Rig Veda 10.110.3: Mandala 10, Sukta 110, Mantra 3
Sukta 10.110
- Devata
- Agni
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
आजुह्वान ईड्यो वन्द्यश्चा याह्यग्ने वसुभिः सजोषाः । त्वं देवानामसि यह्व होता स एनान्यक्षीषितो यजीयान् ॥
ājúhvāna ī́ḍyo vándyaś ca yā́hy agne vásubhiḥ sajóṣāḥ | tváṁ devā́nām asi yahvá hotā́ sá enān yakṣīṣito yajī́yān ||
హే అగ్నే, ఆజుహ్వాన—స్రువాతో ఆహ్వానింపబడినవాడా—ఈడ్యుడవు, వంద్యుడవు; వసువులతో ఏకభావంగా ఇక్కడికి రా. నీవు దేవుల యహ్వ హోతృవు; కాబట్టి నీ ప్రేరణతో వీరందరికీ యజ్ఞం చేయి—హే యజీయాన్, యజ్ఞకర్మకు అత్యంత యోగ్యుడవు.
Word by Word
- आ॒जुह्वा॑नः
- having offered/being in the act of offering (oblations)Participle (Adjective used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (अग्नेः विशेषणः/कर्तृवाचकः)Root हु (धातु) → जुह्वान (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
- ईड्यः
- worthy of praiseAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (अग्नेः विशेषणः)Root ईड्य (प्रातिपदिक; √ईड्/ईळ् ‘स्तु’ से)
- वन्द्यः
- to be revered / worthy of homageAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (अग्नेः विशेषणः)Root वन्द्य (प्रातिपदिक; √वन्द् ‘वन्दने’ से)
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चयार्थक अव्ययRoot च
- आ
- hither, towards (as preverb/particle)Indeclinable (preverb) / particleउपसर्ग/आह्वानार्थकRoot आ
- या॑हि
- come!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रिया (आह्वान)Root या (धातु) ‘गत्यर्थे’
- अग्ने
- O AgniNoun (vocative)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- वसु॑भिः
- with the VasusNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole सह/करण (सहचर्ये: ‘with the Vasus’)Root वसु (प्रातिपदिक)
- स॒जोषाः
- in concord / of one accordAdjective (predicative) / adverbial adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (अग्नेः सहचराणां देवगणानां वा विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृ-विशेषण (सहागतानां ‘एकमनस्काः/सम्प्रीताः’)Root सजोषस् (प्रातिपदिक; sa- ‘सह’ + जोषस् ‘सन्तोष/अनुकूलता’)
- त्वम्
- youPronounउत्तमपुरुषार्थे, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- दे॒वाना॑म्
- of the godsNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी: ‘of the gods’)Root देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- असि
- areVerbलट् (वर्तमान), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रिया (सम्बन्ध/विधेय)Root अस् (धातु) ‘भू/सत्तायाम्’
- यह्वः
- mighty / impetuous (Vedic epithet)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ-विशेषण (होतुः/अग्नेः)Root यह्व (प्रातिपदिक; वैदिक ‘युवन्/यजनीय/प्रबल’ अर्थच्छाया)
- होता
- the Hotṛ-priest (invoker)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (विधेय-नाम)Root होतृ (प्रातिपदिक; √हु ‘आह्वाने/होमे’ से)
- सः
- he / that one (i.e., you)Pronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (त्वम्-सम्बन्धी ‘सः’ = ‘तू वही’)Root तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- एनान्
- these (ones)Pronounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot एतद्/एना (सर्वनाम; वैदिक ‘एना’ = ‘these’)
- यक्षीषि
- worship/sacrifice to (them)!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रिया (यजनकर्म)Root यज् (धातु) ‘यज्ञे/पूजायाम्’ (वैदिक रूप: यक्ष्)
- इतः
- from here / henceIndeclinableअपादानार्थक/दिशावाचक अव्ययRole अपादान/अधिकरण (क्रियाविशेषण)Root इतस् (अव्यय; इदम्-प्रभव)
- यजी॑यान्
