Rig Veda 10.69.2: Mandala 10, Sukta 69, Mantra 2
Sukta 10.69
- Rishi
- Vadhryaśva
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Jagatī
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
घृतमग्नेर्वध्र्यश्वस्य वर्धनं घृतमन्नं घृतम्वस्य मेदनम् । घृतेनाहुत उर्विया वि पप्रथे सूर्य इव रोचते सर्पिरासुतिः ॥
ghṛtám agnér vadhry-aśvásya várdhanam ghṛtám ánnaṃ ghṛtám oṃ íti asya bhédanam | ghṛténa ā́huta urviyā́ ví paprathe sū́rya iva rocate sárpir-āsutiḥ ||
நெய் (ஆஜ்யம்) வத்ர்யஶ்வனுக்காக அக்னியின் வளர்ச்சி; நெய்யே அவனுடைய உணவு, நெய்யே அவனுடைய மேதஸ்/ஒளியின் ஊட்டம். நெய்யால் ஆஹுதி பெற்றவன் பரந்த வெளியில் விரிந்து பரவுகிறான்; சூரியனைப் போல ஒளிர்கிறான்—ஸர்பிஸ் (நெய்-ரசம்) பிழிந்து வெளிப்பட்டதாக.
Word by Word
- घृतम्
- ghee, clarified butterNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचनRole KarmaRoot घृत- (प्रातिपदिक)
- अग्नेः
- of AgniNounपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; एकवचनRole Sambandha (Genitive)Root अग्नि- (प्रातिपदिक)
- वध्र्यश्वस्य
- of VadhryaśvaNoun (Proper/epithet)पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; एकवचनRole Sambandha (Genitive)Root वध्र्यश्व- (प्रातिपदिक; यज्ञीय-नाम)
- वर्धनम्
- increase, strengtheningNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचनRole KarmaRoot वर्धन- (प्रातिपदिक; √वृध्)
- घृतम्
- gheeNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचनRole KarmaRoot घृत-
- अन्नम्
- foodNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचनRole KarmaRoot अन्न- (प्रातिपदिक)
- घृतम्
- gheeNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचनRole KarmaRoot घृत-
- वस्य
- of wealth / of the good (thing)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; एकवचन (वैदिक रूप)Role Sambandha (Genitive)Root वस्- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘वसु/वस्’ = wealth/good)
- मेदनम्
- fatness, richness, nourishmentNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचनRole KarmaRoot मेदन- (प्रातिपदिक; √मिद्/√मेद् ‘to be fat/juicy’)
- घृतेन
- with gheeNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया; एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot घृत-
- आहुतः
- offered, oblatedParticiple (verbal adjective)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole Kartā (of ‘वि पप्रथे/रोचते’ as the described subject)Root आ-√हु (धातु) → आहुत (कृदन्त, PPP)
- उर्विया
- with/because of the broad (expanse); widelyNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया; एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot उर्वी- (प्रातिपदिक)
- वि
- apart, forth, widelyIndeclinableउपसर्गRoot वि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- पप्रथे
- has spread out, has expandedVerbलिट् (परिपूर्ण/परफेक्ट); आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचनRole KriyāRoot √प्रथ् (धातु)
- सूर्यः
- the SunNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole Kartā (of रोचते)Root सूर्य- (प्रातिपदिक)
- इव
- like, asIndeclinableउपमा-अव्ययRoot इव (अव्यय)
- रोचते
- shines, is radiantVerbलट्; आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचनRole KriyāRoot √रुच् (धातु)
- सर्पिरासुतिः
- the ghee-libation / ghee-offeringNoun (compound)स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole Kartā (apposition to the shining/spreading subject)Root सर्पिस्- + आसुति- (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: घृतम् | अग्नेः | वध्र्यश्वस्य | वर्धनम् | घृतम् | अन्नम् | घृतम् | वस्य | मेदनम् || घृतेन | आहुतः | उर्विया | वि | पप्रथे | सूर्यः | इव | रोचते | सर्पिरासुतिः || 1) अग्नेर्वध्र्यश्वस्य = अग्नेः + वध्र्यश्वस्य (विसर्ग-लोपः/रेफादेशः)
- 2) घृतम्वस्य = घृतम् + वस्य (म् + व → म्व् संधि)
- 3) घृतेनाहुतः = घृतेन + आहुतः (स्वर-संधि/सवर्णदीर्घः: अ + आ → आ)
- 4) सर्पिरासुतिः = सर्पिस् + आसुतिः (समासे ‘स्’ लोपः, इर्-आगमः; वैदिक-रूप)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Ghṛta (clarified butter/brightness) is said to be Agni’s increase for Vadhryaśva; it is his food and his means of opening/cleaving. When offered with ghṛta, Agni spreads wide and shines like the Sun, as if pressed out into a flowing stream of sap/nectar.
