Rig Veda 3.9.5: Mandala 3, Sukta 9, Mantra 5
Sukta 3.9
- Rishi
- Gāthina Viśvāmitra
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
ससृवांसमिव त्मनाग्निमित्था तिरोहितम् । ऐनं नयन्मातरिश्वा परावतो देवेभ्यो मथितं परि ॥
sasṛvā́ṃsam iva tmánāgním itthā́ tiróhitaṃ | áinaṃ nayan mātáriśvā parāváto devébhyo mathitáṃ pári ||
اپنی فطرت سے بہنے والے کی طرح، ایسا اگنی تھا - اس طرح چھپا ہوا۔ ماتریشون نے اسے دور سے لایا، دیوتاؤں کے لیے نکالا اور یہاں لایا۔
Word by Word
- ससृवांसम्
- (him) having flowed/streamed forthAdjective/Participleपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (उपमान-रूपेण ‘अग्निम्’ विशेषयति)Root सृ (धातु) → ससृवांस् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
- इव
- like, asIndeclinableउपमा-अव्ययRoot इव
- त्मना
- by (his) own self; of himselfNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करणRoot त्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- अग्निम्
- Agni (the fire)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- इत्था
- thus, in this mannerIndeclinableरीति/प्रकार-अव्ययRoot इत्था
- तिरोहितम्
- hidden, concealedAdjective/Participleपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (अग्निम् विशेषयति)Root तिरस् + √धा/√हि (निहित ‘हित’), प्रातिपदिक: तिरोहित
- एनम्
- him (that one)Pronounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- नयन्
- leading, bringingVerb (participle)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (कर्तरि)Role कर्ताRoot नी (धातु) → नयत्/नयन्
- मातरिश्वा
- Mātariśvan (the bringer of fire)Noun (proper name)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्ताRoot मातरिश्वन् (प्रातिपदिक; देव-नाम)
- परावतः
- from afar; from the distant regionNoun/Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग (परावती-भाव), पञ्चमी, एकवचन (वेदे ‘परावतः’)Role अपादानRoot परावत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- देवेभ्यः
- to/for the godsNounपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, बहुवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- मथितम्
- churned forth, produced by frictionParticipleपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (अग्निम्/एनम् विशेषयति)Root मथ् (धातु) → मथित
- परि
- around; forth (as intensifier)Indeclinable (preverb) / adverbउपसर्ग/अव्ययRoot परि
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: ससृवांसम् इव त्मना अग्निम् इत्था तिरोहितम् । एनम् नयन् मातरिश्वा परावतः देवेभ्यः मथितम् परि ॥ 1) अग्निमि॒त्था = अग्निम् + इत्था (म् + इ → मि)
- 2) ऐनं॑ = एनम् (ए-प्रारम्भः; संहितायां दीर्घ/वृद्धि-प्रयोगः)
- 3) नयन्मातरिश्वा = नयन् + मातरिश्वा (अनुस्वार/नकार-सन्धि)
- 4) परा॒वतो॑ दे॒वेभ्यो॑ = परावतः + देवेभ्यः (विसर्ग-सन्धिः; उच्चारणे ओ-प्रभावः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
As one flowing by its own nature, so was Agni—thus hidden. Mātariśvan led him from the far beyond, churned out for the gods and brought here.
Inner meaning
The divine Will has an inherent movement (tmanā—by its own law), but it can be veiled in the human being. Mātariśvan (the life-breath/force that moves between worlds) retrieves this hidden fire from the ‘far beyond’—from remote planes or from deep concealment—and ‘churns’ it out: through friction, tapas, and disciplined aspiration, the flame is made manifest and offered to the inner gods (illumined powers) for the work of transformation.
Universal truth
Spiritual power is native to our being yet often concealed. Through the right intermediary force—aspiration-breath, disciplined effort, and inner friction—latent divinity is brought forth for the higher faculties to act.
Themes
Mātariśvan brings Agni, hidden-to-manifest transition, inner kindling
The seer
- Rishi
- Gāthina Viśvāmitra
- Lineage
- Viśvāmitra (Gāthin lineage)
- 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, RV 3.9
Family tradition
A seer-line that frequently encodes inner yoga in mythic images (bringing fire, releasing waters/light).
Significance
The verse crystallizes a core Vedic psychology: concealed Agni is recovered by a mediating force (Mātariśvan) through ‘churning’—the yogic friction that births flame.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni (with Mātariśvan as agent)
- Epithets
- tirohitam (hidden), sasṛvāṃsam (self-flowing)
- Related deities
- Vāyu (breath-wind affinity), Indra (illumination that uses the fire), Soma (delight that feeds the flame)
Cosmic role
Agni is the immanent divine energy; Mātariśvan is the carrier between worlds who establishes Agni for the gods’ work.
Inner power
Agni: transformative will and discernment; Mātariśvan: prāṇic/psychic messenger that draws down and distributes the fire.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni kindling (araṇi-manthana) symbolism; Śrauta fire-production and invocation; household agnyādhāna themes.
