Rig Veda 5.12.2: Mandala 5, Sukta 12, Mantra 2
Sukta 5.12
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
ऋतं चिकित्व ऋतमिच्चिकिद्ध्यृतस्य धारा अनु तृन्धि पूर्वीः । नाहं यातुं सहसा न द्वयेन ऋतं सपाम्यरुषस्य वृष्णः ॥
ṛtáṃ cikitva ṛtám íc cíkiddhy ṛtásya dhārā́ ánu tṛndhi pūrvī́ḥ | nā́haṃ yātúṃ sáhasā ná dváyena ṛtáṃ sapāmy aruṣásya vṛ́ṣṇaḥ ||
हे सत्य जानने वाले, सत्य को जान, सच में जान। सत्य की धाराओं के साथ चल। मैं ज़ोर से नहीं पहुंच सकता, ना ही दो रास्तों से। मैं उस लाल शेर अग्नि की सत्य को पकड़ लेता हूं।
Word by Word
- ऋतम्
- cosmic order; truthNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचनRole KarmaRoot ऋत (प्रातिपदिक)
- चि
- indeed; evenIndeclinableअव्ययRoot चि (अव्यय)
- चिकित्व
- having understoodVerbक्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive), ‘having perceived/known’Root चित् (धातु) → क्त्वा (Vedic: -त्व)
- ऋतम्
- ṛta; truthNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचनRole KarmaRoot ऋत (प्रातिपदिक)
- इत्
- just; indeedIndeclinableअव्ययRoot इत् (अव्यय/निपात)
- चिकिद्धि
- know! perceive!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपद, मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचनRoot चित् (धातु)
- ऋतस्य
- of ṛtaNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-एकवचनRole Sambandha (genitive relation)Root ऋत (प्रातिपदिक)
- धाराः
- streams; flowsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-बहुवचनRole KartāRoot धारा (प्रातिपदिक)
- अनु
- along; followingIndeclinableअव्यय (preverb/adverb)Root अनु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- तृन्धि
- cleave; press throughVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपद, मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचनRoot तृद्/तृन्द् (धातु; Vedic ‘to pierce/cleave/press through’)
- पूर्वीः
- the former/earlier (ones)Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot पूर्वी (प्रातिपदिक; ‘former/earlier’, fem.)
- न
- notIndeclinableअव्यय (निषेध)Root न (निपात)
- अहम्
- IPronounउत्तम-पुरुष सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-एकवचनRole KartāRoot अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- यातुम्
- to goVerbतुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), ‘to go’Root या (धातु) → तुमुन्
- सहसा
- by force; with mightNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-एकवचन (instrumental)Role KaraṇaRoot सहस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- न
- notIndeclinableअव्यय (निषेध)Root न (निपात)
- द्वयेन
- by duality; by twofold meansNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot द्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
- ऋतम्
- ṛta; truthNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचनRole KarmaRoot ऋत (प्रातिपदिक)
- सपामि
- I follow/seek; I attainVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, उत्तम-पुरुष, एकवचनRoot सप् (धातु; Vedic ‘to follow/seek/attain, to be in accord’)
- अरुषस्य
- of the ruddy (one)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-एकवचनRole Sambandha (genitive relation)Root अरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
- वृष्णः
- of the bull; of the mighty oneNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-एकवचन (Vedic ending -ः for -अः/-नः gen.)Role Sambandha (genitive relation)Root वृषन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (Vedic sandhi resolution): ऋ॒तं चि॑कित्व → ऋतम् + चि + चिकित्व (क्त्वा)
- ऋ॒तमिच्चि॑किद्ध्यृ॒तस्य॒ → ऋतम् + इत् + चिकिद्धि + ऋतस्य (इच्च = इत्+च्; द्ध्यृ = द्धि + ऋ)
- धारा॒ अनु॑ → धाराः + अनु
- नाहं → न + अहम्
- या॒तुं → यातुम्
- सह॑सा॒ → सहसा
- द्व॒येन॑ → द्वयेन
- ऋ॒तं स॑पाम्यरु॒षस्य॒ वृष्ण॑: → ऋतम् + सपामि + अरुषस्य + वृष्णः (सपामि+अरुषस्य = सपाम्यरुषस्य). Accent marks retained in citation but not repeated per pada
The meaning
Outer meaning
Addressing the knower: know the Truth and follow the many ancient streams of Truth. The speaker cannot reach it by force or by dual means; he follows and wins the Truth of the ruddy bull (Agni).
