Rig Veda 6.49.3: Mandala 6, Sukta 49, Mantra 3
Sukta 6.49
- Devata
- Agni
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
अरुषस्य दुहितरा विरूपे स्तृभिरन्या पिपिशे सूरो अन्या । मिथस्तुरा विचरन्ती पावके मन्म श्रुतं नक्षत ऋच्यमाने ॥
aruṣásya duhitarā́ virū́pe stṛ́bhir anyā́ pipiśé sū́ro anyā́ | mithás-turā́ vicarantī pāvaké mánma śrutáṃ nakṣata ṛcyámāne ||
अग्नि की दो बेटियाँ हैं, दोनों अलग-अलग दिखती हैं। एक चमकदार है, दूसरी सूरज की अपनी है। दोनों आग में मिलके चलती हैं और साफ करती हैं। जब हम मंत्र बोलते हैं, वो सुनाई देता है और पूरा होता है।
Word by Word
- अरुषस्य
- of the ruddy one (Arusha; the sun/fire)Noun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)Root अरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
- दुहितरा
- two daughtersNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा द्विवचन (वैदिक रूप: -आ)Role कर्तृRoot दुहितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- विरूपे
- of different formsAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया द्विवचनRole कर्तृ-विशेषणRoot वि-रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
- स्तृभिः
- with streaks/lines (rays)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया बहुवचनRole करणRoot स्तृ (प्रातिपदिक; ‘स्तृ’ = किरण/रेखा/तन्तु-वत् ‘streaks’)
- अन्या
- one (of the two)Pronoun/Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- पिपिशे
- has adorned/formed (herself)Verbपरस्मैपद; परिपूर्ण/परफेक्ट (लिट्); प्रथमपुरुष एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot √पिश् (पिश्/पिंश् ‘to adorn, form, fashion’)
- सूरः
- the sunNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनRole कर्तृ (अन्तर्निहित/सम्बद्ध)Root सूर (प्रातिपदिक)
- अन्या
- the other (one)Pronoun/Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- मिथः
- mutually, with each otherIndeclinableअव्ययRole क्रियाविशेषणRoot मिथस् (अव्यय)
- तुरा
- swift, impetuous (two)Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा द्विवचनRole कर्तृ-विशेषणRoot तुर (प्रातिपदिक)
- विचरन्ती
- moving about, roaming (two)Verb (participle)वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा द्विवचनRole कर्तृRoot वि-√चर् (चर् ‘to move, roam’)
- पावके
- in/at the purifying (fire/light)Noun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot पावक (प्रातिपदिक)
- मन्यम्
- the thought/intentNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्मRoot मन्य (प्रातिपदिक; ‘thought, intention’)
- श्रुतम्
- heardParticipleभूतकृदन्त (क्त); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्म-विशेषणRoot √श्रु (श्रु ‘to hear’)
- न
- like, asIndeclinableअव्ययRole उपमान/निदर्शन (comparative particle)Root न (अव्यय)
- नक्षत
- reached, attainedVerbलङ्/लिट्-सम्भाव्य वैदिक रूप; प्रायः लङ् (इम्पर्फेक्ट) परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot √नश्/नक्ष् (वैदिक: ‘to reach, attain’)
- ऋच्यमाने
- while being chanted/praised (with ṛc-verses)Participleवर्तमान कृदन्त (शानच्); आत्मनेपद; सप्तमी एकवचन (नपुंसक/पुं; लोकेटिव absolute/locative)Role अधिकरण (काल/परिस्थिति)Root √ऋच्/ऋच्य (वैदिक: ‘to praise/chant ṛc’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धि-निरसन): अरुषस्य | दुहितरा | विरूपे | स्तृभिः | अन्या | पिपिशे | सूरः | अन्या | मिथः | तुरा | विचरन्ती | पावके | मन्यम् | श्रुतम् | न | नक्षत | ऋच्यमाने । प्रमुख सन्धि: (1) दुहितरा विरूपे = दुहितरा + विरूपे (स्वर-सन्धि नहीं)
- (2) स्तृभिरन्या = स्तृभिः + अन्या (विसर्ग-लोप/रुत्व-प्रकृति: ः + अ → र्/र्-ध्वनि; संहितायां ‘स्तृभिरन्या’)
- (3) पिपिशे सूरो = पिपिशे + सूरः (पदपाठे ‘सूरः’; संहितायां ‘सूरो’—विसर्गस्य ओकारादेशः)
- (4) पावके मन्म = पावके + मन्यम् (संहितायां ‘मन्म’ = मन्यम्; वैदिक संक्षेप/अनुस्वार-लोप)
- (5) श्रुतं नक्षत = श्रुतम् + नक्षत (म् + न → ं न; संहितायां ‘श्रुतं नक्षत’)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Two daughters of the Ruddy One, different in form—one adorned with bright trappings, the other belonging to the Sun—move with mutual impulse in the purifying flame; the heard thought reaches its goal as the hymn is formed.
