Rig Veda 4.3.10: Mandala 4, Sukta 3, Mantra 10
Sukta 4.3
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
ऋतेन हि ष्मा वृषभश्चिदक्तः पुमाँ अग्निः पयसा पृष्ठ्येन । अस्पन्दमानो अचरद्वयोधा वृषा शुक्रं दुदुहे पृश्निरूधः ॥
ṛténa hí ṣmā vṛṣabháś cid aktáḥ pumā́ṃ agníḥ páyasā pṛṣṭhyéna | áspandamāno acarad vayo-dhā́ vṛ́ṣā śukráṃ duduhé pṛ́śnir ū́dhaḥ ||
Pois por Ṛta, em verdade, até o Touro é ungido: Agni, o varão, com leite sobre o dorso. Inabalável ele caminha, doador de plenitudes; o Touro ordenhou o fulgente, e a malhada — o seu úbere.
Word by Word
- ऋतेन
- by/with ṛta (truth, cosmic order)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot ऋत (प्रातिपदिक) < √ऋ (गत्यर्थ) / ऋत- ‘cosmic order, truth’
- हि
- indeed, forIndeclinableनिपात (हेतौ/निश्चये)Root हि (निपात)
- ष्मा
- surely, indeed (emphasis)Indeclinableवैदिक-निपात (बलार्थ/नूनम्)Root ष्मा (वैदिक निपात) स्म/ष्म (emphatic particle)
- वृषभः
- the bull (strong one)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचनRole KartāRoot वृषभ (प्रातिपदिक)
- चित्
- evenIndeclinableअपि-अर्थे (even)Root चित् (निपात)
- अक्तः
- anointed, smearedParticiple/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle)Role Kartā (as predicate to subject) / Karma (underlying: ‘having been anointed’)Root √अञ्ज् (अक्त ‘smeared, anointed’)
- पुमान्
- a man, maleNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचनRole Kartā (apposition) / ViśeṣaṇaRoot पुमांस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- अग्निः
- Agni (fire)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचनRole KartāRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- पयसा
- with milk, by milkNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot पयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- पृष्ठ्येन
- with the ‘back(-part)’, from the back (as means)Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-एकवचन (पयसा सह) / साधन-तृतीयाRole KaraṇaRoot पृष्ठ्य (प्रातिपदिक; ‘belonging to the back/ridge; from the back’) < पृष्ठ
- अस्पन्दमानः
- not quivering, unmovingParticiple/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन; वर्तमानकाले कर्तरि (not trembling)Role Kartā (qualifier of subject) / ViśeṣaṇaRoot √स्पन्द् (स्पन्दने) with privative अ-; present participle
- अचरत्
- moved, wentVerbलङ् (अनद्यतन-भूत), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचनRole KriyāRoot √चर् (गत्यर्थ)
- वयोधा
- life-giving, strength-bestowingAdjective/Noun (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन (अग्नेः विशेषणम्)Role Kartā (appositional epithet) / ViśeṣaṇaRoot वयोधा (प्रातिपदिक; ‘life-giver/strength-giver’, lit. ‘placing/holding vigor’)
- वृषा
- the bull, the vigorous oneNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचनRole KartāRoot वृषन्/वृषा (प्रातिपदिक; ‘bull, virile one’)
- शुक्रम्
- bright (seed/milk), shining fluidNoun/Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचनRole KarmaRoot शुक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- दुदुहे
- milked out, drew forthVerbलिट् (परिपूर्ण/अनद्यतन-भूत; reduplicated perfect), आत्मनेपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचनRole KriyāRoot √दुह् (दोहने)
- पृश्निः
- Pṛśni, the speckled cowNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचनRole Kartā (subject of ‘दुदुहे’)Root पृश्नि (प्रातिपदिक; ‘speckled cow’, also a mythic cow)
- ऊधः
- udderNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन (वैदिक रूप: ऊधः)Role Karma (source-object of milking) / Adhikaraṇa (in sense ‘from the udder’)Root ऊधस् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘udder’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (मुख्य): ऋतेन | हि | ष्मा | वृषभः | चित् | अक्तः | पुमान् | अग्निः | पयसा | पृष्ठ्येन | अस्पन्दमानः | अचरत् | वयोधा | वृषा | शुक्रम् | दुदुहे | पृश्निः | ऊधः । सन्धि-विशेषाः: (1) वृषभश्चिदक्तः = वृषभः + चित् + अक्तः (विसर्ग-लोपः ‘ः’ before ‘च’, then चित्-समास/निपात-संयोग)
- (2) पुमाँ अ॒ग्निः = पुमान् + अग्निः (न् + अ → न्-अ, वैदिक उच्चारणे ‘पुमाँ’)
- (3) अचरद्वयोधा = अचरत् + वयोधा (त् + व → द्व्, परसवर्ण/संयोग)
- (4) पृश्निरूधः = पृश्निः + ऊधः (विसर्गः before vowel → र्; ऊधस् का वैदिक द्वितीया एकवचन ‘ऊधः’)
The meaning
Outer meaning
By Ṛta even the Bull is anointed: Agni the male, with milk upon his back. Unshaking he moves, the giver of plenitudes; the Bull has milked out the bright, and the dappled one her udder.
