Rig Veda 10.1.4: Mandala 10, Sukta 1, Mantra 4
Sukta 10.1
- Rishi
- Traditionally: Mādhucchandas or related Angiras line is often associated with early Agni hymns
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
अत उ त्वा पितुभृतो जनित्रीरन्नावृधं प्रति चरन्त्यन्नैः । ता ईं प्रत्येषि पुनरन्यरूपा असि त्वं विक्षु मानुषीषु होता ॥
áta u tvā pitú-bhṛ́to jánitrīr annā-vṛ́dhaṁ práti caranty annáiḥ | tā́ īm práty eṣi púnar anyá-rūpā ási tváṁ vikṣú mā́nuṣīṣu hótā ||
Darum schreiten zu dir die nährenden Mütter, die die tragende Kraft tragen, mit ihren Speisen—zu dir, der durch inneren Saft wächst. Ihnen gehst du wieder entgegen, stets in anderer Gestalt; du bist der Hotar, der rufende Priester, in den Menschengeschlechtern.
Word by Word
- अतः
- therefore; from thatIndeclinableनिपात/अव्यय (अपादानार्थे/हेतौ)Role ApādānaRoot अतः (अदस्/इदम्-प्रातिपदिकात् निपातः)
- उ
- indeed; andIndeclinableनिपात (अनुनासिक/अन्वर्थ-बलार्थक)Root उ (निपात)
- त्वा
- you (as object)Pronounद्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- पितुः
- of the fatherNounषष्ठी एकवचन (पुं.)Role SambandhaRoot पितृ
- भृतः
- borne/supportedAdjective/Participleप्रथमा बहुवचन (पुं.) कर्मणि-भूतकृदन्त (क्त)Role KartāRoot √भृ (धारणे) → भृत (कृदन्त)
- जनित्रीः
- mothers; begettersNounद्वितीया बहुवचन (स्त्री.)Role KarmaRoot √जन् (जनने) → जनित्री (स्त्री. कर्तृवाचक)
- अन्ना
- with foods; by nourishmentNounतृतीया बहुवचन (नपुं.) वैदिक-रूप (अन्नैः का वैकल्पिक/प्राचीन रूप)Role KaraṇaRoot अन्न
- वृधम्
- growing; increasingAdjectiveद्वितीया एकवचन (पुं.)Role KarmaRoot √वृध् (वर्धने) → वृध (कृदन्त/विशेषण)
- प्रति
- towards; in responseIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRoot प्रति (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- चरन्ति
- they move; they go aboutVerbलट्, प्र. पु., बहुवचनRole KriyāRoot √चर् (गत्यर्थे)
- अन्नैः
- with foods; with nourishmentNounतृतीया बहुवचन (नपुं.)Role KaraṇaRoot अन्न
- ताः
- those (f.)Pronounप्रथमा बहुवचन (स्त्री.)Role KartāRoot तद् (सर्वनाम)
- ईम्
- just; indeedIndeclinableनिपात (एव/इव बलार्थक; सर्वनाम-सम्बद्ध)Root ईम् (निपात)
- प्रति
- towardsIndeclinableअव्यय/उपसर्गRoot प्रति
- एषि
- you go; you approachVerbलट्, म. पु., एकवचनRole KriyāRoot √इ (गत्यर्थे)
- पुनः
- againIndeclinableअव्ययRoot पुनः (अव्यय)
- अन्यरूपाः
- of another form; changed in formAdjectiveप्रथमा बहुवचन (स्त्री.) (बहुव्रीहि/कर्मधारय-समासार्थ: ‘अन्यं रूपं यस्याः/यासाम्’)Role KartāRoot अन्य + रूप
- असि
- you areVerbलट्, म. पु., एकवचनRole KriyāRoot √अस् (भू)
- त्वम्
- youPronounप्रथमा एकवचनRole KartāRoot युष्मद्
- विक्षु
- among the clans/settlementsNounसप्तमी बहुवचन (स्त्री.)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot विś् (जन/ग्राम) → विक्षु
- मानुषीषु
- among human (women/peoples)Adjective (used substantively)सप्तमी बहुवचन (स्त्री.)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot मानुषी (मानुष + ई)
- होता
- the Hotṛ-priest; invokerNounप्रथमा एकवचन (पुं.)Role KartāRoot √हु (यज्ञे) → होतृ
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धि-विग्रह): अतः उ त्वा पितुः-भृतः जनित्रीः अन्ना-वृधम् प्रति चरन्ति अन्नैः । ताः ईम् प्रति एषि पुनः अन्य-रूपाः असि त्वम् विक्षु मानुषीषु होता । 1) पितुभृतो = पितुः + भृतः (विसर्ग-लोप/सन्धि)
- 2) जनित्रीरन्नावृधम् = जनित्रीः + अन्ना + वृधम् (ः + अ → र्; तथा समास/पदसंयोग)
- 3) चरन्त्यन्नैः = चरन्ति + अन्नैः (इ + अ → य्)
- 4) ता ईं = ताः + ईम् (विसर्ग-लोप)
- 5) प्रत्येषि = प्रति + एषि (इ + ए → ये)
- 6) पुनरन्यरूपाः = पुनः + अन्यरूपाः (ः + अ → र्)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Therefore the fostering Mothers carrying nourishment move toward you with foods; you respond to them again, taking new forms. You are the Hotṛ among human clans.
