Rig Veda 6.1.4: Mandala 6, Sukta 1, Mantra 4
Sukta 6.1
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja Bārhaspatya
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
पदं देवस्य नमसा व्यन्तः श्रवस्यवः श्रव आपन्नमृक्तम् । नामानि चिद्दधिरे यज्ञियानि भद्रायां ते रणयन्त संदृष्टौ ॥
padáṃ devásya námasā vyántaḥ śravasyávaḥ śráva ā́pann amṛ́ktam | nā́māni cid dadhire yajñíyāni bhadrā́yāṃ te raṇayanta sám-dṛṣṭau ||
नमसा ते देवस्य पदं व्यन्तः श्रवस्यवः श्रव आपन्नमृक्तम्। नामानि चिद्दधिरे यज्ञियानि भद्रायां ते रणयन्त संदृष्टौ॥
Word by Word
- पदम्
- step; footprint; track; placeNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा एकवचनRole KarmaRoot पद (प्रातिपदिक) < √पद्/पद (गत्यर्थ) (निरुक्त-सम्बन्ध) अथवा पद-शब्दः
- देवस्य
- of the god (Agni)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचनRole Sambandha (Genitive)Root देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- नमसा
- with reverence; by homageNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- वि
- apart; forth; distinctlyIndeclinableउपसर्गRoot वि (उपसर्ग)
- अन्तः
- within; insideIndeclinableअव्यय (स्थान/दिशा)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot अन्तः (अव्यय)
- श्रवस्यवः
- fame-seeking (men); glory-seekersAdjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचनRole KartāRoot श्रवस्यु (प्रातिपदिक; desiderative/possessive adj. from श्रवस् ‘fame’)
- श्रवः
- fame; gloryNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot श्रवस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- आपन्
- they attained; they reachedVerbलुङ् (अorist), परस्मैपद, 3 पुरुष, बहुवचनRoot √आप् (आप्नुते) ‘to reach, obtain’
- अमृक्तम्
- unimpaired; unassailed; unblemishedAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (श्रवः-विशेषण)Role Karma (as qualifier)Root अमृक्त (कृदन्त/विशेषण; a- + √मृज् ‘to wipe/clean’ → ‘unwiped, uninjured’; RV usage: ‘unharmed, unassailed, unblemished’)
- नामानि
- namesNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- चित्
- even; indeedIndeclinableनिपात (emphatic)Root चित् (अव्यय/निपात)
- दधिरे
- they have placed; they establishedVerbलिट् (perfect), आत्मनेपद, 3 पुरुष, बहुवचनRoot √धा (दधाति) ‘to place, set’
- यज्ञियानि
- worthy of sacrifice; sacredAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया बहुवचन (नामानि-विशेषण)Role Karma (as qualifier)Root यज्ञिय (प्रातिपदिक; from यज्ञ ‘sacrifice’)
- भद्रायाम्
- in the auspicious (state/place)Noun/Adjective (f.)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot भद्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
- ते
- of you; yourPronounषष्ठी एकवचन (enclitic)Role Sambandha (Genitive)Root त्वद् (युष्मद्-प्रातिपदिक)
- रणयन्त
- they delighted; they made (it) rejoiceVerbलङ् (imperfect), परस्मैपद, 3 पुरुष, बहुवचनRoot √रण्/√रणय् (causative sense ‘to gladden, delight, make rejoice’; RV usage)
- संदृष्टौ
- in the meeting of sights; in the encounter/visionNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचन (Vedic loc. ending -औ)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot संदृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक; सम्- + √दृश् ‘to see’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदं दे॒वस्य → पदम् + देवस्य (m̐ before d)
- नमसा व्यन्तः → नमसा + वि + अन्तः (वि-उपसर्गः पृथक्; ‘व्यन्तः’ = वि अन्तः)
- श्रव॒स्यव॒: श्रव॑ → श्रवस्यवः + श्रवः
- आप॒न्नमृ॑क्तम् → आपन् + अमृक्तम्
- चिद्दधिरे → चित् + दधिरे (त् + द → द्द)
- य॒ज्ञिया॑नि → यज्ञियानि
- भ॒द्रायां॑ ते → भद्रायाम् + ते
- रणयन्त॒ संदृ॑ष्टौ → रणयन्त + संदृष्टौ
The meaning
Outer meaning
By reverent homage the seekers discover the “step/footing” of the god Agni; aspiring for glory they attain an undiminishing fame. They establish the sacred Names fit for sacrifice; in Agni’s auspicious vision they rejoice.
