Rig Veda 10.45.9: Mandala 10, Sukta 45, Mantra 9
Sukta 10.45
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
यस्ते अद्य कृणवद्भद्रशोचेऽपूपं देव घृतवन्तमग्ने । प्र तं नय प्रतरं वस्यो अच्छाभि सुम्नं देवभक्तं यविष्ठ ॥
yás te adyá kṛṇávad bhadrá-śoce ’pū́paṃ deva ghṛtávantam agne | prá táṃ naya prataráṃ vásyo áchā́bhi súmnaṃ deva-bháktam yaviṣṭha ||
హే భద్రశోచే దేవా, హే ఘృతవంత అగ్నీ—ఈ రోజు నీకోసం అపూపం (యజ్ఞ-కేక్) సిద్ధం చేసేవానిని నీవు ముందుకు నడిపించు; మరింత ఉత్తమమైన, మరింత వాంఛనీయమైన స్థితి వైపు; దేవులతో భాగస్వామ్యమైన సుమ్నం (కృప) వైపు, హే యవిష్ఠా (యువతముడూ బలవంతుడూ).
Word by Word
- यः
- who (he who)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (सम्बन्धवाचकः—यः … सः)Root यद्- (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- ते
- yourPronounषष्ठी, एकवचनम् (एन्क्लिटिक) — ‘of you/thy’Role सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root युष्मद्- (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अद्य
- today, nowIndeclinableकालवाचकम् अव्ययम्Role अधिकरण (काल)Root अद्य (अव्यय)
- कृणवत्
- made, preparedVerbलुङ् (अोरिस्ट्), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role क्रियाRoot कृ (धातु)
- भद्रशोचे
- O you of auspicious flame/splendourNoun (vocative epithet)सम्बोधनम्, एकवचनम् (अग्नेः विशेषणम्)Role सम्बोधनRoot भद्र- + शोचि- (प्रातिपदिक; बहुव्रीहिः/कर्मधारयः)
- अपूपम्
- a cake (sacrificial bread)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot अपूप- (प्रातिपदिक)
- देव
- O godNoun (vocative)सम्बोधनम्, एकवचनम्Role सम्बोधनRoot देव- (प्रातिपदिक)
- घृतवन्तम्
- rich in ghee, ghee-ladenAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम् (अपूपम् विशेषयति)Role कर्म (विशेषणम्)Root घृत- + वन्त् (प्रातिपदिक; मतुप्/वन्त्-प्रत्ययान्त)
- अग्ने
- O AgniNoun (vocative)सम्बोधनम्, एकवचनम्Role सम्बोधनRoot अग्नि- (प्रातिपदिक)
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableउपसर्गः/निपातःRole क्रियाविशेषणम्Root प्र (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- तम्
- him/itPronounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot तद्- (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- नय
- lead, conductVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), परस्मैपदम्, मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role क्रियाRoot नी (धातु)
- प्रतरम्
- further, onward; more forwardIndeclinable (comparative adverb)तुलनार्थकं क्रियाविशेषणम्Role क्रियाविशेषणम्Root प्रतरम् (अव्यय/तुलनात्मक-रूप) < प्र + तर
- वस्यः
- to a better (place/state), more excellentAdjective (comparative)नपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम् (अव्ययवत्—‘to a better (state/place)’)Role कर्म/गत्यर्थे लक्ष्य (गन्तव्य-भावः)Root वसु- (प्रातिपदिक) → वस्यस् (तुलनात्मक)
- अच्छा
- towards, untoIndeclinableगत्यर्थकं अव्ययम्Role क्रियाविशेषणम्Root अच्छा (अव्यय)
- अभि
- towards, uponIndeclinableउपसर्गः/निपातःRole क्रियाविशेषणम्Root अभि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- सुम्नम्
- favour, grace, blessingNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot सुम्न- (प्रातिपदिक)
- देवभक्तम्
- bestowed by the gods / god-grantedAdjective (past participle used adjectivally)नपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम् (सुम्नम् विशेषयति)Role कर्म (विशेषणम्)Root देव- + भक्त- (कृदन्त; √भज् ‘to share/portion, to bestow’)
- यविष्ठ
- O youngest (most youthful)Adjective (superlative, vocative)सम्बोधनम्, एकवचनम् (अग्नेः विशेषणम्)Role सम्बोधनRoot युव- (प्रातिपदिक) → यविष्ठ (अतिशय/सुपरलेटिव)
Sandhi Notes
- सन्धि-विच्छेदः (मुख्याः): (1) भद्रशोचेऽपूपम् = भद्रशोचे + अपूपम् (ए/अ → ’ अवग्रह)
- (2) वस्यो॒ अच्छा = वस्यः + अच्छा (विसर्गः + अ → ओ; ‘वस्यो’)
- अन्यत्र ‘प्र/अभि’ उपसर्ग-निपाताः पृथक् पदानि।
The meaning
Outer meaning
Whoever today prepares for Agni a ghee-rich cake-offering, Agni should lead that worshipper forward to a better, more desirable condition and toward divine favor shared by the gods.
