Rig Veda 3.53.7: Mandala 3, Sukta 53, Mantra 7
Sukta 3.53
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra
- Devata
- Angirases / divine seer-powers
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
इमे भोजा अङ्गिरसो विरूपा दिवस्पुत्रासो असुरस्य वीराः । विश्वामित्राय ददतो मघानि सहस्रसावे प्र तिरन्त आयुः ॥
imé bhojā́ aṅgíraso virū́pā divás putrā́so ásurasya vīrā́ḥ | viśvā́mitrāya dádatō maghā́ni sahasra-sā́ve prá tirante ā́yuḥ ||
यह अंगिरस रिशि लोग बहुत रूप में हैं। यह आसमान के बेटे हैं और असुर के वीर हैं। यह विश्वामित्र को बहुत दान देते हैं और हज़ारों बार उम्र बढ़ा देते हैं।
Word by Word
- इमे
- thesePronounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- भोजाः
- bountiful ones / patronsNounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot भोज (प्रातिपदिक; ‘भोज’ = दाता/समृद्ध)
- अङ्गिरसः
- the AṅgirasesNounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot अङ्गिरस् (ऋषि-नाम प्रातिपदिक)
- विरूपाः
- of diverse formsAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम् (अङ्गिरसः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role KartāRoot वि-रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
- दिवः
- of heavenNounषष्ठी एकवचनम् (स्त्रीलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग-वैदिक प्रयोगः)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot द्यौ/दिव् (प्रातिपदिक: दिव्/द्यौस्)
- पुत्रासः
- sonsNounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- असुरस्य
- of AsuraNounपुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी एकवचनम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
- वीराः
- heroesNounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम् (पुत्रासः इत्यस्य विशेषण/समनाधिकरणम्)Role KartāRoot वीर (प्रातिपदिक)
- विश्वामित्राय
- to ViśvāmitraNounपुंलिङ्गे चतुर्थी एकवचनम्Role SampradānaRoot विश्वामित्र (प्रातिपदिक; ऋषि-नाम)
- ददतः
- (of/while) givingParticipleवर्तमान-कृदन्तः, पुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी/सप्तमी द्विवचनम् (वैदिके—‘ददतः’ = ‘(यौ/ये) ददतः’ ‘of/while giving’)Role KartāRoot दा (धातु) → ददत् (वर्तमान कृदन्त)
- मघानि
- gifts / bountiesNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया बहुवचनम्Role KarmaRoot मघ (प्रातिपदिक; ‘दान/समृद्धि/उपहार’)
- सहस्रसावे
- at the thousandfold pressing/impulsion (rite)Noun (compound)पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी एकवचनम् (अधिकरणम्)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot सहस्र-साव (समास; साव = सवन/प्रसव/उत्सव/प्रेरण)
- प्र
- forth / forwardIndeclinableनिपातःRoot प्र (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- तिरन्ते
- they cross over / overcomeVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot तॄ/तॄ॑ (धातु ‘to cross/overcome’) → तिरन्ते
- आयुः
- life-spanNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया/प्रथमा एकवचनम् (क्रियायाः कर्मरूपेण—‘आयुः तिरन्ते’)Role KarmaRoot आयुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution: दिवस्पुत्रासः → दिवः + पुत्रासः. Other padas largely already in pada-form. Accent marks in the saṃhitā text are not reproduced in the pada list
- analysis is morphological
The meaning
Outer meaning
The beneficent Angirases, manifold in form—sons of heaven, heroes of the Asura—give gifts of abundance to Viśvāmitra and extend life through a thousand outpourings.
Inner meaning
The Angirases are the seer-powers of the flame—multiple forms of inspired perception and luminous thought that arise from the ‘heaven’ (divas), i.e., the higher mind. As ‘heroes of the Asura’ they serve the Lordly consciousness (asura in early Veda = sovereign power, not later demon). Their ‘gifts’ (maghāni) to Viśvāmitra signify transmissions of force, insight, and plenitude to the human seeker. ‘A thousand outpourings’ points to repeated descents/effusions of inspiration that lengthen and widen the life-force (āyuḥ) into a more enduring, greater vitality.
Universal truth
When higher inspirations repeatedly pour into the human system and are received with openness, life itself is extended—not merely in duration but in amplitude, meaning, and luminous capacity.
