Rig Veda 6.1.2: Mandala 6, Sukta 1, Mantra 2
Sukta 6.1
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja Bārhaspatya
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
अधा होता न्यसीदो यजीयानिळस्पद इषयन्नीड्यः सन् । तं त्वा नरः प्रथमं देवयन्तो महो राये चितयन्तो अनु ग्मन् ॥
adhā́ hótā ny àsīdo yajī́yān iḷás-páda iṣáyann ī́ḍyaḥ sán | táṃ tvā nárāḥ prathamáṃ deváyanto mahó rāyé citáyanto ánu gman ||
फिर पूजा करने वाला बैठ गया, वो सबसे अच्छा था। उसने इला की जगह ली, वो पूजा लायक था। लोग जो भगवान को ढूंढते थे, वो अग्नि के पीछे चले गए। उन्होंने बड़ी संपत्ति चाहिए और उसे जागना था।
Word by Word
- अध
- then, thereafterIndeclinableअव्यय (निपात/कालवाचक)Root अध
- होता
- the Hotṛ-priest (invoker)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनRole KartāRoot होतृ (√हु)
- नि
- down, in (as preverb)Indeclinableउपसर्गRoot नि
- असीदः
- thou sat down / didst take thy seatVerbलुङ् (अorist); मध्यम पुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपदRoot √सद्
- यजीयानि
- more worshipful (rites/offerings), most to be sacrificed toAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया बहुवचन (अग्निकर्माणि/यज्ञानि इति निहितम्)Role KarmaRoot यजीयस् (यज्-तुल्य/यज्-सम्बद्ध)
- इळः
- Iḷa (ritual praise/refreshment; personified)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनRole KartāRoot इळ (इळा/इडा)
- स्पदे
- at the seat/placeNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot स्पद
- इषयन्
- impelling, setting in motionVerbवर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ); प्रथमा एकवचन पुंलिङ्ग (होता/अग्निः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role KartāRoot √इष्
- ईड्यः
- to be praised, praiseworthyAdjectiveकृत्य-प्रत्यय (यत्); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनRole KartāRoot ईड्य (√ईड्/√ईळ्)
- सन्
- beingVerbवर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ/सत्); प्रथमा एकवचन पुंलिङ्गRole KartāRoot √अस्
- तम्
- himPronounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot तद्
- त्वा
- theePronounद्वितीया एकवचन (एन्क्लिटिक)Role KarmaRoot युष्मद्
- नरः
- menNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचनRole KartāRoot नर
- प्रथमम्
- as the first, foremostAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन (तम्/त्वा इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role KarmaRoot प्रथम
- देवयन्तः
- seeking the gods, godwardAdjectiveवर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचनRole KartāRoot देवयन्त् (देव + √यम्/√इ; desiderative/denominative sense)
- महः
- greatAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन (रा॒ये इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role KarmaRoot महत्
- राये
- for wealth, for bountyNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot राय्
- चितयन्तः
- perceiving/considering, being intent onVerbवर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचनRole KartāRoot चितयन्त् (√चित्/√चि)
- अनु
- after, alongIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRoot अनु
- ग्मन्
- they went, they followedVerbलुङ् (अorist); तृतीय पुरुष; बहुवचन; परस्मैपदRoot √गम्
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धि-निरसन): अधा होता न्यसीदः → अध + होता + नि + असीदः
- यजीयानि॒ळस्प॒द → यजीयानि + इळः + स्पदे (इळः + स्पदे इति संहितायाम् ‘इळस्पदे’)
- इषयन्नीड्यः सन् → इषयन् + ईड्यः + सन्
- तं त्वा नरः → तम् + त्वा + नरः
- देवयन्तो महो राये → देवयन्तः + महः + राये
- चितयन्तो अनु ग्मन् → चितयन्तः + अनु + ग्मन्
The meaning
Outer meaning
The priest (Agni) sits down, ever more fit for sacrifice, on Iḷā’s place, impelling the flow, worthy of adoration. Men seeking the gods followed him first, desiring the great wealth and awakening it.
