Rig Veda 6.6.4: Mandala 6, Sukta 6, Mantra 4
Sukta 6.6
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
ये ते शुक्रासः शुचयः शुचिष्मः क्षां वपन्ति विषितासो अश्वाः । अध भ्रमस्त उर्विया वि भाति यातयमानो अधि सानु पृश्नेः ॥
yé te śukrā́saḥ śúcayaḥ śuciṣmáḥ kṣā́m vapanti víṣitāso áśvāḥ | ádha bhramáṣ ta urviyā́ ví bhāti yātáyamāno ádhi sā́nu pṛ́śneḥ ||
Te twoje jasne i czyste moce, o płomieniu czystości, jak dobrze ujeżdżone rumaki, orzą ziemię naszej natury. Wtedy twoje szeroko rozchodzące się, obracające promieniowanie jaśnieje, poruszając się po grzbiecie cętkowanego, prowadząc i popychając naprzód podróż.
Word by Word
- ये
- who (those who)Pronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot यद् (sarvanāma-prātipadika)
- ते
- theyPronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot तद् (sarvanāma-prātipadika)
- शुक्रासः
- bright, shiningAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot शुक्र (adj. prātipadika)
- शुचयः
- pure, radiantAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot शुचि (adj. prātipadika)
- शुचिष्माः
- possessing purity/brightnessAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot शुचिष्मन् (adj. prātipadika)
- क्षाम्
- the earth/groundNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot क्षाम् (स्त्री. prātipadika; ‘earth/ground’)
- वपन्ति
- they strew/sow/spreadVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचनRoot √वप् (वपन)
- विषितासः
- impelled, urged onAdjective (past participle used adjectivally)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot वि-√सि (कृदन्त: विषित ‘impelled/urged/loosed’)
- अश्वाः
- horsesNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot अश्व (noun prātipadika)
- अध
- then, thereafterIndeclinableअव्ययRoot अध (particle)
- भ्रमः
- whirling, circling (motion)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot भ्रम (noun prātipadika)
- ते
- of you/yourPronounषष्ठी (genitive), एकवचन (enclitic)Root त्वद् (sarvanāma-prātipadika)
- उर्विया
- with/through the broad expanse (widely)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot उर्वी (noun prātipadika)
- वि
- apart, forth, widelyIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRoot वि (preverb/particle)
- भाति
- shines, appears radiantVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot √भा (दीप्तौ)
- यातयमानः
- driving on, moving onwardParticiple (adjectival)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot √यत्/√यातय् (causative ‘to set in motion/drive on’) → यातयमान (pres. mid. participle)
- अधि
- upon, overIndeclinableअव्यय/उपसर्गRole AdhikaraṇaRoot अधि (preverb/indecl.)
- सानु
- ridge, summitNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (also used as loc. in Vedic; here with अधि = ‘upon’)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot सानु (noun prātipadika)
- पृश्नेः
- of the speckled one (Pṛśni; the dappled cow/cloud)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRoot पृश्नि (noun prātipadika)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (sandhi-resolved): ये | ते | शुक्रासः | शुचयः | शुचिष्माः | क्षाम् | वपन्ति | विषितासः | अश्वाः || अध | भ्रमः | ते | उर्विया | वि | भाति | यातयमानः | अधि | सानु | पृश्नेः || प्रमुख-सन्धि: (1) शुचिष्मः + क्षाम् → शुचिष्मः क्षाम् (visarga before k retained in saṃhitā as ‘ः’)
- (2) अश्वाः । अध → अश्वाः अध (pause at danda; no internal sandhi)
- (3) ते उर्विया → ते उर्विया (vowel sandhi not applied due to pada boundary/metrical pause; saṃhitā keeps hiatus)
- (4) अधि सानु → अधि सानु (no change)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Agni’s bright, pure powers—like well-reined horses—plough the earth; then his wide turning radiance shines, moving on the ridge of the dappled one, driving the journey forward.
