Rig Veda 1.12.4: Mandala 1, Sukta 12, Mantra 4
Sukta 1.12
- Rishi
- Medhātithi Kāṇva
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Gāyatrī
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
ताँ उशतो वि बोधय यदग्ने यासि दूत्यम् । देवैरा सत्सि बर्हिषि ॥
tā́m̐ uśató ví bodhaya yád agne yā́si dūtyám | deváir ā́ satsi barhíṣi ||
เมื่อท่าน โอ้อัคนี ออกไปทำหน้าที่ทูต (dūtya) จงปลุกเหล่าเทพผู้โหยหาแสงนั้นให้ตื่น; ท่านนั่งร่วมกับเทพทั้งหลายบนบัรหิษ (barhis) อันศักดิ์สิทธิ์.
Word by Word
- तान्
- themPronounपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया बहुवचनम्Role कर्मRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- उशतः
- desiring (you), eagerAdjective (participle)पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया बहुवचनम् (तान् इति विशेषणम्)Role कर्मRoot उश् (धातु) → उशत् (वर्तमान-कृदन्त ‘desiring’)
- वि
- apart, forth; intensifierIndeclinableअव्ययम्Root वि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- बोधय
- awaken, rouseVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्; णिच्-प्रयोगःRoot बुध् (धातु) [णिच्]
- यत्
- when, sinceIndeclinable (relative)अव्ययवत् सम्बन्धार्थे (‘when/that’)Root यद् (सम्बन्ध/यत्-प्रत्ययः)
- अग्ने
- O AgniNounपुंलिङ्गे सम्बोधन-एकवचनम्Role सम्बोधनRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- यासि
- you goVerbलट्, मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्Root या (धातु)
- दूत्यम्
- the messenger-task, embassyNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot दूत्य (प्रातिपदिक; दूत-भावः/कार्यं) অথবা दूत (प्रातिपदिक) → दूत्यम्
- देवैः
- with the godsNounपुंलिङ्गे तृतीया बहुवचनम्Role सह/साकं (सहकर्ता) अथवा करणRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- आ
- towards, untoIndeclinableअव्ययम् (उपसर्गः)Root आ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- सत्सि
- you sit, take your seatVerbलट्, मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम् (वैदिक रूपम् ‘सत्सि’ = ‘सीदसि/सदसि’)Root सद् (धातु)
- बर्हिषि
- on the sacrificial grass (barhis)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी एकवचनम्Role अधिकरणRoot बर्हिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: तान् | उशतः | वि | बोधय | यत् | अग्ने | यासि | दूत्यम् | देवैः | आ | सत्सि | बर्हिषि । 1) ताँ उशतो → तान् उशतः (अनुस्वार/नासिक्य-समायोजनः; ‘तान्’ द्वितीया बहुवचनम्). 2) यदग्ने → यत् अग्ने (त् + अ → द् (जश्त्व) = ‘यदग्ने’). 3) देवैरा → देवैः आ (विसर्गस्य रकारादेशः: -ैः + आ → -ैरा). 4) सत्सि वैदिक-रूपम्: सद् धातोः लट् 2sg
- ‘द्’ + ‘सि’ संयोगे ‘त्सि’ (सत्सि) इति रूपम्
The meaning
Outer meaning
Awaken those desiring gods when you go as messenger, O Agni; with the gods you sit on the barhis.
Inner meaning
Agni’s embassy is the movement of the consecrated will between lower nature and higher consciousness. He ‘awakens’ (vi bodhaya) the devas that ‘yearn’ (uśataḥ)—the luminous powers already inclined toward manifestation in us but needing ignition. When the connection is established, Agni sits with the devas upon the prepared foundation (barhis): the consciousness becomes a shared seat where human aspiration and divine powers act together.
Universal truth
Illumination becomes stable when the will not only calls higher powers but also awakens them within the human field, creating a common ground for collaboration between the finite and the infinite.
Themes
awakening-the-gods, Agni-embassy, communion
The seer
- Rishi
- Medhātithi Kāṇva
- Lineage
- Kāṇva
- Other hymns
- RV 1.12.1, RV 1.12.2, RV 1.12.3, RV 1.12.5
Family tradition
Kāṇva vision of Agni as dynamic intermediary: not only invoked, but actively awakening the divine in the human.
Significance
The seer emphasizes the turning point where the divine becomes ‘awake’ in the field of practice, leading to a shared seat—an inner communion.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- dūta, bodhayitṛ (awakener), devaiḥ satsi (sits with the gods)
- Related deities
- Uṣas (awakening), Indra (illumination), Soma (delight)
Cosmic role
Catalyst who rouses the gods and establishes their presence in the rite; mediator ensuring communion.
