Rig Veda 3.22.3: Mandala 3, Sukta 22, Mantra 3
Sukta 3.22
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
अग्ने दिवो अर्णमच्छा जिगास्यच्छा देवाँ ऊचिषे धिष्ण्या ये । या रोचने परस्तात्सूर्यस्य याश्चावस्तादुपतिष्ठन्त आपः ॥
agné divó arṇám ácchā jigāsy ácchā devā́m̐ ūciṣe dhíṣṇyā yé | yā́ rocáne parástāt sū́ryasya yā́ś cāvástād upatíṣṭhanta ā́paḥ ||
హే అగ్నీ, నీవు దివః యొక్క అర్ణవం (ప్రవాహం/సముద్రం) వైపు చేరదలుచుకున్నావు; ధిష్ణ్య (శక్తి-ఆసనాలు) అయిన దేవులను నీవు పిలుస్తావు. సూర్యుని పైనున్న రోచన (దీప్త లోకం) లో నిలిచిన ఆపః (జలాలు) మరియు క్రింద నిలిచిన ఆపః—అవి మా లోపల ప్రకాశపు ఆరోహణ-అవరోహణలను ఆధారపరచుగాక।
Word by Word
- अग्ने
- O AgniNoun (vocative)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot अग्नि-
- दिवः
- of heaven / of the skyNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root दिव्-/द्यौ-
- अर्णम्
- the flood, the wave, the streamNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot अर्ण-
- अच्छा
- towards, untoIndeclinableअव्यय (गत्यर्थे/उपसर्गवत्)Role दिशा/गति-निर्देश (adverbial)Root अच्छा
- जिगासि
- you desire to go / you seek to reachVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; देशिदेरटिव (desiderative) अर्थ: ‘to wish to go/approach’Role क्रियाRoot गम् (√गम्) with desiderative stem जिगास-
- अच्छा
- towardsIndeclinableअव्ययRole दिशा/गति-निर्देश (adverbial)Root अच्छा
- देवान्
- the godsNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot देव-
- ऊचिषे
- you speak / you have utteredVerbलिट्/परिपूर्ण (perfect), आत्मनेपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन (Vedic: ‘you have spoken/you speak solemnly’)Role क्रियाRoot वच् (√वच्) with perfect/old stative formation ऊचि-
- धिष्ण्याः
- the steadfast/holy ones (epithet of gods)Adjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (of the relative clause)Root धिष्ण्य-
- ये
- whoPronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (relative)Root यद्- (relative pronoun)
- याः
- which (fem. pl.)Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (relative)Root यद्- (relative pronoun)
- रोचने
- in the shining realm / in the luminous spaceNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot रोचन-
- परस्तात्
- beyond, on the farther sideIndeclinableअव्यय (स्थानवाचक)Role अधिकरण (adverbial)Root परस्तात्
- सूर्यस्य
- of the SunNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root सूर्य-
- याः
- and which (fem. pl.)Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (relative)Root यद्- (relative pronoun)
- च
- andIndeclinableअव्यय (समुच्चय)Role समुच्चयRoot च
- अवस्तात्
- below, beneathIndeclinableअव्यय (स्थानवाचक)Role अधिकरण (adverbial)Root अवस्तात्
- उपतिष्ठन्ते
- they stand near / attend / wait uponVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot स्था (√स्था) with preverb उप-; present stem तिष्ठ-
- आपः
- the watersNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot अप्- (pluralia tantum)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (sandhi-resolved): अग्ने | दिवः | अर्णम् | अच्छाः | जिगासि | अच्छाः | देवान् | ऊचिषे | धिष्ण्याः | ये | याः | रोचने | परस्तात् | सूर्यस्य | याः | च | अवस्तात् | उपतिष्ठन्ते | आपः । प्रमुख संधि: (1) अर्णम्+अच्छा → अर्णमच्छा (m+a → ma) (2) जिगासि+अच्छा → जिगास्यच्छा (i+a → ya) (3) अच्छाः+देवान् → अच्छादेवान् (ā+d → ād) (4) परस्तात्+सूर्यस्य → परस्तात्सूर्यस्य (t+s → ts) (5) अवस्तात्+उपतिष्ठन्ते → अवस्तादुपतिष्ठन्ते (t+u → du) ।
The meaning
Outer meaning
Agni seeks the heavenly flood and calls the gods who are true seats of power. The waters in the luminous realm beyond the Sun and those below stand supporting.
