Rig Veda 3.9.3: Mandala 3, Sukta 9, Mantra 3
Sukta 3.9
- Rishi
- Gāthina Viśvāmitra
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
अति तृष्टं ववक्षिथाथैव सुमना असि । प्रप्रान्ये यन्ति पर्यन्य आसते येषां सख्ये असि श्रितः ॥
áti tṛṣṭáṃ vavakṣithā́thaíva sumánā asi | práprā́nye yánti páry anyá āsate yéṣāṃ sákhye ási śritáḥ ||
Engkau telah membawa kami melampaui rintangan yang menekan dan keras; maka Engkau menjadi kejernihan kegembiraan di dalam hati. Sebahagian mara ke hadapan di jalan, sebahagian lain mengelilingi dan menjaga dari sekeliling—mereka yang dalam persahabatanmu Engkau ditegakkan dan bersemayam.
Word by Word
- अति
- beyond, exceedinglyIndeclinableअव्यय (उपसर्ग/क्रियाविशेषण)Root अति (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- तृष्टम्
- thirsted-for; desired; eagerlyAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन (क्रियाविशेषणवत् ‘अत्यन्तम्’)Role Karma (क्रियाविशेषणवत्/परिमाण)Root तृष् (धातु) → तृष्ट (कृदन्त/विशेषण)
- ववक्षिथ
- you have carried / conveyedVerbलिट् (परिपूर्ण/परोक्श), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRoot वह्/वक्ष् (धातु; वहति/वक्षति ‘to carry, convey’)
- अथ
- then, and thenIndeclinableअव्ययRoot अथ (अव्यय)
- एव
- indeed, justIndeclinableअव्ययRoot एव (अव्यय)
- सुमनाः
- kind-minded; graciousAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (विशेष्य-सम्बन्धः)Root सु- + मनस् (प्रातिपदिक) → सुमनस्
- असि
- you areVerbलट्, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRoot अस् (धातु)
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableअव्यय (उपसर्ग)Root प्र (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- प्रान्ये
- some (go) forth; othersPronoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot प्र + अन्य (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) → प्रान्य
- यन्ति
- they goVerbलट्, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपदRoot या (धातु ‘to go’)
- परि
- aroundIndeclinableअव्यय (उपसर्ग)Root परि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- अन्ये
- othersPronoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot अन्य (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- आसते
- they sitVerbलट्, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, आत्मनेपदRoot आस् (धातु ‘to sit’)
- येषाम्
- of whom; whosePronounषष्ठी, बहुवचन (पुं/नपुं)Role सम्बन्ध (Genitive)Root यद् (सर्वनाम) → येषाम्
- सख्ये
- in friendship; in allianceNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot सख्य (प्रातिपदिक; ‘friendship, alliance’)
- असि
- you areVerbलट्, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRoot अस् (धातु)
- श्रितः
- resorted to; attached; resting uponParticiple (Adjective)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (कर्तरि/कर्मणि प्रयोगानुसार ‘resorted/attached’)Role Kartā (विशेषणरूपेण)Root श्रि (धातु ‘to lean on, resort’) → श्रित (कृदन्त)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: अति | तृष्टम् | ववक्षिथ | अथ | एव | सुमनाः | असि | प्र | प्रान्ये | यन्ति | परि | अन्ये | आसते | येषाम् | सख्ये | असि | श्रितः । Sandhi: (1) प्रप्रान्ये = प्र + प्रान्ये (उपसर्ग-आवृत्तिः/पुनरुक्त-प्र) । (2) पर्यन्य = परि + अन्ये (इकारस्य यणादेशः: परि + अन्ये → पर्यन्ये; संहितापाठे ‘पर्यन्य’ इति संक्षेप/पदविभाग-भेदः) ।
The meaning
Outer meaning
You have carried us beyond the hard-pressed resistance; therefore you are the glad clear mind within. Some go forward, others sit around (guarding); those in whose comradeship you are established.
