Rig Veda 8.11.7: Mandala 8, Sukta 11, Mantra 7
Sukta 8.11
- Devata
- Agni
- Rasa
- Shringara (love) and Shanta (peace)
आ ते वत्सो मनो यमत्परमाच्चित्सधस्थात् । अग्ने त्वांकामया गिरा ॥
ā́ te vatsó máno yamat paramā́c cít sadha-sthā́t | ágne tvā́ṁ-kāmayā girā́ ||
Kepadamu fikiranku, laksana anak lembu, bergerak bahkan dari singgahsana tertinggi tempat kediamannya; wahai Agni, merindukanmu, dengan ucapanku aku mencarimu.
Word by Word
- आ
- to, towardsIndeclinableउपसर्ग/निपात (गत्यर्थे ‘towards, to’)Root आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- ते
- to/for youPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी एकवचन (enclitic ‘te’ = ‘to/for you’ or ‘of you’; here dative)Role SampradānaRoot त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वत्सः
- calf (young one)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole KartāRoot वत्स (प्रातिपदिक)
- मनः
- mind, thoughtNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (Vedic: ‘मनः’ as acc. sg.)Role KarmaRoot मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- यमत्
- drove/urged, directedVerbलङ् (इम्पर्फेक्ट), परस्मैपद, 3 एकवचन (अयमत्) — Vedic sandhi/orthography: ‘यमत्’Root यम् (धातु)
- परमात्
- from the farthestAdjective (used substantively)नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी एकवचन (ablative) ‘from the farthest/utmost’Role ApādānaRoot परम (प्रातिपदिक)
- चित्
- evenIndeclinableअव्यय; बलार्थे/अपि-अर्थे ‘even’Root चित् (निपात)
- सधस्थात्
- from the seat/abodeNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी एकवचन (ablative) ‘from the seat/abode, from the place of sitting’Role ApādānaRoot सधस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
- अग्ने
- O AgniNoun (vocative)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन एकवचनRole SambodhanaRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- त्वाम्
- youPronounद्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot युष्मद्/त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- कामया
- with desire, eagerlyNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग (instrumental of kāmā-), तृतीया एकवचन ‘with desire/longing’Role KaraṇaRoot काम (प्रातिपदिक)
- गिरा
- with a hymn/voiceNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचन ‘with/through a hymn/voice’Role KaraṇaRoot गिर्/गीर् (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution: परमाच्चित्सधस्थात् → परमात् + चित् + सधस्थात् (आत् + चित् gives आच्चित् by assimilation; written as च्च). त्वांका॑मया → त्वाम् + कामया (म् + क → ंक). Other padas are already in pada-form. Accent marks in the Saṃhitā text are not reproduced in the resolved padas here
- they remain as in the given Devanāgarī source
The meaning
Outer meaning
Toward you my mind, like a calf, moves even from the highest seat of its dwelling; O Agni, desiring you, with my word I seek you.
Inner meaning
The mind (manas) is drawn to Agni with the natural yearning of a calf for its mother—an image of instinctive, intimate belonging. Even from the ‘highest seat’ (paramāt sadhasthāt: the mind’s loftiest station—its best clarity or summit-state), it leans toward the soul’s Fire, because true stability of thought is found only when it rests in the psychic will and the divine Presence. Speech (girā) becomes the vehicle of seeking: aspiration articulated becomes a path for descent of force.
Universal truth
The highest mental poise is incomplete without the heart’s attraction to the divine Will; when longing is sincere, the inner guide is inevitably sought and found.
Themes
Aspiration, Inner turning, Symbolism of calf, Mantric approach
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 8.11.6-10 (same hymn sequence), RV 1.31 (Agni as beloved and sought—parallel devotional tone)
Family tradition
Kāṇva-style hymns often blend direct intimacy with the deity and energetic invocation; this verse exemplifies that inward intimacy.
Significance
The mantra captures a psychological law: even refined mind must be yoked to the psychic fire; longing (kāma in its purified sense) becomes a sacred motive power.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- beloved sought one (implicit in kāmayā), inner seat-holder (sadhastha motif)
- Related deities
- Uṣas (awakening that turns the mind), Soma (delight that answers yearning)
Cosmic role
Attractor and organizer: draws mind and life toward the divine order; establishes the ‘seat’ for the gods in the human.
Inner power
Psychic attraction—turning-force that reorients thought toward truth and transforms desire into aspiration.
