Rig Veda 8.23.24: Mandala 8, Sukta 23, Mantra 24
Sukta 8.23
- Rishi
- Vaiyaśva
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Anuṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
नूनमर्च विहायसे स्तोमेभिः स्थूरयूपवत् । ऋषे वैयश्व दम्यायाग्नये ॥
nū́nam arca víhāyase stómebhiḥ sthūrayūpávat | ṛ́ṣe vaiyaśva dámyāyāgnáye ||
Sekarang nyanyikanlah bagi Agni, Yang meliputi luas, dengan puji-pujian yang teguh laksana tiang korban yang besar; wahai resi Vaiyaśva, bagi Agni, tuan yang perkasa di rumah makhluk.
Word by Word
- नूनम्
- now; indeedIndeclinableअव्यय (काल/निश्चयार्थे)Role सम्बन्ध/क्रियाविशेषण (काल/निश्चय)Root नूनम् (अव्यय) < नूना
- अर्च
- praise! sing!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot अर्च् (धातु)
- विहायसे
- to Vihāyasa (a name/epithet of Agni)Noun (proper/epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (सम्प्रदान), एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot विहायस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- स्तोमेभिः
- with hymns; with praisesNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचनRole करणRoot स्तोम (प्रातिपदिक)
- स्थूरयूपवत्
- like one having a stout sacrificial post; stout-post-likeAdjective/Adverbial (comparative epithet)अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (वत्-प्रत्ययान्तम्; ‘-वत्’ = ‘like/possessing’)Role क्रियाविशेषण (स्तुत्युपाय/रीति) अथवा विशेषण (अग्नेः)Root स्थूर-यूप-वत् (प्रातिपदिक; वत्-प्रत्यय)
- ऋषे
- to the seerNounपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन (वैदिके ‘ऋषे’)Role सम्प्रदानRoot ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
- वैयश्व
- O Vaiyaśva (name of the seer)Noun (proper)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन/प्रथमा एकवचन (ऋषिनाम; ‘ऋषे’ इत्यनेन सह)Role सम्बोधन (address) / सम्बन्ध (ऋषे इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Root वैयश्व (प्रातिपदिक; गोत्र/ऋषिनाम)
- दम्याय
- to the tamer; to the subduing oneAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (सम्प्रदान), एकवचनRole सम्प्रदान (अग्नये इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Root दम्य (प्रातिपदिक; √दम् ‘to tame/subdue’ से)
- अग्नये
- to AgniNoun (deity)पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (सम्प्रदान), एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: नूनम् | अर्च | विहायसे | स्तोमेभिः | स्थूरयूपवत् | ऋषे | वैयश्व | दम्याय | अग्नये । Sandhi: (1) ‘नूनमर्च’ = नूनम् + अर्च (म् + अ → म् अ; संहितायां ‘मर्च’ इव दृश्यते). (2) ‘वैयश्व दम्यायाग्नये’ = वैयश्व + दम्याय + अग्नये
- ‘दम्यायाग्नये’ इत्यत्र आ + अ → आ (सवर्णदीर्घ-सन्धि)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Now sing to Agni the wide-ranging one with hymns as firm as a massive sacrificial post; O seer Vaiyaśva, (sing) to Agni who is masterful in the house.
Inner meaning
The call is immediate: nūnam—now, in the present moment of practice. Agni is vihāyasa, moving in the wide spaces: the will-flame that can range through all levels of being. The stomas should be ‘sthūrayūpavat’—not flimsy enthusiasm, but steady supports like a strong yūpa (post): stable disciplines, repeated affirmations, durable aspiration. ‘Damyā’ points to Agni as the lord of the inner house (the embodied being), taming and governing its powers.
Universal truth
Realization requires present-moment sincerity, wide inner capacity, and firm supports—stable practice and strong affirmations—so the inner guide can govern the ‘house’ of life.
Themes
praise-as-kindling, self-mastery, stability, expansion
The seer
- Rishi
- Vaiyaśva
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 8.23.22, Rig Veda 8.23.23, Rig Veda 8.23.25, Rig Veda 8.23.26
Family tradition
Self-address (‘ṛṣe vaiyaśva’) suggests a conscious seer-guidance: the rishi calls his own inspired faculty to a firm, wide invocation of Agni.
Significance
The rishi models inner discipline: praise must be stable as a post; Agni must become the master in the ‘house’—the integrated personality.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- Vihāyasa (wide-ranging), Damyā (master/tamer in the house)
- Related deities
- Vāyu (movement in spaces), Bṛhaspati (firm word), Indra (wide mind)
Cosmic role
Pervades the spaces, connects planes, establishes a stable axis (yūpa-like) for ascent; domestic and cosmic priest.
