Rig Veda 3.19.4: Mandala 3, Sukta 19, Mantra 4
Sukta 3.19
- Devata
- Agni
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
भूरीणि हि त्वे दधिरे अनीकाग्ने देवस्य यज्यवो जनासः । स आ वह देवतातिं यविष्ठ शर्धो यदद्य दिव्यं यजासि ॥
bhūrī́ṇi hí tvé dadhire anī́kāgne devásya yájyavo jánāsaḥ | sá ā́ vaha devátātiṃ yaviṣṭha śárdho yád adyá divyáṃ yájāsi ||
کیونکہ اے اگنی، لوگوں نے جو الہی نذر کے لائق ہیں، تجھ میں بہت سے سامنے آنے والی طاقتیں رکھی ہیں۔ اس لیے اے سب سے جوان، دیوتاؤں کے مجمع کو یہاں لے آ؛ کیونکہ آج تو روشن سنگت کی قربانی دے رہا ہے۔
Word by Word
- भूरीणि
- many (things)Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot भूरि- (प्रातिपदिक)
- हि
- indeed, forIndeclinableनिपातRoot हि (निपात)
- त्वे
- in/at youPronounसप्तमी, एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot त्वद्- (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- दधिरे
- they have placed/establishedVerbलिट् (परोक्षभूत), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचनRoot धा (धातु)
- अनीक
- face; front; host (as ‘front-rank’)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (सम्बोधनार्थे अग्ने इति सह)Root अनीक- (प्रातिपदिक)
- अग्ने
- O AgniNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRoot अग्नि- (प्रातिपदिक)
- देवस्य
- of the godNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRoot देव- (प्रातिपदिक)
- यज्यवः
- the worshippers; sacrificersAdjective/Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot यज्य- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘यज्य’ < यज्, ‘to worship’)
- जनासः
- peoples, menNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot जन- (प्रातिपदिक)
- सः
- he (you)Pronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot तद्- (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- आ
- hither, towardsIndeclinableउपसर्गRoot आ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- वह
- carry/bring!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot वह् (धातु)
- देवतातीम्
- the coming/approach of the gods; divine presenceNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot देवताती- (प्रातिपदिक; देवता + अति/आति ‘coming/approach’)
- यविष्ठ
- O youngestAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRoot यविष्ठ- (प्रातिपदिक; superlative of युवा/युवन् ‘young’)
- शर्धः
- troop, host (of gods)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot शर्ध- (प्रातिपदिक)
- यत्
- whichPronoun/Relativeनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot यद्- (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अद्य
- todayIndeclinableकालवाचक-अव्ययRole AdhikaraṇaRoot अद्य (अव्यय)
- दिव्यम्
- heavenly, divineAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot दिव्य- (प्रातिपदिक; दिव् ‘sky’)
- यजासि
- you worship/sacrificeVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot यज् (धातु)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: भूरीणि | हि | त्वे | दधिरे | अनीक | अग्ने | देवस्य | यज्यवः | जनासः || सः | आ | वह | देवतातीम् | यविष्ठ | शर्धः | यत् | अद्य | दिव्यम् | यजासि || प्रमुख-सन्धयः: (1) अनीकाग्ने = अनीक + अग्ने (स्वर-सन्धि/संहिता-समाससदृश संयोग)
- (2) देवतातिं = देवतातीम् (अनुस्वार/नासिक्य-लेखनभेद)
- (3) शर्धो यदद्य = शर्धः + यत् + अद्य (विसर्ग-सन्धि: शर्धः + यत् → शर्धो यत्; ततः यत् + अद्य → यदद्य)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Many fronting powers (faces) are set in you, O Agni, by people fit for sacrifice. Therefore bring here the host of godheads, O youngest, the divine troop which you worship today.
Inner meaning
Agni contains many ‘faces’ (anīka): multiple functional flames—discernment, courage, aspiration, delight—installed by the yajyavaḥ janāsaḥ, i.e., those parts of us that are prepared for the divine work. When the being becomes fit, Agni reveals many powers and expressions. As yaviṣṭha (youngest), Agni is ever-new: each moment the will can be freshly kindled. He is asked to ‘bring’ the devatāti: to make the higher powers present in the consciousness so that today—now—the luminous company (divyam śardhaḥ) can be offered to and can act in us.
Universal truth
When we become prepared, the guiding force shows many capacities. Renewal is essential: the spiritual fire must be kindled freshly each day, calling higher possibilities into present action.
Themes
summoning the gods, Agni as conveyor, manifest aspects of power, luminous host
The seer
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra (general Maṇḍala 3 tradition; specific uncertain)
- Lineage
- Kauśika (traditional)
- Other hymns
- RV 3.2 (Agni’s many forms), RV 3.14 (Agni as carrier of gods)
Family tradition
Dynamic hymns where divine powers are summoned as organized hosts; emphasis on readiness (adhikāra) of the sacrificer.
Significance
The seer highlights the principle of inner preparedness: only the yajyavaḥ (fit parts) can ‘install’ the many faces of Agni—an inner psychology of sādhanā.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- yaviṣṭha (youngest), bearer of devatāti, multi-faced (anīka)
- Related deities
- All devatās as ‘devatāti’, Vasus (stability), Maruts (impulsive powers, implicit in ‘host’)
Cosmic role
Carrier and summoner of the divine host; manifests in many forms to meet the needs of the sacrifice.
