Rig Veda 4.2.13: Mandala 4, Sukta 2, Mantra 13
Sukta 4.2
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Tr̥ṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
त्वमग्ने वाघते सुप्रणीतिः सुतसोमाय विधते यविष्ठ । रत्नं भर शशमानाय घृष्वे पृथु श्चन्द्रमवसे चर्षणिप्राः ॥
tvám agne vāgháte su-práṇītiḥ sutá-somāya vidhaté yaviṣṭha | rátnam bhara śaśamānā́ya ghṛ́ṣve pṛthú ś candrám ávase carṣaṇi-prā́ḥ ||
ທ່ານ, ໂອ ອັຄນີ, ເປັນຜູ້ນໍາທີ່ສົມບູນສໍາລັບຜູ້ໃຫ້ການບູຊາ, ສໍາລັບຜູ້ຖວາຍທີ່ຄົ້ນໂສມະ; ໂອ ຜູ້ອ່ອນກວ່າ, ຈົ່ງນໍາພາສົມບັດມາສູ່ຜູ້ທີ່ພະຍາຍາມ, ສູ່ຜູ້ທີ່ມີຄວາມຮ້ອນແຮງ. ຂໍໃຫ້ການຊ່ວຍເຫຼືອຂອງທ່ານກວ້າງຂວາງ ແລະ ສະຫວ່າງສະຫວ່າງສໍາລັບປະຊາຊົນທີ່ກ້າວໄປຂ້າງໜ້າ.
Word by Word
- त्वम्
- youPronounपुं/स्त्री/नपुं; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अग्ने
- O AgniNounपुं; संबोधन; एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- वाघते
- to the singer/worshipperNounपुं; चतुर्थी; एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot वाघत् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘स्तुतिकर्तृ/यजमान’)
- सुप्रणीतिः
- good guidance/leadingNounस्त्री; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot सु-प्र-नीति (प्रातिपदिक; ‘सु’ उपसर्ग + ‘प्र’ + √नी ‘ने’ → नीति)
- सुतसोमाय
- to him whose Soma is pressedAdjective (used substantively)पुं; चतुर्थी; एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot सुतसोम (प्रातिपदिक; सुत + सोम)
- विधते
- to the worshipper/ordainerNounपुं; चतुर्थी; एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot विधत् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘विधि/विधान’—यजमान/विधाता)
- यविष्ठ
- O youngest (Agni)Adjectiveपुं; संबोधन; एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot यविष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक; ‘युव’/‘यव’ आधार + इष्ठ-तम प्रत्यय; अग्नेः विशेषण)
- रत्नम्
- treasure, giftNounनपुं; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot रत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
- भर
- bringVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ); मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot √भृ (भरणे)
- शशमानाय
- to the striving/zealous oneParticiple (adjectival)पुं; चतुर्थी; एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot √शम् (शमने/शान्तौ) → शशमान (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; परिपक्व/शान्त/परिश्रान्त ‘striving/zealous’)
- घृष्वे
- to the shining oneAdjectiveपुं; चतुर्थी; एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot घृष्वि/घृष्व (प्रातिपदिक; ‘उज्ज्वल/दीप्त’)
- पृथु
- broad, abundantAdjectiveनपुं; द्वितीया; एकवचन (रत्नम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्मRoot पृथु (प्रातिपदिक)
- चन्द्रम्
- bright, shiningAdjectiveनपुं; द्वितीया; एकवचन (रत्नम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्मRoot चन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- अवसे
- for help, for protectionNounनपुं; चतुर्थी; एकवचनRole प्रयोजन/सम्प्रदानRoot अवस् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘सहायता/रक्षा’)
- चर्षणिप्राः
- leaders/forwarders of men (the peoples)Noun/Adjectiveपुं; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (स्तुत्य-विशेषणरूपेण)Root चर्षणि-प्र (प्रातिपदिक; ‘चर्षणि’ = जन/मनुष्य + ‘प्र’ = अग्रगामी/प्रेरक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धिविच्छेद): त्वम् | अग्ने | वाघते | सुप्रणीतिः | सुतसोमाय | विधते | यविष्ठ | रत्नम् | भर | शशमानाय | घृष्वे | पृथु | चन्द्रम् | अवसे | चर्षणिप्राः । प्रमुख-सन्धयः: (1) त्वम् + अग्ने → त्वमग्ने (व्यञ्जनसन्धि) । (2) चन्द्रम् + अवसे → चन्द्रमवसे (म् + अ → म) ।
- वैदिक-स्वरचिह्नाः (॑, ॒) संहितापाठानुसारं।
The meaning
Outer meaning
Agni is the perfect guide for the offering-giver and for the Soma-presser; he should bring the treasure to the striving, ardent worshipper. Wide and luminous be his help for the advancing peoples.
