Rig Veda 1.113.3: Mandala 1, Sukta 113, Mantra 3
Sukta 1.113
- Rishi
- Kutsa Āṅgirasa
- Devata
- Uṣas with implicit dyad Nakta–Uṣas
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
समानो अध्वा स्वस्रोरनन्तस्तमन्यान्या चरतो देवशिष्टे । न मेथेते न तस्थतुः सुमेके नक्तोषासा समनसा विरूपे ॥
samā́nó ádhvā svasróḥ anantás tám anyā́nyā carato deváśiṣṭe | ná méthēte ná tasthatúḥ suméke náktoṣā́sā́ sámanasā́ virū́pe ||
रात और सवेरा दोनों का रास्ता एक है, जो कभी खत्म नहीं होता। फिर भी दोनों अपने-अपने तरीके से चलती हैं। भगवान की मर्ज़ी से यह चलता है। दोनों में कोई लड़ाई नहीं होती, कोई रुकती नहीं है। रात और सवेरा, दोनों का एक ही मक़सद है, सिर्फ शकल अलग है।
Word by Word
- समानः
- the same, commonAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole विशेषण (अध्वा)Root समान- (प्रातिपदिक)
- अध्वा
- path, courseNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ/विषय (वाक्य-विषयः)Root अध्वन्- (प्रातिपदिक)
- स्वस्रोः
- of the sisterNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (अध्वा—कस्य?)Root स्वसृ- (प्रातिपदिक)
- अनन्तः
- endless, without endAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole विशेषण (अध्वा)Root अनन्त- (प्रातिपदिक)
- तम्
- that (path)Pronounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (चरतः—किम्?)Root तद्- (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अन्या
- one (the other)Adjective/Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (चरति—एकस्या:)Root अन्य- (प्रातिपदिक)
- अन्या
- the otherAdjective/Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (चरति—अन्यस्या:)Root अन्य- (प्रातिपदिक)
- चरतः
- they two move, goVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, तृतीया? (न), प्रथमा, द्विवचनRole क्रिया (कर्तृ—अन्या अन्या)Root चर् (धातु)
- देवशिष्टे
- as ordained by the gods / in the gods’ ordinanceAdjective (used adverbially)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, लोकेटिव? (अधिकरणे) एकवचन (पद-रूप: -े)Role अधिकरण/प्रकार (चरतः—कथम्/कुत्र?)Root देव-शिष्ट- (समास; शिष्ट < √शास्/√शिष् ‘to instruct/ordain’)
- न
- notIndeclinableनिषेधRole सम्बन्ध (निषेधक)Root न (निपात)
- मेथेते
- they two meetVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमा, द्विवचनRole क्रिया (नक्तोषासा—कर्तृ)Root मिथ्/मेथ् (धातु; वैदिक ‘to meet/come together’)
- न
- norIndeclinableनिषेधRole सम्बन्ध (निषेधक)Root न (निपात)
- तस्थतुः
- they two have stood / stand stillVerbलिट् (परिपूर्ण/परफेक्ट), परस्मैपद, प्रथमा, द्विवचनRole क्रिया (नक्तोषासा—कर्तृ)Root स्था (धातु)
- सु-मेके
- together, in one placeAdverbial (nominal form)द्विवचन, (स्थाने/प्रकारे) प्रयोगःRole अधिकरण/प्रकार (तस्थतुः—कथम्?)Root सु- + मेक (प्रातिपदिक; वैदिक ‘together/at one place’—द्विवचन-रूप)
- नक्तोः
- NightNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन (द्वन्द्व-समासस्य पूर्वपद-रूपम्)Role कर्तृ (उषासा सह)Root नक्त- (प्रातिपदिक)
- उषासा
- DawnNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचनRole कर्तृ (नक्तोः सह)Root उषस्- (प्रातिपदिक)
- समानसा
- of one mind, like-mindedAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचनRole विशेषण (नक्तोः उषासा)Root समानस- (समास: समान + मनस्)
- विरूपे
- of different forms, unlike in appearanceAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचनRole विशेषण (नक्तोः उषासा)Root वि-रूप- (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (padapāṭha-style): स्वस्रो॑रन॒न्तस् → स्वस्रोः + अनन्तः
- तम॒न्यान्या॑ → तम् + अन्या + अन्या
- दे॒वशि॑ष्टे (no external sandhi; compound/derivative)
- नक्तो॒षासा॒ → नक्तोः + उषासा. मे॑थेते॒ is a Vedic present middle dual form (no sandhi). सु॒मेके॒ treated as su- + मेके (Vedic dual form used adverbially)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Night and Dawn, two sisters, share one endless path. Each moves in her own way on the same track under divine ordinance. They do not collide or stop: though different in form, they move with one intention.
