Upanishads · Bṛhadāraṇyaka 6,4.22
॥
Devanāgarī
हिरण्मयी अरणी याभ्यां निर्मन्थताम् अश्विनौ तम् ते गर्भं हवामहे दशमे मासि सूतये यथा अग्निगर्भा पृथिवी यथा द्यौः ऐन्द्रेण गर्भिणी वायुः दिशां यथा गर्भः एवम् गर्भं दधामि ते असौ इति
Transliteration (IAST)
hiraṇmayī araṇī yābhyāṃ nirmanthatām aśvinau tam te garbhaṃ havāmahe daśame māsi sūtaye yathā agnigarbhā pṛthivī yathā dyauḥ aindreṇa garbhiṇī vāyuḥ diśāṃ yathā garbhaḥ evam garbhaṃ dadhāmi te asau iti
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
हिरण्मयीhiraṇmayīgolden (hiraṇmayī); of gold; golden
अरणीaraṇīthe araṇis (araṇi, dual — the fire-sticks); the two araṇis; the araṇis
याभ्यांyābhyāṃby which two; by means of which
निर्मन्थताम्nirmanthatāmthey churn out fire (nir + √manth); they churn out [fire]; they get it by friction
अश्विनौaśvinauthe Aśvins (aśvin, dual); the two Aśvins; the Aśvins
तम्tamit; that one
तेteto you; your
गर्भंgarbhaṃas an embryo; the pregnancy
हवामहेhavāmahewe invoke; we call
दशमेdaśamein the tenth (daśama, loc.); in the tenth; in the tenth
मासिmāsimonth (mās, loc.); month; the lunar orb
सूतयेsūtayefor the birth; for the delivery
यथाyathāhow; like
अग्निगर्भाagnigarbhāpregnant with fire (agni-garbhā); bearing fire; pregnant with fire
पृथिवीpṛthivīthe earth; the earthly element
यथाyathāhow; like
द्यौःdyauḥthe sky; the heavenly world
ऐन्द्रेणaindreṇawith Indra's power; belonging to Indra
गर्भिणीgarbhiṇīpregnant; bearing a fruit
वायुःvāyuḥthe wind; Vāyu
दिशांdiśāṃof the quarters; of the directions
यथाyathāhow; like
गर्भःgarbhaḥas an embryo; as a foetus
एवम्evamthus; in this way
गर्भंgarbhaṃas an embryo; the pregnancy
दधामिdadhāmiI place; I put in
तेteto you; your
असौasauthat one; he
इतिitithus; how
Translation
"The golden fire-sticks with which the Aśvins churn out fire — by that embryo we call you, to be born in the tenth month. As the earth carries fire in conception, as the sky is pregnant with Indra, as the wind is the embryo of the quarters, so do I lay the embryo in you — such-and-such a one!"
Version
af3312da4b18 · published Jul 27, 2026, 1:29:38 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
A mantra of summoning the embryo, by cosmic genealogies: the Aśvins rub the golden araṇi (the fire-sticks) — and the child is called as sacred flame is called forth; the earth is "pregnant with fire", the sky with Indra, the wind is the embryo of the quarters: all the great gestations of the world are called as witnesses and as patterns.
And the culmination is the name: garbhaṁ te dadhāmi — "I lay the embryo in you — SUCH-AND-SUCH A ONE": in the mantra a slot is left for the name of the child to be! A child is named before conception: it does not "turn out" — it is called, by name, like a guest from heaven. A person whose name has sounded before his body — that is the Vedic dignity of birth.