Rig Veda 5.27.6: Mandala 5, Sukta 27, Mantra 6
Sukta 5.27
- Devata
- Indra-Agni
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
इन्द्राग्नी शतदाव्न्यश्वमेधे सुवीर्यम् । क्षत्रं धारयतं बृहद्दिवि सूर्यमिवाजरम् ॥
índrāgnī śatadā́vni aśvamedhé suvī́ryam | kṣatráṃ dhārayataṃ bṛhád diví sū́ryam ivā́jaram ||
ఓ ఇంద్రా-అగ్నీ, శతదావన్ (శత వరదాతలు), అశ్వమేధంలో సువీర్యం (శ్రేష్ఠ వీర్యశక్తి)ను ధారించండి; విస్తారమైన క్షత్రం (రాజాధికారం)ను నిలబెట్టండి—దివి యొక్క బృహత్ విస్తారంలో అజర సూర్యుడు ఎత్తుగా నిలిచినట్లుగా.
Word by Word
- इन्द्राग्नी
- O Indra and AgniNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचनRole सम्बोधन/कर्तृ (स्तुति-सम्बोधन; क्रियायाः कर्तारौ)Root इन्द्र + अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक) (द्वन्द्व-समास)
- शतदाव्नि
- (you two) of hundredfold giving / bounteousAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन (इन्द्राग्नी-विशेषण)Role कर्तृ-विशेषणRoot शत + दाव्नि (प्रातिपदिक; बहुव्रीहि/कर्मधारय-प्राय विशेषण)
- अश्वमेधे
- in the Aśvamedha (horse-sacrifice)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकारणRoot अश्वमेध (प्रातिपदिक)
- सुवीर्यम्
- good heroism / excellent valorNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot सु + वीर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- क्षत्रम्
- sovereign power / dominionNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot क्षत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- धारयतम्
- hold, uphold (you two)!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), मध्यमपुरुष, द्विवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot √धृ (धारणे)
- बृहत्
- great, loftyAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (सूर्यम्/अजरम्-विशेषण)Role कर्म-विशेषणRoot बृहत् (प्रातिपदिक; √बृह् ‘to grow’ से)
- दिवि
- in heaven / in the skyNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग (वेदे ‘द्यौः’), सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकारणRoot द्यौ/दिव् (प्रातिपदिक)
- सूर्यम्
- the SunNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (उपमेय/उपमान-सम्बन्धे)Root सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- इव
- like, asIndeclinableअव्ययRole उपमान-सूचकRoot इव (निपात)
- अजरम्
- unaging, undecayingAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (सुवीर्यम्/क्षत्रम् वा ‘सूर्यम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषण-प्राय)Role कर्म-विशेषणRoot अ + जर (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: इन्द्रा॑ग्नी | शत॒दाव्नि | अश्व॑मेधे | सु॒वीर्य॑म् | क्ष॒त्रम् | धा॑रयतम् | बृ॒हत् | दि॒वि | सूर्य॑म् | इव | अ॒जर॑म् । 1) इन्द्र + अग्नी → इन्द्राग्नी (द्वन्द्व, प्रथमा-द्विवचन)
- 2) बृहत् + दिवि: अन्त्यत्-व्यञ्जनान्त ‘त्’ परे ‘द्’ आरम्भे यथावत् संहिता (बृ॒हद्दि॒वि) — लेखने ‘बृहत् दिवि’ पदच्छेदः। 3) इव + अजरम्: स्वर-सन्धिः न (इवाऽजरम् संहितायाम् ‘इवा॒जर॑म्’)
The meaning
Outer meaning
O Indra and Agni, givers of a hundred boons, in the horse-sacrifice uphold heroic power; sustain the wide sovereignty, like the unaging Sun in the vast heaven.
Inner meaning
Indra-Agni together represent illumined Mind (Indra) and effective Will (Agni): the two chief powers for overcoming inner resistance and establishing a divine governance in the being. In the inner aśvamedha (offering of life-force), they uphold suvīrya—true heroism, the courage and capacity to act from light. They sustain kṣatra—not outer domination but inner sovereignty: mastery over impulses and a wide, calm authority of the soul-nature. The image of the unaging Sun in the vast heaven points to a stable supramental-like illumination held aloft in the ‘bṛhat’ (the Vast).
Universal truth
Lasting strength is born when illumination and will work together; then life-energy becomes consecrated power and the being is ruled from a wide, unaging light.
Themes
sovereignty, heroic power, paired deities, truth-vastness
The seer
- Rishi
- Atri (attributed tradition for RV 5.27; individual verse seer uncertain)
- Lineage
- Atri
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 5.31 (Indra themes), Rig Veda 5.2 (Agni themes)
Family tradition
Atri poets frequently join deities to show complementary inner functions (mind and will) supporting the ascent to the Vast (bṛhat).
Significance
This union of Indra-Agni is a central psychological key: illumination must be backed by will, and will must be guided by illumination, to establish inner sovereignty (kṣatra) in the Vast.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra-Agni (dual)
- Epithets
- Śatadāvni (hundred-givers)
- Related deities
- Sūrya, Soma, Bṛhaspati
Cosmic role
Indra breaks the cover and releases light; Agni carries and accomplishes the offering—together they secure victory and establish order.
Inner power
Indra: luminous intelligence, decisive insight; Agni: ardent will, purification, execution. Their union creates effective, enlightened action.
In ritual
Where it is used
Dual-deity stotra in aśvamedha or heroic/royal rites; also general invocation for strength and protection.
