Rig Veda 1.95.3: Mandala 1, Sukta 95, Mantra 3
Sukta 1.95
- Devata
- Enigmatic cosmic power
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
त्रीणि जाना परि भूषन्त्यस्य समुद्र एकं दिव्येकमप्सु । पूर्वामनु प्र दिशं पार्थिवानामृतून्प्रशासद्वि दधावनुष्ठु ॥
trī́ṇi jānā́ pári bhūṣanty asya samudrá ékaṃ divy ékam apsú | pū́rvām ánu prá díśaṃ pārthivā́nām ṛtū́n praśā́sád ví dadhāv anuṣṭhú ||
यह तीन जगह पैदा होता है, समुंदर में, आसमान में और पानी में। यह धरती की पहली दिशा को फॉलो करता है। मौसम का हिसाब रखता है और हर मौसम को सही टाइम पर लगाता है।
Word by Word
- त्रीणि
- threeAdjective (numeral)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्म (भूषन्ति—यत् भूषयन्ति) / विशेष्य-विशेषणRoot त्रि- (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
- जानानि
- births/realms/kinds of beingsNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्म (भूषन्ति) / विषयRoot जन- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘जाना’ = जनाः/जानानि ‘जन्मानि/जातयः/लोकाः’ वैदिक)
- परि
- around, all aboutIndeclinableअव्ययRole क्रियाविशेषण (भूषन्ति) / उपसर्गार्थRoot परि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- भूषन्ति
- they adorn/embellishVerbलट् (वर्तमाने), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot भूष् (धातु; ‘अलङ्कारे/शोभने’)
- अस्य
- of him/thisPronounपुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी) — ‘of him/it’Root इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- समुद्रः
- oceanNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ/अधिकरण (अस्ति-लुप्ते ‘एकं (स्थानम्) समुद्रः’)Root समुद्र- (प्रातिपदिक)
- एकम्
- oneAdjective (numeral)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनRole विशेषण/कर्म (लुप्त-नाम्नः ‘(स्थानम्) एकम्’)Root एक- (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
- दिवि
- in heavenNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग (दिव्), सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot दिव्/द्यौ- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘दिव्’ = स्वर्ग/द्युलोक)
- एकम्
- oneAdjective (numeral)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनRole विशेषण/कर्म (लुप्त-नाम्नः ‘(स्थानम्) एकम्’)Root एक- (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
- अप्सु
- in the watersNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचनRole अधिकरणRoot अप्- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘जल’)
- पूर्वाम्
- the former/earlierAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (अनु…प्र दिशम्) / विशेषणRoot पूर्व- (प्रातिपदिक)
- अनु
- along, followingIndeclinableअव्ययRole क्रियाविशेषण/उपसर्गार्थ (प्र…दिशम्)Root अनु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableअव्ययRole क्रियाविशेषण/उपसर्गार्थRoot प्र (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- दिशम्
- directionNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (अनु-प्र… ‘towards/along the direction’)Root दिश्- (प्रातिपदिक)
- पार्थिवानाम्
- of the earthly (beings/men)Adjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी) — ‘of the earthly (ones)’Root पार्थिव- (प्रातिपदिक; पृथिवी-सम्बन्धी)
- ऋतून्
- seasons/appointed timesNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्म (प्रशासत्)Root ऋतु- (प्रातिपदिक)
- प्रशासत्
- he ruled/ordained/governedVerbलङ् (अनद्यतन-भूत), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot शास् (धातु; ‘अनुशासने’), उपसर्गः प्र-
- वि
- apart, asunderIndeclinableअव्ययRole क्रियाविशेषण/उपसर्गार्थ (दधौ)Root वि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- दधौ
- he placed/establishedVerbलिट् (परोक्ष/परिपूर्ण-भूत), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot धा (धातु; ‘धारणे/निधाने’), (परस्मैपद)
- अनुष्ठु
- in due order, according to ruleIndeclinableअव्ययRole क्रियाविशेषण (दधौ)Root अनुष्ठु (अव्यय; वैदिक ‘अनुष्ठु/अनुष्ठु’ = ‘अनुष्ठाय/अनुक्रमेण/यथाविधि’)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolved as: त्रीणि + जाना → त्रीणि जानानि (वैदिक ‘जाना’ नपुंसक बहुवचन)
- दिवि + एकम् → दिव्येकम् (य्-आगमः)
- ऋतून् + प्रशासत् → ऋतून् प्रशासत् (पदपाठे प्र-शासत्)
- प्रशासत् + वि → प्रशासद्वि (त् + व → द्व्)
- दधौ + अनुष्ठु → दधावनुष्ठु (औ + अ → आव)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Three births adorn him: one in the sea, one in heaven, one in the waters. Following the first direction of the earthly, he governs the seasons and arranges them in proper order.
