Rig Veda 2.10.3: Mandala 2, Sukta 10, Mantra 3
Sukta 2.10
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
उत्तानायामजनयन्त्सुषूतं भुवदग्निः पुरुपेशासु गर्भः । शिरिणायां चिदक्तुना महोभिरपरीवृतो वसति प्रचेताः ॥
uttānā́yām ajanayan suṣū́taṃ bhúvad agníḥ puru-péśāsu gárbhaḥ | śíriṇāyāṃ cid aktúnā máhobhir áparīvṛto vasati prá-cetāḥ ||
W rozciągniętej przynieśli oni dobrze zrodzonego: Agni stał się zarodkiem w wielu ukształtowanych formach. Nawet w twardej ziemi, w nocy i przez wielkie moce, świadomy mieszka, odkryty i przebudzony ku drodze.
Word by Word
- उत्तानायाम्
- in/at the outstretched (place/position)Noun/Adjective (used substantively)स्त्रीलिङ्गे सप्तमी एकवचनम्Role अधिकारणRoot उत्तान (प्रातिपदिक)
- अजनयन्
- they generated/producedVerbलङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Role कर्तृ (क्रिया)Root √जन् (जनने)
- सुषूतम्
- well-born, well-begottenAdjective (past participial)नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम् (अग्निम् विशेषयति)Role कर्मRoot सु- + √सू (प्रसवे) → सुषूत (कृदन्त-भूतकर्मणि/विशेषण)
- भुवत्
- being, coming into beingVerb (participial form used predicatively)शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम् (अत्र ‘being/coming to be’)Role क्रियाविशेषण (भाव)Root √भू (भवने)
- अग्निः
- Agni (fire-god)Nounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- पुरुपेशासु
- in/among many forms (or adornments)Adjective (compound) used with locative pluralस्त्रीलिङ्गे सप्तमी बहुवचनम् (स्त्री-आधारशब्द-सम्बन्धः; ‘in many forms/among many adornments’)Role अधिकारणRoot पुरु- + पेशस् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘form/ornament/appearance’)
- गर्भः
- embryo, germ; the one conceivedNounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ/सम्बन्ध (अग्नेः)Root गर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
- शिरिणायाम्
- in/on the stone (stony place)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्गे सप्तमी एकवचनम्Role अधिकारणRoot शिरिणा (प्रातिपदिक; RV: ‘stone/rocky (place), stony bed’)
- चित्
- even, indeedIndeclinableनिपातः (अवधारण/अपि-अर्थे)Role सम्बन्ध (निपात)Root चित् (अव्यय)
- अक्तुना
- by/with the night (darkness)Nounपुंलिङ्गे तृतीया एकवचनम्Role करणRoot अक्तु (प्रातिपदिक; ‘night/darkness’)
- महःभिः
- with great powers/mightNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया बहुवचनम्Role करणRoot महि/महस् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘greatness, might’)
- अपरीवृतः
- not enclosed, unobstructedAdjective (past participle)पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम् (अग्निम् विशेषयति)Role कर्तृ-विशेषणRoot अ- + परि-√वृत् (वरणे/आवरणे) → अपरीवृत (कृदन्त)
- वसति
- dwells, abidesVerbलट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Role क्रियाRoot √वस् (निवासे)
- प्रचेताः
- the wise one, the foreknowerNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (अग्नेः विशेषणम्)Root प्र-चेतस् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘foreknowing, wise, provident’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: उत्तानायाम् | अजनयन् | सुषूतम् | भुवत् | अग्निः | पुरुपेशासु | गर्भः | शिरिणायाम् | चित् | अक्तुना | महोभिः | अपरीवृतः | वसति | प्रचेताः । 1) अजनयन्त्सुषूतम् → अजनयन् + सुषूतम् (न् + स् संयोगः; लेखने ‘न्त्स’)
- 2) भुवदग्निः → भुवत् + अग्निः (त् + अ → द्; जश्त्व-सन्धि)
- 3) महोभिः → महः + भिः (विसर्गस्य ओ-आदेशः ‘अः + भ’)
The meaning
Outer meaning
In the outstretched one they generated the well-born; Agni became the embryo in many forms. Even in hard ground, by night and by great powers, the conscious one dwells uncovered.
