Atharva Veda 2.6.4: Kanda 2, Anuvaka 1, Sukta 6, Mantra 4
Sukta 6
क्ष॒त्रेणा॑ग्ने॒ स्वेन॒ सं र॑भस्व मि॒त्रेणा॑ग्ने मित्र॒धा य॑तस्व । स॒जा॒तानां॑ मध्यमे॒ष्ठा राज्ञा॑मग्ने वि॒हव्यो॑ दीदिही॒ह
kṣatréṇā́gne svéna sáṃ rabhásva mitréṇā́gne mitradhā́ yátasva | sajātā́nāṃ madhyaméṣṭhā́ rā́jñām agne vihávyò dīdihī́ha ||
With thine own kingly power, O Agni, lay firm hold; with Mitra’s might, O Agni, strive in Mitra’s ordered way. Among the clansmen be thou best, set in the midst of kings: O Agni, manifold-invoked, shine brightly here for us.
क्षत्रेणाग्ने स्वेन सं रभस्व; मित्रेणाग्ने मित्रधा यतस्व। सजातानां मध्यमेष्ठा राज्ञामग्ने विहव्यो दीदिहीह।
The meaning
What it says
Agni is urged to seize firmly with his own kṣatra (sovereign power), to act with Mitra’s force in Mitra’s orderly way, to be best among clansmen, placed amid kings, and to shine here as manifold-invoked.
The inner meaning
Integrates two necessities of leadership and psyche: kṣatra (decisive power/boundary) and mitra (agreement/relational harmony). The ‘fire’ becomes ethical authority—strong without becoming hostile, social without becoming weak.
The truth in it
Lasting order arises when power is yoked to covenant: sovereignty without friendship becomes tyranny; friendship without strength becomes fragility. The luminous center mediates both.
What it is for
- Kind of hymn
- Paustika (Prosperity/Polity) with apotropaic-political coloring
Its aim
To stabilize rulership and social concord: empower the patron with kṣatra (coercive sovereignty) while maintaining mitra (alliance/compact), placing Agni as central mediator among kinsmen and rulers, and securing luminous protection at the settlement/assembly.
Word by Word
Pada patha
क्षत्रेण । अग्ने । स्वेन । सम् । रभस्व । मित्रेण । अग्ने । मित्रधा । यतस्व । सजातानाम् । मध्यमेष्ठाः । राज्ञाम् । अग्ने । विहव्यः । दीदिहि । इह
- क्षत्रेण
- by/with (your) sovereignty, lordly powerby kṣatrá—royal power, ruling force, coercive sovereignty (protective might, per Sayana: kṣatra-śakti)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचनRole करणRoot क्षत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- अग्ने
- O AgniO Agni—fire as divine priest and protector; the invoked power that executes the riteNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- स्वेन
- with your ownby thine own (proper) power/nature; with thy inherent energy (svābhāvika-tejas)Adjective/Pronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (क्षत्रेण इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role करणRoot स्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सम्
- together, completelytogether, wholly, into union; intensifier of the action (saṃ- as samyak)Indeclinableउपसर्गःRoot सम् (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- रभस्व
- grasp/lay hold (firmly); take upgrasp, take hold, seize firmly; also ‘set to work’ effectively in aid (rabh-: upagrahaṇa/pravṛtti)Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपदRole क्रियाRoot रभ् (धातु) + सम्
- मित्रेण
- by/with friendship; with the allyby Mitra—by the power of alliance, contract, friendship, concord (mitra-śakti; social binding force)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचनRole करणRoot मित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- अग्ने
- O AgniO Agni—re-invocation, emphasizing Agni as mediator of both coercion (kṣatra) and concord (mitra)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- मित्रधा
- in a friendly manner; as a friendin Mitra-wise fashion; as Mitra does; ‘according to friendship/compact’ (mitra-dhā: mitrasya dharmena)Indeclinableअव्ययम् (प्रकारवाचक)Root मित्रधा (अव्यय; मित्र + धा-प्रत्यय/धा-भावः)
- यतस्व
- strive; exert yourself; be intentexert thyself, strive, regulate thy course; apply thy power with restraint/order (yat-: niyama/udyama)Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपदRole क्रियाRoot यत् (धातु) (यत् = प्रयत्न/संयम)
- सजातानाम्
- of the kindred / of those born togetherof those born together—kinsmen, clansmen, those of the same stock; ‘co-born’ community (sajāta: sapinda/sajātīya)Adjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root सजात (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; सम् + √जन्, क्त)
- मध्यमेष्ठा
- standing in the middle; the central-mostAdjective (epithet)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (अग्नेः विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृ (विशेषणरूपेण)Root मध्यमेष्ठा (प्रातिपदिक; मध्यम + इष्ठा/एष्ठा)
- राज्ञाम्
- of kings/rulersof kings/rulers; of the ruling men (rājan: kṣatriya-lords; also ‘chieftains’ in a polity)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- अग्ने
