Rig Veda 10.3.5: Mandala 10, Sukta 3, Mantra 5
Sukta 10.3
- Devata
- Agni
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
स्वना न यस्य भामासः पवन्ते रोचमानस्य बृहतः सुदिवः । ज्येष्ठेभिर्यस्तेजिष्ठैः क्रीळुमद्भिर्वर्षिष्ठेभिर्भानुभिर्नक्षति द्याम् ॥
svanā́ ná yásya bhā́māsaḥ pávente rócamānasya bṛhatáḥ su-dívaḥ | jyéṣṭhebhiḥ yás téjiṣṭhaiḥ krīḷumád-bhiḥ várṣiṣṭhebhiḥ bhā́nu-bhir nákṣati dyā́m ||
Seperti arus yang berdengung, sinar-sinarnya mengalir—milik Sang Mahaagung yang bersinar, dari langit yang indah. Dengan pancaran tertua, paling menyala, bermain dalam kuasa, paling melimpah, ia mencapai dan memiliki langit cahaya.
Word by Word
- स्व॒ना
- with/like a sound; by a roarNounपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचन (instrumental sg.)Role KaraṇaRoot स्वन (प्रातिपदिक) / √स्वन् (धातु: शब्दे)
- न
- like, asIndeclinableउपमा-निपात (particle of comparison)Root न
- यस्य
- whosePronounषष्ठी एकवचन (genitive sg.)Role SambandhaRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- भामा॑सः
- splendours, radiancesNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन (nominative pl.)Role KartāRoot भाम (प्रातिपदिक)
- पव॑न्ते
- flow, stream forth, purify themselvesVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथम पुरुष, बहुवचनRoot √पू (पवते) / √पु (पवने, शुद्धौ)
- रोच॑मानस्य
- of the shining oneAdjective (participle)षष्ठी एकवचन (genitive sg.), पुंलिङ्गRole SambandhaRoot रोचमान (कृदन्त; √रुच्/√रोच् दीप्तौ)
- बृह॒तः
- of the greatAdjectiveषष्ठी एकवचन (genitive sg.), पुंलिङ्गRole SambandhaRoot बृहन्त् (प्रातिपदिक)
- सु॒दिवः
- of good heaven / of bright heavenAdjectiveषष्ठी एकवचन (genitive sg.), पुंलिङ्गRole SambandhaRoot सुदिव् (प्रातिपदिक: सु- + दिव्/द्यौ ‘sky, heaven’)
- ज्येष्ठे॑भिः
- with the eldest/foremostAdjectiveतृतीया बहुवचन (instrumental pl.)Role KaraṇaRoot ज्येष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
- यः
- whoPronounप्रथमा एकवचन (nominative sg.), पुंलिङ्गRole KartāRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- तेजि॑ष्ठैः
- with the most brilliantAdjectiveतृतीया बहुवचन (instrumental pl.)Role KaraṇaRoot तेजिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक; superlative of तेजस्/तेजिन्)
- क्रीळु॒मद्भिः
- with the sportive/playing onesAdjectiveतृतीया बहुवचन (instrumental pl.)Role KaraṇaRoot क्रीळुमत् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘sportive, playful’)
- वर्षि॑ष्ठेभिः
- with the mightiestAdjectiveतृतीया बहुवचन (instrumental pl.)Role KaraṇaRoot वर्षिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक; superlative of वृश्/वर्ष ‘strong, mighty’)
- भा॒नुभिः
- with rays, beamsNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया बहुवचन (instrumental pl.)Role KaraṇaRoot भानु (प्रातिपदिक)
- नक्ष॑ति
- reaches, attainsVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथम पुरुष, एकवचनRoot √नक्ष् (व्याप्तौ/प्रापणे; ‘to reach, attain’)
- द्याम्
- the heaven, the skyNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (accusative sg.)Role KarmaRoot द्यौ/दिव् (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- केवल विभक्ति-समुच्चय (instrumental series)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Like resonant currents, his radiances stream—of the shining Vast One of good heaven. With the eldest, most blazing, playfully powerful, most abundant beams, he reaches and possesses the heaven.
