Rig Veda 4.7.10: Mandala 4, Sukta 7, Mantra 10
Sukta 4.7
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Tr̥ṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Raudra (fury)
सद्यो जातस्य ददृशानमोजो यदस्य वातो अनुवाति शोचिः । वृणक्ति तिग्मामतसेषु जिह्वां स्थिरा चिदन्ना दयते वि जम्भैः ॥
sadyó jātásya dadṛśānám ójo yád asya vā́to anu-vā́ti śocíḥ | vṛṇákti tigmā́m ataseṣú jihvā́ṃ sthirā́ cíd ánnā dayate ví jámbhaiḥ ||
जब अग्नि पैदा होता है, उसकी पावर तुरंत दिखती है। हवा उसकी आग को भड़काती है। वो अपनी जीभ बाहर निकालता है और पक्का खाना भी तोड़ देता है।
Word by Word
- सद्यः
- immediately, at onceIndeclinableअव्यय (कालवाचक)Role Adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)Root सद्यस् (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक) < सद्य (तत्क्षण)
- जातस्य
- of the newly-bornAdjective (participial)पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी) — ‘of the born/newly-born’Root √जन् (जायते) → जात (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
- ददृशानम्
- seen/appearing (manifest)Adjective (participial)पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole Karma (द्वितीया) — object of an implied perception/descriptionRoot √दृश् (पश्यति) → ददृशान (कृदन्त)
- ओजः
- might, strengthNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (प्रथमा) — subject (‘power/might’)Root ओजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- यत्
- when; that whichIndeclinable/Pronoun (relative)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (relative ‘when/that which’)Role Adhikaraṇa (निमित्त/काल-सम्बन्ध) — introduces relative clauseRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अस्य
- of him/itPronounपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी) — ‘of him/it’Root इदम्/अस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक ‘this/he’)
- वातः
- windNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā — subject of अनु-√वाRoot वात (प्रातिपदिक)
- अनुवाति
- blows along, follows blowingVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्र.पुरुष, एकवचनRole Kriyā (मुख्यक्रिया)Root अनु-√वा (वाति)
- शोचिः
- flame, blazeNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā/सहकर्ता — co-subject with वातः (wind and flame)Root शोचिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- वृणक्ति
- turns, bendsVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्र.पुरुष, एकवचनRole KriyāRoot √वृज्/√वृञ्ज् (वृणक्ति ‘to turn/choose; here: to bend/turn’)
- तिग्माम्
- sharp, keenAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole Karma — qualifies जिह्वाम्Root तिग्म (प्रातिपदिक)
- अतसेषु
- in/among the flax-stalks (linens)Nounपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचनRole Adhikaraṇa (स्थानाधिकरण)Root अतस (प्रातिपदिक)
- जिह्वाम्
- tongue (of flame)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole Karma — object of वृणक्तिRoot जिह्वा (प्रातिपदिक)
- स्थिरा
- firm, steadyAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā — agrees with (जिह्वा) understood as subject in next clauseRoot स्थिर (प्रातिपदिक)
- चित्
- evenIndeclinableअव्यय (बलार्थ/अपि-अर्थ)Role (particle)Root चित् (निपात)
- अन्ना
- foods; fuel (things to be eaten/burnt)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole Kartā — subject of दयते (‘foods/fuels’)Root अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
- दयते
- yields, gives way, is apportionedVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्र.पुरुष, एकवचनRole KriyāRoot √दय् (दयते ‘to divide/apportion; to yield/give way’ in Vedic)
- वि
- apart, asunderIndeclinable (preverb)उपसर्ग (विशेषणार्थ)Role (modifies following instrumental)Root वि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- जम्भैः
- with jaws; with teeth (biting parts)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole Karaṇa (instrument) — ‘with jaws/teeth’Root जम्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (sandhi-resolved): सद्यः | जातस्य | ददृशानम् | ओजः | यत् | अस्य | वातः | अनुवाति | शोचिः | वृणक्ति | तिग्माम् | अतसेषु | जिह्वाम् | स्थिरा | चित् | अन्ना | दयते | वि | जम्भैः । प्रमुख-सन्धयः: (1) सद्यः + जातस्य → सद्यो जातस्य (विसर्ग-लोप/ओ-आदेश)
- (2) ददृशानम् + ओजः → ददृशानमोजः (म् + ओ → मोजः)
- (3) यत् + अस्य → यदस्य (त् → द् परे स्वर)
- (4) वि + जम्भैः → वि जम्भैः (पदविरामे सन्धि न बाध्य)
The meaning
Outer meaning
From birth Agni’s power is evident: when the wind blows along his flame, he draws out a sharp tongue; with his jaws he tears even firm foods apart.
