Rig Veda 2.38.1: Mandala 2, Sukta 38, Mantra 1
Sukta 2.38
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Devata
- Savitṛ
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
उदु ष्य देवः सविता सवाय शश्वत्तमं तदपा वह्निरस्थात् । नूनं देवेभ्यो वि हि धाति रत्नमथाभजद्वीतिहोत्रं स्वस्तौ ॥
údu ṣyá deváḥ savitā́ savā́ya śaśvat-tamáṃ tád apā́ vahnír asthāt | nūnáṃ devébhyo ví hí dhāti rátnam áthā́bhajad vīti-hótraṃ svastáu ||
Savita devta uthta hai sabko aage badhane ke liye. Yeh kaam hamesha chalta rahta hai, jaise paani le ke jata hai. Ab woh devtaon ko dhan baant raha hai. Phir woh shubh kaam mein hissa deta hai jo achha hota hai.
Word by Word
- उदु
- up, forth (indeed)Indeclinableनिपात; ‘उद्’ = ‘ऊर्ध्वं/उत्थानम्’ सूचक, ‘उ’ = बल/उद्बोधनRoot उद् (उपसर्ग) + उ (एन्क्लिटिक/निपात)
- ष्य
- indeed, nowIndeclinableनिपात (उद्बोधन/निश्चयार्थ) — प्रायः ‘indeed/now’Root ष्य (निपात; वैदिक)
- देवः
- the godNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनRole KartāRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- सविता
- Savitar (the impeller)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन (ऋ-प्रातिपदिक; वैदिक रूप ‘सविता’)Role Kartā (देवः सविता = कर्तृसमासार्थ)Root सवितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- सवाय
- for the impelling / for stimulationNounपुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot सव (प्रातिपदिक)
- शश्वत्तमम्
- the most enduring, everlastingAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन (तद्-सम्बन्धि विशेषण)Role KarmaRoot शश्वत् (प्रातिपदिक) + तमप् (तम)
- तत्
- that (deed/act)Pronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot तद् (सर्वनाम)
- अपाः
- the watersNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया बहुवचन (वैदिक: ‘अपः/अपाः’)Role KarmaRoot अप् (प्रातिपदिक)
- वह्निः
- the bearer/impeller (often of fire; here an epithet/agent)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनRole KartāRoot वह्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- अस्थात्
- stood forth, aroseVerbलुङ् (अorist) परस्मैपद; 3 पुरुष एकवचनRoot स्था (धातु)
- नूनम्
- now, indeedIndeclinableकाल/निश्चयार्थ अव्ययRoot नूनम् (निपात)
- देवेभ्यः
- to/for the godsNounपुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी बहुवचनRole SampradānaRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- वि
- apart, forth, distributivelyIndeclinableउपसर्ग (विभाग/विशेषणार्थ) धा-धातोः सहRoot वि (उपसर्ग)
- हि
- for, indeedIndeclinableनिपात (हेतौ/निश्चये) ‘for/indeed’Root हि (निपात)
- धाति
- places, bestows, distributesVerbलट् परस्मैपद; 3 पुरुष एकवचनRoot धा (धातु)
- रत्नम्
- treasure, giftNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot रत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
- अथ
- then, and thenIndeclinableअनन्तर/समुच्चयार्थ अव्ययRoot अथ (निपात)
- अभजत्
- apportioned, assignedVerbलुङ् (अorist) परस्मैपद; 3 पुरुष एकवचनRoot भज् (धातु)
- वीतिहोत्रम्
- the (rite/portion) of invited oblation; ‘invitation-offering’Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot वीति-होत्र (प्रातिपदिक; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष)
- स्वस्तौ
- in well-being, in auspiciousnessNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी एकवचन (वैदिक लोक: ‘स्वस्तौ’ = ‘स्वस्तौ/स्वस्तौ’)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot स्वस्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (वैदिक संधि-विग्रह): उदु = उद् + उ (निपात-संयोग). ‘तदपा’ इति संहितायां ‘तत् + अपाः’ (तत् अपाः) — तकारस्य परे स्वरादौ संधिः
- पाठे ‘तद॑पा॒’ रूपम्. ‘देवेभ्यो वि’ = देवेभ्यः + वि (विसर्गलोपः/पदसंधिः). अन्यत्र स्पष्ट संधि-परिवर्तनं न्यूनम्
- ‘वीतिहोत्रम्’ समासपदम्
The meaning
Outer meaning
Savitṛ rises for impulsion; the ever-lasting working—like a water-bearing carrier—has taken its stand. He now distributes treasure to the gods and apportions the well-invited offering in the movement of well-being.
