Rig Veda 8.39.6: Mandala 8, Sukta 39, Mantra 6
Sukta 8.39
- Devata
- Agni
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
अग्निर्जाता देवानामग्निर्वेद मर्तानामपीच्यम् । अग्निः स द्रविणोदा अग्निर्द्वारा व्यूर्णुते स्वाहुतो नवीयसा नभन्तामन्यके समे ॥
agnír jātā́ devā́nām agnír véda mártānām apī́cyam | agníḥ sá draviṇodā́ agnír dvā́rā ví ūrṇute svā́huto navī́yasā nabhantām anyaké samé ||
அக்னி தேவர்களிடையே பிறந்தவன்; மனிதர்களுள் மறைந்திருப்பதையும் (அபீச்யம்) அக்னி அறிவான். அக்னி செல்வ-வளத்தின் தாதா; அக்னி வாசல்களை விரிவாகத் திறக்கிறான்—ஸ்வாஹா-ஆஹுதியால், எப்போதும் புதுப்புது வலிமையுடன்; பகைமைப் படைகள் வேறிடத்திற்குத் துரத்தப்படுக.
Word by Word
- अग्निः
- Agni (fire-god)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot अग्नि- (प्रातिपदिक)
- जातः
- born, arisenParticiple (Adjective)भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ-विशेषणRoot √जन् (जनि) → जात- (कृदन्त)
- देवानाम्
- of the godsNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root देव- (प्रातिपदिक)
- अग्निः
- AgniNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot अग्नि-
- वेद
- knowsVerbलट् (वर्तमाने), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot √विद्
- मर्तानाम्
- of mortalsNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root मर्त- (प्रातिपदिक)
- अपीच्यम्
- the hidden/secret (thing), the mysteryAdjective (used substantively)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot अपीच्य- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘गुप्त/अन्तरङ्ग/रहस्य’)
- अग्निः
- AgniNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot अग्नि-
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (अग्नि-समनाधिकरण)Root तद् (सर्वनाम)
- द्रविणोदाः
- giver of wealthNoun (agent epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ-विशेषणRoot द्रविण- + √दा → -दा (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त-समास: ‘द्रविणं ददाति’)
- अग्निः
- AgniNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot अग्नि-
- द्वाराः
- doors, gatesNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot द्वार- / द्वार्- (प्रातिपदिक)
- व्यूर्णुते
- opens out, unfoldsVerbलट् (वर्तमाने), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot वि + √वृ (वृणोति/वृणुते ‘to cover/uncover; open out’)
- स्वाहुतः
- well-offered, duly invoked/oblatedParticiple (Adjective)भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ-विशेषणRoot सु-आहुत- (कृदन्त; √हु ‘to offer’ → आहुत-; उपसर्ग सु-)
- नवीयसा
- with newer (power), more freshAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (करणे)Role करणRoot नव- → नवीयस- (तुलनात्मक-प्रातिपदिक)
- नभन्ताम्
- let them burst forth/shineVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), परस्मैपद, तृतीयपुरुष, बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot √नभ् (नभति ‘to burst forth/shine?’; वैदिक)
- अन्यके
- in another (place/way), elsewhereAdjective/Pronoun-likeपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot अन्यक- (प्रातिपदिक)
- समे
- in the meeting/assembly; in sameness (together)Noun (locative)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot सम- (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धि-विग्रह): अग्निः जातः देवानाम् | अग्निः वेद मर्तानाम् अपीच्यम् | अग्निः सः द्रविणोदाः | अग्निः द्वाराः व्यूर्णुते | स्वाहुतः नवीयसा | नभन्ताम् अन्यके समे || मुख्य सन्धयः: (1) अग्निर्जातः = अग्निः + जातः (विसर्ग-रेफ) । (2) देवानामग्निर्वेद = देवानाम् + अग्निः + वेद (म् + अ → मा; विसर्ग-रेफ) । (3) मर्तानामपीच्यम् = मर्तानाम् + अपीच्यम् (म् + अ → मा) । (4) अग्निर्द्वाराः = अग्निः + द्वाराः (विसर्ग-रेफ) । (5) द्वारा व्यूर्णुते = द्वाराः + व्यूर्णुते (ः + व् → ओ/अवग्रह-लोप; संहितायां ‘द्वारा व्यू-’ रूपम्) । (6) स्वाहुतो नवीयसा = स्वाहुतः + नवीयसा (विसर्ग-लोप/ओ-आदेशः) । (7) नभन्तामन्यके = नभन्ताम् + अन्यके (म् + अ → मा) ।
The meaning
Outer meaning
Agni is born among the Gods; Agni knows what is hidden in mortals. Agni is the giver of wealth/plenitude; Agni opens wide the doors—well-offered with ever-newer power—let the hostile powers be driven away elsewhere.
