Rig Veda 1.95.8: Mandala 1, Sukta 95, Mantra 8
Sukta 1.95
- Rishi
- Parāśara Śāktya
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
त्वेषं रूपं कृणुत उत्तरं यत्सम्पृञ्चानः सदने गोभिरद्भिः । कविर्बुध्नं परि मर्मृज्यते धीः सा देवताता समितिर्बभूव ॥
tvéṣaṃ rūpáṃ kṛṇuta úttaraṃ yát sampṛñcānáḥ sádane góbhir adbhiḥ | kavír budhnáṃ pári marmṛjyate dhī́ḥ sā́ devátātā sámitir babhūva ||
वो एक और बड़ा चमकदार रूप बनाता है। वो पानी और चमक में मिलता है। रिशि की शक्ति नीचे से ऊपर तक साफ करती है। यह भगवान का काम है जो अंदर से जुड़ जाता है।
Word by Word
- त्वेषम्
- bright, blazingAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (कर्मणि विशेषणम्)Role KarmaRoot त्विष् (प्रातिपदिक: त्वेष-)
- रूपम्
- form, appearanceNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
- कृणुत
- make (you all), fashionVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपदRole (क्रियापद)Root कृ (धातु)
- उत्तरम्
- higher, later, furtherAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (रूपम् इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role KarmaRoot उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
- यत्
- which, that whichPronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (सम्बन्धसूचक)Role KarmaRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सम्पृञ्चानः
- mixing, blending (together)Participle (Adjectival)वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), प्रथमा, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्गRole KartāRoot सम् + पृच् (धातु) → वर्तमानकृदन्त
- सदने
- in the seat, in the dwelling/placeNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot सदन (प्रातिपदिक)
- गोभिः
- with cows; with rays/bright kineNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग (वैदिके बहुधा), तृतीया, बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot गो (प्रातिपदिक)
- अद्भिः
- with watersNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot अप् (प्रातिपदिक; बहुवचन-रूपम् अद्भिः)
- कविः
- seer, sage, poetNounपुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot कवि (प्रातिपदिक)
- बुध्नम्
- the bottom, foundation, baseNounपुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot बुध्न (प्रातिपदिक)
- परि
- around, all aroundIndeclinableअव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण/उपसर्गभाव)Role (क्रियाविशेषण)Root परि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- मर्मृज्यते
- is thoroughly cleansed/polishedVerbलट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; (इन्तेन्सिव/अभ्यास)Role (क्रियापद)Root मृज् (धातु) [वैदिक: मर्मृज्- (intensive)]
- धीः
- thought, insight, prayerNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot धी (प्रातिपदिक)
- सा
- she/that (same)Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- देवताता
- divinity; the state/host of the godsNoun (Abstract/Collective)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot देवता-ता (प्रातिपदिक; देवता + -ता भावप्रत्यय) अथवा वैदिक देवताति-समूह
- समितिः
- assembly, gathering; coming-togetherNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot समिति (प्रातिपदिक)
- बभूव
- became, has becomeVerbलिट् (परोक्स/परफेक्ट), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole (क्रियापद)Root भू (धातु)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धिविग्रह): त्वेषं | रूपं | कृणुत | उत्तरं | यत् | सम्पृञ्चानः | सदने | गोभिः | अद्भिः || कविः | बुध्नम् | परि | मर्मृज्यते | धीः | सा | देवताता | समितिः | बभूव || प्रमुखसन्धयः: (1) यत् + सम्पृञ्चानः → यत्सम्पृञ्चानः (तकार-सन्धि)
- (2) गोभिः + अद्भिः → गोभिरद्भिः (विसर्ग-लोप/रुत्व-प्रकृति; पदपाठे गोभिः | अद्भिः)
- (3) कविः + बुध्नम् → कविर्बुध्नम् (विसर्गस्य ‘र्’ आदेशः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
He makes a more surpassing, ardent form when, mingling in the seat with the cows (rays) and the waters, the seer polishes the foundation all around. That becomes a divine ordering, a successful joining-together of the godhead.
