Rig Veda 3.6.9: Mandala 3, Sukta 6, Mantra 9
Sukta 3.6
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
ऐभिरग्ने सरथं याह्यर्वाङ्नानारथं वा विभवो ह्यश्वाः । पत्नीवतस्त्रिंशतं त्रीँश्च देवाननुष्वधमा वह मादयस्व ॥
áibhir agne sa-rátham yāhy arvā́ṅ nā́nā-ratham vā vibhávo hy áśvāḥ | pátnīvatās triṃśátam trī́ṃś ca devā́n anúsvadham ā́ vaha mā́dayasva ||
హే అగ్నీ, వీటితో కలిసి ఒకే రథంలో—లేదా అనేక రథాల్లో—మా వైపు ఇక్కడికి రా; ఎందుకంటే నీ అశ్వాలకు బహువిధ శక్తులు ఉన్నాయి. తమ తమ స్వధా/రుచికి అనుగుణంగా, పత్నీలు (శక్తులు) సహితంగా ముప్పై మరియు మూడు—మొత్తం ముప్పైమూడు దేవులను—ఇక్కడికి మోసుకొచ్చి; సంపూర్ణమైన హవిలో ఆనందించు.
Word by Word
- एभिः
- with thesePronounपुं/नपुं, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole करणRoot एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अग्ने
- O AgniNounपुं, संबोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- सरथम्
- with a chariot; chariot-borneAdjectiveपुं, द्वितीया, एकवचन (क्रियाविशेषणवत्) अथवा नपुं, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (गत्यर्थे लक्ष्य/प्रकार) / क्रियाविशेषणRoot स-रथ (प्रातिपदिक; स उपसर्गार्थे ‘सह’)
- याहि
- come; driveVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole (क्रिया)Root या (धातु)
- अर्वाङ्
- hither; toward usAdjective/Adverbअव्ययीभाववत्/क्रियाविशेषण; दिशावाचकRole अधिकारण (दिशा) / क्रियाविशेषणRoot अर्वाञ्च् (प्रातिपदिक/विशेषण)
- नानारथम्
- with various chariots; of many chariotsAdjectiveपुं/नपुं, द्वितीया, एकवचन (क्रियाविशेषणवत्) अथवा विशेष्य-रूपेणRole कर्म (प्रकार) / क्रियाविशेषणRoot नाना (अव्यय) + रथ (प्रातिपदिक) → समास (कर्मधारय/बहुव्रीहि-प्राय)
- वा
- orIndeclinableविकल्पार्थक अव्ययRoot वा (निपात)
- विभवः
- mighty; powerfulAdjectiveपुं, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (विशेषणरूपेण) / विधेयRoot वि-भव (प्रातिपदिक; ‘विशेषेण भवति’ इति)
- हि
- for; indeedIndeclinableहेतौ/निश्चयार्थे निपातRoot हि (निपात)
- अश्वाः
- horsesNounपुं, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot अश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- पत्नीवतस्
- having wives (consorts)Adjectiveपुं, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (देवान् इति विशेषयति)Role कर्म (विशेषण) / कर्मणि विशेषणRoot पत्नीवत् (प्रातिपदिक; -वत् प्रत्यय)
- त्रिंशतम्
- thirtyNumeral(देवान् इति विशेष्यस्य) द्वितीया, एकवचन (समूहवाचक) अथवा अव्ययवत् संख्याविशेषणRole कर्म (परिमाण) / कर्मणि विशेषणRoot त्रिंशत् (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
- त्रीन्
- threeNumeralपुं, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्म (परिमाण) / कर्मणि विशेषणRoot त्रि (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चयार्थक अव्ययRoot च (निपात)
- देवान्
- the godsNounपुं, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- अनुष्वधम्
- according to their svadhā; in due (ancestral/ritual) mannerIndeclinable (adverbial) / Adverbक्रियाविशेषण (यथास्वधा/स्वधया सह)Role अधिकारण (रीति) / क्रियाविशेषणRoot अनु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + स्वधा (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) → अव्ययीभाव
- आ
- hither; forthIndeclinableउपसर्गः (वह इत्यस्य) / आह्वानार्थेRoot आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- वह
- carry; conveyVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole (क्रिया)Root वह् (धातु)
- माम्
- mePronounद्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- आदयस्व
- rejoice; be exhilaratedVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपदRole (क्रिया)Root मद् (धातु) + आ (उपसर्ग) → आ-मद्
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धिविग्रह): ऐभिः → एभिः
- अर्वाङ्नानारथं → अर्वाङ् नानारथम्
- विभवो ह्यश्वाः → विभवः हि अश्वाः (विसर्गः + हि → ओ; हि + अ → ह्य)
- पत्नीवतस्त्रिंशतं → पत्नीवतस् त्रिंशतम् (स् + त् संयोग)
- त्रीँश्च → त्रीन् च (न् + च → ँश्च; वैदिकानुस्वार/नासिक्य-लक्षण)
- देवाननुष्वधमा → देवान् अनुष्वधम् आ (न् + अ → न)
- व॑ह मा॒दय॑स्व → वह माम् आदयस्व (माम् इति सर्वनाम; पदपाठे ‘मा’ रूपं दृश्यते)
The meaning
Outer meaning
With these (horses/means), O Agni, come here in one chariot—or in many, for your horses have many powers. Bring the thirty-three gods with their consorts, each according to their own delight, and rejoice.
