Rig Veda 7.4.10: Mandala 7, Sukta 4, Mantra 10
Sukta 7.4
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
एता नो अग्ने सौभगा दिदीह्यपि क्रतुं सुचेतसं वतेम । विश्वा स्तोतृभ्यो गृणते च सन्तु यूयं पात स्वस्तिभिः सदा नः ॥
etā́ no agne saúbhagā didī́hy ápi krátuṃ su-cétasaṃ vatema | víśvā stotṛ́-bhyo gṛṇaté ca santu yūyáṃ pāta svastí-bhiḥ sádā naḥ ||
Te szczęścia świecą dla nas, o Agni; obyśmy wybrali i podążali za świadomą wolą, która jest jasna w zrozumieniu. Niech wszystkie błogosławieństwa będą dla chwalącego i śpiewającego; a wy, Potęgi, strzeżcie nas zawsze stanami dobrostanu.
Word by Word
- ए॒ताः
- thesePronoun/Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole Karma (object of दिदीहि) / viśeṣaṇa of सौभगाःRoot एतद् (sarvanāma-prātipadika)
- नः
- of us / ourPronounषष्ठी (genitive); बहुवचन; encliticRole Sampradāna/Adhikaraṇa (possessor: ‘our’)Root अस्मद् (pronoun)
- अग्ने
- O AgniNounपुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन; एकवचनRole Sambodhana (address)Root अग्नि (prātipadika)
- सौभगाः
- good fortunes, prosperitiesNoun (abstract/collective) / Adjective used substantivelyस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole Karma (things to be kindled/manifested) / predicate to एताःRoot सौभग (prātipadika; from सु- + भग)
- दिदीहि
- shine forth / kindleVerbलोट् (imperative); मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole Kriyā (main verb); Kartā implied: त्वम् (Agni)Root दीदिहि < √दीप्/√दी (to shine, kindle) with intensive stem दिदी-
- अपि
- alsoIndeclinableparticle; ‘also, moreover’Role Sambandha (discourse particle)Root अपि
- क्रतुम्
- resolve, will, ritual powerNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole Karma (object of वतेम)Root क्रतु (prātipadika)
- सुचेतसम्
- well-guided, of good insightAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन; agrees with क्रतुम्Role Viśeṣaṇa of Karma (क्रतुम्)Root सुचेतस् (prātipadika; सु- + चेतस्)
- वतेम
- may we choose / may we seekVerbविधिलिङ् (optative); उत्तमपुरुष; बहुवचन; परस्मैपदRole Kriyā; Kartā: वयम् (we)Root √वृ (वृणोति/वृणुते ‘to choose’) → Vedic optative ‘let us choose/seek’
- विश्वाः
- allAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन; agrees with (implicit) ‘इष्टयः/आशिषः’ or with स्तुतयः understoodRole Kartā (subject of सन्तु) / qualifier of what is to be ‘for all’Root विश्व (prātipadika)
- स्तोतृभ्यः
- to the praisersNounपुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी; बहुवचनRole Sampradāna (for/to the praisers)Root स्तोतृ (prātipadika; agent noun from √स्तु ‘to praise’)
- गृणते
- to the one who praises/singsVerb-form (Vedic) / verbal noun usageलट्; मध्यम? actually 3rd sg ātmanepada form ‘(he) praises’; in RV often functions like dat. sg ‘to the one praising’Role Sampradāna (to the singer/praiser)Root √गॄ/√गृ (to sing, praise) → present participial/finite form used as dative sg in Vedic
- च
- andIndeclinableconjunctionRole Samuccaya (coordination)Root च
- सन्तु
- let there be / may they beVerbलोट् (imperative); प्रथमपुरुष; बहुवचनRole Kriyā; Kartā: विश्वाः (all [blessings])Root √अस् (to be)
- यूयम्
- you (all)Pronounप्रथमा; बहुवचनRole Kartā (subject of पात)Root युष्मद् (pronoun)
- पात
- protectVerbलोट् (imperative); मध्यमपुरुष; बहुवचन; परस्मैपदRole Kriyā; Kartā: यूयम्Root √पा (to protect)
- स्वस्तिभिः
- with blessings / with welfareNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया; बहुवचनRole Karaṇa (by/with well-beings, blessings)Root स्वस्ति (prātipadika)
