Rig Veda 2.2.10: Mandala 2, Sukta 2, Mantra 10
Sukta 2.2
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
वयमग्ने अर्वता वा सुवीर्यं ब्रह्मणा वा चितयेमा जनाँ अति । अस्माकं द्युम्नमधि पञ्च कृष्टिषूच्चा स्वर्ण शुशुचीत दुष्टरम् ॥
vayám agne árvātā vā su-vī́ryaṃ bráhmaṇā vā citayemā jánāṃ áti | asmā́kaṃ dyumnám ádhi páñca kṛ́ṣṭiṣū́ccā́ svàrṇá śuśucīta dúṣṭaram ||
ഹേ അഗ്നേ, ബലത്തിന്റെ അശ്വത്താലോ അല്ലെങ്കിൽ മന്ത്ര-ബ്രഹ്മത്തിന്റെ ശക്തിയാലോ ഞങ്ങൾ മനുഷ്യപരിധികളെ അതിക്രമിച്ച് ഉയരാൻ ആഗ്രഹിക്കുന്നു. ഞങ്ങളുടെ ദ്യുമ്നം (തേജസ്സുള്ള മഹിമ) അഞ്ചു കൃഷ്ടികളിലും മീതെ ഉയർന്ന് നിലകൊള്ളട്ടെ; സൂര്യന്റെ സത്യ-പ്രകാശംപോലെ ഉയർന്ന് ജ്വലിക്ക—അജേയവും അതിക്രമിക്കാനാവാത്തതും.
Word by Word
- वयम्
- wePronounपुं/स्त्री/नपुं (त्रिलिङ्ग), प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot अस्मद्
- अग्ने
- O AgniNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot अग्नि
- अर्वता
- with a steed / by a horseNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करणRoot अर्वत्
- वा
- orIndeclinableविकल्पार्थक निपातRoot वा
- सुवीर्यम्
- good hero-power / excellent valorNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot सु-वीर्य
- ब्रह्मणा
- with sacred formulation / prayerNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करणRoot ब्रह्मन्
- वा
- orIndeclinableविकल्पार्थक निपातRoot वा
- चितयेमा
- may we perceive/notice; may we make knownVerbलिङ् (विधिलिङ्), उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपदRoot चित् (चितयति)
- जनान्
- peoples; menNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot जन
- अति
- beyond; overIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्यय (अतिक्रमणार्थे)Root अति
- अस्माकम्
- of us; ourPronounत्रिलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot अस्मद्
- द्यु॒म्नम्
- splendor; gloryNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (अर्थे: ‘our glory (be) …’) / कर्म (context-dependent)Root द्यु॒म्न
- अधि
- upon; overIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्यय (अधिष्ठान/उपरि-अर्थे)Root अधि
- पञ्च
- fiveNumeralअव्ययप्राय (संख्या)Root पञ्च
- कृष्टिषु
- among the (five) tribes/peoplesNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचनRole अधिकरणRoot कृष्टि
- उच्चा
- high; aloftIndeclinableअव्यय (उच्चैः-अर्थे)Root उच्चैस् (उच्चा)
- स्वर्ण
- sunlight; heaven’s lightNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (RV usage; ‘स्वर्’ as ‘heavenly light’)Role कर्मRoot स्वर्
- शुशुचीत
- has shone brightly; has blazedVerbलिट् (परिपूर्ण/परफेक्ट; RV), तृतीयपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद (intensive perfect)Root शुच् (शोचति/शुच्यति) → शुशुच् (intensive)
- दुष्टरम्
- hard to surpass; irresistibleAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (agreeing with स्वर्ण)Role विशेषणRoot दु-स्तर (स्तॄ/स्तॄणोति ‘to cross/overcome’ → ‘hard to overcome’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: वयम् | अग्ने | अर्वता | वा | सुवीर्यम् | ब्रह्मणा | वा | चितयेमा | जनान् | अति || अस्माकम् | द्युम्नम् | अधि | पञ्च | कृष्टिषु | उच्चा | स्वर्ण | शुशुचीत | दुष्टरम् । प्रमुख-सन्धयः: (1) वयम्+अग्ने → वयमग्ने (व्यञ्जन-सन्धि: म् + अ)
- (2) चितयेमा+जनान् → चितयेमा जनान् (पदविरामे सन्धि न)
- (3) जनान्+अति → जनाँ अति (न् + अ → नासिक्य/अनुस्वार-प्रयोगः RV-पाठे)
- (4) कृष्टिषु+उच्चा → कृष्टिषूच्चा (उ + उ → ऊ)
- (5) उच्चा+स्वर्ण → उच्चा स्वर्ण (पदविरामे सन्धि न)
The meaning
Outer meaning
O Agni, by the steed of force or by the power of mantra we would go beyond men. Let our glory be above the five tribes; blaze high like the sun, hard to assail and impossible to cross.
