Rig Veda 5.9.2: Mandala 5, Sukta 9, Mantra 2
Sukta 5.9
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Likely Anuṣṭubh/Gāyatrī-family short meter
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
अग्निर्होता दास्वतः क्षयस्य वृक्तबर्हिषः । सं यज्ञासश्चरन्ति यं सं वाजासः श्रवस्यवः ॥
agnir hotā dāsvataḥ kṣayasya vṛkta-barhiṣaḥ | saṁ yajñāsaś caranti yaṁ saṁ vājāsaḥ śravasyavaḥ ||
ଅଗ୍ନି ଦାତାଙ୍କ ନିବାସର ହୋତୃ; ସେଠାରେ ବର୍ହିସ୍ (ପବିତ୍ର ଆସନ) ସୁସଜ୍ଜିତ। ଯାହାଙ୍କ ପାଖକୁ ଯଜ୍ଞମାନଙ୍କ ଗତି ସଙ୍ଗମ ହୁଏ, ଏବଂ ଶ୍ରବସ୍ (ଯଶ) ଆକାଂକ୍ଷୀ ବାଜ (ବଳ-ସମୃଦ୍ଧି) ମଧ୍ୟ ଯାହାଙ୍କ ପାଖକୁ ସଙ୍ଗମ ହୁଏ—ସେଇ ଅଗ୍ନି।
Word by Word
- अग्निः
- Agni (fire-god)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot अग्नि- (प्रातिपदिक)
- होता
- the Hotṛ-priest; invokerNoun (agent)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (अग्निः का विशेषण/समनाधिकरण)Root हु (धातु) → होतृ- (कृदन्त, तृच्)
- दास्वतः
- of the giving/munificent (one)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, षष्ठी, एकवचन (क्षयस्य के विशेषणरूपेण)Role सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root दाश्/दास् (धातु ‘देने/पूजने’) → दास्वत्- (कृदन्त/विशेषण)
- क्षयस्य
- of the dwelling/household; of the abodeNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root क्षय- (प्रातिपदिक)
- वृक्तबर्हिषः
- whose sacrificial grass is strewn/trimmed (i.e., with prepared barhis)Adjective (compound)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (अग्निः/होता के विशेषण)Role कर्तृ (विशेषण)Root वृक्त- (PPP of व्रज्/वृज् ‘to cut/clear’) + बर्हिस्- (प्रातिपदिक)
- सम्
- together; completelyIndeclinable (preverb)अव्ययRole क्रियाविशेषणRoot सम् (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- यज्ञासः
- sacrifices; sacrificial ritesNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot यज्ञ- (प्रातिपदिक)
- च
- andIndeclinableअव्ययRole समुच्चयRoot च (अव्यय)
- चरन्ति
- move/come; proceedVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, तृतीया पुरुष, बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot चर् (धातु)
- यम्
- whomPronounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सम्
- together; whollyIndeclinable (preverb)अव्ययRole क्रियाविशेषणRoot सम् (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- वाजासः
- prizes; strengths; (winning) powersNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot वाज- (प्रातिपदिक)
- श्रवस्यवः
- fame-seeking; seeking gloryAdjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (वाजासः के विशेषण/समनाधिकरण)Root श्रवस्यु- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘fame-seeking’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: अग्निः | होता | दास्वतः | क्षयस्य | वृक्तबर्हिषः | सम् | यज्ञासः | च | चरन्ति | यम् | सम् | वाजासः | श्रवस्यवः || 1) अग्निर्होता = अग्निः + होता (विसर्ग-लोप/रेफः)
- 2) दास्वतः क्षयस्य: षष्ठी-सम्बन्धः ‘दास्वतः’ इति विशेषणं ‘क्षयस्य’ इत्यस्य
- 3) सं यज्ञासः = सम् + यज्ञासः (अनुस्वार/नासिक्य-सन्धि; ‘सम्’ → ‘सं’)
- 4) यज्ञासश्चरन्ति = यज्ञासः + चरन्ति (विसर्ग-लोप, ‘श्’ आगमः)
- 5) सं वाजासः = सम् + वाजासः (सम् → सं)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Agni is the Hotṛ of the giver’s house where the sacred seat is well prepared. To him the sacrifices converge, and to him converge the forces and gains sought for glory.
Inner meaning
Agni is the Hotṛ—the one who calls and places the offering rightly—in the ‘house’ (kṣaya) of the giver (dāsvat): the inner dwelling of the sincere practitioner. When the ‘seat’ is well prepared (vṛkta-barhis), meaning the consciousness is made ready and purified, all movements of inner sacrifice (yajñāsaḥ) converge toward Agni. Likewise the vājāsaḥ—powers of achievement, effective energies—gather to him, along with śravasya—true ‘hearing’ or inspired receptivity that becomes soul-fame (a luminous recognition in consciousness, not egoic renown).
Universal truth
When the inner space is prepared and purified, the divine Will becomes the true officiant; then all practices and all powers of accomplishment unify and turn toward a single transforming center.
Themes
Agni as Hotṛ, prepared seat (barhis), convergence of sacrifice, force and inner fame
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha-gotra
- Other hymns
- RV 7.10, RV 7.11, RV 7.12
Family tradition
Vasiṣṭha emphasizes right preparation and right priesthood within: the sacrifice succeeds when the inner ‘seat’ is made ready and Agni leads.
Significance
The seer teaches convergence (saṃ…caranti): scattered energies and practices must gather around the inner fire to become effective.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- Hotṛ, leader of yajña
- Related deities
- Bṛhaspati, Indra, Soma
Cosmic role
Priest of the gods; establishes the sacrifice; gathers powers to a central flame.
