Rig Veda 5.24.2: Mandala 5, Sukta 24, Mantra 2
Sukta 5.24
- Devata
- Agni
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
वसुरग्निर्वसुश्रवा अच्छा नक्षि द्युमत्तमं रयिं दाः ॥
vásur agnír vásuśravā ácchā nakṣi dyumáttamaṃ rayíṃ dāḥ ||
ವಸು (ಶ್ರೇಷ್ಠ ಮಂಗಳಸ್ವರೂಪ) ಅಗ್ನಿ, ವಸುಶ್ರವಾ (ಸತ್ಕೀರ್ತಿಯಿಂದ ಪ್ರಸಿದ್ಧ), ನೇರವಾಗಿ ನಮ್ಮ ಬಳಿಗೆ ಬಾ; ಮತ್ತು ನಮಗೆ ದ್ಯುಮತ್ತಮ ರಯಿ—ಅತ್ಯಂತ ಪ್ರಕಾಶಮಾನವಾದ ಆಂತರಿಕ ಧನ—ದಾನಮಾಡು.
Word by Word
- वसुः
- the good one; benefactor (Vasu)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot वसु (प्रातिपदिक)
- अग्निः
- Agni (fire-god)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- वसुः
- the good one; benefactorNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot वसु (प्रातिपदिक)
- श्रवाः
- fame; renownNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (वैदिक रूप: श्रवाः < श्रवस्)Role KartāRoot श्रवस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- अच्छा
- towards; hitherIndeclinableअव्ययRole AdhikaraṇaRoot अच्छा (अव्यय)
- नक्षि
- reach (you)!; attain!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole (क्रिया)Root नश् (धातु)
- द्युमत्तमम्
- most radiantAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तमप्-प्रत्यय (superlative) — ‘most radiant’Role KarmaRoot द्युमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- रयिम्
- wealth; treasureNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot रयि (प्रातिपदिक)
- दाः
- give (you)!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole (क्रिया)Root दा (धातु)
Sandhi Notes
- संहिता-पाठ: वसु॑र॒ग्निर्वसु॑श्रवा॒ अच्छा॑ नक्षि द्यु॒मत्त॑मं र॒यिं दा॑: ।। Sandhi-विच्छेद: वसुः + अग्निः → वसुरग्निः (विसर्ग-लोपः)
- अग्निः + वसुः → अग्निर्वसुः (र्-आदेशः)
- वसुः + श्रवाः → वसुश्रवाः (विसर्ग-लोपः). शेषं पदानि असन्धितरूपेण एव।
The meaning
Outer meaning
Agni is the Good (Vasu), famed for good; come straight to us and grant the most luminous wealth.
Inner meaning
Agni is invoked as Vasu—essential good and right substance—and vasuśravā—whose ‘hearing/fame’ is of the good: the inner flame naturally attracts and communicates noble energies. The seeker asks Agni to come directly (acchā nakṣi) into the being and bestow dyumattama rayi—supreme luminous wealth: clarity, capability, harmonious force, and inner prosperity that supports the yoga.
Universal truth
True wealth is luminous capacity and right substance of consciousness; it comes when the divine will is invited to enter directly and lead life.
Themes
boon request, luminous wealth, Agni as Vasu
The seer
- Rishi
- Atri tradition (probable)
- Lineage
- Atri
- Other hymns
- RV 5.2 (Agni and riches), RV 1.58 (Agni and rayi—theme)
Family tradition
Atri hymns often ask Agni for ‘rayi’ understood inwardly as luminous plenitude and right power for the sacrifice.
Significance
The mantra reframes prosperity as illumination: the ‘most luminous wealth’ is the yogic treasure of consciousness and capacity.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- Vasu, Vasuśravā
- Related deities
- Bhaga (distributor of shares), Savitṛ (impeller toward luminous action)
Cosmic role
Bearer of the good; distributor of luminous riches; friend of the human journey.
