Rig Veda 10.101.11: Mandala 10, Sukta 101, Mantra 11
Sukta 10.101
- Devata
- Agni/Vahni and Vanaspati
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
उभे धुरौ वह्निरापिब्दमानोऽन्तर्योनेव चरति द्विजानिः । वनस्पतिं वन आस्थापयध्वं नि षू दधिध्वमखनन्त उत्सम् ॥
ubhe dhurau vahnir āpibdamāno ’ntaryonāiva carati dvijāniḥ | vanaspatiṃ vane ā asthāpayadhvaṃ ni ṣū dadhidhvam akhananta utsam ||
दोनों जोड़ों पर वो चलता है, पीता रहता है, जैसे बच्चा माँ के पेट में होता है। जंगल में पेड़ लगाओ, उसे जमाके रखो। नीचे ज़मीन में छेदा करो, पानी का छश्मा निकालो।
Word by Word
- उभे
- bothAdjective/Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया द्विवचनम्Role कर्म (धुरौ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Root उभ (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- धुरौ
- the two yoke-poles / shaftsNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया द्विवचनम्Role कर्मRoot धुर्/धुरा (प्रातिपदिक)
- वह्निः
- the bearer; (here) Agni / the fire-priestNounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot वह्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- आपिब्दमानः
- drinking in; imbibingParticipleपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्; वर्तमानकाले आत्मनेपदीयः (शानच्)Role कर्तृ (वह्निः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Root आ-पीव्/पिब् (धातु) + -मान (शतृ/शानच्-प्रत्ययः)
- अन्तर्
- within, insideIndeclinableअव्ययम्Role अधिकारण (चरति इत्यस्य)Root अन्तर् (अव्यय/उपसर्गसदृश)
- योनौ
- in the womb / in the seatNounपुं/स्त्रीलिङ्गे सप्तमी एकवचनम्Role अधिकारणRoot योनि (प्रातिपदिक)
- इव
- as if, likeIndeclinableअव्ययम्Role (उपमान-सूचक)Root इव
- चरति
- moves, goesVerbलट्, परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role (क्रिया)Root चर् (धातु)
- द्विजानि
- the two-born ones (e.g., birds/creatures born in two ways)Noun/Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया बहुवचनम्Role कर्मRoot द्वि-जा (प्रातिपदिक; ‘twice-born’/‘two-born’)
- वनस्पतिम्
- the lord of the forest; a treeNounपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot वनस्पति (प्रातिपदिक)
- वने
- in the forestNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी एकवचनम्Role अधिकारणRoot वन (प्रातिपदिक)
- आस्थापयध्वम्
- set up, make stand, establishVerbलोट्, आत्मनेपदम्, मध्यमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Role (क्रिया)Root आ-स्था (धातु) + णिच् (कारण) → स्थापय-
- नि
- down, into placeIndeclinableअव्ययम्Role (क्रियाविशेषणम्)Root नि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- सू
- indeed, surelyIndeclinableअव्ययम्Role (निपातः)Root सू (अव्यय; निपातः, बलार्थकः)
- दधिध्वम्
- place, putVerbलोट्, आत्मनेपदम्, मध्यमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Role (क्रिया)Root धा (धातु) + ध्वम् (आत्मनेपद-आदेशः)
- अखनन्त
- they dugVerbलङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Role (क्रिया)Root खन् (धातु)
- उत्सम्
- a spring; well-sourceNounपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot उत्स (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धिविग्रहः): उभे धुरौ वह्निः आपिब्दमानः अन्तर् योनौ इव चरति द्विजानि । वनस्पतिम् वने आ-स्थापयध्वम् नि सू दधिध्वम् अखनन्त उत्सम् ॥ 1) ‘मानोऽन्तर्’ = ‘मानः अन्तर्’ (विसर्ग + स्वरादि → ऽ). 2) ‘अन्तर्योनेव’ = ‘अन्तर् योनौ इव’ (र् + य → र्य; योनौ + इव → योनेव). 3) ‘आस्था…’ = ‘आ + स्थापयध्वम्’ (उपसर्ग-समास/प्रयोगः). 4) ‘नि षू’ पाठे ‘षू’ निपातः
- पदपाठे सामान्यतः ‘नि सू’ इति पृथक् निपातद्वयम्।
The meaning
Outer meaning
The Carrier moves on both yokes, drinking in, like a child in the womb, the twice-born; set up the lord of the forest in the forest; place it down firmly, digging out the spring.
