Rig Veda 7.38.4: Mandala 7, Sukta 38, Mantra 4
Sukta 7.38
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Savitar
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
अभि यं देव्यदितिर्गृणाति सवं देवस्य सवितुर्जुषाणा । अभि सम्राजो वरुणो गृणन्त्यभि मित्रासो अर्यमा सजोषाः ॥
abhí yáṃ devy áditi̱r gṛṇā́ti saváṃ devásya savitúr juṣāṇā́ | abhí sam-rā́jo váruṇo gṛṇanty abhí mitrā́so aryamā́ sa-jóṣāḥ ||
Aditi devi Savitar ki mahima gaati hain. Varun devta bhi unki tarif karte hain. Mitra aur Aryaman bhi saath mein gaate hain. Yeh sab devta milke Savitar ki madad karte hain.
Word by Word
- अभि
- towards, overIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRole Adhikaraṇa (क्रियाविशेषण; ‘towards/over’)Root अभि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- यम्
- whomPronounपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग?; द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- देवी
- the goddessNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनRole KartāRoot देवी (देव-स्त्री)
- अदितिः
- AditiNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनRole Kartā (देवी अदितिः = कर्तृसमासार्थः)Root अदिति (प्रातिपदिक)
- गृणाति
- praises, singsVerbलट् (वर्तमान); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष एकवचनRole KriyāRoot गृ (गृणाति) / √गॄ? (वैदिक ‘to sing/praise’)
- सवम्
- impulsion, vivifying power (sava)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot सव (प्रातिपदिक)
- देवस्य
- of the godNounपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी एकवचनRole Sambandha (genitive)Root देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- सवितुः
- of SavitarNounपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी एकवचनRole Sambandha (genitive)Root सवितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- जुषाणा
- favoring, delighting inParticipleवर्तमान (शानच्/आनच्-प्रत्यय); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; आत्मनेपदी भावःRole Kartā (विशेषणरूपेण ‘देवी अदितिः’)Root √जुष् (to enjoy, favor) → जुषाण (वर्तमान कृदन्त)
- अभि
- towards, overIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRole Adhikaraṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)Root अभि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- सम्राजः
- sovereign rulersNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचनRole KartāRoot सम्राज् (प्रातिपदिक)
- वरुणः
- VaruṇaNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनRole Kartā (सम्राजः इत्यस्य विशेष्य/समुच्चयः)Root वरुण (प्रातिपदिक)
- गृणन्ति
- praiseVerbलट् (वर्तमान); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष बहुवचनRole KriyāRoot √गृ (गृणाति) (वैदिक ‘to praise’)
- अभि
- towards, overIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRole Adhikaraṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)Root अभि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- मित्रासः
- the Mitras (Mitra and his powers)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचनRole KartāRoot मित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- अर्यमा
- AryamanNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन (वैदिक प्रथमा ‘अर्यमा’)Role Kartā (समुच्चितः)Root अर्यमन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- सजोषाः
- in concord, of one accordAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचनRole Kartā (विशेषणरूपेण ‘मित्रासः’ इत्यादीनाम्)Root सजोषस् (प्रातिपदिक; स- + जोषस् ‘together in accord’)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (pada-splitting): अ॒भि यं → अभि + यम्
- दे॒व्यदि॑तिर्गृ॒णाति॑ → देवी + अदितिः + गृणाति
- स॒वं दे॒वस्य॑ सवि॒तुर्जु॑षा॒णा → सवम् + देवस्य + सवितुः + जुषाणा
- अ॒भि स॒म्राजो॒ वरु॑णो गृणन्ति → अभि + सम्राजः + वरुणः + गृणन्ति
- अ॒भि मि॒त्रासो॑ अर्य॒मा स॒जोषा॑: → अभि + मित्रासः + अर्यमा + सजोषाः. Accent marks in the input are preserved in the source text
- analysis given on unaccented padāni
The meaning
Outer meaning
He whom the goddess Aditi praises, accepting the impulsion of Savitṛ—him Varuṇa the sovereign praises, and Mitra and Aryaman together.
Inner meaning
The verse reveals Savitṛ within the Aditya harmony. Aditi (Infinity, the undivided Mother-principle) ‘sings’ the divine impulsion (sava) when the being opens to the Infinite. Varuṇa (vastness and law) confirms it as sovereign order; Mitra (luminous concord) and Aryaman (noble right effort, right companionship) support it in unanimity. Psychologically: when the Infinite consent is there, the inner law, harmony, and noble will unite to uphold the solar impulsion—so our awakening is not a flash but a governed transformation.
Universal truth
Spiritual awakening becomes stable when infinity, law, harmony, and noble will act together; then the divine impulsion carries life without distortion.
Themes
Aditya harmony, Cosmic sovereignty, Integration of truth-powers
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha-gotra
- Other hymns
- RV 7.41 (Ādityas), RV 7.66 (Mitra-Varuṇa), RV 7.86 (Varuṇa), RV 7.60
Family tradition
Vasiṣṭha hymns often bring Savitṛ into the Aditya constellation, stressing ethical-spiritual order (Varuṇa/Mitra) and wideness (Aditi).
Significance
The seer’s vision is integrative: illumination must be housed in infinity and governed by truth-law and harmony.
The deity
- Devata
- Savitṛ (within the Āditya complex)
- Epithets
- devasya savituḥ (of the god Savitṛ), sava (divine impulsion)
- Related deities
- Aditi, Varuṇa, Mitra, Aryaman, Bhaga
Cosmic role
Savitṛ impels; Aditi provides infinite ground; Varuṇa governs by law; Mitra harmonizes; Aryaman upholds noble right movement.
