Rig Veda 10.64.3: Mandala 10, Sukta 64, Mantra 3
Sukta 10.64
- Devata
- Multi-deity litany
- Chandas
- Jagatī
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
नरा वा शंसं पूषणमगोह्यमग्निं देवेद्धमभ्यर्चसे गिरा । सूर्यामासा चन्द्रमसा यमं दिवि त्रितं वातमुषसमक्तुमश्विना ॥
narā́ vā śáṃsaṃ pūṣáṇam ágohyam agním devéddham abhy àrcase girā́ | sū́ryāmā́sā candrámasā yamáṃ diví tritáṃ vā́tam uṣásam aktúm aśvínā ||
तुम अपनी आवाज़ से नरशंस का गुण गा रहे हो। पूषन को बुला रहे हो जो छुपा है, और अग्नि को जो देवियों ने जलाया है। सूरज और चंद्रमा को बुला रहे हो। यम को आसमान में, त्रित और वायु को, उषा और रात को, और अश्विन दोनों भाइयों को। यह सब शक्तियाँ जाग रही हैं और काम कर रही हैं।
Word by Word
- नराḥ
- men, heroesNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole KartāRoot नर (प्रातिपदिक)
- वा
- orIndeclinableविकल्पार्थक अव्ययRoot वा (निपात)
- शंसम्
- praise, eulogyNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole KarmaRoot शंस (प्रातिपदिक)
- पूषणम्
- PūṣanNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole KarmaRoot पूषण् (देवनाम; प्रातिपदिक)
- अगोह्यम्
- not to be concealed; manifestAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन (अग्निम् विशेषयति)Role KarmaRoot अ-गोह्य (प्रातिपदिक; नञ्-समास)
- अग्निम्
- AgniNoun (deity)पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole KarmaRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- देवेद्धम्
- kindled by the godsAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन (अग्निम् विशेषयति)Role KarmaRoot देव-इद्ध (प्रातिपदिक; समास/कृदन्ताधार)
- अभि
- towards, untoIndeclinableउपसर्गः (अर्चसे इत्यस्य)Root अभि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- अर्चसे
- you praise/worshipVerbलट्; मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचन; आत्मनेपदRoot अर्च् (धातु)
- गिरा
- with a hymn/voiceNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया; एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot गिर् (प्रातिपदिक)
- सूर्यामासौ
- Sun and Moon (as a pair)Noun (dual)पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; द्विवचनRole KarmaRoot सूर्य + मास (प्रातिपदिक; द्वन्द्व)
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चयार्थकRoot च (निपात)
- चन्द्रमसम्
- the MoonNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole KarmaRoot चन्द्रमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- यमम्
- YamaNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole KarmaRoot यम (देवनाम; प्रातिपदिक)
- दिवि
- in heaven, in the skyNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot दिव् (प्रातिपदिक)
- त्रितम्
- TritaNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole KarmaRoot त्रित (देवनाम; प्रातिपदिक)
- वातम्
- Vāta (Wind)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole KarmaRoot वात (प्रातिपदिक)
- उषसम्
- Uṣas (Dawn)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole KarmaRoot उषस् (देवनाम; प्रातिपदिक)
- अक्तुम्
- night, darknessNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole KarmaRoot अक्तु (प्रातिपदिक)
- अश्विना
- the AśvinsNoun (dual)पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; द्विवचनRole KarmaRoot अश्विन् (देवनाम; प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धिविग्रह): नराḥ वा शंसम् पूषणम् अगोह्यम् अग्निम् देवेद्धम् अभि अर्चसे गिरा । सूर्यामासौ च चन्द्रमसम् यमम् दिवि त्रितम् वातम् उषसम् अक्तुम् अश्विना । 1) नरा॑ = नर + आः (प्रथमा बहु) with visarga in pada
- 2) देवेद्धम् = देव + इद्धम् (स्वर-सन्धि/वृद्धि: ए)
- 3) अभ्यर्चसे = अभि + अर्चसे (यण्/व्यञ्जन-सन्धि: इ + अ → य; hence अभ्य-)
- 4) सूर्या॒मासा॑ = सूर्य + मासौ (द्वन्द्व; दीर्घ/स्वर-समायोजन in संहिता)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The hymn names and praises a sequence of divine powers—Narāśaṃsa, Pūṣan (the hidden), Agni kindled by the gods, the Sun and Moon powers, Yama in heaven, Trita, Vāta, Uṣas, Night, and the Aśvins—invoked by speech (girā).
Inner meaning
This is an inner “roll-call” of powers needed for the integral sacrifice: the inspired Word calls forth (1) the power that perfects the human offering (Narāśaṃsa), (2) the Guide who finds the hidden paths and nourishes the soul’s journey (Pūṣan, ‘hidden’), (3) the divine Will/Flame awakened by higher powers (Agni deveddha), then the illumining and measuring lights (Sūrya–Māsa, Candramas), the law of right discernment and true ordering in the heights (Yama in divi), the triple-striving force that wins the waters/light (Trita), the life-breath and driving current (Vāta), the dawn of awakening (Uṣas), the needed interval of assimilation and concealment (Night), and the twin harmonisers of prāṇa and mind who bring swift help (Aśvins). Together they awaken, align, and ‘order’ the being into a coherent movement of ascent.
