Rig Veda 6.2.1: Mandala 6, Sukta 2, Mantra 1
Sukta 6.2
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja Bārhaspatya
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Gāyatrī
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
त्वं हि क्षैतवद्यशोऽग्ने मित्रो न पत्यसे । त्वं विचर्षणे श्रवो वसो पुष्टिं न पुष्यसि ॥
tváṃ hí kṣáitavád yáśo 'gne mitró ná pátyase | tváṃ vícarṣaṇe śrávo vaso púṣṭiṃ ná púṣyasi ||
त्वं हि क्षैतवद्यशोऽग्ने मित्रो न पत्यसे। त्वं विचर्षणे श्रवो वसो पुष्टिं न पुष्यसि॥
Word by Word
- त्वम्
- youPronounपुं/स्त्री/नपुं; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- हि
- indeed, forIndeclinableनिपात (अव्यय)Root हि (निपात)
- क्षैतवत्
- possessing dominion/settled powerAdjectiveनपुंसक; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचन (अव्ययवत्-प्रयोगः: ‘as one possessing …’)Role विशेषण (यशः-विशेषणम्)Root क्षैति (धातु √क्षि/क्षै ‘to dwell, rule’) → क्षैत (कृदन्त/विशेषण-आधार) + वत्
- यशः
- fame, gloryNounनपुंसक; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot यशस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- अग्ने
- O AgniNounपुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन; एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- मित्रः
- Mitra (the god), a friendNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृ (उपमान-वाक्ये) / उपमानRoot मित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- न
- like, asIndeclinableउपमानार्थक-अव्ययRoot न (निपात)
- पत्यसे
- you rule, you are lordVerbलट् (वर्तमान); मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचन; आत्मनेपदRole क्रियाRoot √पत्/पत्य (पत् ‘to be master/lord’) → पत्य (आत्मनेपद)
- त्वम्
- youPronounप्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- विचर्षणे
- O far-seeing oneAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन; एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot वि-चर्षणि (प्रातिपदिक; ‘widely-seeing/active among men’)
- श्रवः
- renown, fameNounनपुंसक; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot श्रवस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- वसो
- O Vasu (good one/wealth-giver)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन; एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot वसु (प्रातिपदिक)
- पुष्टिम्
- nourishment, prosperityNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot पुष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
- न
- like, asIndeclinableउपमानार्थक-अव्ययRoot न (निपात)
- पुष्यसि
- you cause to prosper, you nourishVerbलट् (वर्तमान); मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot √पुष् (to thrive, make prosper)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: त्वम् हि क्षैतवत् यशः अग्ने मित्रः न पत्यसे । त्वम् विचर्षणे श्रवः वसो पुष्टिम् न पुष्यसि ॥ 1) यशोऽग्ने = यशः + अग्ने (विसर्ग-सन्धि: अ-आदौ ‘ऽ’). 2) अन्यत्र स्पष्ट-सन्धि विशेषः न
- ‘मित्रो’ इति संहितापाठे मित्रः + न (विसर्गः ओकारादेशः) सम्भवः, परन्तु पदपाठानुसारं ‘मित्रः न’ इति ग्रहणम्।
The meaning
Outer meaning
Agni is praised as a friendly lord over a settled realm of splendour; he governs fame/glory and increases wealth, nourishment, and “hearing” (renown).
Inner meaning
Agni as the awakened Divine Will becomes the “Mitra-like” harmoniser in the established field of the being (kṣetra). When the will is made luminous and friendly (not violent or ego-driven), it rules the inner kingdom by right order, increasing śravas (the capacity to hear/receive the higher Word and intuition) and puṣṭi (substantial inner plenitude—strength, stability, right enjoyment).
Universal truth
When the guiding flame of aspiration is made steady and benevolent, it becomes the true governor of life: it expands receptivity to truth and builds enduring abundance from within, as naturally as nourishment fosters growth.
Themes
Agni as ruler, friendship and order, increase of nourishment, inner prosperity
The seer
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja Bārhaspatya
- Lineage
- Bharadvāja
- Other hymns
- RV 6.1, RV 6.2, RV 6.3, RV 6.16, RV 6.45
Family tradition
Bharadvāja lineage noted for Agni-Bṛhaspati inspired hymns: clarity of thought (dhī), right speech, and disciplined inner yajña.
Significance
Bharadvāja’s vision often presents Agni as the organiser of the inner rite—establishing order (ṛta) in the human field and opening the hearing to the higher inspiration.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- vicarṣaṇi (wide-seeing), mitro na (like Mitra), vasu (giver of riches), sudānu (generous)
- Related deities
- Mitra, Bṛhaspati, Indra, Soma, Uṣas
Cosmic role
Mediator between human and divine worlds; carrier of offerings; awakener of light and order in the worlds.
Inner power
The flame of conscious will that governs the being, harmonises impulses, and increases receptivity (śravas) and plenitude (puṣṭi).
