Rig Veda 4.6.8: Mandala 4, Sukta 6, Mantra 8
Sukta 4.6
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
द्विर्यं पञ्च जीजनन्त्संवसानाः स्वसारो अग्निं मानुषीषु विक्षु । उषर्बुधमथर्यो न दन्तं शुक्रं स्वासं परशुं न तिग्मम् ॥
dvír yaṃ páñca jī́janan saṃ-vásānāḥ svásāro agníṃ mā́nuṣīṣu víkṣu | uṣár-búdham atharyó ná dántaṃ śukráṃ sv-ā́saṃ paraśúṃ ná tigmáṃ ||
Dua kali lima saudari, berbalut seia-sekata, melahirkan Agni di tengah suku-suku manusia—dia yang terjaga bersama Fajar (Uṣas); laksana gigi Atharvan, cemerlang, bermulut elok, laksana kapak tajam yang bertepi runcing.
Word by Word
- द्विः
- twiceIndeclinableअव्यय; ‘द्विः’ = ‘द्विवारम्’Role Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)Root द्वि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) / द्विस् (अव्यय-रूप)
- यम्
- whom / whichPronounपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचनRole KarmaRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- पञ्च
- fiveNumeralसंख्या; प्रायः अव्ययवत् (विभक्त्यन्त-रूप-रहित)Role Viśeṣaṇa (संख्याविशेषण)Root पञ्चन् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
- जीजनन्
- (they) generated / producedVerbलिट्/परिपूर्ण-भूतार्थक-प्रयोग (वेदिक); 3पुरुष बहुवचन (परस्मैपद) — ‘they generated/begot’Role KriyāRoot √जन् (जनँ प्रादुर्भावे) [causative/intensive stem: जीजन-]
- संवसानाः
- clad together / wearing (garments)Adjective/Participleपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचनRole Kartā (जीजनन्-क्रियायाः कर्तृविशेषणम्)Root सम् + √वस् (वसँ आच्छादने) → संवसाना (कृदन्त)
- स्वसारः
- sistersNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचनRole KartāRoot स्वसृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- अग्निम्
- Agni (fire)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचनRole KarmaRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- मानुषीषु
- among human (women) / in human (dwellings)Adjective (used substantively)स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-बहुवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot मानुषी (प्रातिपदिक; ‘human (f.)’)
- विक्षु
- in the settlements / among the clansNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-बहुवचन (वेदिक रूप ‘विक्षु’)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot विश् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘clan, settlement’)
- उषर्बुधम्
- dawn-awaking / early-awakeAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचन (अग्निम्-विशेषणम्)Role Karma (विशेषणरूपेण)Root उषर्बुध (प्रातिपदिक; उषर् + बुध ‘dawn-awake/early-awaking’)
- अथर्यः
- the Atharvan (priest)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचनRole Kartā (उपमान-कर्तृ)Root अथर्वन्/अथर्य (प्रातिपदिक; ‘Atharvan priest’)
- न
- likeIndeclinableउपमा/सादृश्ये ‘like, as’Role Adverbial (उपमान-सूचक)Root न (अव्यय)
- दन्तम्
- toothNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचनRole Karma (उपमान-पद)Root दन्त (प्रातिपदिक; ‘tooth’)
- शुक्रम्
- bright, shiningAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचन (अग्निम्/दन्तम्-विशेषणवत्)Role Karma (विशेषणरूपेण)Root शुक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- स्वासम्
- own / with (its) own breath (epithet)Adjective/Noun (contextual epithet)पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचनRole Karma (विशेषण/उपमानाङ्ग)Root स्वास (प्रातिपदिक; ‘breath/one’s own mouth/one’s own’)
- परशुम्
- axeNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचनRole Karma (उपमान-पद)Root परशु (प्रातिपदिक)
- न
- likeIndeclinableउपमा/सादृश्ये ‘like, as’Role Adverbial (उपमान-सूचक)Root न (अव्यय)
- तिग्मम्
- sharp, keenAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचन (परशुम्-विशेषणम्)Role Karma (विशेषणरूपेण)Root तिग्म (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सम्भाव्य): द्विः | यम् | पञ्च | जीजनन् | संवसानाः | स्वसारः | अग्निम् | मानुषीषु | विक्षु | उषर्बुधम् | अथर्यः | न | दन्तम् | शुक्रम् | स्वासम् | परशुम् | न | तिग्मम् । 1) ‘द्विर्यं’ = ‘द्विः यम्’ (विसर्ग-लोपः/रेफादेशः पूर्वस्वर-संयोगे)
- 2) ‘पञ्च जीजनन्त्’ → संहितायां ‘पञ्च जीजनन्’ (अन्त्य-त् पदान्ते लोप/अनुस्वार-प्रसङ्ग; वेदिक पाठभेदेषु)
- 3) ‘जीजनन् + संवसानाः’ संहितायां ‘जीजनन्त्संवसानाः’ (त् + स → त्स् संयोगः)
- 4) ‘संवसानाः:’ इत्यत्र पदान्त-विसर्गः (संहितायां प्रायः ‘संवसानाः स्वसारः’)
- 5) ‘अथर्यो न’ = ‘अथर्यः न’ (विसर्गः परे नकारे ओकार-प्रवृत्तिः/वेदिक संधि-रूप)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Twice the five sisters, clothed in one accord, gave birth to Agni among the human clans—him who wakes with the Dawn; bright like an Atharvan’s tooth, well-mouthed, like a sharp keen-edged axe.
