Rig Veda 7.3.5: Mandala 7, Sukta 3, Mantra 5
Sukta 7.3
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
तमिद्दोषा तमुषसि यविष्ठमग्निमत्यं न मर्जयन्त नरः । निशिशाना अतिथिमस्य योनौ दीदाय शोचिराहुतस्य वृष्णः ॥
tám íd doṣā́ tám uṣási yáviṣṭham agním átyam na márjayanta náraḥ | ní-śiśānā́ átithim asya yónau dīdā́ya śocír ā́hutasya vṛ́ṣṇaḥ ||
அவனையே இரவில், அவனையே உஷஸில்—அந்த இளைய அக்னியை—மனிதர் குதிரையை மெருகூட்டுவது போல மெருகூட்டுகின்றனர். தன் இருக்கையிலேயே அந்த விருந்தினனைத் தீட்டித் தீட்ட, ஆஹுதி வைக்கப்பட்டவுடன் அந்த வृष்ணன் (வலிமைமிகு) இன் ஜ்வாலை பிரகாசமாக எரிகிறது.
Word by Word
- तम्
- him / that onePronounपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- इत्
- indeed, justIndeclinableनिपातः (अविकारी)Root इत् (निपात)
- दोषा
- nightNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role अधिकरण (काल)Root दोषा (प्रातिपदिक)
- तम्
- himPronounपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- उषसि
- at dawnNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे सप्तमी एकवचनम्Role अधिकरण (काल)Root उषस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- यविष्ठम्
- the youngest, most youthfulAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम् (तम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्मRoot यविष्ठ (अग्नि-विशेषण; यव- ‘युवा/नव’ इत्यर्थे, -इष्ठ सुपरलेटिव)
- अग्निम्
- Agni (fire)Nounपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- अत्यम्
- a steed, a horseNounपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम् (उपमान-रूपेण)Role कर्मRoot अत्य (प्रातिपदिक; ‘अत्य’ = अश्व/घोड़ा)
- न
- like, asIndeclinableउपमार्थक-अव्ययम्Root न (उपमा-निपात)
- मर्जयन्त
- they cleansed, they polishedVerbलङ्/इम्पर्फेक्ट्, परस्मैपदम्, तृतीया पुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Role क्रियाRoot मृज् (धातु)
- नरः
- men, the worshippersNounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot नर (प्रातिपदिक)
- निशिशाना
- sharpening, whetting (themselves/it)Participleकृदन्त-रूपम्; पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम् (नरः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृRoot शा/शि (धातु; ‘शा’ = तीक्ष्णीकरणे/शाणने; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त)
- अतिथिम्
- the guestNounपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot अतिथि (प्रातिपदिक)
- अस्य
- of him, hisPronounपुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्धRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- योनौ
- in the womb; in the seat/originNounपुं/स्त्रीलिङ्गे सप्तमी एकवचनम्Role अधिकरणRoot योनि (प्रातिपदिक)
- दीदाय
- he has shone, he shone forthVerbलिट् (परफेक्ट्), परस्मैपदम्, तृतीया पुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role क्रियाRoot दीदाय (धातु: दी/दीप् ‘दीप्तौ’ इत्यस्य परिपूर्ण/रेडुप्लिकेटेड परफेक्ट्-रूपम्)
- शोचिः
- flame, radianceNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (दीदाय इत्यस्य)Root शोचिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- आहुतस्य
- of the offered (oblation); of him who is invoked/oblatedParticipleपुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी एकवचनम् (शोचिः/अग्नि-सम्बन्धे)Role सम्बन्धRoot आ-हु (धातु) → आहुत (कृदन्त; ‘offered, oblated’)
- वृष्णः
- of the mighty one, of the bull (Agni)Nounपुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्धRoot वृषन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (padapāṭha-style): तमिद् → तम् + इत्
- तमुṣसि → तम् + उषसि. Other forms are already separable as padas. Accent marks in the saṃhitā (e.g., दो॒षा, उ॒षसि॒, यवि॑ष्ठम्, म॑र्जयन्त, नि॒शिशा॑ना, अति॑थिम्, योनौ॑, दी॒दाय॑, शो॒चिः, आहु॑तस्य, वृष्ण॑:) are retained in the source but not re-applied per pada here
The meaning
Outer meaning
At night and at dawn men polish the youngest Agni like a steed. Sharpening the guest in his seat, the flame of the strong one blazes when the offering is placed.
Inner meaning
In both darkness (night) and awakening (dawn), the seeker refines the inner Fire—training the vital force (steed) and making it fit for the journey. Agni as ‘guest’ is the indwelling divine presence that must be honored and prepared in its proper seat (heart/psychic center, and also the disciplined life). When the offering (consecrated energy, attention, surrender) is truly given, the flame of the strong One blazes—showing that inner sincerity, not outer circumstance, makes the Fire luminous.
Universal truth
Spiritual practice is continuous across changing states—difficulty and clarity alike. Refinement and sincerity make the inner presence blaze; the divine responds to true offering.
Themes
Daily sadhana, Purification, Indwelling fire, Renewal
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha-gotra
- Other hymns
- RV 7.1, RV 7.3, RV 7.10, RV 7.16
Family tradition
Vasiṣṭha emphasizes steady discipline and hospitality to the inner divine—maintaining Agni through alternating conditions (night/dawn).
Significance
The seer teaches continuity of sādhanā: polishing the inner instrument so Agni can blaze reliably when the offering is sincere.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- Yaviṣṭha, Atithi (guest), Vṛṣan (strong)
- Related deities
- Uṣas, Soma, Indra
Cosmic role
Ever-young priest and purifier; receives offerings and makes them effective; sustains the sacrificial rhythm through time (night/dawn).
