Rig Veda 10.79.4: Mandala 10, Sukta 79, Mantra 4
Sukta 10.79
- Devata
- Agni, with rodasī as cosmic frame
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
तद्वामृतं रोदसी प्र ब्रवीमि जायमानो मातरा गर्भो अत्ति । नाहं देवस्य मर्त्यश्चिकेताग्निरङ्ग विचेताः स प्रचेताः ॥
tád vā́m ṛtáṁ rodasī́ prá bravīmi jā́yamāno mātarā́ gárbho atti | nā́haṁ devásya mártyaś ciketa agnír áṅga ví-cetāḥ sá prá-cetāḥ ||
Esta verdad vuestra, oh Cielo y Tierra, proclamo: el embrión, al nacer, devora a las dos Madres. Yo, mortal, no conozco plenamente al dios; Agni, en verdad, es el que discierne: él es el previsor.
Word by Word
- तत्
- thatPronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वाम्
- of you two / you twoPronounषष्ठी/द्वितीया, द्विवचन (एन्क्लिटिक)Role SampradānaRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- ऋतम्
- cosmic order, truthNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot ऋत (प्रातिपदिक)
- रोदसी
- the two worlds (Heaven and Earth)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग (द्विवचन-रूप), प्रथमा/द्वितीया, द्विवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot रोदसी (द्वन्द्व-प्रातिपदिक; द्यावापृथिव्यौ)
- प्र
- forth, openlyIndeclinableउपसर्ग (क्रियाविशेषण)Root प्र (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- ब्रवीमि
- I speak / I proclaimVerbलट् (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot ब्रू (धातु)
- जायमानः
- being bornParticipleपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot जन् (धातु) → जायमान (वर्तमान-कृदन्त, शतृ)
- मातरौ
- (his) two mothersNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, द्विवचनRole KarmaRoot मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- गर्भः
- the embryo, the child in the wombNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot गर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
- अत्ति
- eats, devoursVerbलट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot अद् (धातु)
- न
- notIndeclinableनिषेधRoot न (निपात)
- अहम्
- IPronounप्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- देवस्य
- of the godNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole SambandhaRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- मर्त्यः
- a mortalNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot मर्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- चिकेत
- has perceived, understandsVerbपरिपूर्ण (परफेक्ट), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (वेदिक रूप: चिकेत)Root चित् (धातु) → चिकेट (परिपूर्ण/रेडुप्लिकेटेड परस्मैपद-रूप)
- अग्निः
- Agni (Fire)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- अङ्ग
- indeed, prayIndeclinableसम्बोधन/अनुनयार्थक निपातRoot अङ्ग (निपात)
- विचेताः
- the discerning one, the wiseNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot वि + चित् (धातु) → विचेतृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot तद् (सर्वनाम)
- प्रचेताः
- the fore-knowing one, the very wiseNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot प्र + चित् (धातु) → प्रचेतृ (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धि-निरसन): तद् + वाम् + ऋतम् + रोदसी + प्र + ब्रवीमि | जायमानः + मातरौ + गर्भः + अत्ति | न + अहम् + देवस्य + मर्त्यः + चिकेत | अग्निः + अङ्ग + विचेताः + सः + प्रचेताः || विशेष: ‘तद्वाम्’ = तत् + वाम् (व्यञ्जन-सन्धि: द् + व → द्व). ‘नाहम्’ = न + अहम् (स्वर-सन्धि: अ + अ → आ). ‘चिकेता’ पाठभेद/संहितारूप
- पदपाठानुसार क्रियारूप ‘चिकेत’ (चित्-धातोः परिपूर्ण) ग्रहणम्।
The meaning
Outer meaning
A truth about Heaven and Earth is declared: the embryo, as it is born, “eats” (consumes) its two mothers. The mortal speaker cannot fully know the god; Agni is the discerning one with foreknowledge.
