Rig Veda 3.5.2: Mandala 3, Sukta 5, Mantra 2
Sukta 3.5
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
प्रेद्वग्निर्वावृधे स्तोमेभिर्गीर्भिः स्तोतॄणां नमस्य उक्थैः । पूर्वीॠतस्य संदृशश्चकानः सं दूतो अद्यौदुषसो विरोके ॥
pré d u agnír vāvṛdhe stómebhir gī́rbhiḥ stotṝṇā́ṃ namasyà ukthaíḥ | pūrvī́r ṛtásya saṃdṛ́śaś cakānáḥ sáṃ dūtó adyaut uṣáso vi-róke ||
まことにアグニは前へと増し広がった――讃歌（ストーマ）と歌（ギール）、礼拝する者たちの朗誦と敬礼のウクタによって。古きṛta（宇宙の正序・真理）の幻視を喜びつつ、使者はウシャス（暁）の広大な光の顕現とともに輝き出た。
Word by Word
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableउपसर्ग (क्रियाविशेषक)Root प्र (उपसर्ग)
- इत्
- indeed, justIndeclinableनिपात (एव/खलु-अर्थे; पदपूरण)Root इत् (निपात)
- अग्निः
- Agni (fire-god)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- वावृधे
- has grown, has increasedVerbलिट् (परिपूर्ण/परोक्श), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot √वृध् (वर्धने)
- स्तोमेभिः
- with hymns of praiseNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot स्तोम (प्रातिपदिक)
- गीर्भिः
- with songs/utterancesNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot गीर्/गिर् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘वाणी/स्तुति’)
- स्तोतॄणाम्
- of the praisersNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचनRoot स्तोतृ (प्रातिपदिक; √स्तु ‘to praise’)
- नमस्यः
- worthy of homageAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (अग्निः इति विशेषणम्)Role Kartā (अग्निः-सह समनाधिकरण)Root नमस्य (प्रातिपदिक; √नम् ‘to bow’)
- उक्थैः
- with recited hymns (ukthas)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot उक्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
- पूर्वीः
- former, earlier (many)Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- ऋतस्य
- of Ṛta (cosmic order/true law)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRoot ऋत (प्रातिपदिक)
- संदृशः
- visions/sights, appearancesNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot संदृश् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘दर्शन/दृश्य’)
- चकानः
- shining, rejoicing (in)Participleवर्तमान कृदन्त (शानच्), आत्मनेपद-भाव, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (अग्निः इति विशेषणम्)Role Kartā (अग्निः-सह समनाधिकरण)Root √कन्/√काङ्क्ष्? (वैदिक ‘चकान’ = ‘दीप्त/हर्षित/प्रकाशमान’), कृत्-प्रत्यय
- सम्
- together, completelyIndeclinableउपसर्ग (सम्यक्/सह-अर्थे)Root सम् (उपसर्ग)
- दूतः
- messengerNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (अद्यौद् इत्यस्य)Root दूत (प्रातिपदिक)
- अद्य
- today, nowIndeclinableकालवाचक-अव्ययRole Adhikaraṇa (काल)Root अद्य (अव्यय)
- अद्यौत्
- shone forthVerbलुङ् (अorist), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot √द्युत् (दीप्तौ)
- उषसः
- of Dawn (Uṣas)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRoot उषस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- विरोके
- in the shining expanse, in the radianceNounपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole Adhikaraṇa (स्थान)Root विरोक (प्रातिपदिक; ‘प्रकाश/विस्तीर्ण-प्रकाश’)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (pada-splitting): प्रेद्वग्निर्वावृधे → प्र + इत् + अग्निः + वावृधे
- स्तोमेभिर्गीर्भिः → स्तोमेभिः + गीर्भिः
- स्तोतॄणां नमस्य उक्थैः → स्तोतॄणाम् + नमस्यः + उक्थैः (visarga lost before vowel in saṃhitā)
- पूर्वीॠतस्य → पूर्वीः + ऋतस्य (ī + ṛ sandhi)
- संदृशश्चकानः → संदृशः + चकानः
- दूतो अद्यौदु॒षसो॑ → दूतः + अद्य + अद्यौत् + उषसः (o + a → o; final -t retained before vowel in saṃhitā spelling)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Agni has grown forward by hymns, songs, and recitations of worshippers. Delighting in the ancient visions of ṛta, the messenger has shone forth together in the wide light of the Dawn.
