Rig Veda 4.5.3: Mandala 4, Sukta 5, Mantra 3
Sukta 4.5
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
साम द्विबर्हा महि तिग्मभृष्टिः सहस्ररेता वृषभस्तुविष्मान् । पदं न गोरपगूळ्हं विविद्वानग्निर्मह्यं प्रेदु वोचन्मनीषाम् ॥
sā́ma dvi-bárhā máhi tigmá-bhṛṣṭiḥ sahásra-retā vṛṣabhás tuviṣmān | padáṃ na gór apa-gūḷháṃ vividvā́n agnír máhyaṃ préd u vocan manīṣā́m ||
Khúc tụng ca hòa điệu, có nền đôi, hùng vĩ, mang lưỡi sắc rực; như bò đực gieo giống ngàn lần, đầy uy lực. Agni, kẻ đã tìm ra bước chân ẩn kín của Bò (tia sáng), đã cất lời với ta, nói ra minh triết do linh hứng.
Word by Word
- साम
- together; in unison; harmoniouslyIndeclinableअव्यय; (पदपाठे प्रायः ‘साम्’ = ‘समानम्/सम्यक्’ अर्थे)Role विशेषण-भावे (क्रियाविशेषण) / सम्बन्धRoot सामन् (प्रातिपदिक) अथवा अव्यय ‘साम्’
- द्विबर्हाः
- having two ‘barhis’/two layers (i.e., double-seated/with two expanses)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (अग्निः) का विशेषणRoot द्वि- + बर्हिस्/बर्हा (प्रातिपदिक) ‘द्विबर्हस्’
- महि
- greatly; mightilyIndeclinableअव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) ‘greatly’Role क्रियाविशेषण (वोचत्/प्रेदु)Root महि (अव्यय/विशेषण-रूप; ‘मह्/महत्’ से)
- तिग्मभृष्टिः
- with sharp spear/shaft; sharp-pointedAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (अग्निः) का विशेषणRoot तिग्म- + भृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक) ‘तिग्मभृष्टि’
- सहस्ररेताः
- having a thousand seeds/streams; prolificAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (अग्निः) का विशेषणRoot सहस्र- + रेतस् (प्रातिपदिक) ‘सहस्ररेतस्’
- वृषभः
- bull; the strong oneNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (अग्निः) का विशेषण/उपपद-नामRoot वृषभ (प्रातिपदिक)
- तुविष्मान्
- very mighty; powerfully strongAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (अग्निः) का विशेषणRoot तुविष्मन्त् (प्रातिपदिक)
- पदम्
- track; footprint; stepNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole Karma (विविद्वान्)Root पद (प्रातिपदिक)
- न
- like; asIndeclinableउपमा-निपातRole उपमान-सूचकRoot न (अव्यय)
- गोः
- of the cowNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग (वैदिके उभयलिङ्ग-प्रयोगः), षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (पदं—गोः)Root गो (प्रातिपदिक)
- अपगूळ्हम्
- hidden away; concealedParticiple/Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (पदम् इति विशेष्यस्य)Role Karma (विविद्वान्) के कर्म ‘पदम्’ का विशेषणRoot अप-गूह् (धातु) → क्त (कृदन्त) ‘अपगूळ्ह’
- विविद्वान्
- having found/known; the discovererParticipleपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (परफेक्ट सक्रिय कृदन्त)Role Kartā (मुख्य क्रिया ‘वोचत्’ के कर्ता ‘अग्निः’ के साथ समन्वय/विशेषण-भाव)Root विद् (धातु) ‘जानने’ → वि-विद् (परस्मै) → परिपूर्ण/परफेक्ट कृदन्त ‘विविद्वांस्’
- अग्निः
- Agni (fire-god)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- मह्यम्
- to mePronounचतुर्थी (सम्प्रदान), एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot अहम् (सर्वनाम) → मह्यम्
- प्र
- forth; forwardIndeclinableउपसर्ग; ‘आगे/प्रकर्षे’Role क्रिया-विशेषक (वोचत्)Root प्र (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- इदु
- indeed; justIndeclinableनिपात; बल/निश्चयार्थकRole वाक्य-निपात (उद्गार/निश्चय)Root इदु (निपात/अव्यय; वैदिक-प्रयोग)
- वः
