Rig Veda 2.1.3: Mandala 2, Sukta 1, Mantra 3
Sukta 2.1
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Gāyatrī
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
त्वमग्न इन्द्रो वृषभः सतामसि त्वं विष्णुरुरुगायो नमस्यः । त्वं ब्रह्मा रयिविद्ब्रह्मणस्पते त्वं विधर्तः सचसे पुरंध्या ॥
tvám agne índro vṛṣabháḥ satā́m asi tváṃ víṣṇur uru-gāyó namasyáḥ | tváṃ brahmā́ rayivíd brahmaṇas pate tváṃ vidhártaḥ sacase púraṃdhyā ||
त्वमग्न इन्द्रो वृषभः सतामसि; त्वं विष्णुरुरुगायो नमस्यः। त्वं ब्रह्मा रयिविद्ब्रह्मणस्पते; त्वं विधर्तः सचसे पुरंध्या।
Word by Word
- त्वम्
- thou (you)Pronounपुं/स्त्री/नपुं; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अग्ने
- O AgniNounपुं; सम्बोधन; एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्रः
- IndraNounपुं; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृ (समास-प्रत्ययार्थे विधेय-नाम)Root इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- वृषभः
- bull; the strong oneNounपुं; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृ (विधेय/विशेषण-भाव)Root वृषभ (प्रातिपदिक)
- सताम्
- of the good/true ones; of beingsNoun/Adjectiveपुं/नपुं; षष्ठी; बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root सत् (√अस् ‘to be’ → सत्, वर्तमान-कृदन्त; प्रातिपदिकवत्)
- असि
- thou artVerbलट्; मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचनRole (अस्ति-क्रिया; कर्तृ=त्वम्)Root √अस् (भू-धातु ‘to be’)
- त्वम्
- thouPronounपुं/स्त्री/नपुं; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot युष्मद्
- विष्णुः
- VishnuNounपुं; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृ (विधेय-नाम)Root विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
- उरुगायः
- wide-striding / far-goingAdjective (epithet)पुं; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृ-विशेषणRoot उरुगाय (प्रातिपदिक; उरु- ‘wide’ + गाय ‘going/striding’/‘praised’—वैदिक विशेषण)
- नमस्यः
- to be worshipped; venerableAdjectiveपुं; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृ-विशेषणRoot नमस्य (प्रातिपदिक; √नम् ‘to bow’ → नमस्य ‘worthy of homage’)
- त्वम्
- thouPronounपुं/स्त्री/नपुं; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot युष्मद्
- ब्रह्मा
- the Brahman-priest; sacred utterance/powerNounपुं; प्रथमा; एकवचन (वैदिक रूप: ब्रह्मा < ब्रह्मन्)Role कर्तृ (विधेय-नाम)Root ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक; वैदिक ‘priestly power/holy word’)
- रयिवित्
- finder/knower of wealthAdjectiveपुं; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृ-विशेषणRoot रयिविद् (प्रातिपदिक; रयि ‘wealth’ + √विद् ‘to know/find’)
- ब्रह्मणस्पते
- O Lord of prayer (Brahmaṇaspati)Nounपुं; सम्बोधन; एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot ब्रह्मणस्-पति (समास-प्रातिपदिक)
- त्वम्
- thouPronounपुं/स्त्री/नपुं; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot युष्मद्
- विधर्तः
- O supporter/ordainerNounपुं; सम्बोधन; एकवचन (वैदिक: -तः as voc. of -तृ)Role सम्बोधनRoot विधर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक; √धृ ‘to hold’ with vi-; ‘disposer/supporter’)
- सचसे
- thou art associated/companiedVerbलट्; मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचन; आत्मनेपदRole (अस्ति-सम्बन्ध-क्रिया; कर्तृ=त्वम्)Root √सच् (to accompany/attach oneself; ‘to be with’)
- पुरंध्या
- with bounty; with abundanceNounस्त्री; तृतीया; एकवचनRole करण (सह/साधन-भावे)Root पुरंधि (प्रातिपदिक; ‘bounty/abundance’, also ‘liberality’)
Sandhi Notes
- Resolved Vedic sandhi/pada-division: त्वम॑ग्न॒ → त्वम् + अग्ने (m→n before g; voc. अग्ने). इन्द्रो॑ → इन्द्रः (visarga in pada). वृष॒भः preserved. स॒ताम॑सि॒ → सताम् + असि (final -म् before vowel). विष्णु॑रुरुगा॒यो → विष्णुः + उरुगायः (visarga before vowel). नम॒स्य॑: → नमस्यः (visarga). ब्र॒ह्मा र॑यि॒विद्ब्र॑ह्मणस्पते॒ → ब्रह्मा + रयिवित् + ब्रह्मणस्पते (final -द् of -विद् becomes -त् in pada; sandhi in saṃhitā gives -विद्ब्र-). वि॑धर्तः (voc. of विधर्तृ) + सचसे (ātmanepada) + पुरं॑ध्या → पुरंध्या (anusvāra/ṃ before dh). Accents in the prompt are saṃhitā-udātta marks
- pada forms given without accent marks
The meaning
Outer meaning
The verse praises Agni as identical with several major deities: Indra (bull of the luminous), Viṣṇu (wide-striding), Brahmā/Brahmaṇaspati (lord of sacred word), and Vidhartṛ (the arranger), united with Purandhī (abundant discerning intelligence).
