Rig Veda 3.26.3: Mandala 3, Sukta 26, Mantra 3
Sukta 3.26
- Rishi
- Kuśika / Viśvāmitra lineage
- Devata
- Agni Vaiśvānara
- Chandas
- Jagatī
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
अश्वो न क्रन्दञ्जनिभिः समिध्यते वैश्वानरः कुशिकेभिर्युगेयुगे । स नो अग्निः सुवीर्यं स्वश्व्यं दधातु रत्नममृतेषु जागृविः ॥
aśvó na krándan jánibhiḥ sám idhyate vaiśvānaráḥ kuśikébhir yugé-yuge | sá no agníḥ su-vī́ryaṁ sv-aśvyáṁ dádhātu rátnam amṛ́teṣu jā́gṛviḥ ||
जैसे घोड़ा आवाज़ करता है, वैसे ही यह अग्नि जलता है। हर वक्त नए लोग इस्को जगाते रहते हैं। कुशिक रिशि हर जुग में इसका काम करते हैं। यह अग्नि देवियों के बीच जगता रहता है। वो हमारे अंदर ताकत डाले और हमारे काम आने वाली चीज़ें दे। हमारी ज़िन्दगी आगे बढ़े।
Word by Word
- अश्वः
- a horseNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot अश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- न
- like, asIndeclinableउपमा/निपातRoot न
- क्रन्दन्
- neighing, crying outVerb (participle)वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ), प्रथमा, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्गRole Kartā (अश्वः के विशेषणरूपेण)Root क्रन्द्
- जनिभिः
- with births; with begettings (i.e., by successive generations/productions)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot जनि (प्रातिपदिक; ‘जन्म/उत्पत्ति’)
- समिध्यते
- is kindled, is enkindledVerbलट्, आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole (मुख्य क्रिया)Root सम्-इध्
- वैश्वानरः
- Vaiśvānara (Agni as ‘belonging to all men’)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot वैश्वानर (प्रातिपदिक)
- कुशिकेभिः
- by/with the KuśikasNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot कुशिक (प्रातिपदिक; जन/गोत्रनाम)
- युगेयुगे
- in every age; from yoke to yoke (each generation)Noun (reduplicated compound)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति ‘युगे युगे’Role AdhikaraṇaRoot युग (प्रातिपदिक)
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (दधातु इत्यस्य)Root तद् (सर्वनाम)
- नः
- to us; for usPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी बहुवचन-एकरूप ‘नः’ (अत्र दत्तिः-अर्थे चतुर्थी)Role SampradānaRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- अग्निः
- AgniNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- सुवीर्यम्
- good heroism; excellent manly powerNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot सु-वीर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- स्वश्व्यम्
- good horses; good horsemanship/possession of fine steedsNoun/Adjective (substantivized)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot सु- अश्व्य / स्व-अश्व्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- दधातु
- may he place; may he bestowVerbलोट् (आशीर्लिङ्/आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole (मुख्य क्रिया)Root धा
- रत्नम्
- treasure, precious giftNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot रत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
- अमृतेषु
- among the immortals; in the immortal (realms/beings)Noun/Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot अमृत (प्रातिपदिक)
- जागृविः
- wakeful, vigilantAdjective (perfect participial formation)परिपूर्ण/स्थायी कृदन्त (वेदिक रूप), प्रथमा, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; ‘जाग्रत्/जागरूक’ अर्थेRole Kartā (अग्नेः विशेषणम्)Root जागृ (√जागृ ‘to be awake’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धिविग्रह): अश्वः न क्रन्दन् जनिभिः समिध्यते वैश्वानरः कुशिकेभिः युगे युगे । सः नः अग्निः सुवीर्यम् स्वश्व्यम् दधातु रत्नम् अमृतेषु जागृविः ॥ 1) क्रन्दञ्जनिभिः → क्रन्दन् + जनिभिः (न् + ज → ञ्ज्)
- 2) कुशिकेभिर्युगेयुगे → कुशिकेभिः + युगे + युगे (विसर्गलोपः/रुत्वाभावः; संहितायां ‘भिर्’)
- 3) स नो अग्निः → सः + नः + अग्निः (विसर्गलोपः)
- 4) दधातु रत्नममृतेषु → रत्नम् + अमृतेषु (म् + अ → म)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Like a neighing horse, Vaiśvānara is kindled by births age after age by the Kuśikas. May that wakeful Agni among the immortals place in us the treasure—heroic power and right mastery of horses.
