Rig Veda 3.16.4: Mandala 3, Sukta 16, Mantra 4
Sukta 3.16
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
चक्रिर्यो विश्वा भुवनाभि सासहिश्चक्रिर्देवेष्वा दुवः । आ देवेषु यतत आ सुवीर्य आ शंस उत नृणाम् ॥
cakrír yó víśvā bhúvanā́bhí sāsahíś cakrír devéṣv ā́ dúvaḥ | ā́ devéṣu yátata ā́ su-vī́rya ā́ śáṃsa utá nṛṇā́m ||
Dia yang telah mengerjakan dan menundukkan segala dunia—dia telah mengerjakan khidmat di kalangan para dewa. Berusahalah menuju para dewa, menuju daya-kepahlawanan sejati, menuju ujaran ilham, dan juga menuju sanjungan manusia.
Word by Word
- चक्रिः
- the doer/mighty one (Agni)Noun (agent-noun/epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot चक्रि- (प्रातिपदिक; √कृ ‘करना’ से कृत/नामधातु-आधारित) अथवा ‘चक्रिन्/चक्रि’ (शक्तिमान/कर्तृ)
- यः
- whoPronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (सम्बन्धसूचक)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- विश्वाः
- allAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (भुवनाः के साथ विशेषण-रूप)Role कर्म (विशेष्य-विशेषण में कर्मपद का अंश)Root विश्व (विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक)
- भुवनाः
- worlds, beings, realmsNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन (यहाँ कर्मरूपेण)Role कर्मRoot भुवन (प्रातिपदिक; √भू ‘होना’ से)
- अभि
- towards, overIndeclinableअव्ययRole उपपद (क्रिया-विशेषण; ‘की ओर/पर’)Root अभि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- सासहिः
- conquering, overpoweringAdjective/Noun (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (चक्रिः का विशेषण)Root सासहि- (कृत्/विशेषण; √सह् ‘जीतना/सहना’ से परिपूर्ण/पर्याय-रूप ‘सासहि’ = ‘विजयी’)
- चक्रिः
- the doer/mighty oneNoun (agent-noun/epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot चक्रि- (प्रातिपदिक; √कृ)
- देवेषु
- among the godsNounपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचनRole अधिकरणRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- आ
- to, untoIndeclinableअव्ययRole उपपद (दिशा/सम्प्राप्ति)Root आ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- दुवः
- worship, service, homageNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग (वैदिक), द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot दुवस्/दुवः (प्रातिपदिक; ‘पूजा/सेवा/नमस्कार’)
- आ
- to, untoIndeclinableअव्ययRole उपपदRoot आ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- देवेषु
- among the godsNounपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचनRole अधिकरणRoot देव
- यतत
- let him strive / he should exertVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ/विधिलिङ्-सदृश वैदिक प्रयोग), मध्यम? नहीं—यहाँ 3rd sg. imperative/ injunctive-सम्भाव्य: ‘यतत्’ = ‘प्रयतताम्/यतत्’ (आत्मनेपद-छाया), एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot √यत् (प्रयत्न/उद्यम) + आ- (उपसर्ग)
- आ
- towards, forIndeclinableअव्ययRole उपपदRoot आ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- सुवीर्य
- good heroism, splendid strengthNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot सु- + वीर्य (प्रातिपदिक; √वीर ‘वीर/बल’ से)
- आ
- to, forIndeclinableअव्ययRole उपपदRoot आ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- शंसः
- praise, proclamationNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ/कर्म (अर्थानुसार: ‘स्तुति’ को लाना/प्राप्त करना)Root शंस (प्रातिपदिक; √शंस् ‘स्तुति करना/घोष करना’)
- उत
- and alsoIndeclinableअव्ययRole समुच्चयRoot उत (अव्यय)
- नृणाम्
- of menNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root नृ (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पाठ-समाधान (मुख्य): चक्रि॒र्यो → चक्रिः + यः (विसर्ग-रेफ संधि)
- भुव॑ना॒भि → भुवनाः + अभि (आः + अ- पर ‘आ’ दीर्घ/सवर्णदीर्घ)
- दे॒वेष्वा → देवेषु + आ (उकार + आ पर ‘वा’/व्-आ संधि)
- शंस॑ उ॒त → शंसः + उत (विसर्ग लोप/उत्-पूर्व)
- अन्य पद यथापाठ। वैदिक स्वर (उदात्त/स्वरित/अनुदात्त) मूल संहिता-चिह्नों के अनुसार है
- पद-रूप यहाँ स्वर-चिह्न रहित मानक देवनागरी में दिए गए हैं।
The meaning
Outer meaning
He who has wrought and conquered all the worlds has also wrought service among the gods. Strive toward the gods, toward true hero-power, toward inspired utterance, and toward the praise of men.
