Rig Veda 8.44.28: Mandala 8, Sukta 44, Mantra 28
Sukta 8.44
- Devata
- Agni
- Rasa
- Karuna (compassion) and Shanta (peace)
अयमग्ने त्वे अपि जरिता भूतु सन्त्य । तस्मै पावक मृळय ॥
ayám agne tvé ápi jaritā́ bhūtu santyá | tásmai pāvaka mṛḷaya ||
अग्नि, यह जो मैं गा रहा हूँ, यह सच में तुम्हारे लिए है। तुम पानी जैसा साफ करते हो, तो मुझ पे दया करो और मुझे ठीक करो।
Word by Word
- अयम्
- this (one)Pronounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अग्ने
- O AgniNounपुंलिङ्गे सम्बोधन एकवचनम्Role (Sambodhana) संबोधितःRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- त्वे
- in/with youPronounसप्तमी एकवचनम् (वेदिक-रूप; लौकिके: त्वयि)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot त्वम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अपि
- also, evenIndeclinableअव्ययम्Root अपि (निपात)
- जरिता
- the singer/praiserNounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot जरितृ (प्रातिपदिक; √गॄ/गिर् ‘स्तु’ इत्यर्थे—स्तोतृ)
- भूतु
- let (him) beVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे) परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Root √भू (भवति)
- सन्त्यः
- being (present), existent (f.)Noun/Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot सन्ती (√अस् ‘to be’ का वर्तमान-स्त्रीलिङ्ग-प्रत्ययान्त रूप; प्रातिपदिक: सत्/सन्त्)
- तस्मै
- to himPronounचतुर्थी एकवचनम्Role SampradānaRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- पावक
- O PurifierAdjective (used as noun/epithet)पुंलिङ्गे सम्बोधन एकवचनम्Role (Sambodhana) संबोधितःRoot पावक (प्रातिपदिक; √पू ‘to purify’ से)
- मृळय
- be gracious; show mercyVerbलोट् परस्मैपदम्, मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Root √मृळ्/मृड् (वेदिक ‘to be gracious, to show mercy’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: अयम् | अग्ने | त्वे | अपि | जरिता | भूतु | सन्त्यः | तस्मै | पावक | मृळय || 1) अयम्+अग्ने → अयमग्ने (अ + अ संयोगे दीर्घः न, कारणं ‘अयम्’ इत्यस्य अनुस्वार/म्-समाप्तिः; संहितायां ‘मग्ने’ इव संयोगः)
- 2) त्वे अपि → त्वेऽपि (ए + अ → एऽ; अवग्रहः)
- 3) तस्मै पावक → तस्मै पावक (सन्धिः न आवश्यकः; पदान्त-स्वरव्यवस्था)
- 4) मृळय: वेदिक धातुरूपम् (लौकिके प्रायः ‘मृडय’ इति)
The meaning
Outer meaning
May this singer too belong to you, O Agni, in true sincerity; therefore, O Purifier, be gracious and heal him.
Inner meaning
The ‘singer’ (jaritā) is the aspiring soul-personality seeking to be included in Agni’s divine working (tve api). ‘Santya’ indicates truthfulness/real sincerity—an inner alignment without pretence. When the being becomes ‘of Agni’, the purifier (pāvaka) burns away mixed motives and restores wholeness. ‘Mṛḻaya’ is not only physical healing but a deep pacification: relief from inner distress, cleansing of guilt, fear, and fragmentation.
Universal truth
Belonging to the truth-force within brings purification and healing; sincerity is the condition for grace.
Themes
healing, inclusion in the divine, purification
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 8.44
Significance
This verse carries the intimate bhakta-note within Vedic yoga: the seeker asks not for outer gain but for inclusion, sincerity, and inner healing by the purifier.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- pāvaka (purifier)
- Related deities
- Aditi (wide motherly protection), Varuṇa (truth-law, release from bonds)
Cosmic role
Cleansing principle in worlds; removes stain and disorder, restoring harmony.
Inner power
Psychic purification and compassionate force that relieves suffering caused by falsehood and division.
