Rig Veda 4.5.1: Mandala 4, Sukta 5, Mantra 1
Sukta 4.5
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Devata
- Agni Vaiśvānara
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
वैश्वानराय मीळ्हुषे सजोषाः कथा दाशेमाग्नये बृहद्भाः । अनूनेन बृहता वक्षथेनोप स्तभायदुपमिन्न रोधः ॥
vaiśvānaráya mīḷhúṣe sa-jóṣāḥ kathā́ dāśemā́gnaye bṛhád-bhāḥ | anū́nena bṛhatā́ vakṣáthenópa stabhāyad upa-mín na ródhaḥ ||
Kepada Vaiśvānara yang pemurah, dalam satu kesepakatan—bagaimanakah kami mempersembahkan persembahan kami kepada Agni yang bercahaya luas? Dengan daya yang tidak berkurang, yang memikul keluasan, ia telah menyokong halangan itu, seolah-olah suatu had yang terukur, agar jalan tetap terbuka bagi Cahaya yang sedang membesar.
Word by Word
- वैश्वानराय
- to Vaiśvānara (Agni)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी-एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot वैश्वानर (प्रातिपदिक; अग्नि-विशेष) < विश्वानर
- मीळ्हुषे
- to the bountiful oneAdjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी-एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot मीळ्हु (प्रातिपदिक; ‘दानशील/उदार’) < √मील्ह्/मिह् (वेद. ‘to be gracious/give’)
- सजोषाः
- being in concord / of one accordAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (वक्ता/यजमान-समूह) अथवा विशेषण-सम्बन्धRoot सजोषस् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘सह-तोष/सह-प्रसाद’) = स- + जोषस्
- कथा
- how?Indeclinableअव्ययRoot कथा (अव्यय/प्रश्न) < किम्
- दाशेम
- may we offer / may we worshipVerbलोट् (वेद. injunctive/precative-like usage) / विधिलिङ्-समर्थ; उत्तम-बहुवचन, परस्मैपदRole कर्तृ (वयं)Root √दाश् (वेद. ‘to worship/offer/give’)
- अग्नये
- to AgniNounपुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी-एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- बृहद्भाः
- (we) of great radiance / great splendorAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (वयं) विशेषणRoot बृहद्भास् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘महतेजस्/महाप्रभ’) = बृहत् + भास्
- अनूनेन
- with what is not deficient / with unfailing (means)Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-एकवचन (करण)Role करणRoot अनून (प्रातिपदिक; ‘अपूर्ण/अहीन’ = न ऊन) अथवा अनून (वेद. ‘not lacking’)
- बृहता
- with the great (power/means)Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-एकवचनRole करणRoot बृहत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- वक्षथेन
- with the conveyance / with the bearing powerNounपुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-एकवचनRole करणRoot वक्षथ (प्रातिपदिक; ‘वाहन/रथ/वहन-शक्ति’; from √वह्/√वक्ष् ‘to carry’)
- उप
- up; near; uponIndeclinableअव्ययRoot उप (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- स्तभायत्
- he propped up / made firmVerbलङ् (इम्पर्फेक्ट); प्रथम-एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole कर्तृ (अग्निः/वैश्वानरः)Root √स्तभ् (स्तम्भने ‘to prop, support, make firm’)
- उपमिन्न
- as a counterpart / in like measureAdjective/Indeclinable-likeनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचन (अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोग) अथवा अव्यय-प्रयोगRole विशेषण (रोधः) / क्रियाविशेषणRoot उपमिन् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘उपमान/सदृश’; here as indeclinable-like qualifier) < उप + √मा (माने/मितौ)
- न
- like; asIndeclinableअव्ययRoot न (निपात)
- रोधः
- a barrier; obstruction; bankNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचनRole कर्म/आश्रय (यत् स्तभायत्) अथवा कर्मपदRoot रोधस् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘बन्ध/अवरोध/तट’) < √रुध् (आवरणे/निरोधे)
Sandhi Notes
- पाठे ‘वैश्वानराय मीळ्हुषे’ इति दत्वर्थ-द्वयम् (चतुर्थी) समास/सम्बोधन-भावेन। ‘सजोषाः’ प्रथमा-बहुवचनं (वयं) इत्यस्य विशेषणम्। ‘कथा दाशेम’ इति संधिः न विशेषः। ‘दाशेमाग्नये’ = दाशेम + अग्नये (अ + अ → आ)। ‘बृहद्भाः’ = बृहत् + भाः (त् + भ → द्भ)। ‘वक्षथेνοप’ = वक्षथेन + उप (अ + उ → ओ)। ‘स्तभायदुपमिन्न’ = स्तभायत् + उपमिन्न (त् + उ → द् + उ; पदान्त-त् का घोषीकरण/सन्धि-रूप)।
The meaning
Outer meaning
In one accord the singers ask how to offer to Vaiśvānara Agni of vast radiance; with undiminished wide-bearing strength he props up an obstruction like a measured boundary, opening the way for increasing light.
