Sukta 115
Sukta 1.115
Kutsa Āṅgirasa (traditional attribution for RV 1.115)
Triṣṭubh (probable for RV 1.115.1)
This hymn celebrates Sūrya’s daily rising as the luminous “face” and “eye” of the gods, filling heaven, earth, and the midspace with order and visibility. It portrays the Sun’s chariot and the transition from night to day as a lawful cosmic passage, then turns that cosmic event into a prayer for release from distress and fault and for expansion into ṛta (truth-order).
In this hymn
Addressed to
Mantras
Mantra 1
चित्रं देवानामुदगादनीकं चक्षुर्मित्रस्य वरुणस्याग्नेः । आप्रा द्यावापृथिवी अन्तरिक्षं सूर्य आत्मा जगतस्तस्थुषश्च ॥
देवताओं का चमकता हुआ चेहरा ऊपर आ गया है। यह सूर्य है जो मित्र, वरुण और अग्नि का नेत्र है। सूर्य ने आसमान, धरती और बीच की दुनिया को रोशन कर दिया है। सूर्य ही सब चलने वाली और खड़ी रहने वाली दुनिया का आत्मा है।
Mantra 2
सूर्यो देवीमुषसं रोचमानां मर्यो न योषामभ्येति पश्चात् । यत्रा नरो देवयन्तो युगानि वितन्वते प्रति भद्राय भद्रम् ॥
सूर्य भगवान चमकती हुई सुबह के पीछे-पीछे जाते हैं। जैसे कोई जवान लड़की के पीछे जाता है। जहाँ लोग भगवान को ढूँढते हैं, वहाँ वो हर वक्त अच्छा काम करते हैं। एक अच्छा काम दूसरे अच्छे काम का जवाब देता है।
Mantra 3
भद्रा अश्वा हरितः सूर्यस्य चित्रा एतग्वा अनुमाद्यासः । नमस्यन्तो दिव आ पृष्ठमस्थुः परि द्यावापृथिवी यन्ति सद्यः ॥
सूर्य के घोड़े बहुत अच्छे हैं। वो चमकदार और तेज़ हैं। आसमान के ऊपर खड़े हो के वो दुनिया को देखते हैं। एक साथ आसमान और धरती दोनों को चलते हैं। सब जगह रोशनी फैलाते हैं।
Mantra 4
तत्सूर्यस्य देवत्वं तन्महित्वं मध्या कर्तोर्विततं सं जभार । यदेदयुक्त हरितः सधस्थादाद्रात्री वासस्तनुते सिमस्मै ॥
यह सूर्य की शक्ति है, यह उनकी बड़ी बात है। रात और सुबह के बीच में वो एक लंबी डोर पकड़ के रखते हैं। जब वो अपने घोड़ों को जोड़ते हैं, तब रात अपना कपड़ा फैला देती है। इससे सूर्य सही रास्ते से निकल के आते हैं।
Mantra 5
तन्मित्रस्य वरुणस्याभिचक्षे सूर्यो रूपं कृणुते द्योरुपस्थे । अनन्तमन्यद्रुशदस्य पाजः कृष्णमन्यद्धरितः सं भरन्ति ॥
मित्र और वरुण की नज़र में सूर्य आसमान में अपना रूप बनाते हैं। एक तरफ उनकी रोशनी के खत्म नहीं होती। दूसरी तरफ अंधेरा है। दोनों चीज़ें सूर्य के पास होती हैं। रोशनी और अंधेरा दोनों साथ में चलते हैं।
Mantra 6
अद्या देवा उदिता सूर्यस्य निरंहसः पिपृता निरवद्यात् । तन्नो मित्रो वरुणो मामहन्तामदितिः सिन्धुः पृथिवी उत द्यौः ॥
आज सूर्य के उठने के साथ भगवान हमारे पास आओ। हमें परेशानी से बचाओ, हमारी गलती माफ करो। मित्र और वरुण हमारे लिए अच्छा करें। अदिति, नदिया, धरती और आसमान सब हमारे साथ हों।
Inside Sukta 115
How it unfolds
- Where it opens
Sūrya rises as the brilliant face of the gods and the eye of Mitra–Varuṇa and Agni, filling the three realms; he is named the ‘Self’ of all that moves and stands.
