Rig Veda 6.4.7: Mandala 6, Sukta 4, Mantra 7
Sukta 6.4
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
त्वां हि मन्द्रतममर्कशोकैर्ववृमहे महि नः श्रोष्यग्ने । इन्द्रं न त्वा शवसा देवता वायुं पृणन्ति राधसा नृतमाः ॥
tvā́ṃ hí mandrá-tamam arka-śokáir vavṛmáhe máhi naḥ śróṣy agne | índraṃ na tvā śávasā devátā vāyúṃ pṛṇanti rā́dhasā nṛ́-tamāḥ ||
हमने तुम्हे चुना है, अग्नि, क्योंकि तुम सबसे ज़्यादा खुशी देते हो। हम अपनी पूजा के शब्दों से तुम्हे बुलाते हैं। हमें सुनो, हमारे बड़े फायदे के लिए। जैसे देवता इंद्र को ताकत देते हैं और वायु को खुशियों से भरते हैं, वैसे ही अच्छे लोग तुम्हे भी ताकत और सफलता से भरते हैं।
Word by Word
- त्वाम्
- you (as object)Pronounद्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्मRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- हि
- indeed, forIndeclinableनिपातRoot हि (निपात)
- मन्द्रतमम्
- most gladdening/most delightfulAdjectiveद्वितीया एकवचन नपुंसकलिङ्ग (विशेषणरूपेण त्वाम्-सम्बद्धम्)Role कर्म (विशेषणम्)Root मन्द्र- (प्रातिपदिक); तमप् (सुपरलटिव)
- अर्कशोकैः
- with hymn-praises (song-and-flame-like praises)Nounतृतीया बहुवचन पुंलिङ्गRole करणRoot अर्क-शोक (समास-प्रातिपदिक)
- ववृमहे
- we have chosen / we chooseVerbलिट् (परिपूर्ण/परफेक्ट), आत्मनेपद, उत्तमपुरुष बहुवचनRoot √वृ (वृणोति/वृणुते) ‘to choose, to select’
- महि
- greatly, muchIndeclinableक्रियाविशेषणRoot महि (अव्यय; ‘greatly’)
- नः
- of us, ourPronounषष्ठी बहुवचन (एन्क्लिटिक)Role सम्बन्धRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- श्रोषि
- hear!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष एकवचनRoot √श्रु ‘to hear’
- अग्ने
- O AgniNounसम्बोधन एकवचन पुंलिङ्गRole सम्बोधनRoot अग्नि- (प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्रम्
- IndraNounद्वितीया एकवचन पुंलिङ्गRole कर्म (उपमान-आधारः) / द्वितीया-उपमाRoot इन्द्र- (प्रातिपदिक)
- न
- like, asIndeclinableउपमावाचकRoot न (अव्यय)
- त्वा
- youPronounद्वितीया एकवचन (एन्क्लिटिक)Role कर्मRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- शवसा
- with might, by strengthNounतृतीया एकवचन नपुंसकलिङ्गRole करणRoot शवस्- (प्रातिपदिक)
- देवता
- the deity (divine power)Nounप्रथमा एकवचन स्त्रीलिङ्गRole कर्तृRoot देवता- (प्रातिपदिक)
- वायुम्
- VāyuNounद्वितीया एकवचन पुंलिङ्गRole कर्म (उपमान-आधारः) / द्वितीया-उपमाRoot वायु- (प्रातिपदिक)
- पृणन्ति
- they fill/satisfyVerbलट्, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष बहुवचनRoot √पॄ/√पृ (पृणाति) ‘to fill, to gladden, to satisfy’
- राधसा
- with bounty, with giftNounतृतीया एकवचन नपुंसकलिङ्गRole करणRoot राधस्- (प्रातिपदिक)
- नृतमाः
- the most manly/most heroic onesAdjective (substantivized)प्रथमा बहुवचन पुंलिङ्गRole कर्तृRoot नृतम- (प्रातिपदिक); तमप् (सुपरलटिव)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धिविग्रह): त्वां हि मन्द्रतमम् अर्कशोकैः ववृमहे महि नः श्रोषि अग्ने । इन्द्रं न त्वा शवसा देवता वायुम् पृणन्ति राधसा नृतमाः ॥ मुख्य-सन्धयः: (1) श्रोष्यग्ने → श्रोषि + अग्ने (इ + अ → य्; वैदिक लोट् ‘श्रोषि’). (2) महि नः: ‘नः’ एन्क्लिटिक सर्वनाम, पूर्वपदेन सह उच्चारण-संयोगः. अन्यत्र स्पष्ट सन्धि-परिवर्तनं न्यूनम्
- ‘इन्द्रं न’ तथा ‘देवता वायुम्’ पदसीमा पर विरामः।
The meaning
Outer meaning
The singers choose Agni, the most gladdening, with hymn-flames; they ask him to hear for their great good. As the gods strengthen Indra and enrich Vāyu, so the best men increase Agni with power and fulfillment through their offerings and praise.
