A Grammatical Account of lP B*P lP B*P lP B*P lP B*P

[74( B l(6l 74( B l(6l 74( B l(6l 74( B l(6l (1.1.1)]

A Grammatical Account of Agni Sktam [gveda sahit (1.1.1)]
lPT 9 7B~llP
Rmaka Janasvmi
17-Jun-08
7l9 P^=l 4 llP4 B l44l (46l lP
i madhucchand vaivmitra chanda gyatr devat agni
Introduction:
As with our previous works, we hope that the present work is useful to readers
who would like to carryout their own interpretation of various classical and
vedic sanskrit texts. Agni Suktam is the first hymn in the oldest of the vedas, the
Rig Veda and is addressed to Agni, the fire-god, who is considered a cosmic
power, who protects and guides human beings towards perfection. In what
follows, we have included the original Sanskrit text along with the transliterated
text for each Rig Vedic hymn. Svarita, Anudatta and Udatta marks are also
shown in the original Sanskrit hymns to facilitate proper pronuciation and
recitation. Sandhi dissected versions should be of immense help before an
interpretation of various words is undertaken. As opposed to classical Sanskrit,
Vedic sanskrit is somewhat less structured and a careful reader will find not
infrequent violation of grammatical rules in the texts. Still, the grammar works of
Macdonnel [3] and Whitney [5] should be paticularly useful in interpreting vedic
texts in a meaningful way.
Mantra 1:
lPPl 9ll( 6 4 (4P l~7

P (l6l ^l6 PP


agnime purohita yajasya devamtvijam | hotra ratnadhtamam ||1||
Bl~ l4R(--lPP 17 9ll(6P 4 (4P

7l~7P

(l6lP

^l6PP

sandhi vigraha--agnim e purohitam yajasya devam tvijam hotram

ratnadhtamam
Word Meanings:
lPP

= Fire God (acc. sg. of lP, m.)

17 = I glorify (1st. sg. pr. of root 17 , 2A= to praise, to glorify)
9ll(6P
= high priest, one who is first appointed [acc. sg. of cpd. 9l (first) + l(6 (
appointed, ppp. of root ^l, 3P)]
4 = of sacrifice (gen. sg. of 4, m.)
(4P

= the divine (acc. sg. of (4 , m. )

7l~7P

= ministrant, priest (acc. sg. of 7l~7

, m.)
(l6lP

= an offerer (acc. sg. of (l6 , m.)

^l6PP

= holder of greatest jewels [acc. sg. of cpd. lBlP

(gen. pl. of P

, n. )
+ ^l (m. holder) + 6P (marker of superlative degree)]
Translation: I glorify Agni, the high priest of sacrifice, the divine, the ministrant,
who is the offerer and possessor of greatest wealth.
Mantra 2:
lP 94 l *l9 l ll B6 B 6 6 B (4l 9( 4 l6
agni prvebhiribhiryo ntanairuta | sa dev eha vakati ||2||
Bl~ l4R(--lP 94l 7l9l 1 B6B 36 B (4lB ( 4l6

sandhi vigraha--gni prvebhi ibhi ya ntanai uta sa devn iha

vakati
Word Meanings:
lP = Fire God (nom. sg. of lP, m.)
94l = by ancient (instr. pl. of pronoun 94 )
7l9l = by sages (instr pl. of 7l9, m.)
B6B = by new (instr. pl. of B6B , n.)
1 = worthy to be praised (nom. sg. of pot. part. of root 17 , 2A = to praise)
36 = and, also (ind.)
B = he, that (nom. sg. of 6( )
(4lB

= Gods (acc. sg. of (4 , m.)

( = here in time, place or direction (ind.)
4l6 = he accumulates (3rd. sg. pr. of root 4

, 1P = to accumulate)
Translation: May that Agni, who is worthy to be praised by ancient and modern
sages, gather the Gods here.
Mantra 3:
lPBl l4P +46 9l9 P4 l(4l( 4 4HB

4l4 PP

agnin rayima navat poameva divedive | yaasa vravattamam ||3||

Bl~ l4R(--lPBl l4P +46 9l9P 94 l(4l(4 4HBP

4l4PP

sandhi vigraha--agnin rayim anavat poam eva divedive yaasam

vravattamam
Word Meanings:
lPBl = by Agni (instr. sg. of lP, m.)
l4P

= property, treasure (acc. sg. of l4, m.)

+46

= obtains, gets (3p. sg. subj. of root H

, 5P = to get)
9l9P

= growth, increase (acc. sg. of 9l9, m.)

