Rig Veda 8.103.9: Mandala 8, Sukta 103, Mantra 9
Sukta 8.103
- Devata
- Agni
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
आ वंसते मघवा वीरवद्यशः समिद्धो द्युम्न्याहुतः । कुविन्नो अस्य सुमतिर्नवीयस्यच्छा वाजेभिरागमत् ॥
ā́ vaṃsate maghávā vīrá-vad yáśaḥ sam-íddho dyumny ā́-hutaḥ | kúvin no asya su-matír navī́yasī́ ácchā vā́jebhir ā́-gamat ||
Kepada kami datang yang mulia, membawa daya kepahlawanan—telah dinyalakan, diseru demi kemuliaan yang bercahaya. Tidakkah budi-pekertinya yang benar, yang sentiasa baharu itu akan datang kepada kami, lurus, bersama kekuatan-kekuatan vāja?
Word by Word
- आ
- hither; towardsIndeclinableupasarga/avyaya (directional: ‘towards, hither’)Root आ (upasarga) / ā (avyaya)
- वंसते
- seeks; strives for; desiresVerbPresent indicative (laṭ), 3rd person singular, ĀtmanepadaRole Kriyā (verbal action)Root √वस् (vas) ‘to desire/seek; to woo’ (Vedic)
- मघवा
- the bountiful one (Indra)Noun (epithet)Masculine, nominative singularRole Kartā (subject)Root मघवन् (prātipadika)
- वीरवत्
- heroically; with heroesAdjectiveNeuter/Adverbial accusative singular used adverbially (‘in a manly/heroic way’; ‘with heroes’)Role Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (manner) / Karaṇa (associative sense)Root वीरवत् (from वीर + -वत्)
- यशः
- fame; gloryNounNeuter, nominative/accusative singularRole Karma (object/goal of seeking)Root यशस् (prātipadika)
- समिद्धः
- kindled; enkindledParticiple (verbal adjective)Masculine, nominative singular (past passive participle)Role Kartā (as predicate/attribute of the invoked deity, esp. Agni) / ViśeṣaṇaRoot सम्-√इध् (idh) ‘to kindle’ → समिद्ध (PPP)
- द्यु्म्न्याहुतः
- invoked as glorious; called for splendourCompound adjective/participleMasculine, nominative singularRole Viśeṣaṇa (epithet of the deity: ‘called/invoked as splendid’)Root द्यु्म्न्य- (adj. from द्यु्म्न ‘splendour’) + आहूत (PPP of आ-√ह्वे/√हू ‘to call/invoke’)
- कुवित्
- whether?; perhaps?Indeclinableinterrogative particle (‘whether indeed?’ ‘perhaps?’)Root कु + वित् (particle)
- नः
- of us; ourPronounGenitive plural (‘of us’) (enclitic)Role Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (possessive relation)Root अस्मद् (enclitic pronoun)
- अस्य
- of him (i.e., of that one)PronounMasculine/neuter, genitive singular (‘of him/it’)Role Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandhaRoot इदम् (pronoun)
- सुमतिः
- good thought; favour; benevolenceNounFeminine, nominative singularRole Kartā (subject of ‘come’) / Prārthya (desired boon)Root सु- + मति (prātipadika)
- नवीयसि
- in the newer (fresh) [occasion]; anewAdjectiveFeminine, locative singular (agreeing with सुमतिः understood as ‘in/for the newer [time/occasion]’ or ‘towards the newer [praise]’ in Vedic usage)Role Adhikaraṇa (locative circumstance)Root नवीयस् (comparative adj. ‘newer’)
- अच्छा
- towards; straight toIndeclinablepreverb/adverb ‘towards, straight to’Root अच्छा (avyaya)
- वाजेभिः
- with prizes; with strengths/bootyNounMasculine, instrumental pluralRole Karaṇa (means/attendant gifts)Root वाज (prātipadika)
- आगमत्
- came; may comeVerbAorist (luṅ), 3rd person singular, ParasmaipadaRole Kriyā (verbal action)Root आ-√गम् (gam) ‘to come’
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution: (1) आ वं॑सते → ā + vaṃsate (no further split)
- (2) म॒घवा॑ वी॒रव॒द्यश॒: → maghavā + vīravat + yaśaḥ (vīravad-yaśaḥ sandhi: final -t of vīravat becomes -d before y-)
- (3) द्यु॒म्न्याहु॑तः → dyumnyāhutaḥ = dyumnya- + āhutaḥ (ā- from āhutaḥ coalesces with preceding -a of dyumnya-)
- (4) कु॒विन्नो॑ → kuvit + naḥ (enclitic naḥ)
- (5) सुम॒तिर्नवी॑य॒स्यच्छा॒ → sumatiḥ + navīyasi + acchā (visarga sandhi: -ḥ before n- becomes -r- in saṃhitā: sumatir navīyasi; and navīyasy acchā shows y + a junction; underlying is navīyasi + acchā)
- (6) वाजे॑भिरा॒गम॑त् → vājebhiḥ + āgamat (visarga before vowel: -bhiḥ + ā- → -bhir ā-)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Agni, the glorious Maghavan-like giver, comes to us with heroic power; he is kindled and invoked for splendor. The poet asks whether Agni’s ever-new benevolent intention will come straight to us with vāja (winning powers).
