Rig Veda 3.5.3: Mandala 3, Sukta 5, Mantra 3
Sukta 3.5
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
अधाय्यग्निर्मानुषीषु विक्ष्वपां गर्भो मित्र ऋतेन साधन् । आ हर्यतो यजतः सान्वस्थादभूदु विप्रो हव्यो मतीनाम् ॥
adhā́yy agnír mā́nuṣīṣu vikṣv apā́ṃ gárbho mitrá ṛténa sā́dhan | ā haryató yajatáḥ sā́nva sthād abhū́d u vípro havyó matīnā́m ||
अग्नि इंसानों में आया और पानी से पैदा हुआ। यह मित्र बन गया जो सही रास्ते पर चलता है। वो चमकता हुआ और पूजा योग्य है, सबसे ऊपर खड़ा है। वो बुद्धि वाला बन गया जिसको लोग हवन में बुलाते हैं।
Word by Word
- अध
- then, thereafterIndeclinableअव्यय (काल/क्रम सूचक)Role सम्बन्ध/प्रकरण-सूचकRoot अध (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक) अथ/अध
- आयि
- went/entered, cameVerbलुङ् (आगमयुक्त-आओरिस्ट), 3 पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot इ (धातु) ← आ + इ
- अग्निः
- Agni (fire-god)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- मानुषीषु
- among human (settlements/women), in human spheresAdjective (used substantively)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचनRole अधिकरणRoot मानुषी (प्रातिपदिक) < मनुष्य
- विक्षु
- in the clans/settlementsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन (वैदिक रूप: विक्षु)Role अधिकरणRoot विश् (प्रातिपदिक) ‘clan, settlement’
- अपाम्
- of the watersNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root अप् (प्रातिपदिक) ‘water’
- गर्भः
- embryo, inner germNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ/विशेष्य (अग्नेः विशेषण-रूपेण)Root गर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
- मित्रः
- Mitra; the friendNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ/सम्बोधन-तुल्य विशेषणRoot मित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- ऋतेन
- by/with ṛta (cosmic order, truth)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करणRoot ऋत (प्रातिपदिक)
- साधन्
- accomplishing, effectingVerb (participle)वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (अग्निम् विशेषयति)Role कर्तृ-विशेषणRoot साध् (धातु) → साधन्त् (वर्तमान कृदन्त)
- आ
- towards, hitherIndeclinableअव्ययRole क्रियाविशेषणRoot आ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- हर्यतः
- of the desirable/pleasing oneAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root हर्यत् (प्रातिपदिक) < हरि/हर् ‘to desire/please’
- यजतः
- of the worshipful oneAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root यजत् (प्रातिपदिक) < यज्
- सान्वस्थात्
- stood/rose on the ridge/heightVerbलुङ् (आओरिस्ट), 3 पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; पूर्वपद-समास/कर्मधारय-सदृश: ‘सानु-स्थात्’Role क्रियाRoot सानु (प्रातिपदिक) + स्था (धातु)
- अभूत्
- became, came to beVerbलुङ् (आओरिस्ट), 3 पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot भू (धातु)
- विप्रः
- inspired sage, seerNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ/विशेष्यRoot विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- हव्यः
- to be invoked/oblation-worthyAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (विप्रः/अग्निः विशेषण)Role कर्तृ-विशेषणRoot हव्य (प्रातिपदिक) < √हु ‘to pour/offer’
- मतीनाम्
- of the thoughts/intentions (hymns)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root मती (प्रातिपदिक) < मन् ‘to think’
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (मुख्य): अधा + आयि + अग्निः + मानुषीषु + विक्षु + अपाम् + गर्भः + मित्रः + ऋतेन + साधन् । आ + हर्यतः + यजतः + सानु-स्थात् + अभूत् + विप्रः + हव्यः + मतीनाम् ॥ 1) अधा॑य्य॒ग्निः = अधा + आयि + अग्निः (अध + आ-इ → अधा + आयि; ‘अय्य’ संधि-लेखन)
- 2) वि॒क्ष्व१॒॑पाम् = विक्षु + अपाम् (उकारान्त + अकारादि → उ + अ = व् + अ; लेखे ‘क्ष्व’)
- 3) सान्व॑स्था॒त् = सानु + स्थात् (उ + स् → व् + स्; ‘सान्व’)
- 4) अभू॑दु॒ = अभूत् (पदांत त् के बाद उ/उकार-प्रग्रह/पादपूरण-रूप; संहिता में ‘दु’)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Agni is established among the human peoples; he is the embryo of the Waters, a Friend who accomplishes by ṛta. From the radiant/golden one, the adorable, he stands on the summit and becomes the inspired, offering-worthy power of our thoughts.