Inner meaning
Agni is the ‘Bull’ (vṛṣabha)—the potent, steadfast force of will and knowledge—consecrated by Ṛta. ‘Milk upon his back’ suggests that the fire carries nourishment/essence as a supporting power (pṛṣṭhya): the very basis of action is fed by inner sweetness (payas). ‘Unshaking’ indicates immovable steadiness in tapas. ‘Giver of plenitudes’ (vayodhā) points to Agni’s capacity to build and multiply inner life-powers. The ‘bright’ (śukra) milked out is the clarified illumination extracted from Prakṛti. ‘Pṛśni’ (dappled) is the mixed nature—variegated energies of life—whose udder yields when rightly approached; Agni draws out the luminous essence from the many-colored field of experience.
Universal truth
When the will is aligned with truth, it becomes steady and fruitful: it can extract light from mixed experience and turn it into nourishment and power for the journey.
Themes
consecration by truth, stable divine force, extraction of luminous essence, nature as yielding nourishment
The seer
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 4.1 (Agni’s growth), RV 4.4 (Agni’s strength and illumination)
Family tradition
The Vāmadeva hymns repeatedly depict Agni as the strong, steady power that ‘milks’ light from the cow of nature and releases luminous riches under Ṛta.
Significance
Vāmadeva’s psychology affirms disciplined steadiness: the unshaking will aligned with Ṛta is the condition for extracting śukra (pure light) from the mixed field (pṛśni) of experience.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- vṛṣabha (bull), pumān (male), vayodhāḥ (giver of plenitudes)
- Related deities
- Ṛta (principle), Pṛśni (as symbolic nature-field; also Marut-mother in other contexts)
Cosmic role
Consecrated force of transformation that supports the worlds with nourishment and draws out luminous essence from nature.
Inner power
Steady tapas and executive will that converts mixed energies into clarified light and strength.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni praise in śrauta rites; imagery aligns with dairy offerings and consecration (anointing) motifs
ऋ॒तेन॒ हि ष्मा॑ वृष॒भश्चि॑द॒क्तः पुमाँ॑ अ॒ग्निः पय॑सा पृ॒ष्ठ्ये॑न । अस्प॑न्दमानो अचरद्वयो॒धा वृषा॑ शु॒क्रं दु॑दुहे॒ पृश्नि॒रूध॑: ॥
ऋ॒तेनः॑ । हि । स्म॒ । वृ॒ष॒भः । चि॒त् । अ॒क्तः । पुमा॑न् । अ॒ग्निः । पय॑सा । पृ॒ष्ट्ये॑न । अस्प॑न्दमानः । अ॒च॒र॒त् । व॒यः॒ऽधाः । वृषा॑ । शु॒क्रम् । दु॒दु॒हे॒ । पृश्निः॑ । ऊधः॑ ॥
ṛtenaḥ | hi | sma | vṛṣabhaḥ | cit | aktaḥ | pumān | agniḥ | payasā | pṛṣṭyena | aspandamānaḥ | acarat | vayaḥ-dhāḥ | vṛṣā | śukram | duduhe | pṛśniḥ | ūdhaḥ
44
4 × ~11
Firm, muscular cadence with strong consonantal clusters; conveys steadiness (‘aspandamāna’).
Strengthens will and resolve; stabilizes attention and evokes a sense of consecrated power.