In ritual
Where it is used
Prayer for grace and well-being addressed to Agni as pāvaka
अ॒यम॑ग्ने॒ त्वे अपि॑ जरि॒ता भू॑तु सन्त्य । तस्म॑स पावक मृळय ॥
अ॒यम् । अ॒ग्ने॒ । त्वे इति॑ । अपि॑ । ज॒रि॒ता । भू॒तु॒ । स॒न्त्य॒ । तस्मै॑ । पा॒व॒क॒ । मृ॒ळ॒य॒ ॥
ayam | agne | tve iti | api | jaritā | bhūtu | santya | tasmai | pāvaka | mṛḷaya
Likely Triṣṭubh (or Jagatī possibility in 8th maṇḍala)
44
4 × 11 (approx.)
Supplicatory yet steady; a soft cadence turning into a clear petition (mṛḻaya).
Soothes the nervous system; supports surrender and sincerity.
- जरिता (jaritā)
- Literal: singer/praiser. Symbolic: the aspiring soul-personality offering speech and self
- त्वे अपि (tve api)
- Literal: in you also / to you too. Symbolic: to be taken into the divine working, not remain separate
- सन्त्य (santya)
- Literal: truly, sincerely. Symbolic: truth-sincerity; alignment without duplicity
- पावक (pāvaka)
- Literal: purifier. Symbolic: Agni as cleansing force that refines nature
- मृळय (mṛḻaya)
- Literal: be gracious/soothe/heal. Symbolic: grace that pacifies, restores, and makes whole
Personal benediction within Agni praise: the jaritṛ asks inclusion in Agni and requests mṛḷa (grace/healing). Suitable in rites seeking purification and appeasement (śānti-toned moments).
After kindling or after confession/acknowledgment of faults; also in healing intentions.
Recitation with offering and request for mṛḻa (benediction).
Use as a sincerity-and-healing mantra during emotional turbulence or before sleep; pair with quiet self-offering.
pāvaka from √pū ‘to purify, cleanse’ → purification as clarification. mṛḷaya from √mṛḍ ‘to be gracious, to pity, to gladden/relieve’ → grace as soothing/healing force. santya related to sat (being) from √as ‘be’ → sincerity as alignment with true being.
Purification (pū), Grace/mercy (mṛḍ), Sat (true being) as sincerity
Purification restores right order in the being; ‘belonging to Agni’ is entering ṛta.
santya is the key: truthfulness unlocks the healing action of the fire.
Purification as evolutionary necessity: the being is refined to carry higher light.
Bhakti-toned Vedic yoga (grace through sincerity; purification leading to wideness).
Fire as inner catharsis; healing as warmth and light restoring coherence to mind and life.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Agni the purifier who grants grace: the fire not only burns but heals by cleansing. Inner sense: the seeker asks to be taken into Agni’s consciousness and thereby relieved of inner disorder and suffering.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- bhūtu (√bhū ‘become’) reflects PIE *bʰuH- ‘be, become’. The semantic pairing of purification (pū) and mercy/healing (mṛḍ) shows a characteristic Vedic fusion: cleansing is not punitive but restorative.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi presents himself as jaritā seeking belonging ‘in you’ (tve) and asks Agni’s response as pāvaka: purification culminating in mṛḷa—gracious restoration and protection.
Sincerity (satya) and self-belonging: ‘May I be of the inner Fire.’
Anāhata
Slow 6-6 breathing with a warm heart-focus; on exhale, release self-judgment into the flame.
Quiet devotion; receptive openness to grace.
Chant softly; then speak inwardly one truthful admission and one aspiration; sit in warmth at the heart as if Agni is healing the inner body.
Observe accents (अ॒यम॑, अग्ने॒, सन्त्य); keep the final ‘mṛḻaya’ clear and calm.
Do not overdrive pitch; let the plea ‘tasmai… mṛḻaya’ be slightly emphasized by steadier volume, not force.
: pronounce as ‘tve’ (single syllable), : ‘ntya’ cluster clean; avoid ‘san-ti-ya’, : vocalic ṛ in mṛ-, retroflex ḷ (mṛḻ-) distinct from l
Soft, warm, prayerful; minimal vibrato.
12
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