Inner meaning
Agni (the accomplisher) is the power that ‘works’ (cakriḥ) the conquest of the many levels of being (viśvā bhuvanā). He establishes in us the capacity for divine service (duvaḥ)—right offering, right relation with higher powers. The verse then turns as an instruction: direct effort upward (yatata) toward the gods (higher states), toward suvīrya (truth-force in action), toward śaṃsa (inspired speech/mantric expression), and also toward nṛṇām śaṃsa—outer confirmation that follows inner alignment (right action naturally gains right recognition).
Universal truth
Real accomplishment is integrative: it harmonizes all planes of life and makes our action a service to the highest. Aspiration must be directed—toward higher consciousness, courageous right action, truthful speech, and ethical social resonance.
Themes
accomplishment and mastery, striving toward gods, power of inspired speech, heroic energy
The seer
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Lineage
- Gāthina (Kauśika/Viśvāmitra lineage in later tradition)
- Other hymns
- RV 3.23 (famous for universal aspiration themes), RV 3.62.10 (Gāyatrī mantra; attributed to Viśvāmitra in later tradition)
Family tradition
The Viśvāmitra corpus often blends praise with instruction (upadeśa): the hymn becomes both invocation and yogic directive.
Significance
This verse shows the rishi’s pedagogic turn: after describing Agni’s cosmic accomplishment, he exhorts the human will to align—gods, heroism, inspired speech, and human harmony.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni (as accomplisher and teacher)
- Epithets
- cakriḥ (the doer), abhi-sāsahiḥ (the overcomer)
- Related deities
- Bṛhaspati (lord of inspired speech), Indra (victory), Sarasvatī (flow of inspiration)
Cosmic role
Agni is the cosmic worker establishing order across worlds and creating the channel of service between human and divine.
Inner power
Executive will that organizes the being, conquers fragmentation, and gives inspired expression (śaṃsa).
In ritual
Where it is used
General Agni stotra/śastra context; also fits pravargya-like exhortative moments (school-dependent)
चक्रि॒र्यो विश्वा॒ भुव॑ना॒भि सा॑स॒हिश्चक्रि॑र्दे॒वेष्वा दुव॑: । आ दे॒वेषु॒ यत॑त॒ आ सु॒वीर्य॒ आ शंस॑ उ॒त नृ॒णाम् ॥
चक्रिः॑ । यः । विश्वा॑ । भुव॑ना । अ॒भि । स॒स॒हिः । चक्रिः॑ । दे॒वेषु॑ । आ । दुवः॑ । आ । दे॒वेषु॑ । यत॑ते । आ । सु॒ऽवीर्ये॑ । आ । शंसे॑ । उ॒त । नृ॒णाम् ॥
cakriḥ | yaḥ | viśvā | bhuvanā | abhi | sasahiḥ | cakriḥ | deveṣu | ā | duvaḥ | ā | deveṣu | yatate | ā | su-vīrye | ā | śaṃse | uta | nṛṇām
44
4 × ~11 syllables
Didactic and marching; repetition of ā (‘toward’) gives a ladder-like ascent.
Creates an upward pull; the repeated ā-phrases feel like climbing steps toward higher powers.