Inner meaning
Agni-Vahni, yoked to the dual powers, moves inwardly ‘drinking’ the essence—assimilating the offering—like a child nourished within the womb: the new divine birth is secretly sustained in the depths. As ‘twice-born’ (dvijāniḥ), Agni is born in matter and reborn in consciousness. Establish Vanaspati (the wood-lord) in its own field: set the right support/fuel of aspiration in the natural being. Then ‘dig out the spring’ (utsam): break through the obstructing layers to release the hidden fountain of delight/knowledge from within.
Universal truth
Transformation is a gestation: the divine fire grows by inward assimilation; with right support and steady placing of the fuel, one can uncover the concealed spring of consciousness.
Themes
Agni as twice-born, Gestation of the inner fire, Opening the inner spring
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 10.101.1-11
Significance
A profound psychological image: the inner fire as a fetus of the divine birth, nourished by essence; the practice culminates in uncovering the hidden spring—an unveiling of the subconscient’s concealed waters.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni as Vahni (Carrier), and Vanaspati (wood-lord as support of fire)
- Epithets
- vahni (carrier), dvijāni (twice-born), vanaspati (lord of the forest)
- Related deities
- Agni, Soma (as drunk essence), Indra (as opening force for springs), Āpas (waters/springs)
Cosmic role
Agni mediates worlds by carrying offerings; Vanaspati provides the material support that enables manifestation of fire.
Inner power
Agni: transformative will and inner digestion of experience; Vanaspati: stable embodied support—right habits, right substance—for sustaining aspiration.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni kindling and setting of fuel (samidh) with extraction/bringing forth of waters as a parallel motif
उ॒भे धुरौ॒ वह्नि॑रा॒पिब्द॑मानो॒ऽन्तर्योने॑व चरति द्वि॒जानि॑: । वन॒स्पतिं॒ वन॒ आस्था॑पयध्वं॒ नि षू द॑धिध्व॒मख॑नन्त॒ उत्स॑म् ॥
उ॒भे इति॑ । धुरौ॑ । वह्निः॑ । आ॒ऽपिब्द॑मानः । अ॒न्तः । योना॑ऽइव । च॒र॒ति॒ । द्वि॒ऽजानिः॑ । वन॒स्पति॑म् । वने॑ । आ । अ॒स्था॒प॒य॒ध्व॒म् । नि । सु । द॒धि॒ध्व॒म् । अख॑नन्तः । उत्स॑म् ॥
ubhe iti | dhurau | vahniḥ | āpibdamānaḥ | antaḥ | yonāiva | carati | dvi-jāniḥ | vanaspatim | vane | ā | asthāpayadhvam | ni | su | dadhidhvam | akhanantaḥ | utsam
44
4×11 (approx.)
More inward and imagistic; a slower-feeling middle with a decisive closing action (digging out the spring).
Turns the attention inward; evokes a sense of secret growth and eventual breakthrough.
- ubhe dhurau
- Literal: both yokes. Symbolic: paired powers/axes of the being held in balance
- vahniḥ
- Literal: carrier (Agni). Symbolic: divine will-fire that carries and transforms
- āpibdamānaḥ
- Literal: drinking in. Symbolic: inward assimilation of essence; absorption of higher force
- antaḥ yoneva
- Literal: like within the womb. Symbolic: secret gestation of the new consciousness
- dvijāniḥ
- Literal: twice-born. Symbolic: Agni reborn from physical to spiritual; awakened will
- vanaspatiṃ
- Literal: lord of the forest (wood/tree). Symbolic: supporting substance of aspiration; the embodied basis for the fire
- vane
- Literal: in the forest. Symbolic: in the natural field of life/matter—set spirituality within life
- ni ṣū dadhidhvam
- Literal: place firmly down. Symbolic: establish the support steadily; grounding
- akhananta
- Literal: digging out. Symbolic: penetrating resistance; inner excavation
- utsam
- Literal: spring, fountain. Symbolic: released source of truth, delight, and life-energy from within
Installation of fuel/wood (vanaspati) and ensuring Agni is properly established; opening the 'spring' parallels releasing soma/waters and awakening inner source.
