Rig Veda 10.149.5: Mandala 10, Sukta 149, Mantra 5
Sukta 10.149
- Devata
- Savitṛ
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
हिरण्यस्तूपः सवितर्यथा त्वाङ्गिरसो जुह्वे वाजे अस्मिन् । एवा त्वार्चन्नवसे वन्दमानः सोमस्येवांशुं प्रति जागराहम् ॥
hiraṇyá-stūpaḥ savitar yáthā tvā ā́ṅgirasaḥ júhve vā́je asmín | evā́ tvā́rcann ávase vándamānaḥ sómasya-ivāṃśúṃ práti jāgarāhám ||
O Savitṛ mit goldener Spitze! Wie die Aṅgirasas dich in dieser Fülle der Kraft anriefen, so singe auch ich dich um Hilfe an und verehre dich; wachsam halte ich mich dir zugewandt — wie einer, der Somās Strahl behütet — bis dein Antrieb in uns wirksam wird.
Word by Word
- हिरण्यस्तूपः
- the golden-tufted/ golden-crested (one)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot हिरण्य- + स्तूप- (प्रातिपदिक) अथवा समासः हिरण्य-स्तूप-
- सवितः
- O SavitarNounपुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन, एकवचनम् (वेदिक रूपः: सवितः = सवितर्)Role SambodhanaRoot सवितृ- (प्रातिपदिक)
- यथा
- as, just asIndeclinableअव्ययम्Role (उपमान/प्रकार)Root यथा (अव्यय)
- त्वा
- youPronounद्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- अङ्गिरसः
- the Aṅgirases (priests)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot अङ्गिरस्- (प्रातिपदिक)
- जुह्वे
- they offer (oblation)Verb(वेदिक) 3 पुरुषः, बहुवचनम्; यज्/हु-कर्मणि ‘offer, pour (oblation)’Role (क्रिया)Root हु (धातु) → जुहू- (कृदन्त/नामधातु-आधारित रूप) अथवा √हु का लिट्/लट्-रूप (वेदिक)
- वाजे
- in the contest/for the prize (vāja)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, एकवचनम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot वाज- (प्रातिपदिक)
- अस्मिन्
- in this (rite/occasion)Pronounपुं/नपुंसकलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, एकवचनम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम)
- एव
- thus, just soIndeclinableअव्ययम्Role (निपात)Root एव (अव्यय)
- त्वा
- youPronounद्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- अर्चन्
- they praisedVerbलोट्/लङ्-छन्दसि प्रयोगः; 3 पुरुषः, बहुवचनम् (वेदिक injunctive/imperf.-like) ‘praise’Role (क्रिया)Root अर्च् (धातु)
- अवसे
- for help, for aidNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, चतुर्थी, एकवचनम्Role SampradānaRoot अवस्- (प्रातिपदिक)
- वन्दमानः
- (he) worshipping, praisingParticipleपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot वन्द् (धातु) → वन्दमान- (शतृ/शानच् कृदन्त, आत्मनेपदी)
- सोमस्य
- of SomaNounपुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Role SambandhaRoot सोम- (प्रातिपदिक)
- इव
- likeIndeclinableअव्ययम्Role (उपमा)Root इव (अव्यय)
- अंशुम्
- the ray/beam (also: Soma-stalk)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot अंशु- (प्रातिपदिक)
- प्रति
- towards, in response toIndeclinableअव्ययम्Role (दिशा/प्रत्यभिमुखता)Root प्रति (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- जागर
- be awake / keep watchVerbपरस्मैपदी; लिट्/लट्-छन्दसि ‘be awake, keep watch’; 2 पुरुषः, एकवचनम् (वेदिक)Role (क्रिया)Root जागृ (धातु)
- अहम्
- IPronounप्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot अहम् (सर्वनाम)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolved as: हिरण्यस्तूपः | सवितः | यथा | त्वा | अङ्गिरसः | जुह्वे | वाजे | अस्मिन् || एव | त्वा | अर्चन् | अवसे | वन्दमानः | सोमस्य | इव | अंशुम् | प्रति | जागर | अहम् || प्रमुख-सन्धयः: (1) त्वाङ्गिरसो → त्वा + अङ्गिरसः (आ + अ = आ)
- (2) जुह्वे वाजे → पदान्ते ‘ए’ + ‘व’ (सन्धि-रहित संयोग)
- (3) एवां॒शुं → एव + अंशुम् (अ + अ = आ)
- (4) जागरा॒हम् → जागर + अहम् (अ + अ = आ)
The meaning
Outer meaning
O Savitṛ of the golden summit, as the Aṅgirasas invoked you in this strength/plenitude, so I too sing for your help, adoring, staying awake toward you like one watching Soma’s ray.
