Rig Veda 8.60.4: Mandala 8, Sukta 60, Mantra 4
Sukta 8.60
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh/Jagatī
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
अद्रोघमा वहोशतो यविष्ठ्य देवाँ अजस्र वीतये । अभि प्रयांसि सुधिता वसो गहि मन्दस्व धीतिभिर्हितः ॥
ádrógham ā́ vaho uśató yaviṣṭhya devā́ṃ ajasra vītáye | abhí prayā́ṃsi sudhítā vaso gahi mándasva dhītíbhir hitáḥ ||
హే యవిష్ఠ (అతి యౌవనుడా)! అద్రోఘుడై దేవులను నిరంతరం ఇక్కడికి వాహించు—వీతయే, ఇష్టభోగార్థం. హే వసూ! సుధితమైన ప్రయాంసుల (సక్రమ అర్పణముల) వైపు రా; ధీతులతో హితుడై మందస్వ—ఆనందించు.
Word by Word
- अद्रोघम्
- non-injuring, non-hostileAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (कर्मणि विशेषणम्)Role KarmaRoot अ-द्रोघ (प्रातिपदिक; द्रोघ < द्रुह् ‘द्रोह/हानि करना’)
- आ
- hither, towardsIndeclinableउपसर्गः (आगमन/आह्वानार्थ)Root आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- वहो
- carry! bring!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदRoot वह् (धातु)
- शतो
- of a hundredNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (संख्यावाचकस्य षष्ठी)Root शत (प्रातिपदिक)
- यविष्ठ्य
- O youngest one! (epithet)Noun (vocative epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRoot यविष्ठ्य (प्रातिपदिक; यविष्ठ ‘युवा/यविष्ठ’ से)
- देवान्
- the godsNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- अजस्र
- unceasingly, continuallyAdjective(क्रियाविशेषणवत्) अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोगः; ‘निरन्तरम्’ अर्थेRoot अजस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- वीतये
- for the feast/banquet, for enjoyment (of oblation)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन (सम्प्रदान)Role SampradānaRoot वीति (प्रातिपदिक; √वे/वी ‘सेवा/आनन्द’ से ‘भोज/आतिथ्य/उपासना’)
- अभि
- towards, untoIndeclinableउपसर्गः/अव्ययम् (अभिमुखता/अधिक्य)Root अभि (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- प्रयांसि
- offerings, gifts, refreshmentsNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot प्रयांस् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘प्रयस्’/‘प्रयांस्’ = दान/भोजन/उपहार)
- सुधिता
- well-arranged, well-preparedAdjective (past participial)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (प्रयांसि इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role KarmaRoot सु-धित (कृदन्त/विशेषण; √धा ‘धारण/स्थापन’ से धित ‘स्थापित/व्यवस्थित’)
- वसो
- O good one / O bounteous oneNoun (vocative epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRoot वसु (प्रातिपदिक)
- गहि
- come!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; वैदिक रूप ‘गहि’Root गम् (धातु)
- मन्दस्व
- rejoice! be exhilarated!Verbलोट्, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदRoot मन्द्/मद् (धातु; वैदिक ‘मन्द’ = हर्ष/मद)
- धीतिभिः
- with hymns/thoughts (devotions)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot धीति (प्रातिपदिक; √धी ‘ध्यान/बुद्धि/स्तुति’)
- हितः
- placed/established; well-disposedAdjective (past participial)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (सम्बोधित देवता/अग्नि-इन्द्रादि के लिए विधेय)Role KartāRoot हित (कृदन्त; √धा ‘स्थापन’ → ‘हित’ = स्थापित/निहित) अथवा √हि ‘हित/कल्याण’ से ‘हित’
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: अद्रोघम् | आ | वहो | शतो | यविष्ठ्य | देवान् | अजस्र | वीतये || अभि | प्रयांसि | सुधिता | वसो | गहि | मन्दस्व | धीतिभिः | हितः || प्रमुख सन्धि: (1) अद्रोघम् + आ → अद्रोघमा (अं + आ = मा; अनुस्वार-लोप/परसवर्ण-प्रवृत्ति वैदिकपाठे)। (2) वहो + शतो → वहोशतो (ओ + श = ओश; संयोग)। (3) देवाँ + अजस्र → देवानजस्र (आन् + अ = आन; पदपाठे देवान् | अजस्र)। (4) वीतये । अभि → वीतयेऽभि (ए + अ = एऽ; अवग्रह)। (5) प्रयांसि + सुधिता → प्रयांसि सुधिता (सन्धि नहीं; पदसीमा)। (6) गहि मन्दस्व (सन्धि नहीं; पदसीमा)। (7) धीतिभिः + हितः → धीतिभिर्हितः (ः + ह = र्ह; विसर्ग-रेफादेश)।
The meaning
Outer meaning
A call to Agni, “the youngest,” to bring the gods faultlessly for continual participation in the offering; Agni is invited to the well-arranged oblations and asked to rejoice, established by the seers’ thoughts.
