Rig Veda 1.71.4: Mandala 1, Sukta 71, Mantra 4
Sukta 1.71
- Rishi
- Parāśara Śāktya
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
मथीद्यदीं विभृतो मातरिश्वा गृहेगृहे श्येतो जेन्यो भूत् । आदीं राज्ञे न सहीयसे सचा सन्ना दूत्यं भृगवाणो विवाय ॥
mathī́d yad ī́ṃ víbhṛto mātáriśvā gṛhé-gṛhe śyetó jényo bhū́t | ā́d īṃ rājñé ná sahī́yase sácā sánn ā́ dūtyáṃ bhṛ́gavāṇo vivāya
Gdy Mātariśvan, niosąc go, wydoił go, lśniący i zwycięski zrodził się w każdym domu; wtedy, jak do króla potężnego w sile, Bhṛgu przyniósł go, pozostając z nim, do dzieła pośrednictwa.
Word by Word
- मथीत्
- churned / kindled by churningVerbलुङ् (aorist), परस्मैपद, 3rd person singularRole KartāRoot मथ्
- यत्
- when / thatIndeclinablerelative pronoun (neut. nom./acc. sg. used adverbially = 'when/that')Root यद्
- ईम्
- indeed / himIndeclinableenclitic particleRoot ईम्
- विभृतः
- being borne/maintained; carried forthVerb (participle)past passive participle, masc. nom. sg.Role KartāRoot वि-भृ
- मातरिश्वा
- Mātariśvan (fire-bringer/wind)Noun (proper name)masc. nom. sg.Role KartāRoot मातरिश्वन्
- गृहे
- in (a) houseNounneut. loc. sg.Role AdhikaraṇaRoot गृह
- गृहे
- in each houseNounneut. loc. sg. (reduplicated idiom)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot गृह
- श्येतः
- white, brightAdjectivemasc. nom. sg.Role Viśeṣaṇa (of अग्नि/मातरिश्वा implied)Root श्येत
- जेन्यः
- of noble birth; worthyAdjectivemasc. nom. sg.Role ViśeṣaṇaRoot जेन्य
- भूत्
- became / came to beVerbलुङ् (aorist), परस्मैपद, 3rd person singularRole KartāRoot भू
- आ
- towards; thenIndeclinablepreverb/adverbRoot आ
- ईम्
- him / indeedIndeclinableenclitic particleRoot ईम्
- राज्ञे
- to the kingNounmasc. dat. sg.Role SampradānaRoot राजन्
- न
- likeIndeclinableparticle of comparisonRoot न
- सहीयसे
- thou art stronger / thou prevailestVerbpresent, 2nd person singular, Ātmanepada (comparative sense: 'to be stronger/prevail')Role KartāRoot सह्
- सचा
- together; in companyIndeclinableadverbRoot सच
- सन्
- beingVerb (participle)present active participle, masc. nom. sg.Role KartāRoot अस्
- आ
- towardsIndeclinablepreverb/adverbRoot आ
- दूत्यम्
- messengership; missionNounneut. acc. sg.Role KarmaRoot दूत्य
- भृगवाणः
- the Bhṛgus (priestly clan)Noun (patronymic/collective)masc. nom. pl.Role KartāRoot भृगु
- विवाय
- has pursued/impelled; has gone forth (widely)Verbperfect, परस्मैपद, 3rd person singularRole KartāRoot वि-वा
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (principal): मथी॒द्यदीं॒ → मथीत् + यत् + ईम्. गृ॒हेगृ॑हे → गृहे + गृहे (distributive repetition). आदीं॒ → आ + ईम्. सचा॒ सन्ना → सचा + सन् + आ. दू॒त्यं → दूत्यम् (acc. sg.). Other forms largely already padapāṭha-like
- accents retained in source but not re-marked per pada here
The meaning
Outer meaning
When Mātariśvan, bearing him, churned him forth, the shining conquering one was born in every house; then the Bhṛgu, abiding with him, brought him as to a mighty king for the work of mediation.
Inner meaning
Mātariśvan is the dynamic life-breath/power that brings down and kindles Agni in the human habitation. ‘Churning forth’ (mathīt) indicates the friction of discipline and aspiration that produces the flame from concealed potential. Agni is born ‘in every house’: in every part of the nature—body, life, mind—he can be established as a conscious force. The Bhṛgus symbolize a lineage of fiery discernment and purification; they ‘bring’ Agni to the strong king (the ruling soul-power) for dūtyam, mediation: Agni becomes the messenger between human and divine, translating aspiration into higher response and bringing back light and strength.
Universal truth
The divine flame is not foreign; it can be generated within by right friction and carried by the life-force into all parts of life. Once established, it mediates—connecting human effort with higher guidance.
Themes
origin of fire, Agni as messenger, household universality, seer lineages (Bhṛgu)
The seer
- Rishi
- Parāśara Śāktya
- Lineage
- Śāktya (Parāśara lineage)
- Other hymns
- RV 1.71.1, RV 1.71.2, RV 1.71.3, RV 1.71.5
Family tradition
Agni hymns integrating mythic lineages (Bhṛgu, Angiras) as inner yogic functions—purification, mediation, and kindling.
Significance
The seer highlights the practical inner technology: friction (tapas) + life-force (Mātariśvan) establishes Agni everywhere, making the whole life a field of yoga.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- śyeta (shining/pure), jenya (victorious), dūta (messenger, implied by dūtyam)
- Related deities
- Vāyu/Mātariśvan, Bhṛgu lineage powers, Indra (victory aspect)
Cosmic role
Fire brought from the mid-world to human habitations; messenger who carries offerings to the gods.
