Rig Veda 1.27.5: Mandala 1, Sukta 27, Mantra 5
Sukta 1.27
- Rishi
- Sunaḥśepa Ājīgarti
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Gāyatrī
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
आ नो भज परमेष्वा वाजेषु मध्यमेषु । शिक्षा वस्वो अन्तमस्य ॥
ā nó bhaja paraméṣv ā́ vā́jeṣu madhyaméṣu | śíkṣā vásvo ántamasya ||
ขอท่านจงแบ่งปันแก่พวกเรา ทั้งในความอุดมแห่งพลังอันสูงสุดและอันปานกลาง; และขอท่านจงสั่งสอนแก่พวกเรา ซึ่งความลับสุดท้ายอันลึกซึ้งของ “ทรัพย์/ความมั่งคั่ง (Vasú)”.
Word by Word
- आ
- hither, towards (us)Indeclinableउपसर्गः (क्रियायोगे) / preverb with verbRoot आ (उपसर्ग) / ā (preverb)
- नः
- to usPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी? बहुवचनस्य एन्क्लिटिक-रूपम्; here: चतुर्थी बहुवचनम् (asmabhyam) ‘to us’Role SampradānaRoot अस्मद् (pronoun stem)
- भज
- apportion, grant, bestowVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे) मध्यमपुरुषः एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्Root भज् (भजँ सेवायाम्/विभागे) / bhaj
- परमेषु
- in the highest (places/grades)Adjective (used substantively)पुं/नपुं? लोके ‘परम’ सामान्यतः पुं. (परमः) अथवा नपुं.; here: सप्तमी बहुवचनम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot परम (adj. stem)
- आ
- hither, towardsIndeclinableउपसर्गः (पुनरुक्त्या बलवत्तरः) / repeated preverbRoot आ (उपसर्ग) / ā (preverb)
- वाजेषु
- in prizes, in strengths (vāja-s)Nounपुंलिङ्गः सप्तमी बहुवचनम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot वाज (m. stem)
- मध्यमेषु
- in the middle (ones/grades)Adjective (used substantively)सप्तमी बहुवचनम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot मध्यम (adj. stem)
- शिक्षा
- teach, instruct; train (us)Verbलोट् मध्यमपुरुषः एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्Root शिक्ष् (शिक्षँ विद्योपादाने/अनुशासने) / śikṣ
- वस्वः
- of wealth, of good (treasure)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्गः षष्ठी एकवचनम् (gen. sg.)Root वसु (n. stem) / or vasu- (wealth)
- अन्तमस्य
- of this last/utmost (one/portion)Adjective + Pronoun (genitive)अन्तमस्य = अन्तमस्य (अन्तम- + अस्य) : षष्ठी एकवचनम् (masc./neut.)Root अन्तम (superlative adj. stem from अन्त) + asya (idam)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: आ | नः | भज | परमेषु | आ | वाजेषु | मध्यमेषु | शिक्षा | वस्वः | अन्तमस्य । विशेषम्: ‘आ नो भज’ इति आ-उपसर्गः + लोट् ‘भज’ (आ-भज = ‘हither bestow’)
- ‘परमेष्वा’ इत्यत्र संहितायां ‘परमेषु आ’ → ‘परमेष्वा’ (उकारस्य वकारादेशः + आ-समास/संधि)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Share with us in the highest and middle ‘vājas’ (plenitudes/prizes of strength). Teach us the last/deepest of the wealth.
Inner meaning
The seeker asks Agni to apportion (bhaja) the graded powers of accomplishment: the ‘highest’ and ‘middle’ vājas are levels of force and capacity in the ascent—greater energies of mind, life, and spirit. Beyond gaining powers, the prayer asks for instruction (śikṣā) in the ‘last’ (antama) secret of vasu (wealth): the inmost treasure is not outer gain but the deepest spiritual substance—peace, light, and bliss grounded in the soul.
Universal truth
True prosperity is hierarchical: powers and capacities are valuable, but their culmination is inner wealth—wisdom and abiding fulfillment—learned through divine guidance.
Themes
attainment of force, spiritual wealth, instruction by the divine, graded planes
The seer
- Rishi
- Sunaḥśepa Ājīgarti
- Other hymns
- RV 1.24, RV 1.25, RV 1.26, RV 1.27, RV 1.28, RV 1.29, RV 1.30
Family tradition
Ājīgarti; emphasizes progression from need and struggle to instruction and inner attainment.
Significance
Frames spiritual life as a pedagogy: Agni not only gives force but teaches the deepest secret of wealth—inner plenitude.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- bhāgī (implicit: apportioner), śikṣitṛ (teacher/discipliner—invoked)
- Related deities
- Soma (bliss as wealth), Indra (force/illumination as vāja), Bṛhaspati (teaching through the word)
Cosmic role
Distributor of boons; arranger of the sacrifice’s gains; guide who educates the human instrument.
Inner power
The flame-intelligence that trains the being, revealing graded powers and finally the psychic/spiritual treasure.