Inner meaning
The ‘Mothers’ are the generating powers of Nature—energies of mind, life, and body that bring their offerings (annāni: substances/forces) to the inner fire. Agni grows by the true inner substance (annāvṛdham)—not merely outer fuel but conscious nourishment: attention, sincerity, discipline, and refined life-energy. In response, Agni returns into these powers, assuming ever-new forms (anyarūpāḥ): new capacities, new purities, new workings in each part of the nature. Thus he becomes the Hotṛ in the human collectivity: the inner priest who calls the divine powers into our embodied life.
Universal truth
When our nature offers its energies to the inner flame, the flame transforms those energies and returns them renewed; spiritual life is a reciprocal exchange between aspiration and the instruments of living.
Themes
Agni-as-Hotṛ, inner nourishment and growth, reciprocity of human and divine powers, transformation of the divine flame
The seer
- Rishi
- Same hymn seer as RV 10.1 (specific attribution uncertain in provided data).
- Other hymns
- RV 1.1 (Agni as priest), RV 3.2 (Agni’s many forms)
Significance
Highlights reciprocity: the seeker’s nature offers its energies; Agni returns as transforming intelligence and will, becoming the true inner Hotṛ.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- annāvṛdha (increasing by nourishment), hotṛ (invoker), anyarūpa (many-formed)
- Related deities
- Aditi/Mothers (conceptual), Uṣas (resultant illumination)
Cosmic role
Priest-power in humanity; transformer who receives offerings from the powers of Nature and returns them refined.
Inner power
Adaptive transformative will—able to enter each part of the being and reshape it into a fit instrument.
In ritual
Where it is used
General Agni invocation in offering sequences; aligns with feeding the fire (samidh/anna/ghṛta offerings).
अत॑ उ त्वा पितु॒भृतो॒ जनि॑त्रीरन्ना॒वृधं॒ प्रति॑ चर॒न्त्यन्नै॑: । ता ईं॒ प्रत्ये॑षि॒ पुन॑र॒न्यरू॑पा॒ असि॒ त्वं वि॒क्षु मानु॑षीषु॒ होता॑ ॥
अतः॑ । ऊँ॒ इति॑ । त्वा॒ । पि॒तु॒ऽभृतः॑ । जनि॑त्रीः । अ॒न्न॒ऽवृध॑म् । प्रति॑ । च॒र॒न्ति॒ । अन्नैः॑ । ताः । ई॒म् । प्रति॑ । ए॒षि॒ । पुनः॑ । अ॒न्यऽरू॑पाः । असि॑ । त्वम् । वि॒क्षु । मानु॑षीषु । होता॑ ॥
ataḥ | oṃ iti | tvā | pitu-bhṛtaḥ | janitrīḥ | anna-vṛdham | prati | caranti | annaiḥ | tāḥ | īm | prati | eṣi | punaḥ | anya-rūpāḥ | asi | tvam | vikṣu | mānuṣīṣu | hotā
44
4×11 (approx.)
Reciprocal ‘call-and-response’ movement; balanced clauses
Encourages offering and receptivity; creates a sense of dialogue between aspiration and nature.
- जनित्रीः (janitrīḥ)
- Literal: mothers, begetters. Symbolic: generative powers/energies of Nature (mind-life-body) that bear and feed the flame
- पितुभृतः (pitubhṛtaḥ)
- Literal: bearing nourishment. Symbolic: carrying sustaining forces—prāṇa, attention, formative energy
- अन्नैः (annaiḥ)
- Literal: with foods. Symbolic: offerings of substance: energies, works, experiences given to transformation
- अन्नावृधम् (annāvṛdham)
- Literal: growing by food. Symbolic: Agni increases by inner substance—conscious nourishment rather than mere ritual fuel
- अन्यरूपाः (anyarūpāḥ)
- Literal: of other/new forms. Symbolic: adaptive transformative workings of the divine will in each part of the being
- होता (hotā)
- Literal: invoking priest. Symbolic: inner caller—power that summons higher forces into the human field
Agni-invocation at the opening/renewal of rite; applicable broadly to daily Agnihotra and Soma-sacrifice settings where Agni is established as Hotṛ (framework use; exact viniyoga varies by tradition).
