Rig Veda 2.25.5: Mandala 2, Sukta 25, Mantra 5
Sukta 2.25
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Devata
- Brahmaṇaspati
- Chandas
- Jagatī
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
तस्मा इद्विश्वे धुनयन्त सिन्धवोऽच्छिद्रा शर्म दधिरे पुरूणि । देवानां सुम्ने सुभगः स एधते यंयं युजं कृणुते ब्रह्मणस्पतिः ॥
tásmā íd víśve dhunayanta síndhavo ’cchídrā śárma dadhire purū́ṇi | devā́nāṃ súmne su-bhágaḥ sá edhate yaṃ-yáṃ yújaṃ kṛṇuté bráhmaṇas-pátiḥ ||
उसके लिए सारी नदिया बहने लगती हैं। बहुत सारे ऐसे सुरक्षा स्थल बनते हैं जो कभी टूटे नहीं। भगवान की कृपा से वो भाग्य वाला बनके बढ़ता है, जिसके लिए ब्रह्मणस्पति हर साथी शक्ति बनाता है।
Word by Word
- तस्मै
- to himPronounपुं., चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- इत्
- indeedIndeclinableनिपातRoot इत् (निपात)
- विश्वे
- all (of them)Adjective (used substantively)पुं., प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- धुनयन्ते
- shake, surgeVerbलट्, आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (क्रिया)Root धुन् (धुनति) धातु
- सिन्धवः
- rivers/streamsNounपुं., प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot सिन्धु (प्रातिपदिक)
- अच्छिद्राः
- unbroken, without flawAdjectiveनपुं., द्वितीया, बहुवचन (कर्मपद-विशेषणम्)Role कर्म (विशेषणरूपेण)Root अ-छिद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- शर्म
- shelter, protectionNounनपुं., द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot शर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- दधिरे
- they have placed/establishedVerbलिट् (परोक्श), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (क्रिया)Root धा (दधाति) धातु
- पुरूणि
- many (things/boons)Adjective (used substantively)नपुं., द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot पुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
- देवानाम्
- of the godsNounपुं., षष्ठी, बहुवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- सुम्ने
- in (their) favor/graceNounनपुं., सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot सुम्न (प्रातिपदिक)
- सुभगः
- fortunate, auspiciousAdjectiveपुं., प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot सु-भग (प्रातिपदिक)
- सः
- hePronounपुं., प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- एधते
- thrives, growsVerbलट्, आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (क्रिया)Root एध् (एधते) धातु
- यम्
- whomRelative pronounपुं., द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- यम्
- whom (again: whoever)Relative pronounपुं., द्वितीया, एकवचन (पुनरुक्ति-प्रयोगः)Role कर्मRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- युजम्
- an ally, yoked companionNounपुं., द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (कृणुते इत्यस्य)Root युज् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘युज्’ = companion/ally)
- कृणुते
- makesVerbलट्, आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (क्रिया)Root कृ (कृणोति/कृणुते) धातु
- ब्रह्मणस्पतिः
- Brahmaṇaspati (Lord of sacred speech/prayer)Noun (deity name)पुं., प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot ब्रह्मन् + पति (समास-प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: तस्मा॒ इद् + विश्वे॑ + धुनयन्त॒ + सिन्धवः + अ-च्छिद्राः + शर्म + दधिरे + पुरूणि । दे॒वानाम् + सु॒म्ने + सु॒भगः + सः + एधते + यं यं + युजम् + कृणुते + ब्रह्मणस्पतिः । प्रमुख-सन्धयः: (1) तस्मा इद् → तस्मा॒ इद् (स्वर-संयोग/पदविराम)
- (2) सिन्धवः + अच्छिद्राः → सिन्ध॒वोऽच्छि॑द्राः (विसर्गस्य ओऽ-आदेशः)
- (3) यंयं → यं यं (पुनरुक्ति; संहितायां संयोगः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
For him indeed all the rivers set themselves in motion; many unbroken shelters they establish. In the gods’ favour he grows fortunate and increases—he for whom Brahmaṇaspati makes every yoke-fellow power.
Inner meaning
When Brahmaṇaspati organizes the inner being, all the ‘rivers’—the various currents of life-energy, emotion, thought, and inspiration—begin to flow in a coordinated way (not wasted in dispersion). They establish many ‘unbroken shelters’ (acchidra śarma): stable inner protections—peace, clarity, right habits—through which the seeker can abide safely in growth. Living in the gods’ harmony (sumna), the being becomes truly fortunate (subhaga) and expands.
Universal truth
Fortune is not chance but alignment: when inner currents are unified and protected by wholeness (no ‘gaps’), growth becomes steady and supported by higher powers.
Themes
Grace-and-protection, Prosperity, Converging-currents, Unbroken-shelter
The seer
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Lineage
- Bhārgava (traditional)
- Other hymns
- RV 2.23 (Brahmaṇaspati), RV 2.24 (Brahmaṇaspati)
Family tradition
The Bhārgava strain often links ‘waters/rivers’ with inspiration and inner movement; here prosperity is the result of coordinated flow under the lordship of the Word.
Significance
The seer indicates a mature stage of yoga: not only breakthrough, but stable ‘shelters’—integral protections that sustain continuous growth.
The deity
- Devata
- Brahmaṇaspati
- Epithets
- Giver of unbroken shelter, Bringer of divine favour (sumna), Organizer of all currents
- Related deities
- Sarasvatī, Āpas (Waters), Agni
Cosmic role
He harmonizes the many streams of existence, establishing protective order and ensuring increase under the gods’ benediction.
