Sukta 5
Sukta 10.5
Dīrghatamas Āucathya (traditional for RV 10.5)
Mystic One/Agni-Sūrya principle (hymn is enigmatic; often treated as addressing a hidden cosmic principle rather than a single named deity)
Jagatī (probable for RV 10.5; many verses are Jagatī in indices)
يتأمّل هذا النشيد الغامض مبدأً كونيًّا واحدًا مستورًا—يُختبَر بوصفه أغني-سوريا، النار الباطنة والرائي الشمسي—الذي يعضد الوفرة كـ«محيط»، ويكشف الأثر السريّ الموضوع في عين الحياة. ويمضي عبر صور الغذاء المستتر، ومسالك Ṛta (نظام الحقّ/الصدق)، والعناق الكوسموغوني بين الوجود واللاوجود في سعة أديتي، ليبلغ ذروته في أغني بوصفه البِكر المولود من Ṛta ومصدر القوّة والوفرة معًا.
Mantras
Mantra 1
एकः समुद्रो धरुणो रयीणामस्मद्धृदो भूरिजन्मा वि चष्टे । सिषक्त्यूधर्निण्योरुपस्थ उत्सस्य मध्ये निहितं पदं वेः ॥
واحدٌ هو المحيطُ، السَّنَدُ الحاملُ لوفرةِ العطايا؛ ومن قلوبِنا يُبصرُ ذو المواليدِ الكثيرةُ ويُظهِر. يُثبِّتُ الضَّرعَ في المقامِ الخفيّ؛ وفي وسطِ النَّبعِ يضعُ أثرَ/موطئَ الساعي.
Mantra 2
समानं नीळं वृषणो वसानाः सं जग्मिरे महिषा अर्वतीभिः । ऋतस्य पदं कवयो नि पान्ति गुहा नामानि दधिरे पराणि ॥
لابسين العُشَّ الواحد، اجتمعَ الذكورُ العظامُ مع جيادِهم. الكَڤيّون (الرُّؤاة) يَحرسون خُطوةَ ر̥تا؛ وفي الخفاءِ أودعوا الأسماءَ العُليا.
Mantra 3
ऋतायिनी मायिनी सं दधाते मित्वा शिशुं जज्ञतुर्वर्धयन्ती । विश्वस्य नाभिं चरतो ध्रुवस्य कवेश्चित्तन्तुं मनसा वियन्तः ॥
التي تسيرُ بر̥تا والتي تعملُ بمايا تتّحدان؛ وبعد القياسِ تُنجبان الطفلَ وتُربِّيانه. تتحرّكان حول سُرّةِ الكلّ، الثابتِ؛ وحتى خيطَ الكَڤيّ ينسجانِه بالعقل.
Mantra 4
ऋतस्य हि वर्तनयः सुजातमिषो वाजाय प्रदिवः सचन्ते । अधीवासं रोदसी वावसाने घृतैरन्नैर्वावृधाते मधूनाम् ॥
إنَّ مسالكَ رِتَا (Ṛta) لتتعلّقُ حقًّا بما وُلِدَ حسنًا؛ وتلتحقُ الدوافعُ (iṣaḥ) بتمامِ القوّة (vāja) من السماءِ المتقدّمة. والعالَمانِ (rodasī)، إذ يكتسيانِ غطاءَهما، ينموانِ بالسَّمْنِ المُصفّى وبأطعمةِ اللذّة، وبالحلاوات.
Mantra 5
सप्त स्वसॄररुषीर्वावशानो विद्वान्मध्व उज्जभारा दृशे कम् । अन्तर्येमे अन्तरिक्षे पुराजा इच्छन्वव्रिमविदत्पूषणस्य ॥
مستيقظًا عارفًا، أخرجَ للرؤيةِ الأخواتِ السبعَ الحُمْرَ من الحلاوة. وهؤلاءِ المولوداتُ قِدَمًا أُمسِكنَ في الفضاءِ الأوسط (antarikṣa)؛ وباحثًا وجدَ الحظيرةَ الخفيّةَ لبُوشَن (Pūṣan).
Mantra 6
सप्त मर्यादाः कवयस्ततक्षुस्तासामेकामिदभ्यंहुरो गात् । आयोर्ह स्कम्भ उपमस्य नीळे पथां विसर्गे धरुणेषु तस्थौ ॥
سبعُ حدودٍ راسخةٍ صاغها الحكماءُ (kavayaḥ) في الكينونة؛ ومن بينها طريقٌ واحدٌ وحده تعبره الضِّيقَة. هناك يقومُ عمودُ السَّنَدِ للأعلى، في مقعدِه السِّرّي، مُثبَّتًا في إطلاقِ المسالك، في الأُسُسِ الحاملة.
