Rig Veda 10.52.2: Mandala 10, Sukta 52, Mantra 2
Sukta 10.52
- Rishi
- Agni/Hotṛ voice
- Devata
- Viśve Devāḥ, Maruts, and Aśvins
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
अहं होता न्यसीदं यजीयान्विश्वे देवा मरुतो मा जुनन्ति । अहरहरश्विनाध्वर्यवं वां ब्रह्मा समिद्भवति साहुतिर्वाम् ॥
aháṃ hotā́ ny àsīdaṃ yajī́yān viśve devā́ marúto mā junanti | áhar-ahar aśvinā́dhvaryavaṃ vāṃ bráhmā samíd bhavati sā́hutir vām ||
నేను హోతా (హోతృ) ఆసీనుడనయ్యాను—యజ్ఞానికి మరింత యోగ్యుడై; విశ్వేదేవులు మరియు మరుతులు నన్ను ప్రేరేపిస్తున్నారు. హే అశ్వినౌ, దినదినం మీకొరకు అధ్వర్యు-కర్మ వాణిలో సమిధగా అవుతుంది; ఆ సమిధయే మీ నిజమైన ఆహుతిగా మారుతుంది.
Word by Word
- अहम्
- IPronounपुं/स्त्री (सर्वनाम), प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot अस्मद्
- होता
- Hotṛ-priest (invoking priest)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (अहम् का विशेषण/समापेक्ष)Root होतृ (√हु ‘to sacrifice/offer’)
- नि
- down, into (as preverb)Indeclinable (preverb)उपसर्गRoot नि
- असीदम्
- I sat down / took my seatVerbलुङ् (अorist), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot √सद् (सीद्) ‘to sit’
- यजीयान्
- more fit for sacrifice, more worshipfulAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (अहम्/होता का विशेषण)Role कर्तृ-विशेषणRoot यजीयस्- (यज्- ‘to worship/sacrifice’ से तुलनात्मक-प्रत्यय)
- विश्वे
- allAdjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot विश्व
- देवाः
- godsNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot देव
- मरुतः
- MarutsNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (देवाः के अपादान/समुच्चय में)Root मरुत्
- मा
- mePronounद्वितीया, एकवचन (enclitic)Role कर्मRoot अस्मद्
- जुनन्ति
- they impel/urgeVerbलट्, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot √जु (जुना/जु) ‘to impel, urge, set in motion’
- अहर्-अहर्
- day by dayNoun (reduplicated adverbial compound)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/अव्ययवत् (कालवाचक), एकवचन-प्रयोग; पुनरुक्तिRole अधिकरण (काल)Root अहन्
- अश्विना
- the two AśvinsNoun (dual deity name)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचनRole कर्तृ (द्वितीय वाक्य में)Root अश्विन्
- अध्वर्यवम्
- the Adhvaryu-priestNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot अध्वर्यु
- वाम्
- of/for you twoPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी द्विवचन (enclitic; ‘of you two/for you two’)Role सम्प्रदान/सम्बन्ध (सन्दर्भानुसार)Root युष्मद्
- ब्रह्मा
- the Brahmā-priest (priest of sacred speech)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot ब्रह्मन्
- समित्
- kindling-stick, fuelNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ-समास/समुच्चय (ब्रह्मा … भवति के साथ)Root समिध्
- भवति
- becomes / isVerbलट्, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot √भू ‘to be, become’
- सा
- thatPronoun (demonstrative)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ-निर्देशक (आहुतिः का)Root तद्
- आहुतिः
- offering, oblationNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (भवति के साथ)Root आहुति
- वाम्
- of/for you twoPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी द्विवचन (enclitic)Role सम्प्रदान/सम्बन्धRoot युष्मद्
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धि-विग्रह): होता + नि + असीदम् → होता न्यसीदम् (इकार-सन्धि/यण्-आदेश: नि + अ → न्य)
- यजीयान् + विश्वे → यजीयान्विश्वे (व्यञ्जन-सन्धि: न् + व → न्व)
- देवाः + मरुतः → देवा मरुतो (विसर्ग-लोप/पदपाठ-परम्परा)
- अहर् + अहः → अहरहर् (पुनरुक्ति-समास/सन्धि)
- अश्विना + अध्वर्यवम् → अश्विनाध्वर्यवम् (आ + अ → आ)
- ब्रह्मा + समित् → ब्रह्मा समिद् (समिध् का पदरूप ‘समित्’; ध्→त् पदान्त)
- भवति + सा + आहुतिः → भवति साहुतिः (अ + आ → आ)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The Hotṛ declares he has sat down, now more fit to sacrifice; the All-Gods and Maruts impel him. Day by day, for the Aśvins, the priestly act becomes kindling in the brahman (sacred word), and that kindling becomes their offering.