Inner meaning
The ‘two daughters’ are twin powers born of the red transformative energy: (1) the illumined speech/thought-form (mantra-śakti) adorned with ‘stṛbhiḥ’ (forms, rhythms, ornaments of expression), and (2) the solar seeing (sūryā) — direct illumination. In Agni’s purification they move together, each urging the other: vision seeks expression; expression stabilises vision. When this synergy is active, the ‘heard thought’ (śruta manma) — intuition received — attains its goal (nakṣata) as the ṛc is shaped.
Universal truth
Realisation becomes effective when inner illumination and its right expression cooperate; purification is the crucible where intuition turns into a precise, transformative word and action.
Themes
inspired speech, fire purification, solar-fire symbolism, twin powers
The seer
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja tradition; specific seer uncertain
- Lineage
- Bharadvāja
- Other hymns
- RV 6.49.2 (Agni as banner), RV 6.61 (Sarasvatī and inspired speech themes, same mandala)
Family tradition
This line is characteristic of Bharadvāja mantra-craft: emphasis on the making (ṛc) as a conscious process where Agni purifies and illumines speech.
Significance
Shows the Vedic psychology of revelation: intuition (śruta) must pass through purification and right formation to become a power that ‘reaches the goal’.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni (with Sūrya/solar illumination as allied power)
- Epithets
- pāvaka (purifier), aruṣa (ruddy)
- Related deities
- Sūrya, Uṣas, Sarasvatī, Bṛhaspati
Cosmic role
Purifies and perfects the channels of revelation; links solar truth to human speech.
Inner power
Transformative tapas that makes intuition luminous and articulate; refines speech into mantra-force.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni hymn in the context of composing/reciting ṛc during offering; supports correct formation of praise
अ॒रु॒षस्य॑ दुहि॒तरा॒ विरू॑पे॒ स्तृभि॑र॒न्या पि॑पि॒शे सूरो॑ अ॒न्या । मि॒थ॒स्तुरा॑ वि॒चर॑न्ती पाव॒के मन्म॑ श्रु॒तं न॑क्षत ऋ॒च्यमा॑ने ॥
अ॒रु॒षस्य॑ । दु॒हि॒तरा॑ । विरू॑पे॒ इति॒ विऽरू॑पे । स्तृऽभिः॑ । अ॒न्या । पि॒पि॒शे । सूरः॑ । अ॒न्या । मि॒थः॒ऽतुरा॑ । वि॒चर॑न्ती॒ इति॑ वि॒ऽचर॑न्ती । पा॒व॒के इति॑ । मन्म॑ । श्रु॒तम् । न॒क्ष॒त॒ । ऋ॒च्यमा॑ने॒ इति॑ ॥
aruṣasya | duhitarā | virūpeitivi-rūpe | stṛ-bhiḥ | anyā pipiśe | sūraḥ | anyā | mithaḥ-turā | vicarantī itivi-carantī | pāvake iti | manma | śrutam | nakṣata | ṛcyamāneiti
44
4 x ~11 syllables
Interweaving, slightly more fluid; supports the motif of twin movements.
Encourages a felt cooperation between inner seeing and voiced recitation; helpful for mantra-siddhi (effectiveness).
