Rig Veda 6.16.2: Mandala 6, Sukta 16, Mantra 2
Sukta 6.16
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Gāyatrī
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
स नो मन्द्राभिरध्वरे जिह्वाभिर्यजा महः । आ देवान्वक्षि यक्षि च ॥
sá no mandrā́bhir adhvaré jihvā́bhir yaja máhaḥ | ā́ devā́n vakṣi yákṣi ca ||
ข้าแต่ผู้ทรงมหิทธิฤทธิ์ ขอท่านจงบูชาสำหรับพวกเราในพิธีแห่งการเดินทาง (adhvara) ด้วยลิ้นอันรื่นรมย์ของท่าน; ขอท่านจงนำเหล่าเทพ (deva) มายังที่นี้ และจงนมัสการท่านเหล่านั้น ณ ลานบูชาของเราเช่นกัน.
Word by Word
- सः
- he (Agni)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot तद् (स-आदेशः) सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक
- नः
- of us / for usPronounषष्ठी (एन्क्लिटिक-रूपम्), बहुवचनम्Role SampradānaRoot अस्मद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक
- मन्द्राभिः
- with gladdening (tongues)Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्गः, तृतीया, बहुवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot मन्द्र- (प्रातिपदिक)
- अध्वरे
- in the sacrificeNounपुंलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, एकवचनम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot अध्वर- (प्रातिपदिक)
- जिह्वाभिः
- with (his) tonguesNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, तृतीया, बहुवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot जिह्वा- (प्रातिपदिक)
- यज
- worship / sacrificeVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Role (मुख्यक्रिया)Root यज्
- महः
- of the great (one) / of greatnessAdjective (substantivized) / Nounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot महत्/मह- (प्रातिपदिक)
- आ
- hither, forthIndeclinableउपसर्गः (आ-)Role (क्रियाविशेषणम्)Root आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- देवान्
- the godsNounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्Role KarmaRoot देव- (प्रातिपदिक)
- वक्षि
- convey / bringVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Role (मुख्यक्रिया)Root वह्
- यक्षि
- worship / offerVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम् (वेदिक-रूपम्)Role (मुख्यक्रिया)Root यज्
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चय-निपातःRole (समुच्चयः)Root च
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: सः नः मन्द्राभिः अध्वरे जिह्वाभिः यज महः । आ देवान् वक्षि यक्षि च ॥ 1) स नो॑ = सः + नः (विसर्ग-लोपः/सन्धिः). 2) दे॒वान्व॑क्षि = देवान् + वक्षि (न् + व → न्व्). 3) अन्यत्र सन्धिः न्यूनः
- मन्द्राभिः/जिह्वाभिः तृतीया-बहुवचन-करणे
The meaning
Outer meaning
Sacrifice for us in the rite with your glad tongues, O mighty one; bring the gods and worship them too.
Inner meaning
Agni’s ‘tongues’ are the multiple powers of flame—psychologically, capacities of aspiration, discernment, and transformative intensity that ‘consume’ and offer our movements. ‘Glad tongues’ indicates a joyful, consenting energy (not grim effort). The mantra asks Agni to both bring the higher powers and enact the offering—i.e., establish descent and right reception in one movement.
Universal truth
Transformation is most effective when effort is joyful and many-sided; the awakened will both calls higher help and knows how to offer life to it.
Themes
invocation of gods, effective speech and will, joyful offering
The seer
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja
- Other hymns
- RV 6.16.1, RV 6.16.3
Family tradition
Bharadvāja’s sequence often pairs ‘bringing the gods’ with ‘right offering’—descent and ascent as a single yogic circuit.
Significance
Highlights the affective key in sadhana: mandra (gladness) as a sign of right opening, preventing tapas from becoming harshness.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- mahaḥ, mandra-jihva (by attribute)
- Related deities
- Viśve Devāḥ, Indra, Soma
Cosmic role
Performs the offering and summons the gods; maintains the safe, straight movement of the rite (adhvara).
Inner power
Joyful transformative force that converts raw impulses into luminous energy and establishes communion.
In ritual
Where it is used
Invocation for offering sequences—Agni as performer of yajña and caller of devas.
