Rig Veda 2.4.5: Mandala 2, Sukta 4, Mantra 5
Sukta 2.4
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
आ यन्मे अभ्वं वनदः पनन्तोशिग्भ्यो नामिमीत वर्णम् । स चित्रेण चिकिते रंसु भासा जुजुर्वाँ यो मुहुरा युवा भूत् ॥
ā́ yán me ábhvaṃ vanádaḥ pánanto uśíg-bhyo ná amimīta várṇam | sá citréṇa cikite ráṃsu bhāsā́ jujurvā́n yó muhúr ā́ yúvā bhūt ||
जब जंगल में आग बड़ी तेज थी, तब मैंने देखा कि वो कितनी फैली हुई है और उसका रंग कैसा है। वो आग जैसे प्यास में हो। फिर अग्नि अपनी चमक से सब दिखा देता है। वो पुराना हो जाता है, फिर से नया बन जाता है। बार-बार के नया बनता रहता है।
Word by Word
- आ
- towards, hitherIndeclinableउपसर्ग (preverb), direction ‘towards’Root आ (उपसर्ग) / ā (preverb)
- यत्
- which, thatPronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (relative ‘that/which’)Role Karma (of व॒नदः) / or subject of clauseRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- मे
- for me, to me, myPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी, एकवचन (enclitic)Role Sampradāna/Adhikaraṇa (contextual: ‘for me / to me’)Root अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अभ्वम्
- the vast/terrible (thing), the mighty expanseNoun/Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot अभ्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- वनदः
- the ‘vanad’ (epithet; the bestower/winner, likely Agni)Noun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot वनद् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘wood/forest-giver’ or ‘winning/pleasing’ in Vedic usage)
- पनन्तः
- praising, extollingVerb (participle)वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole Kartā (of subordinate action; agreeing with implied plural agents)Root √पन् (पनँ/पन॑— ‘to praise, to admire, to extol’)
- उशिग्भ्यः
- to/for (or from) the Uśij priestsNounपुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी/षष्ठी? actually दative/ablative plural form: चतुर्थी/पञ्चमी, बहुवचनRole Apādāna/सम्बन्ध (context: ‘from/for the Uśij-s’)Root उशिज् (प्रातिपदिक; Vedic class of priests/attendants, ‘Uśij-s’)
- नामिमीत
- measured out, apportionedVerbलिट्/परस्मैपद-परफेक्ट प्रकार (Vedic), 3rd person singularRole KriyāRoot √मा (मा॒— ‘to measure’) with reduplication/augmentless perfect-like Vedic form
- वर्णम्
- color, appearance, form, lustreNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- चित्रेण
- with bright/variegated (means), with wondrous (power)Adjective (used substantively)नपुंसक/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot चित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- चिकिते
- has perceived, has understoodVerbपरस्मैपद, लिट् (perfect), 3rd person singularRole KriyāRoot √चित् (चिती/चिकित्— ‘to perceive, to notice, to understand’)
- रंसु
- delightful, gladdeningAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (as object-complement) / or अव्ययवत् usageRole Karma (as predicative/object)Root रंसु (प्रातिपदिक; Vedic adjective ‘glad, delightful’)
- भासा
- with light, with radianceNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot भासा (प्रातिपदिक from √भास् ‘to shine’)
- जुजुर्वान्
- ever-aging, wearing (things) down; growing oldVerb (participle)भूत/परिपूर्ण कृदन्त (क्वसु/वत् प्रकार), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (agreeing with यः) / descriptiveRoot √ज्वर्/√जुर् (Vedic √जुर् ‘to age, to wear out’; intensive/reduplicated participle)
- यः
- whoPronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- मुहुराः
- again and again, repeatedlyIndeclinable (Vedic adverbial form)अव्यय (repetitive adverb)Root मुहुर् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक ‘again and again, repeatedly’)
- युवा
- youngAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (predicate adjective with भूत्)Root युवन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- भूत्
- became, came to beVerbलुङ् (aorist), परस्मैपद, 3rd person singularRole KriyāRoot √भू (भू— ‘to be, become’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (sandhi resolution): आ | यत् | मे | अभ्वम् | वनदः | पनन्तः | उशिग्भ्यः | नामिमीत | वर्णम् | सः | चित्रेण | चिकिते | रंसु | भासा | जुजुर्वान् | यः | मुहुराः | युवा | भूत् । प्रमुख संधि: (1) आ यन् → आ + यत् (त् → न् before following nasal/phonetic assimilation in saṃhitā reading)
- (2) पनन्तोशिग्भ्यः → पनन्तः + उशिग्भ्यः (visarga sandhi: -ः + उ- → -ो)
- (3) मुहुरा युवा → मुहुराः + युवा (saṃhitā contraction/visarga sandhi; transmitted as मुहुरा)
The meaning
Outer meaning
When the roaring ones moving in the woods measured out the vastness and colour like eager flames, then Agni perceives by his many-coloured radiance, delighting; though ever-aging, he becomes again and again young.
