Rig Veda 10.15.7: Mandala 10, Sukta 15, Mantra 7
Sukta 10.15
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Pitṛs
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
आसीनासो अरुणीनामुपस्थे रयिं धत्त दाशुषे मर्त्याय । पुत्रेभ्यः पितरस्तस्य वस्वः प्र यच्छत त इहोर्जं दधात ॥
āsī́nāso aruṇī́nām upásthe rayíṃ dhatta dāśúṣe mártyāya | putrébhyaḥ pitaraḥ tásya vásvaḥ prá yacchata te ihórjaṃ dadhāta ||
पितरों को सुबह की रोशनी की गोद में बैठा देखते हैं। वो दाने वाले इंसान को समृद्धि देते हैं। उसकी औलादों तक भी यह धन पहुँचे। यहाँ उनमें ताकत भर दें जो पोषण करे।
Word by Word
- आसीनासः
- seated (ones)Adjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot आसीन (√आस् ‘to sit’ > past participle ‘seated’)
- अरुणीनाम्
- of the ruddy/dawn(-like) (women/ones)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root अरुणी (प्रातिपदिक)
- उपस्थे
- in the lap/bosomNounपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot उपस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
- रयिम्
- wealth, bountyNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot रयि (प्रातिपदिक)
- धत्त
- place, bestowVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदRole (क्रिया)Root √धा (दधाति)
- दाशुषे
- to the worshipper/giverNoun/Adjective (participle used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot दाशुष् (√दाश्/√दश् ‘to worship, give’ > perf. act. ptcp. ‘worshipping/giving’)
- मर्त्याय
- to a mortalNounपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot मर्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- पुत्रेभ्यः
- to (his/their) sonsNounपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, बहुवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- पितरः
- the Fathers (ancestors)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- तस्य
- of him/that (man)Pronounपुं/नपुं, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वसवः
- the beneficent ones; the VasusNoun (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (apposition to पितरः)Root वसु (प्रातिपदिक) / वसु (adj. ‘good, beneficent’)
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableअव्ययRole (क्रियाविशेषण)Root प्र (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- यच्छत
- grant, giveVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदRole (क्रिया)Root √यम् (यच्छति)
- ते
- theyPronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- इह
- hereIndeclinableअव्ययRole अधिकरण (adverbial)Root इह (अव्यय)
- ऊर्जम्
- strength, refreshmentNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot ऊर्ज्/ऊर्जा (प्रातिपदिक)
- दधात
- they place/establishVerbलट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदRole (क्रिया)Root √धा (दधाति)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (sandhi-resolved): आसीनासः | अरुणीनाम् | उपस्थे | रयिम् | धत्त | दाशुषे | मर्त्याय | पुत्रेभ्यः | पितरः | तस्य | वसवः | प्र | यच्छत | ते | इह | ऊर्जम् | दधात । प्रमुख-सन्धि: (1) अरुणीनामुपस्थे → अरुणीनाम् + उपस्थे (म् + उ → मुप्). (2) वसवः प्र → visarga before voiceless? here kept as separate pada
- recitation often shows slight sandhi/visarga allophone. (3) ते इह → ते + इह (vowel contact; usually kept in pada as separate words)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The Fathers, seated in the lap of the dawn-lights, are asked to place wealth (rayi) into the giving mortal, extend it to his children, and establish nourishing strength here.
Inner meaning
The Pitṛs rest in the ‘lap of Uṣas’—in the field of awakening illuminations (aruṇīnāṃ upasthe). From that illumined plane they can transmit rayi: not mere riches but plenitude of being—clarity, capacity, harmonious energies. The ‘giver’ (dāśuṣ) is the aspirant who offers himself in the inner yajña; the ‘children’ are the soul’s future formations—new powers, works, and faculties born from the sadhana. The prayer asks that the realized past pour its substance into the present and seed the future with ojas/ūrj (nourishing force).
Universal truth
When awakening grows, the best inheritance is not possessions but inner plenitude: clarity, strength, and a fertile continuity that benefits what comes after us—our works, relationships, and future generations.
Themes
Blessing for rayi, Progeny/continuity motif, Dawn symbolism, Nourishment and strength
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha (Maitrāvaruṇa line, traditional)
- Other hymns
- RV 7.77 (Uṣas themes), RV 7.86 (Varuṇa—truth and self-correction), RV 10.15
Family tradition
A tradition of ‘right speech’ and harmony with ṛta; Vasiṣṭha often links illumination (Uṣas) with stable order and increase (rayi).
Significance
He frames ancestry as a living force seated in illumination, capable of transmitting plenitude and ūrj into the evolving human instrument.
The deity
- Devata
- Pitṛs (seated in Uṣas’ light)
- Epithets
- vasvaḥ (bearers of wealth), pitaraḥ (fathers)
- Related deities
- Uṣas (dawn-illumination as their seat), Agni (inner sacrifice)
Cosmic role
Mediators of increase: they channel the gains of past realization into present earthly life and its continuation.
Inner power
Transmission of rayi (plenitude) and ūrj (nourishing strength) into the aspirant and his ‘offspring’ powers.
