Rig Veda 10.2.3: Mandala 10, Sukta 2, Mantra 3
Sukta 10.2
- Devata
- Agni
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
आ देवानामपि पन्थामगन्म यच्छक्नवाम तदनु प्रवोळ्हुम् । अग्निर्विद्वान्त्स यजात्सेदु होता सो अध्वरान्त्स ऋतून्कल्पयाति ॥
ā́ devā́nām ápi pánthām aganma yác chaknávāma tád ánu prá-voḷhum | agnír vidvā́nt sá yajā́t séd u hótā sá adhvarā́nt sá ṛtū́n kálpayāti ||
நாம் தேவர்களின் பாதையை அடைந்தோம்—நாம் இயன்ற அளவு அதனைப் பின்பற்றி முன்னே எடுத்துச் செல்ல. அறிந்த அக்னி யஜிக்கட்டும்; அவனே ஹோத்ரு—அவனே அத்வர (யாகச் செயல்) மற்றும் ருதுக்களை ஒழுங்காக அமைக்கிறான்.
Word by Word
- आ
- towards; hitherIndeclinableउपसर्ग/निपातRoot आ (उपसर्ग) / ā (preverb)
- देवानाम्
- of the godsNounपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive relation)Root देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- अपि
- also; evenIndeclinableनिपातRoot अपि (निपात)
- पन्थाम्
- pathNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot पन्था/पथिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- अगन्म
- we went; we reachedVerbलुङ् (aorist); उत्तमपुरुष; बहुवचन; परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot गम् (धातु)
- यत्
- so that; what/that whichIndeclinable (relative pronoun used as clause-linker)सम्बन्धक (relative) — here introducing a relative clauseRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- शक्नवाम
- we might be ableVerbविधिलिङ्/सम्भावनार्थ (optative); उत्तमपुरुष; बहुवचन; परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot शक् (धातु)
- तत्
- thatPronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अनु
- after; alongIndeclinableअव्यय (direction/sequence)Root अनु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- प्र
- forth; forwardIndeclinableउपसर्गRoot प्र (उपसर्ग)
- वोळ्हुम्
- to carry/lead forwardVerb (infinitive)तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive); कर्मप्रवचनार्थेRole प्रयोजन/उद्देश्य (purpose of शक्नवाम)Root वह् (धातु) → वोढुम्/वोळ्हुम् (Vedic infinitive)
- अग्निः
- AgniNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- विद्वान्
- knowing; wiseAdjective (participial)कृत्: क्वसुँ (perfect active participle); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृ-विशेषणRoot विद् (धातु) → विद्वस् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- यजात्
- let him sacrifice; may he worshipVerbलोट् (imperative, Vedic injunctive/imperative usage); मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot यज् (धातु)
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- इदु
- indeed; justIndeclinableनिपात (emphatic/asseverative)Root इद्/इदु (निपात, Vedic)
- होता
- Hotṛ-priest; invokerNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृ (apposition to अग्निः)Root होतृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अध्वरान्
- sacrificial ritesNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot अध्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- ऋतून्
- seasons; proper timesNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot ऋतु (प्रातिपदिक)
- कल्पयाति
- sets in order; arrangesVerbलट् (present); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिच् (causative)Role क्रियाRoot कॢप्/कल्प् (धातु) → कल्पयति (causative)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (major): दे॒वाना॒मपि → देवानाम् + अपि
- पन्था॑मगन्म → पन्थाम् + अगन्म
- यच्छ॒क्नवा॑म → यत् + शक्नवाम
- तदनु → तत् + अनु
- प्रवो॑ळ्हुम् → प्र + वोळ्हुम् (Vedic infinitive of √वह्)
- अग्निर्वि॒द्वान्त्स → अग्निः + विद्वान् + सः
- य॑जा॒त्सेदु॒ → यजात् + सः + इदु
- होतासो → होता + सः
- अध्व॒रान्त्स → अध्वरान् + सः
- ऋ॒तून्क॑ल्पयाति → ऋतून् + कल्पयाति. Accent marks in the Saṃhitā text are retained in citation but pada-forms are given without accent marks here
The meaning
Outer meaning
We have come upon the path of the gods, as far as we are able to follow and carry it forward. Agni, who knows, should sacrifice; he indeed is the Hotṛ—he sets in order the rites and the right seasons.
Inner meaning
The seekers declare they have found the ‘path of the gods’—the way of higher consciousness—but can advance it only to the extent of their present capacity. Therefore they rely on Agni the Knower: the inner will guided by knowledge/intuition that can perform the true yajña. Agni as Hotṛ organizes the adhvaras (movements/operations of sacrifice) and the ṛtus (right times): he gives structure to practice, aligning effort with inner rhythm so the path can be steadily ‘carried forward’ beyond personal limitation.
Universal truth
Human effort reaches a limit; progress becomes secure when an inner divine guidance organizes our practice into right steps and right timing, transforming aspiration into a sustained path.
Themes
devayāna path, Agni as arranger, human limitation and divine knowledge
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 10.2.1-2 (right timing and priestly functions)
Significance
The seer speaks as a collective aspirant (‘we’), highlighting a universal yogic confession: we can only go so far; the inner Fire must take over as knower and organizer.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- Vidvān (knower), Hotā (Hotṛ)
- Related deities
- Ṛta (order), Viśve Devāḥ
Cosmic role
Guide of the divine path; organizer of sacrifice and cosmic timings.
Inner power
Practical spiritual intelligence: the will that knows how to proceed step by step and keeps the rhythm of growth.
