Rig Veda 1.73.2: Mandala 1, Sukta 73, Mantra 2
Sukta 1.73
- Rishi
- Madhucchandā Vaiśvāmitra
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
देवो न यः सविता सत्यमन्मा क्रत्वा निपाति वृजनानि विश्वा । पुरुप्रशस्तो अमतिर्न सत्य आत्मेव शेवो दिधिषाय्यो भूत् ॥
devó ná yaḥ savitā́ satyá-manmā kratvā́ ni-pā́ti vṛjánāni víśvā | puru-praśastó amátir ná satyá ātméva śévō didhiṣā́yyo bhūt ||
वो सविता देवता जैसा है, जो सच सोचता है। उसकी इच्छा से सारी टेढ़ी-मेढ़ी बातें सीधी हो जाती हैं। लोग उसकी बहुत तारीफ करते हैं। वो झूठ नहीं, सच है। वो अपने आप जैसा है, जो भलाई करे, उस्से पकड़ के रखना चाहिए।
Word by Word
- देवः
- the godNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक) < दिव् ‘दीप्तौ’
- न
- like, asIndeclinableउपमा/सादृश्यार्थक निपातRoot न (निपात)
- यः
- whoPronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सविता
- Savitar (the impeller)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (सम्बन्ध/अप्पोज़िशन to यः)Root सवितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- सत्यमन्मा
- of true mind, true-mindedAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (देवः/सविता का विशेषण)Role Kartā (विशेषण)Root सत्य-मनस् (बहुव्रीहि/कर्मधारय-समास; प्रातिपदिक)
- क्रत्वा
- by (his) resolve/insightNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot क्रतु (प्रातिपदिक)
- निपाति
- drives down/causes to fall; brings downVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमा, एकवचनRoot नि + पत्
- वृजनानि
- crookednesses/evils, hostile actsNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot वृजन (प्रातिपदिक)
- विश्वा
- allAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (वृजनानि का विशेषण)Role Karma (विशेषण)Root विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- पुरुप्रशस्तः
- much-praised, widely laudedAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (देवः/सविता का विशेषण)Role Kartā (विशेषण)Root पुरु-प्रशस्त (समास; प्रातिपदिक)
- अमतिः
- lack of thought, follyNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā/उपमान (अगले ‘न’ के साथ)Root अ-मतिः (प्रातिपदिक; नञ्-समास)
- न
- like, asIndeclinableउपमा/सादृश्यार्थक निपातRoot न (निपात)
- सत्यः
- trueAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (देवः/सविता का विशेषण)Role Kartā (विशेषण)Root सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- आत्मा
- selfNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā/उपमान (अगले ‘इव’ के साथ)Root आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- इव
- as, likeIndeclinableउपमार्थक अव्ययRoot इव (निपात)
- शेवः
- kindly, gracious, beneficentAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (देवः/सविता का विशेषण)Role Kartā (विशेषण)Root शेव (प्रातिपदिक)
- दिधिषाय्यः
- to be sought/desired; worth aiming atAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (देवः/सविता का विशेषण)Role Kartā (विशेषण)Root दिधिषाय्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; desiderative/intentional adjective from √धा ‘धारणे/स्थापने’ with reduplication)
- भूत्
- has become / becameVerbलुङ् (अोरिस्ट), परस्मैपद, प्रथमा, एकवचनRoot √भू
Sandhi Notes
- मुख्य संधि-विच्छेद: (1) सत्यम॑न्मा = सत्य + अन्मा (अन्मा < मनस्-आधारित विशेषण ‘मनस्वान्’ प्रकार; RV में ‘सत्य-मनस्’ अर्थ ‘true-minded’)
- (2) पुरुप्रशस्तो = पुरु + प्रशस्तः (उ→प्र समास, पदान्त ‘-o’ संहिता-रूप; पदपाठ में -ः)
- (3) आत्मेव = आत्मा + इव (आ + इ → ए)
- (4) शेवो = शेवः (विसर्ग-लोप/ओकार संहिता)
- (5) दिधिषाय्यो = दिधिषाय्यः (विसर्ग-लोप/ओकार संहिता)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Agni, like Savitṛ whose mind is truth, by his will sets right all crooked things; much praised, he is not false-mindedness but the true; like the self he becomes benevolent and to be firmly held.