Inner meaning
‘Golden summit’ is the highest luminous point of consciousness (the supramental/illumined peak) from which Savitṛ’s impulsion descends. The Aṅgirasas are the seer-powers who discovered the hidden light: they represent the inner flame-forces that call the divine to release illumination. The practitioner adopts their attitude: praise, aspiration, and vigilant wakefulness. ‘Watching Soma’s ray’ is waiting for the first descent of bliss/nectar-light—an attentive, sustained consciousness that does not fall back into inertia until the divine impulsion becomes active.
Universal truth
Spiritual progress requires luminous aspiration and vigilant wakefulness: by persistent call and praise, the higher impulsion descends, and the bliss-ray appears as confirmation and nourishment.
Themes
archetypal seers (Aṅgirasas), vigilance, Soma as delight-ray, invocation for aid, awakening of force
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 10.149.1, Rig Veda 10.149.2, Rig Veda 10.149.3, Rig Veda 10.149.4
Family tradition
Aṅgirasa tradition referenced as exemplar of invoking the divine to win light and force
Significance
Even if the named ṛṣi is unknown, the mantra self-locates in the Aṅgirasa line of inner conquest: aspiration, praise, and wakefulness until Soma-light (ānanda) descends.
The deity
- Devata
- Savitṛ
- Epithets
- hiraṇyastūpaḥ (golden-summited), Helper invoked by Aṅgirasas
- Related deities
- Soma, Agni, Aṅgirasas (seer-forces), Uṣas
Cosmic role
Solar impulsion from the luminous summit; awakener and giver of effective force (vāja).
Inner power
Summit-will that awakens, guides, and energizes; grants the descent of illumination and prepares for Soma-bliss.
In ritual
Where it is used
Savitṛ praise for aid; used as an invoking ṛk in contexts seeking strength (vāja) and awakening
हिर॑ण्यस्तूपः सवित॒र्यथा॑ त्वाङ्गिर॒सो जु॒ह्वे वाजे॑ अ॒स्मिन् । ए॒वा त्वार्च॒न्नव॑से॒ वन्द॑मान॒: सोम॑स्येवां॒शुं प्रति॑ जागरा॒हम् ॥
हिर॑ण्यऽस्तूपः । स॒वि॒तः॒ । यथा॑ । त्वा॒ । आ॒ङ्गि॒र॒सः । जु॒ह्वे । वाजे॑ । अ॒स्मिन् । ए॒व । त्वा॒ । अर्च॑न् । अव॑से । वन्द॑मानः । सोम॑स्यऽइव । अं॒शुम् । प्रति॑ । जा॒ग॒र॒ । अ॒हम् ॥
hiraṇya-stūpaḥ | savitaḥ | yathā | tvā | āṅgirasaḥ | juhve | vāje | asmin | eva | tvā | arcan | avase | vandamānaḥ | somasya-iva | aṃśum | prati | jāgara | aham
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4 pādas of ~11 syllables
Invocatory and vigilant; the final cadence supports ‘wakefulness’.
Sharpens attention; builds aspiration and a steady watchfulness without strain.
- हिरण्यस्तूपः (hiraṇyastūpaḥ)
- Literal: golden-topped/with golden summit. Symbolic: Highest luminous peak of consciousness; summit of illumination
- आङ्गिरसः (āṅgirasaḥ)
- Literal: Aṅgirasas (seer clan). Symbolic: Forces of inner fire and discovery; illumined seekers who release hidden light
- वाजे (vāje)
- Literal: in strength/prize/force. Symbolic: Plenitude of effective power; victorious energy in sādhanā
- अवसे (avase)
- Literal: for help/protection. Symbolic: Grace and sustaining aid for transformation
- वन्दमानः (vandamānaḥ)
- Literal: adoring. Symbolic: Bhakti-attitude that opens receptivity
- सोमस्य अंशुम् (somasya aṃśum)
- Literal: Soma’s ray. Symbolic: Ray of bliss/immortal delight; luminous nectar-touch
- जागर (jāgara)
- Literal: be wakeful. Symbolic: Vigilant consciousness; refusal of tamas/inertia
A praise-invocation usable in Savitṛ-related offerings; also thematically suited to rites emphasizing awakening and vigilance (preparatory attention before oblations). Exact Śrauta placement not determinable from given data.
