Rig Veda 4.2.11: Mandala 4, Sukta 2, Mantra 11
Sukta 4.2
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Tr̥ṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
चित्तिमचित्तिं चिनवद्वि विद्वान्पृष्ठेव वीता वृजिना च मर्तान् । राये च नः स्वपत्याय देव दितिं च रास्वादितिमुरुष्य ॥
cittím acíttiṃ cinavad ví vidvā́n pṛṣṭhéva vītā́ vṛjinā́ ca mártān | rāyé ca naḥ svapatyā́ya deva dítim ca rāsva áditim uruṣya ||
اے اگنی، جاننے والے، ہمارے لیے صحیح تمیز کو پہچان اور جمع کر، اور جھوٹی اور الجھی ہوئی حرکات کو الگ کر، صحیح سہارے کو چننے والے کی طرح، ٹیڑھی انسانی خواہشات کو الگ کر۔ ہمیں فراوانی دے اور شریف اولاد کی بنیاد رکھنے کی طاقت، ہمیں درست تقسیم اور ترتیب دے، اور ہمارے لیے لامحدودیت کی حفاظت کر۔
Word by Word
- चित्तिम्
- perception, insight (as object)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot चित्ति- (√चित् ‘to perceive/notice’ > citti- ‘perception, thought’)
- अचित्तिम्
- non-perception, lack of insightNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot अ- + चित्ति-
- चिनवत्
- he gathered/arranged; he discernedVerbलङ् (इम्पर्फेक्ट), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot √चि (चिनोति ‘to gather, arrange, build; also ‘to discern’)
- वि
- apart, asunder; distinctlyIndeclinableउपसर्गRoot वि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- विद्वान्
- knowing, the wise oneAdjective (participial) / Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot विद्वस्- (√विद् ‘to know’)
- पृष्ठा
- backs, ridges (e.g., of a chariot/animal)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्म (उपमान-आधार)Root पृष्ठ-
- इव
- like, asIndeclinableउपमा-अव्ययRoot इव
- वीता
- woven/arranged; well-orderedAdjective / Past participleनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (पृष्ठा इव) अथवा विशेषण-रूपेणRole कर्म (विशेषण)Root वीत- (√वी ‘to weave/plait’; also ‘to pursue’ in Vedic usage)
- वृजिना
- crookedness, sin, harmNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot वृजिन-
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चयRoot च
- मर्तान्
- mortals, menNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot मर्त-
- राये
- for wealth, for bountyNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot राय्-/राय- (स्त्री. ‘wealth, gift’)
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चयRoot च
- नः
- of us, ourPronounषष्ठी (एन्क्लिटिक), बहुवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot अस्मद्
- स्वपत्याय
- for good lordship/own mastery; for prosperity in householdershipNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (प्रयोगानुसार), चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot स्वपत्य- (स्व + पति ‘one’s own lordship/possession’)
- देव
- O godNoun (vocative)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot देव-
- दितिम्
- Diti (name); (here: a boon/personified power)Proper Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot दिति- (देवी/अभिधान ‘Diti’; also ‘division’ in later usage)
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चयRoot च
- रास्व
- grant! give!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot √रा (राति ‘to give, grant’)
- अदितिम्
- Aditi (name); unboundedness, freedomProper Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot अदिति- (देवी/अभिधान ‘Aditi’; ‘unboundedness’)
- उरुष्य
- make wide/protect/set free!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot √उरुष्/उरु (Vedic: ‘to make wide, protect, set free’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धि-विग्रह): चित्तिम् अचित्तिम् चिनवत् । वि विद्वान् पृष्ठा इव वीता वृजिना च मर्तान् । राये च नः स्वपत्याय देव दितिम् च रास्व अदितिम् उरुष्य ॥ मुख्य-सन्धयः: (1) चित्तिमचि॑त्तिम् → चित्तिम् + अचित्तिम् (म् + अ → म् अ)
- (2) चिनव॒द्वि → चिनवत् + वि (त् + व → द्व्)
- (3) विद्वान्पृ॒ष्ठेव॑ → विद्वान् + पृष्ठा + इव (न् + प → न्प; आ + इव → एव)
- (4) च॒ रास्वादि॑तिमुरुष्य → च + रास्व + अदितिम् + उरुष्य (अ + अ → आ; म् + उ → मुर्-)
The meaning
Outer meaning
O Agni, the knower, gather right discernments and separate them from wrong; set apart crooked mortal impulses as one chooses firm support. Give us wealth and the power for good offspring; grant Diti and protect Aditi.
