Rig Veda 2.4.8: Mandala 2, Sukta 4, Mantra 8
Sukta 2.4
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
नू ते पूर्वस्यावसो अधीतौ तृतीये विदथे मन्म शंसि । अस्मे अग्ने संयद्वीरं बृहन्तं क्षुमन्तं वाजं स्वपत्यं रयिं दाः ॥
nū́ te pū́rvasyā́vaso ádhītau tṛtī́ye vidáthe mánma śaṃsi | asmé agne saṃyád-vī́raṃ bṛhántam kṣú-mantaṃ vā́jaṃ svapátyaṃ rayíṃ dāḥ ||
नू ते पूर्वस्यावसो अधीतौ तृतीये विदथे मन्म शंसि। अस्मे अग्ने संयद्वीरं बृहन्तं क्षुमन्तं वाजं स्वपत्यं रयिं दाः॥
Word by Word
- नु
- now, indeedIndeclinableparticle (emphatic/temporal)Root नु
- ते
- of you, yourPronoungenitive singular (enclitic)Role सम्बन्ध (genitive relation)Root त्वद्
- पूर्वस्य
- of the former/earlierAdjective (used substantively)genitive singular masculine/neuterRole सम्बन्धRoot पूर्व
- अवसो
- of help, favor, protectionNoungenitive singular neuter (Vedic form)Role सम्बन्धRoot अवस्
- अधीतौ
- in the recitation/lesson (study)Noun (action/occasion) / Kṛdanta-based formlocative singular feminine (Vedic; ‘in/at the recitation/lesson’)Role अधिकरणRoot अधि + इ (अध्येति) / अधीत
- तृतीये
- in the thirdAdjective (ordinal)locative singular masculine/neuterRole अधिकरणRoot तृतीय
- विदथे
- at the rite/ceremonial assemblyNounlocative singular neuterRole अधिकरणRoot विदथ
- मन्म
- thought, hymn, formulationNounaccusative singular neuterRole कर्मRoot मन्मन्
- शंसि
- you proclaim/praiseVerbpresent indicative, 2nd person singular, parasmaipadaRole (क्रिया)Root शंस्
- अस्मे
- to us, for usPronoundative singular (Vedic; ‘to/for us’)Role सम्प्रदानRoot अस्मद्
- अग्ने
- O AgniNoun (vocative)vocative singular masculineRole सम्बोधनRoot अग्नि
- संयद्वीरम्
- having united/controlled heroes; hero-possessingAdjective (compound)accusative singular masculineRole कर्म (as qualifier of the object given)Root सं-यद् + वीर
- बृहन्तम्
- great, loftyAdjectiveaccusative singular masculineRole कर्म (qualifier)Root बृहन्त्
- क्षुमन्तम्
- abounding in nourishment/prosperityAdjectiveaccusative singular masculineRole कर्म (qualifier)Root क्षुमन्त्
- वाजम्
- prize, strength, (victory-)bootyNounaccusative singular masculineRole कर्मRoot वाज
- स्वपत्यम्
- good lordship/own mastery; good householdershipNoun/Adjectiveaccusative singular neuter/masculine (here as epithet of wealth/prize)Role कर्म (qualifier)Root स्वपत्य
- रयिम्
- wealth, richesNounaccusative singular masculineRole कर्मRoot रयि
- दाः
- giveVerbimperative, 2nd person singular, parasmaipadaRole (क्रिया)Root दा
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (pada-wise): नू→नु (particle). ते पूर्वस्यावसो→ते + पूर्वस्य + अवसो (genitive chain). अधीतौ (loc. sg.) stands as a separate pada. तृतीये विदथे (both locatives). विदथे मन्म शंसि (object mánma in acc. sg.). अस्मे (Vedic dative ‘to us’) + अग्ने (voc.). सं॒यद्वी॑रं treated as compound: सं-यद् + वीर (acc. sg. masc.). Remaining adjectives in acc. sg. masc. qualify the requested gifts
- objects: वाजम्, (स्वपत्यम as epithet), रयिम्
- verb दाः = imperative ‘give’
The meaning
Outer meaning
The seer declares his hymn at the “third” sacrificial session, recalling Agni’s ancient help, and asks Agni to grant a united host of heroes, vastness, shining abundance, victorious force (vāja), good lordship, and wealth (rayi).
Inner meaning
The “ancient help” is the perennial action of the soul’s Fire (Agni) that has led the inner evolution from the beginning. The “third vidatha” suggests a progressive stage in the inner yajña (a further ascent after earlier openings): the seeker now can articulate an inspired manma (formed thought from intuition) and therefore asks Agni for consolidated powers—harmonised energies (saṃyad-vīram) that act together, a widened consciousness (bṛhantam), a luminous substance of being (kṣumantam), and vāja as victorious effective force. svapatya becomes inner sovereignty: the capacity to govern the nature under the soul’s rule. rayi is the plenitude of inner riches—stable spiritual substance, not outer possessions.
