Rig Veda 3.8.5: Mandala 3, Sukta 8, Mantra 5
Sukta 3.8
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Vanaspati and the divine powers aiding the rite
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
जातो जायते सुदिनत्वे अह्नां समर्य आ विदथे वर्धमानः । पुनन्ति धीरा अपसो मनीषा देवया विप्र उदियर्ति वाचम् ॥
jā́to jā́yate sudinatvé ahnā́ṃ samaryá ā́ vidáthe várdhamānaḥ | punánti dhīrā́ apáso manīṣā́ devayā́ vípra úd iyarti vā́cam ||
జన్మించినవాడు దినాల సుదినత్వంలో మళ్లీ మళ్లీ జన్మిస్తాడు; సమూహగతిలో, విదథ-సభలో వర్ధమానుడై నిలుస్తాడు. ధీరులు ప్రేరిత మనీషాతో కర్మలను పవిత్రం చేస్తారు; దేవయ విప్రుడు వాచాన్ని పైకి లేపి ఉద్గారిస్తాడు.
Word by Word
- जातः
- born; having been bornAdjective (past passive participle used predicatively)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (with implied subject)Root √जन् (jan) / जात (ppp-stem)
- जायते
- is born; comes into beingVerbलट् (present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole (intransitive) Kartā = the one who is born/comes to beRoot √जन् (jan)
- सुदिनत्वे
- in good-day-ness; in auspicious days/fortunate timeNoun (abstract)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole Adhikaraṇa (locative: sphere/condition)Root सुदिनत्व (सु-दिन-त्व) (prātipadika)
- अह्नाम्
- of daysNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचनRole Sambandha (genitive relation)Root अहन् (prātipadika)
- समर्यः
- the striving one; the combatant/contenderNoun/Adjective (agentive epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot समर्य (prātipadika)
- आ
- towards; untoIndeclinable (preverb)Root आ (upasarga)
- विदथे
- at the rite/assembly; in the ceremonial distributionNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole Adhikaraṇa (locative)Root विदथ (prātipadika)
- वर्धमानः
- growing; increasingAdjective/Participleपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (agreeing with समर्यः)Root √वृध् (vṛdh) / वर्धमान (present participle Ā)
- पुनन्ति
- they purifyVerbलट् (present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole Kartā = subject (धीराḥ)Root √पू (pū) ‘to purify’
- धीराḥ
- the inspired/wise onesNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot धीर (prātipadika)
- अपसः
- works; ritual actsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot अपस् (prātipadika)
- मनीषा
- by insight/thoughtNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole Karaṇa (instrument)Root मनीषा (prātipadika)
- देवया
- in a godly way; with divine (impulse)Adjective (used adverbially/instrumentally)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole Karaṇa (manner/instrument)Root देवया (prātipadika; ‘godward, divine’)
- विप्रः
- the inspired poet/seerNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot विप्र (prātipadika)
- उदियर्ति
- raises; sends forthVerbलट् (present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole Kartā = विप्रः; Karma = वाचम्Root उद् + √ईर्/√इर् (īr/ir) ‘to raise, set in motion’
- वाचम्
- speech; utteranceNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot वाच् (prātipadika)
Sandhi Notes
- External sandhi resolved as: सुदिनत्वे अह्नाम् (no fusion; hiatus), समर्य आ → समर्यः आ (visarga before vowel), विदथे वर्धमानः (no change), धीरा अपसः (no change), देवया विप्रः (no change), विप्र उदियर्ति → विप्रः उदियर्ति (visarga before vowel). Preverb separation: उदियर्ति = उद् + इयर्ति
- also ā as preverb with (implicit) motion toward the vidatha
The meaning
Outer meaning
In the ritual scene, the sacred formation (centered on Vanaspati/wood and the rite’s growing fire/act) is “born” and continually “reborn” into auspicious days; it increases in the common movement and in the assembly. The steadfast priests purify the works by inspired thought, and the god-ward sage raises the Word (mantra) upward.