- अरुषस्य (aruṣasya)
- Literal: of the Ruddy One. Symbolic: of the red transformative fire-force (Agni’s dynamic energy)
- दुहितरा (duhitarā)
- Literal: two daughters. Symbolic: twin born powers: illumination and its expressive form
- विरूपे (virūpe)
- Literal: of diverse form. Symbolic: different modes: seeing vs shaping; light vs articulate pattern
- स्तृभिः (stṛbhiḥ)
- Literal: with ornaments/trappings. Symbolic: rhythms, measures, and formative powers of mantra-speech
- सूरः (sūraḥ) / सौर्या (implied)
- Literal: sun/solar. Symbolic: supramental/illumined vision
- मिथस्तुरा (mithasturā)
- Literal: urging each other. Symbolic: reciprocal intensification of vision and expression
- पावके (pāvake)
- Literal: in the purifying (fire). Symbolic: in tapas that purifies mind and vital
- मन्म श्रुतम् (manma śrutam)
- Literal: thought that is heard. Symbolic: śruti-like intuition received from higher planes
- ऋच्यमाने (ṛcyamāne)
- Literal: as the ṛc is being made. Symbolic: as inspired speech is formed into effective mantra
Poetic-ritual reflection on the formation of inspired speech in the presence of Agni; used to affirm that the hymn (ṛc) becomes effective when shaped in the purifying flame.
During stotra/śastra when the priestly speech is being ‘made’ and offered; also as reflective verse on mantra efficacy.
Recitation as offering; strengthening the ‘pāvaka’ function of Agni for speech-purity.
Use before japa or chanting practice to align inner hearing with outer articulation.
aruṣa- 'ruddy' from √ruṣ/√rudh? (reddening/shining; Vedic colour-epithet for fire/dawn). pipiśe from √piś 'to shape, adorn, form' (intensive/reduplicated). pāvaka- 'purifying' from √pū 'to purify'. ṛc-yamāna- from √arc/√ṛc 'to praise, shine' and the noun ṛc 'hymn'—the hymn as a formed luminous utterance.
inspiration as 'heard' thought (śruta manma), purification (pāvaka), manifestation through speech (ṛc)
Right making of ṛc is an act of ṛta—speech aligned to truth-order.
Solar daughter represents satya-dṛṣṭi (truth-seeing) entering mind.
Creation through Word: illumination differentiates into forms (ornamented speech) and vision (solar) that together produce effective reality.
Mantra-śāstra / integral yoga: revelation becomes a force through purified expression.
dawn/daybreak transition (implied by daughters of ruddy fire and solar association)
Fire = purification; Sun = illumination; the two daughters = intuition and expressive speech moving together.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- A poetic mythologem of twin daughters of the Ruddy Fire—two differentiated energies (often interpretable as flame and ray, or two modes of light) that move within the purifier. Their interplay enables inspired thought (manma śrutam) to reach fulfilment as it becomes articulated hymn (ṛc).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The idea of inspired speech as 'heard' aligns with archaic Indo-European poetics where the poet receives rather than invents. The root √pū (purify) has Indo-Iranian parallels (Avestan pū- type forms), reflecting shared ritual semantics of purification.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The r̥ṣi describes the inner mechanics by which Agni enables revelation to become effective speech: the devatā is not merely praised but is the purifying medium in which thought is transmuted into mantra—hence the r̥ṣi’s craft depends on Agni’s presence.
Unite ‘inner hearing’ (śruta) with ‘right utterance’ (ṛc-making); feel a purifying warmth in the channel of speech.
Viśuddha (speech) illumined by Ājñā (solar seeing) and supported by Maṇipūra (pāvaka).
Slow exhale chanting; pause after each pāda to ‘listen inwardly’ before continuing.
Revelatory quietude with precise articulation; the mind becomes a clear instrument.
Before chanting, sit in silence 1–2 minutes to receive the ‘thought that is heard’; then chant with exactness, letting the sound-body carry the light.
Maintain a gentle rise on key images (duhitarā, sūro, pāvake, śrutam, nakṣata).
Keep retroflex clarity: virūpe (rū), pāvake (vā), ṛcyamāne (ṛc-).
: ‘dh’ aspirated, not ‘d’, : long ū, : keep ‘sth’ cluster crisp, : initial ṛ is vocalic; avoid adding ‘ri’
Refined, listening quality; articulate consonants cleanly to mirror ‘ṛc-making’.
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