Rig Veda 4.13.1: Mandala 4, Sukta 13, Mantra 1
Sukta 4.13
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Devata
- Agni with Dawn/Sun and invocation to the Aśvins
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
प्रत्यग्निरुषसामग्रमख्यद्विभातीनां सुमना रत्नधेयम् । यातमश्विना सुकृतो दुरोणमुत्सूर्यो ज्योतिषा देव एति ॥
práti agnír uṣásām ágram akhyad vibhātīnā́ṃ su-manā́ ratna-dhéyam | yā́tam aśvinā su-kṛ́to duroṇám ut sū́ryo jyótiṣā devá eti ||
अग्नि ने उषाओं के अग्रभाग की ओर दृष्टि की है—प्रकाश के प्रस्फुटनों के बीच—प्रसन्न मन से, रत्न-धन धारण करते हुए। हे अश्विनौ! सुकृत गृह (दुरोण) में आओ; और सूर्य-देव अपने ज्योति से ऊपर उठता हुआ आता है।
Word by Word
- प्रति
- towards, in responseIndeclinableअव्ययRoot प्रति (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- अग्निः
- Agni (fire-god)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- उषसाम्
- of the dawnsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root उषस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- अग्रम्
- the forefront, the first placeNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- अख्यत्
- he/it proclaimed, made knownVerbलुङ् (अorist), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot √ख्या (ख्याते/आख्याने)
- विभातीनाम्
- of the shining ones (dawns)Adjective (participle used substantively)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन (विभाती- ‘shining’)Role सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root वि-√भा → विभाती (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
- सुमनाः
- kind-minded, benevolentAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (अग्निः-विशेषणम्)Root सु-मनस् (प्रातिपदिक; बहुव्रीहि)
- रत्नधेयम्
- treasure/boon to be bestowedNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot रत्न-धेय (प्रातिपदिक; तत्पुरुष)
- यातम्
- come (you two)!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, द्विवचन, परस्मैपदRoot √या (गत्यर्थ)
- अश्विना
- O Aśvins (the two horsemen)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, द्विवचन (हे अश्विनौ)Role सम्प्रदान/सम्बोधनRoot अश्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- सुकृतः
- well-made, well-builtAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (पदप्रयोगे ‘सुकृतो’)Role विशेषण (दुरोणम्-विशेषणम्)Root सु-कृत (प्रातिपदिक)
- दुरोणम्
- house, dwellingNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (यातम् इत्यस्य)Root दुरोण (प्रातिपदिक)
- उत्
- up, forthIndeclinableअव्ययRoot उत् (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- सूर्यः
- the SunNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- ज्योतिषा
- with lightNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करणRoot ज्योतिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- देवः
- the godNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (सूर्यः-अपि)Root देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- एति
- goes, comes forthVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot √इ (गत्यर्थ)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धिविच्छेद): प्रति + अग्निः
- उषसाम् + अग्रम्
- अग्रम् + अख्यत्
- विभातीनाम् (वि-√भा, वर्तमान-प्रत्ययान्त ‘विभाती’ इत्यस्य षष्ठी-बहुवचनम्)
- सुमनाः + रत्नधेयम्
- यातम् + अश्विना
- सुकृतः + दुरोणम् (संहितायां ‘सुकृतो दुरोणम्’ इति ओ-आदेशः)
- उत् + सूर्यः
- सूर्यः + ज्योतिषा
- देवः + एति। वैदिकस्वरचिह्नाः (॒/॑) संहितापाठे दर्शिताः, पदपाठे सामान्यतः न लिख्यन्ते।
The meaning
Outer meaning
Agni has looked toward the foremost of the Dawns, among the shining lights, with glad mind holding the treasure. The Aśvins are invited to the well-built house; the Sun rises with his light.
Inner meaning
The awakened will (Agni) turns to the leading edge of illumination (Uṣas) and receives the ‘treasure’—the gains of inner sacrifice (ratna). The Aśvins, powers of swift aid and harmonious action, are called to the well-formed inner home (ordered being). Then the Sun, the god—clarity of the supramental/illumined mind—rises in consciousness, establishing a higher daylight.
Universal truth
When aspiration aligns with awakening light, help arrives in timely rhythms and a higher clarity naturally rises; inner order becomes the dwelling where divine forces act.
Themes
dawn-vision, solar-ascent, divine-aid (Ashvins), illumination
The seer
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 4.13.2, RV 4.13.3, RV 4.13.4
Family tradition
Book 4’s Vāmadeva sequence often stages an inner dawn: Agni kindled → dawns open → solar truth rises → order (ṛta) established.
Significance
Vāmadeva presents a coherent yoga of illumination: aspiration perceives the dawn-front, calls the swift helpers, and ushers the sun of clarity into the prepared inner home.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni (with Uṣas, Aśvins, Sūrya)
- Epithets
- सुमनाः (sumanāḥ) glad/benevolent, रत्नधेयम् (ratnadheyam) treasure-bearing
- Related deities
- Uṣas, Aśvins, Sūrya, Savitṛ (nearby hymn context)
Cosmic role
Agni as initiator of the sacrificial day; Uṣas as opener of light; Aśvins as rescuers and harmonizers; Sūrya as the manifesting eye of the gods.
Inner power
Agni: aspiring will; Uṣas: awakening discrimination; Aśvins: rapid corrective force; Sūrya: stable clarity and integrative vision.
In ritual
Where it is used
Morning kindling and dawn-associated recitations; invitation (āvāhana) to divine powers in soma/agnistoma sequences.