Inner meaning
The seeker asks to transcend the ordinary human formation (janān ati) either by arvatā—vital energy disciplined into a swift carrier—or by brahmaṇā—the mantric power of truth-speech. The aim is not social dominance but inner sovereignty: dyumna (luminous glory) established above the ‘five tribes’—the many divisions of nature (physical, vital, mental and their sub-movements) that usually pull in different directions. Agni is asked to blaze as svar-na śuśucīta: a sunlike truth-fire, protected from hostile forces (duṣṭaram) and un-crossable by ignorance.
Universal truth
Transcendence requires both force and truth: disciplined energy and disciplined speech/consciousness; when the inner fire rules the divided nature, a stable, unassailable luminosity is born.
Themes
aspiration and ascent, mantra and force as means, collective uplift, invincible light
The seer
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada (Bhārgava)
- Lineage
- Bhṛgu/Bhārgava
- Other hymns
- RV 2.2, RV 2.3
Family tradition
Bhārgava hymns often balance force (vīrya) with brahman (mantric truth), showing a yoga of power and knowledge.
Significance
This verse is a compact program of sadhana: energy (horse) and mantra (brahman) as two wings for surpassing the human and establishing solar luminosity.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- śuśucīt (blazing), svar-na (sunlike)
- Related deities
- Sūrya, Indra (victory over resistances, thematic)
Cosmic role
Raises the sacrificer beyond mortal bounds; establishes victorious radiance; guards against hostile crossings.
Inner power
A sovereign will-flame that integrates and governs the divided nature, turning it into a solar clarity.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni hymn in competitive/aspirational contexts; used to seek victory, strength, and preeminence for the sacrificer
व॒यम॑ग्ने॒ अर्व॑ता वा सु॒वीर्यं॒ ब्रह्म॑णा वा चितयेमा॒ जनाँ॒ अति॑ । अ॒स्माकं॑ द्यु॒म्नमधि॒ पञ्च॑ कृ॒ष्टिषू॒च्चा स्व१॒॑र्ण शु॑शुचीत दु॒ष्टर॑म् ॥
व॒यम् । अ॒ग्ने॒ । अर्व॑ता । वा । सु॒ऽवीर्य॑म् । ब्रह्म॑णा । वा । चि॒त॒ये॒म॒ । जना॑न् । अति॑ । अ॒स्माक॑म् । द्यु॒म्नम् । अधि॑ । पञ्च॑ । कृ॒ष्टिषु॑ । उ॒च्चा । स्वः॑ । न । शु॒शु॒ची॒त॒ । दु॒स्तर॑म् ॥
vayam | agne | arvatā | vā | su-vīryam | brahmaṇā | vā | citayema | janān | ati | asmākam | dyumnam | adhi | pañca | kṛṣṭiṣu | uccā | svaḥ | na | śuśucīta | dustaram
44
4 × ~11
Martial and ascending; strong caesurae support the ‘surpassing’ movement.
Energizes and uplifts; produces a sense of upward drive and invincibility when chanted with firmness.