Inner meaning
The ‘roaring ones’ (vanadaḥ), moving in the ‘woods’ (vanā)—the tangled growth of the outer nature and the subconscient—set measures (amimīta) to the vast field (abhvam) and its varṇa (colour/form): the forces of life and nature define the limits and patterns of our experience. Yet Agni, like eager flames (uśigbhyaḥ), knows with a many-hued light (citreṇa bhāsā): he discerns the complex play of energies and turns it into delight (raṃsu). Agni’s paradox—ever-aging yet repeatedly young—signals the eternal renewing power of the divine will: it can be obscured by time and habit, yet when kindled it is perpetually fresh, recreating the being again and again.
Universal truth
Life continually shapes and limits us through its habitual patterns, but an awakened inner fire can read the complexity, transform it into joy, and renew our consciousness beyond fatigue and time.
Themes
Agni’s variegated light, cosmic measure, ever-old ever-young, inner perception (cikite)
The seer
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Lineage
- Bhārgava (traditional attribution)
- Other hymns
- RV 2.4.1, RV 2.4.4, RV 2.4.7
Family tradition
Vision-poet of Maṇḍala 2 emphasising Agni’s renewing force amid nature’s turbulence.
Significance
Here the rishi gives a psychological key: the wild ‘forest’ of nature measures and colours experience, but Agni’s integral light can master it and renew the soul’s youth.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- citreṇa-bhāsā (many-hued radiance), raṃsu (delighting), yuvā (ever-young)
- Related deities
- Uṣas (renewal), Soma (delight), Indra (illumined mind)
Cosmic role
Renewer of cycles; illuminator within complexity; transformer of nature’s energies into conscious delight.
Inner power
Psychic perception that reads the vital/subconscient movements and re-creates the being.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni praise during kindling/rekindling; suitable for rites emphasising renewal (punar-ādheya themes, broadly)
आ यन्मे॒ अभ्वं॑ व॒नद॒: पन॑न्तो॒शिग्भ्यो॒ नामि॑मीत॒ वर्ण॑म् । स चि॒त्रेण॑ चिकिते॒ रंसु॑ भा॒सा जु॑जु॒र्वाँ यो मुहु॒रा युवा॒ भूत् ॥
आ । यत् । मे॒ । अभ्व॑म् । व॒नदः॑ । पन॑न्त । उ॒शिक्ऽभ्यः॑ । न । अ॒मि॒मी॒त॒ । वर्ण॑म् । सः । चि॒त्रेण॑ । चि॒कि॒ते॒ । रम्ऽसु॑ । भा॒सा । जु॒जु॒र्वान् । यः । मुहुः॑ । आ । युवा॑ । भूत् ॥
ā | yat | me | abhvam | vanadaḥ | pananta | uśik-bhyaḥ | na | amimīta | varṇam | saḥ | citreṇa | cikite | ram-su | bhāsā | jujurvān | yaḥ | muhuḥ | ā | yuvā | bhūt
44
4 × ~11 syllables
Expansive and pictorial; supports ‘vastness’ then resolves into a bright renewal cadence.
Gives a sense of widening, then a fresh ignition—like fatigue turning into new energy.