In ritual
Where it is used
Agnihotra / daily fire-offering; also opening invocations in Soma-yajña sequences
त्वं हि क्षैत॑व॒द्यशोऽग्ने॑ मि॒त्रो न पत्य॑से । त्वं वि॑चर्षणे॒ श्रवो॒ वसो॑ पु॒ष्टिं न पु॑ष्यसि ॥
त्वम् । हि । क्षैत॑ऽवत् । यशः॑ । अग्ने॑ । मि॒त्रः । न । पत्य॑से । त्वम् । वि॒ऽच॒र्ष॒णे॒ । श्रवः॑ । वसो॒ इति॑ । पु॒ष्टिम् । न । पु॒ष्य॒सि॒ ॥
tvam | hi | kṣaita-vat | yaśaḥ | agne | mitraḥ | na | patyase | tvam | vi-carṣaṇe | śravaḥ | vaso iti | puṣṭim | na | puṣyasi
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3 pādas × 8 syllables (gāyatrī cadence)
Compact, swift, directive; suited to clear invocation and inner resolve.
Builds focused aspiration; the short pādas aid concentration and repeated japa-like absorption.
- अग्नि (Agni)
- Literal: fire. Symbolic: divine will, priest of the inner sacrifice, transformative aspiration
- क्षैतवत् (kṣaitavat)
- Literal: possessing a settled domain/field. Symbolic: established inner territory—stabilised life-field for spiritual government
- यशस् (yaśas)
- Literal: splendour, fame. Symbolic: luminous power/inner glory that radiates from truth-lived consciousness
- मित्रः (mitraḥ)
- Literal: friend; deity Mitra. Symbolic: harmonising power, right relation, benevolent governance
- विचर्षणि (vicarṣaṇi)
- Literal: wide-seeing. Symbolic: all-surveying discernment of the awakened will
- श्रवस् (śravas)
- Literal: hearing; renown. Symbolic: inner audition of the higher Word; receptivity to inspiration/mantric truth
- वसु (vasu)
- Literal: good, wealth. Symbolic: essential riches—energies, capacities, luminous possessions of the soul
- पुष्टि (puṣṭi)
- Literal: nourishment, increase. Symbolic: inner fullness, integrated strength and well-being
Agni-stotra usable in daily fire rites; emphasizes Agni as lordly yet friendly power who increases śravas and puṣṭi (inner growth and outer prosperity).
At kindling and establishing the altar-fire; at the start of recitation to ‘seat’ Agni in the rite
Ignition (samidh), offering (āhuti), praise (stuti) to establish auspicious governance
Use as a morning ignition mantra for setting inner order: ‘let the will govern kindly; let hearing and fullness increase’.
patyase from √pat 'be master' (PIE *pótis 'lord' cf. Greek pósis). kṣaita-vat from √kṣi/√kṣī 'dwell, inhabit' (kṣeti) → domain/settlement; inner: stabilized field of being. puṣ from √puṣ 'nourish, prosper' (PIE *peh₂- 'protect, feed' often linked). Mitra invoked as relational harmony; Agni 'like Mitra' indicates governance through friendliness/right order rather than coercion.
Mitraic harmony (right relation), nourishment/growth (puṣṭi), śravas as inspired receptivity
Agni as the enforcer of right arrangement in the ‘settled domain’ of the being.
Yaśas as radiance of truth when the will is aligned.
Increase (puṣṭi) as manifestation of ordered force; inner ‘wealth’ as result of right ignition.
Vedic yoga of aspiration (Aurobindo’s psychological interpretation); proto-Vedānta theme of inner plenitude through truth-alignment.
morning
The hearth-fire becomes the steady flame in the heart-mind that rules the life-field and grows inner substance and receptivity.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Agni as the household/cosmic lord who rules like Mitra—through harmony—while increasing thriving and glory. Innerly, the will-fire becomes the friendly sovereign that stabilizes the inner realm and fosters growth.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- patyase reflects PIE *pótis 'lord'. The semantic cluster of dwelling/domain (kṣeti) parallels inherited Indo-European sacral domesticity, where fire is center of the settled space and its order.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi relates to Agni as to a benevolent ruler: Agni governs the field of life and, reciprocally to worship, increases śravas and puṣṭi—inner receptivity and growth—rather than merely granting external goods.
Establish Agni as the friendly governor of the inner kingdom; cultivate receptive ‘hearing’ to intuition.
anahata (heart-fire)
gentle nāḍī-śodhana or 4-4-6 breathing before chanting
collected, steady aspiration; receptive listening awareness
Chant, then sit 3–5 minutes sensing a warm, benevolent flame in the heart; inwardly offer one impulse or worry into it; listen for the ‘next right movement’ rather than forcing action.
General Ṛgvedic recitation uses udatta/anudatta/svarita; exact svaras depend on the śākhā notation (not provided).
Keep clear stress on vocatives and key nouns: Ágne, vicarṣáṇe, śrávaḥ, púṣṭim; avoid flattening the three pādas.
kṣai- in kṣaitavat: cluster kṣ pronounced cleanly (not ‘kh’)., vicarṣaṇe: ‘carṣ’ with retroflex ṣ., śravas: śa-palatal ‘ś’, not dental ‘s’., puṣṭim: retroflex ṣṭ cluster; keep ‘iṃ’ nasalized lightly.
steady, warm, slightly bright; end each pāda with a soft release
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