Inner meaning
The inner Fire is itself a divine birth: when awakened, it belongs to the godhead in us (“born among the Gods”). Yet it also knows the secret places in the human—apīcya, the concealed knot of desire, fear, and potential. Because Agni is conscious will, it can enter the hidden subconscient and bring up what must be transformed. As draviṇodā (giver of plenitude), Agni releases the true riches—energies, capacities, and states of consciousness. Most importantly, Agni “opens the doors”: it unlocks blocked passages between surface mind and higher mind, between heart and soul, between life-force and its divine source. When our offering is “svāhuta” (well placed, rightly surrendered) and “navīyasā” (ever-new, not mechanical), the opening widens; hostile forces are expelled from the newly opened way.
Universal truth
Awakened will is both divine and diagnostic: it reveals what is hidden, releases inner resources, and opens thresholds to higher possibilities—provided the offering is sincere and renewed, not routine.
Themes
Agni omniscience, Opening the way, Plenitude (draviṇa)
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 8.39.4, Rig Veda 8.39.5, Rig Veda 8.39.7, Rig Veda 8.39.8
Significance
A quintessential Aurobindonian mantra: Agni as the divine principle within, knower of the hidden, opener of doors—an explicit psychology of yoga.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- jāta devānām (born among the gods), veda martānām apīcyam (knower of the mortal secret), draviṇodā (giver of plenitude), dvāra-vyūrṇu (door-opener), svāhuta (well-offered)
- Related deities
- Sarasvatī (flow of inspiration through opened channels), Uṣas (illumination that enters through opened doors), Indra (illumined mind that acts once doors are opened)
Cosmic role
Gatekeeper and mediator: connects human to divine, releases riches, and governs transitions.
Inner power
Revelatory will that penetrates the subconscient and unlocks higher passages.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni invocation at threshold moments of a rite (opening/entry)
अ॒ग्निर्जा॒ता दे॒वाना॑म॒ग्निर्वे॑द॒ मर्ता॑नामपी॒च्य॑म् । अ॒ग्निः स द्र॑विणो॒दा अ॒ग्निर्द्वारा॒ व्यू॑र्णुते॒ स्वा॑हुतो॒ नवी॑यसा॒ नभ॑न्तामन्य॒के स॑मे ॥
अ॒ग्निः । जा॒ता । दे॒वाना॑म् । अ॒ग्निः । वे॒द॒ । मर्ता॑नाम् । अ॒पी॒च्य॑म् । अ॒ग्निः । सः । द्र॒वि॒णः॒ऽदाः । अ॒ग्निः । द्वारा॑ । वि । ऊ॒र्णु॒ते॒ । सुऽआ॑हुतः । नवी॑यसा । नभ॑न्ताम् । अ॒न्य॒के । स॒मे॒ ॥
agniḥ | jātā | devānām | agniḥ | veda | martānām | apīcyam | agniḥ | saḥ | draviṇaḥ-dāḥ | agniḥ | dvārā | vi | ūrṇute | su-āhutaḥ | navīyasā | nabhantām | anyake | same
32
4 × ~8 with refrain
Declarative, mantra-like affirmations; each pāda names an aspect, creating a litany effect.
Instills confidence and inward opening; the repeated ‘Agni’ functions like a steady ignition mantra.
