Rig Veda 8.43.14: Mandala 8, Sukta 43, Mantra 14
Sukta 8.43
- Devata
- Agni
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Shringara (love)
त्वं ह्यग्ने अग्निना विप्रो विप्रेण सन्त्सता । सखा सख्या समिध्यसे ॥
tváṃ hí agne agnínā vípro vípreṇa sánt satā́ | sákhā sákhya sam-idhyáse ||
ഹേ അഗ്നേ, നീ അഗ്നിയാൽ തന്നേ—വിചക്ഷണനായ വിപ്രനാൽ വിപ്ര—സത്സംഗത്തിൽ സതുമായ് കൂടെയിരിക്കുന്നവൻ. സഖാ, സഖ്യത്വംകൊണ്ട് നീ പ്രജ്വലിക്കുന്നു; ഞങ്ങളിലെ അഗ്നി നിന്റെ അഗ്നിക്കു പ്രതികരിക്കുന്നു.
Word by Word
- त्वम्
- youNoun (Pronoun)पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (सर्वनाम), प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- हि
- indeed, forIndeclinableनिपात (अव्यय)Root हि (निपात)
- अग्ने
- O AgniNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- अग्निना
- with/through Agni (fire)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करणRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- विप्रः
- a seer, inspired priestNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (सम्बन्धे/विशेष्य-विशेषणभावे: त्वम् … विप्रः)Root विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- विप्रेण
- with/through a seer (priest)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करणRoot विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- सन्
- beingParticipleपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (वर्तमान-कर्तरि कृदन्त)Role कर्तृ (त्वम् … सन् = being)Root अस् (धातु) → शतृ/वर्तमान-कृदन्त: सन्त्
- सता
- with truth/with what is (as the real)Noun/Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करण (सता = by/with truth/being) अथवा भावे तृतीयाRoot सत् (अस्-धातु-निष्पन्न प्रातिपदिक) / ‘सत्’
- सखा
- a friendNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (त्वम् … सखा)Root सखि/सखा (प्रातिपदिक)
- सख्या
- with friendship, in comradeshipNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करण (सख्या = with friendship/as a friend) अथवा भावे तृतीयाRoot सख्य (प्रातिपदिक; भाव/संबन्ध-नाम)
- समिध्यसे
- you are kindled / you kindle yourself (you blaze)Verbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रिया (कर्तृ: त्वम्)Root सम्-इध् (धातु: इध् ‘दीप्/प्रज्वल्’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: त्वम् | हि | अग्ने | अग्निना | विप्रः | विप्रेण | सन् | सता | सखा | सख्या | समिध्यसे || 1) ‘त्वं ह्यग्ने’ = त्वम् + हि + अग्ने (म् + हि → ंहि; लेखने ‘ह्य’). 2) ‘सन्त्सता’ = सन् + सता
- अन्त्य-न् + आरम्भ-स् परे ‘न्त्स’ (नकारस्य तकारादेशः, ततः ‘न्त्स’ संयोगः). 3) ‘सख्या समिध्यसे’ इत्यत्र सख्या (तृतीया एक.) + समिध्यसे (क्रिया) — विशेष सन्धि-परिवर्तनं न।
The meaning
Outer meaning
You, O Agni, are indeed the inspired one by the inspired fire; being with the true, you are kindled as a friend by friendship.
Inner meaning
Agni answers to Agni: the universal divine Flame is awakened by the individual flame of aspiration. When the human being becomes vipra (inspired, open to higher hearing/seeing), Agni is kindled by that inspired state. ‘Being with the sat (the true)’ indicates that the fire grows where truth-consciousness is admitted; friendship (sakhyā) is the intimate relation between the soul and the Divine Will.
Universal truth
The Divine responds to the sincere inner call: like is awakened by like. Truth and intimacy with the Divine are not abstractions but living conditions that kindle transformation.
Themes
Reciprocity, Inner kindling, Inspired speech, Truth-alignment
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 8.43.1-24
Significance
This verse is a key Aurobindonian pivot: the outer kindling mirrors an inner law—Agni is awakened by Agni. It indicates reciprocity between the individual aspiration and the universal Divine Will.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- Vipra (inspired), Sakhā (friend)
- Related deities
- Soma (delight that seals friendship), Mitra (friendship/harmony as cosmic principle), Indra (illumination that supports vipra-state)
Cosmic role
Indwelling divine presence that grows through truth and right relation; establishes communion between human and divine.
Inner power
Psychic fire that responds to sincerity; awakens intuition and strengthens the bond of the soul with the Divine.