Inner meaning
Agni can act through one integrated movement (single chariot: unified will) or through many coordinated movements (many chariots: multiple faculties). The ‘horses’ are manifold energies; when disciplined, they can carry diverse divine powers into the field of practice. The ‘33 gods with their patnīs’ indicates the full assembly of consciousness-forces together with their effective energies (śaktis), invited to take their place in the sacrifice of life.
Universal truth
Transformation is total: it requires calling not one power but a harmony of powers, each with its energy-expression, and letting the inner fire rejoice in the completed alignment.
Themes
summoning the 33 gods, Agni as integrator of many movements, divine powers with their shaktis
The seer
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Lineage
- Gāthina
- Other hymns
- RV 3.6.8, RV 3.6.10, RV 3.6.11
Family tradition
Mantric mastery in calling comprehensive divine help; emphasis on coordinated action of many powers toward ṛta.
Significance
This verse is a blueprint for integral invocation: unity and multiplicity reconciled, and the pantheon understood as a spectrum of inner powers with their energies.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni (inviter of Viśve Devāḥ; 33 gods)
- Epithets
- Hotṛ, Dūta, Purohita, Mandra
- Related deities
- Viśve Devāḥ, Ādityas, Rudras, Vasus, Indra
Cosmic role
Convenes the divine assembly; ensures each power arrives and takes its right seat in the rite.
Inner power
Integrative will that can unify or coordinate multiplicity; organizer of energies and caller of śaktis.
In ritual
Where it is used
Invitation to the Viśve Devāḥ in soma/Agni rites; summoning the full pantheon
ऐभि॑रग्ने स॒रथं॑ याह्य॒र्वाङ्ना॑नार॒थं वा॑ वि॒भवो॒ ह्यश्वा॑: । पत्नी॑वतस्त्रिं॒शतं॒ त्रीँश्च॑ दे॒वान॑नुष्व॒धमा व॑ह मा॒दय॑स्व ॥
आ । ए॒भिः॒ । अ॒ग्ने॒ । स॒ऽरथ॑म् । या॒हि॒ । अ॒र्वाङ् । ना॒नाऽर॒थम् । वा॒ । वि॒ऽभवः॑ । हि । अश्वाः॑ । पत्नी॑ऽवतः । त्रिं॒शत॑म् । त्रीन् । च॒ । दे॒वान् । अ॒नु॒ऽस्व॒धम् । आ । व॒ह॒ । मा॒दय॑स्व ॥
ā | ebhiḥ | agne | sa-ratham | yāhi | arvāṅ | nānāratham | vā | vi-bhavaḥ | hi | aśvāḥ | patnī-vataḥ | triṃśatam | trīn | ca | devān | anu-svadham | ā | vaha | mādayasva
44
4 × ~11 syllables
Commanding and processional; strong imperatives (yāhi, ā vaha, mādayasva)
Energizes invocation; culminates in a felt ‘arrival’ and celebratory completion.