Inner meaning
Agni as ascending will strives toward the ‘flood of heaven’—a descending plenitude of higher consciousness (arṇam). He summons the devas as inner powers firmly seated (dhiṣṇyāḥ) in their proper stations. The ‘waters beyond the Sun’ are supramental/causal currents of truth-consciousness; the ‘waters below’ are the lower life-currents. When both are rightly stationed and supportive, ascent (to higher light) and descent (of that light into life) become stable, enabling integral transformation rather than one-sided escape.
Universal truth
Spiritual progress needs both ascent to higher truth and descent of that truth into embodied life; the higher and lower currents must be harmonized and held in right place.
Themes
Ascent to higher planes, Summoning divine powers, Waters as support, Beyond the Sun (supramental hint)
The seer
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Lineage
- Viśvāmitra (Gāthina lineage)
- Other hymns
- RV 3.23, RV 3.24, RV 3.25
Family tradition
The Viśvāmitra vision frequently invokes ‘waters’ as conscious forces and emphasizes the calling of devas as powers to establish a stable inner order.
Significance
The seer frames yoga as a two-way movement: aspiration rising and grace descending, with the devas as organized faculties of the awakened being.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni (with waters as supporting powers)
- Epithets
- Caller of the gods (ūciṣe), Seeker of the heavenly flood
- Related deities
- Āpaḥ, Sūrya, Indra (as releaser of waters/light in allied imagery)
Cosmic role
Links heaven and earth; invokes the gods; draws down the heavenly plenitude through the channel of sacrifice.
Inner power
Upward-striving flame that also establishes downward integration—making higher truth operative in lower life.
In ritual
Where it is used
Invocation to Agni to call devas and establish supportive waters (purification/strengthening)
अग्ने॑ दि॒वो अर्ण॒मच्छा॑ जिगा॒स्यच्छा॑ दे॒वाँ ऊ॑चिषे॒ धिष्ण्या॒ ये । या रो॑च॒ने प॒रस्ता॒त्सूर्य॑स्य॒ याश्चा॒वस्ता॑दुप॒तिष्ठ॑न्त॒ आप॑: ॥
अग्ने॑ । दि॒वः । अर्ण॑म् । अच्छ॑ । जि॒गा॒सि॒ । अच्छ॑ । दे॒वान् । ऊ॒चि॒षे॒ । धिष्ण्या॑ । ये । या । रो॒च॒ने । प॒रस्ता॑त् । सूर्य॑स्य । याः । च॒ । अ॒वस्ता॑त् । उ॒प॒ऽतिष्ठ॑न्ते । आपः॑ ॥
agne | divaḥ | arṇam | accha | jigāsi | accha | devān | ūciṣe | dhiṣṇyā | ye | yā | rocane | parastāt | sūryasya | yāḥ | ca | avastāt | upa-tiṣṭhante | āpaḥ
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4 × ~11 syllables
Alternates upward lift (first half) with grounding support (second half), mirroring ascent/descent.
Gives a sense of vertical alignment; stabilizes the spine-breath axis in meditation.
- अर्णम् (arṇam)
- Literal: flood, wave, sea. Symbolic: plenary influx of higher consciousness
- दिवः (divaḥ)
- Literal: of heaven. Symbolic: higher plane of mind/spirit
- देवान् (devān)
- Literal: the gods. Symbolic: inner powers of consciousness (illumination, harmony, strength, etc.)
