Rig Veda 10.142.2: Mandala 10, Sukta 142, Mantra 2
Sukta 10.142
- Devata
- Agni
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
प्रवत्ते अग्ने जनिमा पितूयतः साचीव विश्वा भुवना न्यृञ्जसे । प्र सप्तयः प्र सनिषन्त नो धियः पुरश्चरन्ति पशुपा इव त्मना ॥
právatté agne jánimā pitūyatáḥ sācī́va víśvā bhúvanā ny-ṛ́ñjase | prá saptáyaḥ prá saniṣanta no dhíyaḥ puráś caranti paśupā́ iva tmánā ||
ഹേ അഗ്നേ, നിന്റെ ജനനം പിതാവിനെ തേടി മുന്നോട്ട് നീങ്ങുന്നു; ശക്തനായ സഹചാരിയെപ്പോലെ നീ സർവ്വഭുവനങ്ങളെയും ശരിയായ ക്രമത്തിൽ നിരത്തി സ്ഥാപിക്കുന്നു. സപ്തർ മുന്നോട്ട് പോകുന്നു; അവർ നമ്മുടെ ധികളെ മുന്നോട്ട് നയിച്ച് ഞങ്ങൾക്ക് വിജയം നേടിത്തരുന്നു—സ്വയംപ്രേരിതരായി മുൻപിൽ സഞ്ചരിച്ച്, അന്തർഗ്ഗത ഗോകളെ (ജ്ഞാനകിരണങ്ങളെ) കാക്കുന്ന പശുപാലകരെപ്പോലെ.
Word by Word
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableupasarga (preverb)Root प्र (upasarga)
- वत्ते
- turns/advances, proceedsVerbPresent, Ātmanepada, 3rd person singularRole Kriyā (verbal predicate)Root वृत् (vṛt) / वर्त् (vart) (to turn, proceed)
- अग्ने
- O AgniNounMasculine, Vocative, SingularRole SambodhanaRoot अग्नि (prātipadika)
- जनिमा
- birth, originNounNeuter, Nominative/Accusative, SingularRole Karma (object/theme of ‘proceeds/turns’)Root जनि-मा (from √जन् jan ‘be born’)
- पितूयतः
- of one seeking the father / father-seekingAdjective/ParticipleMasculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular (qualifying जनिमा)Role Śeṣa (genitival relation)Root पितृ (pitṛ) + desiderative/denominative sense ‘seeking the father’ (pitu-yat-)
- साचीव
- together, in companionshipIndeclinableadverbRoot साचि (sāci ‘with, alongside; on one side’)
- विश्वा
- allAdjectiveNeuter, Accusative, Plural (agreeing with भुवना)Role KarmaRoot विश्व (viśva)
- भुवना
- worlds, beings, realmsNounNeuter, Accusative, PluralRole KarmaRoot भुवन (bhuvana)
- नि
- down, intoIndeclinableupasarga (preverb)Root नि (upasarga)
- ऋञ्जसे
- you arrange/you set in orderVerbPresent, Ātmanepada, 2nd person singularRole Kriyā (verbal predicate)Root ऋञ्ज् (ṛñj) ‘to set in order, arrange, direct’
- प्र
- forthIndeclinableupasargaRoot प्र (upasarga)
- सप्तयः
- the teams (of horses)NounMasculine, Nominative, PluralRole KartāRoot सप्ति (sapti ‘team, horse-team’)
- प्र
- forthIndeclinableupasargaRoot प्र (upasarga)
- सनीषन्त
- may they win/obtainVerbAorist/Precative (benedictive) active, 3rd person pluralRole Kriyā (optative wish)Root √सन् (san) ‘to win, gain’
- नः
- for us / of usPronounGenitive/Dative, Plural (enclitic)Role Sampradāna (beneficiary) / ŚeṣaRoot अस्मद् (asmad)
- धियः
- insights, prayers, thoughtsNounFeminine, Accusative, PluralRole KarmaRoot धी (dhī)
- पुरः
- in front, beforeIndeclinableadverbial (preposed)Role Adhikaraṇa (directional)Root पुरस् (puras)
- चरन्ति
- they move, they goVerbPresent, Parasmaipada, 3rd person pluralRole KriyāRoot चर् (car) ‘to move, go’
- पशुपाः
- cattle-guardians, herdsmenNounMasculine, Nominative, PluralRole KartāRoot पशु-पा (paśu-pā ‘protector of cattle’, from √पा pā ‘protect’)
- इव
- like, asIndeclinablecomparative particleRoot इव (particle)
- त्मना
- by oneself, with one’s own powerNounMasculine/Neuter, Instrumental, SingularRole KaraṇaRoot त्मन् (tman ‘self, own person/power’)
Sandhi Notes
- Resolved padapāṭha-style splits: प्रवत्ते → प्र + वत्ते
- पितूयतः kept as one kṛdanta form (gen. sg.) qualifying जनिमा
- साचीव treated as indeclinable sāci + iva (Vedic contraction) ‘together/alongside’
- न्यृञ्जसे → नि + ऋञ्जसे
- सप्तयः is nom. pl. of sapti-
- सनीषन्त taken as aorist/precative 3pl of √सन्
- पुरश्चरन्ति → पुरः + चरन्ति
- पशुपा इव → पशुपाः + इव
The meaning
Outer meaning
Agni’s birth moves forward seeking the father; like a strong companion he sets all worlds in order. The seven go forward and win for us our thoughts, moving in front like self-driven herdsmen guarding the cattle.