Inner power
Adaptive conscious force—one flame, many functions; renews aspiration and calls higher powers into the present moment.
In ritual
Where it is used
Āvāhana (invitation) of devatās through Agni; calling the divine host to the rite
भूरी॑णि॒ हि त्वे द॑धि॒रे अनी॒काग्ने॑ दे॒वस्य॒ यज्य॑वो॒ जना॑सः । स आ व॑ह दे॒वता॑तिं यविष्ठ॒ शर्धो॒ यद॒द्य दि॒व्यं यजा॑सि ॥
भूती॑नि । हि । त्वे इति॑ । द॒धि॒रे । अनी॑का । अग्ने॑ । दे॒वस्य॑ । यज्य॑वः । जना॑सः । सः । आ । व॒ह॒ । दे॒वता॑तिम् । य॒वि॒ष्ठ॒ । शर्धः॑ । यत् । अ॒द्य । दि॒व्यम् । यजा॑सि ॥
bhūtīni | hi | tve iti | dadhire | anīkā | agne | devasya | yajyavaḥ | janāsaḥ | saḥ | ā | vaha | devatātim | yaviṣṭha | śardhaḥ | yat | adya | divyam | yajāsi
44
4 x ~11
Summoning and processional; strong beats suited to ‘bringing’ a host.
Elicits a sense of arrival—higher energies ‘enter the room’ of consciousness.
- अनीका (anīkā)
- Literal: faces/fronts. Symbolic: multiple powers/functions of the inner fire; modes of conscious force
- यज्यवः जनासः (yajyavo janāsaḥ)
- Literal: people fit for offering. Symbolic: purified parts of the being ready for transformation
- यविष्ठ (yaviṣṭha)
- Literal: youngest. Symbolic: ever-new flame; perpetual possibility of renewal
- देवतातिम् (devatātim)
- Literal: host of godheads. Symbolic: assembled higher faculties descending/awakening
- शर्धः (śardhaḥ)
- Literal: troop/host. Symbolic: coordinated collective force of illumined powers
- दिव्यम् (divyam)
- Literal: divine/luminous. Symbolic: supramental/illumined plane influence entering mind-life
Āvahana motif: Agni is asked to ‘bring’ the devatā-host to the sacrifice; fits soma/isti sequences where Agni is messenger-conveyor.
At points of inviting deities to the fire and establishing their presence
Recitation with offerings; symbolic ‘bringing’ and seating of deities
Use before group meditation or collective work: invoke the ‘luminous company’—peace, light, strength—as a coordinated field.
anī́ka: ‘face/front’ (manifest aspect), used for powers that come forward in battle/manifestation—here the manifest capacities established in Agni. dadhire: √dhā perfect plural ‘they have placed’. √vah ‘to carry’ (PIE *weǵh- ‘to convey’; cf. Latin vehō). yaviṣṭha: superlative ‘youngest’—Agni as ever-renewed flame.
collective godhead (devatāti), ever-new divine force (yaviṣṭha), present enactment (adya) as realization
The many anīkas represent differentiated functions of ṛta in manifestation—order expressed as multiple powers.
Divyam śardhaḥ suggests truth-forces that are luminous and coordinated.
From One Fire to many faces: differentiation of a single conscious principle into multiple operative powers.
Integral Veda: unity-in-multiplicity; one divine Will expressing many faculties.
Many flame-tongues = multiple psychological functions of will; luminous host = higher inspirations and forces entering awareness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Agni as the ‘bearer of the gods’ (vah): the divine host is brought by the ever-young fire into the human rite. The many anīkas ‘placed in Agni’ present Agni as a multiplex deity containing many operative faces/powers.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √vah ‘carry’ aligns with PIE *weǵh- ‘convey’ (vehō). Superlative morphology in yaviṣṭha is inherited Indo-European. The nominal devatāti exemplifies RV abstraction-building to express collective divine presence.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The worshippers ‘place’ powers in Agni through sustained yajña (dadhire), and Agni reciprocally ‘brings’ the higher host into proximity/inner presence. Human formation and divine descent are shown as a single circuit mediated by Agni.
Invoke Agni’s ‘many faces’: ask the inner will to manifest as clarity, courage, purity, and joy as needed.
manipura
Alternate-nostril breathing (gentle) to balance channels, then a short invocation to ‘bring the host’ into a centered field.
Receptive readiness; sense of ‘arrival’ of higher help.
Before sitting, name 3 inner powers you need today (e.g., clarity, steadiness, goodwill). Chant, then pause and feel each power take its place as a coordinated ‘śardhaḥ’.
Keep pitch contrasts clear on accented syllables; ‘yaviṣṭha’ and ‘divyam’ should carry clean udatta lifts per notation tradition (where marked).
Sustain the invocation feel on ‘sa ā vaha devatātim’; slight forward emphasis on ‘ā vaha’ (bring!).
: long ū; retroflex ṇ, : long ī; k is unaspirated, : v soft; ṣṭ conjunct crisp, : ś + ardh; final visarga audible but light, : dy cluster clear (div-yam)
Summoning, open-throated, steady projection without strain.
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