Rig Veda 1.58.2: Mandala 1, Sukta 58, Mantra 2
Sukta 1.58
- Rishi
- Nodhas Gautama
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Jagatī
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
आ स्वमद्म युवमानो अजरस्तृष्वविष्यन्नतसेषु तिष्ठति । अत्यो न पृष्ठं प्रुषितस्य रोचते दिवो न सानु स्तनयन्नचिक्रदत् ॥
ā́ svám ádma yuvámāno ájaras tṛ́ṣu aviṣyán atásēṣu tiṣṭhati | átyo na pṛṣṭháṃ pruṣitásya rocate divó na sā́nu stanáyan acikradat ||
अग्नि अपने घर आ रहा है। वो कभी बूढ़ा नहीं होता, हमेशा जवान रहता है। वो प्यासी जगह से गुज़रता है और अपने निशान छोड़ता है। उसकी पीठ चमकती है जैसे किसी घोड़े की। वो आसमान की तरह चमकता है। आवाज़ करके सबको जगा देता है।
Word by Word
- आ
- towards; forthIndeclinableउपसर्ग/निपात (अव्यय)Root आ (उपसर्ग) अथवा आ (निपात)
- स्वमत्
- of one’s own will; self-impelledAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम् (क्रियाविशेषणवत्: ‘स्वमद्म्’ = स्वमत्)Root स्वमत् (प्रातिपदिक; स्व- + मत्)
- युवमानः
- yoking himself; harnessing (himself)Verb (participle)वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ/शानच्-प्रत्यय), प्रथमा एकवचनम्, पुंलिङ्गःRole KartāRoot युव् (धातु; ‘युव’/‘यु’ = to join/attach; RV में ‘युवमान’ = युज्यमान/युज्यमानवत्)
- अजरः
- unaging; agelessAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role Kartā (विशेषण)Root अजर (प्रातिपदिक; अ- + जर ‘aging’)
- तृषु
- in thirsts; amid thirstNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे (तृष्), सप्तमी बहुवचनम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot तृषु (प्रातिपदिक; तृ/तृष्-सम्बद्ध; ‘तृषु’ = तृषु/तृषुṣu ‘in thirsts’)
- अविष्यन्
- seeking to aid/protectVerb (participle)भविष्यत् कृदन्त (इष्यत्), प्रथमा एकवचनम्, पुंलिङ्गःRole Kartā (अनुवर्ती)Root अव् (धातु; to protect/help) / वैकल्पिक: अविṣ् (to desire) — RV प्रयोग में ‘अविष्यन्’ = अव्-इष्यन् (इष्यत्-प्रायः ‘seeking to help/protect’)
- अतसेषु
- among the flax-plantsNounपुं/नपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी बहुवचनम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot अतस (प्रातिपदिक; flax)
- तिष्ठति
- stands; remainsVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Root स्था (धातु)
- अत्यः
- a steed; horseNounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot अत्य (प्रातिपदिक; ‘steed, horse’)
- न
- like; asIndeclinableउपमानार्थक अव्ययRoot न (उपमा-अव्यय)
- पृष्ठम्
- back; ridgeNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot पृष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
- प्रुषितस्य
- of the sprinkled/dewy oneAdjectiveपुं/नपुंसकलिङ्गे षष्ठी एकवचनम्Role Sambandha (genitive)Root प्रुषित (प्रातिपदिक; प्रुष्/प्रुष्-सम्बद्ध ‘sprinkled, dewy’)
- रोचते
- shines; is radiantVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Root रुच् (धातु; to shine)
- दिवः
- of heaven; of the skyNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे (द्यौः), षष्ठी/पञ्चमी एकवचनम् (यहाँ षष्ठी: ‘of heaven’)Role Sambandha (genitive)Root दिव्/द्यौ (प्रातिपदिक ‘heaven, sky’)
- न
- like; asIndeclinableउपमानार्थक अव्ययRoot न (उपमा-अव्यय)
- सानु
- ridge; summitNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम् (यहाँ प्रथमा: उपमानपद)Role Kartā (उपमान-आधार)Root सानु (प्रातिपदिक)
- स्तनयन्
- thunderingVerb (participle)वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ), प्रथमा एकवचनम्, पुंलिङ्गःRole Kartā (अनुवर्ती)Root स्तनय् (धातु; to thunder)
- अचिक्रदत्
- cried out; roaredVerbलुङ्/इम्पर्फेक्ट (आगम ‘अ’), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Root क्रन्द् (धातु; to cry out/roar) with reduplication (अ-चि-क्रद-)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धि-विग्रह): आ | स्वमत् (पाठरूप ‘स्वमद्म॑’ = स्वमत्; अन्त्य -त् + म्- आरम्भ के कारण ‘द्म’ लेखन/उच्चारण-परम्परा) | युवमानः | अजरः | तृषु | अविष्यन् | अतसेषु | तिष्ठति || अत्यः | न | पृष्ठम् | प्रुषितस्य | रोचते | दिवः | न | सानु | स्तनयन् | अचिक्रदत् ।
The meaning
Outer meaning
A luminous power comes to its own home, ever youthful and unaging, rushing through thirsty places and standing in the pressed tracks. Like a steed, the sprinkled one’s back shines; like heaven’s summit, thundering, he cries aloud.
