Rig Veda 8.103.5: Mandala 8, Sukta 103, Mantra 5
Sukta 8.103
- Devata
- Agni
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
स दृळ्हे चिदभि तृणत्ति वाजमर्वता स धत्ते अक्षिति श्रवः । त्वे देवत्रा सदा पुरूवसो विश्वा वामानि धीमहि ॥
sa dṛḷhé cid abhí tṛ́ṇatti vā́jam arvatā́ sa dhatté ákṣiti śrávaḥ | tvé devá-trā sadā purūvaso víśvā vāmā́ni dhīmahi ||
అతడు దృఢంగా స్థిరమైనదానినికూడా ఛేదించి, ముందుకు నడిపించే అర్వత్-శక్తితో ‘వాజ’ (బల-సమృద్ధి)ను గెలుచుకుంటాడు; అతడు ‘అక్షిత శ్రవః’ (అవినాశి కీర్తి)ను స్థాపిస్తాడు. ఓ పురూవసు, దేవత్రా (దేవలోకంలో) సదా నివసించువాడా, నీలోనే మేము సమస్త ‘వామాని’ (కామ్య వరాలు)ను ధారించి ఏకాగ్రపరుస్తాము.
Word by Word
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- दृळ्हे
- in/at the firm (stronghold)Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गे (वाजम् इति नपुंसकस्य विशेषणम्), सप्तमी, एकवचनम्Role अधिकरणRoot दृळ्ह (विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक; ‘firm/strong’)
- चित्
- evenIndeclinableअव्ययम्Root चित् (निपात)
- अभि
- towards, againstIndeclinableअव्ययम्Root अभि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- तृणत्ति
- breaks through, piercesVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Root तृद्/तृन्द् (धातु; ‘to pierce, break through’)
- वाजम्
- prize; strength; winning powerNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot वाज (प्रातिपदिक)
- अर्वता
- with a steed (horse)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, तृतीया, एकवचनम्Role करणRoot अर्वत् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘steed/horse’)
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- धत्ते
- places; bestowsVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Root धा (धातु; ‘to place, bestow’)
- अक्षितिः
- imperishableNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम् (श्रवः इत्यस्य विशेषणवत्) / अथवा विशेषण-भावःRole कर्म (धत्ते इत्यस्य) / विधेय-विशेषणRoot अ-क्षिति (प्रातिपदिक; ‘un-decaying, imperishable’)
- श्रवः
- fame, gloryNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot श्रवस् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘fame, glory’)
- त्वे
- in youPronounसप्तमी, एकवचनम् (वेदिक-रूपम्)Role अधिकरणRoot त्वम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- देवत्रा
- god-ward; among the godsIndeclinableअव्ययम्Root देवत्रा (अव्यय; ‘among/with the gods; god-ward’)
- सदा
- alwaysIndeclinableअव्ययम्Root सदा (अव्यय)
- पुरूवसो
- O much-wealthy oneNoun (vocative epithet)पुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन, एकवचनम्Role सम्बोधनRoot पुरूवसु (प्रातिपदिक; ‘having much wealth’)
- विश्वानि
- allAdjective (substantivized)नपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्Role कर्मRoot विश्व (सर्व/विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक)
- वामानि
- good things; boonsNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्Role कर्मRoot वाम (प्रातिपदिक; ‘good, desirable, gracious gift’)
- धीमहि
- we place (in mind); we meditate on; we hold fastVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपदम्, उत्तमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Root धा (धातु; ‘to set, place’; here ‘to set in mind/meditate’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: सः | दृळ्हे | चित् | अभि | तृणत्ति | वाजम् | अर्वता | सः | धत्ते | अक्षितिḥ | श्रवः | त्वे | देवत्रा | सदा | पुरूवसो | विश्वानि | वामानि | धीमहि । 1) स दृळ्हे → सः दृळ्हे (विसर्ग-लोपः पदान्ते)
- 2) चिदभि → चित् अभि (द्→त् पदान्ते; निपात ‘चित्’)
- 3) वाजमर्वता → वाजम् अर्वता (म् + अ- आरम्भे संधिः)
- 4) धत्ते अक्षिति → धत्ते अक्षितिḥ (पदान्त-रूप-स्थापनम्)
- 5) त्वे देवत्रा → त्वे | देवत्रा (संधि-नास्ति; ‘त्वे’ वेदिक-सप्तमी)
- 6) विश्वा वामानि → विश्वानि वामानि (पाठे ‘विश्वा’ इति संहितारूपं; पदे नपुंसक-द्वितीया-बहुवचनम् ‘विश्वानि’)
The meaning
Outer meaning
He breaks through even what is firmly fixed and wins vāja by the ‘horse’ power; he establishes undiminishing fame. In you, O Purūvasu, ever in the divine realm, we place/hold all desirable boons.