- चक्रिः (cakriḥ)
- Literal: has done, has made, has wrought. Symbolic: the divine worker-force; effective tapas that accomplishes
- भुवनानि (bhuvanāni)
- Literal: worlds, planes. Symbolic: levels of consciousness (physical-vital-mental and beyond)
- अभि सासहिः (abhi sāsahiḥ)
- Literal: has overpowered, conquered. Symbolic: mastery over inner nature; victory over disorder
- दुवः (duvaḥ)
- Literal: service, worship. Symbolic: right offering; conscious alignment and surrender in action
- यतत (yatata)
- Literal: strive, exert. Symbolic: steady aspiration and practice (abhyāsa)
- सुवीर्य (suvīrya)
- Literal: true hero-power. Symbolic: truth-guided force in works
- शंस (śaṃsa)
- Literal: praise, inspired utterance. Symbolic: mantric speech; expression of truth-consciousness
- नृणाम् (nṛṇām)
- Literal: of men. Symbolic: the human field—collective life that must be harmonized
Exhortative verse: aligns human striving (yatate) with divine service (duvas) to secure hero-power and effective speech in ritual and life
When turning from praise to resolve—encouraging the yajamāna/priestly will toward right striving.
Recitation accompanying offerings while reaffirming intention and direction of the rite.
Use as a ‘practice directive’ mantra: chant before sādhanā to set orientation—higher consciousness, courageous action, truthful speech, and harmonious social expression.
: from √kṛ ‘do, make’ (PIE *kwer- ‘make’ debated; but √kṛ is central Indo-Iranian). : from √sah ‘overcome’ (PIE *seǵʰ-? uncertain; Indo-Iranian strong). (duvas): ‘worship/service’—the effective act that wins divine response. √yat ‘strive’ (PIE *yeh₁- ‘to strive/seek’ possible). śaṃsa: from √śaṃs ‘to praise, proclaim’—speech as a power of manifestation.
karma-like efficacy (cakri as accomplisher), alignment of human effort with divine order
Conquering ‘all worlds’ suggests establishing Ṛta in every plane of the being.
Śaṃsa as truth-speaking; inspired utterance that carries satya-force.
Agni as creator-worker who builds the bridge of service (duvaḥ) between planes.
Vedic yoga of ascent: ordered striving toward higher powers; speech as a creative instrument.
Three worlds = body-life-mind; conquest = integration; ascent ‘toward the gods’ = turning consciousness upward.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘accomplisher who overmasters worlds’—a divine worker principle (Agni) whose effective action establishes worship among the gods and calls the human to corresponding striving. Myth becomes sādhanā: cosmic mastery mirrored as disciplined human effort.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The prominence of performative speech (śaṃsa) matches an IE poetic ideology where praise/utterance is efficacious. The doer-epithet (cakri) exemplifies archaic agentive formations around the verb ‘to do/make’ used as a divine title across IE poetries (divine craftsman/worker motifs).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi frames a two-way discipline: the Devata (as cakri) has already established efficacy in the divine order; the human must ‘strive toward’ (ā…yatate) gods, hero-power, and inspired speech. The relationship is apprenticeship and alignment: human effort becomes a channel for the accomplished divine action.
Orientation practice: ‘I turn my effort toward the higher powers; I choose courage, truth-speech, and service.’
Viśuddha (speech/śaṃsa) and Ajñā (orientation toward higher mind)
Stair-step breathing: inhale on each ‘ā’ intention (silently), exhale to settle the resolve; or simple breath awareness with mental repetition of ‘ā deveṣu’.
Upward-striving, orderly, integrated.
After chanting, list (mentally) four aims: (1) contact higher consciousness (deveṣu), (2) act with truth-courage (suvīrya), (3) speak from inner clarity (śaṃsa), (4) harmonize outer relations (nṛṇām). Then sit silently 2–3 minutes holding the upward direction.
Follow RV accent marks from a svara edition; emphasize the repeated ‘ā’ as a directional lift without over-accenting.
Make the first half declarative and weighty; second half becomes instructive—slightly quicker on the repeated ‘ā … ā … ā …’.
cakriḥ: final ḥ audible but light, bhuvanābhi: keep long ā; ‘bhi’ clear, sāsahiḥ: long ā; aspirate h light, deveṣv: retroflex ṣ; avoid inserting extra vowel, yatata: dental t; even syllables, śaṃsa: anusvāra as nasal before s
Clear and directive; less devotional softness, more focused instruction.
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