Rig Veda 7.16.3: Mandala 7, Sukta 16, Mantra 3
Sukta 7.16
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
उदस्य शोचिरस्थादाजुह्वानस्य मीळ्हुषः । उद्धूमासो अरुषासो दिविस्पृशः समग्निमिन्धते नरः ॥
úd asya śócír asthād ājuhvā́nasya mīḷhúṣaḥ | úddhūmā́so aruṣā́so divispṛ́śaḥ sám agním indhate nárāḥ ||
जब लोग अग्नि को बुलाकर हविष देते हैं, उसकी आग ऊपर उठ ती है। उसका धुआँ लाल रंग का है और आसमान तक जाता है। लोग मिलकर अग्नि को जलाते हैं। यह धुआँ ऊपर जाता है और आसमान तक पहुँचता है।
Word by Word
- उदस्य
- up/out; of him/itsIndeclinable/Pronounउद् = उपसर्ग/अव्यय; अस्य = षष्ठी एकवचन (पुं/नपुं)Role सम्बन्ध (genitive relation) / क्रियाविशेषण (direction ‘up/out’)Root उद् + अस्य (इदम्-प्रातिपदिक) / अस्य (सर्वनाम)
- शोचिः
- the flameNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole कर्तृ (with 3sg verb ‘अस्थात्’)Root शोचिस् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘flame, light’)
- अस्थात्
- stood up / aroseVerbलुङ् (aorist), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot स्था (धातु)
- आ
- towards; forthIndeclinableउपसर्गRole क्रियाविशेषण (direction/intensifier)Root आ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- जुह्वानस्य
- of the one who is offering/sacrificingParticiple (verbal adjective)पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive: ‘of the offering one’)Root हु (धातु) → जुह्वान (वर्तमान कृदन्त, शतृ/शानच्-प्रकार) + षष्ठी
- मीळ्हुषः
- of the bountiful (Agni)Adjective (substantivized)पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive: ‘of the gracious one’)Root मीळ्हु (प्रातिपदिक; ‘bountiful, gracious’; RV form, cf. mīḍhváṃs-)
- उत्
- and; alsoIndeclinableनिपातRole समुच्चय/उद्गार (connective/emphatic)Root उत् (अव्यय)
- धूमासः
- smokesNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (with plural verb ‘इन्धते’)Root धूम (प्रातिपदिक)
- अरुषासः
- ruddy/tawnyAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन (agreeing with धूमासः/नरः)Role कर्तृ-विशेषणRoot अरुष (प्रातिपदिक; ‘ruddy, tawny’)
- दिविस्पृशः
- sky-touchingCompound adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचनRole कर्तृ-विशेषणRoot दिवि (दिव्-प्रातिपदिक, loc. sg.) + स्पृश् (धातु) → स्पृश् (कृदन्त/विशेषण ‘touching’)
- सम्
- together; completelyIndeclinableउपसर्गRole क्रियाविशेषण (together/fully)Root सम् (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- अग्निम्
- Agni (fire)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्म (object of इन्धते)Root अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्धते
- they kindle / they set ablazeVerbलट् (present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot इन्ध् (धातु ‘to kindle’)
- नरः
- men; worshippersNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (agent of इन्धते)Root नर (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (sandhi-resolution): उद् + अस्य → उदस्य
- शोचिः + अस्थात् → शोचिरस्थात् (र्-सन्धि)
- आ + जुह्वानस्य → आजुह्वानस्य
- उत् + धूमासः → उद्धूमासः (उद्/उत् + ध- → द्ध)
- दिवि + स्पृशः → दिविस्पृशः (समास/पदयोग)
- सम् + अग्निम् → समग्निम् (म् + अ-)
The meaning
Outer meaning
His flame rises up when he is invoked, the bounteous giver; his ruddy, heaven-touching smokes rise; thus men together kindle Agni.
Inner meaning
When the inner Fire is sincerely called (ājuhvāna), its flame of aspiration and discernment rises (ud…śociḥ asthāt). The ‘smokes’—the upward streaming movements of thought, breath, and subtle energy—become aruṣāsaḥ (red-golden) and divispṛśaḥ (touching heaven): they connect the mortal field to higher mind/light. ‘Naraḥ’ are not merely physical men but the awakened human powers in us (soul-backed faculties) who, by collective consent, kindle Agni together (sam indhate): the whole nature participates, producing a unified ascent.
Universal truth
Invocation plus unified participation of our faculties makes aspiration rise and connect the lower life to higher consciousness.
Themes
kindling Agni, ascent symbolism, collective rite as inner yoga, light over darkness
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha-gotra
- Other hymns
- RV 7.4, RV 7.5, RV 7.6, RV 7.16
Family tradition
Mandala 7’s Agni hymns often describe the mechanics of inner kindling—how invocation, breath, and thought rise toward the luminous world.
Significance
Vasiṣṭha articulates a disciplined mysticism: ascent is not vague ecstasy but a crafted ignition where all powers (naraḥ) collaborate.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- mīḻhu (bounteous), divispṛś (heaven-touching, by his rising powers)
- Related deities
- Uṣas (illumination), Indra (luminous mind), Soma (bliss)
Cosmic role
Axis of ascent: from earth to heaven through flame and smoke; awakener of the sacrificial journey.
Inner power
Rising aspiration that links embodied life to higher mind; purifier of energies into a single upward stream.
