Rig Veda 3.4.2: Mandala 3, Sukta 4, Mantra 2
Sukta 3.4
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Shringara (love)
यं देवासस्त्रिरहन्नायजन्ते दिवेदिवे वरुणो मित्रो अग्निः । सेमं यज्ञं मधुमन्तं कृधी नस्तनूनपाद्घृतयोनिं विधन्तम् ॥
yáṃ devā́sás trír áhan ā́-yájante dive-dive váruṇo mitró agníḥ | sémáṃ yajñáṃ mádhu-mantaṃ kṛdhī nas tanū-napād ghṛtá-yonim vidhántam ||
ទ្រង់ដែលព្រះទាំងឡាយគោរពបូជាមួយថ្ងៃបីដង, វរុណ, មិត្រ, និងអគ្គី, សូមធ្វើការបូជារបស់យើងខ្ញុំឲ្យពេញដោយភាពផ្អែមល្ហែម; ហៃតនូនបាត សូមបង្កើតវា ជាពិធីដែលមានផ្ទៃពោះជាប្រេង ដែលបានតម្រៀបដោយល្អក្នុងការងាររបស់វា។
Word by Word
- यम्
- whomPronounपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- देवासः
- the godsNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- त्रिः
- thriceIndeclinableअव्ययRole अधिकारण (क्रियाविशेषण—आवृत्ति)Root त्रिस् (संख्या/अव्यय)
- अहन्
- they struck/slainVerbलुङ् (अorist); परस्मैपद; 3 पुरुष; बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot हन् (धातु)
- आ
- towards, forth (preverb)Indeclinableउपसर्गRoot आ (उपसर्ग)
- अयजन्ते
- they worshipped/sacrificedVerbलङ् (imperfect); आत्मनेपद; 3 पुरुष; बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot यज् (धातु)
- दिवे
- for the day / on the dayNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी; एकवचनRole अधिकारण (काल-निर्देश) अथवा सम्प्रदानRoot दिव् (प्रातिपदिक)
- दिवे
- day by day (repeated)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी; एकवचनRole अधिकारण (काल-निर्देश) अथवा सम्प्रदानRoot दिव् (प्रातिपदिक)
- वरुणः
- VaruṇaNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृ (समुच्चित) अथवा विषयRoot वरुण (प्रातिपदिक)
- मित्रः
- MitraNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृ (समुच्चित) अथवा विषयRoot मित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- अग्निः
- AgniNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृ (समुच्चित) अथवा विषयRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- इमम्
- thisPronounपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- यज्ञम्
- sacrifice, riteNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
- मधुमन्तम्
- honeyed, sweet, delightfulAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन (यज्ञम्-विशेषण)Role कर्म (विशेषण)Root मधुमन्त् (प्रातिपदिक) < मधु + मन्त्
- कृधी
- make!Verb (imperative)लोट्; परस्मैपद; मध्यम पुरुष; एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot कृ (धातु)
- नः
- for us / ourPronounषष्ठी (एन्क्लिटिक); बहुवचनRole सम्प्रदान/अधिकार (हित-सम्बन्ध)Root अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- तनूनपात्
- O TanūnapātNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन; एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot तनूनपात् (प्रातिपदिक; देवता-नाम) < तनू + नपात्
- घृतयोनिम्
- having ghee as its womb/sourceAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन (यज्ञम्-विशेषण)Role कर्म (विशेषण)Root घृतयोनि (प्रातिपदिक; बहुव्रीहि/तत्पुरुष-समास) < घृत + योनि
- विधन्तम्
- performing/ordaining (the rite)Participleवर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ); परस्मैपदी; पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन (यज्ञम्-विशेषण)Role कर्म (विशेषण)Root वि-धा (धातु) → विधत् (वर्तमान-कृदन्त)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धि-निरसन): यं दे॒वास॒स्त्रिरह॑न्ना॒यज॑न्ते → यम् + देवासः + त्रिः + अहन् + आ + अयजन्ते
- दि॒वेदि॑वे → दिवे + दिवे (पुनरुक्ति ‘day by day’)
- सेमं → सः + इमम्
- कृधी न॒स्तनू॑नपाद्घृ॒तयो॑निं → कृधी + नः + तनूनपात् + घृतयोनिम् (पद-सन्धि: -पात् + घृत-)
The meaning
Outer meaning
He whom the gods worship three times a day—Varuṇa, Mitra, and Agni—make this our sacrifice sweet; O Tanūnapāt, establish it, a rite with ghee as its womb, well-ordered.
