Rig Veda 4.39.3: Mandala 4, Sukta 39, Mantra 3
Sukta 4.39
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Devata
- Dadhikrāvan, with invoked powers: Agni, Uṣas, Aditi, Mitra-Varuṇa
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
यो अश्वस्य दधिक्राव्णो अकारीत्समिद्धे अग्ना उषसो व्युष्टौ । अनागसं तमदितिः कृणोतु स मित्रेण वरुणेना सजोषाः ॥
yó aśvásya dadhikrā́vṇo ákārīt sámiddhe agnā́ uṣáso vyùṣṭau | anā́gasaṃ tám áditiḥ kṛṇotu sá mitréṇa váruṇenā sajóṣāḥ ||
यो दधिक्राव्णोऽश्वशक्तेः समिद्धेऽग्नौ उषसो व्युष्टौ यज्ञकर्माकारयत्; तमदितिरनागसं करोतु; स मित्रेण वरुणेन च सजोषाः स्यात्।
Word by Word
- यः
- who (he who)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम् (सम्बन्ध-प्रत्ययः)Role Kartā (यः = कर्तृ-सम्बन्धी) / सम्बन्धःRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अश्वस्य
- of the horseNounपुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्धः (genitive: ‘of the horse’)Root अश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- दधिक्राव्णः
- of Dadhikrāvan (the divine steed)Noun (proper/epithet)पुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, एकवचनम् (Vedic: -आव्णः < -अव्नः)Role सम्बन्धः (genitive: ‘of Dadhikrāvan’)Root दधिक्रावन् (प्रातिपदिक; अश्व-देवता/अश्व-नाम)
- अकारीत्
- has done / performedVerbलुङ् (aorist), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role Kriyā (मुख्यक्रिया) / कर्तृ-क्रिया सम्बन्धःRoot कृ (धातु)
- समिद्धे
- in/at the kindled (fire)Adjective/Participleसप्तमी, एकवचनम्; नपुंसकलिङ्गे (अग्नौ/अग्नौ इति अधिकरणे) अथवा पुंलिङ्गे (अग्नौ) — ‘समिद्धे (अग्नौ)’Role Adhikaraṇa (locative: ‘when/where kindled’)Root सम्-इध् → समिद्ध (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
- अग्नौ
- in the fireNounपुंलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, एकवचनम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- उषसः
- of DawnNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, एकवचनम् (Vedic form; ‘of Dawn’)Role सम्बन्धःRoot उषस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- व्युष्टौ
- at the dawning / at daybreakNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, एकवचनम्Role Adhikaraṇa (time: ‘at dawn’s breaking’)Root वि-उष् → व्युष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
- अनागसम्
- sinless, guiltlessAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम् (तम् इति विशेषणम्)Role Karma (object complement with कृणोतु) / विशेष्य-विशेषणभावःRoot अन्-आगस् (प्रातिपदिक; नञ्-समास)
- तम्
- himPronounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अदितिः
- AditiNoun (deity)स्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot अदिति (प्रातिपदिक)
- कृणोतु
- may (she) makeVerbलोट् (imperative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role Kriyā (आशीर्वाद/विधि)Root कृ (धातु)
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role Kartā (of implied ‘be/act’) / विषयःRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- मित्रेण
- with MitraNoun (deity)पुंलिङ्गः, तृतीया, एकवचनम्Role Karaṇa / सहकारक (instrumental of association)Root मित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- वरुणेन
- with VaruṇaNoun (deity)पुंलिङ्गः, तृतीया, एकवचनम्Role Karaṇa / सहकारकRoot वरुण (प्रातिपदिक)
- सजोषाः
- in concord / in joint fellowshipAdjective (predicative)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम् (Vedic ending -आः)Role Kartṛ-sāmānādhikaraṇya (predicate of सः)Root स-जोṣस् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘together-in-pleasure/accord’)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (pada-wise): दधि॒क्राव्णो॒ अका॑रीत् → दधिक्राव्णः + अकारीत् (visarga lost before vowel in saṃhitā)
- अ॒ग्ना उ॒षसो॒ → अग्नौ + उषसः (saṃhitā shows vowel coalescence/phonetic joining; underlying loc. अग्नौ, gen. उषसः)
- वरु॑णेना → वरुणेन + (अ) (saṃhitā lengthening before following vowel; here taken as वरुणेन + स-)
- Other words are already pada-separated in sense: समिद्धे अग्नौ, उषसः व्युष्टौ, अनागसम् तम्, मित्रेण वरुणेन, सजोषाः
The meaning
Outer meaning
He who has made the offering/act for Dadhikrāvan when Agni is kindled at the dawn-opening—may Aditi make him sinless; may he live in harmony with Mitra and Varuṇa.
