Rig Veda 6.16.12: Mandala 6, Sukta 16, Mantra 12
Sukta 6.16
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja Bārhaspatya
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
स नः पृथु श्रवाय्यमच्छा देव विवाससि । बृहदग्ने सुवीर्यम् ॥
sá naḥ pṛthú śravā́yyam ácchā deva vivāsasi | bṛhád agne su-vī́ryam ||
अग्नि, तुम हमें बड़े नाम और शोहरत की तरफ ले जाओ। भगवान, हमें साफ रास्ता दिखाओ। अग्नि, हमें बड़ी हिम्मत और ताकत दो। अंदर से ऐसी हिम्मत कि हम हर जाएँ।
Word by Word
- स
- he (that one)Pronounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot तद् (स-आदेशः)
- नः
- to us / for usPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी बहुवचनम् (एन्क्लिटिक)Role SampradānaRoot अस्मद्
- पृथु
- broad, abundantAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम् (श्रवाय्यम् इति विशेषणम्)Role KarmaRoot पृथु
- श्रवाय्यम्
- famed, worthy of praise/hearingAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot श्रवाय्य (श्रवस् + आय्य; ‘श्रवणीय/कीर्तनीय’)
- अच्छा
- towards, hitherIndeclinableअव्ययम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot अच्छा
- देव
- O godNoun (vocative)पुंलिङ्गे सम्बोधन एकवचनम्Role (सम्बोधन)Root देव
- विवाससि
- you honor / you serve / you entertainVerbलट्, मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Role KriyāRoot √वास् (वास्/विवास् ‘उपासना/सेवा/आतिथ्य’)
- बृहद्
- greatAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम् (सुवीर्यम् इति विशेषणम्)Role KarmaRoot बृहन्त्
- अग्ने
- O AgniNoun (vocative)पुंलिङ्गे सम्बोधन एकवचनम्Role (सम्बोधन)Root अग्नि
- सुवीर्यम्
- good heroism, excellent manly powerNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot सुवीर्य (सु- + वीर्य)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: स नः पृथु श्रवाय्यम् अच्छाः/अच्छा देव विवाससि । बृहद् अग्ने सुवीर्यम् ॥ 1) ‘अच्छा’ इति अव्ययम्
- संहितायां ‘…श्रवाय्यमच्छा…’ = ‘श्रवाय्यम् + अच्छा’ (म् + अ → मअ, लेखने ‘मच्छा’)। 2) ‘बृहदग्ने’ = ‘बृहद् + अग्ने’ (द् + अ → दग्ने, संहितासन्धिः)। 3) ‘नः’ एन्क्लिटिक सर्वनाम
- अर्थतः प्रायः चतुर्थी ‘अस्मभ्यम्’ (for us) अथवा षष्ठी ‘अस्माकम्’ (of us) — अत्र दान/प्राप्त्यर्थे चतुर्थ्यर्थः सुलभः।
The meaning
Outer meaning
Agni is asked to lead the worshippers to wide and worthy fame and to grant vast heroic power (suvīrya).
Inner meaning
Agni leads the being toward ‘pṛthu śravāyyam’—a wide renown that inwardly is the soul’s recognized truth and the luminous affirmation of right becoming. ‘Acchā’ indicates the clear straight goal (unmixed clarity). ‘Suvīrya’ is not outer prowess alone but inner heroism: courage, endurance, and victorious energy that overcomes resistance and establishes the divine order in life.
Universal truth
True success is inner: clarity of aim and the heroic strength to live in truth; the guiding will leads to a wide, beneficent fulfillment.
Themes
expansion, heroic power, luminous dwelling, attainment/fruit of sacrifice
The seer
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja Bārhaspatya
- Lineage
- Bharadvāja
- Other hymns
- RV 6.16, RV 6.14, RV 6.15, RV 6.17
Family tradition
Bharadvāja hymns often aim at ‘suvīrya’—the victorious energy needed for the path, guided by Agni’s discernment.
Significance
The seer asks not for mere boons but for expansive fulfillment and inner heroism—signs of a transformative yoga.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- Deva, Bṛhad-Agni (vast Agni)
- Related deities
- Indra (heroic force), Bṛhaspati (path-opener by word), Uṣas (clarity)
Cosmic role
Path-opener and bestower of strength; illuminator who leads toward the goal.
Inner power
Psychic courage and steady will that conquers inertia and fear; luminous leadership in action.
