Rig Veda 2.2.11: Mandala 2, Sukta 2, Mantra 11
Sukta 2.2
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
स नो बोधि सहस्य प्रशंस्यो यस्मिन्त्सुजाता इषयन्त सूरयः । यमग्ने यज्ञमुपयन्ति वाजिनो नित्ये तोके दीदिवांसं स्वे दमे ॥
sá no bodhi sahasya pra-śáṃsyo yásmint su-jātā́ íṣayanta sū́rayaḥ | yám agne yajñám upa-yánti vājíno nítye tókē dīdi-vā́ṃsaṃ své dáme ||
Magising para sa amin, oh Makapangyarihan, na karapat-dapat purihin, siya na kung saan ang mga mabubuting ipinanganak na mga manghahula ay naglalagay ng kanilang impluso. Oh Agni, na nilalapitan ng mga may hawak ng lakas bilang sakripisyo, na laging nagniningning sa tahanan, sa walang hanggang angkan at sa loob na tahanan.
Word by Word
- सः
- he (that one)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot तद् (स-आदेशः) सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक
- नः
- for us / to usPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी, बहुवचनम् (एन्क्लिटिक)Role सम्प्रदानRoot अस्मद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक
- बोधि
- be awake; take noticeVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्Root √बुध् (बोधने) धातु
- सहस्य
- of might/strengthNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्धRoot सहस् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘बल/साहस’)
- प्रशंस्यः
- praiseworthyAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (विशेषणम्) / सम्बोधन-भावःRoot प्र-√शंस् (स्तुतौ) → प्रशंस्य (कृत्प्रत्ययः -य)
- यस्मिन्
- in whomPronounपुं/नपुंसकलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, एकवचनम्Role अधिकरणRoot यद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक
- सुजाताः
- well-born; of good birthAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृ (विशेषणम्)Root सु-जात (√जन्) समास-प्रातिपदिक
- इषयन्त
- they impel; they set in motionVerbलट्, प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्; परस्मैपदम् (वैदिक रूपम्: -न्ति लोपः)Root √इष् (इच्छायाम्/प्रेरणे) धातु
- सूरयः
- patrons; sages/benefactorsNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot सूरि (प्रातिपदिक)
- यम्
- whomPronounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot यद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक
- अग्ने
- O AgniNounपुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन, एकवचनम्Role सम्बोधनRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- यज्ञम्
- sacrificeNounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
- उपयन्ति
- they approachVerbलट्, प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्Root उप-√या (गतौ) धातु
- वाजिनः
- prize-seekers; racers; vigorous onesNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot वाजिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- नित्ये
- in the constant/everlasting (rite)Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, एकवचनम् (अधिकरणे)Role अधिकरणRoot नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- तोके
- in the offspring/householdNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, एकवचनम्Role अधिकरणRoot तोक (प्रातिपदिक)
- दीदिवांसम्
- shining; radiantAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्म (यम् इति)Root √दीदिव्/√दीप् (दीप्तौ) → दीदिवांस् (परिपूर्ण-भूतकृत्, -वांस्)
- स्वे
- in his ownAdjective/Pronounपुं/नपुंसकलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, एकवचनम्Role अधिकरणRoot स्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- दमे
- in the house/homeNounपुंलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, एकवचनम्Role अधिकरणRoot दम (प्रातिपदिक; ‘गृह/आवास’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: सः नः बोधि सहस्य प्रशंस्यः यस्मिन् सुजाताः इषयन्त सूरयः । यम् अग्ने यज्ञम् उपयन्ति वाजिनः नित्ये तोके दीदिवांसम् स्वे दमे । मुख्य-सन्धयः: (1) स नो॑ → सः + नः (विसर्ग-लोपः/उच्चारण-परिवर्तनम्)
- (2) यस्मि॑न्त्सु- → यस्मिन् + सुजाताः (न् + स् → न्स्)
- (3) यम॑ग्ने → यम् + अग्ने (म् + अ → म्-अ, संहितायाम् ‘मग्ने’)
- (4) य॒ज्ञमु॑प- → यज्ञम् + उपयन्ति (म् + उ → मु)
- (5) स्वे दमे—सन्धि न, केवलं पदक्रमः
- वैदिक-रूपम्: इषयन्त = इषयन्ति (लट् 3पु बहु) इति छन्दसि अन्त्य-इ लोपः
The meaning
Outer meaning
Awaken for us, O mighty one, worthy of praise, in whom the well-born seers set their impulse; Agni, whom the possessors of force approach as the sacrifice, shining ever in the home, in the perpetual lineage, in his own dwelling.