In ritual
Where it is used
Kindling/praise of Agni during offerings; stotra in Agni rites
त्वं ह्य॑ग्ने अ॒ग्निना॒ विप्रो॒ विप्रे॑ण॒ सन्त्स॒ता । सखा॒ सख्या॑ समि॒ध्यसे॑ ॥
त्वम् । हि । अ॒ग्ने॒ । अ॒ग्निना॑ । विप्रः॑ । विप्रे॑ण । सन् । स॒ता । सखा॑ । सख्या॑ । स॒म्ऽइ॒ध्यसे॑ ॥
tvam | hi | agne | agninā | vipraḥ | vipreṇa | san | satā | sakhā | sakhyā | sam-idhyase
32
4 × ~8 syllables
Balanced parallelism (agninā/vipreṇa; sakhā/sakhyā) gives a mirroring rhythm.
Induces resonance and reciprocity—listeners often feel an ‘answering flame’ and quiet joy of companionship with the Divine.
- अग्निना (agninā)
- Literal: by/with fire. Symbolic: by the inner flame of aspiration and will
- विप्रः / विप्रेण (vipraḥ/vipreṇa)
- Literal: inspired seer / by the inspired. Symbolic: illumined receptivity; the awakened intuitive mind
- सता (satā)
- Literal: with the true/being. Symbolic: truth-consciousness (satya) as the environment where Agni grows
- सखा / सख्या (sakhā/sakhyā)
- Literal: friend / by friendship. Symbolic: psychic intimacy, trust, and mutuality between seeker and Divine
- समिध्यसे (samidhyase)
- Literal: you are kindled. Symbolic: the divine force becomes active and luminous in the instrument
Kindling/maintenance of the sacred fire through inspired speech (vipra) and right association (sat); inwardly: the psychic fire increases when the mind becomes ‘vipra’ and lives in satya.
When the fire is established and the relation with Agni is affirmed
Recitation as the fire catches and steadies; reinforcing the ‘friend’ relation
Use as a heart-centered invocation: ‘May the universal Fire answer my small flame; may truth and friendship kindle me.’
viprá < √vip ‘to tremble, vibrate, be inspired’ → ‘inspired sage/illumined’; sam-idhyáse < sam-√idh ‘to kindle, ignite’ (middle: ‘to be kindled’). satā́ (instr. sg. of sat) from √as ‘to be’ indicates alignment with Truth/Being; the verse is built on symmetrical instrumentals (agninā…vipreṇa…satā…sakhyā) expressing reciprocal causality: the divine is awakened by its likeness in us.
Sat (truth-being), Sakhya (divine-human friendship as yoga of mutuality), Ṛta (right kindling through right consciousness)
Friendship (sakhyā) is ṛta in relationship—harmonious alignment between human and divine forces.
Satā: truth-being is the condition for stable kindling; falsehood dims the flame.
Self-revelation of the divine through resonance: consciousness awakens consciousness.
Vedic psychology of correspondence (bandhu) leading toward Upaniṣadic inner fire doctrine.
Combustion = transformation; mirrored flames = resonance between individual and universal consciousness; clear flame = satya.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Agni is ‘kindled by Agni’: the mythic principle that the divine Fire awakens by contact with its own essence—outerly by ritual flame, inwardly by the awakened will and inspired consciousness. The ‘friendship’ motif frames Agni as companion-guide rather than distant recipient.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- sat < √as ‘to be’ reflects PIE *h₁es- ‘to be’; the semantic move from ‘being’ to ‘truth’ is characteristically Indo-Iranian. √idh ‘kindle’ is often connected with PIE *h₁eydʰ- ‘to kindle/burn’ (comparative proposals vary), supporting a deep inherited fire-lexicon.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi presents a yogic reciprocity: when the human becomes vipra (inspired), Agni responds as vipra; when the human abides with sat (truth), Agni is kindled ‘with sat’. The offering is primarily consciousness (friendship, truth, inspiration), not merely material fuel.
Resonance practice: let the small flame of aspiration call the greater Flame; cultivate truthfulness and inner friendship.
Anahata (friendship/psychic relation) supported by Manipura (fire)
Heart-breath: inhale into the chest feeling a spark; exhale feeling a larger flame answering from above/within; repeat with mantra
Receptive, intimate, quietly luminous.
If agitation arises, return to ‘satā’: a brief truth-check (no self-deception), then chant slowly until the sense of inner companionship returns.
Tri-svara; emphasize the parallel pairs (agninā… vipreṇa; sakhā… sakhyā) with consistent melodic contour.
Slightly mark caesura after each pair to preserve symmetry; avoid rushing samidhyase—let it ‘ignite’ at the end.
vipraḥ/vipreṇa: keep ‘pr’ crisp, satā: dental ‘t’ (not retroflex), samidhyase: articulate ‘dhya’ as a single cluster (dh-ya)
Soft, intimate, steady—like speaking to a trusted friend.
27
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.
