Rig Veda 10.5.3: Mandala 10, Sukta 5, Mantra 3
Sukta 10.5
- Rishi
- Dīrghatamas Āucathya
- Devata
- R̥ta-Māyā dyad / cosmic feminine powers
- Chandas
- Jagatī
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
ऋतायिनी मायिनी सं दधाते मित्वा शिशुं जज्ञतुर्वर्धयन्ती । विश्वस्य नाभिं चरतो ध्रुवस्य कवेश्चित्तन्तुं मनसा वियन्तः ॥
ṛtāyínī māyínī sáṃ dadhāte mitvā́ śíśuṃ jajñatúr vardháyantī | víśvasya nā́bhiṃ cárato dhruvásya kavéś cit tántuṃ mánasā vi-yántaḥ ||
जो सच्चे नियम से चलता है और जो शक्ति से काम करता है, वो दोनों मिल जाते हैं। वो नाप के एक बच्चे को जन्म देते हैं और उसे बड़े करते हैं। यह पूरी दुनिया के बीच में चलते हैं, जो पक्का है। रिशि भी अपने मन से एक धागा बुन रहे हैं।
Word by Word
- ऋतायिनी
- ṛta-following / order-abiding (f.)Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (विशेषणरूपेण)Root ऋतायिनी- (प्रातिपदिक; < ऋत + आयिन्/आयिनी)
- मायिनी
- possessing māyā / wondrous, crafty (f.)Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (विशेषणरूपेण)Root मायिनी- (प्रातिपदिक; < माया)
- सम्
- together, completelyIndeclinableउपसर्ग (क्रियायोगे)Root सम् (उपसर्ग)
- दधाते
- the two place/put together; arrangeVerbलट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, द्विवचन, आत्मनेपदRole क्रिया (कर्तृ: ऋतायिनी, मायिनी)Root धा (डुधाञ्) + आत्मनेपद
- मित्वा
- having measuredVerbal derivativeक्त्वान्त (अव्यय), ‘having measured’Role पूर्वकालक्रिया (क्रियाविशेषण)Root मा (माने/मितौ) → मि- (कृदन्त)
- शिशुम्
- the child, infantNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot शिशु- (प्रातिपदिक)
- जज्ञतुः
- the two begot/brought forthVerbलिट् (परिपूर्ण/परोक्श), प्रथमपुरुष, द्विवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रिया (कर्तृ: ऋतायिनी, मायिनी)Root जन् (जनीँ)
- वर्धयन्ती
- nourishing, causing to grow (f.)Participleवर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (सहक्रिया/विशेषण; ‘while increasing/nourishing’)Root वृध् (वर्धने) → वर्धय-
- विश्वस्य
- of all, of the wholeAdjective (used substantively)नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root विश्व- (प्रातिपदिक)
- नाभिम्
- navel; hub, centerNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (वि-यन्तः इत्यस्य)Root नाभि- (प्रातिपदिक)
- चरतः
- of the two that move/wanderParticipleवर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ/शानच्-सम्भव), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, द्विवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive dual: ‘of the two moving/going’)Root चर् (गत्यर्थ)
- ध्रुवस्य
- of the fixed/steadfast (one); of the firm orderAdjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root ध्रुव- (प्रातिपदिक)
- कवेः
- of the seer/poetNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root कवि- (प्रातिपदिक)
- चित्
- indeed, evenIndeclinableनिपात (emphatic/limiting)Root चित् (निपात)
- तन्तुम्
- thread; line, filamentNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot तन्तु- (प्रातिपदिक)
- मनसा
- with the mindNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करणRoot मनस्- (प्रातिपदिक)
- वियन्तः
- going apart; weaving/spreading (lit. ‘moving out’)Participleवर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot या (गत्यर्थ) + वि- (उपसर्ग) → वि-यन्त्
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: ऋतायिनी | मायिनी | सम् | दधाते | मित्वा | शिशुम् | जज्ञतुः | वर्धयन्ती । विश्वस्य | नाभिम् | चरतः | ध्रुवस्य | कवेः | चित् | तन्तुम् | मनसा | वियन्तः । प्रमुख-सन्धयः: (1) ‘सं दधाते’ = सम् + दधाते (अनुस्वारः परे दकारे)। (2) ‘कवेश्चित्तन्तुं’ = कवेः + चित् + तन्तुम् (विसर्ग-लोप/श्च-आदेशः: कवेः + चित् → कवेश्चित्; ततः चित् + तन्तुम् → चित्तन्तुम् (त् + त् → त्त))
The meaning
Outer meaning
Two feminine powers—one moving in accord with Ṛta (cosmic order) and one wielding Māyā (formative power)—unite; after measuring, they bring forth and nurture a child. They move around the navel (central hub) of the whole steadfast cosmos, and by mind they weave even the seer’s thread.
