Rig Veda 1.144.2: Mandala 1, Sukta 144, Mantra 2
Sukta 1.144
- Rishi
- Dīrghatamas Aucathya
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
अभीमृतस्य दोहना अनूषत योनौ देवस्य सदने परीवृताः । अपामुपस्थे विभृतो यदावसदध स्वधा अधयद्याभिरीयते ॥
abhī́m ṛtásya dohánā anūṣata yónau devásya sádane párī-vṛtāḥ | apā́m upásthe ví-bhṛto yád ā́vasad ádha svadhā́ ádhayad yā́bhir ī́yate ||
Di sekelilingnya, perahan Ṛta bergema, terkurung dalam rahim, di singgasana Sang Dewa. Tatkala, disokong di pangkuan air, ia datang bersemayam, maka ia mengalirkan hukum-diri (svadhā)—dengan daya-daya itulah ia meneruskan perjalanan.
Word by Word
- अभीम्
- him/it (towards)Pronounपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन (enclitic ‘him/it’)Role कर्मRoot अभि (उपसर्ग) + इमम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) → एनम्/इमम्
- ऋतस्य
- of ṛta (cosmic order/true law)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root ऋत (प्रातिपदिक)
- दोहना
- the milkers/drawersNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन (Vedic form; ‘milkers/drawers’)Role कर्तृRoot दुह् (धातु) → दोहन (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
- अनूषत
- they praised/utteredVerbलुङ् (aorist); 3rd person; बहुवचन; परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot वच्/उच् (Vedic: उष्/वश्?) → √वच् ‘to speak/praise’ (RV: anu-ūṣ- as aorist of √वच्/√उष् ‘to utter’)
- योनौ
- in the womb/seatNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot योनि (प्रातिपदिक)
- देवस्य
- of the godNounपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- सदने
- in the seat/dwellingNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot सदन (प्रातिपदिक)
- परीवृताः
- enclosed/surroundedParticipleभूतकृदन्त (PPP); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (विशेषण)Root परि + वृत् (धातु) → परीवृत (कृदन्त)
- अपाम्
- of the watersNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; बहुवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot अप् (प्रातिपदिक)
- उपस्थे
- in the lap/bosomNounपुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot उपस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
- विभृतः
- borne/sustained, carriedParticipleभूतकृदन्त (PPP); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृ (विशेषण)Root वि + भृ (धातु) → विभृत (कृदन्त)
- यत्
- when/that whichPronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचन (relative) अव्ययवत् प्रयोगRole सम्बन्ध/अन्वयRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- आवसत्
- he sat/dweltVerbलुङ् (aorist); 3rd person; एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot आ + वस् (धातु) ‘to dwell/sit’
- अध
- then/thereuponIndeclinableनिपात (temporal/consecutive)Role सम्बन्ध (discourse)Root अध (निपात)
- स्वधा
- by its own power; svadhāNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन (also used adverbially in RV)Role करण/भाव (manner)Root स्वधा (प्रातिपदिक)
- अधयत्
- he placed/establishedVerbलुङ् (aorist); 3rd person; एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot अधि + या/इ (धातु) (Vedic: ‘to set/put, to place upon’; also read as causative nuance)
- याभिः
- with which (ones)Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया; बहुवचन (relative)Role करणRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- ईयते
- he goes/moves/is impelledVerbलट् (present); 3rd person; एकवचन; आत्मनेपदRole क्रियाRoot ई/इ (धातु) ‘to go, move’
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (pada-wise): अ॒भीमृ॒तस्य॑ → अभीम् + ऋतस्य
- दो॒हना॑ अनूषत॒ → दोहना + अनूषत
- योनौ॑ दे॒वस्य॒ सद॑ने॒ → योनौ + देवस्य + सदने
- परी॑वृताः (no split; परि+वृत् PPP)
- अ॒पामु॒पस्थे॒ → अपाम् + उपस्थे
- विभृ॑तो॒ यदाव॑सत् → विभृतः + यत् + आवसत्
- अ॒धध॑ → अध + अध (metrical doubling; written together in saṃhitā)
- स्व॒धा अ॑धय॒द्याभि॒रीय॑ते → स्वधा + अधयत् + याभिः + ईयते. Accent marks retained as in saṃहितā
- pada forms given without accent for morphology
The meaning
Outer meaning
The milkings of ṛta resounded around him, enclosed in the womb in the divine seat. When he rested, upheld in the lap of the waters, then he caused svadhā to flow by which he travels onward.
