Rig Veda 3.1.21: Mandala 3, Sukta 1, Mantra 21
Sukta 3.1
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
जन्मञ्जन्मन्निहितो जातवेदा विश्वामित्रेभिरिध्यते अजस्रः । तस्य वयं सुमतौ यज्ञियस्यापि भद्रे सौमनसे स्याम ॥
jánmañ janmanníhito jā́tavedā viśvā́mitrebhir idhyate ájasraḥ | tásya vayaṁ su-matáu yajñíyasyā́pi bhadré saumanasé syāma ||
हर जन्म में अग्नि अंदर छुपा होता है। विश्वामित्र रिषि उसे लगातार जलाते रहते हैं। हम उस अग्नि की अच्छी नज़र में रहें। हमारा दिल खुश रहे और मन साफ रहे।
Word by Word
- जन्म
- birthNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (अव्यक्त-विभक्ति; ‘जन्म’ रूपम्)Role कर्म (निहितः—‘स्थापितः’ इत्यस्य)Root जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) < √जन्
- जन्मन्
- in (each) birthNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) < √जन्
- निहितः
- placed, depositedParticiple (Adjective) रूपेणभूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ-विशेषण (जातवेदाः)Root नि-√धा (कृदन्त: निहित)
- जातवेदाः
- Jātavedas (Agni), knower of birthsNoun (देवनाम)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्ताRoot जातवेदस् (प्रातिपदिक; जात- + वेदस् < √विद्)
- विश्वामित्रेभिः
- by the ViśvāmitrasNoun (ऋषिनाम)पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole करणRoot विश्वामित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- इध्यते
- is kindledVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot √इध् (दीप्तौ/वर्धने)
- अजस्रः
- unceasingAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्ता-विशेषण (जातवेदाः)Root अजस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- तस्य
- of him (of that)Pronounषष्ठी, एकवचन (पुं/नपुं)Role सम्बन्ध (यज्ञियस्य/सुमतौ—‘of him/its’)Root तद् (सर्वनाम)
- वयम्
- wePronounप्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्ताRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- सुमतौ
- in (his) good thought/favorNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot सुमति (प्रातिपदिक)
- यज्ञियस्य
- of the worthy-of-worshipAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (तस्य—‘of the worshipful one’)Root यज्ञिय (प्रातिपदिक) < यज्ञ
- अपि
- alsoIndeclinableअव्ययRole निपात (समुच्चय/अपि ‘also’)Root अपि
- भद्रे
- in the auspicious (state)Adjective (संज्ञावत्)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot भद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- सौमनसे
- in good-mindedness, in harmonyNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot सौमनस (प्रातिपदिक; सु-मनस्)
- स्याम
- may we beVerbविधिलिङ् (आशीर्लिङ्/सम्भावना), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot √अस् (भू/अस्ति) — optative stem स्या-
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: जन्म | जन्मन् | निहितः | जातवेदाः | विश्वामित्रेभिः | इध्यते | अजस्रः । तस्य | वयम् | सुमतौ | यज्ञियस्य | अपि | भद्रे | सौमनसे | स्याम । मुख्य-सन्धयः: (1) जन्म॑ञ्जन्म॒न् = जन्म + जन्मन् (अनुस्वार-सन्धि/संयोगः)
- (2) विश्वामि॑त्रेभिरिध्यते = विश्वामित्रेभिः + इध्यते (विसर्गस्य ‘र्’ आदेशः स्वरादौ: भिः + इ- → भिरि-)
- (3) य॒ज्ञिय॒स्यापि॑ = यज्ञियस्य + अपि (अ + अ → आ; ‘स्य’ + ‘अपि’ → ‘स्यापि’)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Jātavedas is hidden in birth after birth and is kindled ceaselessly by the Viśvāmitras. May we be in the good mind of that adorable sacrificial flame, and also in the auspicious harmony of the heart.
Inner meaning
The mantra states a psychological law: the divine fire is involved in every cycle of becoming, but it requires conscious kindling by the seeker and the lineage of aspiration (‘Viśvāmitrebhiḥ’—the powers of universal friendship and wideness). ‘Ajasraḥ’ (unceasing) indicates the continuity of sadhana—steady rekindling, not sporadic enthusiasm. The prayer shifts from Agni’s fact to our relation: may we dwell in his ‘sumati’—the higher right-mindedness that Agni establishes—and in ‘bhadra saumanasa’—a luminous, harmonious heart-consciousness where mind and emotion are reconciled in truth.
Universal truth
The divine is already present within each life, but realization depends on sustained practice and alignment with a higher goodwill, culminating in a bright, harmonious heart-mind.
Themes
lineage and transmission, continuous kindling, inner ethical-mental alignment
The seer
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra
- Lineage
- Gāthina
- Other hymns
- RV 3.1.20, RV 3.1.22, RV 3.62.10
Family tradition
A self-referential line: the seer’s family/lineage is the instrument that kindles Agni—symbolizing transmission of tapas and mantra-knowledge across generations.
Significance
Viśvāmitra frames sadhana as lineage-work: the same inner fire is rekindled across births, and the aim is not only power but a ‘bhadra saumanasa’—a luminous harmonized heart.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni (Jātavedas)
- Epithets
- Jātavedas, Yajñiya (adorable/worthy), Ajasra (unceasing)
- Related deities
- Soma (saumanasa resonance), Uṣas (awakening), Indra (victorious force)
Cosmic role
Eternal flame involved in beings; receiver of offerings; awakener of divine powers in the human.
