Rig Veda 3.27.12: Mandala 3, Sukta 27, Mantra 12
Sukta 3.27
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
ऊर्जो नपातमध्वरे दीदिवांसमुप द्यवि । अग्निमीळे कविक्रतुम् ॥
ūrjó nápātam adhvaré dī́divāṃsam úpa dyávi | agním īḷe kavíkratum ||
ఊర్జ యొక్క కుమారుడు, అధ్వర యజ్ఞంలో దీప్తిమంతుడు, ద్యులోకమువైపు ఉద్ధరించువాడు—కవి-క్రతు (ఋషి-సంకల్పం) గల అగ్నిని నేను స్తుతిస్తున్నాను.
Word by Word
- ऊर्जः
- of nourishment, of strengthNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग (वेदे प्रायः), षष्ठी एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive relation) — ‘of nourishment/strength’Root ऊर्ज्/ऊर्जा (प्रातिपदिक) < √वर्ज्/ऊर्ज् (बल/पोषण-भाव) (निघण्टु: बल, अन्न)
- नपातम्
- offspring/son (i.e., ‘offspring of nourishment’)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्म (object of implied praise/approach; apposition to अग्निम्)Root नपात् (प्रातिपदिक) < PIE *nepōt- (nephew/descendant) (वैदिक: ‘offspring/son’)
- अध्वरे
- in the sacrifice, in the riteNounपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचनRole अधिकरण (locative) — ‘in/at the sacrifice’Root अध्वर (प्रातिपदिक) (यज्ञ/अध्वरः)
- दीदिवांसम्
- shining, radiantAdjective (participial)पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (वर्तमान कृदन्त: -वांस्)Role विशेषण (qualifier) of अग्निम्/नपातम्Root √दीदिव्/√दीप् (दीप्तौ) → दीदिवांस् (वर्तमान/परिपूर्ण-दीप्ति सूचक ‘shining’)
- उप
- towards, nearIndeclinableअव्ययRole क्रियाविशेषण/उपसर्गार्थ — ‘towards, near’Root उप (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- द्यवि
- in the sky, in heavenNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचन (वैदिक रूप: द्यवि)Role अधिकरण (locative) — ‘in/at heaven/sky’Root द्यौ/दिव् (प्रातिपदिक) (heaven/sky)
- अग्निम्
- Agni (fire-god)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्म (object of ईळे)Root अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- ईळे
- I praise, I invokeVerbलट् (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपदRole क्रिया (main verb) — ‘I praise’Root √ईळ्/√ईड् (स्तुतौ/पूजायाम्)
- कविक्रतुम्
- of seer-like will, having a poet’s/wise resolveAdjective (compound)पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (अग्निम् विशेषयति)Role विशेषण (qualifier) of अग्निम्Root कवि (प्रातिपदिक) + क्रतु (प्रातिपदिक) (बहुव्रीहि/कर्मधारय-समास: ‘whose resolve is that of a seer’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (sandhi-resolved): ऊर्जः | नपातम् | अध्वरे | दीदिवांसम् | उप | द्यवि | अग्निम् | ईळे | कविक्रतुम् । 1) ऊर्जो नपातम् → ऊर्जः + नपातम् (विसर्ग-सन्धि: -ः before न becomes -ो in saṃhitā)
- 2) नपातम् अध्वरे → नपातम् + अध्वरे (no special change; saṃhitā junction)
- 3) अध्वरे दीदिवांसम् → (no special change)
- 4) दीदिवांसम् उप → (anusvāra before vowel retained as -म्; no further change)
- 5) उप द्यवि → (no special change)
- 6) द्यवि अग्निम् → (no special change)
- 7) अग्निम् ईळे → (no special change)
- 8) ईळे कविक्रतुम् → (no special change)
- Accent note (as given in saṃhitā): ऊ॒र्जो (anudātta/udātta pattern), नपा॑तम् (udātta on पा), अध्व॒रे (svarita/anudātta marking), दी॑दि॒वांसम् (udātta on दी), उप॒ (anudātta), द्यवि॑ (udātta on वि), अग्निमी॑ळे (udātta on ईळे), क॒विक्र॑तुम् (udātta on क्र)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The poet worships Agni as the “child of plenitude,” blazing in the sacrificial rite and rising toward heaven, endowed with a seer’s purposeful will.