Inner meaning
The purified energies of the inner Fire act as disciplined vital forces (aśvāḥ well-controlled), ploughing the ‘earth’—the physical nature and its habitual substance—so it can receive higher light. Then Agni’s revolving radiance (bhramaḥ) spreads widely: consciousness begins to move along the ‘ridge’ (sānu) of Pr̥śni, the dappled Mother—symbol of the mixed field of Nature (prakṛti) with its many colors/qualities—guiding the evolutionary journey upward and forward.
Universal truth
Transformation requires both discipline of energy and illumination of understanding. When vital force is harnessed, the very substance of life becomes cultivable for higher growth, and a guiding radiance leads progress through Nature’s complexity.
Themes
Purification-of-earth-nature, Guided-progress, Energy-symbolism (aśva), Emergence-of-light
The seer
- Lineage
- Bharadvāja (probable)
- Other hymns
- RV 6.6.2, RV 6.6.3, RV 6.6.5
Family tradition
Book 6 often uses dynamic images (horses, ploughing, radiance) to express inner discipline and ascent rather than mere external rite.
Significance
The rishi’s vision links controlled vital energies with the preparation of the embodied nature, leading to a widening illumination that guides ascent across Nature’s mixed field.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- Śuciṣman (full of purity), Śukra (bright), Śuci (pure)
- Related deities
- Pr̥śni (as cosmic Mother imagery), Maruts (vital powers), Uṣas (illumination)
Cosmic role
Transformer of matter; awakener of radiance that guides movement across planes.
Inner power
Disciplines vital energies and illumines the embodied nature, enabling steady ascent.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni invoked for strengthening and ‘yoking’ powers in soma/śrauta contexts; also for household fire as purifier of the ‘earthly’ domain
ये ते॑ शु॒क्रास॒: शुच॑यः शुचिष्म॒: क्षां वप॑न्ति॒ विषि॑तासो॒ अश्वा॑: । अध॑ भ्र॒मस्त॑ उर्वि॒या वि भा॑ति या॒तय॑मानो॒ अधि॒ सानु॒ पृश्ने॑: ॥
ये । ते॒ । शु॒क्रासः॑ । शुच॑यः । शु॒चि॒ष्मः॒ । क्षाम् । वप॑न्ति । विऽसि॑तासः । अश्वाः॑ । अध॑ । भ्र॒मः । ते॒ । उ॒र्वि॒या । वि । भा॒ति॒ । या॒तय॑मानः । अधि॑ । सानु॑ । पृश्नेः॑ ॥
ye | te | śukrāsaḥ | śucayaḥ | śuciṣmaḥ | kṣām | vapanti | vi-sitāsaḥ | aśvāḥ | adha | bhramaḥ | te | urviyā | vi | bhāti | yātayamānaḥ | adhi | sānu | pṛśneḥ
44
4×11
Alternation of controlled drive (horse/plough) and widening sweep (urviyā vi bhāti).
Creates a sense of harnessed power followed by spacious illumination; good for stabilizing energetic practice.
- शुक्रासः (śukrāsaḥ)
- Literal: bright, shining. Symbolic: luminous powers of consciousness
- शुचयः (śucayaḥ)
- Literal: pure ones. Symbolic: energies cleansed of distortion
- शुचिष्मः (śuciṣmaḥ)
- Literal: possessing purity/flame. Symbolic: Agni as the very substance of purification
- अश्वाः (aśvāḥ)
- Literal: horses. Symbolic: vital energies/forces of action
- विषितासः (viṣitāsaḥ)
- Literal: well-reined, controlled. Symbolic: disciplined prāṇa-vital under the soul’s direction
- क्षाम् (kṣām)
- Literal: earth. Symbolic: physical nature; embodied substance
- वपन्ति (vapanti)
- Literal: plough/sow. Symbolic: prepare the nature for higher seed of truth
- भ्रमः (bhramaḥ)
- Literal: turning, revolving radiance. Symbolic: circling illumination that widens perception
- उर्विया (urviyā)
- Literal: widely. Symbolic: vastening of consciousness
- सानु (sānu)
- Literal: ridge, summit-slope. Symbolic: a higher ledge/threshold between planes
- पृश्नेः (pṛśneḥ)
- Literal: of the dappled one (Pr̥śni). Symbolic: variegated Nature (prakṛti) to be mastered and uplifted
- यातयमानः (yātayamānaḥ)
- Literal: driving onward, guiding. Symbolic: the will-light that compels right progress
Praise of Agni’s purifying and ordering energies; suitable in rites emphasizing kindling and the right progress of the sacrifice (adhvara) as inner journey.
