Rig Veda 5.53.6: Mandala 5, Sukta 53, Mantra 6
Sukta 5.53
- Rishi
- Atri — commonly associated with Mandala 5 hymns
- Devata
- Maruts with Parjanya
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
आ यं नरः सुदानवो ददाशुषे दिवः कोशमचुच्यवुः । वि पर्जन्यं सृजन्ति रोदसी अनु धन्वना यन्ति वृष्टयः ॥
ā yáṁ naraḥ sudā́navo dadā́śuṣe diváḥ kóśam ácucyavuḥ | ví párjanyaṁ sṛjanti ródasī ánu dhánvanā yanti vṛṣṭáyaḥ ||
Zum Spender kommen sie—diese Mächtigen, die guten Geber—und lassen den himmlischen Schatz herab. Sie setzen Parjanya frei; die beiden Welten öffnen sich weit, und auf weiter Bahn schreiten die Regen voran.
Word by Word
- आ
- towards, hitherIndeclinableउपसर्ग/निपातRoot आ (उपसर्ग) अव्यय
- यम्
- whomPronounपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- नरः
- men; heroesNounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनRole KartāRoot नर (प्रातिपदिक)
- सुदानवः
- bountiful, generousAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचन (नरः इति विशेषणम्)Role KartāRoot सु-दानु (प्रातिपदिक)
- ददाशुषे
- to the giver; to him who has givenParticiple (nominal) / Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गे चतुर्थी एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot √दा (दाने) → ददाशु (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, परिपूर्ण/परफेक्ट-आधारित ‘having given’)
- दिवः
- of heaven; from the skyNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे षष्ठी एकवचनRole Apādāna (source) / Genitive relationRoot दिव्/द्यौ (प्रातिपदिक)
- कोशम्
- treasure; store; caskNounपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot कोश (प्रातिपदिक)
- अचुच्यवुः
- they have set in motion; they have dislodgedVerbलिट् (परफेक्ट), प्रथमपुरुष बहुवचन, परस्मैपदRoot √च्यु (च्यवने ‘to move, dislodge’)
- वि
- apart, forth, widelyIndeclinableउपसर्ग/निपातRoot वि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- पर्जन्यम्
- Parjanya (rain-god); rain-cloudNounपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot पर्जन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- सृजन्ति
- they release; they send forthVerbलट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष बहुवचन, परस्मैपदRoot √सृज् (सर्गे ‘to release, send forth’)
- रोदसी
- the two worlds (heaven and earth)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया/प्रथमा द्विवचन (रूढ्या ‘the two worlds’)Role Karma (as object of ‘release’ in sense ‘make the two worlds resound/open’)Root रोदसी (द्विवचन-प्रातिपदिक; द्यावापृथिव्यौ)
- अनु
- along, afterIndeclinableउपसर्ग/निपातRoot अनु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- धन्वना
- along the expanse; through the waste/plainNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया एकवचनRole Karaṇa/Adhikaraṇa (path/means: ‘along the expanse/desert’)Root धन्वन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- यन्ति
- they go; they moveVerbलट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष बहुवचन, परस्मैपदRoot √या (गत्यर्थे ‘to go’)
- वृष्टयः
- rains; rain-showersNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनRole KartāRoot वृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (padapāṭha-style): आ | यम् | नरः | सुदानवः | ददाशुषे | दिवः | कोशम् | अचुच्यवुः || वि | पर्जन्यम् | सृजन्ति | रोदसी | अनु | धन्वना | यन्ति | वृष्टयः || Notes: (1) ‘आ यं’ → ‘आ यम्’ (anusvāra before y). (2) ‘नर॑:’ is nominative plural ‘नरः’. (3) ‘कोश॒मचु॑च्यवुः’ = ‘कोशम् अचुच्यवुः’ (m + a sandhi). (4) Accent marks in saṃhitā are not reproduced per-word here
- forms are given in resolved pada shape
The meaning
Outer meaning
The Maruts, strong and generous, come to the worshipper and bring down the “treasury of heaven.” They release Parjanya (rain-power); heaven and earth open wide, and the rains move forward along their broad course.