Inner meaning
The prayer is for Agni to become fully awake and active within (bodhi). He is ‘mighty’ (sahasya) because will is the decisive power in transformation. In him the well-born seers (sujātāḥ sūrayaḥ)—the higher faculties of intuition—place their impulsion (iṣayanta): aspiration becomes effective when it rests on Agni. The ‘possessors of force’ (vājinaḥ) approach him as yajña itself: the whole discipline becomes an approach to the inner Fire. He shines nitye toke—not merely in physical lineage, but in the continuous stream of inner becoming—and in sve dame, the soul’s own house: the settled inner dwelling where the Divine Presence is constant.
Universal truth
Spiritual life matures when the inner fire is kept awake continuously; then aspiration, force, and practice converge, and the Divine becomes a permanent inhabitant of the inner home.
Themes
awakening prayer, seer-driven impulsion, approach to sacrifice, home of the divine
The seer
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada (Bhārgava)
- Lineage
- Bhṛgu/Bhārgava
- Other hymns
- RV 2.2 (closing movement toward stable indwelling Agni)
Family tradition
Bhārgavas emphasize Agni as the constant indweller and the continuity of inner practice across ‘generations’ of experience.
Significance
This verse seals the hymn with the ideal of permanence: Agni not as occasional ritual flame but as ever-shining inhabitant of the inner home.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- sahasya (mighty), praśaṃsya (praiseworthy), dīdivāṃsa (shining)
- Related deities
- Bṛhaspati (seer-impulse), Uṣas (awakening, thematic)
Cosmic role
Awakener of the sacrifice; receiver of approach; establisher of continuity and protection in the ‘home’.
Inner power
Constant wakeful will that holds aspiration steady and makes the practice perennial.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni invocation for establishing the household/sacrificial fire as constant; concluding praise in Agni hymns
स नो॑ बोधि सहस्य प्र॒शंस्यो॒ यस्मि॑न्त्सुजा॒ता इ॒षय॑न्त सू॒रय॑: । यम॑ग्ने य॒ज्ञमु॑प॒यन्ति॑ वा॒जिनो॒ नित्ये॑ तो॒के दी॑दि॒वांसं॒ स्वे दमे॑ ॥
सः । नः॒ । बो॒धि॒ । स॒ह॒स्य॒ । प्र॒ऽशंस्यः॑ । यस्मि॑न् । सु॒ऽजा॒ताः । इ॒षय॑न्त । सू॒रयः॑ । यम् । अ॒ग्ने॒ । य॒ज्ञम् । उ॒प॒ऽयन्ति॑ । वा॒जिनः॑ । नित्ये॑ । तो॒के । दी॒दि॒ऽवांस॑म् । स्वे । दमे॑ ॥
saḥ | naḥ | bodhi | sahasya | pra-śaṃsyaḥ | yasmin | su-jātāḥ | iṣayanta | sūrayaḥ | yam | agne | yajñam | upa-yanti | vājinaḥ | nitye | toke | dīdi-vāṃsam | sve | dame
44
4 × ~11
Concluding firmness; a ‘settling’ cadence that supports establishment (nitya, sve dame).
Moves from awakening call to a stable, homelike steadiness; leaves a sense of continuous inner flame.