Inner meaning
Agni is ‘born’ in the uttānā—what is spread open and receptive: the being laid out in surrender. Then the fire becomes garbha, the embryo of transformation, taking many shapes (purūpeśāsu): different workings in mind, life, and body. Even in śiriṇā (hard ground), symbol of resistant physical nature, and in aktū (night), symbol of obscurity/subconscient, he dwells by mahobhiḥ (great powers): the hidden divine Shakti supports the flame. ‘Aparīvṛta’—uncovered—means the will can remain awake and visible even amidst darkness and resistance; ‘pracetāḥ’ is conscious guidance within the inconscient.
Universal truth
The divine spark can be generated by openness; once born, it grows as an embryo through many forms and can remain awake even in darkness and resistance, supported by greater powers.
Themes
Agni as embryo, Birth of fire, Hidden-to-revealed, Matter and consciousness
The seer
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada (Bhārgava)
- Lineage
- Bhārgava
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 2.1, Rig Veda 2.4, Rig Veda 2.10.4
Family tradition
Bhārgava vision often penetrates the hidden birth of fire in darkness and matter, emphasizing Agni’s secret persistence.
Significance
This verse is a classic psychological ‘birth of Agni’ passage: the inner fire is an embryo in our many-formed nature and remains awake even in the hard, dark layers.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- su-sūta (well-born), garbha (embryo), purupeśa (many-formed), pracetā (conscious), aparīvṛta (uncovered)
- Related deities
- Aditi (infinite womb), Uṣas (illumination that follows night), Sarasvatī/Iḷā (inspired flow)
Cosmic role
Hidden fire in creation—present in matter and night; the secret builder of forms and awakener of consciousness.
Inner power
Psychic flame that persists through resistance and obscurity, gradually shaping the nature from within.
In ritual
Where it is used
Kindling mythology applied to fire-in-wood/hidden fire; recited in contexts of establishing Agni and affirming his presence
उ॒त्ता॒नाया॑मजनय॒न्त्सुषू॑तं॒ भुव॑द॒ग्निः पु॑रु॒पेशा॑सु॒ गर्भ॑: । शिरि॑णायां चिद॒क्तुना॒ महो॑भि॒रप॑रीवृतो वसति॒ प्रचे॑ताः ॥
उ॒त्ता॒नाया॑म् । अ॒ज॒न॒य॒न् । सुऽसू॑तम् । भुव॑त् । अ॒ग्निः । पु॒रु॒ऽपेशा॑सु । गर्भः॑ । शिरि॑णायाम् । चि॒त् । अ॒क्तुना॑ । महः॑ऽभिः । अप॑रिऽवृतः । व॒स॒ति॒ । प्रऽचे॑ताः ॥
uttānāyām | ajanayan | su-sūtam | bhuvat | agniḥ | puru-peśāsu | garbhaḥ | śiriṇāyām | cit | aktunā | mahaḥ-bhiḥ | apari-vṛtaḥ | vasati | pra-cetāḥ
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4×11 syllables (approx.)
Grave, inward-moving, with a ‘secret birth’ feeling; strong mid-line pauses suit contemplation.
Turns attention inward; gives confidence that the flame is present even when not felt outwardly.
- उत्तानायाम् (uttānāyām)
- Literal: in the outstretched/spread-open (one). Symbolic: the being opened in receptivity and surrender
- सुसूतम् (su-sūtam)
- Literal: well-born, well-generated. Symbolic: a pure flame of aspiration, rightly kindled
- गर्भः (garbhaḥ)
- Literal: embryo. Symbolic: seed of transformation growing within the nature
- पुरुपेशासु (purupeśāsu)
- Literal: in many-formed shapes. Symbolic: multiple functions of Agni across planes—thought, emotion, vitality, body
- शिरिणायाम् (śiriṇāyām)
- Literal: in hard ground. Symbolic: dense physical resistance; inertia of embodied nature
- अक्तुना (aktunā)
- Literal: by night/darkness. Symbolic: subconscient obscurity, ignorance
- मह॑ोभिः (mahobhiḥ)
- Literal: by great powers. Symbolic: support of higher Shakti/forces aiding the inner fire
- अपरिवृतः (aparīvṛtaḥ)
- Literal: uncovered, not veiled. Symbolic: conscious will remaining unhidden in adverse conditions
- प्रचेताः (pracetāḥ)
- Literal: conscious, foreknowing. Symbolic: inner guidance, vigilant awareness
Agni’s conception/birth imagery used for kindling and for contemplative identification of fire as hidden embryo in matter; supports rites emphasizing ignition and continuity of the fire.