Inner meaning
The divine formation in us is not a one-time event: the inner Agni/Will is repeatedly re-born into “fair day” states—clear intervals of consciousness. As the seeker enters the collective movement of the faculties (samarya) and the inner “assembly” (vidatha: a gathering of powers), the dhīraḥ (steadfast, established in insight) cleanse the apas (works/energies) by manīṣā (luminous discernment). Then the vipra (inspired seer within) lifts up vāc (the revelatory Word)—the higher vibration that aligns mind, life, and body to the gods (devayā).
Universal truth
Spiritual progress is rhythmic and iterative: illumination returns again and again, each time enlarging the field of action. When intelligence becomes inspired and steady, it purifies action; and when speech becomes true (aligned to the higher), it elevates the whole being.
Themes
purification, renewal/birth, uplift of mantra, collective rite (vidatha)
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha-gotra
- Other hymns
- RV 3.1, RV 3.2, RV 3.4, RV 3.62
Family tradition
Vasiṣṭha family book (Maṇḍala 3) emphasizes ordered inner and outer sacrifice, harmony of powers, and the ascent through truth-speaking (vāc).
Significance
Vasiṣṭha’s vision often presents the yajña as an inner discipline: purification of works (apas), establishment in ṛta, and the rising of vāc as a bridge from human to divine consciousness.
The deity
- Devata
- Vanaspati (with supporting divine powers)
- Epithets
- vanaspati, devayā (godward), vardhamāna (growing)
- Related deities
- Agni, Viśve Devāḥ, Bṛhaspati (as lord of vāc)
Cosmic role
Vanaspati as the living support/material basis of the rite—what is shaped, set up, and made a vessel for the gods’ descent and the sacrificer’s ascent.
Inner power
The stabilizing, formative power in the embodied nature that can be shaped into a channel for higher forces; the ‘growth’ of the divine formation in the field of works.
In ritual
Where it is used
Vanaspati-related preparation within Soma/Agni rites (setting up wooden elements; sanctifying the work and speech of the officiants)
जा॒तो जा॑यते सुदिन॒त्वे अह्नां॑ सम॒र्य आ वि॒दथे॒ वर्ध॑मानः । पु॒नन्ति॒ धीरा॑ अ॒पसो॑ मनी॒षा दे॑व॒या विप्र॒ उदि॑यर्ति॒ वाच॑म् ॥
जा॒तः । जा॒य॒ते॒ । सु॒दि॒न॒ऽत्वे । अह्ना॑म् । स॒ऽम॒र्ये । आ । वि॒दथे॑ । वर्ध॑मानः । पु॒नन्ति॑ । धीराः॑ । अ॒पसः॑ । म॒नी॒षा । दे॒व॒ऽयाः । विप्रः॑ । उत् । इ॒य॒र्ति॒ । वाच॑म् ॥
jātaḥ | jāyate | sudina-tve | ahnām | sa-marye | ā | vidathe | vardhamānaḥ | punanti | dhīrāḥ | apasaḥ | manīṣā | deva-yāḥ | vipraḥ | ut | iyarti | vācam
44
4 pādas × ~11 syllables
Forward-driving, expansive cadence suited to growth (vardhamāna) and uplift (ud iyarti).
Builds a sense of progressive ascent—first establishment and purification, then a culminating lift of vāc; energizes aspiration while keeping steadiness.
- jātaḥ / jāyate
- Literal: born / is born again. Symbolic: recurring emergence of the divine consciousness-force in the seeker
- sudinatve ahnām
- Literal: in the fair-dayhood of days. Symbolic: clear, luminous states of awareness; auspicious inner time
- samarye
- Literal: in the common movement. Symbolic: harmonized functioning of the being’s powers; collective progress of faculties
- vidathe
- Literal: in the assembly / rite-gathering. Symbolic: inner council where powers of consciousness meet and are ordered
- apas
- Literal: works, labors. Symbolic: energies and actions of life-nature offered to transformation
- manīṣā
- Literal: inspired intelligence. Symbolic: illumined discernment that purifies intention and act
- devayā
- Literal: godward. Symbolic: orientation of aspiration toward the higher consciousness
- vipra
- Literal: inspired sage. Symbolic: seer-mind in us that receives and articulates truth
- vāc
- Literal: speech, word. Symbolic: mantric vibration; truth-expression that raises consciousness
Purification and elevation of speech (vāc) and works (apas) within the yajña; relevant to Soma ritual recitations and the formal ‘raising’ of praise.
