Rig Veda 8.39.7: Mandala 8, Sukta 39, Mantra 7
Sukta 8.39
- Devata
- Agni
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
अग्निर्देवेषु संवसुः स विक्षु यज्ञियास्वा । स मुदा काव्या पुरु विश्वं भूमेव पुष्यति देवो देवेषु यज्ञियो नभन्तामन्यके समे ॥
agnír devéṣu sáṃvasuḥ sá vikṣú yajñíyāsv ā́ | sá mudā́ kā́vyā purú víśvaṃ bhū́meva púṣyati devó devéṣu yajñíyo nabhantām anyaké samé ||
అగ్ని దేవులలో శుభనివాసి (సంవసు); యజ్ఞయోగ్యమైన కులాలలో (విక్షు) ప్రవేశించువాడు. ఆనందంతోను కవి-ప్రేరణతోను (కావ్యా) విస్తార భూమివలె సమస్తాన్ని పోషించును—దేవులలో దేవుడు, యజ్ఞీయ శక్తి; శత్రు బలాలు ఇతరత్రా దూరంగా తరిమివేయబడుగాక.
Word by Word
- अग्निः
- Agni (the fire-god)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot अग्नि- (प्रातिपदिक)
- देवेषु
- among the godsNounपुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; बहुवचनRole अधिकरणRoot देव- (प्रातिपदिक)
- संवसुः
- the all-good/abiding-with (beneficent one)Adjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृ (अग्निः-विशेषणम्)Root संवसु- (प्रातिपदिक)
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot तद् (सर्वनाम)
- विक्षु
- among the clans/peoplesNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; बहुवचन (वैदिक रूप)Role अधिकरणRoot विश्- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘clan/settlement’)
- यज्ञियासु
- in the worshipful/ritual (clans)Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; बहुवचनRole अधिकरण (विक्षु-विशेषणम्)Root यज्ञिय- (प्रातिपदिक)
- आ
- towards, hitherIndeclinableRoot आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot तद् (सर्वनाम)
- मुदा
- with joyNoun (instrumental adverbial)स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया; एकवचनRole करणRoot मुद्- (प्रातिपदिक ‘joy’)
- काव्या
- poetic (works/utterances)Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; बहुवचन (वैदिक)Role कर्मRoot काव्य- (प्रातिपदिक)
- पुरु
- many, abundantAdjective/Indeclinable (quantifier)अव्ययवत्; ‘many, much’Role विशेषण (काव्या-विशेषणम्)Root पुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
- विश्वम्
- all, whollyAdjective (used adverbially)नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्म/क्रियाविशेषणRoot विश्व- (प्रातिपदिक)
- भूमे
- the earthNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन (वैदिक/छान्दस रूप)Role उपमान (इव-सम्बन्धः)Root भूमि- (प्रातिपदिक)
- इव
- likeIndeclinableRoot इव (निपात)
- पुष्यति
- nourishes, prospersVerbलट्; परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot पुष् (धातु)
- देवः
- the godNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृ (पुष्यति)Root देव- (प्रातिपदिक)
- देवेषु
- among the godsNounपुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; बहुवचनRole अधिकरणRoot देव- (प्रातिपदिक)
- यज्ञियः
- worshipful, fit for sacrificeAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृ (देवः-विशेषणम्)Root यज्ञिय- (प्रातिपदिक)
- नभन्ताम्
- let them shine/appearVerbलोट्; आत्मनेपद; तृतीयपुरुष; बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot नभ् (धातु)
- अन्यके
- in/among another (place/party)Adjective (substantivized)पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; एकवचन (वैदिक)Role अधिकरणRoot अन्यक- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘other/another’)
- समे