Inner meaning
Agni’s radiances (bhāmāsaḥ) flow like deep-sounding currents (svanāḥ): not noisy excitement but resonant, sustained streams of force. This is the shining Vast (rocamāna bṛhat) in the ‘good heaven’ (sudiv): the clarified luminous mind-plane. With the ‘eldest’ beams—original, foundational lights in us—most blazing and ‘playfully powerful’ (krīḻumat): a spontaneous, joyful potency rather than strained effort, and most abundant, he ‘reaches heaven’ (dyām nakṣati): attains and occupies the plane of light-consciousness, making it a lived possession.
Universal truth
True illumination is a resonant, continuous flow; when the original lights awaken with joyful power, consciousness naturally rises to and lives in a higher clarity.
Themes
radiance-streams, purifying-light, heaven-attainment, abundant-beams
The seer
- Rishi
- Kumāra (Skanda) tradition / unknown in Anukramaṇī for this hymn (RV 10.3)
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 10.3.2, Rig Veda 10.3.3, Rig Veda 10.3.4, Rig Veda 10.3.6
Significance
The seer describes illumination as both purification (pavante) and joyful power (krīḻumat), aligning with the inner-sacrifice view where higher states are attained by flowing radiance, not coercion.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- rocamāna (shining), bṛhat (vast), sudiv (of good heaven)
- Related deities
- Sūrya, Soma, Uṣas
Cosmic role
Streams luminous forces that purify and lift consciousness to the heaven-plane.
Inner power
Resonant mantra-energy and luminous will that becomes abundant and joyful, enabling stable higher consciousness.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni stotra in ongoing offerings; praise of Agni’s radiance
स्व॒ना न यस्य॒ भामा॑स॒: पव॑न्ते॒ रोच॑मानस्य बृह॒तः सु॒दिव॑: । ज्येष्ठे॑भि॒र्यस्तेजि॑ष्ठैः क्रीळु॒मद्भि॒र्वर्षि॑ष्ठेभिर्भा॒नुभि॒र्नक्ष॑ति॒ द्याम् ॥
स्व॒नाः । न । यस्य॑ । भामा॑सः । पव॑न्ते । रोच॑मानस्य । बृ॒ह॒तः । सु॒ऽदिवः॑ । ज्येष्ठे॑भिः । यः । तेजि॑ष्ठैः । क्री॒ळु॒मत्ऽभिः॑ । वर्षि॑ष्ठेभिः । भा॒नुऽभिः॑ । नक्ष॑ति । द्याम् ॥
svanāḥ | na | yasya | bhāmāsaḥ | pavante | rocamānasya | bṛhataḥ | su-divaḥ | jyeṣṭhebhiḥ | yaḥ | tejiṣṭhaiḥ | krīḷumat-bhiḥ | varṣiṣṭhebhiḥ | bhānu-bhiḥ | nakṣati | dyām
44
4 pādas × ~11 syllables
Flowing yet strong; sonic imagery (svanāḥ) suggests sustained resonance.
Builds inner vibration and clarity; supports a ‘streaming’ concentration rather than effortful focus.
