Rig Veda 10.175.4: Mandala 10, Sukta 175, Mantra 4
Sukta 10.175
- Rishi
- Same sukta context
- Devata
- Savitṛ
- Chandas
- Likely Gāyatrī
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
ग्रावाणः सविता नु वो देवः सुवतु धर्मणा । यजमानाय सुन्वते ॥
grāvāṇaḥ savitā nú vo deváḥ suvatu dhármaṇā | yajámānāya sunvaté ||
भगवान सविता इन पत्थरों को सही ढंग से चलाता है। यह पत्थर उसी के हाथ में हैं। वो उन्हें यजमान के लिए इस्तेमाल करता है, जो इंसान मेहनत करके भगवान को पाना चाहता है।
Word by Word
- ग्रावा॑णः
- the pressing-stones (as agents)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot ग्रावन् (प्रातिपदिक) < PIE *gʷerh₂-?; Vedic ‘pressing-stone’
- सवि॒ता
- Savitar (the Impeller-god)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot सवितृ (प्रातिपदिक) < √सू (सवति ‘to impel/bring forth’)
- नु
- now; indeedIndeclinableअव्यय (निपात)Root नु
- वः
- of you; yourPronounषष्ठी विभक्ति; बहुवचन (enclitic)Role सम्बन्ध (genitive) / हित-सम्बन्धRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- दे॒वः
- the godNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक) < √दिव् (‘to shine’)
- सु॑वतु॒
- may (he) impel/grantVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचनRole क्रिया (कर्तृ-क्रिया: देवः)Root √सू (सुवति) ‘to impel, set in motion, grant’
- धर्म॑णा
- by (his) ordinance/law; by established orderNounपुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया विभक्ति; एकवचनRole करणRoot धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) < √धृ (‘to hold, support’)
- यज॑मानाय
- to the sacrificerNounपुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी विभक्ति; एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot यजमान (प्रातिपदिक; from √यज् ‘to sacrifice’)
- सुन्व॒ते
- to the Soma-presser (the one pressing)Kṛdanta (participle used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी विभक्ति; एकवचनRole सम्प्रदान (apposition to यजमानाय)Root सुन्वत् (प्रातिपदिक; pres. act. ptc. of √सु ‘to press (Soma)’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदपाठे पृथक् ‘वः’। 3) ‘यजमानाय सुन्वते’—द्वे चतुर्थ्यौ समनाधिकरणे (apposition): ‘यजमानाय’ = ‘सुन्वते’।
The meaning
Outer meaning
O pressing-stones, now may Savitṛ the god impel you by dharma—for the sacrificer who presses.
Inner meaning
The mantra reiterates the law: the divine Impeller (Savitṛ) must set the inner instruments into right motion, and this impulsion is ‘for the yajamāna’—the consecrating soul—who is actively pressing (sunvate), i.e., extracting the hidden Soma-delight through practice. It emphasizes readiness (‘nu’) and right alignment (dharmaṇā): the yoga works when the being offers and labors in harmony with the higher impulsion.
Universal truth
Grace and effort cooperate: divine impulsion initiates, but the seeker must actively ‘press’—work, refine, and persevere to release the inner nectar.
Themes
Soma-ritual, Consecration of action, Savitṛ impulsion, Right law (dharma)
The seer
- Rishi
- Same as RV 10.175 (late-maṇḍala Soma-pressing context; rishi attribution varies by edition).
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 10.175.1, Rig Veda 10.175.2, Rig Veda 10.175.3
Significance
The rishi underscores the cooperative principle of sadhana: the divine impulsion (Savitṛ) acts for the consecrating agent (yajamāna) who is actually doing the pressing—inner work is both grace-led and effort-fulfilled.
The deity
- Devata
- Savitṛ (primary) with Grāvāṇaḥ (addressed)
- Epithets
- devaḥ (luminous god), dharmaṇā suvatu (impeller by right law)
- Related deities
- Pūṣan, Uṣas, Sūrya, Agni, Soma
Cosmic role
Initiates and regulates right activity in beings; ensures the rite proceeds in auspicious order for the yajamāna.
Inner power
Awakening and regulating force that turns aspiration into sustained right practice; protects from wrong rhythm and inertia.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma pressing—renewed invocation for Savitṛ’s impulsion directed toward the active yajamāna.