Inner meaning
The divine Will (Agni) becomes firmly founded in the human collectivity (mānuṣīṣu vikṣu) when the inner sacrifice begins to be organized. As “embryo of the Waters” (apāṃ garbhaḥ), he is born out of the deep flow of consciousness—life-force and subconscient energies transformed into a luminous stream. As Mitra, he is the harmonizing Friend-power that unites parts of the being; by ṛta (right law of inner workings) he “accomplishes” the yoga, raising the flame to the summit (sānu)—the higher mind—where it becomes vipraḥ, the inspired seer-force within thought, the true oblation-bearing energy of the mental movements (matīnām).
Universal truth
Spiritual progress begins when the will to truth is installed in ordinary life; it is born from the depths, grows by the law of harmony and right order, and ascends to the summit where thought becomes inspired and capable of offering itself to the Divine.
Themes
Agni established in humans, fire-in-waters cosmogony, luminous ascent, thoughts as offerings
The seer
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Lineage
- Gāthina (Viśvāmitra line)
- Other hymns
- RV 3.1, RV 3.2, RV 3.3, RV 3.4, RV 3.5
Family tradition
Viśvāmitra Maṇḍala (RV 3): hymns of inner conquest—establishing the divine powers in the human instrument and ascending toward wider illumination.
Significance
Viśvāmitra is emblematic of the human being’s transformation into the seer: the will and aspiration disciplined by ṛta become the force that founds the gods in human nature.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni (with Mitra-epithet)
- Epithets
- apāṃ garbhaḥ (embryo of the Waters), mitraḥ (Friend), vipraḥ (inspired), havyáḥ (worthy of offering/oblation-bearer), yajataḥ (adorable), hiryataḥ (golden/radiant)
- Related deities
- Mitra, Varuṇa, Soma, Uṣas, Sūrya
Cosmic role
Mediator between earth and heaven; awakener of the gods; establisher of ṛta in the worlds; bearer of offerings from human to divine.
Inner power
Psychic fire and divine will that harmonizes the nature (Mitra), orders the movements by ṛta, and lifts thought into inspiration (vipra).
In ritual
Where it is used
Agnyādheya / daily Agnihotra and general Agni-invocation at the opening of śrauta offerings
अधा॑य्य॒ग्निर्मानु॑षीषु वि॒क्ष्व१॒॑पां गर्भो॑ मि॒त्र ऋ॒तेन॒ साध॑न् । आ ह॑र्य॒तो य॑ज॒तः सान्व॑स्था॒दभू॑दु॒ विप्रो॒ हव्यो॑ मती॒नाम् ॥
अधा॑यि । अ॒ग्निः । मानु॑षीषु । वि॒क्षु । अ॒पाम् । गर्भः॑ । मि॒त्रः । ऋ॒तेन॑ । साध॑न् । आ । हि॒र्य॒तः । य॒ज॒तः । सानु॑ । अ॒स्था॒त् । अभू॑त् । ऊँ॒ इति॑ । विप्रः॑ । हव्यः॑ । म॒ती॒नाम् ॥
adhāyi | agniḥ | mānuṣīṣu | vikṣu | apām | garbhaḥ | mitraḥ | ṛtena | sādhan | ā | hiryataḥ | yajataḥ | sānu | asthāt | abhūt | oṃ iti | vipraḥ | havyaḥ | matīnām
44
4 pādas of ~11 syllables each (triṣṭubh cadence; slight Vedic resolution possible)
Forward-driving, ascending rhythm suited to establishment and uplift.
Creates a sense of firm founding followed by a lift toward the ‘summit’; supports concentration and upward aspiration.
