Rig Veda 4.2.7: Mandala 4, Sukta 2, Mantra 7
Sukta 4.2
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
यस्ते भरादन्नियते चिदन्नं निशिषन्मन्द्रमतिथिमुदीरत् । आ देवयुरिनधते दुरोणे तस्मिन्रयिर्ध्रुवो अस्तु दास्वान् ॥
yás te bharā́d anniyáte cid ánnaṃ niśíṣan mandrám atíthim udī́rat | ā́ devayúr inádhate duroṇé tásmin rayír dhruvó astu dā́svān ||
जो इंसान तुम्हे खाना देता है, जब खाना कम भी हो। वो मेहमान को बिठाता है और खुश करता है। जब कोई भगवान को ढूंढने वाला अपने घर में अग्नि जलाता है, उस इंसान के लिए धन पक्का रहे। उसको कभी कमी न आए।
Word by Word
- यः
- who (he who)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- ते
- of you / yourPronounषष्ठी, एकवचनम् (enclitic)Role SampradānaRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- भरात्
- may he bring / let him bringVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), ३ पुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Role KriyāRoot √भृ (भरणे)
- अन्नियते
- to the food-seeker / to one connected with foodNoun/Adjectiveचतुर्थी, एकवचनम्Role SampradānaRoot अन्नि- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘अन्न’ + -इय/इयत्-सम्बन्ध)
- चित्
- even, indeedIndeclinableअव्ययम्Role (particle)Root चित् (निपात)
- अन्नम्
- foodNounनपुंसकलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
- निशिषन्
- instructing / directingParticipleवर्तमानकृदन्तः, पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot √शास्/√शिष् (शासने/शिक्षायाम्) → नि-शिष् (कृदन्त)
- मन्द्रम्
- gladdening, pleasantAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot मन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- अतिथिम्
- guestNounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot अतिथि (प्रातिपदिक)
- उदीरत्
- he raised / he set in motion / he utteredVerbलङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), ३ पुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Role KriyāRoot √ईर् (गत्यर्थे/प्रेरणे) + उद्
- आ
- towards, hitherIndeclinableअव्ययम्Role (preverb/particle)Root आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- देवयुः
- the god-seeking (worshipper)Noun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot देवयु (प्रातिपदिक)
- इनधते
- he kindles / he enkindlesVerbलट् (वर्तमान), ३ पुरुषः, एकवचनम्, आत्मनेपदम्Role KriyāRoot √इन्ध् (दीप्तौ/प्रदीप्तौ)
- दुरोणे
- in the house / in the dwellingNounनपुंसकलिङ्गम्, सप्तमी, एकवचनम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot दुरोण (प्रातिपदिक)
- तस्मिन्
- in that (place/act)Pronounपुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी, एकवचनम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- रयिः
- wealth, bountyNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot रयि (प्रातिपदिक)
- ध्रुवः
- firm, lastingAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot ध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
- अस्तु
- let it beVerbलोट् (आशीर्लिङ्/आज्ञार्थ), ३ पुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Role KriyāRoot √अस् (भुवि)
- दास्वान्
- the giver, generous oneParticipleभूतकृदन्तः (परस्मैपदीय-परिप्रयोगः), पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot √दा (दाने) → दास्वांस् (कृदन्त)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: यः ते भरात् अन्नियते चित् अन्नम् निशिषन् मन्द्रम् अतिथिम् उदीरत् । आ देवयुः इनधते दुरोणे तस्मिन् रयिः ध्रुवः अस्तु दास्वान् ॥ मुख्य-सन्धयः: (1) यस्ते → यः + ते (विसर्ग-लोपः, तकारादौ संयोगः)
- (2) भरा॒दन्नि॑यते → भरात् + अन्नियते (त् + अ-)
- (3) चि॒दन्नं॑ → चित् + अन्नम् (त् + अ-)
- (4) अतिथिमु॒दीर॑त् → अतिथिम् + उदीरत् (म् + उ-)
- (5) दे॑व॒युरि॒नध॑ते → देवयुः + इनधते (विसर्गस्य रुत्व/उकारान्त-परत्वे संधिः)
- (6) तस्मि॑न्र॒यिः → तस्मिन् + रयिः (न् + र-)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The verse praises the worshipper who, even in scarcity, brings food (offering) to Agni, seats the delightful Guest in the home, and raises him up by kindling. For such a giver, may there be stable wealth (rayi) that does not fail.