Inner meaning
Agni-Vaiśvānara awakens in each ‘birth’—each new formation of our nature and each renewed effort in yoga. The ‘neighing horse’ image indicates the surge of vital energy when the inner fire is kindled: life-force becomes vibrant, eager, and forward-moving. ‘suvīrya’ is true soul-heroism (not egoic aggression) and ‘svaśvya’ is right governance of the life-energies (aśva = prāṇic-vital force) so they become instruments of the divine will. Agni is ‘jāgṛviḥ’—wakeful in the immortals—meaning he belongs to the deathless consciousness and can awaken that deathlessness in us as a ‘ratna’ (treasure) of realized power.
Universal truth
Transformation repeats across stages of life: each new beginning can kindle a deeper fire. When will is awake and true, vital energy becomes mastered and turns into courageous, steady power for the soul’s journey.
Themes
Lineage continuity, Vital force symbolism, Inner treasure, Immortality
The seer
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra / Kuśika seers
- Lineage
- Kuśika
- Other hymns
- RV 3.26.1, RV 3.26.2, RV 3.26.4
Family tradition
A lineage of kindling Agni across ‘yugas’—persistent tapas and renewal; emphasis on mastering vital force for spiritual conquest.
Significance
The rishi teaches continuity of practice: the fire must be rekindled in each new ‘birth’ of the seeker; mastery of aśva (vital) is a key step.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni Vaiśvānara
- Epithets
- Vaiśvānara, jāgṛviḥ, amṛteṣu
- Related deities
- Indra (heroic illumination), Maruts (vital powers), Soma (bliss that stabilizes)
Cosmic role
Perennial awakener across ages; carrier of the mortal toward immortality.
Inner power
Awake will that converts raw vital surge into heroic strength and disciplined dynamism.
In ritual
Where it is used
Kindling and strengthening Agni across repeated rites; prayer for vīrya (strength) and prosperity.
अश्वो॒ न क्रन्द॒ञ्जनि॑भि॒: समि॑ध्यते वैश्वान॒रः कु॑शि॒केभि॑र्यु॒गेयु॑गे । स नो॑ अ॒ग्निः सु॒वीर्यं॒ स्वश्व्यं॒ दधा॑तु॒ रत्न॑म॒मृते॑षु॒ जागृ॑विः ॥
अश्वः॑ । न । क्रन्द॑न् । जनि॑ऽभिः । सम् । इ॒ध्य॒ते॒ । वै॒श्वा॒न॒रः । कु॒शि॒केभिः॑ । यु॒गेऽयु॑गे । सः । नः॒ । अ॒ग्निः । सु॒ऽवीर्य॑म् । सु॒ऽअश्व्यम् । दधा॑तु । रत्न॑म् । अ॒मृते॑षु॑ । जागृ॑विः ॥
aśvaḥ | na | krandan | jani-bhiḥ | sam | idhyate | vaiśvānaraḥ | kuśikebhiḥ | yuge--yuge | saḥ | naḥ | agniḥ | su-vīryam | su-aśvyam | dadhātu | ratnam | amṛteṣu | jāgṛviḥ
48
4 × ~12 syllables
Galloping breadth—Jagatī here supports the horse-surge metaphor with forward momentum.
Energizes and mobilizes; helps convert restlessness into purposeful force.
