Rig Veda 1.45.6: Mandala 1, Sukta 45, Mantra 6
Sukta 1.45
- Rishi
- Kaṇva
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Gāyatrī-like
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
त्वां चित्रश्रवस्तम हवन्ते विक्षु जन्तवः । शोचिष्केशं पुरुप्रियाग्ने हव्याय वोळ्हवे ॥
tvā́ṃ citraśravastama havánte vikṣú jántavaḥ | śóciṣkeśaṃ purupriyā́gne havyā́ya vóḷhave ||
Ciebie, najpromienniejszego w sławie, ludy w osadach wzywają, o Agni z płomiennymi włosami, umiłowany przez wielu. Przybądź jako nosiciel ofiary: nieś naszą ofiarę ku górze i nieś naszą świadomość poza jej granice.
Word by Word
- त्वाम्
- you (as the one invoked)Pronounद्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (पुं./स्त्री./नपुं. सर्वत्र)Role कर्मRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- चित्
- indeed, evenIndeclinableअव्यय; बलार्थ/अपि-अर्थेRoot चित् (निपात/अव्यय)
- चित्रश्रवस्तम
- most famed/renowned (having brilliant fame)Adjective (epithet)द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग (अग्नेः विशेषणम्)Role कर्म (त्वाम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Root चित्रश्रवस्- (बहुव्रीहि/कर्मधारय-प्रातिपदिक) + तमप्
- हवन्ते
- they call/invokeVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचनRoot √ह्वे (ह्वयति/हवते) ‘आह्वाने’
- विक्षु
- among the clans/settlementsNounसप्तमी विभक्ति, बहुवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्गRole अधिकारणRoot विś्- (प्रातिपदिक) ‘जन/कुल/विष्टि’
- जन्तवः
- creatures, peopleNounप्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन, पुंलिङ्गRole कर्ताRoot जन्तु- (प्रातिपदिक) < √जन्
- शोचिष्केशम्
- flame-haired (with blazing hair)Adjective (epithet)द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग (अग्नेः विशेषणम्)Role कर्म (त्वाम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Root शोचिस्- + केश- (समास-प्रातिपदिक; ‘ज्वलत्केश’)
- पुरुप्रियम्
- much-beloved, dear to manyAdjective (epithet)द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग (अग्नेः विशेषणम्)Role कर्म (त्वाम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Root पुरु- + प्रिय- (समास-प्रातिपदिक)
- अग्ने
- O AgniNoun (vocative)सम्बोधन, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्गRole सम्बोधनRoot अग्नि- (प्रातिपदिक)
- हव्याय
- for the oblationNounचतुर्थी विभक्ति, एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्गRole सम्प्रदानRoot हव्य- (प्रातिपदिक) < √हू ‘आह्वाने/यज्ञे’ (यज्ञीय-आहुत्यर्थ) অথবা √हव्?; स्थिर-प्रातिपदिक ‘हव्यम्’
- वः
- of you, yourPronounषष्ठी विभक्ति, बहुवचन (एन्क्लिटिक)Role सम्बन्ध (अधिकारः: ‘your’)Root युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वोळ्हवे
- to convey/carry (to the gods)Verbal infinitiveतवेन्-प्रत्ययान्त (इन्फिनिटिव), परस्मैपद-भावार्थRole प्रयोजन/उद्देश्य (हव्याय ... वोळ्हवे = ‘to carry the oblation’)Root √वह् ‘वहने’ → वोळ्हव्- (वेदिक/आर्ष-रूप; कृत्-प्रातिपदिक) + तुमुन्/तवेन् (इन्फिनिटिव)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: त्वाम् | चित् | चित्रश्रवस्तम | हवन्ते | विक्षु | जन्तवः | शोचिष्केशम् | पुरुप्रियम् | अग्ने | हव्याय | वः | वोळ्हवे । 1) ‘त्वां’ = त्वाम् (द्वितीया एकवचन) — अनुस्वार/अनुनासिक-लोपादि पाठभेदेन। 2) ‘जन्तव॑:’ = जन्तवः (विसर्गः)। 3) ‘ह॒व्याय॒ वोळ्ह॑वे’ इत्यत्र पदसीमा
- संहितायां ‘हव्याय’ + ‘वोळ्हवे’ (अ + व) संधिः न कृतः (पदपाठानुसारं पृथक्)। 4) ‘वोळ्हवे’ वेदिक-रूपम्: √वह् से ‘वोळ्ह-’ (उ/ओ-गुण, ळ्ह-आदेश) + तवेन्-इन्फिनिटिव।
The meaning
Outer meaning
All peoples invoke Agni, most famed, with flaming hair, beloved of many, to carry the offering.
Inner meaning
Across the ‘settlements’ of the being (vikṣu: our many inner domains), the soul-crowd (jantavaḥ: impulses, parts of nature) calls the luminous Will. Agni’s ‘hair of flame’ is the many-rayed energy that takes up our offerings (acts, thoughts, breath) and lifts them toward the higher consciousness.
Universal truth
The guiding will is universally accessible: when invoked, it gathers scattered parts of life and bears them toward transformation.
