Rig Veda 3.24.5: Mandala 3, Sukta 24, Mantra 5
Sukta 3.24
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
अग्ने दा दाशुषे रयिं वीरवन्तं परीणसम् । शिशीहि नः सूनुमतः ॥
agne dā́ dāśúṣe rayím vī́ravantaṁ parī́ṇasam | śiśī́hi naḥ sū́numataḥ ||
ಹೇ ಅಗ್ನಿ, ಅರ್ಪಿಸುವ ದಾತನಿಗೆ ವೀರಶಕ್ತಿಯುಳ್ಳದು, ಪರಿಪೂರ್ಣ ಸಮೃದ್ಧಿಯಿಂದ ತುಂಬಿದ ‘ರಯಿ’ಯನ್ನು ದಯಪಾಲಿಸು. ಹೇ ಸೂನುಮತ್ (ಪ್ರೇರಿತ ಶಕ್ತಿಯ ಪುತ್ರ), ನಮ್ಮನ್ನು ತೀಕ್ಷ್ಣಗೊಳಿಸಿ ಪರಿಪೂರ್ಣಗೊಳಿಸು, ನಮ್ಮ ಆತ್ಮಸಂಕಲ್ಪವು ಪ್ರಕಾಶಮಯ ಸಾಧನವಾಗುವಂತೆ.
Word by Word
- अग्ने
- O AgniNoun (vocative address)पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन-एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot अग्नि- (प्रातिपदिक)
- दा
- give!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), मध्यम? → वास्तवतः उत्तमपुरुष-एकवचन (परस्मैपद) ‘दद’ का वैदिक संक्षेप/आदेशरूप; आज्ञा/प्रार्थनाRole (क्रिया) —Root दा (√दा ‘देणे/दाने’)
- दा
- give, give!Verbलोट्, उत्तमपुरुष-एकवचन (परस्मैपद) — पुनरुक्ति (प्रार्थनाबलवर्धन)Role (क्रिया) —Root दा (√दा ‘देणे/दाने’)
- दाशुषे
- to the worshipper/giver (patron)Noun (agent noun used for recipient)पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी-एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot दाशु- (√दाश्/दश् ‘पूजने/दानकर्मणि’ → ‘दाता/यजमान’)
- रयिम्
- wealth, bountyNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचनRole कर्मRoot रयि- (प्रातिपदिक)
- वीरवन्तम्
- having heroes/sons, manlyAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचन; रयिम् इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्Role कर्म (विशेषणरूपेण)Root वीर-वन्त् (वन्त्-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण)
- परीणसम्
- abundant, full, overflowingAdjective/Noun used adjectivallyपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचन; रयिम् इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्Role कर्म (विशेषणरूपेण)Root परीणस्- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘परि-’ उपसर्गयुक्त ‘पूर्णता/समृद्धि’ अर्थ)
- शिशीहि
- strengthen, sharpen, make vigorousVerbलोट्, मध्यमपुरुष-एकवचन (परस्मैपद)Role (क्रिया) —Root शिश्/शिशी (√शिश् ‘तीक्ष्णीकरणे/प्रेरणे/बलवर्धने’; वैदिक प्रयोग)
- नः
- us / for usPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी-बहुवचन (एन्क्लिटिक ‘नः’); अत्र कर्म/सम्प्रदान-भावः ‘अस्मान्/अस्मभ्यं’ (वैदिक)Role कर्म/सम्प्रदान (प्रसङ्गानुसार)Root अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- सूनुमतः
- of (one) having sons / son-blessedAdjective (genitive dependent)पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-एकवचन; नः इत्यस्य सम्बन्धे ‘our (state of) being son-possessing’/‘of the son-possessing (one)’Role सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root सूनु-मत् (मत्-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण ‘having sons’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सम्भाव्य): अग्ने | दा दा | दाशुषे | रयिम् | वीरवन्तम् | परीणसम् | शिशीहि | नः | सूनुमतः । 1) ‘दा दा’ पुनरुक्त-लोट् (प्रार्थनाबल)
- 2) ‘नः’ वैदिक एन्क्लिटिक सर्वनाम—रूपतः षष्ठी/चतुर्थी, अर्थतः ‘अस्मान्/अस्मभ्यं’ इति क्रियानुसार ग्रहणीयम्
- 3) ‘रयिं वीरवन्तं परीणसम्’—एकं कर्मपदम्, द्वितीया-एकवचन विशेष्य-विशेषणसमूहः
The meaning
Outer meaning
Agni, give to the giver a rayi rich in heroes and abundant; sharpen us, O son of inspired power.
