Rig Veda 3.21.5: Mandala 3, Sukta 21, Mantra 5
Sukta 3.21
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
ओजिष्ठं ते मध्यतो मेद उद्भृतं प्र ते वयं ददामहे । श्चोतन्ति ते वसो स्तोका अधि त्वचि प्रति तान्देवशो विहि ॥
ójiṣṭhaṃ te madhyató médá úd-bhṛtaṃ prá te vayáṃ dadāmahe | ścótanti te vaso stokā́ ádhi tvací práti tā́n devaśó víhi ||
Chúng tôi dâng lên Ngài—tinh túy mạnh mẽ nhất được rút lên từ chính trung tâm. Hỡi Vasu, những giọt dòng của Ngài nhỏ trên làn da Ngài; xin tiếp nhận chúng theo đúng lượng phần thần linh—và trong hữu thể, hãy phân phối, sắp đặt lễ phẩm cho ngay chính đáng.
Word by Word
- ओजिष्ठम्
- the strongest / most vigorousAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (सुपरलेटिव) अथवा पुं. द्वितीया एकवचन (अग्निम् इत्यादि अव्यक्त)Role KarmaRoot ओजिष्ठ (प्रा. < ओजस्) / ओजस्
- ते
- of you / yourPronounषष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (Genitive)Root युष्मद्
- मध्यतः
- from the middleIndeclinableअव्यय (ablatival adverb: ‘from the middle’)Role ApādānaRoot मध्य (प्रा.)
- मेदः
- fat; richness; marrow (nourishing substance)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot मेदस् (प्रा.)
- उद्भृतम्
- drawn up; brought forthParticipleभूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (मेदः/ओजिष्ठम् इत्यन्वयः)Role (विशेषण)Root उद्-√भृ (भृञ्) → उद्भृत (कृदन्त)
- प्र
- forth; forwardIndeclinableउपसर्ग/निपातRole (क्रियाविशेषण)Root प्र
- ते
- to youPronounचतुर्थी, एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot युष्मद्
- वयम्
- wePronounप्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot अस्मद्
- ददामहे
- we give; we offerVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole (क्रिया)Root √दा (डादाने/दाने)
- श्चोतन्ति
- they drip; they trickleVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole (क्रिया)Root √श्चुत्/√श्चो (श्चुतँ—स्रवणे)
- ते
- yourPronounषष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (Genitive)Root युष्मद्
- वसो
- O good one / O wealthy one (Vasu; epithet of Agni)Nounसम्बोधन, एकवचन (हे वसो) अथवा षष्ठी एकवचन (वसोः) — पदे प्रायः सम्बोधनःRole सम्बोधनRoot वसु (प्रा.)
- स्तोकाḥ
- dropsNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot स्तोक (प्रा.)
- अधि
- uponIndeclinableउपसर्ग/उपपद (locatival preverb: ‘upon’)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot अधि
- त्वचि
- on the skin; on the surfaceNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot त्वच् (प्रा.)
- प्रति
- towards; in responseIndeclinableउपसर्ग/निपातRole (क्रियाविशेषण)Root प्रति
- तान्
- thosePronounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot तद्
- देवशः
- divinely; as the gods doIndeclinableअव्यय (adverb: ‘in a divine manner / according to the gods’)Role (क्रियाविशेषण)Root देवशस् (अव्यय-निर्माण; देव + शस्) / देव
- विहि
- dispose; distribute; arrange (them)Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचनRole (क्रिया)Root वि-√हि (√हि/√धा?; here: वि-√हि ‘to set in order, apportion, arrange’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धिविच्छेद): ओजिष्ठं | ते | मध्यतः | मेदः | उद्भृतम् | प्र | ते | वयम् | ददामहे || श्चोतन्ति | ते | वसो | स्तोकाः | अधि | त्वचि | प्रति | तान् | देवशः | विहि || विशेषः: (1) ‘मध्यतो मेद उद्भृतम्’ इत्यत्र ‘मेदः’ (प्रथमा) + ‘उद्भृतम्’ (PPP) — ‘मेदः’ कर्तृ/विषय-रूपेण ‘उद्भृतम्’ इति विशेष्यते
- वैदिके नपुंसकस्य प्रथमा/द्वितीयायाः रूपसाम्यं सम्भवति। (2) ‘श्चोतन्ति’ इत्यत्र प्रारम्भिक ‘श्’ छन्दोवशात्/संहितायां पूर्वपदविरामानन्तरं दृश्यते
- पदे ‘श्चोतन्ति’ एव। (3) ‘तान्देवशो’ = ‘तान्’ + ‘देवशः’ (न् + द् → न्द् संधिः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The worshippers offer the strongest essence drawn from the middle to Agni; his drops drip upon his skin, and he is asked to receive them duly and distribute them divinely.
