Rig Veda 4.6.9: Mandala 4, Sukta 6, Mantra 9
Sukta 4.6
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
तव त्ये अग्ने हरितो घृतस्ना रोहितास ऋज्वञ्चः स्वञ्चः । अरुषासो वृषण ऋजुमुष्का आ देवतातिमह्वन्त दस्माः ॥
táva tyé agne haríto ghṛtá-snā rohítāsa ṛjú-añcaḥ sv-áñcaḥ | aruṣā́so vṛ́ṣaṇa ṛjú-muṣkā ā́ devá-tātim ahvanta dasmā́ḥ ||
अग्नि, तुम्हारे पास अच्छे घोड़े हैं। वो घी में नहाये हैं, लाल रंग के हैं, और सीधी रास्ते चलते हैं। वो तेज़ और ताकतवर हैं। वो देवताओं को बुलाते हैं और अच्छा काम करते हैं।
Word by Word
- तव
- of you / yourPronounषष्ठी (genitive), एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (possessive/genitival)Root युष्मद् (त्वद्)
- त्ये
- thosePronounप्रथमा, बहुवचन, पुंलिङ्गRole कर्तृ (with implied verb ‘are/come’)Root तद् (सर्वनाम)
- अग्ने
- O AgniNoun (vocative)सम्बोधन (vocative), एकवचन, पुंलिङ्गRole सम्बोधनRoot अग्नि
- हरितः
- the tawny/greenish (steeds)Adjective (substantivized)प्रथमा, बहुवचन, पुंलिङ्गRole कर्तृ (subject; horses)Root हरित
- घृतस्नाः
- bathed/anointed with gheeAdjectiveप्रथमा, बहुवचन, पुंलिङ्गRole विशेषण (of ‘हरितः’)Root घृत-स्ना (घृत + स्ना ‘bathed’)
- रोहितासः
- the ruddy/red (steeds)Adjective (substantivized)प्रथमा, बहुवचन, पुंलिङ्गRole कर्तृ (co-subject)Root रोहित
- ऋज्वञ्चः
- going straight / straight-movingAdjectiveप्रथमा, बहुवचन, पुंलिङ्गRole विशेषण (of the steeds)Root ऋज्वञ्च्
- स्वञ्चः
- turning well / well-movingAdjectiveप्रथमा, बहुवचन, पुंलिङ्गRole विशेषण (of the steeds)Root स्वञ्च्
- अरुषासः
- the ruddy/flame-colored (ones)Adjective (substantivized)प्रथमा, बहुवचन, पुंलिङ्गRole कर्तृ (co-subject)Root अरुष
- वृषणः
- vigorous, virile, strongAdjective (substantivized)प्रथमा, बहुवचन, पुंलिङ्गRole विशेषण/कर्तृ (of the steeds)Root वृषन्
- ऋजुमुष्काः
- with straight/firm testicles (i.e., powerful stallions)Adjectiveप्रथमा, बहुवचन, पुंलिङ्गRole विशेषण (of the steeds)Root ऋजु-मुष्क (ऋजु + मुष्क)
- आ
- towards, hitherIndeclinableउपसर्ग (directional preverb)Role क्रियाविशेषण (towards)Root आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- देवततिम्
- the divine host/processionNounद्वितीया, एकवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्गRole कर्म (object of ‘अह्वन्त’)Root देव-तति (देव + तति ‘stretch/line, procession’)
- अह्वन्त
- they called/invokedVerbलङ् (imperfect), परस्मैपद, 3 पुरुष, बहुवचनRole क्रिया (with subjects = the steeds)Root √ह्वा (आह्वान)
- दस्माः
- wondrous, marvelous (ones)Adjective (substantivized epithet)प्रथमा, बहुवचन, पुंलिङ्गRole सम्बोधन/विशेष्य (apposition to the subjects; ‘wondrous ones’)Root दस्म
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (resolved): तव | त्ये | अग्ने | हरितः | घृतस्नाः | रोहितासः | ऋज्वञ्चः | स्वञ्चः | अरुषासः | वृषणः | ऋजुमुष्काः | आ | देवततिम् | अह्वन्त | दस्माः ।
- (4) ‘आ देवततिम्’—उपसर्ग ‘आ’ पृथक्
The meaning
Outer meaning
Agni’s bay steeds, bathed in ghee, are ruddy, straight-going and rightly turned. The tawny, powerful ones with firm virility call the host of the gods; wondrous in their action.
