Rig Veda 3.21.2: Mandala 3, Sukta 21, Mantra 2
Sukta 3.21
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Anuṣṭubh-like / mixed
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
घृतवन्तः पावक ते स्तोकाः श्चोतन्ति मेदसः । स्वधर्मन्देववीतये श्रेष्ठं नो धेहि वार्यम् ॥
ghṛtávantaḥ pāvaka te stokā́ḥ ścotanti médasaḥ | svádharman devávītaye śréṣṭhaṃ no dhehi vā́ryam ||
O Oczyszczycielu, twoje krople, nasycone sklarowanym światłem, kapią ze skoncentrowaną esencją. O ty, który masz własne prawe prawo, dla powitania bogów ustanów w nas najlepszą pożądaną pełnię.
Word by Word
- घृतवन्तः
- having ghee; ghee-richAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot घृतवत् (प्रातिपदिक) < घृत + -वत्
- पावक
- O Purifier (Agni)Noun (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole SambodhanaRoot पावक (प्रातिपदिक) < √पू (पवते) ‘to purify’
- ते
- of you; yourPronounषष्ठी, एकवचन (enclitic)Role Sambandha (genitive)Root त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- स्तोकाः
- dropsNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot स्तोक (प्रातिपदिक)
- श्चोतन्ति
- drip; trickleVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole (क्रिया)Root √च्युत्/√च्यव् (Vedic: ‘to drip, to trickle’) → चोतति
- मेदसः
- of fat; of richnessNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole Apādāna (source) / SambandhaRoot मेदस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- स्वधर्मन्
- O one of own law/rite; O true-to-riteNoun (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole SambodhanaRoot स्वधर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) < स्व + धर्मन्
- देववीतये
- for the gods’ enjoyment/invitationNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole Sampradāna (purpose/recipient)Root देववीति (प्रातिपदिक) < देव + वीति ‘invitation/enjoyment/feast’
- श्रेष्ठम्
- the bestAdjective (used substantively)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
- नः
- to us; for usPronounचतुर्थी, बहुवचन (enclitic)Role SampradānaRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- धेहि
- place; bestowVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचनRole (क्रिया)Root √धा (दधाति) ‘to place, bestow’
- वार्यम्
- a choice boon; desirable wealthAdjective (used substantively)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot वार्य (प्रातिपदिक) < √वृ ‘to choose’ (desirable/choice)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: घृतवन्तः | पावक | ते | स्तोकाः | श्चोतन्ति | मेदसः | स्वधर्मन् | देववीतये | श्रेष्ठम् | नः | धेहि | वार्यम् || 1) ‘स्तो॒काः श्चो॑तन्ति’ इति: ‘स्तोकाः’ + ‘चोतन्ति’ → ‘स्तोकाः चोतन्ति’
- छन्दसि/संहितायां ‘श्’ आगमेन ‘श्चोतन्ति’ (c-आदौ संयोगः) । 2) ‘देववीतये’ दत्वर्थे चतुर्थी एकवचनम् (देववीति-शब्दात्) ।
The meaning
Outer meaning
Agni the Purifier has drops laden with ghee dripping with richness; being of his own law, he should establish for the welcoming of the gods the best desirable treasure for us.
Inner meaning
When the inner fire is purified (pāvaka), the ‘drops’ of clarified light (ghṛtavantaḥ stokāḥ) begin to descend and permeate the nature with concentrated essence (medas). Agni as svadharman—one who acts by the inborn truth-law—organizes the consciousness so that the higher powers (devāḥ) can be welcomed and seated (devavītaye). The prayer is for the establishment of the highest workable good (śreṣṭhaṃ vāryam): a plenitude of right energies, not mere outer gain.
Universal truth
True prosperity is the result of inner purification and alignment with one’s deepest law; then higher possibilities naturally ‘arrive’ and take their place in life.
Themes
Purification, Right functioning, Desirable plenitude, Divine arrival
The seer
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Lineage
- Gāthin (Viśvāmitra line)
- Other hymns
- RV 3.21.1, RV 3.21.3, RV 3.62.10
Family tradition
A tapas-driven lineage emphasizing purification and ascent; the hymns often move from kindling Agni to invoking a higher order of consciousness.
Significance
The seer frames prosperity as a function of inner law (svadharma) and receptivity to higher powers (devavīti), aligning with the Aurobindonian view of gods as faculties to be awakened.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- Pāvaka, Svadharman
- Related deities
- Soma, Indra, Maruts
Cosmic role
Purifier and arranger of the sacrifice; opener of the path for the gods’ descent and participation.
