Rig Veda 3.7.4: Mandala 3, Sukta 7, Mantra 4
Sukta 3.7
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
महि त्वाष्ट्रमूर्जयन्तीरजुर्यं स्तभूयमानं वहतो वहन्ति । व्यङ्गेभिर्दिद्युतानः सधस्थ एकामिव रोदसी आ विवेश ॥
máhi tvāṣṭrám ūrjáyantīr ajúryaṃ stabhu-yámānaṃ váhato vahanti | vy áṅgebhir didyutānáḥ sadhásthe ékām iva ródasī ā́ viveśa ||
Wielkie są twórcze moce, które cię wzmacniają, o zrodzony z Twasztry; niosą cię, niezawodnego, mocno podtrzymanego, jak nosiciele niosą swój ciężar. Świecąc przez członki, wchodzisz na siedzenie, jakbyś uczynił Niebo i Ziemię jednym w jednym objęciu światła.
Word by Word
- महि
- greatly, mightilyIndeclinableअव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण)Role विशेषण (क्रियाविशेषण)Root महि (अव्यय; महत्-प्रातिपदिक से) / √मंह् (वृद्धौ) (निरुक्त-सम्भाव्य)
- त्वा
- you (as object)Pronounद्वितीया, एकवचन (एनक्लिटिक रूप)Role KarmaRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- त्वाष्ट्रम्
- Tvaṣṭṛ’s / fashioned by TvaṣṭṛAdjective/Nounद्वितीया, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग (अग्नि/देवता-विशेषण)Role Karma (त्वा का विशेषण)Root त्वाष्ट्र (प्रातिपदिक; त्वष्टृ-सम्बन्धी)
- ऊर्जयन्तीः
- strengthening, invigorating (fem. pl.)Participle (Adjective)वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot ऊर्जयन्त् (कृदन्त; √ऊर्ज्/ऊर्जय् ‘बल/पोषण देना’)
- अजुर्यम्
- unaging, undecayingAdjectiveद्वितीया, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्गRole Karma (त्वा का विशेषण)Root अजुर्य (प्रातिपदिक; a- + जुर्य ‘क्षीण/जीर्ण’)
- स्तभूयमानम्
- being made firm / being proppedParticiple (Adjective)वर्तमान कर्मणि कृदन्त (यमान), द्वितीया, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्गRole Karma (त्वा का विशेषण)Root स्तभूयमान (कृदन्त; √स्तभ् ‘स्तम्भने/स्थिर करने’)
- वहतः
- of the bearer / of the one who carriesParticiple (Noun/Adj.)वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root वहत् (कृदन्त; √वह् ‘वहने’)
- वहन्ति
- they carryVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, 3 पुरुष, बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot √वह् (वहने)
- व्यङ्गेभिः
- with limbs/parts (with members)Nounतृतीया, बहुवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्गRole KaraṇaRoot व्यङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
- दिद्युतानः
- flashing, shiningParticiple (Adjective)वर्तमान आत्मनेपद कृदन्त (आन), प्रथमा, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्गRole Kartā (अग्नि/देवता का विशेषण)Root दिद्युतान (कृदन्त; √द्युत् ‘दीप्तौ’)
- सधस्थे
- in the seat/abode, on the common groundNounसप्तमी, एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्गRole AdhikaraṇaRoot सधस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
- एकाम्
- one (single)Adjectiveद्वितीया, एकवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्गRole Karma (उपमान-रूपेण)Root एक (प्रातिपदिक)
- इव
- like, asIndeclinableअव्यय (उपमा)Role सम्बन्ध (उपमान-सूचक)Root इव
- रोदसी
- the two worlds (heaven and earth)Nounद्वितीया, द्विवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्गRole KarmaRoot रोदसी (द्विवचन-प्रातिपदिक; ‘द्यावापृथिवी’)
- आ
- towards, intoPreverb/Indeclinableउपसर्ग/निपातRole क्रियाविशेषण (उपसर्ग)Root आ
- विवेश
- has entered, enteredVerbलिट् (परिपूर्ण/परफेक्ट), परस्मैपद, 3 पुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot √विश् (प्रवेशने) + वि-
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सम्भाव्य): महि | त्वा | त्वाष्ट्रम् | ऊर्जयन्तीः | अजुर्यम् | स्तभूयमानम् | वहतः | वहन्ति || व्यङ्गेभिः | दिद्युतानः | सधस्थे | एकाम्-इव | रोदसी | आ | विवेश || 1) त्वा॒ष्ट्रम् = त्वा + त्वाष्ट्रम् (त्वा सर्वनाम + विशेषण)
- 2) त्वाष्ट्रम्-ऊर्जयन्तीः: संहिता में -म् + ऊ- (अनुस्वार/मकार-सन्धि) से ‘त्वाष्ट्रमूर्जयन्तीः’
- 3) एकामिव = एकाम् + इव (म् + इ → मिव)
- 4) आ विवेश: उपसर्ग ‘आ’ क्रिया ‘वि-विश्’ (लिट्) के साथ
The meaning
Outer meaning
Great are the strengthening formative powers that carry you, Tvāṣṭra-born, unfailing and firmly upheld. Shining through your limbs, you enter the seat as if you made Heaven and Earth one.