In ritual
Where it is used
Guidance/affirmation verse within a rite: acknowledging the path and asking Agni to officiate correctly
आ दे॒वाना॒मपि॒ पन्था॑मगन्म॒ यच्छ॒क्नवा॑म॒ तदनु॒ प्रवो॑ळ्हुम् । अ॒ग्निर्वि॒द्वान्त्स य॑जा॒त्सेदु॒ होता॒ सो अ॑ध्व॒रान्त्स ऋ॒तून्क॑ल्पयाति ॥
आ । दे॒वाना॑म् । अपि॑ । पन्था॑म् । अ॒ग॒न्म॒ । यत् । श॒क्नवा॑म । तत् । अनु॑ । प्रऽवो॑ळ्हुम् । अ॒ग्निः । वि॒द्वान् । सः । य॒ज॒त् । सः । इत् । ऊँ॒ इति॑ । होता॑ । सः । अ॒ध्व॒रान् । सः । ऋ॒तून् । क॒ल्प॒याति ॥
ā | devānām | api | panthām | aganma | yat | śaknavāma | tat | anu | pra-voḷhum | agniḥ | vidvān | saḥ | yajat | saḥ | it | oṃ iti | hotā | saḥ | adhvarān | saḥ | ṛtūn | kalpayāti
44
4 pādas (approx. 11 syllables each)
Progressive, journey-like movement in first half; settling, organizing cadence in second.
Encourages humility and perseverance; gives a felt sense of being guided into orderly steps.
- देवानाम् पन्थाम् (devānām panthām)
- Literal: path of the gods. Symbolic: route to higher consciousness; the evolutionary way of light
- यच्छक्नवाम (yac chaknavāma)
- Literal: as we are able. Symbolic: acknowledgment of limited capacity; need for inner guidance
- अनु प्रवोळ्हुम् (anu pravoḻhum)
- Literal: to carry forward following after. Symbolic: to continue the path through sustained practice and transmission into life
- अग्निः विद्वान् (agniḥ vidvān)
- Literal: Agni the knower. Symbolic: illumined will that knows the right movement
- होता (hotā)
- Literal: Hotṛ priest. Symbolic: invoking/organizing power that offers the being
- अध्वरान् (adhvarān)
- Literal: sacrifices/rites. Symbolic: inner operations of transformation; disciplined actions
- ऋतून् (ṛtūn)
- Literal: seasons. Symbolic: right times/phases of the yoga
Self-positioning of sacrificers on the ‘path of the gods’; then entrusting Agni to arrange rite and timing—programmatic for the start of a sacrificial sequence.
When establishing correct sequence and timing in the sacrifice; also apt at moments of transition or uncertainty in the rite.
Recitation to entrust the rite to Agni’s knowledge and to align with ṛtu/ṛta.
A mantra for practitioners who feel stuck: acknowledge limits, then hand the process to the ‘knowing will’—let practice become orderly rather than strained.
Key terms: (1) panthā ‘path’ (PIE *pent- ‘path’; cf. Eng. find? more securely Gk. póntos ‘sea path’ debated; Indo-Iranian panthā is standard). (2) √śak ‘be able’ (PIE *sek- ‘be strong/able’). (3) √kḷp ‘arrange, make fit’ (cf. kalpa ‘order, fitness’). (4) pra-voḷhum reflects pra + carrying verb (variant of √vah), emphasizing forward conveyance of the rite/path.
path of the gods (devayāna as inner ascent), order/fitness (kalpa), Ṛta as rhythmic arrangement (ṛtūn)
Agni ‘sets in order’ adhvara and ṛtu—ṛta as the very structure of spiritual progress.
Truth is a path discovered and progressively embodied; honesty about capacity is part of satya.
Evolutionary journey: discovering a divine path and advancing it through ordered discipline.
Integral yoga reading: the divine within leads the sādhanā when ego-effort is limited.
All seasons (ṛtu as cyclic time)
Path = progressive ascent/descent of consciousness; seasons = phases of growth; fire = guiding will/aspiration that orders the journey.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘path of the gods’ discovered and followed by humans, but completed and ordered by Agni. Mythically, humans reach the threshold; the divine Fire—knower and Hotṛ—makes the journey effective by arranging rite and season. Psychologically, effort initiates; higher consciousness organizes.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- panthā ‘path’ and √gam ‘go’ are archaic Indo-European journey lexemes. The combination of ‘follow’ (anu) and ‘carry forward’ (pra-voḷhum) matches inherited poetic formulas of transmission along a way.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The Rishi admits partial human capacity (‘as far as we are able’), then yields authority to Agni’s knowledge. The reciprocity is pedagogic: human striving opens the way; Agni’s wisdom perfects the ordering (kalpa) that aligns action with ṛta.
Surrender the process to the ‘Agni vidvān’—the knowing will—and ask it to order your practice into right steps and right timing.
Walking-breath meditation (even indoors): coordinate steps with breath to embody ‘path’; then sit and feel the inner fire organizing the mind.
Humble receptivity, guided steadiness.
When confused, stop forcing. Admit ‘as far as I can’. Then invoke the inner Fire to arrange priorities: one clear step, one right time, one offering at a time.
Rigvedic accents per śākhā; keep clear pitch movement on ‘devānām’ and ‘agnir vidvān’.
Mark the journey pause after the first half; give weight to ‘agnir vidvān’ as the turning point; articulate ‘kalpayāti’ with a settling cadence.
panthām: nasalized ā̃ (ā + anusvāra) lightly, pravoḻhum: keep retroflex ḻ/ḷ-like sound as given; avoid simplifying to plain ‘l’ if trained, adhvarān: aspirated ‘dhv’ cluster careful, no extra vowel insertion, kalpayāti: clear ‘lp’ cluster
Grounded, reflective, gradually firm on the second half.
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