Rig Veda 3.6.5: Mandala 3, Sukta 6, Mantra 5
Sukta 3.6
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
व्रता ते अग्ने महतो महानि तव क्रत्वा रोदसी आ ततन्थ । त्वं दूतो अभवो जायमानस्त्वं नेता वृषभ चर्षणीनाम् ॥
vratā́ te agne maható mahā́ni táva kratvā́ rodasī́ ā́ tatantha | tváṃ dūtó abhavo jā́yamānas tváṃ netā́ vṛṣabha carṣaṇīnā́m ||
اے اگنی! تیرے قوانین عظیم ہیں، سچ مچ بڑے؛ تیری طاقت سے تو نے دونوں جہانوں کو پھیلا دیا۔ تو نے اپنی پیدائش پر پیغامبر بن گیا؛ تو انسانی قبائل کا رہنما ہے، اے بیل۔
Word by Word
- व्रतानि
- vows, ordinances, sacred observancesNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot व्रत (प्रातिपदिक) प्रत्यय: -अ (नपुंसकलिङ्ग)
- ते
- of you, yourPronounषष्ठी; एकवचनRole Sambandha (Genitive relation)Root युष्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- अग्ने
- O AgniNounपुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन; एकवचनRole SambodhanaRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- महतः
- of the greatAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; एकवचन (समष्टि-भावे: ‘of the great [one/thing]’)Role Sambandha (Genitive relation)Root महत् (विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक)
- महानि
- greatAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; बहुवचनRole Viśeṣaṇa (of व्रतानि)Root महत् (विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक)
- तव
- of you, yourPronounषष्ठी; एकवचनRole Sambandha (Genitive relation)Root युष्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- क्रत्वा
- by (your) resolve/power, by wisdomNounपुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया; एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot क्रतु (प्रातिपदिक)
- रोदसी
- the two worlds (heaven and earth)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; द्विवचनRole KarmaRoot रोदसी (द्विवचन-प्रातिपदिक; द्यावापृथिव्यौ)
- आ
- forth, unto, completelyIndeclinableउपसर्गः (क्रियायोगे)Root आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- ततन्थ
- you have stretched/spreadVerbलिट् (परोक्श/परफेक्ट); मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचनRole Kriyā (finite verb)Root तन् (धातु) वर्गः 8; परस्मैपद
- त्वम्
- youPronounप्रथमा; एकवचनRole KartāRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- दूतः
- messengerNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole Kartā (predicate nominative with अभवः)Root दूत (प्रातिपदिक)
- अभवः
- you becameVerbलुङ्/इष्ट्-आगमयुक्त भूतार्थ (आर्ष-प्रयोगः); मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचनRole Kriyā (finite verb)Root भू (धातु) परस्मैपद; उपसर्ग: अभि-
- जायमानः
- being born, as you are bornAdjective/Participleवर्तमानकाले शानच्; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole Kartṛ-viśeṣaṇa (of त्वम्)Root जन् (धातु) + शानच् (वर्तमान कृदन्त)
- त्वम्
- youPronounप्रथमा; एकवचनRole KartāRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- नेता
- leader, guideNoun (agent)तृच्-प्रत्ययान्त; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole Kartā (predicate nominative)Root नी (धातु) + तृच् (कृदन्त) → नेता
- वृषभ
- O bull (mighty one)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन; एकवचनRole SambodhanaRoot वृषभ (प्रातिपदिक)
- चर्षणीनाम्
- of the peoples, of menNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; बहुवचनRole Sambandha (Genitive relation)Root चर्षणी (प्रातिपदिक; ‘men/peoples’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: व्रतानि ते अग्ने महतः महानि तव क्रत्वा रोदसी आ ततन्थ । त्वं दूतः अभवः जायमानः त्वं नेता वृषभ चर्षणीनाम् ॥ 1) व्र॒ता → व्रतानि (नपुंसक बहु. प्रथ./द्वि.)। 2) मह॒तो म॒हानि: ‘महतः’ (षष्ठी एक.) + ‘महानि’ (नपुंसक बहु.)—विशेषण-सम्बन्धः व्रतानि प्रति। 3) रोद॑सी॒ आ त॑तन्थ: ‘आ’ उपसर्गः ‘ततन्थ’ (लिट्) इत्यनेन योगः। 4) दू॒तो अ॑भवो॒: विसर्ग-सन्धिः—दूतः + अभवः (ः + अ → ऽ/ओऽ इत्यादि पदपाठे पृथक्)। 5) जाय॑मान॒स्त्वं: ‘जायमानः’ + ‘त्वम्’ (ः + त् → स्त्) संहितायां ‘जायमानस्त्वम्’।
The meaning
Outer meaning
Great are your laws, O Agni, mighty indeed; by your power you have stretched out the two worlds. You became the messenger at your birth; you are the leader, O Bull, of the human kindreds.
