Rig Veda 5.3.5: Mandala 5, Sukta 3, Mantra 5
Sukta 5.3
- Rishi
- Atri
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
न त्वद्धोता पूर्वो अग्ने यजीयान्न काव्यैः परो अस्ति स्वधावः । विशश्च यस्या अतिथिर्भवासि स यज्ञेन वनवद्देव मर्तान् ॥
ná tvád dhótā pū́rvo agne yájīyān ná kā́vyaiḥ paró asti svadhāvaḥ | viśáś ca yásyā átithir bhávāsi sá yajñéna vanavad deva mártān ||
アグニよ、汝に先立つ供犠の祭官はなく、汝より供犠にふさわしき者はなく、カヴィ（詩聖）たちのうちにも汝を超える者はない、自らの力を具える者よ。諸族のために汝が歓待される客となるその死すべき者は、祭儀によって勝ち得る――神なる力よ――人間の諸力を正しく整え、己がものとして。
Word by Word
- न
- notIndeclinableनिषेधRoot न
- त्वत्
- than you / from youPronounपुं/स्त्री/नपुं, पञ्चमी (abl.), एकवचनRole ApādānaRoot त्वद्
- होता
- Hotṛ-priest / invokerNounपुं, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot होतृ
- पूर्वः
- former / earlierAdjectiveपुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन (होता इति विशेषणम्)Role KartāRoot पूर्व
- अग्ने
- O AgniNounपुं, संबोधन, एकवचनRoot अग्नि
- यजीयान्
- more worthy of worship / better sacrificerAdjectiveपुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन (होता इति विशेषणम्)Role KartāRoot यजीयस् (यज्-धातोः तुलनात्मक-विशेषणम्)
- न
- notIndeclinableनिषेधRoot न
- काव्यैः
- by poetic arts / by the (Kavi-)wisdomsNounनपुं, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot काव्य
- परः
- higher / superiorAdjectiveपुं, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot पर
- अस्ति
- isVerbलट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot अस्
- स्वधावः
- O self-empowered / possessing svadhāAdjectiveपुं, संबोधन, एकवचन (अग्ने इति विशेषणम्)Root स्वधावन्
- विशः
- clans / peoplesNounस्त्री, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot विश्
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चयRoot च
- यस्य
- whosePronounपुं, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole SambandhaRoot यद्
- अतिथिः
- guestNounपुं, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot अतिथि
- भवसि
- you become / you areVerbलट् (वर्तमान), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot भू
- सः
- hePronounपुं, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot तद्
- यज्ञेन
- by/with the sacrificeNounपुं, तृतीया, एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot यज्ञ
- वनवत्
- won / gainedVerbअोरिस्ट/परफेक्ट-प्राय (वेदिक), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot वन्/वनवद् (वन् ‘to win’ इत्यस्य परस्मैपद-लिट्/लुङ्-प्रयोगः; वेदिकं रूपम्)
- देव
- O godNounपुं, संबोधन, एकवचनRoot देव
- मर्तान्
- mortalsNounपुं, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot मर्त
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution: त्वद्धोता → त्वत् + होता
- यजीयाऽन्न → यजीयान् + न
- काव्यैः प॒रो → काव्यैः + परः
- विशश्च → विशः + च
- यस्या॒ अति॑थिः → यस्य + अतिथिः
- अतिथि॒र्भवा॑सि → अतिथिः + भवसि
- वनवद्देव → वनवत् + देव. Accent marks in the saṃhitā text are not repeated in the pada forms here
- analysis follows pada segmentation
The meaning
Outer meaning
No prior Hotṛ is more worthy than you, Agni; The mortal for whose peoples you become the guest—he wins by the sacrifice the mortal beings/men.
Inner meaning
Agni as inner Will is the first and unsurpassed priest in the evolutionary sacrifice: no earlier or alternative principle can replace the psychic fire as the true mediator and doer. Even among inspired utterances (kāvya), nothing surpasses the self-existent flame’s discerning action. When Agni becomes atithi, the welcomed Guest in the ‘peoples’ (viśaḥ: multiple parts and subpersonalities of our nature), then the sādhaka can ‘win the mortals’—bring the human forces (habits, impulses, energies) into right possession and order through yajña (consecrated action).
