Rig Veda 5.21.2: Mandala 5, Sukta 21, Mantra 2
Sukta 5.21
- Rishi
- Atri
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Anushtubh/Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
त्वं हि मानुषे जनेऽग्ने सुप्रीत इध्यसे । स्रुचस्त्वा यन्त्यानुषक्सुजात सर्पिरासुते ॥
tvaṁ hí mā́nuṣe jáne’gne suprī́ta idhyáse | srúcaḥ tvā yanty ānuṣák sujāta sárpir āsuté ||
เพราะแท้จริงท่านถูกจุดให้ลุกในหมู่มนุษย์ โออัคนี ด้วยความยินดีรับสนอง. ทัพพีบูชายัญมาหาท่านตามลำดับ โอผู้กำเนิดดี พร้อมด้วยเนยใสอันชำระ (sarpis) ที่รินถวาย—เป็นเครื่องหล่อเลี้ยงเปลวไฟแห่งเจตจำนง.
Word by Word
- त्वम्
- youPronounपुं/स्त्री/नपुं (सर्वनाम), प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- हि
- indeed, forIndeclinableनिपात (अव्यय)Root हि (निपात)
- मानुषे
- among humans, in the human (race)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (जनॆ इति शब्दस्य विशेषणम्)Role अधिकरणRoot मानुष (प्रातिपदिक)
- जने
- in the people, among the folkNounपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot जन (प्रातिपदिक)
- अग्ने
- O AgniNoun (vocative)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- सुप्रीतः
- well-pleased, very graciousAdjective (past participial)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (त्वम्/अग्निः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृ (कर्तृ-विशेषणम्)Root सु- + प्रीत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √प्री ‘to please, be glad’)
- इध्यसे
- you are kindled, you blazeVerbलट् (वर्तमान), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपदRole क्रियाRoot √इध् (दीप्तौ/प्रदीप्तौ) आत्मनेपद
- स्रुचः
- ladles (offering-spoons)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot स्रुच् (प्रातिपदिक)
- त्वा
- you (as object)Pronounपुं/स्त्री/नपुं (सर्वनाम), द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- यन्ति
- they go/come, they approachVerbलट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot √या (गतौ) परस्मैपद
- अनुषक्
- in due order, successively, close afterIndeclinableअव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण)Root अनुषक् (अव्यय)
- सुजात
- O well-born (noble-born)Adjective (vocative)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन (अग्ने इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role सम्बोधनRoot सु- + जात (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √जन् ‘to be born’)
- सर्पिः
- ghee, clarified butterNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot सर्पिस्/सर्पिः (प्रातिपदिक)
- आसुते
- is pressed out/prepared (is offered/produced)Verbलट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपदRole क्रियाRoot आ-√सु (प्रसवने/सवने ‘to press out, distil, prepare’) आत्मनेपद
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: त्वं हि मानुषे जने अग्ने सुप्रीतः इध्यसे । स्रुचः त्वा यन्ति अनुषक् सुजात सर्पिः आसुते ॥ 1) जनेऽग्ने = जने + अग्ने (ए + अ → एऽ)
- 2) सुप्रीत इध्यसे: संहितायां ‘सुप्रीत’ + ‘इध्यसे’ इति पदसन्धिः (त् + इ → ति/त् इ; पदपाठे पृथक्)
- 3) स्रुचस्त्वा = स्रुचः + त्वा (ः + त् → स्त्)
- 4) यन्त्यानुषक् = यन्ति + अनुषक् (इ + अ → य्-अ; यन्त्य-)
- 5) सर्पिरासुते = सर्पिः + आसुते (ः + आ → रा; विसर्गस्य रेफादेशः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Agni is kindled in mankind and is pleased; the ladles approach him in sequence with poured clarified butter.
Inner meaning
Agni gladly consents when invoked in the human being: the divine Will responds to sincere aspiration. The ‘ladles’ (srucas) are the ordered instruments of offering—our faculties (mind, life, body) that must bring their oblations in right succession. ‘Ghee’ (sarpis) is the clarified essence: purified mental substance and devotion that nourishes the flame without smoke of desire.
Universal truth
When aspiration is sincere, the higher force cooperates; progress depends on orderly self-offering and purified energies that truly feed the inner fire.
Themes
Agni’s glad acceptance, Orderly practice, Offering as inner nourishment
The seer
- Rishi
- Atri (Ātreya)
- Lineage
- Ātreya
- Other hymns
- RV 5.11, RV 5.12, RV 5.13
Family tradition
Atri hymns frequently emphasize Agni’s purity and the correct method of invoking him so he becomes an effective inner priest.
Significance
The seer highlights the cooperative relation between human aspiration and divine force: Agni is ‘suprīta’ when offerings are clarified and orderly.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- suprīta, sujāta, pāvaka (implied)
- Related deities
- Soma (as essence/bliss), Indra (illumined mind)
Cosmic role
Receiver of offerings; purifier who increases the sacrificial flame and conveys essence to the gods.