Inner meaning
Agni is the awakened divine Will in the human “home” (the embodied consciousness). Even when inner resources feel scarce (anni-yate), the seeker continues to feed the flame with aspiration and right works. By “seating the Guest” the sadhaka establishes the Presence in the heart; by “lifting him up” he intensifies the flame toward higher planes. The reward is not outer wealth but a steady, enduring plenitude of force, clarity, and right fruition (dhruva rayi) that supports the yoga through fluctuations.
Universal truth
When the inner fire is sustained consistently—especially in periods of dryness—consciousness stabilizes. Persevering offering converts scarcity into a durable abundance: a reliable inner capital of strength, joy, and discernment.
Themes
hospitality to Agni, steadfast offering, stable plenitude
The seer
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 4.1, RV 4.2, RV 4.3, RV 4.4, RV 4.5, RV 4.6
Family tradition
Vāmadeva hymns often portray Agni as the inner priest and leader of the ascent; the Gautamas emphasize right ordering (ṛta) and effective inner sacrifice.
Significance
Vāmadeva is a seer of transformation: he voices the psychology of offering where human limitation becomes fuel for divine manifestation, and “wealth” becomes stable spiritual plenitude.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- मन्द्र (mandra, gladdening), अतिथि (atithi, guest), यविष्ठ (yaviṣṭha, youngest—implied in the hymn’s Agni-language)
- Related deities
- Indra, Soma, Uṣas, Aditi
Cosmic role
Mediator between human and divine worlds; carrier of offerings; establisher of ṛta through the sacrificial order.
Inner power
Divine Will and conscious Force (tapas) that receives offerings, purifies movements, and builds stable inner abundance.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agnihotra / household fire-kindling and offerings (general Agni-stotra usage)
यस्ते॒ भरा॒दन्नि॑यते चि॒दन्नं॑ नि॒शिष॑न्म॒न्द्रमति॑थिमु॒दीर॑त् । आ दे॑व॒युरि॒नध॑ते दुरो॒णे तस्मि॑न्र॒यिर्ध्रु॒वो अ॑स्तु॒ दास्वा॑न् ॥
यः । ते॒ । भरा॑त् । अन्नि॑ऽयते । चि॒त् । अन्न॑म् । नि॒ऽशिष॑त् । म॒न्द्रम् । अति॑थिम् । उ॒त्ऽईर॑त् । आ । दे॒व॒ऽयुः । इ॒नध॑ते । दु॒रो॒णे । तस्मि॑न् । र॒यिः । ध्रु॒वः । अ॒स्तु॒ । दास्वा॑न् ॥
yaḥ | te | bharāt | anni-yate | cit | annam | ni-śiṣat | mandram | atithim | ut-īrat | ā | deva-yuḥ | inadhate | duroṇe | tasmin | rayiḥ | dhruvaḥ | astu | dāsvān
44
4 pādas of ~11 syllables each
Forward-driving, declarative cadence with a strong lift toward the cadence; suited to exhortation and assurance.
Builds resolve and steadiness; the rhythm supports perseverance during inner “scarcity,” ending in a stabilizing affirmation (dhruva rayi).
