Rig Veda 2.18.2: Mandala 2, Sukta 18, Mantra 2
Sukta 2.18
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Devata
- Indra with strong Agni/Hotar functional imagery
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
सास्मा अरं प्रथमं स द्वितीयमुतो तृतीयं मनुषः स होता । अन्यस्या गर्भमन्य ऊ जनन्त सो अन्येभिः सचते जेन्यो वृषा ॥
sā́smā áraṃ prathamáṃ sá dvitī́yam utó tṛtī́yaṃ mánuṣaḥ sá hótā | anyásyā gárbham anyá ū́ jananta só anyébhiḥ sacate jényo vṛ́ṣā ||
यह पहले काम के लिए सही है, दूसरे के लिए भी, और तीसरे के लिए भी। यह इंसान के अंदर एक होता है जो सबसे ऊपर बैठ के सब संभालता है। एक दूसरे के काम में मदद करता है, और सब मिल के एक ही काम को चलाते हैं। यह एक ताकत वाला है जो सबके साथ जुड़ के चलता है।
Word by Word
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्गः प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अस्मै
- to himPronounचतुर्थी एकवचनम्Role SampradānaRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अरम्
- fitly, duly, sufficientlyIndeclinableअव्ययम्Root अरम् (अव्यय)
- प्रथमम्
- first(ly)Adjective (ordinal)नपुंसकलिङ्गः द्वितीया एकवचनम् (क्रियाविशेषणवत्)Root प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक)
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्गः प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot तद्
- द्वितीयम्
- second(ly)Adjective (ordinal)नपुंसकलिङ्गः द्वितीया एकवचनम् (क्रियाविशेषणवत्)Root द्वितीय (प्रातिपदिक)
- उत
- and alsoIndeclinableअव्ययम्Root उत (अव्यय)
- तृतीयम्
- third(ly)Adjective (ordinal)नपुंसकलिङ्गः द्वितीया एकवचनम् (क्रियाविशेषणवत्)Root तृतीय (प्रातिपदिक)
- मनुषः
- of Manu / of manNounपुंलिङ्गः षष्ठी एकवचनम्Root मनु (प्रातिपदिक; ‘मनु’/‘मनुष्य’ परम्परा)
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्गः प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot तद्
- होता
- Hotṛ-priest (invoker)Nounपुंलिङ्गः प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role Kartā (समानााधिकरणम् ‘सः’ इत्यस्य)Root होतृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- अन्यस्याः
- of another (female)Pronoun/Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्गः षष्ठी एकवचनम्Root अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- गर्भम्
- womb, embryoNounपुंलिङ्गः द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot गर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
- अन्यः
- another (male)Pronoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गः प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- उ
- indeed, justIndeclinableअव्ययम् (नूनम्/एव/उच्चारण-निपातः)Root उ (अव्यय)
- जनन्त
- they beget / generateVerbलट् (वेदे ऐतिहासिक-वर्तमानः), प्रथमपुरुषः बहुवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Root √जन् (जनि) ‘to beget, produce’
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्गः प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot तद्
- अन्येभिः
- with othersPronoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गः तृतीया बहुवचनम्Role Karaṇa/सहकारक (सह ‘सचते’)Root अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- सचते
- associates, keeps companyVerbलट्, प्रथमपुरुषः एकवचनम्, आत्मनेपदम्Root √सच् ‘to accompany, associate’
- जेन्यः
- noble, of good raceAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role Kartā (समानााधिकरणम् ‘सः’ इत्यस्य)Root जेन्य (प्रातिपदिक; √जि/जन्य-सम्बन्धः ‘of noble/true stock’)
- वृषा
- bull; virile oneNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गः प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role Kartā (समानााधिकरणम् ‘सः’ इत्यस्य)Root वृषन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- संहितापाठः: सास्मा अरं → पदपाठः सः अस्मै अरम् (विसर्ग-लोपः, सः + अस्मै = सास्मै)। द्वितीयमु॒तो → द्वितीयम् उत (म् + उ- आरम्भे परे संहितायां संयोगः)। अन्य ऊ → अन्यः उ (विसर्गः परे ‘उ’ इति निपाते लुप्यते/संहितारूपे ‘अन्य ऊ’)। अन्येभिः सचते— ‘सचते’ सह तृतीया ‘अन्येभिः’ सहकारकत्वे।
The meaning
Outer meaning
He (the god-power invoked) is competent for the first, the second, and the third function; he is the human Hotṛ within. One brings forth the womb (field) of another; and he, the noble Bull, joins with the others—cooperating powers in a single work.