Inner meaning
The awakened Flame of aspiration (Agni) rises in the seeker as a “glorious” force that brings vīra-śakti (heroic energy) into the being. Kindled by tapas (samiddha), it is invoked for dyumna—inner luminosity and victorious clarity. The question “kuvin…?” is the soul’s pressing doubt turned into faith: will the Divine Will’s ever-fresh right guidance (navīyasī sumati) descend directly into our nature, carrying the vāja-forces—capacities of effective action, mastery, and spiritual victory.
Universal truth
When the inner fire is consciously kindled and called, a higher guidance repeatedly renews itself; true progress comes not by strain but by aligning with that ever-new right-mindedness which arrives “straight” and empowers life with effective force.
Themes
Arrival/influx of divine power, Heroic energy, Luminous force, Ever-new guidance
The seer
Significance
In Aurobindonian terms, the voice is that of the striving human soul (manuṣya) invoking Agni as the leader of the inner yajña—expressing both ardor and the pivotal question of receptivity to the ever-renewing divine guidance.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- samiddha (kindled), āhuta (invoked), yaśas (glorious), vīravat (hero-bearing/heroic)
- Related deities
- Indra, Soma, Uṣas, Bṛhaspati
Cosmic role
Mediator between human and divine; carrier of offerings; awakener of light and power in the worlds.
Inner power
Divine Will and aspiration that organizes the inner sacrifice and brings luminous force (dyumna) for victorious action (vāja).
In ritual
Where it is used
Agnihotra / general Agni-invocation in soma-less praise setting (stuti)
आ वं॑सते म॒घवा॑ वी॒रव॒द्यश॒: समि॑द्धो द्यु॒म्न्याहु॑तः । कु॒विन्नो॑ अस्य सुम॒तिर्नवी॑य॒स्यच्छा॒ वाजे॑भिरा॒गम॑त् ॥
आ । वं॒स॒ते॒ । म॒घऽवा॑ । वी॒रऽव॑त् । यशः॑ । सम्ऽइ॑द्धः । द्यु॒म्नी । आऽहु॑तः । कु॒वित् । नः॒ । अ॒स्य॒ । सु॒ऽम॒तिः । नवी॑यसी । अच्छ॑ । वाजे॑भिः । आ॒ऽगम॑त् ॥
ā | vaṃsate | magha-vā | vīra-vat | yaśaḥ | sam-iddhaḥ | dyumnī | āhutaḥ | kuv it | naḥ | asya | su-matiḥ | navīyasī | accha | vājebhiḥ | āgamat
Two hemistichs with four pādas implied by RV recitational division; cadence emphasizes forward movement toward ‘āgamat’.
Invocatory and propulsive; the rhythm ‘ā… samiddho… āhutaḥ’ builds a sense of kindling and arrival.
Energizes aspiration and confidence; supports a felt ‘coming’ of force and light into the practitioner’s field.
