Rig Veda 2.4.5: Mandala 2, Sukta 4, Mantra 5
Sukta 2.4
आ यन्मे अभ्वं वनदः पनन्तोशिग्भ्यो नामिमीत वर्णम् । स चित्रेण चिकिते रंसु भासा जुजुर्वाँ यो मुहुरा युवा भूत् ॥
ā́ yán me ábhvaṃ vanádaḥ pánanto uśíg-bhyo ná amimīta várṇam | sá citréṇa cikite ráṃsu bhāsā́ jujurvā́n yó muhúr ā́ yúvā bhūt ||
यदा मे वनेषु पनन्तः अभ्वं वर्णं च—उशिग्भ्य इव—नामिमीत, तदा स चित्रेण भासा रंसु चिकित्सति। जुजुर्वान् अपि स मुहुर् मुहुर् युवा भवति।
Praise of Agni’s radiance and perpetual renewal; relevant to daily rekindling and the doctrine of ever-new fire.
measure (mā) as ordering principle (R̥ta), manifestation through varṇa (forms/tones of consciousness), eternal renewal (old/young paradox)
Agni renews the rhythm of becoming—aging into youth—restoring right cycle.
Truth-perception is citra: it holds multiplicity without fragmentation.
Re-creation: the same force repeatedly becomes new, sustaining evolution.
Integral/psychological Vedism: transformation of subconscient nature by psychic illumination.
twilight-to-dawn transition (implied renewal)
Forest = subconscient complexity; roaring = turbulent impulses; colour = qualitative patterns; multicolour radiance = integral discernment; youth = perennial freshness of awakened will.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘ever-old, ever-young Agni’ mythologem: Agni’s radiance measures out vastness and form, and though aging, he repeatedly becomes young. Innerly, the flame of will is an eternal principle that renews itself in each moment of awakening, re-measuring the being into ordered forms of light.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √mā ‘measure’ is PIE *meh1-. √jar ‘age’ has Indo-European parallels in aging/decay semantics (cf. English ‘year’ is not cognate; better to note Indo-Iranian jar-/zar- correspondences). The imagery of measure and form is part of a wider IE poetics of cosmic ordering.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi experiences Agni as the one who ‘measures out’ his vast inner field into perceptible luminous forms; Agni reciprocates by granting discernment (cikite) through many-hued light, renewing the seeker’s energy repeatedly.
Hold the ‘forest’ of thoughts and impulses in awareness; kindle a multicoloured, non-judging illumination that turns them into joy.
Ājñā (integrative seeing)
Slow inhale imagining prismatic light; exhale offering fatigue into the fire; brief pause to sense renewal
Witnessing clarity with delighted energy
Observe repeating patterns (varṇa). Instead of resisting, let Agni’s citra-bhāsa ‘name and see’ them; feel the shift from oldness (jujurvān) to youth (yuvā) as a tangible refresh.
Rigvedic accenting; keep udātta prominence on key images (abhvam, varṇam, citreṇa, yuvā).
Let the first hemistich expand (wider phrasing), second hemistich brighten (slightly lifted tone).
abhvaṃ: bhv cluster clear, vanadaḥ: dental d; visarga ḥ audible before pause, pananta: light nasal n, uśigbhyo: ś + gbh cluster carefully, amimīta: long ī; avoid flattening, citreṇa: retroflex ṛ? (none) but clear tr, jujurvān: repeated ju; nasalization as written, muhur ā: separate muhur | ā
Expansive then luminous; avoid rushing consonant clusters.
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