- more worthy of worship / more sacrificialAdjective (comparative)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ-विशेषण (अग्नेः: ‘more fit for sacrifice’)Root यज् (धातु) → यज्य (प्रातिपदिक) + ईयसुँ (तुलनात्मक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सम्भाव्य): आ-जुह्वानः | ईड्यः | वन्द्यः | च | आ | या॑हि | अग्ने | वसु॑भिः | स॒जोषाः || त्वम् | दे॒वाना॑म् | असि | यह्वः | होता | सः | एनान् | यक्षीषि | इतः | यजी॑यान् || 1) ‘आ॒जुह्वा॑न’ = आ + जुह्वान (√हु का कृदन्त), प्रथमा-एकवचन ‘आजुह्वानः’। 2) ‘वन्द्यश्चा’ = वन्द्यः + च + आ (च के बाद ‘आ’ संधि से ‘चा’ जैसा पाठरूप)। 3) ‘या॑ह्यग्ने’ = या॑हि + अग्ने (इ + अ → य्-अ; ‘या॑ह्यग्ने’)। 4) ‘दे॒वाना॑मसि’ = दे॒वाना॑म् + असि (म् + अ → म् अ; संहिता में ‘मसि’)। 5) ‘ए॑नान्यक्षीषि॒तो’ = एनान् + यक्षीषि + इतः (न् + य → न्य; ‘यक्षीषि इतः’ का संहिता-रूप)।
The meaning
Outer meaning
Agni is invoked with the ladle (offering-spoon) and asked to come together with the Vasus; he is affirmed as the gods’ impelling Hotṛ and requested to perform the offering to the invited deities under his directed will.
Inner meaning
The awakened inner Fire (Agni)—the divine Will and priest of the yoga—is summoned by concentrated aspiration (the “ladle” as the directed movement of offering). He is to come with the Vasus, the powers of right substance and stable harmony in the being, so that the inner sacrifice becomes coordinated. As the true Hotṛ within, Agni impels and organizes all higher movements (the “gods” as faculties of illumination), and, guided by his own straight intention (iṣitaḥ), he offers our energies into the right exchange with these powers—making the whole nature fit for transformation.
Universal truth
Spiritual progress requires a central, conscious will of consecration that can gather supportive forces, harmonize them, and correctly offer the lower nature into higher truth; without this inner priest, aspiration is scattered and the sacrifice is ineffective.
Themes
Agni as Hotṛ, Invocation with Vasus, Right performance of yajña
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 10.110.1, Rig Veda 10.110.2, Rig Veda 10.110.4, Rig Veda 10.110.5, Rig Veda 10.110.6, Rig Veda 10.110.7
Significance
The anonymity suits the hymn’s function: it presents universal inner-ritual archetypes (Agni, Barhis, Doors, Dawn-Night, divine Hotars) rather than a personal seer-narrative—mapping stages of the inner sacrifice.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni (with the Vasus)
- Epithets
- īḍya (adorable), vandya (to be praised), yahva hotā (impelling/active Hotṛ), yajīyān (most fit to offer)
- Related deities
- Vasus, All Gods (Viśve Devāḥ)
Cosmic role
Mediator between human and divine; carrier of offerings; establisher of the sacrifice and its right order.
Inner power
Flame of conscious will and aspiration that summons, coordinates, and offers all movements of nature to the higher Light.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agnyāhavana / opening invocation within soma/śrauta sequences (Agni as Hotṛ leading deity-arrival)
आ॒जुह्वा॑न॒ ईड्यो॒ वन्द्य॒श्चा या॑ह्यग्ने॒ वसु॑भिः स॒जोषा॑: । त्वं दे॒वाना॑मसि यह्व॒ होता॒ स ए॑नान्यक्षीषि॒तो यजी॑यान् ॥
आ॒ऽजुह्वा॑नः । ईड्यः॑ । वन्द्यः॑ । च॒ । आ । या॒हि॒ । अ॒ग्ने॒ । वसु॑ऽभिः । स॒ऽजोषाः॑ । त्वम् । दे॒वाना॑म् । अ॒सि॒ । य॒ह्व॒ । होता॑ । सः । ए॒ता॒न् । य॒क्षि॒ । इ॒षि॒तः । यजी॑यान् ॥
ājuhvānaḥ | īḍyaḥ | vandyaḥ | ca | ā | yāhi | agne | vasu-bhiḥ | sa-joṣāḥ | tvam | devānām | asi | yahva | hotā | saḥ | etān | yakṣi | iṣitaḥ | yajīyān
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4 pādas × ~11 syllables
Forward-driving, declarative; suited to invocation plus functional command.