Inner meaning
Agni is invoked as cikitva—knower, the conscious fire that discerns ṛta. The seeker asks this inner knower to ‘know the Truth’ in us: to awaken right perception and decision. The ‘many ancient streams’ are established pathways of truth-consciousness—intuitions, disciplines, and inherited soul-memories of right movement. But the seer confesses: truth is not attained by mere strain (sahasā) nor by dvayena—divided, dualistic methods (oscillating between extremes, or relying on fragmented mental oppositions). Instead, one must ‘follow’ (sapāmi) the truth of the aruṣa vṛṣan—the ruddy bull: Agni’s flaming power of aspiration and discernment. Truth is won by steady alignment and continuity with the inner fire, not by violent effort or mental division.
Universal truth
Lasting truth is reached through steady alignment with an inner principle of right discernment, not by forceful striving or polarized thinking. Integration and sincerity open the ancient channels of wisdom.
Themes
R̥ta pursuit, Agni as knower, path-cleaving through truth-streams, integration over duality
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha-gotra
- Other hymns
- RV 5.12.1, RV 5.12.3, RV 7.33
Family tradition
A school of ṛta-realization: truth is approached through steady right movement and integrated will, not through extremes.
Significance
Vasiṣṭha articulates a central yogic method: reject force and dualism; follow the inner knower of ṛta (Agni) along established truth-currents.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni (as knower of Ṛta, aruṣa vṛṣan)
- Epithets
- cikitva (knower), aruṣa (ruddy), vṛṣan/vṛṣṇa (bull, strong impeller), ṛta-jña (implied: knower of ṛta)
- Related deities
- Varuṇa (ṛta, vast law), Mitra (harmonizing order), Indra (illumination that follows ṛta-guidance)
Cosmic role
Reveals ṛta and opens its pathways; drives evolution by truth-impulse rather than brute force.
Inner power
Discriminating flame that guides integral movement; replaces ego-strain with steady, luminous adherence.
In ritual
Where it is used
Instructional praise within Agni hymns; may accompany rites emphasizing ṛta and correct procedure
ऋ॒तं चि॑कित्व ऋ॒तमिच्चि॑किद्ध्यृ॒तस्य॒ धारा॒ अनु॑ तृन्धि पू॒र्वीः । नाहं या॒तुं सह॑सा॒ न द्व॒येन॑ ऋ॒तं स॑पाम्यरु॒षस्य॒ वृष्ण॑: ॥
ऋ॒तम् । चि॒कि॒त्वः॒ । ऋ॒तम् । इत् । चि॒कि॒द्धि॒ । ऋ॒तस्य॑ । धाराः॑ । अनु॑ । तृ॒न्धि॒ । पू॒र्वीः । न । अ॒हम् । या॒तुम् । सह॑सा । न । द्व॒येन॑ । ऋ॒तम् । स॒पा॒मि॒ । अ॒रु॒षस्य॑ । वृष्णः॑ ॥
ṛtam | cikitvaḥ | ṛtam | it | cikiddhi | ṛtasya | dhārāḥ | anu | tṛndhi | pūrvīḥ | na | aham | yātum | sahasā | na | dvayena | ṛtam | sapāmi | aruṣasya | vṛṣṇaḥ
44
4 × ~11
Didactic and incisive; strong contrasts (not by force / not by duality)
Clarifies the mind; encourages disciplined steadiness and integration rather than agitation.