Inner meaning
Agni here is the truth-minded impulsion (Savitṛ-like) within the seeker: satyamanmā—his thought-substance is truth, not mixed desire. By conscious will (kratvā) he ‘guards/sets down’ (nipāti) all vṛjanāni—crookednesses: distortions of thought, bent motives, vital perversions. He is purupraśasta because the soul recognizes in him the reliable inner law. He is not amatī—confused false mentality—but satya, the clear truth-force. When held like the ātman (ātmeva), he becomes śeva—benign, healing, a secure inner good to be established (didhiṣāyyaḥ).
Universal truth
The power that can correct inner disorder is a truth-centered will. When our will is aligned with truth, it naturally straightens distortions and becomes a benevolent inner self-guidance.
Themes
truth-minded guidance, protection from false mentality, Agni as inner self, benign holding power
The seer
- Rishi
- Madhucchandā Vaiśvāmitra
- Lineage
- Vaiśvāmitra
- Other hymns
- RV 1.1, RV 1.2, RV 1.3, RV 1.4, RV 1.5, RV 1.6, RV 1.7, RV 1.8, RV 1.9, RV 1.10
Family tradition
Vaiśvāmitra line stressing Agni as inner guide and truth-establisher; frequent use of psychological terms for mind and will.
Significance
The seer’s vision emphasizes transformation: Agni as the truth-impulsion that rectifies the crooked nature—an early statement of inner yoga of ṛta/satya.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni (Savitṛ-simile)
- Epithets
- satyamanman (truth-minded), kratumat (willed-power), purupraśasta (much-praised), śeva (benign)
- Related deities
- Savitṛ, Varuṇa (ṛta-keeper), Mitra (harmonizing truth)
Cosmic role
As Savitṛ-like force, sets right the movements of beings; maintains cosmic and psychological order (ṛta) against deviation.
Inner power
Truth-will that corrects distortions and establishes the benevolent self-guidance within.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni praise within iṣṭi/soma contexts; also suitable as pravara-like invocation of Agni’s guiding function.
दे॒वो न यः स॑वि॒ता स॒त्यम॑न्मा॒ क्रत्वा॑ नि॒पाति॑ वृ॒जना॑नि॒ विश्वा॑ । पु॒रु॒प्र॒श॒स्तो अ॒मति॒र्न स॒त्य आ॒त्मेव॒ शेवो॑ दिधि॒षाय्यो॑ भूत् ॥
दे॒वः । न । यः । स॒वि॒ता । स॒त्यऽम॑न्मा । क्रत्वा॑ । नि॒ऽपाति॑ । वृ॒जना॑नि । विश्वा॑ । पु॒रु॒ऽप्र॒श॒स्तः । अ॒मतिः॑ । न । स॒त्यः । आ॒त्माऽइ॑व । शेवः॑ । दि॒धि॒षाय्यः॑ । भू॒त् ॥
devaḥ | na | yaḥ | savitā | satya-manmā | kratvā | ni-pāti | vṛjanāni | viśvā | puru-praśastaḥ | amatiḥ | na | satyaḥ | ātmāiva | śevaḥ | didhiṣāyyaḥ | bhūt
11
4 × 11 with emphatic openings (‘devo na yaḥ…’)
Corrective, law-giving rhythm; strong forward stress suitable for ‘setting right’.
Creates an inner sense of alignment—like the spine straightening; mind becomes clearer and more resolute.