Inner meaning
Agni’s ‘laws’ (vratā) are the fixed truths of right action in sadhana: sincerity, consecration, and progressive purification. By his conscious power (kratu) he widens the field of the being (rodasī) so that higher and lower can meet. At the very moment aspiration is born, Agni becomes the messenger (dūta): he carries our offerings upward and brings down the response of the higher consciousness. As vṛṣabha (bull), he is the virile, steadfast leader-force guiding all the human ‘kindreds’—the many sub-personalities and tendencies—toward unity.
Universal truth
An awakened spiritual will establishes clear laws of growth, widens the life-field, mediates between aspiration and grace, and leads the fragmented human nature toward integrated purpose.
Themes
Ṛta and law, Agni as leader, cosmic expansion, messenger function
The seer
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Lineage
- Gāthin / Kauśika tradition (commonly associated)
- Other hymns
- RV 3.6.1, RV 3.6.6
Family tradition
Tapas-driven wideness and mastery; hymns often stress kratu (effective will) and leadership of the inner journey.
Significance
The mantra is a compact psychology of Agni: law (vrata), power (kratu), mediation (dūta), and leadership (netā) over the whole nature.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- Vṛṣabha, Dūta, Netā
- Related deities
- Indra (as illumination responding to Agni’s call), Viśve Devāḥ, Dyāvā-Pṛthivī
Cosmic role
Upholder of divine ordinances; stretches and maintains the worlds; messenger between gods and mortals.
Inner power
Disciplined, intelligent will that mediates and leads; transforms scattered impulses into a governed march toward light.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni invocation in śrauta rites; also suitable for vrata-taking contexts by theme
व्र॒ता ते॑ अग्ने मह॒तो म॒हानि॒ तव॒ क्रत्वा॒ रोद॑सी॒ आ त॑तन्थ । त्वं दू॒तो अ॑भवो॒ जाय॑मान॒स्त्वं ने॒ता वृ॑षभ चर्षणी॒नाम् ॥
व्र॒ता । ते॒ । अ॒ग्ने॒ । म॒ह॒तः । म॒हानि॑ । तव॑ । क्रत्वा॑ । रोद॑सी॒ इति॑ । आ । त॒त॒न्थ॒ । त्वम् । दू॒तः । अ॒भ॒वः॒ । जाय॑मानः । त्वम् । ने॒ता । वृ॒ष॒भ॒ । च॒र्ष॒णी॒नाम् ॥
vratā | te | agne | mahataḥ | mahāni | tava | kratvā | rodasī iti | ā | tatantha | tvam | dūtaḥ | abhavaḥ | jāyamānaḥ | tvam | netā | vṛṣabha | caṣarṇīnām
44
4 × ~11
Commanding and juridical; emphasizes ‘laws’ and leadership with strong cadence.
Strengthens resolve and ethical-spiritual clarity; energizes the sense of being led.