- सदा
- alwaysIndeclinableadverb ‘always’Role Kāla-adhikaraṇa (time circumstance)Root सदा
- नः
- usPronounद्वितीया; बहुवचन; encliticRole Karma (object of पात) / also can be sampradāna ‘for us’Root अस्मद् (pronoun)
Sandhi Notes
- Resolved Vedic sandhi/pada-splitting: ए॒ता नो॑ → एताः + नः
- अग्ने॒ सौभ॑गा → अग्ने + सौभगाः
- दिदी॒ह्यपि॒ → दिदीहि + अपि (final -i + a- kept separate in pada)
- सु॒चेत॑सं वतेम → सुचेतसम् + वतेम (anusvāra before v)
- विश्वा॑ स्तो॒तृभ्यो॑ → विश्वाः + स्तोतृभ्यः
- गृण॒ते च॑ → गृणते + च
- स्व॒स्तिभि॒: सदा॑ → स्वस्तिभिः + सदा
- सदा॑ नः → सदा + नः. Accent marks retained as in saṃhitā
- pada forms given without enforcing later-classical accent rules
The meaning
Outer meaning
These felicities shine for us, O Agni; may we choose and follow the conscious will that is luminous in understanding. May all blessings be for the praiser and the singer; and you Powers, guard us always with well-being.
Inner meaning
The ‘felicities’ (saubhagā) are the bright conditions of inner success that arise when Agni is kindled. The key is to ‘choose’ (vatema) the right kratu—conscious, discerning will (sucetasaṃ)—rather than impulsive desire. When speech of praise (stoma/gīr) is sincere and aligned, the universal powers (yūyam: the gods as forces) support the sādhanā with swasti—stable states of harmony and safety in consciousness.
Universal truth
Well-being is not accidental; it follows from choosing a luminous, ethical, conscious intention. When aspiration and expression are aligned to truth, supportive forces gather and protection becomes continuous.
Themes
Benediction, Right will, Protection, Felicity
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha (Maitrāvaruṇa lineage, traditional)
- Other hymns
- RV 7.4.1-10 (closing verse), RV 7.89 (Vasiṣṭha’s prayer to Varuṇa, ethical clarity)
Family tradition
Vasiṣṭha’s approach often culminates in choosing right kratu (conscious will) and invoking swasti—harmonious protection by the gods as powers of consciousness.
Significance
A concise sādhanā-summary: kindle felicity, choose luminous will, align speech, and live under continuous protection of higher powers.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni (with allied deities implied)
- Epithets
- Agni, Dīdīhi (shining one, functional epithet), Sucetas (by association with sucetasaṃ kratu)
- Related deities
- Viśve Devāḥ (implied by yūyam), Mitra-Varuṇa (guardians of harmony/ṛta), Indra (supporting victorious will)
Cosmic role
Illuminer and awakener of right intention; coordinator of the divine powers in the sacrifice.
Inner power
The flame that makes will intelligent (kratu sucetas), turning life into a field of swasti (harmonious stability).
In ritual
Where it is used
Benedictory conclusion within Agni hymn; general svasti-prayer
ए॒ता नो॑ अग्ने॒ सौभ॑गा दिदी॒ह्यपि॒ क्रतुं॑ सु॒चेत॑सं वतेम । विश्वा॑ स्तो॒तृभ्यो॑ गृण॒ते च॑ सन्तु यू॒यं पा॑त स्व॒स्तिभि॒: सदा॑ नः ॥
ए॒ता । नः॒ । अ॒ग्ने॒ । सौभ॑गा । दि॒दी॒हि॒ । अपि॑ । क्रतु॑म् । सु॒ऽचेत॑सम् । व॒ते॒म॒ । विश्वा॑ । स्तो॒तृऽभ्यः॑ । गृ॒ण॒ते । च॒ । स॒न्तु॒ । यू॒यम् । पा॒त॒ । स्व॒स्तिऽभिः॑ । सदा॑ । नः॒ ॥
etā | naḥ | agne | saubhagā | didīhi | api | kratum | su-cetasam | vatema | viśvā | stotṛ-bhyaḥ | gṛṇate | ca | santu | yūyam | pāta | svasti-bhiḥ | sadā | naḥ
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4 pādas × ~11 syllables
Bright and benedictory; a concluding cadence with inclusive blessing.