Inner meaning
Agni as supraṇīti (perfect leading) is the inner governance that carries aspiration (vāgha) and the pressed delight (suta-soma) upward without distortion. The ‘treasure’ (ratna) is not merely wealth but attained powers—clarity, force, joy, and right discernment—given to the one who practices (vidhate) and persists (śaśamāna) with ardor (ghṛṣve). Agni’s aid becomes ‘wide and luminous’ (pṛthu ścandram) when the collective nature (carṣaṇiprāḥ: those who move forward as peoples) aligns its life with the ascending impulse.
Universal truth
When inner will leads aspiration and delight in harmony, the seeker receives enduring riches of consciousness; true help expands and illumines not only the individual but the collective life.
Themes
guidance, spiritual wealth, Soma delight
The seer
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 4.2.1, Rig Veda 4.2.5, Rig Veda 4.3.1, Rig Veda 4.4.1
Family tradition
Visionary-poetic lineage emphasizing Agni as leader (purohita) and the recovery of inner riches through sacrifice.
Significance
The seer frames sādhanā as guided progression: aspiration (offering) + delight (Soma) under Agni’s sure leading yields the ‘ratna’ of realized consciousness.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- supraṇīti (perfect guide), yaviṣṭha (youngest), ghṛṣva (ardent/glowing)
- Related deities
- Soma, Indra, Uṣas, Mitra-Varuṇa (order/wideness)
Cosmic role
Leader of the sacrifice; awakener of divine powers; distributor of boons through right action.
Inner power
Guiding flame of discernment that converts aspiration and joy into stable realization; gives luminous wideness to the being.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni invocation in Soma-yajña context (sutasoma) and general offering rites
त्वम॑ग्ने वा॒घते॑ सु॒प्रणी॑तिः सु॒तसो॑माय विध॒ते य॑विष्ठ । रत्नं॑ भर शशमा॒नाय॑ घृष्वे पृ॒थु श्च॒न्द्रमव॑से चर्षणि॒प्राः ॥
त्वम् । अ॒ग्ने॒ । वा॒घते॑ । सु॒ऽप्रनी॑तिः । सु॒तऽसो॑माय । वि॒ध॒ते । य॒वि॒ष्ठ॒ । रत्न॑म् । भ॒र॒ । श॒श॒मा॒नाय॑ । घृ॒ष्वे॒ । पृ॒थु । च॒न्द्रम् । अव॑से । च॒र्ष॒णि॒ऽप्राः ॥
tvam | agne | vāghate | su-pranītiḥ | suta-somāya | vidhate | yaviṣṭha | ratnam | bhara | śaśamānāya | ghṛṣve | pṛthu | candram | avase | carṣaṇi-prāḥ
44
4 x ~11 syllables
Energetic yet balanced; suitable for guidance and boon-bestowal
Elicits confidence and forward resolve; supports a ‘led’ feeling in meditation (being carried by Agni).