- अग्निः (agniḥ)
- Literal: fire. Symbolic: divine Will; inner priest and leader of transformation
- मानुषीषु विक्षु (mānuṣīṣu vikṣu)
- Literal: among human clans. Symbolic: in the embodied, collective human nature; daily life as field of sādhanā
- अपां गर्भः (apāṃ garbhaḥ)
- Literal: embryo of the waters. Symbolic: seed of the flame hidden in the life-stream/subconscient; birth of aspiration from depths
- मित्रः (mitraḥ)
- Literal: friend; Mitra. Symbolic: power of harmony, right relations, inner concord that supports the sacrifice
- ऋतेन साधन् (ṛtena sādhan)
- Literal: accomplishing by ṛta. Symbolic: effective action by the right law of truth and order in consciousness
- हिर्यतः (hiryataḥ)
- Literal: golden/radiant. Symbolic: luminous substance of higher consciousness; golden light of the truth-mind
- सानु (sānu)
- Literal: summit, ridge. Symbolic: higher plane of mind; peak of ascent where illumination establishes
- विप्रः (vipraḥ)
- Literal: inspired sage. Symbolic: seer-power awakened in mind; intuitive intelligence
- हव्यः मतीनाम् (havyaḥ matīnām)
- Literal: oblation of thoughts / offering-worthy of thoughts. Symbolic: power that makes mental movements fit for self-offering; consecration of thinking
Establishment of Agni in the human community (ādhāna motif) and as inner fire; also connects to waters-fire doctrine used in kindling and soma contexts.
At kindling/establishing the sacred fire; also as contemplative recitation when beginning inner practice.
Lighting and feeding Agni; offering ghee; invoking Agni as priest and friend-power.
Use at the start of meditation to ‘install’ the will-to-truth in the day; brief recitation before study/work as consecration of thought.
adhāyi from √dhā ‘set, place’ (PIE *dʰeh₁-; cf. Greek tithēmi). apāṃ garbhaḥ ‘embryo of waters’ expresses the Vedic cosmogonic image: fire latent in the waters (psychologically: will latent in the life-ocean). mitra ‘friend’ from √mi ‘to bind’ (Mitra as harmonizer) indicates integrative function. √sādh ‘accomplish’ conveys effectuation in accord with ṛta. harya ‘golden’ signals luminous quality (not merely color).
ṛta as means of accomplishment, latent seed (garbha) and manifestation, transformation of thought (mati) into offering
Explicit: Agni accomplishes by ṛta—right inner law is the means of effective transformation.
Truth becomes practical power when will is aligned; inspired mind (vipra) is a satya-bearing instrument.
Birth of fire from waters; ascent from hidden seed to summit—microcosmic recapitulation of cosmic manifestation.
Proto-Vedāntic / integral-psychological reading (Aurobindo): planes of consciousness and ascent of the sacrifice.
dawn (implicit: establishment leading to illumination)
unspecified
Fire = will/psychic flame; Waters = life/subconscient flow; Golden radiance = higher light; Summit = higher mind plane where inspiration stabilizes.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Fire as the embryo of the waters: a cosmogonic myth where Agni is hidden in the primeval waters and then among humans. Inner sense: the will-force is latent in the life-energies; through ṛta it is established in human nature and rises to a summit of luminous consciousness, becoming the inspired receiver and transformer of thoughts.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √dhā (adhāyi) continues PIE *dʰeh₁- ‘set/put’ (Greek tithēmi, Latin facere is different). √sthā (asthāt) continues PIE *steh₂- ‘stand’ (English stand). These roots encode the key actions: establishment and standing-on-the-summit, mirroring the inner stabilization and ascent.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The ṛṣi describes Agni’s ontological placement in the human domain and in thought itself. The reciprocity: human thought (mati) becomes havis when Agni is established; Agni in turn becomes vipra—illumining and refining thought into a fit offering aligned with ṛta.
Establish the inner flame in the ‘human field’—bring will, harmony, and right order into thoughts.
maṇipūra (inner fire) with ascent toward ājñā (summit of inspired mind)
Gentle ujjāyī or slow nasal breathing; on inhale feel ‘waters’ rising, on exhale kindle the flame steadily.
Collected aspiration (tapas) moving into luminous, orderly thinking.
Before japa, recall a hidden spark in the depths; invoke Agni as Mitra to harmonize parts; offer one dominant thought into the flame and let inspiration replace agitation.
Vedic triṣṭubh with udatta peaks on key invocatory words (e.g., agníḥ, ṛténa); anudatta supports; svarita on sandhi transitions (as per śākhā tradition).
Let the natural rise fall on ‘agniḥ… apāṃ garbhaḥ… ṛtena… sānu’; keep pāda-end cadences clear and slightly lengthened.
Keep retroflex ṛ in ṛtena crisp (not ri)., Differentiate ś/ṣ/s: vi-kṣu (kṣu cluster) cleanly., Hold long vowels: mānuṣīṣu, havyó., Pronounce ‘apām’ with clear long ā (not short).
Bright, steady, upward-aiming; avoid heaviness—aim for ‘golden’ clarity.
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