- सविता (savitā)
- Literal: impeller, vivifier (Sun-god). Symbolic: the divine impulsion that sets the right movement of consciousness
- सत्यमन्मा (satyamanmā)
- Literal: whose mind/thought is truth. Symbolic: truth-substance of awareness; unmixed intention
- क्रत्वा (kratvā)
- Literal: by will, by intelligent power. Symbolic: conscious force of will guided by knowledge
- नि पाति (nipāti)
- Literal: sets down, guards, corrects. Symbolic: establishes right order; brings the higher law into the lower nature
- वृजनानि (vṛjanāni)
- Literal: crookednesses, uneven places. Symbolic: inner distortions—habit patterns, false turns of mind/vital
- पुरुप्रशस्त (purupraśasta)
- Literal: much-praised. Symbolic: universally affirmed by the soul’s experience as trustworthy guide
- अमतिः (amatiḥ)
- Literal: non-thought, folly, false mentality. Symbolic: confused mind-nature, ignorance that misleads
- आत्मा (ātmā)
- Literal: self. Symbolic: inmost being, psychic support
- शेवः (śevaḥ)
- Literal: benign, gracious, auspicious. Symbolic: healing peace and beneficence of truth-aligned will
- दिधिषाय्यः (didhiṣāyyaḥ)
- Literal: to be held/placed firmly. Symbolic: a stable realization to be established in consciousness
Invocation for right impulsion and protection of the rite and inner discipline; removal of vṛjana (crooked forces) through Agni’s kratu
When seeking rightness/purification of the rite; before major offerings to ensure correctness.
Recitation accompanying kindling/oblation to invoke Agni’s satya-kratu aspect.
Use before decision-making or study: a mantra for inner rectification—asking the truth-will to correct crooked motives and thinking.
kratu- is will/intelligent force (not mere ‘ritual’), from √kṛ with semantic development ‘power to do’. a-mati is ‘non-thought’/wrong mentality; satya-manmā emphasizes truth-conscious mind. ni-√pā ‘guard’ underscores inward protection against distortion (vṛjana).
satya (truth), kratu (effective will), removal of distortion (vṛjana)
‘Setting right the crookedness’ is the restoration of ṛta in the human instrument.
Agni is explicitly satya vs. amati (false mentality).
Order emerges when truth-impulsion acts upon chaos/unevenness.
Integral Yoga resonance: truth-conscious will as agent of transformation (Aurobindo).
sunrise/morning (Savitṛ implication)
Sun/impulsion = awakened intention; fire = transformative will; crooked paths = samskaric distortions to be straightened.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The god as truth-impeller who corrects distortion: Agni, like Savitṛ, guards all ‘crookednesses’ by kratu. Mythically, this is the straightening of the path (ṛta’s victory over vṛjana), an inner ethical-cognitive battle.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- satya from √as ‘be’ (PIE *h₁es-) via sat ‘being’ → ‘true’. √pā ‘protect’ from PIE *peh₂-. The concept of ‘self’ (ātman) is Indo-Iranian philosophical lexeme; while not straightforward PIE, it belongs to deep Indo-Iranian heritage of inner personhood terms.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi seeks an inner governor who is not amati (false mentality) but satya itself. Agni is asked/recognized as intimate as the self (ātmā-iva), to be ‘held’ (didhīṣāyya) in the heart so that his will-force can guard and straighten the being.
Align will with truth; identify ‘crookedness’ (vṛjana) as subtle self-deception and offer it to the inner fire.
ajna
4-4-6 breathing (inhale-hold-exhale) while repeating satyamanmā to stabilize truth-thought
clear, upright, ethically luminous
Before action, pause and invoke Agni-Savitṛ: ‘May the truth-will correct all distortions in me.’ Then wait for the simplest, straightest inner movement and follow it.
Rigvedic accents as per śākala; emphasize udatta on satyá- and krátvā; preserve svarita transitions at sandhi.
Maintain Triṣṭubh with clear caesura after satyamanmā; articulate vṛjanāni distinctly.
savitā: keep short i; avoid ‘saw-’., vṛjanāni: vocalic ṛ in vṛ-, and retroflex ṇ in -nāni., amatir: short a; dental t., didhiṣāyyaḥ: careful with double dhi; ṣ is retroflex, yy is long glide.
clear, upright, slightly brighter timbre (Savitṛ tone)
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