Inner meaning
The verse describes the integrated working of inner faculties in the yoga of the Veda. The ‘Hotṛ in man’ is the awakened will and discerning aspiration that offers experience into the inner fire. Indra (illumined mind) is “fit” for successive stages—opening, establishing, and completing the inner sacrifice. ‘One begets the womb of another’ signals that each realized power (will, light, bliss, right action) becomes the matrix for the next: aspiration births illumination; illumination births wideness and right force; these in turn birth a more capacious receptivity for Soma (ānanda). The ‘noble Bull’ is the strong, generative divine force that harmonizes the powers (devas) so the sadhana becomes one coordinated movement rather than competing impulses.
Universal truth
Spiritual growth is sequential and integrative: capacities ripen in ordered stages, and each attainment becomes the womb for the next. The highest effectiveness comes when the inner powers cooperate under a central, illumined leadership rather than pulling in different directions.
Themes
inner ritual psychology, integration of faculties, generation of new consciousness
The seer
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada (Bhārgava)
- Lineage
- Bhṛgu (Bhārgava)
- Other hymns
- RV 2.1, RV 2.3, RV 2.12, RV 2.18
Family tradition
Bhṛgu-line seers known for hymns of inner ignition and luminous power; a tradition emphasizing the effective Word (vāc) that calls the gods into the human field.
Significance
Gṛtsamada’s vision often turns Indra and Agni into inner agencies: the illumined mind and the sacrificial will coordinating the ascent. Here he articulates a psychology of integrated faculties—each power birthing the next capacity.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra (with Hotṛ/Agni functional imagery)
- Epithets
- vṛṣā (Bull), jenyaḥ (noble)
- Related deities
- Agni, Soma, Bṛhaspati, Maruts
Cosmic role
Breaker of obstructions, establisher of the luminous order; leader of the divine hosts toward victory.
Inner power
Illumined intelligence and decisive force that coordinates the faculties and makes the sacrifice effective—turning aspiration into realized light.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-soma offering within a Soma-yajña cycle (hymn context)
सास्मा॒ अरं॑ प्रथ॒मं स द्वि॒तीय॑मु॒तो तृ॒तीयं॒ मनु॑ष॒: स होता॑ । अ॒न्यस्या॒ गर्भ॑म॒न्य ऊ॑ जनन्त॒ सो अ॒न्येभि॑: सचते॒ जेन्यो॒ वृषा॑ ॥
सः । अ॒स्मै॒ । अर॑म् । प्र॒थ॒मम् । सः । द्वि॒तीय॑म् । उ॒तो इति॑ । तृ॒तीय॑म् । मनु॑षः । सः । होता॑ । अ॒न्यस्याः॑ । गर्भ॑म् । अ॒न्ये । ऊँ॒ इति॑ । ज॒न॒न्त॒ । सः । अ॒न्येभिः॑ । स॒च॒ते॒ । जेन्यः॑ । वृषा॑ ॥
saḥ | asmai | aram | prathamam | saḥ | dvitīyam | uto iti | tṛtīyam | manuṣaḥ | saḥ | hotā | anyasyāḥ | garbham | anye | oṃ iti | jananta | saḥ | anyebhiḥ | sacate | jenyaḥ | vṛṣā
44
4 pādas × ~11 syllables
Forward-driving, declarative cadence suited to forceful insight and coordination.
Builds a sense of ordered progression and firm integration—like steps of ascent locking into place.
