Rig Veda 7.13.1: Mandala 7, Sukta 13, Mantra 1
Sukta 7.13
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Agni Vaiśvānara
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
प्राग्नये विश्वशुचे धियंधेऽसुरघ्ने मन्म धीतिं भरध्वम् । भरे हविर्न बर्हिषि प्रीणानो वैश्वानराय यतये मतीनाम् ॥
prā́gnáye viśvá-śúce dhiyáṃdhe ’sura-ghné mánma dhītíṃ bharadhvam | bháre havír ná bárhiṣi prīṇānó vaiśvānaráya yátaye matīnā́m ||
Hãy dâng lên Agni—Đấng thanh tẩy muôn loài, kẻ diệt trừ quyền lực thù nghịch—trước hết là ý niệm (dhī) của chúng ta; hãy mang đến lời linh hứng (manman) và trí tuệ thấy biết (dhīti). Như lễ vật được thỏa mãn trên chỗ ngồi cỏ thiêng (barhis), Ngài chuyên cần vì Vaiśvānara—đấng dẫn đường cho mọi tư tưởng—khiến các mối nghĩ (matī) của chúng ta hướng về con đường đúng.
Word by Word
- प्र
- forth, forward (preverb/intensifier)Indeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRoot प्र (उपसर्ग) अथवा प्र (अव्यय)
- अग्नये
- to AgniNounपुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी (दत्तिव) एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot अग्नि
- विश्वशुचे
- O all-pure / universally brightAdjective (vocative epithet)पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन एकवचन (अग्नेः विशेषणम्)Root विश्व-शुच् (विश्व + शुच्/शुचि)
- धियम्
- thought, prayer, hymnNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot धि
- धे
- place, set, bestow (you should place)Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ) मध्यमपुरुष एकवचन; परस्मैपदRoot धा
- असुरघ्ने
- O slayer of the AsurasAdjective (vocative epithet)पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन एकवचन (अग्नेः विशेषणम्)Root असुर-घ्न (घ्न = √हन्-प्रत्ययान्त)
- मनम्
- mind, intentionNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot मनस् (वैदिक रूप: मनम्)
- धीतीम्
- devout thought, meditationNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot धीति
- भरध्वम्
- bring, bear (you all bring)Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ) मध्यमपुरुष बहुवचन; आत्मनेपदRoot √भृ
- भरे
- I bear/bringVerbलट् (वर्तमान) उत्तमपुरुष एकवचन; आत्मनेपदRoot √भृ
- हविः
- oblationNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया/प्रथमा एकवचन (अत्र कर्मरूपेण)Role KarmaRoot हविस्
- न
- like, asIndeclinableअव्यय (उपमा/न्यायार्थे)Root न
- बर्हिषि
- on the sacrificial grassNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot बर्हिस्
- प्रीणानः
- being pleased, delightingParticipleवर्तमान कृदन्त (शानच्), पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन (कर्ता-विशेषणम्)Role KartāRoot √प्री (प्रीण्) + शानच्
- वैश्वानराय
- to VaiśvānaraNoun (epithet of Agni)पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot वैश्वानर
- यतये
- to the striving one / the ascetic (as epithet)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot यति
- मतीनाम्
- of thoughts, of hymnsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; षष्ठी बहुवचनRoot मति
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (मुख्य): प्र | अग्नये | विश्वशुचे | धियम् | धे | असुरघ्ने | मनम् | धीतीम् | भरध्वम् || भरे | हविः | न | बर्हिषि | प्रीणानः | वैश्वानराय | यतये | मतीनाम् । 1) प्राग्नये = प्र + अग्नये (स्वर-सन्धि/संयोग). 2) धियं॒धे॑ऽसुर॒घ्ने = धियम् + धे + असुरघ्ने
- धियम् धे इत्यत्र म् + ध् संयोगः, तथा ‘धे’ परे ‘अ’ आरम्भेऽसुरघ्ने इति संधौ ‘धेऽसुरघ्ने’ (अवग्रह). 3) हविर्न = हविः + न (विसर्गसन्धि: ः + न → र् न)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Bring forward the thought for Agni, the all-purifying, slayer of hostile powers; bring the inspired word and the vision-intelligence. As one satisfied on the sacred seat like an oblation, he labours for Vaiśvānara, the guide of thoughts.
