Rig Veda 1.83.2: Mandala 1, Sukta 83, Mantra 2
Sukta 1.83
- Devata
- Indra, with divine Waters and the Gods collectively active
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Shringara (love)
आपो न देवीरुप यन्ति होत्रियमवः पश्यन्ति विततं यथा रजः । प्राचैर्देवासः प्र णयन्ति देवयुं ब्रह्मप्रियं जोषयन्ते वरा इव ॥
ā́po ná devī́r úpa yanti hotríyam aváḥ paśyanti ví-tataṃ yáthā rájaḥ | prācáir devā́saḥ prá nayanti deva-yúṃ bráhma-priyaṃ joṣayante varā́ iva ||
देवियाँ जैसे पानी पास आता है, वैसे ही यह पानी पूजा करने वाले के पास आता है। वो खुला मैदान देखता है जैसे आसमान। देवता उस इंसान को ले जाते हैं जो भगवान को ढूंढता है। वो उसको अपनाते हैं जैसे दूल्हा अपनी दुल्हन को अपनाता है।
Word by Word
- आपः
- watersNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot अप् (प्रातिपदिक ‘अप्’)
- न
- like, asIndeclinableनिपात (उपमा/सादृश्ये)Root न
- देवीः
- goddessesNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot देवी (देव- प्रातिपदिक)
- उप
- towards, nearIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRoot उप
- यन्ति
- go, proceedVerbलट् (वर्तमान); प्रथमपुरुष; बहुवचन; परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot या (याति)
- होत्रियम्
- the hotṛ-priest / that which pertains to the Hotṛ (the officiant)Noun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्मRoot होत्रिय (होतृ-सम्बद्ध प्रातिपदिक)
- अवः
- help, aid, protectionNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन (वेदिक रूप: अवः)Role कर्मRoot अवस्
- पश्यन्ति
- see, beholdVerbलट्; प्रथमपुरुष; बहुवचन; परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot दृश् (पश्यति)
- विततम्
- spread out, extendedAdjective (PPP)नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्म (विशेषणम्)Root वि-तन् (कृदन्त: वितत)
- यथा
- as, just asIndeclinableसम्बन्ध/उपमा-अव्ययRoot यथा
- रजः
- space, airy region; (also) dust/mistNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (वेदे प्रायः ‘रजः’)Role उपमान (तुल्योपमा)Root रजस्
- प्राचैः
- with those facing east / with eastern (ones)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया बहुवचनRole करणRoot प्राञ्च् (प्राच्- प्रातिपदिक)
- देवासः
- the godsNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot देव
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRoot प्र
- णयन्ति
- lead, guideVerbलट्; प्रथमपुरुष; बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; णिच् (प्रेरणार्थक)Role क्रियाRoot नी (णयति; causative of √नी)
- देवयुम्
- the god-seeking / devoted (one)Adjective/Nounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्मRoot देवयु (देव-यु ‘देव-इच्छु/देव-प्रिय’)
- ब्रह्मप्रियम्
- dear to sacred speech/prayer (brahman)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्म (विशेषणम्)Root ब्रह्मप्रिय (ब्रह्मन् + प्रिय)
- जोषयन्ते
- they cause to enjoy/favor; they delight inVerbलट्; प्रथमपुरुष; बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद; णिच्Role क्रियाRoot जुष् (जोषयते; causative/denominative-like in Vedic usage)
- वराः
- suitors/choosers; excellent onesNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot वर
- इव
- likeIndeclinableउपमा-अव्ययRoot इव
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धि-विग्रह): आपः | न | देवीः | उप | यन्ति | होत्रियम् | अवः | पश्यन्ति | विततम् | यथा | रजः || प्राचैः | देवासः | प्र | णयन्ति | देवयुम् | ब्रह्मप्रियम् | जोषयन्ते | वराः | इव || प्रमुख सन्धयः: (1) देवीः+उप → देवीरुप (विसर्ग-लोप/रुत्व; ईः + उ → ईरु)
- (2) देवासः+प्र → देवासः प्र (विसर्गः पदान्ते स्थगितः; संहितायां ‘देवास॒: प्र’)
- (3) प्र+णयन्ति → प्र णयन्ति (उपसर्ग-संयोग; नकारादि धात्वादेशः ‘ण’)
- (4) देवयुम्+ब्रह्मप्रियम् → देवयुं ब्रह्मप्रियं (अनुस्वार/परसवर्ण-लेखन)
- (5) वराः+इव → वरा इव (विसर्ग-लोप/पदविभागे पृथक्)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Like goddesses the waters approach the officiating priest; they behold the wide expanse like open space. With forward-leading powers the gods guide the god-seeking, sacred-word-loving man, cherishing him like bridegrooms cherish a chosen bride.
