Rig Veda 10.21.7: Mandala 10, Sukta 21, Mantra 7
Sukta 10.21
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Likely Triṣṭubh/Jagatī
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
त्वां यज्ञेष्वृत्विजं चारुमग्ने नि षेदिरे । घृतप्रतीकं मनुषो वि वो मदे शुक्रं चेतिष्ठमक्षभिर्विवक्षसे ॥
tvā́ṃ yajñéṣv ṛtv́ijaṃ cā́rum agne ní ṣedire | ghṛtápratīkaṃ mánuṣo ví vo made śukráṃ cétiṣṭham akṣábhír vívakṣase ||
హే అగ్నీ, యజ్ఞాలలో మనుష్యులు నిన్ను—ఋత్విజం, చారువైనవాడా—ఆసీనుడిగా చేసారు. ఘృతప్రతీకం (నెయ్యి-దీప్త ముఖం) కలవాడవై, మా మదంలో, అక్షభిః (దర్శన నేత్రాలతో), ప్రకాశమయమైన మరియు అత్యంత చేతిష్ఠం (అత్యంత ప్రబుద్ధ) శక్తిని ప్రకటించేందుకు నీవు యత్నిస్తావు.
Word by Word
- त्वाम्
- you (as object)Pronounद्वितीया-एकवचनम् (पुं./स्त्री. सामान्य)Role कर्मRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- यज्ञेषु
- in the sacrificesNounपुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-बहुवचनम्Role अधिकारणRoot यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
- ऋत्विजम्
- the officiating priest (ṛtvij)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot ऋत्विज् (प्रातिपदिक; ऋतु+इज् ‘यज्’)
- चारुम्
- lovely, dearAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचनम् (ऋत्विजम्/त्वाम् विशेषणम्)Role कर्मRoot चारु (प्रातिपदिक)
- अग्ने
- O AgniNoun (vocative)पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन-एकवचनम्Role (सम्बोधन)Root अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- नि
- down, in (as preverb)Indeclinableउपसर्गः (षद्/सीद् धातोः सह)Root नि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- षेदिरे
- they have seated (thee), have set (thee)Verbलिट् (परिपूर्ण/परफेक्ट); प्रथम-पुरुष; बहुवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्Role कर्तृRoot षद्/सीद् (धातु; वैदिक रूप ‘षद्’)
- घृतप्रतीकम्
- having a ghee-bright face/frontAdjective/Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचनम् (त्वाम् विशेषणम्)Role कर्मRoot घृत-प्रतीक (समास; घृत + प्रतीक)
- मनुषः
- of Manu / of man (the human)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root मनु (प्रातिपदिक) → मनुष्य/मनुष् (वैदिक)
- वि
- apart, forth (as preverb)Indeclinableउपसर्गः (वक्ष् धातोः सह)Root वि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- वः
- for you / of you (pl.)Pronounषष्ठी-बहुवचनम् (एन्क्लिटिक)Role सम्प्रदान/सम्बन्ध (contextual: ‘for you/your’)Root युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- मदे
- in exhilaration, in the (soma-)raptureNounपुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-एकवचनम्Role अधिकारणRoot मद (प्रातिपदिक)
- शुक्रम्
- bright, shiningAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचनम् (त्वाम् विशेषणम्)Role कर्मRoot शुक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- चेति-स्थम्
- most conspicuous/most noticeableAdjective (compound)नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचनम् (त्वाम् विशेषणम्)Role कर्मRoot चेतय्/चित् (धातु) + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक; ‘standing’)
- अक्षभिः
- with the eyesNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया-बहुवचनम्Role करणRoot अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
- विवक्षसे
- you speak forth / you utterVerbलट् (वर्तमान); मध्यम-पुरुष; एकवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्Role कर्तृRoot वक्ष् (धातु; ‘to speak/utter’) + वि (उपसर्ग)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: त्वाम् | यज्ञेषु | ऋत्विजम् | चारुम् | अग्ने | नि | षेदिरे | घृतप्रतीकम् | मनुषः | वि | वः | मदे | शुक्रम् | चेति-स्थम् | अक्षभिः | विवक्षसे । मुख्य-सन्धयः: (1) यज्ञेष्वृत्विजम् = यज्ञेषु + ऋत्विजम् (उकारस्य ‘उ’ + ‘ऋ’ → ‘वृ’ संधि-रूप). (2) चारुमग्ने = चारुम् + अग्ने (म् + अ → म् अ, लेखने ‘मग्ने’). (3) नि षेदिरे: ‘नि’ उपसर्गः + वैदिक ‘षद्/सीद्’ (परफेक्ट) रूपम्. (4) मनुषो वि = मनुषः + वि (विसर्गः + व् → ओ (विसर्ग-सन्धि) ; पदपाठे मनुषः | वि). (5) वो मदे = वः + मदे (एन्क्लिटिक ‘वः’). (6) चेति॑ष्ठम् = चेति-स्थम् (समास/संयोग; ‘स्थ’ = स्थित/स्थायिन् अर्थे). (7) अक्षभिर्विवक्षसे = अक्षभिः + विवक्षसे (ः + व् → र्व्).
