Rig Veda 5.64.5: Mandala 5, Sukta 64, Mantra 5
Sukta 5.64
- Rishi
- Atri
- Devata
- Mitra–Varuṇa
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Shringara (love)
आ नो मित्र सुदीतिभिर्वरुणश्च सधस्थ आ । स्वे क्षये मघोनां सखीनां च वृधसे ॥
ā́ no mitra sudītíbhir váruṇaś ca sadhástha ā́ | své kṣáye maghónāṃ sákhīnām ca vṛ́dhase ||
أَقْبِلْ إلينا يا مِترا بإلهاماتِكَ المضيئة، وليأتِ فارونا أيضًا إلى المَقعدِ المُشترك؛ وفي مَسكنِكما الخاصِّ زِيدا الكُرماءَ ورُفَقاءَ الطريق.
Word by Word
- आ
- hither, towards (preverb: ‘to/near’)Indeclinableउपसर्ग/निपातRoot आ (उपसर्ग) / ā (preverb)
- नः
- of us / for usPronounषष्ठी (genitive), बहुवचन (plural)Role SampradānaRoot अस्मद् (pronoun stem)
- मित्र
- O MitraNoun (deity name)सम्बोधन (vocative), एकवचन (singular), पुंलिङ्गRole SambodhanaRoot मित्र (prātipadika)
- सुदीतिभिः
- with good insights / with good ordinancesNounतृतीया (instrumental), बहुवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्गRole KaraṇaRoot सु-दीति (prātipadika; su- ‘good’ + dīti ‘thought/insight, ordinance’)
- वरुणः
- VaruṇaNoun (deity name)प्रथमा (nominative), एकवचन, पुंलिङ्गRole KartāRoot वरुण (prātipadika)
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चय (conjunction)Root च (indeclinable)
- सधस्थे
- in the common seat / in the assembly-placeNounसप्तमी (locative), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्गRole AdhikaraṇaRoot सधस्थ (prātipadika; ‘common seat/abode, assembly-place’)
- आ
- hither (again; reinforcing ‘come’)Indeclinableउपसर्ग/निपात (with implied verb of coming)Root आ (उपसर्ग) / ā (preverb)
- स्वे
- in (your/their) ownAdjective/Pronounसप्तमी (locative), एकवचन, पुं/नपुंसक (agreeing with क्षये)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot स्व (prātipadika)
- क्षये
- in the dwelling / in the homeNounसप्तमी (locative), एकवचन, पुंलिङ्गRole AdhikaraṇaRoot क्षय (prātipadika; ‘dwelling, abode’)
- मघोनाम्
- of the bountiful (patrons)Noun/Adjective (substantivized)षष्ठी (genitive), बहुवचन, पुंलिङ्गRole SambandhaRoot मघवन् (prātipadika; ‘bountiful, generous’)
- सखीनाम्
- of (our) friendsNounषष्ठी (genitive), बहुवचन, पुंलिङ्गRole SambandhaRoot सखि (prātipadika; ‘friend’)
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चय (conjunction)Root च (indeclinable)
- वृधसे
- grow / increase / prosperVerbलोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद (वृधस्व/वृधसे: Vedic imperative form)Root वृध् (धातु; ‘to grow, increase’)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolved as: आ + नः (no sandhi change)
- मित्र (voc.)
- सुदीतिभिः (instr. pl.)
- वरुणः + च
- सधस्थे (loc. sg.) + आ (pāda-final particle/preverb with implied ‘come’)
- स्वे + क्षये (both loc. sg.)
- मघोनाम् + सखीनाम् + च
- वृधसे (Vedic imperative, often used as a blessing ‘may you prosper’). Accent marks in the Saṃhitā text are not reproduced on each pada here
- segmentation follows pada-reading
The meaning
Outer meaning
Come to us, Mitra with bright inspirations, and Varuṇa to the common seat. In your own dwelling increase the bounteous and the comrades.
Inner meaning
The seeker calls Mitra with ‘sudīti’—bright, right inspirations/illuminations that set thought in harmony. Varuṇa is invited to the ‘sadhastha’—the common seat where the inner sacrifice is performed: the gathered consciousness where mind, life, and soul can meet the gods. In their ‘own dwelling’ (sve kṣaye)—the domain of truth-law and harmony—these powers increase (vṛdhase) the ‘maghonāṃ’ (inner plenitude) and the ‘sakhīnām’ (comrades): the allied faculties and companions on the path, the parts of the being that consent to the yoga.
Universal truth
When illumination and truth-law are invited into the shared inner space, the whole being becomes enriched; supportive inner allies grow, and the journey becomes collective and sustained.
Themes
Invocation, Luminous-inspiration, Common-seat, Increase-of-plenitude
The seer
- Rishi
- Atri (Ātreya)
- Lineage
- Ātreya (Atri-gotra)
- Other hymns
- RV 5.11 (Agni and the seat of sacrifice motif), RV 5.62–5.65 (Aditya protection and harmony)
Family tradition
Ātreya tradition frequently emphasizes ‘coming’ of the gods as an inner descent and the building of a shared seat (sadhastha) for divine-human communion.
Significance
Atri’s mantras are practical invocations for establishing an inner space where higher illumination can act and increase the soul’s allies.
The deity
- Devata
- Mitra–Varuṇa
- Epithets
- sudīti (giver of bright inspirations; Mitra), āditya (by class)
- Related deities
- Agni (seat/altar and mediator), Soma (bliss that seals union), Savitar (impulsion of inspiration)
Cosmic role
They preside over concord and vast law, ensuring that the ‘seat’ of the worlds remains ordered and luminous.