Inner meaning
The ‘giver’ (dāśuṣe) is the practitioner who offers self, breath, works, and ego-motions into the fire. Agni is asked to grant rayi—not mere wealth but inner plenitude: a formed substance of being rich in vīra (heroic energies: courage, endurance, effective faculties) and ‘parīṇas’ (rounded completeness). ‘Śiśīhi’ is crucial psychologically: sharpen, whet, perfect—refine our instrument so aspiration becomes precise, luminous, and capable of sustained action. ‘Sūnumataḥ’ indicates Agni as born of inspired intelligence/mental illumination (mati), hence the will must be guided by insight.
Universal truth
The reward of sincere self-giving is inner abundance and strengthened faculties; spiritual fire not only grants fullness but refines the personality into a capable instrument of the soul.
Themes
Agni-invocation, Inner purification, Spiritual wealth, Heroic force (vīra)
The seer
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Lineage
- Viśvāmitra (Gāthina line)
- Other hymns
- RV 3.26 (Agni and the growth of power; thematic), RV 3.30 (Indra and heroic victory; complementary to vīra theme)
Family tradition
Stresses heroic transformation—turning power into spiritual capacity; ‘vīra’ is often an inner epithet for strengthened faculties.
Significance
The seer asks not only for gifts but for refinement—śiśīhi—indicating a yoga of perfecting the human instrument for divine work.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- dātā (giver; functional), sūnumat (born of inspired thought), pāvaka (purifier; implied by sharpening/perfecting)
- Related deities
- Indra (vīra-force and victory), Soma (delight that fills rayi with sweetness), Bṛhaspati (mati/inspired thought)
Cosmic role
Bestower of plenitude through sacrifice; purifier who forges and tempers the human instrument like a smith.
Inner power
Transformative heat that turns offering into strength; grants integrated abundance and heroic capacities.
In ritual
Where it is used
Dakṣiṇā/benefit prayer within Agni hymn sequence—seeking rayi as fruit of offering
अग्ने॒ दा दा॒शुषे॑ र॒यिं वी॒रव॑न्तं॒ परी॑णसम् । शि॒शी॒हि न॑: सूनु॒मत॑: ॥
अग्ने॑ । दाः । दा॒शुषे॑ । र॒यिम् । वी॒रऽव॑न्तम् । परी॑णसम् । शि॒शी॒हि । नः॒ । सू॒नु॒ऽमतः॑ ॥
agne | dāḥ | dāśuṣe | rayim | vīra-vantam | parīṇasam | śiśīhi | naḥ | sūnu-mataḥ
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4 pādas × 11 syllables (triṣṭubh norm; exact scan depends on pada division and sandhi)
Broader, more forceful and ‘heroic’ than gāyatrī; suitable for asking plenitude and forging strength.
Builds power and confidence; feels like a hammering rhythm that ‘tempers’ the will and nerves.
- dāśuṣe
- Literal: to the giver/offerer. Symbolic: One who practices self-offering; the consecrated doer
- rayim
- Literal: wealth, treasure. Symbolic: Inner plenitude: substance of consciousness, capacity, and support
- vīravantam
- Literal: rich in heroes/men. Symbolic: Full of heroic energies—courage, force, effective faculties
- parīṇasam
- Literal: complete, abundant, rounded. Symbolic: Integral fullness; harmonized development of parts of the being
- śiśīhi
- Literal: sharpen, whet, strengthen. Symbolic: Refine the instrument—clarify discernment, intensify will, purify vital
- sūnumataḥ
- Literal: child/son of mati (thought/inspiration). Symbolic: Will born from illumined intelligence; tapas guided by insight
Agni-invocation in soma/ishṭi contexts: establishing the inner and outer fire; suitable to opening offerings and Agni’s strengthening (general Śrauta usage rather than a single fixed rite)
After offerings/praise, as a request for the ‘fruit’—strength, prosperity, completeness
Recited with offering and intention for increase of strength and abundance
Chant when seeking inner resources for sustained practice or service: ask for fullness + refinement, not merely external gain.