- ऋतम् (ṛtam)
- Literal: truth, right order. Symbolic: truth-consciousness guiding right movement and harmony
- चिकित्वः (cikitvaḥ)
- Literal: knower, discerning one. Symbolic: Agni as inner discernment; awakened intelligence of the flame
- धाराः (dhārāḥ)
- Literal: streams. Symbolic: currents/channels of truth—intuitive lines, disciplines, right habits
- अनु तृन्धि (anu tṛndhi)
- Literal: cleave/cut a way along. Symbolic: open a passage through obscurity by following truth-currents
- पूर्वीः (pūrvīḥ)
- Literal: ancient, former. Symbolic: primordial pathways of ṛta; deep soul-memory of right order
- सहसा (sahasā)
- Literal: by force. Symbolic: violent striving of ego-will; rajasic pressure
- द्वयेन (dvayena)
- Literal: by duality/twofold means. Symbolic: divided mental method; oscillation between opposites; fragmented practice
- सपामि (sapāmi)
- Literal: I follow, I win. Symbolic: patient adherence that results in attainment; faithful tracking of inner truth
- अरुषस्य वृष्णः (aruṣasya vṛṣṇaḥ)
- Literal: of the ruddy bull. Symbolic: Agni’s red-gold truth-force; impelling flame-power
Mantra for inner alignment: emphasizes that R̥ta is approached by right knowledge and following its streams, not by brute force; used contemplatively to correct intention in ritual performance.
During recitation sequences to align the rite with ṛta (right performance)
Mantric alignment; mental ‘cleaving’ of the path along ṛta
A mantra for decision-making and inner alignment: chant when confused or polarized; use it to return to one integrated truth-track.
cikitvaḥ, cikiddhi: from √cit ‘perceive, know’ with intensive/reduplicated formation. dhārā from √dhṛ ‘to hold’ → ‘that which holds/flows steadily’, ‘stream’. tṛndhi from √tṛd/√tṛnd ‘to cleave, cut through’—suggests opening a path through complexity. dváya ‘twofold’ from dvi ‘two’—here symbolically ‘divided consciousness’. sapāmi: form from √sap ‘to follow/serve/attach oneself’ (Vedic usage: ‘to follow after, seek to win’). aruṣá ‘ruddy’ is a standard epithet of Agni; root sense of redness/brightness.
R̥ta as knowable order, non-duality vs divided approach (dvaya as split consciousness), right striving vs mere force (sahasā)
Central theme: ṛta is to be known and followed through its many ancient streams.
Truth is not constructed by mental opposition; it is followed as a reality (satya) disclosed by Agni.
Evolution as opening of channels of truth through conscious fire; progress by right alignment.
Bridging Vedic ṛta doctrine and Upaniṣadic interiority; anticipates yogic critique of rajasic force and mental dualism.
Streams = channels of consciousness; cleaving a way = cutting through ignorance; ruddy bull = forceful truth-impulse of awakened will.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The quest for R̥ta through its ‘streams’: Truth is not seized by violence but entered by a cut path of discernment guided by Agni the Knower. The ‘ruddy bull’ image presents Agni as the driving force of truth-realization.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- ṛtá corresponds to Indo-Iranian *ṛta/*aša (Avestan aša), a shared heritage concept of cosmic order. The repeated √cit forms reflect an old IE cognitive root cluster (knowing/seeing) used in archaic poetic diction.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The r̥ṣi confesses limitation: he cannot reach Truth by sheer force or by a divided mentality. He appeals to Agni as ‘cikitvaḥ’, the knower, to cleave a passage along the ancient currents of R̥ta—Agni becomes the inner guide who converts effort into right movement.
Rest in the inner knower (Agni) and track the subtle ‘streams’ of rightness—what increases clarity, peace, and sincerity.
Ajna (discernment/knowing) guided by Manipura (will)
Nadi shodhana (alternate nostril) to dissolve dvaya (dual agitation), then chant once or thrice
Integrated clarity; non-violent perseverance
When tempted to push or to oscillate between extremes, soften effort, unify intention, and follow one truth-current consistently for a set period (e.g., one week of steady practice).
Emphasize udatta on ṛtám and cikitváḥ; make the negations (nāham… na…) crisp with controlled downward resolution; keep final cadence steady on aruṣásya vṛ́ṣṇaḥ.
Slight rhetorical pause after the first pāda for the double injunction ‘ṛtaṃ… ṛtam’; clear pause at | before the ‘not by force, not by duality’ contrast.
cikitvaḥ: pronounce ci-ki-tvaḥ distinctly; avoid ‘chikit’., tṛndhi: retroflex ṛ + ndh cluster—keep ndh voiced and aspirated., dvayena: dental d, clear v, long e., aruṣasya: cerebral ṣ; keep ru short, not elongated.
Clear, firm, instructive; calm strength rather than intensity
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