Rig Veda 5.13.5: Mandala 5, Sukta 13, Mantra 5
Sukta 5.13
- Rishi
- Atri
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Gāyatrī
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
त्वामग्ने वाजसातमं विप्रा वर्धन्ति सुष्टुतम् । स नो रास्व सुवीर्यम् ॥
tvā́m agne vāja-sā́tamam víprā vardhanti su-ṣṭútam | sá no rāsva su-vī́ryam ||
ਹੇ ਅਗਨੀ, ਬਲ-ਪ੍ਰਾਪਤੀ ਵਿੱਚ ਸਭ ਤੋਂ ਵੱਧ ਜੇਤੂ ਤੈਨੂੰ ਵਿਪ੍ਰ (ਰਿਸ਼ੀ) ਸੁਚੰਗੀ ਬਣੀ ਸਤੁਤੀ ਨਾਲ ਵਧਾਉਂਦੇ ਹਨ। ਇਸ ਲਈ ਸਾਨੂੰ ਸੁਵੀਰ੍ਯ—ਸੱਚਾ ਵੀਰ-ਬਲ, ਪ੍ਰਕਾਸ਼ਮਈ ਸ਼ਕਤੀ—ਬਖ਼ਸ਼।
Word by Word
- त्वाम्
- you (as the object)Pronounद्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अग्ने
- O AgniNoun (vocative)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- वाजसातमम्
- the most prize-winning / best at winning bootyAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (त्वाम् इति सर्वनाम्नः विशेषणम्)Role कर्मRoot वाजसातम (प्रातिपदिक; वाज + सातम ‘most winning of prizes’)
- विप्राः
- the inspired poets/priestsNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- वर्धन्ति
- they strengthen / they make growVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot वृध् (धातु) ‘to grow, increase, strengthen’
- सुष्टुतम्
- well-praisedAdjective (past passive participle used adjectivally)पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (त्वाम् इति कर्मपदस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्मRoot सु- + स्तुत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √स्तु ‘to praise’)
- सः
- he (you)Pronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- नः
- to us / for usPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी-एकवचनरूप (एन्क्लिटिक ‘नः’ = ‘our/to us’; अत्र दत्तिः-प्रयोजनम्)Role सम्प्रदानRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- रास्व
- grant! / give!Verb (imperative)लोट् (आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot रा (धातु) ‘to give, grant’
- सुवीर्यम्
- good heroism / excellent strengthNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot सु- + वीर्य (प्रातिपदिक) ‘good heroism/valour, manly power’
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: त्वाम् | अग्ने | वाजसातमम् | विप्राः | वर्धन्ति | सुष्टुतम् || सः | नः | रास्व | सुवीर्यम् । 1) ‘स नो’ इति संहितायां ‘सः’ + ‘नः’ → ‘स नो’ (विसर्गलोपः, ओष्ठ्य-नकारादौ). 2) ‘रास्व’ = √रा धातोः लोट् मध्यम-एकवचन
- संहितायां पृथक् पदम्। 3) ‘सुष्टुतम्’ = सु-उपसर्गः + स्तुत (PPP)
- आन्तर-सन्धिः: सु + स्तुत → सुष्टुत (उष्णादेश/षत्वम्: स् + त्-संयोगे ष्टु)
The meaning
Outer meaning
You, Agni, most victorious in winning strength, the inspired seers increase with well-made praise. Give us true hero-power.
Inner meaning
Agni is vājasātama—supreme in the winning of vāja: not mere food or prize, but force, capacity, victorious energy for the journey. The viprāḥ (illumined seers) ‘increase’ Agni by suṣṭuti—rightly formed praise: when aspiration is precise and beautiful, the inner fire grows brighter and more potent. From that strengthened Agni we ask suvīrya: true heroism—steadfast, luminous energy to overcome inertia, confusion, and resistance (vṛtra-forces) in our nature.
Universal truth
Right aspiration strengthens the inner will; a strengthened will grants the courage and power needed to conquer inner resistance and act from light.
Themes
request for inner strength, Agni as giver of force, seer-praise efficacy
The seer
- Rishi
- Atri (Ātreya)
- Lineage
- Ātreya
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 5.11, Rig Veda 5.12, Rig Veda 5.13.2-6
Family tradition
The Atri tradition frequently links praise (stuti) with the increase of Agni’s power and the gaining of victorious force.
Significance
Atri frames mantra as a technology of inner growth: the right word and right aspiration intensify the psychic fire and yield effective strength for transformation.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- vājasātama (best winner of force), suṣṭuta (well-praised)
- Related deities
- Indra (victory and illumination), Maruts (dynamic forces), Soma (bliss that supports strength)
Cosmic role
Giver of strength and victory; awakener of dynamic energies; purifier that makes power luminous and right.
