Rig Veda 3.5.8: Mandala 3, Sukta 5, Mantra 8
Sukta 3.5
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
सद्यो जात ओषधीभिर्ववक्षे यदी वर्धन्ति प्रस्वो घृतेन । आप इव प्रवता शुम्भमाना उरुष्यदग्निः पित्रोरुपस्थे ॥
sadyó jātá óṣadhībhir vavakṣe yadī́ várdhanti prasvò ghṛténa | ā́pa iva pravátā śúmbhamānā uruṣyád agníḥ pitrór upásthe ||
فوراً پیدا ہو کر، وہ جڑی بوٹیوں کی طاقتوں سے بڑھتا ہے، جب وہ اس کے آگے کے بہاؤ کو روشنی سے بڑھاتی ہیں۔ جیسے پانی ڈھال کے ساتھ خود کو سنوارتے ہیں، اگنی دو والدین کی گود میں پھیلتا اور حفاظت کرتا ہے۔
Word by Word
- सद्यः
- immediately, at onceIndeclinableअव्यय (कालवाचक)Role Adhikaraṇa (काल)Root सद्यस् (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
- जातः
- bornAdjective/Participleपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (भूतकृदन्तः—क्त)Role Kartā (अग्निः—विशेषणरूपेण)Root √जन् (जनने) → जात (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
- ओषधीभिः
- with/through the plants (herbs)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot ओषधि (प्रातिपदिक)
- ववक्षे
- has grown/has become strong; has carried himself (Vedic perfect)Verbपरस्मैपद/आत्मनेपद-रूप (वैदिक), लिट् (परिपूर्ण/परफेक्ट), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole Kriyā (मुख्य क्रिया)Root √वह्/√वक्ष् (वहने/वर्धने; वैदिक रूप)
- यदी
- when/if indeedIndeclinableअव्यय (शर्त/काल-सूचक)Role Adhikaraṇa (सम्बन्धसूचक)Root यदि (अव्यय) + इ (वैदिक निपात)
- वर्धन्ति
- they grow, increaseVerbलट्, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपदRole Kriyā (उपवाक्य-क्रिया)Root √वृध् (वर्धने)
- प्रस्वः
- the offspring/issue; the produceNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (वर्धन्ति—कर्ता)Root प्रस्व (प्रातिपदिक; वैदिक—‘प्रसव/प्रसूत’ भाव)
- घृतेन
- with ghee (clarified butter)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot घृत (प्रातिपदिक)
- आपः
- the watersNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग (वैदिक बहुवचन-प्रयोग), प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole Kartā (उपमा-वाक्ये)Root आप् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘जल’)
- इव
- like, asIndeclinableअव्यय (उपमा)Role (उपमान-सूचक)Root इव (अव्यय)
- प्रवता
- by/along a downward slope, along the currentNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole Karaṇa/Adhikaraṇa (मार्ग/साधनभाव)Root प्रवत् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘ढाल/प्रवाह-पथ’)
- शुम्भमाना
- adorning themselves; shiningParticipleस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (वर्तमान कृदन्त—शानच्/मान)Role Kartā (आपः—विशेषण/सहक्रिया)Root √शुभ् (दीप्तौ/शोभने) → शुम्भमान (कृदन्त)
- उरुष्यत्
- protecting, guardingParticipleपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (शतृ)Role Kartā (अग्निः—विशेषणरूपेण)Root √उरुष्य् (रक्षणे; वैदिक) → उरुष्यत् (वर्तमान कृदन्त)
- अग्निः
- Agni (fire)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- पित्रोः
- of the two parentsNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, द्विवचनRole Sambandha (षष्ठी)Root पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- उपस्थे
- in the lap/bosomNounपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot उपस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- सद्यः जातः (पदविभागः)
- ओषधीभिः ववक्षे (ववक्षे = वैदिक लिट्-रूप)
- यदी = यदि + इ (वैदिक निपात)
- ओष॑धीभिर्ववक्षे = ओषधीभिः + ववक्षे (र्-सन्धि)
- प्र॒स्वो॑ = प्रस्वः (ओ→ः पदान्त-स्वर/संहिता-रूप)
- आप॑ इव (पदविभागः)
- प्र॒वता॒ = प्रवता (तृतीया एकवचन)
- शुम्भ॑माना (आपः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)
- उरु॒ष्यद॒ग्निः = उरुष्यत् + अग्निः (त् + अ → द्, जश्त्व)
- पि॒त्रोरु॒पस्थे॑ = पित्रोः + उपस्थे (ः + उ → रु, विसर्ग-सन्धि)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Agni, newly born, is nourished by herbs and increases when they make his forward swelling grow with ghee; like waters flowing down a slope and adorning themselves, Agni expands and protects while resting in the lap of the two Parents (Heaven and Earth).
