Rig Veda 5.4.4: Mandala 5, Sukta 4, Mantra 4
Sukta 5.4
- Rishi
- Atri
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
जुषस्वाग्न इळया सजोषा यतमानो रश्मिभिः सूर्यस्य । जुषस्व नः समिधं जातवेद आ च देवान्हविरद्याय वक्षि ॥
juṣásvāgne íḷayā sajóṣā yátamāno raśmíbhiḥ sū́ryasya | juṣásva naḥ samídhaṃ jātáveda ā́ ca devā́n havíradyā́ya vakṣi ||
Przyjmij, o Agni, z Ilą w jednolitym porozumieniu, dążąc z promieniami Słońca. Przyjmij nasze rozpalanie, o znający narodziny; i sprowadź bogów tutaj na spożycie ofiary, dziś, do naszego dzieła.
Word by Word
- जुषस्व
- be pleased; acceptVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदRoot जुष्
- अग्ने
- O AgniNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot अग्नि
- इळया
- with/through Iḷā (the ritual invocation/refreshment)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करणRoot इळा
- सजोषाः
- in companionship; in concord (with the gods)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन (अग्ने इति सम्बोध्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role सम्बोधनRoot सजोषस्
- यतमानः
- striving; exerting oneselfVerbवर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ/शानच्), आत्मनेपदी; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot यत् (यतते)
- रश्मिभिः
- with rays; with reins/lines (of light)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole करणRoot रश्मि
- सूर्यस्य
- of the SunNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root सूर्य
- जुषस्व
- be pleased; acceptVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदRoot जुष्
- नः
- our; of usPronounषष्ठी (एन्क्लिटिक), बहुवचनRole सम्प्रदान/सम्बन्ध (प्रयोगानुसार: ‘our’)Root अस्मद्
- समिधम्
- kindling-stick; fuel (for the fire)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot समिध्
- जातवेदः
- O Jātavedas (Agni, knower of births)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot जातवेदस्
- आ
- hither; towardsIndeclinableउपसर्ग/निपातRoot आ
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चय-अव्ययRoot च
- देवान्
- the godsNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot देव
- हविः
- oblationNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot हविस्
- अद्याय
- for today; for this dayIndeclinableअव्यय; दत्तिवत्-प्रयोगे चतुर्थी-अर्थे (अद्य + -आय)Role सम्प्रदान (काल-लक्ष्य)Root अद्य
- वक्षि
- convey; bring (hither)Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदRoot वह्
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: जुषस्व | अग्ने | इळया | सजोषाः | यतमानः | रश्मिभिः | सूर्यस्य | जुषस्व | नः | समिधम् | जातवेदः | आ | च | देवान् | हविः | अद्याय | वक्षि । प्रमुख-सन्धयः: (1) जुषस्वा॑ग्ने → जुषस्व + अग्ने (स्वर-सन्धि सहित) । (2) इळ॑या स॒जोषा॒ → इळया + सजोषाः (विसर्ग-लोप/पद-समाप्ति-प्रयोग) । (3) र॒श्मिभि॒: सूर्य॑स्य → रश्मिभिः + सूर्यस्य (विसर्गः ‘ः’ = ‘र्/स्’ इत्यादि न, अत्र तृतीया-बहुवचन ‘-भिः’ का विसर्ग) । (4) दे॒वान्ह॑वि॒रद्या॑य → देवान् + हविः + अद्याय (न् + ह → न्ह; हविः + अद्याय में विसर्ग-लोप/स्वर-समायोजन) ।
The meaning
Outer meaning
Accept, O Agni, together with Iḷā in one accord, striving with the rays of the Sun. Accept our kindling, O knower of births; and bring the gods here for the eating of the offering—today—to our work.
Inner meaning
Agni is asked to ‘enjoy/accept’ (juṣasva) the offering in harmony with Iḷā—symbol of inspired speech, revelation, and the flowing current of truth in the sacrifice. ‘Striving with the rays of Sūrya’ indicates Agni’s action supported by solar illumination: the will works best when joined to clear seeing. The ‘kindling’ (samidh) is the fuel of discipline—attention, sincerity, right habits. Jātavedas (knower of births) is the fire that knows all origins: he recognizes movements arising from the subconscient and can transmute them. Bringing ‘the gods’ means calling in multiple higher powers—illumination, harmony, force, delight—so the offering becomes a complete inner yoga.
Universal truth
Spiritual effort becomes effective when will (Agni) acts in accord with revelation (Iḷā) and illumination (Sūrya). Then the higher powers naturally gather, and daily work becomes sacred practice.
Themes
Agni accepts offering, bringing the gods, sun-illumined striving
The seer
- Rishi
- Atri (Ātreya)
- Lineage
- Ātreya
- Other hymns
- RV 5.4.1, RV 5.4.5
Family tradition
Ātreya invocations often integrate multiple powers (speech, light, will) into a single inner sacrifice.
Significance
Atri’s vision stresses coordination: revelation (Iḷā) and illumination (Sūrya) must join the will (Agni) to call the full host of divine powers.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni (with Iḷā; summoning all Devas)
- Epithets
- Jātavedas, Receiver of samidh, Carrier who brings the Devas
- Related deities
- Iḷā, Sūrya, Indra, Soma, Viśve Devāḥ
Cosmic role
Sacrificial priest who summons cosmic powers; link between solar illumination and earthly offering.
