Rig Veda 3.2.13: Mandala 3, Sukta 2, Mantra 13
Sukta 3.2
ऋतावानं यज्ञियं विप्रमुक्थ्यमा यं दधे मातरिश्वा दिवि क्षयम् । तं चित्रयामं हरिकेशमीमहे सुदीतिमग्निं सुविताय नव्यसे ॥
ṛtā́vānaṃ yajñíyaṃ vípram ukthyàm ā́ yaṃ dadhé mātáriśvā diví kṣáyam | táṃ citrá-yāmam hárikeśam īmahe sudī́tim agníṃ suvitā́ya návyase ||
เราทั้งหลายแสวงหาและอัญเชิญอัคนี (Agni) องค์นั้น—ผู้ทรงฤตะ (ṛta: สัจจะและระเบียบ), ผู้ควรแก่ยัญพิธี, ฤๅษีผู้มีญาณ และผู้คู่ควรแก่บทสรรเสริญ—ผู้ซึ่งมาตริศวาน (Mātariśvan) ได้สถาปนาไว้เป็นที่พำนักในสวรรค์ เราวอนขออัคนีผู้ไปได้หลายทาง ผู้มีเกศาทอง ผู้ส่องสว่างดี เพื่อสุวิตา (suvitā: ความสำเร็จอันราบรื่น/ทางอันเป็นมงคล) ที่ใหม่ยิ่งและกว้างไกลยิ่ง
Invocatory verse recalling Mātariśvan’s bringing/establishing of fire; used to sacralize Agni as heavenly-linked and to pray for suvitā (right progress) in rite and life.
Rita (Truth-Order), Mātariśvan as mediator (breath/force), Suvitā (right progress)
Agni is explicitly ‘ṛtāvān’: the force that makes inner movements conform to the true law.
‘Divi kṣayam’ suggests Satya established above the ordinary mind as a stable seat.
Fire is brought and installed from the hidden (by Mātariśvan) into the luminous plane—an archetype of manifestation of consciousness.
Vedic integral psychology: prāṇa installs will in higher mind; mantra as inspired speech (vak) allied to Ṛta.
dawn-to-morning transition (implied by golden light and ‘new progress’)
Wind = prāṇa moving the will; golden hair = rays of knowledge; heavenly dwelling = stable higher poise of consciousness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The Mātariśvan fire-bringing/installing motif: the divine flame is established in the heavenly dwelling and then invoked for human progress. Psychologically, the mediating life-force brings the truth-bearing fire into stable luminous consciousness, enabling ever-new advance (navyase suvitāya).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- diví (heaven) from PIE *dyew-; √vid/ukthya relates to the IE poetic tradition of ‘utterance/hymn’ as efficacious speech. The shared Indo-Iranian concept ṛta/aša is a key comparative marker of early IE sacral order.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi ‘seeks/invokes’ (īmahe) Agni as ṛtāvān and sudīti, acknowledging the prior divine installation by Mātariśvan; in return, Agni is called to grant suvitā—right, widening progress—so the human journey can align with Truth and renew itself.
Install Agni in the ‘heaven’ of the mind: hold awareness above habitual thought and invoke truth-order.
Ājñā (clear guidance) supported by Anāhata (psychic aspiration)
Prāṇa-led japa: inhale feeling Mātariśvan (breath) lifting; exhale offering into Agni; brief pause after ‘divi kṣayam’.
Inspired, orderly, quietly luminous; readiness for a new step.
Before meditation, sit upright, feel breath as Mātariśvan establishing a steady flame in the head-space; then ask for ‘suvitāya navyase’—a new right movement—without forcing outcomes.
Maintain crisp udatta on ṛtāvānam and key invocatory nouns; keep the second hemistich flowing to emphasize ‘seeking’ and ‘progress’.
Pause lightly after ‘divi kṣayam’ (installation complete), then resume with a more aspirational tone on ‘īmahe… suvitāya’.
: initial ṛ is vocalic r, not ‘ri’, : ‘yaj-ñi-yam’ (jñ cluster smooth), : ‘mā-ta-ri-śvā’ with long ā, : ‘ha-ri-ke-śam’ clear ś
Clear, luminous, slightly elevated pitch on invocatory words; serene finish.
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