Rig Veda 8.84.4: Mandala 8, Sukta 84, Mantra 4
Sukta 8.84
- Devata
- Agni
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
कया ते अग्ने अङ्गिर ऊर्जो नपादुपस्तुतिम् । वराय देव मन्यवे ॥
káyā te agne aṅgira ūrjó napād úpa-stutim | várāya deva manyáve ||
Por que via de consciência, ó Agni — ó Aṅgiras, filho da plenitude — poderemos trazer-te, com justeza, o louvor próximo, por teu deleite escolhido, ó deus, por teu ardor poderoso?
Word by Word
- कया
- how? by what (means)?Pronoun/Interrogative (instrumental) used adverbiallyस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (कया = ‘by which?’) — here adverbial ‘how?/in what way?’Role Karaṇa (प्रकार/उपाय-निर्देश)Root क (किम्-प्रातिपदिक) + या (स्त्री. एक.)
- ते
- for you / yourPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी विभक्ति, एकवचन (enclitic ‘te’ = ‘of/for you’) — here best as genitive ‘your’Role Sampradāna (beneficiary) / Genitival relationRoot युष्मद् (2nd person pronoun)
- अग्ने
- O AgniNoun (vocative)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole Sambodhana (address)Root अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- अङ्गिरः
- O Aṅgiras (Angiras-born/Angiras-like)Noun (clan/epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन (Vedic voc. in -ः for -स्)Role Sambodhana (address/apposition to Agni)Root अङ्गिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- ऊर्जः
- of strength / of nourishmentNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचनRole Genitival relation (of …)Root ऊर्ज्/ऊर्जा (प्रातिपदिक ‘strength, sap, nourishment’)
- नपात्
- O offspring/son (descendant)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole Sambodhana (address; epithet of Agni)Root नपात् (प्रातिपदिक ‘offspring, son, descendant’)
- उपस्तुतिम्
- praise; hymn of praiseNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचनRole Karma (object of an implied verb like ‘bring/offer/utter’)Root उप-स्तुति (प्रातिपदिक; from √स्तु ‘to praise’ with उप-)
- वराय
- for a boon / for choice (gift)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी विभक्ति, एकवचनRole Sampradāna (purpose/recipient: ‘for …’)Root वर (प्रातिपदिक ‘choice, boon; (also) suitor’)
- देव
- O godNoun (vocative)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole Sambodhana (address)Root देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- मन्यवे
- for (your) ardor / wrath / spirited powerNounपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी विभक्ति, एकवचनRole Sampradāna (for/unto: ‘to (your) ardor/wrath’)Root मन्यु (प्रातिपदिक ‘wrath, ardor, spirited might’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (sandhi-resolved): कया ते अग्ने अङ्गिरः ऊर्जः नपात् उपस्तुतिम् । वराय देव मन्यवे ॥ मुख्य संधि: (1) नपादुपस्तुतिम् = नपात् + उपस्तुतिम् (त् + उ → दु/दु-प्रवृत्ति; RV संधि-लेखन में ‘दु’), (2) अन्य पदों में विशेष संधि नहीं
- ‘अङ्गिर॒’ = अङ्गिरः (voc. sg. of अङ्गिरस्), ‘ऊर्जो॑’ = ऊर्जः (gen. sg.)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The poet asks: by what means shall we bring fitting praise to Agni—Angiras, child of nourishment/plenitude—for his chosen joy and divine ardour?
Inner meaning
The seeker asks for the right approach of consciousness (kayā) to contact Agni as Angiras—the fire that discovers the hidden light. As ‘ūrjo napāt’ (child of plenitude), Agni carries the seed of spiritual abundance. The ‘near-praise’ (upastuti) is intimate inner speech offered to awaken his chosen delight (varāya) and his transforming ardour (manyu) in us.
Universal truth
Spiritual speech becomes effective only when the right inner poise is found; then the divine force responds with joy and power that transform the being.
Themes
seeking the right approach, Angiras tradition, ardour as spiritual force, praise as nearness
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 8.84.1, RV 8.84.2, RV 8.84.3, RV 8.84.5
Family tradition
Angirasa symbolism is explicit (aṅgiraḥ), suggesting continuity with the ancient ‘cave of the cows’ tradition even if the named rishi is not preserved.
Significance
This verse is a methodological question—how to approach the inner Fire rightly—indicating a reflective, yogic sensibility within the hymn.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni (as Angiras, Ūrjo Napāt)
- Epithets
- Angiras, Ūrjo Napāt, Deva, Manyu (ardour)
- Related deities
- Bṛhaspati (Angirasa leader), Soma (delight), Indra (force of illumination)
Cosmic role
Seer-power that brings hidden light into manifestation; energizer of growth and plenitude; purifier through tapas.