Inner power
Awakening force that converts aspiration into lived illumination and establishes inner companionship with higher states.
In ritual
Where it is used
Invocation/awakening of devas during offering; seating of devas on barhis
ताँ उ॑श॒तो वि बो॑धय॒ यद॑ग्ने॒ यासि॑ दू॒त्य॑म् । दे॒वैरा स॑त्सि ब॒र्हिषि॑ ॥
तान् । उ॒श॒तः । वि । बो॒ध॒य॒ । यत् । अ॒ग्ने॒ । यासि॑ । दू॒त्य॑म् । दे॒वैः । आ । स॒त्सि॒ । ब॒र्हिषि॑ ॥
tān | uśataḥ | vi | bodhaya | yat | agne | yāsi | dūtyam | devaiḥ | ā | satsi | barhiṣi
24
3 × 8
Alert and awakening; the middle pāda carries the ‘movement’ (yāsi dūtyam) giving a traveling pulse.
Stimulates vigilance and receptivity; supports a felt ‘bridging’ between inner depths and heights.
- उशतः (uśataḥ)
- Literal: desiring, yearning. Symbolic: higher powers inclined to manifest; the soul’s consenting aspiration
- वि बोधय (vi bodhaya)
- Literal: awaken, rouse. Symbolic: activate dormant illuminations and capacities
- दूत्यम् (dūtyam)
- Literal: messengership, embassy. Symbolic: mediating movement of will between planes of consciousness
- देवैः (devaiḥ)
- Literal: with the gods. Symbolic: co-working of higher powers with the awakened will
- बर्हिषि (barhiṣi)
- Literal: on the grass-seat. Symbolic: stable prepared inner base for descent and action
Invocation sequence describing Agni’s dūtya: calling and ‘rousing’ the devatās to attend and be seated at the rite
During deva-āhvāna and establishment of divine presence in the rite.
Verbal invitation; symbolic seating of devas; continued offerings.
Use when lethargy or dullness appears in meditation: chant to awaken inner powers and re-establish the ‘seat’ of practice.
from causative of √ ‘to wake, know’ (PIE *bʰewdʰ- ‘be aware’): Agni makes the gods ‘awake’ in the human field. from √ ‘to go’ (PIE *h₁ey- ‘go’): the envoy-motion. from √/ ‘to desire, relish’: indicates responsive powers that delight in the offering.
awakening (bodha) of higher faculties, descent and stabilization of divine powers
Right order is restored when devas are awakened and seated—forces align into harmonious functioning.
Awakening implies truth is dynamic—must be made active, not merely known.
Embassy motif echoes the link between manifest and unmanifest maintained by conscious fire.
Integral psychology: dormant higher faculties become active through tapas and mediation.
dawn (implicit in awakening)
unspecified
Awakening = emergence of light in mind; embassy = channel between subconscient and superconscient; seat = stable posture and purified nervous base.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The envoy who awakens the gods: Agni’s dūtya is to stir the divine host into active participation. Mythically, it is the summoning of the celestial assembly to the sacrificial seat.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √budh ‘awaken’ (PIE *bʰewdʰ-) is widely attested (cf. English 'bid' in older sense, German 'bieten' is different; more directly Slavic 'buditi' awaken). √yā ‘go’ (PIE *h₁ey-) is a basic motion root, common in archaic hymn diction.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi entrusts Agni with the inner coordination of divine forces: the seeker’s task is to prepare the barhis (widened receptivity), while Agni’s task is to awaken and seat the higher powers so the rite becomes effective.
Awaken consenting higher movements: clarity in mind, courage in life, purity in heart.
anahata
Kapalabhati is not advised with Vedic chanting; instead use 8-count inhale, 8-count exhale while chanting softly to ‘rouse’ without strain.
Awake receptivity (jāgrat-prakāśa) with inner companionship.
When you chant ‘vi bodhaya’, feel a gentle illumination spreading through the body; then on ‘devair ā satsi’ feel a quiet settling in the heart-seat.
Keep ‘vi bodhaya’ crisp with a slight lift; maintain consistent Gāyatrī pacing; Vedic accents per recensional marking.
Do not swallow consonant clusters: uśato vi; yāsi dūtyam; devair ā satsi.
(uśataḥ): ś clear; final ḥ audible but light, (bodhaya): bh aspirated, (dūtyam): long ū; ty cluster clean, (satsi): ts conjunct, not ‘sati’
Awakening, slightly brighter tone in first half; settle into a grounded tone on the last pāda.
12
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Rig Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
