Rig Veda 10.1.2: Mandala 10, Sukta 1, Mantra 2
Sukta 10.1
- Rishi
- Same hymn rishi as RV 10.1
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
स जातो गर्भो असि रोदस्योरग्ने चारुर्विभृत ओषधीषु । चित्रः शिशुः परि तमांस्यक्तून्प्र मातृभ्यो अधि कनिक्रदद्गाः ॥
sá jā́to gárbho asi ródasyo rágne cā́rur ví-bhṛta óṣadhīṣu | citráḥ śíśuḥ pári támāṃsy aktū́n prá mātṛ́bhyo ádhi kánikradad gā́ḥ ||
ಓ ಅಗ್ನೇ, ನೀನು ಜನಿಸಿದವನೇ—ಎರಡು ಲೋಕಗಳ (ರೋದಸೀ) ಗುಪ್ತ ಗರ್ಭವೂ ಶಿಶುವೂ ಆಗಿರುವೆ; ಔಷಧಿಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಧಾರಿತನಾಗಿ ಮನೋಹರನಾಗಿರುವೆ. ಪ್ರಕಾಶಮಯ ಶಿಶು, ಅಂಧಕಾರದ ರಾತ್ರಿಗಳ ಸುತ್ತ ಸಂಚರಿಸುತ್ತಾನೆ; ಮಾತೃಗಳಿಂದ ಮೇಲಾಗಿ ಕಣಿಕ್ರದನ ಮಾಡಿ ಬೆಳಕಿನ ಕಿರಣ-ಗೋವುಗಳನ್ನು ಬಿಡುಗಡೆಗೊಳಿಸುತ್ತಾನೆ.
Word by Word
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- जातः
- bornParticiple (Adjective)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृत् (PPP) अर्थः ‘born’Role कर्तृ (सः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Root √जन् (जनि) → जात (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
- गर्भः
- embryo; womb-childNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (असि इत्यस्य कर्तृपदम्)Root गर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
- असि
- you areVerbलट् (वर्तमान), मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Root √अस् (भू)
- रोदस्योः
- of the two worlds (heaven and earth)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, द्विवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root रोदसी (द्विवचन-प्रातिपदिक; ‘द्यावापृथिव्यौ’)
- अग्ने
- O AgniNoun (Vocative)पुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन, एकवचनम्Role सम्बोधनRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- चारुः
- beautiful; dearAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (गर्भः/सः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Root चारु (प्रातिपदिक)
- विभृतः
- borne; supportedParticiple (Adjective)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; भूतकर्मणि (PPP) ‘borne/held’Role कर्तृ (गर्भः/सः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Root वि-√भृ (भरति) → विभृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
- ओषधीषु
- among the plantsNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, बहुवचनम्Role अधिकरणRoot ओषधि (प्रातिपदिक)
- चित्रः
- bright; wondrousAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (शिशुः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Root चित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- शिशुः
- child; young oneNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot शिशु (प्रातिपदिक)
- परि
- aroundIndeclinableअव्ययम्Root परि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- तमांसि
- darknessesNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्Role कर्मRoot तमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- अक्तून्
- nightsNounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्Role कर्म (तमांसि इत्यस्य सह-समुच्चित कर्म)Root अक्तु (प्रातिपदिक)
- प्र
- forth; forwardIndeclinableअव्ययम्Root प्र (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- मातृभ्यः
- from the mothersNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, पञ्चमी, बहुवचनम्Role अपादानRoot मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- अधि
- over; uponIndeclinableअव्ययम्Root अधि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- कनिक्रदत्
- crying out; lowingVerbal formपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; ‘crying/shouting repeatedly’ (intensive/iterative nuance)Role कर्तृ (गाः इत्यस्य विशेषणवत्/सहप्रयोगः)Root कनि-√क्रद् (क्रन्दति) → कनिक्रदत् (कृदन्त; वर्तमान-कर्तरि कृदन्त) अथवा लट्-रूपम् (वेदे)
- गाः
- cows (rays/bright kine)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्Role कर्मRoot गो (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धि-विग्रह): सः | जातः | गर्भः | असि | रोदस्योः | अग्ने | चारुः | विभृतः | ओषधीषु | चित्रः | शिशुः | परि | तमांसि | अक्तून् | प्र | मातृभ्यः | अधि | कनिक्रदत् | गाः । प्रमुख-सन्धयः: (1) रोदस्योः + अग्ने → रोदस्योरग्ने (विसर्ग/रुत्व-लोपः, ओः + अ = ओर्)
- (2) चारुः + विभृतः → चारुर्विभृतः (विसर्गः + व् → र्)
- (3) शिशुः + परि → शिशुः परि (पदविरामे विसर्गः)
- (4) तमांसि + अक्तून् → तमांस्यक्तून् (इ + अ → य्; ‘-सि अ-’ → ‘-स्य-’)
- (5) कनिक्रदत् + गाः → कनिक्रदद्गाः (त् + ग् → द्ग्; जश्त्व/परसवर्ण-सन्धि)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Agni, born as the hidden embryo/child of Heaven and Earth, beautiful and supported in the plants; a radiant infant moving around the dark nights, crying out above from the Mothers, releasing the cows (rays).