Inner power
Consent of the inner divine Will; capacity to digest and transform offerings of thought and impulse into luminous energy.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agnihotra / iṣṭi contexts (general Agni kindling and offering)
त्वं हि मानु॑षे॒ जनेऽग्ने॒ सुप्री॑त इ॒ध्यसे॑ । स्रुच॑स्त्वा यन्त्यानु॒षक्सुजा॑त॒ सर्पि॑रासुते ॥
त्वम् । हि । मानु॑षे । जने॑ । अग्ने॑ । सुऽप्री॑तः । इ॒ध्यसे॑ । स्रुचः॑ । त्वा॒ । य॒न्ति॒ । आ॒नु॒षक् । सुऽजा॑त । सर्पिः॑ऽआसुते ॥
tvam | hi | mānuṣe | jane | agne | su-prītaḥ | idhyase | srucaḥ | tvā | yanti | ānuṣak | su-jāta | sarpiḥ-āsute
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4 pādas × ~8 syllables
Even, stepwise cadence matching ‘ānuṣak’ (successive approach).
Stabilizes the mind; supports methodical self-offering and steady breath.
- mānuṣe jane
- Literal: in the human people/person. Symbolic: within embodied nature (mind-life-body complex)
- suprītaḥ
- Literal: well-pleased, gladly consenting. Symbolic: the divine response/assent when the call is true
- idhyase
- Literal: you are kindled. Symbolic: awakening and intensification of will-consciousness
- srucaḥ
- Literal: ladles. Symbolic: instruments/faculties that convey offerings; disciplined means of self-giving
- ānuṣak
- Literal: in due order, successively. Symbolic: right sequence and rhythm in practice; gradual integration
- sujāta
- Literal: well-born. Symbolic: Agni as pure psychic fire, rightly generated
- sarpis-āsute
- Literal: with ghee that is poured. Symbolic: clarified essence of thought, love, and energy offered into the flame
Agni kindling with ghṛta offerings; standard in iṣṭi/soma sequences; emphasizes orderly offering (ānuṣak).
During oblation sequences when ghee is offered; also as an invocation of Agni’s pleased acceptance.
Pouring ghee with ladle; maintaining fire; reciting to secure Agni’s consent.
Use as a practice cue: offer purified attention in ‘successive’ steps—body relaxes, breath steadies, mind clarifies—each as an oblation.
suprīta < su- ‘good’ + √prī ‘to please, satisfy’. idhyase from √idh ‘kindle’ (2sg middle/passive). sruc ‘ladle’ relates to ritual implement; symbolically ‘channel’. ānuṣak adverb ‘in order, following’ from anu ‘after’. sujāta < su- + √jan ‘be born’. sarpis ‘clarified butter’ possibly from √sṛp/√sṛ ‘flow’ semantic association in Vedic; in inner sense, ‘clarified essence’ offered to increase fire.
Ṛta as orderly sequence (ānuṣak), Purification/clarification (sarpiḥ as refined essence)
‘Ānuṣak’ expresses ṛta as ordered movement of energies toward the divine Fire.
Truth is preserved by ‘clarified’ offering—purity of motive and thought.
Transformation by digestion: Agni as alchemist turning essence into power.
Yoga of works (karma-yoga) in Vedic form: ordered offering and inner consent.
Ghee = refined mental/emotional essence; ladle = faculty that channels; pouring = surrender; fire = transformative will.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The feeding of Agni by ghṛta through the sruc: the archetypal act by which the divine Fire grows in the human. Psychologically, refined essence is offered to intensify the will and make it a fit carrier of higher powers.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √idh ‘kindle’ and √jan ‘be born’ are inherited IE roots. The su- prefix as evaluative ‘good/well’ is common Indo-Iranian. The ritual lexicon (sruc, sarpis) reflects specialized Indo-Iranian sacrificial culture.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- Agni’s cooperation is conditional on harmony: he is suprīta when kindled in mānuṣa jana and approached with orderly offerings (ānuṣak). The human provides purified substance; Agni provides awakened, consenting intensity.
Cultivate a ‘glad consent’ in the will; then feed it with clarified attention and devotion in measured steps.
Maṇipūra (transformative fire)
4-count inhale, 6-count exhale; mentally ‘pour’ the exhale into the navel-flame.
Steady, purified, consenting will; reduced inner friction.
Before action, make three offerings: (1) motive clarified, (2) emotion calmed, (3) thought made simple—then act from the kindled center.
Use Vedic accent from pada text; keep udatta crisp on marked syllables (exact svara mapping needs samhita-svara source).
Maintain anuṣṭubh balance; slight pause at each pāda; emphasize ‘suprīta’ and ‘ānuṣak’.
tvaṃ: anusvāra as m before consonant; keep short, mānuṣe: long ā; retroflex ṣ, agne: do not overlengthen final e, srucaḥ: initial sr cluster clear; final ḥ audible but light, ānuṣak: long ā; retroflex ṣ; final k crisp, sarpirāsute: split as sarpiḥ-āsute; visarga before vowel becomes r (as written)
Warm, consenting, even.
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