Rig Veda 8.75.4: Mandala 8, Sukta 75, Mantra 4
Sukta 8.75
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Likely Anuṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
अयमग्निः सहस्रिणो वाजस्य शतिनस्पतिः । मूर्धा कवी रयीणाम् ॥
ayám agníḥ sahasríṇo vā́jasya śatínas pátiḥ | mūrdhā́ kavī́ rayīṇā́m ||
Ten Agni jest panem tysiąckrotnym, władcą stukrotniej pełni siły; on jest głową i widzem bogactw - prowadzącym wznoszenie się naszej istoty ku pełni.
Word by Word
- अयम्
- thisPronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role विशेषणम् (अग्निः इत्यस्य)Root इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अग्निः
- Agni (fire-god)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (मुख्य-वाक्य-विषयः)Root अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक) < PIE *h₁n̥gʷnis
- सहस्रिणः
- of the thousand-fold / thousand-possessingAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध (वाजस्य इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Root सहस्रिन् (प्रातिपदिक; सहस्र + -इन्)
- वाजस्य
- of the prize/strength (vāja)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध (पतिः इत्यस्य) तथा ‘सहस्रिणः’ इत्यस्य आधारःRoot वाज (प्रातिपदिक) < PIE *weh₂ǵ- (strength/drive) (वेदे: ‘prize, might, food’)
- शतिनस्पतिः
- lord of the hundred-fold (abundance)Noun (compound epithet)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (अग्निः इत्यस्य विशेषण-रूपेण विधेयः)Root शतिन् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘hundred-fold/abounding’) + पति (प्रातिपदिक) (समासः: तत्पुरुष/बहुव्रीह-प्रायः) < पति < PIE *pótis
- मूर्धा
- the head / chiefNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ/विधेय-नाम (अग्निः इत्यस्य पुनर्विधेयः)Root मूर्धन् (प्रातिपदिक) < PIE *mérdʰ- (head) (वेदे: nom. sg. ‘मूर्धा’)
- कवी
- the sage/poetNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम् (वेदिक-रूपम्: -ई)Role कर्तृ/विधेय-नाम (मूर्धा इत्यस्य सह समनाधिकरणम्)Root कवि (प्रातिपदिक) (वेदे: ‘seer, wise one’)
- रयीणाम्
- of riches/wealthsNounपुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, बहुवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध (मूर्धा/कवी इत्यस्य: ‘of riches’)Root रयि (प्रातिपदिक) (वेदे: ‘wealth, bounty’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: अयम् | अग्निः | सहस्रिणः | वाजस्य | शतिनस्पतिः || मूर्धा | कवी | रयीणाम् || 1) ‘अयम्’ + ‘अग्निः’ इत्यत्र संधिः न आवश्यकः (पदविरामे स्थितम्). 2) ‘शतिनस्पतिः’ समासपदम्: शतिन् + पति → शतिन्पति
- पदे ‘शतिनस्-पतिः’ इति नपुंसक/षष्ठी-बहुवचन-प्रत्ययवत् ‘-नस्-’ अन्तःस्थ-रूपेण वैदिक-समास-प्रयोगः (epithet). 3) ‘कवी’ वैदिक-प्रथमा-एकवचन-रूपम् (कविः इत्यस्य स्थानि) छन्दोभेद/वैदिक-रूपानुसारम्. 4) उच्चारण-स्वराः (उदात्त/अनुदात्त/स्वरित) मन्त्रपाठानुसारं
- अर्थ-विश्लेषणे पदरूपं स्थिरम्
The meaning
Outer meaning
Agni is lord of the thousandfold, master of the hundredfold prize (vāja); he is the head and seer of riches.
Inner meaning
Agni is the governing will that opens plenitude: ‘thousandfold’ and ‘hundredfold’ indicate vast multiplicity of powers and fulfillments when the inner fire leads. Vāja is not only material prize but victorious force and capacity. As mūrdhā (head), Agni becomes the summit-guidance in us; as kavi (seer), he discerns the right movement and reveals the hidden riches (rayīṇām)—inner resources of light, strength, joy, and harmony.
Universal truth
Plenitude is not seized by desire but revealed and organized by an illumined will that stands at the summit of our nature and sees the true way.
Themes
Agni sovereignty, abundance and plenitude, seerhood and guidance
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 8.75.1, Rig Veda 8.75.2, Rig Veda 8.75.3
Family tradition
Mandala 8 style; likely linked to Kāṇva collections but not confirmed.
Significance
Affirms Agni not merely as a ritual fire but as the inner leader who reveals plenitude—central to Aurobindonian ‘Agni as Divine Will’ psychology.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- sahasriṇa (thousandfold), vājasya pati (lord of vāja), śatinaḥ pati (master of the hundredfold), mūrdhā (head), kavi (seer)
- Related deities
- Indra (victorious illumination), Soma (delight that fulfills), Bṛhaspati (seer-word that opens treasure)
Cosmic role
Source and organizer of energies; leader of the gods in the work; revealer of riches and right paths.