Inner meaning
Agni, joining with the rays of knowledge (go) and the waters of clarity and flow (adbhiḥ), refashions himself into a higher intensity (uttara tveṣa rūpa). The kaví (seer-power) is not merely poetic: it is the luminous discernment in us that ‘polishes the foundation’ (budhna) of the being—our subconscient base, bodily life, and habitual ground—so it can hold the divine. The result is devatātā samitiḥ: an achieved integration where the powers of the godhead assemble harmoniously in the human seat (sadana).
Universal truth
Spiritual transformation is not escape from the foundation but its purification and refinement; when knowledge and clarity mingle with will, the base of life becomes fit for a unified divine order.
Themes
inner purification, synthesis of light and flow, formation of higher body/instrument, seerhood (kavi)
The seer
- Rishi
- Parāśara Śāktya
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha-line (traditional Parāśara affiliation)
- Other hymns
- RV 1.95, RV 1.96, RV 1.97, RV 1.98, RV 1.99
Family tradition
Vision of Agni as kavi who perfects the human foundation into a seat for the gods—an integrative spirituality.
Significance
The rishi frames yoga as ‘polishing the budhna’: transforming the subconscient and life-base so that the divine powers can assemble in a stable, luminous order.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni (kavi, purifier and former of higher rūpa)
- Epithets
- tveṣa (ardent), kavi (seer), pāvaka (purifier, implied by function)
- Related deities
- Soma (waters/bliss aspect, by association), Aditi (integrative infinity), Indra (illumined mind, allied to rays)
Cosmic role
Forms and refines the terrestrial foundation into a fit vessel; brings together the gods (powers) into an ordered unity.
Inner power
Transformative will guided by illumined intelligence; purification that integrates knowledge (rays) and flow (waters).
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni praise during fire-ritual sequences emphasizing purification and establishment of the altar/seat.
त्वे॒षं रू॒पं कृ॑णुत॒ उत्त॑रं॒ यत्स॑म्पृञ्चा॒नः सद॑ने॒ गोभि॑र॒द्भिः । क॒विर्बु॒ध्नं परि॑ मर्मृज्यते॒ धीः सा दे॒वता॑ता॒ समि॑तिर्बभूव ॥
त्वे॒षम् । रू॒पम् । कृ॒णुते॒ । उत्ऽत॑रम् । यत् । स॒म्ऽपृ॒ञ्चा॒नः । सद॑ने॒ । गोऽभिः॑ । अ॒त्ऽभिः । क॒विः । बु॒ध्नम् । परि॑ । म॒र्मृ॒ज्य॒ते॒ । धीः । सा । दे॒वता॑ता । सम्ऽइ॑तिः । ब॒भू॒व॒ ॥
tveṣam | rūpam | kṛṇute | ut-taram | yat | sam-pṛñcānaḥ | sadane | go--bhiḥ | at-bhiḥ | kaviḥ | budhnam | pari | marmṛjyate | dhīḥ | sā | devatātā | sam-itiḥ | babhūva
11
4 pādas × 11 syllables
Measured, sculpting rhythm—well-suited to ‘forming’ and ‘polishing’ imagery.
Induces a sense of refinement and integration; supports steady concentration on purifying the base of the being.
- tveṣaṃ rūpam
- Literal: ardent/fiery form. Symbolic: intensified consciousness-form of the inner fire
- uttaram
- Literal: higher, surpassing. Symbolic: ascent to a superior poise of being
- sadane
- Literal: in the seat. Symbolic: the inner altar/field of consciousness in the human being
- gobhiḥ
- Literal: with cows. Symbolic: with rays of knowledge/illumination
- adbhiḥ
- Literal: with waters. Symbolic: with clarifying, purifying flows of consciousness
- kaviḥ
- Literal: seer/poet. Symbolic: seer-faculty (illumined intelligence) guiding transformation
- budhnam
- Literal: foundation, bottom. Symbolic: subconscient base; bodily-vital ground to be purified
- pari marmṛjyate
- Literal: polishes all around. Symbolic: systematic purification and refinement of the whole foundation
- devatātā samitiḥ
- Literal: divinity-ness; a coming-together/assembly. Symbolic: integrated presence of divine powers within; inner harmony of godhead
Recitation in contexts emphasizing purification and ‘polishing’ of the altar/fire (inner and outer); suitable for kindling sequences and meditative-agni contemplations.