Inner meaning
The will-priest (Hotṛ) becomes ‘yajīyān’—more capable of true offering—because the collective divine powers and the dynamic life-forces (Maruts) drive and energize the aspiration. The daily practice (ahar-ahar) turns the act of consecration into ‘samid’—fuel for the inner fire—through brahman: the mantric Word and the luminous intention. The Aśvins, twin powers of swift help and harmonizing action, receive this as an ever-renewed offering: the practice itself becomes the flame.
Universal truth
Spiritual discipline ripens by repetition: day by day the Word, the will, and the life-energy can be transmuted into fuel for a steady inner fire, inviting swift divine assistance and balance in action.
Themes
daily practice, invocation and impulsion, Aśvins as helpers, kindling the inner fire
The seer
- Rishi
- Hotṛ/Agni-persona (seer-voice continuing the hymn)
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 10.52.1, Rig Veda 10.52.3, Rig Veda 10.52.4, Rig Veda 10.52.5
Significance
Shows the inner mechanics of progress: divine impulsion (Viśve Devāḥ), energized life-force (Maruts), and the daily turning of speech/intention into fuel (brahman → samid).
The deity
- Devata
- Viśve Devāḥ; Maruts; Aśvins
- Epithets
- Viśve Devāḥ, Marutaḥ, Aśvinā
- Related deities
- Agni, Indra, Soma, Uṣas
Cosmic role
Viśve Devāḥ coordinate the total sacrifice; Maruts provide dynamic force and purification; Aśvins bring swift aid, healing, and harmonious progress in the journey.
Inner power
Integration (All-Gods), energization and cleansing (Maruts), rapid right adjustment and restoration (Aśvins).
In ritual
Where it is used
Hotṛ’s self-declaration within a Soma/Agni offering narrative; Aśvin invocation contexts are common in morning rites (general association).
अ॒हं होता॒ न्य॑सीदं॒ यजी॑या॒न्विश्वे॑ दे॒वा म॒रुतो॑ मा जुनन्ति । अह॑रहरश्वि॒नाध्व॑र्यवं वां ब्र॒ह्मा स॒मिद्भ॑वति॒ साहु॑तिर्वाम् ॥
अ॒हम् । होता॑ । नि । अ॒सी॒द॒म् । यजी॑यान् । विश्वे॑ । दे॒वाः॒ । म॒रुतः॑ । मा॒ । जु॒न॒न्ति॒ । अहः॑ऽअहः । अ॒श्वि॒ना॒ । आध्व॑र्यवम् । वा॒म् । ब्र॒ह्मा । स॒म्ऽइत् । भ॒व॒ति॒ । सा । आऽहु॑तिः । वा॒म् ॥
aham | hotā | ni | asīdam | yajīyān | viśve | devāḥ | marutaḥ | mā | junanti | ahaḥ-ahaḥ | aśvinā | ādhvaryavam | vām | brahmā | sam-it | bhavati | sā | āhutiḥ | vām
44
4 × ~11 syllables (allowing Vedic metrical flexibility)
Energetic propulsion in the first half (Maruts impel), settling into steady recurrence (ahar-ahar).
Builds a sense of daily momentum—invigorating yet disciplined; good for establishing a practice rhythm.
