Rig Veda 5.44.3: Mandala 5, Sukta 44, Mantra 3
Sukta 5.44
- Devata
- Agni
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
अत्यं हविः सचते सच्च धातु चारिष्टगातुः स होता सहोभरिः । प्रसर्स्राणो अनु बर्हिर्वृषा शिशुर्मध्ये युवाजरो विस्रुहा हितः ॥
átyaṃ havíḥ sacate sác ca dhā́tu cā́riṣṭagātuḥ sá hótā sahobháriḥ | prá-sarsrāṇó ánu barhír vṛ́ṣā śíśur mádhye yúvājáró vi-srúhā hitáḥ ||
ഹവിഷിന്റെ അശ്വൻ സച്ച ധാതു—സത്യാധാരത്തോടു ചേർന്നു നിൽക്കുന്നു; അരിഷ്ടഗാതു (അക്ഷത പഥങ്ങൾ) വഴി സഞ്ചരിച്ച്, അവൻ ഹോതൃ, സഹോഭരി—ബലം വഹിക്കുന്നവൻ. ബർഹിഷിലൂടെ പാഞ്ഞോടി, വൃഷാ—വൃഷഭൻ, മദ്ധ്യേ ശിശു, നിത്യയുവാവ്, അജരോ—അജരൻ; അവൻ അവിടെ സ്ഥാപിതനായി, വിസ്രുഹാ—അനേകം പ്രവാഹങ്ങളായി ഒഴുകിപ്പുറപ്പെടുന്നു.
Word by Word
- अत्यं
- the steed / the swift oneNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot अत्य (प्रातिपदिक; ‘अत्य’ = अश्व-विशेष/अत्यः) अथवा ‘अत्य’ (विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक)
- हविः
- the oblationNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot हविस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- सचते
- accompanies / attaches itselfVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole (क्रिया)Root √सच् (सचते) ‘to accompany, to cleave to’
- सत्
- the true / the realAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः) / अथवा विशेषणम्Role KarmaRoot सत् (कृदन्त; √अस् → सत् ‘being, true’)
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चय-अव्ययRole (सम्बन्ध)Root च
- धातु
- the foundation / established placeNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot धातु (प्रातिपदिक; ‘स्थापन/आधार/निधान’)
- चारिष्टगातुः
- having the best paths / of excellent courseAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot चारिष्ट-गातु (समास; चारिष्ट ‘well-going/most excellent-going’ + गातु ‘path/going’)
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- होता
- the Hotṛ-priest / invokerNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot होतृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- सहोभरिः
- bearing/bringing strengthAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot सहो-भरि (समास; सहस् ‘might’ + भरि ‘bearing/bringing’)
- प्रसर्स्राणः
- streaming forth / rushing onwardParticipleपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (वर्तमान/परिपूर्ण-गमनभावे कृदन्त-प्रयोगः)Role KartāRoot √सृ (सर्पणे) + प्र-; कृदन्त: सर्स्राण (परिपूर्ण/तीव्र-गमनार्थ), प्रथमा
- अनु
- along / afterIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्यय (अनुगमनार्थ)Role (सम्बन्ध)Root अनु
- बर्हिः
- the sacred grass (barhis)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot बर्हिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- वृषा
- the bull (vigorous one)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot वृषन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- शिशुः
- the childNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot शिशु (प्रातिपदिक)
- मध्ये
- in the midstNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (अव्ययीभाववत्)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- युवा
- the young manNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot युवन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- अजरः
- unagingAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot अ-जर (प्रातिपदिक; नञ्-समास)
- विस्रुहा
- widely streaming / spreadingAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot वि-स्रुह (प्रातिपदिक/विशेषण; ‘having loosened/streaming’—वेदिक रूप)
- हितः
- set/placed (there)Participleपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त)Role KartāRoot √धा (धारणे) → हित (कृदन्त; ‘placed, set’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धि-निरसन): अत्यं | हविः | सचते | सत् | च | धातु | चारिष्टगातुः | सः | होता | सहोभरिः || प्रसर्स्राणः | अनु | बर्हिः | वृषा | शिशुः | मध्ये | युवा | अजरः | विस्रुहा | हितः || 1) ‘सच्च’ = ‘सत् + च’ (व्यञ्जन-सन्धि: त् + च → च्च)
- 2) ‘बर्हिर्वृषा’ = ‘बर्हिः + वृषा’ (विसर्ग-सन्धि: ः + व → र्व)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The steed of the offering joins the true foundation and moves by uninjured paths; he is the Hotar, bearer of force. He rushes along the sacred grass; the Bull—child in the middle, ever-young and ageless—set there, streaming out in many currents.