- पदच्छेदे मूल-स्वरः सामान्यतः संरक्षितः।
The meaning
Outer meaning
Men have seated you in the sacrifices, O Agni, the lovely seasonal priest; with a ghee-bright face you seek to reveal, in our ecstasy, a shining and most discerning power by the eyes (of vision).
Inner meaning
Agni is installed in the inner yajña as the awakened Divine Will (ṛtvij—right-timed executor). When the will is made “ghṛtapratīka” (ghee-faced), it becomes luminous, smooth, and unobstructed—fit to reflect higher light. In the uplift (mada) of aspiration and glad intensity, Agni presses toward manifestation (vivakṣase): he brings forward a “śukra cetiṣṭha” power—pure, bright, and supremely perceptive consciousness—through the awakened inner sight (akṣabhiḥ).
Universal truth
When the guiding will is consciously placed at the center of life, it becomes a clear mirror of truth; then perception sharpens, and higher intelligence naturally seeks embodiment in thought, speech, and action.
Themes
installation of Agni, right timing, clarified oblation, inner vision
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 10.21.1-10 (same sūkta context; Agni as manifesting power)
Significance
The voice is of a later Rigvedic contemplative style: Agni is emphasized less as external fire and more as the inner priest who brings luminous perception into manifestation—close to Aurobindonian ‘psychological Agni’.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- ṛtvij (right-timed priest), cāru (the lovely), ghṛtapratīka (ghee-faced, luminous), śukra (bright, pure)
- Related deities
- Soma (bliss that feeds the flame), Uṣas (illumination that Agni ushers), Bṛhaspati (word-power that supports manifestation)
Cosmic role
Mediator between human and divine worlds; carrier of offerings; awakener of light and order in the sacrifice.
Inner power
Divine Will and aspiration that kindles discernment, opens inner vision, and presses realization toward embodiment.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni-stotra/Agni-invocation within Soma and other śrauta yajñas (general placement of Agni as ṛtvij)
त्वां य॒ज्ञेष्वृ॒त्विजं॒ चारु॑मग्ने॒ नि षे॑दिरे । घृ॒तप्र॑तीकं॒ मनु॑षो॒ वि वो॒ मदे॑ शु॒क्रं चेति॑ष्ठम॒क्षभि॒र्विव॑क्षसे ॥
त्वाम् । य॒ज्ञेषु॑ । ऋ॒त्विज॑म् । चारु॑म् । अ॒ग्ने॒ । नि । से॒दि॒रे॒ । घृ॒तऽप्र॑तीकम् । मनु॑षः । वि । वः॒ । मदे॑ । शु॒कम् । चेति॑ष्ठम् । अ॒क्षऽभिः॑ । विव॑क्षसे ॥
tvām | yajñeṣu | ṛtvijam | cārum | agne | ni | sedire | ghṛta-pratīkam | manuṣaḥ | vi | vaḥ | made | śukam | cetiṣṭham | akṣa-bhiḥ | vivakṣase
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4 pādas × ~11 syllables
Forward-driving, declarative cadence suited to invocation and manifestation.
Builds a steady inner heat and clarity; the last pāda tends to ‘open’ the sense of inner seeing (akṣa/dṛṣṭi) as the rhythm resolves.
