Rig Veda 4.1.2: Mandala 4, Sukta 1, Mantra 2
Sukta 4.1
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Devata
- Agni as invoker
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
स भ्रातरं वरुणमग्न आ ववृत्स्व देवाँ अच्छा सुमती यज्ञवनसं ज्येष्ठं यज्ञवनसम् । ऋतावानमादित्यं चर्षणीधृतं राजानं चर्षणीधृतम् ॥
sá bhrā́taraṃ váruṇam agna ā́ vavṛtsva devā́n ácchā sumatī́ yajñá-vanasaṃ jyéṣṭhaṃ yajñá-vanasam | ṛtā́vānām ādityáṃ carṣaṇī-dhṛ́taṃ rā́jānaṃ carṣaṇī-dhṛ́tam ||
Wahai Agni, berpalinglah ke mari dan dekatkanlah Varuṇa, saudaramu; bawalah para dewa kepada kami dalam kefahaman yang baik—Varuṇa, yang tertua dalam kekuatan yajña, yang tertua dalam kekuatan yajña. Sang Āditya yang berpegang pada ṛta, yang menegakkan kebenaran yang bekerja; raja, penyokong umat manusia: bawalah Varuṇa itu, penyokong tertib dan aturan manusia.
Word by Word
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- भ्रातरम्
- brotherNounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot भ्रातृ
- वरुणम्
- VaruṇaNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot वरुण
- अग्ने
- O AgniNoun (vocative)पुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन, एकवचनम्Role (Sambodhana) संबोधनRoot अग्नि
- आ
- towards; hitherIndeclinableउपसर्गः/निपातःRoot आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- ववृत्स्व
- turn/come (hither)!; choose/bring (hither)!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्Role (क्रिया) —Root √वृत् (वर्तने/वरणे) + आ
- देवान्
- the godsNounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्Role KarmaRoot देव
- अच्छ
- towardsIndeclinableअव्ययम्Root अच्छ (निपात/अव्यय)
- सुमती
- good will; good thought/favourNoun (abstract) / Adjective (as noun)स्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम् (गत्यर्थे ‘अच्छ’ इत्यनेन) अथवा अव्ययीभाव-प्रायःRole AdhikaraṇaRoot सु- + मति
- यज्ञवनसम्
- the sacrifice-winning (one)Adjective (as noun)पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot यज्ञ-वनस् (बहुव्रीहि/तत्पुरुष-प्रातिपदिक)
- ज्येष्ठम्
- the eldest; most eminentAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot ज्येष्ठ
- यज्ञवनसम्
- the sacrifice-winning (one)Adjective (as noun)पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot यज्ञ-वनस्
- ऋतावानम्
- possessing ṛta (truth/cosmic order)Adjective (as noun)पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot ऋत-वान्
- आदित्यम्
- Āditya (solar deity-class; here Varuṇa)Noun (proper/class)पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot आदित्य
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम्Root च
- चर्षणीधृतम्
- supporter of the peoples/menNoun/Adjective (agent)पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot चर्षणी-धृत् (धृ ‘धारणे’ से कृत्)
- राजानम्
- kingNounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot राजन्
- चर्षणीधृतम्
- supporter of the peoples/menNoun/Adjective (agent)पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot चर्षणी-धृत्
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धि-निरास): सः | भ्रातरम् | वरुणम् | अग्ने | आ | ववृत्स्व | देवान् | अच्छ | सुमती | यज्ञवनसम् | ज्येष्ठम् | यज्ञवनसम् | ऋतावानम् | आदित्यम् | च | चर्षणीधृतम् | राजानम् | चर्षणीधृतम् । प्रमुख-सन्धयः: (1) वरु॑णमग्न॒ → वरुणम् + अग्ने (म् + अ → म् अ; संहितायां ‘मग्ने’)
- (2) दे॒वाँ अच्छा॑ → देवान् + अच्छ (न् + अ → न् अ; संहितायां ‘वाँच्छ’)
- (3) सुम॒ती य॒ज्ञव॑नसं॒ → सुमती + यज्ञवनसम् (ई + य् → ईय्, संहितायां ‘तीय्’)
- (4) आदि॒त्यं च॑ → आदित्यम् + च (म् + च → ंच)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Agni is asked to turn toward the sacrificer, to bring Varuṇa (called Agni’s brother) and the other gods, in a friendly understanding; Varuṇa is praised as eldest in sacrificial power, an Āditya full of ṛta, a king who upholds the peoples.