During construction/arrangement phases and invocations that consecrate implements/supports; as the rite ‘grows’ toward offering.
Purificatory recitation while ordering the field of action and raising mantra-vāc.
Use before beginning important work: a short inner offering—pause, align intention (manīṣā), then speak/act from truth (vāc).
jā́ta/jā́yate from √jan ‘be born, generate’ (PIE *ǵenh₁- ‘beget’; cf. Greek génos, Latin gignō). sudina ‘good day’ (su- + dina; dina from √div ‘shine/day’ complex). vidátha ‘assembly/rite’ (often linked to √vid ‘know/find’ but as a noun denotes ritual gathering). punánti from √pū ‘purify, clarify’. apás (work) from √ap ‘to work/act’ (Vedic apas ‘active force’). manīṣā from √man ‘think’ with desiderative/intensive nuance ‘inspired thought’. vāc from √vac ‘speak’ (PIE *wekʷ-; cf. Latin vox, English ‘voice’). ud-√īr/√ar? here úd iyarti from √īr/√ṛ ‘raise, set in motion’ (causative-like usage).
Ṛta as purification of works, vāc as creative truth-expression, growth (vardhamāna) of the inner divine principle
The ‘common movement’ and ‘assembly’ imply ordering of forces according to ṛta; purification of apas restores right action.
Raising vāc signifies speech becoming an instrument of satya rather than impulse.
Repeated birth into luminous days mirrors ongoing creation: consciousness re-forms itself into higher clarity.
Proto-Vedāntic / integral yogic reading (Aurobindo-Kashyap): ascent of consciousness through truth, will, and illumined mind.
dawn-to-day transition (symbolically: emergence into clear light)
The return of inner daylight: clarity, widened awareness, and purified action culminating in inspired truth-speech.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem of ‘recurrent birth’ and ‘raising the Word’: the divine force is not a one-time appearance but is repeatedly generated within luminous time, and its effective emergence is marked by the upward release of vāc—mantra as the vehicle of manifestation.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √jan (birth) and √vac (speech) are classic PIE inheritances (*ǵenh₁-, *wekʷ-), showing the Indo-European nexus of generation and utterance: being is ‘born’ and is ‘spoken’ into ordered power. The preverb ud- encodes verticality (‘up’) that readily maps to psychological ascent.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi’s role is operative: the dhīras ‘purify’ apas through manīṣā, and the vipra ‘lifts’ vāc. The devatā’s growth (vardhamānaḥ) depends on this human-side clarification and right utterance—yajña as collaborative co-creation.
Re-birth into clarity: observe the mind’s ‘day’ returning; purify intention and action; let speech arise from stillness and truth.
Viśuddha (vāc/truth-speech) and Ājñā (manīṣā/illumined discernment)
Moderate nāḍī-śodhana or 4-4-6 breathing before chanting; feel the ‘lift’ on exhale when voicing vāc.
From active aspiration to illumined composure; a poised, upward-leading concentration.
1) Recall a recent action (apas). 2) Offer it inwardly to be purified by manīṣā. 3) Speak one sentence of truth-intent (vāc) for the day. 4) Act in the ‘common movement’—coordinated mind-life-body.
Mixed udātta/anudātta/svarita as per Rigvedic accent; key lifts often felt on verbs of ascent (ud iyarti) and growth (vardhamānaḥ).
Keep udātta crisp (slightly raised pitch), svarita as a controlled fall; avoid flattening the cadence across pādas—mark caesura-like pauses near syntactic breaks.
Hold long vowels: jāto, jāyate, vācām (vācam) clearly., Retroflex clarity: ṭ in sudinatve (dental/retroflex distinctions maintained), ṣ in vipra not over-retroflexed., Consonant clusters: vardhamānaḥ (rdh) as a single connected cluster; devayā with clear y glide., Final -m in vācam: gentle nasal closure, not a hard ‘m’ burst.
Steady, luminous, slightly upward-leading tone; articulate but not percussive.
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