Rig Veda 3.3.5: Mandala 3, Sukta 3, Mantra 5
Sukta 3.3
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Devata
- Agni Vaiśvānara
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
चन्द्रमग्निं चन्द्ररथं हरिव्रतं वैश्वानरमप्सुषदं स्वर्विदम् । विगाहं तूर्णिं तविषीभिरावृतं भूर्णिं देवास इह सुश्रियं दधुः ॥
candráṃ agníṃ candra-ráthaṃ hári-vrataṃ vaiśvānarám apsu-sádaṃ svaḥ-vídam | vi-gā́haṃ tū́rṇiṃ táviṣībhi r ā́vṛtaṃ bhūrṇíṃ devā́sa ihá su-śríyaṃ dadh uḥ ||
अग्नि चमक रहा है और उसकी चमकती रथ है। यह प्रकाश के नियम का पक्का है। पानी में बैठा है, ऊपर की दुनिया जानता है। तेज़ी से आगे बढ़ता है, अपनी शक्ति में लपेटा हुआ। देवताओं ने इसे यहाँ चमक-दमक के लिए रखा है।
Word by Word
- चन्द्रम्
- the shining one; (Agni as) ‘the bright’Noun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot चन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) < √चद्/चन्द् (दीप्तौ/आह्लादने) (निरुक्त-परम्परा)
- अग्निम्
- AgniNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- चन्द्ररथम्
- having a shining chariot; ‘bright-charioted’Noun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot चन्द्र-रथ (समास: कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष; प्रातिपदिक)
- हरिव्रतम्
- whose ordinance/vow is ‘hari’ (golden/bright); of bright observanceAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot हरि-व्रत (समास; प्रातिपदिक)
- वैश्वानरम्
- Vaiśvānara (Agni as universal fire)Noun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot वैश्वानर (प्रातिपदिक; ‘belonging to all men’)
- अप्सुषदम्
- dwelling/sitting in the watersAdjective (participial)पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot अप्सु-षद (उपपद-समास; √सद् ‘उपवेशने/निवासे’ + कृत् -अ)
- स्वर्विदम्
- finder/knower of heaven (light)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot स्वर्-विद् (उपपद-समास; √विद् ‘ज्ञाने/लाभे’)
- विगाहम्
- the plunging/entering one; one who penetratesNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot वि-गाह (प्रातिपदिक; √गाह् ‘प्रवेशने/मज्जने’)
- तूर्णिम्
- swiftAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot तूर्णि (प्रातिपदिक)
- तविषीभिः
- with powers/energiesNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole करणRoot तविषी (प्रातिपदिक)
- आवृतम्
- encompassed, surroundedAdjective (past participle)पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot आ-√वृ (वरणे/आवरणे) + क्त (भूतकर्मणि)
- भूर्णिम्
- whirling/rolling one; the swirling (Agni)Noun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot भूर्णि (प्रातिपदिक)
- देवासः
- the godsNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- इह
- hereIndeclinableअव्ययRole अधिकारणRoot इह (अव्यय)
- सुश्रियम्
- very splendid, of good gloryAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot सु-श्रिय (समास; प्रातिपदिक; श्रिय्/श्री ‘शोभा/समृद्धि’)
- दधुः
- they placed/establishedVerbलिट् (परोक्शभूत/परफेक्ट), परस्मैपद, ३ पुरुष, बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot √धा (धारणे)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धि-निरसन): चन्द्रम् | अग्निम् | चन्द्ररथम् | हरिव्रतम् | वैश्वानरम् | अप्सु-षदम् (अप्सु + षदम्) | स्वर्-विदम् (स्वर् + विदम्) | विगाहम् | तूर्णिम् | तविषीभिः | आ-वृतम् (आ + वृतम्) | भूर्णिम् | देवासः | इह | सु-श्रियम् | दधुः । बहवः विशेषणपदानि (चन्द्रम्…स्वर्विदम्; विगाहम्…आवृतम्; भूर्णिम्…सुश्रियम्) अग्निम्/वैश्वानरम् इत्यस्य विशेषणरूपेण द्वितीयायाम् एकवचने समन्वयन्ते
- ‘देवासः’ कर्ता, ‘दधुः’ क्रिया।
The meaning
Outer meaning
A radiant Agni with a radiant chariot, faithful to a bright law, Vaiśvānara seated in the waters and knowing the heavenly light, rushes forward swift, wrapped in his powers; the gods establish this whirling force here for beautiful splendour.