Inner meaning
The divine Will is the secret ‘germ’ (garbha) within both higher and lower nature (rodasī—mind/heaven and physical/earth). It is sustained in the ‘plants’ (oṣadhī)—the growth-forces of life and the subtle energies that nourish transformation. As a luminous child it circles through periods of inner night (aktūn), seeking an outlet; from the generating powers (mātṛbhyaḥ—mothers: energies of Nature, planes of consciousness) it cries upward, and this upward call releases the rays of knowledge (gāḥ) from concealment.
Universal truth
In every human being a hidden flame is carried by Nature’s forms; when it turns upward through the nights of confusion, it liberates the light of understanding.
Themes
Agni hidden in plants, Infant fire, Light-recovery, Inner awakening
The seer
- Rishi
- Same as hymn RV 10.1 (Anukramaṇī varies; commonly placed in an Āṅgirasa/Agni seer-line; manuscript-dependent).
- Lineage
- Āṅgirasa (probable, not certain)
- Other hymns
- RV 1.62 (release of cows/light), RV 4.1 (Agni hidden in the waters/plants), RV 6.9 (Agni as child of worlds)
Family tradition
Āṅgirasa symbolism often speaks of hidden light in darkness and the release of the ‘cows’ (rays) through inner effort.
Significance
The seer emphasizes Agni as an evolutionary secret—present in matter and life, pressing upward through night to liberate knowledge.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- garbha (embryo), śiśu (infant), cāru (beautiful), citra (radiant/variegated)
- Related deities
- Rodasī (Heaven-Earth as cosmic parents), Uṣas (as the dawn-result of Agni’s awakening)
Cosmic role
Hidden fire in the worlds—immanent in earth-life and linking to heaven-mind; awakener who brings forth light.
Inner power
Evolutionary urge and aspiration; the cry of the soul that calls down illumination and releases inner knowledge.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni praise in soma-yajña and daily fire contexts; imagery aligns with kindling fire from fuel/plants.
स जा॒तो गर्भो॑ असि॒ रोद॑स्यो॒रग्ने॒ चारु॒र्विभृ॑त॒ ओष॑धीषु । चि॒त्रः शिशु॒: परि॒ तमां॑स्य॒क्तून्प्र मा॒तृभ्यो॒ अधि॒ कनि॑क्रदद्गाः ॥
सः । जा॒तः । गर्भः॑ । अ॒सि॒ । रोद॑स्योः । अग्ने॑ । चारुः॑ । विऽभृ॑तः । ओष॑धीषु । चि॒त्रः । शिशुः॑ । परि॑ । तमां॑सि । अ॒क्तून् । प्र । मा॒तृऽभ्यः॑ । अधि॑ । कनि॑क्रदत् । गाः॒ ॥
saḥ | jātaḥ | garbhaḥ | asi | rodasyoḥ | agne | cāruḥ | vi-bhṛtaḥ | oṣadhīṣu | citraḥ | śiśuḥ | pari | tamāṃsi | aktūn | pra | mātṛ-bhyaḥ | adhi | kanikradat | gāḥ
44
4 pādas of ~11 syllables
Tense, searching movement with a ‘circling’ feel in mid-pādas; resolves in release at the end
Supports persistence through inner ‘nights’; culminates in a felt opening and brightness.