Universal truth
Spiritual progress is not one power but a coordinated ecology of consciousness: aspiration (Agni), guidance (Pūṣan), illumination (Sūrya/Uṣas), rhythm and measure (Māsa/Candra), right law and ethical truth in the higher mind (Yama), dynamic life-force (Vāta), persistence through obscurity (Night), and swift integrative aids (Aśvins). The Word (mantra) is the instrument that convenes these forces into harmony.
Themes
Deity litany, Cosmic powers, Day-night symbolism, Comprehensive invocation
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 10.64 (entire hymn context recommended for firm rishi/devatā/chandas confirmation), Related litanies: RV 1.89 (Viśve Devāḥ), RV 10.63–10.65 (adjacent invocations to multiple powers)
Family tradition
Book 10 hymns frequently belong to diverse or later seer-lines; this verse’s litany style suggests a ‘Viśve Devāḥ’ or composite invocation milieu.
Significance
The seer’s stance is integrative: rather than a single deity-aspect, consciousness calls a mandala of powers to assemble the whole being for transformation—characteristic of inner-yoga readings where many faculties must be awakened in right order.
The deity
- Devata
- Multi-deity litany (integral invocation of cooperating powers)
- Epithets
- agohyam (Pūṣan as hidden guide), deveddha (Agni kindled by the gods), divi (Yama in the heaven)
- Related deities
- Savitṛ (as the impeller behind ordered movement), Viśve Devāḥ (as the collective of powers)
Cosmic role
To establish a complete cosmic functioning in the sacrificer: guidance, will, illumination, measure, law, life-breath, awakening, and swift harmonisation.
Inner power
A coordinated activation of aspiration (Agni), inner guidance (Pūṣan), illumined mind (Sūrya/Candra), ethical-psychic order (Yama), dynamic prāṇa (Vāta), awakening (Uṣas), and integrative healing (Aśvins).
In ritual
Where it is used
Multi-deity invocation in soma/yajña contexts; also suitable as a general ‘āhvāna’ (calling) verse within a sequence.
नरा॑ वा॒ शंसं॑ पू॒षण॒मगो॑ह्यम॒ग्निं दे॒वेद्ध॑म॒भ्य॑र्चसे गि॒रा । सूर्या॒मासा॑ च॒न्द्रम॑सा य॒मं दि॒वि त्रि॒तं वात॑मु॒षस॑म॒क्तुम॒श्विना॑ ॥
नरा॒शंस॑म् । वा॒ । पू॒षण॑म् । अगो॑ह्यम् । अ॒ग्निम् । दे॒वऽइ॑द्धम् । अ॒भि । अ॒र्च॒से॒ । गि॒रा । सूर्या॒मासा॑ । च॒न्द्रम॑सा । य॒मम् । दि॒वि । त्रि॒तम् । वात॑म् । उ॒षस॑म् । अ॒क्तुम् । अ॒श्विना॑ ॥
narāśaṃsam | vā | pūṣaṇam | agohyam | agnim | deva-iddham | abhi | arcase | girā | sūryāmāsā | candramasā | yamam | divi | tritam | vātam | uṣasam | aktum | aśvinā
48
4 pādas × ~12 syllables (Jagatī norm)
Processional, enumerative cadence suited to a litany—each name landing like a distinct invocation.
Creates a ‘gathering’ effect: the listener feels successive awakenings of different inner faculties, culminating in a sense of ordered wholeness.
- गिरा (girā)
- Literal: by speech/word. Symbolic: mantric vibration that summons and shapes inner forces
- नराशंस (narāśaṃsa)
- Literal: ‘praised by men’. Symbolic: the power that perfects the human offering; the ‘well-spoken’ formative praise in us
- पूषण (pūṣan)
- Literal: nourisher/guardian. Symbolic: inner guide of journeys; finder of hidden paths and lost light
- अगोहीम् (agohyam)
- Literal: hidden, not to be found by cows. Symbolic: truth-force concealed from ordinary mind; the guide working behind the veil
- अग्नि (agni)
- Literal: fire. Symbolic: divine will and aspiring flame leading the inner yajña
- देवेद्ध (deveddha)
- Literal: kindled by the gods. Symbolic: aspiration ignited by higher inspirations, not ego-effort alone
- सूर्य (sūrya)
- Literal: sun. Symbolic: supramental/illumining truth-light
- मास (māsa)
- Literal: month/measure of time. Symbolic: measuring intelligence; ordered rhythm of progress
- चन्द्रमस् (candramas)
- Literal: moon. Symbolic: reflective mind-light; calm luminous understanding
- यम (yama)
- Literal: restrainer/ordainer. Symbolic: inner law, right measure, ethical truth in the higher plane
- त्रित (trita)
- Literal: the ‘third’. Symbolic: triple force of striving; the power that releases hidden waters/light
- वात (vāta)
- Literal: wind. Symbolic: prāṇa, the moving life-current that carries the offering
- उषस् (uṣas)
- Literal: dawn. Symbolic: awakening illumination; the opening of the inner day
- अक्तु (aktu)
- Literal: night. Symbolic: period of concealment, incubation, assimilation
- अश्विनौ (aśvinā)
- Literal: the two horsemen. Symbolic: twin powers of swift healing/integration of mind and life
Catalog-invocation (devatā-smarana) to assemble multiple powers for a comprehensive working of the sacrifice and the day-night cycle
At points of inviting/establishing multiple devatās in the rite; especially in all-gods or mixed deity sections.
