Rig Veda 3.23.4: Mandala 3, Sukta 23, Mantra 4
Sukta 3.23
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
नि त्वा दधे वर आ पृथिव्या इळायास्पदे सुदिनत्वे अह्नाम् । दृषद्वत्यां मानुष आपयायां सरस्वत्यां रेवदग्ने दिदीहि ॥
ní tvā dadhe váre ā́ pṛthivyā́ iḷā́yāḥ padé su-dina-tvé áhnām | dṛṣád-vatyāṃ mā́nuṣe āpayā́yāṃ sárasvatyāṃ revád agne didīhi ||
मैं तुम्हे धरती पर एक चुने हुए स्थान पर बिठाता हूँ। यह इला का स्थान है, और दिन खुश रहें इसलिए। दृषद्वती नदी में, इंसान लोगों के इलाके में, आपया में, सरस्वती में, हे चमकदार अग्नि, चमक के दिख।
Word by Word
- नि
- down; in; (prefix)Indeclinableupasarga/avyayaRoot नि (upasarga) / ni (avyaya)
- त्वा
- you (thee)Pronounaccusative, singularRole KarmaRoot युष्मद् (pronoun)
- दधे
- I have placed / I setVerbperfect (liṭ), 1st person singular, parasmaipadaRoot धा (डुधाञ्) ‘to place, set’
- वरे
- in the choice/boon; in the excellent (place)Nounlocative, singular, masculineRole AdhikaraṇaRoot वर (prātipadika)
- आ
- to; unto; (prefix)Indeclinableupasarga/avyayaRoot आ (upasarga) / ā (avyaya)
- पृथिव्याः
- from the earthNounablative, singular, feminineRole ApādānaRoot पृथिवी (prātipadika)
- इळायाः
- of Ilā (goddess of nourishment/earth)Noungenitive, singular, feminineRole Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandhaRoot इळा (Ilā) (prātipadika)
- पदे
- in the place/footingNounlocative, singular, neuterRole AdhikaraṇaRoot पद (prātipadika)
- सुदिनत्वे
- in good day-ness; in fair days/bright timeNoun (abstract)locative, singular, neuterRole AdhikaraṇaRoot सु-दिनत्व (prātipadika; from सु + दिन + -त्व)
- अह्नाम्
- of daysNoungenitive, plural, neuterRole Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandhaRoot अहन् (prātipadika)
- दृषद्वत्याम्
- in/at (the river) DṛṣadvatīProper nounlocative, singular, feminineRole AdhikaraṇaRoot दृषद्वती (river-name) (prātipadika)
- मानुषः
- the man; the human (one)Adjective/Nounnominative, singular, masculineRole KartāRoot मानुष (prātipadika)
- अपयायाम्
- in/at (the river) ApayāProper nounlocative, singular, feminineRole AdhikaraṇaRoot अपयाया (river-name) (prātipadika)
- सरस्वत्याम्
- in/at SarasvatīProper nounlocative, singular, feminineRole AdhikaraṇaRoot सरस्वती (river/goddess) (prātipadika)
- रेवत्
- O wealthy/splendidAdjectivevocative, singular, masculineRole SambodhanaRoot रेवत् (adj. stem; from रेव ‘wealth’ + -वत्)
- अग्ने
- O AgniNounvocative, singular, masculineRole SambodhanaRoot अग्नि (prātipadika)
- दिदीहि
- shine forth; blazeVerbimperative, 2nd person singular, parasmaipada (intensive/reduplicated stem)Root दीदिहि < √दीप्/√दी (to shine, blaze) (Vedic intensive/imperative formation)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolutions applied: (1) इळा॑यास्प॒दे → इळायाः पदे (gen. sg. + loc. sg.; visarga lost before p-). (2) रे॒वद॑ग्ने → रेवत् अग्ने (final -t before vowel). Other items are already in padapāṭha-like separated form
- accents retained as in saṃhitā but not re-marked per pada
The meaning
Outer meaning
I place you in the chosen place on Earth, in the seat of Iḷā, for the bright felicity of the days. In Dṛṣadvatī, in the human realm, in Āpayā, in Sarasvatī—shine forth, O radiant Agni.
