Rig Veda 10.149.1: Mandala 10, Sukta 149, Mantra 1
Sukta 10.149
- Devata
- Savitṛ
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
सविता यन्त्रैः पृथिवीमरम्णादस्कम्भने सविता द्यामदृंहत् । अश्वमिवाधुक्षद्धुनिमन्तरिक्षमतूर्ते बद्धं सविता समुद्रम् ॥
savitā́ yántraiḥ pṛthivī́m aramṇād askámbhane savitā́ dyā́m adṛṃhat | áśvam ivā́dhukṣad dhúnim antárikṣam atū́rte baddháṃ savitā́ samudrám ||
सविता ने धरती को सही जगह पे लगाया। आसमान को भी पक्का किया। उसने बीच वाली दुनिया को निकाला, जैसे घोड़े से दूध निकालते हैं। समुंदर को भी उसने बाँध दिया।
Word by Word
- सविता
- Savitar (the Impeller, Sun-god)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot सवितृ (प्रातिपदिक) < √सू (प्रेरणे/प्रसवे)
- यन्त्रैः
- with (his) restraints/means, with instrumentsNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया; बहुवचनRole करणRoot यन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- पृथिवीम्
- the earthNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot पृथिवी (प्रातिपदिक)
- अरम्णात्
- set/placed/firmly fixedVerbलुङ् (अorist); परस्मैपद; 3 पुरुष; एकवचनRole कर्तृ (क्रिया)Root √रम्/रम्ण् (स्थापने/निवेशने; वैदिक)
- अस्कम्भने
- in the (act/state of) propping/supporting; in the supportNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot अ-स्कम्भन (प्रातिपदिक) < √स्कम्भ् (स्तम्भने)
- सविता
- SavitarNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot सवितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- द्याम्
- the heaven, skyNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग (वैदिक: द्यौः); द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot द्यौ/दिव् (प्रातिपदिक)
- अदृंहत्
- made firm, strengthenedVerbलुङ् (अorist); परस्मैपद; 3 पुरुष; एकवचनRole कर्तृ (क्रिया)Root √दृह् (दृंहणे/स्थिरीकरणे)
- अश्वम्
- a horseNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot अश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- इव
- like, asIndeclinableउपमा-अव्ययRoot इव
- अधुक्षत्
- milked/drew outVerbलुङ् (अorist); परस्मैपद; 3 पुरुष; एकवचनRole कर्तृ (क्रिया)Root √दुह् (दोहने)
- धुनिम्
- the roaring/whirling (flood), the surgeNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot धुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
- अन्तरिक्षम्
- the midspace, atmosphereNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot अन्तरिक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
- अतूर्ते
- in the unassailed/unyielding (realm)Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; एकवचन (अन्तरिक्षे विशेषणम्)Role अधिकरण (विशेषण-सम्बन्ध)Root अ-तूर्त (प्रातिपदिक) < √तुर्/तॄ (हिंसने/अतिक्रमे)
- बद्धम्
- bound, held fastAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन (समुद्रम् विशेषयति)Role कर्म (विशेषण-सम्बन्ध)Root बद्ध (कृदन्त; भूतकृदन्त) < √बन्ध् (बन्धने)
- सविता
- SavitarNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot सवितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- समुद्रम्
- the ocean, cosmic seaNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot समुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सम्भाव्य): सविता | यन्त्रैः | पृथिवीम् | अरम्णात् | अस्कम्भने | सविता | द्याम् | अदृंहत् | अश्वम् | इव | अधुक्षत् | धुनिम् | अन्तरिक्षम् | अतूर्ते | बद्धम् | सविता | समुद्रम् । प्रमुख-सन्धयः: (1) पृथिवीम्+अरम्णात् → पृथिवीमरम्णात् (म् + अ → म्-अ, लेख्य-समास/सन्धि-लोपः)
- (2) अस्कम्भने+सविता → अस्कम्भने सविता (स्वर-सन्धि न, केवल पद-संयोगः)
- (3) द्याम्+अदृंहत् → द्यामदृंहत् (म् + अ → म्-अ)
- (4) अश्वम्+इव → अश्वमिव (म् + इ → मि)
- (5) इव+अधुक्षत् → इवाधुक्षत् (अ + अ → आ)
- (6) अधुक्षत्+धुनिम् → अधुक्षद्धुनिम् (त् + ध → द्ध)
- (7) धुनिम्+अन्तरिक्षम् → धुनिमन्तरिक्षम् (म् + अ → म-अ)
- (8) अन्तरिक्षम्+अतूर्ते → अन्तरिक्षमतूर्ते (म् + अ → म-अ)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Savitṛ, by his controlling ‘harnesses’, sets Earth in right motion, makes Heaven firm, draws/milks the surging mid-region like a horse, and binds the ocean in an unassailable foundation—establishing ordered rhythms.