- aśvaḥ
- Literal: horse. Symbolic: vital energy, dynamic life-force that must be mastered and yoked
- krandan
- Literal: neighing/crying. Symbolic: the awakened surge of prāṇa-vital seeking movement and release
- janibhiḥ
- Literal: by births. Symbolic: successive formations—moments of renewal, incarnations of effort, growth-cycles
- sam idhyate
- Literal: is kindled fully. Symbolic: complete ignition of aspiration; intensification of inner will
- yuge-yuge
- Literal: age after age. Symbolic: progressive stages of sadhana; repeated opportunities for ascent
- suvīryam
- Literal: good heroism. Symbolic: soul-courage, luminous strength aligned with truth
- svaśvyam
- Literal: good/own horseness. Symbolic: right control and right use of life-forces; disciplined dynamism
- ratnam
- Literal: treasure/jewel. Symbolic: attained inner power, joy, or realization placed in the being
- amṛteṣu
- Literal: among immortals. Symbolic: in the deathless planes of consciousness; the divine status of Agni
- jāgṛviḥ
- Literal: wakeful. Symbolic: ever-conscious guide; the awakened flame that does not lapse into inertia
Lineage-hymn asserting continual rekindling of the fire; prayer for ratna (inner treasure) and heroic/vital mastery
When renewing the fire or seeking strength for the rite’s progress; also in contexts of invoking ‘ratna’ (boon).
Recitation during samidh (fuel) offering; symbolic ‘feeding’ of the inner fire.
Chant before disciplined action (study, training, service) to align vitality with higher will; use when restarting practice after lapse.
aśva (horse) from PIE *h₁éḱwos (Latin equus) is a classic IE poetic symbol of speed and vital force; here internalized as life-impulsion. √idh ‘kindle’ again marks ignition across yugas. √dhā ‘place’ indicates establishment of inner treasure (ratna). jāgṛviḥ from √jāgṛ ‘be awake’ suggests continuous consciousness.
Cyclic time (yuge-yuge), Wakefulness (jāgṛ) as spiritual vigilance, Transformation of vital force (aśva) into right energy (sv-aśvya)
Implied: true vīrya and mastery arise when will is aligned to right order.
Wakefulness (jāgṛviḥ) as truth-consciousness that does not fall into tamas.
Fire as continuous recreator—each ‘birth’ kindles a new formation toward immortality.
Integral yoga reading: evolution of nature through repeated ignition of will and mastery of life-force.
unspecified
unspecified
Horse = prāṇa/vital dynamism; kindling = intensification of aspiration; immortals = higher planes of consciousness supporting transformation.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Perennial rekindling ‘age after age’: the ever-renewed fire of the tradition and of consciousness. The horse-neigh image mythically signals the surge of life-force; psychologically it is disciplined vital energy offered to Agni to be transmuted into heroic power and treasure.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- aśva corresponds to PIE *h₁éḱwos (equus, hippos cognate set), a hallmark of Indo-European poetics. √dhā (dádhātu) is PIE *dʰeh₁- ‘put, set’ (Greek títhēmi), showing inherited verbal architecture.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The Rishi situates Agni within a living lineage (Kuśikas) and asks Agni, vigilant among immortals, to install in the seeker the inner ratna: su-vīrya (effective soul-force) and sv-aśvya (rightly governed vital energies).
Convert vital surge into steady courage; ask Agni to place ‘ratna’ of right energy and heroic calm within.
manipura
ujjayi (soft) for 7 breaths, then chant once; feel warmth rising without agitation
Energized steadiness; alert will without restlessness.
Visualize a bright flame ‘riding’ the breath; on each exhale offer impulsiveness; on each inhale receive disciplined force (svaśvya).
Strong accent on vaiśvānaraḥ and key boons (suvīryam, svaśvyaṃ, ratnam); keep cadence brisk but controlled.
Let the ‘aśvo na krandan’ phrase move slightly faster, then broaden on the boon-request pādas.
aśvo: short ‘a’, palatal ś, sam idhyate: keep clear separation (sam | idh-), svaśvyaṃ: cluster ‘sv’ and palatal ś; nasal ‘ṃ’ at end, amṛteṣu: vocalic ṛ; retroflex ṭ not present—keep dental t
Energized, firm, with restraint; avoid shouting—aim for ‘heroic clarity’.
7
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Rig Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
