Rig Veda 1.97.5: Mandala 1, Sukta 97, Mantra 5
Sukta 1.97
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Short meter with refrain
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
प्र यदग्नेः सहस्वतो विश्वतो यन्ति भानवः । अप नः शोशुचदघम् ॥
prá yád agnéḥ sáhasvato viśvátó yánti bhā́naváḥ | ápa naḥ śóśucad aghám ||
ಬಲದಲ್ಲಿ ಪ್ರಬಲನಾದ ಅಗ್ನಿಯಿಂದ ಎಲ್ಲ ದಿಕ್ಕುಗಳಿಗೂ ಕಿರಣಗಳು ಹರಡಿದಾಗ, ನಮ್ಮಿಂದ ಅಂಟಿಕೊಂಡಿರುವ ಅಘವನ್ನು (ಪಾಪ/ಅನಿಷ್ಟ) ದಹಿಸಿ ದೂರಮಾಡು.
Word by Word
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableupasarga (preverb)Root प्र (upasarga)
- यत्
- which, that (which)Pronounneuter nominative/accusative singular (relative)Role Karma (of implied verb ‘to go/come forth’ with प्र)Root यद् (sarvanāma-prātipadika)
- अग्नेः
- of AgniNounmasculine genitive singularRole Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (of ‘सहस्वतः’ / of the rays’ source)Root अग्नि (prātipadika)
- सहस्वतः
- of the mighty/strong oneAdjectivemasculine genitive singularRole Viśeṣaṇa in genitive (qualifying ‘अग्नेः’)Root सहस्वत् (prātipadika; possessive adj. from सहस् ‘might/force’)
- विश्वतः
- from all sides, everywhereIndeclinableadverbRole Adhikaraṇa (directional/locative sense: ‘from all sides’)Root विश्वतः (avyaya; from विश्व ‘all’ with -तः)
- यन्ति
- go, proceed, streamVerbpresent indicative, 3rd person plural, parasmaipadaRole Kriyā (main verb); Kartā = भानवःRoot या (dhātu) ‘to go’
- भानवः
- beams, raysNounmasculine nominative pluralRole Kartā (of यन्ति)Root भानु (prātipadika) ‘light, beam’
- अप
- awayIndeclinablepreverb/adverbRole (modifies शोशुचत्: ‘away’)Root अप (upasarga/avyaya)
- नः
- of us, ourPronoungenitive/enclitic plural (‘of us/our’), Vedic enclitic formRole Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (with अघम्: ‘our sin/evil’)Root अस्मद् (sarvanāma-prātipadika)
- शोशुचत्
- may (he) burn away / cleanse awayVerbinjunctive/aorist-form (Vedic), 3rd person singular, parasmaipada; used with अप ‘away’Role Kriyā (imprecative/benedictive sense); Kartā = (Agni implied)Root शुच् (dhātu) ‘to shine; to burn; to purify’
- अघम्
- evil, sin, harmNounneuter accusative singularRole Karma (of शोशुचत्)Root अघ (prātipadika) ‘evil, sin, harm’
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution: (1) प्र यदग्नेः → प्र + यत् + अग्नेः (final -त् of यत् before vowel gives यद् in saṃhitā: यत् + अग्नेः → यदग्नेः)
- (2) सहस्वतो → सहस्वतः (gen. sg. of सहस्वत्; saṃhitā shows o for aḥ before following voiced sound in Vedic recitation)
- (3) विश्वतो यन्ति → विश्वतः + यन्ति (adverbial -तः; saṃhitā often writes -तो)
- (4) भानवः । अप नः → no internal sandhi across pāda break
- (5) शोशुचदघम् → शोशुचत् + अघम् (final -त् before vowel becomes -द् in saṃhitā: त् + अ → द)
The meaning
Outer meaning
When the beams (bhānavaḥ) of mighty Agni go forth in all directions, may he burn away from us the clinging evil.
Inner meaning
From the awakened will (Agni sahasvān) radiate powers of illumination—beams of discernment and right force—spreading through the whole nature (‘on every side’). As this inner light expands, it naturally consumes the adhesive darkness that survives in corners of the being.
Universal truth
True purification is expansive illumination: when inner light radiates everywhere, negativity cannot remain hidden or attached.
