Rig Veda 4.4.1: Mandala 4, Sukta 4, Mantra 1
Sukta 4.4
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Raudra (fury)
कृणुष्व पाजः प्रसितिं न पृथ्वीं याहि राजेवामवाँ इभेन । तृष्वीमनु प्रसितिं द्रूणानोऽस्तासि विध्य रक्षसस्तपिष्ठैः ॥
kṛṇuṣvá pā́jaḥ prá-sitiṃ ná pṛthvī́ṃ yā́hi rājéva áma-vāṃ ibhéna | tṛṣvī́m ánu prá-sitiṃ drūṇānáḥ ástā́si vídhya rákṣasas tápiṣṭhaiḥ ||
अग्नि, अपनी आग को और तेज करो। ऐसा चलो जैसे राजा अपने हाथी के साथ चलता है। जैसे प्यासे लोग पानी के पीछे भागते हैं, वैसे ही तुम भी आगे बढ़ो। तुम तीर चला रहे हो, राक्षस को अपनी सबसे तेज आग से मारो।
Word by Word
- कृणुष्व
- do/make (for yourself); perform!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्Role (क्रियापद) —Root √कृ (करोति)
- पाजः
- strength, might, vigorNounनपुंसकलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot पाजस् (प्रातिपदिकम्)
- प्रसितिम्
- impulse, forward drive; onsetNounस्त्रीलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot प्रसिति (प्रातिपदिकम्)
- न
- like, asIndeclinableउपमा-निपातःRoot न
- पृथ्वीम्
- the earthNounस्त्रीलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्म (उपमानम्)Root पृथ्वी (प्रातिपदिकम्)
- याहि
- go! come forth!Verbलोट्, मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्Role (क्रियापद) —Root √या (याति)
- राजा
- a kingNounपुंलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्ता (उपमानम्)Root राजन् (प्रातिपदिकम्)
- इव
- as, likeIndeclinableउपमा-निपातःRoot इव
- अमवान्
- mighty, powerfulAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्ता-विशेषणम्Root अमवत् (प्रातिपदिकम्)
- इभेन
- with an elephant (i.e., with elephant(-like) force)Nounपुंलिङ्गम्, तृतीया, एकवचनम्Role करणRoot इभ (प्रातिपदिकम्)
- तृष्वीम्
- thirsting; eager, impetuousAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्म-विशेषणम्Root तृष्वी (प्रातिपदिकम्)
- अनु
- along, after, in accordance withIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययम्Root अनु
- प्रसितिम्
- impulse, forward driveNounस्त्रीलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot प्रसिति (प्रातिपदिकम्)
- द्रूणानः
- running, rushingVerbवर्तमानकाले शानच्-प्रत्ययान्तः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्, पुंलिङ्गम् (कर्तरि)Role कर्ता (क्रियाविशेषण-भावेन)Root √द्रु (द्रवति/द्रव्) + शानच्
- अस्तासि
- you areVerbलट्, मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्Role (क्रियापद) —Root √अस् (अस्ति)
- विध्य
- pierce! smite!Verbलोट्, मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्Role (क्रियापद) —Root √व्यध् (विध्यति)
- रक्षसः
- the demons/evil spirits (rakṣas)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्Role कर्मRoot रक्षस् (प्रातिपदिकम्)
- तपिष्ठैः
- with the most burning (weapons/forces); with fiercest heatAdjectiveपुं/नपुंसक-प्रयोगे, तृतीया, बहुवचनम्Role करणRoot तपिष्ठ (तपस्-तमा/इष्ठ-प्रत्ययान्त; प्रातिपदिकम्)
Sandhi Notes
- पाजः प्रसितिम् = पाजः + प्रसितिम् (विसर्गः परे प् इति जिह्वामूलीय/उपध्मानीय-प्रवृत्तिः; संहितायां ‘पाजः प्रसितिम्’)
- राजेव = राजा + इव (आकारस्य सवर्णदीर्घः)
- अमवाँ इभेन = अमवान् + इभेन (न् + इ → ँ/ँवाँ; वैदिक-प्रयोगः)
- द्रूणानोऽस्तासि = द्रूणानः + अस्तासि (विसर्गस्य ‘ऽ’)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Agni is urged to build up his blazing strength, to stride widely like the Earth, to advance like a king supported by elephant-like force, and to shoot down the Rakṣasas with his hottest powers.