Inner power
Integrative mantra-intelligence that prevents ‘leaks’ of consciousness and creates stable peace while enabling expansion.
In ritual
Where it is used
For securing protection (śarma), auspiciousness (subhaga), and increase (edha) in the sacrificer’s life; also to ensure smooth flow of ritual proceedings.
तस्मा॒ इद्विश्वे॑ धुनयन्त॒ सिन्ध॒वोऽच्छि॑द्रा॒ शर्म॑ दधिरे पु॒रूणि॑ । दे॒वानां॑ सु॒म्ने सु॒भग॒: स ए॑धते॒ यंयं॒ युजं॑ कृणु॒ते ब्रह्म॑ण॒स्पति॑: ॥
तस्मै॑ । इत् । विश्वे॑ । धु॒न॒य॒न्त॒ । सिन्ध॑वः । अच्छि॑द्रा । शर्म॑ । द॒धि॒रे॒ । पु॒रूणि॑ । दे॒वाना॑म् । सु॒म्ने । सु॒ऽभगः॑ । सः । ए॒ध॒ते॒ । यम्ऽय॑म् । युज॑म् । कृ॒णु॒ते । ब्रह्म॑णः । पतिः॑ ॥
tasmai | it | viśve | dhunayanta | sindhavaḥ | acchidrā | śarma | dadhire | purūṇi | devānām | sumne | su-bhagaḥ | saḥ | edhate | yam-yam | yujam | kṛṇute | brahmaṇaḥ | patiḥ
48
4 × 12; broad gathering motion in first two pādas, auspicious settling in third, refrain closure.
Collecting and stabilizing; less удар, more orchestration.
Soothes and consolidates; gives a sense of protected wideness and auspicious increase.
- सिन्धवः (sindhavaḥ)
- Literal: rivers. Symbolic: multiple currents of consciousness and energy in the being
- धुनयन्त (dhunayanta)
- Literal: shake, set in motion. Symbolic: activation/purification—stagnant energies begin to flow
- अच्छिद्रा शर्म (acchidra śarma)
- Literal: unbroken shelters/protections. Symbolic: integral peace and protection without gaps for disturbance
- देवानां सुम्ने (devānāṃ sumne)
- Literal: in the gods’ favour. Symbolic: in harmony with higher powers; alignment with ṛta
- सुभगः (subhagaḥ)
- Literal: fortunate, well-portioned. Symbolic: well-arranged being—right distribution of energies
- एधते (edhate)
- Literal: grows, increases. Symbolic: expansion of consciousness and capacity
For prosperity through divine favour (sumna) and establishment of protective peace (śarman), with imagery of rivers as converging supportive currents.
At points seeking well-being and protection—concluding or stabilizing moments of a sequence, or when invoking ‘shelter’.
Recitation with offerings; mentally invoking protective wholeness around the rite and sacrificer.
For anxiety and fragmentation: chant to ‘seal leaks’ in attention; use as a protective preface before travel, work, or sleep.
/ ‘rivers’ (see above); (śarman) ‘shelter’ from √śṛ/śam ‘to quiet, make happy’ → peace/protection; (sumna) from su- + √man ‘think’ → benevolence/favour; (edh-) from √edh ‘to grow, prosper’.
Śarman as unbroken peace/protection, Sumna (divine favour), Edhate (growth/prosperity) as spiritual increase
All rivers moving together implies harmonization under ṛta rather than chaotic flow.
acchidra (without holes) suggests integrity—truth that does not break under pressure.
Convergence of many streams into ordered manifestation; protection as a condition for growth.
Integral yoga reading: wholeness/integrity (acchidra) as prerequisite for stable ascent.
monsoon (suggested by many rivers in motion)
Rivers = currents of prāṇa/thought/inspiration; unbroken shelter = integral peace and protection; favour of gods = alignment with higher consciousness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The convergence of all rivers to the favoured one: supportive cosmic currents gather around the seeker aligned with Brahmaṇaspati. The many ‘unbroken shelters’ signify stabilized planes of protection once the Word has ordered the being.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The prosperity verb √edh ‘grow’ has Indo-Iranian parallels and fits an old IE semantic field of increase and thriving. The river motif is a shared IE poetic resource for abundance and the gathering of powers.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi presents the fruit of right alignment: when Brahmaṇaspati yokes the needed powers, divine favour (sumna) becomes operative, protective peace (śarman) is established, and growth (edh) follows as an inner prosperity rather than mere material gain.
Gather scattered energies into one calm flow; establish an ‘unbroken shelter’ of awareness around the mind and heart.
vishuddha (harmonized currents through truthful expression)
slow_meditative
Integrated calm, protected expansion.
Chant softly. After chanting, scan the being for ‘holes’—places where attention leaks (worry, rumination). Gently seal them by returning to a single mantra-feeling in the heart. Rest in the sense of divine shelter, then let action arise from that protection.
Rigvedic accents; keep the first pāda gently rolling (rivers in motion), second pāda settling, third pāda auspicious and warm; refrain even.
Slight emphasis on dhunayanta, acchidra śarma, devānāṃ sumne, subhagaḥ, edhate; then the refrain as a calm seal.
Careful with consonant clusters: 'cchidra' (acchidra) articulate the cch clearly., sindhavo: keep dh soft aspirate., sumne: keep short u; subhagaḥ: bh aspirated.
Warm, protective, rounded tone; avoid harsh attack.
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