Inner meaning
Through surrender (namasā) the inner aspirants find Agni’s “pada”—the stable station of the Divine Will in consciousness. Seeking śravas (true soul-hearing, inspired renown), they win an “unbroken” continuity of inner realization (amṛktam). They “set in place the yajñiyāni nāmāni”: they organize and fix the right soul-vibrations—mantric powers and true recognitions of the Divine—so the inner sacrifice becomes orderly and effective. In Agni’s bhadrā saṃdṛṣṭi (benign, luminous seeing) the being delights: joy arises when the psychic vision aligns life with the divine intention.
Universal truth
When aspiration is joined with humility, the guiding flame in us reveals a sure foothold. Right naming (clear discernment and truthful invocation) stabilizes practice, and sustained joy becomes a sign of alignment with a higher vision.
Themes
Finding the divine station, Power of names, Auspicious vision, Unbroken fame
The seer
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja Bārhaspatya
- Lineage
- Bharadvāja (Bārhaspatya lineage)
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 6.1, Rig Veda 6.2, Rig Veda 6.3, Rig Veda 6.4, Rig Veda 6.16
Family tradition
The Bharadvājas are a major Rigvedic seer-family strongly associated with Agni, right sacrifice, and the practical yoga of aspiration and illumination; Bārhaspatya indicates the Brihaspati-connection (inspired word, brahman).
Significance
Bharadvāja’s vision often emphasizes the disciplined establishment of the inner yajña: clear invocation, right ordering of energies, and the discovery of stable stations (padāni) of consciousness through Agni.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- deva, hotā, pāvaka, yajata, rājantam
- Related deities
- Indra, Soma, Bṛhaspati, Uṣas
Cosmic role
Mediator between human and divine; carrier of offerings; awakener of the gods/powers; establisher of ṛta in the sacrifice.
Inner power
Divine Will and conscious Force that organizes the inner sacrifice, reveals the true ‘names’ (essential recognitions), and grants auspicious vision.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agnihotra / general Agni-invocation at the opening of a soma-yajña sequence
प॒दं दे॒वस्य॒ नम॑सा॒ व्यन्त॑: श्रव॒स्यव॒: श्रव॑ आप॒न्नमृ॑क्तम् । नामा॑नि चिद्दधिरे य॒ज्ञिया॑नि भ॒द्रायां॑ ते रणयन्त॒ संदृ॑ष्टौ ॥
प॒दम् । दे॒वस्य॑ । नम॑सा । व्यन्तः॑ । श्र॒व॒स्यवः॑ । श्रवः॑ । आ॒प॒न् । अमृ॑क्तम् । नामा॑नि । चि॒त् । द॒धि॒रे॒ । य॒ज्ञिया॑नि । भ॒द्राया॑म् । ते॒ । र॒ण॒य॒न्त॒ । सम्ऽदृ॑ष्टौ ॥
padam | devasya | namasā | vyantaḥ | śravasyavaḥ | śravaḥ | āpan | amṛktam | nāmāni | cit | dadhire | yajñiyāni | bhadrāyām | te | raṇayanta | sam-dṛṣṭau
44
4 pādas of ~11 syllables each
Firm, forward-driving cadence suited to proclamation and ascent.
Creates a steady inner march: humility → discovery → establishment → rejoicing; supports concentration and uplift.
- पदम् (padam)
- Literal: step, foot, station. Symbolic: stable plane/foothold of realization; a fixed inner seat of the divine force
- देवस्य (devasya)
- Literal: of the god. Symbolic: of the luminous Power (here Agni as divine Will)
- नमसा (namasā)
- Literal: by homage, bowing. Symbolic: surrender of ego; consenting receptivity
- श्रवः (śravaḥ)
- Literal: fame, glory; hearing. Symbolic: inspired soul-hearing; true renown as spiritual luminosity
- अमृक्तम् (amṛktam)
- Literal: uninjured, unbroken, unassailed. Symbolic: continuous realization not cut by doubt/tamas
- नामा॑नि (nāmāni)
- Literal: names. Symbolic: mantric powers; true discernments/forms of the Divine
- यज्ञिया॑नि (yajñiyāni)
- Literal: fit for sacrifice. Symbolic: forces/ideas that can be offered and transmuted in yoga
- भ॒द्राया॑म् ... संदृ॑ष्टौ (bhadrāyām ... saṃdṛṣṭau)
- Literal: in the auspicious vision. Symbolic: benign inner seeing; psychic approval and clarity
Mantric affirmation of ‘padam’ and ‘nāman’ in the rite: supports correct invocation and establishment of the deity’s station; used where the efficacy of names and praise (śravas) is foregrounded.