Inner meaning
The “embryo” is the nascent inner Agni—the awakened divine Will in the seeker. As it grows, it draws substance from and transforms both “mothers”: the physical nature and the mental nature (the two worlds, rodasī). The surface ego-mind cannot measure the divine process; the inner Fire itself is the true discriminative intelligence (vicetā) and the power of anticipatory knowledge (pracetā) guiding the yoga of transformation.
Universal truth
When a higher consciousness is born in us, it must assimilate and rework both body-life and mind; the limited intellect cannot supervise the Infinite. True guidance comes from the awakened inner flame of sincerity, discernment, and intuitive foresight.
Themes
Rita proclamation, Agni as inner guide, Embryo of divinity consuming nature, Heaven-Earth polarity integrated
The seer
Significance
The voice is that of a seeker-observer of Agni’s birth and action in the two worlds, emphasizing the limitation of the mortal intellect and the primacy of Agni as inner knower (vicetā/pracetā)—a key Aurobindonian theme: the psychic-fire as guide of transformation.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni (within the cosmic frame of Rodasī)
- Epithets
- vicetāḥ, pracetāḥ, garbha (as the hidden-born fire)
- Related deities
- Dyaus, Pṛthivī, Sarasvatī (as inspiration supporting discernment), Indra (illumined mind often allied with Agni)
Cosmic role
Mediator between worlds; establishes ṛta by carrying the offering and forming the link of Heaven and Earth.
Inner power
Awakened will and discerning intuition that assimilates and transforms mind-body nature into a higher order.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agnihotra / general Agni-invocation in soma-less recitation context (hymnic praise and clarification of Agni’s function)
तद्वा॑मृ॒तं रो॑दसी॒ प्र ब्र॑वीमि॒ जाय॑मानो मा॒तरा॒ गर्भो॑ अत्ति । नाहं दे॒वस्य॒ मर्त्य॑श्चिकेता॒ग्निर॒ङ्ग विचे॑ता॒: स प्रचे॑ताः ॥
तत् । वा॒म् । ऋ॒तम् । रो॒द॒सी॒ इति॑ । प्र । ब्र॒वी॒मि॒ । जाय॑मानः । मा॒तरा॑ । गर्भः॑ । अ॒त्ति॒ । न । अ॒हम् । दे॒वस्य॑ । मर्त्यः॑ । चि॒के॒त॒ । अ॒ग्निः । अ॒ङ्ग । विऽचे॑ताः । सः । प्रऽचे॑ताः ॥
tat | vām | ṛtam | rodasī iti | pra | bravīmi | jāyamānaḥ | mātarā | garbhaḥ | atti | na | aham | devasya | martyaḥ | ciketa | agniḥ | aṅga | vi-cetāḥ | saḥ | pra-cetāḥ
Triṣṭubh (probable for RV 10.79; common for late RV philosophical-Agni hymns)
44
4 pādas of ~11 syllables
Grave, declarative, suited to proclamation of ṛta and paradox (embryo consuming mothers).
Builds steady inner attention; the cadence supports reflective insight and surrender of the surface mind to Agni’s guidance.
- ṛtám
- Literal: truth, cosmic order. Symbolic: the right law of inner growth; the exact rhythm of the divine working
- rodasī
- Literal: Heaven and Earth (the two worlds). Symbolic: mind and body (or mental and material planes) as the dual field of sadhana
- garbhaḥ
- Literal: embryo, germ. Symbolic: the hidden divine flame/psychic emergence forming a new consciousness
- atti
- Literal: eats, consumes. Symbolic: assimilates, transforms, uses as fuel for spiritual formation
- mātarā
- Literal: two mothers. Symbolic: the sustaining bases of our nature—physical and mental—out of which the new being is born
- martyaḥ
- Literal: mortal. Symbolic: the surface ego-mind limited by ignorance
- agníḥ
- Literal: fire. Symbolic: divine Will, inner priest and leader of the sacrifice
- vicetāḥ
- Literal: discerning, discriminative. Symbolic: inner discrimination that separates true impulse from false
- pracetāḥ
- Literal: foreknowing, having prior awareness. Symbolic: intuitive foresight; guidance from within ahead of mental reasoning
Doctrinal verse suited to Agni hymns in soma and domestic rites: emphasizes Agni’s role as knower/guide (pracetā) and transformer of the two worlds (rodasī).