Inner meaning
When Agni is kindled as Purūvasu (the one rich in many goods), the aspirant’s force can pierce the hardened resistances (dṛḻha)—the fixed habits and subconscient knots. With the arvat (the carrying horse-power: swift vital energy yoked to the divine), one wins vāja: not mere food, but plenitude of effective force. The result is akṣiti śravaḥ—an undiminishing inner ‘glory’ or stable renown of the soul’s attainment. Therefore the seekers concentrate (dhīmahi) all harmonies and desired powers in Agni, in the devatrā state—consciousness turned godward.
Universal truth
Aligned dynamism can break entrenched limitations; when energy is yoked to a higher will, it yields stable, non-decaying accomplishment and gathers life’s boons into a single luminous center.
Themes
Overcoming resistance, Establishing imperishable glory, Inner wealth and boons through Agni, Force-and-light dynamics
The seer
Significance
The seer emphasizes breakthrough: the divine flame empowers a decisive passage through fixed resistance, suggesting an advanced stage of inner battle where obstacles are ‘hard-set’ yet conquerable.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni (as Purūvasu)
- Epithets
- Purūvasu, Devatrā-sadā (ever in the divine realm, by description), Akṣiti-śravas-dhātṛ (establisher of undiminishing glory, by action)
- Related deities
- Indra (breaker of the fixed cover), Aśvins (horse-power, swift carrying energies), Bṛhaspati (breaks the closed, releases the light)
Cosmic role
Breaker of obstacles, giver of victorious force (vāja), establisher of enduring luminous status.
Inner power
Focused will that yokes vital energy to divine intention, creating breakthrough and stable realization.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni praise to secure vāja and śravas; applicable in competitive/achievement prayers within soma or fire rites (general).
स दृ॒ळ्हे चि॑द॒भि तृ॑णत्ति॒ वाज॒मर्व॑ता॒ स ध॑त्ते॒ अक्षि॑ति॒ श्रव॑: । त्वे दे॑व॒त्रा सदा॑ पुरूवसो॒ विश्वा॑ वा॒मानि॑ धीमहि ॥
सः । दृ॒ळ्हे । चि॒त् । अ॒भि । तृ॒ण॒त्ति॒ । वाज॑म् । अर्व॑ता । सः । ध॒त्ते॒ । अक्षि॑ति । श्रवः॑ । त्वे इति॑ । दे॒व॒ऽत्रा । सदा॑ । पु॒रु॒व॒सो॒ इति॑ पुरुऽवसो । विश्वा॑ । वा॒मानि॑ । धी॒म॒हि॒ ॥
saḥ | dṛḷhe | cit | abhi | tṛṇatti | vājam | arvatā | saḥ | dhatte | akṣiti | śravaḥ | tve iti | deva-trā | sadā | puruvaso itipuru-vaso | viśvā | vāmāni | dhīmahi
Likely Triṣṭubh (probable 4×11), not confirmed from provided text.
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4 pādas × ~11 syllables (probable)
Forceful and cutting; suited to ‘breaking through’ and establishing.
Elicits determination; supports inner courage to confront fixed patterns.
- दृळ्ह (dṛḻha)
- Literal: firm, hard-fixed. Symbolic: entrenched resistance; rigid habit-structures; subconscient knots
- अभि तृणत्ति (abhi tṛṇatti)
- Literal: strikes through, breaks across. Symbolic: piercing the cover; breakthrough of obstruction
- वाज (vāja)
- Literal: prize, strength, food. Symbolic: plenitude of force and capacity; victorious energy
- अर्वत (arvatā)
- Literal: by/with the horse. Symbolic: vital energy yoked to the divine movement; carrier-force
- अक्षिति श्रवः (akṣiti śravaḥ)
- Literal: undiminishing fame. Symbolic: stable spiritual attainment; lasting luminous self-manifestation
- देवत्रा (devatrā)
- Literal: toward/in the divine realm. Symbolic: godward orientation of consciousness; supraphysical poise
- पुरूवसो (purūvaso)
- Literal: rich in many goods. Symbolic: Agni as manifold giver of inner riches
- धीमहि (dhīmahi)
- Literal: we place/hold in thought, we concentrate. Symbolic: yogic concentration; gathering energies into the inner fire
General Agni-stotra usage; suitable for soma-related and kindling contexts where Agni is invoked as the overcoming will and establisher of śravas (no specific Śrauta assignment inferable from the provided excerpt alone).
