Rig Veda 1.24.2: Mandala 1, Sukta 24, Mantra 2
Sukta 1.24
- Rishi
- Medhātithi Kāṇva
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
अग्नेर्वयं प्रथमस्यामृतानां मनामहे चारु देवस्य नाम । स नो मह्या अदितये पुनर्दात्पितरं च दृशेयं मातरं च ॥
agnér vayáṃ prathamásyā́mṛtānāṃ mánāmahe cā́ru devásya nā́ma | sá no mahyā́ áditaye púner dāt pitáraṃ ca dṛśéyaṃ mātáraṃ ca ||
ہم دل میں رکھتے ہیں اگنی کا خوبصورت نام، جو امرت میں سب سے پہلا ہے۔ وہ ہمیں واپس دے وسیع ادتی کو، تاکہ میں باپ کو دیکھوں اور ماں کو دیکھوں۔
Word by Word
- अग्नेः
- of AgniNounपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive relation)Root अग्नि-
- वयम्
- wePronounउत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot अस्मद्-
- प्रथमस्य
- of the first (one)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; एकवचन (अग्नेः इति षष्ठ्यर्थे विशेषणम्)Role सम्बन्धRoot प्रथम-
- अमृतानाम्
- of the immortals / of the immortal onesNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; बहुवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot अमृत-
- मनामहे
- we think/revereVerbलट् (वर्तमान); उत्तमपुरुष; बहुवचन; आत्मनेपदRole क्रियाRoot √मन् (मन्यते/मनामहे) ‘to think, deem, revere’
- चारु
- lovely, dearAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन (क्रियाविशेषणवत्)Role कर्म (of ‘मनामहे’ as ‘we deem [it] lovely’)Root चारु-
- देवस्य
- of the godNounपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot देव-
- नाम
- nameNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot नामन्-
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृ (of ‘दात्’)Root तद्-
- नः
- to usPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी; बहुवचन (enclitic) — here दत्तिकर्म-सम्प्रदानार्थेRole सम्प्रदानRoot अस्मद्-
- मह्याः
- to the great (goddess) / to MahīNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी; एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot मही-
- अदितये
- to AditiNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी; एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot अदिति-
- पुनः
- againIndeclinableअव्ययRole क्रियाविशेषणRoot पुनः
- दात्
- may he giveVerbलोट्/विधिलिङ्-प्राय (आशीर्लिङ्/विध्यर्थे injunctive-like Vedic use); तृतीयपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot √दा (ददाति) ‘to give’
- पितरम्
- fatherNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot पितृ-
- च
- andIndeclinableअव्ययRole समुच्चयRoot च
- दृशेयम्
- may I seeVerbविधिलिङ्; उत्तमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot √दृश् (पश्यति) ‘to see’
- मातरम्
- motherNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot मातृ-
- च
- andIndeclinableअव्ययRole समुच्चयRoot च
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution: अग्नेर्वयं → अग्नेः + वयम् (visarga before v becomes r)
- प्रथ॒मस्या॒मृता॑नां → प्रथमस्य + अमृतानाम् (a+a coalescence)
- मना॑महे॒ चारु॑ → मनामहे + चारु (no change, padapāṭha separation)
- स नो॑ → सः + नः (visarga dropped before n in saṃhitā)
- अदि॑तये॒ पुन॑र्दात् → अदितये + पुनः + दात् (punar- in saṃhitā reflects underlying पुनः; visarga before d becomes r)
- दात्पि॒तरं॑ → दात् + पितरम् (final t + p)
- दृ॒शेयं॑ मा॒तरं॑ → दृशेयम् + मातरम् (m before m, no further change). Accent marks in the saṃhitā are retained in the given text
- pada-forms here are unaccented lexical forms
The meaning
Outer meaning
We hold in mind the beautiful Name of Agni, first among the immortals. May he give us back to the vast Aditi, that I may behold the Father and the Mother.
Inner meaning
The inquiry resolves: the key Name is Agni—first because aspiration and divine Will initiate the entire inner yoga. Agni as mediator leads the consciousness back into Aditi’s wideness. When the inner fire is kindled and steady, the seeker regains true vision of the primal principles (Father/Mother), no longer as divided opposites but as complementary powers within the Infinite.
Universal truth
The return to freedom begins with kindling the inner fire: disciplined aspiration is the first immortal power that reopens the infinite and restores right vision.
Themes
Agni-first principle, Return to Infinity, Invocation by name, Restoration of right seeing
The seer
- Rishi
- Medhātithi Kāṇva
- Lineage
- Kāṇva
- Other hymns
- RV 1.24.1, RV 1.23.22-24
Family tradition
Kāṇva seers frequently place Agni at the beginning of realization: the ‘first immortal’ that opens all further godheads.
Significance
The seer provides a practical resolution: when seeking the right divine key, start with Agni—the psychic fire that can restore one to vastness and true seeing.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni (mediator to Aditi)
- Epithets
- prathama amṛtānām (first among immortals), purohita (inner leader, by function), jātavedas (knower of births, implicit)
- Related deities
- Aditi (goal: vastness), Varuṇa (release into ṛta, hymn context), Ādityas (powers of infinite law)
Cosmic role
The initiating priest of the sacrifice; carries offerings to the gods; opens paths between human and divine; here, restores the soul to Aditi.
Inner power
Aspiration, will to truth, transformative heat that burns limitation and leads into wideness.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni-remembrance at the start of a Varuṇa/Aditi hymn-cycle; invocation for restoration and right vision.