- to you (plural)Pronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी, बहुवचन (वैदिके रूप-समासः); अत्र ‘to you (pl.)’ = चतुर्थीRole Sampradāna (वोचत्) / श्रोत्र-सम्बन्धRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम) → वः
- वोचत्
- spoke; utteredVerbलुङ् (अorist/इम्पर्फेक्ट), परस्मैपद, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole मुख्य क्रियाRoot वच् (धातु) ‘कथने’
- मनीषाम्
- thought; inspired insight; hymnNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole Karma (वोचत्)Root मनीषा (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- संहिता-पाठ: ‘विविद्वान॒ग्निर्मह्यं॒ प्रेदु॑’ इत्यत्र सन्धि-विच्छेदः: ‘विविद्वान् + अग्निः’ (न् + अ → न् अ, लेखने ‘विविद्वानग्निः’), तथा ‘प्र + इदु’ → ‘प्रेदु’ (प्र + इ → प्रे; इदु निपातः)
- ‘गोरपगूळ्हम्’ = ‘गोः + अपगूळ्हम्’ (ः + अ → र् अ)
The meaning
Outer meaning
A harmony-chant, double-based and mighty, sharp-edged, a bull of thousand seed and great power—Agni, knowing the hidden step of the Cow, spoke to me an inspired thought.
Inner meaning
The sāman here is not merely song but the inner harmonization of the being—‘double-based’ (dvibarhā) as founded in two planes: earth-nature and heaven-consciousness, or mind and life supported by soul. Agni is tigmabhṛṣṭiḥ—keen and shining: the will that cuts through obscurity. As vṛṣabhaḥ sahasraretāḥ, he is the fecund force generating countless illuminations and powers. Knowing the hidden step (pada) of the Cow (go)—the concealed track of the rays of knowledge—Agni reveals manīṣā: inspired understanding arising from the soul’s fire.
Universal truth
When inner harmony is established and aspiration becomes keen, the hidden pathways to knowledge open and true inspiration descends.
Themes
Cow-finding (knowledge recovery), Agni as revealer, Mantra and inspired speech, Power and illumination
The seer
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 4.5.1, RV 4.5.2, RV 4.5.4
Family tradition
Visionary-poetic line where mantra (word) is born from Agni’s revelation; emphasis on ‘go’ as rays/knowledge and ‘pada’ as stations of consciousness.
Significance
The rishi presents revelation as an inner event: Agni himself ‘speaks’ manīṣā when the hidden step of light is found.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni (Revealer of Manīṣā)
- Epithets
- Tigmabhṛṣṭi, Vṛṣabha, Sahasraretas, Tuviṣmān
- Related deities
- Sarasvatī (inspiration), Bṛhaspati (word/illumination), Indra (light-breaking mind)
Cosmic role
Seer-fire that discovers hidden tracks of light and brings inspired speech into the human mind.
Inner power
Intuitive revelation through a sharpened will; generative force of realizations.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni hymn recitation; possibly linked to chanting traditions where sāman/harmony is emphasized
साम॑ द्वि॒बर्हा॒ महि॑ ति॒ग्मभृ॑ष्टिः स॒हस्र॑रेता वृष॒भस्तुवि॑ष्मान् । प॒दं न गोरप॑गूळ्हं विवि॒द्वान॒ग्निर्मह्यं॒ प्रेदु॑ वोचन्मनी॒षाम् ॥
साम॑ । द्वि॒ऽबर्हाः॑ । महि॑ । ति॒ग्मऽभृ॑ष्टिः । स॒हस्र॑ऽरेताः । वृ॒ष॒भः । तुवि॑ष्मान् । प॒दम् । न । गोः । अप॑ऽगूळ्हम् । वि॒वि॒द्वान् । अ॒ग्निः । मह्य॑म् । प्र । इत् । ऊँ॒ इति॑ । वो॒च॒त् । म॒नी॒षाम् ॥
sāma | dvi-barhāḥ | mahi | tigma-bhṛṣṭiḥ | sahasra-retāḥ | vṛṣabhaḥ | tuviṣmān | padam | na | goḥ | apa-gūḷham | vividvān | agniḥ | mahyam | pra | it | oṃ iti | vocat | manīṣām
44
4×11 (approx.)