Inner power
Heroic will-force guided by light; capacity to transmute raw vitality into steadfast spiritual energy.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni hymn for strength and victory; recited in contexts seeking vāja (force) and protection in the rite
त्वाम॑ग्ने वाज॒सात॑मं॒ विप्रा॑ वर्धन्ति॒ सुष्टु॑तम् । स नो॑ रास्व सु॒वीर्य॑म् ॥
त्वाम् । अ॒ग्ने॒ । वा॒ज॒ऽसात॑मम् । विप्राः॑ । व॒र्ध॒न्ति॒ । सुऽस्तु॑तम् । सः । नः॒ । रा॒स्व॒ । सु॒ऽवीर्य॑म् ॥
tvām | agne | vāja-sātamam | viprāḥ | vardhanti | su-stutam | saḥ | naḥ | rāsva | su-vīryam
24
3×8 (approx.)
energetic and martial-aspirational; strong forward pulse
Builds motivation and inner courage; a ‘charging’ mantra that still remains luminous rather than aggressive.
- वाज (vāja)
- Literal: strength, prize, vigor. Symbolic: effective force and capacity for spiritual progress
- वाजसातम (vājasātama)
- Literal: best at winning vāja. Symbolic: Agni as supreme victor-power in the ascent
- विप्र (vipra)
- Literal: inspired/illumined seer. Symbolic: luminous mind that knows how to offer rightly
- सुष्टुत (suṣṭuta/su-stutam)
- Literal: well-praised, well-lauded. Symbolic: accurate, harmonious aspiration that builds the fire
- सुवीर्य (suvīrya)
- Literal: good heroism, true valor. Symbolic: luminous courage and steadfast energy in action
Petition for vīrya and vāja in the context of Agni praise; applicable where strength/success in the rite and life-force increase are sought.
Before demanding ritual sequences; also in daily recitation when seeking energy and steadiness
Praise to kindle and ‘increase’ Agni; offering ghee while asking for suvīrya
Use when facing procrastination, fear, or fatigue: recite to convert scattered energy into heroic steadiness for right action.
vāja carries ‘strength, vital force, plenitude’ (not merely food/prize); vāja-sāta is ‘winning of force’. vipra from √vip/√vep ‘quiver, be inspired’ → inspired seer. vīrya from vīra ‘hero’ (root √vī ‘vigorous’) becomes inner valor: capacity to overcome obstruction in consciousness. √rā ‘give’ is a common Vedic grant-verb for divine bestowal.
vāja (plenitude of force), vīrya (heroic capacity), mantra as strengthening (vardh)
Suvīrya is power that acts according to ṛta, not impulse.
True heroism is aligned with truth; it is clarity-driven strength.
Increase of divine fire through right word; emergence of victorious force as a creative outcome.
Vedic psychology of transformation: mantra strengthens inner faculties; power becomes luminous (not merely vital).
Fire = mobilized will; ‘winning vāja’ = gaining usable energy and capacity; ‘hero-power’ = courage to persist in the ascent.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is ‘increase the god by praise, receive power in return’: the vipras strengthen Agni (as active force in them), and Agni grants suvīrya—heroic energy to defeat inner and outer resistances.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √vṛdh ‘grow’ is widely IE (cf. English ‘worth’ is different root, but growth roots are common; closer: Sanskrit vardh- parallels Avestan vərəz- in function though not identical). The semantic of ‘hero’ (vīra) and ‘force’ (vāja) fits inherited IE warrior/strength diction, refunctionalized here for spiritual conquest.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi-vipra offers well-formed praise that ‘increases’ Agni (awakens his operative intensity). The reciprocal return is suvīrya: capacity to carry the sacrifice and the soul’s battle toward light.
Kindle ‘heroic will’: visualize a steady flame at the navel/heart rising to the chest; affirm courageous persistence without strain.
manipura (will-power and energy)
kapālabhāti (gentle, if appropriate) or 3 rounds of brisk exhale/slow inhale to awaken vāja; then settle into slow breath
energized, upright, determined yet clear
After chanting, choose one right action you have been avoiding; do it immediately as an offering—this completes the mantra’s ‘winning of vāja’.
Let the melody carry a stronger rise on vājasātamam and a firm cadence on suvīryam.
Hold the long vowels in tvām, vāja-, and the closing suvīryam; make the request (rāsva) clear and direct.
vājasātamam: articulate ‘j’ softly; long ā; keep compound clear (vāja-sāta-mam), viprā: long ā, vardhanti: aspirate ‘dh’ lightly; nasal ‘n’ clear, suṣṭutam: ṣṭ cluster crisp, rāsva: long ā; ‘sv’ cluster clean
bright, strong, steady—like a marching flame
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