Inner meaning
Ṛtāyinī is the consciousness that spontaneously follows Truth-Order; Māyinī is the executive Shakti that builds forms and circumstances. When truth-guidance and formative power consent, the “child” (the new-born inner Agni / awakened soul-force) is conceived, measured into right proportions, and increased. The ‘navel of the whole’ is the central psychic knot where all movements meet (the inner altar/axis). The ‘thread of the seer’ is the subtle continuity of inspired seeing (kavi-tantu): the mind, when made an instrument of the higher light, can weave a coherent path of realization rather than scattered thoughts.
Universal truth
Real transformation requires both fidelity to truth (right law, right discernment) and creative power (capacity to embody). When these unite, a new conscious principle is born and steadily fostered; the mind becomes a loom that can weave a stable, meaningful life-pattern around an unshakable center.
Themes
cosmic weaving, birth of the divine child, truth and formation, mind as loom
The seer
- Rishi
- Dīrghatamas Āucathya
- Lineage
- Aucathya (Angirasa-related seer-lineage, traditional attribution)
- Other hymns
- RV 1.140, RV 1.141, RV 4.26 (Dīrghatamas tradition/echoes), RV 10.5 (this hymn-context)
Family tradition
Visionary, symbolic hymns with cosmogonic and psychological layers; famed for riddling language pointing to inner processes.
Significance
Dīrghatamas represents the ‘long darkness’ that becomes a womb for supramental seeing—his poetry often encodes how the One becomes many and how the seeker recovers the hidden unity.
The deity
- Devata
- Ṛta–Māyā dyad (cosmic feminine powers)
- Epithets
- ṛtāyinī, māyinī, dhruvasya nābhi-cāriṇī (moving about the steadfast hub)
- Related deities
- Aditi, Uṣas, Sarasvatī, Vāc, Agni (as the child/first flame)
Cosmic role
They yoke truth-law with world-forming power to generate and uphold the manifested order.
Inner power
Union of discernment (right law) and executive force (creative formation) that births and matures inner Agni/awakening.
In ritual
Where it is used
High-theology verse: explains sacrificial efficacy as union of truth-law (ṛta) and formative measurement (māyā/ma) producing the ‘child’ (new realization/fire)
ऋ॒ता॒यिनी॑ मा॒यिनी॒ सं द॑धाते मि॒त्वा शिशुं॑ जज्ञतुर्व॒र्धय॑न्ती । विश्व॑स्य॒ नाभिं॒ चर॑तो ध्रु॒वस्य॑ क॒वेश्चि॒त्तन्तुं॒ मन॑सा वि॒यन्त॑: ॥
ऋ॒त॒यिनी॒ इत्यृ॑त॒ऽयिनी॑ । मा॒यिनी॒ इति॑ । सम् । द॒धा॒ते॒ इति॑ । मि॒त्वा । शिशु॑म् । ज॒ज्ञ॒तुः॒ । व॒र्धय॑न्ती॒ इति॑ । विश्व॑स्य । नाभि॑म् । चर॑तः । ध्रु॒वस्य॑ । क॒वेः । चि॒त् । तन्तु॑म् । मन॑सा । वि॒ऽयन्तः॑ ॥
ṛtayinī ity ṛṛta-yinī | māyinī iti | sam | dadhāteiti | mitvā | śiśum | jajñatuḥ | vardhayantī iti | viśvasya | nābhim | carataḥ | dhruvasya | kaveḥ | cit | tantum | manasā | vi-yantaḥ
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4 pādas of 12 syllables (jagatī cadence)
Long, forward-driving measure with spacious pauses—suited to cosmogonic unfolding.
Creates a sense of ‘weaving’ continuity; supports sustained contemplation on how higher order shapes embodied experience.
