Rig Veda 7.7.1: Mandala 7, Sukta 7, Mantra 1
Sukta 7.7
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
प्र वो देवं चित्सहसानमग्निमश्वं न वाजिनं हिषे नमोभिः । भवा नो दूतो अध्वरस्य विद्वान्त्मना देवेषु विविदे मितद्रुः ॥
prá vó deváṁ cit sahasā́nam agním áśvaṁ ná vā́jinaṁ híṣe námobhiḥ | bhávā no dūtó adhvarásya vidvā́n tmanā́ devéṣu vivide mitá-druḥ ||
मैं अग्नि भगवान को बुला रहा हूँ। वो बहुत ताकतवाला है, जैसे तेज़ घोड़ा। मैं उनको झुक के नमस्कार करता हूँ। अग्नि, हमारे लिए पैगम बनो। यज्ञ का काम तुम जानते हो। तुम भगवानों के पास अपनी जगह बना लेते हो।
Word by Word
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableupasarga (preverb)Root प्र (upasarga)
- वः
- of you / for you (your)Pronoungenitive pluralRole SampradānaRoot युष्मद्
- देवम्
- the godNounmasculine accusative singularRole KarmaRoot देव-
- चित्
- indeed, evenIndeclinableemphatic particleRoot चित् (particle)
- सहसानम्
- mighty, overpoweringAdjective/Participlemasculine accusative singular; present participle (śatṛ-type) used adjectivallyRole Karma (qualifier of देवम्/अग्निम्)Root सहस्- (from √सह् ‘to be strong, prevail’)
- अग्निम्
- Agni (fire-god)Nounmasculine accusative singularRole KarmaRoot अग्नि-
- अश्वम्
- a horseNounmasculine accusative singularRole Karma (in simile)Root अश्व-
- न
- like, asIndeclinablesimile-markerRoot न (particle)
- वाजिनम्
- swift, prize-winning (steed)Adjective/Nounmasculine accusative singularRole Karma (in simile; qualifier of अश्वम्)Root वाजिन्-
- हिषे
- I impel / I send forth (in praise)Verbpresent, ātmanepada; 1st person singular (Vedic injunctive/imperative-like usage in praise context)Role KriyāRoot √हि (Vedic: ‘to impel, set in motion / send forth’)
- नमोभिः
- with obeisances, with reverencesNounneuter instrumental pluralRole KaraṇaRoot नमस्-
- भव
- become; beVerbimperative, 2nd person singular, parasmaipadaRole KriyāRoot √भू
- नः
- of us / for us (our)Pronoungenitive plural (enclitic)Role SampradānaRoot अस्मद्
- दूतः
- messengerNounmasculine nominative singularRole Kartā (predicate-noun with भव)Root दूत-
- अध्वरस्य
- of the sacrificeNounmasculine genitive singularRole Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandhaRoot अध्वर-
- विद्वान्
- knowing, wiseAdjective/Participlemasculine nominative singular; perfect participle activeRole Kartā (qualifier of दूतः/अग्निः)Root विद्वस्- (from √विद् ‘to know’)
- त्मना
- by oneself; with one’s own powerPronoun/Nouninstrumental singular (Vedic form)Role KaraṇaRoot त्मन्- (Vedic reflexive ‘self’)
- देवेषु
- among the godsNounmasculine locative pluralRole AdhikaraṇaRoot देव-
- विविदे
- has found / has become knownVerbperfect, ātmanepada; 3rd person singularRole KriyāRoot √विद् ‘to find/know’ with vi-
- मितद्रुः
- the measured-goer (epithet), steady/regulated in courseNoun/Epithetmasculine nominative singular (epithet of Agni)Role Kartā (apposition to दूतः/विद्वान्)Root मित-द्रु- (compound; मित ‘measured’ + द्रु/द्रु- ‘running/wood; here epithet’)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolved as: प्र + वः
- देवं + चित्
- सहसानम् + अग्निम्
- अश्वम् + न
- वाज़िनम् + हिषे
- नमोभिः
- भव + नः
- दूतः + अध्वरस्य
- विद्वान् + त्मना (Vedic instrumental ‘त्मना’)
- देवेषु
- विविदे
- मितद्रुः. Accent marks in the saṃhitā text are retained in citation but pada-forms are given without explicit accent annotation beyond the base forms
The meaning
Outer meaning
The seer offers (presses forward) reverent homage to the divine Agni, strong and impetuous like a prize-winning steed. He asks Agni to become the messenger of the sacrifice, knowing the paths, and to take his place among the gods with measured stride.
