Rig Veda 1.148.2: Mandala 1, Sukta 148, Mantra 2
Sukta 1.148
- Devata
- Agni
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
ददानमिन्न ददभन्त मन्माग्निर्वरूथं मम तस्य चाकन् । जुषन्त विश्वान्यस्य कर्मोपस्तुतिं भरमाणस्य कारोः ॥
dadānám ín na dadabhanta mánmā́gnír varū́thaṃ máma tásya cākan | júṣanta víśvāny asya kármopastutíṃ bháramāṇasya kāróḥ ||
അവൻ ദാനം ചെയ്യുമ്പോഴും എന്റെ മനോഭാവം അവനെ വിട്ടുമാറുന്നില്ല; അഗ്നി എനിക്ക് ശരണം ആകുന്നു—അവനിൽ ഞാൻ ആനന്ദിക്കുന്നു. അർപ്പണം മുന്നോട്ട് വഹിക്കുന്ന ഗായകന്റെ, അവന്റെ എല്ലാ കർമങ്ങളെയും അവയോടൊപ്പം വരുന്ന ഉപസ്തുതി-സ്തുതിയെയും അവർ സ്വീകരിക്കട്ടെ.
Word by Word
- ददानम्
- giving, bestowingVerb-derived participleवर्तमाने कृदन्तः (शतृ), पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-एकवचनम् (अग्निम् विशेषयति)Role कर्म (अग्निम् विशेषणरूपेण)Root √दा (दाने) / दा-
- इन्
- indeed, justIndeclinableनिपातः (एव/हि इत्यर्थे, बलवर्धकः)Root इन् (निपात/एन्क्लिटिक)
- न
- notIndeclinableनिषेध-निपातःRoot न (निषेध)
- ददभन्त
- they harmed/overpoweredVerbलङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Role क्रिया (कर्तृ-सम्बन्धः: ते/जनाः)Root √दभ् (हिंसायाम्/दम्भने)
- मन्म
- hymn, thought, intentionNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचनम् (सन्दर्भानुसारं ‘मन्म’ = स्तुति/विचारः)Role कर्म/विषय (ददभन्त इत्यस्य— ‘the hymn/intent’)Root मन्मन् (प्रातिपदिकम्; √मन् ‘to think’ से)
- अग्निः
- Agni (fire-god)Nounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-एकवचनम्Role कर्तāRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिकम्)
- वरूथम्
- protection, shelter, defenseNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया-एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot वरूथ (प्रातिपदिकम्)
- मम
- of me, myPronounषष्ठी-एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- तस्य
- of him/thatPronounषष्ठी-एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root तद् (सर्वनाम)
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चयार्थक-निपातःRoot च (समुच्चय)
- आकन्
- they were pleased/satisfiedVerbलिट्/परिपूर्णभूत-प्राय (वेदिक), प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Role क्रिया (अग्निः/देवा इत्यादि कर्तृ-सम्बन्धः सन्दर्भे)Root √कन्/कृ (वेदिक-रूप; ‘to be pleased/satisfy’—चाकन् < चकन्)
- जुषन्त
- they enjoyed/acceptedVerbलङ् (अनद्यतनभूत) वा विधिलिङ्-छाया (वेदिक), प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्, आत्मनेपदम्Role क्रियाRoot √जुष् (सेवने/प्रीतौ)
- विश्वानि
- all (things)Adjective (substantivized)नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया-बहुवचनम्Role कर्मRoot विश्व (प्रातिपदिकम्)
- अस्य
- of this/this one (his)Pronounषष्ठी-एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root इदम् (सर्वनाम)
- कर्म
- deed, rite, actionNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया-एकवचनम् (समासे पूर्वपदम्)Role कर्मRoot कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिकम्; √कृ)
- उपस्तुतिम्
- praise, eulogyNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया-एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot उपस्तुति (प्रातिपदिकम्; उप-√स्तु)
- भरमाणस्य
- of (him) who is bringing/bearingVerb-derived participleवर्तमाने कृदन्तः (शानच्), पुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी-एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध (genitive; ‘of the one who is bearing/bringing’)Root √भृ (भरणे) → भरमाण (शानच्)
- कारोः
- of the singer/poet (priest)Nounपुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी-एकवचनम् (वेदिक-रूप; ‘कविः/स्तोता’)Role सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root कारु (प्रातिपदिकम्)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धिविच्छेद): ददानम् + इन् + न + ददभन्त + मन्म । अग्निः + वरूथम् + मम + तस्य + च + आकन् । जुषन्त + विश्वानि + अस्य + कर्म + उपस्तुतिम् + भरमाणस्य + कारोः । विशेषम्: ‘अग्निर्वरूथम्’ = अग्निः वरूथम् (विसर्ग-लोप/रेफ-सन्धि)
- ‘कर्मोपस्तुतिम्’ = कर्म + उपस्तुतिम् (अ + उ → ओ)
- ‘विश्वा॑न्यस्य’ = विश्वानि + अस्य (इ + अ → य)
- ‘चाकन्’ = च + आकन् (अ + आ → आ)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Even while Agni gives, the poet’s thought does not fail; Agni becomes a shelter for him, in whom he delights. May the gods accept all his works and the accompanying praise of the singer who bears the offering.