Inner meaning
Agni increases when fed by mantra and aspiration—‘stomas’ and ‘gīras’ are not mere words but concentrated vibrations that build the inner fire. As Agni delights in the ‘ancient visions of ṛta’ (pūrvīḥ saṃdṛśaḥ), the consciousness reconnects with perennial truths already present in the deep soul-memory. Then the divine messenger shines out in the Dawn’s wide radiance: the awakened will becomes a carrier of illumination between higher and lower parts of the being, establishing clear interchange.
Universal truth
Sincere invocation and truthful speech strengthen the transformative fire; when aligned with timeless principles, it becomes a messenger that brings a new dawn of clarity into life.
Themes
Agni strengthened by hymns, ṛta-vision, dawn radiance, messenger function
The seer
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Lineage
- Viśvāmitra (Gāthina lineage)
- Other hymns
- RV 3.5.1, RV 3.5.3, RV 3.62
Family tradition
Emphasis on mantra as power: speech that increases Agni and reveals ṛta through dawn-like illumination.
Significance
Shows the Vedic principle that true speech (mantra) is a force of growth—building the inner fire until it shines in illumination.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- namasyaḥ (worthy of homage), dūtaḥ (messenger), vāvṛdhe (grown/increased)
- Related deities
- Uṣas, Soma (as delight/inner increase), Indra (as illumination)
Cosmic role
Bearer of offerings and bringer of divine responses; revealer of ṛta through luminous action.
Inner power
Mantra-fed transformative energy; capacity to translate higher truth into workable guidance in life.
In ritual
Where it is used
Praise to increase Agni during morning rites; reinforcing Agni as dūta at dawn
प्रेद्व॒ग्निर्वा॑वृधे॒ स्तोमे॑भिर्गी॒र्भिः स्तो॑तॄ॒णां न॑म॒स्य॑ उ॒क्थैः । पू॒र्वीॠ॒तस्य॑ सं॒दृश॑श्चका॒नः सं दू॒तो अ॑द्यौदु॒षसो॑ विरो॒के ॥
प्र । इत् । ऊँ॒ इति॑ । अ॒ग्निः । व॒वृ॒धे॒ । स्तोमे॑भिः । गीः॒ऽभिः । स्तो॒तॄ॒णाम् । न॒म॒स्यः॑ । उ॒क्थैः । पू॒र्वीः । ऋ॒तस्य॑ । स॒म्ऽदृशः॑ । च॒का॒नः । सम् । दू॒तः । अ॒द्यौ॒त् । उ॒षसः॑ । वि॒ऽरो॒के ॥
pra | it | oṃ iti | agniḥ | vavṛdhe | stomebhiḥ | gīḥ-bhiḥ | stotṝṇām | namasyaḥ | ukthaiḥ | pūrvīḥ | ṛtasya | sam-dṛśaḥ | cakānaḥ | sam | dūtaḥ | adyaut | uṣasaḥ | vi-roke
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4 pādas of ~11 syllables
Progressive (‘pred’) and expansive; a forward surge culminating in dawn-wide radiance.
Encourages confident recitation; reinforces the sense that speech is fuel and dawn is the flowering result.