Inner meaning
The inner Fire (divine Will and conscious Force) is invoked to widen its action (prasiti) to the full field of our nature, to move with sovereign mastery, and to strike the hostile formations (rakṣasas: forces of falsehood, inertia, perversion) that obstruct the sacrifice of self-offering. The ‘thirsty onrush’ is the soul’s intense aspiration (tṛṣvī) that Agni follows and fulfils, turning aspiration into effective tapas (burning transformative power).
Universal truth
Spiritual progress requires an awakened will that is both expansive and precise: it widens the field of consciousness, advances with kingly steadiness, and decisively burns away inner resistances that feed on obscurity and disorder.
Themes
Agni as warrior-king, expansion of consciousness, piercing hostile forces, protective stride
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 4.18
Family tradition
Gautama lineage of seers; RV 4 is attributed largely to Vāmadeva’s vision of the inner sacrifice and the powers that guard and advance it.
Significance
Vāmadeva’s hymns characteristically turn Agni from a mere ritual fire into the conscious divine Force that opens the path, protects the seeker, and establishes wide, kingly order (ṛta) in the being.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- śośucāna (blazing), tapiṣṭha (most burning), pāyu (protector), tigmaheti (sharp-weaponed)
- Related deities
- Indra, Soma, Uṣas, Bṛhaspati
Cosmic role
Priest of the sacrifice, messenger between human and divine worlds; initiator of transformation and guardian of the rite.
Inner power
The awakened will and psychic fire that aspires, purifies, and executes right action; the power that detects and pierces falsehood.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agnihotra / daily kindling and protective invocations within śrauta-style Agni rites (general Agni hymn usage)
कृ॒णु॒ष्व पाज॒: प्रसि॑तिं॒ न पृ॒थ्वीं या॒हि राजे॒वाम॑वाँ॒ इभे॑न । तृ॒ष्वीमनु॒ प्रसि॑तिं द्रूणा॒नोऽस्ता॑सि॒ विध्य॑ र॒क्षस॒स्तपि॑ष्ठैः ॥
कृ॒णु॒ष्व । पाजः॑ । प्रऽसि॑तिम् । न । पृ॒थ्वीम् । या॒हि । राजा॑ऽइव । अम॑ऽवान् । इभे॑न । तृ॒ष्वीम् । अनु॑ । प्रऽसि॑तिम् । द्रू॒णा॒नः । अस्ता॑ । अ॒सि॒ । विध्य॑ । र॒क्षसः॑ । तपि॑ष्ठैः ॥
kṛṇuṣva | pājaḥ | pra-sitim | na | pṛthvīm | yāhi | rājāiva | ama-vān | ibhena | tṛṣvīm | anu | pra-sitim | drūṇānaḥ | astā | asi | vidhya | rakṣasaḥ | tapiṣṭhaiḥ
44
4 pādas of ~11 syllables each
Strong, marching cadence with forward-driving stresses suitable for command and protection.
Energizes resolve and expansive movement; supports a feeling of sovereign advance and decisive purification.