- अन्न (anna)
- Literal: food, nourishment. Symbolic: all that nourishes the inner fire—attention, aspiration, right action, pure impulses
- अतिथि (atithi)
- Literal: guest. Symbolic: the indwelling Divine Presence received into the heart
- देवयु (devayú)
- Literal: god-seeking one. Symbolic: the aspirant oriented to the higher Light
- इनधते (inadhate)
- Literal: kindles, enkindles. Symbolic: awakens and intensifies will, tapas, and aspiration
- दुरोणे (duroṇe)
- Literal: in the house/home. Symbolic: the body-mind as the sacred dwelling; especially the heart-centre
- रयि (rayi)
- Literal: wealth, abundance. Symbolic: plenitude of consciousness: force, illumination, right enjoyment and attainment
- ध्रुव (dhruva)
- Literal: firm, fixed. Symbolic: stability of realization; non-failing support in sadhana
- दास्वान् (dāsvān)
- Literal: giver. Symbolic: one who offers the self and its energies into the divine working
Householder-kindling and hospitality to Agni (gārhapatya ethos); blessing of stable reward for consistent offering.
At kindling and offering moments; also as praise when establishing the fire in the dwelling.
Offering anna/ājya with invocation; seating/hosting Agni as atithi in the ritual space.
Daily “inner agnihotra”: brief candle/flame practice with intention—feed the flame with one sincere offering (breath, mantra, gratitude) especially when motivation is low.
atithi ‘guest’ (a- ‘not’ + tithi ‘fixed day’) is ‘one who comes unannounced’: Agni arrives as a living presence when kindled. dhruvá ‘fixed, firm’ (√dhru ‘be firm’) marks rayi as stable attainment. devayú ‘desiring the gods’ indicates intentional orientation (yú from √yu ‘to join/seek’ in desire-context).
reciprocity (dāna ↔ rayi), steadfastness (dhruva), divine indwelling (atithi)
Agni is invoked as the power that maintains right order in the home/being; stable rayi is the fruit of alignment with ṛta.
Truthfulness of offering—continuity even in scarcity—creates a non-failing inner support.
From limited resources, the flame grows and organizes energies into a stable abundance.
Proto-Vedāntic and Yogic reading (Aurobindonian): inner sacrifice as evolution of consciousness.
Fire = will/aspiration; food = energies offered; home = embodied field of practice where the Divine is hosted and made to grow.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Agni as the ‘Guest’ who is seated and raised in the home; the giver receives firm rayi. Psychologically, even under inner scarcity, consistent offering installs a joyful presence that stabilizes plenitude.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- dhruva ‘firm’ reflects a common Indo-European semantic of stability (cf. English true via Germanic *treww- is different, but the stability motif is archaic). The hospitality schema (guest/fire) is a widespread Indo-European sacral pattern.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi defines the bond as hospitality and persistence: the seeker seats Agni inwardly; Agni returns a ‘dhruva’ (non-wavering) fullness, implying spiritual consolidation rather than transient gain.
Sustain the inner flame during dryness: offer breath and intention into the heart-fire; cultivate steady inner abundance rather than emotional highs.
Anāhata (heart)
Gentle nāḍī-śodhana or slow 1:1 breathing, then brief kumbhaka while mentally “placing” Agni in the heart.
Steady, luminous composure with quiet energy (tapas in śānti).
When resources feel scarce, reduce complexity: one clear offering (truthful intention) + one steady action. Reaffirm: ‘Let the rayi be dhruva’—stability over intensity.
Follow Śākala Ṛgvedic svara: udatta on marked syllables; anudatta preceding; svarita on falling accents (exact contour requires pada-svara text).
Keep the triṣṭubh cadence: slight lift on the 10th–11th syllable of each pāda; do not over-lengthen enclitics.
Maintain retroflex in ‘niṣīṣan’ and clear dental/retroflex contrast., ‘rayir’ with light repha (r) and short i., ‘dhruvo’ with aspirated dh and rolled r., Keep ‘devayur’ as de-va-yuḥ (visarga audible before vowel by sandhi rules in chanting tradition).
Warm, steady, hospitable tone—like welcoming a guest; end with firm assurance on ‘dhruvo astu’.
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