Inner meaning
Savitṛ is the divine Impeller: the power that sets consciousness in motion toward right action and right awakening. ‘Up rises’ is the ascent of the illuminating impulsion in us—an inner dawn of initiative guided by truth. The ‘water-bearing carrier’ suggests a force that lifts and bears the waters (āpah): streams of life-energy and clarity, raising them upward for the work. Savitṛ ‘distributes the treasure to the gods’ means he assigns to each divine faculty its proper share—illumination to mind, strength to life, stability to body—so the whole being becomes coordinated. ‘Vītihotram svastau’ indicates the offering that is rightly invited and moves in well-being: the sacrifice becomes a smooth, beneficent flow when the Impeller governs.
Universal truth
True progress is an inner impulsion aligned with the greater order. When the right driving force awakens, energies are lifted, capacities receive their proper nourishment, and life moves in a rhythm of well-being.
Themes
Solar impulsion (Savitṛ), Cosmic order and distribution, Awakening of faculties, Treasure-bestowal
The seer
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Lineage
- Bhārgava (traditional)
- Other hymns
- RV 2.23 (Bṛhaspati: opening the ways by the Word), RV 2.35 (Āpas: waters as life and clarity), RV 2.38 (Savitṛ hymn context: impulsion and right action)
Family tradition
Gṛtsamada’s hymns often invoke powers that set the journey in motion—Agni, Indra, Savitṛ—emphasizing effective impulsion and the distribution of divine energies for works.
Significance
This is a classic mantra for awakening the right initiative: the divine impulsion rises, lifts the waters of life, and apportions inner riches to the god-powers in us.
The deity
- Devata
- Savitṛ
- Epithets
- Devaḥ Savitā, Impeller (savitṛ), Distributor of treasure (ratna-dhātṛ implied)
- Related deities
- Sūrya, Uṣas, Pūṣan (guide), Bhaga (distributor)
Cosmic role
Solar power of impulsion that sets all beings to their work; awakens, moves, and arranges the right functioning of the cosmos.
Inner power
Initiating illumination that organizes the faculties; lifts life-currents upward; creates auspicious flow (svasti) in action.
In ritual
Where it is used
Savitṛ invocation in daily rites and larger offerings; suitable for morning impulsion and for setting the sacrifice in motion.
उदु॒ ष्य दे॒वः स॑वि॒ता स॒वाय॑ शश्वत्त॒मं तद॑पा॒ वह्नि॑रस्थात् । नू॒नं दे॒वेभ्यो॒ वि हि धाति॒ रत्न॒मथाभ॑जद्वी॒तिहो॑त्रं स्व॒स्तौ ॥
उत् । ऊँ॒ इति॑ । स्यः । दे॒वः । स॒वि॒ता । स॒वाय॑ । श॒श्व॒त्ऽत॒मम् । तत्ऽअ॑पाः । वह्निः॑ । अ॒स्था॒त् । नू॒नम् । दे॒वेभ्यः॑ । वि । हि । धाति॑ । रत्न॑म् । अथ॑ । अ॒भ॒ज॒त् । वी॒तिऽहो॑त्रम् । स्व॒स्तौ ॥
ut | oṃ iti | syaḥ | devaḥ | savitā | savāya | śaśvat-tamam | tat-apāḥ | vahniḥ | asthāt | nūnam | devebhyaḥ | vi | hi | dhāti | ratnam | atha | abhajat | vīti-hotram | svastau
44
4 × 11 syllables
Rising opening (‘ud u’) followed by firm establishment (‘asthāt’); then a distributing cadence—measured, directive.
Creates an inner ‘uprush’ and then a settled clarity; good for beginning of practice/day.
