Rig Veda 1.41.7: Mandala 1, Sukta 41, Mantra 7
Sukta 1.41
- Devata
- Mitra, Aryaman, Varuṇa
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
कथा राधाम सखायः स्तोमं मित्रस्यार्यम्णः । महि प्सरो वरुणस्य ॥
kathā́ rādhāma sakhāyaḥ stómaṁ mitrásyāryamṇáḥ | máhi psáro váruṇasya ||
¿Cómo, como compañeros, hemos de componer rectamente el himno para Mitra y Aryaman? ¿Cómo pronunciar las vastas inspiraciones de Varuṇa?
Word by Word
- कथा
- how? in what way?Indeclinableप्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (indeclinable interrogative adverb)Role Adhikaraṇa (प्रकार/रीति-प्रश्नः: 'how?')Root कथा (प्रश्नाव्यय)
- राधाम
- favor, grace, bountyNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (कर्मकारक-रूपेण)Role KarmaRoot राधा (स्त्री. प्रातिपदिक)
- सखायः
- friends, companionsNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot सखि (पुं. प्रातिपदिक)
- स्तोमम्
- hymn of praise, chantNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot स्तोम (पुं. प्रातिपदिक)
- मित्रस्य
- of MitraNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचनRole Sambandha (genitive relation)Root मित्र (पुं. प्रातिपदिक)
- अर्यम्णः
- of AryamanNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन (वैदिक-रूप: अर्यम्णः < अर्यमणः)Role Sambandha (genitive relation)Root अर्यमन् (पुं. प्रातिपदिक)
- महि
- greatly, mightilyIndeclinableअव्यय (intensifier/adverbial use)Role Adhikaraṇa (प्रकार/परिमाण: 'greatly')Root महि (अव्यय/विशेषण-प्रयोग)
- प्सरः
- (Vedic) utterance/praise; a strong/clear expressionNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (रूप: प्सरः)Role Karma (स्तुत्य/उच्चार्य-वस्तु: 'praise/utterance')Root प्सरस् (नपुं. प्रातिपदिक; वैदिक)
- वरुणस्य
- of VaruṇaNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचनRole Sambandha (genitive relation)Root वरुण (पुं. प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: कथा | राधाम् | सखायः | स्तोमम् | मित्रस्य | अर्यम्णः | महि | प्सरः | वरुणस्य । 1) राधाम् सखायः: अनुस्वार/म् + स → म् (पदसीमा पर). 2) मित्रस्य अर्यम्णः: षष्ठी-षष्ठी समुच्चयः (Mitra and Aryaman). 3) अर्यम्णः वैदिक-रूपः: अर्यमन्-शब्दस्य षष्ठी एकवचनम्
- लौकिके 'अर्यमणः'. 4) प्सरः: वैदिक-प्रातिपदिक 'प्सरस्' (अर्थ-परम्परा अनिश्चित/वैदिक-विशेष)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The singers ask how, as companions, they should rightly fashion a hymn to Mitra and Aryaman, and how to speak the vast inspirations of Varuṇa.
Inner meaning
The seeker-souls (sakhāyaḥ) ask how to form within themselves the true inner word (stoma) that aligns the being with the Ādityas: Mitra as harmonizing clarity in relations, Aryaman as noble aspiration and right belonging to the truth-law, and Varuṇa as the vast sovereign purity that holds the soul to ṛta. The question is not mere poetic craft but the difficulty of making the speech of the heart truthful enough to carry Varuṇa’s ‘mighty inspirings’ (mahi psaraḥ)—the large movements of conscience, wideness, and self-rule.
Universal truth
Right speech and right thought are not manufactured; they are shaped by inner alignment with harmony (Mitra), noble law (Aryaman), and vast truth (Varuṇa). When the inner word becomes sincere, it naturally carries a greater inspiration than the ego can produce.
Themes
Meta-poetics, Truthful praise, Aditya triad, Right speech
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 1.41 (Ādityas), RV 1.24 (Varuṇa), RV 1.90 (Ādityas)
Family tradition
Likely connected to early Āditya praise traditions emphasizing ṛta, social-ethical harmony, and inner law.
Significance
The anonymous seer-voice represents the collective seeker: the aspiration to find the ‘right word’ that can carry truth-force, not merely devotion-force.
The deity
- Devata
- Mitra–Aryaman–Varuṇa (Ādityas)
- Epithets
- Ādityas (sons of Aditi), Guardians of ṛta, Sovereigns of truth and harmony
- Related deities
- Bhaga, Aṃśa, Savitar, Sūrya
Cosmic role
Upholders of ṛta (cosmic order): Mitra stabilizes concord, Aryaman supports noble law and right belonging, Varuṇa governs vastness, purity, and binding to truth.
Inner power
Ethical illumination and self-governance: the capacity to widen the mind, purify intention, and establish truthful relations within and without.
In ritual
Where it is used
Mantra of right praise and formulation: used to invoke correctness of stoma and truthful speech before the Ādityas; appropriate in rites emphasizing satya/ṛta in recitation.