In ritual
Where it is used
Pitṛ offerings seeking prosperity and continuity (offspring, strength)
आसी॑नासो अरु॒णीना॑मु॒पस्थे॑ र॒यिं ध॑त्त दा॒शुषे॒ मर्त्या॑य । पु॒त्रेभ्य॑: पितर॒स्तस्य॒ वस्व॒: प्र य॑च्छत॒ त इ॒होर्जं॑ दधात ॥
आसी॑नासः । अ॒रु॒णीना॑म् । उ॒पऽस्थे॑ । र॒यिम् । ध॒त्त॒ । दा॒शुषे॑ । मर्त्या॑य । पु॒त्रेभ्यः॑ । पि॒त॒रः॒ । तस्य॑ । वस्वः॑ । प्र । य॒च्छ॒त॒ । ते । इ॒ह । ऊर्ज॑म् । द॒धा॒त॒ ॥
āsīnāsaḥ | aruṇīnām | upa-sthe | rayim | dhatta | dāśuṣe | martyāya | putrebhyaḥ | pitaraḥ | tasya | vasvaḥ | pra | yacchata | te | iha | ūrjam | dadhāta
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4 pādas × ~11 syllables
Expansive and beneficent; the cadence ‘holds’ like a lap (upastha), suitable for bestowal and increase.
Elicits receptivity—an inward widening that can ‘receive’ rayi and ūrj without strain.
- अरुणीनाम् (aruṇīnām)
- Literal: of the ruddy/dawn-lights. Symbolic: ascending illuminations; the first flush of spiritual awakening
- उपस्थे (upasthe)
- Literal: in the lap/seat. Symbolic: a supporting field of consciousness where higher powers repose and act
- रयि (rayi)
- Literal: wealth, abundance. Symbolic: plenitude of being: inner resources, luminous prosperity, right capacities
- दाशुषे (dāśuṣe)
- Literal: to the giver/worshipper. Symbolic: the offering soul who yields ego and energy to the divine work
- ऊर्जम् (ūrjam)
- Literal: nourishing strength, sap. Symbolic: sustaining force (ojas) that feeds growth and endurance
Blessing request for rayi and progeny/continuity; aligns with ancestral rites where prosperity and lineage-strength are sought, transposed here to inner continuity of force and light.
During śrāddha/ancestral remembrance when asking for welfare of family line
Invocation of Pitṛs and request for rayi/ūrj; blessing directed to descendants
A family or lineage healing meditation: invoke ‘dawn-light’ clarity, then dedicate merits and stability to children/projects/communities (one’s ‘offspring’ works).
aruṇī ‘ruddy, dawn-colored’ from aruṇa ‘reddish, luminous’; upástha ‘lap, seat, base’ (upa- + √sthā ‘stand’ → ‘supporting base’); rayí ‘wealth’ from √rā/rai ‘to give, bestow, shine’—multivalent: material wealth and inner plenitude; dāśuṣ ‘giver’ from √dāś ‘to worship, offer’; ūrj ‘sap, nourishment, strength’ (cf. Vedic ūrjā, later ojas related but distinct).
Continuity of consciousness (sons/descendants) as transmission of realized force, Rayi as plenitude; ūrj as sustaining energy in the embodied life
True increase (rayi) comes when life aligns with the dawn of right seeing.
Wealth is ‘true’ when it is a fullness that supports dharma and inner growth.
Generativity: illumination gives birth to new formations (putrebhyaḥ) sustained by ūrj.
Integral-yogic: inheritance as inner transmission; prosperity as consciousness-plenitude.
dawn
Dawn = emergence of higher perception; lap = containing peace; rayi = luminous abundance; ūrj = sap of sustained practice.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The Ancestors ‘seated in Dawn’ bestow rayi and ūrj: the forefathers dwell in a luminous world (aruṇī) and transmit abundance into mortal life and its continuations. Psychologically, higher illumined states feed the present being and its future formations.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √sthā in upástha reflects PIE *steh₂- ‘stand’; √dhā ‘place’ is PIE *dʰeh₁-. The semantic architecture ‘place wealth/establish strength’ uses inherited ‘placing’ verbs to express stabilization of inner states.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi approaches the Pitṛs as transmitters of continuity: the sacrificer’s giving (dāśuṣ) opens a channel; the Pitṛs respond by extending plenitude not only to the present seeker but into the future lines (putra).
Receiving ancestral support in the field of awakening; cultivating ‘plenitude of being’ rather than scarcity-consciousness.
Svādhiṣṭhāna (generativity) and Anāhata (blessing/continuity)
Gentle kumbhaka after inhale while visualizing dawn-light filling the torso; exhale sending ūrj to ‘children’ (future works/relations)
Receptive illumination; benevolent expansion.
Begin at dawn or with a dawn visualization; feel the Pitṛ-force as calm, luminous presences; inwardly ask for rayi (capacity, clarity) and consciously dedicate it to the flourishing of what you are responsible for.
Maintain triṣṭubh flow; highlight udatta on ‘āsīnāso’, ‘aruṇīnām’, ‘rayiṃ’, ‘ūrjam’ according to recensional accent marks.
Let ‘aruṇīnām upasthe’ be slightly brighter in tone; broaden on ‘rayiṃ dhatta’; settle firmly on ‘ūrjaṃ dadhāta’.
Retroflex ‘ṇ’ in ‘aruṇīnām’, Clear dental ‘t’ in ‘dhatta’ (not retroflex), Lengthen long vowels: ‘martyāya’, ‘putrebhyaḥ’
warm, blessing-like, open-throated without force
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