Inner meaning
The ‘five sisters’ (pañca svasāraḥ), twice over (dvir)—a Vedic cipher for repeated pentads of powers—bring forth the inner Fire in the human being when they are ‘saṃvasānāḥ’ (clothed together, in concord): the senses/energies or the five life-breaths and their higher counterparts acting in harmony. Agni is ‘uṣar-budham’—awakening with Dawn: the will ignites as illumination rises. The Atharvan imagery (atharyo na dantam) suggests the ancient fire-priest’s secret of kindling: the tooth is the biting point that releases fire; psychologically, it is the incisive discriminative force that ‘bites’ through obscurity. ‘śukra’ (bright/pure), ‘svāsa’ (well-mouthed: right utterance/true word), ‘paraśuṃ na tigmam’ (sharp axe): Agni becomes the keen instrument that cuts through inner knots and obstructions.
Universal truth
When the powers of our nature come into concord, a new birth of transforming will occurs; awakened with illumination, it becomes an incisive, purifying instrument that cuts through resistance.
Themes
birth of Agni, fivefold energies, dawn-awakening, sharp discernment
The seer
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 4.6.1, RV 4.6.2, RV 4.6.3, RV 4.6.4, RV 4.6.5
Family tradition
Gautama hymns frequently encode inner yogic processes in ritual images—birth of Agni through coordinated powers and dawn-illumination.
Significance
This verse is a compact psychology of kindling: harmony of the pentad powers leads to the birth of transformative will, awakened by inner dawn and made keen by discriminative force.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- uṣarbudha (dawn-awakening), śukra (bright), tigma (keen/sharp)
- Related deities
- Uṣas, Atharvan (as lineage-symbol)
Cosmic role
New birth of fire in the human realm; awakener at dawn; purifier and cutter of obstruction.
Inner power
Coordinating will that rises with illumination and becomes a sharp instrument of transformation (viveka + tapas).
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni kindling (araṇi) imagery; recited in contexts celebrating Agni’s birth
द्विर्यं पञ्च॒ जीज॑नन्त्सं॒वसा॑ना॒: स्वसा॑रो अ॒ग्निं मानु॑षीषु वि॒क्षु । उ॒ष॒र्बुध॑मथ॒र्यो॒३॒॑ न दन्तं॑ शु॒क्रं स्वासं॑ पर॒शुं न ति॒ग्मम् ॥
द्विः । यम् । पञ्च॑ । जीज॑नन् । स॒म्ऽवसा॑नाः । स्वसा॑रः । अ॒ग्निम् । मानु॑षीषु । वि॒क्षु । उ॒षः॒ऽबुध॑म् । अ॒थ॒र्यः॑ । न । दन्त॑म् । शु॒क्रम् । सु॒ऽआस॑म् । प॒र॒शुम् । न । ति॒ग्मम् ॥
dviḥ | yam | pañca | jījanan | sam-vasānāḥ | svasāraḥ | agnim | mānuṣīṣu | vi kṣu | uṣaḥ-budham | atharyaḥ | na | dantam | śukram | su-āsam | paraśum | na | t igmam
44
4 x ~11 syllables
Energetic and image-rich; the meter carries a ‘kindling’ momentum with sharp similes.
Stimulates awakening and resolve; gives a ‘cutting through’ feeling at line endings.