Inner meaning
The awakened inner Fire (Agni: will and aspiration) is invoked to call near the power of vast, clear Truth-order (Varuṇa). “Brotherhood” indicates allied divine functions: Agni leads the ascent; Varuṇa establishes the law of wideness, purity, and right measure in the being. The seeker asks for “sumati” (right-mindedness, luminous consent) so the inner sacrifice becomes effective. Varuṇa as “ṛtāvān” is the pressure of Truth that corrects crooked movements; as “carṣaṇīdhṛt” he steadies the human nature (the peoples) so the higher light can be held without collapse or revolt.
Universal truth
Spiritual progress needs both flame and law: aspiration without inner truth-order becomes restless; truth-order without aspiration becomes inert. When will (Agni) and vast truth (Varuṇa) cooperate, the whole inner ecology aligns, and the higher powers can “come near” as lived capacities rather than distant ideals.
Themes
Agni-Varuṇa alliance, invocation of ṛta, inner governance and restraint, sacrificial plenitude
The seer
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 4.1, RV 4.2, RV 4.3, RV 4.4, RV 4.5
Family tradition
Vāmadeva is a major seer of the Gautama line; Book 4 carries a strong psychological yoga of Agni as inner leader and the allied solar powers as builders of truth-consciousness.
Significance
Vāmadeva’s vision often emphasizes the conversion of human nature into ṛta—right rhythm and right seeing—by invoking Agni to bring the higher gods into intimate nearness.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni (invoker) with Varuṇa (Āditya) prominently invoked
- Epithets
- bhrātā (brother) of Varuṇa (relational epithet in the verse), yajñavanas (effective in sacrifice), jyeṣṭha (eldest) applied to Varuṇa, ṛtāvān (full of ṛta), carṣaṇīdhṛt (upholder of the peoples), rājā (king)
- Related deities
- Mitra (harmonizing companion of Varuṇa), Indra (illumined mind often allied in releasing the cows), Ādityas collectively, Maruts (dynamic forces of the Truth-wind, invoked in the next verse)
Cosmic role
Agni is the messenger and priest who summons the gods; Varuṇa is the sovereign of ṛta who establishes vastness, purity, and right law in worlds and in the human being.
Inner power
Agni: intensifies aspiration and makes offerings effective; Varuṇa: enforces truth-clarity, releases from distortion, and stabilizes the widened consciousness.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni-pravara/invocation within Soma or Agni rites; calling allied deities to the offering.
स भ्रात॑रं॒ वरु॑णमग्न॒ आ व॑वृत्स्व दे॒वाँ अच्छा॑ सुम॒ती य॒ज्ञव॑नसं॒ ज्येष्ठं॑ य॒ज्ञव॑नसम् । ऋ॒तावा॑नमादि॒त्यं च॑र्षणी॒धृतं॒ राजा॑नं चर्षणी॒धृत॑म् ॥
सः । भ्रात॑रम् । वरु॑णम् । अ॒ग्ने॒ । आ । व॒वृ॒त्स्व॒ । दे॒वान् । अच्छ॑ । सु॒ऽम॒ती । य॒ज्ञऽव॑नसम् । ज्येष्ठ॑म् । य॒ज्ञऽव॑नसम् । ऋ॒तऽवा॑नम् । आ॒दि॒त्यम् । च॒र्ष॒णि॒ऽधृत॑म् । राजा॑नम् । च॒र्ष॒णि॒ऽधृत॑म् ॥
saḥ | bhrātaram | varuṇam | agne | ā | vavṛtsva | devān | accha | su-matī | yajña-vanasam | jyeṣṭham | yajña-vanasam | ṛta-vānam | ādityam | carṣaṇi-dhṛtam | rājānam | carṣaṇi-dhṛtam
44
4 pādas × ~11 syllables
Forward-driving, declarative cadence suited to invocation and praise with measured majesty.
Builds a sense of uprightness and inner sovereignty; supports a steady ascent from calling (Agni) to alignment (Varuṇa/ṛta).