- स्वनाः (svanāḥ)
- Literal: sounding, resonant. Symbolic: deep inner vibration of mantra-force; steady current of energy
- पवन्ते (pavante)
- Literal: they flow, stream; (also ‘purify’). Symbolic: streaming/purifying radiances that cleanse the mind
- भामासः (bhāmāsaḥ)
- Literal: radiances. Symbolic: luminous powers of will-knowledge
- रोचमानस्य (rocamānasya)
- Literal: of the shining one. Symbolic: self-luminous consciousness
- सुदिवः (sudivaḥ)
- Literal: of good heaven. Symbolic: clear luminous mind-world; purified mental plane
- ज्येष्ठेभिः (jyeṣṭhebhir)
- Literal: with the eldest. Symbolic: primordial lights; first principles of truth in us
- तेजिष्ठैः (tejiṣṭhaiḥ)
- Literal: most blazing. Symbolic: intense illumination
- क्रीळुमद्भिः (krīḻumadbhir)
- Literal: playful, sporting. Symbolic: spontaneous divine energy; effortless power
- वर्षिष्ठेभिः (varṣiṣṭhebhir)
- Literal: most abundant. Symbolic: copious descent/overflow of light
- द्याम् (dyām)
- Literal: heaven. Symbolic: plane of luminous consciousness
Praise of Agni’s streaming radiances and beams; suited to offering sequences emphasizing purification and ascent to ‘dyām’ (heavenly consciousness).
When sustaining the fire and invoking luminous purification; also apt for dawn or pre-study recitation.
Offer ghee with attention to resonance of chant; visualize radiances streaming upward.
Use as a ‘clarity mantra’ before learning, writing, or decision-making to invite abundant, joyful illumination.
pávate from √ ‘purify, clarify’: radiances ‘flow’ as a purifying stream—inner cleansing by light. tejas from √/√ ‘to be sharp’ (semantic: keen brightness). varṣiṣṭha from √ ‘to rain/pour’: abundance as a pouring of force (not material rain only). bhānu from √ ‘shine’: ray as a unit of knowledge-power. nakṣati often ‘attains/reaches’; can imply ‘arrives at and takes hold of’ the dyām (heavenly state).
purification (√पू), abundant force (√वृष्), attainment of dyu/dyām (luminous consciousness)
To ‘reach heaven’ is to align with the luminous order; radiances become the law of the being.
Truth is self-luminous and purifying; it streams rather than argues.
Outflow of light-rivers from the Vast; ascent and establishment in dyu.
Vedic yoga of illumination (dhī) culminating in stable higher mind.
A river-like stream of luminous force purifying the mind and lifting it into clear sky-consciousness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The streaming of Agni’s beams as purifying rivers of light that reach heaven: a mythic ascent where radiance itself becomes the vehicle to attain the luminous world (dyām).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √ ‘purify’ has IE parallels in the semantic field of cleansing (cf. Latin pūrus ‘pure’). √ ‘pour’ is Indo-Iranian prominent as force/rain; it encodes abundance as a dynamic outflow. The verse’s poetics use inherited IE metaphors: light as flowing, power as pouring.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi contemplates Agni’s radiances as active agencies that purify and uplift. The implicit prayer is that the same beams operate in the sacrificer, enabling an inner reaching of ‘dyām’—a stabilized luminous consciousness.
Listen inwardly for a steady ‘resonant stream’ of breath/mantra; let thoughts be purified by luminous flow; rest in clear sky-mind.
viśuddha (resonance/śabda) and ājñā (illumination)
So’ham or Agni-bīja-style silent repetition on breath; keep exhale slightly longer to encourage ‘flow’.
Flow-state of illumined mind: clear, joyful, unstrained.
Prefer continuity over intensity; cultivate resonance; invite the ‘eldest beams’ by returning to first principles—truthfulness, sincerity, aspiration.
Mixed udatta/anudatta/svarita; make ‘svanā na’ resonant; lift slightly on ‘rocamānasya’ and ‘bhānubhiḥ’.
Sustain vowels on pavante/rocamānasya to evoke streaming; keep pāda breaks clean.
svanāḥ: clear ‘sv’ cluster; long āḥ, pavante: ‘va’ soft; do not nasalize unnecessarily, tejiṣṭhaiḥ: retroflex ṣṭh; keep aspiration, krīḻumatbhir: long ī; retroflex ḻ; cluster tbh, nakṣati: retroflex ṣ; short a
Resonant, flowing, slightly elongated vowels; minimal percussive force.
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