In ritual
Where it is used
Prayer for strength and successful progression of the rite; part of Agni praise within offering sequences.
स न॑: पृ॒थु श्र॒वाय्य॒मच्छा॑ देव विवाससि । बृ॒हद॑ग्ने सु॒वीर्य॑म् ॥
सः । नः॒ । पृ॒थु । श्र॒वाय्य॑म् । अच्छ॑ । दे॒व॒ । वि॒वा॒स॒सि॒ । बृ॒हत् । अ॒ग्ने॒ । सु॒ऽवीर्य॑म् ॥
saḥ | naḥ | pṛthu | śravāyyam | accha | deva | vivāsasi | bṛhat | agne | su-vīryam
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4 × ~11
Goal-directed; the cadence supports ‘leading forward’ and culminates strongly on ‘suvīryam’.
Instills resolve and uprightness; helpful for aligning intention with a clear aim.
- पृथु (pṛthu)
- Literal: wide, broad. Symbolic: widened consciousness; largeness of being
- श्रवाय्यम् (śravāyyam)
- Literal: worthy of fame/hearing. Symbolic: that which is affirmed by the higher truth—inner ‘renown’ as recognized right being
- अच्छा (acchā)
- Literal: toward, clearly. Symbolic: toward the clear straight truth; unmixed perception
- विवाससि (vivāsasi)
- Literal: you cause to shine/lead, you favor. Symbolic: Agni as illuminator and leader who opens the way
- सुवीर्यम् (su-vīryam)
- Literal: good heroism, excellent strength. Symbolic: victorious inner force—courage of the soul and effective energy of transformation
Prayer for fame and vīrya as fruits of the rite; inner application: expansion (pṛthu/bṛhat) and stable dwelling in luminous consciousness.
After establishing Agni, when seeking support for the sacrificer’s prosperity and victory.
Recitation accompanying offerings and requests for vīrya and śravas.
Use before difficult tasks: invoke inner Agni for clarity (acchā) and courageous follow-through (suvīrya).
śravāyya < √śru 'hear' (PIE *ḱleu-) → fame as 'that which is heard'; psychologically: truth that resounds. vivāsasi < vi- + √vas 'dwell' (PIE *wes- 'dwell')—to establish in a wider home of being. vīrya from vīra 'hero/man' (PIE *wiHrós 'man' often compared) → hero-force as capacity to overcome inner darkness.
bṛhat (the Vast), vīrya (heroic force against inner darkness), true fame as resonance of truth (śravas)
Agni leads toward the right goal; ‘acchā’ implies the straight path of ṛta.
Śravāyya as that which is ‘heard/acknowledged’ by truth—inner authenticity.
Expansion (pṛthu/bṛhat) as a mark of higher planes entering human consciousness.
Integral Vedantic: wideness and force as prerequisites for higher realization.
Fire = guiding will; wideness = higher consciousness; heroic force = indriya/vital energy purified and aligned.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The bestowal of śravas and vīrya through Agni—classic Vedic boon pair. Innerly: expansion into the Vast and acquisition of conquering force to uphold R̥ta against obscurity.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- śravas/fame from √śru aligns with PIE *ḱleu- (heard-of glory). √vas 'dwell' aligns with PIE *wes-. The semantic chain 'heard fame' → 'established dwelling' reflects an IE worldview where glory is social resonance and also a sign of alignment with cosmic order.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi asks Agni to 'lead' and 'establish' (vivāsasi) the community in a widened state; Agni’s gift is not ornament but capacity—suvīrya—needed for the soul’s battle and growth.
Contemplate ‘acchā’—the clear aim; then kindle ‘suvīrya’—the courage to embody it today.
anahata
Slow-meditative: inhale feeling wideness (pṛthu), exhale affirming strength (suvīrya) for 7 cycles.
Wide, clear, courageous.
Write one clear intention; chant once; then act immediately on the smallest step—feeding Agni through decisive movement.
Let ‘pṛthu śravāyyam’ be broadened in tone; keep udatta peaks clean and avoid rushing the compound syllables.
sá naḥ | pṛthú śravāyyám | ácchā deva vivāsasi || bṛhád agne | su-vī́ryam || (land firmly on su-vīryam).
śravāyyam: articulate śra-vāy-yam with clear double y glide., vivāsasi: keep v repeated softly; long ā maintained., suvīryam: vī long, ry cluster smooth.
Clear, steady, encouraging; slightly broaden vowels on ‘pṛthu/bṛhad’.
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