Rig Veda 10.7.3: Mandala 10, Sukta 7, Mantra 3
Sukta 10.7
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Shringara (love) and Shanta (peace)
अग्निं मन्ये पितरमग्निमापिमग्निं भ्रातरं सदमित्सखायम् । अग्नेरनीकं बृहतः सपर्यं दिवि शुक्रं यजतं सूर्यस्य ॥
agním manye pitáram agním ā́pim agním bhrā́taram sádam ít sakhā́yam | agnér anī́kaṃ bṛhatáḥ sapáryaṃ diví śukráṃ yájatam sū́ryasya ||
ข้าพเจ้าถือว่าอัคนีเป็นบิดา อัคนีเป็นญาติใกล้ อัคนีเป็นพี่น้อง เป็นสหายเนืองนิตย์ ข้าพเจ้าบูชาด้านหน้ากว้างใหญ่ของอัคนี—พระพักตร์อันสุกสว่าง น่าเคารพบูชาและควรแก่ยัญพิธีในสวรรค์ คือรัศมีบริสุทธิ์แห่งสุริยะ
Word by Word
- अग्निम्
- Agni (as object of ‘I consider’)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot अग्नि- (प्रातिपदिक)
- मन्ये
- I think/considerVerbलट् (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपदRole KartāRoot √मन् (मन्यते)
- पितरम्
- fatherNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot पितृ- (प्रातिपदिक)
- अग्निम्
- AgniNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot अग्नि-
- आपिम्
- kinsman/relative; intimate (one who is ‘near’)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot आपि- (प्रातिपदिक)
- अग्निम्
- AgniNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot अग्नि-
- भ्रातरम्
- brotherNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot भ्रातृ- (प्रातिपदिक)
- सदम्
- always, continuallyIndeclinableअव्ययRole AdhikaraṇaRoot सदम् (अव्यय/निपात; ‘सदा’ अर्थे)
- इत्
- indeed, justIndeclinableअव्ययRoot इत् (निपात)
- सखायम्
- friend/companionNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot सखि- (प्रातिपदिक)
- अग्नेः
- of AgniNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole SambandhaRoot अग्नि-
- अनीकम्
- face/appearance; front, manifestationNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot अनीक- (प्रातिपदिक)
- बृहतः
- of the great (one)Adjective(नपुंसकलिङ्ग) षष्ठी, एकवचन; ‘अनीकम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्Role SambandhaRoot बृहत्- (विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक)
- सपर्यम्
- to be revered/worshipped; worthy of homageVerbal adjective (gerundive-like)द्वितीया, एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; ‘अनीकम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्Role KarmaRoot √सपऱ्/सपऱ्य् (सपर्यति ‘पूजयति’); कृत्: -य (यत्) → सपर्य-
- दिवि
- in heaven/in the skyNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग (वेदे ‘दिव्’), सप्तमी, एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot द्यु/दिव्- (प्रातिपदिक: दिव् ‘द्यौः/स्वर्ग’)
- शुक्रम्
- bright, shiningAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘अनीकम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्Role KarmaRoot शुक्र- (प्रातिपदिक)
- यजतम्
- venerable, worthy of worshipAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘अनीकम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्Role KarmaRoot यजत- (प्रातिपदिक; √यज् ‘पूजायाम्’ से ‘यजत’ ‘पूज्य’)
- सूर्यस्य
- of the SunNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole SambandhaRoot सूर्य- (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- संहिता-पाठः: ‘अग्निं म॑न्ये पि॒तर॑म॒ग्निमा॒पिम॒ग्निं भ्रात॑रं॒ सद॒मित्सखा॑यम् । अ॒ग्नेरनी॑कं बृह॒तः स॑पर्यं दि॒वि शु॒क्रं य॑ज॒तं सूर्य॑स्य ॥’ पदच्छेदः (सन्धि-निरसन): ‘अग्निम् | मन्ये | पितरम् | अग्निम् | आपिम् | अग्निम् | भ्रातरम् | सदम् | इत् | सखायम् | अग्नेः | अनीकम् | बृहतः | सपर्यम् | दिवि | शुक्रम् | यजतम् | सूर्यस्य’। प्रमुख-सन्धयः: (1) ‘सदमित्सखायम्’ = ‘सदम् + इत् + सखायम्’ (म् + इ → मि; ‘इत्’ निपातः). (2) ‘अग्नेरनीकम्’ = ‘अग्नेः + अनीकम्’ (विसर्ग-लोपः/रेफ-आदेशः: -ेः + अ- → -ेर-). (3) ‘पितरम् अग्निम्’ आदि में पद-संधि केवल संहिता-सम्प्रसारण (अन्त्यव्यञ्जन-स्पर्श) है
- पृथक् पद वही रहते हैं।
The meaning
Outer meaning
The speaker regards Agni as father, kin, brother, and constant friend; he worships Agni’s vast face—shining and adorable in heaven—the pure radiance of the Sun.
