Rig Veda 8.101.6: Mandala 8, Sukta 101, Mantra 6
Sukta 8.101
- Rishi
- Kāṇva tradition
- Devata
- Ādityas
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
ते हिन्विरे अरुणं जेन्यं वस्वेकं पुत्रं तिसॄणाम् । ते धामान्यमृता मर्त्यानामदब्धा अभि चक्षते ॥
té hinvire aruṇáṃ jényam vásv ékaṃ putráṃ tisṝṇā́m | té dhā́māny amṛ́tā martyā́nām ádabdhā abhí cakṣate ||
Sie treiben den rötlichen, sieghaften Vasu an—den einen Sohn der drei (Mächte); sie, die Unsterblichen, Untrüglichen, schauen auf die Wohnstätten der Sterblichen und führen sie zu rechtem Sehen.
Word by Word
- ते
- theyPronounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- हिन्विरे
- they impel/drive onVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Role KriyāRoot √हिन्/हिव् (प्रेरणे)
- अरुणम्
- the ruddy one (Aruna)Noun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot अरुण (प्रातिपदिक)
- जेन्यम्
- victorious, conquerable/conqueringAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम् (अरुणम् इति विशेषणम्)Role KarmaRoot जेन्य (प्रातिपदिक; √जि ‘to conquer’ से)
- वसु
- a treasure/good (as a boon)Noun/Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम् (अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः)Role KarmaRoot वसु (प्रातिपदिक)
- एकम्
- one, singleAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम् (पुत्रम् इति विशेषणम्)Role KarmaRoot एक (प्रातिपदिक)
- पुत्रम्
- sonNounपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- तिसॄणाम्
- of the three (fem.)Numeralस्त्रीलिङ्गे षष्ठी बहुवचनम्Role Sambandha (genitive)Root त्रि (सङ्ख्या-प्रातिपदिक; स्त्रीलिङ्ग-रूप)
- ते
- theyPronounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- धामानि
- abodes, stations, ordinancesNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया बहुवचनम्Role Karma (of ‘behold’)Root धामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- अमृताः
- immortalAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम् (ते इति विशेषणम्)Role Kartā (apposition)Root अमृत (प्रातिपदिक)
- मर्त्यानाम्
- of mortalsNounपुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी बहुवचनम्Role Sambandha (genitive)Root मर्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- अदब्धाः
- unharmed, unbeguiled, unassailableAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम् (ते इति विशेषणम्)Role Kartā (apposition)Root अदब्ध (प्रातिपदिक; a- + √दभ् ‘to harm/deceive’)
- अभि
- towards, uponIndeclinableउपसर्गः (√चक्ष् सह)Role UpasargaRoot अभि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- चक्षते
- they behold, look uponVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Role KriyāRoot √चक्ष् (दर्शने)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: ते हिन्विरे अरुणम् जेन्यम् वसु एकम् पुत्रम् तिसॄणाम् । ते धामानि अमृताः मर्त्यानाम् अदब्धाः अभि चक्षते ॥ Sandhi: (1) वस्वेकम् = वसु + एकम् (उकारान्त ‘वसु’ + स्वरारम्भ ‘एकम्’ → उ/व्-आगमः: वस्वेकम्). (2) धामान्य॒मृता = धामानि + अमृताः (इकारान्त + अकारादि → य्-आगमः: धामान्य् + अमृताः; संहितायां ‘धामान्यमृताः’). (3) अन्यत्र स्पष्ट-सन्धिः न
- ‘अभि चक्षते’ पदद्वयम्।
The meaning
Outer meaning
They impel the ruddy, conquering treasure—one son of the three; the immortals, unfailing, look upon the stations of mortals.
Inner meaning
The Āditya powers set in motion a ‘ruddy’ (aruṇa) victorious wealth (vasu jenyaṃ): a dawn-like force of illumination and effective energy that conquers obscurity. ‘One son of the three’ points to a single emergent power born of a triad—often read psychologically as a unified result from three fundamental energies (e.g., knowledge–will–delight, or the triple world/three mothers). The immortals ‘look upon’ (abhi cakṣate) the dhāmanis—stations or settled planes—of mortals: they oversee, illumine, and rectify the fixed habits and levels of our nature. ‘Adabdhāḥ’ (unbaffled) indicates these powers are not deceived by appearances; they bring right seeing and right placing.
Universal truth
Higher laws of truth and harmony can awaken a victorious, luminous force within us. When the greater consciousness oversees our habitual stations, life-structures are corrected and uplifted.
Themes
Light-emergence, Divine oversight, Treasure as consciousness-gain, Order of stations (dhāman)
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 8.101 (Āditya hymn)
Significance
The verse expresses a key Vedic yoga movement: the gods ‘impel’ an awakening force (aruṇa) and oversee the mortal stations to transform them—an image of descent of higher light into established nature.
The deity
- Devata
- Ādityas (contextually led by Mitra–Varuṇa)
- Epithets
- amṛtāḥ (immortals), adabdhāḥ (unbaffled)
- Related deities
- Uṣas (dawn), Sūrya, Agni (impelling force)
Cosmic role
Solar-law powers that govern truth, harmony, and the right placing of energies across worlds; they propel victorious light into manifestation.
Inner power
They awaken the dawn-force and victorious inner wealth; they scrutinize and rectify the fixed formations of the mortal being, establishing right seeing.
In ritual
Where it is used
Āditya praise within Śrauta Soma context; also relevant to morning invocations linked with dawn/solar forces (by theme).