Inner meaning
The verse describes the right condition for invoking divine dynamism: the inner fire (Agni) must be kindled at the dawn of awakening (Uṣas vyuṣṭi). One who performs this inner act—consecrating life-energy to the divine movement—becomes anāgasa (without inner fault), not by moral suppression but by Aditi’s wideness and purity removing constriction. Then harmony (Mitra) and vast law (Varuṇa) become one’s natural atmosphere: action proceeds without inner division.
Universal truth
When action is initiated from awakened clarity and purified will, a widening grace removes inner fault and establishes harmonious, lawful living.
Themes
purification, dawn-illumination, inner sacrifice, harmonization with cosmic law, divine horse-power
The seer
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 4.1-4.3 (Agni kindled as inner leader), RV 4.19-4.21 (Indra and right victory under ṛta)
Family tradition
The Gautama-Vāmadeva stream frequently links ritual moments (kindling, dawn) to inner states (awakening, purification, wideness).
Significance
The seer teaches a psychology of right beginnings: ignite Agni at the dawn-opening, then call the divine force; wideness (Aditi) ensures purity and harmony.
The deity
- Devata
- Dadhikrāvan (with Agni, Uṣas, Aditi, Mitra-Varuṇa)
- Epithets
- aśvasya (horse-power), taturi (implicit overcomer)
- Related deities
- Agni, Uṣas, Aditi, Mitra, Varuṇa
Cosmic role
Dadhikrā carries forward the sacrificial journey; Agni initiates; Uṣas opens; Aditi purifies by wideness; Mitra-Varuṇa stabilize by harmony and law.
Inner power
A coordinated inner system: awakened clarity + kindled will + widened consciousness yields faultless action and stable alignment.
In ritual
Where it is used
Dawn kindling and associated praise; a protective formula for the performer of the rite.
यो अश्व॑स्य दधि॒क्राव्णो॒ अका॑री॒त्समि॑द्धे अ॒ग्ना उ॒षसो॒ व्यु॑ष्टौ । अना॑गसं॒ तमदि॑तिः कृणोतु॒ स मि॒त्रेण॒ वरु॑णेना स॒जोषा॑: ॥
यः । अश्व॑स्य । द॒धि॒ऽक्राव्णः॑ । अका॑रीत् । सम्ऽइ॑द्धे । अ॒ग्नौ । उ॒षसः॑ । विऽउ॑ष्टौ । अना॑गसम् । तम् । अदि॑तिः । कृ॒णो॒तु॒ । सः । मि॒त्रेण॑ । वरु॑णेन । स॒ऽजोषाः॑ ॥
yaḥ | aśvasya | dadhi-krāvṇaḥ | akārīt | sam-iddhe | agnau | uṣasaḥ | vi-uṣṭau | anāgasam | tam | aditiḥ | kṛṇotu | saḥ | mitreṇa | varuṇena | sa-joṣāḥ
44
4 × ~11
Ritual-conditional cadence (‘when… may…’), steady and protective.
Gives a sense of auspicious sequencing: kindle → awaken → consecrate → widen → harmonize.
- समिद्धे अग्नौ (samiddhe agnau)
- Literal: when Agni is kindled. Symbolic: When inner will and aspiration are ignited and steady
- उषसो व्युष्टौ (uṣaso vyuṣṭau)
- Literal: at the dawn’s opening. Symbolic: At moments of new illumination; the opening of higher awareness
- अकारीत् (akārīt)
- Literal: has made/done (the act). Symbolic: Has performed the inner offering: consecration of energy
- अदितिः (aditiḥ)
- Literal: Aditi. Symbolic: Infinite wideness; mother of the gods; freedom from constriction
- अनाागसम् (anāgasaṃ)
- Literal: without sin/fault. Symbolic: Without inner deviation; purified intention and movement
- सजोषाः (sajoṣāḥ)
- Literal: in common joy/accord. Symbolic: Harmonious attunement with cosmic principles (Mitra-Varuṇa)
Recitation connected with praise/invocation of Dadhikrāvan in morning kindling; adaptable to prātaḥ-savana context where Dawn/Agni are prominent (inner reading: dawn-meditation and ignition of will).