Inner meaning
Agni, the inner Flame of will and aspiration, contains within himself the powers needed for yogic progress: Indra’s illumined mind-force that breaks limitation, Viṣṇu’s expansive strides of consciousness, Brahmaṇaspati’s inspired mantric speech that builds the inner truth, and Vidhartṛ’s ordering intelligence that arranges the movements of the being. Purandhī signifies a fullness of discriminative understanding that cooperates with this ordering power—so the sadhaka’s nature becomes organized around the psychic fire.
Universal truth
The central spiritual will in a human being can embody multiple divine functions: illumination, expansion, inspired truth-speech, and right ordering. When these powers harmonize, consciousness becomes capable of a stable and progressive transformation.
Themes
henotheism, Agni as all-gods, expansion, obstacle-breaking
The seer
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada (Bhārgava)
- Lineage
- Bhārgava
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 2.1, Rig Veda 2.2, Rig Veda 2.3, Rig Veda 2.4
Family tradition
Bhr̥gu-line seers noted for Agni-vidyā and the psychology of the sacrifice; hymns often emphasize the inner priestly Fire as organizer of consciousness.
Significance
Gṛtsamada’s vision in this hymn is a unification-doctrine: Agni is the one inner Divine Force that can manifest as many god-powers. This supports integral sādhanā—many faculties are harmonized by a single flame of aspiration.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni (as the one Divine Force manifesting as Indra–Viṣṇu–Brahmaṇaspati–Vidhartṛ)
- Epithets
- Indra, vṛṣabhaḥ satām, Viṣṇu urugāya, namasya, brahmā, rayivid, Brahmaṇaspati, vidhartṛ, associated with Puraṃdhyā
- Related deities
- Indra, Viṣṇu, Brahmaṇaspati, Sarasvatī (as allied to inspired speech and discernment), Aditi (as the vastness behind Viṣṇu’s stride)
Cosmic role
Mediator between human and divine; carrier of offerings; awakener of the gods within; organizer of the cosmic and psychological sacrifice.
Inner power
Psychic-fire and will that calls down illumination (Indra), widens consciousness (Viṣṇu), forms true speech (Brahmaṇaspati), and establishes right order (Vidhartṛ) through discerning intelligence (Puraṃdhyā).
In ritual
Where it is used
Agnyādhāna/Agnihotra and general Agni-invocations at the opening of a śrauta sacrifice (Agni as hotṛ/mediator).
त्वम॑ग्न॒ इन्द्रो॑ वृष॒भः स॒ताम॑सि॒ त्वं विष्णु॑रुरुगा॒यो न॑म॒स्य॑: । त्वं ब्र॒ह्मा र॑यि॒विद्ब्र॑ह्मणस्पते॒ त्वं वि॑धर्तः सचसे॒ पुरं॑ध्या ॥
त्वम् । अ॒ग्ने॒ । इन्द्रः॑ । वृ॒ष॒भः । स॒ताम् । अ॒सि॒ । त्वम् । विष्णुः॑ । उ॒रु॒ऽगा॒यः । न॒म॒स्यः॑ । त्वम् । ब्र॒ह्मा । र॒यि॒ऽवित् । ब्र॒ह्म॒णः॒ । प॒ते॒ । त्वम् । वि॒ध॒र्त॒रिति॑ विऽधर्तः । स॒च॒से॒ । पुर॑म्ऽध्या ॥
tvam | agne | indraḥ | vṛṣabhaḥ | satām | asi | tvam | viṣṇuḥ | uru-gāyaḥ | namasyaḥ | tvam | brahmā | rayi-vit | brahmaṇaḥ | pate | tvam | vidhartaritivi-dhartaḥ | sacase | puram-dhyā
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3 pādas of 8 syllables (8+8+8)
Bright, compact, forward-driving; suited to affirmations of identity and power.
Creates a concentrated flame-like cadence—good for internalization and mental clarity; the repeated ‘tvam’ builds a steady recognition of the Divine Presence in the inner fire.