Inner meaning
The giving Agni is the inner fire that grants energies, clarity, and progress; the ‘manman’ (thought/mental formation) remains faithful—no doubt or collapse—because it is held in Agni’s protection (varūtha). Delight (cākan) indicates the psychic joy in the divine working. The prayer that ‘they accept’ all works means the higher powers consent to the transformed actions when they are carried forward by the inner singer (kāru) who offers aspiration and effort as oblation.
Universal truth
When intention is anchored in the inner fire, thought remains resilient and life becomes sheltered. Work offered with sincere praise becomes acceptable to higher consciousness and yields harmonious results.
Themes
divine shelter, steadfast aspiration, acceptance of works and praise, reciprocity of offering and boon
The seer
- Rishi
- Kutsa Āṅgirasa (traditional attribution for RV 1.148)
- Lineage
- Āṅgirasa
- Other hymns
- RV 1.148.1-3
Family tradition
Āṅgirasa practice stresses steadfast manas (manma) supported by Agni’s protection, making works acceptable to the gods.
Significance
The seer teaches a key yogic criterion: not outer success but inner steadiness of thought and delight in the divine protection mark the right working of Agni.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni (with implicit Viśve Devāḥ as acceptors)
- Epithets
- Dātā (giver, implied), Varūthī (protector, implied), Hotṛ (implicit in offering context)
- Related deities
- Viśve Devāḥ (total divine powers), Soma (delight/bliss supporting offering)
Cosmic role
Bestows energies and safeguards the sacrificer; carries works upward for divine acceptance.
Inner power
Stabilizes mind (manma), protects the instrument, and converts work into offering.
In ritual
Where it is used
Offering and praise in Agni rites; invocation for acceptance of works and protection of the sacrificer/chanter
द॒दा॒नमिन्न द॑दभन्त॒ मन्मा॒ग्निर्वरू॑थं॒ मम॒ तस्य॑ चाकन् । जु॒षन्त॒ विश्वा॑न्यस्य॒ कर्मोप॑स्तुतिं॒ भर॑माणस्य का॒रोः ॥
द॒दा॒नम् । इत् । न । द॒द॒भ॒न्त॒ । मन्म॑ । अ॒ग्निः । वरू॑थम् । मम॑ । तस्य॑ चा॒क॒न् । जु॒षन्त॑ । विश्वा॑नि । अ॒स्य॒ । कर्म॑ । उप॑ऽस्तुतिम् । भर॑माणस्य । का॒रोः ॥
dadānam | it | na | dadabhanta | manma | agniḥ | varūtham | mama | tasyacākan | juṣanta | viśvāni | asya | karma | upa-stutim | bharamāṇasya | kāroḥ
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4 x ~11 syllables
Assured and devotional; balances firmness (na dadabhanta) with softness (cākan).
Builds confidence and warmth; supports a feeling of being inwardly ‘held’ while acting.
