Rig Veda 4.3.7: Mandala 4, Sukta 3, Mantra 7
Sukta 4.3
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
कथा महे पुष्टिम्भराय पूष्णे कद्रुद्राय सुमखाय हविर्दे । कद्विष्णव उरुगायाय रेतो ब्रवः कदग्ने शरवे बृहत्यै ॥
kathā́ mahé puṣṭim-bharā́ya pūṣṇé kád rudrā́ya su-mákhāya havir-dé | kád víṣṇava urú-gāyāya réto brávaḥ kád agne śárave bṛhatyái ||
पूषन भगवान को कैसे पुकारोगे? वो जो सबको खुश रखता है। रुद्र को कैसे बुलाओगे? वो जो हवि देता है और बलि अच्छी लेता है। विष्णु को कौनसा शब्द दोगे? वो जो आसमान में बड़े-बड़े कदम रखता है। अग्नि, तुम सीर के लिए क्या कहोगे? वो जो दूर तक जाता है, और उस बड़ी शक्ति के लिए क्या बोलोगे?
Word by Word
- कथा
- how? in what way?Indeclinableप्रश्नार्थक-अव्ययRoot कथा (प्रश्नाव्यय)
- महे
- to the great (one)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गे चतुर्थी-एकवचनम् (वेद. रूप; महते/महे)Role SampradānaRoot महत्
- पुष्टिम्भराय
- to the nourishment-bringing (one)Adjective/Epithetपुंलिङ्गे चतुर्थी-एकवचनम्Role SampradānaRoot पुष्टिम्भर (प्रातिपदिक; पुष्टिं + भर)
- पूष्णे
- to PūṣanNoun (deity name)पुंलिङ्गे चतुर्थी-एकवचनम्Role SampradānaRoot पूषन्
- कद्
- when? how? (interrogative particle)Indeclinableप्रश्नार्थक-अव्ययRoot कद् (प्रश्नाव्यय)
- रुद्राय
- to RudraNoun (deity name)पुंलिङ्गे चतुर्थी-एकवचनम्Role SampradānaRoot रुद्र
- सुमखाय
- to the good-at-sacrifice / of good worshipAdjective/Epithetपुंलिङ्गे चतुर्थी-एकवचनम्Role SampradānaRoot सुमख (सु- + मख)
- हविर्दे
- O oblation-giverAdjective/Epithetपुंलिङ्गे सम्बोधन-एकवचनम् (वेद. रूप; -दे < -दः)Role SambodhanaRoot हविर्द (हविस् + द; ‘giver of oblation’)
- कद्
- when? how?Indeclinableप्रश्नार्थक-अव्ययRoot कद् (प्रश्नाव्यय)
- विष्णवे
- to ViṣṇuNoun (deity name)पुंलिङ्गे चतुर्थी-एकवचनम्Role SampradānaRoot विष्णु
- उरुगायाय
- to the wide-striding / far-famed (one)Adjective/Epithetपुंलिङ्गे चतुर्थी-एकवचनम्Role SampradānaRoot उरुगाय (उरु- + गाय)
- रेतः
- seed; semen; generative powerNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot रेतस्
- ब्रवः
- you speak / speak forthVerbलट् (वेद. injunctive/imperative-like use), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्Root ब्रू
- कद्
- when? how?Indeclinableप्रश्नार्थक-अव्ययRoot कद् (प्रश्नाव्यय)
- अग्ने
- O AgniNoun (deity name)पुंलिङ्गे सम्बोधन-एकवचनम्Role SambodhanaRoot अग्नि
- शरवे
- to/for the arrow (missile)Nounपुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे चतुर्थी-एकवचनम्Role SampradānaRoot शरव (प्रातिपदिक; ‘arrow/shaft’ or ‘missile’)
- बृहत्यै
- to/for the Bṛhatī (great one; also the Bṛhatī metre)Noun (metre/name) / Adjective (f.)स्त्रीलिङ्गे चतुर्थी-एकवचनम्Role SampradānaRoot बृहती
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (sandhi-resolved): कथा | महे | पुष्टिम्भराय | पूष्णे | कद् | रुद्राय | सुमखाय | हविर्दे | कद् | विष्णवे | उरुगायाय | रेतः | ब्रवः | कद् | अग्ने | शरवे | बृहत्यै । मुख्य सन्धयः: (1) पूष्णे कद् → पूष्णे + कद् (सन्धि-निरपेक्ष, पदान्ते विसर्ग/अनुस्वार-नास्ति)
- (2) कद्रुद्राय → कद् + रुद्राय (द् + र् संयोग)
- (3) हविर्दे → हविस् + द (समास/निग्रह; पदान्त -स् लोपः, ‘हविर्द-’)
- (4) कद्विष्णवः → कद् + विष्णवे (द् + व्)
- (5) रेतो ब्रवः → रेतः + ब्रवः (पदपाठे रेतः; संहितायां ‘रेतो’ इति विसर्गस्य ओ-आदेशः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The poet asks: what fitting words (seed-utterances) should one speak to Pūṣan who brings nourishment, to Rudra who grants the oblation, to wide-striding Viṣṇu, and to Agni—here linked with the far-flying Arrow and the Vast (Bṛhat).