स नो॑ म॒न्द्राभि॑रध्व॒रे जि॒ह्वाभि॑र्यजा म॒हः । आ दे॒वान्व॑क्षि॒ यक्षि॑ च ॥
सः । नः॒ । म॒न्द्राभिः॑ । अ॒ध्व॒रे । जि॒ह्वाभिः॑ । य॒ज॒ । म॒हः । आ । दे॒वान् । व॒क्षि॒ । यक्षि॑ । च॒ ॥
saḥ | naḥ | mandrābhiḥ | adhvare | jihvābhiḥ | yaja | mahaḥ | ā | devān | vakṣi | yakṣi | ca
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3 pādas × 8 syllables (approx.)
Quick, bright invocatory rhythm; easy to repeat in japa-like fashion.
Energizes without agitation; evokes cheerful intensity and a sense of inviting presence.
- mandrābhiḥ ... jihvābhiḥ
- Literal: with glad tongues. Symbolic: joyful, multiple powers of aspiration that transform and offer
- adhvare
- Literal: in the sacrifice/rite (often ‘unharmed, straight-going’ rite). Symbolic: the progressive journey of yoga, protected from distortion
- yajā
- Literal: sacrifice/worship. Symbolic: offer and transform movements of nature into divine terms
- mahaḥ
- Literal: great, mighty. Symbolic: vast power of Agni when awakened
- ā devān vakṣi
- Literal: bring the gods. Symbolic: draw down higher consciousness-forces
- yakṣi ca
- Literal: and worship them. Symbolic: establish communion: make the descent operative through offering
Invitatory and offering command to Agni as Hotṛ; used in sequences that call and then worship the gods (āvāhana + yajana).
During oblations when inviting devas and performing worship.
Recitation with offerings; calling devas; sustaining flame.
Before meditation: ‘glad tongues’ as intention to practice with joy; then invite clarity/strength/peace and offer distractions into the flame.
(jihvā) ‘tongue’ becomes flame-tongue: a Vedic metaphor for multiple modes of offering. (mandra) ‘glad, pleasant, deep-sounding’ from semantic field of resonant delight—psychologically a joyful effective energy in speech/will.
multiplicity of powers in one fire, invocation and offering as inner speech-act, adhvara as soul-journey
Adhvara implies undistorted movement aligned to ṛta—Agni ensures the straight path of the sacrifice.
Joy (mandra) supports sincerity—offering becomes true, not forced.
Descent-ascent circuit: devas come down; offerings rise—cosmic respiration of consciousness.
Psychological Veda: tongues as functional powers; devas as states/forces.
Multiple flames = multiple faculties of aspiration; adhvara = inner journey kept straight; ‘bringing devas’ = descent of higher qualities.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Agni’s many tongues as instruments of offering: the fire speaks/acts in multiple modes to bring the gods and complete the sacrifice. Mythically, it is the ‘many-mouthed priest’ enabling communion.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- jihvā ‘tongue’ is cognate with IE ‘tongue’ words (Latin lingua, though with different phonological development; PIE *dn̥ǵʰwéh₂s for ‘tongue’ is often posited). √yaj is Indo-Iranian central and parallels Avestan yaz- ‘to worship’.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi issues a direct operative request: Agni must not only carry offerings but actively ‘yaja’ and ‘yakṣi’—perform and perfect the inner consecration—so the divine powers can enter and be engaged in the human work.
Practice with joyful intensity; invite higher qualities; consciously offer distractions and resistances.
Maṇipūra (fire) harmonized with Anāhata (joyful openness).
Inhale: ‘ā devān’; exhale: ‘yajā/yakṣi’; keep breath smooth and bright.
Buoyant focus; receptive and active simultaneously.
Begin with a smile-softened attention; feel multiple ‘tongues’ of aspiration (body, heart, mind) rising together; invite one higher quality (light/strength/peace) and offer one habitual disturbance into the flame.
Use traditional Vedic accents; keep gāyatrī’s three pādas evenly balanced with clear udātta lifts.
Emphasize ‘mandrābhiḥ’ and ‘jihvābhiḥ’ with a brighter tone; slight pause after ‘mahaḥ’.
mandrābhiḥ: nasal m; dr cluster crisp; long ā, adhvare: dh aspirated; v soft, jihvābhiḥ: jihvā with long ā; bh aspirated, vakṣi: kṣ cluster (k+ṣ), not ‘kshi’ overly palatalized, yakṣi: same kṣ; keep short a
Bright, glad, and steady—avoid harshness on aspirates.
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