Rig Veda 2.2.1: Mandala 2, Sukta 2, Mantra 1
Sukta 2.2
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Jagatī
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
यज्ञेन वर्धत जातवेदसमग्निं यजध्वं हविषा तना गिरा । समिधानं सुप्रयसं स्वर्णरं द्युक्षं होतारं वृजनेषु धूर्षदम् ॥
yajñéna vardhata jātávedasam agníṃ yajadhvaṃ havíṣā tánā girā́ | samidhānám suprayásaṃ svàrṇaraṃ dyukṣáṃ hótāraṃ vṛjáneṣu dhū́ḥsadam ||
Sa pamamagitan ng sakripisyo palakihin si Jatavedas; sambahin si Agni sa alay, sa katawan ng inyong pagkatao, sa salita. Na inilagay, puno ng tamang kasiyahan, isang tao ng maliwanag na mundo, na nagliliwanag - siya ang Hotar na nakaluklok sa mga bukiranan ng ating buhay.
Word by Word
- यज्ञेन
- by/with the sacrificeNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचनRole करणRoot यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक) < यज्
- वर्धत
- increase; make growVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यम-पुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपदRole (क्रिया)Root वृध्
- जातवेदसम्
- Jātavedas (Agni), the all-knowing from birthNoun (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot जातवेदस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- अग्निम्
- AgniNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- यजध्वम्
- worship; sacrifice toVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यम-पुरुष, बहुवचन, आत्मनेपदRole (क्रिया)Root यज्
- हविषा
- with oblationNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचनRole करणRoot हविस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- तना
- in due order; continuouslyIndeclinableअव्ययRole (क्रियाविशेषण)Root तना (अव्यय) < तन्
- गिरा
- with song/voice (hymn)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचनRole करणRoot गिर् (प्रातिपदिक)
- समिधानम्
- being kindled; kindlingAdjective/Participleपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; वर्तमान कृदन्त (शानच्) भावःRole कर्म (अग्निम्/जातवेदसम् विशेषणम्)Root सम्-इध् (कृदन्त: समिध्/समिधान) अथवा समिधान (प्रातिपदिक)
- सुप्रयसम्
- having good refreshment/abundanceAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचनRole कर्म (विशेषणम्)Root सु-प्रयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- स्वर्णरम्
- bright/shining (golden-hued)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचनRole कर्म (विशेषणम्)Root स्वर्णर (प्रातिपदिक)
- द्युक्षम्
- radiant; shiningAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचनRole कर्म (विशेषणम्)Root द्युक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) < द्युत्
- होतारम्
- the Hotṛ-priest (invoker)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचनRole कर्म (अग्निम् विशेषणम्)Root होतृ (प्रातिपदिक) < हु
- वृजनेषु
- in the settlements/communitiesNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचनRole अधिकरणRoot वृजन (प्रातिपदिक)
- धूर्षदम्
- sitting firm/steadfast; abiding stronglyAdjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचनRole कर्म (विशेषणम्)Root धूर्षद् (प्रातिपदिक) < धृष्/धूर्ष् + सद्
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: यज्ञेन | वर्धत | जातवेदसम् | अग्निम् | यजध्वम् | हविषा | तना | गिरा | समिधानम् | सुप्रयसम् | स्वर्णरम् | द्युक्षम् | होतारम् | वृजनेषु | धूर्षदम् । प्रमुख-सन्धयः: (1) जातवेदसम् + अग्निम् → जातवेदसमग्निम् (म् + अ → म्-अ, संहितायां ‘मग्नि’)
- (2) हविषा + तना → हविषा तना (स्वर/पदविरामेण सन्धिः न बाध्यते)
- (3) तना + गिरा → तना गिरा (पदविराम)
The meaning
Outer meaning
By sacrifice increase Jātavedas; worship Agni with offering, with body, with word. Kindled, full of good delight, a man of the luminous world, shining—he is the Hotar seated in the settlements/fields.
Inner meaning
The mantra gives a complete sādhanā-method: increase the inner Fire (Jātavedas, knower of births—knower of all becoming) by yajña, i.e., by conscious offering. Worship with haviṣ (the substance of life), with tanū (the whole embodied being), and with girā (the word—mantra and truthful speech). When thus kindled (samidhāna), Agni becomes suprayasa—bearing the right delight of the path (not nervous excitement). He becomes svarṇara (‘man of the luminous world’): the consciousness aligned to higher light. As dyukṣa (shining) Hotṛ, he sits in our vṛjanas—our life-fields and gatherings—presiding over the distribution and right arrangement of energies in the being.
