Rig Veda 1.164.31: Mandala 1, Sukta 164, Mantra 31
Sukta 1.164
- Rishi
- Dīrghatamas Āucathya
- Devata
- The inner Guide/Protector
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
अपश्यं गोपामनिपद्यमानमा च परा च पथिभिश्चरन्तम् । स सध्रीचीः स विषूचीर्वसान आ वरीवर्ति भुवनेष्वन्तः ॥
ápaśyaṁ gopā́m anípadyamānam ā́ ca párā ca pathíbhiś cárantam | sá sadhṛ́cīḥ sá viṣū́cīr vásāna ā́ varīvarti bhúvaneṣv antár ||
मैंने उस ग्वाले को देखा जो कभी ठिकाना नहीं चूकता। वो हर रास्ते पर आता जाता है। वो सीधे और टेढ़े-मेढ़े रास्तों को संभाल के रखता है। वो दुनिया के अंदर घूँटा लगाता है और जगह बनाता है।
Word by Word
- अपश्यम्
- I sawVerbलङ् (इम्पर्फेक्ट्), प्रथमपुरुषः? → उत्तमपुरुषः एकवचनम् (अहम्): ‘अपश्यम्’Role Kartā (अहम्, निहितः)Root दृश् (पश्य-)
- गोपाम्
- the herdsman/guardian (protector)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot गोपा (गो + पा ‘पालने’)
- अनिपद्यमानम्
- not falling down; not stumblingParticiple (Adjective)वर्तमान कृदन्तः (शतृ/शानच्-प्रकारः), पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया एकवचनम्; ‘न’ (निषेध) + निपद्यमानम्Role Karma (गोपाम् विशेषणम्)Root नि + पद् (गत्यर्थः) → निपद्यते
- आ
- towards; hitherIndeclinableउपसर्ग/निपातःRoot आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चयार्थकः निपातःRoot च
- परा
- away; forthIndeclinableदिशा/विपरीतगत्यर्थकः निपातःRoot परा (निपात/अव्यय)
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चयार्थकः निपातःRoot च
- पथिभिः
- by/along pathsNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः (वेदे ‘पथि’), तृतीया बहुवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot पथि- (पथ्/पन्था-सम्बद्धः प्रातिपदिकम्)
- चरन्तम्
- moving; roamingParticiple (Adjective)वर्तमान कृदन्तः (शतृ), पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role Karma (गोपाम् विशेषणम्)Root चर्
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot तद् (सः)
- सध्रीचीः
- converging/straight (in one direction)Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया बहुवचनम् (विशेष्यं निहितम्: दिशः/रश्मयः/प्रवृत्तयः)Role Karma (वसानः इत्यस्य वस्त्र-रूपकविशेष्याः)Root सध्रीच् (सम् + धृ/धारय्?; ‘एकदिशः/सम्यग्दिशः’)
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot तद् (सः)
- विषूचीः
- diverging; going in different directionsAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया बहुवचनम् (विशेष्यं निहितम्)Role KarmaRoot विषूच् (वि + सूच्/सूचि-; ‘विपरीतदिशः/विचित्रदिशः’)
- वसानः
- wearing; clothing himself withParticipleवर्तमान मध्यम/आत्मनेपदीय कृदन्तः (शानच्), पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role Kartā (सः … वसानः)Root वस् (आच्छादने) → वसान
- आ
- towards; intoIndeclinableउपसर्ग/निपातःRoot आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- वरीवर्ति
- moves about; turns/roamsVerbलट्, प्रथमपुरुषः एकवचनम् (वेदिक-रूपम्) परस्मैपदम्/आत्मनेपदसन्निकर्षः; अर्थः ‘परिवर्तते/विचरति’Role KriyāRoot वृ (वर्तने) + वि; वेद. ‘वरीवर्तते/वरीवर्ति’
- भुवनेषु
- in the worlds/realmsNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, सप्तमी बहुवचनम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot भुवन (भू ‘सत्तायाम्’)
- अन्तः
- within; insideIndeclinable (Adverb) / Nominalअव्ययवत् प्रयोगः: ‘अन्तर्/अन्तः’ = withinRole Adhikaraṇa (स्थानवाचकः)Root अन्तर्/अन्तः
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धिविग्रहः): अपश्यम् | गोपाम् | अ-निपद्यमानम् | आ | च | परा | च | पथिभिः | चरन्तम् || सः | सध्रीचीः | सः | विषूचीः | वसानः | आ | वरीवर्ति | भुवनेषु | अन्तः । मुख्यसन्धयः: (1) अपश्यं गोपाम् → अपश्यम् गोपाम् (अनुस्वार/मकारादेशः)
- (2) गोपामनि- → गोपाम् अनि- (म् + अ)
- (3) -मानमा च → -मानम् आ च (म् + आ)
- (4) चरन्तम् । स → चरन्तम् | सः (विसर्गः पदान्ते)
- (5) वसान आ → वसानः आ (अः + आ)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The seer saw a Cowherd who never stumbles, moving back and forth on paths. He wears both the straight and the divergent ways; within the worlds he turns and returns, making room.
