Rig Veda 3.3.6: Mandala 3, Sukta 3, Mantra 6
Sukta 3.3
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
अग्निर्देवेभिर्मनुषश्च जन्तुभिस्तन्वानो यज्ञं पुरुपेशसं धिया । रथीरन्तरीयते साधदिष्टिभिर्जीरो दमूना अभिशस्तिचातनः ॥
agnír devébhir mánuṣaś ca jantúbhis tanvānáḥ yajñáṃ puru-péśasaṃ dhiyā́ | rathī́r antár īyate sā́dhadiṣṭi-bhir jīró damū́nā abhiśasti-cā́tanaḥ ||
अग्नि देवताओं और लोगों और सब जीवों के साथ यज्ञ को आगे बढ़ाता है। अच्छी सोच से इसे बना देता है। रथ चलाने वाले की तरह अंदर काम करता है। अपने घर में तेज़ है, बुरी बातों को भगा देता है।
Word by Word
- अग्निः
- Agni (the fire-god)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot अग्नि- (प्रातिपदिक)
- देवेभिः
- with the godsNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole सह/साधन (करण-भावः; ‘with’)Root देव- (प्रातिपदिक)
- मनुष्यैः
- with men (humans)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole सह/साधन (करण-भावः; ‘with’)Root मनुष्य- (प्रातिपदिक)
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चय-अव्ययRoot च
- जन्तुभिः
- with living beings/creaturesNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole सह/साधन (करण-भावः; ‘with’)Root जन्तु- (प्रातिपदिक)
- तन्वानः
- spreading/expandingVerb (Participle)वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ), आत्मनेपदी; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (अग्निः) विशेषणRoot √तन् (तनु)
- यज्ञम्
- the sacrificeNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot यज्ञ- (प्रातिपदिक)
- पुरुपेशसम्
- of many adornments/with much beautyAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (यज्ञम् इति विशेष्य)Role कर्म-विशेषणRoot पुरु- + पेशस्- (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
- धिया
- by insight/with thought (devotion)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करणRoot धि- (प्रातिपदिक)
- रथीः
- the charioteer/riderNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (वैदिक रूप: रथीः = रथी)Role कर्तृ (अग्निः) विशेषणRoot रथिन्- (प्रातिपदिक)
- अन्तरीयते
- moves in-between / passes throughVerbलट्, आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot अन्तर् + √इ (इण्) / वैदिक प्रयोग: ‘अन्तरीयते’
- साधदिष्टिभिः
- with successful/fulfilling offerings (rites)Noun (instrumental plural)स्त्रीलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (वैदिक), तृतीया, बहुवचनRole करणRoot साधदिष्टि- (प्रातिपदिक; बहुव्रीहि/तत्पुरुष-समास, वैदिक)
- जीरः
- swift/quickAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (अग्निः) विशेषणRoot जीर- (प्रातिपदिक)
- दमूना
- house-friend; lord of the houseAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (अग्निः) विशेषणRoot दमूनस्/दमूना- (प्रातिपदिक; वैदिक)
- अभिशस्तिचातनः
- the repeller of curses/hostile imprecationsNoun/Adjective (agent-noun)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (अग्निः इति विशेष्य)Role कर्तृ (अग्निः) विशेषणRoot अभिशस्ति- + √चात्/√चत् (चातन ‘driving away’) (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (मुख्य): अग्निः | देवेभिः | मनुष्यैः | च | जन्तुभिः | तन्वानः | यज्ञम् | पुरुपेशसम् | धिया | रथीः | अन्तरीयते | साधदिष्टिभिः | जीरः | दमूना | अभिशस्तिचातनः || 1) अग्निर्देवेभिः = अग्निः + देवेभिः (विसर्ग-रेफ) 2) मनुषश्च = मनुष्यैः + च (वैदिक संधि/पदपाठ-आधार: मनुष्यैः) 3) जन्तुभिस्तन्वानः = जन्तुभिः + तन्वानः (विसर्ग→स्/र्-प्रयोग; संहिता में -भिस्) 4) रथीरन्तरीयते = रथीः + अन्तरीयते (विसर्ग-लोप/रेफ) 5) साधदिष्टिभिर्जीरः = साधदिष्टिभिः + जीरः (विसर्ग-रेफ)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Agni, together with gods, humans, and all beings, spreads the sacrifice by inspired thought, shaping it richly. Like a charioteer he moves within by perfect accomplishings; swift in his home, he drives away assaults of hostile speech/accusation.
