Rig Veda 6.4.2: Mandala 6, Sukta 4, Mantra 2
Sukta 6.4
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
स नो विभावा चक्षणिर्न वस्तोरग्निर्वन्दारु वेद्यश्चनो धात् । विश्वायुर्यो अमृतो मर्त्येषूषर्भुद्भूदतिथिर्जातवेदाः ॥
sá no vibhā́vā cakṣáṇir na vástor agnír vandā́ru védyaś canó dhāt | viśvā́yur yó amṛ́to mártyeṣūṣár-bhūd bhūd átithir jā́tavedāḥ ||
ຂໍໃຫ້ພຣະອົງ, ອັຄນິຜູ້ສ່ອງແສງໄກຂອງພວກເຮົາ, ເຫມືອນຕາຜູ້ສັງເກດໃນຍາມຕາເບື້ງ, ສ້າງຕັ້ງໃຫ້ພວກເຮົາສິ່ງທີ່ຄວນບູຊາ ແລະ ຮູ້ໄດ້. ພຣະອົງຜູ້ເປັນຊີວິດສາກົນ, ອະມະຕະໃນປະຊາຊົນທີ່ຕາຍ - ເກີດພ້ອມກັບຕາເບື້ງ - ຂໍໃຫ້ຊາຕາເວດາກາຍເປັນແຂກຜູ້ມາຢ້ຽມຢາມໃນຕົວພວກເຮົາ.
Word by Word
- सः
- he (that one = Agni)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) → स
- नः
- for us / to usPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी, बहुवचनम् (एन्क्लिटिक)Role SampradānaRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- विभावाः
- the all-shining oneNoun (epithet)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot वि-भा (धातु) → विभावन्/विभावस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- चक्षणिः
- the seer / the one with sightNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot चक्ष् (धातु) → चक्षणि (प्रातिपदिक)
- न
- like / asIndeclinableनिपातःRoot न (निपात)
- वस्तोः
- of the dwelling / of the houseNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot वस्तु/वस्तु (प्रातिपदिक) ~ वस् (धातु) ‘वासे’ → वस्तो (RV form)
- अग्निः
- AgniNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- वन्दारुः
- the praiser / worshipperNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot वन्द् (धातु) → वन्दारु (प्रातिपदिक)
- वेद्यः
- to be known / worthy to be recognizedAdjective (gerundive)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot विद् (धातु) → वेद्य (कृत्-प्रातिपदिक; -य)
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चयार्थकःRoot च (निपात)
- नः
- for us / to usPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी, बहुवचनम् (एन्क्लिटिक)Role SampradānaRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- धात्
- may he place / bestowVerbलोट् (वैदिक injunctive/imperative use), परस्मैपदम्, ३ पुरुषः, एकवचनम्Root धा (धातु) ‘धारणे/स्थापने’
- विश्वायुः
- having all life / life for allAdjective (compound)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot विश्व (प्रातिपदिक) + आयु (प्रातिपदिक)
- यः
- whoPronoun (relative)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अमृतः
- immortalAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot अ-मृत (प्रातिपदिक)
- मर्त्येषु
- among mortalsNounपुंलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, बहुवचनम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot मर्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- उषर्भुत्
- dawn-born / arising at dawnAdjective/Noun (compound epithet)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot उषस् (प्रातिपदिक) + √भू (धातु) → भूत् (कृत्)
- भूत्
- became / has becomeVerbलुङ् (aorist), परस्मैपदम्, ३ पुरुषः, एकवचनम्Root भू (धातु) ‘भवने’
- अतिथिः
- guestNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot अतिथि (प्रातिपदिक)
- जातवेदाः
- Jātavedas (Agni, knower of all births)Noun (epithet)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot जात (√जन् क्त) + वेदस् (√विद्) → जातवेदस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सम्भाव्यः): सः नः विभावाः चक्षणिः न वस्तोः अग्निः वन्दारुः वेद्यः च नः धात् । विश्वायुः यः अमृतः मर्त्येषु उषर्भुत् भूत् अतिथिः जातवेदाः ॥ मुख्य-सन्धयः: (1) स नो॑ → सः नः (विसर्ग-लोपः/एन्क्लिटिक-सर्वनाम-संयोगः)
- (2) चक्षणिर्न → चक्षणिः न (र्-आगमः पदसंहितायाम्)
- (3) अग्निर्वन्दारु → अग्निः वन्दारुः (र्-आगमः)
- (4) वेद्यश्चनो → वेद्यः च नः (श्च = ः + च; चनो = च + नः)
- (5) मर्त्ये॑षूष॒र्भुद् → मर्त्येषु उषर्भुत् (उषर्भुत् = उषस्+भूत्; पदसंहितायां उषर्भुदिति ध्वन्यन्तरम्)
- (6) अतिथिर्जा॒तवे॑दाः → अतिथिः जातवेदाः (र्-आगमः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
A far-shining Agni, like an eye at dawn, is invoked to establish for us what is adorable and knowable; he is universal life, immortal even in mortals, born with the Dawn, and is asked to become the inner guest (atithi).