Inner meaning
The seeker’s path is one continuous progression of consciousness, yet it includes alternating phases: inward concealment/rest (Night) and outward revelation/clarity (Dawn). Both are governed by devaśiṣṭa—divine law/command—so the sadhaka need not force premature illumination nor fear temporary obscurity. The mantra teaches psychological non-conflict: do not ‘clash’ with your nights; do not stagnate in them either. Maintain samanasā—one will—through both phases.
Universal truth
Life evolves by complementary rhythms. When aligned with the governing order (ṛta), apparent opposites cooperate: rest and action, silence and expression, incubation and insight. Progress is harmed not by alternation but by resistance or attachment to one phase.
Themes
Nature-praise as inner psychology, Transition from darkness to illumination, Cosmic order and alternation, Non-dual harmony expressed through dual forms
The seer
- Rishi
- Kutsa Āṅgirasa
- Lineage
- Āṅgirasa
- Other hymns
- RV 1.113, RV 1.112, RV 1.114
Family tradition
Āṅgirasa seers are renowned for hymns of illumination—recovering hidden light and establishing right movement of the sacrifice within.
Significance
Kutsa frames the Dawn not merely as a phenomenon but as a law of progressive revelation; here he articulates a disciplined psychology of alternating states held under one intention.
The deity
- Devata
- Nakta–Uṣas (Night and Dawn dyad)
- Epithets
- svasrā (sisters), devaśiṣṭe (divinely guided), samanasā (one-intentioned)
- Related deities
- Ṛta (as law), Sūrya, Agni
Cosmic role
Regulate the daily/cosmic cycle; maintain continuity of the world-process through alternation.
Inner power
Govern transitions of consciousness—sleep to waking, ignorance to knowledge, latency to manifestation—without rupture.
In ritual
Where it is used
Dawn/Night paired praise; recited in morning context to acknowledge orderly succession.
स॒मा॒नो अध्वा॒ स्वस्रो॑रन॒न्तस्तम॒न्यान्या॑ चरतो दे॒वशि॑ष्टे । न मे॑थेते॒ न त॑स्थतुः सु॒मेके॒ नक्तो॒षासा॒ सम॑नसा॒ विरू॑पे ॥
स॒मा॒नः । अध्वा॑ । स्वस्रोः॑ । अ॒न॒न्तः । तम् । अ॒न्याऽअ॑न्या । च॒र॒तः॒ । दे॒वशि॑ष्टे॒ इति॑ दे॒वऽशि॑ष्टे । न । मे॒थे॒ते॒ इति॑ । न । त॒स्थ॒तुः॒ । सु॒मेके॒ इति॑ सु॒ऽमेके॑ । नक्तो॒षासा॑ । सऽम॑नसा । विरू॑पे॒ इति॒ विऽरू॑पे ॥
samānaḥ | adhvā | svasroḥ | anantaḥ | tam | anyāanyā | carataḥ | devaśiṣṭeitideva-śiṣṭe | na | metheteiti | na | tasthatuḥ | sumeke itisu-meke | naktoṣāsā | sa-manasā | virūpeitivi-rūpe
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4 pādas × 11 syllables
Measured, spacious, and forward-driving; ideal for stating a law or principle with calm authority.
Stabilizes the mind in a larger cadence; supports contemplation of continuity across changing inner states.
- naktā
- Literal: night. Symbolic: involution, rest, incubation; subconscient processing
- uṣāsā
- Literal: dawn. Symbolic: revelation, awakening, clarity
- svasroḥ
- Literal: of two sisters. Symbolic: paired cosmic powers within one unity
- samāna adhvā
- Literal: the same path. Symbolic: single evolutionary journey of the soul
- ananta
- Literal: endless. Symbolic: continuous becoming; inexhaustible yoga
- devaśiṣṭa
- Literal: ordained by the gods/divine rule. Symbolic: ṛta as inner guidance; higher governance
- na methete
- Literal: they do not clash. Symbolic: non-violent integration of opposites
- samanasā
- Literal: of one mind/intent. Symbolic: single aspiration through changing states
- virūpe
- Literal: different in form. Symbolic: varied experiences masking one purpose
Morning recitation/invocation associated with prātaḥ-savana atmosphere; used as a dawn-hymn (uṣas-stuti) to align the sacrificer’s awareness with the daily renewal (not restricted to a single named śrauta iṣṭi in this verse).