- गर्भः (garbhaḥ)
- Literal: embryo, hidden germ. Symbolic: secret divine presence in the worlds and in the seeker
- रोदस्योः (rodasyoḥ)
- Literal: of the two worlds (Heaven & Earth). Symbolic: higher mind and lower nature; spirit and matter in one being
- ओषधीषु (oṣadhīṣu)
- Literal: in the plants/herbs. Symbolic: life-growth energies; formative powers that sustain inner fire
- तमांसि अक्तून् (tamāṃsi aktūn)
- Literal: darknesses, nights. Symbolic: periods of ignorance, subconscious obscurity
- मातृभ्यः (mātṛbhyaḥ)
- Literal: from the Mothers. Symbolic: originating powers/planes (energies of Prakṛti) that bear the flame
- गाः (gāḥ)
- Literal: cows. Symbolic: rays of light/knowledge released from concealment
- कनिकradat् (kanikradat)
- Literal: crying aloud. Symbolic: the soul’s intense aspiration that breaks inner silence/covering
Agni-kindling and contemplation of hidden fire in fuel/plants; supports inner ignition of will within life-forms.
During Agni stuti while kindling/feeding the fire; also suitable at dawn rites
Offering of fuel/ghṛta; recitation emphasizing Agni’s birth and increase
Use during periods of confusion or depression: recite as a reminder of the hidden flame sustained by life and capable of releasing insight.
gárbha from √gṛbh/√garbh ‘grasp, contain’ → ‘womb/embryo’. ródasī ‘two worlds’ is a dual form; cosmically heaven/earth, psychologically higher/lower nature. óṣadhi ‘plant’ from √uṣ/√as semantic of burning/life-growth debated; Vedic uses strongly connect plants as bearers of Agni (fuel). gā́ḥ (acc. pl. of go) from PIE *gʷou- ‘cow’; in Vedic symbolism ‘cows’ regularly denote ‘rays’ or ‘luminous knowledges’ recovered from darkness.
Hidden divine seed (garbha), Dual worlds (rodasī) as integrated field, Recovery of light from darkness (go as rays/knowledge)
Agni’s upward cry is the movement toward R̥ta—truth-order replacing night.
Light (gāḥ) as satya-knowledge released by aspiration.
Fire hidden in matter (plants) and born as child of worlds—evolution of consciousness.
Integral evolutionary reading: consciousness involved in matter, emerging through life toward mind/light.
night turning toward dawn
The flame of aspiration sustained by life-forces persists through inner night and releases rays of understanding.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Agni as the hidden embryo in the two worlds, lodged in plants, moving through the nights and ‘calling out’ the cows (rays): the classic light-recovery motif, where illumination is released from obscurity by the newborn fire of will.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- go ‘cow’ < PIE *gʷou- is pan-IE. The dual ródasī reflects an archaic IE poetic duality of heaven/earth. The infant-fire motif parallels IE traditions of a young divine fire/light emerging (comparatively, though not identically, to Greek and Iranian light myths).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi identifies Agni as the inner seed present within life (plants) and within the dual nature (rodasī). By naming the ‘cows’ as what Agni releases, the hymn guides the aspirant: kindle the hidden fire so that rays/knowledges emerge from the night of consciousness.
Feel the ‘hidden ember’ in the heart/solar plexus; let it be supported by breath as ‘plants’ (life-force) and turn its cry upward for clarity.
Maṇipūra (transformative heat) with ascent to Ājñā (light)
Kapalabhati-light (very gentle, 30–60 strokes) or simple energizing exhales, then quiet inhalations while repeating ‘citraḥ śiśuḥ’.
From obscurity and fatigue to energized aspiration and emergent insight
When mind is clouded, chant once briskly to awaken tapas, then sit; imagine rays (gāḥ) streaming from above into the forehead and spreading through the mind.
Follow śākhā svara; emphasize udātta on key nouns (agni, garbha, citra) and verbs (kanikradat).
Keep ‘rodasyor agne’ clearly segmented; avoid rushing consonant clusters at pāda joints.
oṣadhīṣu: long ī in dhī, śiśuḥ: palatal ś, short i, tamāṃsi: nasalized āṃ, kanikradat: articulate ‘kr’ cluster cleanly
Warm, slightly urgent (as ‘cry’), then bright at ‘gāḥ’.
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