- अर्वता (arvatā)
- Literal: by the steed. Symbolic: Disciplined vital energy; swift force of action
- सुवीर्यम् (suvīryam)
- Literal: good heroism, strong power. Symbolic: Courageous spiritual strength; victorious energy
- ब्रह्मणा (brahmaṇā)
- Literal: by mantra/brahman. Symbolic: Truth-speech as conscious power; formative vibration
- जनान् अति (janān ati)
- Literal: beyond men/peoples. Symbolic: Beyond ordinary human limitation and mental-vital habit
- द्यु्म्नम् (dyumnam)
- Literal: luminous glory. Symbolic: Radiant spiritual power established in the being
- पञ्च कृष्टिषु (pañca kṛṣṭiṣu)
- Literal: in/over the five tribes. Symbolic: Fivefold divided nature; multiplicity of inner ‘clans’
- स्वः न (svar na)
- Literal: like the sun-world / like the sun. Symbolic: Truth-light of illumination
- शुशुचीत (śuśucīta)
- Literal: blaze, shine intensely. Symbolic: Intensification of inner fire into steady radiance
- दुष्टरम् (duṣṭaram)
- Literal: hard to cross, difficult to assail. Symbolic: Protected consciousness; ignorance cannot invade
Prayer for surpassing limitation and establishing dyumna (splendor) in the community—used in rites seeking victory, protection, and uplift through Agni and brahman.
In rites seeking increase of power and fame; also as part of Agni praise in Soma ritual sequences.
Recitation with offerings to empower the sacrificer’s ‘dyumna’ and success.
Use before challenging work or during periods of inertia—align force (arvatā) with truth (brahmaṇā) to exceed habitual limits.
arvat (steed) is the ‘vehicle’ of force—psychologically, the energized life-force harnessed for ascent. su-vīrya is ‘good heroism’, a perfected potency. duṣṭara from dus+√tṛ ‘hard to cross’ → inviolable luminosity. pañca kṛṣṭayaḥ often denotes the totality of human groupings; here, the seeker’s dyumna is asked to stand above common limitation.
transcendence of human limitation (janān ati), dyumna as luminous power, invincibility through purity (śuc)
The fivefold nature is brought under one law (ṛta) through Agni’s sovereignty.
Solar truth-light becomes the standard of consciousness (dyumna).
Transformation: human nature is re-created into a solar, protected form.
Integral Yoga resonance: use of force + mantra to exceed human limitation and establish higher consciousness.
Horse = vital dynamism disciplined; sun = truth-consciousness; blazing fire = tapas that makes consciousness unassailable.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ascent ‘beyond men’ (janān ati) by steed-force or mantra, culminating in an invincible solar-like splendor. Mythically, it is the victorious emergence of light that cannot be crossed by hostile powers of darkness.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The steed as power-vehicle is a classic IE poetic instrument. dus+√tṛ ‘hard to cross’ uses an inherited ‘crossing’ metaphor for overcoming obstacles (PIE *terh₂ ‘cross over’). Solar comparison (svàr) reflects archaic IE solar truth imagery.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi aligns personal and collective aspiration with Agni’s blazing purity: human effort (steed-force, mantra) is offered as a means, and Agni is asked to establish an invincible dyumna that uplifts the whole human field (five tribes).
Unify the divided nature under a single aspiration; kindle a solar will that cannot be crossed by doubt or inertia.
Maṇipūra (force) rising toward Ājñā (solar clarity)
Bhastrikā (mild, 10–15 strokes) followed by stillness; then silent repetition of the key phrase ‘janān ati’.
Dynamic ascent into luminous mastery.
Before chanting, recall one limitation to surpass. Chant with firmness. After chanting, sit upright and feel a ‘solar flame’ above the navel rising to the brow, steady and protected.
Rigvedic accents; emphasize udātta on ‘agne’, ‘suvīryam’, ‘brahmaṇā’, ‘dyumnam’.
Deliver ‘janān ati’ with a slight lift and forward push; give a strong, steady tone to ‘uccā svar na śuśucīta’.
Arvatā: keep v clear, not ‘b’., Citayemā: palatal c, not ‘s’., Pañca: nasal ñ audible., Duṣṭaram: retroflex ṣ and ṭ; keep both crisp.
Firm, bright, slightly martial; avoid shouting—let intensity come from steadiness.
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