Rig Veda 4.3.8: Mandala 4, Sukta 3, Mantra 8
Sukta 4.3
कथा शर्धाय मरुतामृताय कथा सूरे बृहते पृच्छ्यमानः । प्रति ब्रवोऽदितये तुराय साधा दिवो जातवेदश्चिकित्वान् ॥
kathā́ śárdhāya marútām ṛtā́ya kathā́ sūré bṛhaté pṛcchyámānaḥ | práti brávo áditaye turā́ya sā́dha divó jāta-vedaś cikitvā́n ||
ഋതത്തിൽ നിലകൊള്ളുന്ന മരുതുകളുടെ ശർധയോട് ഞാൻ എങ്ങനെ മറുപടി പറയും? ചോദിക്കപ്പെടുമ്പോൾ മഹത്തായ സൂര്യനോട് എങ്ങനെ സംസാരിക്കും? ത്വരിതയായ അദിതിയോട് പ്രത്യുത്തരം പറയുക; അതും സിദ്ധമാക്കുക, ഹേ ജാതവേദസ്, ചികിത്വാൻ—ദിവ്യമായ പൂർത്തീകരണം ദൃഢമാക്കുക.
Prayer for successful coordination of dynamic forces (Maruts) and illumination (Sūrya) under the infinity (Aditi), accomplished by Agni’s discriminating knowledge.
Aditi (infinity, freedom), Rita (rightness of forces), discriminating knowledge (cikitvā́n)
Maruts are explicitly ‘ṛtāya’—their true movement is right rhythm; the seeker must align responses to that rhythm.
Sūrya’s questioning symbolizes satya-testing: truth must withstand scrutiny.
Ascent to ‘divaḥ’ as a re-creation of the being: energy + light + infinity coordinated by Agni’s knowing.
Integral/psychological Veda: deities as functional powers composing a single ascent of consciousness.
dawn-to-morning (implied by Sūrya rising as questioner)
Winds = prāṇic energies; Sun = illumined mind; Sky-infinite = unbounded awareness; Fire = will-knowledge that integrates them.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The interrogation by the higher powers and the right ‘answer’ that restores harmony: Maruts (force), Sūrya (light), Aditi (infinite freedom) require correct alignment. Psychologically, it is the demand that action-forces be governed by illumination and infinity, accomplished by Agni’s knowing.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- Sūrya belongs to the IE solar lexicon (PIE *sóh₂wl̥; cf. Latin sōl, English sun). √cit ‘perceive’ reflects PIE *(s)keit- ‘to perceive/know’ (often compared with Greek τίσις?; more securely with ‘cite’ semantic is later; the main point is the archaic reduplication cikit- as an inherited intensifying strategy).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi asks Agni not merely to receive offerings but to ‘reply’ on behalf of the human to the cosmic examiners. Agni’s role is executive knowledge: he accomplishes (sādh) the integration so the human movement can stand in the light of heaven and infinity.
Responding to inner tests: align energy (Maruts), clarity (Sūrya), wideness (Aditi) through the steady flame of Jātavedas.
Maṇipūra (fire/will) supported by Anāhata (wideness/Aditi)
Brisk-energetic 3 rounds of bhastrikā (gentle) or kapalabhāti, then settle into even breathing while chanting.
Alert, courageous, truth-facing; then expansive and settled.
When emotions or forces surge, do not suppress—‘answer’ them by bringing them under Ṛta: name the truth, offer the movement into Agni, widen into Aditi, and let Sūrya clarify the next step.
Rigvedic svara with clear udātta on key invocations; the repeated ‘kathā’ should sound interrogative without rushing.
Mark the turn at ‘prati bravo’—shift from questioning to answering. Keep ‘jātavedaḥ cikitvān’ as a firm concluding cadence.
śardhāya: retroflex ‘ḍh’ breathy, marutām: light ‘tām’ nasalized, pṛcchyamānaḥ: cluster ‘pṛcch’—do not simplify, aditaye: soft dental ‘d’, jātavedaḥ: long ‘jā’
Bright and steady; slightly more force on ‘sādha’ (accomplish).
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Rig Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