Inner meaning
Agni as the awakened divine Will becomes the discerning inner sight (cakṣaṇiḥ) at the moment of spiritual dawn (vastor/uṣas). He ‘establishes’ (dhāt) in the seeker a steady, lovable, and directly knowable Presence (vedyaḥ)—not merely an object of belief but a lived flame of consciousness. As viśvāyuḥ (universal life-breath), Agni is the immortal principle active inside mortal nature, arriving ‘as a guest’—an indwelling guide who must be welcomed and tended by the inner sacrifice.
Universal truth
Illumination is not imported from outside; it awakens from within as a divine agency that becomes both our seeing and our strength. When the inner fire is welcomed as a guest, the mortal life can host an immortal consciousness and live by a truer knowledge.
Themes
Agni as inner witness, dawn awakening, indwelling divinity, knowledge and praise
The seer
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja (Bārhaspatya)
- Lineage
- Bharadvāja
- Other hymns
- RV 6.4.1, RV 6.4.3, RV 6.4.4, RV 6.4.5, RV 6.4.6
Family tradition
Āṅgirasa-Bārhaspatya line noted for hymns of inner fire, right discernment, and victorious illumination.
Significance
Bharadvāja’s Agni is the household and psychic fire: a disciplined, practical spirituality where the Divine becomes an intimate presence (atithi) and a clear seeing (cakṣaṇiḥ) that establishes truth in life.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni (Jātavedas; dawn-associated)
- Epithets
- Vibhāvā, Vandāru, Vedya, Viśvāyu, Amṛta (in mortals), Uṣarbhut, Atithi, Jātavedas
- Related deities
- Uṣas, Sūrya, Bṛhaspati
Cosmic role
Mediator of worlds and powers; kindler of dawn-illumination; establisher of right order in the sacrifice.
Inner power
Psychic flame that turns aspiration into living knowledge; awakens discernment and hosts the immortal in the mortal nature.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agnihotra / morning kindling; Agni-stotra contexts
स नो॑ वि॒भावा॑ च॒क्षणि॒र्न वस्तो॑र॒ग्निर्व॒न्दारु॒ वेद्य॒श्चनो॑ धात् । वि॒श्वायु॒र्यो अ॒मृतो॒ मर्त्ये॑षूष॒र्भुद्भूदति॑थिर्जा॒तवे॑दाः ॥
सः । नः॒ । वि॒भाऽवा॑ । च॒क्षणिः॑ । न । वस्तोः॑ । अ॒ग्निः । व॒न्दारु॑ । वेद्यः॑ । चनः॑ । धा॒त् । वि॒श्वऽआ॑युः । यः । अ॒मृतः॑ । मर्त्ये॑षु । उ॒षः॒ऽभुत् । भूत् । अति॑थिः । जा॒तऽवे॑दाः ॥
saḥ | naḥ | vibhāvā | cakṣaṇiḥ | na | vastoḥ | agniḥ | vandāru | vedyaḥ | canaḥ | dhāt | viśva-āyuḥ | yaḥ | amṛtaḥ | martyeṣu | uṣaḥ-bhut | bhūt | atithiḥ | jāta-vedāḥ
44
4 pādas of ~11 syllables each
Forward-driving, declarative cadence with room for luminous epithets.
Builds a steady ascent: from invocation → establishment → indwelling; supports concentrated aspiration and inner welcoming.