Inner meaning
The impulsive powers of the Life-Force (Maruts), allied to the illumined mind, descend toward the consecrated giver (the aspirant who offers). They bring down the hidden riches of higher consciousness (divaḥ kośa)—stores of light, force, and joy. By their action the rain-power (Parjanya) is released: the sealed gates between the higher mind (Dyauḥ) and the embodied field (Pṛthivī) open, and the descending streams of inspiration and spiritual energy advance through the widened inner passage.
Universal truth
When aspiration and self-giving become steady, the higher reserves of consciousness respond. The inner forces that serve awakening break open the closed passages between “above” and “below,” and the needed influx (clarity, strength, refreshment) arrives naturally and progressively.
Themes
Descent of treasure, Rain-release, Sacrificial reciprocity, Heaven-Earth opening
The seer
- Rishi
- Atri
- Lineage
- Ātreya
- Other hymns
- RV 5.52, RV 5.54, RV 5.55, RV 5.40
Family tradition
Mandala 5 preserves many Ātreya visions; Atri’s line is noted for hymns that turn outer storm-imagery into a psychology of descent and opening.
Significance
Atri is a seer of the inner sacrifice: the right offering draws down the “heavenly treasure,” and the powers of the atmosphere become agents of transformation rather than mere weather.
The deity
- Devata
- Maruts (with Parjanya released)
- Epithets
- naraḥ (heroes), sudānavah (good givers), tveṣāḥ (impetuous, blazing)
- Related deities
- Indra, Agni, Parjanya, Bṛhaspati
Cosmic role
Storm-hosts who accompany Indra, shatter obstruction, widen the worlds, and make the descent of waters (rains) possible.
Inner power
Psychic-vital energies that intensify aspiration, break inertia, and open channels so that higher light and force can precipitate into the nature.
In ritual
Where it is used
Marut/Indra-associated offerings in Soma and other Śrauta contexts; also used as praise to invite the host for protection and increase.
आ यं नर॑: सु॒दान॑वो ददा॒शुषे॑ दि॒वः कोश॒मचु॑च्यवुः । वि प॒र्जन्यं॑ सृजन्ति॒ रोद॑सी॒ अनु॒ धन्व॑ना यन्ति वृ॒ष्टय॑: ॥
आ । यम् । नरः॑ । सु॒ऽदान॑वः । द॒दा॒शुषे॑ । दि॒वः । कोश॑म् । अचु॑च्यवुः । वि । प॒र्जन्य॑म् । सृ॒ज॒न्ति॒ । रोद॑सी॒ इति॑ । अनु॑ । धन्व॑ना । य॒न्ति॒ । वृ॒ष्टयः॑ ॥
ā | yam | naraḥ | su-dānavaḥ | dadāśuṣe | divaḥ | kośam | acucyavuḥ | vi | parjanyam | sṛjantiḥrodasī itiḥanuḥdhanvanāḥyantiḥvṛṣṭayaḥ
44
4 pādas of ~11 syllables each (with RV-style flexibility)
Driving, expansive, forward-thrusting cadence suited to movement and release.
Energizes the will and breath; evokes a sense of opening and descent, like gates parting and a current beginning to flow.
- नरः (naraḥ)
- Literal: strong ones / heroes. Symbolic: dynamic life-powers that act as helpers of the inner sacrifice (Marut-forces)
- सुदानवः (sudānavo)
- Literal: good givers. Symbolic: beneficent energies that bestow strength, wideness, and illumination
- ददाशुषे (dadāśuṣe)
- Literal: to the giver / to one who offers. Symbolic: the aspirant who practices self-offering (yajña) and receptivity
- दिवः कोशम् (divaḥ kośam)
- Literal: treasury of heaven. Symbolic: storehouse of higher light/knowledge/joy held in the supraphysical planes
- पर्जन्यम् (parjanyam)
- Literal: rain-cloud / rain-power. Symbolic: the releasing force that precipitates inspiration and nourishment into the mind-life
- रोदसी (rodasī)
- Literal: the two worlds (heaven and earth). Symbolic: higher mind and embodied nature; the vertical axis of consciousness
- वृष्टयः (vṛṣṭayaḥ)
- Literal: rains. Symbolic: descending currents of grace, illumination, and force
To secure rain/prosperity and Marut support; innerly, to open the 'treasury of heaven'—release of higher force into the embodied field (rodasī).