स॒सृ॒वांस॑मिव॒ त्मना॒ग्निमि॒त्था ति॒रोहि॑तम् । ऐनं॑ नयन्मात॒रिश्वा॑ परा॒वतो॑ दे॒वेभ्यो॑ मथि॒तं परि॑ ॥
स॒सृ॒वांस॑म्ऽइव । त्मना॑ । अ॒ग्निम् । इ॒त्था । ति॒रःऽहि॑तम् । आ । ए॒न॒म् । न॒य॒त् । मा॒त॒रिश्वा॑ । प॒रा॒ऽवतः॑ । दे॒वेभ्यः॑ । म॒थि॒तम् । परि॑ ॥
sasṛvāṃsam-iva | tmanā | agnim | itthā | tiraḥ-hitam | ā | enam | nayat | mātar iśvā | parāvataḥ | devebhyaḥ | mathitam | pari
44
4 × ~11 syllables
Fluid first movement (flowing) followed by a strong productive cadence (churning/bringing).
Creates a felt transition from concealed potential to manifest flame; energizing for kindling aspiration.
- sasṛvāṃsam
- Literal: flowing, streaming. Symbolic: spontaneous self-movement of the divine force when unobstructed
- tmanā
- Literal: by itself, by its own nature. Symbolic: svabhāva of the soul-force; intrinsic law of consciousness
- tirohitam
- Literal: hidden, concealed. Symbolic: veiled Agni in subconscient or covered by ignorance
- Mātariśvā
- Literal: Mātariśvan (mythic bringer of fire). Symbolic: prāṇa/inner messenger-force that brings down and kindles spiritual fire
- parāvataḥ
- Literal: from afar, from the far region. Symbolic: remote planes of consciousness or deep involuted source
- mathitam
- Literal: churned, produced by friction. Symbolic: tapas; practice that generates revelation through concentrated effort
- devebhyaḥ
- Literal: for the gods. Symbolic: for the illumined powers—clarity, strength, joy, wideness
Araṇi-manthana (churning/kindling) symbolism; legitimises the rite as reenactment of the primordial fetching of Agni
When establishing or renewing the sacred fire; mythic recollection of Agni’s ‘bringing’ to the gods.
Churning/lighting; offering ghee; inviting Agni as messenger.
Before practice, use as a ‘kindling mantra’: pair with breath awareness to awaken inner heat and clarity.
mathitám from √math is the technical verb for fire produced by friction (araṇi). tiróhita (tiras + hita) expresses ‘placed behind/hidden’. Mātariśvan functions as mediator: in inner terms, the prāṇic force ‘leads’ the latent will-fire from parāvat (remote plane) into manifestation for the devāḥ (powers of consciousness).
manifestation from concealment, mediating breath-force (prāṇa) as bringer of will, devāḥ as powers sustained by inner fire
Mātariśvan ‘leads’ Agni along the right path from parāvataḥ into the human field.
The hidden truth-force becomes manifest, not fabricated—revealed by right effort.
Fire born from churning; emergence of consciousness from concealment through tapas.
Yoga-tapas oriented Vedic psychology; aligns with Aurobindo’s involution/evolution schema.
Flow = natural movement of consciousness; wind = prāṇa that mediates; churning = disciplined practice generating inner heat; far region = higher or deeper source-plane.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The Promethean Vedic myth: Mātariśvan brings the hidden Agni from the far realm, produced by churning. Psychologically, the life-breath retrieves the latent divine will from the subconscient/remote beyond and installs it for the gods (higher faculties) to feed upon.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √nī ‘lead’ relates to PIE *h₁ney- ‘lead’ (Latin dūcō is different root; but *h₁ney- appears in various IE ‘lead’ formations). √sṛ ‘flow’ connects to PIE *sreu- ‘flow’ (cf. English stream). √math ‘churn’ is Indo-Iranian technical vocabulary for friction/kindling, reflecting shared ritual technology.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi recalls the divine precedent that authorises his own practice: Agni can be brought because it has been brought before. The human act of kindling aligns with Mātariśvan’s archetypal action; thus the seeker participates in a cosmic retrieval rather than merely lighting a physical fire.
Kindling the hidden will through prāṇa and tapas.
Maṇipūra (inner fire) supported by Anāhata (breath-messenger quality)
Ujjāyī or bhastrikā-lite (gentle) 20–30 breaths, then silent attention at navel flame.
From latency/covering to awakened dynamic aspiration.
Feel the breath as Mātariśvan carrying a spark from ‘far beyond’ into the heart/navel; with each exhale, ‘churn’ gently—steady effort without strain—until warmth and clarity arise.
Maintain Vedic accents per Saṃhitā; emphasize the lift on marked syllables; allow a slight swell on 'mātariśvā'.
Keep compounds clear: tirohitam (ti-ro-hi-tam) without swallowing vowels; pause lightly at pāda ends.
Retroflex ṭ in itthā with aspiration on th., tirohitam: short i vowels, clear h., mātariśvā: long ā; palatal ś., mathitam: aspirate th distinctly.
Bright, kindling tone; slightly more energetic on the ‘bringing’ half of the verse.
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