Rig Veda 3.28.5: Mandala 3, Sukta 28, Mantra 5
Sukta 3.28
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Tr̥ṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
अग्ने तृतीये सवने हि कानिषः पुरोळाशं सहसः सूनवाहुतम् । अथा देवेष्वध्वरं विपन्यया धा रत्नवन्तममृतेषु जागृविम् ॥
ágné tṛtī́ye sávané hí kā́niṣaḥ puroḷā́śaṃ sáhasaḥ sū́no vā́hutam | áthā devéṣv adhvaráṃ vipanyáyā dhā́ ratnávantam amṛ́teṣu jā́gṛvim ||
అగ్నీ, తృతీయ సవనంలో నీవు నిశ్చయంగా—సహస్ యొక్క సూనువా—ఆహుతమైన పురోళాశాన్ని స్వీకరిస్తావు. ఆపై నీ విపన్యయా (దీప్త/ప్రశంసనీయం) ప్రీతితో దేవులలో అధ్వర యజ్ఞాన్ని స్థాపించు—రత్నవంతం (సంపదగలది)గా, అమృతుల (అమర దేవుల) మధ్య జాగృతంగా.
Word by Word
- अग्ने
- O AgniNoun (address)पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन; एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot अग्नि- (प्रातिपदिक)
- तृतीये
- in the thirdAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; एकवचन (सवने इति)Role अधिकरणRoot तृतीय- (क्रमवाचक प्रातिपदिक)
- सवने
- pressing/oblation-sessionNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot सवन- (प्रातिपदिक)
- हि
- indeed/forIndeclinableनिपात (अवधारण/कारणार्थ)Root हि (निपात)
- कानिṣः
- thou hast offered/served (ritually)Verbलिट् (परस्मैपद); उत्तमपुरुष? → वस्तुतः मध्यमपुरुष एकवचन (त्वम्) वैदिक-लिट्; एकवचनRole कर्तृ (अग्निः/त्वम्)Root कनिष् (धातु; ‘कनिष्/कनिष्’ = स्तु/कण्-भावे, वैदिक)
- पुरोळाशम्
- the puroḍāśa (sacrificial cake)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot पुरोळाश- (प्रातिपदिक)
- सहसः
- of might/strengthNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root सहस्- (प्रातिपदिक)
- सूनवाहुतम्
- offered by the son (i.e., by the sacrificer/offspring)Adjective (compound epithet)पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन (पुरोळाशम् इति विशेषणम्)Role कर्म (विशेषण-भावेन)Root सूनु- + आहुति- (समास; प्रातिपदिक)
- अथ
- thenIndeclinableअनन्तरार्थ/प्रारम्भार्थ निपातRoot अथ (निपात)
- देवेषु
- among the godsNounपुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; बहुवचनRole अधिकरणRoot देव- (प्रातिपदिक)
- अध्वरम्
- the sacrifice/riteNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot अध्वर- (प्रातिपदिक)
- विपन्यया
- with wondrous/admiring (skill)Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया; एकवचन (धा इत्यस्य करणम्)Role करणRoot विपन्य- (प्रातिपदिक)
- धा
- place/establishVerbलोट्; मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचनRole कर्तृ (त्वम् = अग्ने)Root धा (धातु; धा = धारण/स्थापन)
- रत्नवन्तम्
- rich in treasuresAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन (अध्वरम् इति विशेषणम्)Role कर्म (विशेषण-भावेन)Root रत्नवत्- (प्रातिपदिक)
- अमृतेषु
- among the immortalsNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; बहुवचनRole अधिकरणRoot अमृत- (प्रातिपदिक)
- जागृविम्
- wakeful, vigilantAdjective/Participleपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन (अध्वरम् इति विशेषणम्/अथवा अग्निम् इति भावार्थः)Role कर्म (विशेषण-भावेन)Root जागृवि- (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √जागृ ‘to be awake’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: अग्ने | तृतीये | सवने | हि | कानिषः | पुरोळाशम् | सहसः | सूनवाहुतम् | अथ | देवेषु | अध्वरम् | विपन्यया | धा | रत्नवन्तम् | अमृतेषु | जागृविम् । मुख्य-सन्धयः: (1) तृतीये सवने (स्वर-सन्धि/पदसन्धि साधारण) (2) सवने हि (3) अथ देवेषु (4) देवेषु अध्वरम् (5) विपन्यया धा (पदसन्धि) (6) रत्नवन्तम् अमृतेषु (7) अमृतेषु जागृविम् ।
The meaning
Outer meaning
At the third pressing, Agni accepts the offered cake, O son of Force. Then establish the sacrifice among the gods by your luminous delight, rich in treasures and awake among the immortals.