प्रत्य॒ग्निरु॒षसा॒मग्र॑मख्यद्विभाती॒नां सु॒मना॑ रत्न॒धेय॑म् । या॒तम॑श्विना सु॒कृतो॑ दुरो॒णमुत्सूर्यो॒ ज्योति॑षा दे॒व ए॑ति ॥
प्रति॑ । अ॒ग्निः । उ॒षसा॑म् । अग्र॑म् । अ॒ख्य॒त् । वि॒ऽभा॒ती॒नाम् । सु॒ऽमनाः॑ । र॒त्न॒ऽधेय॑म् । या॒तम् । अ॒श्वि॒ना॒ । सु॒ऽकृतः॑ । दु॒रो॒णम् । उत् । सूर्यः॑ । ज्योति॑षा । दे॒वः । ए॒ति॒ ॥
prati | agniḥ | uṣasām | agram | akhyat | vi-bhātīnām | su-manāḥ | ratna-dheyam | yātam | aśvinā | su-kṛtaḥ | duroṇam | ut | sūryaḥ | jyotiṣā | devaḥ | eti
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4 × ~11
Bright, ascending movement; balanced invocation segments (Agni–Aśvins–Sūrya).
Induces a sense of morning uplift and orderly summoning of forces; supports visualization of light rising in stages.
- अग्निः (agniḥ)
- Literal: fire. Symbolic: divine will/aspiration that initiates the inner day
- उषसाम् अग्रं (uṣasām agram)
- Literal: forefront of the dawns. Symbolic: first emergence of illumination in consciousness
- विभातीनाम् (vibhātīnām)
- Literal: of the shining breakings. Symbolic: successive waves of inner light-disclosure
- सुमनाः (sumanāḥ)
- Literal: happy-minded, benevolent. Symbolic: right gladness and consenting mental state that can hold the gift
- रत्नधेयम् (ratnadheyam)
- Literal: bearing the treasure. Symbolic: carrying the realized gains—insight, force, joy—of sādhanā
- अश्विना (aśvinā)
- Literal: the Aśvins. Symbolic: twin powers of swift, balanced action and healing adjustment
- सुकृतः दुरोणम् (sukṛtaḥ duroṇam)
- Literal: well-built home. Symbolic: well-formed inner vessel: disciplined mind-life-body
- सूर्यः ज्योतिषा (sūryo jyotiṣā)
- Literal: Sun with light. Symbolic: sovereign clarity/illumined consciousness rising
Morning rite context (Uṣas/Sūrya); also as a transitional hymn linking Agni-kindling with dawn and solar emergence.
At dawn or early morning worship; also in śrauta morning pressing context (prātaḥ-savana) thematically.
Kindling Agni, offering ghee; inviting Aśvins; saluting the rising Sun.
A dawn meditation chant: begin day by aligning will with awakening light; invite ‘swift helpers’ for balance; sit facing east to ‘let the Sun rise within’.
uṣas from √vas/√uṣ ‘shine, dawn’ (Indo-Iranian dawn goddess lexeme). sūrya is solar ‘sun’ (PIE *sóh₂wl̥). aśvin ‘horseman’ from aśva (PIE *h₁eḱwos ‘horse’), mythically swift powers. ratna-dhéya: dhéya from √dhā ‘place’—treasure as ‘placed/held’ essence. dūrōṇa ‘house’ relates to dwelling-space; psychologically the embodied field prepared for divine descent.
emergence of illumination, right formation (sukṛta), treasure as attainment (ratna)
The sequence dawn → helpers → sun mirrors ṛta’s ordered unfolding of consciousness.
Sūrya’s ascent symbolizes truth becoming active and visible in mind.
Daily re-creation: the inner world is rebuilt each dawn by ordered manifestation of light.
Integral-yogic symbolism: progressive illumination culminating in solar consciousness.
dawn
Dawn = first illumination; Sun = full clarity; home = integrated personality; Aśvins = swift balancing energies.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The coordinated rising of Agni, Dawn, and Sun—an archetype of illumination: the inner fire ‘sees’ the dawn-front, the Aśvins are summoned as helpers, and the solar truth ascends.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- sūrya continues PIE solar vocabulary (*sóh₂wl̥). aśva (in Aśvins) continues PIE *h₁eḱwos. These preserve an IE poetic complex of dawn and horsemen aiding the sunrise.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi situates his practice at the threshold of dawn: Agni is the initiating perception, the Aśvins are invoked for swift harmonizing assistance, and Sūrya’s light is the culminating manifestation in the prepared inner dwelling.
Stage-wise inner sunrise: kindle will (Agni) → open to first illumination (Uṣas) → invite swift harmonizers (Aśvins) → abide in clear seeing (Sūrya).
Anahata to Ajna (from glad consenting heart-mind to illumined vision)
4-4-6 breathing: inhale (Agni kindles), hold (Uṣas opens), exhale (Sun rises and spreads).
From drowsy obscurity to bright, collected, serviceable awareness.
Chant once at dawn; then sit 5 minutes visualizing a gentle flame in the heart and a widening golden light in the brow; end by offering the day’s actions to the ‘well-built home’ (disciplined vessel).
Keep udātta lift on ‘praty agniḥ’ and ‘ut sūryaḥ’; allow gentle svarita falls on phrase endings; maintain smooth continuity through invocatory ‘yātam aśvinā’.
Do not rush compound clusters: विभाती॒नां (vibhātīnāṃ) and रत्न॒धेय॑म् (ratnadheyam). Let ‘ut sūryo’ rise in pitch slightly to mirror ascent.
प्रत्यग्निर् (pratyagnir): clear ‘tya’ cluster; avoid inserting a vowel, उषसाम् (uṣasām): retroflex ‘ṣ’, अश्विना (aśvinā): ‘śv’ cluster clean, दुरोणम् (duroṇam): long ‘o’ quality; retroflex ‘ṇ’
Bright, clear, lightly smiling tone; avoid heaviness.
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