Universal truth
Spiritual progress is cumulative: when the inner fire is remembered and re-invoked at each new stage, scattered capacities gather into a unified strength. True prosperity is the integration of power, light, wideness, and self-mastery into a stable inner wealth.
Themes
Agni as inner will, boons: heroes/strength/abundance, inner sovereignty (svapatya), progressive sessions of sacrifice (tṛtīya vidatha)
The seer
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada (Bhārgava)
- Lineage
- Bhṛgu / Bhārgava
- Other hymns
- RV 2.1, RV 2.2, RV 2.3, RV 2.4, RV 2.5, RV 2.6
Family tradition
Bhṛgu-line seers noted for Agni-knowledge and the mastery of mantra as a means of inner transformation; in Sri Aurobindo’s reading, a lineage emphasising the priestly Fire as the awakener of the soul’s ascent.
Significance
Gṛtsamada’s vision often moves from invocation of Agni as outer priest to Agni as inner leader (netṛ) who organizes the powers of the being and brings a luminous, victorious plenitude.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- Hotṛ (inner priest), Netṛ (leader), Kavi (seer-will), Jātavedas (knower of births), Vaiśvānara (universal fire)
- Related deities
- Indra, Soma, Uṣas, Bṛhaspati, Aśvins
Cosmic role
Mediator between human aspiration and divine powers; carrier of offering; awakener of the gods (higher faculties) in the sacrifice.
Inner power
Divine Will and conscious Force that kindles aspiration, purifies nature, gathers scattered energies, and leads the ascent into wideness and light.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agniṣṭoma/Soma-related sessions (general vidatha context); also daily Agnihotra-style Agni praise
नू ते॒ पूर्व॒स्याव॑सो॒ अधी॑तौ तृ॒तीये॑ वि॒दथे॒ मन्म॑ शंसि । अ॒स्मे अ॑ग्ने सं॒यद्वी॑रं बृ॒हन्तं॑ क्षु॒मन्तं॒ वाजं॑ स्वप॒त्यं र॒यिं दा॑: ॥
नु । ते॒ । पूर्व॑स्य । अव॑सः । अधि॑ऽइतौ । तृ॒तीये॑ । वि॒दथे॑ । मन्म॑ । शं॒सि॒ । अ॒स्मे इति॑ । अ॒ग्ने॒ । सं॒यत्ऽवी॑रम् । बृ॒हन्त॑म् । क्षु॒ऽमन्त॑म् । वाज॑म् । सु॒ऽअ॒प॒त्यम् । र॒यिम् । दाः॒ ॥
nu | te | pūrvasya | avasaḥ | adhi-itau | tṛtīye | vidathe | manma | śaṃsi | asme iti | agne | saṃyat-vīram | bṛhantam | kṣu-mantam | vājam | su-apatyam | rayim | dāḥ
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4 pādas of ~11 syllables each
Forward-driving, declarative cadence suited to proclamation and asking for force (vāja).
Builds momentum and confidence; supports a feeling of widening and gathering strength in the listener.
- पूर्वस्य अवसः (pūrvasya avasaḥ)
- Literal: ancient help/aid. Symbolic: the perennial guiding Grace of the inner Fire across the evolutionary journey
- अधीता (adhītau)
- Literal: in the onward course/recitation. Symbolic: a forward movement of consciousness; a step in the inner discipline
- तृतीये विदथे (tṛtīye vidathe)
- Literal: at the third sacred session/assembly. Symbolic: a third stage of the inner yajña—after initial kindling and opening, a further consolidation/ascent
- मन्म (manma)
- Literal: inspired thought/hymn-form. Symbolic: thought shaped by intuition (kavi-vision), not merely mental opinion
- संयद्वीरम् (saṃyad-vīram)
- Literal: a gathered host of heroes. Symbolic: integrated powers of the being (will, mind, life-force) acting in concord
- बृहन्तम् (bṛhantam)
- Literal: vast, great. Symbolic: widening of consciousness beyond narrow ego-limits
- क्षुमन्तम् (kṣumantam)
- Literal: luminous, rich in radiance. Symbolic: substance filled with light—clarity, purity, sattvic illumination
- वाजम् (vājam)
- Literal: prize/strength, victorious force. Symbolic: effective spiritual force that wins the Light and establishes it in action
- स्वपत्यं (svapatyam)
- Literal: good lordship/own mastery. Symbolic: inner sovereignty; governance of nature by the soul’s will aligned with Agni
- रयिम् (rayim)
- Literal: wealth. Symbolic: plenitude of inner being—stable riches of consciousness, force, and delight
Agni-invocation within the Soma-sacrifice sequence; applicable to general Agni-stotra and opening/strengthening of the yajña (Śrauta context, e.g., Agniṣṭoma framework).