Inner meaning
The soul chooses the inner Fire (Agni) as the most joy-giving leader of the yoga, kindled by mantra-energies (arka-śoka). The seeker asks this Will to “hear” (respond) so the inner good (mahi) may be accomplished. As higher powers support illumination (Indra) and life-force (Vāyu), so the purified human faculties (nṛtamāḥ, the best/most true-acting parts in us) feed Agni with tapas and aspiration until the divine Will becomes strong, luminous, and effective.
Universal truth
Spiritual progress depends on selecting and steadily feeding the inner divine Will with conscious speech and aspiration; when the will is strengthened, illumination and life-force harmonize, and the being becomes capable of right action and fulfillment.
Themes
invocation and response, mutual increase, mantra as fuel, plenitude
The seer
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja (Bārhaspatya)
- Lineage
- Bharadvāja
- Other hymns
- RV 6.1, RV 6.2, RV 6.3, RV 6.4, RV 6.5
Family tradition
Bārhaspatya lineage associated with inspired speech (Bṛhaspati) and Agni-centered hymns of inner kindling and right action.
Significance
Bharadvāja’s strain often presents Agni as the awakener of the inner sacrifice: the seer’s method is to intensify mantra (arka) into living flame (śoka) so the divine Will becomes an effective guide and distributor of inner riches.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- mandratama (most gladdening), hotṛ (priest, implied), pāvaka (purifier, contextual in the sequence)
- Related deities
- Indra, Vāyu, Bṛhaspati
Cosmic role
Mediator between human and divine worlds; carrier of offerings; establisher of ṛta through luminous action.
Inner power
The awakened will-to-transform that listens, accepts, and executes; it converts thought and aspiration into realizations and supports Indra (illumination) and Vāyu (life-force) in a coordinated ascent.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agniṣṭoma/Soma-related invocations and general Agni-prāśasti in Śrauta settings (hymn of choosing/kindling Agni).
त्वां हि म॒न्द्रत॑ममर्कशो॒कैर्व॑वृ॒महे॒ महि॑ न॒: श्रोष्य॑ग्ने । इन्द्रं॒ न त्वा॒ शव॑सा दे॒वता॑ वा॒युं पृ॑णन्ति॒ राध॑सा॒ नृत॑माः ॥
त्वाम् । हि । म॒न्द्रऽत॑मम् । अ॒र्क॒ऽशो॒कैः । व॒वृ॒महे॑ । महि॑ । नः॒ । श्रोषि॑ । अ॒ग्ने॒ । इन्द्र॑म् । न । त्वा॒ । शव॑सा । दे॒वता॑ । वा॒युम् । पृ॒ण॒न्ति॒ । राध॑सा । नृऽत॑माः ॥
tvām | hi | mandra-tamam | arka-śokaiḥ | vavṛmahe | mahi | naḥ | śroṣi | agne | indram | na | tvā | śavasā | devatā | vāyum | pṛṇanti | rādhasā | nṛ-tamāḥ
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4 pādas × ~11 syllables
Forward-driving, declarative cadence suited to invocation and affirmation of choice/resolve.
Builds energetic steadiness and aspiration; supports a decisive inner ‘selection’ of Agni as leader and increases confidence in the mantra’s efficacy.