Builds a sense of gathered will and executive clarity; supports “calling in” and organizing inner energies.
- आ॒जुह्वा॑नः (ājuhvānaḥ)
- Literal: invoked with the ladle; poured/oblated. Symbolic: aspiration made precise—an intentional offering-movement of consciousness
- ईड्यः (īḍyaḥ)
- Literal: worthy of adoration. Symbolic: the inner Fire as the naturally worship-worthy guide of sādhanā
- वसु॑भिः (vasubhiḥ)
- Literal: with the Vasus. Symbolic: with powers of right substance, stability, luminous order in the being
- स॒जोषाः (sajoṣāḥ)
- Literal: in one accord, together in delight/consent. Symbolic: harmonized cooperation of inner powers
- होता (hotā)
- Literal: invoking priest. Symbolic: the executive consciousness that calls and installs the higher powers
- इषितः (iṣitaḥ)
- Literal: impelled, directed, sent forth. Symbolic: guided by the straight will/inner command (Agni’s directive intelligence)
- यजीयान् (yajīyān)
- Literal: most fit to sacrifice. Symbolic: the most effective force for consecration and transformation
Hotṛ-invocation: summoning Agni with the Vasus to conduct the offering properly.
At the inviting/establishing phase of the rite, when Agni is asked to bring the gods and conduct offerings.
Invocation (āhvāna) and commissioning of Agni as officiant to offer to the invited powers.
Use as a pre-meditation consecration: invoke the inner will, ask for harmonized support (Vasus), then offer the session to the higher consciousness.
ā-√hu and juhū/juhvā evoke invocation by oblation; psychologically, concentrated will calls the inner fire. vasu as ‘good/wealth’ becomes stable abundance of being. iṣita (√iṣ) highlights directed force—Agni’s will organizes the rite as an inner operation.
Concord of powers (sajoṣ), Directed force (iṣ), Inner priesthood (hotṛ)
Agni as the enforcer of ṛta: correct sequence, correct offering, correct alignment of forces.
The efficacy depends on directed will (iṣitaḥ)—truthful intention rather than mechanical act.
Kindling the first mediator that enables ascent and descent—human-to-divine exchange as a creative principle.
Proto-Vedāntic and Yogic symbolism (as read by Sri Aurobindo/Kashyap): gods as psychological powers; sacrifice as inner transformation.
Fire = conscious will; ladle = focused offering; Vasus = stable supports of the embodied life that must consent to the yoga.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Agni as the divine priest who performs the sacrifice for the gods themselves: the inner fire, once invoked, gathers the stable powers (Vasus) and executes the offering as a coordinated action of consciousness.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √yaj again shows Indo-Iranian continuity (yasna). √iṣ ‘impel’ resonates with IE drive/impulse semantics; the grammar of iṣita underscores agency as ‘being set in motion’—a key Vedic sacrificial dynamic.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The r̥ṣi yields the conduct of the rite to Agni: human effort invokes, but divine intelligence performs. The reciprocity is competence—Agni returns the offering as a perfected movement, bringing harmony (sajoṣ) among the powers.
Kindle the inner Agni as the organizing will; invite stable supports (Vasus) and offer thoughts, breath, and intention into that flame.
Manipura (fire/will)
Moderate ujjāyī or simple equal breathing (sama-vṛtti) while mentally ‘offering’ exhalations into the inner fire.
Collected, executive, consecrated attention (adhyātma-yajña mood).
Begin with 3 slow recitations; feel a flame at the navel/heart; on each line, gather scattered energies, then inwardly say: ‘Let the higher powers act through this will.’
Mixed udatta/anudatta/svarita per Vedic accent; follow śākhā-specific recitation for RV 10.110.3.
Keep udātta as the clear lift; avoid over-singing; let svarita fall naturally after the accented syllable.
Hold long vowels: ā, ī, ū distinctly (e.g., ājuhvāna)., Retroflex carefully: ṭ/ḍ/ṇ where present; keep ‘agne’ with clear ‘gn’., Sibilants: ś vs ṣ vs s—here ‘sajoṣāḥ’ with ṣ., Visarga in ‘sajoṣāḥ’—soft release before pause.
Bright, steady, ‘kindling’ tone; not heavy—more guiding than forceful.
3
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