Inner power
Psychic guidance (sumati) and heart-harmony (saumanasa); the purifying fire that reconciles mind and emotion in truth.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni kindling (ādhāna/āhavanīya maintenance) imagery; recited as affirmation of continuous fire and as a prayer for right disposition.
जन्म॑ञ्जन्म॒न्निहि॑तो जा॒तवे॑दा वि॒श्वामि॑त्रेभिरिध्यते॒ अज॑स्रः । तस्य॑ व॒यं सु॑म॒तौ य॒ज्ञिय॒स्यापि॑ भ॒द्रे सौ॑मन॒से स्या॑म ॥
जन्म॑न्ऽजन्मन् । निऽहि॑तः । जा॒तऽवे॑दाः । वि॒श्वामि॑त्रेभिः । इ॒ध्य॒ते॒ । अज॑स्रः । तस्य॑ । व॒यम् । सु॒ऽम॒तौ । य॒ज्ञिय॑स्य । अपि॑ । भ॒द्रे । सौ॒म॒न॒से । स्या॒म॒ ॥
janman-janman | ni-hitaḥ | jāta-vedāḥ | viśvāmitrebhiḥ | idhyate | ajasraḥ | tasya | vayam | su-matau | yajñiyasya | api | bhadre | saumanase | syāma
44
4×11 (approx.)
Steady, continuous flow matching ‘ajasraḥ’; prayerful closure with soft cadence in final pāda.
Creates a sense of continuity and gentle heart-settling; conducive to inner alignment and goodwill.
- अजस्रः (ajasraḥ)
- Literal: unceasing. Symbolic: Continuity of aspiration; steady inner practice
- विश्वामित्रेभिः (viśvāmitrebhiḥ)
- Literal: by the Viśvāmitras. Symbolic: By forces of wideness and universal friendship; by the lineage of seekers
- इध्यते (idhyate)
- Literal: is kindled. Symbolic: Awakened into active consciousness
- यज्ञियस्य (yajñiyasya)
- Literal: adorable, worthy of sacrifice. Symbolic: That inner flame worthy of offering the whole nature
- सुमतौ (sumatau)
- Literal: in good thought/will. Symbolic: Higher right-mindedness, luminous intention
- सौमनसे (saumanase)
- Literal: good-mindedness/heart-harmony. Symbolic: Luminous harmony of heart and mind; psychic gladness
- भद्रे (bhadre)
- Literal: auspicious. Symbolic: Protected, truth-aligned harmony
Lineage-affirming kindling verse: connects family of seers (Viśvāmitras) with continuous maintenance of sacred fire; used where continuity of Agni across generations is emphasized.
At tending of household/ritual fire or at the close of Agni hymn recitation to seal the inner attitude (sumati/saumanasa).
Kindling/maintaining fire; mental offering of one’s mind and heart into Agni.
Use as a daily ‘psychic fire’ reminder: keep aspiration continuous and cultivate luminous heart-harmony.
idhyate passive of √indh ‘kindle’ (PIE *h₁eydʰ- ‘to kindle’); ajasra ‘unbroken’ (a- privative + jasra ‘wasting/decaying’?) → ‘not decaying, continuous’; sumati: su- + mati from √man ‘think’ → good thought/will; saumanasa from su- + manas ‘mind/heart’ → harmonious gladness.
continuity across births, right will (sumati), inner harmony (saumanasa)
Sumati is the mental form of ṛta—right intention and discernment established by Agni.
Bhadra saumanasa is truth-harmony: emotions aligned with the soul’s truth.
The involved divine fire sustaining evolutionary continuity across births.
Integral yoga psychology: psychic being as persistent flame across lives; transformation through continuous kindling.
Fire maintenance = continuity of practice; kindling = awakening aspiration; heart-harmony = psychic gladness and luminous emotional order.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘eternal fire maintained by the seer-line’: Agni is hidden in each birth and continually kindled by the Viśvāmitras. Psychologically, the tradition symbolizes sustained inner practice: the flame of knowledge is repeatedly awakened so that the aspirant abides in good will and luminous heart-harmony.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √indh ‘kindle’ is an Indo-Iranian continuation of a PIE ‘ignite’ root (*h₁eydʰ-), paralleled by notions of fuel/ignition across IE. manas/mati from √man ‘think’ (PIE *men-) shows the inherited link between mind and sacred formulation.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi-line (Viśvāmitras) is explicitly the agent of kindling: their disciplined action awakens the ever-present Agni. In exchange, they seek not external gain but inner states—sumati and saumanasa—indicating the devatā as transformer of consciousness when faithfully tended.
Sustain the inner flame daily; cultivate sumati (right intention) and saumanasa (heart-mind harmony).
Anāhata (heart) primary; Maṇipūra secondary
Slow coherent breathing (5–6 breaths/min) while softly repeating ‘bhadre saumanase’.
Quiet, continuous aspiration; gentle psychic warmth and harmony.
Make a small daily vow: one act that ‘kindles’ Agni (truthful speech, conscious offering of a desire). End by resting attention in the heart-lotus, invoking ‘sumati’ as guidance.
Rigvedic accenting; keep ‘janmañ-janman’ smoothly linked; allow a gentle melodic rise on ‘idhyate’ and a soft settling on ‘syāma’.
Let the second hemistich be more intimate and inward; slightly soften volume on ‘bhadre saumanase’.
idhyate: aspirated ‘dh’ clear, yajñiyasya: ‘jñ’ conjunct, not ‘gy’, saumanase: ‘au’ diphthong clear, ‘na’ light, syāma: long ‘ā’ sustained
Warm, inward, steady; minimal force, more continuity.
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