Invocatory moments calling the Maruts and allied rain/force powers; before/around libations and stotras.
Āvāhana (invitation), praising their gifts and asking for release of the nourishing flow.
Use as a mantra of ‘opening’: before meditation to invite higher influx; before creative work to “bring down the treasury” of insight.
dadāśuṣe: dat. sg. of perf. ptc. from √dāś 'to give, offer, serve' → the sacrificer as giver. kośa: 'container/treasury' → store of divine plenitude. acucyavuḥ: causative/perfect from √cyu 'move, fall' → loosening the heavenly store to descend. parjanya: rain deity/power; from √pṛj/√parj semantics of sprinkling/striking (etymology debated), functionally the raining force. rodasī: dual of rodas 'world' → Heaven & Earth as a paired field.
Descent of higher plenitude, Reciprocity of giving (dāśa) and grace (kośa), Opening of the double field (rodasī) for r̥ta-flow
The ‘broad course’ (dhanvanā) suggests the ordered path of descent when nature aligns with Ṛta.
The heavenly treasury is accessed by truth-alignment in offering and intention.
Unsealing and descent: higher plenitudes become active in the lower field once the passages are opened.
Proto-Vedāntic and Yogic psychology (as read by Sri Aurobindo): descent of higher consciousness into mind-life-body.
Rain = influx of inspiration/force; cloud = concealed potential; sky-earth opening = widening between higher mind and embodied nature; broad course = the cleared inner channel (nāḍī-like passage).
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The 'opening of the heavenly treasury' mythologem: Maruts come to the giver and shake loose the store of heaven, releasing Parjanya so rains move across the wide course. Innerly, offering awakens a reciprocal descent of higher force into the whole field of life (rodasī).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √sṛj 'release' relates to PIE *(s)h₁regʰ-/*sergʰ- 'let go/flow' (broadly), while √yā 'go' and √cyu 'move/fall' encode a dense motion-semantics typical of IE storm hymns. kośa as 'container/treasury' parallels widespread archaic metaphors of a 'storehouse of heaven'.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The r̥ṣi emphasizes the law of exchange: to the one who gives (dadāśuṣe), the Maruts respond by making the higher abundance descend. The Devas are executors of r̥ta: they open the pathways between heaven and earth so the rains—symbols of force and nourishment—can enter the human field.
Invite the descending current: ‘open the two worlds’ within—quiet the surface mind, widen the heart, allow higher light to pour down.
anahata (widening and receptivity)
Slow inhalation imagining descent from crown to heart; exhale releasing inner obstruction; 9 rounds.
Dynamic receptivity (active surrender rather than passive waiting).
Begin with self-offering (dadāśuṣe-bhāva). Sense a ‘treasury above’ and ask the Marut-force to open the channel; then remain still for the ‘rains’ of insight to arrive.
Use standard Rigvedic accenting: preserve udatta on marked syllables; svarita as falling tone after udatta; anudatta as low/neutral on unmarked.
Keep the lift on diváḥ and kośám; sustain clarity on parjányaṃ; let vṛ́ṣṭayaḥ carry a forward push.
: final visarga light, not harsh, : long ‘o’, clear ‘ś’ (palatal), : ‘rj’ cluster crisp; ‘ny’ as palatal nasal+ya, : long ‘o’, dental ‘d’, : ‘vṛ’ with vocalic ṛ; retroflex ‘ṣṭ’ cluster
Bright, resonant, projecting forward like a moving host.
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