Inner meaning
In Aurobindo–Kashyap symbolism, ghṛta is not merely ghee but the clarified luminosity of an illumined mind (a steady, pure discernment). This “clarity” is the nourishment of Agni, the divine Will in the being; it becomes the very power by which Agni ‘breaks open’ (bhedanam) the inner obstructions and widens consciousness (urviyā vi paprathe). When the will is fed by luminous understanding, it becomes solar—self-revealing, expansive, and capable of releasing the ‘pressed Soma’ (sarpirāsutiḥ): a current of delight/essence that flows through the system as spiritual sweetness and strength.
Universal truth
When aspiration and will are supported by clear insight (not by impulse or confusion), the inner fire grows, widens the field of consciousness, dispels darkness, and releases a natural joy and energy that feels like a sunlit stream within.
Themes
ghṛta symbolism, Agni growth, illumination and expansion, inner offering
The seer
- Rishi
- Vadhryaśva (associated seer in this hymn-cycle)
- Other hymns
- RV 10.69.1, RV 10.69.3, RV 10.69.4, RV 10.69.5, RV 10.69.6
Family tradition
Late Rigvedic Book 10 family-hymn cycle; Vadhryaśva is remembered as a seer whose name (‘firm/unyoked horse’) readily supports an inner reading of mastered vital energy offered to Agni.
Significance
Vadhryaśva functions as the archetype of the practitioner whose vital force is ‘made firm’ and then increased by clarified light; his ‘offering’ is the disciplined energy that allows Agni to widen and become solar.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- Jātavedas (knower of births), Vahni (carrier), Hotṛ (priest), Rocana (shining one, by sense)
- Related deities
- Sūrya, Indra, Soma, Uṣas
Cosmic role
Mediator between human and divine worlds; the power that receives offerings and translates them into growth, protection, and illumination.
Inner power
Psychic fire and effective will: the force that digests experience, purifies motive, breaks resistances, and establishes a luminous wideness.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agnihotra / Agni-offering with ghṛta (ghee oblation)
घृ॒तम॒ग्नेर्व॑ध्र्य॒श्वस्य॒ वर्ध॑नं घृ॒तमन्नं॑ घृ॒तम्व॑स्य॒ मेद॑नम् । घृ॒तेनाहु॑त उर्वि॒या वि प॑प्रथे॒ सूर्य॑ इव रोचते स॒र्पिरा॑सुतिः ॥
घृ॒तम् । अ॒ग्नेः । व॒ध्रि॒ऽअ॒श्वस्य॑ । वर्ध॑नम् । घृ॒तम् । अन्न॑म् । घृ॒तम् । ऊँ॒ इति॑ । अ॒स्य॒ । भेद॑नम् । घृ॒तेन॑ । आऽहु॑तः । उ॒र्वि॒या । वि । प॒प्र॒थे॒ । सूर्यः॑ऽइव । रो॒च॒ते॒ । स॒र्पिःऽआ॑सुतिः ॥
ghṛtam | agneḥ | vadhri-aśvasya | vardhanam | ghṛtam | annam | ghṛtam | oṃ iti | asya | bhedanam | ghṛtena | āhutaḥ | urviyā | vi | paprathe | sūryaḥ-iva | rocate | sarpiḥ-āsutiḥ
48
4 pādas × ~12 syllables (Jagatī cadence)
Broad, forward-flowing, suited to expansion imagery (vi paprathe) and streaming essence (āsuti).
Produces a widening, sunlike lift in the listener; supports visualization of luminous clarity feeding the inner fire.