Inner power
Right method in aspiration; intimate contact that releases joy and force for transformation.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni-upastuti (praise) within soma/yajña or agni-stotra sequences
कया॑ ते अग्ने अङ्गिर॒ ऊर्जो॑ नपा॒दुप॑स्तुतिम् । वरा॑य देव म॒न्यवे॑ ॥
कया॑ । ते॒ । अ॒ग्ने॒ । अ॒ङ्गि॒रः॒ । ऊर्जः॑ । नपा॑त् । उप॑ऽस्तुतिम् । वरा॑य । दे॒व॒ । म॒न्यवे॑ ॥
kayā | te | agne | aṅgiraḥ | ūrjaḥ | napāt | upa-stutim | varāya | deva | manyave
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4 × ~8 syllables
Interrogative opening gives a searching rhythm; then intensifies toward ‘manyave’.
Creates inward inquiry and receptivity; ends with a surge of tapas-like energy.
- कया (kayā)
- Literal: by what? by which (way). Symbolic: the required inner method/attitude (bhāva) for true contact
- अङ्गिरः (aṅgiraḥ)
- Literal: Angiras (name/title). Symbolic: the seer-fire that finds the hidden rays (go) in the cave of the being
- ऊर्जः नपात् (ūrjaḥ napāt)
- Literal: child/descendant of nourishment, plenitude. Symbolic: born of inner abundance; the flame that increases the soul’s substance and delight
- उपस्तुतिम् (upastutim)
- Literal: near-praise, close adoration. Symbolic: intimate mantra—speech that comes from proximity of consciousness
- मन्यवे (manyave)
- Literal: for (thy) ardour/vehemence. Symbolic: divine intensity (tapas) that battles resistance and purifies
A questioning-invocation verse: used where the sacrificer seeks the correct form of praise/approach to kindle Agni’s effective power (manyu) and receive his ‘chosen’ boon.
When seeking the ‘right way’ of offering/praise; before a key oblation or transition in the rite.
Questioning invocation, followed by offering of praise/oblation to kindle ardour.
Use as a diagnostic mantra when practice feels dry: ask inwardly ‘by what approach’—then wait for the felt correction in attitude.
ū́rj- ‘sap, strength, nourishment, plenitude’ (semantic field: increase and sustaining force). napāt ‘offspring’ from √nap ‘descendant’ (cf. Avestan napā). úpa-stuti: upa ‘near’ + stuti ‘praise’ from √stu ‘praise’. vára- from √vṛ ‘choose’ → ‘choice/excellent/desired’. manyú- ‘impetuous spirit, ardour’ from √man ‘think’ but specialized to ‘mental force/temper’; in RV often a divine battle-ardour (esp. Indra/Agni).
right method (yathā-vidhi as inner rightness aligning with R̥ta), manyu as transformative force, Angiras as archetype of truth-seeking seers
Right approach (kayā) is alignment with ṛta; wrong approach yields no stable fire.
Upastuti must be satya—speech from lived contact, not mere form.
Release of hidden plenitude (ūrj) through awakened fire and tapas.
Yoga of aspiration and surrender (method and right inner state).
Fire = tapas and will; nourishment = inner substance/ojas; cave-release motif implied by Angiras.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The Angiras-fire mythos: Agni as Angiras and ‘offspring of plenitude’ who, when rightly praised, manifests the conquering ardour (manyu) that helps recover light/rightness. The verse frames the myth as a practical question of the correct inner invocation.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √stu ‘praise’ continues PIE *ḱlew-/*ḱleu̯- related praise/hearing culture (formulaic reciprocity of fame and hymn). √vṛ ‘choose’ is PIE *wel-/*wer- ‘to choose/turn’ (broad IE presence). napāt ‘descendant’ has Indo-Iranian continuity (Avestan napā).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The ṛṣi adopts a posture of disciplined inquiry: not mere petition but seeking the ‘kayā’—the right inner alignment—so that praise becomes effective and Agni’s manyu turns into a divine aid rather than a blind impulse.
Inquiry into right inner attitude: sincerity, humility, intensity without strain; invite Agni’s ‘chosen delight’ to arise.
Maṇipūra (tapas) with Anāhata support (devotion)
Inhale—silent question ‘kayā?’; exhale—offer ‘upastutim’; repeat 7 cycles.
Receptive inquiry turning into luminous ardour.
Begin with self-observation; drop mechanical effort; kindle a quiet intensity; let speech arise from closeness (upa) rather than from surface mind.
Let the opening interrogative ‘kayā’ carry a gentle udatta rise; build emphasis toward ‘manyave’.
Pause lightly after ‘aṅgira’; keep ‘ūrjo napāt’ as a single honoring unit.
kayā: clear long ā, aṅgiraḥ: velar nasal ṅ; final ḥ audible, ūrjo: long ū; rj cluster clean, napāt: long ā; retroflex ṭ, upastutim: u-pa-stu-tim, keep ‘stu’ crisp, manyave: palatal y, short e at end
Inquisitive at start, then brighter and more forceful by the end.
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