Rig Veda 5.7.8: Mandala 5, Sukta 7, Mantra 8
Sukta 5.7
- Rishi
- Atri
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
शुचिः ष्म यस्मा अत्रिवत्प्र स्वधितीव रीयते । सुषूरसूत माता क्राणा यदानशे भगम् ॥
śúciḥ ṣmā yásmai atrí-vat prá svadhítīva rī́yate | suṣū́r asūta mātā́ krāṇā́ yád ānaśé bhágam ||
जिसके लिए वो आता है, वो इंसान साफ हो जाता है। अत्रि रिशि के लिए भी ऐसा ही हुआ था। वो आता है जैसे तेज़ चाकू। माँ फल देती है, शक्ति बढ़ती है। जब भगवान मिलता है, खुशी आती है।
Word by Word
- शुचिः
- bright, pure (one)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot शुचि- (प्रातिपदिक) < √शुच् (दीप्तौ/शौचे)
- स्म
- indeed, surely (emphatic particle)Indeclinableनिपातः (स्मरण/अनुवादक-निपातः)Root स्म (निपात)
- यः
- whoPronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot यद्- (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अस्मै
- to himPronounपुंलिङ्गः, चतुर्थी, एकवचनम्Role SampradānaRoot अयम्/इदम्- (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अत्रिवत्
- like Atri / in Atri’s mannerAdverb/Adjectival (taddhita)अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (तुल्यभावे)Root अत्रि- (ऋषि-नाम) + वत् (तद्धित)
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableउपसर्गःRoot प्र (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- स्वधिती
- axeNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot स्वधिति- (प्रातिपदिक)
- इव
- like, asIndeclinableउपमान-निपातःRoot इव (निपात)
- रीयते
- moves, rushes, flowsVerbलट्, आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Root √री (गत्यर्थः) / √रि (गत्यर्थः)
- सुषूरसूत
- well-impelling/strongly-streaming, the begetter/producer (epithet)Kṛdanta (compound epithet)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम् (बहुव्रीहिः/कर्मधारय-समासभावः)Role KartāRoot सु- (उपसर्ग) + √सृ (प्रसरणे) → सुषूर- (कृदन्त/विशेषण) + √सू (प्रसवे) → सूत (कृदन्त)
- माता
- motherNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot मातृ- (प्रातिपदिक)
- क्राणा
- doing, accomplishingKṛdanta (participle)स्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम् (वेदिक-रूपः; वर्तमान/परस्मैपद-भावे प्रयुक्तः)Role KartāRoot √कृ (करणे) → क्राण (कृदन्त; Vedic)
- यदा
- whenIndeclinableकालवाचक-अव्ययम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot यदा (अव्यय)
- अनशे
- attains, reachesVerbलट्/विधिलिङ्-प्रयोगसदृशः, आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम् (वेदिक)Root √अश् (व्याप्तौ/अश्नोतेः ‘to attain’) + अनु-
- भगम्
- fortune, share, bountyNounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot भग- (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धिविच्छेद): शुचिः स्म यः अस्मै अत्रिवत् प्र स्वधिती इव रीयते । सुषूरसूत माता क्राणा यदा अनशे भगम् ॥ 1) ष्म॒ = स्म (वेदिक-लेखन/पदपाठ-परम्परा)
- 2) यस्मा॑ = यः + अस्मै (यः’स्मै → यस्मै; अत्र पाठे ‘यः अस्मै’ इति पदच्छेदः)
- 3) अत्रि॒वत्प्र = अत्रिवत् + प्र (सम्प्रसारण/सन्धिः: -त् + प्र → त्प्र)
- 4) स्वधि॑तीव = स्वधिती + इव (दीर्घीभवः: ई + इ → ईव)
- 5) यदा॑न॒शे = यदा + अनशे (अ + अ → आ)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Pure indeed is he for whom—like for Atri—he rushes forth like a well-whetted axe; then the fruitful mother gives birth, growing in power, when she attains the share of Bhaga (delight/felicity).
Inner meaning
For the one to whom Agni becomes ‘pure’ (śuciḥ), the flame leaps out decisively like a sharpened axe—cutting through knots, resistances, and obscurity. ‘Atri-vat’ signals the seer’s archetype: by tapas and aspiration, the inner fire breaks forth. Then the Mother (mātā)—the earth-nature/Prakṛti, or the soul’s creative Shakti in the embodied being—brings forth new formations (suṣūḥ asūt): purified capacities, right works, and growing powers (krāṇā). This birth happens when she attains bhagam: her true portion of delight and harmony, not the old mixed pleasures.
Universal truth
When the inner will becomes sharp and pure, nature itself begins to give birth to higher possibilities. True delight (bhaga) is not an indulgence but a lawful portion that arrives with purification and right action.
Themes
discernment, fecundity, attainment-of-bhaga
The seer
- Rishi
- Atri
- Lineage
- Ātreya
- Other hymns
- RV 5.7.8, RV 5.7 (entire)
Family tradition
The hymn explicitly invokes Atri as exemplar; the Ātreya tradition often narrates the release of light through endurance and sharp discernment—here symbolized by the whetted axe and the mother’s fruitful birth.
Significance
Atri stands for the inner ascetic heat that makes the will ‘sharp’ enough to cleave the cover; then Nature (the Mother) can safely bring forth higher powers and delight.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- śuci (pure), pāvaka (purifier), tīkṣṇa (sharp—implied by svadhiti)
- Related deities
- Bhaga (felicity/portion), Uṣas (illumination that follows breakthrough), Soma (delight that feeds the birth)
Cosmic role
Cutter of obstruction, purifier of the worlds, awakener of creative birth in nature.