Inner meaning
This is a direct psychological prayer. Agni as inner knower (vi-vidvān) is asked to perform viveka: to collect true perceptions (citti) and distinguish them from confusion (acitti). He must separate crooked mortal movements (vṛjinā martān)—distorted desires, false reasonings, perverse habits—so the being stands on a sound back/support (pṛṣṭha-iva), i.e., a stable foundation of truth. The seeker asks for rayi (plenitude) and svapatya (a noble posterity): in inner terms, enduring creative power and right formations that continue the spiritual line within life. Diti is right division and ordering—necessary boundaries and discriminations; Aditi is the vast undivided Infinite—freedom and wideness. The prayer seeks both: correct order (Diti) and protected wideness (Aditi).
Universal truth
Transformation requires both discrimination and infinity: the capacity to divide true from false, and the capacity to live in wideness without fragmentation. Right order and boundless freedom must be held together.
Themes
inner discernment, protection from crookedness, plenitude (rāyí), integrality vs division (Aditi/Diti)
The seer
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 4.2.9, RV 4.2.10
Family tradition
The Gautamas are notable for hymns where Agni is invoked as the discerner and organizer of the inner life; Vāmadeva’s voice here becomes explicitly yogic—asking for discrimination, right order, and wideness.
Significance
This verse encapsulates the Aurobindonian key: Agni as inner guide performing separation of falsehood from truth, culminating in the twin attainment of Diti (order) and Aditi (infinity).
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- वि विद्वान् (vi vidvān, the distinct knower), देव (deva, shining)
- Related deities
- Aditi, Diti, Sarasvatī, Bṛhaspati
Cosmic role
Seer-power in the flame: reveals truth, separates falsehood, and guards the infinite (Aditi) while establishing right order (Diti).
Inner power
Discriminative fire (vivekāgni) that purifies cognition and vital impulse; builder of right formations and protector of wideness.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni invocation for right ordering and prosperity; could accompany offerings seeking clarity and protection
चित्ति॒मचि॑त्तिं चिनव॒द्वि वि॒द्वान्पृ॒ष्ठेव॑ वी॒ता वृ॑जि॒ना च॒ मर्ता॑न् । रा॒ये च॑ नः स्वप॒त्याय॑ देव॒ दितिं॑ च॒ रास्वादि॑तिमुरुष्य ॥
चित्ति॑म् । अचि॑त्तिम् । चि॒न॒व॒त् । वि । वि॒द्वान् । पृ॒ष्टाऽइ॑व । वी॒ता । वृ॒जि॒ना । च॒ । मर्ता॑न् । रा॒ये । च॒ । नः॒ । सु॒ऽअ॒प॒त्याय॑ । दे॒व॒ । दिति॑म् । च॒ । रास्व॑ । अदि॑तिम् । उ॒रु॒ष्य॒ ॥
cittim | acittim | cinavat | vi | vidvān | pṛṣṭāiva | vītā | vṛjinā | ca | martān | rāye | ca | naḥ | su-apatyāya | deva | ditim | ca | rāsva | aditim | uruṣya
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4 × ~11
Analytical and separating in feel; the verse moves through paired opposites (citti/acitti; Diti/Aditi), giving a crisp discriminative rhythm.
Clarifies the mind; creates a felt ‘sorting’ and widening—first purification, then expansion and protection.
- चित्ति (citti)
- Literal: perception, understanding. Symbolic: true discernment; right seeing and discriminative intelligence
- अचित्ति (acitti)
- Literal: non-understanding, confusion. Symbolic: false cognition; mixed and ignorant movements
- चिनवत् (cinavat)
- Literal: gather, heap up, collect. Symbolic: integrate true perceptions into a stable knowledge-base
- वि विद्वान् (vi vidvān)
- Literal: knowing distinctly. Symbolic: the power of discrimination (viveka) in the inner fire
- वृजिन (vṛjiná)
- Literal: crooked, perverse. Symbolic: distorted vital-mental impulses; deviation from ṛta
- रायि/राये (rāyí/rāye)
- Literal: wealth. Symbolic: plenitude of consciousness and effective power
- स्वपत्य (svapatya)
- Literal: good offspring, noble progeny. Symbolic: right creations and enduring formations of the soul’s work
- दिति (diti)
- Literal: division, delimitation. Symbolic: right boundary, ordering, discriminative division that supports growth
- अदिति (aditi)
- Literal: the unbound, infinity. Symbolic: wideness, freedom, integrality; the infinite consciousness to be safeguarded
Agni praise in Soma-sacrifice contexts (Agnistoma/related sattras): invocation for right ordering (ṛta) and prosperity; also generally applicable in household fire rites as a prayer for protection and progeny.