- वृषभ (vṛṣabha)
- Literal: bull. Symbolic: potent, steadfast will-force; virile energy of conscious tapas
- अक्त (akta)
- Literal: anointed. Symbolic: consecrated/attuned to Ṛta; made fit for divine work
- पुमान् (pumān)
- Literal: male. Symbolic: active formative force in consciousness (executive will)
- पयसा (payasā)
- Literal: with milk. Symbolic: with nourishing essence (knowledge-bliss) supporting action
- पृष्ट्येन (pṛṣṭhyena)
- Literal: on the back/support. Symbolic: as foundational support of the being’s movement
- अस्पन्दमान (aspandamāna)
- Literal: not trembling. Symbolic: immovable steadiness in practice, unshaken by impulses
- वयोधाः (vayodhāḥ)
- Literal: giver of vital powers/strengths. Symbolic: builder of inner capacities and plenitudes
- शुक्रम् (śukram)
- Literal: bright, shining. Symbolic: purified illumination extracted from nature
- पृश्नि (pṛśni)
- Literal: dappled, speckled. Symbolic: mixed/variegated prakṛtic nature yielding essence when purified
- ऊधः (ūdhaḥ)
- Literal: udder. Symbolic: source-field of nourishment in nature; reservoir of energies
Consecration and empowerment of Agni; imagery aligns with anointing (ghṛta/payas) and extraction of luminous essence—supporting the rite’s aim of stable, fruitful force.
During consecratory phases or when affirming the stability and efficacy of Agni in the rite.
Recitation accompanying offerings; mental consecration of will to Ṛta.
Mantra for steadiness in discipline: align with truth, become unshaking, extract clarity from mixed emotions.
vṛṣabhá from √vṛṣ ‘to rain/sprinkle, be virile’ → bull as potency and showering force. aktá from √añj/√ak ‘to smear/anoint’ (cf. Latin ungere ‘anoint’ from related IE root). aspandamāna: a- + spand ‘to throb/quiver’ → unwavering. vayas: semantic range ‘vigor, vital power, youthfulness, plenitude’; dhā from √dhā ‘to place’ in compounds → ‘bestower’. śukrá ‘bright’ from √śuc ‘shine, be pure’. pṛśni ‘speckled/dappled’ is a common RV symbol for mixed manifestation; ū́dhar ‘udder’ from PIE *h₁udʰr- (cf. English udder).
Rita as consecrating law, stability (aspandamāna) in sādhanā, plenitude of life-force (vayas)
Ṛta is the consecrator: it ‘anoints’ even the strongest force so it acts rightly, not violently.
Śukra (bright) as satya-light extracted from mixture; truth clarified.
From mixed nature (pṛśni) the luminous essence is drawn—inner creation by purification.
Psychological Veda: consecrated will (Agni) as the engine of evolution of consciousness.
Bull = strong will; Milk = nourishing essence; Dappled = mixed prakṛti; Fire = tapas transforming mixture into clarity.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The consecrated Bull who milks out brightness from Nature: a mythic image of potent divine force extracting luminous essence from the mixed manifestation (pṛśni). Psychologically, Agni stabilized in ṛta becomes unwavering will and draws out pure light and vital plenitude from the embodied field.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- ū́dhar ‘udder’ reflects PIE *h₁udʰr- (English udder, German Euter). vṛṣ- (bull/virile, rain-force) belongs to an archaic IE complex of fertility and showering potency; the bull-as-force metaphor is widespread across Indo-European poetics.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi presents Agni as the empowered inner agent: once anointed ‘by ṛta’, Agni becomes stable and productive, extracting śukra (pure light) and granting vayas (plenitude of vital force). The human aspiration seeks this consecrated stability so the life-nature yields its highest essence.
Consecrate will to Ṛta; cultivate unshaken steadiness; draw clear light from mixed experience.
Maṇipūra (will/tapas)
Moderate ujjāyī to build steadiness; feel ‘milk on the back’ as a supportive cool nourishment along the spine.
Firm, steady, luminous strength.
When scattered, repeat mentally ‘aspandamāna’ and feel the spine steady; offer agitation into Agni; wait for ‘śukra’ clarity to emerge from the mixed field.
Rigvedic accents; keep the long compounds flowing without breaking the meter.
Stress the steadiness on ‘aspandamānaḥ’; give weight to ‘vṛṣabha’ and ‘śukram’.
vṛṣabha: vocalic ‘ṛ’ and clear ‘ṣ’, aspandamānaḥ: cluster ‘sp’ then ‘nd’—articulate cleanly, pṛṣṭhyena: retroflex ‘ṣṭh’, pṛśniḥ: ‘śn’ cluster, short iḥ ending
Full, steady, slightly deeper register; avoid wavering vibrato to embody ‘unshaking’.
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