Rig Veda 8.39.7: Mandala 8, Sukta 39, Mantra 7
Sukta 8.39
- Devata
- Agni
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
अग्निर्देवेषु संवसुः स विक्षु यज्ञियास्वा । स मुदा काव्या पुरु विश्वं भूमेव पुष्यति देवो देवेषु यज्ञियो नभन्तामन्यके समे ॥
agnír devéṣu sáṃvasuḥ sá vikṣú yajñíyāsv ā́ | sá mudā́ kā́vyā purú víśvaṃ bhū́meva púṣyati devó devéṣu yajñíyo nabhantām anyaké samé ||
阿耆尼于诸天之中为内住之善；他来入诸族中、入于堪受祭祀者。以欢悦与仙圣之灵感（kāvya），他如广阔大地般滋养一切存在——神中之神，祭祀之力——愿敌对之势被驱逐，远往他处。
Word by Word
- अग्निः
- Agni (the fire-god)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot अग्नि- (प्रातिपदिक)
- देवेषु
- among the godsNounपुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; बहुवचनRole अधिकरणRoot देव- (प्रातिपदिक)
- संवसुः
- the all-good/abiding-with (beneficent one)Adjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृ (अग्निः-विशेषणम्)Root संवसु- (प्रातिपदिक)
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot तद् (सर्वनाम)
- विक्षु
- among the clans/peoplesNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; बहुवचन (वैदिक रूप)Role अधिकरणRoot विश्- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘clan/settlement’)
- यज्ञियासु
- in the worshipful/ritual (clans)Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; बहुवचनRole अधिकरण (विक्षु-विशेषणम्)Root यज्ञिय- (प्रातिपदिक)
- आ
- towards, hitherIndeclinableRoot आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot तद् (सर्वनाम)
- मुदा
- with joyNoun (instrumental adverbial)स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया; एकवचनRole करणRoot मुद्- (प्रातिपदिक ‘joy’)
- काव्या
- poetic (works/utterances)Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; बहुवचन (वैदिक)Role कर्मRoot काव्य- (प्रातिपदिक)
- पुरु
- many, abundantAdjective/Indeclinable (quantifier)अव्ययवत्; ‘many, much’Role विशेषण (काव्या-विशेषणम्)Root पुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
- विश्वम्
- all, whollyAdjective (used adverbially)नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्म/क्रियाविशेषणRoot विश्व- (प्रातिपदिक)
- भूमे
- the earthNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन (वैदिक/छान्दस रूप)Role उपमान (इव-सम्बन्धः)Root भूमि- (प्रातिपदिक)
- इव
- likeIndeclinableRoot इव (निपात)
- पुष्यति
- nourishes, prospersVerbलट्; परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot पुष् (धातु)
- देवः
- the godNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृ (पुष्यति)Root देव- (प्रातिपदिक)
- देवेषु
- among the godsNounपुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; बहुवचनRole अधिकरणRoot देव- (प्रातिपदिक)
- यज्ञियः
- worshipful, fit for sacrificeAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृ (देवः-विशेषणम्)Root यज्ञिय- (प्रातिपदिक)
- नभन्ताम्
- let them shine/appearVerbलोट्; आत्मनेपद; तृतीयपुरुष; बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot नभ् (धातु)
- अन्यके
- in/among another (place/party)Adjective (substantivized)पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; एकवचन (वैदिक)Role अधिकरणRoot अन्यक- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘other/another’)
- समे
- in the assembly/togetherNoun/Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; एकवचन (वैदिक)Role अधिकरणRoot सम- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘same/equal/assembly’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (मुख्य): अग्निः + देवेषु + संवसुः । सः + विक्षु + यज्ञियासु + आ । सः + मुदा + काव्या(णि) + पुरु + विश्वम् + भूमे + इव + पुष्यति + देवः + देवेषु + यज्ञियः । नभन्ताम् + अन्यके + समे । विशेष-सन्धि/छान्दस: (1) अग्निर्देवेषु = अग्निः + देवेषु (विसर्ग-रेफः)। (2) संवसुः छान्दस-प्रातिपदिक ‘संवसु-’ (अग्नि-विशेषणम्)। (3) विक्षु = विश्- का सप्तमी बहुवचन (वैदिक रूप)। (4) यज्ञिया-स्वा इति पाठे ‘स्वा’ को ‘आ’ (निपात) रूपेण ग्रहणम्
- ‘यज्ञियास्वा’ = यज्ञियासु + आ (स्वर/पदविभाग-भेद सम्भव)। (5) काव्या पु॒रु: ‘काव्या’ को नपुंसक द्वितीया बहुवचन (काव्यानि) छान्दस-लोप/संक्षेप से। (6) भूमे॑व = भूमे + इव (ए/इव सन्धि)। (7) नभन्ताम्: लोट् 3बहु (आत्मनेपद) ‘नभ्’ धातोः वैदिक प्रयोग
- अर्थ ‘दीप्यन्ताम्/प्रकाशन्ताम्’।
The meaning
Outer meaning
Agni is the indwelling good among the Gods; he comes into the clans fit for sacrifice. With gladness and seer-inspiration he nourishes the whole world like the earth—God among the Gods, the sacrificial one—let the hostile powers be driven away elsewhere.