- O AgniO Agni—again, as the enthroning/protecting fire of polity and householdNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- विहव्यः
- to be invoked/called uponto be invoked in many ways / much-invoked; worthy of manifold calls (vi-havya: bahuprakāra-havya/āhvāna-yogya)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (अग्नेः विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृ (विशेषणरूपेण)Root विहव्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; वि + √ह्वा, यत्/यव्य-प्रत्ययः; ‘invocable’)
- दीदिहि
- shine brightly; blazeshine forth, blaze; display auspicious brilliance that overawes rivals and protects (dīdhī: tejasā prakāśa)Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot दीदिहि (धातु: √दीदिह्/√दीप् ‘to shine’, intensive/reduplicated stem)
- इह
- herehere—at this place/rite; in this settlement/assembly (asmin deśe/karmaṇi)Indeclinableदेशवाचक-अव्ययम्Role अधिकरणRoot इह (अव्यय)
Sandhi Notes
- क्षत्रेण + अग्ने + स्वेन + सम् + रभस्व | मित्रेण + अग्ने + मित्रधा + यतस्व | सजातानाम् + मध्यमेष्ठा + राज्ञाम् + अग्ने + विहव्यः + दीदिहि + इह । प्रमुखसन्धयः:
- (1) क्षत्रेणाग्ने = क्षत्रेण + अग्ने (स्वर-सन्धि)
- (2) मित्रेणाग्ने = मित्रेण + अग्ने (स्वर-सन्धि)
- (3) राज्ञामग्ने = राज्ञाम् + अग्ने (अनुस्वार/व्यञ्जन-सन्धि; म् + अ → म)
- (4) दीदिहीह = दीदिहि + इह (इ + इ → ई)
Seer, deity and metre
- Rishi
- Atharvanic/Angiras-type attribution typical for Agni-polity verses in AVŚ (exact r̥ṣi assignment depends on the Anukramaṇī for AV 2.6).
- Devata
- Agni (with Mitra as invoked power/quality within the address).
- Chandas
- Predominantly Anuṣṭubh-like cadence (requires metrical verification against pada lengths in the edition).
- Rasa
- Vira and Shanta
Sayana construes kṣatra as Agni’s protective sovereignty (kṣatra-śakti) that ‘seizes’ (rabh-) and establishes control; mitra denotes the binding force of concord and lawful compact, hence ‘mitradhā’ = mitrasya dharmeṇa, ‘in the manner of Mitra,’ i.e., without internecine rupture. ‘Sajātānām’ is read as the co-born community (sapinda/sajātīya), and ‘madhyameṣṭhā’ as Agni’s function of being centrally enthroned—both physically (central fire/āhavanīya or domestic hearth) and politically (mediating among rājan-s). ‘Vihavya’ underscores Agni’s readiness to be invoked by many parties; ‘dīdihi iha’ requests visible, apotropaic brilliance at the ritual site.
Anukramaṇī varies for AVŚ 2.6; transmitted as Atharvanic political-protective speech with occasional Āṅgirasa coloring.
Polity-stabilization (kṣatra), concord-making (mitra), and luminous protection in assemblies and households.
Shows Atharvavedic ‘statecraft magic’: domestic hearth-fire extends into the public sphere as guarantor of order, pact, and legitimate force.
Agni (empowered by kṣatra and Mitra)
Agni as mediator in the political-cosmic order: binds clans, legitimizes kingship, and illuminates right governance.
Indirect: social harmony reduces conflict-stress; ‘ordered power’ prevents harm that leads to injury/disease.
Protects assemblies and settlements; deters internal faction and external aggression by stabilizing authority and alliance.
4 pādas × ~8 syllables; some pādas may run heavy due to compounds (madhyameṣṭhā, vihavya).
Political/protective anuṣṭubh often tolerates a ‘weighty’ third pāda to emphasize social placement (madhyameṣṭhā rājñām).
Commanding and declarative; alternation of ‘kṣatra’ and ‘mitra’ creates balanced antiphony.
Elicits steadiness and legitimacy—felt as ‘centered authority’ rather than aggression.
Prepare the domestic or ritual fire (establish/rekindle Agni) at the central place of the house or assembly-space.
Seat the patron (rājan/leader) facing the fire; arrange kinsmen/retainers in an ordered circle or in ranked seating to enact ‘middle-most’ centrality.
Recite the mantra while making a ghee oblation (or standard havis) into the fire at the words ‘saṃ rabhásva’ and again at ‘dīdihī́ha,’ synchronizing seizure/empowerment and luminous protection.
Optionally perform a circumambulation of the fire (pradakṣiṇa) by the patron to ritually internalize kṣatra and mitra—coercion tempered by concord.
Conclude with a silent gaze upon the flame (darśana) as the visible sign of ‘dīdihi’—the rite’s apotropaic ‘shine’ against faction and rivalry.
Kauśika Sūtra: polity/royal-protection (rājakarman) contexts—Agni-centered rites for concord and protection (exact sutra numbering varies by edition; requires alignment to the local Kauśika recension used in the project).