Inner power
Psychic-mental fire that clarifies motives, refines energies, and establishes the best formation for spiritual influx.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni-stuti during ghee offerings; supportive verse for inviting devatās
घृ॒तव॑न्तः पावक ते स्तो॒काः श्चो॑तन्ति॒ मेद॑सः । स्वध॑र्मन्दे॒ववी॑तये॒ श्रेष्ठं॑ नो धेहि॒ वार्य॑म् ॥
घृ॒तऽव॑न्तः । पा॒व॒क॒ । ते॒ । स्तो॒काः । श्चो॒त॒न्ति॒ । मेद॑सः । स्वऽध॑र्मन् । दे॒वऽवी॑तये । श्रेष्ठ॑म् । नः॒ । धे॒हि॒ । वार्य॑म् ॥
ghṛta-vantaḥ | pāvaka | te | stokāḥ | ścotanti | medasaḥ | sva-dharman | deva-vītaye | śreṣṭham | naḥ | dhehi | vāryam
32
Often 4 pādas of ~8 syllables (approximate)
Compact, mantra-like, with quick sealing cadence.
Feels like a concentrated ‘installation’ formula—good for reaffirming inner law and receptivity.
- pāvaka
- Literal: purifier. Symbolic: the cleansing fire of discernment and aspiration that burns falsehood and inertia
- ghṛtavantaḥ
- Literal: possessing ghee. Symbolic: laden with clarified light; thoughts/forces filled with luminous understanding
- stokāḥ
- Literal: drops. Symbolic: incremental descents of insight and strength
- medas
- Literal: fat/essence. Symbolic: concentrated substance of life-force offered and refined
- svadharman
- Literal: of one’s own law. Symbolic: acting by inner truth (dharma of the soul), not by external compulsion
- devavītaye
- Literal: for the enjoyment/welcoming of the gods. Symbolic: to make the being fit to receive higher powers and inspirations
- śreṣṭham vāryam
- Literal: best desirable treasure. Symbolic: highest attainable plenitude: right joy, strength, knowledge, harmony
Offering of ghṛta and rich oblations to Agni for ‘devāvīti’ (arrival/enjoyment of gods); inwardly, purification and stabilization of right law before higher influx.
During offerings where purification and devatā-invitation are emphasized
Pouring ghee while invoking Agni’s purifying and establishing power
Use before study/creative work: invoke purification of intention and ask for the ‘best formation’ for inspiration.
pāvaka from √pū ‘to purify’ (with -aka): Agni as purifier of mixed movements. svadharman: sva ‘own’ + dharman (from √dhṛ ‘to hold’ → dharma ‘law/that which upholds’): points to intrinsic right action of Agni as ṛta-agent. vārya from √vṛ ‘to choose’ (also ‘cover’ in other formations): here ‘choice-worthy’—inner plenitude to be selected/realized.
svadharma (intrinsic right law), devāvīti (descent/approach of divine powers), iṣ (nourishing force implied by medas/ghṛta imagery)
Svadharman implies acting in accordance with ṛta within the individual formation.
Purification reveals satya in motives and perception, enabling true ‘welcome’ of higher powers.
Descent of higher forces into prepared forms; establishment (dhehi) as a creative act.
Vedic psychological symbolism (Integral Yoga reading): devatās as functional powers of consciousness.
Ghee-laden drops = clarified insights feeding the flame; purification = removal of smoke (confusion) so light can spread.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘purifying fire receiving the dripping essence’—a recurrent mythic-ritual image where Agni refines the offering so the gods may come. Psychologically, clarified light (ghṛta) and essence (medas) are purified into a stable best state (śreṣṭha vārya) that can host higher powers.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √pū ‘purify’ has Indo-Iranian parallels (Av. pū- ‘purify’), and dharma from √dhṛ ‘hold’ reflects a widespread PIE notion of ‘that which supports/establishes’ (cf. Greek thronos? semantically not direct; better: PIE *dher- ‘hold’). The semantics of vārya from √vṛ ‘choose’ aligns with archaic ‘choice-worthy treasure’ formulae in Indo-European poetics.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi recognizes Agni’s svadharma—his autonomous right working—and asks him to establish the best inner plenitude. The reciprocity is: the seeker offers clarified essence; Agni purifies and, by his law, founds a condition fit for the gods’ approach.
Purify intention; align action with svadharma; invite higher faculties (clarity, courage, joy).
Maṇipūra (purifying fire)
Exhale slightly longer than inhale to ‘cleanse’; on inhale feel ‘drops of light’ entering the navel/heart flame.
Clear, receptive, ethically aligned.
Ask: ‘What is my svadharma in this moment?’ Offer the answer into the fire; then sit quietly for the ‘best formation’ to arise as a simple next step.
Not fully provided; chant with slight udatta lift on pāvaka, svadharman, śreṣṭham; settle at line ends.
Keep crisp consonants in ścotanti; do not overlengthen short a in te, no.
ścotanti: clear initial ś (palatal), svadharman: articulate sv- cluster and dh, vāryam: long ā, and ry conjunct cleanly
Clean, even, purifying timbre.
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