- बोधि (bodhi)
- Literal: awaken! know! become awake. Symbolic: Make the inner fire consciously active; wake the will
- सहस्य (sahasya)
- Literal: mighty, powerful. Symbolic: Irresistible strength of divine will against inertia
- प्रशंस्यः (praśaṃsyaḥ)
- Literal: worthy of praise. Symbolic: That which the soul recognizes as the true leader
- सुजाताः (sujātāḥ)
- Literal: well-born. Symbolic: Higher, purified faculties; noble movements of consciousness
- सूरयः (sūrayaḥ)
- Literal: seers. Symbolic: Intuitive knowers within—illumined discernment
- इषयन्त (iṣayanta)
- Literal: they set in motion impulses. Symbolic: Aspiration/impulsion directed toward growth and realization
- वाजिनः (vājinaḥ)
- Literal: possessors of vāja (force/prize). Symbolic: Those with gathered energy; dynamic practitioners
- यज्ञम् (yajñam)
- Literal: sacrifice. Symbolic: The inner offering-process; yoga of transformation
- नित्ये तोके (nitye toke)
- Literal: in perpetual offspring/lineage. Symbolic: Continuous inner becoming; unbroken practice-stream
- स्वे दमे (sve dame)
- Literal: in his own house. Symbolic: The inner dwelling/heart-cave where Agni abides
Invocation for awakening and continuity: suitable for rites seeking stable household fire, continuity of sacred line (toka), and sustained brilliance of Agni in the ‘home’ (dama).
At maintaining the domestic fire and in daily recitations emphasizing continuity and protection of the home-lineage.
Honouring the hearth fire; reaffirming Agni as guest/indweller; offerings for continuity (toka).
Evening practice mantra to keep the inner fire ‘awake’ through sleep and daily cycles; cultivate continuity of aspiration.
bodhi (imper.) from √budh ‘awake’ indicates a call for manifestation in consciousness. sahas ‘might’ is both physical and spiritual energy. vājin ‘possessing vāja’ (√vaj) denotes one endowed with force-plenitude. toká ‘offspring/lineage’ extends psychologically to continuity of inner formation and future being.
awakening (budh) as revelation, iṣ (impulsion) guided by seers, continuity (toka) of inner formation, Agni as nitya (constant) presence
Continuity of the inner flame sustains ṛta across changing states and circumstances.
Steady shining in the ‘inner house’ indicates truth established as a constant presence.
Perennial renewal: each ‘generation’ (toka) of experience is shaped by the same indwelling fire.
Psychological Veda: home/house as inner psychic space; sacrifice as self-offering.
evening-to-night (implied by ‘ever shining in the home’)
Hearth = heart-cave/inner dwelling; ever-burning fire = continuous aspiration; lineage = continuity of sadhana across time.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The awakening of the ever-present fire in the home and the approach of the force-possessors to the sacrifice. Mythically, it is the continual re-approach to the divine flame that sustains lineage and inner habitation.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √budh ‘awake’ is cognate with PIE *bʰewdʰ- ‘be aware’ (cf. English bid/forbid via Germanic developments; and Buddhist via Sanskrit). The ‘approach’ verb upa-√i (upa-yanti) continues an old movement schema of ‘coming near’ to the god/rite in IE ritual language.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi requests Agni’s awakening in the human dwelling and continuity (toka), while affirming that illumined seers set their iṣ (impulsion) into him; Agni is thus both the object of approach and the inner seat where aspiration is lodged and made enduring.
Awaken and maintain the inner fire as a constant presence in the heart-home; cultivate unbroken aspiration.
Anāhata (inner dwelling) with support from Maṇipūra (wakeful will)
Slow exhale-lengthening (inhale 4, exhale 8) for 7 rounds; feel a steady flame in the heart-space.
Wakeful calm; continuity through change.
Chant at day’s end; then inwardly ‘place’ today’s impulses into Agni. Resolve: keep the flame through sleep by a quiet remembrance in the heart.
Rigvedic accents; lift on ‘bodhi’, ‘agne’, ‘yajñam’, ‘dīdivāṃsaṃ’.
Make ‘sa no bodhi’ a clear awakening call; then soften and steady through ‘nitye toke… sve dame’ to convey permanence.
Bodhi: voiced bh, not ‘bodi’., Praśaṃsyaḥ: keep ś and anusvāra (ṃ) distinct., Upayanti: pronounce as u-pa-yan-ti, not ‘upenti’., Dīdivāṃsaṃ: long ī; nasalization on vāṃ; final ṃ audible.
Steady, warm, inward; like tending a lamp rather than igniting a blaze.
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