Rig Veda 10.1.3: Mandala 10, Sukta 1, Mantra 3
Sukta 10.1
- Rishi
- Same hymn rishi as RV 10.1
- Devata
- Vishnu appears within an Agni hymn segment
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
विष्णुरित्था परममस्य विद्वाञ्जातो बृहन्नभि पाति तृतीयम् । आसा यदस्य पयो अक्रत स्वं सचेतसो अभ्यर्चन्त्यत्र ॥
víṣṇur itthā́ paramám asya vidvā́ñ jā́to bṛhánn abhí pāti tṛtī́yam | āsā́ yád asya páyo ákrata sváṃ sacétaso abhy-à́rcanty átra ||
هكذا فيشنو، العارفُ بأسمى ما في هذا، وقد وُلِدَ عظيمًا، يحرسُ المقامَ الثالث. وحين يجعلون لبنَه لهم بلهفةِ التطلّع، فإنّ المستيقظين في الوعي هنا يعبدونه ويرتّلون له.
Word by Word
- विष्णुः
- ViṣṇuNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot विष्णु- (प्रातिपदिक)
- इत्था
- thus, in this mannerIndeclinableअव्ययम्Root इत्था (अव्यय)
- परमम्
- the highest (place/state)Adjective (used substantively)नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot परम- (प्रातिपदिक)
- अस्य
- of him/thisPronounषष्ठी, एकवचनम् (पुं/नपुं)Role सम्बन्धRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- विद्वान्
- knowing, wiseParticiple (adjectival)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (विष्णोः विशेषणम्)Root विद् (धातु) → विद्वस्- (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, क्तवत्)
- जातः
- born, arisenParticipleपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (विष्णोः विशेषणम्)Root जन् (धातु) → जात- (कृदन्त, क्त)
- बृहन्
- great, loftyAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (विष्णोः विशेषणम्)Root बृहन्त्- (प्रातिपदिक)
- अभि
- towards, overIndeclinable (preverb/preposition)अव्ययम्Root अभि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- पाति
- protects, guardsVerbलट्, परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role क्रियाRoot पा (धातु, ‘पालने’)
- तृतीयम्
- the third (step/region)Adjective (used substantively)नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot तृतीय- (क्रमवाचक-प्रातिपदिक)
- आसा
- so, indeed; just so (emphatic particle)Indeclinableअव्ययम्Root आसा (अव्यय/निपात; वैदिक)
- यत्
- which, that whichRelative pronounनपुंसकलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्म (अक्रत इत्यस्य)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अस्य
- of himPronounषष्ठी, एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्धRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- पयः
- milk; nourishing fluidNounनपुंसकलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्म (अक्रत इत्यस्य; यत्-सम्बन्धेन)Root पयस्- (प्रातिपदिक)
- अक्रत
- they made, they fashionedVerbलुङ् (अorist), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Role क्रियाRoot कृ (धातु, ‘करणे’)
- स्वम्
- their ownAdjective/Pronounनपुंसकलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्म (अक्रत इत्यस्य)Root स्व- (सर्वनाम/विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक)
- सचेतसः
- the like-minded, of one intentAdjective (substantival, plural)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृ (अक्रत/अभ्यर्चन्ति इत्यस्य)Root स-चेतस्- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘सम्+चित्’ भाव)
- अभ्यर्चन्ति
- they praise, they worshipVerbलट्, परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Role क्रियाRoot अर्च् (धातु, ‘पूजायाम्’) + अभि (उपसर्ग)
- अत्र
- here, in this placeIndeclinableअव्ययम्Role अधिकरणRoot अत्र (अव्यय)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (principal): विष्णु॑रि॒त्था → विष्णुः + इत्था (visarga before vowel)
- विद्वाञ्जा॒तो → विद्वान् + जातः (final -न् before ज becomes anusvāra/ṅ in saṃhitā)
- बृ॒हन्न॒भि → बृहन् + अभि (final -न् before vowel shows gemination/assimilation in saṃhitā)
- पयो॒ अक्र॑त → पयः + अक्रत (visarga before vowel)
- सचे॑तसो अ॒भ्य॑र्च॒न्त्यत्र॑ → सचेतसः + अभ्यर्चन्ति + अत्र (visarga before vowel; final -ि of अभ्यर्चन्ति before अत्र gives -न्त्यत्र in saṃhitā)
- Accent marks retained from saṃhitā are not repeated on the separated padas
The meaning
Outer meaning
Vishnu, knowing the supreme, born vast, guards the third domain. When by aspiration they make his milk their own, the awakened worship and chant to him here.