Inner meaning
Agni’s ‘haritaḥ/rohitāsaḥ/aruṣāsaḥ’ steeds are the dynamic energies yoked to the inner Fire—vital forces purified and anointed by clarity and devotion (ghṛta-snāḥ: ‘bathed in ghee’ = suffused with luminous understanding). They are ‘ṛjvañcaḥ’ (straight-going) and ‘svañcaḥ’ (well-turned/rightly directed): life-energy aligned to the right aim, not twisted by desire. Their ‘vṛṣaṇa… ṛjumuṣkāḥ’ (strong, firm virility) symbolizes steady potency and fearless endurance in action. When these energies are disciplined and luminous, they ‘call the devatāti’—they invoke and bring down the higher powers into the field of life; their action is ‘dasmāḥ’ (wondrous/effective): transformation becomes operative, not merely contemplative.
Universal truth
When our life-force is purified by luminous intelligence and aligned to the right direction, it becomes a vehicle that attracts higher powers and makes spiritual realization effective in action.
Themes
Agni’s steeds, invocation of devatā-host, rightly-directed energies, fuel of ghee (clarified essence)
The seer
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 4.6.1, RV 4.6.2, RV 4.6.10
Family tradition
Vāmadeva often links Agni’s inner fire to disciplined life-energies as vehicles for divine descent—yoking the horses of action to the flame.
Significance
Shows the practical side of inner yoga: not only illumination but the training of vital energies so they can call in the higher powers and execute the work.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- ghṛtasnā (ghee-bathed, luminous), dasma (wondrous worker)
- Related deities
- Maruts (storm-energies), Indra (illumined force)
Cosmic role
Agni as charioteer-power: harnesses energies to bring the gods; makes the sacrifice effective.
Inner power
Mastery and purification of vital force; conversion of raw energy into aligned, luminous dynamism.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni offerings with ghee; imagery of Agni’s conveyance bringing gods
तव॒ त्ये अ॑ग्ने ह॒रितो॑ घृत॒स्ना रोहि॑तास ऋ॒ज्वञ्च॒: स्वञ्च॑: । अ॒रु॒षासो॒ वृष॑ण ऋजुमु॒ष्का आ दे॒वता॑तिमह्वन्त द॒स्माः ॥
तव॑ । त्ये । अ॒ग्ने॒ । ह॒रितः॑ । घृ॒त॒ऽस्नाः । रोहि॑तासः । ऋ॒जु॒ऽअञ्चः॑ । सु॒ऽअञ्चः॑ । अ॒रु॒षासः॑ । वृष॑णः । ऋ॒जु॒ऽमु॒ष्काः । आ । दे॒वऽता॑तिम् । अ॒ह्व॒न्त॒ । द॒स्माः ॥
tava | tye | agne | haritaḥ | ghṛta-snāḥ | rohitāsaḥ | ṛju-añcaḥ | su-añcaḥ | aruṣāsaḥ | vṛṣaṇaḥ | ṛju-muṣkāḥ | ā | deva-tātim | ahvanta | dasmāḥ
44
4 x ~11 syllables
Driving and martial; suitable for depicting yoked energies and forward movement.
Energizes and straightens the posture and breath; evokes disciplined power.
- aśvāḥ (implied by haritaḥ etc.)
- Literal: steeds/horses. Symbolic: vital energies; forces of action
- ghṛtasnāḥ
- Literal: bathed in ghee. Symbolic: anointed with clarity (ghṛta = luminous mind-substance); devotion that makes energy smooth and steady
- harita/rohitāsa/aruṣa
- Literal: bay/reddish/tawny. Symbolic: graded energies of the flame—life-force taking on the fire’s radiance
- ṛjvañcaḥ
- Literal: straight-going. Symbolic: upright aspiration; directness without deceit
- svañcaḥ
- Literal: well-turned, rightly directed. Symbolic: right orientation of desire-force toward the soul’s aim
- vṛṣaṇaḥ
- Literal: bull-like, puissant. Symbolic: strong executive power; courageous vitality
- ṛjumuṣkāḥ
- Literal: with straight/firm testicles (virility). Symbolic: stable potency; unbroken capacity to act
- devatāti
- Literal: host/coming of the gods. Symbolic: descent/arrival of higher consciousness-forces into the being
- dasmāḥ
- Literal: wondrous, skillful. Symbolic: effective energies accomplishing the work of transformation
Verses describing Agni’s 'horses' often accompany the enlivening of offerings and the swift conveyance of oblations/invocations to the devatās in Soma rites
During ghee oblations and invocations calling the gods to the rite.