इन्द्रा॑ग्नी शत॒दाव्न्यश्व॑मेधे सु॒वीर्य॑म् । क्ष॒त्रं धा॑रयतं बृ॒हद्दि॒वि सूर्य॑मिवा॒जर॑म् ॥
इन्द्रा॑ग्नी॒ इति॑ । श॒त॒ऽदाव्नि॑ । अश्व॑ऽमेधे । सु॒ऽवीर्य॑म् । क्ष॒त्रम् । धा॒र॒य॒त॒म् । बृ॒हत् । दि॒वि । सूर्य॑म्ऽइव । अ॒जर॑म् ॥
indrāgnī iti | śata-dāvni | aśva-medhe | su-vīryam | kṣatram | dhārayatam | bṛhat | divi | sūryam-iva | ajaram
32
4 x ~8 syllables
Martial clarity with a broad concluding image (Sun in Vast).
Energizes courage (vīrya) while widening the sense of space; ends in a steady, luminous uplift.
- इन्द्राग्नी (indrāgnī)
- Literal: Indra and Agni. Symbolic: divine Mind + divine Will acting in union for transformation
- शतदाव्नि (śatadāvni)
- Literal: givers of a hundred boons. Symbolic: abundant bestowers of powers/helps; plenitude of aid in the yoga
- अश्वमेधे (aśvamedhe)
- Literal: in the horse-sacrifice. Symbolic: in the consecration of life-force and action
- सुवीर्यम् (suvīryam)
- Literal: true heroism. Symbolic: courage and effective force guided by light
- क्षत्रम् (kṣatram)
- Literal: sovereign power, dominion. Symbolic: inner mastery; wide self-rule established by truth-consciousness
- बृहत् (bṛhat)
- Literal: the Vast. Symbolic: wide consciousness beyond narrow ego-mind
- सूर्यमिव अजरम् (sūryam iva ajaram)
- Literal: like the unaging Sun. Symbolic: stable, deathless illumination held in the higher expanse
Paired invocation suitable to soma rites and royal consecratory contexts; inner application: calling illumined force (Indra) and will-flame (Agni) to stabilize heroic energy and sovereign mastery in the wide consciousness (bṛhat).
When seeking victory, protection, and stable power for the sacrificer; in rites emphasizing kṣatra and suvīrya.
Recitation with offerings to Indra and Agni; affirmation of heroic force and sovereignty.
For leadership and self-mastery: chant before difficult decisions to unite clarity (Indra) and resolve (Agni), holding the mind in the ‘Vast’ rather than stress.
índrāgnī: dvandva of Indra + Agni, a frequent paired invocation joining force of illumination (Indra) with the executive flame (Agni). dhārayatam: √dhṛ 'hold' (PIE *dher- 'hold, support'). sūrya from √svar/√sur 'shine' (Indo-European solar lexicon). bṛhat from √bṛh 'to grow, expand'—central to 'Satyam Ṛtam Bṛhat' as the wideness of truth.
Bṛhat (the Vast), kṣatra as inner mastery, integration of illumination and will
Kṣatra becomes legitimate only when upheld by ṛta; Indra-Agni are executors of ṛta in mind and action.
The unaging Sun symbolizes satya-light that does not diminish with circumstance.
Sūrya held in heaven as the stabilizing principle of order; similarly, inner sun (illumination) must be held steady above the lower nature.
Vedic psychology leading toward the Upaniṣadic ‘light of lights’ motif; also resonates with Sri Aurobindo’s ‘Vast’ consciousness.
midday (sun held aloft)
A stable inner sun of illumination in wide consciousness; fire as will below supporting it; together they sustain mastery.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is 'cosmic stability as model for inner rule': as the Sun stands unaging in heaven, so Indra-Agni are asked to hold the seeker’s heroic force and kṣatra (sovereign mastery) steady in the Vast.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √dhṛ (dhāray-) matches PIE *dher- 'to hold/support' (cf. Greek thronos 'seat' via 'support', broadly). The solar term sūrya belongs to inherited Indo-European 'shine/sun' vocabulary, while bṛhat from √bṛh parallels PIE *bʰerǵʰ- 'rise/high' in semantic neighborhood of growth/height (exact correspondence debated).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- A direct imperative relationship: the seer petitions the twin powers to 'carry' (dhārayatam) inner sovereignty and hero-force, implying the human cannot stabilize these alone without divine support; the gods are the upholders of the inner sun of knowledge.
Unite insight and will: call Indra at the brow for clear seeing, Agni at the navel/heart for steady force; then hold awareness in wide sky-like consciousness.
Ājñā (Indra/illumination) + Maṇipūra (Agni/will); integration into Sahasrāra-like vastness (bṛhat).
Inhale imagining the Vast (open sky); exhale offering effort into Agni; brief pause feeling the ‘sun’ steady above the head.
Vast, luminous, sovereign poise; courageous action without contraction.
Chant 9 times before challenging work. After chanting, sit 2 minutes: feel a bright sun in the crown/upper head, and a calm fire in the navel; let them synchronize—clarity guiding force.
Observe udātta on ‘indrāgnī’ and other marked syllables per Śākala; keep dual-name crisp as a single invocation unit.
Give a slight lift on the dual vocative; broaden tone on ‘bṛhad divi’ to mirror the Vast; let ‘ajaram’ end steady and sustained.
indrāgnī: long ā in indrā; long ī in agnī, śatadāvni: long ā; ‘vn’ cluster gentle, kṣatraṃ: kṣ cluster; retroflex ṭ; anusvāra nasalization, sūryamiva: sū long ū; ‘ry’ glide; iva short
Strong, resonant, expansive; avoid strain—power with breadth.
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