- pañca svasāraḥ
- Literal: five sisters. Symbolic: pentad powers (senses/prāṇas/energies) that must act in harmony
- dvir
- Literal: twice. Symbolic: double pentad: lower and higher set; repeated emergence (renewed birth)
- saṃvasānāḥ
- Literal: clothed together, in one attire. Symbolic: harmonized functioning; unified discipline
- uṣarbudham
- Literal: waking with Dawn. Symbolic: will awakened by illumination; conscious beginning
- Atharvan
- Literal: ancient fire-priest lineage. Symbolic: secret knowledge of kindling; inner technique
- dantam
- Literal: tooth. Symbolic: incisive discrimination; the ‘bite’ that breaks tamas
- śukram
- Literal: bright, pure. Symbolic: purity of intention and clarity
- svāsam
- Literal: well-mouthed. Symbolic: true expression/mantra-force; right speech of the soul
- paraśuṃ na tigmam
- Literal: like a sharp axe. Symbolic: cutting power that removes inner obstacles
Kindling/production of fire (Agni-janana): imagery of generating Agni by coordinated agencies; applicable to the rite’s ignition and to meditative 'awakening with dawn' sequences
At dawn rites or when narrating/evoking the birth of fire; also in teaching contexts about Agni’s origin.
Kindling fire, offering ghee, invoking dawn-awakening aspect.
Use at the start of the day to align the ‘five powers’ (senses/prāṇas) and kindle a clear, decisive will.
jījanan from √jan 'beget' with intensive reduplication, highlighting deliberate generation. uṣar-budh- is a compound: uṣas (dawn) + budh (wake; √budh 'awake, know'), linking awakening to knowledge. paraśu 'axe' is an old Indo-Iranian term (cf. Avestan). The 'five sisters' is a traditional Vedic image often read as the five kindling sticks/five priestly functions/five breaths or senses; here, inner reading favors coordinated energies (pañca) generating the fire of will and discernment.
awakening (bodha) as knowledge, coordination of the fivefold powers, discernment that cuts through obscuration
‘Saṃvasānāḥ’ indicates ṛta as harmony of powers; Agni born from concord restores order.
‘śukra’ purity implies truth-force; right speech (‘svāsa’) expresses satya.
Birth of divine force within humanity through coordinated energies and dawn-illumination.
Yoga of transformation (integral): coordination of nature’s powers enables descent/birth of higher will.
dawn
Dawn = awakening illumination; five sisters = fivefold energies; axe/tooth = discriminative incisiveness; fire-birth = emergence of conscious will.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The generation of the divine Fire by a coordinated quintuple power ('five sisters')—a cosmogonic/psychogonic myth: Agni is born in the human realm through harmonized forces and awakens with Dawn, then becomes a cutting instrument against darkness (tooth/axe imagery).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √jan (generate) continues PIE *ǵenh₁- 'beget' (cf. Greek génos, Latin genus). √budh (awake/know) continues PIE *bʰewdʰ- 'be aware, wake' (cf. English 'bode' in distant semantic relation; clearer in Germanic *beudan?). The tool-metaphor paraśu is Indo-Iranian and reflects shared ritual technology vocabulary.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi depicts the human role as active generation: the inner 'sisters' (fivefold faculties/energies) must unite to bring forth Agni. Agni then reciprocates by providing awakened discernment—biting and cutting through confusion—so the seeker can progress with dawn-like clarity.
Morning kindling: harmonize fivefold energies, then awaken a bright decisive will.
Manipura (kindling) with Ajna (incisive discrimination)
5-cycle breath: inhale 5, exhale 5 for five rounds; then one stronger exhale imagining ‘cutting’ through dullness.
Freshly awakened, bright, keen, organized.
Before speech or action, feel ‘svāsa’—right mouth: let words arise from the bright flame, not from impulse; use the ‘axe’ image to drop one obstructive habit today.
Rigvedic accenting required from an accented saṃhitā; treat compound accents carefully (uṣar-budham).
Let the first pāda ‘dvir… pañca…’ be clearly segmented; emphasize ‘uṣarbudham’ with a gentle lift to evoke dawn-awakening.
dvir (light ‘r’; avoid adding vowel), pañca (nasal ñ), jījanan (long ī; clear reduplication), saṃvasānāḥ (anusvāra; long ā in -sānāḥ), uṣarbudham (uṣas + budham; keep retroflex ṣ), atharyo (th aspirated; ry cluster), śukram (ś + u; no ‘shoo’), paraśum (ś; short u), tigmam (hard g; no nasalization)
Bright and slightly sharpened articulation on the similes (tooth/axe).
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