Rig Veda 8.72.5: Mandala 8, Sukta 72, Mantra 5
Sukta 8.72
- Devata
- Implied Agni/young fire or the seeking force within the rite
- Rasa
- Karuna (compassion) and Shanta (peace)
चरन्वत्सो रुशन्निह निदातारं न विन्दते । वेति स्तोतव अम्ब्यम् ॥
cáran vatsó rúśann ihá ni-dātā́raṃ ná vindate | véti stótavr ambyám ||
ลูกวัวสีแดงเรื่อเดินอยู่ ณ ที่นี้ แต่ไม่พบผู้ใดจะวางมันลง; โอ้ผู้ขับสรรเสริญ มันออกเสาะหาแหล่งกำเนิดอันเป็นมารดา—โหยหาต้นธารผู้หล่อเลี้ยง.
Word by Word
- चरन्
- moving, roamingVerb (participle)वर्तमाने कृदन्तः; पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम् (अन्तर्भूतः कर्तरि)Role KartāRoot √चर् (चरति)
- वत्सः
- the calfNounपुंलिङ्गः; प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot वत्स (प्रातिपदिक)
- रुशन्
- shining, ruddyAdjective (participle-like adj.)पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्; वत्सः इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्Role Kartā (as qualifier)Root रुश्/रुश (प्रातिपदिक; ‘रुश’ = bright, ruddy)
- इह
- hereIndeclinableअव्ययम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot इह (अव्यय)
- निदातारम्
- a giver, bestowerNoun (agent)पुंलिङ्गः; द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot नि-√दा (ददाति) → निदातार् (कर्तृ-नाम)
- न
- like, asIndeclinableअव्ययम्; उपमानार्थेRoot न (अव्यय)
- विन्दते
- finds, obtainsVerbलट् (वर्तमान); प्रथमपुरुषः एकवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्Root √विद् (विन्दति ‘to find’)
- वेति
- goes, hastens (pursues)Verbलट् (वर्तमान); प्रथमपुरुषः एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्Root √वे (वेति ‘to go/pursue’)
- स्तोतवे
- for the praiser / to the worshipperNoun (infinitival dative)चतुर्थी एकवचनम् (दातिवर्थः: ‘for the praiser / to praise’)Role SampradānaRoot √स्तु (स्तौति) → स्तोतृ (कर्तृ-नाम) / स्तोतव् (दातिव्-रूप)
- अम्ब्यम्
- the motherly one (dear lady)Noun/Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्गः; द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot अम्ब्य (प्रातिपदिक; ‘motherly, dear as a mother’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: चरन् वत्सः रुशन् इह निदातारम् न विन्दते । वेति स्तोतवे अम्ब्यम् ॥ 1) रुश॑न्नि॒ह = रुशन् + इह (न् + इ → न्नि)
- 2) निदा॒तारं॒ न = निदातारम् + न (अनुस्वार/म् + न)
- 3) स्तोत॑व अ॒म्ब्य॑म् = स्तोतवे + अम्ब्यम् (ए + अ → एऽ/ए; संहितायां ‘ए’ एव दृश्यते)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The ruddy calf moving here finds no one to set it down; it goes seeking the mother, O singer.
Inner meaning
The ‘ruddy calf’ (ruśan vatsa) is the young Agni—newborn flame of aspiration and will—restless in the human field when it cannot find a stable foundation (nidātāram). It moves seeking the Mother (ambyām): the nourishing source—Soma/Ānanda, or the great sustaining Consciousness (Aditi-like) that can hold and feed the growing fire. The singer (stotṛ) is urged to recognize this movement: when the inner flame is newly awakened, it must be placed and grounded through right receptivity to the Mother-force, otherwise it wanders.
Universal truth
New spiritual aspiration is often restless until it finds its true support in a deeper, nurturing consciousness. Seek the source that can hold the practice—then the fire matures into steady power.
Themes
seeking and restlessness, nourishment and origin, Agni as young flame
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 8.72.1, Rig Veda 8.72.2, Rig Veda 8.72.3, Rig Veda 8.72.4
Family tradition
Kāṇva imagery often uses Agni as a child/calf seeking its mother—psychologically, aspiration seeking its sustaining delight and vastness.
Significance
A diagnostic of early sādhanā: awakened fire roams until it finds the Mother-source; the mantra guides the practitioner to seek nourishment, not mere effort.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni (implied as vatsa) with Mother-source (Aditi/Soma/Ānanda, implied)
- Epithets
- aruṇa/ruśa (ruddy), kumāra (young, implied), jātavedas (knower of births, implied)
- Related deities
- Aditi, Soma, Uṣas, Sarasvatī
Cosmic role
Agni is the mediator and transformer; as child, he is the nascent evolutionary flame seeking its sustaining infinity.