Themes
Radiance as protection, Force and illumination, Removal of evil
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 1.97.4, Rig Veda 1.97.6, Rig Veda 1.97.7, Rig Veda 1.97.8
Significance
A compact formula of integral purification: illumination must become ‘viśvataḥ’—total—to be effective.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- sahasvān/sahasvataḥ (mighty), radiant (source of bhānu), viśvataḥ-prasṛta (spreading everywhere, implied)
- Related deities
- Sūrya, Savitar, Indra
Cosmic role
Universal energy of transformation whose radiance orders the worlds.
Inner power
Emanating illumination that searches the whole being and burns obscurity without violence—by light.
In ritual
Where it is used
Protective/purificatory recitation around the fire; can accompany lighting of lamp or homa
प्र यद॒ग्नेः सह॑स्वतो वि॒श्वतो॒ यन्ति॑ भा॒नव॑: । अप॑ न॒: शोशु॑चद॒घम् ॥
प्र । यत् । अ॒ग्नेः । सह॑स्वतः । वि॒श्वतः । यन्ति॑ । भा॒नवः॑ । अप॑ । नः॒ । शोशु॑चत् । अ॒घम् ॥
pra | yat | agneḥ | sahasvataḥ | viśvataḥ | yanti | bhānavaḥ | apa | naḥ | śośucat | agham
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2 padas; second is the fixed apotropaic refrain
Expansive middle (‘viśvato yanti bhānavaḥ’) followed by a sharp purifying closure.
Sense of spreading light through the body-mind; the refrain seals the field against intrusion.
- सहस्वतः (sahasvataḥ)
- Literal: possessing force/might. Symbolic: will-power and tapas capable of transformation
- भानवः (bhānavaḥ)
- Literal: beams, lights. Symbolic: rays of knowledge, clear perceptions, luminous energies
- विश्वतः (viśvataḥ)
- Literal: from all sides/everywhere. Symbolic: integral action on the whole being, not partial reform
- यन्ति (yanti)
- Literal: go, proceed. Symbolic: outflow/emanation of illumination into life and mind
- अघम् (agham)
- Literal: evil/harm. Symbolic: obscure formations, habitual tamas, inner falsehood
Protective illumination: invoking Agni’s all-pervading rays to dissolve inner/outer hostile formations.
Morning/evening; before study, travel, or entering challenging environments
Light a flame; on ‘bhānavaḥ’ visualize rays filling all directions; on refrain offer the ‘agham’ into the fire
A ‘radiate and cleanse’ practice: expand attention to whole body and surroundings, then release negativity on the refrain.
sáhas: 'force, might' (PIE *segh- 'to hold fast, prevail' is sometimes compared, cautiously). bhā́nu: from √bhā 'shine'—beam as a unit of radiance. √yā (PIE *h₁ey- 'go') frames light as dynamic procession.
Sahas (force) as power of transformation, Pervasion of light (viśvatas), Agha as obscuration
The all-sided beams represent ṛta’s harmonizing spread through the worlds.
Illumination as truth-revealing power; what is false cannot endure in full light.
Emanation: light proceeds from the inner fire as creative ordering force.
Integral Yoga reading: psychic fire radiates into mind-life-body to transform.
Flame = aspiration; beams = thoughts of truth and intuitive perceptions; directions = layers of the being and life-field.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The universal radiation of Agni’s beams—light expanding to all quarters—serves as the mythic mechanism by which darkness/evil is expelled. The 'battle' is enacted as pervasion: light leaves no place for obstruction.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The imagery of beams 'going' (√yā) is an IE poetic strategy of animating natural forces; light is verbalized as motion, aligning with broader IE diction where radiance is an active agent.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi leverages Agni’s inherent nature (radiant, forceful, all-pervading) as the means of protection; the prayer is less transactional and more alignment: let that natural divine pervasion operate in our field.
‘Let Agni’s beams go everywhere in me.’ Scan-and-illumine practice.
ajna (illumination) and manipura (fire-force)
Inhale: feel light gathering at navel/heart; exhale: send beams outward ‘viśvato’; refrain: exhale fully, releasing ‘agham’.
Wide, luminous, protected.
Do 3 rounds: (1) body, (2) emotions, (3) thoughts—each time ‘beams go forth’ then ‘burn away’.
Rigvedic tonal pattern; emphasize lift on key nouns ‘sahasvataḥ’, ‘bhānavaḥ’.
Keep ‘viśvato’ crisp; do not swallow consonant clusters; let ‘bhā’ be long and bright.
agneḥ: visarga ḥ lightly aspirated, sahasvato: dental ‘t’ (not retroflex), viśvato: palatal ś, bhānavaḥ: long ā; final ḥ light
Radiant, open-throated; broaden on ‘viśvato’.
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