Rig Veda 3.9.4: Mandala 3, Sukta 9, Mantra 4
Sukta 3.9
- Rishi
- Gāthina Viśvāmitra
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
ईयिवांसमति स्रिधः शश्वतीरति सश्चतः । अन्वीमविन्दन्निचिरासो अद्रुहोऽप्सु सिंहमिव श्रितम् ॥
īyivā́ṃsam áti srídhaḥ śáśvatīr áti sáścataḥ | ánv īm avindan nicirā́so ádruho ’psú síṃham iva śritám ||
ຜູ້ທີ່ກໍາລັງກ້າວໄປຂ້າງຫນ້າ, ພວກເຂົາໄດ້ຕິດຕາມຂ້າມການຂັດຂວາງ ແລະ ຂ້າມຄວາມຕໍ່ເນື່ອງອັນຍາວນານ; ຜູ້ອົດທົນ ແລະ ບໍ່ຫຼອກລວງ ໄດ້ຊອກຫາເຂົາ, ຄືກັບສິງຫາວທີ່ພັກອາໄສໃນນໍ້າ, ຕັ້ງມັ່ນຄົງຢູ່ໃນຄວາມເລິກ.
Word by Word
- ईयिवांसम्
- the one who has gone/approached (i.e., the approaching one)Adjective (participial)पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचनRole कर्म (of ‘found’)Root ई (धातु) → ईयिवांस् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) [= गम्/इ-भावार्थे ‘gone/approached’]
- अति
- over, beyondIndeclinableअव्ययRoot अति (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- स्रिधः
- obstacles, hindrancesNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग (RV usage), प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचनRole अधिकारण/अपादान (sense: ‘beyond obstacles’; governed by अति)Root स्रिध् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘obstacle/hostility/impediment’)
- शश्वतीः
- everlasting, continualAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (qualifying the subject ‘they’)Root शश्वत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- अति
- over, beyondIndeclinableअव्ययRoot अति (अव्यय)
- सश्चतः
- following, pursuingVerb (participle)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot सश्च् (धातु ‘to follow/attend/seek’)
- अनु
- after, alongIndeclinableअव्ययRoot अनु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- ईम्
- him/it (enclitic)Indeclinableअव्ययRole कर्म (enclitic ‘him/it’ with ‘found’)Root ईम् (निपात/अव्यय; enclitic pronoun-like particle)
- अविन्दन्
- they foundVerbलुङ् (अorist), परस्मैपद, 3 पुरुष, बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot विद् (धातु ‘to find/know’) + अव- (उपसर्ग)
- निचिरासः
- those of long duration / long-continued (seekers)Adjective/Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (subject of ‘found’)Root निचिर (प्रातिपदिक; ‘long time/slowly/after long’)
- अद्रुहः
- non-hostile, uninjuringAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (qualifying the finders)Root द्रुह् (धातु ‘to harm, be hostile’) with privative अ- → अद्रुह् (प्रातिपदिक)
- अप्सु
- in the watersNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचनRole अधिकारणRoot अप् (प्रातिपदिक ‘water’)
- सिंहम्
- a lionNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचनRole उपमान (in इव-comparison)Root सिंह (प्रातिपदिक)
- इव
- like, asIndeclinableअव्ययRoot इव (अव्यय)
- श्रितम्
- resting/lying, having resorted (to)Verb (past participle)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (agreeing with implied object ‘him/it’)Role कर्म (as found object, described)Root श्रि (धातु ‘to lean on, resort to, take refuge’) → श्रित (क्त)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (sandhi-resolved): ईयिवांसम् | अति | स्रिधः | शश्वतीः | अति | सश्चतः || अनु | ईम् | अविन्दन् | निचिरासः | अद्रुहः | अप्सु | सिंहम् | इव | श्रितम् || 1) अन्वीमविन्दन् = अनु + ईम् + अविन्दन् (ईम् enclitic; sandhi gives -वीम्-)
- 2) अद्रुहोऽप्सु = अद्रुहः + अप्सु (visarga before vowel → ‘ो’ with avagraha)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Those who followed the advancing one went beyond breaks and long stretches; the patient, undeceiving ones found him—like a lion lodged in the waters—set in the depths.
