Rig Veda 3.56.7: Mandala 3, Sukta 56, Mantra 7
Sukta 3.56
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Devata
- Savitṛ
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
त्रिरा दिवः सविता सोषवीति राजाना मित्रावरुणा सुपाणी । आपश्चिदस्य रोदसी चिदुर्वी रत्नं भिक्षन्त सवितुः सवाय ॥
trír ā́ diváḥ savitā́ sóṣavīti rājānā mitrā́váruṇā supāṇī́ | ā́paś cid asya ródasī cid urvī́ rátnam bhikṣanta savitúḥ savā́ya ||
ثلاثَ مرّاتٍ من السماءِ يدفعُ سَڤيتṛ اندفاعَه؛ ويُثبِّته مِترا وفَرونا، الملكانِ ذوا الأيدي الحسنة. حتى المياهُ، وحتى زوجُ السماءِ والأرضِ الواسع، يَسألونَ الرَّتْنَة (الكنزَ النفيس) لأجلِ سَوايَ سَڤيتṛ—اندفاعِه الخلّاق المُحرِّك.
Word by Word
- त्रिः
- thriceIndeclinableअव्यय (पुनरुक्ति/आवृत्ति-अर्थे)Role Adhikaraṇa (काल/आवृत्ति-निर्देश) / क्रियाविशेषणRoot त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) → त्रिः (अव्यय)
- आ
- towards, forthIndeclinableउपसर्ग (क्रियायोगे)Role (क्रियाविशेषक-उपसर्ग)Root आ (उपसर्ग)
- दिवः
- of heaven / of the skyNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग (द्यौः), षष्ठी एकवचन (दिवः)Role Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्धः)Root दिव्/द्यौ (प्रातिपदिक: दिव्/द्यौ ‘sky, heaven’)
- सविता
- Savitar (the impeller, Sun-god)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole KartāRoot सवितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- सोषवीति
- impels, sets in motionVerbलट् (वेदिक-रूप), 3पुरुष एकवचन; वेदिक-परस्मैपद-रूप ‘सोṣवीति’ = ‘सुवति/प्रेरयति’Role Kriyā (मुख्यक्रिया)Root √सू (सुवति/सोषव-) + इति (निपात)
- राजानौ
- the two kingsNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा द्विवचनRole Kartā (सहकर्तृ—सविता सह)Root राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- मित्रावरुणा
- Mitra and VaruṇaNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा द्विवचनRole Kartā (राजानौ इत्यस्य विशेषण/अप्पोज़िशन)Root मित्र + वरुण (द्वन्द्व-समास)
- सुपाणी
- having good hands (kind-handed)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा द्विवचन (मित्रावरुणयोः विशेषणम्)Role Kartā-विशेषणRoot सु- + पाणि (प्रातिपदिक) (बहुव्रीहि/कर्मधारय-भाव: ‘सु-पाणी’)
- आपः
- the watersNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचनRole Kartā (अन्ये कर्तारः)Root अप् (प्रातिपदिक)
- चित्
- evenIndeclinableअव्यय (अपि/एव-भावे, बलवर्धक)Role (निपात)Root चित् (निपात)
- अस्य
- of him / of this (one)Pronounपुं/नपुं, षष्ठी एकवचनRole Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्धः)Root इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- रोदसी
- the two worlds (heaven and earth)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग (वेदे प्रायः), प्रथमा द्विवचनRole KartāRoot रोदसी (द्यावापृथिव्यौ; द्विवचन-प्रातिपदिक)
- चित्
- evenIndeclinableअव्ययRoot चित् (निपात)
- उर्वी
- broad, wideAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा द्विवचन (रोदसी इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role Kartā-विशेषणRoot उर्वी (प्रातिपदिक)
- रत्नम्
- treasure, boonNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot रत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
- भिक्षन्त
- they beg/ask forVerbलट्, 3पुरुष बहुवचन, परस्मैपदRole Kriyā (मुख्यक्रिया)Root √भिक्ष् (याचते)
- सवितुः
- of SavitarNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचनRole Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्धः) / हेतु-निर्देशRoot सवितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- सवाय
- for the impelling (impulse)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी एकवचनRole Sampradāna (उद्देश्य/प्रयोजन)Root सव (प्रातिपदिक: ‘impulsion, instigation’)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (padapāṭha-style): त्रिरा → त्रिः + आ
- दिवः (no split)
- सोषवीति treated as a single Vedic present-form of √सू ‘to impel’ with ending -ीति
- मित्रावरुणा is a द्वन्द्व compound (not sandhi split)
- आपश्चिदस्य → आपः + चित् + अस्य
- रोदसी चिदुर्वी → रोदसी + चित् + उर्वी
- सवितुः सवाय (no split)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Savitṛ thrice impels his movement from heaven; Mitra and Varuṇa, the two kings with good hands, support it. Even the Waters and the wide Heaven-and-Earth ask for the treasure for Savitṛ’s impulsion.
