Rig Veda 4.5.7: Mandala 4, Sukta 5, Mantra 7
Sukta 4.5
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
तमिन्न्वेव समना समानमभि क्रत्वा पुनती धीतिरश्याः । ससस्य चर्मन्नधि चारु पृश्नेरग्रे रुप आरुपितं जबारु ॥
tám innv èvá samanā́ samā́nam abhí kratvā́ punatī́ dhītír aśyāḥ | sasásya cármann ádhi cā́ru pṛ́śner ágre rúpá ā́rupitaṃ jabā́ru ||
वही अग्नि सब जगह सामे रहता है। जो सोच साफ करती है वो उस तक पहुँचती है। जैसे ज़मीन पर खेत होता है, वैसे ही प्रकृति पर उसका रूप बनता है। वो आगे रहता है, सुंदर दिखता है, अंदर की बात बाहर दिखाता है।
Word by Word
- तमिन्
- in him/thereinPronounपुं/नपुं; सप्तमी; एकवचनRole अधिकारणRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + इदम्-आधार (तमिन् = तस्मिन्)
- नु
- now, indeedIndeclinableनिपातRoot नु (निपात)
- एव
- just, indeedIndeclinableनिपातRoot एव (निपात)
- समाना
- the same, identicalAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृ (विशेषणम्)Root सम + अना (समाना- प्रातिपदिक)
- समानम्
- the same (thing)Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्म (विशेषणम्)Root समाना- (प्रातिपदिक)
- अभि
- towards, uponIndeclinableउपसर्गRoot अभि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- क्रत्वा
- with resolve/insight (krátu)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया; एकवचनRole करणRoot क्रतु- (प्रातिपदिक)
- पुनती
- purifiesVerbलट्; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole कर्तृ-क्रियाRoot पू (धातु) / पुनाति
- धीतिḥ
- thought, hymn, insightNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot धीति- (प्रातिपदिक; √धी/√धा-सम्बद्ध)
- अश्याः
- may attain, reachesVerbविधिलिङ्/आशीर्लिङ् (वेदिक प्रयोग); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; आत्मनेपदRole कर्तृ-क्रियाRoot अश् (धातु) / अश्नुते
- ससस्य
- of the hareNounपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root सस- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘hare/rabbit’)
- चर्मन्
- on/at the hide (skin)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; एकवचनRole अधिकारणRoot चर्मन्- (प्रातिपदिक)
- अधि
- upon, overIndeclinableउपसर्गRoot अधि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- चारु
- beautiful, lovelyAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचन (अव्यक्त-कारक; विशेषण)Role कर्म/सम्बन्ध (विशेषणम्)Root चारु- (प्रातिपदिक)
- पृश्नेः
- of Pṛśni (the speckled one)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root पृश्नि- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘speckled one’, often cow/sky)
- अग्रे
- in front, at the foreNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; एकवचनRole अधिकारणRoot अग्र- (प्रातिपदिक)
- रुपः
- a form, appearanceNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृ/विषयRoot रुप- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘form/shape’)
- आरुपितम्
- formed, fashioned, set upParticipleनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि (क्त)Role कर्म (कृदन्त-विशेषण)Root आ-√रुप्/√रूप् (धातु; ‘to form/raise/shape’) → आ-रूपित (कृदन्त)
- जबारु
- Jabāru (a proper name/epithet; Vedic term)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृ/विषयRoot जबारु- (प्रातिपदिक; वैदिक विशेष-शब्द)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (padapāṭha-style): तमिन्न्वे॒व → तमिन् + नु + एव
- सम॒ना स॑मा॒नम् → समाना + समानम् (no further sandhi)
- अभि क्रत्वा (preverb + instr.)
- पुन॒ती धी॒तिर॑श्याः → पुनती + धीतिḥ + अश्याः
- स॒सस्य॒ चर्म॒न्नधि॒ → ससस्य + चर्मन् + अधि
- चारु पृश्ने॒रग्रे॑ → चारु + पृश्नेः + अग्रे (ः + अ → र् sandhi)
- रुप आरु॑पितं॒ → रुपः + आरुपितम् (visarga before vowel; Vedic orthography may show loss/assimilation)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The purifying thought, by its will, reaches him who is ever the same in the common meeting. Upon the hide of the growing being, on the fair-spotted (field), the form is set in beauty at the front—an outward sign of inner shaping.
Inner meaning
Agni, constant in all gatherings of the being, is approached by dhī (inspired thought) that purifies itself through conscious intention (kratu). The ‘hide/skin’ (carman) of the growing life indicates the outer nature—its surface formations. On Pr̥śni, the many-colored field of Nature (mixed gunas), the luminous ‘form’ (rūpa) is arranged in the forefront: the emerging spiritual formation becomes visible in life as a sign (jabāru) of the inner work. The mantra describes how inner realization must imprint itself on the outer personality.
Universal truth
Real change is verified by embodiment: inner purification and will must shape outer conduct and character. The divine is the same within all contexts, but our thought must become clean and intentional to reach and manifest it.
Themes
Purifying thought, Agni’s constancy, Embodiment and transformation, Symbolic marking (jabāru)
The seer
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 4.5.1, RV 4.5.2, RV 4.5.3, RV 4.5.4, RV 4.5.5
Family tradition
The Gautamas frequently emphasize dhī and kratu—illumined thought and effective will—as the means by which Agni establishes ṛta in the human instrument.
Significance
Vāmadeva’s seership is marked by tracking the passage from inner ignition to outer embodiment—how the ‘form’ of truth appears on the surface of life.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- Samāna (the same in all), Pāvaka (purifier), Hotṛ (invoker)
- Related deities
- Pr̥śni (as symbolic Nature), Sarasvatī (inspired speech), Bṛhaspati (formative word)
Cosmic role
Unifies the assembly of powers; makes the divine presence effective in the manifest field.