Inner meaning
Agni is not merely a ritual fire but the intimate divine Presence in the human: origin (father), belonging (kin), supportive strength (brother), and unfailing companionship (friend). This is a profound psychological relocation of the divine from outer rite to inner relationship. ‘Anīka’ (face/front) of the Vast (bṛhat) is the forward aspect of the Infinite Consciousness as it meets us—Agni’s luminous countenance. Identifying it with the Sun’s pure radiance indicates the supramental/truth-light behind the flame: the inner fire is a doorway to the solar Truth (Sūrya) in the higher consciousness. To ‘saparya’ is to serve and cultivate that presence—constant inner worship through attention, offering, and alignment.
Universal truth
The Divine can be approached as closest kin within: the indwelling guide and friend. As we serve this inner flame, it unveils the vast truth-light that illumines life from above.
Themes
Agni as kin, solar epiphany of Agni, service to the Vast, inner relationship theology
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 10.7.1-2 (integral well-being and inspired thought leading to this intimate identification)
Significance
A classic Aurobindonian pivot: the gods are not distant—Agni is declared the closest relation. This verse supports bhakti within the Vedic yoga: intimate devotion to the inner flame leading to solar truth-vision.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni (with solar epiphany)
- Epithets
- Bṛhat (vast, by implication), Śukra (pure-bright, by quality), Yajata (adorable)
- Related deities
- Sūrya, Uṣas (illumination), Indra (illumined mind that supports solar vision)
Cosmic role
Fire as mediator and as the visible front of the vast solar truth in the heavens.
Inner power
Indwelling guide and protector; reveals the shining face of truth-consciousness (Sūrya) through the flame of aspiration.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni stotra praising Agni’s divine status; could accompany offerings or serve as contemplative praise
अ॒ग्निं म॑न्ये पि॒तर॑म॒ग्निमा॒पिम॒ग्निं भ्रात॑रं॒ सद॒मित्सखा॑यम् । अ॒ग्नेरनी॑कं बृह॒तः स॑पर्यं दि॒वि शु॒क्रं य॑ज॒तं सूर्य॑स्य ॥
अ॒ग्निम् । म॒न्ये॒ । पि॒तर॑म् । अ॒ग्निम् । आ॒पिम् । अ॒ग्निम् । भ्रात॑रम् । सद॑म् । इत् । सखा॑यम् । अ॒ग्नेः । अनी॑कम् । बृ॒ह॒तः । स॒प॒र्य॒न् । दि॒वि । शु॒क्रम् । य॒ज॒तम् । सूर्य॑स्य ॥
agnim | manye | pitaram | agnim | āpim | agnim | bhrātaram | sadam | it | sakhāyam | agneḥ | anīkam | bṛhataḥ | saparyan | divi | śukram | yajatam | sūryasya
44
4 × ~11 syllables (approx.)
Majestic and declarative; suited to identity-statements (father/brother/friend) and culminating solar vision.
Strengthens intimacy and trust, then lifts awareness upward toward a luminous, spacious vision.
