Rig Veda 8.19.2: Mandala 8, Sukta 19, Mantra 2
Sukta 8.19
- Devata
- Agni
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
विभूतरातिं विप्र चित्रशोचिषमग्निमीळिष्व यन्तुरम् । अस्य मेधस्य सोम्यस्य सोभरे प्रेमध्वराय पूर्व्यम् ॥
vibhū́tarātiṃ vipra citráśociṣam agním īḷiṣva yantúram | asyá médhasya somyásya sobhare préma dhvarā́ya pū́rvyam ||
ହେ ବିପ୍ର, ବିଭୂତରାତି, ଚିତ୍ରଶୋଚିଷ, ଯାତ୍ରାର ନିୟନ୍ତା ଅଗ୍ନିଙ୍କୁ ସ୍ତୁତି କର; ଏହି ମେଧ ପାଇଁ, ଏହି ସୋମ୍ୟ କର୍ମ ପାଇଁ, ହେ ସୋଭରୀ, ଅଧ୍ୱର ପାଇଁ ପୂର୍ବ୍ୟ (ପ୍ରାଚୀନ) ଶକ୍ତିକୁ ଆଗକୁ ଆଣ।
Word by Word
- विभूतरातिम्
- Vibhūtarāti (the generous one; a patron)Noun (proper epithet/name)पुंलिङ्ग/स्त्रीलिङ्ग (नामरूप), द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचनRole कर्म (स्तुत्य/आह्वेय-वस्तु)Root विभूत-राति (प्रातिपदिक; विभूत ‘प्रसिद्ध/समृद्ध’ + राति ‘दान/उदारता’)
- विप्र
- O sage/poetNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन/प्रथमा, एकवचनRole सम्बोधन (address)Root विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- चित्रशोचिषम्
- of wondrous/flashing flameAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole विशेषण (अग्निम् का)Root चित्र-शोचिस् (प्रातिपदिक; चित्र ‘बहुवर्ण/अद्भुत’ + शोचिस् ‘ज्योति/तेजस्’)
- अग्निम्
- AgniNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- ईळिष्व
- praise/invoke!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole क्रिया (आह्वान/स्तुति)Root ईळ् (धातु; स्तुति/आह्वानार्थ)
- यन्तुरम्
- the guide/impellerNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (अग्निम् का विशेषण/अप्पोज़िशन)Root यन्तृ (प्रातिपदिक; ‘नेता/नियन्ता/प्रेरक’)
- अस्य
- of thisPronounषष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- मेधस्य
- of the rite/sacrifice (or of wisdom)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot मेध (प्रातिपदिक; ‘यज्ञ/बुद्धि/मेधा’)
- सोम्यस्य
- soma-related, soma-richAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole विशेषण (मेधस्य का)Root सोम्य (प्रातिपदिक; ‘सोम-सम्बन्धी/सोमयुक्त’)
- सोभरे
- O well-sustaining/munificent oneAdjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन/प्रथमा, एकवचन (पदपाठ-प्रयोग: संबोधनार्थ)Role सम्बोधन (address to patron/poet)Root सु-भर (प्रातिपदिक; ‘सुभर’ = ‘सुलभ-भरण/सुपोष्य/समृद्ध’)
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableअव्ययRole क्रियाविशेषण (direction/intensity)Root प्र (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- इमध्वराय
- for the sacrificeNounपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदान (for/unto the sacrifice)Root अध्वर (प्रातिपदिक; ‘यज्ञ’)
- पूर्व्यम्
- the ancient/primeval oneAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म/विशेषण (अग्निम्/स्तुत्य-वस्तु का)Root पूर्व्य (प्रातिपदिक; ‘प्राचीन/पूर्वज’)
Sandhi Notes
- मन्त्रपाठानुसार संधि-विच्छेद: (1) ‘विप्र चि॒त्रशो॑चिषम्’ = ‘विप्र, चित्रशोचिषम्’ (चि = चिद्-निपात का संक्षिप्त/पद-सीमा-रूप)
- (2) ‘अग्निमीळिष्व’ = ‘अग्निम् + ईळिष्व’ (म् + ई → मी)
- (3) ‘प्रेमध्वराय’ = ‘प्र + इमध्वराय’ (प्र + इ → प्रे)
The meaning
Outer meaning
O seer, adore Agni, wide in giving, of many-colored flame, the guide/controller. For this inspired offering, for this Soma-rite, O Sobharī, bring forward the ancient power for the sacrifice.