Inner meaning
Agni as the divine Will and guiding Flame appears as a luminous movement of consciousness (“shining chariot”) obedient to the inner law (hari-vrata). As Vaiśvānara ‘in the waters’ he is the fire hidden in the subconscient and life-waters, awakening there as the knower of svar—higher light of truth. His ‘plunging forward’ is the soul-force entering the obscurer layers to kindle them; ‘wrapped in powers’ is the will supported by divine energies. The gods (illumined faculties) install this rotating, dynamic force in the embodied being so that the life becomes a field of beauty and radiance.
Universal truth
True progress is a luminous will aligned to a higher law, able to descend into the depths of life, awaken hidden energies, and establish a stable, beautiful radiance in action.
Themes
Vaiśvānara, fire-in-the-waters, swift-transformative-force, luminous-law
The seer
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Lineage
- Gāthina (Kauśika lineage in later tradition)
- Other hymns
- RV 3.1, RV 3.2, RV 3.3, RV 3.4, RV 3.5, RV 3.6, RV 3.7, RV 3.8, RV 3.9, RV 3.10, RV 3.11, RV 3.12
Family tradition
Royal seer who embodies the transition from kṣatriya power to brahmarṣi vision; hymns emphasize conquest of darkness by inner fire and light.
Significance
Viśvāmitra’s Agni-cycle presents the inner yajña as a disciplined ascent: awakening the hidden flame in the waters, establishing ṛta in the embodied nature, and preparing for Indra-like illumination.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni Vaiśvānara (fire-in-the-waters motif)
- Epithets
- candrá (shining), candraratha (radiant-charioted), harivrata (faithful to luminous law), apsuṣad (seated in the waters), svarvid (knower/finder of svar)
- Related deities
- Soma, Indra, Uṣas, Āpas (Waters), Aśvins
Cosmic role
Mediator between worlds; awakener of the hidden fire in the waters; establisher of luminous order in the human realm.
Inner power
Tapas as conscious will—able to descend, ignite, and rotate the energies of life toward truth and beauty.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agnyādhāna/Agnihotra and general Agni-stotra usage in soma-yajña preliminaries (invocation of Vaiśvānara)
च॒न्द्रम॒ग्निं च॒न्द्रर॑थं॒ हरि॑व्रतं वैश्वान॒रम॑प्सु॒षदं॑ स्व॒र्विद॑म् । वि॒गा॒हं तूर्णिं॒ तवि॑षीभि॒रावृ॑तं॒ भूर्णिं॑ दे॒वास॑ इ॒ह सु॒श्रियं॑ दधुः ॥
च॒न्द्रम् । अ॒ग्निम् । च॒न्द्रऽर॑थम् । हरि॑ऽव्रतम् । वै॒श्वा॒न॒रम् । अ॒प्सु॒ऽसद॑म् । स्वः॒ऽविद॑म् । वि॒ऽगा॒हम् । तूर्णि॑म् । तवि॑षीभिः । आऽवृ॑तम् । भूर्णि॑म् । दे॒वासः॑ । इ॒ह । सु॒ऽश्रिय॑म् । द॒धुः॒ ॥
candram | agnim | candra-ratham | hari-vratam | vaiśvānaram | apsu-sadam | svaḥ-vidam | vi-gāham | tūrṇim | taviṣībhiḥ | āvṛtam | bhūrṇim | devāsaḥ | iha | su-śriyam | dadhuḥ
11
4 pādas × ~11 syllables (Triṣṭubh cadence with strong caesura)
Forward-driving, expansive, and forceful; suited to dynamic invocation and establishment.
Builds momentum and inner heat; supports a sense of descent-and-ascent—entering depths, then rising into light.
- चन्द्रम् (candram)
- Literal: shining, bright. Symbolic: clarity of consciousness; luminous will
- अग्निम् (agnim)
- Literal: fire. Symbolic: divine will, inner flame leading the sacrifice
- चन्द्ररथम् (candraratham)
- Literal: with a shining chariot. Symbolic: radiant movement of aspiration and action
- हरिव्रतम् (harivrata)
- Literal: whose vow/law is tawny-bright (hari). Symbolic: obedience to the luminous law of ṛta; disciplined alignment
- वैश्वानरम् (vaiśvānaram)
- Literal: universal/for all men. Symbolic: Agni as universal force in all beings
- अप्सुसदम् (apsuṣadam)
- Literal: seated in the waters. Symbolic: fire hidden in life/subconscient; latent divine spark
- स्वर्विदम् (svarvidam)
- Literal: knower/finder of svar (heaven). Symbolic: finder of supramental light; revealer of truth-consciousness
- विगाहम् (vigāham)
- Literal: plunging, entering deeply. Symbolic: descent of will into obscure parts to transform
- तूर्णिम् (tūrṇim)
- Literal: swift. Symbolic: rapid response of awakened force
- तविषीभिः (taviṣībhiḥ)
- Literal: with powers, strengths. Symbolic: support of divine energies/śaktis
- भूर्णिम् (bhūrṇim)
- Literal: whirling, rolling. Symbolic: dynamic transformative force; tapas in motion
- सुश्रियम् (suśriyam)
- Literal: beautiful splendour. Symbolic: harmonized radiance in life and works
Agni connected with waters (apsu) appears in ritual as latent fire and in Soma symbolism; inwardly, awakening the fire within the life-energies and setting it ‘here’ to produce su-śrī (beautiful splendour of being).