Inner meaning
The ‘strongest essence from the middle’ (ojiṣṭhaṃ medaḥ madhyataḥ udbhṛtam) suggests extracting the most potent core-energy from the vital-mental being—what is central and decisive—and offering it to the divine Will. The drops falling on Agni’s ‘skin’ (tvac) symbolize the immediate contact of the offering with the embodied nature: transformation must touch the surface habits and physical-vital sheath, not remain only in thought. Agni as Vasu (indwelling luminous power) is asked to arrange and apportion (vihi) the forces ‘devaśaḥ’—according to divine measure—so energies are distributed rightly across mind, life, and body.
Universal truth
Spiritual practice becomes effective when we offer the core of our energy and allow a higher intelligence to redistribute it in right measure, reshaping even our embodied habits.
Themes
Concentrated offering, Right distribution, Embodied transformation, Strength and essence
The seer
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Lineage
- Gāthin (Viśvāmitra line)
- Other hymns
- RV 3.21.4, RV 3.21.1, RV 3.62.10
Family tradition
A tradition of extracting inner power through tapas and offering it for divine ordering; emphasizes effective transformation, not mere aspiration.
Significance
The verse stresses measure and distribution (vihi, devaśaḥ): Viśvāmitra’s tapas is guided by order, not excess—an important psychological key for integral practice.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- Vasu, Receiver and distributor of offerings
- Related deities
- Vasus (collective), Indra (power of mind), Soma (bliss-essence)
Cosmic role
Treasurer and arranger of divine energies; ensures offerings are proportioned and made effective.
Inner power
The organizing will that reallocates forces—turning raw intensity into balanced power across the nature.
In ritual
Where it is used
Ghee/essence offering to Agni with prayer for correct apportionment of the oblation
ओजि॑ष्ठं ते मध्य॒तो मेद॒ उद्भृ॑तं॒ प्र ते॑ व॒यं द॑दामहे । श्चोत॑न्ति ते वसो स्तो॒का अधि॑ त्व॒चि प्रति॒ तान्दे॑व॒शो वि॑हि ॥
ओजि॑ष्ठम् । ते॒ । म॒ध्य॒तः । मेदः॑ । उत्ऽभृ॑तम् । प्र । ते॒ । व॒यम् । द॒दा॒म॒हे॒ । श्चोत॑न्ति । ते॒ । व्स् इति॑ । स्तो॒काः । अधि॑ । त्व॒चि । प्रति॑ । तान् । दे॒व॒ऽशः । वि॒हि॒ ॥
ojiṣṭham | te | madhyataḥ | medaḥ | ut-bhṛtam | pra | te | vayam | dadāmahe | ścotanti | te | vs iti | stokāḥ | adhi | tvaci | prati | tān | deva-śaḥ | vihi
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4 pādas of ~11 syllables (approximate)
Strong, weighty, with an ‘offering then ordering’ two-step feel.
Energizes the core, then settles into a sense of proportion and right distribution—useful for grounding intense aspiration.