- in the assembly/togetherNoun/Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; एकवचन (वैदिक)Role अधिकरणRoot सम- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘same/equal/assembly’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (मुख्य): अग्निः + देवेषु + संवसुः । सः + विक्षु + यज्ञियासु + आ । सः + मुदा + काव्या(णि) + पुरु + विश्वम् + भूमे + इव + पुष्यति + देवः + देवेषु + यज्ञियः । नभन्ताम् + अन्यके + समे । विशेष-सन्धि/छान्दस: (1) अग्निर्देवेषु = अग्निः + देवेषु (विसर्ग-रेफः)। (2) संवसुः छान्दस-प्रातिपदिक ‘संवसु-’ (अग्नि-विशेषणम्)। (3) विक्षु = विश्- का सप्तमी बहुवचन (वैदिक रूप)। (4) यज्ञिया-स्वा इति पाठे ‘स्वा’ को ‘आ’ (निपात) रूपेण ग्रहणम्
- ‘यज्ञियास्वा’ = यज्ञियासु + आ (स्वर/पदविभाग-भेद सम्भव)। (5) काव्या पु॒रु: ‘काव्या’ को नपुंसक द्वितीया बहुवचन (काव्यानि) छान्दस-लोप/संक्षेप से। (6) भूमे॑व = भूमे + इव (ए/इव सन्धि)। (7) नभन्ताम्: लोट् 3बहु (आत्मनेपद) ‘नभ्’ धातोः वैदिक प्रयोग
- अर्थ ‘दीप्यन्ताम्/प्रकाशन्ताम्’।
The meaning
Outer meaning
Agni is the indwelling good among the Gods; he comes into the clans fit for sacrifice. With gladness and seer-inspiration he nourishes the whole world like the earth—God among the Gods, the sacrificial one—let the hostile powers be driven away elsewhere.
Inner meaning
Agni is “saṃvasuḥ” among the gods: the resident good, the stable luminous substance in the higher powers. He descends into “vikṣu” (clans/peoples) that are “yajñiyāḥ” (capable of sacrifice)—psychologically, parts of our nature that consent to consecration. When Agni is welcomed, he works with “mudā” (gladness) and “kāvyā” (the seer-poet’s inspired vision): joy and inspiration are not ornaments but fuel and guidance for transformation. He “puṣyati viśvam” — he nourishes the whole being, as earth supports all growth: mind, life, body become a broad ground for the divine life. The refrain again clears hostile forces that would prevent this integral nourishment.
Universal truth
When the will is consecrated, it becomes a resident good that enters receptive parts of life, and through joy and inspired insight it nourishes the entire being into a stable, earth-like foundation for higher consciousness.
Themes
Community and sacrifice, Nourishment, Joy and inspiration
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 8.39.4, Rig Veda 8.39.5, Rig Veda 8.39.6, Rig Veda 8.39.8
Significance
Emphasizes the ‘integral’ aim: Agni’s work is to foster the whole being, not a single faculty—an important key in Sri Aurobindo’s reading of yajña.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- saṃvasu (indwelling good), devo deveṣu (god among gods), yajñiya (sacrificial power), kāvya (seer-inspired, by association)
- Related deities
- Pṛthivī (earth principle, as simile), Uṣas (illumination that brings gladness), Soma (delight that supports inspiration)
Cosmic role
Immanent divine presence that stabilizes and nourishes the cosmos; the sacrificial force that makes growth possible.
Inner power
Joyful inspired will that integrates the whole nature into a supportive foundation.
In ritual
Where it is used
Household and communal fire worship emphasizing prosperity and harmony; general Agni praise with protective refrain
अ॒ग्निर्दे॒वेषु॒ संव॑सु॒: स वि॒क्षु य॒ज्ञिया॒स्वा । स मु॒दा काव्या॑ पु॒रु विश्वं॒ भूमे॑व पुष्यति दे॒वो दे॒वेषु॑ य॒ज्ञियो॒ नभ॑न्तामन्य॒के स॑मे ॥
अ॒ग्निः । दे॒वेषु॑ । सम्ऽव॑सुः । सः । वि॒क्षु । य॒ज्ञिया॑सु । आ । सः । मु॒दा । काव्या॑ । पु॒रु । विश्व॑म् । भूम॑ऽइव । पु॒ष्य॒ति॒ । दे॒वः । दे॒वेषु॑ । य॒ज्ञियः॑ । नभ॑न्ताम् । अ॒न्य॒के । स॒मे॒ ॥
agniḥ | deveṣu | sam-vasuḥ | saḥ | vikṣu | yajñiyāsu | ā | saḥ | mudā | kāvyā | puru | viśvam | bhūma-iva | puṣyati | devaḥ | deveṣu | yajñiyaḥ | nabhantām | anyake | same
32
4 × ~8 with refrain
Gentler than the battle-like verses; a nourishing, expansive flow before the expulsive close.