Offering ghṛta; inviting devatā-s to descend; energizing the rite.
Use before action (work, service, difficult conversation): ‘anoint’ the vital with clarity and align direction.
ghṛta 'clarified butter' from √ghṛ 'sprinkle/shine' (Vedic semantic overlap of brightness and offering-substance). añc- 'bend/turn/move' (PIE *h₂enk- 'bend' is a possible comparator) gives the imagery of directionality: ṛju-añca (straight-moving) and su-añca (well-directed). devatāti is a collective of devá + -tāti 'assemblage/host'. The 'steeds' are Agni’s powers/energies that carry invocation swiftly to the gods—inner sense: energized functions of aspiration.
right direction (ṛju) as ethical/spiritual straightness, potency (vṛṣan) as effective force of will, invocation as calling higher powers into the psyche
Straight-going/right-turned energies embody ṛta in action—right movement of force.
Ghṛta as luminous mind-substance aligns action with truth-intelligence.
Descent of gods through prepared vehicles; transformation as coordinated dynamism.
Integral yoga: purification of vital nature so higher consciousness can act through it.
Horses = action-forces; ghee = clarified intelligence and devotion; tawny-red = energized tapas; calling gods = invoking higher states.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Agni’s steeds (his dynamic powers) as the invoking force that calls the devatā-host: a standard Vedic mythic mechanism where divine energies (horses/tongues) transport the sacrifice and summon the gods—psychologically, the rightly-directed life-forces summon higher states.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √hvā 'call' (ahvanta) corresponds to PIE *h₂weǵʰ-/*h₂weh₁- related calling/vocalizing sets (Indo-Iranian preserves distinctive developments). devá derives from PIE *deiwós 'celestial, shining' (cf. Latin deus, Lithuanian dievas). ṛju 'straight' aligns with PIE *h₃reǵ- 'straight/right' (cf. Latin regere 'to guide/straighten', Sanskrit rāj- is related in governance semantics).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi relies on Agni’s energized, well-directed powers to bring the whole devatā-assemblage into the sacrifice. The human offers ghṛta (clarified essence—outer and inner), and Agni’s steeds reciprocate by making the invocation effective, opening the being to multiple divine workings.
Yoke the vital energies to the inner flame; bathe impulses in ‘ghṛta’ (clear understanding).
Manipura (vital power) with Anahata (right direction through harmony)
Brisk kapalabhāti (30–60 strokes) only if appropriate, then slow breathing while visualizing tawny horses becoming calm and straight.
Dynamic, aligned, ready for effective action.
Before acting, ask: ‘Is my force straight-going (ṛjvañc)? Is it rightly turned (svañc)?’ If not, pause, clarify intention (ghṛta), then proceed.
Rigvedic three-tone; ensure compounds (ghṛtasnā, devatātim) are articulated with correct accent from source.
Give a forward push on ‘ṛjvañcaḥ svañcaḥ’; keep ‘ā devatātim’ expansive to ‘call in’ the gods.
ghṛtasnā (vocalic ṛ; sn cluster), rohitāsaḥ (clear h; long ā), ṛjvañcaḥ (vocalic ṛ; ñc), svañcaḥ (sv cluster; ñc), aruṣāsaḥ (retroflex ṣ), vṛṣaṇaḥ (vocalic ṛ; retroflex ṣ), ṛjumuṣkāḥ (ṛ; ṣk cluster), devatātim (long ā; dental t), dasmāḥ (long ā; visarga)
Bright, projecting, rhythmic; maintain clarity in consonant clusters.
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