Inner meaning
The mantra points to a rhythm of consecration (trir ahan) repeated through the cycles of consciousness: morning clarity, midday force, evening integration. The divine powers—Varuṇa (vast law), Mitra (harmony), and Agni (transforming will)—support this triple movement. The seeker asks that the inner sacrifice become madhumantam: filled with sweetness, i.e., the delight (soma-like rasa) that comes when offering is aligned with truth. Tanūnapāt, ‘child of the body/substance’, is Agni as the immanent flame in the very stuff of nature; he is asked to establish (vidhantam) the rite with ghṛta-yoni: ghee-womb, meaning the sacrifice is born from clarified essence—purified emotion, refined energy—and thus becomes orderly, effective, and fruitful.
Universal truth
Spiritual practice matures when it is rhythmic, protected by truth and harmony, and rooted in purified substance; then it naturally becomes sweet, not strained.
Themes
sweetening and establishing the sacrifice, Agni as self-born in the body, law and harmony supporting the rite
The seer
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Lineage
- Viśvāmitra (Gāthina line)
- Other hymns
- RV 3.4.1, RV 3.4.3
Family tradition
Vision of yajña as inner discipline guarded by cosmic law (Varuṇa) and harmony (Mitra), executed by Agni’s transforming will.
Significance
Highlights the triple daily renewal of the inner sacrifice and the need for sweetness (delight) and order (ṛta) in sadhana.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni (Tanūnapāt aspect)
- Epithets
- Tanūnapāt, Ghṛtayoni, Madhumantam-kartṛ (maker of sweetness)
- Related deities
- Mitra, Varuṇa, Soma
Cosmic role
Immanent fire in substance; establisher of the rite; mediator supported by Mitra-Varuṇa as guardians of ṛta.
Inner power
Transforms bodily-vital energies into clarified offering; organizes practice into rhythmic, joyful order.
In ritual
Where it is used
Daily tri-savana worship patterns (morning–midday–evening) and fire offerings; Tanūnapāt invoked in kindling/establishing the rite.
यं दे॒वास॒स्त्रिरह॑न्ना॒यज॑न्ते दि॒वेदि॑वे॒ वरु॑णो मि॒त्रो अ॒ग्निः । सेमं य॒ज्ञं मधु॑मन्तं कृधी न॒स्तनू॑नपाद्घृ॒तयो॑निं वि॒धन्त॑म् ॥
यम् । दे॒वासः॑ । त्रिः । अह॑न् । आ॒ऽयज॑न्ते । दि॒वेऽदि॑वे । वरु॑णः । मि॒त्रः । अ॒ग्निः । सः । इ॒मम् । य॒ज्ञम् । मधु॑ऽमन्तम् । कृ॒धि॒ । नः॒ । तनू॑ऽनपात् । घृ॒तऽयो॑निम् । वि॒धन्त॑म् ॥
yam | devāsaḥ | triḥ | ahan | āyajante | dive--dive | varuṇaḥ | mitraḥ | agniḥ | saḥ | imam | yajñam | madhu-mantam | kṛdhi | naḥ | tanū-napāt | ghṛta-yonim | vidhantam
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4 pādas of ~11 syllables each
Measured and ritual-precise; strong mid-line anchors suitable for ‘establishing’ (vidhā) themes.
Instills steadiness and order; evokes a sweet, settled devotional mood.
