Rig Veda 3.24.2: Mandala 3, Sukta 24, Mantra 2
Sukta 3.24
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Gāyatrī
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
अग्न इळा समिध्यसे वीतिहोत्रो अमर्त्यः । जुषस्व सू नो अध्वरम् ॥
agná iḷā́ sám idhyase vīti-hótro amártyaḥ | júṣasva sú no adhvarám ||
O Agni, kasama si Ila ay nagniningning ka sa pagiging ganap, ang imortal na pumupunta sa handog. Tumatanggap ka nang may galak sa aming hindi nasirang kilos ng sakripisyo.
Word by Word
- अग्ने
- O AgniNounपुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन; एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot अग्नि- (प्रातिपदिक)
- इळा
- Iḷā (invocation/ritual nourishment; a goddess-name)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृ (सम्बन्धः: अग्ने इळा [भूत्वा/सह])Root इळा- (प्रातिपदिक)
- सम्
- together, fully (prefix)Indeclinableउपसर्गः (क्रियायोगे)Root सम् (उपसर्ग)
- इध्यसे
- you are kindled / you blazeVerbलट् (वर्तमान); आत्मनेपद; मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचनRole कर्तृ: त्वम् (अग्निः)Root इध् (दीप्तौ/प्रदीप्तौ) धातु
- वीतिहोत्रः
- whose oblation is welcomed/accepted (invited to the offering)Noun/Adjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृ-विशेषणम् (अग्नेः)Root वीति- + होत्र- (प्रातिपदिक; समासः)
- अमर्त्यः
- immortalAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृ-विशेषणम् (अग्नेः)Root अ-मर्त्य- (प्रातिपदिक)
- जुषस्व
- take pleasure in / accept / enjoyVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ); आत्मनेपद; मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचनRole कर्तृ: त्वम् (अग्निः); कर्म: अध्वरम्Root जुष् (प्रीतौ/सेवने) धातु
- सु
- well, graciouslyIndeclinableनिपातः (प्रशस्त्यर्थ/बलार्थ)Root सु (निपात/अव्यय)
- नः
- of us / ourPronounषष्ठी (एन्क्लिटिक); बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (अध्वरस्य/यजमानस्य)Root अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- अध्वरम्
- the sacrifice, riteNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot अध्वर- (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: अग्ने | इळा | सम् | इध्यसे | वीतिहोत्रः | अमर्त्यः | जुषस्व | सु | नः | अध्वरम् । 1) अग्न॑ इ॒ळा → अग्ने इळा (सम्बोधन-एकवचन ‘अग्ने’ + इळा; संहितायां ‘अग्ने’ का ‘ए’ + ‘इ’ संयोगः)
- 2) समि॑ध्यसे → सम् + इध्यसे (उपसर्ग ‘सम्’ + धातु ‘इध्’ लट् आत्मनेपद)
- 3) वी॒तिहो॑त्रो॒ अम॑र्त्यः → वीतिहोत्रः अमर्त्यः (विसर्ग/ओ-समाप्ति संहितारूप; पदे प्रथमा-एकवचन ‘-ः’)
- 4) जु॒षस्व॒ सू नो॑ → जुषस्व सु नः (निपात ‘सु’; सर्वनाम ‘नः’ एन्क्लिटिक)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Agni is kindled fully with Iḷā; he is immortal, a receiver of offerings; he is asked to enjoy/accept our sacrifice (adhvara).
Inner meaning
Iḷā signifies the illumined inspiration/flow of revelation that feeds Agni. When will is kindled together with inspired speech and right perception, Agni becomes ‘vītihotra’—one who comes to and enjoys the offering—i.e., the divine Will actively participates in our works. ‘Adhvara’ (unbroken sacrifice) becomes the continuous inner movement of self-offering without distortion or violence: a steady practice where every act is aligned to the inner flame.
Universal truth
True transformation requires not only effort (will) but also inspired guidance (illumined understanding). When will is fed by inner truth, life becomes a continuous, harmonious sacrifice.
Themes
Invocation, Acceptance of sacrifice, Iḷā–Agni conjunction
The seer
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Lineage
- Viśvāmitra (Gāthina line)
- Other hymns
- RV 3.1–3.30 (Agni/Indra focus), RV 3.62 (Sāvitrī/Gāyatrī)
Family tradition
Hymns stress disciplined tapas supported by inspired vision; Iḷā appears as the revelatory companion of the sacrificial fire.
Significance
The seer frames sadhana as a coordinated action of will (Agni) and revelation (Iḷā), making the sacrifice continuous and glad.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni (with Iḷā)
- Epithets
- amartya (immortal), vītihotra (approacher/enjoyer of offerings), samiddha (fully kindled)
- Related deities
- Sarasvatī (inspired flow of speech/knowledge; close to Iḷā themes), Bṛhaspati (lord of inspired word), Soma (joy that makes acceptance ‘su’)
Cosmic role
Ignites the sacrificial order and draws the gods; with Iḷā, he links inspired word and effective offering.