- पाजः (pājaḥ)
- Literal: brightness, might, fiery energy. Symbolic: the concentrated force of the awakened will/Agni-power in the being
- प्रसितिः (prasitiḥ)
- Literal: sending forth, advance, stride, extension. Symbolic: the outward expansion of consciousness and effective movement of the will through all parts of nature
- पृथ्वी (pṛthvī)
- Literal: Earth, the wide one. Symbolic: the vast foundation—stable wideness of consciousness capable of holding the work
- राजा-इव (rājā-iva)
- Literal: like a king. Symbolic: sovereign leadership of the inner sacrifice; mastery rather than struggle
- इभ (ibha)
- Literal: elephant. Symbolic: massive, steady vital-force under control; irresistible forward power
- तृष्वी (tṛṣvī)
- Literal: thirsty, vehement. Symbolic: ardent aspiration that drives the yoga
- अस्ता (astā)
- Literal: archer/shooter. Symbolic: the discriminating, targeted force of the will that pierces specific resistances
- रक्षसः (rakṣasaḥ)
- Literal: demons, injurers. Symbolic: hostile subconscious/vital formations that pervert the sacrifice and cloud the mind
- तपिष्ठैः (tapiṣṭhaiḥ)
- Literal: most burning. Symbolic: intensified tapas—purifying heat of consciousness that transforms and protects
Protective/expansive invocation: Agni as kingly force extending the field of the rite and destroying hostile intrusions
At kindling/strengthening of the fire; when seeking protection from hostile influences during the rite.
Stoking, offering (āhuti), and protective recitation to secure the sacrificial space.
Use as a ‘protective ignition’ mantra before meditation or demanding work: kindle inner will, widen consciousness, and burn resistance.
√kṛ ‘make’ → kṛṇuṣva. pra-siti ‘forward course/stride’ (from pra- + √sā/√si ‘to bind/extend’; Vedic ‘siti’ as range). √vyadh ‘pierce’ → vidhya. tapas (heat/ardor) → tapiṣṭha (superlative) indicates concentrated force of transformation.
wideness (pṛthvī as inner vastness), tapas (transformative ardor)
Agni expands ‘prasiti’ in harmony with ṛta—right movement through the whole field of life.
Piercing rakṣasas symbolizes the victory of truth-perception over distortion.
Expansion (pṛthvī-like wideness) as a condition for stable manifestation of divine force.
Proto-Vedāntic/Integral (Aurobindo): ascent of will and widening of consciousness leading to transformation.
Fire = will/tapas; Earth = wideness and stable base; Elephant-force = controlled massive life-energy enabling steady advance.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Agni the warrior-king: he expands like Earth (wideness of being) and advances with massive power (elephant-force), then pierces the Rakṣasas. Psychologically: the awakened will expands the field of consciousness and strikes the forces of distortion.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √kṛ aligns with PIE *kwer-/*ker- ‘make/do’ (broad IE ‘do/make’ roots). √vyadh ‘pierce’ continues the IE motif of piercing/striking verbs used in heroic diction. The kingly simile reflects inherited IE royal-warrior poetics.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi commands and collaborates: Agni is asked to ‘make’ his might and ‘go forth’. The human aspiration directs the divine force toward inner expansion and defensive victory, showing Agni as instrument of the soul’s sovereign advance.
Ignite inner will and widen awareness; visualize a steady, kingly fire expanding through the body-mind and piercing specific resistances.
Manipura (fire/will) with support to Anahata (widening)
Brisk, even breathing for 12–24 cycles, then steady nasal breath while repeating the mantra mentally.
Dynamic concentration (tapas) moving toward wide, calm mastery.
Begin with ‘kṛṇuṣva pājaḥ’ as resolve; feel ‘prasiti’ as expansion into all parts; on ‘vidhya rakṣasaḥ’ name (silently) the obstruction and offer it into the fire.
Use Vedic-style udātta/anudātta/svarita as per śākhā tradition; if not trained, chant in a steady triṣṭubh cadence with slight lift on key imperatives (kṛṇuṣva, yāhi, vidhya).
Emphasize imperatives: kṛ-ṇuṣ-va, yā-hi, vi-dhya; keep long vowels clear (pṛthvīm, rājā-iva).
Maintain retroflex ṛ in kṛṇuṣva; do not reduce to ‘kir’, Keep ṣ in kṛṇuṣva and tap-iṣ-ṭhaiḥ crisp, Pronounce rakṣasaḥ with kṣ cluster (rak-ṣa-saḥ), Do not swallow final visarga in -saḥ when chanting slowly
Bright, commanding, forward-projected (without strain).
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.
