Rig Veda 2.3.2: Mandala 2, Sukta 3, Mantra 2
Sukta 2.3
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Devata
- Narāśaṃsa
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
नराशंसः प्रति धामान्यञ्जन्तिस्रो दिवः प्रति मह्ना स्वर्चिः । घृतप्रुषा मनसा हव्यमुन्दन्मूर्धन्यज्ञस्य समनक्तु देवान् ॥
narāśáṃsaḥ práti dhā́māny añjan tisró dívaḥ práti mahnā́ sv-arcíḥ | ghṛtá-pruṣā mánasā hávyam úndan mū́rdhan yajñásya sám anaktu devā́n ||
Semoga Narāśaṃsa, menyalakan tempat-tempat kediaman, bersinar dengan nyalanya sendiri menuju tiga langit dalam kebesarannya. Dengan batin yang menitis cahaya ghee yang jernih, menuangkan persembahan—semoga ia mengurapi para dewa pada puncak yajña.
Word by Word
- नराशंसः
- Narāśaṃsa (a divine priestly power; ‘praised by men’)Noun (proper/epithet)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot नराशंस (प्रातिपदिक; नृ-शंस ‘men-praised’)
- प्रति
- towards, in response toIndeclinableअव्ययRole (क्रियाविशेषण/दिशा)Root प्रति (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- धामानि
- abodes; stations; ordinancesNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्Role कर्मRoot धामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- अञ्जन्ति
- they anoint; they smear; they adornVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Role (मुख्यक्रिया)Root अञ्ज्
- तिस्रः
- three (fem.)Adjective (numeral)स्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot त्रि (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
- दिवः
- of heaven; of the skyNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root दिव्/द्यौ (प्रातिपदिक ‘heaven, sky’)
- प्रति
- towardsIndeclinableअव्ययRole (क्रियाविशेषण/दिशा)Root प्रति (अव्यय)
- मह्ना
- by greatness; with mightNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, तृतीया, एकवचनम्Role करणRoot मघन्/मह्न् (प्रातिपदिक ‘might, greatness’)
- स्वर्चिः
- radiant; of good splendorAdjective(विशेषणरूपेण) पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (नराशंसस्य विशेषणम्)Root स्वर्चिस् (प्रातिपदिक; सु-र्चिस् ‘good-rayed, radiant’)
- घृतप्रुषा
- with ghee-sprinkling (stream); by ghee-dropsAdjective(विशेषणरूपेण) तृतीया, एकवचनम् (करणवाचक)Role करणRoot घृत-प्रुष् (समासप्रातिपदिक; ‘ghee-sprinkling’)
- मनसा
- with mind; by intentionNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, तृतीया, एकवचनम्Role करणRoot मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- हव्यम्
- the oblation; the offeringNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot हव्य (प्रातिपदिक; ‘oblation, what is to be offered’)
- उन्दन्
- pouring; wetting; streamingVerb (participle)शतृ-प्रत्ययः (वर्तमानकृदन्तः), परस्मैपदी; प्रथमा, एकवचनम् (पुं.)Role कर्तृ (नराशंसः/स्वर्चिः)Root उन्द्
- मूर्धन्
- the head; the summitNounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot मूर्धन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- यज्ञस्य
- of the sacrificeNounपुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
- सम्
- together; completelyIndeclinable (preverb)अव्ययRole (क्रियाविशेषण; उपसर्गः)Root सम् (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- अनक्तु
- may he anoint; may he smear/adornVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role (मुख्यक्रिया)Root अञ्ज् (सम्+अञ्ज्) → अनक्ति
- देवान्
- the godsNounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्Role कर्मRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धिविग्रह): नराशंसः | प्रति | धामानि | अञ्जन्ति | तिस्रः | दिवः | प्रति | मह्ना | स्वर्चिः || घृतप्रुषा | मनसा | हव्यम् | उन्दन् | मूर्धन् | यज्ञस्य | सम् | अनक्तु | देवान् । मुख्यसन्धयः: (1) धामानि + अञ्जन्ति → धामान्यञ्जन्ति (इको यणचि: इ + अ → य + अ)
- (2) सम् + अनक्तु → समनक्तु (अनुस्वार/मकारसन्धिः; उपसर्गसमासः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
May Narāśaṃsa, anointing/kindling the stations, shine with his own flame toward the three heavens. Pouring the offering with a mind dripping with ghee, may he anoint the gods on the head of the sacrifice.