When emphasizing Agni’s birth/installation and his hidden dwelling in materials
Kindling, placing fire, acknowledging latent fire in fuel; offering to strengthen it
For periods of dullness or ‘dark night’: repeat to remember the inner fire is already there, embryo-like, supported by greater powers.
uttāna ‘outstretched’ from ud-√tan (stretch out): altar/body laid open. su-sūta from su + √sū (to beget/press forth): well-produced. garbha ‘embryo’ from √gṛbh/√grab? ‘seize/hold’ (etymology debated), sense ‘contained seed’. peśas ‘form, shape, adornment’ (puru-peśas = many-formed). śiriṇa ‘hard/firm’ (rare; denotes resistant ground). aktú ‘night’ (dark time). mahás ‘great power’ (also ‘light’ in some contexts). pra-cetā from pra-√cit: forward perceiver, conscious.
Latent divinity in matter (garbha), Revelation from obscurity (aktú → aparīvṛta), Consciousness-force (pracetas)
Agni as garbha shapes forms according to ṛta from within the many-formed creation.
Aparīvṛta: truth-consciousness not veiled even in night/matter.
Secret fire as embryo in many forms—consciousness involved in matter and evolving outward.
Evolutionary symbolism (consciousness in matter; Aurobindonian involution/evolution).
night
Hard ground = tamasic inertia; night = subconscient; embryo = psychic seed; outstretched = openness; great powers = higher Shakti sustaining growth.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Agni as the hidden embryo in many forms, generated in the outstretched field: the fire is conceived within matter and revealed even amid hardness and night. Psychologically, the divine will is latent within the resistant substance of the being; through great powers it becomes uncovered and dwells as conscious guidance (pracetas).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √tan (uttāna) reflects PIE *ten- ‘stretch’ (cf. Latin tendere). √bhū (bhuvat) reflects PIE *bʰuH- ‘become, be’ (cf. English be). pra-√cit (pracetas) connects to PIE *ḱeyt-/*ḱei- ‘perceive’ in broad sense, though exact alignment is complex; the semantic of noticing/knowing is pan-IE.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi contemplates Agni not only as ritual flame but as the indwelling seed of consciousness in the ‘outstretched’ human field. The relationship becomes initiatory: by generating the well-born fire, the practitioner collaborates in revealing the hidden divine within resistant nature.
Contemplate the ‘embryo-fire’ in the body and subconscient; trust its steady growth.
svādhiṣṭhāna (womb/seed) and maṇipūra (fire)
slow diaphragmatic breathing; on inhale feel openness (uttāna), on exhale feel a small ember glowing steadily
inward, persevering, quietly luminous
When the mind feels ‘hard’ or ‘night-like,’ place attention in the lower abdomen/solar plexus; repeat gently, affirming: the conscious fire dwells uncovered, supported by greater powers.
Keep Vedic accents crisp on marked syllables (उ॒त्ता॒नाया॑म्; पु॑रु॒पेशा॑सु; प्रचे॑ताः).
Let the first pada open wide (uttānāyām) and the later padas settle into a quiet certainty; avoid dramatic rises that break the contemplative tone.
Retroflex ‘ṇ’ in uttānāyām; keep long ā’s steady, In aparīvṛtaḥ, articulate ‘vṛ’ clearly without swallowing the vowel, Maintain ‘c’ clarity in pracetāḥ, not ‘pracheta’
low, steady, inward; like guarding an ember
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