- Development
The hymn elaborates the Sun’s movement and chariot imagery, emphasizing the ordered transition between night and day and the Sun’s role in sustaining cosmic law and visibility.
- Climax
A direct proclamation of Sūrya’s devatva and mahitva: he gathers the ‘wide-stretched web’ between the two horizons/agents, and Night spreads her garment as he yokes the Harits—an image of lawful emergence into manifestation.
- Where it settles
The cosmic vision turns into prayer: with the Sun’s rising, may the gods free us from distress and fault, and may Mitra–Varuṇa, Aditi, the waters/river, Earth, and Heaven foster our widening into truth.
The deity: Sūrya
- Cosmic functionHe establishes day, regulates time and seasons, reveals paths and directions, and upholds ṛta by making the world visible and navigable; his rising marks the renewal of cosmic order.
- Inner significanceThe awakening of consciousness and discernment: the inner ‘sun’ that exposes error, clears heaviness, and enables a truthful, expansive orientation of mind and life.
The seer
- Kutsa ĀṅgirasaĀṅgirasa (Angiras lineage; sometimes linked with the Kutsa family of seers) · A prominent early Ṛgvedic seer associated with Indra’s heroic mythology and the articulation of dawn/daybreak imagery; his hymns often connect cosmic events with human welfare and liberation.
Famous verses
sūrya ātmā jagatas tasthuṣaś ca
तत्सूर्यस्य देवत्वं तन्महित्वं मध्या कर्तोर्विततं सं जभार । यदेदयुक्त हरितः सधस्थादाद्रात्री वासस्तनुते सिमस्मै ॥nir aṃhasaḥ pipṛtā nir avadyāt
Attributes of the deity
- All-seeing witness (cakṣus)
- Upholder of ṛta and lawful passage between night and day
- World-filling radiance across dyāvā-pṛthivī and antarikṣa
- Charioteer with Harit (green/golden) horses
- Self (ātmā) of moving and unmoving beings (as expressed in the hymn)
Also by this seer
- Several hymns in Rig Veda Mandala 1 are traditionally attributed to Kutsa (including hymns associated with Indra and the dawn-day transition).
- Later Vedic and epic tradition remembers Kutsa in Indra-related narratives, reinforcing his profile as a seer of victory and right order.
The rite, step by step
- Purification and settling of intention facing east at dawn.
- Kindling/maintaining the āhavanīya fire (if within an agnihotra framework) and preparing offerings.
- Recite the sukta as Sūrya appears or during the brightening of the horizon, contemplating the Sun as the ‘eye’ of cosmic order.
- Make offerings with the key petitions (release from aṃhas and avadyā; widening by Mitra-Varuṇa; support of Aditi, Earth, Heaven, and waters).
- Conclude with silent contemplation of inner clarity and a resolve to act in accord with ṛta.
Offerings
- Ghee (ājya) into fire
- Milk or soma (where applicable in a larger rite)
- Water libation (arghya) or respectful oblation to Sūrya
- Simple food offering in domestic observance
Frequently Asked Questions
It praises the rising Sun (Sūrya) as the all-seeing power that fills the worlds with light and order, and it asks the gods to free the worshipper from distress and moral fault.
Because Sūrya makes everything visible and thus supports truth, law, and right conduct—qualities especially associated with Mitra and Varuṇa; his light is their ‘seeing’ in the world.
It is well suited for dawn recitation facing east: contemplate the Sun as inner clarity, then pray for removal of negativity (aṃhas) and for a truthful, expansive day aligned with ṛta.
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