Inner meaning
Agni’s manifestation in the seeker progresses toward its source (‘father’)—the supreme Truth/Being from which will is born. As an inner comrade (sācīva), Agni arranges the planes of consciousness into right order. The ‘seven’ are Agni’s agencies—seven flames/forces of the will and seven inspired powers—that go ahead of the seeker, conquering and establishing dhiyaḥ (illumined thoughts). They move like vigilant herdsmen, protecting the inner ‘cattle’ (paśu/go): the rays of knowledge and luminous energies that must be guarded against the coverers.
Universal truth
Evolution is guided: the inner fire seeks its origin and, as it grows, it organizes the whole being. When its seven powers lead, thought becomes illumined and the treasures of knowledge are protected and brought safely into life.
Themes
Agni cosmology, Seven powers, Ordering of worlds, Knowledge-guarding
The seer
Significance
A profound psychological cosmology: Agni as evolving inner principle, with the seven powers as executive forces that secure illumination (dhi) and protect the inner lights—central to Aurobindonian readings of the Veda.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni (with his seven agencies)
- Epithets
- Sācīva (strong ally/companion—by simile), Pitūyatas (father-seeking—by action)
- Related deities
- Bṛhaspati (dhi/word), Indra (illumination), Soma (bliss that follows illumination)
Cosmic role
Orders the worlds; leader of the march; awakens and secures inspired thought; guardian of the luminous herds.
Inner power
Executive will that organizes consciousness and sends forward its seven differentiated flames to conquer illumination.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni-stuti in rites emphasizing forward movement and ordering—kindling, progress of sacrifice, protection of ‘cattle’ (symbolic wealth)
प्र॒वत्ते॑ अग्ने॒ जनि॑मा पितूय॒तः सा॒चीव॒ विश्वा॒ भुव॑ना॒ न्यृ॑ञ्जसे । प्र सप्त॑य॒: प्र स॑निषन्त नो॒ धिय॑: पु॒रश्च॑रन्ति पशु॒पा इ॑व॒ त्मना॑ ॥
प्र॒ऽवत् । ते॒ । अ॒ग्ने॒ । जनि॑म । पि॒तु॒ऽय॒तः । सा॒चीऽइ॑व । विश्वा॑ । भुव॑ना । नि । ऋ॒ञ्ज॒से॒ । प्र । सप्त॑यः । प्र । स॒नि॒ष॒न्त॒ । नः॒ । धियः॑ । पु॒रः । च॒र॒न्ति॒ । प॒शु॒ऽपाःऽइ॑व । त्मना॑ ॥
pra-vat | te | agne | janima | pitu-yataḥ | sācī-iva | viśvā | bhuvanā | ni | ṛñjase | pra | saptayaḥ | pra | saniṣanta | naḥ | dhiyaḥ | puraḥ | caranti | paśu-pāḥ-iva | tmanā
Likely Triṣṭubh (probable; expansive narrative and 11-syllable cadence)
44
4×11 (approx.)
Forward-driving, marching rhythm with repeated ‘pra’
Instills momentum and confidence; creates a sense of being led from within.