- यज्ञेषु (yajñeṣu)
- Literal: in sacrifices. Symbolic: in the disciplined inner offering—practice, self-giving, conscious growth
- ऋत्विजम् (ṛtvijam)
- Literal: seasonal priest. Symbolic: the power that knows right timing and right order in inner transformation
- चारुम् (cārum)
- Literal: lovely, desirable. Symbolic: the attractive flame of aspiration that draws the soul forward
- घृतप्रतीकम् (ghṛtapratīkam)
- Literal: with ghee as face/appearance. Symbolic: luminous clarity; the will made smooth, bright, and receptive to higher light
- मदे (made)
- Literal: in rapture, exhilaration. Symbolic: uplifted ardor (ānanda-tint) that intensifies inner progress
- शुक्रम् (śukram)
- Literal: bright, pure. Symbolic: purified light of consciousness
- चेतिṣ्ठम् (cetiṣṭham)
- Literal: most perceptive/most conscious. Symbolic: highest discriminative awareness (psychic-intuitive perception)
- अक्षभिः (akṣabhiḥ)
- Literal: with eyes. Symbolic: faculties of inner seeing (dṛṣṭi), not physical sight
- विवक्षसे (vivakṣase)
- Literal: you wish to display/manifest. Symbolic: the divine urge to bring inner realizations into formed life
Agni’s installation as ṛtvij: relevant to establishing the officiant-fire at the altar; emphasizes right timing (ṛtu) and clarified offering-substance (ghṛta).
At kindling/establishing the fire and during praise of Agni as priest; also adaptable to daily agnihotra-style remembrance.
Seating/establishing Agni; offering ghee; recitation to awaken the priest-power.
Use as a mantra of ‘installing’ the will: begin meditation by invoking Agni in the heart and offering distractions into the flame for clarity and inner sight.
ṛtvij: ṛtu ‘season/right time’ + -vij agentive element; ghṛtá ‘clarified butter’ from √ghṛ ‘sprinkle/shine’ (Vedic ghṛta often symbolizes clarified mental substance); pratīka ‘face, appearance’; √cit in cétiṣṭha ‘most aware’ (PIE *ḱei̯t-? ‘notice’ debated); akṣa ‘eye’ (PIE *h₃ekʷ- ‘eye’, cf. Lat. oculus via different root; but Indo-Iranian has akṣi/akṣa cognate with Av. aši?—exact PIE alignment complex; Vedic akṣi is the standard ‘eye’).
ṛtu as right time/order (a facet of R̥ta), clarification (ghṛta) as purified mind-substance, consciousness (cit) as awakened perception
ṛtvij implies alignment with ṛta: the will acts at the right season/stage of sādhanā.
śukra-cetiṣṭha points to truth-conscious discernment rather than opinion-mind.
Manifestation (vivakṣase): higher light seeks form through awakened faculties.
Proto-Vedāntic/Integral-Yogic reading (Aurobindo/Kashyap): gods as powers of consciousness.
Fire = will; ghee = clarified luminous substance (refined mind/offerings); eyes = awakened inner faculties of vision and discrimination.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The seated priest-fire: Agni is installed as ṛtvij, the power that governs right timing and right offering. The mythic action is enthronement—placing the luminous consciousness (śukra, cetiṣṭha) with ‘eyes’ (akṣa) into the human rite.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The superlative cétiṣṭham shows inherited Indo-European gradation morphology. The semantic network of ‘sitting/establishing’ (√sad) is archaic and pan-IE as a metaphor for instituting order.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- Humans ‘seat’ Agni—meaning they create the stable conditions for the divine presence. Agni reciprocates by manifesting heightened perception (cetiṣṭha) and inner sight (akṣa), turning the rite into an awakened seeing.
Install Agni (will) in the heart; invite luminous discernment to manifest in thought and action.
anahata (heart)
moderate
Collected aspiration → brightened inner seeing (dṛṣṭi)
Begin with 9 slow recitations; on ‘ghṛtapratīkam’ imagine a golden sheen over the heart-flame; on ‘akṣabhiḥ’ feel inner sight opening behind the brow without strain; end by offering one concrete intention for the day into the flame.
Default Rigvedic accentuation: udatta on lexically accented syllables; svarita as falling accent after udatta; anudatta for unaccented (exact śākhā-specific svara requires pada-svara text).
Lean gently into accented syllables (udātta) without increasing speed; allow natural fall (svarita) to soften the cadence at pāda ends.
tvāṃ: sustain āṃ nasalization cleanly, yajñeṣu: palatal ñ + eṣu, avoid ‘yag-’, ṛtvijam: vocalic ṛ (short), crisp tv, ghṛta: gh + vocalic ṛ, do not insert extra vowel, cetiṣṭham: retroflex ṣṭh cluster—keep it tight, akṣabhir: kṣ as a single conjunct, not ‘ak-sha’ separated
Warm, steady, luminous; avoid harshness—aim for ‘clarified’ tone matching ghṛta imagery.
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