- सविता (savitā)
- Literal: Savitṛ (Impeller). Symbolic: divine impulsion guiding right action and awakening
- सवाय (savāya)
- Literal: for impulsion/stimulus. Symbolic: the initiating push toward growth, aspiration, and right movement
- अपां वह्निः (apāṃ vahnịḥ)
- Literal: carrier of waters. Symbolic: power that lifts life-energies/clarities upward; bearer of purified currents
- रत्नम् (ratnam)
- Literal: treasure/jewel. Symbolic: spiritual riches—light, force, joy, right discernment
- वीतिहोत्रम् (vītihotram)
- Literal: well-invited offering. Symbolic: offering made with right call and right receptivity; effective invocation
- स्वस्तौ (svastau)
- Literal: in well-being. Symbolic: movement of harmony, auspiciousness, and integral welfare
Morning/impulsion context; Savitṛ hymns are suited to rites marking arousal and right setting-in-motion (pravargya-like ‘raising’ symbolism broadly; also daily recitation for initiating action).
At dawn/morning or at the start of a rite/work to invoke right impulsion and auspicious movement.
Invocation of Savitṛ; offering/praise; seeking distribution of ‘ratna’ to the gods.
Morning mantra for purposeful alignment: invoke the Impeller, lift energies (‘waters’) through breath, and dedicate the day’s actions to auspicious well-being (svasti).
Savitṛ from √sū/√su ‘to impel, set in motion’ (sava: impulsion). √sthā (asthāt) ‘to stand forth’ indicates establishment of the divine action. √dhā ‘to place’ + vi expresses distributive bestowal. ratna ‘treasure’ in RV often denotes concentrated spiritual riches (light/force/delight). √bhaj ‘to share, allot’ frames the god as distributor of portions—psychologically, the impeller assigns right measures to the faculties in svasti (harmonious being).
Rita as enduring law (śaśvat-tamam), Svasti (harmonious well-being), Right measure/portion (bhaj as cosmic apportionment)
Savitṛ embodies ṛta as dynamic governance—setting each power to its right function and time.
The ‘ever-lasting working’ (śaśvattamam) implies a truth-law behind impulsion, not arbitrary desire.
Rising of the divine mover; lifting of waters; distribution of treasure—cosmic organization through light and impulsion.
Vedic integral psychology: the solar Impeller organizes the inner gods and their functions toward harmony (svasti).
dawn/morning
Sunrise = awakening of initiative; waters = life-force and clarity; treasure = spiritual capacities distributed to faculties.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘rising impeller’ (Savitṛ) who stands forth and distributes treasures—an archetype of the solar power that initiates ordered activity. Innerly, Savitṛ awakens and apportions energies to the gods/faculties so the sacrifice of life proceeds in svasti (harmonious right-being).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √sthā ‘stand’ is a classic PIE root (*steh₂-) with broad cognates (Latin stō, English stand). √dhā ‘put’ corresponds to PIE *dʰeh₁- (Greek títhēmi). The formulaic ud- ‘up’ for dawn/awakening is also an inherited poetic device across Indo-European traditions.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer witnesses and affirms Savitṛ’s orderly impulsion: by naming his rising and his distributive action, the rishi aligns human intention with the cosmic impeller. The reciprocity is alignment→bestowal: right invocation (vīti-hotram) enables the god’s ratna to be apportioned into the human-sacrificial order.
Awaken the ‘right impulsion’ before action; feel Savitṛ rising in the forehead/heart as a luminous command toward truth.
Ājñā (solar impulsion and guidance) with support from Anāhata (svasti as harmonious movement).
Morning: 6–12 slow breaths visualizing upward flow (‘apāṃ vahnịḥ’) on inhale; settle on exhale into calm purpose.
Awakened clarity, organized intention, auspicious flow.
Repeat on waking. On ‘ud u ṣya’ feel the uprush of light; on ‘vi hi dhāti ratnam’ offer your faculties to be arranged; end resting in ‘svastau’—a quiet sense that the day can move in harmony.
Maintain the opening uplift on ‘ud u’ with clear udātta; keep the triṣṭubh pace measured; honor marked accents (e.g.,, ).
Let ‘ud u ṣya’ be a distinct rise; give weight to ‘asthāt’ (established); articulate ‘vi hi dhāti ratnam’ as a distributing movement.
‘Savitā’ with clear short a in -tā? (long ā at end); keep v not b, ‘apāṃ vahnịḥ’—nasal ṃ in apāṃ; do not drop it, ‘svastau’ with clear sv- cluster, not ‘sustau’
Bright and clear at start, then steady and reassuring toward the end.
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