Inner meaning
Agni as the awakened Divine Will is invoked to lead the inner sacrifice without distortion (adrogha). He is asked to summon the higher powers (devāḥ) into the consciousness for a continuous “enjoyment” (vīti) of the divine presence. The “well-ordered offerings” (sudhitāḥ prayāṃsi) are the purified movements of mind–life placed rightly in the being; Agni “rejoices” when our dhīti (luminous insight) becomes the seat (hitaḥ) where the flame can stand and work.
Universal truth
When aspiration is sincere and undivided, the inner fire can safely call in higher forces; ordered self-giving and clear intention turn life into a fit altar where illumination becomes continuous.
Themes
Agni as carrier of the gods, Rightly ordered offerings, Delight and acceptance
The seer
Significance
The anonymity foregrounds the universal yogic act: any seeker who kindles the true Agni with sincerity (adrogha) can call the devāḥ into the inner yajña.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- yaviṣṭha (youngest), vasu (good, radiant power), hita (established/seated)
- Related deities
- Indra, Soma, Uṣas, Viśve Devāḥ
Cosmic role
Mediator who carries offerings to the gods and brings the gods to the sacrificer; the priest of the cosmic order.
Inner power
Divine Will and aspiration that organizes the being, summons higher faculties, and enables the soul’s enjoyment of the divine.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agnihotra / general Agni-invocation within soma-less and soma-related śrauta settings (as a calling verse)
अद्रो॑घ॒मा व॑होश॒तो य॑विष्ठ्य दे॒वाँ अ॑जस्र वी॒तये॑ । अ॒भि प्रयां॑सि॒ सुधि॒ता व॑सो गहि॒ मन्द॑स्व धी॒तिभि॑र्हि॒तः ॥
अद्रो॑घम् । आ । व॒ह॒ । उ॒श॒तः । य॒वि॒ष्ठ्य॒ । दे॒वान् । अ॒ज॒स्र॒ । वी॒तये॑ । अ॒भि । प्रयां॑सि । सु॒ऽधि॒ता । आ । व॒सो॒ इति॑ । ग॒हि॒ । मन्द॑स्व । धी॒तिऽभिः॑ । हि॒तः ॥
adrogham | ā | vaha | uśataḥ | yaviṣṭhya | devān | ajasra | vītaye | abhi | prayāṃsi | su-dhitā | ā | vaso iti | gahi | mandasva | dhīti-bhiḥ | hitaḥ
Triṣṭubh (probable; with possible Jagatī influence in the pāda-length—traditional note of uncertainty)
44
4 pādas; predominantly ~11 syllables each (Triṣṭubh), with a possible extended pāda suggesting Jagatī coloration
Forward-driving, invocatory cadence suited to ‘bringing’ and ‘coming’ verbs (ā vaha, ā gahi).
Builds a sense of steady ascent and continuous arrival of higher forces; supports sustained concentration.