When establishing the fire and affirming its purifying/ordering role; conceptually during altar consecration moments.
Offerings with water sprinkling/cleansing symbolism; mental ‘polishing’ of the altar-space.
Use as a mantra for inner purification of habits: chant, then review the ‘foundation’ (body, routine, speech) and refine one concrete behavior.
√kṛ ‘make’ governs rūpa ‘form’ (instrumentation of being). úttara ‘higher’ marks graded ascent. sam-√pṛc ‘mix together’ indicates yogic integration. go ‘cow’ as ‘ray/illumination’ is justified by Vedic idiom where go is recovered light/knowledge. ap/waters as purifying flows. √mṛj ‘to wipe/polish’ (marmṛj-) intensive/reduplicated: repeated refinement. dhī as inspired vision-thought (not discursive mind). devatātā: abstract formation ‘state of divinity’ (becoming divine). samiti as synthesis/union of powers.
integration (samiti) of powers, devatātā (becoming divine), purification/refinement (marmṛj-)
devatātā as samitiḥ is ṛta realized as inner harmony—powers ordered, not scattered.
A higher rūpa is a truer form of consciousness embodying satya in life.
Creation as refinement: the cosmos (and man) becomes divine by purification and integration of its base.
Integral Vedism: divinization of life-foundation rather than world-negation.
Fire + waters + rays = purification plus illumination; the earth-base (budhna) becomes a stable, luminous seat for higher consciousness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythic action is the ‘polishing of the foundation’ by the seer-power through the conjunction of rays and waters—an alchemical refinement whereby Agni assumes a higher form. It is the archetype of the divine craftsman within, perfecting the base nature into a fit seat for divinity.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √kṛ (PIE *kwer-/ *ker- ‘make/do’ in a broad IE work/doing field) and √mṛj (cleansing) preserve archaic ritual-poetic semantics of crafting and purifying. The abstract -tā in devatātā is an inherited Indo-European nominal strategy for ‘state/quality’ formations, paralleling many IE languages’ abstract suffixing.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi’s dhī (inspired vision) is itself the medium through which Agni works: the seer does not merely praise but participates in the polishing action. The Devata is thus both object of hymn and inner operator of transformation, culminating in devatātā—divine becoming within the practitioner.
Purify the foundation (body/subconscient) so higher light can stabilize; unite clarity (waters) and illumination (rays) around the heart-fire.
muladhara (foundation)
Slow exhale-focused breathing (1:2 ratio) to ‘polish’ and settle; 10 minutes after chanting.
Grounded luminosity; integrated calm power.
After chanting, place awareness at the pelvic base and then the heart; imagine waters of clarity washing the base while rays of knowledge descend, and the heart-fire shapes a higher form of living.
Standard Śākala accents; keep udātta prominence on tveṣaṃ, kṛṇute, marmṛjyate, babhūva; observe svarita transitions in compounds.
Let each pāda end settle (nyāsa) to convey ‘accomplished joining’; do not rush marmṛjyate.
tveṣaṃ: retroflex ṣ, nasal ṃ, sampṛñcānaḥ: clear ‘mpr’ cluster; long ā, gobhir adbhiḥ: pronounce ‘dbh’ carefully; slight separation helps clarity, marmṛjyate: repeat ‘marm’ cleanly; vocalic ṛ, devatātā: long ā; dental t
Polished, even, inward; emphasize clarity over volume.
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Rig Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