Inner meaning
Agni, the divine Will-flame, returns to ‘his own home’—the awakened heart and the prepared inner altar. Ever youthful (yuvamāna) and unaging (ajara), he moves through the ‘thirsty places’—zones of consciousness deprived of delight and light—and establishes himself in the ‘pressings’ (ataseṣu), i.e., in the intensities where the seeker extracts essence by discipline. ‘Sprinkled’ (pruṣita) suggests the flame fed and intensified by Soma-joy and clarified offerings; his ‘back’ shining like a steed indicates vital energy made luminous and obedient to the will. The thunder-cry from the summit of heaven is the awakening call of higher consciousness: Agni’s force not only burns but summons the being upward to the light.
Universal truth
The transformative fire in us is perennial and renewable. When consciously installed, it crosses barren inner terrains, becomes luminous through right nourishment, and calls the whole nature to awaken toward the heights of consciousness.
Themes
Agni descent, ever-youthful flame, awakening cry, light in dry places
The seer
- Rishi
- Nodhas Gautama
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 1.58 (Agni hymn cluster), RV 1.60 (traditionally Nodhas), RV 1.61 (traditionally Nodhas)
Family tradition
Angirasa-linked seer-line emphasizing Agni as the inner priest and the pathfinder of illumination.
Significance
Nodhas’ vision often presents Agni as dynamic, traveling, and world-awakening—an inner force that establishes the sacrifice in life’s movements.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- Purohita (set in front), Hotṛ (invoking priest), Ajara (unaging), Yuvamāna (ever-young), Tuviṣvaṇi (strong-resounding, in the hymn’s imagery)
- Related deities
- Soma, Vāyu, Indra, Rudras, Vasus
Cosmic role
Mediator between human and divine worlds; carrier of offerings; awakener of the gods; leader of the journey.
Inner power
Divine Will and aspiration that traverses dryness, kindles joy, and calls the mind upward to luminous heights.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni invocation in Soma-sacrifice framework; also general Agni-stuti at the start of rites
आ स्वमद्म॑ यु॒वमा॑नो अ॒जर॑स्तृ॒ष्व॑वि॒ष्यन्न॑त॒सेषु॑ तिष्ठति । अत्यो॒ न पृ॒ष्ठं प्रु॑षि॒तस्य॑ रोचते दि॒वो न सानु॑ स्त॒नय॑न्नचिक्रदत् ॥
आ । स्वम् । अद्म॑ । यु॒वमा॑नः । अ॒जरः॑ । तृ॒षु । अ॒वि॒ष्यन् । अ॒त॒सेषु॑ । ति॒ष्ठ॒ति॒ । अत्यः॑ । न । पृ॒ष्ठम् । प्रु॒षि॒तस्य॑ । रो॒च॒ते॒ । दि॒वः । न । सानु॑ । स्त॒नय॑न् । अ॒चि॒क्र॒द॒त् ॥
ā | svam | adma | yuvamānaḥ | ajaraḥ | tṛṣu | aviṣyan | ataseṣu | tiṣṭhati | atyaḥ | na | pṛṣṭham | pruṣitasya | rocate | divaḥ | na | sānu | stanayan | acikradat
48
4 padas of ~12 syllables each (verification depends on recension/critical text)
Flowing and expansive; suited to movement, travel, and unfolding imagery.
Creates a sense of forward motion and widening; supports sustained attention through longer padas.