Inner meaning
The divine Waters (āpaḥ) are not merely physical: they are streams of conscious force and purification that come to the inner priest (hotṛ—our aspiration and offering-will). They ‘see the wide expanse’—the consciousness opens from constriction into a vast field (rajas as open space). Then the gods (powers of the higher nature) lead forward the devayú (one who seeks the Divine) who loves brahman (the truth-word). The cherishing “like bridegrooms a bride” indicates an intimate, nurturing relation between higher powers and the aspiring soul: guidance is not mechanical but affectionate and delight-giving.
Universal truth
When aspiration becomes priestly and sincere, higher energies of purification and wideness gather; the greater powers then actively guide and cherish the seeker into a larger consciousness.
Themes
Waters as goddesses, Guidance, Priestly mediation, Inner widening, Divine favor
The seer
- Rishi
- Gotama Rāhūgaṇa (traditional for RV 1.83)
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 1.83.1-6
Family tradition
Gautama seers: illumination through Indra’s aid, with strong emphasis on wideness and guided progress
Significance
The rishi highlights that divine help arrives as living currents (āpaḥ) and as guidance by multiple god-powers; the path is relational—cherished and led.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra (hymn context) with Divine Waters and the Gods collectively
- Epithets
- Indra (leader of illumination), Āpaḥ Devīḥ (divine waters)
- Related deities
- Āpaḥ, Varuṇa (often linked with waters/ṛta), Soma
Cosmic role
Waters: purify and widen; Gods: lead forward the aspirant; Indra: presides over the victorious advance of illumination.
Inner power
A coordinated action of higher consciousness: purification (waters), guidance (gods), and illumined leadership (Indra).
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma/Agni rites where waters are employed for purification and offerings; also general invocation of divine guidance
आपो॒ न दे॒वीरुप॑ यन्ति हो॒त्रिय॑म॒वः प॑श्यन्ति॒ वित॑तं॒ यथा॒ रज॑: । प्रा॒चैर्दे॒वास॒: प्र ण॑यन्ति देव॒युं ब्र॑ह्म॒प्रियं॑ जोषयन्ते व॒रा इ॑व ॥
आपः॑ । न । दे॒वीः । उप॑ । य॒न्ति॒ । हो॒त्रिय॑म् । अ॒वः । प॒श्य॒न्ति॒ । विऽत॑तम् । यथा॑ । रजः॑ । प्रा॒चैः । दे॒वासः॑ । प्र । न॒य॒न्ति॒ । दे॒व॒ऽयुम् । ब्र॒ह्म॒ऽप्रिय॑म् । जो॒ष॒य॒न्ते॒ । व॒राःऽइ॑व ॥
āpaḥ | na | devīḥ | upa | yanti | hotriyam | avaḥ | paśyanti | vi-tatam | yathā | rajaḥ | prācaiḥ | devāsaḥ | pra | nayanti | deva-yum | brahma-priyam | joṣayante | varāḥ-iva
44
4 pādas × ~11 syllables
Widening, spacious; the imagery of expanse is supported by longer triṣṭubh breath.
Opens the chest and breath; evokes a sense of being approached by cleansing forces and gently led forward.