- अहं होता (ahaṃ hotā)
- Literal: I, the Hotṛ. Symbolic: the awakened inner will that invokes and offers
- न्यसीदम् (ny asīdam)
- Literal: I sat down. Symbolic: entering stable inward concentration
- यजीयान् (yajīyān)
- Literal: more sacrificer-worthy. Symbolic: increased capacity for consecration and self-giving
- मरुतः (marutaḥ)
- Literal: Maruts. Symbolic: storm-powers; inner life-forces/energies that propel aspiration and purge inertia
- जुनन्ति (junanti)
- Literal: impel, drive. Symbolic: divine impulsion that overcomes tamas and hesitation
- अहरहर (ahar-ahar)
- Literal: day by day. Symbolic: regular sadhana; iterative transformation
- अश्विना (aśvinā)
- Literal: the Aśvins. Symbolic: twin powers of swift illumination and right action; healing and harmonious progress
- आध्वर्यवम् (ādhvaryavam)
- Literal: the adhvaryu act/office. Symbolic: the executive force of the sacrifice—skill in applying will to works
- ब्रह्मा (brahmā)
- Literal: sacred word/prayer. Symbolic: mantric consciousness; formative power of truth-speech
- समिद् (samid)
- Literal: kindling-stick. Symbolic: fuel of aspiration—purified intention feeding the inner fire
- आहुतिः (āhutiḥ)
- Literal: offering. Symbolic: surrendered movement becoming luminous energy
Role-definition of Hotṛ; continual daily offering with kindling (samid) and āhuti; integration of priestly functions (Hotṛ/Adhvaryu/Brahman)
As the priest takes seat and begins recurring offerings; thematically suited to daily sequences.
Seating; invocation; kindling and offering through mantric speech.
Daily practice mantra: convert speech into aspiration—let each day’s recitation become ‘samid’ feeding inner fire and inviting swift harmonizing help.
yajīyān comparative/intensive from √yaj. √ju ‘impel’ (junanti). aśvin- related to aśva ‘horse’ (speed/light), twins as swift helpers. adhvaryu from adhvara ‘sacrifice’ (possibly ‘uninjured’ a-dhvara as folk etymology; philology complex). brahman here as mantra/word-power (√bṛh ‘to grow, expand’ → ‘the expansive utterance’). samid ‘fuel’ from sam-√idh ‘kindle’ (√idh ‘to ignite’). āhuti from ā-√hu ‘offer, pour into fire’.
Tapas as daily kindling, mantra (brahman) as formative power, divine impulsion (Marut-force)
Daily right action (ahar-ahar) aligns the being with ṛta through repeated consecration.
Brahman as truth-speech shaping the offering.
Word-turned-fuel: consciousness creates its own fire by formative speech and will.
Mantra-śakti emphasis; Aurobindonian inner yajña (speech → force)
daily cycle (implicit)
Storm = dynamic pranic surge clearing obstructions; kindling = concentrated aspiration; day-cycle = steady iterative transformation.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The daily re-kindling of the sacrifice: the Word (brahman) itself becomes fuel (samid) and offering (āhuti). Mythically, the rite is perpetually renewed by divine impulsion (Maruts) and swift harmonising aid (Aśvins).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √idh ‘kindle’ has wide IE reflexes in the semantic field of burning/igniting; √bṛh ‘grow/expand’ as basis for brahman reflects an archaic metaphor of ‘expansive utterance.’ √hu/√vah and sacrificial terms are Indo-Iranian continuities.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The priest-power is not autonomous: the Maruts ‘impel’ it, and the Aśvins receive a continually renewed offering generated by the Word. The seeker’s practice (day by day) invites the gods’ dynamic support, creating a feedback loop of aspiration and illumination.
Daily convert mantra and intention into inner fuel; invite dynamic energy to purify and twin powers to harmonize action and perception.
manipura (fire/discipline)
brisk_energetic 3-part breath (diaphragm→ribs→upper chest) for 9 rounds, then steady nasal breathing with japa
energized steadiness—tapas with calm control
Begin seated; feel Marut-force as clean upward wind in the spine; recite as ‘brahman’; imagine each repetition becoming samid feeding a central flame; end with a quiet call to the Aśvins for swift right adjustment in the day.
Use śākhā-based svara; emphasize the natural rise on invocatory names (viśve, devāḥ, marutaḥ, aśvinā).
Keep ‘ahar-ahar’ evenly timed to convey recurrence; avoid rushing the second hemistich.
: nasal ‘a-haṃ’ with anusvāra, : ‘ny’ conjunct cleanly (no extra vowel), : light dental t, not retroflex, : ‘śv’ conjunct; short i at end, : pronounce ‘samid-bhavati’ with clear sandhi, : long ā; ‘hu’ aspirated
bright, energized, but controlled; crisp consonants
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