Rig Veda 1.96.2: Mandala 1, Sukta 96, Mantra 2
Sukta 1.96
- Rishi
- Parāśara Śāktya
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
स पूर्वया निविदा कव्यतायोरिमाः प्रजा अजनयन्मनूनाम् । विवस्वता चक्षसा द्यामपश्च देवा अग्निं धारयन्द्रविणोदाम् ॥
sá pū́rvayā ni-vidā́ kavyátāyór imā́ḥ prájā́ ajanayan manū́nām | vívasvatā cákṣasā dyā́m apáś ca devā́ agníṃ dhārayann dráviṇo-dām ||
अग्नि ने पहली पूजा से और रिषि आयु की बुद्धि से मनु की संतान को पैदा किया। सूरज की आँख से उसने आसमान और पानी देखा। देवताओं ने अग्नि को पकड़ा, जो सबको आगे बढ़ाता है।
Word by Word
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) → स-
- पूर्वया
- with the former/earlierAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्गः, तृतीया, एकवचनम्Role करणRoot पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- निविदा
- with the nivíd (ritual invocation)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, तृतीया, एकवचनम्Role करणRoot निविद् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘invocation/solemn formula’)
- कव्यतायोः
- of (the two) poetic inspirations/poetic skillsNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, द्विवचनम्Role सम्बन्धRoot कव्यता (प्रातिपदिक; ‘seer-poetry/poetic wisdom’)
- इमाः
- thesePronounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- प्रजाः
- creatures, offspringNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक)
- अजनयन्
- they generated/producedVerbलङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Role क्रियाRoot √जन् (जनयति) [causative]
- मनूनाम्
- of the Manus (of men)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, बहुवचनम्Role सम्बन्धRoot मनु (प्रातिपदिक)
- विवस्वता
- by/with VivasvatNounपुंलिङ्गः, तृतीया, एकवचनम्Role करणRoot विवस्वत् (प्रातिपदिक; a solar deity)
- चक्षसा
- with (his) sight/visionNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, तृतीया, एकवचनम्Role करणRoot चक्षस् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘sight, eye, vision’)
- द्याम्
- the heavenNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot द्यौ (प्रातिपदिक)
- अपः
- the watersNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्Role कर्मRoot अप् (प्रातिपदिक)
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चय-अव्ययम्Root च
- देवाः
- the godsNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- अग्निम्
- Agni (fire)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- धारयन्
- they placed/held up, establishedVerbलङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Role क्रियाRoot √धृ (धारयति) [causative/intensive stem in RV usage]
- द्रविणोदाम्
- the wealth-giverAdjective (epithet of Agni)पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्म (विशेषणम्)Root द्रविणोद (प्रातिपदिक; ‘giver of wealth’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: सः | पूर्वया | निविदा | कव्यतायोः | इमाः | प्रजाः | अजनयन् | मनूनाम् || विवस्वता | चक्षसा | द्याम् | अपः | च | देवाः | अग्निम् | धारयन् | द्रविणोदाम् । मुख्य-सन्धयः: (1) कव्यतायोः + इमाः → कव्यतायोरिमाः (विसर्ग-लोपः/रुत्व-प्रकृति: ओः + इ-)
- (2) द्याम् + अपः → द्यामपः (व्यञ्जन-सन्धि: म् + अ-)
- (3) अपः + च → अपश्च (विसर्ग-सन्धि: ः + च → श्च)
- (4) अग्निम् + धारयन् → अग्निं धारयन् (अनुस्वार/परसवर्णः: म् + ध-)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Agni, by the first invocation (pūrvayā nividā) and by the seerhood of Ayu, generated these peoples/offspring of Manu. With the eye of Vivasvat he beheld heaven and the waters; the gods sustained Agni, giver of plenitude.
Inner meaning
The awakened divine Will works through the primal ‘call’ (nivid)—the original inner consent and invocation that opens the path. ‘Ayu’s seerhood’ suggests the inspired life-force (āyu = life) becoming a knower; when life becomes seer-like, it can bring forth new ‘generations’ in the being—new formations of consciousness in the human (Manu) nature. With the ‘eye of Vivasvat’ (the luminous Sun-consciousness), Agni perceives the higher mind/heaven (dyām) and the purifying-flowing consciousness (āpaḥ). This is the integral condition: vision of above and depth of below; then the gods stabilize the will as the giver of plenitude.
Universal truth
True evolution is born from a first sincere invocation and sustained aspiration; when life becomes illumined (seerhood), new inner capacities are generated. Clear solar seeing must unite heavenward vision with the cleansing emotional depths.
Themes
seer lineage, creation of human generations, solar eye, Agni as progenitor
The seer
- Rishi
- Parāśara Śāktya
- Lineage
- Śāktya
- Other hymns
- RV 1.65, RV 1.66, RV 1.67, RV 1.68, RV 1.69, RV 1.70, RV 1.71, RV 1.72, RV 1.73, RV 1.96
Family tradition
Agni hymns emphasizing origin (pūrva), lineage, and the generative power of the inner sacrifice
Significance
The seer frames spiritual growth as a true ‘progeny’—a lineage of inner births—grounded in the first invocation and illumined by solar seeing.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- janayitṛ (begetter), draviṇodā (giver of plenitude), ṛtvij/purohita (implied priestly power)
- Related deities
- Vivasvat (solar power), Āpaḥ, Manu (archetype of mental man)
Cosmic role
Generative fire that brings forth worlds/beings; connects solar vision (Vivasvat) with terrestrial waters.