Inner power
Integrator and formatter: takes purified intention and stamps a true pattern onto outer nature.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni praise used in śastra/stotra contexts; also suitable as an invocation when establishing unity in the sacrificial session.
तमिन्न्वे॒३॒॑व स॑म॒ना स॑मा॒नम॒भि क्रत्वा॑ पुन॒ती धी॒तिर॑श्याः । स॒सस्य॒ चर्म॒न्नधि॒ चारु॒ पृश्ने॒रग्रे॑ रु॒प आरु॑पितं॒ जबा॑रु ॥
तम् । इत् । नु । ए॒व । स॒म॒ना । स॒मा॒नम् । अ॒भि । क्रत्वा॑ । पु॒न॒ती । धी॒तिः । अ॒श्याः॒ । स॒सस्य॑ । चर्म॑न् । अधि॑ । चारु॑ । पृश्नेः॑ । अग्ने॑ । रु॒पः । अरु॑पितम् । जबा॑रु ॥
tam | it | nu | eva | samanā | samānam | abhi | kratvā | punatī | dhītiḥ | aśyāḥ | sasasya | carman | adhi | cāru | pṛśneḥ | agne | rupaḥ | arupitam | jabāru
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4 x ~11 syllables; strong mid-line caesura typical of Triṣṭubh.
Measured and shaping—less explosive than pure Indra hymns; conveys formation and imprinting.
Creates a sense of gathering and ordering; supports concentration on embodying insight in action.
- समना (samanā)
- Literal: in the common meeting/assembly. Symbolic: The integrated field where mind-vital-body gather; the inner ‘sacrifice’ space
- समानम् (samānam)
- Literal: ever the same. Symbolic: The constant divine presence behind changing states
- क्रतु (kratu)
- Literal: will, purposeful intelligence. Symbolic: Conscious intention that directs purification
- पुनती धीति (punatī dhīti)
- Literal: purifying thought. Symbolic: Inspired discernment cleansing motives and perceptions
- चर्मन् (carman)
- Literal: hide/skin. Symbolic: Outer surface of nature; embodiment and behavioral sheath
- ससस्य (sasasya)
- Literal: of the growing/flowering being. Symbolic: Evolving life-force and personality in development
- पृश्नि (pṛśni)
- Literal: speckled, variegated. Symbolic: Prakṛti: mixed nature of many colors/qualities
- रूप (rūpa)
- Literal: form. Symbolic: Spiritual formation/true pattern impressed on life
- जबारु (jabāru)
- Literal: a sign/mark (obscure term). Symbolic: Outer token of inner realization; visible seal of the work
Mantra on purification by dhīti and kratu; indicates Agni’s constant presence and the visible shaping of the outer nature by inner fire
At communal rites where ‘assembly’ (samanā) is salient—invoking the same Agni in all officiants/participants.
Recitation to purify intention and harmonize the rite.
Chant before group meditation or collaborative work to align wills and let inner clarity express outwardly.
kratu: will, resolve, effective intelligence (possibly from √kṛ 'do' with abstract formation). √pū/√pun 'purify' in punatī. √aś 'attain'. carman 'skin, hide' used metaphorically for outer covering. pṛśni 'speckled' indicates mixed manifestation. jabāru is rare/obscure; treated as a technical/poetic noun for a 'mark' or 'ornament'—semantic uncertain; keep flagged.
Kratu (effective will), Purification (punatī), Inner shaping manifesting outwardly (rūpa)
Purified dhī reaches the constant divine and then impresses ṛta as a ‘form’ on the surface of nature.
Truth becomes ‘front’ (agre) when inner will is clean; it is not hidden behind mixed impulses.
Manifestation of form upon the ‘hide’—inner archetype becoming outer expression.
Psychological Veda with proto-Sāṅkhya resonance (variegated nature) integrated by divine will.
Growth = evolution of personality; skin = outer behavior; speckled field = mixed nature; fire = integrative will that shapes.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Purification reaching the constant Agni and impressing a new form upon outer nature: the inner fire, attained by will and illumined thought, leaves a visible mark in the embodied field.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- Core verbs √aś 'attain' and √kṛ (in kratu’s semantic field of effective doing) reflect archaic action vocabulary. The metaphor of 'skin/hide' (carman) for outer embodiment parallels widespread Indo-European body-as-covering imagery.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi’s dhīti, armed with kratu, approaches Agni; the divine presence is constant, but human will and purification enable conscious contact, resulting in transformation of the outer layers of being.
Hold attention on the ‘front’ of consciousness (agre): let a purified intention become the leading edge of action; watch how inner clarity imprints the day’s behavior.
Viśuddha (expression of purified thought) and Anāhata (integrating center)
Ujjāyī light, 12 slow breaths; then chant once and sit observing the ‘surface’ (carman) of reactions.
Collected sameness—touching the constant Presence across changing circumstances.
After chanting, choose one concrete outer act that will embody the inner truth discovered; make it the ‘jabāru’ (visible seal) of practice.
Not fully recoverable from the provided text; follow Rigvedic accent marks where present in saṃhitā editions.
Keep clarity on consonant clusters: samanā samānam; do not elide final -m; pause lightly at |.
kratvā: retroflex ṭ not present; it is dental t + r (kra-tv-ā), punatī: long ī, pṛśner: vocalic ṛ; palatal ś, agre: hard g, rūpa: long ū
Clear and even, with a ‘polishing’ feel; avoid harshness.
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