- अग्नि (Agni)
- Literal: fire; sacrificial flame. Symbolic: divine Will and conscious force leading the inner offering
- मन्द्रतमम् (mandratamam)
- Literal: most gladdening/most inspiring. Symbolic: the will that brings psychic joy and uplift when kindled
- अर्कशोकैः (arkaśokaiḥ)
- Literal: with hymn-flames / blazing praises. Symbolic: mantric energies that ignite and sustain inner aspiration
- श्रोषि (śroṣi)
- Literal: hear!. Symbolic: the inner Fire’s responsive action—guidance and effective working
- महि (mahi)
- Literal: great; greatness. Symbolic: the higher good: expansion of consciousness and true attainment
- इन्द्र (Indra)
- Literal: king of gods. Symbolic: divine Mind/illumination that breaks coverings
- वायु (Vāyu)
- Literal: wind. Symbolic: life-force/prāṇa moved by the higher breath
- शवसा (śavasā)
- Literal: by strength. Symbolic: spiritual power/energy that supports illumination
- राधसा (rādhasā)
- Literal: bounty; largesse. Symbolic: abundance of force and joy granted to the seeker
- नृतमाः (nṛtamāḥ)
- Literal: best of men. Symbolic: the true-acting, purified human instruments aligned to ṛta
Concluding/confirmatory invocation: the community ‘chooses’ Agni and asks him to hear; used in offerings emphasizing mutual increase—humans intensify Agni by hymns, Agni grants fulfillment.
At kindling/invocation phases; when establishing the sacrificial fire and calling the deity to hear.
Kindling, offering ghee, recitation to invite Agni’s presence and responsiveness.
Use at the start of meditation or sādhanā to ‘choose’ the inner fire—recite before japa/prāṇāyāma to set will and aspiration.
(mandrá) ‘gladdening/inspiring’ from √mand ‘to rejoice, be glad’ (also ‘intoxicate’ in Soma context). from √vṛ ‘choose’ (middle perfect). from √śru ‘hear’ (PIE *ḱleu̯- ‘hear’; cf. Greek κλύω, English ‘loud’ via *kleu̯- derivatives). √pṝ (pṛṇanti) ‘fill’ (PIE *pleh₁- ‘fill’; cf. English ‘full’). (rā́dhas) ‘bounty’ as fullness/attainment, not mere wealth.
reciprocity of yajña (mutual filling), plenitude (rā́dhas) as fullness of being, listening/hearing as divine response (śru)
Agni is strengthened by ṛta-aligned human powers (nṛtamāḥ), enabling ordered distribution of force and fulfillment.
The ‘hearing’ Agni signifies truth responding to true call—speech aligned to inner sincerity becomes effective.
Mantra as creative flame: speech becomes light/heat that builds the divine working in the human.
Proto-Vedāntic/Integral (Aurobindonian) reading: ascent by coordinated Will–Mind–Life (Agni–Indra–Vāyu).
Fire = will and transformation; wind = prāṇa and movement; flame/light = awakening intelligence in speech.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘mutual filling’ between gods and men: as divine powers fill Indra and Vayu, so humans fill Agni through mantra. Inner sense: aspiration and uttered truth increase the inner fire; the fire then returns as strength and plenitude, completing the circuit of yajña.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √śru ‘hear’ reflects PIE *ḱleu̯- (hear/fame). √pṝ ‘fill’ aligns with PIE *pleh₁- (full). These roots underwrite a shared IE poetics of ‘hearing the call’ and ‘filling/fulfilling’ as reciprocal sacral economy.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- Explicit reciprocity: the rishi and the ‘best of men’ choose and intensify Agni with arka-śokas (hymn-fires). Agni is asked to hear and to grant ‘mahi’—the great good—by returning strength and rā́dhas (fullness of realization) to the human vessel.
Kindle the inner Fire as the chosen guide; offer thoughts as ‘hymn-flames’ and ask for responsive guidance.
Maṇipūra (fire/will) with ascent toward Anāhata (joy)
Gentle ujjāyī or 1:1 breathing while mentally repeating ‘śroṣi agne’ on exhale to evoke responsiveness.
Collective, aspiring concentration (ekāgratā) moving toward luminous will.
Begin with 9 recitations; visualize a steady golden-red flame in the navel/heart; feel Indra (clarity) and Vāyu (uprush of prāṇa) harmonizing under Agni’s command.
Follow Rigvedic udātta/anudātta/svarita as in śākala recitation; key lifts often occur on invocatory words (e.g., agne, śroṣi).
Keep udātta clear and bright; let anudātta be grounded; svarita as a controlled fall-rise—avoid flattening compounds like arkaśokaiḥ.
Maintain retroflex in nṛtamāḥ (ṛ + ṭ) with crisp syllabic ṛ., In arkaśokaiḥ, keep ś as palatal (not s) and separate ar-ka-śo-kaiḥ., In śroṣi, keep śr cluster tight; short o; avoid elongation.
Bright, steady, slightly rising energy on invocations; avoid harshness—aim for ‘gladdening’ tone.
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