Inner meaning
Agni is ‘tvāṣṭram’—born of Tvāṣṭṛ, the formative artisan power: the flame is the shaping will that builds the inner being. The strengthening powers (ūrjayantīḥ) are the supporting energies of growth—prāṇic, mental, and psychic forces that bear the flame steadily (stabhūyamānam). As Agni pervades the ‘limbs’ (aṅgāni) of the being, he shines out in every part—thought, life, body—making the whole nature luminous. Entering the ‘sadhastha’ (seat), he unites ‘rodasī’ (Heaven-and-Earth) inwardly: higher consciousness and lower nature come into a single harmony, as though embraced into one field of light.
Universal truth
The divine will is not merely a spark; when strengthened and upheld, it can pervade all parts of life and reconcile the higher and lower in a unified luminous poise.
Themes
Agni strengthened by formative powers, radiance through limbs (integral manifestation), unity of heaven and earth in the seat
The seer
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Lineage
- Viśvāmitra (Gāthin)
- Other hymns
- RV 3.7.1, RV 3.7.2, RV 3.7.3, RV 3.7.5
Family tradition
Vision of a transformative fire that not only carries offerings but crafts the being (Tvāṣṭṛ motif) and harmonizes worlds.
Significance
The seer emphasizes integration: the flame must be strengthened until it shines through the ‘limbs’ and reconciles the divided consciousness (heaven/earth within).
The deity
- Devata
- Agni (Tvāṣṭṛ-born aspect)
- Epithets
- tvāṣṭra (formative), ajurya (unfailing), didyutāna (shining)
- Related deities
- Tvāṣṭṛ (cosmic artisan), Dyāvā-Pṛthivī (Heaven-Earth), Sūrya (radiance)
Cosmic role
Artisan of the sacrifice and shaper of forms; unifier of cosmic opposites (dyāvāpṛthivī) by luminous energy.
Inner power
Transformative will that builds a stable, integrated personality and radiates through all faculties.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni installation/praise; Tvāṣṭṛ associations can appear in crafting/establishing ritual implements (symbolic parallel)
महि॑ त्वा॒ष्ट्रमू॒र्जय॑न्तीरजु॒र्यं स्त॑भू॒यमा॑नं व॒हतो॑ वहन्ति । व्यङ्गे॑भिर्दिद्युता॒नः स॒धस्थ॒ एका॑मिव॒ रोद॑सी॒ आ वि॑वेश ॥
महि॑ । त्वा॒ष्ट्रम् । ऊ॒र्जय॑न्तीः । अ॒जु॒र्यम् । स्त॒भु॒ऽयमा॑नम् । व॒हतः॑ । व॒ह॒न्ति॒ । वि । अङ्गे॑भिः । दि॒द्यु॒ता॒नः । स॒धऽस्थे॑ । एका॑म्ऽइव । रोद॑सी॒ इति॑ । आ । वि॒वे॒श॒ ॥
mahi | tvāṣṭram | ūrjayantīḥ | ajuryam | stabhu-yamānam | vahataḥ | vahant i | vi | aṅgebhiḥ | didyutānaḥ | sadha-sthe | ekām-iva | rodasī iti | ā | viveśa
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4 × ~11 syllables
Weight-bearing and majestic; long strides suited to ‘carrying’ and ‘entering the seat’.