Energetic and image-dense; strong caesuras support epithets piling into a climax.
Produces a sharpening and uplifting; culminates in a felt ‘descent’ of insight at manīṣām.
- sāma
- Literal: chant, melody. Symbolic: inner harmony; alignment that makes consciousness resonant
- dvibarhā
- Literal: double-based, twofold support. Symbolic: founded in two truths (higher/lower), or supported by dual powers (aspiration and receptivity)
- tigmabhṛṣṭiḥ
- Literal: sharp-edged, keen-bright. Symbolic: discriminating will that pierces falsehood and illumines
- sahasraretāḥ
- Literal: thousand-seeded. Symbolic: inexhaustible generative power producing many realizations
- vṛṣabhaḥ
- Literal: bull. Symbolic: master-force, virile power of action and increase
- padaṃ na goḥ apagūḻham
- Literal: the hidden step/track of the cow. Symbolic: secret path of the rays (go) of knowledge in the inner worlds
- manīṣā
- Literal: inspired thought, intuition. Symbolic: revelatory understanding (intuition) spoken by the inner Fire
Mantra of revelation: Agni as giver of inspired speech/insight; recited to invoke right mantra and discovery of hidden knowledge
During praise sequences to awaken inspiration before recitation/offerings
Chanting as invocation of revelation; offering into fire as outer sign of inner ignition
Use before study or meditation: invoke Agni to reveal the ‘hidden step’—the next true movement in practice.
sāman: from √sā 'to bind, join' → harmony; also liturgical chant. dvi-barhā: dvi 'two' + barh 'support/base' (cf. barhis 'sacrificial grass' as a 'spread base'). tigma: 'sharp' (possibly from √tij 'sharpen'). √vid 'know/find' is PIE *weyd- 'see/know'. go 'cow' from PIE *gʷōus; in RV symbolic extension to 'ray, light' is supported by cows as carriers of dawn/light in cow-finding myths. manīṣā: from √man 'think' + īṣā 'impulse' → thought with inspired drive.
Revelation (manīṣā), Hidden knowledge in the subconscient (apa-gūḷham), Generativity of force (sahasra-retas)
The ‘pada’ is the lawful track of ṛta discovered by the seer-fire.
Manīṣā is satya-speaking: insight that aligns thought with reality.
Emergence of light from concealment; revelation as a creative act.
Mantra-ontology of the Veda: knowledge as revealed sound shaped by inner fire.
Bull/seed = potent life-force transmuted into spiritual creativity; cow/rays = illuminations; track = stages of consciousness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The finding of the hidden cows/rays: Agni discovers the concealed 'step' of the Cow (light/knowledge) and then utters manīṣā. This is the archetypal recovery of light from concealment, transposed into inner revelation.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √vid (vividvān) directly continues PIE *weyd- 'see/know', central to Indo-European epistemic vocabulary. go (cow) continues PIE *gʷōus, whose mythic role as bearer of light is widespread in Indo-Iranian poetic tradition.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- Agni is teacher and revealer: the rishi receives not only protection or wealth but articulated insight. The deity mediates hidden truth into voiced understanding—mantra as transmission from divine flame to human mind.
Invite intuitive speech (manīṣā) by harmonizing mind-life and sharpening aspiration.
vishuddha (revelatory speech)
Nadi-śodhana to establish ‘sāma’ (harmony); then silent pause to receive insight
Harmonized resonance leading to intuitive revelation
Begin with balancing breath; feel two supports—steady body and quiet mind. Visualize a bright, spear-like flame in the heart rising to the throat; ask inwardly for the ‘next step’ (pada). Wait without forcing; note the first clear, calm, luminous instruction as Agni’s manīṣā.
Tri-svara; keep rising accents on epithets and a settling cadence on ‘manīṣām’.
Give clear breaks between stacked adjectives (mahi | tigmabhṛṣṭiḥ | sahasraretāḥ).
dvibarhā: pronounce ‘dvi’ clearly; avoid ‘di’, tigmabhṛṣṭiḥ: retroflex ṭ in bhṛṣṭiḥ; final ḥ audible, apagūḻham: long ūḻh cluster carefully; do not drop ḻh, vividvān: dental d, not retroflex ḍ
Bright and edged (without harshness), as if ‘cutting’ through fog
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