Inner meaning
The aspirant projects forward the awakened Flame of Will (Agni) as a dynamic force of progress (aśva/vājin). Through surrender (namobhiḥ) the inner Fire becomes the envoy between human consciousness and the higher powers, carrying the offering of works and aspiration. “Knowing the paths” indicates Agni’s discernment of inner routes—how to lead the being from mixed desire to purified intention. “Measured in stride” (mitadruḥ) suggests regulated, rhythmic advance: force governed by truth, not impulsive zeal.
Universal truth
Spiritual progress requires an inner guiding power that is both forceful and disciplined: aspiration must be offered with reverence, then led by an illumined will that knows the way and can harmonize the human with the divine order.
Themes
Invocation, Agni as messenger, Dynamic progress (aśva/vāja)
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha (Maitrāvaruṇa lineage)
- Other hymns
- RV 7.1, RV 7.2, RV 7.3, RV 7.4, RV 7.5, RV 7.6
Family tradition
Saptarṣi of the Vasiṣṭha family; hymns often emphasize ṛta, ordered sacrifice, and the steady establishment of divine powers in human life.
Significance
Vasiṣṭha’s vision is of stable realization: the divine Fire becomes an inner priest who builds a lawful (ṛtāvā) ascent, integrating force with truth and measure.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- देवं (divine), सहसानम् (mighty), वाजिनम् (plenitude-bearing), दूतः (messenger), विद्वान् (knower of paths), मितद्रुः (measured in stride)
- Related deities
- Indra, Soma, Uṣas, Mitra-Varuṇa, Bṛhaspati
Cosmic role
Priest of the gods, carrier of offerings, awakener of the sacrificial flame that connects Earth and Heaven.
Inner power
Psychic will that translates aspiration into effective inner action and opens communication with higher consciousness.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni invocation at the opening/establishment of the offering (āhavana focus)
प्र वो॑ दे॒वं चि॑त्सहसा॒नम॒ग्निमश्वं॒ न वा॒जिनं॑ हिषे॒ नमो॑भिः । भवा॑ नो दू॒तो अ॑ध्व॒रस्य॑ वि॒द्वान्त्मना॑ दे॒वेषु॑ विविदे मि॒तद्रु॑: ॥
प्र । वः॒ । दे॒वम् । चि॒त् । स॒ह॒सा॒नम् । अ॒ग्निम् । अश्व॑म् । न । वा॒जिन॑म् । हि॒षे॒ । नमः॑ऽभिः । भव॑ । नः॒ । दू॒तः । अ॒ध्व॒रस्य॑ । वि॒द्वान् । त्मना॑ । दे॒वेषु॑ । वि॒वि॒दे॒ । मि॒तऽदुः॑ ॥
pra | vaḥ | devam | cit | sahasānam | agnim | aśvam | na | vājinam | hiṣe | namaḥ-bhiḥ | bhava | naḥ | dūtaḥ | adhvarasya | vidvān | tmanā | deveṣu | vivide | mita-duḥ
44
4 pādas of ~11 syllables each
Forward-driving, martial yet controlled cadence suited to invocation and ascent.
Builds energized aspiration with a sense of ordered momentum; supports ‘stepping’ progress (mitadruḥ) in meditation.