Inner meaning
Agni, the divine Will and priest-power, bears the seeker beyond ‘tṛṣṭa’—the compressed, constricting pressure of resistance (Vṛtra-like obstruction in the nature). When that crossing happens, Agni becomes ‘sumanā’—a luminous gladness and right-minded clarity in the consciousness. The verse describes a coordinated inner yoga: some powers advance (pra-prāṇye yanti) as active progress, while others ‘sit around’ (pary anya āsate) as stabilizing guardians—protective, containing forces that prevent relapse. Agni is established in their comradeship: the divine Will works best when the faculties are harmonized into a supportive collective.
Universal truth
Progress requires both advance and protection: active aspiration must be matched by stabilizing disciplines; when inner powers cooperate, the guiding will becomes a glad clarity and carries us beyond constriction.
Themes
Agni as guide, inner passage beyond resistance, formation of the allied host (friends) around the Fire
The seer
- Rishi
- Gāthina Viśvāmitra (traditional attribution noted for this verse in some sources; attribution varies in transmitted lists)
- Lineage
- Viśvāmitra (Kauśika)
- Other hymns
- RV 3.9 (as transmitted), RV 3.62.10 (Gāyatrī mantra; Viśvāmitra), RV 3.53
Family tradition
Viśvāmitra tradition is strongly associated with conquest of obstacles, the dynamic ascent to light, and mantric force as a means of transformation.
Significance
The verse expresses a disciplined psychology of victory: Agni carries beyond constriction, then becomes the settled glad clarity when the inner comradeship is organized.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- sumanāḥ (glad-clear minded), carrier beyond resistance
- Related deities
- Indra (slayer of Vṛtra), Bṛhaspati (breaker of obstruction), Maruts (supporting forces)
Cosmic role
Leader of the sacrifice; opener of ways; conqueror of constriction; establisher of harmonious cooperation among powers.
Inner power
Transforming will that becomes luminous joy and right-mindedness after victory; organizer of inner faculties.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni praise within sacrificial sequence; affirmation of victory and protection around the rite
अति॑ तृ॒ष्टं व॑वक्षि॒थाथै॒व सु॒मना॑ असि । प्रप्रा॒न्ये यन्ति॒ पर्य॒न्य आ॑सते॒ येषां॑ स॒ख्ये असि॑ श्रि॒तः ॥
अति॑ । तृ॒ष्टम् । व॒व॒क्षि॒थ॒ । अथ॑ । ए॒व । सु॒ऽमनाः॑ । अ॒सि॒ । प्रऽप्र॑ । अ॒न्ये । यन्ति॑ । परि॑ । अ॒न्ये । आ॒स॒ते॒ । येषा॑म् । स॒ख्ये । असि॑ । श्रि॒तः ॥
ati | tṛṣṭam | vavakṣitha | atha | eva | su-manāḥ | asi | pra-pra | anye | yanti | pari | anye | āsate | yeṣām | sakhye | asi | śritaḥ
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4×~11 syllables; strong forward thrust with balanced closure.
Heroic and organizing; alternation of movement and encirclement mirrors the meaning.
Energizes effort while also instilling disciplined steadiness; supports coordinated practice rather than scattered striving.
- अति तृष्टम् (ati tṛṣṭam)
- Literal: beyond the pressed/compacted. Symbolic: beyond constriction, stress, resistance of the lower nature
- ववक्षिथ (vavakṣitha)
- Literal: you have carried. Symbolic: the divine Will bearing the seeker across difficulty
- सुमनाः (sumanāḥ)
- Literal: good-minded, glad, gracious. Symbolic: clear gladness; luminous right disposition in consciousness
- प्रप्रान्ये यन्ति (pra-prānye yanti)
- Literal: some go forward strongly. Symbolic: advancing faculties: aspiration, effort, illumination-seeking
- पर्यन्य आसते (pary anya āsate)
- Literal: others sit around/encircle. Symbolic: guarding faculties: steadiness, watchfulness, containment, protection
- सख्ये (sakhye)
- Literal: in comradeship. Symbolic: harmonized cooperation of inner powers with Agni as leader
- श्रितः (śritaḥ)
- Literal: established, resting upon. Symbolic: Agni firmly founded in the collective harmony of the being
Agni-stotra/Agni-invocation in soma and iṣṭi contexts; kindling and establishing Agni as hotṛ and as the forward-leading power in the rite
After establishing Agni and seeking passage beyond obstacles; as a confidence-building verse.