Inner power
Executive force that turns aspiration into new inner births and stable capacities.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni praise within offerings; also suitable for rites invoking progeny/continuity (symbolically, inner progeny)
स पूर्व॑या नि॒विदा॑ क॒व्यता॒योरि॒माः प्र॒जा अ॑जनय॒न्मनू॑नाम् । वि॒वस्व॑ता॒ चक्ष॑सा॒ द्याम॒पश्च॑ दे॒वा अ॒ग्निं धा॑रयन्द्रविणो॒दाम् ॥
सः । पूर्व॑या । नि॒ऽविदा॑ । क॒व्यता॑ । आ॒योः । इ॒माः । प्र॒ऽजाः । अ॒ज॒न॒य॒त् । मनू॑नाम् । वि॒वस्व॑ता । चक्ष॑सा । द्याम् । अ॒पः । च॒ । दे॒वाः । अ॒ग्निम् । धा॒र॒य॒न् । द्र॒वि॒णः॒ऽदाम् ॥
saḥ | pūrvayā | ni-vidā | kavyatā | āyoḥ | imāḥ | pra-jāḥ | ajanayat | manūnām | vivasvatā | cakṣasā | dyām | apaḥ | ca | devāḥ | agnim | dhārayan | draviṇaḥ-dām
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4×11 (approx.), with a strong caesura supporting descriptive clauses
Expansive and narrative, yet forceful—suited to ‘generation’ and ‘vision’ themes
Creates a sense of unfolding and birth; the refrain anchors the psyche in steadiness.
- नि॒विदा (nividā)
- Literal: invocation, formula of call. Symbolic: the primal inner call/consent that opens the yoga
- पूर्वया (pūrvayā)
- Literal: by the first/ancient. Symbolic: original movement of aspiration; the initial turning to the Divine
- कव्यता (kavyatā)
- Literal: seerhood/poetic inspiration. Symbolic: intuitive seeing in the life-force; inspired consciousness
- आयोः (āyoḥ)
- Literal: of Ayu. Symbolic: of the life-principle made luminous and aspiring
- प्रजाः (prajāḥ)
- Literal: progeny, generations. Symbolic: new inner formations—powers, habits, and faculties born of the sacrifice
- मनूनाम् (manūnām)
- Literal: of the Manus/men. Symbolic: the mental-human nature undergoing transformation
- विवस्वता चक्षसा (vivasvatā cakṣasā)
- Literal: with the eye of Vivasvat (Sun). Symbolic: solar vision—illumined mind/gnosis-like seeing
- द्याम् (dyām)
- Literal: heaven. Symbolic: higher mind, wide luminous consciousness
- अपः (apaḥ)
- Literal: waters. Symbolic: psychic-emotional currents, purifying delight
Invocation emphasizing lineage of revelation (nivid, kavyatā) and Agni as progenitor of right human formation; applicable in rites remembering seer-tradition and establishing sacrificial continuity.
During invocations that establish Agni and call for increase (prajā) and prosperity (draviṇa)
Recitation with offerings; mentally ‘offer’ the first intention (nivid) and renew it
For new beginnings: use before starting a discipline/project, reaffirming the ‘first invocation’ and asking for illumined vision to guide growth.
ni-vid is a technical ritual term; psychologically it is ‘calling by precise naming’. √jan ‘generate’ frames Agni as progenitive power. Vivasvat ‘shining forth’ (vi-vas ‘shine’) represents solar vision; cakṣas ‘eye’ is insight. Manu as archetypal human/mind (from √man ‘think’).
transmission of revelation (seer-lineage), humanity under law/thought (Manu), vision as creative power
Prajā (generations) arise when the first call aligns life with ṛta; Agni becomes the lawful begetter.
Vivasvat’s eye symbolizes satya-dṛṣṭi (truth-seeing) that beholds both heaven and waters without division.
Cosmic and psychological creation through fire + invocation + solar vision.
Integral Vedic psychology: evolution of consciousness through successive inner births.
dawn-to-day (implied by Vivasvat/solar seeing)
Sun = illumined mind; Waters = purified affect; Fire = will that generates new inner formations.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is ‘creation through the primordial invocation’: Agni, established by the first nivid and seerhood, generates the human line (Manus). Vision (Vivasvat’s eye) is both cosmological (beholding heaven and waters) and psychological (illumined insight that founds right becoming).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- Manu derives from √man ‘think’, from PIE *men- ‘think’ (cf. Latin mens, English mind). The solar figure Vivasvat belongs to an inherited IE solar lexicon of shining/brightness. The generative √jan corresponds to PIE *ǵenh₁- ‘beget’ (cf. Greek gen-, Latin gignere).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi places his own utterance within an ancestral chain (Āyu’s seerhood, primordial nivid), implying the hymn participates in a living transmission. Agni is invoked not only as recipient but as the creative intelligence that shapes humanity when approached through right revelatory speech.
Return to the ‘first invocation’: a simple, sincere inner call; then visualize solar light in the brow and let it illumine both the higher aim (heaven) and emotional depths (waters).
ājñā (solar eye/seeing) supported by maṇipūra (Agni as executive will)
Sūrya-bhedana (gentle, if appropriate) or simply inhale imagining solar clarity at brow; exhale offering life-movements into Agni.
Luminous discernment with creative forward movement.
Make one clear intention (nivid). Observe life-force (āyu) becoming quiet and receptive to intuition. Act only after the ‘sun-eye’ feels awake—clarity before energy.
Maintain clear udatta on nividā, kavyatā, cakṣasā; svarita falls should be audible at pāda ends; keep the refrain steady and slightly weighty.
Let pāda 1 rise (invocation), pāda 2 expand (generation), pāda 3 brighten (solar eye), pāda 4 settle (sustained Agni).
nividā: short i, then long ā; avoid ‘nee-vid’., vivasvatā: keep v- sounds crisp; do not drop the medial s., dyām: long ā with nasalized m lightly.
clear, luminous, not rushed; brighten tone on ‘vivasvatā cakṣasā’
3
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