- ojiṣṭham
- Literal: strongest, most forceful. Symbolic: the most potent will-energy and sincerity available
- madhyataḥ
- Literal: from the middle. Symbolic: from the central being/heart-core; not from the surface personality
- udbhṛtam
- Literal: drawn out, uplifted. Symbolic: extracted and raised for offering—sublimation of energy
- tvac
- Literal: skin. Symbolic: the outer sheath of embodied nature; habitual physical-vital layer to be transformed
- vasu
- Literal: a Vasu; good, bright one. Symbolic: indwelling luminous substance; the divine ‘wealth’ as inner power
- devaśaḥ
- Literal: in the manner/measure of the gods. Symbolic: according to higher order and proportion (ṛta-mātrā)
- vihi
- Literal: apportion, arrange, distribute. Symbolic: organize energies and experiences into a divine pattern within the being
Offering of extracted ‘essence’ (medas/ghṛta) with request for proper distribution; inwardly, assimilation and right apportionment of energies in the embodied system.
During sequences emphasizing offering of ‘best portion’ and Agni’s role in distributing to devatās
Offering of the ‘strongest’ portion; invocation for divine measure in reception
Use when overwhelmed or over-efforting: offer the ‘core energy’ and ask for right redistribution—rest, clarity, action in proper measure.
ojas (strength, vigor) connects to vitality-power; ojiṣṭha superlative expresses ‘most potent’—the offering’s concentrated force. ud-bhṛta from ud-√bhṛ ‘bring up, extract’: the essence is raised from the center (madhyataḥ), suggesting inner distillation. tvac ‘skin’ (covering) becomes symbol of the outer sheath that must be suffused by the dripping offerings. deváśas ‘divinely, in due godly measure’ emphasizes ṛta-like proportionality. vihi is an imperative ‘arrange/distribute’ (Vedic usage), asking Agni to apportion the received energies rightly.
ojas (vital force as power for transformation), ṛta as right measure (deváśas), inner distillation (madhyataḥ ud-bhṛtam)
devaśaḥ vihi explicitly implies proportion—energies must be arranged by ṛta, not by impulse.
Offering the strongest essence from the center is an act of truth and sincerity (no self-deception).
Transformation of embodied layers (tvac) by divine fire; ordering of forces as ongoing creation.
Vedic psychology of sheaths and energies; integral transformation extending to the physical-vital (tvac as symbolic surface).
Drops on ‘skin’ = immediate effect on outer nature; extracted essence = distilled energy; distribution = circulation of prāṇa and light through the system.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is ‘extracted essence offered to the fire who then apportions it’: Agni receives the concentrated sap and distributes it godwise. Psychologically, the seeker offers the distilled core-energy; Agni arranges it through the layers of being so the transformation is orderly and effective.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √bhṛ ‘carry/bring’ (ud-bhṛta) is PIE *bʰer-. √dā ‘give’ (dadāmahe) is PIE *deh₃-. The superlative formation ojiṣṭha parallels Indo-European superlative strategies (-iṣṭha in Indo-Aryan).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi offers the strongest extracted essence and requests Agni to ‘receive and distribute divinely’. The reciprocity is explicit: human gives concentrated power; Agni returns ordered assimilation—so the offering becomes an inner organization of force according to ṛta.
Offer the core energy; request divine proportioning across work, relationships, body, and inner practice.
Maṇipūra (core force) with grounding to Mūlādhāra (embodied habit layer)
4-4-6 breathing (inhale-hold-exhale) to extract and stabilize ‘essence’; on exhale, imagine Agni distributing warmth through limbs and surface (tvac).
Strong, centered, regulated.
Identify your ‘strongest essence’ today (the one sincere intention). Offer it inwardly; then ask: ‘Arrange me devaśaḥ’—and follow the simplest balanced instruction that arises (rest, act, speak, refrain).
Not fully provided; emphasize udatta lift on ojiṣṭham, madhyataḥ, devaśaḥ; settle firmly on vihi.
Keep the first pāda weighty (offering); second pāda slightly quicker (dripping/distribution).
ojiṣṭham: retroflex ṣṭh cluster clear, udbhṛtam: pronounce dbhṛ as a conjunct; vocalic ṛ brief, tvaci: tv cluster clean; c as ‘ch’ in Sanskrit (palatal affricate), devaśaḥ: ś palatal; final ḥ audible but light
Firm, grounded, with clear articulation of clusters.
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