- स्वम् अद्म (svam adma)
- Literal: his own home/dwelling. Symbolic: the inner altar: heart and awakened psychic space where the divine will naturally abides
- युवमानः (yuvamānaḥ)
- Literal: youthful. Symbolic: ever-renewing aspiration and fresh force of progress
- अजरः (ajaraḥ)
- Literal: unaging. Symbolic: imperishable spiritual energy not worn by outer time
- तृषु (tṛṣu)
- Literal: in thirsty places. Symbolic: dry, obscured, joyless parts of the being; zones lacking Soma (delight) and light
- अतसेषु (ataseṣu)
- Literal: in pressings/tracks of pressing. Symbolic: disciplines and intensities where essence is extracted; concentrated practice
- अत्यः (atyaḥ)
- Literal: steed. Symbolic: vital force harnessed for the divine work
- प्रुषित (pruṣita)
- Literal: sprinkled, moistened. Symbolic: fed by Soma-delight; clarified and made luminous by offerings
- स्तनयन् अचिक्रदत् (stanayan acikradat)
- Literal: thundering, he cried aloud. Symbolic: awakening call of the higher mind; irresistible summons to rise
Agni as the arriving priest-power: used in Agni invocations at the opening of rites; supports the inner ‘descent’ of the flame into its own seat and its awakening cry.
At kindling/establishing Agni; during sequences praising Agni’s movement and awakening power.
Recitation while tending the fire and offering ghee; symbolically installing the inner flame.
Use before meditation to ‘bring Agni home’: a short centering chant to kindle aspiration and cross inner dullness/dryness.
ajara ‘unaging’ (a- + jara from √jṛ ‘wear out’); √ruc ‘shine’ (PIE *leuk- ‘light’ is a broader IE light-root; direct cognacy debated but semantic alignment strong); stanay- ‘thunder’ (onomatopoetic Vedic); atya ‘steed’ possibly from √at ‘go, wander’ (movement). Note: devatā not explicit in the verse; imagery fits Agni/Soma or a luminous deity in motion; hymn 1.58 is traditionally to Agni (purohita/hotṛ themes appear in v.3).
renewal (yuvamāna) and immortality motif (ajara), descent/arrival of the divine into the human seat (svam adma), awakening call from the ‘summit of heaven’ (divo sānu)
Agni stands in the ‘tracks’—the ordained pathways—stabilizing right movement through the being.
The ‘summit of heaven’ cry signifies truth’s call from higher mind to the embodied nature.
Agni as the traveler/awakener who brings the higher world’s impulse into the human home.
Integral-psychological Vedic symbolism: ritual images as inner disciplines and states.
pre-dawn to dawn (awakening call)
A perennial flame-force, wind-driven aspiration, and thunderous awakening of higher mind that illumines the vital and stabilizes practice.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The arriving divine fire (Agni as inner will) returning to its own seat and renewing itself perpetually: it traverses ‘thirsty’ states (lack/obscurity) and then establishes luminous stability, sounding a thunder-like awakening call from the heights.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The unaging motif (a-jara) uses inherited privative morphology. The shining verb √ruc belongs to an archaic poetic lexicon of luminosity, central across Indo-European hymn traditions; the repeated cry (acikradat) shows intensive/reduplicated formation typical of early Indo-European verbal expressivity.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi depicts the deity as an indwelling power: Agni is not merely lit externally but ‘comes to his own home’—the human and ritual seat. The hymn becomes a guide for inner reception: endure the ‘dry places’, call the flame, and let it establish itself as shining force and awakening voice.
Kindle the inner Agni in the heart; feel it return ‘home’ and move through dry zones with steady aspiration.
anāhata (heart)
Ujjayi-like gentle throat friction or slow nasal breathing; on exhale imagine warmth spreading through ‘thirsty places’.
Awakened, luminous, mobile attention (alert calm).
Chant once slowly to ‘install’ Agni; then sit and notice where the being feels dry or inert; invite the flame to stand firm there, and listen inwardly for the ‘call from above’.
Follow śākhā accents where available; keep long padas evenly supported—Jagatī benefits from steady pitch-flow with clear udatta peaks.
Mark phrase breaks at each pada; avoid rushing the mid-pada compounds (yuvamāno ajaras…).
yuvamāno: va long ā; keep nasal ‘no’ clear, ajaraḥ: j soft, r tapped; visarga audible, tṛṣu: ṛ short and crisp, ataseṣu: retroflex ṣu at end; keep ‘se’ light, pruṣitasya: retroflex ṣ; avoid ‘prus’ with dental s, acikradat: keep ‘ci’ short; ‘kr’ cluster clean
Flowing, bright, slightly ascending toward the end of each pada.
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