Inner power
Unifying will that organizes the being; magnet of energies and achievements; awakener of inspired receptivity.
In ritual
Where it is used
Hotṛ/Agni praise in domestic and śrauta settings; preparation of barhis and invocation of Agni as officiant
अ॒ग्निर्होता॒ दास्व॑त॒: क्षय॑स्य वृ॒क्तब॑र्हिषः । सं य॒ज्ञास॒श्चर॑न्ति॒ यं सं वाजा॑सः श्रव॒स्यव॑: ॥
अ॒ग्निः । होता॑ । दास्व॑तः । क्षय॑स्य । वृ॒क्तऽब॑र्हिषः । सम् । य॒ज्ञासः॑ । चर॑न्ति । यम् । सम् । वाजा॑सः । श्र॒व॒स्यवः॑ ॥
agniḥ | hotā | dāsvataḥ | kṣayasya | vṛkta-barhiṣaḥ | sam | yajñāsaḥ | carant i | yam | sam | vājāsaḥ | śravasyavaḥ
32
4 pādas × 8 syllables (probable)
Balanced, convergent phrasing; suited to statements of order and gathering.
Stabilizes attention; encourages organization and centering of energies.
- होता (hotā)
- Literal: invoker-priest. Symbolic: the organizing power that calls down and arranges higher forces in consciousness
- दास्वतः (dāsvataḥ)
- Literal: of the giver. Symbolic: the being capable of surrender and offering
- क्षयस्य (kṣayasya)
- Literal: of the dwelling/house. Symbolic: the inner home—body-life-mind as a seat for the divine
- वृक्तबर्हिषः (vṛktabarhiṣaḥ)
- Literal: with the barhis strewn/trimmed. Symbolic: prepared foundation: purified, ordered awareness fit for sacrifice
- यज्ञासः (yajñāsaḥ)
- Literal: sacrifices. Symbolic: all inner disciplines and offerings of thought, life, and act
- वाजासः (vājāsaḥ)
- Literal: prizes, strengths, vital powers. Symbolic: effective forces of realization and victorious energy
- श्रवस्यवः (śravasyavaḥ)
- Literal: seeking fame/glory. Symbolic: seeking inspired hearing and luminous recognition of truth (inner ‘śravas’)
Household/altar context emphasizing prepared barhis and Agni as Hotṛ; applicable to iṣṭi and soma settings where barhis is laid.
At the establishment of the seat and commencement of yajña sequences; adaptable to daily practice as ‘inner preparation’.
Preparing the barhis/altar space; invoking Agni as Hotṛ; commencing offerings.
Use before meditation to ‘prepare the seat’: tidy space, steady posture, then recite to gather scattered mind and energies.
hotā from √hu (invoke/offer); dāsvat ‘giving’ from √dā (give), PIE *deh₃-; kṣaya (dwelling) from √kṣi (dwell), PIE *tḱey-? (uncertain); barhis (sacrificial grass) possibly from √bṛh (grow) or a specialized ritual noun; vāja from √vaj/√vāj (be strong, speed, prize), connected to force/plenitude; śravas from √śru (hear), PIE *ḱlewos (fame; cf. Greek kléos).
convergence into unity (saṁ), śravas as inner hearing/renown, vāja as force-plenitude
Agni as Hotṛ ensures right order of offering—ṛta in action.
True śravas (inspired hearing) converges when the inner order is established.
The house of the giver becomes a microcosm where cosmic powers converge through yajña.
Yajña-psychology: inner ritual as method of unifying consciousness toward truth and force.
Barhis = prepared nervous/mental foundation; house = embodied field; convergence = centripetal yoga of gathering around Agni.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘house of the giver’ with prepared barhis where Agni officiates: the mythic-sacral household/altar as the meeting-point where all sacrificial movements converge. Psychologically it is the prepared inner field (discipline, receptivity) where energies (vājāsaḥ) and works (yajñāsaḥ) gather around the awakened will.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- śravas aligns with PIE *ḱlewos (fame/hearing), a core IE poetic value. √dā ‘give’ aligns with PIE *deh₃-. The convergence particle saṁ (with) parallels widespread IE preverb systems.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- Agni is installed as Hotṛ in the ‘dwelling of the giver’: the human role is generosity and preparation; Agni’s role is to gather and coordinate the sacrificial energies, turning them into vāja (effective force) and śravas (true hearing/renown).
‘Prepare the seat’ and gather all inner movements to the flame of will in the heart/solar plexus.
Maṇipūra (organizing will) with support from Mūlādhāra (foundation/seat)
Box breathing (4-4-4-4) briefly to collect energies; then silent witnessing as thoughts converge.
Collected, ordered, receptive to inspired hearing (śravas).
Before sitting, straighten posture (barhis), simplify intention (offering), then chant and feel all scattered impulses returning to one center; remain still for 5–10 minutes.
If anuṣṭubh, keep four even quarters; apply saṃhitā-svara when available; otherwise gentle emphasis on agnir hotā, vṛktabarhiṣaḥ, saṃ yajñāsaḥ, saṃ vājāsaḥ.
Make ‘saṃ’ audible each time to express convergence; keep consonant clusters crisp.
agnir: sandhi r—pronounce as ‘agni r-hotā’ with light link, hotā: long ā, dāsvataḥ: long ā; v soft, vṛkta: vocalic ṛ, barhiṣaḥ: ṣ retroflex; final ḥ light, śravasyavaḥ: śra-va-sya—avoid ‘shraav’ drag; keep syllables clear
Grounded, even, centering.
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