Inner meaning
A self-questioning of the inner sacrificer: what mantra-vibration can truly address the distinct divine powers in us? Pūṣan is the inner Guide and Nourisher who sustains the journey; Rudra is the force that purifies by a severe truth and makes the offering effective; Viṣṇu is the all-pervading expansive consciousness taking the “wide steps” that open the worlds; Agni is the conscious Will that carries the offering upward. The “seed-word” (retaḥ) is the concentrated intention/mantric essence by which these powers are invoked in the psyche. The “Arrow” is the focused will/aspiration shot toward the Vast (bṛhat)—the wideness of higher consciousness.
Universal truth
Spiritual progress requires right address: each inner power responds to a specific quality of aspiration and speech. When intention becomes a true seed-mantra, the will can pierce resistance and open into vastness.
Themes
integration of divine functions, expansion and plenitude, directed will, right sacrifice
The seer
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 4.1, RV 4.2, RV 4.3, RV 4.4, RV 4.5
Family tradition
Vāmadeva is a major seer of Maṇḍala 4, associated with the discovery of inner light (go/svar) through Agni and Ṛta; the Gautamas often articulate the psychology of sacrifice and the release of the hidden Dawns.
Significance
Vāmadeva’s voice frequently turns ritual terms into inner disciplines: right speech, right offering, and the unveiling of Svar. Here he frames mantra as a precise psychological instrument—speech that must match the invoked power.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni (mediator; invoking Pūṣan, Rudra, Viṣṇu, Bṛhat)
- Epithets
- Jātavedas (implied in the hymn context), haviḥ-vāha (carrier of oblation, functional role), dūta (messenger, implied)
- Related deities
- Pūṣan, Rudra, Viṣṇu, Bṛhat (the Vast)
Cosmic role
Agni is the divine priest who carries offerings between human and godhead; he links and harmonizes multiple cosmic powers (nourishment, purification, expansion, vastness).
Inner power
The awakened will and discernment that formulates the right mantra-intention and directs aspiration like an arrow into the Vast.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agniṣṭoma/Soma-yajña context broadly; also general Agni invocation as mediator
क॒था म॒हे पु॑ष्टिम्भ॒राय॑ पू॒ष्णे कद्रु॒द्राय॒ सुम॑खाय हवि॒र्दे । कद्विष्ण॑व उरुगा॒याय॒ रेतो॒ ब्रव॒: कद॑ग्ने॒ शर॑वे बृह॒त्यै ॥
क॒था । म॒हे । पु॒ष्टि॒म्ऽभ॒राय॑ । पू॒ष्णे । कत् । रु॒द्राय॑ । सुऽम॑खाय । ह॒विः॒ऽदे । कत् । विष्ण॑वे । उ॒रु॒ऽगा॒याय॑ । रेतः॑ । ब्रवः॑ । कत् । अ॒ग्ने॒ । शर॑वे । बृ॒ह॒त्यै ॥
kathā | mahe | puṣtim-bharāya | pūṣṇe | kat | rudrāya | su-makhāya | haviḥ-de | kat | v iṣṇave | uru-gāyāya | retaḥ | bravaḥ | kat | agne | śarave | bṛhatyai
44
4 pādas × ~11 syllables
Interrogative, forward-driving cadence with repeated ‘kathā/kat’ creating a searching pulse.
Builds inner questioning into a steady ascent; repetition of ‘kat’ sharpens attention and concentrates intention before invocation.