Inner meaning
The inner flame works not only for the solitary seeker but in harmony with all divine powers and all parts of the being (‘gods, men, creatures’). It extends the yajña—our self-offering—through dhī (inspired intelligence), giving the sadhana many ‘forms’ (purupēśasam): knowledge, love, strength, purity. As an inner charioteer, Agni moves in the subtle interior, steering energies through right fulfillments (sādhadiṣṭi). He is swift in the ‘house’ (the body-life), and repels abhiśasti—hostile affirmations, self-denying suggestions, and forces that accuse or bind the consciousness.
Universal truth
Spiritual practice matures when the inner will coordinates all faculties and steadily rejects falsehood, fear, and hostile inner narratives.
Themes
inner-discipline, protection, formation-of-sacrifice, Agni-as-guide
The seer
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Lineage
- Gāthina (Kauśika lineage in later tradition)
- Other hymns
- RV 3.1, RV 3.2, RV 3.3.1-9, RV 3.4-3.12
Family tradition
A seer of inner conquest: discipline (vrata), power (tapas), and illumination (svar) integrated through Agni.
Significance
Here Viśvāmitra emphasizes Agni as the organizer of an integral yoga: coordinating gods (higher powers) and creatures (all parts of nature) into one yajña.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- purupēśasa (richly formed), rathī (charioteer), jīra (swift), damūnā (indwelling), abhiśasticātana (repeller of hostile affirmation)
- Related deities
- Indra (illumination), Sarasvatī (inspired speech), Maruts (energies), Viśve Devāḥ
Cosmic role
Priest and builder of the sacrifice; protector who wards off hostile forces; inner driver of evolution.
Inner power
Coordinating will that turns inspiration into effective accomplishment and psychological protection.
In ritual
Where it is used
General Agni invocation in soma-yajña and daily fire rites; protective function in opening/guarding the rite.
अ॒ग्निर्दे॒वेभि॒र्मनु॑षश्च ज॒न्तुभि॑स्तन्वा॒नो य॒ज्ञं पु॑रु॒पेश॑सं धि॒या । र॒थीर॒न्तरी॑यते॒ साध॑दिष्टिभिर्जी॒रो दमू॑ना अभिशस्ति॒चात॑नः ॥
अ॒ग्निः । दे॒वेभिः॑ । मनु॑षः । च॒ । ज॒न्तुऽभिः॑ । त॒न्वा॒नः । य॒ज्ञम् । पु॒रु॒ऽपेश॑सम् । धि॒या । र॒थीः । अ॒न्तः । ई॒य॒ते॒ । साध॑दिष्टिऽभिः । जी॒रः । दमू॑नाः । अ॒भि॒श॒स्ति॒ऽचात॑नः ॥
agniḥ | devebhiḥ | manuṣaḥ | ca | jantu-bhiḥ | tanvānaḥ | yajñam | puru-peśasam | dhiyā | rathīḥ | antaḥ | īyate | sādhadiṣṭi-bhiḥ | jīraḥ | damūnāḥ | abhiśasti-cātanaḥ
11
4 pādas × ~11 syllables; strong mid-line turn supporting ‘movement within’.
Measured propulsion—like reins and wheels: steady, directive, and protective.
Creates inner order; strengthens resolve; gives a felt sense of guidance ‘inside’ the chest.