अ॒ग्नेर्व॒यं प्र॑थ॒मस्या॒मृता॑नां॒ मना॑महे॒ चारु॑ दे॒वस्य॒ नाम॑ । स नो॑ म॒ह्या अदि॑तये॒ पुन॑र्दात्पि॒तरं॑ च दृ॒शेयं॑ मा॒तरं॑ च ॥
अ॒ग्नेः । व॒यम् । प्रथ॒मस्य॑ । अ॒मृता॑नाम् । मना॑महे । चारु॑ । दे॒वस्य॑ । नाम॑ । सः । नः॑ । म॒ह्यै । अदि॑तये । पुनः॑ । दा॒त् । पि॒तर॑म् । च॒ । दृ॒शेय॑म् । मा॒तर॑म् । च॒ ॥
agneḥ | vayam | prathamasya | amṛtānām | manāmahe | cāru | devasya | nāma | saḥ | naḥ | mahyai | aditaye | punaḥ | dāt | pitaram | ca | dṛśeyam | mātaram | ca
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4 × ~11
Expansive but decisive; the questioning tone of 1.24.1 becomes a clear selection and prayer.
Creates a sense of orientation and purpose; widens breath while strengthening resolve.
- अग्नेः…प्रथमस्य (agner…prathamasya)
- Literal: of Agni, the first. Symbolic: aspiration/divine will as the initiating force of transformation
- चारु नाम (cāru nāma)
- Literal: beautiful Name. Symbolic: mantric remembrance that embodies the deity’s power in consciousness
- पुनर्दात् (punar dāt)
- Literal: give back again. Symbolic: recovery of lost wideness; return from exile in limitation
- अदितये मह्यै (aditaye mahyai)
- Literal: to the vast Aditi. Symbolic: entry into boundless awareness, unbroken wholeness
- पितरम्…मातरम् (pitaraṃ…mātaram)
- Literal: father…mother. Symbolic: spirit and nature; heaven and earth; consciousness and force seen in their truth
- मना॑महे (manāmahe)
- Literal: we hold in mind. Symbolic: steady recollection (smaraṇa) as yogic concentration
Agni as the gateway-power: used where Agni is invoked to restore order, remove bonds, and reopen the way to the wide consciousness (Aditi), especially in expiatory/renewal contexts.
At the start of meditation or any undertaking requiring return to clarity and wideness; especially when feeling bound, guilty, or contracted.
Offer a small flame/lamp or inner flame visualization; repeat Agni’s Name, then contemplate Aditi’s vastness.
Use as a ‘reset’ mantra: kindle aspiration (Agni) first, then expand into spacious awareness (Aditi).
Agni as prathama ‘first’ is not only chronological (first invoked in ritual) but ontological: the initiating flame of aspiration that opens access to the Infinite. The ‘Name’ (nāma) functions as seed-mantra: to think it (√man) is to kindle the corresponding force. The repeated ‘punaḥ dāt’ marks a soteriological motif: return from division to Aditi’s undivided wideness.
Agni as mediator, Aditi (Infinity), Vision of origins (Father/Mother), Nāma as mantric essence
Agni leads back to the law of wideness; restoration to Aditi implies release into ṛta beyond constriction.
Holding the ‘beautiful Name’ is aligning speech/mind with truth-vibration.
Agni as first power in manifestation and in sādhanā; from fire, the path to the infinite is reopened.
Integral Veda: Agni as psychic being/aspiration guiding the ascent into infinite consciousness (Aditi).
dawn or evening (lighting of lamp; transition into wideness)
any; winter supports fire symbolism
Fire = focused will; sky = boundless awareness; sun = steady truth-light.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Agni as the first mediator who reopens the path to the Infinite (Aditi). The mythic action is ‘rekindling’—by invoking Agni’s Name, the seeker is returned to the primal vision of source (Father) and matrix (Mother).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- Agni (Latin ignis) shows a classic Indo-European fire-word (PIE *h₁n̥gʷnis / *h₁egni- in common reconstructions). The semantic complex of ‘fire’ as both physical and cognitive illumination is an inherited poetic feature across IE traditions.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi entrusts Agni with the role of guide and restitutor: Agni is asked not merely for gifts but to relocate the human consciousness into Aditi’s wideness, enabling direct seeing—an intimate, transformative reciprocity rather than a transactional one.
Kindle aspiration (Agni) as the chosen ‘Name’; then expand into Aditi—limitless awareness beyond mental boundaries.
maṇipūra (Agni) leading to sahasrāra (Aditi-vastness)
‘Fire-to-space’ pranayama: 6 breaths focusing warmth at navel/heart on ‘agner…nāma’; then 6 breaths expanding crown/sky on ‘aditaye mahyai’.
Steady aspiration transitioning into wide, silent openness.
Chant 3 times aloud to establish Agni, then 9 times mentally while feeling widening; conclude with silent ‘beholding’ of Father/Mother as still consciousness and dynamic force in harmony.
Triṣṭubh with Vedic accents per Śākala; precise udatta/anudatta requires the svara-pāṭha text for RV 1.24.2.
Give weight to ‘prathamasyāmṛtānām’; keep a spacious pause at the danda ‘…nāma |’.
agner: ‘gn’ conjunct clear; not ‘anger’, prathamasyāmṛtānām: maintain long vowels; retroflex ṛ, punar dāt: separate lightly so it doesn’t become ‘punardāt’ too tightly, dṛśeyam: retroflex ṛ; ‘śe’ long-ish by meter feel
Steady, luminous, upward-leading; warm resonance on ‘Agni’.
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