- घृतम् (ghṛtam)
- Literal: clarified butter; also ‘bright/clarified’. Symbolic: clarified mental light; luminous discernment that feeds the inner fire
- अग्निः (agni)
- Literal: fire. Symbolic: divine Will/aspiration, priest of the inner sacrifice
- वर्धनम् (vardhanam)
- Literal: increase, growth. Symbolic: intensification of will and capacity for transformation
- अन्नम् (annam)
- Literal: food. Symbolic: what sustains sādhanā: steady clarity and right understanding
- भेदनम् (bhedanam)
- Literal: splitting, cleaving, opening. Symbolic: breakthrough of coverings; opening of blocked consciousness
- उर्विया वि पप्रथे (urviyā vi paprathe)
- Literal: expanded widely. Symbolic: widening into a larger, freer awareness
- सूर्य इव रोचते (sūrya iva rocate)
- Literal: shines like the Sun. Symbolic: solar illumination: self-luminous truth-consciousness
- सर्पिरासुतिः (sarpirāsutiḥ)
- Literal: ghee-stream/flowing essence pressed out. Symbolic: a pressed-out current of delight/ojas arising from inner offering
Ghee-offerings to Agni (ājya); emphasizes ghṛta as the essential oblation—apt for daily fire ritual and Soma sequences.
Fire-offerings; also general Agni-stuti in soma and non-soma contexts
Offering ghṛta into the fire while reciting praise to increase Agni’s power and radiance
Use as a pre-meditation invocation: mentally ‘offer’ clarity (steady attention) into the heart-fire before mantra-japa or inquiry.
vardhana from √vṛdh ‘grow’ (PIE *werdh-) indicates increase. bhedana from √bhid ‘split’ (PIE *bheid-) gives a striking inner claim: clarity itself is the ‘splitting power’. paprathe from √prath ‘spread’ (PIE *pleth₂- ‘broad’ often compared) encodes widening consciousness.
ghṛta as clarity of consciousness, expansion (prath) as spiritual wideness, Agni solarized by right offering
Agni fed by ghṛta becomes an agent of ṛta: right seeing powering right force.
‘Sūrya iva rocate’ points to truth as self-luminous revelation.
From clarified light + inner heat arises widening and manifestation of delight (a microcosmic ‘creation’ within the sādhanā).
Vedantic-yogic reading aligned with early Upaniṣadic inner sacrifice (antar-yajña).
morning-to-midday (solar shining emphasis)
Fire = will; ghee = clarified mind; sun = truth-conscious illumination; stream = continuous flow of ananda/ojas released by right offering.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘feeding of Agni with ghṛta’ as the mythic mechanism of illumination: clarity both nourishes and breaks open, causing the inner fire to expand and become sun-like. The sacrifice is the technology of transformation.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √vṛdh (PIE *werdh-) for growth; √bhid (PIE *bheid-) for splitting; √prath (widen/spread) parallels PIE breadth roots. The verse fuses growth + opening + widening into a single inherited semantic field of ‘increase into light’.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The speaker offers not merely substance but a state—clarity (ghṛta). Agni responds by widening and shining: the exchange is psychological and cosmic, where the right inner offering produces a higher luminous functioning.
Offer ‘clarity’ into the heart-fire: let attention become lucid, then feel will-power brighten and widen.
anahata (heart) with support from manipura (transformative fire)
moderate nāḍī-śodhana for 6–8 rounds, then recite on a smooth exhale
Widened, luminous wakefulness; steady aspiration without strain.
Before chanting, recall one area of confusion; ‘clarify’ it with quiet seeing, then inwardly offer that clarity to Agni. During the final pāda, feel a sunlike radiance spreading through the chest and head as a gentle stream of delight.
Follow saṃhitā accents: maintain udatta lift on accented syllables; allow svarita to glide down; keep anudatta low—avoid flattening the repeated ‘ghṛtam’.
Give clear emphasis to repeated ‘घृतम्’; slightly brighten tone on ‘सूर्य इव रोचते’.
: aspirate lightly; keep ṛ short and tapped (ghṛ-taṃ), : long e; visarga lightly before following consonant, : keep v+y glide (ur-vi-yā), : articulate compound as sar-pir-ā-su-tiḥ
bright, steady, ‘solar’ resonance; not harsh
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