Inner power
Will guided by revelation—capacity to make practice continuous, joyful, and rightly directed.
In ritual
Where it is used
Kindling (samidh) and inviting Agni as hotṛ at the opening of offerings
अग्न॑ इ॒ळा समि॑ध्यसे वी॒तिहो॑त्रो॒ अम॑र्त्यः । जु॒षस्व॒ सू नो॑ अध्व॒रम् ॥
अग्ने॑ । इ॒ळा । सम् । इ॒ध्य॒से॒ । वी॒तिऽहो॑त्रः । अम॑र्त्यः । जु॒षस्व॑ । सु । नः॒ । अ॒ध्व॒रम् ॥
agne | iḷā | sam | idhyase | vīti-hotraḥ | amartyaḥ | juṣasva | su | naḥ | adhvaram
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3 × 8 (compact; second line shorter in appearance but typically resolves in recitation)
Smooth ignition rhythm; less martial than 3.24.1, more invitational and flowing.
Kindles a calm, steady flame; invites a sense of divine participation and gladness in practice.
- iḷā (iḍā)
- Literal: Iḷā, sacred speech/oblation-power. Symbolic: Illumined inspiration; truth-speaking power that nourishes the inner fire
- sam idhyase
- Literal: you are kindled fully. Symbolic: Integration and fullness of aspiration—will lit in all parts of the being
- vītihotraḥ
- Literal: he who comes to the offering / enjoys the oblation. Symbolic: Divine Will that participates in and guides the offering of works
- amartyaḥ
- Literal: immortal. Symbolic: Unfailing flame of consciousness beyond mental-vital change
- juṣasva su
- Literal: accept gladly, enjoy well. Symbolic: Consent of the higher power; joy in the offering (not strained asceticism)
- adhvaram
- Literal: sacrifice; ‘non-injuring’ rite. Symbolic: Continuous self-offering that is harmonious, non-violent, undivided
Kindling/praise at the opening of offering; invitation for Agni to accept the rite (āvāhana/ārambha sense).
At lighting/strengthening of fire; also as an invocation before mantra-japa or meditation
Offer fuel/ghee while reciting; invite Agni to accept the rite
Use to begin a meditation session: ‘kindle the will with inspiration’ and set the intention of an unbroken, gentle discipline.
idhyase (middle/passive of √idh ‘to kindle, blaze’); vīti-hotra (vīti ‘approach/coming’ + hotra ‘offering’ from √hu ‘to pour/invoke’); amartya (a- + martya ‘mortal’, √mṛ); juṣasva (√juṣ ‘to enjoy, be pleased’).
Integration of inspired speech (Iḷā) with will (Agni), Adhvara as ordered continuity (Ṛta in practice)
Adhvara as right action—sacrifice that does not violate ṛta within the being.
Iḷā as truth-speaking inspiration that keeps will aligned.
Agni kindled with Iḷā mirrors creation by consciousness + word: illumination feeding force.
Integral psychological Veda: speech/inspiration as a power of consciousness, not merely ritual formula.
morning (typical kindling)
unspecified
Fuel/oblation = experiences offered; Iḷā = luminous understanding; fire = steady will; unbroken rite = continuous mindfulness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The descent/approach of the immortal fire to the offering (vīti-hotra) is the mythic pattern: the god comes when kindled with inspired speech (Iḷā) and consents to partake, making the adhvara effective.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- amartya ‘immortal’ parallels Greek ambrotos; both derive from negation + ‘mortal’ root. √idh ‘kindle’ has Indo-Iranian parallels (Avestan aēδ- related semantic field), reflecting inherited fire-cult vocabulary.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi’s role is to kindle with Iḷā—right speech and discernment—so Agni can fully blaze. Agni’s reciprocal act is consent and enjoyment (juṣ), the divine acceptance that turns human effort into a living sacrificial journey.
Unite will (Agni) with illumined discernment (Iḷā) so the practice becomes continuous and non-violent (adhvara).
viśuddha (truth-speech/inspiration) supporting anāhata (heart-flame)
4-4-6 breathing: inhale (ignite), hold (offer), exhale (release) while repeating the mantra mentally
Quietly luminous concentration with a felt ‘arrival’ of support.
Chant 12 or 24 times at the start of japa; on ‘iḷā’ feel a clear stream in the throat/forehead; on ‘juṣasva’ feel glad consent in the heart.
Chant with a gentle rise on ‘agna/agne’ and ‘iḷā’, sustaining on long vowels (amartyaḥ, adhvaram); settle softly at line ends.
Light emphasis: íḷā, sám idhyase, vītíhotro, júṣasva, ádhvaram.
iḷā: retroflex ḷ; if difficult, keep a clear ‘l’ without turning it to ‘ḍ’, sam idhyase: separate lightly (sam | idhyase) to keep consonants clear, vītihotro: long ī; ‘hotro’ with dental t, amartyaḥ: ‘tya’ cluster clean, final ḥ audible, juṣasva: retroflex ṣ, not ‘jusasva’
Warm, steady, inviting; like offering breath into a flame.
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