Inner meaning
Narāśaṃsa is the ‘man-praised’ divine function that articulates and confirms the right human word and offering—often a specialized aspect allied to Agni. He “anoints the stations” (dhāmāni añjan): he clarifies and illumines the inner seats/centers of consciousness so they become fit abodes for the gods. With his own light (svarciḥ) he turns toward the three heavens—symbolically, the triple higher ranges (e.g., mind, illumined mind, bliss; or the triple divine worlds). The offering is poured by ghṛta-pruṣā manasā: a mind that drips with clarified light (ghṛta) rather than crude desire. Thus the gods are ‘anointed’ at the crown/head of the sacrifice—meaning the highest point of our conscious act is consecrated, enabling descent and right governance.
Universal truth
Spiritual progress requires consecration of the inner ‘stations’ and a clarified mind. When the offering is made with luminous intention, higher powers are established at the summit of our endeavor and can rule the whole movement.
Themes
ritual consecration, luminous mind, alignment of divine powers
The seer
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada (Bhārgava)
- Lineage
- Bhārgava
- Other hymns
- RV 2.3.1, RV 2.3.3
Family tradition
Detailed inner-ritual psychology: preparation of ‘stations’ and the clarified mind as prerequisites for divine descent.
Significance
Shows the subtle mechanics of the sacrifice: not only fire, but consecration of inner seats and the crowning of the work with luminous intention.
The deity
- Devata
- Narāśaṃsa
- Epithets
- Svarciḥ (self-luminous), Consecrator of dhāman
- Related deities
- Agni, Bṛhaspati (word-power, thematic), Sarasvatī (inspired flow, thematic)
Cosmic role
A sacrificial/divine function that prepares and beautifies the rite; associated with Agni’s priestly operations and the power of praised divine speech.
Inner power
Consecrating intelligence and inspired word that clarifies inner centers and establishes higher powers at the summit of effort.
In ritual
Where it is used
Invocation of Narāśaṃsa in the opening priestly sequence (as part of the ‘Prayāja/Āprī’ type functions, broadly)
नरा॒शंस॒: प्रति॒ धामा॑न्य॒ञ्जन्ति॒स्रो दिव॒: प्रति॑ म॒ह्ना स्व॒र्चिः । घृ॒त॒प्रुषा॒ मन॑सा ह॒व्यमु॒न्दन्मू॒र्धन्य॒ज्ञस्य॒ सम॑नक्तु दे॒वान् ॥
नरा॒शंसः॑ । प्रति॑ । धामा॑नि । अ॒ञ्जन् । ति॒स्रः । दिवः॑ । प्रति॑ । म॒ह्ना । सु॒ऽअ॒र्चिः । घृ॒त॒ऽप्रुषा॑ । मन॑सा । ह॒व्यम् । उ॒न्दन् । मू॒र्धन् । य॒ज्ञस्य॑ । सम् । अ॒न॒क्तु॒ । दे॒वान् ॥
narāśaṃsaḥ | prati | dhāmāni | añjan | tisraḥ | divaḥ | prati | mahnā | su-arci ḥ | ghṛta-pruṣā | manasā | havyam | undan | mūrdhan | yajñasya | sam | anaktu | devān
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Ritually precise yet expansive; supports imagery of graded ascent to three heavens.
Purifying, clarifying; encourages careful inward consecration and uplift toward higher ranges.