- अग्निः (agniḥ)
- Literal: fire. Symbolic: divine Will; the conscious force that leads the inner yajña
- वि॒भावा (vibhāvā)
- Literal: far-/wide-shining. Symbolic: expansive luminous consciousness; radiance that spreads in the being
- च॒क्षणिः (cakṣaṇiḥ)
- Literal: eye; discerner. Symbolic: inner seeing; discriminative awareness at the threshold of dawn
- वस्तोः (vastor)
- Literal: at dawn; in the morning dwelling. Symbolic: the dawn-moment of awakening; the opening of consciousness
- वन्दारु (vandāru)
- Literal: adorable; worthy of praise. Symbolic: the soul’s spontaneous reverence for the Divine Presence
- वेद्यः (vedyaḥ)
- Literal: to be known. Symbolic: directly knowable reality (experiential knowledge, not concept)
- वि॒श्वायु॒ः (viśvāyuḥ)
- Literal: universal life. Symbolic: one Life-force pervading all; prāṇa uplifted into divine vitality
- अ॒मृतः (amṛtaḥ)
- Literal: immortal. Symbolic: deathless consciousness within changing nature
- मर्त्येषु (martyeṣu)
- Literal: among mortals. Symbolic: within embodied life and its limitations
- उषः-भुत् (uṣaḥ-bhut)
- Literal: born with Dawn. Symbolic: arising together with illumination; fire kindled by awakening
- अतिथिḥ (atithiḥ)
- Literal: guest. Symbolic: indwelling divine visitor—must be received, fed, and kept alight
- जातवेदाः (jātavedāḥ)
- Literal: knower of all births. Symbolic: the flame that knows origins, processes, and right placements in the being
Agni as ‘guest’ of the house: domestic and Śrauta overlap; invoked at dawn-kindling and hospitality symbolism (Atithi) that underlies offering rites.
Dawn or early morning kindling; also whenever inviting Agni as ‘guest’ into the rite.
Lighting/feeding the fire; offering with praise to establish auspicious presence.
Use at the start of meditation or workday: ‘welcome the guest’—kindle a small lamp, take a vow of clarity, and invite inner guidance.
(vibhā́van) from vi- + √bhā ‘to shine’: wide radiance. (cakṣaṇí) from √cakṣ ‘to see’ (PIE *kʷek̂s- ‘see’ possible cognate set). (vástor) from √vas/√vast ‘to dawn, become light’ (related to vasara ‘day’). √dhā (dhāt) ‘to place/establish’ is PIE *dʰeh₁-. (viśvā́yuḥ) ‘universal life’ (āyus from √i ‘to go/live’). ‘knowing births’ (jāta ‘born’ + veda from √vid ‘to know’). from a- ‘not’ + tithi ‘fixed day’ → ‘one without a fixed appointment’: the unexpected sacred visitor; inner: the divine presence entering the human house.
immortal in mortals (amṛtaḥ martyeṣu), indwelling divine (atithi motif), knowledge as light (vedya/cakṣ)
Agni ‘dhāt’—places and founds the right functioning in the being, aligning life with ṛta.
Vedyaḥ: truth becomes an experience of presence, not mere statement.
Immortal principle entering mortal forms; dawn-birth of consciousness.
Proto-Vedāntic/Integral (Aurobindonian) reading: psychic fire mediating ascent and transformation.
dawn
The dawn-moment of awakening when inner sight opens and the divine Will takes residence as a steady, knowable presence.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Agni as the ‘guest’ (atithi) entering the human dwelling at dawn: the divine comes to inhabit the mortal house. Inner sense: the awakening of the witnessing flame (cakṣaṇi) that establishes a knowable divine presence in consciousness.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √dhā (dhāt) continues PIE *dʰeh₁- ‘put, set’. √vid in veda- is PIE *weyd- ‘see/know’ (Lat. videō, Eng. wit). The compound jāta-veda- crystallizes an old IE linkage between ‘seeing/knowing’ and ‘light/vision’ motifs.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi asks Agni to ‘place’ (dhāt) in us what is both adorable and knowable—devotion and knowledge together. The reciprocity is hospitality: the human offers a seat (yajña/house); Agni becomes the atithi, granting universal life and immortal consciousness within mortality.
Welcome the inner Fire as ‘guest’: feel a warm, lucid presence in the heart and forehead that ‘establishes’ clarity.
anahata
gentle nāḍī-śodhana or 6-6 coherent breathing while repeating ‘jātavedāḥ atithiḥ’.
Quiet wakefulness with bright discrimination at the threshold of thought.
Begin with a short inner hospitality: offer attention, sincerity, and steadiness; then ask Agni to make truth ‘vedya’—directly felt and actionable.
Use Rigvedic udātta/anudātta/svarita as per śākhā tradition; key lifts often fall on epithets (vibhāvā, jātavedāḥ).
Keep a clear rise on udātta syllables; avoid flattening compounds like viśvāyuḥ and jātavedāḥ.
vibhāvā: keep bh as aspirated ‘bha’, cakṣaṇiḥ: ‘kṣa’ conjunct crisp, not ‘ksha’ too long, vastor: light ‘sto’, do not over-retroflex, jātavedāḥ: long ā and e; final ḥ audible but soft
Warm, steady, luminous—like kindling a flame without strain.
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