- व्रता (vratā)
- Literal: vows, laws, ordinances. Symbolic: principles of right inner action; disciplines that align nature with truth
- क्रतु (kratu)
- Literal: power of will/intelligence, resolve. Symbolic: effective conscious force—will guided by knowledge
- रोदसी (rodasī)
- Literal: the two worlds. Symbolic: higher and lower nature; mind and life/body to be widened
- दूत (dūta)
- Literal: messenger. Symbolic: mediator function—exchange between human aspiration and divine powers
- नेता (netā)
- Literal: leader. Symbolic: inner guidance that organizes the journey and directs energies
- वृषभ (vṛṣabha)
- Literal: bull. Symbolic: strong, generative, victorious force; steadfast executive energy
- चर्षणीना́म् (carṣaṇīnām)
- Literal: of the peoples/kindreds. Symbolic: the many movements of human nature; collective and individual tendencies
Doctrinal praise: Agni as cosmic law-bearer (vrata), messenger, and leader; suitable for reinforcing Agni’s centrality in any śrauta sequence and in household rites
At points emphasizing Agni’s priestly authority and correct performance.
Recitation with oblations to affirm right order and invoke guidance.
Chant when renewing discipline (vrata) or beginning a focused sadhana period; use as sankalpa for right action.
vratá- from √vṛ ‘to choose/will, restrain’—in RV ‘law/ordinance’ as chosen fixed working. krátu- from √kṛ ‘do/make’ with sense ‘effective will/intelligence’ (not mere ‘sacrifice’). tatantha perfect of √tan ‘stretch’ (PIE *ten- ‘stretch’ cf. Latin tendere). vṛṣabha ‘bull’ from √vṛṣ ‘to rain/strengthen’—symbol of forceful generativity.
vrata as Ṛta-law, kratu as effective will-intelligence, leadership of the inner journey (netā)
Vratā are expressions of R̥ta; Agni enforces right order by widening and leading the movement.
Truth becomes executable through kratu—knowledge turned into effective will.
Stretching out the worlds: the inner fire expands the field for manifestation of higher consciousness.
Integral yoga reading: discipline and widening as twin necessities for descent and transformation.
Bull = forceful leadership energy; stretching worlds = expansion of consciousness; fire = disciplined will.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Agni as the ordained power whose vratas uphold and stretch the worlds, and as the birth-born messenger and leader of peoples. Innerly, the awakened flame establishes right laws in the being (vrata), expands the field of consciousness (tan), and guides the collective instruments (senses, thoughts, life-forces) toward the divine order.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √tan (tatantha) reflects PIE *ten- ‘stretch’ (tend, tension). dyā́/rodsī imagery reflects archaic IE cosmological poetics (sky-earth dual). √man/√kṛ complexes in kratu show the IE tendency to encode ‘intelligence-as-effective-action’ in ritual vocabulary.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi recognizes Agni not only as recipient of offerings but as the governing intelligence of the path: his vratas are the rules of transformation; his kratu is the executing will. The human aligns with these laws through yajña, and Agni reciprocates by leading (netā) the human kindreds toward a widened, ordered consciousness.
Affirm inner laws: truthfulness, purity of motive, perseverance; feel Agni as messenger linking aspiration to higher response; surrender leadership to the inner flame.
Maṇipūra (resolve/vrata) with Ājñā (right guidance/netā).
Ujjāyī light (without strain) for 12 breaths to stabilize will; then silent pause to listen for inner direction.
Determined, upright, guided.
Write or inwardly state one clear vrata for the day; offer it into Agni; whenever scattered, recall ‘tvaṃ netā’—return to guided action.
Follow marked accents (e.g., मह॒तो, रोद॑सी); keep vocatives (अग्ने, वृ॑षभ) clear and slightly projected.
Crisp articulation on ‘vratā te’; firm landing on ‘netā vṛṣabha’.
vratā: roll ‘r’ lightly; keep long ā., tatantha : dental ‘t’, aspirated ‘th’ at end—do not make it retroflex., carṣaṇīnām: retroflex ṣ; long ī; nasalization at end clear.
Strong, upright, resonant; avoid rushing—let each pāda conclude decisively.
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