Inner meaning
Agni (the divine Will and conscious Flame) moves forward through alternating inner “breaks” (discontinuities, lapses, obstacles) and long continuities (extended phases of practice). The “patient and undeceiving” are the persevering faculties of the seeker—steady aspiration, sincerity, and discernment—that track the hidden Fire until it is rediscovered in the deep subconscient (āpas, waters). The “lion in the waters” is the powerful will-force concealed within the inconscient/vital depths, waiting to be established and brought up into waking consciousness.
Universal truth
The guiding spiritual force is never absent; it can be concealed in the depths of life and subconscious nature. Through endurance, sincerity, and faithful following of the inner leading, one recovers the buried power and establishes it as a stable foundation for transformation.
Themes
finding the hidden Agni, Agni in the waters (subconscient), endurance and fidelity in the quest
The seer
- Rishi
- Gāthina Viśvāmitra
- Lineage
- Viśvāmitra (Gāthin lineage)
- Other hymns
- RV 3.1, RV 3.2, RV 3.3, RV 3.4, RV 3.5, RV 3.6, RV 3.7, RV 3.8, RV 3.9
Family tradition
Viśvāmitra hymns often portray Agni/Indra as inner powers of conquest—recovering light from concealment and establishing the sacrifice (inner offering) against resistance.
Significance
Viśvāmitra’s vision emphasizes the arduous transition from human limitation to luminous truth; here the seer describes the rediscovery of the hidden Flame through steadfast sincerity.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni (Jātavedas implied)
- Epithets
- īyivāṃsam (advancing), siṃha (lion-like), śrita (established in the depths)
- Related deities
- Mātariśvan (as discoverer/bring-back of Agni), Indra (illumined mind aiding the release), Soma (bliss that feeds the flame)
Cosmic role
Carrier of the offering and awakener of the gods; the power that links earth-consciousness to the luminous worlds and establishes the rite (ṛta) in human life.
Inner power
The will-to-transform that persists through obscurity; the kingly force that can inhabit even the subconscient and emerge as mastery.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni-stotra/Agni-invocation within Soma and other Śrauta sequences; also general Agni praise in household kindling.
ई॒यि॒वांस॒मति॒ स्रिध॒: शश्व॑ती॒रति॑ स॒श्चत॑: । अन्वी॑मविन्दन्निचि॒रासो॑ अ॒द्रुहो॒ऽप्सु सिं॒हमि॑व श्रि॒तम् ॥
ई॒यि॒ऽवांस॑म् । अति॑ । स्रिधः॑ । शश्व॑तीः । अति॑ । स॒श्चतः॑ । अनु॑ । ई॒म् । अ॒वि॒न्द॒न् । नि॒ऽचि॒रासः॑ । अ॒द्रुहः॑ । अ॒प्ऽसु । सिं॒हम्ऽइ॑व । श्रि॒तम् ॥
īyi-vāṃsam | ati | sridhaḥ | śaśvatīḥ | ati | saścataḥ | anu | īm | avindan | ni-cirāsaḥ | adruhaḥ | ap-su | siṃham-iva | śritam
44
4 pādas × ~11 syllables (with possible Vedic resolution/caesura)
Forward-driving, stride-like cadence suited to pursuit and discovery imagery.
Builds a sense of determined following through obstacles, culminating in a deep, resonant ‘finding’—good for meditating on recovery of the hidden will.
- īyivāṃsam
- Literal: the one advancing/going. Symbolic: the forward-moving inner Flame/Will leading the yoga
- sṛdhaḥ
- Literal: breaks, fissures, obstacles. Symbolic: inner discontinuities—doubt, fatigue, resistance, lapses in practice
- śaśvatīḥ
- Literal: lasting, continuous, long. Symbolic: long stretches of sustained discipline or prolonged inner conditions
- saścataḥ
- Literal: following, accompanying. Symbolic: faculties that track the inner leading—aspiration, attention, faith
- nicirāsaḥ
- Literal: patient, long-enduring. Symbolic: titikṣā—endurance needed for inner discovery
- adruhaḥ
- Literal: not deceiving, not treacherous. Symbolic: sincerity and truth-sense that does not betray the aim
- apsu (āpas)
- Literal: in the waters. Symbolic: subconscient/inconscient life-depths; the ocean of being
- siṃha
- Literal: lion. Symbolic: sovereign force—Agni’s puissance hidden in the depths
- śritam
- Literal: resting, lodged, established. Symbolic: the inner Fire seated firmly as a base of realization
Mythic-psychological support for Agni’s ‘finding’/rekindling; used as a paradigmatic remembrance in kindling rites and recitations around the fire’s manifestation
At the opening or reaffirmation of the rite when the fire is to be (re)established and the path cleared.