Inner meaning
The moment the inner fire is born (awakens), its efficacy is seen. Vāta (wind) is the life-force/prāṇa that intensifies the flame of will; when prāṇa aligns with aspiration, Agni’s ‘tongue’ becomes sharp—discerning and consuming impurities. ‘Foods’ are the raw materials of experience and energies offered to transformation; even stubborn formations (fixed habits, rigid mental-vital substance) are broken by the awakened will’s decisive power.
Universal truth
When life-force supports the awakened will, transformation becomes rapid: even hardened habits can be broken down and converted into fuel for growth.
Themes
Agni’s power at birth, Wind and flame synergy, Transformation of substance, Inner tapas
The seer
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 4.6, RV 4.7, RV 4.8
Family tradition
Vāmadeva frequently describes the dynamics of Agni’s growth—how the inner fire becomes capable of consuming resistance and preparing the being for higher light.
Significance
This is a psychological description of tapas: the awakened fire, aided by prāṇa, becomes a powerful purifier and transformer of dense nature.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni (intensified by Vāta)
- Epithets
- jāta (new-born), tigma-jihvā (sharp-tongued, implied), ojīyān (strong, implied)
- Related deities
- Vāta/Vāyu, Indra (for illumination following purification), Soma (for delight after transformation)
Cosmic role
Purifier and transformer; the consuming power that converts oblation into upward movement.
Inner power
Tapas in action—decisive will that can break inertia and digest life-material into conscious force.
In ritual
Where it is used
Kindling and feeding Agni; descriptive praise during offerings
स॒द्यो जा॒तस्य॒ ददृ॑शान॒मोजो॒ यद॑स्य॒ वातो॑ अनु॒वाति॑ शो॒चिः । वृ॒णक्ति॑ ति॒ग्माम॑त॒सेषु॑ जि॒ह्वां स्थि॒रा चि॒दन्ना॑ दयते॒ वि जम्भै॑: ॥
स॒द्यः । जा॒तस्य॑ । ददृ॑शानम् । ओजः॑ । यत् । अ॒स्य॒ । वातः॑ । अ॒नु॒ऽवाति॑ । शो॒चिः । वृ॒णक्ति॑ । ति॒ग्माम् । अ॒त॒सेषु॑ । जि॒ह्वाम् । स्थि॒रा । चि॒त् । अन्ना॑ । द॒य॒ते॒ । वि । जम्भैः॑ ॥
sadyaḥ | jātasya | dadṛśānam | ojaḥ | yat | asya | vātaḥ | anu-vāti | śociḥ | vṛṇakti | tigmām | ataseṣu | jihvām | sthirā | cit | annā | dayate | vi | jambhaiḥ
44
4 × ~11 syllables
Energetic, vivid, with strong consonantal impacts (tigmām, jambhaiḥ) that mimic biting/tearing.
Stirs force and urgency; supports a cathartic sense of purification and breaking through resistance.