Inner meaning
The collective being (sajoṣāḥ) turns to the universal Fire (Vaiśvānara) as the leader of the inner yajña: the Divine Will asks for the right mode of self-offering. Agni’s “wide-bearing” power is the expansive force of aspiration and tapas that holds back the limiting resistance (rodhaḥ)—not by suppression but by establishing a true measure (upamit) so the consciousness can widen safely. The result is an opened inner path for the growth of bṛhat bhāḥ—vast illumination.
Universal truth
When the will aligns in harmony, a higher conscious force can stabilize inner limits and dissolve obstructive patterns, allowing a steady expansion of light and understanding.
Themes
Vaiśvānara, Wideness and light, Removing obstruction, Collective aspiration
The seer
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 4.1, RV 4.2, RV 4.3, RV 4.4, RV 4.5, RV 4.6
Family tradition
Gautama seer-line noted for hymns of inner discovery where Agni becomes revealer of hidden knowledge and the right law (ṛta) of the sacrifice.
Significance
Vāmadeva’s vision often moves from a question of right offering to the experience of Agni as universal guide who breaks limits and establishes the path for widening light (bṛhat).
The deity
- Devata
- Agni Vaiśvānara
- Epithets
- Vaiśvānara, Bṛhadbhāḥ (of vast radiance), Mīḻhuṣ (bountiful)
- Related deities
- Indra, Soma, Uṣas, Varuṇa, Mitra
Cosmic role
Universal fire-principle that links earth and heaven; mediator who upholds ṛta by carrying offerings and awakening the gods (powers) in man.
Inner power
Divine Will and conscious force that widens the being, stabilizes limits, and opens the path for illumination.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agniṣṭoma/Soma-related recitation in Agni praise; also general Agni invocation at opening of rites
वै॒श्वा॒न॒राय॑ मी॒ळ्हुषे॑ स॒जोषा॑: क॒था दा॑शेमा॒ग्नये॑ बृ॒हद्भाः । अनू॑नेन बृह॒ता व॒क्षथे॒नोप॑ स्तभायदुप॒मिन्न रोध॑: ॥
वै॒श्वा॒न॒राय॑ । मी॒ळ्हुषे॑ । स॒ऽजोषाः॑ । क॒था । दा॒शे॒म॒ । अ॒ग्नये॑ । बृ॒हत् । भाः । अनू॑नेन । बृ॒ह॒ता । व॒क्षथे॑न । उप॑ । स्त॒भा॒य॒त् । उ॒प॒ऽमित् । न । रोधः॑ ॥
vaiśvānarāya | mīḷhuṣe | sa-joṣāḥ | kathā | dāśema | agnaye | bṛhat | bhāḥ | anūnena | bṛhatā | vakṣathena | upa | stabhāyat | upa-mit | na | rodhaḥ
44
4 pādas of ~11 syllables each
Forward-driving, expansive cadence suited to declaration and ascent.
Builds a sense of widening and steady pressure against inner obstruction; supports confident aspiration.