Themes
Agni as carrier, Universal invocation, Radiant fame/hearing
The seer
- Rishi
- Kaṇva
- Other hymns
- RV 1.45.1-10, RV 1.44, RV 8.2
Family tradition
Kaṇva hymns often universalize Agni—invoked by all peoples—indicating Agni’s role as common inner priest across temperaments.
Significance
Kaṇva’s vision stresses that the inner Fire is not sectarian: every part of the human collective and the individual can turn to it for upliftment.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- citraśravastama, śociṣkeśa, purupriya, havyavāhana (implied)
- Related deities
- Indra, Soma, Viśve Devāḥ
Cosmic role
Universal priest and messenger; the fame of Agni is his constant efficacy in linking worlds.
Inner power
Luminous energy that gathers dispersed nature and converts it into upward movement and offering.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni as havyavāhana in iṣṭi and soma rites; general invocation in communal sacrifices
त्वां चि॑त्रश्रवस्तम॒ हव॑न्ते वि॒क्षु ज॒न्तव॑: । शो॒चिष्के॑शं पुरुप्रि॒याग्ने॑ ह॒व्याय॒ वोळ्ह॑वे ॥
त्वाम् । चि॒त्र॒श्र॒वः॒ऽत॒म॒ । हव॑न्ते । वि॒क्षु । ज॒न्तवः॑ । शो॒चिःऽके॑शम् । पु॒रु॒ऽप्रि॒य॒ । अग्ने॑ । ह॒व्याय॑ । वोळ्ह॑वे ॥
tvām | citraśravaḥ-tama | havante | vikṣu | jantavaḥ | śociḥ-keśam | puru-priya | agne | havyāya | voḷhave
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3×8 (approx.)
Invocatory and forward-moving; strong cadence on epithets.
Builds a collective momentum—many voices calling one inner flame—creating uplift and courage.
- चित्रश्रवस्तम (citraśravastama)
- Literal: most splendid in fame/hearing. Symbolic: the power whose ‘renown’ is inner evidence—felt radiance and effective response
- विक्षु (vikṣu)
- Literal: in the clans/settlements. Symbolic: in the various fields of the being—body, life, mind, heart
- जन्तवः (jantavaḥ)
- Literal: creatures/peoples. Symbolic: the many movements in us seeking guidance
- शोचिष्केश (śociṣkeśa)
- Literal: having hair of flame. Symbolic: many-rayed energy; luminous dynamism spreading through the nature
- पुरुप्रिय (purupriya)
- Literal: beloved of many. Symbolic: the universally lovable divine helper—felt as warmth, courage, sincerity
- हव्याय वोळ्हवे (havyāya voḻhave)
- Literal: to carry the oblation. Symbolic: to uplift our conscious offering into higher planes and return force/clarity
Invocation of Agni as havyavāhana (carrier of oblations) in communal rites; emphasizes Agni’s universal accessibility across vikṣú.
At the invitation of Agni to carry offerings; especially when establishing Agni’s presence for the rite
Calling Agni with epithets while presenting oblation
Use when feeling scattered: chant to gather energies from ‘many settlements’ into one disciplined aspiration.
(citra) ‘bright, variegated’ + (śravas) ‘fame/hearing’ (PIE *ḱleu̯- family) yields ‘bright-famed/bright-hearing’. ‘hair’ used metaphorically for flame-tongues/crests. voḷh- is a RV form related to √vah ‘carry’ with phonological/metrical variation.
Universality of the divine Will in all settlements (vikṣu), Offering as ascent of consciousness
Agni’s ‘carrying’ is the right transmission of energies according to ṛta.
Agni’s ‘fame’ is the truth of experience—inner confirmation through increased clarity and strength.
Fire as universal organizer in all communities of life—microcosm reflecting macrocosm.
Integral-yogic reading: harmonizing parts of nature under psychic will.
Flame-hair = radiating energies of will/aspiration spreading through all inner domains.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Agni as the universally invoked carrier of offerings across human habitations. Innerly, it is the myth of the ‘common Fire’ present in all embodied life, which can lift the offering (aspiration) from the many into the One luminous ascent.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- śravas (‘fame/hearing’) continues an IE poetic theme where ‘hearing’ and ‘fame’ intertwine (renown as what is heard). The transport verb √vah (voḷh-) is a classic IE inheritance.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi frames Agni as both beloved and functional: not only praised but needed ‘for carrying’ (havyāya voḷhave). The reciprocal bond is practical mysticism: the human offers; the divine Will conveys and transforms.
Unify the being: call Agni into each ‘vikṣ’—body, prāṇa, mind, heart—so all cooperate in the yoga.
manipura (transformative fire)
4-4 breathing (equal inhale/exhale) while repeating epithets; feel warmth spreading from navel upward.
Energized, courageous, unified.
On each pāda, place attention in a different layer (body–life–mind). End with a silent offering of the day’s actions to the inner Fire.
Maintain Vedic accents on compounds (citraśravastama, śociṣkeśam); keep udātta lifts crisp on invocatory words.
Do not over-stress; let epithets carry a slight melodic rise; pause cleanly after each pāda.
tvāṃ: nasalized ā with anusvāra, citraśravastama: cluster -śr- clear, śociṣkeśam: ṣ retroflex; keśam long ē? (actually short e in Sanskrit; keep crisp), voḻhave/voḷhave: retroflex ḷ; articulate gently without turning into 'l'
Bright, confident, forward-leaning.
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