When seeking steadiness, mastery of energies, and forward guidance in a rite or undertaking
Yoking imagery aligns with preparing offerings/space; kindling and sustaining flame
Use when working with habits/body: chant before disciplined practice (āsana, seva, study) to ‘plough’ nature and invite guiding radiance.
√vap ‘strew/sow’ gives the image of preparing/planting in ‘kṣām’ (earth-field). aśvá ‘steed’ (PIE *h₁éḱwos) is a classic Indo-European poetic symbol for energy and swift force; ‘vi-sita’ suggests controlled harnessing (√sī/√si ‘to bind’ in some analyses; traditional: ‘well-yoked’). √bhā again marks emergence of light; ‘bhrama’ (turning/whirl) indicates dynamic circulation of Agni’s force through the being. pṛśni ‘dappled’ supports the symbol of mixed/variegated nature that must be illumined and guided.
Ṛta as right guidance of movement (yātay-), Transformation of the earthly nature (kṣām) by luminous force, Integration of mixed nature (pṛśni) under light
The ‘driving onward’ indicates alignment with ṛta as right progression.
Bhrama/vi bhāti suggests emergence of truth-light that clarifies direction.
Cultivation of ‘earth’ mirrors the Vedic idea of preparing the field for the descent of light.
Integral/psychological Veda: transformation of prakṛti by disciplined will and illumined guidance.
Horses = vital energies; earth = body/physical nature; ridge = threshold to higher plane; dappled one = mixed Nature with gunas/variegation.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The harnessed steeds of Agni plough/sow the earth: a mythic image of disciplined powers preparing the embodied field so the divine radiance can manifest and guide the onward movement—an inner agriculture of consciousness.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- aśvá- continues the well-attested IE horse word (*h₁éḱwos), central to Indo-European poetic diction for speed/force. √yā ‘go’ is a core IE motion root (cf. Latin ire via different root, but Indo-Iranian preserves yā- strongly); √bhā ‘shine’ also reflects archaic brightness vocabulary shared across IE traditions.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The hymn-seer observes Agni’s powers as disciplined energies that work upon the ‘earth’ of the seeker; the human role is to allow this ploughing and accept Agni’s guidance so the journey proceeds on the right ridge (sānu) of nature.
Harness vital energies and cultivate the body-nature as a field for higher light; follow the inner radiance as guide.
Maṇipūra (discipline of energy) moving toward Ājñā (guiding light)
Counted breathing (e.g., 4-4-6) to ‘rein’ the aśvāḥ; then open awareness in the brow to feel ‘bhrama’ radiance.
Collected force → spacious clarity.
Before practice, feel the body as ‘kṣām’; offer it inwardly to Agni; repeat the mantra while sensing disciplined energy ploughing through inertia and a calm radiance setting direction.
Maintain steady triṣṭubh cadence; slight lift on ‘aśvāḥ’ and ‘vi bhāti’, settle firmly at pāda ends. Use traditional svara where available.
Key emphases: śukrāsaḥ, viṣitāsaḥ aśvāḥ, kṣām vapanti, bhramas, urviyā, sānu pṛśneḥ.
śuciṣmaḥ: pronounce ṣm conjunct clearly, kṣām: kṣ as ‘ksha’, long ā nasalized lightly by m, viṣitāsaḥ: retroflex ṣ, pṛśneḥ: ṛ short and clear, śn conjunct
Controlled, even, with a widening, luminous tone in the second half.
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