Inner power
Mitra brings luminous inspirations that reconcile; Varuṇa brings purity, wideness, and firm truth-law—together they consolidate the inner community of forces.
In ritual
Where it is used
Invitation (āhvāna) of Mitra–Varuṇa to the sadas (common seat) in Soma ritual contexts.
आ नो॑ मित्र सुदी॒तिभि॒र्वरु॑णश्च स॒धस्थ॒ आ । स्वे क्षये॑ म॒घोनां॒ सखी॑नां च वृ॒धसे॑ ॥
आ । नः॒ । मि॒त्र॒ । सु॒दी॒तिऽभिः॑ । वरु॑णः । च॒ । स॒धऽस्थे॑ । आ । स्वे । क्षये॑ । म॒घोना॑म् । सखी॑नाम् । च॒ । वृ॒धसे॑ ॥
ā | naḥ | mitra | sudīti-bhiḥ | varuṇaḥ | ca | sadha-sthe | ā | sve | kṣaye | maghonām | sakhīnām | ca | vṛdhase
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4 x ~11 syllables
Invocatory and welcoming; balanced cadence suitable for ‘ā…ā’ (come) calls.
Creates a felt descent of calm light into a central inner ‘seat’; strengthens collective harmony among inner parts.
- आ नो (ā no)
- Literal: Come to us. Symbolic: Descent/approach of higher powers into the human field
- सुदीति (sudīti)
- Literal: Bright inspirations/clear shining thoughts. Symbolic: Illuminative intuitions that harmonize mind and vital
- सधस्थ (sadhastha)
- Literal: Common seat, shared place. Symbolic: Inner altar/meeting-ground of consciousness where offerings are made
- स्वे क्षये (sve kṣaye)
- Literal: In your own dwelling. Symbolic: In the plane of truth and harmony; establish us there
- मघोनाम् (maghonām)
- Literal: Bounteous. Symbolic: Those who carry inner richness and give it forward
- सखी (sakhī)
- Literal: Friend/comrade. Symbolic: Allied powers in the being; supportive companions on the path
Āvāhana (invocatory) function: calling the deities to the sadhástha (ritual seat); supports communal cohesion and the increase of ‘maghon’ capacities in the sacrificer group
At the welcoming of deities to the ritual seat; also adaptable to dawn/evening worship.
Calling the deities to sit; offering oblations; establishing the sacred space.
Begin meditation by ‘opening the seat’: chant to gather attention at the heart-center and invite clarity and truthfulness.
sudīti-: su- + dīti-; dīti relates to √dī ‘to shine’ / ‘bright thought’, hence ‘luminous inspirations’ rather than mere ‘splendours’. sadhástha: ‘common place/seat’ (sadha- ‘together’ + stha ‘standing’), psychologically the shared inner altar where powers assemble. vṛdhase: √vṛdh ‘increase’; in inner sense, widening and intensifying the soul’s capacity for ṛta and joy.
Descent of divine powers (ā ... ā), Growth (vṛddhi) of inner plenitude, Collective sādhana (sakhī)
The ‘common seat’ is the ordered field where ṛta operates; increase (vṛdh) is growth in right order.
Varuṇa’s truth-law stabilizes inspirations so they become enduring guidance, not fleeting ideas.
Building the inner assembly: a stable seat where divine forces can inhabit human consciousness.
Vedic yoga of descent and establishment (āgamanam + pratiṣṭhā), aligned with Integral Yoga emphasis on bringing higher light into the nature.
Dawn or evening (invitation to sit; suitable liminal times)
Seat = gathered attention; light = inspiration; dwelling = stable plane of consciousness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘coming to the seat’ mythologem: gods are invited to take their place at the shared altar (sadhástha). Innerly, it is the calling of harmonizing and law-bearing consciousness into the gathered human nature, so that the capacities of generosity and comradeship may increase.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √vṛdh ‘grow’ is IE-wide (cf. Latin vergere in related growth/turning semantics; Germanic *werþ- ‘become’ is not direct but reflects shared ‘growth/becoming’ conceptuality). The spatial metaphor of ‘seat/standing together’ (stha) reflects IE ritual grammar of presence: the god ‘stands’ at the rite.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The r̥ṣi requests presence with sudīti (luminous impulses). The devatā’s return-gift is vṛddhi: an increase in the inner wealth (maghá) and in supportive alliance (sakhī) within the proper ordered domain (sve kṣaye).
Create the inner ‘sadhastha’: a calm seat in the heart where inspirations can arrive and settle.
Anāhata (seat of harmony) with support from Viśuddha (inspired speech/thought)
Three-stage breath: inhale to heart, pause gently, exhale while chanting; after chanting, sit for 1–2 minutes in stillness.
Gathered, receptive, harmonized; a sense of inner community and support.
Chant 9 times at the start of practice; then silently invite ‘sudīti’—watch for a clear, kind, truthful intuition to guide the day; commit to one act that strengthens inner comradeship (self-consent to the path).
Preserve udātta on vocatives (mitra) and key nouns; the repeated ‘ā’ invitations benefit from clear accent rise without shouting.
Give clean pāda separation; slightly lengthen long vowels in ‘sudītibhir’ and ‘vṛdhase’ to carry the feeling of increase.
mitra: short ‘i’; dental ‘t’, sudītibhir: long ‘ī’; ‘bh’ aspirated, sadhastha: ‘dh’ voiced aspirate; avoid ‘sadastha’ flattening, vṛdhase: retroflex ‘ṛ’ as syllabic r; ‘dh’ aspirated
Welcoming, warm, steady resonance (as if inviting honored guests).
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