Inner meaning
The flame of Divine Will (Agni) arises suddenly in the seeker and is strengthened by the soul’s “herbs”—supporting disciplines, purifying tendencies, and life-forces rightly ordered. When these increase the “forward swell” with ghṛta (clarified light of understanding), the will becomes expansive and protective. Like waters that naturally run downward yet become bright and ordered, the life-movements (āpaḥ) flow along the right gradient (pravata) of Nature toward the Truth, beautifying the being. Agni widens in the embrace of the two Parents—Mind (Dyaus) and Body/Life (Pṛthivī)—harmonizing both as the inner priest and guardian.
Universal truth
Spiritual force is born as an immediate spark, but it grows by sustained nourishment: right habits, right energies, and clarified insight. When the soul’s movements flow in the natural slope of truth, the inner fire becomes vast, protective, and harmonizing between higher mind and embodied life.
Themes
nourishing Agni, inner growth, flow of forces, heaven-earth support
The seer
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Lineage
- Gāthina
- Other hymns
- RV 3.1, RV 3.2, RV 3.3, RV 3.4, RV 3.5, RV 3.6, RV 3.7, RV 3.8
Family tradition
Viśvāmitra line of seers; hymns often emphasize the inner conquest and the rise of illumination through Agni-Indra powers.
Significance
Viśvāmitra embodies the transformation from human striving to seerhood; psychologically, his cycle frames Agni as the initiator of inner sacrifice that reconciles heaven and earth in the seeker.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- sadyaḥ-jāta (new-born), uruṣyat (widening/protecting), havyavāha (oblation-bearer; implicit in the hymn)
- Related deities
- Dyaus, Pṛthivī, Āpaḥ, Mātariśvan
Cosmic role
Mediator between Heaven and Earth; establishes the sacrificial order and carries offerings to the gods.
Inner power
Divine Will and aspiring flame that expands the being, protects the journey, and organizes the life-movements under light.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agnyādheya / daily Agnihotra setting and kindling imagery; general Agni-stuti in soma-yajña context
स॒द्यो जा॒त ओष॑धीभिर्ववक्षे॒ यदी॒ वर्ध॑न्ति प्र॒स्वो॑ घृ॒तेन॑ । आप॑ इव प्र॒वता॒ शुम्भ॑माना उरु॒ष्यद॒ग्निः पि॒त्रोरु॒पस्थे॑ ॥
स॒द्यः । जा॒तः । ओष॑धीभिः । व॒व॒क्षे॒ । यदि॑ । वर्ध॑न्ति । प्र॒ऽस्वः॑ । घृ॒तेन॑ । आपः॑ऽइव । प्र॒ऽवता॑ । शुम्भ॑मानाः । उ॒रु॒ष्यत् । अ॒ग्निः । पि॒त्रोः । उ॒पऽस्थे॑ ॥
sadyaḥ | jātaḥ | oṣadhībhiḥ | vavakṣe | yadi | vardhanti | pra-svaḥ | ghṛtena | āpaḥ-iva | pra-vatā | śumbhamānāḥ | uruṣyat | agniḥ | pitroḥ | upa-sthe
44
4 pādas of ~11 syllables each
Forward-driving, expansive cadence suited to growth and widening.
Builds a sense of rising force and protective breadth; supports concentration with dynamic steadiness.