Universal truth
Transformation requires installing the inner divine will as the honored guest in every part of life; then consecrated action can reorganize and master the mortal nature.
Themes
Agni as Hotṛ/mediator, inner sacrifice and attainment, divine indwelling (Atithi)
The seer
- Rishi
- Atri (Ātreya tradition)
- Lineage
- Ātreya
- Other hymns
- RV 5.1–5.27 (Ātreya Agni hymns, traditional), RV 5.40 (Atri and the Sun motif, traditional)
Family tradition
Atri’s line is associated with luminous vision and the recovery of the Sun (light) through mantra and inner effort; the Ātreyas often stress Agni as the decisive inner priest.
Significance
The Ātreya emphasis here is practical yoga: nothing surpasses the psychic fire as guide; welcoming it into all ‘peoples’ of the nature enables conquest of the mortal.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- hotṛ, yajīyān, svadhāvaḥ, atithi
- Related deities
- Bṛhaspati (as brahmanaspati, inspired word—parallel to kāvya), Ādityas (as order; implied by right possession)
Cosmic role
First priest and divine guest in the human house; awakens sacrifice and leads the ascent.
Inner power
Psychic will that can enter every part of the nature and reorganize it through consecration.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni as Hotṛ and Atithi in household and shrauta settings; suitable at fire welcoming/feeding rites.
न त्वद्धोता॒ पूर्वो॑ अग्ने॒ यजी॑या॒न्न काव्यै॑: प॒रो अ॑स्ति स्वधावः । वि॒शश्च॒ यस्या॒ अति॑थि॒र्भवा॑सि॒ स य॒ज्ञेन॑ वनवद्देव॒ मर्ता॑न् ॥
न । त्वत् । होता॑ । पूर्वः॑ । अ॒ग्ने॒ । यजी॑यान् । न । काव्यैः॑ । प॒रः । अ॒स्ति॒ । स्व॒धा॒ऽवः । वि॒शः । च॒ । यस्याः॑ । अति॑थिः । भवा॑सि । सः । य॒ज्ञेन॑ । व॒न॒ऽव॒त् । दे॒व॒ । मर्ता॑न् ॥
na | tvat | hotā | pūrvaḥ | agne | yajīyān | na | kāvyaiḥ | paraḥ | asti | svadhāvaḥ | viśaḥ | ca | yasyāḥ | atithiḥ | bhavāsi | saḥ | yajñena | vana-vat | deva | martān
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4 × ~11 syllables
Authoritative, comparative (‘none before you’); strong cadence of supremacy and installation.
Strengthens resolve and faith in the inner fire as primary guide; produces a ‘firming’ effect in the chest and voice.
- होता (hotā)
- Literal: invoking priest. Symbolic: inner mediator and leader of aspiration
- यजीयान् (yajīyān)
- Literal: more worthy of sacrifice. Symbolic: most fit to receive and guide consecration
- काव्यैः (kāvyaiḥ)
- Literal: by/among poet-seers. Symbolic: inspired mental formations; higher thought-poetry
- स्वधावः (svadhāvaḥ)
- Literal: self-powered. Symbolic: autonomous spiritual force acting by inner law
- अतिथिः (atithiḥ)
- Literal: guest. Symbolic: indwelling divine presence welcomed in all parts
- विशः (viśaḥ)
- Literal: clans/peoples. Symbolic: multiplicity of inner parts and energies
- यज्ञेन (yajñena)
- Literal: by sacrifice. Symbolic: consecrated works and offering of movements
- वनवत् (vanavat)
- Literal: wins, conquers, gains. Symbolic: brings under right possession; integrates and masters
- मर्तान् (martān)
- Literal: mortals. Symbolic: mortal forces in us—habitual life and body nature
Agni-invocation in Soma and Haviryajña contexts; suitable for establishing Agni as Hotṛ and as the invited ‘Guest’ (ātithya) at the sacrifice (general Śrauta usage rather than a single exclusive rite).