Inner power
Power of purification and renewal; the indwelling flame that responds to consecration.
In ritual
Where it is used
Daily tending of the sacred fire; evening-morning offerings (Agnihotra)
तमिद्दो॒षा तमु॒षसि॒ यवि॑ष्ठम॒ग्निमत्यं॒ न म॑र्जयन्त॒ नर॑: । नि॒शिशा॑ना॒ अति॑थिमस्य॒ योनौ॑ दी॒दाय॑ शो॒चिराहु॑तस्य॒ वृष्ण॑: ॥
तम् । इत् । दो॒षा । तम् । उ॒षसि॑ । यवि॑ष्ठम् । अ॒ग्निम् । अत्य॑म् । न । म॒र्ज॒य॒न्त॒ । नरः॑ । नि॒ऽशिशा॑नाः । अति॑थिम् । अ॒स्य॒ । योनौ॑ । दी॒दाय॑ । शो॒चिः । आऽहु॑तस्य । वृष्णः॑ ॥
tam | it | doṣā | tam | uṣasi | yaviṣṭham | agnim | atyam | na | marjayanta | naraḥ | ni-śiśānāḥ | atithim | asya | yonau | dīdāya | śociḥ | āhutasya | vṛṣṇaḥ
44
4 pādas × ~11 syllables
Balanced and cyclical, mirroring night-to-dawn alternation; strong but controlled cadence.
Instills steadiness and perseverance; supports a sense of daily renewal and faithful practice.
- दोषा (doṣā)
- Literal: night. Symbolic: period of obscurity, inward struggle, subconscious pressure
- उषसि (uṣasi)
- Literal: at dawn. Symbolic: illumination, awakening, fresh openings in consciousness
- यविṣ्ठम् (yaviṣṭham)
- Literal: youngest. Symbolic: ever-new divine will, always capable of fresh beginning
- अत्यं न (atyaṃ na)
- Literal: like a steed. Symbolic: vital energy trained and polished for right action
- मर्जयन्त (marjayanta)
- Literal: they polish, cleanse. Symbolic: purification/refinement of nature through practice
- अतिथिम् (atithim)
- Literal: guest. Symbolic: indwelling divine presence requiring reverent attention
- योनौ (yonau)
- Literal: womb/seat/source. Symbolic: psychic seat; the right foundation where Agni grows
- आहुतस्य (āhutasya)
- Literal: of what is offered. Symbolic: consecrated energies/acts placed into the inner fire
- वृष्णः (vṛṣṇaḥ)
- Literal: of the strong/bull. Symbolic: powerful, steadfast divine force behind the flame
Daily tending of the sacred fire (evening/morning); reinforcement of Agni as atithi in the गृह्य/śrauta continuum.
At dusk and dawn; when rekindling/maintaining household or śrauta fires
Polishing/arranging fuel, rekindling, offering ghee; honoring Agni as atithi
A ‘daily practice’ verse: use morning and evening to renew intention, purify the mind, and offer the day’s energies into the inner fire.
: from √mṛj ‘wipe, cleanse, polish’ → refinement of the inner instrument. : a+√tith/√sthā? traditional ‘one without fixed stay’; functionally ‘guest’ to be welcomed—Agni as invited indweller. : from √yu ‘to join, yoke’/semantic ‘source, womb’ → matrix of manifestation. : intensive of √dī ‘shine’ → sustained blaze.
Perpetual renewal of the divine in time, Purification of the human instrument (mṛj), Hospitality to the divine (atithi) as inner discipline
Night/dawn maintenance reflects r̥ta as recurring order sustaining the worlds and the practitioner.
The blaze is proportionate to truth of offering—authentic consecration yields real illumination.
Perpetual renewal: the ever-young fire reborn through right tending.
Integral discipline: purification of instrument + consecration of action.
night and dawn
Night = obscurity; dawn = illumination; polishing = tapas of refinement; horse = vital force trained for the divine work.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Agni as the guest tended by humans across night and dawn: the sacred fire is maintained, refined, and made fit to blaze. Psychologically, the will-to-truth is polished by constant practice through obscurity (night) and awakening (dawn).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √dī ‘shine’ has clear IE parallels (cf. Latin diēs ‘day’ from related brightness field). The night/dawn antithesis is a typical inherited Indo-European poetic binary structuring time and consciousness.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- Reciprocity is explicit: humans ‘polish’ and ‘sharpen’ Agni by offering and attention; Agni answers by blazing—making the sacrifice effective and illuminating the human seat (yoni) from within.
Morning and evening: ‘polish’ the inner instrument—remove dullness; then offer one clear movement (gratitude, surrender, intention) into the heart-flame.
Anāhata (guest in the heart) with Maṇipūra support (steady heat)
Evening: longer exhale to release tamas; Morning: slightly longer inhale to invite light; keep breath smooth.
Steady, receptive devotion; then brightened clarity after offering.
Treat the inner Fire as a living Presence. Prepare the ‘seat’ (posture, quiet mind), then offer honestly. Measure progress by the quiet increase of steadiness, not by dramatic experiences.
Ṛgvedic accent; keep clear udātta on doṣā, uṣasi, yaviṣṭham, āhutasya.
Let ‘tam id doṣā tam uṣasi’ be chanted with a gentle antiphonal feel (night/dawn repetition).
Differentiate uṣasi (ṣ) from s, yaviṣṭham: clear iṣṭh cluster, niśiśānāḥ: articulate repeated śi syllables without slurring, dīdāya: keep long ī and ā
Warm, intimate, devotional—like tending a flame in quiet hours.
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