Inner meaning
Agni is portrayed as the ‘atya’ (steed)—the dynamic force that carries the oblation (haviḥ) upward and unites it with ‘sat dhātu’ (the true basis of being). His paths are ‘ariṣṭa’—unhurt—because the rightly kindled will moves through life without inner fracture, keeping alignment with truth. As Hotar, Agni is the power of inspired utterance that calls the gods (higher faculties) and ‘sahobhari’—brings strength into the system. ‘Prasarsrāṇaḥ’ and ‘visruhā’ suggest the flame and energy spreading in streams: psychologically, the will diffuses into multiple channels—thought, speech, action—purifying and energizing them. ‘Vṛṣā śiśuḥ… yuvā ajaraḥ’ captures the paradox of the inner fire: innocent and new at each moment, yet timeless in essence—ever-young aspiration.
Universal truth
When aspiration is yoked to truth, it moves safely and renews itself perpetually. True strength is the capacity of consciousness to stream into all parts of life without losing its center.
Themes
Agni as inner priest, secure path (ariṣṭa-gātu), force-bearing (sahas), renewal
The seer
- Rishi
- Atri (probable; hymn-family context)
- Lineage
- Ātreya
- Other hymns
- RV 5.6, RV 5.7, RV 5.8, RV 5.11
Family tradition
Atri hymns frequently describe Agni as both child and power, emphasizing renewal and safe paths under ṛta.
Significance
The seer-vision links ritual images (steed, barhis, hotar) to inner disciplines: consecration, receptivity, and inspired invocation.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- atya (steed-like swift), hotā, sahobhari (strength-bearer), vṛṣā (bull), yuvā ajara (ever-young, ageless)
- Related deities
- Vāyu (movement), Indra (force and illumination), Soma (bliss that feeds the fire)
Cosmic role
Priest of the sacrifice; mover between earth and heaven; awakener of gods in man.
Inner power
Transformative will that becomes swift, safe movement; power of mantra and invocation; distributing force through the system.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni invocation during iṣṭi/Soma rites; Hotar function emphasized
अत्यं॑ ह॒विः स॑चते॒ सच्च॒ धातु॒ चारि॑ष्टगातु॒: स होता॑ सहो॒भरि॑: । प्र॒सर्स्रा॑णो॒ अनु॑ ब॒र्हिर्वृषा॒ शिशु॒र्मध्ये॒ युवा॒जरो॑ वि॒स्रुहा॑ हि॒तः ॥
अत्य॑म् । ह॒विः । स॒च॒ते॒ । सत् । च॒ । धातु॑ । च॒ । अरि॑ष्टऽगातुः । सः । होता॑ । स॒हः॒ऽभरिः॑ । प्र॒ऽसर्स्रा॑णः । अनु॑ । ब॒र्हिः । वृषा॑ । शिशुः॑ । मध्ये॑ । युवा॑ । अ॒जरः॑ । वि॒ऽस्रुहा॑ । हि॒तः ॥
atyam | haviḥ | sacate | sat | ca | dhātu | ca | ariṣta-gātuḥ | saḥ | hotā | sahaḥ-bhariḥ | pra-sarsrāṇaḥ | anu | barhiḥ | vṛṣā | śiśuḥ | madhye | yuvā | ajaraḥ | vi-sruhā | hitaḥ
44
4×~11 syllables
Driving, kinetic, ‘galloping’ feel matching the atya image.
Energizes prāṇa and resolve; supports dynamic concentration and forward movement in practice.