Inner meaning
When the inner fire is established, it ‘takes its seat’ in the right foundation of inspiration (Iḷā’s seat): the place where true intuition and right articulation flow. Agni then impels the stream of offerings—energies, thoughts, breath—toward the Divine. The seekers (naraḥ) follow this first principle of will, because through it they awaken maho rāyaḥ: the vast plenitude of being (not mere material wealth) into conscious possession.
Universal truth
Spiritual practice becomes effective when the will is grounded in inspiration and right discernment; then the whole being can follow a single leading flame and awaken a larger fullness of life.
Themes
Agni enthroned, Aspiration, Following the divine guide, Awakening plenitude
The seer
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja Bārhaspatya
- Lineage
- Bharadvāja
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 6.1.1, Rig Veda 6.1.3, Rig Veda 6.9 (Agni themes)
Family tradition
Bharadvāja’s Agni hymns detail the inner mechanics of the sacrifice: establishing Agni, the seat of inspiration (Iḷā), and the awakening of vastness (mahas).
Significance
The rishi maps a yogic sequence: ignition → establishment → inspired flow → following the leading fire → awakening plenitude.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- hotā (priest), yajīyān (ever more sacrificially capable), īḍyaḥ (adorable)
- Related deities
- Iḷā, Sarasvatī, Bṛhaspati
Cosmic role
Receives offerings and transmits them to the gods; establishes the link between human aspiration and divine fulfillment.
Inner power
Steady will grounded in intuition (Iḷā), capable of impelling the inner currents toward higher realization and awakening plenitude.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agnyādheya/Agni establishment and Hotṛ function in Śrauta rites; Iḷā-related seat in recitation context
अधा॒ होता॒ न्य॑सीदो॒ यजी॑यानि॒ळस्प॒द इ॒षय॒न्नीड्य॒: सन् । तं त्वा॒ नर॑: प्रथ॒मं दे॑व॒यन्तो॑ म॒हो रा॒ये चि॒तय॑न्तो॒ अनु॑ ग्मन् ॥
अध॑ । हाता॑ । नि । अ॒सी॒दः॒ । यजी॑यान् । इ॒ळः । प॒दे । इ॒षय॑न् । ईड्यः॑ । सन् । तम् । त्वा॒ । नरः॑ । प्र॒थ॒मम् । दे॒व॒ऽयन्तः॑ । म॒हः । रा॒ये । चि॒तय॑न्तः । अनु॑ । ग्म॒न् ॥
adha | hātā | ni | asīdaḥ | yajīyān | iḷaḥ | pade | iṣayan | īḍyaḥ | san | tam | tvā | naraḥ | prathamam | deva-yantaḥ | mahaḥ | rāye | citayantaḥ | anu | gman
44
4 x ~11 syllables; clear syntactic breaks support the ‘seating’ and ‘following’ motifs
Measured and establishing—less stormy, more ‘settling into place’.
Creates steadiness and devotional focus; helps the mind ‘sit’ with the practice and feel the flow become guided.
- होता (hotā)
- Literal: priest. Symbolic: the inner officiant—will that offers and organizes transformation
- न्यसीदः (ny asīdaḥ)
- Literal: sat down, took seat. Symbolic: established steadily in the consciousness (not a passing enthusiasm)
- यजीयान् (yajīyān)
- Literal: more fit for sacrifice. Symbolic: increasing refinement of will and capacity to offer
- इळः पदे (iḷaḥ pade)
- Literal: on the place of Iḷā. Symbolic: seat of inspiration/revelation; the intuitive ground where right word and right flow arise
- इषयन् (iṣayan)
- Literal: impelling, setting in motion. Symbolic: urging the currents of energy/thought upward and godward
- ईड्यः (īḍyaḥ)
- Literal: adorable, worthy of praise. Symbolic: that in us which naturally draws reverence because it is aligned to truth
- देवयन्तः (devayantaḥ)
- Literal: seeking the gods. Symbolic: aspirants oriented to higher consciousness
- महो राय॑े (maho rāye)
- Literal: to great wealth. Symbolic: vast plenitude of being, wide life-force and light
- चितयन्तः (citayantaḥ)
- Literal: perceiving/awakening into consciousness. Symbolic: making the plenitude conscious and organized in experience
Installation of Agni as hotṛ in the rite; recitation during kindling/settling of the fire and commencement of offerings, aligning the sacrificer’s aspiration (devayantaḥ) with Agni’s seat (iḷaspada).
