Rig Veda 7.5.4: Mandala 7, Sukta 5, Mantra 4
Sukta 7.5
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Agni Vaiśvānara
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
तव त्रिधातु पृथिवी उत द्यौर्वैश्वानर व्रतमग्ने सचन्त । त्वं भासा रोदसी आ ततन्थाजस्रेण शोचिषा शोशुचानः ॥
táva tri-dhā́tu pṛthivī́ utá dyáur vaiśvānara vratám agne sacanta | tváṃ bhāsā́ rodasī́ ā́ tatanthā́jasreṇa śóciṣā́ śóśucānaḥ ||
वैश्वानर, तुम्हारा तीन तरह का नियम है। धरती और आसमान दोनों इस्से फॉलो करते हैं। अग्नि, तुमने अपनी रोशनी से दोनों दुनिया को फैला दिया। तुम हमेशा जलते रहते हो। तुम सब कुछ सही कर देते हो।
Word by Word
- तव
- of you / yourPronounषष्ठी (gen.), एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitival relation)Root त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- त्रिधातु
- threefold-ordered / having three layersAdjective (compound)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (विशेषणरूपेण)Role विशेषण (to the subject)Root त्रि-धातु (प्रातिपदिक; धातु < √धा)
- पृथिवी
- the EarthNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (with द्यौः as co-subject)Root पृथिवी (प्रातिपदिक)
- उत
- and / alsoIndeclinableसमुच्चयार्थक अव्ययRoot उत (निपात)
- द्यौः
- Heaven / the SkyNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग (वैदिके प्रायः), प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (with पृथिवी as co-subject)Root द्यौ (प्रातिपदिक)
- वैश्वानर
- O Vaiśvānara (Agni as ‘belonging to all men’)Noun (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot वैश्वानर (प्रातिपदिक; विश्-वानर-सम्बद्ध)
- व्रतम्
- the ordinance / fixed lawNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
- अग्ने
- O AgniNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- सचन्ते
- they accompany / followVerbलट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, आत्मनेपदRole क्रिया (of पृथिवी+द्यौः)Root √सच् (सचँ समवाये/अनुगमे)
- त्वम्
- youPronounप्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- भासा
- with (your) radianceNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करणRoot भासा (प्रातिपदिक; भास् ‘light’)
- रोदसी
- the two worlds (Heaven and Earth)Noun (dual)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, द्विवचनRole कर्मRoot रोदसी (द्विवचन-प्रातिपदिक; ‘heaven-and-earth’)
- आ
- forth / all aroundIndeclinable (preverb)उपसर्गः (व्याप्ति/समन्तात्-प्रसारार्थ)Root आ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- ततन्थ
- you have stretched / spreadVerbलिट् (परोक्श/परफेक्ट), मध्यम? → वास्तवतः उत्तम?; रूपतः: 2nd sg. परस्मैपद (ततन्थ)Role क्रिया (कर्तृ=त्वम्)Root √तन् (तनुँ विस्तारे)
- अजस्रेण
- with unceasing (continuous)Adjectiveपुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया, एकवचन (करणे)Role करणRoot अजस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- शोचिषा
- with flame / with blazing lightNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करणRoot शोचिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- शोशुचानः
- blazing intensely / ever-shiningParticiple (intensive/reduplicated) adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (कर्तरि, वर्तमानकाले)Role कर्तृ-विशेषण (to त्वम्)Root √शुच् (शुचँ दीप्तौ) → शोशुचान (वर्तमान-परिप्रसारित/तीव्र-दीप्ति; कृदन्त)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: तव | त्रिधातु | पृथिवी | उत | द्यौः | वैश्वानर | व्रतम् | अग्ने | सचन्ते । त्वम् | भासा | रोदसी | आ | ततन्थ | अजस्रेण | शोचिषा | शोशुचानः ॥ 1) द्यौः+वैश्वानर → द्यौर्वैश्वानर (विसर्गस्य ‘र्’ आदेशः)। 2) अग्ने+सचन्ते → अग्ने सचन्ते (सन्ध्यभावः/पदविरामः; मन्त्रलेखने ‘अग्ने सचन्त’ इति संहितारूपे दृश्यते, पदे ‘सचन्ते’ अपेक्षितम्—प्रथमपुरुष-बहुवचनं पृथिवी-द्यौः कर्तृभ्याम्)। 3) रोदसी+आ → रोदसी आ (स्वर-सन्धिः न कृतः; पदविरामः)। 4) ततन्थ+अजस्रेण → ततन्थाजस्रेण (स्वर-सन्धिः: अ + अ → आ)।
The meaning
Outer meaning
Earth and Heaven follow thy threefold-ordered law, O Vaiśvānara. With thy light thou hast stretched out the two worlds, blazing with unceasing flame.
Inner meaning
Agni’s ‘threefold law’ (tridhātu vratam) is the inner order that harmonizes the triple being—mind, life, and body (or the three worlds in us). When this law is accepted, the foundational consciousness (earth) and the aspiring consciousness (heaven) move in accord. By the light of awakened will, Agni ‘stretches’ the two worlds: he expands our capacity above and below, creating a wide inner frame where right order can manifest. The unceasing flame is the steady tapas of practice that keeps the worlds linked and luminous.
Universal truth
A stable spiritual life depends on an inner law that integrates the whole nature; sustained practice widens our inner world and makes harmony between material life and higher consciousness possible.
Themes
cosmic order, Agni as world-extender, unceasing flame, discipline and law
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vāsiṣṭha
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 7.4, Rig Veda 7.5, Rig Veda 7.18
Family tradition
The Vāsiṣṭha corpus emphasizes law (vrata) and ṛta as lived inner order, not merely external rite.