Inner power
Illumined will at the summit that governs the lower nature and unlocks abundance through right striving.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni-stuti (praise) within general yajña sequences
अ॒यम॒ग्निः स॑ह॒स्रिणो॒ वाज॑स्य श॒तिन॒स्पति॑: । मू॒र्धा क॒वी र॑यी॒णाम् ॥
अ॒यम् । अ॒ग्निः । स॒ह॒स्रिणः॑ । वाज॑स्य । श॒तिनः॑ । पतिः॑ । मू॒र्धा । क॒विः । र॒यी॒णाम् ॥
ayam | agniḥ | sahasriṇaḥ | vājasya | śatinaḥ | patiḥ | mūrdhā | kaviḥ | rayīṇām
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4 × ~8
Enumerative and emphatic; builds by epithets.
Gives a sense of increase and uplift—like climbing steps toward a crowned flame.
- सहस्रिणः (sahasriṇaḥ)
- Literal: thousandfold. Symbolic: vastness, manifold powers, abundant capacities
- वाजस्य (vājasya)
- Literal: of vāja (prize, strength). Symbolic: victorious force; effective capacity; dynamic attainment
- शतिनः (śatinaḥ)
- Literal: hundredfold. Symbolic: complete measure of manifested powers; organized plenitude
- पतिः (patiḥ)
- Literal: lord/master. Symbolic: governing principle; leadership of the inner sacrifice
- मूर्धा (mūrdhā)
- Literal: head. Symbolic: summit-consciousness; directive intelligence above the mind
- कविः (kaviḥ)
- Literal: seer-poet. Symbolic: illumined discernment; revelatory vision guiding action
- रयीणाम् (rayīṇām)
- Literal: of riches. Symbolic: inner wealth: light, force, joy, harmony, wideness
Praise-statement (stuti) establishing Agni’s sovereignty over vāja and rayi; used in offerings to strengthen the sense of abundance and right leadership of the rite.
After establishing Agni, to affirm his lordship over vāja/rayi (attainments).
Recitation accompanying offerings to strengthen the ‘lord of plenitude’ aspect.
Use as an affirmation for abundance with integrity: chant to shift from scarcity-mind to a sense of inner resources guided by discernment.
sahasra 'thousand' (abundance). śata 'hundred' (multiplicity). pati 'lord' (PIE *pótis; cf. Greek pósis). kavi- 'seer' (possibly from √ku/√kav 'to see/poetize'; Vedic technical term for inspired intelligence). rayi- 'wealth' is interpreted inwardly as plenitude of being, consistent with its distribution alongside vāja and ṛta themes.
abundance (sahasra/śata as symbolic multiplicity), kavi (illumined intelligence), rayi (fullness of being)
Plenitude is governed by right seeing (kavi) and right leadership (patiḥ), implying rita as the law of true increase.
True riches (rayi) are those aligned with the seer-will, not with false desire.
From the summit-fire, multiplicity (thousandfold) is organized into effective manifestation (hundredfold).
Integral Veda: abundance as a spiritual result of awakened will and illumined discernment.
Flame rising to the top = ascent of consciousness; riches = latent inner capacities; thousandfold/hundredfold = manifold powers becoming organized.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Agni as sovereign and 'head' of riches: the god is not merely a flame but the ruling intelligence (kavi) that governs abundance (sahasra/śata). Innerly, it is the awakening of a leading consciousness that organizes and multiplies capacities.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- pati is a strong PIE inheritance (*pótis). The numeric hyperbole (hundred/thousand) as poetic intensifiers is common across early IE poetries, marking superabundance rather than literal counting.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi points to an immediate presence ('this Agni') and recognizes him as the governing summit (mūrdhā) of rayi. The reciprocity is: by acknowledging Agni as inner leader, the sacrificer receives ordered abundance rather than scattered gain.
Contemplate Agni as the ‘head flame’: feel a vertical ascent from navel to crown, culminating in a steady light above the head; invite hidden capacities to emerge under that guidance.
Maṇipūra to Sahasrāra axis (ascending will to summit light)
Ascending breath visualization: inhale from navel to brow/crown, exhale softly down the spine; keep the flame steady at the ‘mūrdhā’.
Uplifted, luminous, expansive—sense of plenitude without grasping.
After chanting, list (mentally) three ‘inner riches’ you will cultivate today (clarity, courage, kindness). Offer one concrete action to Agni as pati—letting the seer-will decide the right expression.
Chant evenly; if using Vedic recitation, follow the recension’s marked accents for sahasriṇo/vājasya/śatinaḥ etc.
Emphasize the epithets in a rising sequence, culminating on ‘mūrdhā kavī rayīṇām’.
: sahas-ri-ṇo—keep ṇ retroflex, : vā-ja-sya—clear long ā, : śa-ti-naḥ—dental n (not retroflex), : mūrdhā—retroflex ḍh, long ā, : ka-viḥ—light visarga at end
Bright, uplifted, resonant—like praising a guiding flame.
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