Rig Veda 1.141.3: Mandala 1, Sukta 141, Mantra 3
Sukta 1.141
- Rishi
- Dīrghatamas Āucathya
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
निर्यदीं बुध्नान्महिषस्य वर्पस ईशानासः शवसा क्रन्त सूरयः । यदीमनु प्रदिवो मध्व आधवे गुहा सन्तं मातरिश्वा मथायति ॥
nír yad ī́ṃ budhnā́n mahiṣásya várpasa īśānā́saḥ śávasā kránta sū́rayaḥ | yadīm ánu pradívo mádhva ā́dhave guhā́ sántam mātáriśvā mathā́yati ||
जब बड़े देवता की शकल नीचे से बाहर आती है, तब रिशियों की ताकत उसे पकड़ती है। जब आसमान से मीठा रस मिलता है, तब मातरिश्वन नाम की शक्ति उसे छुपा के निकालती है। वो छुपा हुआ था, फिर भी मिल गया।
Word by Word
- निः
- out, forthIndeclinableउपसर्ग/निपातRoot निस् (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- यत्
- he/it drove/ledVerbलङ् (इम्पर्फेक्ट), 3 एकवचन, परस्मैपदRoot यम् (धातु)
- ईम्
- indeed, just, him/it (emphatic particle)Indeclinableएन्क्लिटिक कणRoot ईम् (निपात)
- बुध्नात्
- from the base/bottomNounपुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचनRole ApādānaRoot बुध्न (प्रातिपदिक)
- महिषस्य
- of the buffalo/bull (mighty one)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole Sambandha (genitive)Root महिष (प्रातिपदिक)
- वर्पसः
- of the form/beauty, appearanceNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (वैदिक रूप; -सः)Role Sambandha (genitive)Root वर्पस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- ईशानासः
- ruling, possessing, lordingAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot ईशान (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √ईश्)
- शवसा
- by strength, with mightNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot शवस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- क्रन्त
- they strode/stepped forthVerbलङ् (इम्पर्फेक्ट), 3 बहुवचन, परस्मैपद (वैदिक रूप)Root क्रम्/क्रन्द् (धातु; वैदिक रूप क्रन्त)
- सूरयः
- the seers/sagesNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot सूरि (प्रातिपदिक)
- यदा
- whenIndeclinableकालवाचक अव्ययRoot यदा (अव्यय)
- ईम्
- indeed, justIndeclinableएन्क्लिटिक कणRoot ईम् (निपात)
- अनु
- after, alongIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRoot अनु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- प्रदिवः
- of the fore-heaven/upper skyNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole Adhikaraṇa (locative sense via genitive: ‘in/through the fore-heaven’)Root प्रदिव्/प्रदिव (प्रातिपदिक; वैदिक)
- मध्वः
- of sweetness/honey; of SomaNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (वैदिक -वः)Role Sambandha (genitive)Root मधु (प्रातिपदिक)
- आधवे
- for the pressing/pressing-rite (Soma pressing)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot आधव (प्रातिपदिक)
- गुहा
- in concealment, secretlyIndeclinableअव्ययीभाव/क्रियाविशेषणRole AdhikaraṇaRoot गुहा (अव्यय/नाम)
- सन्तम्
- being, existingAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot सत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √अस्)
- मातरिश्वा
- Mātariśvan (Vedic wind/fire-bringer)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot मातरिश्वन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- मथायति
- he churns/causes to be churned; kindles by frictionVerbलट् (वर्तमान), 3 एकवचन, परस्मैपद; कारणार्थ/प्रेरणार्थ (णिच्)Root मथ् (धातु)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (major): निर्यदीं → निः + यत् + ईम्
- बुध्नान्म् → बुध्नात् (final -त् before म- often written with nasalization in saṃhitā)
- वर्प॑स ईशानासः → वर्पसः + ईशानासः
- यदी॒मनु → यदा + ईम् + अनु
- प्र॒दिवो॒ मध्व॑ → प्रदिवः + मध्वः
- गुहा॒ सन्तं॑ → गुहा + सन्तम्. Accent marks are retained on saṃhitā text but not re-applied per pada here
The meaning
Outer meaning
When from the foundation the great one’s form is brought out, the mastering seers stride by force. And when, following the fore-heaven’s honey for offering, Mātariśvan churns him out though hidden in secrecy.
Inner meaning
Agni is latent in the ‘foundation’ (budhna)—the subconscient base of embodied nature. When his mighty form is drawn out from there, the inner ‘seers’ (sūrayaḥ) become masters (īśānāsaḥ) and advance with force (śavasā): awakened faculties stride forward. Mātariśvan (the life-breath, dynamic Vāyu principle) ‘churns’ the hidden fire from secrecy (guhā) by following the honey of the fore-heaven (pradivah madhvaḥ): the sweetness of higher consciousness/Ananda that calls the offering upward. The verse describes yogic emergence: prāṇa-work and aspiration bring the concealed will-fire into active manifestation, enabling a powerful advance.
Universal truth
Great transformation often begins below the surface: when the hidden core is awakened, our capacities become masterful and move forward; breath and aspiration can bring forth latent power.
Themes
hidden-to-manifest, tapas/friction, seer-force, delight offering
The seer
- Rishi
- Dīrghatamas Āucathya
- Lineage
- Āucathya
- Other hymns
- RV 1.141, RV 1.164
Family tradition
A master of ‘hidden fire’ imagery; frequently uses cave/foundation motifs to describe revelation from the subconscient.