Inner meaning
The “cake” (apūpa) is the shaped offering of one’s substance—mind, life-force, and works—made luminous by ghṛta (clarified light of understanding). When aspiration offers itself in this clarified intelligence to the inner Fire (Agni), Agni becomes the guide who carries the seeker beyond the present limitation (“today”) into a higher, more harmonious state and toward sumna—grace/beatitude that belongs to the divine powers (devabhakta).
Universal truth
When will and aspiration are fed by clear discernment, the inner flame naturally leads consciousness from the merely preferable to the truly better—toward a life aligned with higher laws and shared good.
Themes
offering and guidance, Agni as leader (netṛ), inner sacrifice, attainment of divine favour
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 10.45.1-12 (Agni hymn cluster)
Significance
The anonymity highlights a universal yoga of Agni: the inner sacrifice is open to any seeker; the ‘seer’ is the awakened discernment that offers clarified substance to the guiding Flame.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- bhadraśoci (auspicious-flamed), deva (divine power), yaviṣṭha (ever-young)
- Related deities
- Viśve Devāḥ (collective gods)
Cosmic role
Mediator and carrier of offerings; establishes the link between human aspiration and divine fulfillment.
Inner power
Divine Will and psychic fire that purifies, energizes, and leads consciousness upward.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agnihotra / Agniṣṭoma-related Agni offerings (general Agni stuti used in soma and non-soma contexts)
यस्ते॑ अ॒द्य कृ॒णव॑द्भद्रशोचेऽपू॒पं दे॑व घृ॒तव॑न्तमग्ने । प्र तं न॑य प्रत॒रं वस्यो॒ अच्छा॒भि सु॒म्नं दे॒वभ॑क्तं यविष्ठ ॥
यः । ते॒ । अ॒द्य । कृ॒णव॑त् । भ॒द्र॒ऽशो॒चे॒ । अ॒पू॒पम् । दे॒व॒ । घृ॒तऽव॑न्तम् । अ॒ग्ने॒ । प्र । तम् । न॒य॒ । प्र॒ऽत॒रम् । वस्यः॑ । अच्छ॑ । अ॒भि । सु॒म्नम् । दे॒वऽभ॑क्तम् । य॒वि॒ष्ठ॒ ॥
yaḥ | te | adya | kṛṇavat | bhadra-śoce | apūpam | deva | ghṛta-vantam | agne | pra | tam | naya | pra-taram | vasyaḥ | accha | abhi | sumnam | deva-bhaktam | yaviṣṭha
44
4 pādas of ~11 syllables
forward-driving, expansive, suited to invocation and ascent
Builds a sense of onward movement (‘pra…naya’), strengthening resolve and uplifting aspiration.