Conveys support and solidity; helps practitioners feel the will ‘propped’ and steady, then spreading light through the body.
- त्वाष्ट्रम् (tvāṣṭram)
- Literal: belonging to/produced by Tvāṣṭṛ. Symbolic: formative fire—will that shapes and perfects the nature
- ऊर्जयन्तीः (ūrjayantīḥ)
- Literal: strengthening, energizing. Symbolic: nourishing powers that increase inner force and steadiness
- अजुर्यम् (ajuryam)
- Literal: unaging, unfailing. Symbolic: enduring will that does not tire or decline
- स्तभूयमानम् (stabhūyamānam)
- Literal: being firmly propped/held up. Symbolic: stabilized aspiration; will held in poise against dispersion
- अङ्गेभिः (aṅgebhiḥ)
- Literal: through the limbs. Symbolic: through all instruments of nature—mind, life, body
- रोदसी (rodasī)
- Literal: Heaven and Earth. Symbolic: higher and lower planes/natures unified by the flame
Elevation of Agni as the formed, strengthened power entering the sadhasthe (seat of communion) in the ritual space; emphasizes stability and radiance.
When affirming Agni’s stability and radiance in the rite
Sustaining the fire; offerings that ‘strengthen’ (ūrj)
Chant during periods of fatigue or fragmentation to restore steadiness and integration (mind-life-body coherence).
tvāṣṭra from Tvāṣṭṛ (artisan/former; √takṣ ‘to fashion’ is related in the artisan semantic field though Tvāṣṭṛ’s exact etymology is complex). ūrj ‘sap, strength’ (nourishing energy). ajurya a- + jurya (from √jar ‘to age, wear’) → unaging. √stambh ‘support, prop’ underlies ‘stabhu-’. didyut from √dyut ‘shine, flash’ (PIE *dyeu- ‘shine/sky’ semantic network).
formation (Tvāṣṭṛ) as shaping consciousness, unaging will (ajurya) as immortal flame, integration of polarities (rodasī as one)
Stability (stambha) and right placing are conditions for ṛta to act in embodied life.
Radiance through the limbs indicates truth becoming operative in all parts, not only in idea.
Tvāṣṭṛ principle: formation/perfection of forms; union of heaven and earth as a creative integration.
Integral transformation: shaping of prakṛti by a conscious divine will.
Bearing=upholding aspiration; shining limbs=illumination embodied; heaven-earth union=integrated consciousness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘fashioned fire’ strengthened by cosmic powers, entering the common seat and unifying Heaven-and-Earth. Inner sense: the shaped will (tvāṣṭra) becomes stable and radiant in all parts of the being, integrating higher and lower consciousness into one field of offering.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- didyutānaḥ from √dyut participates in the PIE *dyeu- luminosity complex (sky/day/divine brightness). √stambh (support) aligns with Indo-European ‘stand/support’ semantics. The verse’s core is built on inherited metaphors of shining and standing—radiance plus stability.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi contemplates Agni’s becoming: strengthened by higher formative energies, Agni enters and occupies the inner seat (sadhasthe). The relationship is aspirational-identificatory: the seer seeks the same integrative radiance in the human vessel, where Agni makes the polar worlds ‘one’ for the work of Ṛta.
Feel the inner fire being strengthened by higher powers; let it pervade the body as a unified field of light.
Maṇipūra → whole-body nāḍī network; integration with Sahasrāra (heaven) and Mūlādhāra (earth) symbolism
Slow meditative breathing (6–6) with subtle ‘inner heat’ on inhale and ‘spreading light’ on exhale.
Steady ardor becoming luminous integration.
Chant once slowly; then scan the body from head to feet, imagining the flame shining through each limb; end by feeling ‘heaven and earth’ within as one continuous awareness.
Follow Rigvedic accents; keep long compounds clear—do not rush ‘stabhūyamānaṃ’.
Give weight to ‘mahi’ and ‘ajuryam’; let ‘didyutānaḥ’ sparkle with a slight lift, then settle on ‘sadhastha’.
tvāṣṭram: retroflex ṣṭr cluster; articulate carefully, ūrjayantīḥ: long ū and īḥ, ajuryam: j sound clear; short a- at start, rodasī: long ī at end
Deep, steady, resonant—like bearing a load; allow brightness on ‘didyutānaḥ’.
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