Inner meaning
The ‘one’ being described is the hidden divine principle (often Agni as inner fire/solar child) that manifests in three domains: in the ‘sea’ (samudra) as the deep subconscient mass; in ‘heaven’ (divi) as the luminous mind; and in the ‘waters’ (apsu) as the life-plane and flowing consciousness. These are three becomings of the same flame of awareness. From the first foundation in the earthly nature (pārthivānām pūrvā diś), he establishes ṛtu—right times and rhythms—meaning he brings order to our cycles: effort and rest, aspiration and assimilation, struggle and illumination. The mantra points to an inner governor that can harmonize the whole being when awakened across all planes.
Universal truth
One consciousness can inhabit multiple layers of existence; when it awakens, it restores right rhythm and order to life. True governance is rhythmic—placing each movement in its season.
Themes
cosmogony, three-world doctrine, ṛtu-order, hidden-governor
The seer
Significance
The seer’s vision is cosmological-psychological: the same divine ‘child’ is traced through layers of consciousness and shown as the organizer of inner rhythms (ṛtu/ṛta).
The deity
- Devata
- Hidden cosmic child (often Agni/Sūrya principle)
- Epithets
- ṛtūn praśāsat (governor of seasons), three-born (implied)
- Related deities
- Agni, Sūrya, Varuṇa (ṛta), Uṣas (rhythmic awakening)
Cosmic role
Manifests across worlds and establishes ordered time and rhythm; connects depths, waters, and heaven.
Inner power
Capacity to bring coherence to the whole being—subconscient, vital flow, and mental light—by right timing and right arrangement.
In ritual
Where it is used
Cosmological contemplation: mapping the threefold manifestation and ṛtu-ordering; supports ritual timing consciousness (ṛtu) as inner alignment with ṛta.
त्रीणि॒ जाना॒ परि॑ भूषन्त्यस्य समु॒द्र एकं॑ दि॒व्येक॑म॒प्सु । पूर्वा॒मनु॒ प्र दिशं॒ पार्थि॑वानामृ॒तून्प्र॒शास॒द्वि द॑धावनु॒ष्ठु ॥
त्रीणि॑ । जाना॑ । परि॑ । भू॒ष॒न्ति॒ । अ॒स्य॒ । स॒मु॒द्रे । एक॑म् । दि॒वि । एक॑म् । अ॒प्ऽसु । पूर्वा॑म् । अनु॑ । प्र । दिश॑म् । पार्थि॑वानाम् । ऋ॒तून् । प्र॒ऽशास॑त् । वि । द॒धौ॒ । अ॒नु॒ष्ठु ॥
trīṇi | jānā | pari | bhūṣanti | asya | samudre | ekam | divi | ekam | ap-su | pūrvām | anu | pra | diśam | pārthivānām | ṛtūn | pra-śāsat | vi | dadhau | anuṣṭhu
44
4 × ~11
Measured and ordering; the rhythm itself suggests ‘arrangement’ and governance.