At the threshold times (pre-dawn or dawn), especially when transitioning from rest to activity.
Recitation as alignment with ṛta; mental offering of the day’s will to the divine ordinance.
Useful for those with fluctuating moods or meditation cycles: reinforces trust in process and discourages self-conflict.
Key terms: (1) adhvā ‘path, course’: from a stem meaning ‘way/passage’; in Vedic often both physical course (cosmic rhythm) and inner journey of consciousness. (2) √car ‘to move, to conduct oneself’: dual indicates paired rhythmic alternation. (3) deva-śiṣṭa ‘divinely instructed/ordained’: from √śās/śiṣ ‘to instruct, command; to leave as rule’, marking ṛta-like governance. (4) (dual) from √mith/√meth ‘to contend, oppose, dispute’; negated to stress non-conflict of cosmic powers. (5) (dual perfect) from √sthā ‘stand’: negated to stress uninterrupted succession. (6) sa-manas ‘one-minded’: manas from √man ‘to think’; indicates a single teleology behind alternating states. (7) vi-rūpa ‘varied-form’: rūpa ‘form/appearance’ from √rūp ‘to form/shape’, signifying different modalities of one process.
Ṛta (cosmic order as non-conflictual succession), Samanas (unity of intention behind dualities), cyclic time and renewal
Explicit: devaśiṣṭe—both move as commanded by the gods, i.e., by ṛta.
Satya appears as fidelity to the one path—truth as consistency of aim (samanasā).
World is sustained by regulated alternation; stability arises from lawful change.
Integral-psychological reading: cosmic cycles mirror inner sadhana cycles; harmony rather than dualistic struggle.
night-to-dawn transition
Alternation of introversion and illumination; the ‘same path’ as steady aspiration through varying experiences.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The paired procession of Night and Dawn as ‘two Sisters’ moving on one endless path without conflict—an archetypal mythologem of ordered alternation: darkness does not ‘battle’ light here; rather, both are complementary powers executing ṛta. Psychologically, this encodes the lawful succession of inner states: obscurity yields to illumination, and illumination in turn prepares the next cycle, both serving one evolutionary intention.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The dyadic framing (dual verbs,, ) preserves an archaic Indo-European grammatical feature (the dual number) well-attested in early IE poetics. Key lexemes have broad IE resonance: √sthā ‘stand’ (Skt. sthā-, Gk. hístēmi, Lat. stō), √man ‘think’ (Skt. manas, Av. manah-, Eng. ‘mind’ via PIE *men-), and the ‘path’ notion adhvā aligns with inherited poetic imagery of the ‘way/course’ governing cosmic movement.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The Rishi does not bargain for outer goods; he recognizes a divine law and aligns perception with it. The reciprocity is one of attunement: by contemplating the non-conflictual order of Night–Dawn, the human vessel learns to let inner darkness and inner illumination move in right sequence, without resistance or stagnation—thus inviting Uṣas as the power that regularizes and uplifts consciousness.
Hold one aspiration through changing conditions; practice non-resistance to ‘night’ phases while keeping the will to awaken.
svādhiṣṭhāna (rhythm/flow) and ājñā (guided clarity)
Box breathing 4-4-4-4 while mentally repeating ‘samanasā’; feel continuity through the four pādas.
Equanimity across alternation; steady will (icchā-śakti) guided by higher order.
When dullness comes, do not fight it; remember ‘na methete’. When clarity comes, do not cling; keep moving—‘na tasthatuḥ’.
Ṛgvedic tri-accent system; maintain the triṣṭubh sweep with clear udātta peaks on key compounds (devaśiṣṭe, samanasā).
Mark the 11-syllable cadence; keep a slight lift near mid-pāda and a settled fall at pāda end; do not rush compounds.
svasror: cluster ‘sr’ cleanly (sva-sror), anantas: dental n; avoid retroflexing, devaśiṣṭe: śiṣ with clear retroflex ṣ, virūpe: long ū; distinct vi-rū-pe
Even, unhurried, contemplative; steady volume.
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