क॒था रा॑धाम सखाय॒: स्तोमं॑ मि॒त्रस्या॑र्य॒म्णः । महि॒ प्सरो॒ वरु॑णस्य ॥
क॒था । रा॒धा॒म॒ । स॒खा॒यः॒ । स्तोम॑म् । मि॒त्रस्य॑ । अ॒र्य॒म्णः । महि॑ । प्सरः॑ । वरु॑णस्य ॥
kathā | rādhāma | sakhāyaḥ | stomam | mitrasya | aryamṇaḥ | mahi | psaraḥ | varuṇasya
Likely Triṣṭubh (contextual for many Āditya verses; exact uncertain)
44
4 pādas of ~11 syllables (approx.)
Measured, declarative cadence suited to reflective inquiry.
Creates a steady widening in the listener—an inward pause that invites sincerity and truth-alignment before speech.
- कथा (kathā)
- Literal: how?. Symbolic: the soul’s inquiry for the right inner method and right vibration of truth-speech
- राधाम (rādhāma)
- Literal: we may accomplish/arrange successfully. Symbolic: to set the inner offering in right order; effective formation of mantra-consciousness
- सखायः (sakhāyaḥ)
- Literal: companions, comrades. Symbolic: powers of the being united in sādhanā; fellow-seekers and inner faculties working together
- स्तोमम् (stomam)
- Literal: hymn of praise. Symbolic: the formed word of aspiration; organized inner thought-offering
- मित्रस्य (mitrasya)
- Literal: of Mitra. Symbolic: harmonizing light, right relation, concord in the mental-vital
- अर्यम्णः (aryamṇaḥ)
- Literal: of Aryaman. Symbolic: noble striving, right membership in the truth, the Arya movement in the soul
- महि (mahi)
- Literal: great, vast. Symbolic: wideness of consciousness beyond ego-limits
- प्सरः (psaraḥ)
- Literal: inspirings/impulsions/expansive movements. Symbolic: large intuitive movements that widen and purify the mind
- वरुणस्य (varuṇasya)
- Literal: of Varuṇa. Symbolic: sovereign truth, purity, and the law of vastness that binds to ṛta
Mantra of right praise and formulation: used to invoke correctness of stoma and truthful speech before the Ādityas; appropriate in rites emphasizing satya/ṛta in recitation.
General Āditya invocation; suitable at dawn/noon offerings or before vows/ethical undertakings.
Shaping stoma (praise) as offering; mental recitation before speaking truth or taking commitments.
Use before difficult conversations or decisions: a short inner pause to align speech with harmony (Mitra), nobility (Aryaman), and truth (Varuṇa).
√rādh conveys ‘bringing to successful rightness’, fitting the craft of true speech. Mitra and Aryaman are named together as relational ṛta-powers; Varuṇa’s ‘mahi psaras’ indicates vast, flowing inspirative movements (linked to spreading/flow semantics). The verse is meta-poetic: it thematizes correct formulation of mantra as a discipline of consciousness.
truthful speech as ṛta-expression, harmony (Mitra) and noble order (Aryaman), vast law (Varuṇa)
Direct: the Ādityas are invoked as those who establish the right formation of speech and action under ṛta.
Truth-speech (satyavāc) as an expression of inner alignment, not moralism.
Widening (mahi) as a movement from limitation to the Vast (Varuṇa/Aditi).
Proto-Vedāntic and Yogic reading (Aurobindo/Kashyap): mantra as formation of consciousness-force.
From cramped ego-speech to wide truth-speech: the ‘sky’ becomes the inner expanse where the mantra can be rightly formed.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem of ‘true speech that reaches the gods’: the hymn must be rightly accomplished (rādh) to match the divine powers—relation (Mitra), noble ordering (Aryaman), and vast binding law (Varuṇa). The drama is the forging of mantra as an instrument of Ṛta.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- Mitra is Indo-Iranian (Avestan Miθra) from PIE *meh₂i- ‘to bind/measure’ debated; Varuṇa aligns with the ‘cover/bind’ semantic field (√vṛ ‘cover’), resonant with PIE *wer- ‘to cover, enclose’ (cf. English ward, German wehren in extended senses). The social-sacral lexicon reflects inherited Indo-European poetics of oath, order, and correct speech.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi approaches the gods as a craftsman of consciousness: he seeks the method of composing a stoma commensurate with their nature. The reciprocity is that correct praise establishes right relation with Mitra/Aryaman and opens into Varuṇa’s vast truth-power.
‘Right word’ practice: feel the inner movement of harmony (Mitra), noble aspiration (Aryaman), and vast truth (Varuṇa) before speaking or acting.
viśuddha (truthful expression)
Moderate nāḍī-śodhana for 6–12 rounds, then silent repetition on natural breath.
Widened, truthful poise; quiet sincerity.
Ask inwardly ‘kathā?’—how to align—then let speech arise only after a felt widening and calm clarity.
Standard Rigvedic accenting: udatta on accented syllables, svarita where marked; exact pada-svara requires śākhā-specific notation (not provided).
Keep clear rise on udatta in ‘kathā’, ‘stomam’, ‘māhi’; avoid flattening ‘varuṇasya’—let the cadence widen at the end.
kathā: aspirate lightly on ‘th’ (-like), not English ‘th’, rādhāma: long ā vowels; retroflex ḍh voiced with breath, aryamṇaḥ: nasalization and retroflex ṇ before ḥ, varuṇasya: retroflex ṇ, not dental n
Clear, steady, contemplative; end each pāda with a soft release into silence.
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