Kindling/establishing fire; opening invocations where Agni is installed as priest and leader.
Offering with ghee; lighting the fire; inviting Agni as hotṛ and path-maker.
Use as a ‘lighting the inner flame’ mantra before meditation or work—invoking luminous will aligned to ṛta.
candrá- from √cand ‘shine’ => luminosity as a quality of Agni; apsú-sad- indicates fire hidden/established in waters (a frequent Vedic paradox: fire in the waters = latent will in the life-forces); svaḥ-vid from svaḥ + √vid ‘know/find’ => discovery of higher light; vi-gāh from √gāh ‘plunge’ => penetrative ascent by descent into depths; taviṣī ‘force’ (impetuous power); bhūrṇí ‘whirling’ => dynamic transformative motion; dadh uḥ from √dhā ‘place’ => divine establishment of the power in the human field.
latent divinity in life (apsu-sad), discovery of svaḥ (higher luminous consciousness), divine establishment (dadh uḥ) of power in embodiment
harivrata implies fidelity to ṛta—right law governing the ascent.
svarvid points to truth-light (satya) known and found by Agni.
Fire emerging from waters—manifestation of consciousness from the undifferentiated matrix; ordering of worlds.
Proto-Vedāntic/Integral (Aurobindonian) reading: evolution of consciousness through descent into the subconscient and ascent to supramental light.
dawn-to-morning transition (implied by ‘shining’ and emergence from waters)
The flame of aspiration awakens within the life-waters (subconscient/vital), becomes swift and wheel-like in transformative tapas, and establishes luminous harmony.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘fire in the waters’ (apsu-sad) and the gods establishing the whirling Agni here: mythically, the hidden fire is set into manifestation to yield splendour. Psychologically, the will-flame awakens within the life-stream, becomes swift and power-wrapped, and discovers svaḥ—higher light.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √vid ‘know’ reflects PIE *weyd- ‘see/know’ (Latin vidēre, etc.); √dhā ‘place’ reflects PIE *dʰeh₁-; the ‘waters’ ap- are Indo-Iranian (PIE *h₂ep- ‘water’ widely attested: Latin aqua via different development; Old English æp- proposals are debated, but IE water lexicon is archaic).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The hymn presents Agni as divinely installed (devāsaḥ dadh uḥ): the seeker’s role is to recognize and host this power ‘here’ in life. The return is su-śrī—an inner prosperity and beauty that comes when the latent fire in the waters becomes conscious and directed.
Ignite the inner will in the ‘waters’ of life—bring light into the obscure, then stabilize radiant action.
maṇipūra (fire/will) with support from svādhiṣṭhāna (waters/vital)
Gentle kapalabhāti-like warming (very mild) or steady ujjāyī; exhale imagining descent of flame into the navel-waters, inhale lifting light upward.
Dynamic stillness—quiet center with energized forward movement.
Before action, repeat slowly 9 times; feel a luminous law guiding choices; offer impulses into the flame, letting it ‘whirl’ them into clarity and beauty.
Use the Śākala-style Vedic accents as marked: maintain udatta peaks on accented syllables; svarita as falling glide; anudatta as low support (exact svara requires śākhā recitation training).
Keep ‘candram agním’ crisp with a clear rise on accented vowels; avoid flattening ‘vaiśvānarám apsuṣádam’.
: ‘ndra’ conjunct clear, not ‘chandaram’, : ‘śv’ cluster; long ā in -nā-, : ‘psu’ tight cluster; do not insert vowel, : pronounce ‘svar’ (not ‘suwar’), : long ‘ū’ and retroflex ‘ṇ’
Bright, steady, slightly resonant in the chest with a clean forward articulation.
9
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