Key roots: √dā ‘to give’ (imperative dāḥ); √dāś ‘to offer/worship’ (dat. sg. dāśúṣe ‘to the offerer’). rayí- ‘wealth, abundance’ reinterpreted as plenitude of being (inner prosperity). vīrá-vant- ‘having vīra’; vīra from PIE *wiHro- ‘man’ but psychologically ‘inner heroic force’. śiśīhi from √śiś ‘to sharpen, whet’—inner discipline/purification of faculties. parīṇasá- ‘fullness, abundance’ (pari- intensifies ‘completeness’).
Rayi as plenitude, Tapas as sharpening/purification (śiśīhi), Reciprocity of offering and grace (dāśuṣe ... dāḥ)
Parīṇas as rounded harmony—ṛta realized as balanced fullness of the being.
Sūnumat: will born from truthful insight; gifts aligned to dharma/ṛta.
Sacrifice transforms raw nature into formed treasure (rayi) and heroic capacities (vīra).
Integral yoga reading: fruits of sacrifice are psychological capacities and integral perfection.
unspecified
unspecified
Wealth = inner substance and support; heroes = strengthened faculties; sharpening = purification and precision of mind-vital instrument.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The reciprocity-myth of the sacrificial exchange: the human offerer (dāśuṣ) gives into the Fire, and Agni returns a higher ‘wealth’ (rayi) and heroic energies. Mythically Agni is the mediator who converts offering into divine plenitude; psychologically he converts aspiration into perfected force.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √dā ‘give’ continues PIE *deh₃- ‘to give’ (cf. Greek didōmi, Latin dōnum). vīra- aligns with Indo-European ‘man/hero’ formations (PIE *wiHro-), here shifted to an inner semantic field: heroic powers as faculties of the soul. The imperative śiśīhi from √śiś shows intensive/iterative sharpening—an Indo-European poetic trope of ‘whetting’ power/edge.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- A compact contract of ascent: the Rishi speaks as the representative of the offering consciousness (dāśuṣ), requesting not external reward but an inner rayi ‘full of vīra’ and the refinement of the human instrument (śiśīhi naḥ). Agni is addressed as the inspirited progeny of power (sūnumat), implying that the divine force can be born and increased in the human through right giving.
Offer effort and ask for inner plenitude plus refinement of the instrument for service and steady sadhana.
maṇipūra (heroic force) integrated with anāhata (consecrated giving)
Bhastrikā-light (or brisk diaphragmatic breathing) 10–20 strokes, then quiet chant to ‘seal’ the gained force into steadiness
Dynamic collectedness—power without agitation.
Chant 9–21 times when depleted: on ‘rayim’ feel substance filling the body; on ‘vīravantam’ feel courage rise; on ‘śiśīhi’ feel refinement—edges of thought become clear and straight.
Triṣṭubh should be chanted with a broader gait; maintain measured rises on invocative ‘agne’ and gift-words ‘rayim’, with firm cadence on ‘śiśīhi’.
Strongly articulate: agné dā́ dāśúṣe ráyim … vīrávantam parī́ṇasam | śiśī́hi naḥ sū́numataḥ.
dā dāśuṣe: keep both long ā; do not swallow the second dā, rayim: ‘ra-yim’ two beats; short i, vīravantam: long ī; dental v, not ‘beer’ sound, parīṇasam: long ī; retroflex ṇ, śiśīhi: palatal ś; long ī in second syllable, sūnumataḥ: long ū; dental t; final ḥ
Full-bodied, steady, slightly weighty—like a forging rhythm.
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