- अग्निर्जाता देवाना॑म् (agnir jātā devānām)
- Literal: Agni born of/among the gods. Symbolic: divine will awakened as a higher principle in us
- अपीच्यम् (apīcyam)
- Literal: hidden, secret. Symbolic: subconscient content; latent soul-truth and concealed obstruction
- द्रविणोदाः (draviṇodāḥ)
- Literal: giver of wealth. Symbolic: giver of inner riches: force, clarity, delight, capacity
- द्वारा वि ऊर्णुते (dvārā vi ūrṇute)
- Literal: opens the doors wide. Symbolic: opens inner gates/paths between planes of consciousness
- स्वाहुतः (svāhutaḥ)
- Literal: well-offered. Symbolic: right surrender; accurate placing of energy/intention
- नवीयसा (navīyasā)
- Literal: with newer (force). Symbolic: fresh aspiration; non-mechanical practice
Agni as opener of the ‘doors’ (dvāra) is a common ritual trope for opening the way for gods and offerings; used in consecratory and introductory portions of rites.
At beginnings, transitions, or when seeking access to ‘doors’—paths, permissions, successful completion
Kindling/feeding fire with svāhā; recitation to consecrate opening of the rite
Use when starting meditation, therapy, or deep self-inquiry: invoke Agni to reveal the hidden and open inner gates; end with the banishing refrain to keep the space clear.
veda from √vid (PIE *weyd- ‘see/know’). apīcya ‘hidden’ from api + īcya/īc (uncertain), used as ‘secret, concealed’. draviṇa possibly from √dru ‘run/flow’ (wealth as ‘that which flows’) or a specialized Vedic lexeme—functionally ‘means, riches’. dvāra from PIE *dʰwer- ‘door’ (cf. English door). vi-ūrṇute from vi + √vṛ ‘cover’ → ‘uncover, open’.
Hidden truth within mortals (apīcya), Agni as knower (vid), Opening of thresholds in consciousness
Agni as dvāra-opener suggests the lawful passage from lower to higher under ṛta.
Knowing the apīcya is the emergence of truth from concealment.
Opening of inner worlds—microcosmic creation through unveiling and access.
Yoga of inner sacrifice; anticipates Upanishadic ‘inner fire’ and ‘path’ symbolism.
Fire = tapas/will; doors = chakric/psychic thresholds; hidden = subconscient storehouse; wealth = inner energies and realizations.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Agni as the one born among gods yet knowing the secret in mortals, who opens the doors—i.e., the mediator who unlocks passages between planes. Mythically, the fire-principle reveals the hidden and grants access to divine plenitude.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- dvāra continues PIE *dʰwer- (door). veda from PIE *weyd- (know/see). These inherited roots support the archaic image of ‘knowing’ as ‘seeing’ and of doors as cosmic thresholds.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi relies on Agni not only as recipient of offering but as revealer of the ‘apīcya’ within the human. Right offering (svāhuta) enables Agni to open the inner gates and deliver draviṇa—fullness of means and being.
Invoke Agni as the inner revealer: ‘show me what is hidden; open the right door now.’
Ajna (revelation) and Manipura (fire-force); also Sahasrara as the ‘opened door’ above.
4-4-6 breathing: inhale 4 on ‘agnir jātā’, hold 4 sensing the ‘hidden’, exhale 6 on ‘dvārā vy ūrṇute…’.
Quiet alertness; readiness for insight; sense of passage opening upward/inward.
Keep offerings ‘navīyas’—refresh intention each sitting; if practice feels mechanical, pause, recollect the aim, then offer again. After insight arises, seal the space by releasing intrusive forces (‘nabhantām…’).
Respect udatta marks on ‘agníḥ’ etc.; keep the repeated ‘agnir’ as a steady ignition; let ‘dvārā vi ūrṇute’ slightly broaden in tone to evoke opening.
Each pāda is a proclamation—pause lightly after each ‘agnir’; refrain as a closing seal.
apīcyam: long ī; ‘cy’ conjunct cleanly., draviṇodā: retroflex ‘ṇ’; long ā at end., vy ūrṇute: pronounce ‘vyū’ smoothly (no extra vowel)., svāhuto: long ā; ‘h’ audible.
Bright, resonant, with a widening warmth on the ‘doors’ phrase; refrain firm but not harsh.
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