At dawn after lighting the fire (or beginning meditation) to seek purity and right alignment.
Kindling (outer fire) paired with recitation; inner intention of faultlessness and harmony.
Use as a ‘pre-practice vow’: light a candle/lamp, chant once, then sit—asking for wideness and freedom from wrong movement.
Key terms: (1) dadhikrāvan-: traditionally a divine horse; philologically a compound with dádhi ‘curd/milk’ (√dhā ‘to place, sustain’) + krāván/krāvan ‘crying, resounding’ (from √kru/√krand ‘to cry out, resound’), suggesting ‘nourishing-and-resounding’ force; psychologically the victorious prāṇic-energy yoked to illumination. (2) aśva (√aś ‘to move swiftly, reach’): not merely animal, but dynamic energy/impulse. (3) āgas ‘fault/sin’ (possibly from √añj/√ag ‘to go wrong/deflect’, semantic field of transgression): inner deviation from ṛta. (4) Aditi: a-diti ‘un-divided’ (root √dā/√di ‘to cut, divide’), the wholeness that releases from limitation. (5) Mitra (√mi ‘to bind, measure’): power of concord; Varuṇa (√vṛ ‘to cover, encompass, restrain’): vastness and moral-law; sajóṣas ‘together-pleased’ (sa- + √juṣ ‘to enjoy, favour’).
Ṛta (right order implied via āgas/anāgas), Aditi (infinite wideness and release), Mitra-Varuṇa (harmony and law/truth)
Living ‘with Mitra and Varuṇa’ is living in ṛta—harmonious truth-law.
Uṣas’ opening symbolizes satya’s unveiling that prevents deviation.
Dawn + fire is the daily re-creation of order; psychologically, each practice renews the inner cosmos.
Aditi as wideness aligns with later Vedāntic infinity; here used as practical psychology of liberation from inner fault.
dawn
Fire = awakened will; dawn = opening insight; Aditi = spacious consciousness; Mitra-Varuṇa = harmonious lawfulness in relationships and self-governance.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘kindling at Dawn’ mythologem: when the Fire (Agni) is lit at the opening of Uṣas, the divine Horse-power (Dadhikrāvan) is invoked/formed, and the aspirant is rendered ‘anāgas’ by Aditi—i.e., the Dawn-illumination purifies the doer so he can stand in concord with the cosmic regulators (Mitra-Varuṇa).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- aśva- continues PIE *h₁éḱwos ‘horse’ (Lat. equus, OIr. ech, Lith. ašvà). Mitra- aligns with Indo-Iranian *mitra- ‘contract/friendship’ (Avestan miθra-). Varuṇa’s encompassing/ordering sense relates to √vṛ ‘cover/enclose’ (PIE *wel- ‘to cover’ is often compared in broader IE semantics). The moral-psychological opposition āgas/anāgas encodes deviation vs. alignment with ṛta.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- A reciprocal exchange: the Rishi/doer ‘makes’ (akārīt) the right act/hymn at the critical liminal time (dawn-kindling), and the Devatās respond by inner rectification and widening—Aditi removes fault (anāgas), while Mitra-Varuṇa establish harmonious truth-relations in the being (sajóṣas).
Right beginning: kindle inner fire in the dawn of awareness; offer your energy to the divine movement; rest in wideness and harmony.
Anahata (harmony/Mitra) with Ajna (dawn clarity) and Manipura (Agni-will).
Gentle ujjayi; on inhale feel dawn opening at brow; on exhale feel warmth in navel; then expand to spacious chest (Aditi).
Purified, widened steadiness; readiness without agitation.
Before speaking or acting, pause for one breath: ‘Is Agni lit? Is there dawn-clarity?’ If yes, proceed; if not, kindle aspiration and wait for a clearer opening.
Triṣṭubh with udātta emphasis on agnáu, uṣásaḥ, áditiḥ, mítreṇa, váruṇena; maintain clear svarita after peaks.
Mark the conditional ‘samiddhe agnā uṣaso vyuṣṭau’ with a slight lift at ‘agnā’ and ‘uṣaso’; soften into blessing tone on ‘anāgasaṃ…’.
समिद्धे: double ‘ddh’—sam-id-dhe (no extra vowel), अग्नौ: ‘ag-nau’ diphthong au, व्युष्टौ: ‘vyuṣ-ṭau’ with retroflex ṭ, सजोषाः: ‘sa-jo-ṣāḥ’ with retroflex ṣ
Warm and prayerful; steady flame-like tone.
3
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