- त्रिरहन् (trir ahan)
- Literal: thrice a day. Symbolic: threefold daily rhythm; triple movement of consciousness (clarity–power–integration)
- वरुण (Varuṇa)
- Literal: god of vastness and law. Symbolic: truth-law, wideness, ethical-spiritual order (ṛta) that holds the being
- मित्र (Mitra)
- Literal: friend; god of concord. Symbolic: harmony, right relation, inner concord of parts
- मधुमन्तम् (madhumantam)
- Literal: honeyed, sweet. Symbolic: delightful offering; sweetness of aligned consciousness
- तनूनपात् (Tanūnapāt)
- Literal: offspring of the body/substance. Symbolic: immanent Agni in the physical-vital; flame within substance that can be organized
- घृतयोनि (ghṛta-yoni)
- Literal: having ghee as womb. Symbolic: born of clarified essence; purified feeling/energy as the matrix of practice
- विधन्तम् (vidhantam)
- Literal: arranging, establishing. Symbolic: ordering the inner rite; making practice precise and effective
Tri-daily worship frame (morning/midday/evening pressings or offerings); used to ‘sweeten’ and properly establish the yajña, emphasizing ghṛta and orderly arrangement.
At repeated daily offerings; when seeking order and sweetness in yajña.
Offer ghee; invoke Agni with Mitra-Varuṇa as supporters of right order.
Use as a ‘three-times’ anchor: recite at start of day, mid-day reset, and evening review to keep practice sweet and ordered.
madhú ‘honey/sweetness’ extends to ‘delight, soma-like bliss’ (PIE *médʰu, cf. English mead). mitrá from √mi ‘to bind/measure’ → concord; Varuṇa linked with √vṛ ‘cover/encompass’ → vast law. tanū-napāt: tanū ‘body’ + napāt ‘offspring’ (PIE *nepōt- ‘grandson/nephew’), an old IE kin-term used theologically for self-birth within embodiment. ghṛta from √ghṛ ‘shine/sprinkle’ → clarified, luminous essence; yoni ‘womb/source’.
ṛta via Varuṇa-Mitra, madhú as delight/bliss, embodied divinity (Tanūnapāt)
Explicit: Mitra-Varuṇa as guardians; Agni establishes the rite in right order.
Sweetness arises when offerings are truthful and integral, not forced.
Rite born from ghṛta (clarified essence) as womb—creation through refined substance.
Ethical-spiritual cosmology: order (ṛta) as foundation for transformation and delight.
thrice daily (dawn/midday/dusk implied)
Ghee = clarified emotional energy; day-cycle = recurring opportunities to realign; immanent fire = transformative awareness in the body.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The thrice-daily divine worship and the self-born Tanūnapāt establishing the yajña. Mythically: the gods themselves maintain the rite’s rhythm; psychologically: higher powers repeatedly consecrate the inner practice, and the ‘body-born’ flame founds it in luminous essence (ghṛta) and delight (madhú).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- madhú (PIE *médʰu) is a classic IE inheritance, linking sweetness with sacred exhilaration (mead/Soma analogies). napāt (PIE *nepōt-) is an archaic kinship term reused as a theological marker of ‘offspring’/emanation, showing an old Indo-European strategy of sacralizing kin-terms.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi asks for qualitative transformation of the rite—‘make it madhumant’—not mere completion. The devatā is requested to establish the sacrifice within the embodied being (Tanūnapāt), implying that the true altar is the practitioner’s life-field and its ordered energies.
Making practice ‘sweet’ by aligning will (Agni), harmony (Mitra), and truth-law (Varuṇa).
Manipura (Agni) stabilized by Anahata (Mitra) and Ajna/Sahasrara orientation (Varuṇa-vastness).
Three-round practice: (1) inhale clarity (Varuṇa-vast), (2) exhale harmony (Mitra), (3) gentle retention to kindle Agni; repeat 3 cycles.
Ordered, harmonious, quietly joyful concentration.
Set three daily checkpoints. At each, offer one movement into the inner fire; ask for harmony among parts (Mitra) and truthful alignment (Varuṇa). Feel the body as the field where Tanūnapāt establishes the practice; let sweetness be the sign of right order.
Rigvedic accenting; keep the cadence even to mirror ‘order’ (vidhā).
Give slight emphasis to ‘madhumantam’ and ‘tanūnapāt’ per accent marks; maintain smooth transitions in deity list (Varuṇa Mitro Agniḥ).
trir ahan: crisp ‘tr’; short a in ahan, dive-dive: separate the reduplication clearly, madhumantam: ‘dh’ aspirated; keep ‘man’ light, tanūnapāt: long ū and long ā; retroflex ṇ not here—keep dental n, ghṛtayonim: vocalic ṛ in ghṛ; long o in yoni
Even, unhurried, ‘honeyed’ tone; avoid sharp attack.
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