Inner meaning
The mantra is an instruction for inner sacrifice: bring forward (pra…bharadhvam) the dhi—clarified thought—toward Agni who purifies all (viśvaśuci) and destroys the hostile forces (asuraghne: the powers that distort consciousness). Also bring manma (inspired utterance) and dhīti (seeing intelligence): speech and insight must be offered together. Then, as the being becomes ‘satisfied on the barhis’—the inner seat of offering, a settled foundation—Agni works like the oblation itself, continuously nourishing Vaiśvānara: the universal fire in humanity, the leader who sets the movement of our thoughts (yataye matīnām), guiding them toward right action and widening consciousness.
Universal truth
Transformation requires a triple offering—clear thought, inspired word, and intuitive seeing—into a purifying will; then the universal force in us can guide mental movements toward truth and effective action.
Themes
Offering of thought and inspiration, Agni as all-purifying, Slaying hostile powers, Guidance of thoughts
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Other hymns
- RV 7.13, RV 7.14
Family tradition
The Vasiṣṭha lineage is skilled in ‘manma’—inspired formulation—and in establishing Agni as inner priest who guides thought (mati).
Significance
This verse is explicitly yogic in tone: it prescribes the inner disciplines (thought, word, vision) that build the sacrificial basis for universalized consciousness (Vaiśvānara).
The deity
- Devata
- Agni (Vaiśvānara)
- Epithets
- Viśvaśuci, Asuraghna, Vaiśvānara
- Related deities
- Indra (illumined mind aiding victory over obscuration), Sarasvatī (inspired speech), Bṛhaspati (word-force)
Cosmic role
Purifier of the worlds; conqueror of hostile powers; universal fire present in all beings; leader of mental movements toward ṛta.
Inner power
Transformative will that purifies cognition and speech, converts offerings into force, and guides the mind’s striving toward wideness.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni-Vaiśvānara praise within iṣṭi; preparatory invocation to set the mental offerings before oblations
प्राग्नये॑ विश्व॒शुचे॑ धियं॒धे॑ऽसुर॒घ्ने मन्म॑ धी॒तिं भ॑रध्वम् । भरे॑ ह॒विर्न ब॒र्हिषि॑ प्रीणा॒नो वै॑श्वान॒राय॒ यत॑ये मती॒नाम् ॥
प्र । अ॒ग्नये॑ । वि॒श्व॒ऽशुचे॑ । धि॒य॒म्ऽधे॑ । अ॒सु॒र॒ऽघ्ने । मन्म॑ । धी॒तिम् । भ॒र॒ध्व॒म् । भरे॑ । ह॒विः । न । ब॒र्हिषि॑ । प्री॒णा॒नः । वै॒श्वा॒न॒राय॑ । यत॑ये । म॒ती॒नाम् ॥
pra | agnaye | viśva-śuce | dhiyam-dhe | asura-ghne | manma | dhītim | bharadhvam | bhare | haviḥ | na | barhiṣi | prīṇānaḥ | vaiśvānarāya | yataye | matīnām
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4 × ~11; imperative energy in first two pādas; explanatory/meditative cadence in latter two
Instructional and energizing; a ‘work’ rhythm suitable for sādhanā and effort (yati).
Activates mental clarity and resolve; helps coordinate speech and insight into a single offering.