At the kindling/praise of Agni, especially to affirm right approach (namas) and successful establishment of the rite.
Recitation during offering to Agni; mentally ‘placing’ the sacred names and intentions in the fire.
Use as a pre-meditation invocation: bow inwardly, recall the ‘true name’ of the practice (intention), and sit in the auspicious seeing.
padá ‘step/station’ is a key Vedic term for a plane of consciousness; √nam ‘bow’ → namasā; √śru ‘hear’ → śrávas ‘glory’ (that which is heard/celebrated); √dhā ‘set, place’ → dadhire; sam-dṛṣṭi ‘conjoined seeing’ suggests integral vision. Inner sense: homage aligns the being to the god’s ‘station’; true ‘fame’ becomes the stable resonance of realized consciousness; ‘names’ are mantric power-forms established in the rite.
Padam (plane/step of consciousness), Śravas (glory as enduring resonance), Nāman (name as power-form), Sam-dṛṣṭi (integral vision)
Finding Agni’s ‘pada’ implies entry into a stable order of consciousness where the sacrifice proceeds by ṛta.
‘Names fit for sacrifice’ suggest satya-vāc: true naming/true speech as a power that founds realization.
Ordering by naming: manifestation becomes stable when the right forms (nāma-rūpa) are aligned with the divine intention.
Proto-Vedāntic/Upaniṣadic resonance: truth as right seeing and right naming; yoga of inner sacrifice (Aurobindo’s psychological interpretation).
dawn or early kindling-time (symbolically the awakening of practice)
Fire = will; step = stable level of consciousness; auspicious vision = illumined mind/psychic sight.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The discovery of the deity’s ‘padam’ (station/step) through homage and the establishment of sacred ‘names’—a mythic pattern of attaining the divine plane and fixing the mantric forms that make communion stable and repeatable.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- padá- is cognate with PIE *ped- ‘foot’ (Latin pēs, English foot via different root but Germanic *fōt-; Greek poús). śrávas from √śru ties to PIE *ḱleu- ‘hear’ (Greek kléos ‘fame’ is a close functional cognate to śrávas). √dhā ‘put’ is PIE *dʰeh₁- (Greek títhēmi, Latin facere is different; but ‘do/put’ set is ancient).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi emphasizes that right relation (namas) opens access to Agni’s station (padam) and to auspicious integral vision (sam-dṛṣṭi). The devatā reciprocates by granting stable śravas (unbroken glory) and by making the established names effective in consciousness and rite.
Surrender to the inner Flame; discover a stable ‘seat’ of will in the heart and organize the practice by clear intention (true naming).
Anāhata (heart-fire/psychic)
Gentle nāḍī-śodhana or slow equal breathing (sama-vṛtti) while repeating key words: namasā, padam, bhadrā saṃdṛṣṭi.
Collected, receptive, quietly luminous (psychic poise).
Begin with an inner bow; feel Agni as a steady flame in the chest; let one clear intention-name arise; sit a few minutes in ‘auspicious seeing’—a benevolent clarity without strain.
Use the Rigvedic accent as marked: observe udatta on accented syllables, anudatta as low, svarita as falling; keep pāda breaks clear.
Chant by pādas (11-syllable units); slightly lift on udatta-marked syllables (e.g., namásā, vyántaḥ), let svarita fall gently without elongating excessively.
पदम् (padam): short a, dental d, देवस्य (devasya): clear va, not ‘wa’, श्रवस्यवः (śravasyavaḥ): keep śra- crisp; final ḥ audible but light, अमृक्तम् (amṛktam): vocalic ṛ as brief ‘ri’, संदृष्टौ (saṃdṛṣṭau): anusvāra before d = nasalization; ṣṭ as retroflex cluster
Warm, steady, devotional; avoid harshness—aim for ‘auspicious seeing’ in tone.
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