When seeking purification of intention and correct performance; also in household contexts for prosperity and lineage.
Recitation with offering while praying for discernment and protection of the sacrificer’s ‘line’.
Use as a discernment mantra before decisions or during mental confusion; journal after recitation: list citti vs acitti movements noticed, then choose one crooked impulse to separate.
cittí- from √cit ‘to perceive, notice, understand; to arrange’; hence ‘formed understanding’ and also ‘collection/ordering’ of thoughts. acittí- privative a- + cittí, ‘absence of right noticing’, confused mentality. cinavat from √ci ‘to gather, select, heap up; to discern by collecting’. vidvā́n from √vid ‘to know, find’ (PIE *weid- ‘see/know’). vṛjiná from √vṛj/varj ‘to bend aside, turn away’ → ‘crooked, perverse’ (inner deviation). rāyí from √rā ‘to give, bestow’ with sense of ‘richness/plenitude’. apatyá from √ap ‘to obtain, reach’ (and/or ‘offspring’ semantic development); su-apatyāya = ‘for good becomings/offspring’. dítí and ádití: diti ‘division/bounded formation’ vs aditi ‘non-division/infinite’; the pair encodes the needed polarity of right delimitation within infinity.
Ṛta (right order through discrimination), Aditi (infinity/integrality), Diti (right division/formation within manifestation)
Agni separates vṛjina from the straight path of ṛta; Diti is ṛta as boundary and measure, Aditi is ṛta as vast law.
Citti is satya-perception; acitti is the false mixture. The hymn prays for satya to be gathered and stabilized.
Creation as right division (Diti) within the infinite (Aditi): manifestation without loss of wideness.
Vedic roots of later Sāṃkhya-Yoga discrimination and Vedāntic infinity; read integrally (Aurobindo): both division and infinity are needed for transformation.
Fire = discerning will; support/back = stable foundation of truth; crookedness = deviation in nature; sky/infinity = wideness of consciousness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythic action is the Agni-power as the discerning knower who ‘separates’ and ‘gathers’—a cognitive/ontological sorting: citti vs acitti, straightness vs vṛjina. This is the inner form of the recurring Vedic myth of recovering light from obscurity: the divine Fire establishes ṛta by distinguishing true movements from perverse ones, and by holding together the complementary poles Diti (right delimitation) and Aditi (infinite wholeness).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- vidvā́n (√vid) continues PIE *weid- ‘to see/know’ (cf. Latin vidēre, English wit). The semantic coupling of ‘seeing’ and ‘knowing’ underlies Agni as ‘knower’ who makes perception effective. The privative formation a-citti is an inherited Indo-European pattern (negating a cognitive noun), enabling a binary of knowledge/unknowing that maps onto the hymn’s spiritual psychology.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi asks for an exchange grounded in ṛta: the human offers aspiration and right turning (invocation), while Agni reciprocates by (1) granting discriminative intelligence (citti), (2) separating the crooked mortal impulses (vṛjina), and (3) bestowing rāyí and su-apatya (plenitude and right becomings). The final request—‘give Diti, protect Aditi’—shows the seer seeking not mere boons but a stable inner order where finite formation is held inside an inviolable infinity.
Viveka and integrality: sort true from false movements, then rest in protected wideness (Aditi).
Ājñā (discernment) with Sahasrāra/upper wideness (Aditi)
3-part breath: (1) inhale—gather citti; (2) brief pause—separate acitti; (3) long exhale—expand into Aditi. Keep gentle, no strain.
Clear, discriminating quietude opening into vastness.
First do the ‘Diti work’: name and separate one crooked impulse. Then do the ‘Aditi work’: widen, forgive, release constriction—protect the vastness from relapse into confusion.
Ṛgvedic accentuation; the paired terms (citti/acitti; Diti/Aditi) should be clearly articulated with distinct pitch emphasis (exact requires pada-svara).
Pause slightly between ‘cittim acittim’ to enact separation; broaden the tone on ‘aditim uruṣya’ to convey wideness/protection.
‘cittim acittim’ keep double ‘tt’ crisp; avoid ‘ch’ sound., ‘vṛjinā’ with retroflex ṛ and clear j., ‘svapatyāya’ keep va as labio-dental v, not w; lengthen āya., ‘aditim uruṣya’ articulate retroflex ṣ in uruṣya.
Clear, discerning, and spacious; end with a widening resonance on Aditi.
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