Inner meaning
Agni is the awakened divine Will in the human being, born of inner plenitude (ūrj) and made luminous by the discipline of the adhvara (the journey/sacrifice). As it rises “toward heaven,” it aspires from the mental-vital field to the higher consciousness. “Kavi-kratu” indicates a will that is not blind impulse but illumined intention—will guided by inner seeing (kavi) and thus capable of right action and right offering.
Universal truth
True transformation begins when aspiration becomes a steady inner flame: a will that is lit by insight, feeds on consecrated effort, and naturally tends upward toward the highest truth.
Themes
Ascent, Illumination, Agni as child of plenitude, Seer-will
The seer
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Lineage
- Viśvāmitra (Gāthin lineage)
- Other hymns
- RV 3.1, RV 3.26, RV 3.28, RV 3.62 (Gāyatrī)
Family tradition
Maṇḍala 3 is chiefly the Viśvāmitra family’s revelation; a tradition of forging inner and outer victory through mantra-power and tapas, opening the way from human limitation to wider light.
Significance
Viśvāmitra embodies the yogic conversion of force into light: the will (kṣatra) refined into the seer-mind (brahman). This verse mirrors that signature—Agni as the seer-will leading the ascent.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- Ūrjo napāt, Kavi-kratu, Jātavedas (contextually aligned), Dīdivāṃs (the shining one)
- Related deities
- Indra, Soma, Uṣas, Bṛhaspati
Cosmic role
Mediator between earth and heaven; carrier of offerings; awakener of the gods (powers) and establisher of the right order in the sacrifice.
Inner power
The psychic-fire and divine will that purifies, aspires, and organizes the inner being toward truth-consciousness.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni-kindling and invocation within Soma-sacrifice sequences; general Agni-stotra usage
ऊ॒र्जो नपा॑तमध्व॒रे दी॑दि॒वांस॒मुप॒ द्यवि॑ । अ॒ग्निमी॑ळे क॒विक्र॑तुम् ॥
ऊ॒र्जः । नपा॑तम् । अ॒ध्व॒रे । दी॒दि॒ऽवांस॑म् । उप॑ । द्यवि॑ । अ॒ग्निम् । ई॒ळे॒ । क॒विऽक्र॑तुम् ॥
ūrjaḥ | napātam | adhvare | dīdi-vāṃsam | upa | dyavi | agnim | īḷe | kavi-kratum
44
4 pādas of ~11 syllables each (with Vedic metrical flexibility)
Forward-driving, expansive cadence suited to ascent and invocation.
Builds a sense of upward lift and intensification—like a flame gathering and rising; supports focused aspiration.
- ऊर्जः (ūrjaḥ)
- Literal: sap, strength, nourishment, plenitude. Symbolic: inner abundance/essential energy that sustains sādhanā; the soul’s sustaining force
- नपातम् (napātam)
- Literal: offspring/child. Symbolic: the emergent divine force born in the seeker—Agni arising from inner plenitude
- अध्वरे (adhvare)
- Literal: in the sacrifice/rite. Symbolic: the inner yoga-journey of offering; disciplined practice that refines consciousness
- दीदिवांसम् (dīdivāṃsam)
- Literal: shining, blazing. Symbolic: increasing inner clarity and heat of tapas; luminous will
- उप द्यवि (upa dyavi)
- Literal: up toward heaven. Symbolic: ascent of consciousness toward the supramental/greater light
- कविक्रतुम् (kavi-kratum)
- Literal: whose resolve is that of a seer. Symbolic: illumined will: intention aligned with inner vision and truth
Invocation to the ascending flame in the adhvara; recited to affirm Agni’s upward movement carrying offerings toward the ‘dyu’ (luminous consciousness).