Inner meaning
The ‘third pressing’ indicates a later, more consummating stage of the inner work: after initial ignition and midday clarity, the being moves toward a stable divine life. Agni, as the force-born will, accepts the refined offering and then ‘places’ (dhāḥ) the adhvara in the realm of the gods—meaning the whole practice becomes harmonized with higher powers (devas) and begins to yield ‘ratna’ (plenitudes: light, strength, joy). ‘Awake among the immortals’ signals a shift from mortal habit to an immortal poise of consciousness.
Universal truth
When will and delight become luminous and consecrated, our life-journey can be established in a higher order of being, yielding enduring riches of consciousness rather than transient gains.
Themes
Third-pressing, Establishing-sacrifice-among-gods, Wakefulness
The seer
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Lineage
- Gāthina (Kauśika line associated with Viśvāmitra)
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 3.28.4, Rig Veda 3.28.6
Family tradition
A progressive mapping of the inner yajña across stages; emphasis on establishing the work ‘among the gods’—in higher consciousness rather than mere human effort.
Significance
Encodes the movement from effortful practice to a divinized, stable sacrificial consciousness rich in ‘ratna’.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- Sahasaḥ Sūnu (Son of Force)
- Related deities
- Soma, Indra, Viśvedevas
Cosmic role
Establisher of the rite among the gods; transformer who opens access to immortal states.
Inner power
Will-force joined with vipanyā (luminous delight) that can fix higher consciousness in life.
In ritual
Where it is used
Third Soma pressing (tṛtīya-savana) and associated offerings to Agni
अग्ने॑ तृ॒तीये॒ सव॑ने॒ हि कानि॑षः पुरो॒ळाशं॑ सहसः सून॒वाहु॑तम् । अथा॑ दे॒वेष्व॑ध्व॒रं वि॑प॒न्यया॒ धा रत्न॑वन्तम॒मृते॑षु॒ जागृ॑विम् ॥
अग्ने॑ । तृ॒तीये॑ । सव॑ने । हि । कानि॑षः । पुरो॒ळाश॑म् । स॒ह॒सः॒ । सू॒नो॒ इति॑ । आऽहु॑तम् । अथ॑ । दे॒वेषु॑ । अ॒ध्व॒रम् । वि॒प॒न्यया॑ । धाः । रत्न॑ऽवन्तम् । अ॒मृते॑षु । जागृ॑विम् ॥
agne | tṛtīye | savane | hi | kāniṣaḥ | puroḷāśam | sahasaḥ | sūno iti | āhutam | atha | deveṣu | adhvaram | vipanyayā | dhāḥ | ratna-vantam | amṛteṣu | jāgṛvim
44
4 × ~11
Ascending movement with a culminating ‘establishing’ cadence; triumphant yet controlled.
Energizes aspiration toward consummation; evokes a sense of entering a higher community of powers.