Inner meaning
The mantra instructs the inner priest (vipra) to adore Agni as the generous giver (vibhūtarāti) and multi-rayed flame (citraśociṣ), the ‘yantur’—the one who yokes, regulates, and leads the journey of the being. In the context of Soma (divine bliss), the seer Sobharī is urged to bring forth the ‘pūrvyam’—the ancient, original power of the sacrifice: the perennial capacity of consciousness to offer itself and receive delight.
Universal truth
When will is illumined and rightly guided, it becomes both generous and effective; then the ancient yoga of offering reawakens, and bliss (soma) can be integrated into action.
Themes
Agni invocation, Soma-ritual inner sense, Guidance and discipline
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 8.19.1, RV 8.19.3
Family tradition
Maṇḍala 8 contains hymns connected with Kāṇva seers; ‘Sobharī’ appears as an address, suggesting a teacher-disciple or intra-lineage call.
Significance
Highlights the integral triad: illumined will (Agni), inspired intelligence (medhā), and delight (Soma) unified in the ancient yajña-power.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- vibhūtarāti (abundant giver), citraśociṣ (many-flamed), yantṛ (guide/controller), pūrva (ancient one; implied perennial)
- Related deities
- Soma, Indra, Maruts, Bṛhaspati
Cosmic role
Divine messenger and transformer; establishes the sacrificial path; brings gods (higher powers) and distributes their boons.
Inner power
Conscious will that illumines, regulates, and safely intensifies the energies; integrates delight (soma) into disciplined action.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma-yajña and associated Agni praise; calling Agni as guide for the rite and invoking the ‘ancient power’ for effective offering
विभू॑तरातिं विप्र चि॒त्रशो॑चिषम॒ग्निमी॑ळिष्व य॒न्तुर॑म् । अ॒स्य मेध॑स्य सो॒म्यस्य॑ सोभरे॒ प्रेम॑ध्व॒राय॒ पूर्व्य॑म् ॥
विभू॑तऽरातिम् । वि॒प्र॒ । चि॒त्रऽशो॑चिषम् । अ॒ग्निम् । ई॒ळि॒ष्व॒ । य॒न्तुर॑म् । अ॒स्य । मेघ॑स्य । सो॒म्यस्य॑ । सो॒भ॒रे॒ । प्र । ई॒म् । अ॒ध्व॒राय॑ । पूर्व्य॑म् ॥
vibhūta-rātim | vipra | citra-śociṣam | agnim | īḷiṣva | yanturam | asya | meghasya | somyasya | sobhare | pra | īm | adhvarāya | pūrvyam
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4 pādas × ~11 syllables (approx.)
Directive and technical; a guiding cadence suitable for instruction within the rite.
Focuses and organizes—useful to ‘yoke’ scattered energies before deeper practice.
- विभूतरातिम् (vibhūtarātim)
- Literal: wide/abundant in giving. Symbolic: Will that distributes force and light throughout the being
- विप्र (vipra)
- Literal: seer, inspired one. Symbolic: The awakened intuitive intelligence in the practitioner
- चित्रशोचिषम् (citraśociṣam)
- Literal: of variegated/many-colored flames. Symbolic: Multiple lights of consciousness—discriminative, revelatory fire
- यन्तुरम् (yanturam)
- Literal: controller/yoker/guide. Symbolic: Agni as regulator of energies, steering the journey inward and upward
- मेध (medha)
- Literal: intelligence, inspired offering. Symbolic: Concentrated insight-power forming the oblation
- सोम्य (somya)
- Literal: Soma-related. Symbolic: Delight-principle supporting the sacrifice
- पूर्व्य (pūrvyam)
- Literal: ancient, primeval. Symbolic: Original spiritual capacity; perennial force of the inner yajña
- अध्वर (adhvara)
- Literal: sacrifice/rite. Symbolic: The path of works without injury—purified action
Explicit Soma-rite framing (somyasya): invocation of Agni as yantṛ (regulator) in Soma sacrifice and other adhvara contexts; supports correct conduct and inner ‘medhā’.
