Rig Veda 6.48.5: Mandala 6, Sukta 48, Mantra 5
Sukta 6.48
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja Bārhaspatya
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
यमापो अद्रयो वना गर्भमृतस्य पिप्रति । सहसा यो मथितो जायते नृभिः पृथिव्या अधि सानवि ॥
yám ā́po ádrayo vánā gárbham ṛtásya pípṛti | sáhasā yó mathitó jā́yate nṛ́bhiḥ pṛthivyā́ ádhi sā́navi ||
ആപഃ (ജലങ്ങൾ), അദ്രയഃ (കല്ലുകൾ), വനാനി (വനം/മരങ്ങൾ) ഋതത്തിന്റെ ഗർഭമായി അവനെ പോഷിക്കുന്നു. സഹസാ (ബലത്തോടെ) നൃഭിഃ (മാനവശക്തികൾ/പുരുഷന്മാർ) മഥിച്ചപ്പോൾ ജനിക്കുന്ന അവൻ, പൃഥിവ്യാഃ അധി സാനവി—ഭൂമിയുടെ മുകളിലത്തെ കൂമ്പാര-റിഡ്ജിൽ ജനിക്കുന്നു.
Word by Word
- यम्
- whomPronounपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- आपः
- the watersNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot अप् (प्रातिपदिक)
- अद्रयः
- the stones (press-stones)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot अद्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
- वनाः
- the woods/forests (wooden implements)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot वन (प्रातिपदिक)
- गर्भम्
- the embryo/seedNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot गर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
- ऋतस्य
- of ṛta (cosmic order/truth)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot ऋत (प्रातिपदिक)
- पिप्रति
- they fill/nourishVerbलट् (वर्तमान); परस्मैपद; ३ पुरुष; बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot पॄ/पॢ (पिपर्ति/पिप्रति ‘to fill, to nourish’)
- सहसा
- with might, by forceNoun (instrumental adverbial)नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया; एकवचनRole करणRoot सहस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- यः
- whoPronounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- मथितः
- churned/produced by churningParticipleभूतकृदन्त (क्त); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृ (विशेषणरूपेण)Root मथ् (धातु) → मथित (कृदन्त)
- जायते
- is born/arisesVerbलट् (वर्तमान); आत्मनेपद; ३ पुरुष; एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot जन् (धातु)
- नृभिः
- by men, with menNounपुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया; बहुवचनRole करणRoot नृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- पृथिव्याः
- of the earthNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot पृथिवी (प्रातिपदिक)
- अधि
- upon, onIndeclinableअव्ययRole अधिकरण (देश)Root अधि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- सानवि
- on the ridge/summitNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; एकवचन (वैदिक रूप: सानवि = सानौ)Role अधिकरणRoot सानु (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: यम् | आपः | अद्रयः | वनाः | गर्भम् | ऋतस्य | पिप्रति || सहसा | यः | मथितः | जायते | नृभिः | पृथिव्याः | अधि | सानवि || विशेषम्: (1) यम् + आपः → यमापः (अ + आ संधि = आ). (2) सानवि is Vedic locative singular of सानु ‘ridge’, equivalent to classical सानौ
- hence पृथिव्याः अधि सानवि = ‘upon the earth’s ridge/summit’
The meaning
Outer meaning
The Waters, Stones, and Woods nourish him as the embryo of ṛta. He is born by force when churned by human powers, generated on the ridge of Earth.
Inner meaning
Agni is the ‘embryo of Truth’ (garbha ṛtasya): the hidden psychic fire within nature. The Waters (āpaḥ) are the flowing life-energies and subtle currents that sustain the flame; the Stones (adrayaḥ) are firm foundations and concentrated powers (also the press-stones of inner pressure) that release the hidden heat; the Woods (vanā) are the fuel of experiences and tendencies offered to transformation. When ‘churned’ (mathitaḥ) by nṛbhiḥ—human powers, the awakened faculties and efforts—Agni is born with sahasā (force): a decisive ignition on the ‘ridge of Earth’ (pṛthivyā adhi sānavi), i.e., in the embodied consciousness where spirit must be established.
Universal truth
Truth-consciousness begins as a concealed spark supported by life and nature. Through sustained effort and right friction, it is born into active power within embodied existence.
Themes
Cosmogonic birth of Agni, Rita manifestation, Inner discipline
The seer
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja Bārhaspatya
- Lineage
- Bharadvāja
- Other hymns
- RV 6.48.6, RV 6.14 (Agni’s births), RV 3.1 (Agni’s hidden forms)
Family tradition
Bharadvāja often reveals Agni’s secret birth and growth—how the divine fire is brought out from concealment and made the leader of transformation.
Significance
The seer points to the psychology of ignition: the divine will is an embryo of truth in us, born by the friction of practice and supported by life-energies and stable concentration.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- ṛtasya garbha (embryo of ṛta), mathita (churned forth)
- Related deities
- Soma (pressed essence/bliss), Bṛhaspati (word/illumination), Āpaḥ (waters as powers)
Cosmic role
Hidden in the worlds, brought out by friction; establishes ṛta upon earth and carries evolution forward.
Inner power
Psychic emergence: the birth of conscious will-to-truth within mind-life-body.