During oblations and Agni-stuti when emphasizing Agni as Hotṛ
Offering and invocation; acknowledging Agni’s presence among humans
Before meals or work: brief recitation to convert ‘food/energy’ into conscious offering; cultivate mindful exchange (offer → transform → return).
Key terms: (1) pitu-bhṛtaḥ: bhṛ ‘to bear/carry’ (PIE *bher-) + pitu (Vedic ‘nourishing drink/food-sap’, related to √pā ‘to drink/protect’ in semantic field of sustenance). (2) janitrīḥ: from √jan ‘beget, generate’ (PIE *ǵenh₁-), feminine agent ‘mothers/procreatrices’. (3) anna-vṛdham: anna ‘food/oblation/substance’ (from √ad ‘to eat’, PIE *h₁ed-) + √vṛdh ‘to grow/increase’ (PIE *werdh-). (4) hotā: from √hu ‘to pour/sacrifice/invoke’ (PIE *ǵʰewh₁- ‘pour’), the invoking priest—psychologically the will that offers and calls down higher powers.
Ṛta (ordered movement/reciprocity implied by prati…prati), transformation/multiformity of consciousness (anya-rūpāḥ), inner sacrifice (hotā as psychological function)
Right order is maintained by proper offering and proper return—energies circulate and are refined.
Truth is embodied when the inner priest works within human instruments.
Divine takes many forms in the worlds through reciprocal nourishment.
‘Food’ as life-energy and experience offered to the inner flame; ‘mothers’ as nature-forces bringing material for transformation.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is the cyclical feeding and renewal of Agni: the generative Mothers (janitrīḥ)—formative powers such as Waters/Dawns/energies—approach with nourishment, and Agni responds by taking ‘ever-new forms’. This encodes the perpetual re-kindling of the divine flame in the human being: offerings (anna/pitu) raise the Fire, and the Fire in turn becomes the effective Hotṛ who mediates the descent of the gods.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- Several lexemes preserve transparent PIE continuities: bhṛ (bhṛtaḥ) aligns with PIE *bher- ‘carry’ (cf. Gk. phérō, Lat. ferō). √jan (janitrīḥ) aligns with PIE *ǵenh₁- ‘beget’ (cf. Gk. gígnomai, Lat. gignō). √vṛdh (vṛdham) aligns with PIE *werdh- ‘grow’ (cf. Eng. worth in semantic development; German werden ‘become’ is related). √ad (anna) aligns with PIE *h₁ed- ‘eat’ (cf. Lat. edō). These roots support the verse’s theme of ‘carrying nourishment’ and ‘growth’ as a structured, inherited poetic grammar.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The speaker frames a reciprocal economy of inner sacrifice: human and cosmic ‘Mothers’ bring the nourishing powers to Agni; Agni responds (prati…eṣi) by assuming new operative forms and functioning as Hotṛ within human communities. The implied exchange is not material dakṣiṇā but a psychological reciprocity—nourishment/attention offered to the divine Will produces a transformed, more capable mediator of higher forces in the human field (vikṣu mānuṣīṣu).
Offer the day’s energies (thoughts, impulses, tasks) into the inner fire; feel a returned refinement—new forms of calm strength and clarity.
Maṇipūra (transformative exchange)
On inhale: ‘receiving the Mothers’ offerings’; on exhale: ‘offering into Agni’; keep breath smooth and equal.
Receptive steadiness; cooperative transformation
Identify one ‘food’ (habit-energy) to offer; chant once; then act with the sense that Agni is the inner Hotṛ guiding speech and action among people.
Apply śākhā svara; keep prominence on janitrīḥ / annāvṛdham / hotā.
Mark pāda breaks clearly; avoid over-sandhi in ‘mānuṣīṣu hotā’—keep vowels open and resonant.
pitubhṛtaḥ: clear ṛ in bhṛ, janitrīḥ: long īḥ ending, anyarūpāḥ: distinct ‘ny’ and long ū, vikṣu: short i, retroflex kṣ
Steady, priestly, grounded; less fiery, more deliberate.
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