- सुप्रणी॑तिः (supraṇītiḥ)
- Literal: excellent guidance/leading. Symbolic: inner right governance; divine will as sure guide
- वा॒घते॑ (vāghate)
- Literal: to the offerer/giver of oblation. Symbolic: the aspiring part that gives itself to the higher
- सु॒तसो॑माय (sutasomāya)
- Literal: for one who has pressed Soma. Symbolic: for the being that has extracted delight/ānanda from experience
- विध॒ते (vidhate)
- Literal: to the worshipper/one who serves. Symbolic: to the practitioner who orders life as sacrifice
- रत्नम् (ratnam)
- Literal: treasure, jewel. Symbolic: attainments: light, force, joy, right power
- शशमा॒नाय (śaśamānāya)
- Literal: to the striving/endeavoring one. Symbolic: persistent tapas of practice
- घृष्वे (ghṛṣve)
- Literal: ardent, glowing. Symbolic: burning aspiration purified of ego
- पृ॒थु (pṛthu)
- Literal: wide. Symbolic: expansive consciousness
- च॒न्द्रम् (candram)
- Literal: bright, shining. Symbolic: luminous clarity and calm radiance
- चर्षणि॒प्राः (carṣaṇiprāḥ)
- Literal: peoples who advance. Symbolic: collective movements of the nature progressing in evolution
Soma-rite support: Agni invoked as leader of the offering and bringer of ‘ratna’ (spiritual wealth) to the pressing aspirant.
During sequences invoking Agni as leader and boon-giver to the yajamāna
Offering with ghee; Soma pressing context; prayer for ratna and wide luminous protection
Chant before work/service: invoke ‘supraṇīti’ for right decisions; request ‘pṛthu-candra’ aid—wide calm clarity—for family/team/community.
práṇīti from pra-√nī ‘to lead forward’ → guidance. vāghát (agent noun) from √vāgh/√vac? (Vedic ‘offerer, singer’) denotes the energetic sacrificer. yaviṣṭha is superlative of yuvan/yuva ‘young’ used for Agni as ever-renewed. ratná ‘treasure’ linked to √rā ‘to give’ in Vedic semantic field of gifts/plenitude.
right leading (pranīti), ardour (tapas-like intensity), plenitude as treasure (ratna)
Supraṇīti is the movement of ṛta in the individual—right leading that prevents deviation.
Treasure is the stable gain of truth-consciousness, not transient reward.
Evolutionary advance of ‘peoples’ (collective nature) through luminous wideness.
Integral psychological reading: sacrifice as inner self-offering leading to expansion and illumination.
Fire = guiding will; Soma = delight/immortalizing joy; shining/moonlike light = calm luminous mind; wideness = vast consciousness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Agni as ‘leader of the journey’ who brings the hidden treasure to the ardent seeker—an inner quest motif where the divine fire guides sacrifice/aspiration and delivers concentrated riches of consciousness.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √nī ‘lead’ is cognate with PIE *nei- ‘to lead’ (cf. Latin nītor ‘strive’ is different root; but Germanic *nē- in ‘nigh’ not relevant). The semantic prominence of ‘leading’ as a divine function is a shared Indo-European poetic theme.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi positions Agni as the inner guide responding to human effort (Soma pressed, rite arranged). The reciprocity is explicit: aspiration and offering evoke Agni’s guidance and his gift of ratna.
Surrender the day’s intention (offering) and invoke Agni as inner guide; cultivate delight (Soma) without craving; receive ‘ratna’ as quiet capacities.
Manipura (guidance/will) expanding into Anahata (wide luminous aid)
6-6 breathing with a brief pause after inhale; on pause feel ‘guidance’; on exhale offer effort and desire into the flame.
Directed, luminous wideness; confident equanimity
Before chanting, recall one area needing right leading; after chanting, sit 3 minutes letting a ‘wide bright help’ spread through the chest and head.
Rigvedic accents as per śākhā tradition; keep udātta crisp on key invocatory words (tvam, agne).
Do not over-sing ‘candram’; keep it luminous but controlled; maintain pāda breaks clearly.
tvam agne: clean consonant cluster, avoid inserting vowel after ‘tv’, supraṇītiḥ: retroflex ṇ; long ī, sutasomāya: keep ‘so’ open; long āya, ghṛṣve: vocalic ṛ; keep ‘ṣv’ conjunct tight, carṣaṇiprāḥ: vocalic ṛ; retroflex ṣ; long āḥ
Warm, guiding, slightly expansive on ‘pṛthu ścandram’
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