When seating the priestly fire and commencing offerings; during praises that stabilize the rite
Seating/kindling Agni; offering ghee; recitation to impel iṣa (the flow)
Use at the start of meditation to ‘seat’ attention: feel the will settle in the heart/solar plexus and let the breath/attention flow upward.
iḷás-páda ‘Iḷā’s place’: Iḷā as inspired speech/nourishing flow; √iṣ ‘impel, set in motion’ indicates the energizing of oblation and inner currents; rayi as ‘plenitude’ from √rā ‘to give’/semantic field of abundance; √cit ‘notice, awaken’ → citayantaḥ ‘making conscious’. Psychological reading: Agni establishes himself on the illumined foundation (Iḷā), then the seekers follow him as the first guide toward the Vast (mahás) and plenitude (rayi).
Iḷā (inspired speech/nourishment), Mahas (the Vast, bṛhat), Rayi (plenitude of being), Cit (awakening consciousness)
ny-asīdaḥ on Iḷā’s seat suggests right placement—orderly foundation for the sacrifice.
Iḷā as truthful inspiration supports speech/thought that carries satya into formation.
Awakening maho rāyaḥ is a creation of conscious plenitude—bringing latent vastness into active possession.
Vedic yoga psychology: stabilization (āsana-like ‘seating’) precedes effective ascent and awakening.
Seat = stable posture of consciousness; stream = breath/attention/offerings moving toward the higher; fire = guiding will.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The enthronement/installation of Agni as hotṛ on the sacred seat (iḷaspada) and the human following of Agni as first leader—an archetype of initiation where the divine Fire establishes the channel for ascent toward the Vast.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √iṣ ‘impel’ aligns with Indo-Iranian energic verbs (cf. Av. iš- ‘send, set in motion’). √gam aor. gman shows archaic athematic aorist formations comparable across early IE poetics. √cit is PIE *ḱei̯t- ‘notice’ (cf. Latin ciēre ‘stir’ is different; but ‘cit’ family shows old perception semantics in Indo-Iranian).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- Agni takes the seat and initiates the movement; the rishi’s community ‘follows’ (anu gman) by aspiration (devayantaḥ) and by making rayi/mahas conscious (citayantaḥ). The exchange is: human consent and pursuit; divine guidance and energizing impulse.
‘Seat the fire’—establish steady will on the foundation of intuition; then let the inner flow be impelled upward.
Anāhata (devotion/īḍya) and Maṇipūra (will/Agni)
Simple breath-witnessing: inhale ‘iṣayan’ (feel upward impulse), exhale ‘ny asīdaḥ’ (feel settling).
Collected, devotional, steadily widening.
Begin by invoking a stable inner posture (not physical only): choose one intention of offering, place it on Iḷā’s ‘seat’ (quiet intuitive sense), then act/meditate from there.
Follow Śākala accents as marked (e.g.,,,, :). Exact implementation should be validated against a pada+accent recitation source.
Let the first pāda ‘sit down’—slightly calmer; build gentle lift on iṣayan; keep the final pāda expansive on maho rāye.
iḷas: pronounce retroflex ḷ (tongue curled back) if trained; otherwise careful ‘iḷa’ articulation, ny asīdaḥ: keep sandhi clear; avoid inserting extra vowel, devayantaḥ: ‘de-va-yan-taḥ’ with clear ‘y’, anu gman: pronounce ‘gman’ as cluster (gm) per Vedic usage, not ‘gaman’
Warm, steady, devotional; sustained vowels to evoke ‘seating’ and ‘flow’.
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