- अभ्वम् (abhvam)
- Literal: vastness, great expanse. Symbolic: the large field of experience; the undifferentiated mass of nature
- वनाः (vanā)
- Literal: woods. Symbolic: tangled growth of vital/subconscient nature
- वनदः (vanadaḥ)
- Literal: roaring ones. Symbolic: turbulent life-forces; dynamic impulses in nature
- उशिग्भ्यः (uśigbhyaḥ)
- Literal: to/like the eager flames. Symbolic: ardent aspirational energies; flame-forces of seeking
- वर्णम् (varṇam)
- Literal: colour, appearance. Symbolic: forms, qualities, mental-vital patterns
- चित्रेण भासा (citreṇa bhāsā)
- Literal: by many-coloured radiance. Symbolic: integral illumination that sees complexity without confusion
- रंसु (raṃsu)
- Literal: delighting. Symbolic: ānanda born of understanding and transformation
- जुजुर्वान् ... युवा (jujurvān ... yuvā)
- Literal: aging ... young. Symbolic: timeless renewing power of the inner fire
Praise of Agni’s radiance and perpetual renewal; relevant to daily rekindling and the doctrine of ever-new fire.
When rekindling or strengthening fire; also as contemplative praise in soma/agnicayana contexts (general)
Feeding the fire; invoking renewal and right perception
Use when feeling dull, repetitive, or burnt out: chant to invoke ‘ever-young Agni’ and reframe complex emotions as fuel for light.
√mā ‘measure’ (PIE *meh1- ‘measure’). √cit ‘perceive’ (PIE *ḱeyt- ‘notice’ is debated; Indo-Aryan is secure). varṇa ‘color/form’ from √vṛ ‘cover/choose’ is complex; in RV it often signifies outward appearance/luster—innerly the modes of manifestation. The paradox jujurvān … yuvā bhūt encodes Agni’s perennial renewal: ever-old as cosmic principle, ever-young as newly kindled flame.
measure (mā) as ordering principle (R̥ta), manifestation through varṇa (forms/tones of consciousness), eternal renewal (old/young paradox)
Agni renews the rhythm of becoming—aging into youth—restoring right cycle.
Truth-perception is citra: it holds multiplicity without fragmentation.
Re-creation: the same force repeatedly becomes new, sustaining evolution.
Integral/psychological Vedism: transformation of subconscient nature by psychic illumination.
twilight-to-dawn transition (implied renewal)
Forest = subconscient complexity; roaring = turbulent impulses; colour = qualitative patterns; multicolour radiance = integral discernment; youth = perennial freshness of awakened will.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘ever-old, ever-young Agni’ mythologem: Agni’s radiance measures out vastness and form, and though aging, he repeatedly becomes young. Innerly, the flame of will is an eternal principle that renews itself in each moment of awakening, re-measuring the being into ordered forms of light.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √mā ‘measure’ is PIE *meh1-. √jar ‘age’ has Indo-European parallels in aging/decay semantics (cf. English ‘year’ is not cognate; better to note Indo-Iranian jar-/zar- correspondences). The imagery of measure and form is part of a wider IE poetics of cosmic ordering.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi experiences Agni as the one who ‘measures out’ his vast inner field into perceptible luminous forms; Agni reciprocates by granting discernment (cikite) through many-hued light, renewing the seeker’s energy repeatedly.
Hold the ‘forest’ of thoughts and impulses in awareness; kindle a multicoloured, non-judging illumination that turns them into joy.
Ājñā (integrative seeing)
Slow inhale imagining prismatic light; exhale offering fatigue into the fire; brief pause to sense renewal
Witnessing clarity with delighted energy
Observe repeating patterns (varṇa). Instead of resisting, let Agni’s citra-bhāsa ‘name and see’ them; feel the shift from oldness (jujurvān) to youth (yuvā) as a tangible refresh.
Rigvedic accenting; keep udātta prominence on key images (abhvam, varṇam, citreṇa, yuvā).
Let the first hemistich expand (wider phrasing), second hemistich brighten (slightly lifted tone).
abhvaṃ: bhv cluster clear, vanadaḥ: dental d; visarga ḥ audible before pause, pananta: light nasal n, uśigbhyo: ś + gbh cluster carefully, amimīta: long ī; avoid flattening, citreṇa: retroflex ṛ? (none) but clear tr, jujurvān: repeated ju; nasalization as written, muhur ā: separate muhur | ā
Expansive then luminous; avoid rushing consonant clusters.
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