Rig Veda 4.4.9: Mandala 4, Sukta 4, Mantra 9
Sukta 4.4
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
इह त्वा भूर्या चरेदुप त्मन्दोषावस्तर्दीदिवांसमनु द्यून् । क्रीळन्तस्त्वा सुमनसः सपेमाभि द्युम्ना तस्थिवांसो जनानाम् ॥
ihá tvā bhū́ry ā́ cared úpa tmán doṣā́vastar dīdivā́ṃsam ánu dyū́n | krī́ḷantas tvā sumánasaḥ sapemā́bhí dyumnā́ tasthivā́ṃso jánānām ||
यहाँ तुम्हारे पास बड़ी शक्ति आए, चमकते हुए अग्नि। दिन और रात तुम्हारे पास आए। हम खुशी से तुम्हारे साथ खेलें, और तुम्हारी चमक के साथ लोगों में खड़े रहें।
Word by Word
- इह
- hereIndeclinableदेशवाचक-अव्ययRole अधिकारणRoot इह (अव्यय)
- त्वा
- you (as object)Pronounद्वितीया-एकवचन (एनक्लिटिक रूप)Role कर्मRoot युष्मद्
- भूर्या
- many (things/acts)Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-बहुवचन (भूरि-शब्दस्य वैदिक रूप; ‘many’)Role कर्मRoot भूरि
- चरेत्
- may (he) move/actVerbविधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (क्रियापद)Root चर्
- उप
- towards, nearIndeclinableउपसर्ग/निपातRoot उप (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- त्मन्
- the person/self (one’s own being)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचनRole कर्म (उप + त्मन् = ‘to/unto the self/person’)Root त्मन्
- दोषाः
- nightsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot दोषा
- अवस्तर्
- they spread/coveredVerbलुङ् (aorist), परस्मैपद, तृतीया-पुरुष, बहुवचन (वैदिक रूप ‘अवस्तर्’)Role कर्तृ (क्रियापद)Root अवस्तृ (अव + √स्तृ/स्तॄ ‘to spread/cover’)
- दीदिवांसम्
- the shining oneParticipleपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचनRole कर्मRoot दीदिवांस् (√दीदिव्/√दीव् ‘to shine’ का परिपूर्ण/परिप्रत्यय-युक्त कृदन्त)
- अनु
- after, alongIndeclinableउपसर्ग/निपातRoot अनु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- द्यून्
- daysNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-बहुवचनRole कर्म (अनु द्यून् = ‘along the days’)Root द्यु/दिव्
- क्रीळन्तः
- playing, sportingParticipleपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-बहुवचन, वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ)Role कर्तृRoot क्रीळ्
- त्वा
- youPronounद्वितीया-एकवचन (एनक्लिटिक)Role कर्मRoot युष्मद्
- सुमनसः
- well-minded, benevolentAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot सु-मनस्
- सपेम
- we/they have attained/come together (Vedic idiom)Verbलिट्/परिपूर्ण-प्रयोग (वैदिक), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन (पाठ-रूप ‘सपेम’)Role कर्तृ (क्रियापद)Root √पा (पिबति) / वैदिक ‘सपेम’ (सह + पेम/पेमन्-सम्बद्ध क्रियापद-रूप; RV-प्रयोग)
- अभि
- towards, uponIndeclinableउपसर्ग/निपातRoot अभि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- द्यु॒म्ना
- with splendors/gloriesNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-बहुवचनRole करणRoot द्यु॒म्न
- तस्थिवांसः
- standing, stationedParticipleपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot तस्थिवांस् (√स्था ‘to stand’ का परिपूर्ण कृदन्त)
- जनानाम्
- of the peoplesNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root जन
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सम्भाव्य): इह | त्वा | भूर्या | चरेत् | उप | त्मन् | दोषाः | अवस्तर् | दीदिवांसम् | अनु | द्यून् || क्रीळन्तः | त्वा | सुमनसः | सपेम | अभि | द्युम्ना | तस्थिवांसः | जनानाम् । मुख्य सन्धि-विच्छेद: (1) चरेदुप → चरेत् + उप (त् + उ → द् उ, वैदिक संधि-लेखन)
- (2) त्मन्दोषाः → त्मन् + दोषाः (न् + द् संयोग)
- (3) दोषाऽवस्तर् → दोषाः + अवस्तर् (विसर्ग-सन्धि: ः + अ → ऽ)
- (4) दीदिवांसमनु → दीदिवांसम् + अनु (म् + अ)
- (5) क्रीळन्तस्त्वा → क्रीळन्तः + त्वा (विसर्ग + त्)
- (6) सपेमा॒भि → सपेम + अभि (म् + अ)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Here may abundant strength move toward you, coming near the self, O shining one, through nights and days. Playing with you in a happy mind, may we follow—standing in luminous powers among men.
Inner meaning
The verse asks that abundant force (bhūryā) circulate toward Agni and inward toward the true self (upa tman). Through alternating obscurity and clarity (nights and days), the shining flame is kept present. ‘Playing’ (krīḻantaḥ) with Agni indicates a spontaneous, joyful collaboration with the divine Will—practice no longer feels strained but becomes a luminous game of growth. Thus the seekers stand established in dyumnā—powers of illumination and victory—within human life (janānām), not apart from it.
Universal truth
When strength is turned inward to the self and sustained through all cycles, spiritual practice matures into joyful participation; one can live among people while standing in luminous power.
Themes
Continuity (anu dyūn), Joyful practice (krīḷ), Luminous standing among men
The seer
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 4.4.8, RV 4.4.10
Family tradition
Vāmadeva often portrays the yoga as a sustained movement through dualities (night/day) toward stable illumination, culminating in an easeful ‘play’ with the divine force.