- अग्नि (agni)
- Literal: fire. Symbolic: Divine Will/psychic flame leading the inner sacrifice
- देवं (devaṃ)
- Literal: divine, shining one. Symbolic: The luminous power of consciousness, not merely physical flame
- सहसानम् (sahasānam)
- Literal: mighty, overpowering. Symbolic: Irresistible spiritual force that can break resistance
- अश्वम् (aśvam)
- Literal: horse/steed. Symbolic: Vital energy and forward drive yoked to the divine
- वाजिनम् (vājinaṃ)
- Literal: possessing prize/plenty, swift. Symbolic: Plenitude-power; effective energy that wins the ‘boon’ of light
- नमोभिः (namobhiḥ)
- Literal: with obeisances. Symbolic: Consecration/surrender that aligns ego-energy to the Divine
- दूतः (dūtaḥ)
- Literal: messenger. Symbolic: Mediator function: will carrying offerings upward and bringing inspiration down
- अध्वरस्य (adhvarasya)
- Literal: of the sacrifice (unhurt, orderly rite). Symbolic: The inner yajña: ordered self-offering without distortion
- विद्वान् (vidvān)
- Literal: knowing. Symbolic: Discerning guidance; knowledge of inner passages
- देवेषु (deveṣu)
- Literal: among the gods. Symbolic: In the planes of higher powers (illumination, harmony, bliss)
- मितद्रुः (mitadruḥ)
- Literal: measured in stride/course. Symbolic: Rhythmic, proportioned progress under ṛta (right order)
Opening praise/invocation (stuti) for kindling and for establishing Agni as dūta in the adhvara; broadly used across śrauta offerings as Agni is the conveyor of oblations.
At commencement of yajña; when kindling/strengthening the sacred fire and inviting Agni as hotṛ and messenger.
Offering with namas (reverent acts), calling Agni to carry oblations and open the divine channels.
Use as a pre-meditation consecration: offer the day’s actions to the inner Fire and ask for guidance on the ‘pathways’ of right effort.
sahasāna (from sahas ‘might’ √sah ‘to prevail’); aśva (horse; PIE *h₁eḱwos); vāja (strength/prize/plenitude; from √vaj ‘to be strong’/‘drive’ in Vedic semantics); dūta (messenger; √dū ‘to send/impel’ in Vedic tradition); adhvara (ritual work/journey; often analyzed as a-dhvara ‘non-injurious’ folk etymology, but functions as ‘sacrifice’); mitá-dru (mitá ‘measured’ from √mā ‘measure’ + dru ‘run/wood/stride’ in epithetic usage → ‘measured runner’).
Yajña as inner journey (adhvara), Vāja as plenitude of force, Self-offering through namas
Explicit through ‘measured stride’ and Agni’s role as the lawful mediator establishing right movement between planes.
Agni ‘finds his place among the gods’—truth-positioning of consciousness in higher order.
Ascent through the sacrificial ladder: will becomes the formative power that builds a bridge to the gods.
Proto-Vedāntic and Yogic reading (Aurobindonian): evolution of consciousness through inner yajña.
Fire = will; horse = driven life-force; path = inner disciplines; measured stride = regulated growth under truth.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Agni as dūta (messenger) who carries the sacrifice to the gods: the foundational Vedic mediation myth, internalized as the will in us that translates aspiration (namo) into divine reception and response.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- aśva continues PIE *h₁eḱwos (horse), a pan-Indo-European poetic emblem of speed and power. √mā ‘measure’ is PIE *meh₁-; the epithet mitá- encodes regulated cosmic order (ṛta-like regularity) through measured movement.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi offers namas (self-bending) and asks Agni to act as the conscious intermediary. Agni’s ‘finding his place among the gods’ mirrors the seeker’s need to place the inner fire rightly in the divine order so the sacrifice can be effective.
Consecrate will and action to the inner Fire; ask for discernment of the next right step.
maṇipūra
Gentle ujjāyī or slow diaphragmatic breathing synchronized to 4 pādas.
Active aspiration moving toward quiet, ordered intensity.
Begin with ‘namas’ (inner bow), feel a warm flame at the navel/heart, then mentally offer today’s works; end by sensing a measured, steady forward movement rather than haste.
Triṣṭubh with Vedic accents (udātta/anudātta/svarita) as per śākhā recitation; preserve pitch rise on udātta and glide on svarita.
Keep clear stress on key invocatory words: prá, deváṃ, agním; avoid flattening ‘vidvā́n’ and ‘dūtáḥ’.
Differentiate ś/ṣ/s: sahasānam (s), viśv- (ś), Vasiṣṭha (ṣṭh)., Hold long vowels: devā, tmanā, vive-de., Pronounce ‘ṛ’ in ṛt-words lightly retroflex (if encountered in related chanting)., ‘adhvarasya’: clear dh + v cluster, no extra vowel insertion.
Bright, steady, forward-placing; end each pāda with gentle containment (measure).
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