Inner meaning
The ‘Gopā’ is the inner Guide—Brahman/Agni/Sūrya as the conscious protector of the rays (gos). He never ‘stumbles’ because the divine guidance is infallible. He moves ‘ā ca parā ca’—inward and outward—through multiple paths of consciousness. He holds together (vasānaḥ) the direct (sadhrīcīḥ) and the branching (viṣūcīḥ) movements: unity and multiplicity, ascent and descent, contemplation and action. By his turning within the worlds, he creates ‘varīvas’—wide room—for the soul’s journey and evolution.
Universal truth
A higher guidance operates within life’s complexity, integrating straight progress and detours. When we align with it, inner space opens and our path becomes workable across worlds and states.
Themes
Inner guide, Paths of yoga-like movement, Cosmic governance within worlds
The seer
- Rishi
- Dīrghatamas Āucathya
- Lineage
- Āucathya (Angirasa-related)
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 1.164
Family tradition
Master of symbolic ‘vision’ (apaśyam): his seeing is an inner seeing of powers behind phenomena.
Significance
He reveals the hidden Leader in the labyrinth of paths—an experiential map for integral yoga: unity holding multiplicity.
The deity
- Devata
- Gopā (Inner Guide) — often Sūrya/Agni/Brahman in protective aspect
- Epithets
- anipadyamāna (unfaltering), pathicara (path-walker), varīvat-kṛt (maker of wide room)
- Related deities
- Agni (leader of the inner sacrifice), Sūrya (seer-light), Indra (lord of right discernment), Pūṣan (guide on paths)
Cosmic role
Maintains order and guidance through worlds; shepherds the rays of knowledge and the soul’s journey.
Inner power
Inward leading intelligence that integrates divergent tendencies into a coherent evolution.
In ritual
Where it is used
Didactic-mystic passage; used as interpretive key for the 'paths' (devayāna/pitṛyāna in later readings), though here primarily symbolic of inner movements.
अप॑श्यं गो॒पामनि॑पद्यमान॒मा च॒ परा॑ च प॒थिभि॒श्चर॑न्तम् । स स॒ध्रीची॒: स विषू॑ची॒र्वसा॑न॒ आ व॑रीवर्ति॒ भुव॑नेष्व॒न्तः ॥
अप॑श्यम् । गो॒पाम् । अनि॑ऽपद्यमानम् । आ । च॒ । परा॑ । च॒ । प॒थिऽभिः॑ । चर॑न्तम् । सः । स॒ध्रीचीः॑ । सः । विषू॑चीः । वसा॑नः । आ । व॒री॒व॒र्ति॒ । भुव॑नेषु । अ॒न्तरिति॑ ॥
apaśyam | gopām | ani-padyamānam | ā | ca | parā | ca | pathi-bhiḥ | carantam | saḥ | sadhrīcīḥ | saḥ | viṣūcīḥ | vasānaḥ | ā | varīvarti | bhuvaneṣu | antariti
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4 × 11; strong marching cadence suitable for ‘path’ imagery
Processional and panoramic; alternation mirrors ‘to and fro’.
Gives a sense of guidance and forward travel; stabilizes scattered energies into a single movement.