Significance
Shows the method of manifestation: the breath-force and the seer-powers collaborate to draw the divine will from concealment into effective mastery.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni (with Mātariśvan as manifesting agent)
- Epithets
- Mahiṣa (the great/strong), Guhya (hidden), Jātavedas (implicit: known by birth/manifestation)
- Related deities
- Mātariśvan, Vāyu, Soma (implied by madhu/Ananda)
Cosmic role
Hidden fire in waters/earth brought to men by Mātariśvan; power of transformation emerging from concealment.
Inner power
Latent will awakened into active force; prāṇa as the awakener and carrier of offering toward Ananda.
In ritual
Where it is used
Mythic-ritual recollection of Agni’s discovery (Mātariśvan bringing fire); used in Agni praise during kindling and offerings.
निर्यदीं॑ बु॒ध्नान्म॑हि॒षस्य॒ वर्प॑स ईशा॒नास॒: शव॑सा॒ क्रन्त॑ सू॒रय॑: । यदी॒मनु॑ प्र॒दिवो॒ मध्व॑ आध॒वे गुहा॒ सन्तं॑ मात॒रिश्वा॑ मथा॒यति॑ ॥
निः । यत् । ई॒म् । बु॒ध्नात् । म॒हि॒षस्य॑ । वर्प॑सः । ई॒शा॒नासः॑ । शव॑सा । क्रन्त॑ । सू॒रयः॑ । यत् । ई॒म् । अनु॑ । प्र॒ऽदिवः॑ । मध्वः॑ । आ॒ऽध॒वे । गुहा॑ । सन्त॑म् । मा॒त॒रिश्वा॑ । म॒था॒यति॑ ॥
niḥ | yat | īm | budhnāt | mahiṣasya | varpasaḥ | īśānāsaḥ | śavasā | kranta | sūrayaḥ | yat | īm | anu | pra-divaḥ | madhvaḥ | ādhave | guhā | santam | mātariśvā | mathāyati
44
4 × ~11 syllables
Dynamic and forceful; verbs of emergence and striding create propulsion.
Energizes the system; supports ‘bringing out’ hidden force and a confident forward stride in practice.
- बुध्न (budhna)
- Literal: bottom, foundation. Symbolic: subconscient base; the hidden support of embodied nature
- महिष (mahiṣa)
- Literal: great one/buffalo. Symbolic: massive power of being; strong latent force
- गुहा (guhā)
- Literal: cave, secrecy. Symbolic: inner hiddenness where the divine fire is concealed
- मातरिश्वा (mātariśvā)
- Literal: Mātariśvan. Symbolic: life-breath/prāṇa-force that discovers and brings out Agni
- मधु (madhu)
- Literal: honey. Symbolic: Ananda/sweetness of higher consciousness that draws the offering
- मथायति (mathāyati)
- Literal: churns/produces by friction. Symbolic: yogic friction/effort (tapas, prāṇic work) that manifests the inner fire
Fire-producing (aranī) allusion; relevant to kindling rites and Soma offering preparation (general)
At kindling/churning moments or when emphasizing Agni’s hidden-to-manifest transition.
Churning/lighting fire, offering madhu-like oblations (ghee/soma metaphor), reciting to invoke emergence.
Breath-led ignition practice: use as mantra for activating will when dullness, tamas, or subconscient inertia dominates.
(budhna) ‘bottom/foundation’ indicates the subconscient base. (math) ‘to churn’ is the friction-birth of fire (aranis) and, inwardly, tapas that brings hidden flame to manifestation. (madhu) ‘honey’ is delight-substance; in inner sense, ananda/joy that feeds offering.
hidden fire in the depths, tapas (churning) as manifestation method, delight (madhu) as offering substance
The seers’ stride is the right advance once the hidden fire is aligned with higher sweetness (madhu).
From concealment to manifestation: truth made active, not merely known.
Fire born from friction; emergence of consciousness from the subconscient foundation.
Yoga of transformation: ascent drawn by Ananda, supported by prāṇa, releasing hidden divine will.
Budhna/guhā = subconscient; wind = prāṇa; honey = higher delight; churning = tapas that manifests will and light.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The bringing of hidden Agni from the depths by Mātariśvan through churning (math): a foundational Vedic myth of fire’s discovery/manifestation. Psychologically: the inner flame concealed in the subconscient is evoked by tapas and guided by the carrier-power, enabling the seers to stride in mastery.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The friction-fire technique is Indo-Iranian and broader IE. √math ‘churn’ parallels IE agitation/production metaphors. The ‘honey’ (madhu) as delight corresponds to Indo-Iranian sacral vocabulary (Avestan madu-).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi situates human inspired agency (sūrayaḥ) alongside cosmic agency (Mātariśvan): aspiration and forceful stepping are possible because the devata is brought out from concealment. The reciprocity is a collaboration: human tapas calls; divine fire answers by emerging.
Bring Agni out of the ‘foundation’: feel dullness at base dissolve as breath ‘churns’ a warm luminous will upward.
muladhara/manipura axis (from foundation to fire-center)
Kapalabhati (mild) or bhastrika-light for 30–60 seconds, then slow chanting; end with quiet kumbhaka to feel the flame stabilize.
Activated, courageous, forward-moving; clearer agency.
When inertia appears, do not argue with it mentally; apply prāṇa (Mātariśvan) and aspiration toward ‘madhu’ (higher sweetness). Let the will-fire emerge, then act immediately in one right step.
Vedic accents; give strong lift to key action verbs (kranta, mathāyati) according to recensional marking.
Make pāda 1 and 2 vigorous; slight awe in pāda 3–4 as the hidden is revealed. Keep ‘mātariśvā’ clear and prominent.
(budhnāt): cluster dhn clean, (īśānāsaḥ): long ī; śā elongated, (kranta): rolled r lightly; short a, (pradivo): keep d dental, (mātariśvā): śv cluster clear, not ‘shwa’ too heavy
Forceful yet controlled; like a steady bellows, not a shout.
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