Leaves the listener in clarity and safety; promotes confident, luminous decision-making.
- सौभगाः (saubhagāḥ)
- Literal: felicities, good fortunes. Symbolic: bright inner conditions—harmony, right openings, auspiciousness
- दिदीहि (didīhi)
- Literal: shine, blaze. Symbolic: illumination of will and understanding by inner fire
- क्रतुम् (kratum)
- Literal: will, intention, power of decision. Symbolic: conscious soul-will that shapes the path
- सुचेतसम् (sucetasaṃ)
- Literal: of good understanding, well-conscious. Symbolic: luminous discernment; awakened intelligence of the will
- वतेम (vatema)
- Literal: may we choose/follow. Symbolic: deliberate alignment—selecting the higher movement
- स्तोतृभ्यः / गृणते (stotṛbhyaḥ / gṛṇate)
- Literal: to the praisers/singers. Symbolic: to the parts of us that aspire and articulate truth
- स्वस्तिभिः (svastibhiḥ)
- Literal: with well-beings, auspicious states. Symbolic: stable harmony of forces; protection in consciousness
- यूयम् (yūyam)
- Literal: you (plural). Symbolic: the host of divine powers supporting the inner work
Concluding benediction: blessings for the chanter and protection by svasti; common closing function in recitation and offering sequences.
At the end of a praise sequence or before/after offerings to seal auspiciousness
Recitation to invoke shining felicity, right intention, and protection by all powers
Daily closing mantra after meditation or chanting: set intention (kratu) and ask for sustained swasti through the day.
(saubhaga) from su- + bhaga ‘fortune, share’ (bhaga from PIE *bʰag- ‘apportion, share’). from √/√ ‘shine, blaze’. (svasti) su- + asti ‘well-being’ (‘good is-being’). as conscious effective will (action-intelligence).
Kratu as luminous will, Svasti as stable well-being, Blessing as right share (bhaga)
Choosing sucetas kratu is choosing ṛta in action; swasti is ṛta felt as well-being.
Blessings for the praiser/singer imply truth-aligned speech as a power.
Illumination giving birth to auspicious conditions; the gods as forces sustaining the created harmony.
Integral yoga reading: right will + right speech + universal powers → stable well-being.
dawn-like illumination (suggested by didīhi)
Light = awakened understanding; swasti = balanced prāṇic and mental field; gods = higher faculties.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The shining of ‘felicities’ through Agni and the choosing of luminous kratu: blessings are not random but arise when consciousness aligns with right will. Mythically: Agni grants fortune to the praiser. Psychologically: the inner fire illumines the will so the seeker can select the right movement and dwell in svasti.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- bhaga ‘share/fortune’ aligns with PIE *bʰag- ‘apportion’ (cf. Slavic bogŭ ‘god’ as dispenser of shares). svasti is a transparent compound (‘good is-being’), reflecting an archaic Indo-European tendency to encode well-being as ‘good existence’.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi asks Agni to make felicities ‘shine’ and to enable the pursuit of su-cetas kratu; then extends the blessing to all true utterers of praise and seeks constant protection by the divine powers. The exchange is pedagogic: Agni illumines; humans choose and follow.
Set ‘sucetas kratu’: a luminous intention; invite swasti as stable harmony of mind-life-body.
Ajna (discernment) supporting Manipura (will)
Calm coherent breathing (inhale 5, exhale 5) while contemplating a single clear intention; end with a few silent breaths feeling ‘swasti’ spread through the body.
Quiet clarity; benevolent wideness; protected poise.
After practice, articulate one conscious resolve (kratu) and offer it into Agni; then rest in the sense of ‘guarded well-being’ rather than striving.
Benedictory flow; keep udatta peaks clear on ‘agne’ and ‘svastibhiḥ’; allow a soft descent at pāda ends to seal the blessing.
Let ‘didīhi’ sound like a bright ignition; articulate ‘kratuṃ sucetasaṃ’ with clarity and slight emphasis; ‘yūyam pāta’ as protective address.
saubhagā: keep bh as aspirated, not ‘b’, didīhi: long ī sustained, sucetasaṃ: clear c and long e; final ṃ lightly nasal, svastibhiḥ: sv cluster clean; bh aspirated; visarga audible but soft
Warm, luminous, blessing-like; not forceful.
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