Significance
This verse is a concise Vasiṣṭha formula for integral harmony: the higher and lower worlds follow one inner law when Agni’s light is constant.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni Vaiśvānara
- Epithets
- Vaiśvānara, Śośucāna (blazing), Ṛtasya netā (implied leader of right order)
- Related deities
- Mitra-Varuṇa (law/ṛta), Sūrya (light), Uṣas (awakening)
Cosmic role
Maintains the cosmic and psychological order that lets heaven and earth cohere; sustains the worlds by continuous flame.
Inner power
Integrator: establishes a living discipline that aligns mind, life, and body with higher truth.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni hymns used to affirm cosmic order within śrauta recitations; suitable at moments of establishing the altar-fire and its ‘law’.
तव॑ त्रि॒धातु॑ पृथि॒वी उ॒त द्यौर्वैश्वा॑नर व्र॒तम॑ग्ने सचन्त । त्वं भा॒सा रोद॑सी॒ आ त॑त॒न्थाज॑स्रेण शो॒चिषा॒ शोशु॑चानः ॥
तव॑ । त्रि॒ऽधातु॑ । पृ॒थि॒वी । उ॒त । द्यौः । वैश्वा॑नर । व्र॒तम् । अ॒ग्ने॒ । स॒च॒न्त॒ । त्वम् । भा॒सा । रोद॑सी॒ इति॑ । आ । त॒त॒न्थ । अज॑स्रेण । शो॒चिषा॑ । शोशु॑चानः ॥
tava | tri-dhātu | pṛthivī | uta | dyauḥ | vaiśvānara | vratam | agne | sacanta | tvam | bhāsā | rodasī iti | ā | tatantha | ajasreṇa | śociṣā | śośucānaḥ
44
4×11 (approx.)
Even, law-like cadence with expanding sweep in the second half.
Creates a sense of steady widening—good for stabilizing and integrating meditation.
- त्रिधातु (tridhātu)
- Literal: threefold-ordered/threefold constitution. Symbolic: integrated triple nature (mind–life–body) or triple world-principle within
- व्रतम् (vratam)
- Literal: vow/law/ordinance. Symbolic: the soul’s rule of right movement; discipline of ṛta in action
- रोदसी (rodasī)
- Literal: the two worlds (heaven and earth). Symbolic: higher and lower consciousness in the being
- भासा (bhāsā)
- Literal: by light. Symbolic: by illumination of awakened will and discernment
- आ ततन्थ (ā tatantha)
- Literal: thou hast stretched out. Symbolic: expanded the inner capacity and field of consciousness
- अजस्रेण (ajasreṇa)
- Literal: unceasing. Symbolic: continuous practice; steady tapas
- शोचिषा (śociṣā)
- Literal: by flame/splendor. Symbolic: purifying luminous energy
Appropriate to invocations that establish Agni’s cosmic legitimacy and ‘vrata’ (right working) at the start/strengthening of the rite.
During invocations that place Agni as supporter of heaven and earth and guardian of vrata.
Kindling/feeding the fire with ghee; recitation as a ‘setting’ of order in the rite-space.
A mantra for daily discipline: chant before starting work to align mind–life–body under one inner rule.
tri-dhātu: dhātu from √dhā ‘place/establish’—three foundational placements (often read as three worlds/three functions). vrata from √vṛ ‘choose/will’ → ‘willed law, chosen rule’ hence psychological discipline/order. √tan ‘stretch’ frames a cosmogonic act: extending the field of consciousness (rodasī) by light (bhāsā).
ṛta as divine law (vrata), threefold order (tri-dhātu), cosmic extension as inner widening
Vrata is the operative form of ṛta—order as lived movement; heaven and earth ‘follow’ it.
The light (bhāsā) implies truth-disclosure that makes alignment possible.
Worlds are ‘stretched out’ by light—expansion of manifestation through conscious force.
Integral Vedantic yoga: harmonization of planes by an inner law and sustained tapas.
Earth = stability/body-consciousness; Heaven = aspiration/mind-light; Fire = tapas/will that unites them.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Cosmic ‘world-extension’ by divine light: Agni stretches the two worlds and imposes a threefold-founded law that Heaven and Earth follow—mythic grounding of ṛta as an active luminous power.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √tan ‘stretch’ is a strong IE root (PIE *ten- ‘stretch’, cf. Latin tendere, English thin via Germanic developments). The dual/plural concept rodasī (two worlds) preserves archaic Indo-Iranian cosmological binarism expressed through fixed poetic collocation.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi aligns himself with Agni’s vrata: not merely asking, but affirming the divine rule as the basis of both cosmos and inner practice. The hymn becomes a declaration of adherence (sacanta) to the god’s order.
Contemplate a threefold inner law: clarity in mind, purity in life-force, steadiness in body; feel Agni’s light expanding both ‘worlds’ in you.
Sahasrāra–Mūlādhāra axis integration (through heart as mediator)
Slow sama-vṛtti (4-4-4-4) while mentally repeating ‘tridhātu… vratam’.
Integrated, steady, spacious awareness.
Make one simple vow for the day (vrata); chant; then sit and feel the two worlds—aspiration above, stability below—becoming one field.
Sustain udātta prominence on tridhā́tu, vaiśvānara, vratám, bhā́sā; keep the final cadence long on śośucānaḥ.
Chant with evenness—avoid dramatic surges; let ‘ā tatantha’ gently widen in tone.
tridhātu: clear dh, long ā, rodasī: roll r lightly; long ī, ajasreṇa: j not z; long eṇa, śociṣā: śo- with long o, ci with short i
Steady, warm, continuous—like an unbroken flame.
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Rig Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