Universal truth
Spiritual fire grows by conscious offering of substance, body, and speech. When the inner will is steadily kindled, it becomes a luminous guide seated in daily life, turning ordinary fields into a sacred rite.
Themes
exhortation to sacrifice, kindling inner fire, Agni as Hotar, integration of word and substance
The seer
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Lineage
- Bhārgava (traditional attribution)
- Other hymns
- RV 2.2 (entire hymn to Agni Jātavedas)
Family tradition
Opening of RV 2.2 continues the Gṛtsamada Agni yoga: methodical kindling through offering of substance, body, and word.
Significance
This verse is a practical injunction for inner sacrifice: it defines the threefold offering (havis–tanū–gir) and the result—Agni established as luminous Hotṛ in the life-field.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni (Jātavedas)
- Epithets
- Jātavedas, Samidhāna, Suprayasa, Svarṇara, Dyukṣa, Hotṛ
- Related deities
- Soma (as delight: prayas), Ādityas (luminous world: svar), Bṛhaspati (word-power: gir)
Cosmic role
Universal fire-consciousness that knows all births and carries offerings; establishes luminous order in human settlements.
Inner power
Steady will of transformation; the priestly intelligence that invokes higher forces and seats them in daily life.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni kindling and invocation at the start of rites; general śrauta worship of Agni as Hotṛ
य॒ज्ञेन॑ वर्धत जा॒तवे॑दसम॒ग्निं य॑जध्वं ह॒विषा॒ तना॑ गि॒रा । स॒मि॒धा॒नं सु॑प्र॒यसं॒ स्व॑र्णरं द्यु॒क्षं होता॑रं वृ॒जने॑षु धू॒र्षद॑म् ॥
य॒ज्ञेन॑ । व॒र्ध॒त॒ । जा॒तऽवे॑दसम् । अ॒ग्निम् । य॒ज॒ध्व॒म् । ह॒विषा॑ । तना॑ । गि॒रा । स॒म्ऽइ॒धा॒नम् । सु॒ऽप्र॒यस॑म् । स्वः॑ऽनरम् । द्यु॒क्षम् । होता॑रम् । वृ॒जने॑षु । धूः॒ऽसद॑म् ॥
yajñena | vardhata | jāta-vedasam | agnim | yajadhvam | haviṣā | tanā | girā | sam-idhānam | su-prayasam | svaḥ-naram | dyukṣam | hotāram | vṛjaneṣu | dhūḥ-sadam
48
4 pādas × ~12 syllables
Longer, flowing stride; instructional and expansive—well-suited to an opening verse laying out practice.
Creates a sustained breath-wave; supports steadiness and continuity in meditation and ritual action.
- यज्ञ (yajña)
- Literal: sacrifice. Symbolic: consecrated practice; continual offering of movements to the Divine
- वर्धत (vardhata)
- Literal: increase, grow. Symbolic: intensify the inner flame; enlarge aspiration and capacity
- जातवेदस् (jātavedas)
- Literal: knower of births. Symbolic: Agni as knower of all becoming; the consciousness that reads and transforms our nature
- हविष् (haviṣ)
- Literal: oblation. Symbolic: life-substance: works, energies, emotions offered for transformation
- तनू (tanū)
- Literal: body, person. Symbolic: the embodied being as instrument; offering of habits, nerves, and physical life
- गिरा (girā)
- Literal: word, chant. Symbolic: mantric speech and truth-speaking that shapes consciousness
- समिधान (samidhāna)
- Literal: being kindled with fuel. Symbolic: sustained aspiration fed by practice
- सु-प्रयस् (suprayasa)
- Literal: having good refreshment/delight. Symbolic: right Ananda that supports the path
- स्वः-नर (svarṇara)
- Literal: man of the luminous world. Symbolic: one who lives in higher light; a consciousness turned to the supramental/solar truth
- द्युक्ष (dyukṣa)
- Literal: shining. Symbolic: illumined action and perception
- होता (hotā)
- Literal: invoking priest. Symbolic: the inner priest who calls down higher powers into life
- वृजन (vṛjaneṣu)
- Literal: in the settlements/fields. Symbolic: in the active life-areas of the being; daily circumstances
- धूर्षद (dhūrṣadam)
- Literal: seated firmly (on the seat). Symbolic: stable establishment of the guiding flame in life
Opening injunction of a new hymn: exhortation to kindle and worship Agni; suited to agnyupasthāna/kindling and to Soma rites as the initial strengthening of the priest-fire.