Inner meaning
Around Agni, the outpourings of Truth (ṛtasya dohanāḥ) begin to sound—intuitions and right movements emerging from the secret womb (yoni) of the divine consciousness. ‘Waters’ (apāṃ) are the flowing planes of being and the life-mind currents; in their lap the inner fire finds support and repose, not extinction. From that settled poise, Agni releases svadhā—the self-law, spontaneous right nourishment and energy of the soul-nature—by which the journey continues steadily without strain.
Universal truth
When the will is founded in the deeper currents of being, truth begins to ‘milk’ itself out as natural knowledge and right energy; true progress is sustained by an inner self-law rather than external pressure.
Themes
ṛta-streams, Agni in the waters, inner nourishment, source-womb imagery
The seer
- Rishi
- Dīrghatamas Aucathya
- Lineage
- Aucathya (Angirasa-related)
- Other hymns
- RV 1.140, RV 1.141, RV 1.142, RV 1.143, RV 1.145
Family tradition
Seer-poet whose hymns frequently encode yogic processes through cosmic images (waters, womb, ṛta, fire).
Significance
Highlights the secret origin (yoni) of revelation and the necessity of support in the ‘waters’—the deeper flow of being—so that svadhā (inner right law) can act.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- Ṛtasya ketu (sign of ṛta, implied), Apāṃ napāt (child of waters, thematic overlap), Jātavedas (knower of births, implied)
- Related deities
- Apas (Waters), Soma, Varuṇa (ṛta)
Cosmic role
Born/established in the waters; awakens ṛta and releases sustaining power for the cosmic and human journey.
Inner power
The will that, when grounded in deeper consciousness, draws out truth-knowledge and establishes self-sustaining right action (svadhā).
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni-in-waters motif used in kindling and consecration contexts; offerings connected with ṛta and svadhā in śrauta sequences (broad).
अ॒भीमृ॒तस्य॑ दो॒हना॑ अनूषत॒ योनौ॑ दे॒वस्य॒ सद॑ने॒ परी॑वृताः । अ॒पामु॒पस्थे॒ विभृ॑तो॒ यदाव॑स॒दध॑ स्व॒धा अ॑धय॒द्याभि॒रीय॑ते ॥
अ॒भि । ई॒म् । ऋ॒तस्य॑ । दो॒हनाः॑ । अ॒नू॒ष॒त॒ । योनौ॑ । दे॒वस्य॑ । सद॑ने । परि॑ऽवृताः । अ॒पाम् । उ॒पऽस्थे॑ । विऽभृ॑तः । यत् । आ । अव॑सत् । अध॑ । स्व॒धाः । अ॒ध॒य॒त् । याभिः॑ । ईय॑ते ॥
abhi | īm | ṛtasya | dohanāḥ | anūṣata | yonau | devasya | sadane | pari-vṛtāḥ | apām | upa-sthe | vi-bhṛtaḥ | yat | ā | avasat | adha | svadhāḥ | adhayat | yābhiḥ | īyate
44
4 × ~11 syllables
Rolling, wave-like momentum with firm cadences—well-suited to ‘waters’ imagery and settling into poise.
Produces a sense of resonance and containment (parīvṛtāḥ), then release (svadhā) as a flowing continuity.
- ऋतस्य दोहनाः (ṛtasya dohanāḥ)
- Literal: milkings of ṛta. Symbolic: outflow of truth-knowledge and right force drawn from the hidden plenitude
- अनूषत (anūṣata)
- Literal: they sounded/resounded. Symbolic: inner revelation becoming audible to consciousness as mantra/intuition
- योनि (yoni)
- Literal: womb, source. Symbolic: secret origin-plane where truth is generated
- देवस्य सदने (devasya sadane)
- Literal: in the seat/house of the god. Symbolic: in the divine consciousness-space within (psychic/inner temple)
- अपाम् उपस्थे (apām upasthe)
- Literal: in the lap of the waters. Symbolic: supported by the flowing planes of life-force and consciousness (āpas) purified
- स्वधा (svadhā)
- Literal: one’s own law/power; ancestral offering term. Symbolic: spontaneous right self-energy and self-order of the soul-nature that sustains the path
Soma-rite imagery: ‘milkings’ and ‘waters’ evoke Soma/clarified flows; esoterically, the settling of Agni in the waters corresponds to establishing the flame in the vital being before it can raise ṛta-inspired streams
During invocations that establish Agni and align the rite with ṛta; also in contemplative recitations on ṛta.