- नराśंसः (narāśaṃsaḥ)
- Literal: praised by men. Symbolic: the divine power of the true word and consecrating affirmation; a function of Agni that prepares the sacrifice
- धामानि (dhāmāni)
- Literal: stations, abodes. Symbolic: inner centers/levels of consciousness made ready for divine inhabitation
- अञ्जन् (añjan)
- Literal: anointing, smearing. Symbolic: consecrating/clarifying the inner instruments
- तिस्रः दिवः (tisraḥ divaḥ)
- Literal: three heavens. Symbolic: triple luminous ranges above ordinary mind (graded higher consciousness)
- स्वर्चिः (svarciḥ)
- Literal: own light/flame. Symbolic: self-luminous discernment, not borrowed opinion
- घृतप्रुषा मनसा (ghṛtapruṣā manasā)
- Literal: with a mind dripping with ghee. Symbolic: mind saturated with clarified light, devotion, and serenity
- मूर्धन् यज्ञस्य (mūrdhan yajñasya)
- Literal: head/crown of the sacrifice. Symbolic: the summit-intention and highest concentration of the sadhana where divine governance can descend
Part of the ‘ṛtvij’/sacrificial functionaries invocation sequence: Narāśaṃsa is invoked to perfect and consecrate the rite, ‘anointing’ the gods at the summit of yajña
During preparatory invocations that ‘set the stations’ and sanctify the rite before main offerings.
Anointing/offerings of ghee; establishing sacred space and priestly functions.
Before meditation or mantra-japa: consciously ‘anoint’ inner stations (body, breath, mind) with clarity and goodwill; then offer from a quiet, clarified mind.
narā-śaṃsa: nara ‘men’ + śaṃsa (√śaṃs ‘to praise/recite’) → ‘praised by men’, a liturgical divinity. dhāman from √dhā ‘to place’ → station/abode/ordered placement. ghṛta is from √ghṛ ‘to shine/sprinkle’ semantic overlap in Vedic poetics; it becomes ‘clarified butter’ outwardly and ‘clarified light/essence’ inwardly. anaktu from √añj ‘to anoint’.
triple heaven symbolism, consecration/anointing (añj) as stabilization of ṛta, summit of sacrifice (mūrdhan) as higher consciousness
Consecration of dhāman supports right order—each plane receives its proper light and function.
Svarciḥ indicates self-existent truth-light, not mental fabrication.
Preparation and crowning of the sacrifice mirrors creation: graded ascent and establishment of divine powers at the ‘head’.
Integral yogic cosmology of graded heavens and inner centers; aligned with Aurobindo’s triple-world symbolism.
Ghee = clarified mental substance; anointing = sanctifying attention; three heavens = higher gradations of consciousness; crown/head = summit concentration.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘anointing of the gods’ mythologem: a consecratory power (Narāśaṃsa) brightens the stations and, at the summit of the sacrifice, unifies and consecrates the gods—mythic language for harmonizing higher powers in the inner rite.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √dhā (dhāman) reflects PIE *dʰeh₁- ‘put, place’ (cf. Eng. do). √añj ‘anoint’ has Indo-Iranian ritual parallels; consecration by unction is an old IE sacrificial motif (cf. anointing traditions across IE cultures).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi calls a specialized sacrificial power to ‘prepare’ the planes (dhāman) and to consecrate the divine presences at the rite’s crown—showing a cooperative psychology where distinct cosmic functions are invoked to build the inner ascent.
Consecrate inner stations: body as altar, breath as offering-stream, mind as ghṛta (clarified light).
sahasrara
Slow inhalation up the spine; on exhale imagine a thin stream of ‘ghṛta-light’ bathing the crown and descending through the centers.
Consecrated stillness with a subtle upward luminosity.
Chant once; then visualize three ascending luminous tiers above the head; offer a single clear intention (truth, peace, self-giving) and feel it ‘anoint’ the summit of your work.
Tri-svara; maintain careful pitch on tisro divaḥ and svarciḥ; avoid rushing.
Pause lightly after dhāmāni; keep ghṛta-pruṣā as a single flowing unit.
narāśaṃsaḥ: long ā, nasal ṃ clearly, dhāmāni: long ā, añjan: palatal ñ, tisraḥ: crisp s + r cluster, ghṛtapruṣā: ghṛ- (ṛ vowel), retroflex ṣ, mūrdhan: long ū, retroflex ḍh? (here 'rdh' cluster)
Clear, pure, slightly upward-aimed tone; like pouring a steady stream.
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