. Symbolic: Embodied formation of will-force in mind-life-body
Clan-specific Agni praise; used to strengthen Agni in the sacrificers and to install ‘bṛhat vayaḥ’ (vast ascending force) in the practitioners.
When building the fire’s intensity and seeking uplift/auspiciousness for the group of sacrificers
Stuti (praise), feeding the fire, invoking śam-yoḥ (peace-welfare)
Group chanting for collective coherence; use before collaborative work to create an uplifted, peaceful field.
sahas: force/might (often a cosmic energy). vayaḥ: ‘bird/strength/vigor/age’—here paired with bṛhat suggests ‘winged power’ (upward movement). śaśamāna: from √śam/√śram? Vedic śaśamāna commonly ‘toil, strive, be zealous’—discipline in seekers. mṛj: ‘wipe, cleanse, polish’ → purification/brightening of Agni’s form.
Sahas (force) as origin of Agni, Bṛhat (vast ascent), Purification (mṛj), Śam-yoḥ (peace and well-being)
True ascent is an ascent in ṛta—expansion that also yields peace and welfare, not agitation.
Polishing Agni’s ‘body’ is aligning the instrument to truth so force expresses cleanly.
Formation of a ‘great body’ of fire—an inner creative embodiment of divine will in the human vessel.
Integral yoga reading: ascent (winged power) and purification/refinement of the instrument for stable peace.
dawn-like uplift (symbolic)
Flame rising = aspiration; wings = liberated consciousness; polishing = purification of mind-vital-body; peace/welfare = settled harmony after ascent.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Agni as ‘son of Force’ rising with flame and granting ‘wings’ of vast ascent to the disciplined: the mythic action is the upward surge of fire that becomes an inner power of elevation in the sacrificers.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The ascent imagery ‘wings’ (vayaḥ) and the fire’s upward motion belong to a shared IE poetics of elevation (fire/sun rising). The cleansing root √mṛj (‘wipe/purify’) corresponds to widespread IE notions of ritual purity enacted by physical cleaning and transposed into moral/psychological purification.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The Viśvāmitras praise and ‘polish’ Agni—i.e., they intensify and clarify the inner fire through mantra and rite. Agni reciprocates by placing bṛhat vayaḥ (vast ascending power) into the striving practitioners and establishing śam-yoḥ (peaceful felicity).
Feel the flame rising along the spine as a ‘winged’ uplift; then settle the uplift into heart-peace (śam) and whole-being welfare (yoḥ).
anahata (peace) and ajna (winged vision)
Ujjāyī (soft) for 3–5 minutes; on inhale feel ‘ut’, on exhale feel ‘śam-yoḥ’.
Uplifted spacious calm; luminous steadiness.
After invoking ascent, consciously ‘polish the instrument’: relax rough edges—irritation, haste, pride—so force can act smoothly and benevolently.
Chant with clear udātta rises on ‘ut’ and key epithets; keep the cadence smooth on ‘śaṃ yor’.
Let pāda 1 rise; pāda 2 broaden; pāda 3 soften into auspiciousness; pāda 4 steady and luminous.
: long ī; ‘śo-ci-ṣā’ with retroflex ṣ, : sandhi; articulate ‘sahasas-putra’ cleanly, : ‘viś-vā-mi-tre-ṣu’ with retroflex ṣ, : cluster; ‘mar-mṛj-mā’ with vocalic ṛ
Uplifting, bright, then soothing at the end.
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