94 = very (ind.)
l(4l(4 = day by day (loc. sg. of l(4, n.)
4HBP

= fame (acc. sg. of 4HB

, n.)
4l4PP

= abounding in men/horses or in progeny [acc. sg. of cpd. 4l46

(m.
having sons) + superlative 6P]
Translation: Through Agni, one gets lot of wealth that increases day by day.
One gets fame and the best progeny.
Mantra 4:
P 4 4P 7 l46 9llB B 49 =l6

v
agne ya yajama dhvara vi vata paribhrasi | sa iddeveu gacchati ||4||
Bl~ l4R(--P 4P

4P 7P

l46 9l lB B 6 (49 =l6

sandhi vigraha--agne yayajamadhvaram vivata paribh asi sa it deveu
gacchati
Word Meanings:
P = O Agni (voc. sg. of lP, m.)
4P

= which (acc. sg. of 4, m.)

4P

= sacrifice (acc. sg. of 4, m.)

7P

= not injuring (acc. sg. of 7, m.)

l46 = on all sides (ind.)
9l = surrounding, pervading (nom. sg. of 9l , m.)
lB = you are (2nd. sg. pr. of root B

, 2P = to be)
B = that (acc. sg. of pronoun 6( )
( = indeed, assuredly (ind., similar meaning as 94)
(49 = in gods (loc. pl. of (4 , m.)
=l6 = reaches (3rd sg. pr. of root P

, 1P = to go)
Translation: O Agni, you are surrounding the non-violent sacrifice on all sides,
that which indeed reaches (in) the gods.
Mantra 5:
lP(l6l T l44 6 B~l4~ 4P (4l (4l l P6

-
agnirhot kavikratu satyacitraravastama | devo devebhirgamat ||5||
Bl~ l4R(--lP (l6l Tl446 B~ l4~4P (4 (4l P6

sandhi vigraha--agni hot kavikratu satya citraravastama deva devebhi

gamat
Word Meanings:
lP = Fire (nom sg. of lP, m.)
(l6l = sacrificer/priest (nom. sg. of (l6 , m.)
Tl446 = one who possesses immense wisdom [nom. sg. of cpd. Tl4P

+ 46 ]
B~ = true (nom. sg. of B~, m.)
l4~4P = one who has most distinguished fame [nom. sg. Kd. cpd. l4 (n.
distinguished) + ~4B

(m. fame) + 6P (superlative sign)]

(4 = god (nom. sg. of (4 , m.)
(4l = with the gods (instr. pl. of (4 , m.)
P6

= may he come (3p. sg. subj. Aor. of root P

, 1P = to come)
Translation: May Agni, the sacrificer, one who possesses immense wisdom, he
who is true, has most distinguished fame, is divine, come hither with the gods.
Mantra 6:
4(\ (lH9 ~PP 5 T llB 64 6~~P
l\\
yadaga due tvamagne bhadra kariyasi | tavetatsatyamagira ||6||
Bl~ l4R(--46 \ (lH9 ~P P
5P

TllB 64 6 66 B~P l\

sandhi vigraha--yat aga due tvam agne bhadram kariyasi tava it tat satyam
agira
Word Meanings:
46

= which (acc. sg. of 46

, n.)
\ = things, possessions (acc. sg. of \, n.)
(lH9 = you bestow (2nd sg. pr. of root (lH

, 8A = to bestow, to give)
~P

= you (nom. sg. of pronoun 46

)
P = O Agni (voc. sg. of lP, m.)
5P

= fortune (nom. sg. of 5P

, n.)
TllB = you will do (2nd. sg. per. fut. of root T , 8U = to do)
64 = your (gen. sg. of pronoun 46
)
6

= indeed (ind.)
66

= that (acc. sg. of 6( , n.)

B~P

= truth, essence (nom. sg. of B~P

, n.)
l\B

= O Angiras, Epithet of Agni (also of Devas in general)

Translation: O Agni, whatever good you will do and whatever possessions you
bestow (upon the worshipper), that, O Angiras, is indeed your essence.
Mantra 7:
39 ~lP l(4l( 4 (l9l 4l^ 4l 44P BPl

~ 9P lB~
upa tvgne divedive dovastardhiy vayam | namo bharanta emasi ||7||
Bl~ l4R(--39 ~l P l(4l(4 (l9l4 l^4l 44P

BP ~ 9PlB
sandhi vigraha--upa tv agne divedive dovastar dhiy vayam nama
bharanta emasi
Word Meanings:
39 = near (ind.)
~l = thee (acc. sg. of pronoun 4P6
)
(l9l4 = illuminer of darkness [voc. sg. of cpd. (l94l (f. of darkness) + 4 (m.
illuminer) ]
l^4l = by thought (instr. sg. of ^l, f.)
44P