- धिष्ण्याः (dhiṣṇyāḥ)
- Literal: seated, established (in their seats). Symbolic: stable functional powers in their proper centers within the being
- रोचने (rocane)
- Literal: luminous realm. Symbolic: plane of illumination/clarity where truth is seen
- परस्तात् सूर्यस्य (parastāt sūryasya)
- Literal: beyond the Sun. Symbolic: beyond mental illumination—supramental truth-light
- अवस्तात् (avastāt)
- Literal: below. Symbolic: lower nature—vital/physical currents
- आपः (āpaḥ)
- Literal: waters. Symbolic: conscious currents, energies of flow and purification
Invocation connecting Agni’s ascent to heavenly flood and summoning of gods; inwardly, linking higher luminous planes (beyond solar) with lower supportive currents.
During Agni invocations that precede calling specific deities; also in rites emphasizing waters/purification symbolism.
Kindling and offering; mentally ‘calling’ inner powers; sprinkling/ācamana can be paired as inner purification.
Use before practice to align: invoke Agni, then feel a higher stream (above mind) and a lower stream (breath/body) becoming supportive and calm.
rocana from √ruc ‘shine’ indicates luminous planes. dh (dhiṣṇya) denotes ‘stations/seats’ (from √dhā/√dhiṣ? Vedic technical term for sacred seats/powers). āpaḥ ‘waters’ are multivalent: physical waters and psychological currents; upa-√sthā ‘stand near/attend’ suggests supportive presence. arṇam again as flood of being/light.
vertical integration of consciousness (above/below), supporting waters as life-currents, divine seats (dhiṣṇya) as stable powers
Dhiṣṇyāḥ indicates ṛta as correct stationing of forces; harmony of currents is a sign of ṛta in the being.
‘Beyond the Sun’ points to satya beyond mental light—truth-consciousness not mixed with ignorance.
Cosmic waters above/below sustain manifestation; inner waters sustain transformation and embodiment of light.
Integral yoga orientation: descent is as essential as ascent.
Fire = aspiration; waters above = supramental grace; waters below = life-breath currents; sun = mental illumination; beyond sun = higher truth.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is the ‘two waters’ (above and below) and Agni’s movement toward the heavenly flood while summoning the gods. In the inner sense, Agni is the ascending will that reaches beyond the merely solar mind toward higher luminous planes, while the lower and higher currents of being (āpaḥ) support the transformation.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √ruc ‘shine’ and the concept of luminous ‘worlds’ parallels Indo-European poetic cosmology. āpaḥ ‘waters’ has cognates across IE (e.g., Latin aqua is not cognate; but PIE *h₂ep- ‘water’ underlies Vedic āp-, Avestan āp-). The spatial oppositions (parastāt/avastāt) are typical archaic cosmological binaries.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi portrays Agni as both seeker (jigāsi) and invoker (ūciṣe): Agni embodies the aspirational movement and the effective call. The human aligns with this movement, seeking support from the waters (currents) that attend the luminous ascent.
Ascent to higher truth and descent for integration; calling inner faculties into their right seats.
Sushumna axis; Ajna/Sahasrara (waters beyond sun) with Muladhara/Swadhisthana (waters below)
Nadi-śodhana (alternate nostril) to harmonize currents; brief upward attention on inhale, downward settling on exhale.
Aligned, supported, integrative awareness.
Chant once, then sit: feel a cool luminous current above the head and a steady warm current in the belly; invite inner powers (clarity, courage, harmony) to ‘sit’ in their places; allow both currents to support action and silence.
Tri-svara; keep udātta prominence on agne, devān, sūryasya, āpaḥ.
Mark the two ‘acchā’ as clear forward impulses; soften and lengthen on ‘upatiṣṭhanta āpaḥ’ to convey support.
acchā: double cch, not ‘acha’, ūciṣe: long ū, palatal c, rocane: clear ‘ro’ + ‘ca’, upatiṣṭhanta: retroflex ṣṭh cluster; keep it tight
Uplifting in first half, grounding and soothing in second.
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