Mantra 7
असच्च सच्च परमे व्योमन्दक्षस्य जन्मन्नदितेरुपस्थे । अग्निर्ह नः प्रथमजा ऋतस्य पूर्व आयुनि वृषभश्च धेनुः ॥
اللاوجود والوجود قد اقترنا في السماء العليا، عند مولد دَكْشَا، في حِضن أَدِيتِي الفسيح. هناك أَغْنِي لنا هو المولودُ الأول من رِتَا (النظام الحقّ)، عتيقٌ في الحياة، وهو معًا قوّةُ الثور وبقرةُ الوفرة.
Inside Sukta 5
How it unfolds
- Where it opens
A single sustaining reality is proclaimed—an ‘ocean’ of plenitudes—known from within the heart and indicated through secret symbols of nourishment and a hidden path.
- Development
The hymn elaborates the concealed mechanics of Ṛta: impulses and powers join the well-born order; Heaven and Earth are ‘clothed’ and grow through ghee, food, and sweetness—images of both ritual and cosmic nutrition.
- Climax
The paradox of asat and sat held together in the highest heaven, in Dakṣa’s birth within Aditi’s lap—cosmogony stated as a unity of opposites.
- Where it settles
Agni is affirmed as the first-born of Ṛta, ancient in life, simultaneously bull (force) and cow (abundance), leaving the listener anchored in a practical-theological certainty: the hidden source is accessible through Ṛta.
The deity: Hidden One
- In the VedaDescribed through paradox and symbol: a single sustaining “ocean” of riches, a many-born knower arising from the heart, who fixes the secret udder in a hidden seat and establishes the seeker’s track within the fountain; aligned with Ṛta’s pathways and with Agni as first-born in Aditi’s expanse where being and non-being meet.
- Cosmic functionTo found and maintain Ṛta (truth-order), mediate between the worlds, and generate nourishment, light, and intelligibility—making the hidden source of plenitude accessible through the right path.
- Inner significanceThe inward flame of insight that turns the heart into a seer: it discovers the concealed ‘footing’ (pada) of truth within experience, reconciles opposites (asat/sat), and transforms desire and impulse into ordered understanding.
The seer
- Dīrghatamas ĀucathyaĀucathya (connected with the Ucathya/Angirasa-associated seer families in later tradition) · A visionary poet of highly symbolic, “riddle-like” hymns that probe cosmogony, Ṛta, and the hidden workings of speech and light; he is especially known for paradoxical formulations and layered imagery.
Famous verses
ekaḥ samudro dharuṇo rayīṇām
ऋतस्य हि वर्तनयः सुजातमिषो वाजाय प्रदिवः सचन्ते । अधीवासं रोदसी वावसाने घृतैरन्नैर्वावृधाते मधूनाम् ॥asac ca sac ca parame vyoman
Attributes of the deity
- One-yet-many (ekaḥ… bhūrijanmā)
- Hidden nourishment (udder in the secret seat)
- Ṛta-path maker (vartanayaḥ of Ṛta)
- Cosmogonic polarity-holder (asat and sat together)
- Agni as first-born of Ṛta
- Bestower of abundance (bull-force and cow-plenty)
Also by this seer
- Rig Veda Mandala 1 hymns traditionally linked to Dīrghatamas (notably the riddle/cosmogony cluster such as RV 1.164 in later attributions)
- Hymns and verses cited in later Vedic-Brāhmaṇa discussions as examples of cryptic (parokṣa) expression and symbolic theology
The rite, step by step
- Ācamana and sankalpa: establish intention to align with Ṛta and awaken inner Agni
- Kindle or attend the household/sacrificial fire (Agni), maintaining silence briefly for inward ‘heart-seeing’ (hṛdā dṛṣṭi)
- Recite RV 10.5 verses with attention to key symbols (ocean, fountain, track/pada, Ṛta-paths)
- Offer oblations while contemplating the ‘hidden udder’ as the concealed source of nourishment and clarity
- Conclude with a short prayer for Ṛta-guidance (right path), abundance, and steadiness of mind
- Śānti/closing: dedicate the fruit of the rite to universal order and well-being
Offerings
- Ghee (ghṛta) as primary oblation
- Milk or milk-products (symbolic resonance with udder/cow imagery, where appropriate)
- Grain or simple food-offering (anna) as ‘nourishment of Ṛta’
- Optional: soma-substitute offerings in later practice (where tradition permits)
Frequently Asked Questions
The hymn does not focus on a single named god in a simple way. It points to a hidden cosmic principle expressed through Agni (inner fire) and Sūrya-like seership, closely tied to Ṛta (truth-order).
It suggests that the highest reality holds together opposites that the ordinary mind separates. The hymn places both sat (manifest existence) and asat (unmanifest or not-yet) within the supreme expanse, in Aditi’s boundlessness.
These are symbols for concealed nourishment and guidance. The ‘udder’ represents the hidden source of plenty, the ‘fountain’ the wellspring of life, and the ‘track/pada’ the discoverable path of Ṛta that the seeker can follow through insight and right ritual.
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