Inner meaning
Agni is “saṃvasuḥ” among the gods: the resident good, the stable luminous substance in the higher powers. He descends into “vikṣu” (clans/peoples) that are “yajñiyāḥ” (capable of sacrifice)—psychologically, parts of our nature that consent to consecration. When Agni is welcomed, he works with “mudā” (gladness) and “kāvyā” (the seer-poet’s inspired vision): joy and inspiration are not ornaments but fuel and guidance for transformation. He “puṣyati viśvam” — he nourishes the whole being, as earth supports all growth: mind, life, body become a broad ground for the divine life. The refrain again clears hostile forces that would prevent this integral nourishment.
Universal truth
When the will is consecrated, it becomes a resident good that enters receptive parts of life, and through joy and inspired insight it nourishes the entire being into a stable, earth-like foundation for higher consciousness.
Themes
Community and sacrifice, Nourishment, Joy and inspiration
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 8.39.4, Rig Veda 8.39.5, Rig Veda 8.39.6, Rig Veda 8.39.8
Significance
Emphasizes the ‘integral’ aim: Agni’s work is to foster the whole being, not a single faculty—an important key in Sri Aurobindo’s reading of yajña.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- saṃvasu (indwelling good), devo deveṣu (god among gods), yajñiya (sacrificial power), kāvya (seer-inspired, by association)
- Related deities
- Pṛthivī (earth principle, as simile), Uṣas (illumination that brings gladness), Soma (delight that supports inspiration)
Cosmic role
Immanent divine presence that stabilizes and nourishes the cosmos; the sacrificial force that makes growth possible.
Inner power
Joyful inspired will that integrates the whole nature into a supportive foundation.
In ritual
Where it is used
Household and communal fire worship emphasizing prosperity and harmony; general Agni praise with protective refrain
अ॒ग्निर्दे॒वेषु॒ संव॑सु॒: स वि॒क्षु य॒ज्ञिया॒स्वा । स मु॒दा काव्या॑ पु॒रु विश्वं॒ भूमे॑व पुष्यति दे॒वो दे॒वेषु॑ य॒ज्ञियो॒ नभ॑न्तामन्य॒के स॑मे ॥
अ॒ग्निः । दे॒वेषु॑ । सम्ऽव॑सुः । सः । वि॒क्षु । य॒ज्ञिया॑सु । आ । सः । मु॒दा । काव्या॑ । पु॒रु । विश्व॑म् । भूम॑ऽइव । पु॒ष्य॒ति॒ । दे॒वः । दे॒वेषु॑ । य॒ज्ञियः॑ । नभ॑न्ताम् । अ॒न्य॒के । स॒मे॒ ॥
agniḥ | deveṣu | sam-vasuḥ | saḥ | vikṣu | yajñiyāsu | ā | saḥ | mudā | kāvyā | puru | viśvam | bhūma-iva | puṣyati | devaḥ | deveṣu | yajñiyaḥ | nabhantām | anyake | same
32
4 × ~8 with refrain
Gentler than the battle-like verses; a nourishing, expansive flow before the expulsive close.