At kindling/establishing the sacred fire; also in recitation sequences honoring Agni as knower and mediator.
Kindling, offering ghee, verbal proclamation of Agni’s truth.
Use when beginning meditation or a new discipline: invoke the inner fire to transform both mind and body and to lead beyond mental control.
Key roots/forms: (1) ṛtá from √ṛ ‘to fit, move rightly’ → truth/order as right arrangement. (2) garbhá ‘embryo’ from √gṛbh/garbh ‘to seize/contain’ → contained formation of divinity. (3) ciketa from √cit ‘to perceive’ (perf.) → limits of mortal cognition. (4) vi-cetāḥ / pra-cetāḥ: vi- (differentiating) and pra- (forward) + √cit → Agni as discriminative and anticipatory intelligence guiding yajña and inner evolution.
R̥ta explicitly, limits of mortal cognition, Agni as vi-cetāḥ (discernment) and pra-cetāḥ (foreknowledge)
Explicit: “tad vām ṛtam” frames the paradox as lawful truth of the two worlds.
Truth is not fully grasped by mortal mind; it is known by the god-power (Agni) within.
Birth of the divine principle (garbha) that feeds on and refashions its own matrices (the two mothers).
Proto-Vedāntic/Upaniṣadic trajectory: inner knower surpassing discursive mind; also Yogic psychology (Aurobindo/Kashyap reading).
The ‘birth’ is the ignition of aspiration; Heaven/Earth are mind/body; the consuming embryo is the growing flame that takes up both planes as fuel for transformation.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘birth of Agni from the two Mothers’ (rodasī / dual nature) and his consuming/transmuting of them. This is both cosmogonic (fire arising between Heaven and Earth) and yogic-psychological (inner flame transforming mind and body).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √cit ‘perceive/notice’ (ciketa, cetāḥ) aligns with PIE *ḱeyt-/ *ḱey- ‘notice, observe’ (cognate relations are debated in details, but the semantic field ‘perception/knowing’ is archaically Indo-European). The paired prefixes vi-/pra- show Vedic productivity in creating technical epistemic terms (‘discernment’, ‘foreknowledge’) for divine functions.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi confesses the insufficiency of mortal understanding (‘nāham … ciketa’) and therefore relies on Agni as the inner priest-intelligence who knows the right order (ṛta) before the mind can grasp it. The relationship is guidance: surrender of limited cognition to the divine discriminative will.
Feel the inner flame in the heart and will-center assimilating both thought and sensation into a single upward aspiration.
Anāhata (heart) / Maṇipūra (will-fire)
Gentle nāḍī-śodhana or slow equal breathing; on exhale offer mental restlessness into the flame.
From mental questioning to intuitive consent; shift from manas to inner buddhi/psychic guidance.
Begin practice by admitting ‘I do not fully know’; invite Agni as vicetā to discriminate motives and as pracetā to lead the next right step.
Mixed udātta/anudātta/svarita as per Śākala tradition; key lifts often fall on ṛtám, rodasī, agníḥ, vicetāḥ/pracetāḥ (consult śikṣā/recension-specific svara marks for exact pitch).
Keep clear udātta rise on mantra’s semantic pivots (ṛtám, agníḥ); avoid flattening enclitics (vā́m, aṅga).
ro-da-sī (long ī), jā-ya-mā-no (ā, long), mā-ta-rā (long ā), gar-bho (aspirate not added; clear ‘bh’), vi-ce-tāḥ / pra-ce-tāḥ (retroflex not used; crisp dental t)
Steady, inward, slightly emphatic on declarative pādas; end with calm certainty on pracetāḥ.
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