- मघवा (maghavā)
- Literal: the bountiful, giver of gifts. Symbolic: the Divine as bestower of inner riches—strength, light, right guidance
- वीरवत् (vīravat)
- Literal: possessing heroes/heroic. Symbolic: endowed with courageous soul-force and victorious energy
- यशः (yaśaḥ)
- Literal: glory, fame. Symbolic: radiance of realized consciousness; manifest splendor of the inner fire
- समिद्धः (samiddhaḥ)
- Literal: kindled, inflamed. Symbolic: tapas-lit aspiration; awakened will in the being
- द्यु॒म्नि (dyumni)
- Literal: splendor, brightness. Symbolic: illumined mind-force; luminous power that defeats obscurity
- आहुतः (āhutaḥ)
- Literal: invoked, called by oblation. Symbolic: consciously summoned Divine Presence through offering of ego and desire
- सुमतिः (sumatiḥ)
- Literal: good thought, right-mindedness. Symbolic: higher discrimination and benevolent guidance from the divine Will
- नवीयसी (navīyasī)
- Literal: ever newer. Symbolic: progressive revelation; guidance that renews at each step
- वाजेभिः (vājebhiḥ)
- Literal: with vāja-prizes/strengths. Symbolic: powers of accomplishment—energies that win truth in life-action
Kindling-and-invocation context (samiddha, āhuta); prayer for dyumna and sumati—guidance and luminous force—appropriate to the opening/strengthening of the rite.
At kindling and inviting Agni; also suitable at the opening of a recitation/meditation session as ‘arrival’ mantra
Kindling fire, offering ghee, verbal invitation to the Hotṛ-flame
Use as a short invocation before meditation or work: ‘kindle the will, call luminous power, invite ever-new right guidance into action’.
samiddha: sam- + √idh ‘to kindle’ → fully lit/awakened. dyumna: from √dyut ‘to shine’ → luminous power. sumati: su- + mati (√man ‘think’) → good/right thought, benevolent guidance. navīyasī: comparative of nava ‘new’ → ‘ever-new’.
Sumati (right guidance), Renewal (nava/navīyasī) as continual rebirth of consciousness
Agni’s ‘sumati’ is the aligning intelligence that keeps the inner movement straight (acchā) with ṛta.
Truth as effective guidance that arrives ‘direct’ and ‘ever-new’ when the will is kindled.
Manifestation through ignition: consciousness increases by progressive kindling and descent of guidance.
Proto-Vedāntic / integral yoga reading (Aurobindo): ascent of aspiration and descent of higher Light-Force.
Fire = awakened will; brightness/sky = illumined mind-space where guidance descends and becomes force for action.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘coming of the kindled god’ motif: once awakened by offering, Agni approaches bringing dyumna (radiant power) and vīra (heroic force). The psychological action is the descent/influx of awakened will-light into the seeker’s field.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- dyumna from √dyut ‘shine’ reflects an IE radiance lexicon (PIE *dyeu- ‘sky/shine’ broadly). sumati (good thought) continues the IE valuation of ‘right-mindedness’ as a divine gift (compare Indo-Iranian ethical emphasis on right thought).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi invokes and kindles (āhuta, samiddha); the devatā responds by arriving with luminous strength and by granting ‘ever-new’ sumati—guidance that renews the seeker’s movement toward ṛta.
Invoke the inner fire to bring ‘ever-new right guidance’ into the day’s action.
manipura
gentle kapalabhati-like warming breaths (very mild) followed by steady nasal breathing while repeating the mantra
Active collectedness—luminous, ready, forward-moving.
Before work or practice, sit upright; feel a flame at the navel rising to the heart; on ‘samiddhaḥ’ kindle aspiration; on ‘acchā… āgamat’ receive guidance descending as calm decisive force.
Follow Vedic accent as marked: udatta on accented syllables, svarita where applicable; maintain the natural fall on unmarked (anudatta).
Keep clear lift on ‘वं॑-, ॒घवा॑, ॒वी॒र-, ॑यशः, ॑द्धो, ॒म्न्या, ॑हु॑तः, ॒वी॑य-, ॒वाजे॑-’ per the text’s accent marks.
Hold long vowels: ā in ‘ā’, ‘āgamat’., Pronounce ‘dyumny’ as dyum-nyā (no extra vowel)., Keep ‘acchā’ with a clear geminated ‘cch’., ‘vājebhiḥ’: voiced ‘j’, final visarga lightly aspirated before pause.
Bright, forward, and steady; avoid heaviness—let it feel like ‘arrival’.
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