In ritual
Where it is used
Kindling/strengthening Agni during agnyādhāna and daily tending; also as praise during offerings
उद॑स्य शो॒चिर॑स्थादा॒जुह्वा॑नस्य मी॒ळ्हुष॑: । उद्धू॒मासो॑ अरु॒षासो॑ दिवि॒स्पृश॒: सम॒ग्निमि॑न्धते॒ नर॑: ॥
उत् । अ॒स्य॒ । शो॒चिः । अ॒स्था॒त् । आ॒ऽजुह्वा॑नस्य । मी॒ळ्हुषः॑ । उत् । धू॒मासः॑ । अ॒रु॒षासः॑ । दि॒वि॒ऽस्पृशः॑ । सम् । अ॒ग्निम् । इ॒न्ध॒ते॒ । नरः॑ ॥
ut | asya | śociḥ | asthāt | ājuhvānasya | mīḷhuṣaḥ | ut | dhūmāsaḥ | aruṣāsaḥ | d ivi-spṛśaḥ | sam | agnim | indhate | naraḥ
44
4×11 (approx.)
Ascending, step-like propulsion; well-suited to ‘ud…ud…’ repetition that lifts the listener.
Creates a felt verticality—breath naturally lengthens and rises with the cadence.
- śociḥ
- Literal: flame, blaze. Symbolic: aspiration and luminous will; the clarifying force in consciousness
- ājuhvāna
- Literal: being invoked/called with offering. Symbolic: active remembrance and sincere calling of the divine will
- mīḻhuṣaḥ
- Literal: bounteous, gracious giver. Symbolic: the inner Fire as generous bestower of growth and light
- dhūmāsaḥ
- Literal: smokes. Symbolic: ascending currents of thought/breath/energy carrying offerings upward
- aruṣāsaḥ
- Literal: ruddy. Symbolic: life-force transmuted into luminous aspiration
- divispṛśaḥ
- Literal: sky/heaven-touching. Symbolic: movements that reach higher mind (dyu) and open to illumination
- sam indhate
- Literal: kindle together. Symbolic: integration: many parts of nature consent to one flame
Kindling/invocation (āhavana focus): collective lighting of Agni in offering contexts; supports the ‘upward’ movement of the rite as inner ascent.
At lighting/rekindling and when establishing a strong flame before oblations
Kindle fire, fan flame, offer ghee; recite to support upward rising of flame/smoke
Use at the start of pranayama/meditation: visualize the inner flame rising; let thoughts become ‘smoke’ that ascends rather than disperses.
śociḥ (from √śuc ‘shine, be bright’: flame as illumination). indhate (√indh ‘kindle, set ablaze’: activation of inner force). divi-spṛśaḥ (√spṛś ‘touch’: reaching the ‘dyu’/div—luminous plane). mīḷhuṣaḥ (mīḷh—gracious, bounteous: Agni as giver of increase when invoked). The repeated ú(d)- emphasizes vertical ascent: ritual fire mirrors inner rising toward higher mind.
ascent toward dyu (higher luminous consciousness), collective harmony (sam) as condition of awakening, grace/bounty through invocation (mīḷh)
The orderly rising (ud) signifies ṛta’s law of ascent—lower offered to higher.
Invocation aligned with truth makes the flame ‘stand up’ in consciousness.
Linking planes (earth-to-heaven) through Agni as connective power.
Integral yogic reading: ascent of consciousness via disciplined invocation and unified faculties.
morning (suggested by rising, upward movement)
Flame = awakened will/aspiration; smoke = subtle currents of thought and breath; heaven-touching = reaching higher mind and opening to illumination.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The rising of Agni’s flame and smoke as a cosmic ascent: the fire, once invoked, stands up and reaches heaven. Psychologically, the awakened will and aspiration rise from the embodied plane toward higher light; the ‘smoke’ marks the dynamic uprush of energies preceding clear illumination.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √sthā ‘stand’ (asthāt) corresponds to PIE *steh₂- (Eng. stand, Lat. stare), indicating ‘establishment’ of the flame. √spṛś ‘touch’ belongs to a widespread IE tactile root set; used here with divi to encode a vertical cosmology (earth-to-sky axis) typical of Indo-European poetics.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer emphasizes invocation as the activating link: Agni is ‘ājuhvāna’ (called) and therefore manifests as ‘mīḷhuṣ’ (gracious giver). Human agents (‘narāḥ’) participate by kindling together (sam), suggesting a cooperative reciprocity: aspiration and right action evoke grace and upward growth.
Unify faculties to kindle a single upward aspiration; let mental movements rise and clarify rather than spread outward.
maṇipūra → viśuddha (ascent and expression); also suṣumṇā imagery for ‘divispṛś’
gentle bhastrikā (brief) followed by steady inhalation imagining ‘ud’ rising; then silent retention with awareness of flame
Uplifted, brightened attention; a clean upward pull.
On each ‘ud’, feel the flame lift. Offer one distraction into the fire; watch it become ‘smoke’ that rises. Invite all parts of you (naraḥ) to agree on one intention for the sitting.
Maintain clear udātta on key rising words (ud, śociḥ, dhūmāsaḥ) as per recitational tradition; exact accents depend on śākhā notation.
Let the two ‘ud’ openings be slightly lifted in pitch and intensity, mirroring ascent; keep cadence even across padas.
śociḥ: final ḥ (visarga) audible, light, ājuhvānasya: long ā; ‘hv’ cluster clean, mīḻhuṣaḥ: retroflex ḻh; keep voiced aspiration, divispṛśaḥ: split di-vi-spṛ-śaḥ; ‘spṛ’ cluster precise, indhate: dental ‘dh’, not retroflex
upright, resonant, slightly ‘ascending’ placement
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