When lighting/feeding the fire; when reaffirming Agni’s primacy before any major offering sequence.
Welcoming Agni with ghee/wood; reciting to establish him as honored presence; then proceeding with offerings.
Daily ‘guest practice’: before work, welcome the inner fire into each domain (speech, food, relationships, action) and offer the day’s movements to it.
(hotā́) from √hu ‘to invoke, call’; indicates the calling will that mediates between human and divine. (yájīyān) comparative of yajyá- from √yaj ‘to sacrifice, worship’; ‘more worthy of offering’ implies supreme fitness to receive and carry the oblation upward. (kāvya) from kavi ‘seer’ (possibly from √ku/√kū ‘to see/notice, be wise’ in Vedic usage); denotes inspired vision rather than mere poetry. (svadhā) = sva- ‘self’ + dhā (from √dhā ‘to place, establish’): inherent law/power, self-established capacity; thus svadhā́van ‘self-powered’. from √van ‘to win, gain; to desire/seek’; in inner sense, attainment by right offering. (atithi) a- ‘not’ + tithi ‘fixed day’ → ‘unfixed visitor’; psychologically the unpredicted descent of the divine Presence when welcomed.
Rita (right order) via yajña as ordering principle, svadhā (self-law, inherent power), kavi (illumined cognition)
Agni as unsurpassed Hotṛ ensures offerings align with ṛta; without him, actions remain human and scattered.
Kāvya (inspired speech) is not enough unless Agni’s truth-force animates it—satya must become operative will.
The divine entering the human house as guest—incarnation motif; mastery of mortal nature through sacrifice.
Karma-yoga prototype: consecrated action as means of transformation under the inner divine will.
evening (guest/fire feeding typical)
Hospitality = receptivity to the divine presence; hearth = heart-center; conquest = integration of instinctual energies.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Agni as the primordial Hotṛ and ‘Guest’ (Atithi): the divine Fire is uniquely the first mediator who, once welcomed into the ‘peoples’ (the movements of the being/community), enables victory/attainment through yajña. The mythic action is not combat but installation: establishing Agni in the human house so that the sacrifice becomes effective and gathers the human powers into a divinized order.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √yaj (yajña, yajyá-) corresponds to Indo-Iranian *yaj- (Avestan yaz- ‘to worship’), reflecting a shared ritual-poetic lexicon. √hu (hotā) aligns with Indo-Iranian *źauH-/ *juH ‘to call/invoke’ (cf. Vedic hū-, Avestan zao- in priestly contexts). The comparative yájīyān shows inherited Indo-European comparison morphology (suffixal comparative), while svadhā (self-established power) is a transparent Vedic compound (sva- + √dhā) emphasizing internalized agency.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The poet-seer asserts Agni’s unsurpassed capacity as priest and seer-power (‘none higher among kavis’), then frames reciprocity: when Agni is received as Guest by the collective movements (viśaḥ), the mortal ‘wins’ by yajña. The exchange is inner and ethical-psychological: human consecration and welcome (offering, hospitality) evoke Agni’s organizing, uplifting power, resulting in the acquisition and right governance of the mortal energies.
Establish Agni as the primary inner guide; welcome him into every ‘people’ (part) of the nature.
manipura (will/fire)
Kapalabhati light (30–60 strokes) then quiet breathing; feel a steady flame at navel rising to heart.
Resolute, purified, action-ready yet consecrated.
Name 3–5 inner ‘clans’ (speech, desire, fear, ambition, care). One by one, inwardly say: ‘Agni, be the guest here.’ Offer a small habit to the fire (a concrete renunciation) and replace it with one consecrated action.
Vedic accenting with emphatic udatta on negations and comparatives (ná, tvád, hotā́, yajī́yān).
Keep the first half strong and declarative; soften slightly on ‘atithir bhavāsi’ as welcoming; finish with victorious firmness on ‘yajñena vanavat’.
/ hotā: long ‘ā’., svadhāvaḥ: aspirate ‘dh’; visarga lightly echoed before pause., atithiḥ: short vowels, clear dental ‘t’.
Clear, firm, slightly resonant in the chest; avoid haste in the long compounds.
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