- सद्यः जातः (sadyaḥ jātaḥ)
- Literal: newly born at once. Symbolic: sudden ignition of aspiration/divine will in consciousness
- ओषधी (oṣadhī)
- Literal: herbs/plants. Symbolic: supporting powers of Nature: disciplines, purifying impulses, healing energies
- घृत (ghṛta)
- Literal: ghee. Symbolic: clarified light; luminous understanding that feeds the will
- प्रस्व (prasva)
- Literal: forward swelling/impulse. Symbolic: progressive urge of sadhana; expansion toward the goal
- आपः (āpaḥ)
- Literal: waters. Symbolic: life-energies and flowing movements of consciousness
- प्रवता (pravatā)
- Literal: down a slope. Symbolic: natural gradient of ṛta; effortless right movement when aligned
- पित्रोः उपस्थे (pitror upasthe)
- Literal: in the lap of the two parents. Symbolic: in the embrace of Heaven-Mind and Earth-Body; integration of above and below
Feeding/strengthening the sacred fire with fuel and ghṛta; imagery supports daily tending of Agni and its inner analogue (continual increase of the flame by right substance)
At kindling/establishing the fire and praising Agni as the first power of the rite
Kindling with samidh; offering ghṛta; invoking Agni to guard and widen the rite
Use at the start of meditation or before disciplined work to ‘ignite’ will and align energies with clarity (ghṛta).
vavakṣe: perfect of √vakṣ/√vah ‘to grow/strengthen, increase’ (Vedic usage). óṣadhi- ‘herb/plant’ (medicine/fuel) from oṣa-/uṣa- semantics ‘burn/shine’ in some analyses; in ritual, plants are kindling; inwardly, vital energies that sustain aspiration. āpaḥ ‘waters’ from PIE *h₂ep- ‘water’ (cf. Latin aqua with debated relation; more securely Indo-Iranian āp-). śumbh- √śubh ‘to adorn, shine’—self-brightening of the currents.
growth of tapas (inner heat), right nourishment (ghṛta as truth-substance), protection/widening (uruṣyati as making safe the path)
pravata as the natural descent/ascent of movements when aligned with ṛta; waters symbolize ordered flow.
ghṛta as luminous truth-substance feeding Agni.
Birth and growth of the cosmic fire within the two worlds; expansion that protects the manifested order.
Proto-Vedānta / Integral (Aurobindonian) reading: ascent of consciousness and integration of planes.
dawn/early kindling (implied by ‘new-born’ fire)
Ignition of aspiration in embodied life, nourished by purified energies, flowing in right order toward widening consciousness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Agni’s rapid birth and growth—fed by plants and ghṛta—set within the cosmic family (the two Parents). The waters-on-a-slope simile is the mythic image of forces that naturally seek their course; inwardly, purified currents of life and mind feed the flame so it can widen and protect the journey toward Ṛta.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- āpaḥ (waters) reflects Indo-Iranian āp-, from PIE *h₂ep- ‘water’. √vardh (vardhanti) continues PIE *werdh- ‘grow’ (cf. English ‘worth’ is not cognate; but Latin ‘virdis’ is debated; Germanic ‘werden’ is related to *werth-/*wert-; still, *werdh- ‘grow’ is widely accepted across IE).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi implicitly teaches the method: provide right fuels (óṣadhi) and clarified offering (ghṛta/clarity), and Agni responds by enlarging and safeguarding the inner field. The human act of tending becomes a psychological discipline of feeding aspiration with purified energies.
Ignite and widen the inner fire of will; let life-energies flow in the ‘slope’ of right order.
maṇipūra (fire/will) with support from anāhata (protective widening)
Gentle bhastrikā-like 3 rounds or steady ujjāyī to ‘feed ghṛta’ (clarity) into the flame
Collected, luminous, progressively expansive
Begin with a brief inward offering (intention). Visualize a small flame in the navel rising, fed by clear light; allow thoughts and impulses to ‘flow like waters’ into ordered movement, ending with a sense of protection around the heart and mind.
Triṣṭubh recitation with standard Rigvedic accents: udatta peaks on key verbs/nouns; svarita on following syllables; anudatta as baseline (exact śākha-specific svara requires pada-svara notation).
Lift voice gently on udatta; let svarita glide downward; keep anudatta steady—maintain forward momentum across each 11-syllable pāda.
oṣadhībhir: keep retroflex/aspiration clear; ‘dhī’ long ī, ghṛtena: pronounce ‘ghṛ’ with vocalic ṛ, not ‘giri’, pitror upasthe: pitróḥ with visarga; upásthe with clear ‘st’ cluster, śumbhamānāḥ: nasal ‘mā’ long ā; final ḥ audible but light
Bright, steady, slightly rising at pāda ends to convey widening
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