Recitation during offering/oblation sequences to align several cosmic functions.
As a preparatory meditation-chantscape: chant to ‘assemble’ inner powers before japa, prāṇāyāma, or contemplative inquiry.
narāśaṃsa: nara ‘men’ + śaṃsa ‘praise’ (√śaṃs ‘praise’). pūṣan from √puṣ ‘nourish’ (PIE *peh₂- ‘protect/feed’ in broad sense). agni from PIE *h₁n̥gʷnis (Latin ignis). √arc ‘praise’ relates to ritual speech. uṣas from PIE *h₂éwsōs (dawn). vāta from √vā ‘blow’ (PIE *h₂weh₁-). aśvin from aśva ‘horse’ (PIE *h₁éḱwos). yama from √yam ‘restrain/measure’.
cosmic order through time-measures, breath as life-force (Vāta), transition between concealment and illumination (Night/Uṣas)
The verse enacts ṛta by invoking powers of measure (Māsa/Candra), law (Yama), and illumined movement (Sūrya/Uṣas) to harmonise the being.
Truth is approached as a coordinated revelation: hidden guidance (Pūṣan) and illumining light (Sūrya) converge through Agni’s aspiration.
Awakening and ordering of the inner cosmos—light emerging from concealment (Uṣas/Night polarity) and the release of hidden plenitudes (Trita motif).
Proto-Vedāntic/Integral-Vedic (Aurobindo-style): deities as powers of consciousness rather than external nature alone.
Dawn-to-night cycle (Uṣas–Aktu)
A full psychophysical cycle: aspiration (fire), prāṇa movement (wind), awakening (dawn), assimilation in concealment (night), illumined truth (sun) and reflective mind-order (moon/measure).
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘assembly of powers’ mythologem: a litany that gathers diverse deities representing functions of consciousness (fire-will, nourishment-guidance, time-lights, law of beyond, breath, dawn/night transitions, healing twins). The mythic world is mapped as a complete inner ecology.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- Agni ~ Latin ignis (PIE *h₁n̥gʷnis) is a classic IE cognate. Uṣas derives from PIE dawn goddess *h₂éwsōs (cf. Greek Ēōs, Latin Aurōra). Aśvin from *h₁éḱwos ‘horse’ shows IE shared mythic horse-twins motif.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi’s relation is integrative: by naming and hymning, he ‘calls into order’ the many divine functions needed for a complete transformation—awakening (Uṣas), regulation (Yama), energy (Agni/Maruts implied), guidance (Pūṣan), healing (Aśvins).
Integral alignment: call and seat the inner powers—will (Agni), guidance (Pūṣan), illumination (Sūrya/Uṣas), calm mind-light (Candra), right law (Yama), prāṇa flow (Vāta), integration (Aśvins).
Anāhata (Agni as heart-flame) and Ājñā (Sūrya/Uṣas as illumination) as primary; Svādhiṣṭhāna/Manipūra as prāṇa-force (Vāta).
Gentle nāḍī-śodhana or 1:1 breathing while mentally ‘inviting’ each power on the inhale; pause after each name for felt presence.
Collected, widened, harmonised awareness (from scattered faculties to integrated poise).
Chant once slowly to establish the field; then silently repeat key names (Agni–Pūṣan–Uṣas–Aśvins) while noticing corresponding inner shifts (will, guidance, clarity, integration).
Follow Rigvedic udātta/anudātta/svarita as in Śākala śākhā; this verse is best learned from a pada-paṭha + svara audio source for exact accents.
Keep udātta as the ‘lift’ on the accented syllable; avoid flattening the litany—each deity-name should receive crisp articulation and its accentual rise.
Differentiate ś/ṣ/s clearly: śaṃsam (palatal ś), Hold long vowels: devēddham (ē), sūryāmāsā (ā), Retroflex ṭ in triṭam (if recited as tritaṃ, keep dental t; in this text ‘tritam’—dental t), Aśvinā: clear aś- (short a) and v (not b)
Clear, invocatory, slightly rising energy on each name; steady breath support.
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.