Inner meaning
The seer ‘sets down’ Agni in the chosen ground: the embodied life (pṛthivī) becomes the field where the inner fire is established. The ‘seat of Iḷā’ is the plane of inspired revelation and luminous speech/insight that supports right action. The named rivers/regions also function as inner streams: Dṛṣadvatī (stone-bearing firmness) as stability; Āpayā (watery fullness) as vital flow and refreshment; Sarasvatī as the river of inspiration and truth-utterance. In the ‘human realm’ (mānuṣe), these currents must converge so Agni can shine for the ‘bright days’—states of conscious clarity and happy progress.
Universal truth
Spiritual realization is not elsewhere: the divine fire must be established in embodied life, supported by inspiration, firmness, and living flow. When these inner currents harmonize, consciousness becomes luminous and the days themselves become brighter.
Themes
Consecration of place, Sacred rivers as streams of inspiration, Agni’s radiance in human realm
The seer
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Lineage
- Gāthin (Viśvāmitra lineage)
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 3.23.1, Rig Veda 3.23.2, Rig Veda 3.23.3, Rig Veda 3.23.5
Family tradition
A tradition of ‘placing’ the fire—externally in the land and internally in the being—linking geography with states of consciousness and inspired speech (Iḷā/Sarasvatī).
Significance
The seer’s act of installation becomes a yoga of embodiment: establish Agni in earth-nature, supported by the streams of firmness, vitality, and inspiration.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- Revat, Didīhi (the shining one invoked to blaze)
- Related deities
- Iḷā, Sarasvatī, Aditi
Cosmic role
Consecrated fire installed on earth; illuminator of the human domain; link between terrestrial foundation and inspired currents.
Inner power
Capacity to make embodied life luminous; to unify stability (rock), vital flow (waters), and inspired truth (Sarasvatī) around a central will.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni installation/consecration in a chosen place; invocation connecting fire with sacred waters/regions
नि त्वा॑ दधे॒ वर॒ आ पृ॑थि॒व्या इळा॑यास्प॒दे सु॑दिन॒त्वे अह्ना॑म् । दृ॒षद्व॑त्यां॒ मानु॑ष आप॒यायां॒ सर॑स्वत्यां रे॒वद॑ग्ने दिदीहि ॥
नि । त्वा॒ । द॒धे॒ । वरे॑ । आ । पृ॒थि॒व्याः । इळा॑याः । प॒दे । सु॒ऽदि॒न॒ऽत्वे । अह्ना॑म् । दृ॒षत्ऽव॑त्याम् । मानु॑षे । आ॒प॒याया॑म् । सर॑स्वत्याम् । रे॒वत् । अ॒ग्ने॒ । दि॒दी॒हि॒ ॥
ni | tvā | dadhe | vare | ā | pṛthivyāḥ | iḷāyāḥ | pade | su-dina-tve | ahnām | dṛṣat-vatyām | mānuṣe | āpayāyām | sarasvatyām | revat | agne | didīhi
Triṣṭubh (probable; installation verses commonly in triṣṭubh; cadence supports listing of places)
44
4 pādas × ~11 syllables
Ritual ‘placing’ rhythm with a steady enumerative flow through locations; ends in a bright imperative (didīhi).
Grounding and clarifying; evokes a sense of consecration of the body and life-field, then a release into radiance.
- पृथिव्याः (pṛthivyāḥ)
- Literal: on Earth. Symbolic: the embodied being; the physical foundation for realization
- वरे (vare)
- Literal: in the chosen/best place. Symbolic: the selected inner posture/center where aspiration is most sincere and stable
- इळायाः पदे (iḷāyāḥ pade)
- Literal: in the seat/step of Iḷā. Symbolic: station of inspired insight and illumined speech that nourishes the sacrifice
- सुदिनत्वे (sudinatve)
- Literal: for the brightness/goodness of days. Symbolic: for sustained luminous states of consciousness in daily life
- मानुषे (mānuṣe)
- Literal: in the human realm. Symbolic: the mixed field where higher and lower forces meet; arena of transformation
- दृषद्वती (dṛṣadvatī)
- Literal: stone-bearing river. Symbolic: firmness, stability, the ‘rock’ foundation in practice
- आपयाया (āpayāyā)
- Literal: Āpayā river. Symbolic: vital waters of refreshment and expansion; supportive flow of life-energy
- सरस्वती (sarasvatī)
- Literal: Sarasvatī river. Symbolic: inspiration, truth-current, luminous speech and intuition
- रेवत् (revat)
- Literal: radiant, rich. Symbolic: plentiful luminous force of Agni
- दिदीहि (didīhi)
- Literal: shine, blaze forth. Symbolic: manifest illumination in the whole being
Establishing Agni at the altar/seat; also a hymn with strong localization to Sarasvatī region, used for sanctifying place and rite (kṣetra-śuddhi / agni-pratiṣṭhā sense).