- vaiśvānara
- Literal: belonging to all men; universal. Symbolic: the universal Agni—Divine Will present in all beings, organizer of the inner sacrifice
- mīḻhuṣe
- Literal: bountiful, gracious giver. Symbolic: the power that responds to sincere offering with inner increase (strength, clarity, joy)
- sajoṣāḥ
- Literal: in one accord, together. Symbolic: harmonized parts of the being; unified intention in sādhanā
- bṛhad bhāḥ
- Literal: vast light/splendour. Symbolic: expansive illumination of consciousness (bṛhat) beyond narrow ego-mind
- anūnena
- Literal: undiminished, not lessened. Symbolic: unbroken aspiration/energy; steady tapas not falling into fatigue
- vakṣathena (bṛhatā)
- Literal: with a wide-bearing strength/support. Symbolic: the large sustaining power that carries the growth of consciousness
- rodhaḥ
- Literal: obstruction, barrier. Symbolic: the coverer-force: resistances, habitual limitations, subconscient blockages
- upamit
- Literal: measured, delimited. Symbolic: right measure and law—true boundaries that prevent dispersion while enabling ascent
Opening of a hymn-sequence to Vaiśvānara; used as an invitatory/reflective prelude on correct offering and on Agni's role in stabilizing the rite against obstruction
At kindling/invocation sequences; when establishing the sacrificial fire and intention
Offering (āhuti) with harmonized recitation; calling Agni as path-opener
Use as a pre-meditation sankalpa: unify intention, invoke inner Fire to hold back distractions and open the way for clarity.
vaiśvānara: viśva-nara 'belonging to all men' → universal fire. mīḷhuṣ: from √mīḍh/√mṛḍ 'to be gracious, give' → bountiful. √dāś 'to offer, honor'. bṛhat: from √bṛh 'to grow, widen' → vastness, the 'Bṛhat' of satyam-ṛtam-bṛhat. vakṣatha: related to √vah/√vakṣ 'to carry, bear' → bearing-support. √stabh 'prop, make firm'. rodha: from √rudh 'to obstruct, confine' (cf. 'rodhas' banks/bounds) → barrier; psychologically the limiting resistance.
Bṛhat (wideness), Overcoming obstruction (rodhas) by supporting force, Collective harmony (sa-joṣāḥ)
Agni stabilizes the ‘measure’ that keeps growth aligned with ṛta rather than chaotic expansion.
Truth manifests as widening light when obstruction is held in right limit.
Opening of the path for increasing light—microcosmic reenactment of the emergence of order from obstruction.
Proto-Vedāntic/Integral (Aurobindonian) reading: ascent from limitation to vastness through Agni.
dawn-to-morning (implied by ‘growing light’)
Fire = will/aspiration; light = awakening knowledge; obstruction = subconscient resistance; measure = right discipline that enables safe expansion.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Agni Vaiśvānara as the universal power who 'props' the obstructing barrier: a variant of the path-opening myth where a divine force makes firm the passage for ascent by setting bounds upon resistance.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √bṛh 'grow/widen' parallels PIE *bʰerǵʰ- 'rise, high' (semantic field of height/growth), while √rudh 'obstruct' continues an old confinement motif (compare cognate notions of 'bound/bank'). The hymn’s gift-question 'kathā dāśema' reflects Indo-European reciprocity: correct speech-act enabling correct divine response.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer seeks the right mode of offering; Agni is not merely recipient but the one who establishes the conditions for the offering to succeed—by widening light and stabilizing the inner field against resistance.
Unify scattered intentions; invoke the inner Fire to widen awareness while holding distractions at a measured boundary.
anahata (heart-fire)
Gentle ujjāyī or slow nasal breathing with a soft inner ‘flame’ visualization on exhale
Collected (ekāgratā) moving toward widening (bṛhat) clarity
Begin with a brief inner offering: ‘All parts of me consent.’ Feel a warm steady flame in the heart; on each breath, let light widen without strain; if resistance rises, hold it at the periphery with calm firmness (upamit), returning to the center-fire.
Vedic tri-svara (udātta/anudātta/svarita) as per śākhā; preserve udātta peaks on accented syllables (e.g., vaiśvānarā́ya, mīḻhúṣe).
Keep udātta clear and slightly raised; svarita as a gentle fall; avoid flattening compounds like bṛhad-bhāḥ.
vaiśvānarāya: articulate śv cluster cleanly (ś-vā), mīḻhuṣe: retroflex ḻ sound as in Vedic recitation tradition; if unavailable, a careful ‘ḍh/ḷh’ approximation without over-aspiration, bṛhat: vocalic ṛ short and crisp, rodhaḥ: final ḥ audible, not dropped
Steady, bright, forward-placed tone (as if ‘carrying’ the flame upward)
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