Kindling/rekindling Agni; recitation to ‘find’ and seat the fire; offering of ghee.
Use when motivation is lost: recite before meditation to reconnect with the inner flame during periods of obscurity or discontinuity.
sáścataḥ from √sac ‘to accompany’ (PIE *sekʷ- ‘follow’ suggested in IE comparisons) encodes the idea of allied pursuit. avindan (√vid) bridges ‘finding’ and ‘knowing’: discovery is cognition. ap-su (‘in the waters’) is a standard Vedic depth-symbol; siṃha-iva intensifies Agni’s hidden sovereignty: force concealed in the life-waters yet ‘established’ (śrita).
tamas-to-light recovery (hidden power rediscovered), truthfulness/non-deception (adruhaḥ) as condition for finding, knowledge as discovery (√vid)
The seeker follows the advancing Agni along ṛta despite gaps and long stretches, restoring right movement.
Non-deceptive sincerity is the condition for true finding.
Fire hidden in the waters—classic Vedic motif of consciousness emerging from inconscience.
Proto-Vedāntic / Integral (Aurobindonian) reading: involution in waters and evolution via Agni.
night-to-dawn transition (implied rediscovery in obscurity)
Fire-in-waters = the psychic/divine will concealed in subconscient life; lion = sovereign force of realization; depths = unconscious layers to be illumined.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘finding of the hidden fire’—Agni established in the waters like a lion—is the mythologem of concealed divinity recovered by persistent, truthful seekers. It echoes the broader Vedic pattern: Light/Fire hidden in the depths (waters/woods/night) is rediscovered through right following (sac-) and endurance (nicirāsaḥ).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √vid (avindan) reflects PIE *weyd- ‘see/know’ (Skt veda, Eng wit). The semantic fusion of ‘find’ and ‘know’ is inherited: discovery is a mode of vision/knowledge. √i ‘go’ in īyivāṃsam aligns with PIE *h₁ey- ‘go’ (Greek eîmi).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi presents a discipline of approach: only the ‘adruhaḥ’ (undivided, non-betraying in will) and ‘nicirāsaḥ’ (patient) can track and find Agni in the depths. The devatā responds by consenting to be ‘found’—to become established in the human field once the seekers’ fidelity is mature.
Recovering the inner Flame during periods of dullness; ‘finding Agni in the waters.’
Maṇipūra (will-fire) with a descent into Svādhiṣṭhāna/subconscient waters (symbolic)
Moderate nāḍī-śodhana 6–6 or soft ujjāyī to steady attention through ‘breaks.’
From tamasic obscurity to steady, luminous will.
Hold the image of a golden fire-lion seated in a dark ocean within; follow it with patient sincerity until it feels ‘established’ as a stable warmth in the core.
Follow Saṃhitā accent: identify udatta on marked syllables, svarita from udatta+following, anudatta unmarked; keep the cadence of Triṣṭubh with a mid-pāda pause.
Lift pitch on syllables with svara marks; avoid flattening compounds like siṃham iva; maintain clear caesura after ~4–5 syllables where natural.
Differentiate ś/ṣ/s: śaśvatīḥ (palatal ś) vs saścataḥ (dental s)., Hold retroflex ḍh in sṛdhaḥ with clear aspiration., In 'apsu' keep short a, crisp ps cluster., Nasal in siṃham: anusvāra before h becomes light nasalization.
Steady, deep, searching tone; broaden resonance on 'apsu' and 'śritam' to suggest depth/establishment.
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