- सद्यः जातस्य (sadyaḥ jātasya)
- Literal: immediately upon being born. Symbolic: instant recognition of awakened aspiration’s power
- ओजः (ojaḥ)
- Literal: strength, vigor. Symbolic: effective spiritual force in the will
- वात (vāta)
- Literal: wind. Symbolic: prāṇa/life-force that can aid or disturb; here it intensifies Agni
- शोचिः (śociḥ)
- Literal: flame, radiance. Symbolic: luminous energy of will and purification
- जिह्वा (jihvā)
- Literal: tongue (of fire). Symbolic: power of reception and assimilation; the discerning consuming force
- जम्भ (jambha)
- Literal: jaws. Symbolic: decisive force that breaks resistant formations
- अन्न (annā)
- Literal: foods. Symbolic: experiences/energies offered for assimilation and transformation
- स्थिर (sthirā)
- Literal: firm, stable. Symbolic: fixed habits, rigid structures in mind-life-body
Describes the kindled fire’s immediate potency; applicable in kindling/feeding sequences to affirm Agni’s consuming and transforming capacity.
When increasing the fire and offering firm oblations (e.g., cakes/solid offerings) symbolically; also in general agni-stuti sections
Praising Agni’s consuming power to ensure effective ‘carrying’ of offerings
Use as a mantra for breaking inertia: recite before disciplined work or when confronting entrenched habits.
vā́ta ‘wind’ (√vā ‘blow’) is read psychologically as prāṇa/life-force that intensifies Agni’s combustion. jihvā ‘tongue’ of Agni is the organ of reception/assimilation: the flame’s capacity to take in offerings and transform them. √dāy (dayate) ‘to divide, cut’ expresses Agni’s discriminating transformative action—breaking down even ‘firm’ formations (sthirā annā) of nature.
prāṇa (wind) as energizer of will, transformation/assimilation, discrimination (breaking down formations)
Purification is a prerequisite for Ṛta to govern the being; Agni’s consuming establishes order by removing falsehood/inertia.
Truth becomes effective when the instruments are purified and capable of assimilation.
Transformation of dense substance into luminous energy—microcosmic ‘cooking’ of creation.
Yogic psychology of tapas and prāṇa-will alignment.
Prāṇa (wind) intensifies will-fire; the sharpened power digests even dense subconscious formations.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The newborn Agni immediately manifesting irresistible consuming power when fanned by Vāta. Mythically, the newly kindled fire flares and devours; psychologically, the awakened inner will, energized by life-breath, extends a keen ‘tongue’ of discernment and can break down even hardened habits/structures to be transformed into conscious force.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- vāta from √vā ‘blow’ continues PIE *h₂weh₁- / *weh₂- ‘blow’ (cf. Latin ventus ‘wind’). The collocation of wind + fire is an inherited natural-symbolic pairing across IE poetics, here repurposed into a psycho-spiritual mechanics: breath intensifies flame.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The r̥ṣi observes and implicitly invokes Agni’s transformative competence: once awakened, Agni can ‘eat’ and rework the offerings/energies presented. The human role is to kindle and supply (inner fuel and aspiration); the divine role is to digest and transmute, even against resistance.
Awaken tapas: feel the inner flame at the navel; let breath (vāta) feed it without strain.
Manipura (primary).
Mild, safe ‘warming’ breath: slightly longer exhale than inhale; feel warmth at navel (avoid forceful bhastrikā unless trained).
Dynamic, purified, resolute.
Offer one ‘firm food’—a stubborn habit or fear—into the inner flame; watch it break into workable energy; end by resting in calm strength.
Maintain accent contrasts; give clear udātta lift on ojo and śociḥ; let the final jambhaiḥ land with weight.
Articulate consonant clusters crisply (tigmām, ataseṣu); keep pāda breaks clean to preserve triṣṭubh drive.
dadṛśānam: retroflex ṛ, and ḍ in dṛś., anuvāti: light ‘v’ glide; long ā., tigmām: hard ‘gm’ cluster, no vowel insertion., jambhaiḥ: nasal ‘m’ + bh aspirated; diphthong aiḥ audible.
Bright, forceful, controlled (not shouted); emphasize ‘cutting’ clarity.
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