- bhadraśoce
- Literal: fair/flourishing flame, auspicious-burning. Symbolic: the beneficent inner fire whose burning purifies without destroying, illuminating the being
- apūpa
- Literal: cake, sacrificial bread. Symbolic: a formed offering: disciplined work and concentrated substance given to the inner Divine
- ghṛtavantam
- Literal: rich in ghee. Symbolic: filled with clarified light—lucid understanding, sattvic discernment
- pra taṃ naya
- Literal: lead him forth. Symbolic: the inner guidance of Agni moving the seeker forward on the path
- prataraṃ
- Literal: to a better/further shore. Symbolic: progress to a higher grade of consciousness
- vasyas
- Literal: more desirable, more excellent. Symbolic: the higher good (śreyas) beyond immediate preference
- sumna
- Literal: favor, grace. Symbolic: ananda-like benediction and right felicity from the divine powers
- devabhakta
- Literal: shared/portioned by the gods. Symbolic: a grace that comes by harmony with the cosmic powers, not by egoic claim
- yaviṣṭha
- Literal: youngest (Agni). Symbolic: ever-new flame of aspiration, constantly reborn in the seeker
Oblation-verse accompanying puroḍāśa/apūpa-type offering to Agni; also adaptable as inner-yajña instruction: offer clarified substance and be led to higher state.
During Agni praise while offering ghee/cake; also adaptable to daily fire reverence
Offering apūpa and ghṛta into fire with invocation for guidance and prosperity
Before meditation or important work: offer a small act (lamp/candle, breath, intention) and pray for inner guidance toward the ‘better’ choice.
kṛṇavat from √kṛ ‘make/do’ indicates deliberate formation of the offering (inner formation of will). ghṛta (from √ghṛ ‘to shine/sprinkle’ in Vedic usage) carries the sense of ‘clarified luminous substance’—psychologically, clarified mind/intelligence offered into the fire. sumná is a key Vedic term for ‘benign grace’ (often from the gods), not merely ‘luck’.
divine grace (sumnam), progressive ascent (prataram), clarification/purification (ghṛta as clarified essence)
Agni leads the seeker into alignment with ṛta through purified will and right action.
Clarified offering (ghṛta) symbolizes truth-seeing that makes action transparent.
Ascent from the present condition to a higher ‘shore’ through the fire of transformation.
Proto-Vedāntic/Integral Yoga reading (Aurobindonian): evolution of consciousness through inner sacrifice.
Fire = will/aspiration; ghee = clarified intelligence; cake = shaped discipline; movement ‘forward’ = inner ascent.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem of Agni as guide (netā) who, pleased by the offering, leads the human forward into a better world/state. The ritual ‘cake’ becomes the inner formed oblation—disciplined substance of the being—by which one earns passage toward divine sumná.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The imperative naya from √nī corresponds to PIE *ney- ‘to lead’ (cf. Eng nudge via different path, but clearer in Lat nītor?; more directly in Skt nī-, Av. naiia-). The ‘forward’ particle prá is part of the IE preverb system shaping directionality and aspect. Such preverb + verb constructions are a shared Indo-European poetic-ritual feature.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- A transactional reciprocity is explicit: the human prepares (kṛṇavat) a clarified offering; Agni responds by leading (naya) the offerer toward divine grace. The rishi’s speech codifies the covenant: right offering → right guidance → shared divine portion (deva-bhaktam).
Offer the day’s intentions into the inner fire; ask for guidance toward the higher choice (śreyas).
Manipura (fire/will) with support from Ajna (clarity/ghṛta).
Gentle kapalabhati-like warming (very mild) or slow ujjayi to kindle inner heat, then silent witnessing.
Collected aspiration with luminous clarity
Before action, inwardly ‘clarify the ghee’: remove agitation, see motives plainly, then offer work to Agni and follow the quiet forward-leading impulse.
Mixed udatta/anudatta/svarita per Rigvedic accent; preserve udātta peaks on key vocatives (agne, deva) and verbs (naya).
Keep the cadence strong on ‘pra taṃ naya’ (forward-leading). Lightly lift udātta syllables; avoid flattening the tristubh swing.
agne: pronounce as ‘ag-ne’ (not ‘ag-ni’), ghṛtavantam: clear vocalic ṛ in ghṛ-, yaviṣṭha: retroflex ṣṭh cluster, ‘ṣṭha’ as one unit, sumnaṃ: keep ‘mn’ conjunct audible
bright, steady, offering-like (as if placing each word into fire)
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