Inner meaning
Savitṛ (the divine Impeller) is the Power that yokes and directs the whole inner being. ‘Earth’ becomes the physical consciousness put into right habit; ‘Heaven’ the mental consciousness made steady in its support; ‘mid-world’ the vital field, turbulent and rushing, from which energy is ‘milked’ and converted into usable force; ‘ocean’ the vast subconscient/causal depth whose powers are bound and held in a secure law so they serve the soul’s evolution rather than overwhelm it. The mantra describes the establishment of inner ṛta: right measure, right movement, right containment of immensities.
Universal truth
True order is not suppression but right yoking: the higher intelligence is stabilized, the lower energies are extracted and purified, and the deep unconscious is held within a secure law—so life can move in rhythm rather than chaos.
Themes
cosmogony, cosmic order (Rita), Savitṛ impeller, stability and measure
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 10.149.2, Rig Veda 10.149.3, Rig Veda 10.149.4, Rig Veda 10.149.5
Significance
The seer-voice here is cosmological and yogic: it sees Savitṛ as the divine Regulator who establishes ṛta in the worlds and, by extension, in the practitioner’s nature—especially the yoking of vital turbulence to a higher law.
The deity
- Devata
- Savitṛ (Savitar)
- Epithets
- Impeller (prasavitā), Upholder/establisher of worlds, Ritual awakener (in later tradition linked to Gāyatrī)
- Related deities
- Sūrya, Pūṣan, Mitra-Varuṇa, Agni
Cosmic role
Sets the worlds in their courses, stabilizes heaven, regulates the waters and the ocean-depth; initiates the rhythms of manifestation.
Inner power
The luminous Will that impels right action and right thought; the regulator that converts raw vital surge into disciplined energy and holds the subconscient within truth-law.
In ritual
Where it is used
Savitṛ-related morning/impulsion invocations; recitation in solar contemplations and as a supportive ṛk in soma/agnic contexts
स॒वि॒ता य॒न्त्रैः पृ॑थि॒वीम॑रम्णादस्कम्भ॒ने स॑वि॒ता द्याम॑दृंहत् । अश्व॑मिवाधुक्ष॒द्धुनि॑म॒न्तरि॑क्षम॒तूर्ते॑ ब॒द्धं स॑वि॒ता स॑मु॒द्रम् ॥
स॒वि॒ता । य॒न्त्रैः । पृ॒थि॒वीम् । अ॒र॒म्णा॒त् । अ॒स्क॒म्भ॒ने । स॒वि॒ता । द्याम् । अ॒दृं॒ह॒त् । अश्व॑म्ऽइव । अ॒धु॒क्ष॒त् । धुनि॑म् । अ॒न्तरि॑क्षम् । अ॒तूर्ते॑ । ब॒द्धम् । स॒वि॒ता । स॒मु॒द्रम् ॥
savitā | yantraiḥ | pṛthivīm | aramṇāt | askambhane | savitā | dyām | adṛṃhat | aśvam-iva | adhukṣat | dhunim | antarikṣam | atūrte | baddham | savitā | samudram
44
4 pādas of ~11 syllables
Firm, directive cadence suited to cosmic ordering statements.
Creates a sense of stabilization and onward drive—useful for aligning breath and attention to a steady inner ‘course’.