In ritual
Where it is used
Prayer for vāja (strength/victory) and vasu (wealth) within Agni worship
आ नो॑ भज पर॒मेष्वा वाजे॑षु मध्य॒मेषु॑ । शिक्षा॒ वस्वो॒ अन्त॑मस्य ॥
आ । नः॑ । भ॒ज॒ । प॒र॒मेषु॑ । आ । वाजे॑षु । म॒ध्य॒मेषु॑ । शिक्षा॑ । वस्वः॑ । अन्त॑मस्य ॥
ā | naḥ | bhaja | parameṣu | ā | vājeṣu | madhyameṣu | śikṣā | vasvaḥ | antamasya
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3 × 8; balanced contrasts (highest/middle) then a culminating request (teach the deepest).
Even and directive; a ‘curricular’ feel—first distribution, then instruction.
Creates a sense of ordered ascent; stabilizes aspiration into a clear request for guidance.
- वाजेषु (vājeṣu)
- Literal: in prizes/strengths, plenitudes of force. Symbolic: levels of effective energy and accomplishment in the yoga (vital, mental, spiritual powers)
- परमेषु (parameṣu)
- Literal: in the highest. Symbolic: highest ranges of consciousness—illumined mind and beyond
- मध्यमेषु (madhyameṣu)
- Literal: in the middle. Symbolic: intermediate ranges—purified mind-life where force is organized
- शिक्षा (śikṣā)
- Literal: teach, train. Symbolic: inner guidance; disciplined transmission from the divine Will to the human instrument
- वस्वः अन्तमस्य (vasvaḥ antamasya)
- Literal: of the wealth’s last/deepest. Symbolic: the inmost secret of true riches: stable inner plenitude (light/peace/ananda)
Prayer for vāja/vasu in sacrificial economy: inwardly, request for force and fullness needed for right performance and inner progress
During offerings seeking strength, prosperity, and right knowledge; also as part of hymn recitation for success in endeavors.
Oblation with request for boons; priestly/householder recitation for ‘vāja’ and ‘vasu’.
Use when seeking career/effort success without losing spiritual aim: ask for right force at all levels and the deepest inner wealth (wisdom/peace).
√bhaj ‘to share, allot, partake’ underlies bhaga ‘portion/fortune’: here the deity is asked to ‘apportion’ higher and middle vāja-s (energies of accomplishment). vāja- is not merely ‘prize/food’; from a semantic field of strength and victorious plenitude—hence ‘plenitude of force’. √śikṣ ‘to train/teach’ indicates disciplined acquisition, not passive receiving. vasu ‘wealth’ becomes inner substance and felicity; antama ‘innermost/last’ points to the ultimate layer of that plenitude.
vāja as victorious force, vasu as fullness of being, discipline/learning (śikṣ) as yogic training
Right gains come by right order; Agni apportions according to ṛta, not desire.
The ‘deepest wealth’ aligns with satya as abiding truth-fulfillment, not transient acquisition.
Ascent through levels (‘middle’ to ‘highest’) mirrors cosmic gradation of worlds.
Integral interpretation: siddhi (powers) must culminate in psychic/spiritual realization, not egoic possession.
Vāja = energetic plenitude; vasu = essential substance; ‘highest/middle’ = planes of consciousness; teaching = inner guidance-light.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem of graded ascent and distribution of divine portions: the god apportions vāja (powers of victory) across planes (highest/middle) and initiates the seeker into the ‘innermost’ wealth—an esoteric transmission rather than mere gift.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √bhaj has broad IE parallels in the semantics of ‘sharing/portion’ (cf. the notion of ‘lot’ and ‘fortune’). The superlative antama reflects inherited superlative formation used to mark extremity (‘innermost/last’).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi requests both bestowal and pedagogy: the Devatā is not only giver (bhaj) but teacher (śikṣā). The relationship becomes initiatory—divine force is shared proportionately, and the seeker is trained to hold the ultimate wealth without distortion.
Contemplate ‘true wealth’: ask for strength in action (vāja) and the inmost treasure of peace/light (vasu).
manipura
Three-breath cycle: (1) invoke sharing in parameṣu, (2) in madhyameṣu, (3) exhale slowly on śikṣā vasvo antamasya, feeling guidance descend.
Steady aspiration with humility; readiness to be trained.
Accept graded development—purify the middle nature first, then open to higher ranges. Keep powers subordinate to inner truth; measure progress by peace, clarity, and goodwill.
Keep the interrogative/request tone gentle; highlight udātta on vājeṣu, madhyameṣu, śikṣā, vasvaḥ.
Slight pause after madhyameṣu; let śikṣā begin the final decisive request; keep antamasya prolonged but not heavy.
(bhaja): voiced aspirate bh, (parameṣv ā): articulate ṣv cluster cleanly; separate long ā, (vājeṣu): long ā; retroflex ṣ, (madhyameṣu): dhy cluster, (antamasya): clear dental nt, not retroflex
Warm, instructive, inwardly turned.
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