Inner power
Prāṇa-kindled will that purifies and connects the outer life with the inner divine governance.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni installation/kindling (ādhāna themes; household fire emphasis)
मथी॒द्यदीं॒ विभृ॑तो मात॒रिश्वा॑ गृ॒हेगृ॑हे श्ये॒तो जेन्यो॒ भूत् । आदीं॒ राज्ञे॒ न सही॑यसे॒ सचा॒ सन्ना दू॒त्यं१॒॑ भृग॑वाणो विवाय ॥
मथी॑त् । यत् । ई॒म् । विऽभृ॑तः । मा॒त॒रिश्वा॑ । गृ॒हेऽगृ॑हे । श्ये॒तः । जेन्यः॑ । भूत् । आदी॑म् । राज्ञे॑ । न । सही॑यसे । सचा॑ । सन् । आ । दू॒त्य॑म् । भृग॑वाणः । वि॒वा॒य॒ ॥
mathīt | yat | īm | vi-bhṛtaḥ | mātariśvā | gṛhe--gṛhe | śyetaḥ | jenyaḥ | bhūt | ādīm | rājñe | na | sahīyase | sacā | san | ā | dūtyam | bhṛgavāṇaḥ | vivāya
44
4 × 11; strong narrative cadence.
Dynamic and story-like, with a clear ‘birth’ pivot in pāda 1–2 and a regal emphasis in pāda 3–4.
Invokes energization and embodiment—feels like installing a flame in the system.
- Mātariśvā
- Literal: Mātariśvan (wind/atmospheric power). Symbolic: life-force/prāṇa that carries and kindles the inner fire
- mathīt
- Literal: churned, produced by friction. Symbolic: tapas; disciplined friction that awakens latent consciousness
- gṛhe-gṛhe
- Literal: in every house. Symbolic: in every part of the being; in all activities of life
- śyetaḥ
- Literal: bright/white. Symbolic: pure flame; clarified will
- jenyaḥ
- Literal: conquering, victorious. Symbolic: will that overcomes inertia and resistance
- rājñe…sahīyase
- Literal: to a king mighty in strength. Symbolic: the sovereign soul or central will empowered by the divine
- Bhṛgavāṇaḥ
- Literal: the Bhṛgu one. Symbolic: purifying discernment; fiery priestly power
- dūtyam
- Literal: messengership, mediation. Symbolic: inner translation between human and divine planes
Mythic validation of household and ritual fire: Agni born in every house; emphasizes Agni’s dūtya (messenger role) central to offerings in Śrauta and Gṛhya practice.
At kindling of domestic fire; also in śrauta contexts recalling Agni’s descent via Mātariśvan.
Churning/kindling, offering ghee, invoking Agni as dūta.
As a practice mantra before pranayama or before beginning work: ‘kindle Agni in every house’—in every action.
√math ‘churn’ = friction-kindling of fire; inner sense: tapas producing the flame. mātariśvan is the ‘in-the-mother-moving’ wind, mediator who carries Agni (mythic bringer of fire). gṛha ‘house’ is both physical dwelling and inner seat. jenya from √ji (PIE *gʷeyh₃- ‘live’ is different; √ji relates to conquest lexemes; compare Latin vincere as functional parallel). dūtya from dūta ‘messenger’ (√dū ‘to go/drive’ debated); Agni as messenger between human and divine worlds.
tapas/friction as generation of inner flame, mediation between worlds (dūtya), sovereignty of strength (rājñé ... sahīyase)
Agni’s messengership establishes lawful exchange between planes—offerings rise, boons descend—an expression of ṛta.
Purified will (śyeta) becomes a truthful instrument; mediation becomes accurate when the flame is clear.
Birth of divine force within multiplicity (‘every house’).
Yogic-psychological Vedism: descent and installation of divine will through prāṇa and tapas.
Wind = prāṇa; churning = discipline; hearths = life-activities; messenger flame = link between ordinary life and higher consciousness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The fire-bringing myth: Mātariśvan churns forth and carries Agni, who is then installed in every house; the Bhṛgu functions as mediator, establishing Agni’s role as divine messenger. Psychologically, it is the generation and universal installation of the inner flame through tapas and breath-force.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √bhū ‘become’ (PIE *bʰuH-) underlies bhūt. gṛha ‘house’ is Indo-Iranian with wider IE ‘enclosure/dwelling’ semantic parallels. The myth of fire obtained by friction is broadly attested across IE traditions, though Vedic uniquely integrates it with Mātariśvan as carrier.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi recalls the primordial installation of Agni to justify present invocation: Agni is not occasional but ‘born in every house’ and thus available inwardly. The Devatā’s reciprocal gift is mediation—carrying the human offering upward and bringing divine force downward into the practitioner.
Kindle the inner fire through breath and focused friction (attention); establish it in all parts of life.
manipura
Bhastrika-light (gentle) followed by slow chanting; feel prāṇa ‘carry’ the flame upward.
Energized, purified will; embodied readiness for consecrated action.
Before action, take 7 breaths: on inhale feel Mātariśvan lifting energy; on exhale feel the flame clarifying. Then chant once and offer the next action as dūtyam—service/mediation for the Divine.
Observe udātta on mathīt, mātariśvā, gṛhe-gṛhe, śyetaḥ; keep svarita glide on sandhi; follow śākhā for exact accents.
Make pāda 1 slightly more forceful (birth by churning), then broaden on gṛhe-gṛhe; regal weight on rājñe…sahīyase.
mātariśvā: ś is palatal; keep long ā, gṛhe-gṛhe: vocalic ṛ; aspirate h lightly, śyeto: ś not s; e longish (Vedic), jenyo: palatal ny cluster clean, dūtyam: long ū; ty cluster sharp, bhṛgavāṇaḥ: vocalic ṛ; retroflex ṇ
Warm and steady; energetic on the first half, dignified on the second.
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