Inner power
Benign, strengthening will that brings clarity and right resources to mind and life.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni prayer for prosperity and luminous success in household sacrifice
वसु॑र॒ग्निर्वसु॑श्रवा॒ अच्छा॑ नक्षि द्यु॒मत्त॑मं र॒यिं दा॑: ॥
वसुः॑ । अ॒ग्निः । वसु॑ऽश्रवा॑ । अच्छ॑ । न॒क्षि॒ । द्यु॒मत्ऽत॑मम् । र॒यिम् । दाः॒ ॥
vasuḥ | agniḥ | vasu-śravā | accha | nakṣi | dyumat-tamam | rayim | dāḥ
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4 x 8 (approx.)
Compact and gift-invoking; clear imperative flow.
Invokes a sense of direct approach and receiving; good for repeated recitation to attract clarity and resources.
- वसुः (vasuḥ)
- Literal: good, excellent; also ‘wealth’. Symbolic: the essential good substance in consciousness; right being
- वसु॑श्रवा (vasuśravā)
- Literal: famed for wealth/good report. Symbolic: that which draws and spreads noble energies; the inner flame with beneficent influence
- अच्छा नक्षि (acchā nakṣi)
- Literal: come straight/near. Symbolic: direct descent/entry of the divine force into the instruments
- द्यु॒मत्ऽत॑मम् (dyumattamam)
- Literal: most luminous. Symbolic: highest illumination—clarity and radiance of consciousness
- र॒यिम् (rayim)
- Literal: wealth, treasure. Symbolic: inner riches—powers, wideness, right enjoyment, accomplished works
- दाः (dāḥ)
- Literal: give. Symbolic: bestowal/grace that becomes a realized capacity
Concise boon-request: Agni’s approach and gift of luminous rayi; suitable as an iṣṭi refrain-like verse in Agni offerings.
After kindling, when asking for ‘rayi’ (prosperity) and ‘dyumat’ (light)
Offering with request for wealth and brilliance
Use before study/work/creative effort: ask for ‘dyumattama rayi’—the clearest, most effective inner resources.
vasu conveys ‘goodness’ as substantial right-being and radiance; śravas is ‘fame/hearing’—innerly, that which is heard as the call of the good. √naś ‘reach’ indicates arrival of the divine power into the human field. dyumat-tama intensifies the request: not any wealth, but the most luminous form of plenitude.
the Good (vasu) as right-being, plenitude (rayi), luminous consciousness (dyumat)
Luminous wealth supports right order in works—resources aligned with ṛta rather than desire.
Dyumat indicates truth-light as the substance of real prosperity.
Bestowal of ‘rays/wealth’ as descent of higher powers into life.
Vedantic-yogic: wealth as consciousness-force rather than mere possession.
Fire = will; light = knowledge; wealth = stored energy and capacity for right action.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Agni as Vasu (power of the Good) who ‘comes’ and ‘gives’ luminous wealth. Innerly: the descent/arrival of the good, radiant will that enriches the being with light-filled plenitude.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √dā (give) is PIE *deh₃-; √naś (reach) matches Indo-Iranian reaching/attaining verbs; dyu is PIE *dyeu-. The superlative -tama is inherited Indo-European morphology.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The Rishi names Agni by epithets of goodness and renown to ‘tune’ the invocation, then asks for direct arrival and a specific inner gift. It is a deliberate alignment: naming → summoning (acchā nakṣi) → receiving (dāḥ).
Receive ‘luminous wealth’ as clarity, skill, and right energy for the day’s works.
ajna (clarity)
inhale ‘acchā nakṣi’ (receive), exhale ‘rayiṃ dāḥ’ (settle the gift)
bright receptivity, practical illumination
After centering, visualize Agni as a golden presence approaching directly; let a clear light fill the forehead and heart; then act from that clarity without haste.
Use steady japa cadence; if accenting, lightly lift on ‘vasuśravā’ and ‘dyumattamam’.
Keep ‘acchā nakṣi’ as a direct call; pause slightly before ‘dyumattamaṃ rayim’.
vasur agniḥ (linking r; agniḥ with audible ḥ), vasuśravā (śr cluster; ā long), acchā (cch aspirated), nakṣi (kṣ cluster), dyumattamam (dyu = ‘dyu’, not ‘ju’), rayiṃ (nasalized iṃ), dāḥ (ā long; final ḥ light)
clear, bright, smiling resonance
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