- ऋतायिनी (ṛtāyinī)
- Literal: she who moves by Ṛta. Symbolic: truth-guided consciousness; intuitive alignment with cosmic order
- मायिनी (māyinī)
- Literal: she who works by māyā. Symbolic: formative power of consciousness; Shakti that builds inner/outer forms
- मित्वा (mitvā)
- Literal: having measured. Symbolic: right measure, proportion, discernment; setting the sādhanā in true limits
- शिशु (śiśu)
- Literal: child. Symbolic: new-born flame of aspiration/Agni; emerging psychic being or new consciousness
- नाभि (nābhi)
- Literal: navel, hub. Symbolic: central axis of being; inner altar where forces converge
- तन्तु (tantu)
- Literal: thread. Symbolic: continuity of vision; subtle line of realization woven through mind
- कवि (kavi)
- Literal: seer-poet. Symbolic: illumined consciousness; the inspired knower
High-theology verse: explains sacrificial efficacy as union of truth-law (ṛta) and formative measurement (māyā/ma) producing the ‘child’ (new realization/fire)
Use as a contemplation-mantra for aligning intention (ṛta) with execution (māyā): before creative work, life decisions, or beginning a new discipline—invoke right measure and steady nurturing of the ‘inner child-flame’.
(ṛtā-yinī) from ṛta + -yinī ‘going/moving in’: ‘she who moves according to ṛta’. (māy-inī) from māyā (from √ (mā) ‘to measure’) indicating formative, measuring power. (mitvā) absolutive from √ ‘measure’. (tantu) ‘thread’ (PIE *ten- ‘stretch’ cf. Latin tendō).
R̥ta and Māyā as complementary principles, measurement as law of manifestation, nābhi as cosmic/psychic center
Ṛta is the guiding law; Māyā embodies it in measured forms; the cosmos is woven around a stable center.
Satya as coherence: the ‘thread’ of truth becomes a lived continuity, not episodic insight.
Birth and fostering of a new principle through union of law and power; weaving of manifestation around the cosmic navel.
Proto-Vedāntic and integral (Aurobindonian) reading: consciousness-force (cit-śakti) manifests worlds by truth-measure.
The ‘loom’ is the quieted mind; the ‘hub’ is the psychic center; the ‘child’ is the first steady flame of awakened will.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The union of two cosmic powers—R̥ta (truth-order) and Māyā (measuring formation)—that ‘measure, beget, and foster’ the divine child, while weaving the thread of vision around the cosmic navel. Psychologically, realization is born when right truth-movement and skilled formation collaborate; the mind then weaves a stable connection (tantu) to the center (nābhi).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- tantu ‘thread’ is from the IE stretching root *ten- (Latin tendō, English tend/tension), fitting the weaving metaphor. √ ‘measure’ relates to PIE *meh₁- ‘measure’ (Greek métron, Latin mētior), supporting the concept of cosmic measurement as law.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi describes not a personal bargain but an ontological process: the devatās are principles operating within cognition and cosmos. The seer participates by ‘mind-weaving’—aligning thought with ṛta and mā (measure)—so the inner child of realization can be born and increased.
Unite truth-discernment with creative embodiment: feel a steady center (nābhi) and let the mind weave one clear thread of practice.
Manipura/Anahata axis (navel-heart as center of will and psychic warmth)
Nadi-śodhana or slow 1:1 breathing while holding a single ‘thread’ of attention through the spine.
From mental dispersion to coherent, centered, quietly inspired awareness.
Before meditation, set ‘measure’ (mitvā): choose one intention, one practice, one inner offering. Then nurture the newborn flame daily—small, steady increases rather than dramatic strain.
Default Rigvedic accenting: observe udātta on marked syllables; svarita follows udātta; anudātta as unraised—exact śākhā-specific svara requires pada + saṃhitā accent notation.
Keep the main lift on accented syllables (udātta); avoid flattening long compounds; maintain cadence across 12-syllable pādas.
ṛ in ṛtāyinī: short vocalic ‘r’ (not ri), māyinī: long ā; clear y glide, dhruvasya: aspirate dh; keep v soft, tantuṃ: nasalized -ṃ at end; do not add extra vowel
Clear, steady, slightly resonant; let the line feel ‘woven’ without rushing.
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