During Soma-related sequences or when re-establishing Agni’s guiding role in the adhvara.
Adoration (īḻiṣva), preparation of inspired offering (medhā), invocation of perennial sacrificial force (pūrvyam).
As a prelude to creative work or disciplined practice: invoke Agni to regulate energies; invite ‘ancient power’—your deepest capacity for steady offering.
vibhūta-rāti: vi- ‘widely’ + bhūta ‘become/manifest’ (√bhū ‘be’) + rāti ‘giving’ (√rā ‘to give’) → abundant bestowal. citra-śociṣ: śociṣ ‘flame’ from √śuc ‘shine, blaze’. yantṛ from √yam ‘hold, govern’ → inner regulation/discipline of energies. medhā: intelligence/inspired capacity (root √medh ‘to be wise/measure’), in RV often the sacrificial intelligence. adhvara ‘uninjured’ (a-dhvara) suggests a rite without obstruction—psychologically, a straight movement of offering.
Medhā (inspired intelligence), Agni as inner guide (yantṛ), Rayi/Rāti as spiritual plenitude
Agni as yantur is the regulator that aligns action with ṛta.
Citraśociṣ suggests truthful discernment—many lights revealing what is to be offered/purified.
Perennial (‘pūrvyam’) sacrificial power as the engine of evolution—creation advances by offering and transformation.
Integral Vedic yoga: will + knowledge + delight as cooperating powers.
Multi-colored fire = differentiated lights of awareness; yoke = self-regulation; Soma/Moon = cool delight stabilizing the heat of tapas.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Agni as the ‘guide-controller’ of the sacrificial journey: not only the flame but the conscious governor (yantṛ) who leads the offering and the seeker’s energies through the Soma-work toward transformation.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √yam ‘hold, rein’ corresponds to PIE *yem- ‘hold’ (cf. notions of yoke/govern). √śuc ‘shine’ is part of a widespread IE light/shine lexicon. √bhū ‘be’ continues PIE *bʰuH- ‘become, be’.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer (vipra) is instructed to invoke Agni precisely as yantṛ—implying a yogic reciprocity: the human offers medhā and rite; Agni returns regulation, guidance, and abundant giving (vibhūta-rāti).
Invoke Agni as the inner ‘yantur’: let attention become the bridle that guides breath, thought, and impulse; then invite Soma-like sweetness to pervade the discipline.
Maṇipūra (Agni) balanced by Svādhiṣṭhāna (Soma/delight)
Alternate-nostril breathing 5 rounds to ‘yoke’ energies; then silent attention at navel flame with a cool sweetness spreading through the chest.
Controlled intensity with underlying joy.
When feeling scattered, recite once, then do 3 minutes of ‘guided will’: choose one intention and keep returning to it gently but firmly.
Not fully derivable from provided text; keep clear emphasis on agním and yánturam; allow ‘citraśociṣam’ to be articulated with crisp consonants.
Chant the first pāda as invocation; second as instruction/bringing-forward; slight pause before ‘prem… pūrvyam’ to mark summoning of ancient power.
citraśociṣam: keep śo- long-ish and ‘ci-tra’ distinct, īḻiṣva: retroflex ḻ (Vedic) approximated carefully; avoid turning into plain ‘l’ if trained, adhvarāya: keep dhv cluster light, not ‘ad-vara’
Focused, guiding, steady.
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