In ritual
Where it is used
Fire-kindling (agnimathana) symbolism within shrauta contexts; general Agni praise
यमापो॒ अद्र॑यो॒ वना॒ गर्भ॑मृ॒तस्य॒ पिप्र॑ति । सह॑सा॒ यो म॑थि॒तो जाय॑ते॒ नृभि॑: पृथि॒व्या अधि॒ सान॑वि ॥
यम् । आपः॑ । अद्र॑यः । वना॑ । गर्भ॑म् । ऋ॒तस्य॑ । पिप्र॑ति । सह॑सा । यः । म॒थि॒तः । जाय॑ते । नृऽभिः॑ । पृ॒थि॒व्याः । अधि॑ । सान॑वि ॥
yam | āpaḥ | adrayaḥ | vanā | garbham | ṛtasya | piprati | sahasā | yaḥ | math itaḥ | jāyate | nṛ-bhiḥ | pṛthivyāḥ | adhi | sānavi
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4×11 (likely)
Compact and generative; imagery of birth and churning gives a pulsing rhythm.
Evokes inner emergence; supports the sense of a hidden flame being brought into manifestation.
- आपः (āpaḥ)
- Literal: waters. Symbolic: life-currents, subtle energies, flowing consciousness that nourishes growth
- अद्रयः (adrayaḥ)
- Literal: stones, rocks (press-stones). Symbolic: concentration, pressure of tapas; firm supports that release hidden essence
- वना (vanā)
- Literal: woods. Symbolic: fuel of nature—experiences, habits, energies offered into the fire
- गर्भ (garbha)
- Literal: embryo, womb-child. Symbolic: latent divine presence; seed of truth within the being
- ऋतस्य (ṛtasya)
- Literal: of ṛta (truth/order). Symbolic: truth-conscious order seeking manifestation
- मथितः (mathitaḥ)
- Literal: churned, rubbed forth. Symbolic: yogic friction: disciplined practice that brings out the hidden fire
- नृभिः (nṛbhiḥ)
- Literal: by men. Symbolic: by awakened human faculties/energies; conscious effort and collaboration of parts
- सानु (sānu)
- Literal: ridge, summit, slope. Symbolic: the ‘upper surface’ of embodiment where spirit can be established in matter
Samidh/araṇi kindling context (fire produced by friction); also a contemplative formula for invoking Agni as the birth of Truth in embodiment.
At narratives/invocations of Agni’s birth; thematically linked to kindling and establishing the sacred fire.
Kindling by friction, offering fuel; acknowledging supports (waters/woods).
Meditation for ‘starting again’: when dullness prevails, use this verse to remember the embryo of truth and re-ignite through disciplined friction (practice).
Agni’s birth by friction (√math) is the classic fire-kindling myth; inwardly, it is the emergence of will/illumination through tapas-like churning. ṛtasya garbha: ‘embryo of R̥ta’—Truth-Order is latent and must be fostered by converging energies (waters), firm supports (stones), and growth-substance (wood).
R̥ta (Truth-Order), garbha (latent truth-seed), tapas-like churning (mathana)
Agni as garbha of ṛta: truth-order is seeded and then born into active governance.
Satya as the concealed truth within nature that must be brought forth into expression.
Birth of fire from concealment; manifestation of truth in matter via friction and support of elements.
Evolutionary/integral perspective: spirit involved in matter as seed, released by tapas and conscious effort.
Waters = life-energy; stones = concentration/pressure; woods = fuel of tendencies; earth ridge = embodied field where realization must stand.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘birth of Agni’ by churning (mathana): a cosmogonic and ritual myth where fire is generated from earth/wood with stones, aided by waters. In inner sense, the truth-conscious flame is born when human faculties apply force and persistence, and the latent R̥ta-seed is nourished into manifestation.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √jan ‘be born’ is PIE *ǵenh₁-. The friction/churning motif uses √math (Indo-Iranian) to encode a technology-to-myth bridge typical of early IE sacral poetry. The ‘embryo’ (garbha) imagery parallels widespread IE notions of hidden seed/latent fire.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The ṛṣi describes the collaborative generation of Agni: nature-forces and human powers together bring forth the divine flame. The devatā is not distant; he is born through the ṛṣi’s and community’s disciplined action, embodying R̥ta within the world.
Contemplate the ‘embryo of truth’ in the heart; feel it nourished by breath (waters), steadied by posture (stones), and fed by offerings of habit (woods).
Anahata (psychic spark) with grounding in Muladhara (earth ridge)
Bhrāmarī or gentle ujjāyī to ‘nourish’ the embryo; then a few stronger exhales to symbolize churning (mathana).
Incubation → ignition: quiet receptivity followed by decisive activation.
In journaling or sankalpa, identify one obscurity to offer as ‘wood’; apply steady discipline daily (ajasra principle from 6.48.3) until ignition is felt.
Tri-svara; maintain clear pitch distinction on ṛtasya and mathitaḥ; treat compound clusters smoothly.
Pause lightly after piprati |; then give sahasā yo mathitaḥ a stronger, driving contour.
āpo: long ā, adrayaḥ: dr cluster; final ḥ light, garbham: nasal m, ṛtasya: vocalic ṛ, crisp t, mathitaḥ: aspirate th, pṛthivyāḥ: retroflex ṭh? (actually th); keep pṛ- with vocalic ṛ
Warm, evocative, ‘birthing’ tone—start softer, become firmer in second half.
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