Inner power
Transformative will guided by intuition and higher clarity; integrator of the many godheads in the seeker.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni kindling and invitation of devas in soma/ iṣṭi sequences
जु॒षस्वा॑ग्न॒ इळ॑या स॒जोषा॒ यत॑मानो र॒श्मिभि॒: सूर्य॑स्य । जु॒षस्व॑ नः स॒मिधं॑ जातवेद॒ आ च॑ दे॒वान्ह॑वि॒रद्या॑य वक्षि ॥
जु॒षस्व॑ । अ॒ग्ने॒ । इळ॑या । स॒ऽजोषाः॑ । यत॑मानः । र॒श्मिऽभिः॑ । सूर्य॑स्य । जु॒षस्व॑ । नः॒ । स॒म्ऽइध॑म् । जा॒त॒ऽवे॒दः॒ । आ । च॒ । दे॒वान् । ह॒विः॒ऽअद्या॑य । व॒क्षि॒ ॥
juṣasva | agne | iḷayā | sa-joṣāḥ | yatamānaḥ | raśmi-bhiḥ | sūryasya | juṣasva | naḥ | sam-idham | jāta-vedaḥ | ā | ca | devān | haviḥ-adyāya | vakṣi
44
4 × ~11
Invocatory and assembling; the repeated ‘juṣasva’ creates a receptive refrain-feel within triṣṭubh cadence.
Opens receptivity; helps the mind feel ‘joined’ (sajoṣā) and invites a sense of inner gathering of powers.
- जुषस्व (juṣasva)
- Literal: accept, enjoy, be pleased. Symbolic: let the inner will consent to and assimilate the offering
- इळा (iḷā)
- Literal: Iḷā (goddess/power of sacred speech). Symbolic: inspired word, intuition, revelatory flow in the mind
- सजोषाः (sajoṣāḥ)
- Literal: in one accord, together. Symbolic: harmonized cooperation of will and insight
- रश्मिभिः सूर्यस्य (raśmibhiḥ sūryasya)
- Literal: with the rays of the sun. Symbolic: with illuminations of the higher mind; clarity that empowers effort
- समिधम् (samidham)
- Literal: kindling sticks. Symbolic: fuel of practice: attention, aspiration, right habit-energy
- जातवेदः (jātavedaḥ)
- Literal: knower of births. Symbolic: the fire that knows origins of movements and can transform them
- देवान् (devān)
- Literal: the gods. Symbolic: higher faculties/powers entering the inner field
- हविरद्या॑य (haviradyāya)
- Literal: for eating the oblation today. Symbolic: for immediate assimilation—making the offering effective now
Standard Agni invitation: accept kindling and bring the gods to the offering; used in haviryajña and soma contexts where Agni functions as carrier (vahni) of oblations.
At the moment of feeding the fire and calling the deities to partake.
Offering samidh; inviting devas; aligning with Iḷā (recitation) and Sūrya (clarity).
Before meditation or study: light a lamp/candle, recite as an invocation for clear insight and cooperative inner energies.
√juṣ ‘enjoy, accept’ marks divine consent. Iḷā is a ritual-psychological power: nourishing speech/insight that ‘feeds’ the gods; its name is linked to √il/√iḍ ‘to praise, refresh’ in Vedic tradition. raśmi ‘ray’ relates to √raś ‘to stretch’ (rays as stretched lines of light). √vah (vakṣi) PIE *wegh- ‘carry’ (English ‘weigh’ is different; Latin vehere is cognate). jātavedas (jāta + vedas) ‘knower (√vid) of what is born’: Agni as conscious principle present in all becomings.
illumination (Sūrya) cooperating with will (Agni), Iḷā as inspired speech/nourishment, invitation of divine powers into the human field
‘Sajoṣā’ expresses ṛta as harmony among powers; devas arrive when order is established.
Iḷā signifies truth-bearing inspiration; speech aligned with truth becomes a vehicle for power.
Assembly of devas as progressive manifestation of higher principles in the human field.
Mantric psychology: speech-light-will triad as instruments of transformation.
morning
Sun-rays = illuminations; kindling = disciplined attention; fire = transformative will; devas = awakened faculties.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Agni as the divine carrier who, in harmony with Iḷā and the solar rays, accepts the kindling and brings the gods to partake of the offering: the mythic action is the convening of the divine assembly through the awakened fire.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √vah (vakṣi) corresponds to PIE *wegh- ‘to convey’ (Latin vehere). Sūrya belongs to the Indo-Iranian solar lexicon, while the image of rays as ‘stretched’ lines aligns with Indo-European metaphorical formation from roots meaning ‘to stretch’.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi offers the samidh (fuel/aspiration) and asks for divine acceptance; Agni’s reciprocal role is to universalize the offering by fetching the other gods—turning individual effort into a collective descent of powers.
Unite will, intuition, and clarity: feel a flame in the heart, a stream of inspired speech in the head, and sun-like brightness above the brow.
ajna
moderate
Receptive illumination; coordinated inner functioning.
Chant once to ‘open’ (juṣasva), pause, then silently invite specific powers: clarity, courage, peace, joy—feel them ‘arrive’ and take their places in the being.
Maintain clear udātta rises on repeated ‘juṣasva’; keep svarita glide where indicated by saṃhitā accents.
Treat the two ‘juṣasva’ as anchor-points; slightly lengthen them to emphasize receptivity.
iḷayā: pronounce ḷ (cerebral lateral) distinctly, not as plain l., sajoṣāḥ: keep joṣ as one cluster, not ‘jo-sha’., raśmibhiḥ: crisp śm cluster; visarga on -bhiḥ audible but light., jātavedaḥ: long ā; dental d, not retroflex ḍ., vákṣi: pronounce kṣi as conjunct (k+ṣi), not ‘khi’.
Bright, inviting, slightly ascending in tone with the solar imagery.
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Rig Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