During establishing the fire/fuel; also as a contemplative reflection on the rite’s inner meaning
Yoke/maintain fire; place fuel; ‘open’ the source
Use in inner work with the subconscient: steady the practice (fuel), let the fire digest experience, and patiently excavate the blocked spring of joy/clarity.
āpibdamānaḥ: intensive/iterative from √pā 'drink' with ā- 'inward/unto'—absorbing. dvi-jāni (dvija) from dvi 'two' + √jan 'be born'—Agni is 'twice-born' (from heaven and from wood; or from friction). vanaspati: vana 'wood/forest' + pati 'lord' (PIE *pótis). √sthā 'stand' in causative (asthāpayadhvam) 'cause to stand, set up'. √khan 'dig' (akhanantaḥ). utsa 'spring' is the opened source—psychologically the released fount of consciousness.
Rebirth/second birth (dvija) as awakening, R̥ta as right establishment (√sthā) and release of the source (utsa)
Agni moving on ‘both yokes’ signifies harmony of complementary powers—basis of ṛta in the individual.
The spring (utsa) is the concealed satya-source in the depths, released by right effort.
Birth imagery: the divine is born in hiddenness and then emerges as a flowing source—microcosmic creation reenacted.
Aurobindonian: subconscient excavation; inner birth; descent-and-emergence dynamic.
Womb = subconscient matrix; drinking = assimilation; wood = embodied support; spring = released inner waters of consciousness; forest = life-nature where practice is established.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The 'twice-born fire' mythologem coupled with 'digging out the spring': Agni moves yoked to both supports, gestating like an embryo, then the spring is excavated. Innerly: the awakened will is nurtured within (āpibdamānaḥ, yonā-iva) until it can open the hidden source (utsa) of truth-force.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- vanaspati uses *pótis 'lord' (Greek πόσις, etc.). √jan (birth) and √sthā (stand) are core PIE roots. The verse’s mythic-technical blend (install wood, birth fire, open spring) mirrors IE ritual poetics where material acts encode cosmology.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- Humans 'install' Vanaspati and ground the setup; Agni as dvija then grows inwardly and becomes capable of opening the spring. The devatā is both dependent on correct establishment and the one who releases the deeper source once established.
Gestate the inner fire and excavate the hidden spring: patient inner digestion leading to release.
Svadhisthana (waters/spring) and Manipura (Agni digestion)
Slow inhale to navel (kindle), slow exhale (digest); add gentle ujjayi to feel ‘womb-like’ containment
Inward, incubatory concentration; then cathartic opening
Sit with attention at navel as a small flame ‘drinking’ experiences without judgment. Feel a supportive ‘wood’—steady posture and routine. After settling, inquire softly: where is the blocked spring? Stay until a subtle flow (relief/clarity) begins, without forcing.
Notated svara unavailable; chant more inwardly; allow a gentle rise on antaḥ yoneva and a firm cadence on akhananta utsam.
Soften the womb simile; strengthen the final command/action (ni ṣū dadhidhvam / akhananta).
āpibdamānaḥ: keep long ā; cluster -pibd- carefully without inserting extra vowel, yoneva: yo-ne-va, clear e, dvijāniḥ: dv- cluster; long ā; visarga soft, vanaspatiṃ: retroflex ṇ not present; keep dental n; clear -sp- cluster, akhananta: kh aspirated; avoid k-h separation, utsam: short u; ts cluster crisp
Warm, inward, sustained tone; end with grounded firmness.
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