Creates warmth and inclusivity; supports a sense of being held and fed inwardly.
- संवसुḥ (saṃvasuḥ)
- Literal: well-dwelling, possessing good wealth. Symbolic: indwelling stable good; settled luminous substance
- विक्षु (vikṣu)
- Literal: clans, peoples. Symbolic: domains of the being; mind-life-body communities
- यज्ञियासु (yajñiyāsu)
- Literal: fit for sacrifice. Symbolic: receptive parts ready for consecration
- मुदा (mudā)
- Literal: gladness. Symbolic: psychic joy that accelerates purification
- काव्या (kāvyā)
- Literal: seer-poetic inspiration. Symbolic: intuitive vision; mantra-consciousness guiding action
- भूमेव (bhūmeva)
- Literal: like the earth. Symbolic: broad stable foundation; capacity to sustain growth
- पुष्यति (puṣyati)
- Literal: nourishes, fosters. Symbolic: integral strengthening and harmonizing of the nature
Communal invocation emphasizing Agni’s presence in viś (clans) and yajñiya communities; apt for rites establishing social-sacral cohesion.
At domestic offerings, community rites, or when invoking harmony and growth
Offering with intention of ‘puṣṭi’ (nourishment) and right receptivity in the household/clan
A meditation for integration: invite Agni into all ‘clans’ of your nature; cultivate gladness and inspired listening; visualize the being becoming broad like earth.
sam-vasuḥ: from sam + vasu ‘good/wealth’; √vas ‘dwell’ also resonates—‘dwelling together’. puṣyati from √puṣ (PIE *pews- ‘thrive’ uncertain), common Vedic verb for nourishing and increasing. kavi/kāvya tied to seer-poetry as knowledge-making.
Collective receptivity (yajñiya), Joy (mudā) as sign of right alignment, Nourishment of total being (viśvam)
Nourishment ‘like earth’ implies lawful, steady increase under ṛta.
Kāvya points to the rishi-function: truth received and expressed as guiding inspiration.
Sustenance and expansion: the cosmos and the person are fostered by the sacrificial fire.
Integral Yoga / Vedic psychology: yajña as the method of total-life transformation.
Earth = stability and receptivity; nourishment = strengthening of all parts; gladness = psychic openness that allows higher forces to pervade.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Agni’s descent into the yajñiya clans and his fostering of the whole being like the earth. Mythically, the fire-god is the civilizing/nourishing center that makes the human collective a fit field for the gods.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The social term viś (people/clan) is an old Indo-Iranian/IE social lexeme (cf. Avestan vīs). The inherited poetic register links kavi (seer) with sacral speech, a hallmark of Indo-European praise traditions.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi frames Agni as a power that enters receptive collectives and increases their total capacity (purú víśvam). The exchange is communal: the clan’s yajñiya readiness invites Agni; Agni returns nourishment, joy, and inspired order.
Integration practice: invite Agni into each part of life (thought, emotion, body, work) and let him foster a broad, stable foundation.
Anahata (gladness/heart) grounding into Muladhara (earth stability).
Slow-meditative: inhale ‘saṃvasuḥ’, exhale ‘puṣyati’; keep breath soft and wide in the belly and chest.
Receptive, grounded, quietly joyful.
If parts of the nature resist consecration, do not force; make them ‘yajñiya’ by gentle sincerity and gladness, then offer them to Agni. End by releasing hostile thoughts to ‘elsewhere’.
Observe udatta marks; keep ‘mudā kāvyā’ lightly uplifted; allow ‘bhūmeva puṣyati’ to broaden and soften; refrain steady.
Make a gentle caesura after ‘ā’; avoid punching consonants—this verse benefits from smoothness.
saṃvasuḥ: anusvāra before ‘v’ as a light nasalization., yajñiyāsv ā: keep ‘yajñ’ conjunct; avoid inserting extra vowel., kāvyā: long ā; ‘vy’ conjunct., bhūmeva: long ū; ‘e’ clear.
Warm, soothing, grounded; refrain firm but not aggressive.
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