Rig Veda 9.67.23: Mandala 9, Sukta 67, Mantra 23
Sukta 9.67
- Rishi
- Traditionally in RV 9, many hymns are attributed to various seers
- Devata
- Agni, within a Pavamāna-Soma context of purification
- Chandas
- Likely Triṣṭubh/Jagatī family typical of RV 9
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
यत्ते पवित्रमर्चिष्यग्ने विततमन्तरा । ब्रह्म तेन पुनीहि नः ॥
yát te pavítram arcíṣy àgne vítatam antárā | bráhma ténā punīhi naḥ ||
Ta twoja oczyszczająca moc, która rozpostarta jest wewnątrz twojego płomienia, o Agni, przez to wewnętrzne Słowo i jego siłę prawdy, oczyść nas.
Word by Word
- यत्
- which/that (relative)Indeclinableसम्बन्ध/यद्-तद्-सम्बन्धे अव्यय (relative particle) ; नपुंसकलिङ्ग-एकवचन-प्रथमा/द्वितीया रूपेणापि व्याख्येयम्Role सम्बन्ध (यद्-तद्) / कर्म-सम्बन्धःRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) अथवा यद्-सम्बन्धी अव्यय
- ते
- your/of youPronounषष्ठी-एकवचन (enclitic) = ‘of you/your’Role सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- पवित्रम्
- purifying filter; purifierNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन (वाक्ये विषय/कर्तृ-स्थाने)Role कर्तृ (पुनीहि इत्यस्य साधन/विषय-रूपेण) / विषयःRoot पवित्र (प्रातिपदिक) < √पू (पुनाति) ‘to purify’
- अर्चिषि
- in the flame/radianceNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-एकवचनRole अधिकरण (where: ‘in the flame/radiance’)Root अर्चिस् (प्रातिपदिक) ‘flame, radiance’
- अग्ने
- O AgniNoun (vocative)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- विततम्
- spread out, extendedAdjective/Participleभूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन; ‘पवित्रम्’ इति विशेषणम्Role विशेषण (कर्तृ/विषय-सम्बन्धे)Root वि-√तन् (तनुते) → ‘वितत’ (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
- अन्तरा
- within, in betweenIndeclinableअव्यय: ‘within, in between’ (स्थाने/अन्तर्भावे) ; सप्तमी-अर्थेRole अधिकरण (within/between) / स्थान-निर्देशःRoot अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक) / ‘अन्तरा’ (अव्यय-प्रयोगः)
- ब्रह्म
- sacred prayer; holy formulaNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचनRole कर्तृ/साधन-भावः (येन पुनीहि—‘by/with the brahman’)Root ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) ‘sacred formulation, prayer’
- तेन
- with that/by thatPronounतृतीया-एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग (instrumental) = ‘with/by that’Role करणRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- पुनीहि
- purify (you purify!)Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपद, मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot √पू (पुनाति) ‘to purify’
- नः
- usPronounद्वितीया/षष्ठी-बहुवचन (enclitic); अत्र कर्मरूपेण ‘us’Role कर्मRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution: (1) यत्ते = यत् + ते (final -t before dental t remains; written as doubled tt). (2) पवित्रम् अर्चिषि → in Saṃhitā: पवित्रमर्चिषि (m + a → ma). (3) अर्चिष्यग्ने = अर्चिषि + अग्ने (i + a → ya; hence अर्चिष्यग्ने). (4) विततमन्तरा = विततम् + अन्तरा (m + a → ma). Accent marks in the given text indicate Vedic udātta/svarita
- analysis here keeps pada forms without accent reconstruction
The meaning
Outer meaning
That purifier of yours which is spread out within your flame, O Agni—by that brahman (sacred word/force), purify us.
Inner meaning
Agni is the inner Fire of will and aspiration; within his flame is an inherent ‘pavitra’—a discerning power that separates truth from mixture. The brahman here is not mere speech but the mantric truth-force that organizes consciousness. By invoking that inner Word lodged in the flame, the seeker asks for purification of mind and vital so the will becomes straight and luminous.
Universal truth
Real purification is not suppression but illumination: when the will is kindled and guided by truth-speech (brahman), the being naturally sheds falsehood and confusion.
Themes
purification, Agni as inner will, mantric speech (brahman), Soma-Pavamāna atmosphere
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 9.67.24–26 (same purification sequence)
Family tradition
RV 9 Pavamāna tradition; here the seer integrates Soma purification with Agni as the inner operative fire.
Significance
The rishi emphasizes a key Aurobindonian theme: the Word (brahman) hidden in the flame—mantra as a power of transformation, not merely praise.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni (invoked within Pavamāna-Soma purification context)
- Epithets
- arciṣy (flame-possessing), antarā vitatam (spread within)
- Related deities
- Soma Pavamāna, Savitar, Bṛhaspati
Cosmic role
Mediator and priest of the sacrifice; carries offerings upward and brings divine powers downward.
