  A model of the rho-meson as a collective excitation of $q\bar{q}$ pairs in a
system that obeys the modified Nambu--Jona-Lasinio Lagrangian is proposed. The
rho emerges as a dormant Goldstone boson. The origin of the rho-meson mass is
understood as a result of spontaneous chiral symmetry breaking. The low-energy
dynamics of rho, pi, omega and gamma is consistently described in this new
framework. The model accounts for the origin of the celebrated
Kawarabayashi--Suzuki--Riazuddin--Fayyazuddin relation.