- गो॒पाम् (gopām)
- Literal: cowherd, protector of cows. Symbolic: inner Guide/Protector of the rays of knowledge; divine governance in the being
- अनि॑पद्यमानम् (anipadyamānam)
- Literal: not stumbling. Symbolic: infallible inner guidance; sure-footed consciousness
- आ च परा च (ā ca parā ca)
- Literal: hither and thither. Symbolic: inward/outward movement across states; ascent/descent of consciousness
- पथिभिः (pathibhiḥ)
- Literal: by paths. Symbolic: yogic routes/lines of force; disciplines and movements of awareness
- सध्रीचीः (sadhrīcīḥ)
- Literal: straight, aligned. Symbolic: direct ascent, unified will, right movement
- विषूचीः (viṣūcīḥ)
- Literal: divergent, branching. Symbolic: multiplicity, detours, distribution into life-experience
- वसा॑नः (vasānaḥ)
- Literal: wearing, clothing oneself with. Symbolic: holding together/integrating opposites
- वरीवर्ति (varīvarti)
- Literal: makes wide room, clears space. Symbolic: creates inner wideness and freedom for progress
Didactic-mystic passage; used as interpretive key for the 'paths' (devayāna/pitṛyāna in later readings), though here primarily symbolic of inner movements.
Svādhyāya/teaching recitation; contemplative use for seekers at crossroads or transitions
Use before decision-making: invoke the unfaltering inner Guide to integrate straight and divergent options and create inner space.
gopā from go + √pā 'to protect' = guardian of the rays/cows (knowledge). patha 'path' (PIE *pent(h) 'path', cf. English path). viṣūcī 'divergent' from vi- + sūcī (pointing/needle-like direction) signals multiple vector-forces. varīvarti relates to √vṛt 'turn' with intensification; also echoes vári- 'wide space' → 'to make room'.
Guidance of consciousness (gopā), Multiplicity of paths (sadhṛcī/viṣūcī), Inner space-making (varīvarti)
The Gopā embodies ṛta as guidance through many paths without losing the true direction.
Truth-guidance does not stumble; it ‘wears’ multiplicity without fragmentation.
Worlds (bhuvanāni) as fields of return and progression—cyclic evolution with an inner leader.
Integral-Vedāntic: one consciousness governing many movements; anticipates Upaniṣadic antaryāmin (inner ruler).
The herdsman is the solar/fiery consciousness guiding the rays; paths are nāḍīs/lines of movement in mind-life-body; worlds are states of consciousness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The 'Cowherd of the Cows (Light)' as cosmic-psychic governor: a guiding power that conducts the rays/knowledges along manifold paths without error, harmonizing convergent and divergent movements within the worlds.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The lexeme patha aligns with PIE *pent(h)- 'path' (broad IE poetic motif of 'roads of gods'). The protector-compound go-pā is a productive Indo-Iranian type (cf. Avestan pā- 'protect') showing inherited sacral vocabulary.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi claims direct vision (apaśyam) of the guiding power and describes its operation as an inner cartography. The reciprocity is epistemic: revelation of the Devata’s governance becomes the rishi’s knowledge-path.
Invoke the ‘unfaltering Cowherd’ as inner steering intelligence; watch thoughts as branching paths and return to the straight current.
Ājñā (guidance) and Viśuddha (vāc/path articulation)
Walking meditation with 4-4 breathing (inhale 4 steps, exhale 4 steps) while repeating key phrase ‘gopām anipadyamānam’.
Guided wideness: centered awareness moving freely through multiple states without losing the axis.
When divergence arises, don’t suppress it—offer it to the Guide to be ‘worn together’ into a higher harmony; cultivate varīvas (inner space) before action.
Triṣṭubh; keep a steady ‘walking’ cadence. Lift on apaśyam/gopām; let ‘ā ca parā ca’ swing gently to reflect to-and-fro.
Slight pause after pāda 1; articulate the paired contrasts (sadhrīcīḥ / viṣūcīḥ).
(apaśyaṃ): ‘śy’ conjunct, nasal ‘ṃ’, (gopām): long ā, (anipadyamānam): clear ‘dy’ cluster, (sadhrīcīḥ): aspirated ‘dhr’, long īḥ, (viṣūcīḥ): retroflex ‘ṣ’, long ū
Steady, guiding, slightly resonant; avoid rushing the path-phrases.
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