Inner power
Decisive discriminative will that breaks resistance and enables the Shakti to manifest new capacities and right delight.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni invocation at moments of clearing/renewal; also suitable in rites seeking prosperity (bhaga) and fruitful outcomes
शुचि॑: ष्म॒ यस्मा॑ अत्रि॒वत्प्र स्वधि॑तीव॒ रीय॑ते । सु॒षूर॑सूत मा॒ता क्रा॒णा यदा॑न॒शे भग॑म् ॥
शुचिः॑ । स्म॒ । यस्मै॑ । अ॒त्रि॒ऽवत् । प्र । स्वधि॑तिःऽइव । रीय॑ते । सु॒ऽसूः । अ॒सू॒त॒ । मा॒ता । क्रा॒णा । यत् । आ॒न॒शे । भग॑म् ॥
śuciḥ | sma | yasmai | atri-vat | pra | svadhitiḥ-iva | rīyate | su-sūḥ | asūta | mātā | krāṇā | yat | ānaśe | bhagam
44
4 × 11
Cutting and swift in the first half (axe-rush), then generative and swelling in the second (birth and growth).
Creates a felt ‘breakthrough’ followed by a sense of blossoming; good for moving from effort into creative flow.
- शुचि (śuci)
- Literal: pure, bright. Symbolic: purified will and consciousness; clarity without mixture
- अत्रिवत् (atri-vat)
- Literal: like Atri. Symbolic: the seer-condition: concentrated tapas that releases light
- स्वधिति (svadhiti)
- Literal: axe. Symbolic: discriminating force that cuts obstruction; decisive will
- रीयते (rīyate)
- Literal: rushes forth, streams. Symbolic: the flame’s sudden forward movement; breakthrough
- सु-सूः (suṣūḥ)
- Literal: well-bearing, fruitful (mother). Symbolic: productive prakṛti/shakti capable of higher birth
- माता (mātā)
- Literal: mother. Symbolic: earth-nature; embodied Shakti giving new formations
- क्राणा (krāṇā)
- Literal: growing strong, increasing. Symbolic: evolution of power in nature under divine guidance
- भग (bhaga/bhagam)
- Literal: share, portion; delight/felicity. Symbolic: right ananda-portion; harmonious enjoyment aligned with ṛta
Praise of Agni’s purifying, cutting-forward force that enables ‘birth’ of fruitful results; recitable in rites seeking prosperity/fecundity as outcome of right kindling.
When rekindling the fire or beginning a new phase of the rite; symbolic ‘clearing’ of obstacles
Offer ghee while intending inner purification and the right ‘birth’ of works
Use at the start of a new project or habit-change: invoke the ‘axe’ of discernment to cut old patterns; then invite the Mother-nature to birth the new.
svadhiti ‘axe’ symbolizes discriminating cut that opens the way (not mere tool); rīyate from √rī ‘flow/stream’ = swift manifestation of force; √sū ‘to beget’ gives the birth-image; bhaga indicates apportioned bliss/felicity (also a devata-name), here as attained share; atri-vat invokes lineage memory: Atri as exemplar of right relation with Agni.
purity (śuci), discrimination that opens the path (svadhiti), bhaga as ‘right share’ of delight
Bhaga is the ‘portion’ allotted by ṛta—delight that comes lawfully when the nature is aligned.
Purity and sharp discernment reveal the true line of action; then growth is stable (krāṇā).
Birth of higher formations in matter/life once obstruction is cleaved by Agni.
Integral yoga reading: breakthrough of will enables descent of Shakti and manifestation of ananda.
dawn-adjacent (symbolically: after breakthrough, illumination/birth)
Axe = discrimination; mother = prakṛti; birth = manifestation of new habits/powers; bhaga = right delight.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘cutting open’ leading to birth: Agni rushes like an axe—an image of decisive discernment that cleaves obstruction—after which the Mother-power (productive nature in us) gives birth when bhaga (felicitous portion) is attained.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √sū ‘bring forth’ connects to IE birth/begetting root strata (cf. Latin suus is unrelated; but Indo-Iranian shows strong inherited morphology). bhaga has Indo-Iranian parallels (Avestan baga ‘share, god’), reflecting a shared mythic-lexical inheritance.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The verse explicitly links the beneficiary to Atri (‘atri-vat’): the rishi lineage is a remembered successful pattern. Agni’s action (swift, cutting) enables the Mother-force to deliver results; the rishi’s role is to align with that pattern to ‘attain bhaga’—the rightful share of delight.
Invoke Agni as a bright blade in the heart: cut one chosen obstruction; then rest in the sense of the Mother birthing a new, truer movement.
Maṇipūra (decisive will)
3–5 strong exhalations (clearing), then settle into gentle inhalation feeling ‘birth’ and expansion in the belly/heart.
Clear, decisive, then creatively expansive.
Choose one knot (habit/thought) to ‘cut’—do not scatter force. After the cut, shift from struggle to receptivity so the new formation can be born and strengthened.
Accents highlight śuciḥ and rīyate; keep the simile svadhitīva crisp; maintain triṣṭubh swing into the generative second half.
Make a slight pause after ‘atrivat’; then let ‘pra svadhitīva rīyate’ flow swiftly (as the rush).
atrivat: keep short a; ‘tri’ clear, svadhitīva: long ī; avoid inserting extra vowel in ‘dh’ cluster, rīyate: long ī; y glide, suṣūr: retroflex ṣ; long ū, krāṇā: long ā; nasal ṇ articulated, ānaśe: ś soft; final e clear
Bright and clean; slightly quicker on the ‘axe-rush’ phrase, then fuller on the ‘mother-birth’ phrase.
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