Inner power
Expansive will that can operate across levels; governing power that disciplines the nature and makes it a fit dwelling for the divine.
In ritual
Where it is used
Stotra to Agni during offering sequences; possibly linked to domestic/fire establishment themes (damyā).
नू॒नम॑र्च॒ विहा॑यसे॒ स्तोमे॑भिः स्थूरयूप॒वत् । ऋषे॑ वैयश्व॒ दम्या॑या॒ग्नये॑ ॥
नू॒नम् । अ॒र्च॒ । विऽहा॑यसे । स्तोमे॑भिः । स्थू॒र॒यू॒प॒ऽवत् । ऋषे॑ । वै॒य॒श्व॒ । दम्या॑य । अ॒ग्नये॑ ॥
nūnam | arca | vi-hāyase | stomebhiḥ | sthūrayūpa-vat | ṛṣe | vaiyaśva | damyāya | agnaye
32
4 × ~8 syllables (verify)
Declarative and exhortative; strong beats echo the ‘post-like’ firmness.
Builds steadiness and breadth; supports a sense of inner spine/axis during recitation.
- नूनम् (nūnam)
- Literal: now. Symbolic: immediacy of sādhanā; truth must be lived presently
- अर्च (arca)
- Literal: sing/praise. Symbolic: invoke by conscious speech and aspiration; awaken the force by mantra
- विहायसे (vihāyase)
- Literal: to the wide-ranging/in the expanse. Symbolic: Agni moving through inner spaces—physical/vital/mental and beyond
- स्तोमेभिः (stomebhiḥ)
- Literal: with hymns. Symbolic: structured formations of mantra-thought supporting ascent
- स्थूरयूपवत् (sthūrayūpavat)
- Literal: like a thick/solid sacrificial post. Symbolic: firm, unwavering practice; stable axis of aspiration
- दम्याय (damyāya)
- Literal: of the house; master of the house. Symbolic: Agni as governor/tamer of the embodied nature
Stotra strengthening the sacrificial structure; yūpa imagery ties to Soma/Śrauta settings, but inwardly indicates establishing a firm axis for practice.
During praise portions of Agni rites; also suitable when reaffirming vows/steadiness in practice.
Recitation with attention to firmness; metaphorically ‘planting the post’ of aspiration before offering.
Use when motivation wavers: chant to re-establish a stable routine and invite Agni to govern habits and environment (‘inner house’).
vihāyasa: from vi- + hāyasa (connected with space/expanse; often 'lofty, wide'). yūpa is the sacrificial post; metaphor implies firmness of support. damya: from √dam 'to tame, subdue, master'—psychologically, mastery of the inner household (dama as self-control).
dama (self-mastery), stability of practice (yūpa as axis), expansion of consciousness (vihāyasa)
Firm stoma as yūpa: axis of ṛta that stabilizes the movement between worlds/planes.
Agni spanning ‘spaces’ suggests the bridging of planes—microcosm to macrocosm through the sacrificial axis.
Integral yoga-oriented: establishment of a stable psychic axis enabling ascent and governing transformation.
Expanse = wideness of consciousness; post = inner spine/axis of practice; house = embodied personality to be governed by the divine will.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Establishing the axis of sacrifice: hymns become the firm yūpa that anchors the rite, enabling Agni to operate as the master of the inner house and the wide-moving power in the expanse.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √dam 'tame' corresponds to PIE *demh₂- (to tame/subdue; related semantic field of domestication/household order). The ritual lexicon (stoma, yūpa) shows specialized Indo-Iranian developments layered on inherited poetic syntax.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi calls his own inspired function into action ('O seer') to praise Agni with stable, weight-bearing speech. Agni is approached as both vast (vihāyasa) and intimate (damya), the cosmic power who also governs the inner dwelling when properly supported.
Establish a firm inner axis (like a yūpa) and invite Agni to govern the ‘house’—body, habits, speech.
Sushumna/central channel (symbolic ‘post’); Manipura for will; Anahata for inner dwelling
Square breathing (4-4-4-4) to build steadiness; on exhale repeat ‘arca’ mentally, feeling the inner axis brighten.
Steady, upright, widened awareness.
Chant standing or seated with straight spine. Feel the spine as yūpa; let the flame rise through the center; then sit in silence, allowing governance (damyā) to settle over impulses.
Recite with steady pitch; slight emphasis on nūnam, arca, vihāyase, sthūrayūpavat, damyāya.
Pause after vihāyase; make sthūrayūpavat weighty and grounded; keep ṛṣe vaiyaśva as a clear vocative address.
vihāyase: long ā, clear y consonant, sthūra: long ū; yūpa: long ū; keep compound sthūrayūpavat flowing, damyāya: palatal y, long āya
Firm, resonant, grounded (chest resonance) to match ‘post-like’ stability.
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