In ritual
Where it is used
Personal āhutī/invocation to Agni within an iṣṭi; also apt at the moment of ‘taking seat’ (upaviśana) in recitation.
आ ते॑ व॒त्सो मनो॑ यमत्पर॒माच्चि॑त्स॒धस्था॑त् । अग्ने॒ त्वांका॑मया गि॒रा ॥
आ । ते॒ । व॒त्सः । मनः॑ । य॒म॒त् । प॒र॒मात् । चि॒त् । स॒धऽस्था॑त् । अग्ने॑ । त्वाम्ऽका॑मया । गि॒रा ॥
ā | te | vatsaḥ | manaḥ | yamat | paramāt | cit | sadha-sthāt | agne | tvām-kāmayā | girā
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3 × 8 (probable)
Tender, quick, intimate; a ‘leaning forward’ cadence.
Elicits devotion and inward turning; stabilizes attention by a gentle pull toward the heart-center.
- वत्सः (vatsaḥ)
- Literal: calf. Symbolic: spontaneous yearning, intimate pull of the soul-nature toward its source
- मनः (manaḥ)
- Literal: mind. Symbolic: the mental being seeking its foundation in the psychic/fire
- परमात् (paramāt)
- Literal: from the highest. Symbolic: from the mind’s summit—its best illumination or highest stance
- सधस्थात् (sadhasthāt)
- Literal: seat, dwelling-place. Symbolic: station of consciousness; the settled plane from which movement begins
- त्वां कामया (tvāṃ kāmayā)
- Literal: desiring you. Symbolic: bhakti-aspect of aspiration; the will moved by love of the divine
- गिरा (girā)
- Literal: by/with speech. Symbolic: mantric utterance; thought made luminous and effective by truth-vibration
- अग्ने (agne)
- Literal: O Agni. Symbolic: O inner Flame, leader of the yoga
Verse of aspiration: used to intensify inward turning toward Agni during praise; supports meditative ignition as part of recitation.
When establishing connection with the deity before offerings; or when mind wanders—re-invocation.
Recite while touching the heart or gazing at the flame; offer ghee or a flower mentally.
Use when mind is distracted: repeat until a felt ‘pull’ toward the inner flame returns; excellent as a pre-meditation centering mantra.
: 'calf' (symbolic in Veda for the seeking movement toward the nourishing source). : from √ 'to stretch, rein, direct'—here 'directs itself/reaches'. : sadha- 'together, firm' + sthā 'standing' → 'common seat/foundation'. kāmayā: from √ 'to desire' (instrumental/with desire).
aspiration (kāma as soul-desire), ascent/descent between planes (paramāt/sadhasthāt), vāc as bridge
Mind’s movement toward Agni is a return to right order—placing thought under the law of the soul.
girā implies speech that is not mere talk but a carrier of truth-intent.
The ‘seat’ motif hints at establishing a stable plane in consciousness where higher powers can descend.
Integral-Vedic psychology: mind is an instrument; the psychic fire is the true leader.
Calf = spontaneous longing; highest seat = mental summit; fire = psychic will; speech = mantra as bridge.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The calf seeking its source: a pastoral myth-image converted into spiritual psychology. The mind (manas) is the calf drawn toward Agni, the nourishing flame of will and illumination, even from the highest settled station of consciousness.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √ 'stretch/direct' has broad IE connections (notably in semantic fields of control/extension). The use of concrete pastoral imagery to express inner states is an inherited Indo-European poetic strategy.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The relationship is intimate and affective: the Rishi’s mind actively reaches toward Agni through desire and speech. The offering is the 'gīr' shaped by longing; the expected return is Agni’s presence as inner kindling and guidance.
Let the mind ‘return’ to the heart-flame with the simplicity of a calf returning home.
Anahata (heart)
Inhale: feel ascent to ‘highest seat’ (crown/upper mind); exhale: let mind descend and rest in heart-flame while chanting.
Devotional concentration; inward sweetness with alertness.
Chant 27 times; visualize a small flame in the heart drawing the mind gently; allow desire to purify into aspiration (kāma → mumukṣā).
Three-tone Vedic accenting; consult a svara-marked Ṛgveda text for exact udatta placements.
Maintain caesura after sadhasthāt; keep ‘agne’ vocative clear and slightly emphasized.
(vatso): ts cluster clean, not ‘vacho’, (sadhasthāt): articulate dh + sth; keep long ā in sthāt, (tvāṃ kāmayā): nasalization in tvāṃ; long ā in kā-, (girā): short i, long ā
Warm, intimate, slightly softened; avoid harsh plosives.
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