When seeking victory-force, stability of gains, and divine orientation of works.
Chant with offering; mentally ‘yoke’ breath/energy (arvat) to Agni before undertaking tasks.
Use before difficult work or habit-change: invoke Agni to pierce the ‘hard-fixed’ and establish steady progress.
tṛṇatti: from √tṛd/√tṝ? (Vedic tṛṇatti ‘to pierce, break through, overcome’), expressing a force that cleaves resistance. vāja: from √vaj ‘to be strong, vigorous; to impel’, hence ‘strength/plenitude/victory’ (inner efficacy rather than outer spoil). arvatā: instrumental of arvat ‘steed’, from √ar/ṛ ‘to move, fit, reach’; symbolically the forward-moving energy/vehicle of the will. akṣiti: a- + √kṣi ‘to perish, waste away’; ‘non-decaying’, stable attainment. śravas: from √śru ‘to hear’; ‘renown’ as what is “heard of”; inwardly the established resonance of truth and right power in the being. dhīmahi: middle of √dhā/√dhī? here from dhī (illumined thought) + √dhā ‘to place’; ‘we hold/place by insight’.
Rita as right action that breaks fixed obstruction, Akṣiti (imperishability) as stable attainment, Dhī (illumined intelligence)
Devatrā indicates alignment with the divine order; breakthrough occurs when movement follows ṛta.
Akṣiti (non-decaying) points to satya-like stability—what is founded in truth does not diminish.
From obstruction to manifestation: force breaks the crust so the concealed power can emerge and endure.
Integral-psychological Vedic reading: victory is inner conquest and stable realization.
Horse = vital carrier-force; hard-fixed = inertia/tamas; fire = will; vāja = effective energy; undiminishing fame = stable spiritual accomplishment.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘breaker of the firm-set’ motif: the divine force (Agni as will) penetrates hardened obstruction (dṛḷha) to win vāja (victorious plenitude) and establish imperishable śravas (enduring luminous renown). Psychologically, it is the soul’s will-force cleaving ingrained inertia/ignorance and fixing a stable truth-resonance in the being.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- śravas (√śru ‘hear’) aligns with PIE *ḱlewos ‘fame, what is heard’ (cf. Greek kléos), preserving the archaic Indo-European poetics of ‘imperishable fame’ (akṣiti śravas ~ ‘undying kleos’). vāja (√vaj ‘be strong/impel’) continues an IE tendency to name ‘prize/victory’ via ‘strength/impulse’ lexemes rather than material booty.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- Reciprocity of inner offering and divine establishment: the seer-community ‘places/holds’ (dhīmahi) all desirable fulfillments in Agni (as the divine plane, devatrā), while Agni in turn breaks resistance and ‘establishes’ (dhatte) imperishable śravas. The human side is sustained concentration (dhī), the divine side is effective transformation and durable attainment.
Visualize a flame-lance piercing a hardened knot; feel the breath as the ‘horse’ carrying force into the breakthrough.
Manipura (will) and Ajna (directing mind) working together.
4-4-6 breathing: inhale (gather), hold (aim), exhale (pierce/offer).
Dynamic concentration (dhāraṇā) with courageous clarity.
Name one ‘dṛḻha’ pattern; offer it into Agni; then act with arvatā—swift, disciplined energy—without dispersal.
Tri-svara (udātta/anudātta/svarita) per recension; exact markings require a svara text not provided.
Strike consonant clusters cleanly (dṛḻhe, tṛṇatti); keep vājam and akṣiti śravaḥ clearly separated in sense-units.
dṛḻhe: pronounce ‘ḻh’ as a retroflex-lateral + aspirate cluster (careful, not ‘driḍhe’)., tṛṇatti: retroflex ṇ; double t as crisp stop., akṣiti: kṣ as ‘k-ṣ’ (not ‘x’)., purūvaso: keep long ū and v soft but distinct.
Piercing, decisive, then settling into a steady concluding tone on dhīmahi.
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