- स्तोमेभिः (stomebhiḥ)
- Literal: by hymns/praises. Symbolic: concentrated affirmations that feed inner fire
- गीर्भिः (gīrbhiḥ)
- Literal: by songs/utterances. Symbolic: mantric vibration shaping consciousness
- उक्थैः (ukthaiḥ)
- Literal: recitations. Symbolic: articulated truth-thoughts (inspired speech) sustaining Agni
- ववृधे (vāvṛdhe)
- Literal: has grown. Symbolic: increase of inner force through right invocation
- ऋतस्य संदृशः (ṛtasya saṃdṛśaḥ)
- Literal: visions/sights of ṛta. Symbolic: intuitive perceptions of the right order and truth-law
- पूर्वीः (pūrvīḥ)
- Literal: ancient, former. Symbolic: primordial truths; deep soul-knowledge
- दूतः (dūtaḥ)
- Literal: messenger. Symbolic: mediating function of awakened will between planes
- उषसो वि रोके (uṣaso viroke)
- Literal: in the wide light of Dawn. Symbolic: in expansive illumination of awakened consciousness
Praise that increases Agni before offerings; morning sequence where Agni shines with Uṣas; supports the idea that mantra (stoma/gir/uktha) builds the inner fire.
Morning recitation; after kindling and during praise sequences
Singing/reciting stoma and uktha to strengthen Agni; inviting illumination
A mantra for japa before study/teaching: align speech with truth (ṛta) so words become transformative and luminous.
vāvṛdhe from √vṛdh ‘grow, increase’ (PIE *werdh-; cf. English ‘worth’ is different, but ‘verdant’ is from Latin viridis; still √vṛdh has Indo-European parallels like Germanic *werþ- ‘grow’ debated). ṛta from √ṛ ‘to fit, move rightly’ indicates cosmic rightness. saṃ-dṛś ‘seeing together’ emphasizes integrative vision (not fragmented perception). adyaut from √dyut ‘shine’ (PIE *dyeu- ‘shine/sky/day’; cf. Zeus, deus).
ṛta (cosmic order), mantric increase (growth by praise), mediation (dūta)
Agni delights in ṛta-visions: inner fire grows when action and speech align to cosmic order.
Hymn and speech become ‘true’ when they carry lived alignment; then Agni becomes ‘messenger’ of Satya.
Dawn-wide light as manifestation: truth perceived becomes luminous presence through Agni’s mediation.
Mantra-yoga perspective within Vedic psychology: speech as shakti that awakens and expands consciousness.
dawn
Dawn = widening clarity; fire = transformative will; song = vibrational shaping of mind; messenger = inner linkage between higher and lower.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Agni grows through praise and then shines as the messenger in the dawn’s wide light: a mythic cycle where speech (hymn) feeds fire, and fire opens light. Inner sense: mantra intensifies the will and makes it luminous; then it mediates between human aspiration and divine order (ṛta).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √dyut ‘shine’ aligns with the PIE *dyeu- complex (day/sky deity lexicon: Zeus, deus), showing inherited imagery of shining divinity. uṣas again reflects the PIE dawn complex. The verse thus participates in an Indo-European poetic inheritance: dawn-light, shining messenger, and sacral speech.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The ṛṣi’s speech is causal: stoma/gir/uktha are not mere praise but fuel that increases Agni. Agni reciprocates by revealing ṛta-visions and shining as dūta—carrying the human offering upward and bringing divine influence downward.
Practice ‘truthful speech’ meditation: feel each syllable as offering; let the inner fire rise with mantra until the mind enters a wide dawn-like clarity.
viśuddha (speech/mantra) and ājñā (illumined perception)
Mantra-on-exhale: recite each pāda on a long exhalation; brief silent inhale sensing ‘ṛta’ as inner order.
Luminous clarity with gentle joy; sense of inner communication opened.
Before speaking important words, repeat once; intend speech to carry ṛta (rightness), not reaction—then act as Agni’s ‘messenger’ in relationships.
Triṣṭubh; keep the forward marker ‘préd’ energetic; maintain pitch clarity on ‘ṛtásya’ and ‘uṣáso’.
Slight emphasis on the instrumental series ‘stomebhir gīrbhir… ukthaiḥ’; broaden tone on ‘uṣaso viroke’.
vāvṛdhe: long ā in vā-, retroflex ṛ, saṃdṛśaḥ: nasal ‘saṃ’, retroflex ṣ in dṛś, viroke: vi-ro-ke, keep vowels clear
Bright, ringing, slightly more melodic (since it speaks of songs), but still Vedic-accent faithful.
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