- अग्नि (agni)
- Literal: fire. Symbolic: divine will; inner flame leading the sacrifice of self-offering
- इन्द्र (indra)
- Literal: lord of the heavens. Symbolic: divine mind-power; illumination that conquers obscurity
- वृषभः सताम् (vṛṣabhaḥ satām)
- Literal: bull of the good/luminous ones. Symbolic: irresistible strength of the illumined consciousness
- विष्णुः उरुगायः (viṣṇuḥ urugāyaḥ)
- Literal: wide-striding. Symbolic: expansion into vastness; three strides of higher consciousness
- नमस्यः (namasyaḥ)
- Literal: worthy of bowing. Symbolic: the soul’s reverence toward the inner Divine
- ब्रह्मा (brahmā)
- Literal: the sacred formulation/priestly power. Symbolic: creative truth-idea and shaping mantra-force
- रयिवित् (rayivid)
- Literal: knower of plenitude/wealth. Symbolic: knower of inner abundance (light, force, joy) and its right distribution
- ब्रह्मणस्पति (brahmaṇas pati)
- Literal: lord of prayer/sacred word. Symbolic: master of inspired speech that builds the inner worlds
- विधर्तृ (vidhartṛ)
- Literal: disposer/arranger. Symbolic: the power that holds together and orders the movements of nature
- पुरंध्या (puraṃdhyā)
- Literal: abounding intelligence. Symbolic: full discerning understanding; practical intuition that completes the work
Theological identification used in Agni praise to establish Agni as total divine mediator; supports rites where Agni is invoked as carrier of all god-powers.
At the kindling and establishing of the fire; also as a contemplative recitation when invoking multiple devatā-functions through Agni.
Kindling, offering ghee, invoking the deity-powers through the central fire.
Use as a unification-mantra before meditation: ‘the one inner flame becomes all needed powers’—helpful for integrating mind, will, and discernment.
vṛṣabha 'bull' from √vṛṣ 'to rain/strengthen' suggests force and fertilizing power. uru-gāya 'wide to sing/celebrate' indicates vastness; Vishnu’s stride becomes inner expansion. rayi from √rā 'to give' + semantic field of abundance: spiritual plenitude. √dhṛ in vidhartṛ is a key IE root (PIE *dʰer- 'hold'), cf. Greek θρόνος (thronos, seat) is not direct; but 'firm/hold' is widespread.
unity of the gods (ekaṃ sat) expressed through functional identities, rayi as fullness of being, ṛta upheld by the holder/disposer (vidhartṛ)
Vidhartṛ + Puraṃdhyā indicate Ṛta as the inner ordering intelligence that arranges life-movements around truth.
Brahmaṇaspati and brahmā suggest satya as inspired truth-speech that builds the inner reality.
Creation through Word and ordered force: the inner fire forms, arranges, and expands the worlds of consciousness.
Proto-Vedāntic and Aurobindonian integral psychology (many god-powers as functions of one Conscious Force).
Fire = aspiration; bull = victorious force of illumination; wide stride = expansion into the vast; ordering power = stable harmony of faculties.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is the 'One power with many divine functions': Agni is equated with Indra (victorious force), Vishnu (all-pervading stride), and Brahmanaspati (inspired word). Innerly, the awakened flame becomes the integrated divine agency that conquers, expands, and formulates truth.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √dhṛ 'hold' (vidhartṛ) continues PIE *dʰer- 'hold, support' (cf. Latin firmus is different; but the IE root is robust in Indo-Iranian). The compound formations (uru-gāya, rayi-vit) show inherited IE poetic compounding intensified in Vedic diction.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi seeks not a fragmentary help but an integral divine action: Agni is invoked as the single doorway through which multiple cosmic powers enter the human field—victory (Indra), vastness (Vishnu), inspired formation (Brahmanaspati).
Contemplate the inner Agni as the one force that can become illumination (Indra), vastness (Viṣṇu), true speech (Brahmaṇaspati), and right order (Vidhartṛ).
Manipura (inner fire/will) with ascent toward Ajna (illumination)
Nadi-śodhana or slow sama-vṛtti; mentally repeat ‘tvam agne…’ on exhale to stabilize will and clarity.
Collected, integrative, upward-opening (from focused will to wideness).
Begin with a steady flame-visualization at the navel/heart; on each ‘tvam’ recognize a needed divine function awakening in you; end by resting in ordered discernment (puraṃdhyā) before action.
Vedic svara as per Śākala tradition: maintain udātta on marked syllables (॑), svarita on combined accents, anudātta elsewhere; repeated ‘tvam’ should be clear and steady.
Lean slightly on accented syllables: tvám, índro, vṛ́ṣabhaḥ, víṣṇuḥ, námasyaḥ, bráhmā, brahmaṇás pate; avoid flattening into monotone.
agni: keep ‘gn’ conjunct crisp (ag-ni), vṛṣabhaḥ: vocalic ṛ is short and centered; final ḥ lightly aspirated, urugāyaḥ: long ā in -gā-, and final ḥ audible, brahmaṇas pate: separate as brah-ma-ṇas pa-te (no English ‘br’ cluster heaviness), puraṃdhyā: nasal ‘ṃ’ before ‘dh’ as light anusvāra; dh is aspirated
Bright, steady, slightly rising energy; end each pāda with a soft settling.
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