Rig Veda 10.3.4: Mandala 10, Sukta 3, Mantra 4

Sukta 10.3

Devata

Agni

Rasa

Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)

Samhita Patha (Devanagari)

अस्य यामासो बृहतो न वग्नूनिन्धाना अग्नेः सख्युः शिवस्य । ईड्यस्य वृष्णो बृहतः स्वासो भामासो यामन्नक्तवश्चिकित्रे ॥

Recitation with translationRig Veda 10.3.4

Transliteration

asyá yā́māso bṛható ná vagnū́n indhā́nā agnéḥ sákhyuḥ śivásya | ī́ḍyasya vṛ́ṣṇo bṛhatáḥ svā́so bhā́māso yā́mann aktávaś cikitre ||

Translation

Perjalanan-perjalanan Sang Mahaagung ini, seperti nyala yang pantas, menyalakan Agni yang bersahabat dan sejahtera. Bagi Yang terpuji, Sang Perkasa, Sang Mahaagung itu, kuasa-kuasa cahayanya sendiri bergerak pada jalannya—tersaput minyak suci, berjaga untuk mengenal.

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Word by Word

अस्य

of this (of him/it)Pronoun · षष्ठी (gen.), एकवचन, पुं/नपुंRole सम्बन्ध (genitival relation) · Root इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) → अस्य

यामासः

courses/paths; goingsNoun · प्रथमा, बहुवचन, पुंRole कर्तृ (subject) · Root याम (प्रातिपदिक)

बृहतः

of the greatAdjective · षष्ठी, एकवचन, पुं/नपुंRole सम्बन्ध (genitival qualifier) · Root बृहन्त् (प्रातिपदिक)

न

like/asParticle · निपात (comparative/negation particle; here comparative) अव्ययRoot न

वग्नून्

(as) the wagons/vehicles (vagnú-)Noun · द्वितीया, बहुवचन, पुंRole कर्म (object) · Root वग्नु (प्रातिपदिक)

इन्धानाः

kindling; being kindledParticiple · वर्तमान कृदन्त (आत्मनेपद), प्रथमा, बहुवचन, पुंRole कर्तृ (agreeing with subject) · Root इन्ध् (धातु) → इन्धान (शानच्-प्रत्यय, वर्तमान कृदन्त)

अग्नेः

of AgniNoun · षष्ठी, एकवचन, पुंRole सम्बन्ध · Root अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)

सख्युः

of the friend; of the companionNoun · षष्ठी, एकवचन, पुंRole सम्बन्ध · Root सखि (प्रातिपदिक; irregular gen. sg.)

शिवस्य

of the auspicious/benignAdjective · षष्ठी, एकवचन, पुंRole सम्बन्ध (qualifier) · Root शिव (प्रातिपदिक)

ईड्यस्य

of the praiseworthyAdjective · षष्ठी, एकवचन, पुंRole सम्बन्ध · Root ईड्य (प्रातिपदिक; from √ईड्/ईळ् ‘to praise’)

वृष्णः

of the bull; of the mighty oneNoun/Adjective · षष्ठी, एकवचन, पुंRole सम्बन्ध · Root वृषन् (प्रातिपदिक)

बृहतः

of the greatAdjective · षष्ठी, एकवचन, पुंRole सम्बन्ध · Root बृहन्त् (प्रातिपदिक)

स्वासः

sisters; (female) companions/kinswomenNoun · प्रथमा, बहुवचन, स्त्रीRole कर्तृ (subject) · Root स्वसृ/स्वसा (प्रातिपदिक; ‘sister’, RV often ‘kinswomen’)

भामासः

splendours; lightsNoun · प्रथमा, बहुवचन, पुंRole कर्तृ (appositional subject) · Root भाम (प्रातिपदिक)

यामन्

in the course; on the wayNoun · सप्तमी, एकवचन, नपुंRole अधिकरण (locative) · Root यामन् (प्रातिपदिक)

अक्तवः

anointed; gleamingAdjective · प्रथमा, बहुवचन, पुंRole कर्तृ (agreeing with subject) · Root अक्त (प्रातिपदिक; from √अञ्ज्/अक्त ‘smeared, anointed’; RV: ‘bright/gleaming, anointed’)

च

andConjunction · अव्ययRoot च

चिकित्रे

has perceived/has become aware; shines forth knowinglyVerb · लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपदRole क्रिया (finite verb) · Root √चित् (धातु) → चिकीत्रे (परिप्रसन्न/परफेक्ट रूप, आत्मनेपद)

Sandhi Notes

• Sandhi resolution (principal): वग्नूनिन्धानाः → वग्नून् + इन्धानाः
• (others largely already padapāṭha-like). Accent marks in the input are retained on the surface forms but not re-encoded per pada beyond the given spellings

The meaning

Outer meaning

These goings of the Vast One, like swift flames, kindle the friendly and gracious Agni. Of the adorable strong one, the Vast, his own radiant powers move on their way, anointed, awake to discern.

Inner meaning

The ‘goings’ (yāmāsaḥ) are progressive movements of the Vast consciousness (bṛhat)—waves of widening that arrive like swift flames (vagnūn). These movements kindle Agni as a friend (sakhyuḥ) and as gracious (śiva): the will becomes intimate, helpful, and beneficent rather than struggling. The radiant powers (bhāmāsaḥ) are Agni’s own faculties—illumined energies in thought, life, and body—moving forward ‘anointed’ (aktavaḥ): consecrated by inner offering, and ‘awake to discern’ (cikitre): conscious, discriminating, no longer mechanical.

Universal truth

Spiritual progress is a series of widenings; each widening kindles the will anew. When energies are consecrated, they become discerning and friendly instruments of the divine work.

Themes

Agni-as-friend, stages-of-ascent, radiant-powers, consecrated-energy

The seer

Rishi

Kumāra (Skanda) tradition / unknown in Anukramaṇī for this hymn (RV 10.3)

Other hymns

Rig Veda 10.3.2, Rig Veda 10.3.3, Rig Veda 10.3.5, Rig Veda 10.3.6

Significance

The seer presents ‘Bṛhat’ not as distant heaven but as a lived widening that repeatedly kindles Agni—an experiential map of sādhanā in Vedic terms.

The deity

Devata

Agni

Epithets

sakhā (friend), śiva (gracious), īḍya (adorable), vṛṣan (strong, virile power), bṛhat (vast)

Related deities

Bṛhaspati (vast speech/illumination), Uṣas, Indra

Cosmic role

Carries the widening movements of the Vast into effective kindling and ordered progression of the sacrifice.

Inner power

Progressive intensification of aspiration and discerning luminous energies consecrated to the inner work.

In ritual

Where it is used

Agni kindling and maintenance (āhavanīya strengthening)

Accents and Padapatha

Chandas Analysis

Key Symbols

Ritual Application

Etymology

Philosophical Concepts

Vedic Cosmology

Natural Symbolism

Academic Analysis

Yogic Application

Chanting Notes