Inner power
An integrated solar awakening: impulsion + infinity + law + harmony + noble effort acting in concert.
In ritual
Where it is used
Āditya praises in Soma rites and daily solar invocations
अ॒भि यं दे॒व्यदि॑तिर्गृ॒णाति॑ स॒वं दे॒वस्य॑ सवि॒तुर्जु॑षा॒णा । अ॒भि स॒म्राजो॒ वरु॑णो गृणन्त्य॒भि मि॒त्रासो॑ अर्य॒मा स॒जोषा॑: ॥
अ॒भि । यम् । दे॒वी । अदि॑तिः । गृ॒णाति॑ । स॒वम् । दे॒वस्य॑ । स॒वि॒तुः । जु॒षा॒णा । अ॒भि । स॒म्ऽराजः॑ । वरु॑णः । गृ॒ण॒न्ति॒ । अ॒भि । मि॒त्रासः॑ । अ॒र्य॒मा । स॒ऽजोषाः॑ ॥
abhi | yam | devī | aditiḥ | gṛṇāti | savam | devasya | savituḥ | juṣāṇā | abhi | sam-rājaḥ | varuṇaḥ | gṛṇanti | abhi | mitrāsaḥ | aryamā | sa-joṣāḥ
44
4 × ~11
Unifying and stately; repeated ‘abhi’ gives a gathering, convergent motion.
Creates a sense of supportive convergence—multiple powers assembling around one inner movement.
- अदिति (aditi)
- Literal: the unbound, infinity. Symbolic: infinite consciousness; the mother principle of wideness and freedom
- सव (sava)
- Literal: impulsion, stimulation. Symbolic: the initiating push of the divine Will into the nature
- जुषाण (juṣāṇā)
- Literal: enjoying/accepting. Symbolic: consent and receptivity of the soul-nature to the higher movement
- सम्राज वरुण (samrāj varuṇa)
- Literal: sovereign Varuṇa. Symbolic: kingly law of truth, vast containment that prevents deviation
- मित्र (mitra)
- Literal: friend, Mitra. Symbolic: harmonizing light, right relations in consciousness
- अर्यमन् (aryaman)
- Literal: Aryaman, noble one. Symbolic: nobility of effort; right aspiration and inner discipline in companionship
- सजोषाः (sajoṣāḥ)
- Literal: together, of one accord. Symbolic: integral unanimity of the powers in the being
Aditya/Savitar invocation emphasizing cosmic order and harmony; general
Dawn/early day; moments requiring alignment with law and harmony
Stuti to enlist the Ādityas’ support for right order
Meditation for integrating awakening with ethics, harmony, and disciplined aspiration.
Aditi: ‘unboundedness’ (a- ‘not’ + diti ‘binding/limit’), symbol of infinite consciousness. sava: from √sū ‘impel, vivify’—the Savitar-force. Varuṇa: ‘encompasser/binder’ (root debated; associated with cosmic law). Mitra: ‘contract/friendship’ (PIE *meh₁i-? debated), Aryaman: ‘noble order/companionship’ (arya ‘noble’). sa-joṣa: shared delight, harmonized will—psychologically the concord of powers sustaining ṛta.
Aditi (infinity, unbinding), Adityas as guardians of ṛta (Varuṇa/Mitra/Aryaman), Harmony of powers (sa-joṣa)
Varuṇa’s sovereignty indicates ṛta governing the impulsion.
Truth as unanimity: powers act ‘sajoṣāḥ’ without inner contradiction.
Integration: the One impulsion upheld by many cosmic functions.
Integral (Aurobindo): supramental/solar impulsion must be received by infinite consciousness and ordered by truth-law.
dawn
A widening to infinity that allows illumination to be governed and harmonized rather than scattered.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The Adityas’ collective affirmation of Savitar’s impulsion: Aditi, Varuṇa, Mitra, and Aryaman praise him in concord. Mythically, the guardians of ṛta endorse the solar drive; psychologically, the higher law, harmony, and noble alignment unite to support the awakening impulse in the seeker.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The sovereignty lexeme sam-rāj connects to IE kingship vocabulary (rāj/Latin rex via PIE *h₃rḗǵs). The distributive repetition of ‘abhí’ frames a litany-like structure typical of archaic Indo-European praise-poetry.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The r̥ṣi situates Savitar within the larger truth-maintaining powers (Aditi and the Adityas), indicating that the sought impulsion is not mere energy but ṛta-aligned. The human invocation aims to receive a harmonized, lawful awakening rather than a raw force.
Receive the impulsion of awakening into wideness (Aditi), then align it with truth-law (Varuṇa) and harmony (Mitra) sustained by noble effort (Aryaman).
sahasrāra (infinite opening) with ājñā (lawful guidance)
Inhale: widen (Aditi). Exhale: settle into order (Varuṇa). Maintain gentle coherence (Mitra) with steady resolve (Aryaman).
Widened, governed, harmonized illumination.
After chanting, sit in silence imagining the dawn-light descending into a vast sky of awareness; affirm one clear rule of truth (ṛta) for the day; feel harmony in relationships and nobility in effort.
Follow Vedic accents; repeated ‘abhi’ should be articulated cleanly without rushing, preserving pitch contours.
Keep ‘aditir’ and ‘varuṇo’ resonant; give ‘savaṃ’ a slight energetic lift; ‘sajoṣāḥ’ should sound unified and resolved.
(abhi): bh aspirated, (aditi): short vowels, clear dental t, (juṣāṇā): retroflex ṣ; long ā, (samrājaḥ): nasal m + r cluster smooth, (mitrāsaḥ): long ā; s at end soft, (sajoṣāḥ): jo long-ish; retroflex ṣ
Even, convergent, with a gentle majestic steadiness.
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