- पितरम् (pitaram)
- Literal: father. Symbolic: originating divine source in the being; creator of right growth
- आपिम् (āpim)
- Literal: near kin/relative (intimate). Symbolic: inner belonging; the divine as one’s own inmost
- भ्रातरम् (bhrātaram)
- Literal: brother. Symbolic: supportive power alongside the human effort
- सखा (sakhā)
- Literal: friend. Symbolic: constant inner companion and guide
- अनीकम् (anīkam)
- Literal: face, front. Symbolic: manifest aspect of divine consciousness; the ‘meeting-point’ of the Vast
- बृहतः (bṛhataḥ)
- Literal: of the vast. Symbolic: infinite wideness (bṛhat) of consciousness
- दिवि (divi)
- Literal: in heaven. Symbolic: in higher mind/plane of light
- शुक्रम् (śukram)
- Literal: bright, pure. Symbolic: purified truth-light
- सूर्यस्य (sūryasya)
- Literal: of the Sun. Symbolic: supramental/truth-consciousness; illuminer of all
Stuti for Agni as Hotṛ and as solar-faced power; suitable for invocatory and praise segments in Agni/Soma rites.
At the close of Agni-invocation or as a personal prayer to the inner fire
Praise/adoration (saparyā) and identification of Agni as intimate relation
A powerful daily mantra for inner devotion: recite to establish a living relationship with the inner guide before meditation or difficult decisions.
√man (manye ‘I conceive/hold as’); pitṛ́ (father, from PIE *ph₂tḗr); bhrātṛ́ (brother, PIE *bʰréh₂tēr); sakhā (companion/friend, from √sac ‘to accompany’); anīka ‘face/front’ (semantic field: visible forefront/point of manifestation); bṛhat ‘vast’ (from √bṛh ‘to grow, expand’); √yaj (yajata ‘adorable, fit for sacrifice’). The verse internalizes kinship terms as modes of relation to the divine Fire—origin, intimacy, fraternity, companionship—mapping cosmic force onto psychological support.
Bṛhat (the Vast), unity of Agni and Sūrya (fire as solar consciousness), divine companionship (sakhā-bhāva as inner support)
Serving the ‘front of the Vast’ aligns personal movement with cosmic order.
Śukra Sūrya = pure truth-consciousness revealed through Agni.
Agni as the first power leading to the solar revelation: from will to truth-vision.
Integral Vedism: Agni as psychic being; Sūrya as truth-consciousness; devotion and knowledge united.
midday (symbolic solar zenith; not explicit but suggested by Sūrya radiance)
Fire = psychic will; Sun = truth-consciousness; heaven = higher plane of mind/light; ‘face’ = direct experiential contact.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Agni as the universal kinsman: the god is not distant but becomes father/relative/brother/friend. The mythic image culminates in the ‘face’ (anīka) of Agni in heaven as the radiance of the Sun—Agni’s celestial form.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- Kinship lexicon is strongly PIE (pitár-, bhrā́tar-). The semantic layering of ‘fire’ and ‘sun’ shows an inherited Indo-European poetic equation of celestial brightness with divine presence, while anīka ‘face/front’ functions as a concrete body-part term extended to theophany.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi claims intimacy and dependence: Agni is the sustaining origin (father), the close belonging (āpí), the co-worker in growth (brother), and constant ally (friend). The reciprocal side is implicit: such closeness authorizes ‘saparyā’—active service—through which the divine radiance becomes present in the seeker’s inner heaven.
Relate to the inner flame as closest companion; then contemplate its ‘solar face’—pure awareness above thought.
Anahata (devotional intimacy) rising to Ajna/Sahasrara (solar clarity)
Heart-centered breathing (inhale into chest, exhale softly) then silent gaze at the space between brows imagining a sun-like purity
Devotional union moving into luminous stillness
Begin with the four relations (father/kin/brother/friend) as inner affirmations; then shift attention upward to a quiet, bright ‘face’ of consciousness; remain without demand, only adoration (saparyā).
Rigvedic accenting per śākhā; consult accented Saṃhitā for exact udatta/anudatta/svarita.
Maintain clear separation of the identity phrases (‘agnim manye…’); let the final pāda lift slightly to evoke the solar radiance.
(manye): palatal ‘ny’, (āpim): long ā; crisp ‘p’, (sadam it): keep sandhi clarity; do not over-elide, (anīkam): long ī, (śukram): ‘śu’ soft palatal, ‘kr’ conjunct
Warm and intimate in first half; clearer, brighter resonance in the solar line.
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