= we all (nom. pl. of pronoun ( )

BP = salutation, abeisance (nom. sg. of BP, m.)
~ = while bearing (nom. pl. of 6

= pap. of root , 1P = to carry, to bear)

9PlB = we approach (1p. pl. pr. of + root 1 = 9, 2P = to approach)
Translation: O Agni, the illuminer (dispeller) of darkness, we approach near thee
(thy vicinity) with thought (willingness), day by day, while bearing obeisance.
Mantra 8:
7 ~P7 Tl l9lP 6 (ll( l4P 4^ PlB ~ (P

<
rajantamadhvara gopmtasya ddivim | vardhamna sve dame ||8||
Bl~ l4R(--l7~P 7lTlP l9lP 76 (ll(l4P

4^PlBP

~ (P
sandhi vigraha--rjantam adhvarm gopm tasya ddivim vardhamnam sve
dame
Word Meanings:
l7~P

= shining (acc. sg. of l76

= pap. of root l7

, 1P = to shine, to be
illustrious)
7lTlP

= of non-injuring sacrifices (gen. pl. of 7, m.)

l9lP

= protector (acc. sg. of l9, m.)

76 = of order, of truth, of righteousness (gen. sg. of 76 , m.)
(ll(l4P

= bright, shining (acc. sg. of (ll(l4, m.)

4^PlBP

= increasing, growing (acc. sg. of 4^PlB

, n.)
~ = in own (loc. sg. of ~)
(P = in house, in dwelling (loc. sg. of (P, m.)
Translation: (We approach) Thee, the shining (the radiant), the protector of non-
injuring sacrifices, growing in your own dwelling, the bright star of truth.
Mantra 9:
B B l964 BB45P B9l4Bl 4 B ~l B ~ 4

sa na piteva snave'gne spyano bhava | sacasv na svastaye ||9||

Bl~ l4R(--B B l96l 4 BB4 P B94B 4 B~l B ~4
sandhi vigraha--sa na pit iva snave agne spayana bhava sacasv na
svastaye
Word Meanings:
B = emphatic particle
B = to us (dat. pl. of pronoun ( )
l96l = father (nom. sg. of l96 , m.)
4 = like (ind.)
BB4 = to son (dat. sg. of BB , m.)
B9l4B = easily accessible, adj.
4 = you be (2nd. sg. imp. of root , 1P)
B~l = you accompany (2nd. sg. imp. of root B

, 1A = to accompany, to be
associated with)
~4 = for well being (dat. sg. of ~l, n.)
Translation: O Agni, be easily accesible to us, like a father to his son.
Accompany us for our well being.
Glossary:
A, Aatmanepada verb
abl., ablative
absol., absolutive
acc., accusative
adj., adjective
adv., adverb
aor., aorist
BV cpd.,bahuvriihi compound
caus., causative
DV cpd., Dvandva compound
Dvg cpd., Dvigu compound
dat., dative
des., desiderative
dl., dual
esp., especially
f., feminine
abl., ablative
fut., future tense
gen., genetive
gdv., gerundive or potential past participle
imp., imperative mood
imperf., imperfect tense
ind., indeclinable
indic., indicative
ifc., in fine compositi
inf., infinitive
instr., instrumental
interrog., interrogative
irreg., irregular
KD cpd., Karmadharaya compound
lit., literally
loc., locative
m., masculine
n., neuter
nom., nominative
P., Parasmaipada verb
p. past tense
per. fut., periphrastic future
pap., past active participle
ppp., past passive participle
pl., plural
pot., potential mood
pr., present indicative
sg., singular
subj., subjunctive mood
TP cpd., Tatpurusha compound
UPP cpd., Upapada compound
voc., vocative
REFERENCES
[1] R. Antoine, A Sanskrit Manual for High Schools, Pts. I and II, Calcutta, India:
Xavier Publications, 1992.
[2] R. P. Goldman and S. J. Sutherland, Devavaanipraveshika: An Introduction to
Sanskrit Language, Berkeley: Univ. California Press, 1987.
[3] A. A. Macdonnell, A Vedic Grammar for Students, Delhi, India: Motilal
Banarsidass Publishers, 1916.
[4] Sir Monier Monier-Williams, A Sanskrit-English Dictionary, Delhi, India: Motilal
Banarsidass Publishers, 1899.
[5] W. D. Whitney, Sanskrit Grammar, Delhi, India: Motilal Banarsidass
Publishers, 1924.