ग्रावा॑णः सवि॒ता नु वो॑ दे॒वः सु॑वतु॒ धर्म॑णा । यज॑मानाय सुन्व॒ते ॥
ग्रावा॑णः । स॒वि॒ता । नु । वः॒ । दे॒वः । सु॒व॒तु॒ । धर्म॑णा । यज॑मानाय । सु॒न्व॒ते ॥
grāvāṇaḥ | savitā | nu | vaḥ | devaḥ | suvatu | dharmaṇā | yajamānāya | sunvate
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3 × 8 syllables
Clear, directive, with a ‘now’ immediacy; suitable as a refrain/renewal verse in the sequence.
Re-centers intention on right law and divine guidance; renews momentum without agitation.
- नु (nu)
- Literal: now, indeed. Symbolic: present readiness; the decisive moment of practice
- यजमानाय (yajamānāya)
- Literal: for the sacrificer. Symbolic: the consecrating soul/personality organizing the inner offering
- सुन्वते (sunvate)
- Literal: to the presser (of Soma). Symbolic: one who actively extracts delight through disciplined sadhana
- सविता…धर्मणा (savitā…dharmaṇā)
- Literal: Savitṛ by dharma. Symbolic: divine impulsion acting through right law and right rhythm
Soma pressing: blessing of the implements and the yajamāna; inwardly, sanction of disciplined effort to express delight/immortality.
As a reiteration/closing cue in the pressing sequence; to ensure the act benefits the sacrificer and proceeds rightly.
Recite while continuing pressing; mentally dedicate the act to the yajamāna (the consecrating agent).
Before beginning a practice session: explicitly dedicate the effort (‘for the yajamāna in me’) and ask for right rhythm; helpful for consistency and right motivation.
yajamāna from √yaj ‘to worship, sacrifice’ indicates the conscious agent who ‘offers’—psychologically, the will that consecrates action. sunvat ‘pressing’ from √su ties to ‘expressing’ essence. Savitṛ again is the divine impulsion ensuring the act proceeds in dharma (supporting law).
karma under dharma (rightly ordered action), consecrated agency (yajamāna as inner doer)
Savitṛ’s impulsion by dharma is explicit: cosmic order becomes the law of practice.
The yajamāna’s dedication aligns with truth-intent rather than egoic gain.
Right impulsion + effort releases Soma: the hidden Ananda becomes manifest.
Karma-yoga in Vedic form: consecration + right action under divine impulsion.
dawn/morning (Savitṛ)
Sun = awakening guidance; pressing = tapas; yajamāna = organizing soul-will; Soma = distilled delight.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The divine impulsion of sacred work: Savitṛ as the cosmic initiator sets the pressing into right motion for the sacrificer. Psychologically, the higher impulsion awakens disciplined practice so the inner Soma (delight/essence) can be expressed.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √yaj is Indo-Iranian (Avestan yaz- ‘worship’), showing the shared ritual lexicon. √su ‘press/express’ has Indo-Iranian parallels; Savitṛ relates to √sū ‘impel’, with wider IE motion semantics.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The r̥ṣi mediates Savitṛ’s impulsion into the concrete work of the yajamāna: a triad—seer (formulation), devatā (impulsion), human agent (execution)—harmonized by dharma.
Dedication of effort under divine impulsion: ‘May the right power move my instruments for the soul that is practicing.’
svādhiṣṭhāna (Soma/delight) supported by maṇipūra (effort)
3-part breath (belly-ribs-chest) for 7 rounds; then chant once per exhale, feeling Savitṛ ‘set’ the breath rhythm.
Steady guided effort leading toward subtle sweetness.
Begin with a clear sankalpa: practice for truth, not display. Invoke Savitṛ. Then do 10 minutes of steady attention, feeling each breath as a ‘pressing’ that releases quiet delight.
Chant with renewed ‘now’ emphasis on ‘nu’; keep ‘savitā…dharmaṇā’ smooth and guiding; use recension svara when available.
A slight pause after ‘grāvāṇaḥ’; gentle rise through ‘savitā nu vo devaḥ’; settle firmly on ‘yajamānāya sunvate’.
yajamānāya: sustain long ā vowels cleanly, sunvate: keep n-v cluster distinct, ‘sun-va-te’, Maintain clear dental dh in dharmaṇā
Guiding, calm, steady—like a regulated sunrise.
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