- विश्वशुचे (viśvaśuce)
- Literal: all-purifying. Symbolic: power that cleanses every layer—mind, life, body
- असुरघ्ने (asuraghne)
- Literal: slayer of asuras/hostile powers. Symbolic: destroyer of falsehood-forces: egoistic impulses, obscuring formations
- धियं धे (dhiyaṃdhe)
- Literal: place/bring the thought. Symbolic: set the mind in right orientation; establish the offering of understanding
- मन्म (manma)
- Literal: inspired word/poetic thought. Symbolic: mantric formulation; soul-speech that carries force
- धीतिम् (dhītim)
- Literal: vision, intelligence. Symbolic: intuitive discernment; seeing mind
- बर्हिषि (barhiṣi)
- Literal: on the sacred grass/seat. Symbolic: inner altar-base: purified foundation of consciousness
- हविः (haviḥ)
- Literal: oblation. Symbolic: offered energies—desires, works, thoughts transmuted
- वैश्वानर (vaiśvānara)
- Literal: belonging to all men; universal fire. Symbolic: universalized consciousness-force guiding collective and individual mind
- यतये (yataye)
- Literal: to strive/guide. Symbolic: directing movement of thoughts toward the goal (yati)
Invocation emphasizing mantra (manma) and inspiration (dhīti) as offerings; Agni as purifier and remover of hostile powers
Before or during offering sequences, especially when invoking purification and protection from hostile forces
Mental and verbal offering (dhi/manma/dhīti) alongside physical oblation; seating on barhis
Use before study, teaching, or creative work: offer thought, speech, and insight to the inner fire; ask it to guide the mind’s movements.
viśva-śuci ‘all-pure’ (√śuc ‘shine/cleanse’). asura-ghna frames ‘asura’ as obstructive powers (not later demonology): forces that oppose the luminous order. dhiyam-dhe is a compact construction: ‘set/establish the dhi’ (dhi = thought/vision). √bhṛ ‘bear/bring’ (PIE *bʰer-). Vaiśvānara ‘belonging to all men’ (viśva-nara), Agni as universal principle. √yat ‘to strive, direct, restrain’—here as guiding effort of thought.
dhi/dhīti as inspired intelligence, combat of light vs obscurity (asura-ghna), universal Agni (Vaiśvānara)
Asuraghna indicates restoration of ṛta by removing distortions; Vaiśvānara guides matis into right movement.
Dhīti as seeing intelligence aligns thought with satya; manma expresses satya in potent speech.
Universal fire in humanity organizing mind and speech—microcosmic re-creation of order from obscurity.
Bridging ritual and yoga: yajña as inner discipline; anticipates Upaniṣadic Vaiśvānara teachings.
Fire = purification and will; seat = stable inner foundation; oblation = energies given; hostile powers = obscuring shadows within nature.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The inner battle where Agni slays obstructive ‘asura’ powers: the mythic combat is reinterpreted as purification and removal of inner obscurity so that inspired thought (dhīti) can be established.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √bhṛ ‘bring/bear’ is a core PIE root *bʰer- (Greek phérō, Latin ferō). viśva ‘all’ reflects PIE *wiḱs? debated; but the semantic ‘all’ is Indo-Iranian stable (Avestan vispa).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The Rishi-community is instructed to ‘bring’ not only physical havis but also manma and dhīti—speech and vision. Agni reciprocates by purifying and by directing the movement of thought (matīnām), becoming the universal guide (Vaiśvānara) within the human field.
Offer three instruments: (1) clear thought (dhi), (2) true speech/mantra (manma), (3) intuitive seeing (dhīti) into the heart-fire; let it guide the mind’s striving.
Ājñā (dhīti/seeing) offered into Anāhata (Agni in the heart), empowering Maṇipūra (action)
Three-part cycle: inhale (receive clarity), brief hold (see), exhale (offer as mantra).
Active concentration moving into guided flow; sense of an inner ‘leader of thoughts’.
Before meditation, write or speak one truthful intention (manma), hold a clear idea (dhi), then silently ‘see’ the next right step (dhīti). Offer all into the inner flame and proceed with the work as yajña.
RV accents; imperatives ‘bharadhvam’ carry lift; keep compound accents clear (viśvaśuce, asuraghne, vaiśvānara).
Articulate the sequence ‘manma dhītim bharadhvam’ as three offerings; pause slightly after it.
viśvaśuce: palatal ś, clear ‘śu’, asuraghne: ‘ghn’ cluster nasalized but distinct, vaiśvānara: long ā, retroflex ṇ in ‘nara’ not needed; keep ‘śvā’ clear
Bright, directive, with sharp consonants in first half; soften and broaden on ‘vaiśvānārāya’.
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