- saratham
- Literal: with one chariot, in one accord. Symbolic: integrated movement of the being; unified intention
- nānāratham
- Literal: with many chariots. Symbolic: multiple organized faculties working in harmony
- vibhavaḥ aśvāḥ
- Literal: horses of manifold power. Symbolic: diverse energies (prāṇa, desire-force, action-force) transmuted into capacities
- patnīvat
- Literal: with wives/consorts. Symbolic: powers with their śaktis—executive energies that make the god-force effective in life
- triṃśataṃ trīm̐ś ca devān
- Literal: thrice ten and three gods (33). Symbolic: complete pantheon of functional powers in the cosmos/psyche; totality of aids needed
- anu-svadham
- Literal: according to their own right enjoyment/nature. Symbolic: each power acts in its proper law (svadhā), not by coercion but by true placement
- mādayasva
- Literal: rejoice, be gladdened. Symbolic: the psychic fire’s joy when offering is accepted and forces are harmonized
Formal invitation of the ‘trayastriṃśat’ deities in soma/ishtis; Agni as conveyor, with mention of patnīs indicating completeness of divine functions.
At the stage of calling deities to partake (pre-offering or offering moment)
Āvāhana; mental/ritual seating of deities; offering into fire
Use as a ‘whole-being alignment’ chant: invite clarity (mind), strength (vital), steadiness (body), joy (heart) to cooperate; especially before collective work or healing.
yā (√yā ‘to go, come’) imperative yāhi. arvāṅ ‘towards’ (arvañc). vibhava from vi- + √bhū ‘to be, become’ → differentiated becoming/power. patnī ‘mistress/consort’ from √pat ‘to rule/protect’ (semantic family of pati). triṃśat ‘thirty’ + trīn ‘three’ → the 33 deities (a Vedic totality). svadhā ‘one’s own placing/power, self-law’ (sva ‘self’ + √dhā ‘to place’)—inner sense: each power acts by its inherent right delight and function.
svadhā as self-law of divine functioning, integrality (33 gods) and their energies (patnīs), joy/ecstasy (mada) as sign of successful communion
The gods are brought ‘according to svadhā’—ṛta is harmony, not uniformity.
Truth is expressed as a coordinated assembly of powers, each true to its function.
One and many: the One Fire manifests as many movements and calls many powers into ordered collaboration.
Integral unity-in-multiplicity (Aurobindo): the One Conscious-Force deploying many godheads/powers.
Chariot = personality-vehicle; horses = energies; gods = faculties of consciousness; consorts = operative energies enabling manifestation.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘arrival of the 33 gods’ on Agni’s conveyance. Inner myth: the integral divine powers (and their effective energies) are called to assemble in the human offering; the many chariots/one chariot expresses unity-in-multiplicity of the descent.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- aśva < PIE *h₁éḱwos anchors the chariot-complex common to Indo-European ritual poetics. √bhū (in vibhava) reflects PIE *bʰuH- ‘to become’ (cf. English be). √dhā in svadhā reflects PIE *dʰeh₁- ‘to put, place’ (cf. Greek tithēmi), supporting ‘self-placing law’.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi commands and collaborates: he provides the prepared means (‘with these’) and calls Agni to orchestrate the divine assembly. The gods come ‘anu-svadhā’—not coerced, but in accord with their inherent law—showing a reciprocal harmony between human aspiration and divine consent.
Invite a full spectrum of inner powers; harmonize unity (one-pointed will) with multiplicity (many capacities).
anāhata (harmonizing) with maṇipūra (will)
Alternate-nostril breathing (nāḍī-śodhana) to coordinate ‘many chariots’ into one harmony
Integrated dynamism; joyful readiness
On ‘saratham’ feel one central intention; on ‘nānāratham’ allow multiple faculties to align around it; then inwardly name 3–5 ‘gods’ you need today (clarity, courage, patience, joy) and feel their energies arrive and take their seat.
Tri-svara with clear imperative emphasis; observe pāda breaks after | and final cadence on mādayasva.
Let imperatives carry gentle authority (yāhi, ā vaha); keep ‘triṃśataṃ trīm̐ś ca’ crisp and even.
arvāṅ: nasalized final ṅ—do not drop it, triṃśataṃ trīm̐ś: keep nasalization (ṃ / m̐) audible but not overdone, anuṣvadham: pronounce ṣv conjunct cleanly, patnīvataḥ: keep long ī and dental n
Resonant and commanding, ending in warm joy on mādayasva
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