Inner meaning
Within the Agni-journey appears Viṣṇu—the all-pervading consciousness that measures and upholds the worlds. ‘The third’ (tṛtīyam) is the higher domain beyond ordinary mind—often read as the wide world/step where the Truth-light is secured. Viṣṇu guards this ascent. By āśā (aspiration) the seekers make his ‘milk’ (payaḥ)—the nourishing essence of luminous consciousness—into their own substance. Then the sacetasaḥ (those awake, harmonized in awareness) can truly chant and adore from within that state.
Universal truth
Aspiration opens access to higher consciousness; when its nourishing essence becomes our own, worship becomes spontaneous alignment rather than mere ceremony.
Themes
Vishnu strides / third step, Vastness (bṛhat), Aspiration and nourishment, Inner worship
The seer
- Rishi
- Same hymn seer as RV 10.1 (Anukramaṇī varies by tradition).
- Other hymns
- RV 1.154 (Viṣṇu’s three steps), RV 1.22.17-21 (Viṣṇu and the highest step), RV 5.3 (Agni’s widening)
Family tradition
The inclusion of Viṣṇu within an Agni hymn reflects the Vedic unity of powers: Agni awakens and leads; Viṣṇu upholds the wide steps of ascent.
Significance
The seer links inner kindling (Agni) with cosmic pervasion (Viṣṇu): awakening must be stabilized in a higher ‘wide’ domain guarded by the pervading consciousness.
The deity
- Devata
- Viṣṇu
- Epithets
- paramam asya vidvān (knower of the supreme), bṛhat (vast), goptṛ of tṛtīya (guardian of the third)
- Related deities
- Agni (leader of ascent), Sūrya (highest step often linked to solar truth), Indra (illumination-force that breaks coverings)
Cosmic role
Upholder and measurer of the worlds; guardian of the highest step where the sun of truth is established.
Inner power
Vastness and stable wideness of consciousness; protection of the ascent from falling back into limitation.
In ritual
Where it is used
Viṣṇu stuti within soma rites; also recited in contexts invoking Viṣṇu’s steps (broad śrauta usage).
विष्णु॑रि॒त्था प॑र॒मम॑स्य वि॒द्वाञ्जा॒तो बृ॒हन्न॒भि पा॑ति तृ॒तीय॑म् । आ॒सा यद॑स्य॒ पयो॒ अक्र॑त॒ स्वं सचे॑तसो अ॒भ्य॑र्च॒न्त्यत्र॑ ॥
विष्णुः॑ । इ॒त्था । प॒र॒मम् । अ॒स्य॒ । वि॒द्वान् । जा॒तः । बृ॒हन् । अ॒भि । पा॒ति॒ । तृ॒तीय॑म् । आ॒सा । यत् । अ॒स्य॒ । पयः॑ । अक्र॑त । स्वम् । सऽचे॑तसः । अ॒भि । अ॒र्च॒न्ति॒ । अत्र॑ ॥
viṣṇuḥ | itthā | paramam | asya | vidvān | jātaḥ | bṛhan | abhi | pāti | tṛtīyam | āsā | yat | asya | payaḥ | akrata | svam | sa-cetasaḥ | abhi | arcanti | atra
44
4×11 (approx.)
Broad, measured, ‘guarding’ cadence; less fiery, more expansive
Invokes wideness and protection; steadies the mind into a spacious, uplifted poise.