Invocation of Agni’s foundation and the right flow of offerings; symbolic ‘milking’ of oblation.
Use when seeking effortless right rhythm in practice: let breath and attention settle first (‘lap of waters’), then allow insights and right energy to arise naturally.
ṛtá < √ṛ ‘to fit, go, rise’ → ‘that which is rightly joined’: cosmic order/truth. dohánāḥ from √duh ‘to milk’ → ‘extractions/streams’: symbolically, drawn-out essences of ṛta (rays, inspirations). yóni ‘womb/source’ (PIE *yeh₁- ‘to go’ debated; in Vedic, semantic center is source/seat). ap ‘waters’ are the flowing life-plane; upástha ‘lap’ (< upa-sthā ‘to stand near/support’). svadhā́: sva ‘self’ + dhā ‘place’ → ‘self-established power/law’; adhayat from √dhā/√dhāy ‘to suck, drink’—here causative nuance ‘made to drink/nourished’ → ‘set the inherent energies in motion’.
Ṛta (truth-order), svadhā (self-law, inherent power), manifestation from hidden source (yoni)
Ṛta is not only law but a source that can be ‘milked’—truth as generative plenitude.
Truth becomes audible/resonant (anūṣata) when consciousness is enclosed in the divine seat.
Fire emerging and resting in waters—classic Vedic cosmogonic polarity (ardor within flow).
Yogic-Vedāntic symbolism: revelation from the causal womb into mental hearing.
Waters = flowing consciousness and life-force; milking = drawing out essence; womb = causal source; sound = mantra/revelation; resting = stable inner poise.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘milkings of ṛta’ gathered in the divine womb and the lap of the waters: a cosmogonic-sacrificial mythologem where true-order becomes extractable streams once Agni is established. Psychologically, inspirations (ṛta-dohanāḥ) become audible and effective when the inner fire is settled in the vital flow and awakens svadhā—native capacities that carry the seeker forward.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √duh ‘milk’ continues PIE *dʰewgʰ- (cf. English ‘dug’ in sense ‘teat’ is not direct; but Slavic/Indo-Iranian show related milking lexemes). √dhā ‘place’ in svadhā is PIE *dʰeh₁-. ap ‘waters’ corresponds to PIE *h₂ep- (cf. Latin aqua via different development; Hittite ḫāpa- ‘river’ is often cited). The compound-like semantics (svadhā) show inherited Indo-European nominal formation with ‘self’ + verbal root.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi witnesses and records the inner mechanics: Agni does not merely receive offerings; he activates svadhā and releases ṛta-streams. The human role is to provide the ‘seat’ (sadana) and containment (parivṛta) so that the divine power can settle and then propel the journey (īyate).
Rest the will in the deeper flow of being; listen for the ‘sound’ of ṛta as intuitive rightness; allow svadhā to arise as natural energy.
Svādhiṣṭhāna (waters) supporting Anāhata (fire of aspiration)
Coherent breathing: slow inhale feeling ‘waters’ rising; soft pause; exhale offering into the heart-flame; listen inwardly after exhale.
Receptive, inwardly resonant, self-sustaining flow.
Begin by sensing a cool, steady current in the lower abdomen/pelvis (āpas). Place a small flame in the heart. Let the flame rest on the current; then invite one truthful insight to ‘sound’ within. Act from what feels self-evidently right (svadhā), not from compulsion.
Recite with Śākala svara: maintain clear udatta peaks on accented words (ṛtasya, dohanāḥ, devasya, apām, svadhā).
Let the cadence ‘settle’ at apām upasthe; slightly lengthen the pause before svadhā for the sense of release.
(ṛtasya): clear vocalic ṛ, not 'rit'., (dohanā): aspirate 'dh' lightly; long ā at end., (parīvṛtāḥ): long ī; retroflex ṛt cluster., (svadhā): distinct 'sv' cluster; long ā.
Resonant, flowing, as if chanting over water; avoid harsh attack.
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