The Atharvan/Brahman officiant supervises correct Atharvanic recitation and timing of oblations; he frames the rite as both protective (rakṣā) and conciliatory (saṃdhi), ensuring the patron’s authority is ritually ‘grasped’ by Agni yet regulated ‘mitradhā’.
Recite before important negotiations, family councils, community meetings; at hearth with a small offering to ‘set’ right speech and firm boundaries.
Morning before assembly; or at dusk to ‘seal’ the household’s concord.
Purohita may recite for patron/leader; householder may use for family concord.
General: Atharvanic rites for concord/assembly protection and royal prosperity; exact Kauśika mapping depends on ritual index for AVŚ 2.6.
Use before mediation sessions; light a lamp and speak agreements after recitation.
Agni (ritual fire/hearth); Havis/offerings implied by ‘havya’ (ghee, oblation materials); Royal power (kṣatra) and alliance (mitra) as personified forces
Agni as the luminous center; havis implied by vihavya (much-invoked with offerings).
Fire here is ‘public hearth’: offerings and repeated invocation make authority visible and shared; kṣatra is the hard edge, mitra the binding thread—both ‘fed’ into Agni.
Conflict-resolution/leadership prayer; supports psychosocial well-being by reducing factional stressors.
Household head, clan assembly, patron/leader; also the settlement’s ‘center’.
Stabilize rulership/household leadership and concord: strong boundary (kṣatra) guided by covenant (mitra); establish Agni as central, bright protector in the social body.
Invocation of personified powers (kṣatra, mitra) into Agni; central-placement formula (‘in the midst’) as spatial magic for assemblies.
Faction, betrayal, loss of legitimacy, hostile takeover, internal rivalry.
Social capital, political stability, communal cohesion.
- क्षत्र (kṣatra)
- capacity to set boundaries, protect, decide, and endure pressure
- मित्र (mitra)
- trust, contract, social glue, truthful cooperation
- मित्रधा (mitradhā)
- power exercised through law, pact, and restraint
- सजाता (sajāta)
- in-group cohesion; household/clan solidarity
- मध्यमेष्ठा (madhyameṣṭhā)
- the centering principle in assemblies—mediator and stabilizer
- विहव्य (vihavya)
- reliable resource in crisis; communal recourse
- दीदिहि (dīdihi)
- public clarity, legitimacy, auspicious visibility
Balance of firmness and friendliness: visualize a central flame that is steady (kṣatra) and warm (mitra).
manipura
Sama-vṛtti (equal breathing) 4–4–4–4 to embody mitradhā (ordered rhythm).
Centered leadership—calm authority.
After recitation, make one clear decision (kṣatra) and one clear reconciliation/commitment (mitra) the same day—ritual becomes ethical action.
Recite with balanced emphasis on kṣatreṇa and mitreṇa—two poles; keep cadence even to embody mitradhā (orderedness).
Stress parallelism: kṣatreṇāgne… / mitreṇāgne…; lift voice slightly on dīdihi (shine!).
Bright, authoritative, non-aggressive.
If used for concord, avoid angry tone; the mantra’s efficacy depends on ‘mitra’-aligned delivery.
11 times
Family disputes, workplace leadership, community negotiations, establishing rules without alienation.
Before difficult conversations; at the start of a council/meeting; when setting household boundaries.
Clearer authority with less conflict; improved cooperation; sense of legitimacy and ‘central light’ in decision-making.
Do not use to justify coercion; pair with fair process and truthful speech.
No explicit plant is named; the operative ‘substance’ is Agni itself (fire) and the havis implied by vihavya. The mantra’s efficacy is enacted through oblation and visible flame: ‘saṃ rabhásva’ (seize/establish) corresponds to the moment of offering, while ‘dīdihi iha’ corresponds to the fire’s manifest brilliance as a protective sign.
The verse presupposes ranked leadership (‘rājñām’) and a kin-based polity (‘sajātānām’). Agni is positioned as the central legitimating force ‘among kings,’ mediating coercive sovereignty (kṣatra) and contractual concord (mitra). This reflects a social order where rulership is ritually stabilized by priestly speech and fire-rite, integrating force and alliance as complementary instruments of governance.
The diction is largely RV-compatible (Agni vocatives; imperatives rabhásva/yátasva; the abstract forces kṣatra/mitra). The compound/adverbial formation ‘mitradhā’ is a notable stylistic feature (dhā-adverb), common in Vedic but often highlighted in Atharvanic pragmatic contexts. The political-social framing (‘among kings,’ ‘among clansmen’) is characteristically Atharvanic in its domestic-polity application rather than purely sacrificial cosmology.
Gopatha Brahmana generally grounds Atharvanic efficacy in brahman (formulated speech) and in Agni as the mouth of the gods and the carrier of offerings; such a verse would be contextualized as making Agni the stabilizing center of the community and rulership. The pairing of kṣatra and mitra aligns with a Brahmana-style theory: power must be ritually ‘seized’ and simultaneously ‘regulated’ by dharma/compact, with Agni as the operative conduit that makes spoken intention effective.
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Atharva Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
