Rig Veda 10.149.3: Mandala 10, Sukta 149, Mantra 3
Sukta 10.149
- Devata
- Savitṛ
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
पश्चेदमन्यदभवद्यजत्रममर्त्यस्य भुवनस्य भूना । सुपर्णो अङ्ग सवितुर्गरुत्मान्पूर्वो जातः स उ अस्यानु धर्म ॥
paścédám anyád abhavad yájatram ámartyasya bhúvanasya bhūnā́ | su-parṇó aṅgá savitúr garútmān pū́rvo jātáḥ sá u asyā́nu dhárma ||
फिर एक और दुनिया बनी जो अमर है। सविता का पक्षी पहले पैदा हुआ। वो उस दुनिया के नियम पे चलता है।
Word by Word
- पश्चा
- afterwards, laterIndeclinableकाल/देशवाचक अव्ययRole AdhikaraṇaRoot पश्चा (अव्यय) < पश्चात्
- इदम्
- thisPronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KartāRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अन्यत्
- another, something elseAdjective/Pronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KartāRoot अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- अभवत्
- became, came to beVerbलुङ् (अorist/इमपरफेक्ट-सम), परस्मैपद, 3 पुरुष, एकवचनRoot √भू
- यजत्रम्
- worthy of worshipAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KartāRoot यजत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- अमर्त्यस्य
- of the immortalNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole Sambandha (genitive)Root अमर्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- भुवनस्य
- of the world, of existenceNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole Sambandha (genitive)Root भुवन (प्रातिपदिक) < √भू
- भूना
- by its abundance/extent; in fullnessNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (instrumental of measure/extent)Role KaraṇaRoot भूना (प्रातिपदिक)
- सुपर्णः
- the fair-winged one (bird)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot सुपर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
- अङ्ग
- indeed, verilyIndeclinableसम्बोधन/उद्बोधनार्थ निपातRoot अङ्ग (निपात)
- सवितुः
- of SavitṛNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole Sambandha (genitive)Root सवितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- गरुत्मान्
- Garutmān (the winged one; Garuḍa-like)Noun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot गरुत्मन्त् (प्रातिपदिक)
- पूर्वः
- former, firstAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- जातः
- bornParticipleपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि/भूतकालिक (past passive participle)Role KartāRoot √जन् → जात (क्त-प्रत्यय, कृदन्त)
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- उ
- indeed, justIndeclinableएव/खलु-अर्थक निपातRoot उ (निपात)
- अस्य
- of this (one), of himPronounपुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole Sambandha (genitive)Root इदम्/अदस्-समूह (सर्वनाम) → अस्य
- अनु
- according to, alongIndeclinableअनुगमन/अनुरूपता-वाचकRoot अनु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- धर्म
- law, ordinance, established orderNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) < √धृ
Sandhi Notes
- पश्चेदम् = पश्चा + इदम् (स्वर-सन्धि: आ + इ → ए)
- अमर्त्यस्य भुवनस्य (षष्ठी-षष्ठी सम्बन्ध)
- सुपर्णो अङ्ग = सुपर्णः + अङ्ग (विसर्ग-लोपः पदान्ते)
- सवितुर्गरुत्मान् = सवितुः + गरुत्मान् (विसर्ग-लोपः/रुत्व-प्रवृत्ति; संहितायां ‘सवितुर्’)
- पूर्वो जातः = पूर्वः + जातः (विसर्ग-लोपः)
- स उ = सः + उ (विसर्ग-लोपः)
- अस्यानु = अस्य + अनु (यण्/स्वर-सन्धि न; संहितायां संयोगः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Afterwards this other adorable order came to be in the vastness of immortal existence. The fair-winged Garutmān of Savitṛ was born first; he moves according to that law.
Inner meaning
When the foundational planes are established, a further ‘other’ order appears—yajatra, worthy of adoration: the dynamic law-governed movement of truth in manifestation. Garutmān (the winged one, carrier) is Savitṛ’s force of swift transmission—truth-impulse moving between planes. Born ‘first’ means the power of ascent and conveyance precedes many formed results: the soul’s capacity to rise and to carry illumination into life. He moves ‘anu dharma’—not by whim but by intrinsic law: the flight of intuition/vision that obeys ṛta.
Universal truth
In evolution, the decisive factor is the law-abiding power that can carry consciousness upward and bring truth downward—swift, luminous, and faithful to an inner dharma.
Themes
cosmogony, solar-bird symbolism, dharma/Rita, primordial order
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 10.149.1, Rig Veda 10.149.2, Rig Veda 10.149.4, Rig Veda 10.149.5
Significance
The seer highlights a key yogic motif: not only creation of planes, but emergence of a carrier-power (garutmān) that enables ascent/descent of truth between them—central to inner transformation.
The deity
- Devata
- Savitṛ (with Garutmān as his carrier/emblem)
- Epithets
- Lord of impulsion, Source of the winged carrier
- Related deities
- Viṣṇu (stride/ascent motif, conceptual), Indra (illumination and victorious movement), Agni (carrier between worlds)
Cosmic role
Brings forth the dynamic messenger-force that moves according to cosmic law, enabling ordered manifestation to operate.
Inner power
Intuitive swiftness and right movement—truth in motion; the capacity to translate illumination into effective life-action.