At a designated session/pressing or assembly of the rite; also adaptable to morning/evening fire-offerings
Recitation to invoke Agni’s aid and request strength, prosperity, and victorious power for the sacrificer
Use as a mantra of consolidation: before important work or sādhanā, chant to gather energies, widen the mind, and invoke inner sovereignty (svapatya).
Key terms: (1) ávas- ‘help, protection’ from √av ‘to favor, help, protect’; gen. sg. avasaḥ. (2) manma ‘inspired thought/formulation’ related to √man ‘to think, form in mind’; denotes shaped intention/mantric insight. (3) śaṃsi from √śaṃs ‘to proclaim, praise, recite’; performative speech-act. (4) bṛhánt- ‘vast’ from √bṛh ‘to grow, expand’; points to Brihat (the Vast) as a consciousness-category. (5) vā́ja- from √vaj/√vāj ‘to be strong, vigorous; prize/strength’; here read as ‘plenitude of force’ (not mere food). (6) rayí- ‘wealth, abundance’ from √rā ‘to give’/semantic field of ‘bounty’; in inner sense ‘increase of being’. (7) svapátya- su- + páti ‘good lordship’ (pati from √pā ‘to protect, rule’), i.e., rightful mastery.
Bṛhat (the Vast), Rita (ordered movement implied by adhītau and vidatha), Satyam-Ritam-Brihat trajectory (toward truth-order-vastness)
Agni as the enforcer of ṛta organizes the inner sacrifice so powers act in right harmony (saṃyat).
manma as truth-inspired speech; rayi as stable truth-substance in life.
Progressive unfolding through stages (tṛtīya) where the inner fire leads from potential to manifested power.
Proto-Vedāntic and yogic psychology (Aurobindo/Kashyap): faculties as gods; yajña as inner transformation.
Fire = aspiration and will; radiance = illumination; abundance = fullness of consciousness and force integrated into life.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Agni as the leader of the sacrifice who bestows the 'treasures'—heroes (vīra), vāja, rayi—i.e., the consolidation of inner forces and the widening into Brihat. The mythic action is not combat but the ritual-psychological 'gathering' and amplification of powers through successive vidathas (sessions).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- páti (in svapátya) aligns with PIE *pótis ‘lord, master’ (cf. Greek πόσις, Latin potis/potens). bṛhánt- from √bṛh ‘grow’ corresponds to PIE *bʰerǵʰ- ‘rise, high’ (cf. Germanic berg ‘mountain’ via semantic extension in IE branches). śaṃs (proclaim) relates to performative praise-speech, comparable to PIE poetic diction traditions where utterance effects reality.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi offers manma (formulated inspired thought) as an act of alignment; Agni reciprocates by granting integrated capacities—heroic energies, vastness, sustaining abundance, and inner mastery. The exchange models yajña as a two-way circulation: aspiration and articulation from the human side, empowerment and ordering from the divine Fire.
Gather scattered energies into a unified will under the inner Fire; widen the mind and invite luminous effective force (vāja).
Manipura (Agni/will) with expansion toward Anahata (wideness) and Ajna (illumination).
Moderate nāḍī-śodhana for 6–8 rounds, then chant on steady exhalations to feel ‘saṃyat’ (gathering) in the core.
Dynamic collectedness—quiet power rather than passive calm.
Before chanting, recall one ‘ancient help’ moment (grace previously received). While chanting, feel a flame in the navel rising to the heart; end by sitting 2–3 minutes, offering the day’s actions into that flame for svapatya (inner governance).
Vedic svara as per Śākala tradition: udatta peaks typically on accented syllables marked in Saṃhitā; anudatta preceding; svarita as falling tone—follow the pada/saṃhitā marks in a trained recitation.
Keep clear rise on marked udātta (e.g., te, pū́rvasya, tṛtī́ye, agné); do not over-musicalize—let triṣṭubh remain speech-like and forceful.
नू (nū) long ū; do not shorten, अग्ने (agne) with clear ‘gn’ cluster, संयद्वीरम् (saṃyad-vīram): nasal ‘ṃ’ before ‘y’; split mentally saṃ-yad-vīram, क्षुमन्तम् (kṣumantam): crisp kṣ cluster, वाजं (vājam): long ā, स्वपत्यं (svapatyam): ‘sv’ conjunct; light ‘ty’
Steady, bright, and firm; slight emphasis on request-phrases (agne… dāḥ).
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