- तृतीये सवने / tṛtīye savane
- Literal: at the third pressing. Symbolic: third stage of inner sacrifice; maturation toward stable realization
- कानिṣः / kāniṣaḥ
- Literal: you accept/you enjoy (acceptance). Symbolic: the divine will truly assimilates what is offered; confirmation of inner acceptance
- सहसः सूनो / sahasaḥ sūno
- Literal: O son of force. Symbolic: will born of tapas, capable of carrying the final stages
- विपन्यया / vipanyayā
- Literal: with wonder/admiration, splendidly. Symbolic: luminous delight and inspired appreciation—joy that is itself a power
- धा / dhāḥ
- Literal: place, establish. Symbolic: fix the sacrifice in the higher consciousness; make it a stable law of being
- रत्नवन्तम् / ratnavantam
- Literal: rich in treasures. Symbolic: full of spiritual riches—illumination, harmony, powers, joy
- अमृतेषु जागृविम् / amṛteṣu jāgṛvim
- Literal: awake among immortals. Symbolic: wakefulness in the deathless consciousness; vigilance in the higher planes
Tṛtīya-savana (third/evening Soma pressing); consecration of the rite into the divine planes (deveṣu)
At the third savana in Soma rituals
Offering puroḷāśa; praying for establishment of the rite among devas
Evening practice: offer the day’s energies and ask that one’s life be set in a higher rhythm—awake, rich in inner ‘ratnas’.
kāniṣaḥ: Vedic form connected with √kan ‘to desire, be pleased’; here ‘you take pleasure/accept’. vipanyayā from vipanī/vipanya ‘wonder, admiration, inspired praise’ (semantic bridge: inner ‘reverent intensity’ that brightens consciousness). ratna ‘treasure’ not merely material: from √rat/√ram? (debated); in RV denotes precious essence—here interpreted as plenitude of realized capacities. jāgṛvi- from √jāgṛ ‘awake’ (PIE *weg- ‘be strong/awake’ has parallels in wake/watch set).
Satyam Ṛtam Br̥hat (wakeful establishment in the immortals), Tapas (sahas), Amṛta (deathless consciousness)
To ‘establish among the gods’ is to align the life-movement with ṛta of higher planes.
Wakefulness among immortals implies truth-conscious vigilance (satya as lived awareness).
From mortal routine to immortal order: the sacrifice becomes a means of evolutionary ascent.
Aurobindonian: Ananda as a power; immortality as higher consciousness-state rather than bodily perpetuity.
late day/evening (implied by third pressing sequence)
Third pressing = ripened consciousness; treasures = faculties/powers released when aligned; wakefulness = sustained awareness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘three pressings’ mythic-ritual arc: at the third culmination, Agni not only accepts but ‘sets’ the sacrifice among the gods. Innerly, the matured will establishes the whole discipline in a deathless awareness—vigilant and rich in realized force.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √dhā ‘place’ < PIE *dʰeh₁-. amṛta ‘immortal’ is a privative formation a- + mṛta ‘mortal/dead’ (√mṛ ‘die’ < PIE *mer- ‘die’).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The ṛṣi asks for more than acceptance: Agni must translate the human rite into a divine-standing (deveṣu). The exchange becomes transformative—human offering yields divine establishment and wakeful immortality.
Stabilize higher consciousness in life: ‘Establish my inner sacrifice among the devas; keep me awake in the immortal poise.’
anāhata (joy/devotion) integrated with maṇipūra (will) and sahasrāra (immortal wideness)
Gentle ujjāyī for 5–7 minutes, feeling ‘vipanyā’ (luminous delight) spread through the chest.
Joyful vigilance; widened, uplifted awareness.
After effort, invite delight as a power (not entertainment): let a quiet gladness consolidate the practice and keep awareness awake and steady.
Strong udātta on invocations and key verbs (kāniṣaḥ, dhāḥ); maintain rising energy toward ‘amṛteṣu jāgṛvim’.
Mark a purposeful pause after the first half; then let the second half expand (‘athā deveṣu…’).
‘tṛtīye’—clear retroflex ṛ and long ī., ‘vipanyayā’—keep ‘ny’ conjunct crisp., ‘amṛteṣu’—retroflex ṛ; ‘jāgṛvim’ with clear gṛ.
Bright, confident, upward-moving; end with steady wakefulness.
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