Inner power
Aspiring will that can discriminate, burn away impurity, and establish right vibration through the mantric word.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma purification passages with Agni’s assistance; recited as part of Soma liturgy and inner/outer cleansing formulas
यत्ते॑ प॒वित्र॑म॒र्चिष्यग्ने॒ वित॑तम॒न्तरा । ब्रह्म॒ तेन॑ पुनीहि नः ॥
यत् । ते॒ । प॒वित्र॑म् । अ॒र्चिषि॑ । अग्ने॑ । विऽत॑तम् । अ॒न्तः । आ । ब्रह्म॑ । तेन॑ । पु॒नी॒हि॒ । नः॒ ॥
yat | te | pavitram | arciṣi | agne | vi-tatam | antaḥ | ā | brahma | tena | punīhi | naḥ
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4 pādas × ~11 syllables (probable)
Firm, ascending cadence; suited to the ‘kindling’ and ‘spreading within’ imagery.
Strengthens resolve and inner uprightness; gives a sense of flame-like expansion in the chest and brow.
- अग्नि (agni)
- Literal: fire. Symbolic: divine will/aspiration; the leader of the inner yajña
- अर्चिस् (arciṣ)
- Literal: flame, ray. Symbolic: luminous energy of awakened will; clarity-force
- पवित्र (pavitra)
- Literal: purifier/strainer. Symbolic: discriminating power within the flame that refines the being
- ब्रह्म (brahma)
- Literal: sacred word, prayer, formula. Symbolic: truth-force of inspired utterance (mantra-śakti) that sets consciousness in order
Pavamāna recitation context: Soma purification/pressing (savana) sequences; also applicable as inner-ritual (antar-yajña) mantra for purification before offering.
During Soma pressing/filtration sequences; also thematically apt for agnihotra contexts
Invocation to the fire-principle to purify sacrificers by the brahman power
Before study, mantra-japa, or meditation: kindle inner Agni and let truthful speech/thought refine the mind.
pavitrám: from √pū ‘to purify, cleanse, clarify’ with -tra instrument suffix → ‘means of purification’. arcíṣi: loc. sg. of arcís ‘flame, ray, brilliance’, from √arc ‘to shine, to praise’—here primarily ‘shining’. vítatam: PPP of vi-√tan (+) ‘to stretch out, expand, pervade’. antár/antáḥ: ‘inside, within’ (PIE *h₁en-ter). bráhma: neut. ‘sacred utterance, inspired formulation’, from √bṛh ‘to grow, expand’ → the expansive word that builds the inner reality. punīhi: 2sg impv. of punāti from √pū, causative/strengthened present sense ‘purify!’
ṛta (right order) implicit in purification and truth-formulation, brahman (inspired word as formative power), inner sacrifice (antar-yajña)
Brahman aligned to Ṛta becomes the law of right vibration; Agni enforces it as purifier.
Truth-speech as a cleansing agent; falsehood cannot endure in the flame of Satya.
Inner creation by the Word in the Fire: consciousness is shaped by luminous will and inspired formula.
Mantra-śakti and tapas tradition; anticipates Upaniṣadic ‘vāc/brahman’ power themes.
dawn or ritual kindling time (symbolic)
A concentrated inner heat that illuminates and filters thought; the ‘ray in the flame’ becomes discernment.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is the inner purification by the divine fire: Agni’s flame contains a ‘pavitram’ (purifying instrument/power) and the brahman (inspired word) acts as the operative means. Mythically, it is the transformation of the mixed mortal nature into clarified truth by contact with the luminous deity.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- antáḥ/antárā ‘within’ continues PIE *h₁en-ter ‘inside, between’ (cf. Latin inter). The semantic field of √pū ‘purify’ aligns with Indo-European concerns of ritual/inner cleansing, while bráhma from √bṛh ‘expand’ shows a characteristic Vedic move: ‘expansion’ → ‘formative sacred utterance’, paralleling PIE patterns where growth/strength roots develop abstract sacral meanings.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The speaker approaches Agni not merely as external fire but as an indwelling power whose flame pervades the inner being. The reciprocity is: the seeker invokes Agni’s ‘pavitram’ and offers assent to brahman (true formulation); Agni in return performs the inner work—purification of the collective faculties (‘naḥ’).
Locate a steady inner flame (will) and feel a mantric ‘truth-word’ within it that clarifies thinking.
Maṇipūra (fire/will) with ascent to Ājñā (truth-discernment)
Bhrāmarī or slow inhale to ‘kindle’, slow exhale to ‘purify’ while repeating ‘brahma tena punīhi naḥ’.
Collected aspiration (tapas) with luminous discrimination.
When agitation arises, do not argue with it; offer it into Agni. Let the mantra be the ‘brahman’ that reorganizes the vibration until only what is true remains.
Use Śākala svara as marked; for accurate udātta placement consult a svara-pāṭha source (not fully derivable from plain text here).
Keep ‘agne’ clear with short ‘e’; do not over-accent consonant clusters—let pitch carry the accent.
‘arciṣy’: pronounce ‘ṣ’ retroflex; ‘ar-ci-ṣy’ with a light ‘y’., ‘vitatam’: crisp dental ‘t’; avoid retroflexion., ‘brahma’: voiced ‘bh’; short final ‘a’.
Warm, steady, flame-like; slightly more force on invocatory ‘agne’.
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