In ritual
Where it is used
Recitation in Savitṛ praise within cosmological hymns; supportive in rites invoking right movement and safe passage
प॒श्चेदम॒न्यद॑भव॒द्यज॑त्र॒मम॑र्त्यस्य॒ भुव॑नस्य भू॒ना । सु॒प॒र्णो अ॒ङ्ग स॑वि॒तुर्ग॒रुत्मा॒न्पूर्वो॑ जा॒तः स उ॑ अ॒स्यानु॒ धर्म॑ ॥
प॒श्चा । इ॒दम् । अ॒न्यत् । अ॒भ॒व॒त् । यज॑त्रम् । अम॑र्त्यस्य । भुव॑नस्य । भू॒ना । सु॒ऽप॒र्णः । अ॒ङ्ग । स॒वि॒तुः । ग॒रुत्मा॑न् । पूर्वः॑ । जा॒तः । सः । ऊँ॒ इति॑ । अ॒स्य॒ । अनु॑ । धर्म॑ ॥
paścā | idam | anyat | abhavat | yajatram | amartyasya | bhuvanasya | bhūnā | su-parṇaḥ | aṅga | savituḥ | garutmān | pūrvaḥ | jātaḥ | saḥ | oṃ iti | asya | anu | dharma
44
4 pādas of ~11 syllables
Lifted, wing-like momentum; phrases tend to ‘take off’ and land decisively.
Energizes aspiration; evokes upward movement and clarity of direction.
- पश्चा (paścā)
- Literal: afterwards. Symbolic: After foundational establishment, higher ordering emerges
- अन्यत् (anyat)
- Literal: other. Symbolic: A higher or subtler order beyond the initial formation
- यजत्रम् (yajatram)
- Literal: adorable, worthy of worship. Symbolic: That which draws the soul’s consent because it is truth-beauty in action
- अमर्त्यस्य (amartyasya)
- Literal: of the immortal. Symbolic: Belonging to the deathless consciousness (ātman/ṛta-satya)
- सुपर्णः (suparṇaḥ)
- Literal: fair-winged. Symbolic: Power of ascent; wide intuitive vision
- गरुत्मान् (garutmān)
- Literal: the winged one (Garuda-like). Symbolic: Carrier-force of truth-impulsion; swift movement of divine will/intuition
- अनु धर्म (anu dharma)
- Literal: according to the law. Symbolic: Spontaneous rightness: action aligned with inner truth
Cosmogonic-vision stotra: establishes primordial winged power aligned with dharma; suitable for Savitṛ worship emphasizing lawful motion and the solar messenger principle.
When seeking guidance for right course; dawn contemplations; beginnings of journeys (outer/inner)
Mantric offering to align one’s movement with dharma/ṛta
Use before decision-making: invoke the ‘winged’ intuition that moves according to inner law rather than impulse.
dhárma from √dhṛ ‘to hold’ (PIE *dʰer- ‘hold’); su-parṇa ‘good-winged’ (parṇa ‘feather/wing’); garutmán related to √gṛ/√gar? (onomastic/epithet; later Garuḍa associations, but here Vedic ‘winged carrier’); amṛta/immortal from a- + mṛ ‘die’ (PIE *mer- ‘die’).
dharma as holding-law of manifestation, immortal plane (amartya) as source of ordered becoming, primordial emergence and lawful motion
Explicit via ‘anu dharma’: movement aligned to law/order.
Truth as the governing principle of the carrier’s flight.
Emergence of a higher order and its firstborn carrier-force.
Integral yoga reading: intuition/overmind-like carrier that transmits higher truth into lower nature.
early dawn to sunrise (flight of illumination)
The rise of intuitive perception and swift right action that can traverse mind-vital-body planes.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘primordial solar bird’ mythologem: Garutmān, fair-winged, is born first as Savitṛ’s carrier and moves by dharma—symbol of the truth-impulse that traverses worlds and establishes lawful becoming from immortal vastness.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- amartyá (immortal) derives from PIE *mer- ‘die’ with privative a-. dharma from √dhṛ relates to PIE *dʰer- ‘hold’ (cf. Greek thronos? semantic parallels are indirect; core ‘holding’ sense is Indo-European).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The Rishi reads cosmic evolution as disciplined motion: Savitṛ’s first-born winged power embodies the law (dharma) of the immortal. The seeker’s relation is alignment—letting one’s inner movement follow the same dharma so the ‘other’ (higher order) may come to be in oneself.
Call the ‘garutmān’ power: a swift, law-abiding intuition that carries truth from higher mind into speech and action.
Ajna (intuition) with activation of Anahata (uplift/winged expansion)
Ujjayi (gentle) while chanting to evoke ‘flight’; brief upward attention on inhale, steady grounding on exhale.
Uplifted, clear, rightly-directed movement.
After chanting, sit and feel a luminous current above the head; invite it to descend as guidance; commit to one action that aligns with inner dharma.
Maintain a slightly rising contour on ‘suparṇo… garutmān’ to embody lift; keep ‘anu dharma’ gently resolved downward to convey law/settlement.
Emphasize contrasts: paścā / anyat; and the key phrase ‘pūrvo jātaḥ’ (born first).
suparṇaḥ: clear ṣ (retroflex), garutmān: keep long ā, amartyasya: articulate ty cluster, anu dharma: keep dental dh in dharma, not retroflex ḍh
Bright, uplifted, slightly more energetic than the previous verses.
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