- सविता (savitā)
- Literal: Savitṛ, the arouser/impeller (solar deity). Symbolic: Divine impulsion of Truth; the Power that sets all faculties into their right movement
- यन्त्रैः (yantraiḥ)
- Literal: with harnesses/controls. Symbolic: Inner disciplines and divine constraints that yoke energies to the soul’s aim
- पृथिवी (pṛthivī)
- Literal: Earth. Symbolic: Physical consciousness; stability and embodied habit
- द्याम् (dyām)
- Literal: Heaven/sky. Symbolic: Mind; luminous thought-world to be made firm
- अन्तरिक्षम् (antarikṣam)
- Literal: Mid-region/atmosphere. Symbolic: Vital being (prāṇa), seat of surge, desire, dynamism
- धुनिम् (dhunim)
- Literal: surging/roaring (stream). Symbolic: Turbulence of the vital currents
- अश्वम् (aśvam)
- Literal: horse. Symbolic: Force of action; yoked life-energy
- समुद्रम् (samudram)
- Literal: ocean. Symbolic: Vast depth: subconscient/inconscient or causal waters of being
- अतूर्ते (atūrte)
- Literal: unassailable, not overcome. Symbolic: Secure foundation of Truth (satya) that cannot be breached by disorder
- बद्धम् (baddham)
- Literal: bound. Symbolic: Held in right limit; contained power made serviceable
Cosmic-order hymn to Savitṛ; suitable for dawn/impulsion contexts and for rites invoking orderly movement and stability (Savitṛ often linked with Pravargya/solar transitions broadly, but specific śrauta mapping not determinable here).
At dawn or before undertaking acts requiring right direction and protection of order
Recitation to invoke Savitṛ’s impulsion and regulation; mental offering (manas-yajña) of energies to right movement
Use before work/creative effort to ‘yoke’ scattered energies; as a grounding chant when the nervous system feels turbulent.
Savitṛ from √sū/√su? (traditional: √sū ‘impel’ via savitṛ ‘impeller’); yantra from √yam ‘restrain, hold’ (PIE *yem- ‘hold’); dyā́m from dyu ‘sky’ (PIE *dyew-); samudra ‘gathering of waters’ (sam- + udra/ud ‘water’ complex); √dṛṃh ‘make firm’.
Rita as cosmic harnessing (yantra) and measured containment (baddha), cosmogonic stabilization (firming heaven, setting earth), impulsion (Savitṛ) as creative ordering force
Explicit: Savitṛ establishes ordered courses and binds immensities into law.
‘Atūrta’ suggests the unassailable truth-basis supporting manifestation.
Worlds set in motion and held: earth fixed, heaven firm, mid-region energized, ocean contained.
Proto-Vedāntic/Integral (Aurobindonian): worlds as planes of consciousness regulated by divine Will.
dawn to early morning (Savitṛ’s impulsion)
A dawn-like inner impulsion that sets body, mind, and life into coordinated rhythm while containing the deep subconscious energies.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- A cosmogonic mythologem of ‘harnessing and fixing’: Savitṛ as impeller sets earth, firms heaven, measures the midspace’s surge, and binds the ocean—innerly, the ordering of the being’s foundations and the containment of the vast subconscient energies under inviolable law.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- dyā́m continues PIE *dyew- ‘sky/daylight’. yantra from √yam aligns with PIE *yem- ‘hold, restrain’.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The Rishi contemplates Savitṛ not as mere sun but as the conscious impeller establishing measure. The devotional relation is assent to cosmic discipline: the seeker invokes the same ordering power to harness inner movements and stabilize the worlds within.
Invoke the inner Impeller to set mind, life-force, and body into right rhythm (ṛta) and contain subconscious surges.
Manipura (will/impulsion) with support to Ajna (right seeing)
Slow inhalation on ‘savitā’, steady exhalation through each pāda; brief kumbhaka after each verse to feel ‘binding’ of the ocean-depth.
Centered, regulated, luminous dynamism (steady force without agitation).
Before action, offer the ‘mid-world’ turbulence to Savitṛ; feel a golden rein drawing energies upward; affirm inner law and boundaries around reactive impulses.
Vedic accent not fully specified here; chant with standard ṛgvedic udātta prominence on marked syllables in a trained recension; otherwise use a gentle rising on key words (savitā, pṛthivīm, dyām, antarikṣam, samudram) without melodic exaggeration.
Keep each pāda as a single breath-unit; slight stress on verbs (aramṇāt, adṛṃhat, adhukṣat, baddham) to convey ‘establishing’ action.
Maintain retroflex clarity: ṛ in pṛthivīm, dṛṃhat, Distinguish dyām (dyām) from dh- clusters, Bind consonants cleanly: askambhane, antarikṣam, Long vowels: savitā, dyām, samudram
Steady, resonant, directive (as if ‘setting’ things in order).
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.
