Sukta 15
Rishi: Kāṇva tradition (Kanva indicated within the verse; hymn attributed within Kāṇva sphere)
Devata: Savitar (primary); Bhaga (prosperity-distributor, secondary)
Chandas: Triṣṭubh-like cadence (requires metrical verification against pada count in Saunaka tradition)
This one-mantra Paustika hymn petitions Savitar for a “true-impelling” (satyasavā) favor that is beautiful, discerning, and universally beneficial. It frames prosperity as something that can be “milked out” in abundance—thousand-streamed—so that Bhaga may apportion it as one’s rightful share, bringing well-being and choice-worthy good fortune.
Kind of charm
Mantras
Inside Sukta 15
How it unfolds
- How it opens
Direct address to Savitar, selecting a boon characterized as satyasavā (true-impelling) and suci-trā (fair/beautifully formed).
- What it asks
Aham vṛṇe sumatim viśvavārām—‘I choose the good favor that is universally choice-worthy,’ i.e., comprehensive prosperity and auspicious guidance.
- Where its power lies
The hymn asserts efficacy through the Kāṇva precedent: the boon is something Kanva ‘milked out’—rich, full, thousand-streamed—like a strong bull’s bounty.
- How it closes
The prosperity is oriented toward Bhaga—ending in ‘bhagāya’—sealing the request as a rightful, apportioned share of fortune.
Famous verses
sahasradhārāṃ (thousand-streamed)
Kind of hymn
Paustika (Prosperity)
What it is for
To obtain Savitar’s potent favor that yields abundant, stable prosperity and a rightful share of fortune (bhaga), supporting general welfare and success.
Who it is for
Householders, patrons, and ritual practitioners seeking increase—wealth, opportunity, and well-apportioned prosperity for family and dependents.
Also used as
- Shantika
- Saubhagya (good-fortune)
The deity
Savitar is the divine Impeller who sets powers in motion and grants right-directed inspiration and auspicious initiative; Bhaga is the personified allotter of fortune, ensuring a just and fruitful “share” of prosperity.
Powers of the deity
- Impels and sanctifies action (prasava) so efforts become effective
- Grants sumati (good favor, right-minded blessing) that is viśvavārā (all-choice/all-desirable)
- Makes prosperity abundant and “flowing” (sahasradhārā)
- Ensures distributable fortune through Bhaga—proper allotment, share, enjoyment
- Removes impediments to gaining and retaining wealth and well-being
Why the deity is called
Savitar is invoked to choose and secure an efficacious, truth-impelled favor; Bhaga is named to emphasize that the gained abundance becomes a rightful, apportioned prosperity rather than unstable or contested gain.
The seer
- Kāṇva (Kanva-line seer; Kāṇva sphere)Angiras. Paustika invocations for increase—securing auspicious favor (sumati), abundance, and a properly allotted share (bhaga), often via imagery of milking/flowing plenty.
Other hymns of this seer
- AV.7.15
Preparing for the rite
- Choose a clean, quiet place; perform basic purification (ācamanam) and mental resolve (saṅkalpa) for prosperity and right allotment.
- Prepare an offering or symbolic substance: fresh milk/curd/ghee, or a small vessel of milk as the ‘milked’ abundance metaphor.
- Face east at sunrise if possible; keep the reciter and space ritually clean.
The rite
- Recite AV.7.15.1 with clear intention: ‘I choose (vṛṇe) Savitar’s sumati.’
- Optionally make a small offering (milk/ghee) after recitation, mentally dedicating the ‘share’ to Bhaga for just distribution.
- Conclude with silent contemplation that prosperity should be dharmic, beneficial, and shareable (household welfare).
What it needs
- Milk (primary, as offering/symbol)
- Ghee (optional)
- Clean water for purification
When
Preferably at dawn/sunrise (Savitar’s domain) or at the start of a new undertaking (trade, harvest, payment, gifting).
The main substance
Milk (as offering and as the central ‘milking abundance’ metaphor)
How it is prepared
Use fresh milk in a clean vessel; optionally mix a small amount of ghee. Offer a small portion after recitation, or symbolically ‘present’ it while reciting as the image of prosperity drawn forth in fullness.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is a Paustika (increase/prosperity) hymn used to choose and secure Savitar’s effective blessing so that fortune becomes abundant and properly allotted as one’s share (bhaga).
Savitar empowers and sets success in motion (the ‘impulsion’ behind results), while Bhaga represents the distribution of fortune—so the gained prosperity becomes a rightful, stable share rather than a fleeting gain.
No special items are required, but milk (and optionally ghee) fits the hymn’s imagery of ‘milking forth’ abundance and can be used as a simple offering at sunrise.
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