Stabilizes scattered energies; supports a feeling of inner regulation and right timing.
- त्रीणि जाना (trīṇi jānā)
- Literal: three births/becomings. Symbolic: Three planes of manifestation: subconscient, vital waters, luminous mind
- समुद्र (samudra)
- Literal: sea/ocean. Symbolic: Subconscient depth, undifferentiated mass of being
- दिवि (divi)
- Literal: in heaven. Symbolic: Higher mind, luminous plane of truth-vision
- अप्सु (apsu)
- Literal: in the waters. Symbolic: Life-force and flowing consciousness; vital-mental currents
- ऋतून् (ṛtūn)
- Literal: seasons. Symbolic: Right rhythms/cycles of inner growth; ordered stages of sādhanā
- प्रशासत् (praśāsat)
- Literal: governing, ruling. Symbolic: The inner lawgiver establishing ṛta in the being
- वि दधौ (vi dadhau)
- Literal: he set apart/arranged. Symbolic: Discrimination and right placing of energies and movements
Cosmological contemplation: mapping the threefold manifestation and ṛtu-ordering; supports ritual timing consciousness (ṛtu) as inner alignment with ṛta.
Recited in contemplative context; thematically apt for seasonal transitions or beginning disciplined practice
Use to set inner ‘seasons’: schedule sādhanā cycles; invoke the inner governor to harmonize habit, energy, and thought.
ṛtú- ‘season/right time’ from √ṛ ‘to move rightly, fit’ → ṛta/ṛtu as cosmic order in time. √śās ‘to command’ (praśā́s-) from PIE *ḱeh₂s-? (cognacy uncertain), but clear Indo-Iranian governance lexeme. samudrá ‘gathered waters’ (sam + udra). div ‘sky’ from PIE *dyew-.
threefold world (tridhātu), ṛta as temporal order (ṛtu), governance of cycles as consciousness-function
Explicit: the power ‘governs seasons’ and arranges them—ṛta as temporal and psychological order.
Heaven-birth indicates emergence into satya-illumination.
Single principle born in multiple realms; ordering of time/cycles from an inner source.
Integral cosmology: planes of consciousness and their harmonization.
all seasons (ṛtu)
Sea = subconscient; waters = life-force currents; heaven = higher mind; seasons = stages/rhythms of inner development.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- A single power with triple birth across sea/heaven/waters who governs and differentiates the seasons—i.e., the ordering intelligence that partitions time according to ṛta.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- divi from div/dyau reflects PIE *dyew- (Zeus/Jupiter). The temporal-order notion in ṛtu/ṛta is a distinctive Indo-Iranian development from √ṛ ‘fit/rightly move’, paralleling Avestan aša (truth/order).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi seeks to know the hidden governor by observing order: the devatā is revealed not by genealogy but by function—establishing right cycles (ṛtūn vi dadhau) that the human must mirror inwardly as disciplined sequence (anuṣṭhu).
Realize the one consciousness present in depth, flow, and height; invite it to govern your inner rhythms.
slow
Wide, ordered awareness; sense of vertical integration (below–middle–above).
Visualize a vertical axis: ocean-depth below navel, flowing waters at heart, clear sky above brow. On each breath, feel one flame present in all three. End by silently setting an intention for ‘right season’—what to cultivate now, what to pause.
Vedic svaras as marked; keep clarity on accented syllables (॑) like ‘trīṇi’, ‘jānā’, ‘samudrá’, ‘ṛtū́n’.
Let each ‘ekam’ land distinctly to mark the three becomings; keep a slight pause after each realm mention.
‘samudre’ with clear d-r cluster, ‘divy ekam’ separate: divi ekam (avoid merging), ‘apsu’ with crisp ps cluster, ‘anuṣṭhu’ pronounce a-nuṣ-ṭhu with retroflex ṭh
Clear, steady, organizing; avoid excessive ornamentation.
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Rig Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