Inner meaning
The divine Impeller initiates a triple movement of transformation. Mitra (harmony, right relation) and Varuṇa (vastness, law, purity) uphold this impulsion so it does not become ego-driven force. The Waters (āpaḥ) are the flowing energies of consciousness; Heaven-and-Earth are the higher and lower hemispheres in us—mind and embodied nature—both consenting and ‘requesting’ the treasure of the higher drive, because Savitṛ’s true impulsion is creative (sava) and needed by all parts of the being.
Universal truth
Authentic progress requires both impulsion and governance: energy must be supported by harmony and truth-law. When the whole system—higher mind, embodied life, and the flowing energies—aligns, the treasure of growth becomes inevitable.
Themes
Cosmic cooperation, Law and impulsion, Treasure of the rite
The seer
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Lineage
- Gāthin (Viśvāmitra lineage)
- Other hymns
- RV 3.56.1-8, RV 3.62.10
Family tradition
Seer of dynamic ascent; repeatedly integrates solar impulsion with Āditya governance (Mitra-Varuṇa) to ensure ṛta-based transformation.
Significance
The rishi frames spiritual evolution as a coordinated cosmic act: impulsion (Savitṛ) must be upheld by harmony and law (Mitra-Varuṇa) and received by the whole nature (Waters, Heaven-Earth).
The deity
- Devata
- Savitṛ with Mitra-Varuṇa
- Epithets
- Savitṛ the Impeller, Mitra the Harmonizer, Varuṇa the Upholder of Ṛta, Supāṇī (good-handed) kings
- Related deities
- Bhaga, Aryaman, Aditi, Ādityas, Indra
Cosmic role
Savitṛ initiates creation’s movement; Mitra and Varuṇa regulate and sustain cosmic order, contracts, truth, and vastness.
Inner power
Savitṛ: awakening push; Mitra: concord, right relation in the psyche; Varuṇa: inner purity, wideness, truth-compulsion that restrains falsehood.
In ritual
Where it is used
Daylight invocations; Āditya-related recitations for truth, law, and auspicious movement; possibly within soma contexts as a support-mantra for right order.
त्रिरा दि॒वः स॑वि॒ता सो॑षवीति॒ राजा॑ना मि॒त्रावरु॑णा सुपा॒णी । आप॑श्चिदस्य॒ रोद॑सी चिदु॒र्वी रत्नं॑ भिक्षन्त सवि॒तुः स॒वाय॑ ॥
त्रिः । आ । दि॒वः । स॒वि॒ता । सो॒ष॒वी॒ति॒ । राजा॑ना । मि॒त्रावरु॑णा । सु॒पा॒णी इति॑ सु॒ऽपा॒णी । आपः॑ । चि॒त् । अ॒स्य॒ । रोद॑सी॒ इति॑ । चि॒त् । उ॒र्वी इति॑ । रत्न॑म् । भि॒क्ष॒न्त॒ । स॒वि॒तुः । स॒वाय॑ ॥
triḥ | ā | divaḥ | savitā | soṣavīti | rājānā | mitrāvaruṇā | supāṇī itisu-pāṇī | āpaḥ | cit | asya | rodasī iti | cit | urvī iti | ratnam | bhikṣanta | savituḥ | savāya
44
4 × ~11
Strong, governing rhythm—invocation followed by stabilizing clauses (support by Mitra-Varuṇa).
Creates a sense of guided propulsion: first an upward pull, then a firm containment that steadies the energies.
