Rig Veda 2.29.1: Mandala 2, Sukta 29, Mantra 1

Sukta 2.29

Rishi

Gṛtsamada

Devata

Ādityas

Chandas

Triṣṭubh

Rasa

Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)

Samhita Patha (Devanagari)

धृतव्रता आदित्या इषिरा आरे मत्कर्त रहसूरिवागः । शृण्वतो वो वरुण मित्र देवा भद्रस्य विद्वाँ अवसे हुवे वः ॥

Recitation with translationRig Veda 2.29.1

Transliteration

dhṛtávratā ādítyā íṣirā āré mátkarta rahasū́r ivā́gaḥ | śṛṇvató vo váruṇa mítra devā bhadrásya vidvā́n ávase huve vaḥ ||

Translation

हे आदित्य देवता, तुम लोग धरम पे चले हो। मेरे अंदर का छोटा पाप मुझसे दूर रखना। वरुण और मित्र, तुम सुन रहे हो। मैं भलाई जानता हूँ, इसलिए तुमसे मदद माँगता हूँ।

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Word by Word

धृतव्रताः

(you) steadfast in vows / firm in ordinancesAdjective (used substantively) · पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृ · Root धृत-व्रत (धृ ‘धारणे’ + व्रत) प्रातिपदिक

आदित्याः

Ādityas (solar deities)Noun · पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृ (सम्बोधनार्थे अपि) · Root आदित्य (प्रातिपदिक)

इषिराः

vigorous, strong, impetuousAdjective · पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृ (विशेषणम्) · Root इषिर (प्रातिपदिक)

आरे

far away, at a distanceIndeclinable · अव्ययम्Role अधिकारण (भावे: ‘दूरम्’) · Root आरे (अव्यय)

मत्कर्त

O doer/agent for me; O my maker/helperNoun (compound) · पुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन, एकवचनम्Role सम्बोधन · Root मत् + कर्तृ (कृ ‘करणे’ → कर्तृ) प्रातिपदिक

रहसूरिवागः

whose speech/utterance moves in secrecy; secret-counselled/hidden-speakingNoun/Adjective (bahuvrīhi-like epithet) · पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृ (विशेषणरूपेण देवेषु) · Root रहसू-रि-वाग (रहसू ‘गुप्त/रहस्य’ + रि (रि/री ‘गत्यर्थ’/‘प्रेरणे’—उपसर्गीय-तत्पुरुषभावः) + वाग् ‘वच्’ प्रातिपदिक) समास

शृण्वतः

of (me) listening / while (I) listenParticiple · पुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, एकवचनम् (सम्बन्धे) अथवा बहुवचनस्य रूपसाम्यं; यहाँ ‘शृण्वतः’ = ‘(मम) शृण्वतः’Role कर्तृ (कृदन्त-कर्तृ; सम्बन्ध-षष्ठी) · Root शृ (धातु) → शृण्वत् (वर्तमान कृदन्त, शतृ)

वः

of you / yourPronoun · षष्ठी, बहुवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध · Root युष्मद् (सर्वनाम)

वरुण

O VaruṇaNoun (deity name) · पुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन, एकवचनम्Role सम्बोधन · Root वरुण (प्रातिपदिक)

मित्र

O MitraNoun (deity name) · पुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन, एकवचनम्Role सम्बोधन · Root मित्र (प्रातिपदिक)

देवाः

O godsNoun · पुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन/प्रथमा, बहुवचनम् (सम्बोधनार्थे)Role सम्बोधन · Root देव (प्रातिपदिक)

भद्रस्य

of the good (thing), of welfareNoun/Adjective (substantivized) · नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (अर्थे ‘भद्रम्’), षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध · Root भद्र (प्रातिपदिक)

विद्वान्

knowing, wiseParticiple (adjectival) · पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (हुवे इत्यस्य) · Root विद् (धातु) → विद्वस् (कृदन्त, क्तवतु-प्रत्ययार्थ ‘knowing’)

अवसे

for help/protectionNoun · नपुंसकलिङ्गः, चतुर्थी, एकवचनम्Role सम्प्रदान · Root अवस् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘help, protection’)

हुवे

I call/invokeVerb · लट् (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Role क्रिया · Root हू (धातु ‘आह्वाने’)

वः

you (all)Pronoun · द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्Role कर्म · Root युष्मद् (सर्वनाम)

Sandhi Notes

• पदच्छेदः (सन्धिविग्रह): धृतव्रताः | आदित्याः | इषिराः | आरे | मत्कर्त | रहसूरिवागः || शृण्वतः | वः | वरुण | मित्र | देवाः | भद्रस्य | विद्वान् | अवसे | हुवे | वः || 1) धृत॑व्रता॒ → धृतव्रताः (प्रथमा बहु). 2) रह॒सूरि॒वाग॑: → रहसूरिवागः (वाग् + ः). 3) शृण्व॒तो → शृण्वतः (षष्ठी एक). 4) हुवे वः: ‘हुवे’ क्रिया, ‘वः’ द्वितीया बहु कर्म. उच्चारण-स्वर (उदात्त/स्वरित) पाठानुसार मूलपदे निहितः
• यहाँ पदरूपे सामान्यीकृत।

The meaning

Outer meaning

The poet calls the Ādityas—steadfast in their law and swift—asking them to keep far away a secret sin/fault that comes like a hidden impulse. He invokes Varuṇa and Mitra, hearers and knowers of the good, for help.

Inner meaning

The Ādityas are powers of luminous order; they are asked to remove ‘rahasūḥ iva āgaḥ’—a concealed fault moving secretly within, like an underground impulse (subconscient/vital). Varuṇa and Mitra are invoked as the hearing, discerning forces that know the good (bhadra) and can establish inner rectitude. The mantra is a psychological confession: not gross wrongdoing, but subtle hidden deviations that disturb the inner sacrifice.

Universal truth

Human error often originates in hidden impulses. Spiritual progress depends on bringing the concealed movement into the light and calling higher order-powers to re-establish truth, harmony, and right discernment.

Themes

invocation, removal of hidden fault, Āditya order, Mitra-Varuṇa harmony

The seer

Rishi

Gṛtsamada (Bhārgava)

Lineage

Bhārgava

Other hymns

RV 2.28.10–11 (Varuṇa protection and fullness), RV 2.29.2–3 (Āditya powers as wisdom/force; well-being)

Family tradition

Bhārgava hymns frequently address the ethical-psychological relation with the Ādityas: confession, protection, and restoration of right order in consciousness.

Significance

Gṛtsamada highlights the subtlety of inner ‘āgaḥ’: faults that arise not from deliberate choice but from hidden impulses—requiring divine illumination and patient correction.

The deity

Devata

Ādityas (especially Varuṇa and Mitra)

Epithets

Dhṛtavrata (steadfast in law), Iṣira (swift/impetuous), Bhadrasya vidvān (knower of the good)

Related deities

Aditi (limitlessness), Aryaman (social/spiritual rightness), Bhaga (portion/blessing)

Cosmic role

Guardians of ṛta; harmonizers (Mitra) and moral overseers (Varuṇa) ensuring cosmic and human order.

Inner power

Conscience-light and harmonizing clarity that exposes and removes hidden deviations; restores right relation within the being.

In ritual

Where it is used

Āditya invocation in rites seeking purification from fault (general expiation/śānti usage).

Accents and Padapatha

Chandas Analysis

Key Symbols

Ritual Application

Etymology

Philosophical Concepts

Vedic Cosmology

Natural Symbolism

Academic Analysis

Yogic Application

Chanting Notes