At the opening/rekindling moments of the rite; also adaptable to daily agnihotra-style remembrance
Offering (havis) with praise; establishing Agni as upward-leading priest within the adhvara
Use as a pre-meditation ignition: a short invocation to kindle will and align intention with inner seeing before practice/work.
ūrj: ‘sap, strength, nourishment’ (possibly from √urj/√vṛj semantic field of invigorating). napāt: ‘offspring’ (PIE *nepōt-; cf. Latin nepōs ‘grandson/nephew’). dyu/diw: dyávi from dyú ‘sky, heaven’ (PIE *dyew- ‘bright sky’). īḷe: 1sg middle of √īḷ ‘praise, invoke’. kratu: ‘will, resolve, inspired intelligence in action’ (a core Vedic term).
Ūrj (plenitude/nourishment), Ascent toward dyu (higher luminous consciousness), Kratu (effective will), Kavi (seer-poet cognition)
Agni as the enforcer of ṛta in the sacrifice—right movement of energies toward truth.
Seer-will (kavi-kratu) implies action rooted in satya rather than desire.
Ascent from earth to heaven: manifestation evolves by kindling conscious force that rises toward higher planes.
Proto-Vedāntic and yogic reading (Aurobindonian): ascent of consciousness and transformation through inner sacrifice.
Flame = will/tapas; sky = higher mind/supramental openness; ūrj = sustaining inner delight-force that feeds aspiration.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Agni as ‘ūrjo napāt’—the offspring of plenitude—who rises blazing toward heaven. Mythically, the fire carries oblation upward; inwardly, the emergent will born from inner fullness ascends toward higher light, guided by seer-intention (kavi-kratu).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- napāt continues PIE *nepōt- (Latin nepōs), showing inherited kinship terminology repurposed for cosmogonic emanation. dyu (dyavi) continues PIE *dyew- ‘bright sky’ (Greek Zeus, Latin Iūpiter via *dyēus), anchoring Vedic heaven-language in shared IE mythopoetics.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi’s īḷe is both praise and aspiration: by invoking the blazing ascent, the seeker aligns personal will (kratu) with Agni’s kavi-kratu—so the inner fire becomes wise in action and capable of carrying consciousness upward.
Kindle the inner flame of will and align it with inner seeing; feel aspiration rising toward a wide, clear ‘sky’ of consciousness.
Maṇipūra (fire/will) with ascent toward Ājñā/Sahasrāra (heavenward opening)
Gentle ujjāyī or slow inhale ‘lifting’ attention upward; exhale as offering/release into the flame.
Collected, ascending, illumined-volitional (will becoming light).
Before any practice, pause: (1) feel inner warmth at navel/heart, (2) offer the day’s energies into Agni, (3) set one clear, truth-aligned intention (kavi-kratu), (4) sit 3–5 minutes in upward aspiration.
Vedic tri-svara (udātta/anudātta/svarita) as in Śākala tradition; preserve udātta peaks on key invocatory words (e.g., ūrjó, nápātam, agním, īḷe).
Let udātta syllables be slightly higher and clearer; svarita as a gentle fall; keep anudātta grounded without stress.
ūrjo: lengthen ‘ū’; keep ‘rj’ crisp, napātam: dental ‘t’, long ‘ā’, adhvare: aspirate ‘dh’; ‘v’ as soft labiodental, dīdivāṃsam: long ‘ī’; nasal ‘ṃ’ before ‘s’, dyavi: palatal ‘dy’ cluster, light and quick, kavikratum: separate kavi-kratum; dental ‘t’ in kratum
Bright, steady, upward-leaning tone; avoid harshness—let it ‘flare’ with clarity.
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