- अग्नि (agni)
- Literal: fire. Symbolic: divine will, inner priest who calls and leads the sacrifice
- वरुण (varuṇa)
- Literal: the encompassing lord (often of waters/sky). Symbolic: vast truth-order, purity, ethical-spiritual law that releases and widens consciousness
- भ्रातरम् (bhrātaram)
- Literal: brother. Symbolic: complementary divine power allied to Agni in the inner work
- सुमती (sumatī)
- Literal: good thought, good will. Symbolic: luminous right-mindedness; consent of nature to the Truth
- यज्ञवनस् (yajñavanas)
- Literal: power/effectiveness of sacrifice. Symbolic: capacity of aspiration and offering to transform the being
- ऋतावान् (ṛtāvān)
- Literal: possessing ṛta. Symbolic: one who acts by truth-rhythm; force of right arrangement in consciousness
- आदित्य (āditya)
- Literal: son of Aditi. Symbolic: solar powers of infinity; wideness that frees from limitation
- चर्षणीधृत् (carṣaṇīdhṛt)
- Literal: upholder of the peoples. Symbolic: stabilizer of human faculties so they can hold divine influx
- राजानम् (rājānam)
- Literal: king. Symbolic: sovereign governing principle of inner order
Calling allied deities to the sacrifice through Agni; especially apt where Varuṇa’s ṛta/ethical order is sought (purification, release from fault).
At the opening or early sequence of offerings when inviting deities and establishing right order (ṛta) for the rite.
Kindling/strengthening Agni; recitation to invite Varuṇa and the gods; offerings of ghee.
Use as a pre-meditation invocation: ‘May the inner fire call the power of truth-order; may my mind become sumati (right-minded).’
√vṛt 'turn, roll' with ā- expresses 'turning toward' the sacrificer—inner reorientation of consciousness. Varuṇa (from √vṛ 'cover/encompass' in traditional etymologies; semantically 'the Encompassing/Vast') aligns with psychological vastness and law. ṛtā́vān from ṛtá (√ar 'fit, order') indicates one who embodies the right arrangement; carṣaṇī-dhṛt is a karmadhāraya/tatpuruṣa compound: 'holder of peoples', i.e., sustaining the collective order within the being.
R̥ta (truth-order), sovereignty (rājan as inner ruler), collective harmony (carṣaṇi)
Explicit: Varuṇa is ṛtāvān; the mantra seeks alignment of the sacrifice and the human with ṛta.
Truth as governing sovereignty (rājā) that upholds and stabilizes the ‘peoples’ (faculties).
Establishing order and wideness so the divine powers can manifest in the mortal field.
Proto-Vedāntic and yogic reading (Aurobindo/Kashyap): gods as powers of consciousness; yajña as inner transformation.
Fire = aspiration; vast sky/ocean = wideness and purity; sun = illuminating law of truth-consciousness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Agni as the convener who brings the divine assembly, specifically drawing Varuṇa the sovereign of ṛta. Mythically, it is the summoning of the kingly Aditya to preside over the rite; psychologically, the will-flame calls in the power of vast law to stabilize and govern the movements of the being.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- rā́jan- reflects PIE *h₃rḗǵs (Latin rēx, Gaulish rīx). √dhṛ 'hold' reflects PIE *dʰer- (Greek thronos is not direct; but Sanskrit dhar-, Avestan dar- 'hold'). √ar in ṛtá aligns with PIE *h₂er- 'fit, join' (order/rightness).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The r̥ṣi asks Agni to mediate access to Varuṇa: human aspiration cannot directly command cosmic law, but through the awakened will (Agni) the larger sovereign consciousness (Varuṇa) can be invited to establish right order and generous understanding (su-matī) in the practitioner.
Unite aspiration (Agni) with truth-order (Varuṇa): ‘Let my will be pure, wide, and governed by ṛta.’
Anahata (widening/peace) and Ajna (truth-seeing)
Moderate nāḍī-śodhana for 6–12 rounds, then recite once per exhale to stabilize clarity.
Widened, quiet, law-abiding lucidity; inner governance rather than impulse.
Begin with a brief inner offering (acknowledge impulses), invoke Agni to lead, then call Varuṇa to establish clean boundaries and truthful rhythm in thought, speech, action.
Use Ṛgvedic three-tone: udātta (raised), anudātta (lower), svarita (falling). Exact accents require a śākala-pāṭha svara text; treat marked udātta positions as primary lifts.
Keep udātta syllables bright and slightly higher; svarita as a gentle glide down; avoid musical exaggeration—aim for dignified triṣṭubh flow.
varuṇam: retroflex ṇ (ṇ) with tongue curled slightly back, ṛtāvānam: clear vocalic ṛ at start; do not insert ‘ri’, carṣaṇīdhṛtam: keep ṣ (retroflex) distinct from ś, yajñavanasam: ‘jña’ as palatal cluster (gyā-like), not ‘jna’ in English style
Steady, resonant, ‘royal’—firm but calm.
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