Pre-dawn or dawn; also at night vigil/meditation when cultivating wakeful awareness
Recitation as stuti (praise) and āhvāna (invocation); mental offering of attention and aspiration
A mantra for overcoming dullness and procrastination; use as a ‘wake-up’ practice before meditation or study.
hiraṇya ‘golden, luminous’ (not merely material gold) used for supraphysical light; stūpa ‘tuft/top/summit’ (raised point) → ‘golden-summited’ as the peak of illumination. vāja: from √vaj/√vāj (strength, vigor; also ‘to speed’), hence ‘plenitude of force’ in psychological reading. aṃśu ‘ray, filament’ (cf. √aṃś ‘portion/ray’), often of Soma; here becomes the ‘watched-for’ inner luminous delight. jāgara: √jāgṛ ‘to be awake’, imperative/1st sg. middle nuance in RV textual tradition supports the sense of vigilant aspiration.
tapas as vigilant aspiration (jāgṛ), transmission of archetypal precedent (Aṅgirasas as first finders of light), prasava (Savitṛ’s activation of force: vāja)
Savitṛ’s impulsion aligns effort to right movement; vāja as effective power in ṛta.
Golden summit indicates truth-light at the top of consciousness.
Not cosmogony but ascent to summit and descent of Soma-ray as confirmation.
Integral yoga: aspiration to higher light (summit) and descent of force and bliss into nature.
pre-dawn vigilance into sunrise
A luminous peak in the head-space; a descending ray of delight; sustained wakefulness that resists tamas.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The key mythologem is the Aṅgirasas’ paradigmatic invocation—those who, in RV myth, bring out hidden light/fire and open the way to plenitude. The poet reenacts that founding act: by praise and offering, he keeps wakeful for the ‘ray’ (aṃśu) of Soma, i.e., the arriving delight-light that signals effective contact with the god-power.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- aṃśu ‘ray’ relates to Indo-European notions of ‘portion/beam’ (cf. Skt aṃśa ‘share’), showing the shared metaphor of light as divisible threads. √jāgṛ ‘awake’ continues PIE *weg- ‘to be strong/awake’ (cf. English wake, vigilant). aśva is absent here, but the inherited ritual diction (yathā…evā) is an old Indo-European comparative formula used to bind present rite to mythic precedent.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi positions himself in a lineage of effective invocation (Aṅgirasas) and offers not only words but sustained consciousness (jāgara). The reciprocity is psychological: the human keeps vigilant attention toward the divine ray; Savitṛ responds by activating vāja—forceful plenitude—in the seeker’s field.
Cultivate ‘jāgara’—steady wakeful attention toward the inner sun at the crown/summit; wait for the Soma-ray (quiet joy) to descend.
Sahasrara/upper Ajna (summit) with a downward settling into Anahata (joy)
Box-breath (4-4-4-4) gently for 3 cycles, then chant; afterward sit in natural breath and ‘watch’ for subtle joy/light.
Vigilant, luminous, upward-oriented aspiration with receptive waiting.
Chant once, then silently repeat ‘jāgara’ as a reminder. Keep attention on the ‘golden summit’ above the head; do not force experiences—watch like a guardian for the first thin ray of delight/clarity.
Keep the final ‘prati jāgarāham’ distinctly articulated; allow a subtle lift on ‘hiraṇyastūpaḥ’ and a steadying fall on ‘avase’ to convey invocation then receptivity.
Highlight the parallelism ‘yathā… evā…’: first recall the Aṅgirasas, then place yourself in the same line of aspiration.
hiraṇyastūpaḥ: articulate ṇy cluster; keep ū long, āṅgiraso: long ā and nasal ṅ, juhve: pronounce as juhve (not juhuve), aṃśum: nasalize ṃ; keep ś clear, jāgarāham: long ā in jā-, and clear h between rā and am
Bright, wakeful, slightly forward-placed (nasal resonance controlled).
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