- प्रवत् (pravat)
- Literal: forward, onward. Symbolic: Progressive movement of sādhanā; evolutionary advance
- जनिमा (janimā)
- Literal: birth, manifestation. Symbolic: Emergence of the divine will in the human nature
- पितुयतः (pitūyataḥ)
- Literal: seeking the father. Symbolic: Aspiration toward the Source; return to Truth-consciousness
- साचीव (sācīva)
- Literal: like a companion/ally. Symbolic: Agni as intimate guide within, cooperating with the seeker
- भुवनानि (bhuvanāni)
- Literal: worlds. Symbolic: Planes/parts of the being—physical, vital, mental and beyond
- नि ऋञ्जसे (ni ṛñjase)
- Literal: thou settest in order/array. Symbolic: Inner organization; harmonizing and right-placing energies
- सप्तयः (saptayaḥ)
- Literal: the seven. Symbolic: Seven flames/powers of Agni; seven inspirers that lead the yoga
- धियः (dhiyaḥ)
- Literal: thoughts, understandings. Symbolic: Illumined perceptions; inspired intelligence
- पशुपाः (paśupāḥ)
- Literal: herdsmen, protectors of cattle. Symbolic: Guardians of the light-rays/knowledge within consciousness
- त्मना (tmanā)
- Literal: by self, spontaneously. Symbolic: Self-driven inner guidance; autonomous leading of the psychic fire
Agni hymn emphasizing cosmic ordering and the leading-forward of inspired thought; suitable for kindling and for invoking right arrangement of the ritual and mind.
When establishing the fire and the order of the rite; at transitions marking progress
Stotra describing Agni’s cosmic function; aligns participants with forward movement (pra)
Use as a mantra for disciplined progress: before study, creative work, or transformative practice to invoke inner guidance and ordered thinking.
pitu-yataḥ from pitṛ 'father' + √yā 'to go/seek'; √ṛñj/√rañj in ni-ṛñjase: to set in order/arrange (Vedic); dhī from √dhī 'to think, contemplate' (inspired thought); saptá 'seven' (PIE *septm̥); paśu 'cattle' (symbolically rays/possessions of light) + pā 'protector' from √pā 'to protect'.
Cosmic ordering of bhuvanāni (ṛta in manifestation), Sevenfold powers (sapta), Dhī (inspired intelligence), Guarding the inner cattle (rays of knowledge)
‘Ordering all the worlds’ is ṛta as inner architecture—right placement of forces and thoughts.
The ‘father’ symbolizes the Truth-plane; Agni’s seeking is the soul’s drive toward satya.
Cosmos and psyche are built by Agni’s ordering action; illumination (dhi) is ‘won’ as a conquest.
Integral psychology of the Veda: planes of being, executive will, sevenfold energies.
Dawnward movement implied by ‘forward’ and birth
Fire’s forward spread = progressive awakening; herds = rays of knowledge; herdsmen = vigilant faculties guarding illumination.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Agni’s birth as a forward-moving manifestation that orders the worlds, aided by the 'seven' who lead and win dhī (inspired thoughts). The herdsman image encodes the recovery/guarding of the 'cows' as rays of knowledge—an innerized form of the cattle-light myth.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- saptá continues PIE *septm̥ (Lat. septem, Gk. heptá). pitṛ 'father' continues PIE *ph₂tḗr. The compound pitu-yataḥ and the preverb system (ni-, pra-) show inherited IE strategies for encoding directionality and purpose.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The Rishi sees Agni as an organizer of inner cosmology: by invoking Agni’s forward birth and his seven agencies, he seeks the acquisition of dhī—structured, victorious insight—so the seeker’s consciousness is led and guarded like a well-tended herd.
Feel the inner fire moving forward toward its source; allow it to order the ‘worlds’ (body-life-mind) and lead the thoughts into illumination.
Maṇipūra (fire) leading to Ājñā (illumined dhi)
Walking meditation with synchronized breath (inhale 3 steps, exhale 3 steps) to embody ‘pra’; or seated breath with gentle forward attention on inhale
Guided dynamism—ordered, progressive, protected
Chant once, then sit: sense an inner flame advancing; name the ‘seven’ as seven qualities (clarity, courage, purity, steadiness, wideness, joy, truth) and invite them to ‘win’ your dhi—your right thoughts—for the day.
Emphasize the repeated ‘pra’ as rhythmic lift; keep a forward-driving intonation. Without full svara marks, maintain steady pitch with slight rise on ‘pra’ and release at pāda ends.
pravat te agne janimā pitūyataḥ | sācīva viśvā bhuvanā ny ṛñjase || pra saptayaḥ pra saniṣanta no dhiyaḥ | puraś caranti paśupā iva tmanā ||
Pitūyataḥ: keep long ū, Ny ṛñjase: articulate ṛ and palatal ñ clearly, Saniṣanta: retroflex ṣ, short a vowels, Paśupā iva: keep ś soft-palatal; iva separate lightly
Bright, forward, slightly martial but controlled
3
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Rig Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