- आपः (āpaḥ)
- Literal: waters. Symbolic: purifying streams of consciousness-force
- देवीः (devīḥ)
- Literal: goddesses. Symbolic: conscious, beneficent powers (not inert elements)
- होत्रियम् (hotriyam)
- Literal: priestly/officiant. Symbolic: the inner priest: aspiration that offers and calls the gods
- विततं (vitataṃ)
- Literal: wide-stretched. Symbolic: expanded field of awareness
- रजः (rajaḥ)
- Literal: space/region. Symbolic: the wide inner expanse; subtle plane of consciousness
- देवयुं (devayum)
- Literal: god-seeking one. Symbolic: the aspirant oriented to the Divine
- ब्रह्मप्रियं (brahmapriyam)
- Literal: lover of brahman (sacred word). Symbolic: one who delights in truth-vibration and knowledge
- प्राचैः (prācaiḥ)
- Literal: forward-leading. Symbolic: progressive impulsion toward the higher
Supports the sacrificial ecology: waters and gods assist the hotṛ and the aspirant; relevant to Soma and offering rituals where āpas purify and the gods 'lead forward' the deva-yu.
At moments of consecration/purification; before or during offerings when the ‘hotṛ’ function is emphasized
Approach of waters, sanctifying; invocation of gods to lead the sacrificer
Use as a purification-and-guidance mantra before meditation: visualize luminous waters approaching the heart and widening the inner space; then feel ‘forward-leading’ guidance.
āpas: waters as divine powers; devī: feminine divine power. hotṛ: from √hu 'invoke, sacrifice'—the invoker. vi-tata: vi- + √tan 'stretch, extend' → widened field (supports inner 'expansion of consciousness'). rajas: 'space, mist, region'—often the mid-world expanse; not merely 'dust'. prāc: 'forward' (from pra- + añc 'bend/turn' → oriented forward). deva-yu: 'going to the gods' (√yā 'go'). brahma-priya: 'fond of brahman' (brahman from √bṛh 'expand'). joṣ: 'enjoy, cherish, be pleased'. vará: 'suitor/bridegroom; chosen'—image of intimate election.
Expansion (vi-tata) as inner widening, Guidance of the aspirant (pra-nī), Brahman as truth-word loved by the seeker, Rita as ordered forward movement (prācaiḥ)
Waters aligned with ṛta approach the priestly will; wideness is a sign of order replacing constriction.
Brahmapriya indicates delight in truth-vibration; guidance comes to those aligned with satya.
From undifferentiated space to ordered field; waters as carriers of life and consciousness establishing worlds.
Integral Vedic psychology: divine forces actively shape the seeker’s inner field.
Waters = cleansing currents of awareness; rajas = spacious subtle field; ‘approach’ = descent/flow of higher help into the inner priest.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The Waters as goddesses approach the hotṛ and reveal the widened expanse; the gods then lead the deva-yu, brahma-priya aspirant forward, cherishing him intimately. Psychologically: purifying streams of consciousness bring clarity and wideness, and the divine powers guide and lovingly support the seeker devoted to the truth-word.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- Personified waters as female divinities are Indo-Iranian/IE poetic inheritance. √tan (stretch) used for cosmic extension parallels IE cosmogonic diction. √yā (go) in deva-yu is pan-IE and central to archaic 'journey to the gods' metaphors.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi positions the human mediator (hotṛ) and aspirant (deva-yu, brahma-priya) within a supportive divine network: waters approach and assist; gods guide forward and cherish. The relationship is not transactional only but intimate—divine powers take delight in the seeker who loves brahman and moves in the forward law of Rita.
Invoke purifying descent and widening; align with truth-word; receive guidance.
Anāhata (heart as ‘hotṛ’/offering center) and Viśuddha (brahman/vāc)
Cooling, cleansing breath: slow inhale imagining luminous waters rising; long exhale expanding ‘rajas’ as inner space.
Quiet wideness with devotional intimacy.
Chant softly; on ‘āpo na devīḥ’ imagine a gentle descent; on ‘vitataṃ yathā rajaḥ’ feel inner vastness; end by offering your next action to the ‘forward-leading’ powers.
Triṣṭubh phrasing with spacious breath; preserve udatta on key nouns (āpaḥ, devīḥ, devāsaḥ) as marked in tradition (full svara notation not provided).
Keep a gentle lift on ‘vitataṃ’; broaden on ‘rajaḥ’; soften the simile ‘varā iva’.
hotriyam: aspirate ‘tr’ lightly; keep short i., devayum: pronounce ‘yu’ clearly (not ‘yo’)., brahmapriyam: brah-ma-pri-yam, avoid collapsing consonants.
Soft, flowing, reverent; sustained vowels to evoke wideness.
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