At commencement: to ‘increase’ Agni and establish him as invoking priest
Kindling with samidh; offering havis; recitation with bodily participation and mantra
A daily ‘inner agnihotra’: 3-part offering—(1) a small act of service (havis), (2) bodily discipline (tanū), (3) truthful mantra/japa (girā).
jātavedas: jāta 'born' + vedas (√vid 'know')—Agni as knowledge inherent in all becomings. √yaj carries the sense of 'worship/offer' and deeper 'yoking/union' through sacrifice. dyu (light/heaven) underlies dyukṣa 'shining'. hotṛ from √hu 'invoke' marks Agni as the inner invoker. dhūḥ-sad 'dust-seated' emphasizes immanence: the luminous power seated in the earthly field.
Agni as knowledge-in-becoming (jātavedas), integral offering: substance (tanā) + speech (girā), immanence of the luminous in the earthly (dhūḥ-sad)
Yajña as right action increases Agni; Agni as Hotṛ maintains ṛta in the life-fields (vṛjana).
Girā implies truth-speaking/mantric truth; the word becomes effective when aligned with satya.
Jātavedas ‘knows births’: the fire is the conscious principle within evolution and rebirth of states in us.
Karmayoga-like Vedic foundation: consecrated action and speech as means to stabilize higher consciousness in life.
Dawn/morning (typical for kindling; not explicit)
Fuel = repeated practice; shining = clarity; luminous world = higher mind/gnosis; fields/settlements = daily life activities.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Kindling and enthroning the priest-fire: Agni as Jātavedas is increased by yajña and becomes the shining Hotar seated in the earthly arena—mythic installation of the mediator who brings the gods into the human field.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √vṛdh 'grow' has clear Indo-European parallels (cf. English worth in semantic neighborhood of growth/value; more directly Germanic *werþ- differs, but the growth lexeme is ancient). √vid 'know' is Indo-European (Latin vidēre 'see' as related semantic family). The triad havis/tanā/girā shows archaic formulaic listing of offering modalities.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi commands an integral practice—offering by act (havis), by embodied nature (tanā), and by mantra (girā). Agni reciprocates by growing into a luminous presence (dyukṣa) and serving as Hotar within the very life-field (vṛjaneṣu), transforming the earthly seat (dhūḥ) into a place of divine working.
Threefold consecration: offer (1) life-energy, (2) body-sense, (3) speech-thought into the inner flame; then feel Agni seated as a steady guide in daily action.
Maṇipūra (fire of transformation) supported by Viśuddha (girā/word)
Jagatī-friendly slow breathing: inhale 6, exhale 6; on inhale ‘vardhata’; on exhale ‘jātavedasam’.
Steady, luminous, action-ready; ‘priestly’ collectedness.
Chant once, then sit: (a) feel warmth at navel/heart, (b) silently offer one habit, (c) repeat a short truth-sentence (girā) until the mind brightens; carry that brightness into one concrete action in your ‘vṛjana’ today.
Follow Vedic accenting as marked; Jagatī flow benefits from smooth linking while preserving udatta peaks.
Keep a continuous breath-line across each ~12-syllable pāda; let ‘jātavedasam’ and ‘samidhānam’ carry clear prominence.
yajñena: ‘jñ’ palatal cluster, vardhata: aspirated dh, jātavedasam: long ā; v soft, yajadhvam: dhv cluster clean, haviṣā: ṣ retroflex; long ā, tanā: dental n; long ā, girā: rolled/clear r; long ā, svarṇaram: ṇ retroflex; avoid ‘swarn’ English coloring, dyukṣam: dy cluster; kṣ as k+ṣ, dhūrṣadam: long ū; retroflex ṣ
Even, sustained, slightly sonorous; avoid haste to preserve Jagatī breadth.
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