- यज्ञम् (yajñam)
- Literal: sacrifice. Symbolic: self-offering; conscious inner work
- धिया (dhiyā)
- Literal: by thought/insight. Symbolic: inspired intelligence (dhī) shaping the path
- पुरुपेशसम् (purupēśasam)
- Literal: many-formed, richly adorned. Symbolic: integral formation of the being—multiple capacities harmonized
- रथीः (rathīḥ)
- Literal: charioteer. Symbolic: inner guide steering energies and actions
- अन्तः (antaḥ)
- Literal: within. Symbolic: inner planes of mind-life-body where transformation occurs
- साधदिष्टिभिः (sādhadiṣṭibhiḥ)
- Literal: by accomplishings that hit the mark. Symbolic: right effective movements of will leading to siddhi
- जीरः (jīraḥ)
- Literal: swift, impetuous. Symbolic: prompt force of awakened aspiration
- दमूना (damūnā)
- Literal: dwelling in the house. Symbolic: Agni as indwelling presence in embodied life
- अभिशस्तिचातनः (abhiśasticātanaḥ)
- Literal: driving away hostile accusation/curse. Symbolic: repelling negation, doubt, self-sabotage, and hostile formations
Agni as the force that extends and perfects the yajña with dhī; apotropaic role removing abhiśasti (harmful speech/forces) in ritual; inwardly, clearing inner negativity and supporting right accomplishings.
At the start of recitation/offerings to establish protection and right formation of the yajña.
Kindling; offering ghee; setting boundaries (rakṣā) through mantra.
Use before challenging work or conversations to dispel inner negativity and align actions with inspired thought.
tanvāná from √tan ‘stretch’ => yajña as something expanded into fullness; peśas ‘form’ => richly articulated inner practice; dhī as inspired intelligence; sā́dhadiṣṭi combines √sādh ‘accomplish’ with diṣṭi ‘ordinance/pointing’ (from √diś ‘direct/show’) => right directed fulfilments; abhiśasti ‘hostile imprecation/accusation’ + cātana ‘driving away’ => Agni as purifier of adverse inner formations.
yajña as progressive formation (purupeśasam), dhi-guided action, removal of hostile forces (inner negation)
Agni’s ‘accomplishings’ are ṛta made effective in works.
Repelling abhiśasti is the rejection of asatya (false suggestion) so satya can act.
Formation (peśas) of the sacrifice mirrors formation of the cosmos—many powers coordinated by one fire.
Integral/psychological Veda: yajña as inner evolution and harmonization of nature.
The indwelling flame steers the mind and life like a charioteer, shaping many capacities and guarding the inner space from hostile vibrations.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Agni as charioteer moving within and driving away hostile forces: the mythic action is protective guidance of the sacrifice’s course. Psychologically, the inner fire organizes the many-formed practice and expels accusatory/negative formations that obstruct progress.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √tan ‘stretch’ reflects PIE *ten- ‘stretch’ (Latin tendere); √diś ‘show/direct’ reflects PIE *deyḱ- ‘show’ (Greek deiknymi). The chariot imagery is a widespread IE poetic and ritual motif of guided movement.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The devotee relies on Agni’s inner governance: by dhi the sacrifice becomes richly formed, and by Agni’s swift mastery the hostile ‘abhiśasti’ is driven away. The exchange is purification and perfection: aspiration offers the field; Agni supplies directed accomplishment and protection.
Invite Agni as the inner charioteer; offer thoughts and impulses into the flame; ask for right formation and protection from negative inner speech.
anāhata (inner guidance) with maṇipūra (will)
4-4 breathing (inhale 4, exhale 4) while feeling ‘reins’ of attention; on exhale, release hostile suggestions.
Centered, guided, quietly forceful.
Repeat 12 times before japa or study; whenever ‘hostile affirmation’ arises, pause, exhale, and re-align to dhī (inspired discernment).
Maintain Vedic accent contrasts; keep udatta prominent on key verbs (tanvāno, īyate) and avoid monotone.
Mark the inner caesura: ‘tanvāno yajñam | purupeśasaṃ dhiyā’—slight pause to shape meaning.
: sandhi—do not separate harshly; keep ‘r’ light, : ‘pe’ clear, avoid ‘pi’, : retroflex ‘ṣṭ’ crisp, : ‘śas’ clear; ‘cāt’ long ā
Firm, directive, slightly deeper tone; articulate consonant clusters cleanly.
12
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.