- सोṣवीति (soṣavīti)
- Literal: impels/sets in motion. Symbolic: the initiating push of the Truth-force into becoming
- मित्रावरुणा (mitrāvaruṇā)
- Literal: Mitra and Varuṇa. Symbolic: harmony + vast law: ethical-spiritual governance of force
- राजाना (rājānā)
- Literal: two kings. Symbolic: sovereign powers that rule and stabilize consciousness
- सुपाणी (supāṇī)
- Literal: with good hands. Symbolic: effective, beneficent action; powers that can ‘hold’ and ‘give’ rightly
- आपः (āpaḥ)
- Literal: waters. Symbolic: consciousness-energies, flow of inspiration and purification
- रोदसी (rodasī)
- Literal: Heaven and Earth. Symbolic: higher mind and embodied nature; two hemispheres to be united
- रत्नम् (ratnam)
- Literal: treasure. Symbolic: realization, delight, luminous power gained through right impulsion
- सवाय (savāya)
- Literal: for Savitṛ’s impulsion. Symbolic: for the creative drive of the divine will in manifestation
Invocation aligning Savitṛ’s impulsion with Mitra-Varuṇa’s law in the rite; supports consecratory and truth-establishing moments (satya/ṛta orientation) in soma offerings.
Morning/day; moments requiring right governance of action (journey, undertaking, vow).
Recite to ‘set in motion’ and also ‘bind to ṛta’—inviting Mitra-Varuṇa’s support for the undertaking.
Before work or difficult conversations: invoke Savitṛ for momentum, Mitra for harmony, Varuṇa for integrity; let emotions (waters) flow purified rather than turbulent.
mitra ‘friend/contract’ from √mi ‘to bind/measure’ (semantic: alliance, harmony). varuṇa from √vṛ ‘to cover/encompass’ → the all-encompassing law. ratna ‘treasure’ from √rā/√rat? (Vedic: precious gift, delight-substance). rodasī dual of rodas ‘two worlds’ (heaven/earth).
Ṛta maintained by Mitra-Varuṇa, cosmic consent to the divine impulsion, ratna as condensed spiritual gain
Mitra-Varuṇa are classic upholders of ṛta; they ensure Savitṛ’s impulsion becomes right-worlding, not disorder.
Truth is not static; it is a supported movement—impulsion held by law and harmony.
Creation as ‘prasava’ (impulsion) supported by cosmic governance; all elements ‘ask’ for the treasure of that drive.
Integral psychological cosmology: coordinated divine powers effect transformation of the whole being.
morning/day
Sun = awakening will; waters = emotional-energetic flow; heaven/earth = mind/body. Alignment yields ‘ratna’ (real gain).
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- A cosmic unanimity around Savitṛ’s impulsion: the law-kings Mitra-Varuṇa and even the Waters and the two Worlds ‘beg’ the ratna for Savitṛ’s movement—suggesting that the treasure arises when impulsion (sava) and law (Mitra-Varuṇa) are harmonized.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- rājānā (dual) from √rāj continues PIE *h₃rḗǵ- (see above). varuṇa as ‘encompassing’ parallels Indo-Iranian thematic inheritance of cosmic sovereignty. The dual rodasī reflects an old Indo-European poetic pairing of Sky/Earth (cf. Greek Ouranos/Gaia as a later mythic reflex).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi depicts a hierarchy where even cosmic supports align themselves to Savitṛ’s act: the human prayer mirrors this by consenting to the impulsion under the governance of Mitra-Varuṇa—seeking ratna not as possession but as a lawful fruit of right movement.
Feel a triple impulsion descending from above the head into mind–heart–navel; then stabilize it with harmony (Mitra) and truth-law (Varuṇa).
sahasrāra/ājñā (descent of impulsion) balanced through anāhata (Mitra) and viśuddha (truth/purity of Varuṇa)
Inhale 4 counts ‘from heaven’; hold 2 counts feeling Mitra-Varuṇa ‘support’; exhale 6 counts letting waters settle clear.
Dynamic equilibrium—active clarity without agitation.
When energy rises, ask: Is it harmonious? Is it true? If not, pause until Mitra-Varuṇa’s support is felt, then act.
Tri-svara recitation; keep udātta prominence on savitā, mitrāvaruṇā, ratnam, savāya (per tradition).
Do not rush ‘mitrāvaruṇā’; articulate long vowels; keep ‘rodasī’ clearly two syllabic beats (ro-da-sī).
soṣavīti: retroflex ṣ, long ī at end, supāṇī: long ā, retroflex ṇ, āpaś: final ś soft, urvī: long ī, bhikṣanta: kṣ conjunct crisp
Steady, regal, supportive tone; less ‘fiery’ than Indra hymns.
3
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