- होता (hotā)
- Literal: Hotṛ priest, invoker. Symbolic: the inner officiant—aspirational will and discerning offering in the human being
- प्रथमं/द्वितीयं/तृतीयम् (prathama/dvitīya/tṛtīya)
- Literal: first/second/third. Symbolic: successive stages or functions of the inner sacrifice (initiation–establishment–fulfilment)
- गर्भ (garbha)
- Literal: womb, embryo. Symbolic: matrix of consciousness; a formed receptivity that can gestate the next realization
- जेन्यः (jenyaḥ)
- Literal: noble, of good lineage. Symbolic: the pure, high-born divine quality in the being (sattvic nobility)
- वृषा (vṛṣā)
- Literal: bull. Symbolic: strong generative force—divine potency that fructifies and unites the powers
- सचते (sacate)
- Literal: consorts with, joins. Symbolic: harmonizes and coordinates inner energies into one working
Priestly-function allegory within Soma rite: Hotar as operative principle coordinating stages of offering
During Soma pressing/offerings to Indra; also as an invocation of the effective inner Hotṛ.
Recitation to invite Indra’s force and to align subsidiary powers for the rite.
Use as a contemplative reminder to unify mind–life–body under a single aspiration before meditation or important action.
aram ‘fit, sufficient’ expresses functional adequacy across graded stages. √jan ‘beget’ (PIE *ǵenh₁-; Eng kin, gene) encodes generation as a mutual process. √sac ‘accompany, adhere’ marks integration/association. ‘Hotā’ here can be read as the inner invoking will (Agni-function) coordinating the powers.
interdependence of powers, graded ascent (first/second/third), inner priesthood (Hotar as mediator)
Emphasizes harmony among divine functions—Ṛta as integration rather than fragmentation.
Truth-seeing that makes each stage ‘fit’ and timely.
Sequential manifestation: each formed state becomes womb for further becoming.
Proto-Vedāntic/Integral (Aurobindonian) reading: evolution of consciousness through ordered powers.
Gestation = ripening of realizations; Bull = concentrated, victorious divine force; Hotṛ = inner offering-intelligence that sustains the ascent.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘inner priest and mutual generation’ mythologem: powers beget one another’s wombs, and the noble force joins with the others. Innerly, faculties of the being generate supportive fields for each other; the Hotar-function coordinates the ascent through graded stages.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √jan is a clear PIE inheritance (*ǵenh₁-). The verse uses pronominal repetition (saḥ… saḥ…) and numeric gradation (prathamam… tṛtīyam), a common archaic poetic device for structuring ritual/cosmic sequences.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi identifies the Devatā’s action as an organizing potency in the human: the ‘noble bull’ force does not act alone but ‘consorts’ (sacate) with other powers. The human work is to recognize and allow this coordination so the inner sacrifice proceeds through its stages.
Unify the inner powers: let aspiration (Hotṛ) offer, let illumined mind (Indra) coordinate, let force act without inner rivalry.
maṇipūra (will/fire) with support from ājñā (illumined governance)
Even-count nāḍī-śodhana or 4-4-6 breathing to harmonize faculties before japa.
Collected, organized, victorious clarity (samyak-pravṛtti).
Before practice, name your ‘three stages’ (intention–illumination–execution). Offer the intention inwardly, invite the higher clarity to lead, and let each success become the ‘womb’ for the next step.
Use standard Rigvedic accenting: observe udātta on marked syllables; svarita as the falling tone following udātta; anudātta as low/unaccented. (Exact pada-svara requires a śākhā-specific notation.)
Keep each pāda as one breath-unit; lightly lift the udātta, let svarita fall smoothly, avoid stress-accent like English.
(sāsmā): sustain long ā; avoid splitting into sa-asma, (araṃ): nasalize ‘ṃ’ lightly, //: clear dental ‘t’, not retroflex, (manuṣaḥ): retroflex ṣ; visarga softly aspirated, (vṛṣā): retroflex ṣ; long ā
Steady, firm, integrating—more ‘commanding clarity’ than sweetness.
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