At establishing the fire-place; in rites emphasizing auspiciousness and continuity of ‘bright days’
Placing the fire, circumambulation, offerings with water/clarified butter; invoking shine
Consecrate a meditation corner or begin a retreat: ‘place’ the inner fire in the body (earth) and invoke inspiration (Iḷā/Sarasvatī) to illumine daily life.
dadhe (√dhā ‘to place’); vara (√vṛ ‘to choose’); pṛthivī (broad earth, from √pṛth ‘to be broad’); didīhi (intensive/imperative from √dī ‘to shine’); Sarasvatī (sar-as ‘flow’ + -vatī ‘possessing’ → ‘she who has the flow’, inspiration-river). The river names function as both geographical and symbolic ‘streams’ supporting the sacrificial flame.
Embodiment as chosen seat for the divine (vara on pṛthivī), Iḷā as inspired speech establishing right order, Auspicious time (su-dina) as result of right inner placement
Correct ‘installation’ aligns the human field with the cosmic order; Agni then maintains right movement through time (days).
Sarasvatī and Iḷā represent satya as inspired truth and right utterance supporting action.
The divine fire is localized—made immanent—so that the terrestrial can participate in luminous becoming.
Integral embodiment: realization is installed in the physical and vital, not rejected.
day (bright days)
Earth = body foundation; rivers = streams of consciousness (stability/vitality/inspiration); fire = will-illumination; stone = firmness in practice.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The consecration of Agni in a chosen terrestrial seat, aligned with Iḷā and the sacred rivers, is a mythologem of ‘placing the divine’ into the human world so that time becomes auspicious (su-dina). The rivers mark channels where inspiration and order flow, enabling Agni’s radiance.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- pṛthivī ‘broad earth’ reflects an inherited IE tendency to name earth by breadth/expanse (cf. Greek πλατύς platýs ‘broad’ from PIE *pl̥th₂u-; Sanskrit pṛthu ‘broad’ is cognate). √dhā ‘place’ is PIE *dʰeh₁- (cf. Greek títhēmi, Lat. faciō is different; but ‘put’ roots recur widely).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi acts as installer: by conscious placement (ni tvā dadhe) he prepares an inner-earth seat where Agni can shine. The devatā responds by illuminating the human realm and making the days ‘good’—a transformation of time and circumstance through established divine presence.
Inner installation: feel a stable ‘earth-seat’ in the pelvis/abdomen; invoke Iḷā (inspired clarity) at the throat/forehead; let Sarasvatī flow as luminous speech and intuition.
Muladhara (earth) + Vishuddha (Sarasvatī/utterance)
Grounding breath: slow inhale down to pelvic floor; exhale up the spine, ending with a soft inner ‘shine’ at brow
Consecrated embodiment; calm clarity
Choose one inner ‘place’ (heart or navel) as vara; daily ‘set’ the flame there before speech and action; let words arise from Sarasvatī-current (truth-flow).
Maintain crisp accenting on place-names; final imperative didīhi should carry a clear udatta lift per recitational tradition.
Pause cleanly at pāda ends; keep the list (dṛṣadvatyām… āpayāyām… sarasvatyām) flowing but distinct.
iḷāyāḥ: pronounce ḷ (retroflex lateral) distinctly if trained; otherwise careful ‘iḍā’ style per tradition., dṛṣadvatyām: vocalic ṛ; ṣ retroflex; avoid ‘drishad’., sarasvatyām: keep ‘saras’ clear; tyām with palatal tya., didīhi: long ī twice; do not shorten.
Grounded, steady; brighten on the final didīhi
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