- विष्णुः (viṣṇuḥ)
- Literal: Vishnu, the pervader. Symbolic: all-pervading consciousness that supports and measures the ascent
- परमम् (paramam)
- Literal: the supreme. Symbolic: highest truth-domain; summit of consciousness
- तृतीयम् (tṛtīyam)
- Literal: the third. Symbolic: third step/world: higher plane beyond mind; wide truth-consciousness
- आसा (āsā)
- Literal: by hope/aspiration. Symbolic: upward longing that draws higher nourishment
- पयः (payaḥ)
- Literal: milk. Symbolic: nourishing essence of luminous consciousness/bliss
- सचेतसः (sacetasaḥ)
- Literal: conscious, awakened. Symbolic: integrated awareness; mind made fit to receive truth
Integrative theology within Agni hymn: links Agni’s birth with Vishnu’s vast guardianship; used in recitations that connect fire, space, and higher steps (Vishnu-stride symbolism).
During soma-yajña sequences where Viṣṇu is praised; or as a supporting verse in Agni-led invocations
Recitation accompanying offerings that affirm the ‘steps’/worlds and protection of the rite
Meditation for stabilizing in ‘wideness’: use when the mind is narrow or anxious; cultivate a guarded spaciousness.
víṣṇu is traditionally from √viṣ ‘pervade’ (wide-pervading), aligned with the ‘stride’ imagery across RV. paramá from para ‘beyond’ → ‘highest’. vidvā́n is perfect participle of √vid ‘know’ (PIE *weid- ‘see/know’; Eng wit). tṛtī́ya ‘third’ from tri ‘three’ (PIE *tréyes). páyas ‘milk’ from √pā ‘nourish/drink’ semantic field; in Vedic symbolism milk often denotes a refined nourishing essence of light/force.
Third realm/step (tṛtīya) as higher consciousness, Paramam (supreme) as goal, Sacetas (awakened awareness)
Viṣṇu ‘measures’ and guards the ordered ascent—R̥ta as right spacing and right world-arrangement.
Paramam: truth-summit where knowledge is direct.
Threefold world-structure; ascent through steps to the highest domain.
Vedic-Vedāntic bridge: ascent to the ‘highest step’ as realization of vast consciousness.
Milk = nourishing essence of higher consciousness; third step = stable truth-wide awareness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Vishnu’s guardianship of the ‘third’ domain: the stride/step mythos is invoked as a graded ascent—beyond the two worlds into a third, higher station—maintained by the all-pervading power of vastness.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- vidvā́n from √vid reflects PIE *weid- ‘see/know’ (Eng wise, wit; Gk oida). tri/tṛtī́ya reflects PIE *tréyes. The ‘supreme’ (paramá) uses a comparative ‘beyond’ formation common in IE spatial metaphors for transcendence.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi positions the awakened (sacetas) as those who, through aspiration (āsā), make the divine nourishment (payaḥ) their own and therefore can worship Vishnu in the third domain. Devata and human collaborate: Vishnu guards the higher step; the seeker enters by inner opening and sustained luminous nourishment.
Rest in wideness: feel consciousness pervading the body and space; affirm a ‘third’ higher poise above thought.
Ājñā to Sahasrāra (widening upward)
Slow lengthened exhale (e.g., 4 in / 8 out) while contemplating ‘bṛhat’ and ‘tṛtīyam’.
Spacious, protected, quietly luminous awareness
After chanting, pause and sense a vast dome above the head; imagine a guarded threshold to a higher clarity; receive ‘milk’ as a cool luminous nourishment descending into mind.
Maintain clear udātta on viṣṇuḥ and paramam; keep the cadence broad in ‘abhi pāti tṛtīyam’.
Do not clip consonants in ‘vidvāñ jāto’; keep sandhi smooth but intelligible.
viṣṇuḥ: retroflex ṣṇ cluster, tṛtīyam: clear ṛ and long ī, payaḥ: visarga soft at end, sacetasaḥ: keep ‘ce’ as ‘che’ (palatal) per Sanskrit phonetics
Wide, even, soothing; minimal force, more spacious resonance.
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