Recitation to secure successful progress of the rite and guarding of its enclosure (pary-āsate imagery).
Use for overcoming stress/constriction and building supportive routines: pair with a short ‘advance + guard’ plan (effort plus boundaries).
Key pivots: vavakṣitha = perfect of √vah ‘carry, convey’, marking accomplished inner passage ‘beyond’. su-manāḥ (su + manas) is not mere ‘kindly’, but a state of clarified mental substance (manas) made ‘good/right’ by alignment with ṛta. śritaḥ (√śri) indicates ‘taking support/refuge’—Agni as the foundation of the seeker’s sakhya (allied forces of the being). pra-pra + anye yanti / pari anye āsate encodes differentiated movements: progressive advance vs. encircling stabilisation/guarding.
Ṛta (right order expressed as right movement and right station), sakhya (alliance of powers in the being), crossing beyond obstruction (tamas/inner constriction)
Crossing constriction into wideness is a signature movement of ṛta—right expansion of consciousness.
Sumanas as truth-aligned mentality: clarity and gladness after right victory.
From compression to wideness: inner creation of a larger being through Agni’s carrying power.
Integral/psychological: faculties as ‘comrades’ coordinating around the divine Will.
fire (kindled, carrying offerings); movement/advance and encircling protection (ritual and psychological imagery)
Compaction = stress/obstruction; fire = will and discernment; encircling = protective discipline and stability.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘crossing beyond the pressed obstruction’ (áti tṛṣṭám …) is a micro-myth of the path: Agni as the carrier who brings the human being beyond constriction into a state of sumanas (clear gladness). The differentiated ‘others’ who advance and those who ‘sit around’ evoke the ordered host of powers (inner faculties / ritual assistants) arranging themselves once Agni is established—an inner polity of ṛta rather than an external battle narrative.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √vah ‘to carry’ (vavakṣitha) aligns with PIE *weǵʰ-/*weǵʰ- ‘to convey/transport’ (cf. Latin vehō). √yā ‘to go’ (yanti) reflects PIE *h₁ey- ‘go’ (cf. Greek eîmi ‘I go’). √śri ‘lean on, resort’ is commonly linked to PIE notions of ‘rest/support’ (semantic field seen in ‘shelter/lean’ roots across IE), fitting the verse’s ‘established in friendship’ sense.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi speaks from a reciprocal pact (sakhya): Agni has already ‘carried beyond’—a prior grace/action—therefore Agni becomes sumanas (a settled beneficence) in the seeker. The human side responds by organising its movements (advance and guarding stability) around Agni’s established presence, implying that right inner practice (ordered faculties) is the return-gift to Agni’s leading power.
Breakthrough from constriction; then establish a ‘guard ring’ of disciplines around the new clarity.
anahata
moderate
Victorious wideness with calm containment.
Chant 5–11 times. After chanting, do two steps: (1) feel the breakthrough (space in chest), (2) set a protective intention (what you will avoid/limit today) so the gain is guarded.
Use śākhā accents where available; key lifts often on ati, sumanā́, yánti; keep Triṣṭubh cadence with clear caesura.
Mark the semantic turns: (1) ati tṛṣṭam… (2) athaiva sumanā asi (3) some advance / others encircle (4) comradeship where Agni is established.
(tṛṣṭam): retroflex ṣṭ cluster; keep it crisp, (vavakṣitha): ‘kṣi’ conjunct; avoid ‘vaksh’ simplification, (sumanāḥ): long ā; final ḥ lightly aspirated, (pary anya): keep sandhi clarity; slight pause if needed, (śritaḥ): śri- with vocalic quality; dental t
Heroic but controlled; avoid shouting—let steadiness convey victory.
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