- atya
- Literal: steed, swift horse. Symbolic: vital force harnessed to the offering; dynamic aspiration
- haviḥ
- Literal: offering. Symbolic: all energies/consecrated movements given to the Divine
- sat
- Literal: truth, being. Symbolic: pure existence-consciousness; the true principle behind life
- dhātu
- Literal: foundation, support. Symbolic: the stable ground of being; inner poise
- ariṣṭagātuḥ
- Literal: whose paths are uninjured. Symbolic: movement without inner damage; protected progress on the path
- hotā
- Literal: invoking priest. Symbolic: power of inspired speech and conscious calling of higher forces
- sahobhariḥ
- Literal: bearer of force/strength. Symbolic: carrier of spiritual energy that supports transformation
- barhis
- Literal: sacrificial grass. Symbolic: field of receptivity; prepared nervous/mind-ground for descent
- vṛṣā
- Literal: bull. Symbolic: generative power; strong luminous energy
- śiśuḥ / yuvā / ajaraḥ
- Literal: child / young / ageless. Symbolic: ever-renewed aspiration; timeless flame in evolving life
- visruhā
- Literal: streaming out in many currents. Symbolic: diffusion of purified energy through multiple channels of the being
Central Agni imagery for kindling and establishing the Hotar in the rite; supports the installation of Agni on the barhis and the flow of offerings.
When calling Agni to carry offerings and establish the rite’s force.
Recitation as oblations are placed; barhis prepared; invoking/establishing Agni as Hotar.
Use before work or disciplined effort: consecrate action as offering; invoke ‘uninjured paths’ for safe progress.
dhātu from √dhā 'place, set' → 'foundation'. gātu 'path' (√gā/√gam semantic field) with ariṣṭa 'unharmed' indicates secure movement of the divine force. sahas 'force' + √bhṛ 'bear' (PIE *bʰer-) in sahobhariḥ. pra-√sṛ 'run/flow' (PIE *ser- 'flow') gives the image of streaming energy. The paradox 'child/young/ageless' is a standard Agni trope: ever newly kindled yet immortal in essence.
sat (true being), dhātu (foundation of consciousness), immortality-in-time (child yet ageless)
Implied through ‘ariṣṭagātuḥ’—right, unharmed movement aligned with cosmic order.
‘sat dhātu’—truth as foundation of movement and speech.
Fire as the child-power placed in the midst, spreading streams—manifestation of force into multiplicity.
Integral/Vedic yoga of transformation: tapas (fire) organized by truth into right action.
The inner fire runs along prepared receptivity (barhis) and distributes strength through mind-life-body channels.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Agni as the divine carrier of the offering—steed and bull—installed on the barhis, acting as Hotar and force-bearer, moving on uninjured paths. Mythically it is the rite’s living fire; psychologically it is the awakened will and aspiration that joins the sat-foundation and streams power through the system.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √bhṛ 'bear' (PIE *bʰer-) in -bhariḥ; √sṛ 'flow/run' (PIE *ser-) in sarsrāṇaḥ; √dhā 'set' (PIE *dʰeh₁-) in dhātu. The priestly title hotā relates to √hu 'invoke, pour' (Indo-Iranian shared ritual lexicon).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer describes the deity’s operative presence in the rite and in the inner being: Agni is not requested so much as recognised in his functions—joining sat, establishing dhātu, carrying sahas—so that the human offering becomes effective and safely guided.
Feel a swift, steady flame in the heart carrying all actions upward as offering; rest it on the ‘true foundation’ (sat).
Maṇipūra (tapasic force) supported by Anāhata (consecration)
Brisk-then-settle: 9 rounds of slightly stronger inhale/exhale, then quiet witnessing of inner heat.
Energized sattva—forceful but ordered movement.
Before action, inwardly say: ‘Let my movement be ariṣṭa—uninjured.’ Offer the first impulse of action into Agni as Hotar (conscious invocation).
Vedic svara as transmitted; emphasize udātta lifts on ‘atyaṃ’, ‘sat’, ‘hotā’ (school-dependent).
Keep triṣṭubh pacing; clear caesura around ‘sa hotā’.
atyaṃ: palatal ty cluster clean, final anusvāra nasalization, ariṣṭagātuḥ: retroflex ṣṭ, long ā, visarga at end, prasarsrāṇaḥ: roll ‘r’, keep long ā, barhir: final r lightly trilled, ajaraḥ: short a at start, clear j
Bright, forward, slightly stronger articulation to match the kinetic imagery.
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