- अद्रोघम् (adrogham)
- Literal: without betrayal, non-deceptive. Symbolic: undivided sincerity; aspiration free from inner falsehood
- यविष्ठ्य (yaviṣṭhya)
- Literal: O youngest. Symbolic: Agni as ever-new flame of progress in the seeker
- देवान् (devān)
- Literal: the gods. Symbolic: higher powers of consciousness (illumination, harmony, force, bliss)
- अजस्र (ajasra)
- Literal: unceasingly. Symbolic: continuity of sādhanā; uninterrupted offering
- वीतये (vītaye)
- Literal: for enjoyment/participation in the rite. Symbolic: capacity to receive and enjoy the divine influx
- प्रयांसि (prayāṃsi)
- Literal: offerings, gifts. Symbolic: self-givings—thoughts, acts, energies offered upward
- सुधिता (sudhitā)
- Literal: well-set, well-ordered. Symbolic: purified, rightly arranged inner movements
- धीतिभिः (dhītibhiḥ)
- Literal: with insights. Symbolic: luminous discernment that founds right action
- हितः (hitaḥ)
- Literal: placed, established. Symbolic: Agni seated in the being as a stable working flame
Agni as deva-vāhana (bearer of gods) in the rite; used when inviting the pantheon to the offering and affirming correct arrangement (sudhita) of the sacrificial actions.
At kindling and inviting (āvāhana) moments—especially when summoning devāḥ through Agni
Kindling the fire; offering ghee; verbal invitation for divine participation
Use as a daily invocation before meditation to ‘seat’ will and invite higher qualities into the session.
(drogha): ‘injury, treachery’; a-drog(h)a ‘without harm’. √vah ‘carry’ (PIE *weǵʰ- ‘convey’). (yaviṣṭha): superlative of yuvan/yuva ‘young’; Agni as ‘youngest’ among gods and ever-renewed. (vītaye): from √vī ‘to enjoy, take pleasure/accept’ in ritual sense. (dhīti): from √dhī ‘think, conceive’, inspired thought.
Faithful/non-injuring approach (adrogha), Right arrangement (sudhita) as ṛta in practice, Dhīti as inspired guidance
Adrogha + sudhitā imply alignment with ṛta: offerings rightly arranged in truth.
Non-betrayal (adrogha) is psychological satya—no inner duplicity.
Agni as the organizer who establishes forms (hita) for descending powers.
Proto-Vedāntic / integral-yogic reading (Aurobindo–Kashyap): ascent–descent through Agni as mediator.
Fire = will/aspiration; offerings = purified energies; ‘bringing the gods’ = calling higher consciousness into mind-life-body.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Agni as the unbetraying carrier who brings the gods to the rite for vīti (their enjoyment/acceptance). Mythically and psychologically, the flame is the upward-translating power that conveys human offerings and calls down divine presences into the ordered field of practice.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √vah ‘carry’ reflects PIE conveyance roots (*weǵʰ-). The superlative formation yaviṣṭha is inherited Indo-European morphology. The privative a- in adrogha is a classic IE negation pattern.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The ṛṣi relies on Agni to mediate the entire divine communion: human desire (uśat-) and well-ordered offerings (sudhita prayāṃsi) are presented, and Agni is asked to rejoice ‘established by dhīti’—i.e., to take form and delight through the clarity of inspired understanding.
Seat the inner fire in the heart-will and invite higher powers (clarity, courage, harmony) to participate in the day.
Anāhata (heart-fire) / Maṇipūra (will-fire)
Gentle nāsikā breathing with a brief pause after inhale while mentally repeating ‘ā vaha… ā gahi’.
Collected aspiration with receptive openness.
Begin with sincerity (adrogha): name the intention; offer one thought, one emotion, one action-plan as ‘sudhitā prayāṃsi’; then sit quietly to feel what ‘arrives’ as calm light or strength.
Vedic accents as in Saṃhitā text: observe udatta on marked syllables and svarita on combined/marked; maintain steady pitch steps rather than melodic improvisation.
Honor the marked svaras: keep unmarked as anudātta baseline; lift on udatta; glide/fall on svarita, especially around ā-vaha / ā-gahi phrases.
Keep retroflex ṭh in yaviṣṭhya crisp (ṭhya cluster)., Pronounce ‘dh’ in dhītibhiḥ as aspirated voiced dental (not ‘d’)., Maintain nasalization in devām̐ (anusvāra with following consonant).
Clear, kindling tone; slightly bright resonance to evoke ‘bringing’ and ‘delight’.
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