- ददानम् (dadānam)
- Literal: giving. Symbolic: Grace/energy bestowed by the divine fire; inner support
- मन्म (manma)
- Literal: thought, mental formulation. Symbolic: Steady intention/faith; right mental vibration supporting sādhanā
- वरूथम् (varūtham)
- Literal: shelter, protection. Symbolic: Psychic protection; inner safe-hold against disturbance
- चाकन् (cākan)
- Literal: I delight, take pleasure. Symbolic: Psychic joy (ānanda) in the divine working
- कर्म (karma)
- Literal: works, acts. Symbolic: All movements of nature offered for transformation
- उपस्तुतिम् (upastutim)
- Literal: accompanying praise. Symbolic: Supportive mantra-attitude; affirmation that uplifts the act
- भरमाणस्य (bharamāṇasya)
- Literal: bearing/carrying (the offering). Symbolic: The sadhaka carrying aspiration through effort and persistence
- कारोः (kāroḥ)
- Literal: of the singer/poet. Symbolic: The inner creator of mantra—soul-voice that offers experience
General yajña-stuti: affirmation that Agni is varūtha (protective) and that works with accompanying praise are to be accepted; fits offering sequences where the poet ‘bears’ oblations.
During offering sequences when seeking divine acceptance and inner steadiness; also after receiving boons/grace
Recite while presenting āhuti; mentally align thought (manma) with the flame; dedicate all actions as karma-yajña
Use before starting work as an offering: ‘May my thought not fail; may my work be accepted.’
Key roots: (1) √dā ‘to give’ → dadānam: Agni as the giver of force/light; inner sense: the divine will bestows energies. (2) √dabh ‘to deceive, injure, fail’ → na dadabhanta: not failing, not being confounded. (3) varūtha ‘defence, covering’ (protective enclosure), a frequent Vedic image for divine protection of the being. (4) √juṣ ‘to enjoy, favor, accept’ → juṣanta (optative): acceptance by the gods as inner confirmation. (5) √bhṛ ‘to bear’ → bharamāṇasya: the practitioner carrying the offering/effort forward.
steadfast manman (intention) aligned with ṛta, divine protection (varūtha), acceptance (juṣ) as inner confirmation/grace
When thought does not fail, work stays in ṛta; acceptance by the gods signifies alignment with cosmic order.
Steady manma implies truth-intention; praise supports satya-vibration in action.
Karma-yoga prototype within Vedic yajña psychology.
Warmth = inner safety; carrying = sustained practice; fire = transforming will that makes action luminous.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Agni as varūtha (protective enclosure) who, as giver, sustains the poet’s intention; the gods’ acceptance of work and praise is the validating sign. Mythically it is the successful offering-cycle; psychologically it is the alignment of intention and action that draws a protecting divine presence.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √dā ‘give’ is a classic IE root (cf. Lat. dō, Gk. didōmi) embedded in reciprocal gift-economy poetics. √bhṛ ‘bear’ (cf. Eng. bear, Lat. ferō) frames the sacrificer as carrier of offering/effort—an IE poetic role.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi’s manman (formative thought) remains unconfounded because Agni stands as protective force; in return the rishi ‘bears’ works and praise. The relationship is reciprocal: divine shelter enables right offering, and right offering invites divine acceptance.
Stabilize intention; feel Agni as an inner shelter; consecrate all works with accompanying inner praise.
anahata (heart)
Slow coherent breathing (5-5) while repeating ‘agnir varūtham mama’ inwardly
Quiet devotion; protected agency; steady mind in action.
Before work, light a lamp or visualize a flame. Offer the coming actions into it. Maintain a subtle inner ‘upastuti’—a grateful remembrance—so the work carries its own mantra-support.
Vedic accents; give weight to negation phrase ‘na dadabhanta’ (steadfastness) and soften on ‘cākan’.
Maintain clear consonant clusters in ‘upastutim bharamāṇasya’; keep pāda endings settled.
varūtham: long ū, retroflex ‘th’ as aspirated dental ‘th’, juṣanta: ‘ju-ṣan-ta’ with clear retroflex ṣ, upastutim: ‘u-pa-stu-tim’ keep ‘st’ crisp, bharamāṇasya: long ā, nasal ‘ṇ’ in māṇa
Warm, devotional, reassuring; slightly fuller tone on ‘agnir varūtham’.
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