Creates warmth and inclusivity; supports a sense of being held and fed inwardly.
- संवसुḥ (saṃvasuḥ)
- Literal: well-dwelling, possessing good wealth. Symbolic: indwelling stable good; settled luminous substance
- विक्षु (vikṣu)
- Literal: clans, peoples. Symbolic: domains of the being; mind-life-body communities
- यज्ञियासु (yajñiyāsu)
- Literal: fit for sacrifice. Symbolic: receptive parts ready for consecration
- मुदा (mudā)
- Literal: gladness. Symbolic: psychic joy that accelerates purification
- काव्या (kāvyā)
- Literal: seer-poetic inspiration. Symbolic: intuitive vision; mantra-consciousness guiding action
- भूमेव (bhūmeva)
- Literal: like the earth. Symbolic: broad stable foundation; capacity to sustain growth
- पुष्यति (puṣyati)
- Literal: nourishes, fosters. Symbolic: integral strengthening and harmonizing of the nature
Communal invocation emphasizing Agni’s presence in viś (clans) and yajñiya communities; apt for rites establishing social-sacral cohesion.
At domestic offerings, community rites, or when invoking harmony and growth
Offering with intention of ‘puṣṭi’ (nourishment) and right receptivity in the household/clan
A meditation for integration: invite Agni into all ‘clans’ of your nature; cultivate gladness and inspired listening; visualize the being becoming broad like earth.
sam-vasuḥ: from sam + vasu ‘good/wealth’; √vas ‘dwell’ also resonates—‘dwelling together’. puṣyati from √puṣ (PIE *pews- ‘thrive’ uncertain), common Vedic verb for nourishing and increasing. kavi/kāvya tied to seer-poetry as knowledge-making.
Collective receptivity (yajñiya), Joy (mudā) as sign of right alignment, Nourishment of total being (viśvam)
Nourishment ‘like earth’ implies lawful, steady increase under ṛta.
Kāvya points to the rishi-function: truth received and expressed as guiding inspiration.
Sustenance and expansion: the cosmos and the person are fostered by the sacrificial fire.
Integral Yoga / Vedic psychology: yajña as the method of total-life transformation.
Earth = stability and receptivity; nourishment = strengthening of all parts; gladness = psychic openness that allows higher forces to pervade.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Agni’s descent into the yajñiya clans and his fostering of the whole being like the earth. Mythically, the fire-god is the civilizing/nourishing center that makes the human collective a fit field for the gods.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The social term viś (people/clan) is an old Indo-Iranian/IE social lexeme (cf. Avestan vīs). The inherited poetic register links kavi (seer) with sacral speech, a hallmark of Indo-European praise traditions.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi frames Agni as a power that enters receptive collectives and increases their total capacity (purú víśvam). The exchange is communal: the clan’s yajñiya readiness invites Agni; Agni returns nourishment, joy, and inspired order.
Integration practice: invite Agni into each part of life (thought, emotion, body, work) and let him foster a broad, stable foundation.
Anahata (gladness/heart) grounding into Muladhara (earth stability).
Slow-meditative: inhale ‘saṃvasuḥ’, exhale ‘puṣyati’; keep breath soft and wide in the belly and chest.
Receptive, grounded, quietly joyful.
If parts of the nature resist consecration, do not force; make them ‘yajñiya’ by gentle sincerity and gladness, then offer them to Agni. End by releasing hostile thoughts to ‘elsewhere’.
Observe udatta marks; keep ‘mudā kāvyā’ lightly uplifted; allow ‘bhūmeva puṣyati’ to broaden and soften; refrain steady.
Make a gentle caesura after ‘ā’; avoid punching consonants—this verse benefits from smoothness.
saṃvasuḥ: anusvāra before ‘v’ as a light nasalization., yajñiyāsv ā: keep ‘yajñ’ conjunct; avoid inserting extra vowel., kāvyā: long ā; ‘vy’ conjunct., bhūmeva: long ū; ‘e’ clear.
Warm, soothing, grounded; refrain firm but not aggressive.
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Rig Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