Inner power
Aspiration and will-to-progress that must be grounded in a deeper peace and delight to become steady.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni kindling and sustaining phases; imagery of calf/mother appears in fire symbolism.
चर॑न्व॒त्सो रुश॑न्नि॒ह नि॑दा॒तारं॒ न वि॑न्दते । वेति॒ स्तोत॑व अ॒म्ब्य॑म् ॥
चर॑न् । व॒त्सः । रुश॑न् । इ॒ह । नि॒ऽदा॒तार॑म् । न । वि॒न्द॒ते॒ । वेति॑ । स्तोत॑व्र् । अ॒म्ब्य॑म् ॥
caran | vatsaḥ | ruśan | iha | ni-dātāram | na | vindate | veti | stotavr | ambyam
32
4 × 8 (approximate)
Gentle wandering movement with a tender call at the end.
Soothes restlessness; evokes yearning that turns toward the true support.
- वत्सः (vatsaḥ)
- Literal: calf. Symbolic: young flame/young force; nascent aspiration (Agni-child)
- रुशन् (ruśan)
- Literal: ruddy, shining red. Symbolic: glowing will; awakened energy of transformation
- निदातारम् (nidātāram)
- Literal: one who sets down, establishes, places. Symbolic: grounding principle; stable seat/discipline that can contain the fire
- अम्ब्याम् (ambyām)
- Literal: mother. Symbolic: the sustaining Mother-consciousness; source of nourishment (Ānanda/Aditi/Soma)
- चरन् (caran)
- Literal: moving, wandering. Symbolic: restless seeking of the awakened energy until it finds its source
- स्तोतव्र् (stotavr)
- Literal: O praiser/singer. Symbolic: the aspiring soul that must respond with right mantra and understanding
Imagery compatible with kindling sequences: the young flame (vatsa) seeks establishment and nourishment; also usable as an inner allegory of the aspirant seeking the sustaining Mother-principle.
When tending the fire or invoking Agni’s growth; psychologically, when stabilizing aspiration.
Nourishing/establishing the fire; calling the sustaining source.
For practitioners who feel ‘ungrounded’ after awakening experiences: chant to redirect seeking toward the nourishing base (rest, wideness, devotion) rather than frantic effort.
vatsa ‘calf’ often used for Agni’s young flame imagery; ruś- ‘redden/shine’ marks fiery brilliance. ni-dā ‘set down’ (√dhā ‘place’) gives ni-dātṛ ‘establisher’. √vid/√vind ‘find’. ambā ‘mother’ → ambya ‘motherly’. The line is imagistic and may point to the young fire seeking its source/fuel or the seeker-consciousness seeking the nourishing ground.
Aspiration before stabilization, Need for the sustaining ground (Mother-principle as plenitude)
The fire must be placed within ṛta—right rhythm and containment—otherwise it wanders.
True growth is sustained by the Mother of truth (vast consciousness), not by restless desire.
The child-flame of evolution seeks its source and support to grow into stable power.
Integral-yogic reading: aspiration (Agni) needs the Mother-force (peace/delight/vastness) for permanence.
dawn or early morning (suggestive of newborn fire)
spring (suggestive of new birth)
Calf/fire = nascent aspiration; mother = sustaining consciousness/delight; wandering = unsteady practice; setting down = grounding discipline and inner seat.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘calf seeking the mother’ mythologem: a young luminous force wanders without a stabilizing support and seeks the nourishing origin. Psychologically, the newly awakened flame of will/knowledge seeks the greater source (ambya) that can feed and establish it.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The kinship metaphor (mother/calf) is a common IE poetic device for origin and nourishment. √dhā ‘place’ (ni-dātāram) is a central IE root (cf. Greek tithēmi).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The singer observes and guides the seeking force: by naming the condition (no nidātṛ—no establisher), he implicitly indicates the need to invoke the sustaining power. The devatā is approached through symbolic recognition of the soul’s present state.
Stabilize awakened aspiration by returning to the ‘Mother’—a wide, nurturing peace/delight behind effort.
Anāhata (heart: mothering support)
Soothing exhale-focused breathing; on exhale feel being ‘set down’ into the heart-space; on inhale feel the calf-fire gently brighten.
From restless seeking to held, supported aspiration.
If practice feels agitated, stop forcing. Bring attention to the heart as ‘ambyām’. Let the inner fire be small and steady. Ask inwardly for the support that can contain growth—peace, wideness, sweetness—then resume mantra softly.
Follow Vedic accenting; allow a gentle lift on key words like ‘vatsaḥ’ and ‘ambyām’ (exact svara depends on śākhā).
Keep ‘caran’ flowing; mark a slight plaintive emphasis on ‘na vindate’; soften and lengthen ‘ambyām’.
ruśan: palatal ś, not ṣ, nidātāram: long ā; retroflex ṭ, vindate: clear dental d, ambyām: nasal ‘m’ and palatal ‘by’ cluster; long ā
Warm, tender, inward.
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