ते हि॑न्विरे अरु॒णं जेन्यं॒ वस्वेकं॑ पु॒त्रं ति॑सॄ॒णाम् । ते धामा॑न्य॒मृता॒ मर्त्या॑ना॒मद॑ब्धा अ॒भि च॑क्षते ॥
ते । हि॒न्वि॒रे॒ । अ॒रु॒णम् । जेन्य॑म् । वसु॑ । एक॑म् । पु॒त्रम् । ति॒सॄ॒णाम् । ते । धामा॑नि । अ॒मृताः॑ । मर्त्या॑नाम् । अद॑ब्धाः । अ॒भि । च॒क्ष॒ते॒ ॥
te | hinvire | aruṇam | jenyam | vasu | ekam | putram | tisṝṇām | te | dhāmāni | amṛtāḥ | martyānām | adabdhāḥ | abhi | cakṣate
Triṣṭubh (probable; typical in Book 8 for such stanzas)
44
4 × ~11 (probable)
Expansive and declarative; balances dynamic ‘impel’ with steady ‘oversee’.
Invokes uplift and confidence: a sense of higher supervision entering ordinary life-structures.
- अरुणम् (aruṇam)
- Literal: ruddy, dawn-colored. Symbolic: Dawn-force of awakening; luminous energy entering the vital and mind
- जेन्यम् (jenyam)
- Literal: conquering, victorious. Symbolic: Power that overcomes resistance and establishes progress
- वसु (vasu)
- Literal: treasure, wealth. Symbolic: Inner riches: light, strength, joy, right capacities
- एकं पुत्रं तिसॄणाम् (ekaṃ putraṃ tisṝṇām)
- Literal: one son of the three. Symbolic: Unified emergent power born of a triad (triple energies/worlds/mothers); integrated realization
- धामानि (dhāmāni)
- Literal: stations, abodes. Symbolic: Fixed levels and habits of the mortal nature; planes of functioning
- अदब्धाः (adabdhāḥ)
- Literal: unbaffled, unfooled. Symbolic: Infallible discernment of truth-powers; cannot be deceived by ego or appearances
- अभि चक्षते (abhi cakṣate)
- Literal: they look upon, oversee. Symbolic: Illuminating supervision; bringing right vision and right order
Praise of divine governance: suitable where the hymn emphasizes the gods’ oversight of human ‘stations’ and the bestowal/impulsion of luminous wealth.
When invoking the Ādityas’ oversight and the victorious treasure of light—especially in sequences that aim at right order and protection.
Recitation as affirmation of divine governance over human stations; supportive of rite-correction and auspicious progress.
Use for ‘re-patterning’ habits: chant while contemplating one fixed life-pattern and inviting higher light to oversee and reorder it.
hinvire from √hi ‘impel’ (causative nuance) → the gods as movers of inner energies. aruṇa ‘ruddy’ associated with dawn/sun (luminous emergence). jenya from √ji ‘conquer’ → ‘to be won’/‘victorious’, indicating attainability through effort and grace. dhāman from √dhā ‘place, set’ → fixed stations/laws of consciousness. adabdha from √dabh ‘deceive/hurt’ → inviolable clarity of the immortals’ sight.
triadic manifestation (three realms/lights), divine sight (cakṣas) guiding mortals, inner wealth (vasu) as luminous attainment
The unbaffled immortals oversee mortal stations to align them with ṛta.
Right seeing (cakṣate) is satya-perception applied to mortal formations.
A triad gives birth to a unified power—suggesting integration as a creative step in manifestation.
Vedic integralism: transformation of the mortal by descent/impulsion of higher powers; triadic-to-unity movement.
Dawn (suggested by aruṇa)
Dawn-illumination entering the vital/mind; higher consciousness overseeing and correcting habitual ‘stations’ of the nature.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is the ‘impulsion of the ruddy victor’—a dawn/sun-like power driven forth by the law-gods—paired with the motif of the immortals’ unerring gaze upon mortal abodes, ensuring alignment with the higher stations of order.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √ji ‘conquer’ (PIE *gʷyeh₃-/*gʷei- ‘live/overcome’ debated; Indo-Iranian √ji is stable) encodes the archaic heroic attainment motif. √dhā ‘place’ (PIE *dʰeh₁- ‘put, set’) is a core IE root; dhāman as ‘station’ parallels IE cosmological ‘placements’ (ordered abodes).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi recognizes the gods as both impellers of luminous gain and as witnesses/judges of human states. The human task is to receive and embody the ‘one son’ (a concentrated power of light) under their undeceivable sight.
Invite the dawn-force (aruṇa) and victorious inner wealth to rise; offer your ‘stations’ (habits/planes) to the unbaffled gaze of truth-powers.
sahasrāra (oversight from above)
Slow inhalation visualizing ruddy-gold light rising; brief pause; long exhale offering specific habits to the ‘gaze’ (abhi cakṣate).
Awakened, supervised, re-ordered; quiet confidence.
Name three supporting powers in you (e.g., clarity–will–joy). Feel a single ‘son’—a unified force—emerge and move through the day’s fixed patterns, correcting them gently but firmly.
Notated svara unavailable; sustain aruṇaṃ and jenyaṃ with a slight uplift; keep abhi cakṣate clear and concluding.
Phrase by Padapāṭha: te | hinvire | aruṇam | jenyaṃ | vasu | ...; give a gentle emphasis to amṛtāḥ and adabdhāḥ.
hinvire: ‘hv’ cluster—light ‘h’ before ‘v’, aruṇam: retroflex ṇ, tisṝṇām: long ṝ (vocalic r) sustained, adabdhāḥ: conjunct bdh—do not drop ‘dh’
Luminous, uplifted, with a clear bright timbre; end calmly on cakṣate.
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