Significance
This mantra highlights a mature stage of practice: strength becomes inwardly centered (tman) and the relation with Agni becomes joyful, enabling luminous action in the world.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- dīdivāṃs (shining), tman-āśraya (near the self—implied)
- Related deities
- Uṣas (dawn), Sūrya (light), Indra (power)
Cosmic role
Maintains the light through cosmic alternations; sustains the continuity of the sacrifice across time (night/day).
Inner power
Continuity of aspiration; the flame that remains through mood-swings and life-cycles, turning them into growth.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni praise for continuity of rite across time; suitable for evening/morning transitions
इ॒ह त्वा॒ भूर्या च॑रे॒दुप॒ त्मन्दोषा॑वस्तर्दीदि॒वांस॒मनु॒ द्यून् । क्रीळ॑न्तस्त्वा सु॒मन॑सः सपेमा॒भि द्यु॒म्ना त॑स्थि॒वांसो॒ जना॑नाम् ॥
इ॒ह । त्वा॒ । भूरि॑ । आ । च॒रे॒त् । उप॑ । त्मन् । दोषा॑ऽवस्तः । दी॒दि॒वांस॑म् । अनु॑ । द्यून् । क्रीळ॑न्तः । त्वा॒ । सु॒ऽमन॑सः । स॒पे॒म॒ । अ॒भि । द्यु॒म्ना । त॒स्थि॒वांसः॑ । जना॑नाम् ॥
iha | tvā | bhūri | ā | caret | upa | tman | doṣāvastaḥ | dīdivāṃsam | anu | dyūn | krīḷantaḥ | tvā | su-manasaḥ | sapema | abhi | dyumnā | tasthivāṃsaḥ | janānām
44
4 × ~11
Wave-like movement mirroring cycles (night/day) yet steady in forward progression.
Creates endurance and cheerful energy; supports perseverance through alternating inner states.
- भूरि (bhūri)
- Literal: abundant. Symbolic: plenitude of force available when aligned to the divine
- उप त्मन् (upa tman)
- Literal: near the self. Symbolic: inward turn toward the psychic being/true center
- दीदिवांसम् (dīdivāṃsam)
- Literal: shining. Symbolic: Agni as the illumined will and light in consciousness
- दोषावस्तः (doṣāvastāḥ)
- Literal: nights and dawns/days. Symbolic: cycles of obscurity and clarity in sadhana
- क्रीळन्तः (krīḻantaḥ)
- Literal: playing. Symbolic: līlā-like joyful practice; effortless collaboration with the divine
- सुमनसः (sumanasaḥ)
- Literal: good-minded/joyful. Symbolic: harmonized mental state receptive to guidance
- द्यु॒म्ना (dyumnā)
- Literal: splendours/powers. Symbolic: victorious illuminations, effective spiritual energies
Sustained companionship with Agni across day/night; supports continuous practice and social standing in dyumna (luminous power)
At dusk/dawn offerings; also when renewing resolve after periods of obscurity.
Tend the fire at liminal times; recite to affirm continuity ‘through nights and days’.
A mantra for resilience: use during difficult phases to re-center in the self and recover joyful engagement with practice.
√car ‘move, walk’ indicates dynamic approach. tman ‘self’ (cognate with IE *t(e)men-?; in Vedic a central reflexive ‘self’ notion). dīdivāṃs (perf. part. of √div ‘shine’) intensifies illumination. krīḷ ‘play’ suggests spontaneous, non-strained harmony once Agni is established.
tman (self) as inner seat, establishment (tasthivāṃs) as stabilization in ṛta
Night/day alternation is Ṛta; the mantra asks to remain aligned to it with continuous inner flame.
Sustaining light within cycles; evolution from struggle to play.
Yogic psychology of transformation through dualities.
dusk-to-dawn cycle explicitly
Night/day = obscurity/illumination phases; movement toward tman = inward concentration; play = spontaneous harmony with divine will.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Agni as the ever-shining companion through the whole cycle of time; the seeker ‘plays’ with the divine power—an image of harmonized energies after illumination.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- dyu/dīv ‘shine’ continues PIE *dyeu-; the day/night cycle is a core IE cosmological frame. √car is a basic IE motion verb comparable to Latin currō (though not direct cognate) and the broader IE ‘way/path’ semantics.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- Not only petition but companionship: the rishi seeks an intimate nearness (upa tman) and a stable luminous status (dyumna) in the human world through Agni’s constant shining.
Re-center in the tman (inner self) and invite strength to move toward the inner flame through all cycles.
anahata
slow 6-6 breathing; on inhale feel strength gathering; on exhale offer it to the heart-flame; brief pause sensing ‘play’/ease
resilient, quietly joyful, inwardly anchored
When mind is heavy (night), do not argue—return to the heart-flame; when mind is bright (day), widen the offering. Aim for a light ‘playing’ attitude rather than strain.
Tri-svara; keep smooth transitions to mirror cycles; maintain udātta on dīdivāṃsam and dyumnā.
Give clear caesura after tman; avoid compressing doṣāvastar; let the final cadence ‘janānām’ land steadily.
tman: pronounce as tman with minimal vowel insertion, doṣāvastar: keep ṣ; articulate avastar with v, krīḻantas: retroflex ḻ (as per transliteration; in recitation keep the traditional lateral quality), tasthivāṃso: articulate sth cluster carefully
steady, luminous, slightly softer on ‘night’ phrases, brighter on ‘day’ phrases
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Rig Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