- कथा (kathā)
- Literal: how? in what way?. Symbolic: self-inquiry into the right inner approach and right speech
- पूषन् (pūṣan)
- Literal: the nourisher, protector of paths. Symbolic: inner guide that sustains growth and directs the journey
- पुष्टिम्भर (puṣṭimbhara)
- Literal: bearer of plenitude/nourishment. Symbolic: power that carries fullness into the being (increase of inner substance)
- रुद्र (rudra)
- Literal: the howling/terrible one. Symbolic: purifying force that breaks falsehood, makes the sacrifice effective
- हविर्दे (havirde)
- Literal: giver of the oblation. Symbolic: power that enables true offering—turning life-energy into consecrated force
- विष्णु (viṣṇu)
- Literal: the all-pervading. Symbolic: expansive consciousness taking wide steps through planes of being
- उरुगाय (urugāya)
- Literal: wide-going, wide-striding. Symbolic: vast movement of consciousness beyond narrow mind
- रेतः (retaḥ)
- Literal: seed. Symbolic: seed-word/essential mantra; concentrated intention that generates realization
- अग्नि (agni)
- Literal: fire. Symbolic: divine will and conscious force; priest of the inner sacrifice
- शर (śara)
- Literal: arrow. Symbolic: one-pointed aspiration/will projected upward
- बृहती/बृहत् (bṛhatī/bṛhat)
- Literal: the vast, the great. Symbolic: the wideness of higher consciousness (Bṛhat), supramental/overmental vastness
Pantheonic coordination within yajña: ensuring right invocation to guiding nourishment (Pūṣan), purifying force (Rudra), expansive stride (Viṣṇu), and vast truth (Bṛhat).
At moments of invoking multiple deities through Agni, especially when selecting/intoning appropriate stotra/śastra or offering-formulas.
Verbal invocation (mantra) preceding or accompanying oblation; aligning speech with deity-function.
Use as a contemplative preface before japa/meditation: ‘What is the right inner word and intention for each power I seek to awaken?’
puṣṭi from √puṣ ‘to thrive, prosper’ → fullness of being. Pūṣan from √puṣ; guide-nourisher. Viṣṇu possibly from √viṣ ‘to pervade’/√viś ‘enter’; urú-gāya ‘wide-going’ (uru ‘wide’). rétas ‘seed’ from √ri ‘to flow’ semantic field; in RV often ‘essence, generative flow’. śára ‘arrow’ from √śṛ/√sar ‘to go swiftly’ (motion semantics). bṛhát from √bṛh ‘to grow, expand’ (PIE *bʰerǵʰ- ‘rise/high’ in some proposals).
plenitude (puṣṭi), expansion of consciousness (Viṣṇu’s wide stride), creative seed/essence (retas)
Right speech is effective only when aligned with Ṛta; the question implies a search for ṛta-vāk (truth-utterance).
Seed-word (retaḥ) as satya-bīja: speech that is true because it arises from inner alignment, not convention.
Speech as generative seed: the right mantra ‘creates’ the inner opening to nourishment, purification, expansion, and vastness.
Proto-Vedāntic/Integral (Aurobindo-style) reading: multiple godheads as powers of one Consciousness acting in the ascent.
Fire = awakened will; Arrow = one-pointed aspiration; Vast = widened consciousness beyond ego-boundaries.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The distribution of a single sacrificial speech-force to multiple cosmic functions: nourishment/pathfinding (Pūṣan), purification (Rudra), vast stride (Viṣṇu), and the Vast (bṛhat). Psychologically, it is the harmonized articulation of the soul’s powers so that growth, expansion, and goal-directed force cooperate.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- puṣ- ‘thrive’ has Indo-Iranian continuity (Avestan pūs- related prosperity semantics). bṛh- ‘grow, expand’ parallels broad IE growth roots (cf. Sanskrit bṛhat, Avestan bərəzant ‘high’). The hymn preserves archaic growth/expansion imagery central to IE poetics.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi relies on Agni as the discriminating messenger who can deliver the right ‘seed-word’ (retas) to each power. The human side supplies the questioning aspiration; Agni supplies the integrative intelligence that turns aspiration into effective relations with the cosmic forces.
Right invocation: differentiate inner powers (nourishment, purification, expansion, will) and address each with a matching intention.
Viśuddha (truth-speech) and Ājñā (focused will/arrow)
Moderate nāḍī-śodhana for clarity, then a brief kumbhaka before each ‘kat’ phrase to intensify intention.
Collected, inquiring, widening toward spacious awareness.
Before practice, silently ask: ‘What is my true offering today?’ Then invoke: Pūṣan for steadiness, Rudra for cutting falsehood, Viṣṇu for widening, Agni for upward will; end by resting in bṛhat—spacious presence.
Default Rigvedic recitation with udātta/anudātta/svarita per śākhā; repeated interrogatives (‘kathā/kat’) often carry a marked udātta in practice depending on padapāṭha accents.
Keep ‘kathā’ clearly separated; articulate ‘kat’ as a crisp stop. Lengthen long vowels: ‘mahé’, ‘pūṣṇé’, ‘urugāyāya’, ‘bṛhatyái’.
kathā: aspirate ‘th’ (not dental ‘t’), puṣṭimbharāya: cluster ‘ṣṭim-bh’—do not drop nasalization, havirde: light ‘v’ and clear ‘r’ tap, urugāyāya: keep ‘gā’ long, śarave: ‘ś’ palatal, not ‘s’
Clear, questioning, then firm on deity-names; end with a widening resonance on ‘bṛhatyai’.
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