Themes
Seer-lineage, Spiritual gifts, Extension of life-force
The seer
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra (Kauśika)
- Lineage
- Kauśika
- Other hymns
- RV 1.62-1.71 (Angirasa themes appear across the Rig Veda; not all by Viśvāmitra), RV 3.31-3.33 (Viśvāmitra’s transformative passages)
Family tradition
Receives support from ancient seer-powers (Angirases), highlighting continuity of revelation and the communal nature of inner discovery.
Significance
Positions the rishi as a recipient and transmitter of an older luminous lineage; the mantra affirms that revelation is aided by supramental/intuitive agencies.
The deity
- Devata
- Angirases (divine seer-powers)
- Epithets
- Bhojāḥ (beneficent), Divas-putrāḥ (sons of heaven), Asurasya vīrāḥ (heroes of the Lord)
- Related deities
- Agni, Bṛhaspati, Indra
Cosmic role
Bring hidden light; assist in the discovery/release of luminous riches; extend the work of ṛta through inspired knowledge.
Inner power
Multiple intuitive faculties that kindle and organize inner illumination; helpers of the psychic fire.
In ritual
Where it is used
Praise of seer-powers and beneficent agencies within a hymn to Indra-context; could accompany offerings to rishi-deities/ancestors in broader Vedic sense
इ॒मे भो॒जा अङ्गि॑रसो॒ विरू॑पा दि॒वस्पु॒त्रासो॒ असु॑रस्य वी॒राः । वि॒श्वामि॑त्राय॒ दद॑तो म॒घानि॑ सहस्रसा॒वे प्र ति॑रन्त॒ आयु॑: ॥
इ॒मे । भो॒जाः । अङ्गि॑रसः । विऽरू॑पाः । दि॒वः । पु॒त्रासः॑ । असु॑रस्य । वी॒राः । वि॒श्वामि॑त्राय । दद॑तः । म॒घानि॑ । स॒ह॒स्र॒ऽसा॒वे । प्र । ति॒र॒न्ते॒ । आयुः॑ ॥
ime | bhojāḥ | aṅgirasaḥ | vi-rūpāḥ | divaḥ | putrāsaḥ | asurasya | vīrāḥ | viśvāmitrāya | dadataḥ | maghāni | sahasra-sāve | pra | tirante | āyuḥ
44
4×11 (approx.)
Expansive and celebratory; the third and fourth pādas often carry the ‘gift → extension’ movement strongly.
Invokes gratitude and uplift; supports receptivity to inspiration and a sense of widened life-breath.
- अङ्गिरसः (aṅgirasaḥ)
- Literal: Angirases (a seer-clan). Symbolic: luminous seer-forces born of inner fire; powers of inspired seeing
- विरूपाः (virūpāḥ)
- Literal: multiform. Symbolic: many modalities of intuition and revelation
- दिवः पुत्रासः (divaḥ putrāsaḥ)
- Literal: sons of heaven. Symbolic: derivatives of higher mind/illumined plane
- असुरस्य वीराः (asurasya vīrāḥ)
- Literal: heroes of the Asura. Symbolic: champions of the sovereign divine consciousness
- मघानि (maghāni)
- Literal: bounties, gifts. Symbolic: plentitudes of power/knowledge bestowed
- सहस्रसावे (sahasrasāve)
- Literal: in a thousand pressings/outpourings. Symbolic: repeated effusions of inspiration/bliss
- आयुः (āyuḥ)
- Literal: life, life-force. Symbolic: vital-psychic longevity; expanded prāṇa and endurance in the work
Praise of assisting seer-powers in Soma context; also legitimizes Viśvāmitra’s spiritual lineage and efficacy—those powers ‘give’ maghāni and extend āyuḥ.
In recitation sequences acknowledging assisting powers and bestowals; possibly in contexts of dakṣiṇā and blessing of longevity
Stotra-like praise; affirmation of gifts and life-extension
Chant as a gratitude practice to inner guides (intuitions, inspirations). Use after journaling insights to ‘seal’ them as gifts that extend life-energy.
aṅgiras- is traditionally linked with fire/brightness (aṅgāra ‘ember’ is later), representing discovery-powers. asúra- from asu ‘life-breath’ + -ra: ‘lord of life-force’, earlier positive ‘sovereign’. √tṛ ‘cross’ (tirante) is IE (cf. Latin trans, English through via Germanic *þurh not cognate; but the ‘crossing’ root is widespread). sahasra ‘thousand’ as intensifier of abundance.
Asura as sovereign spirit, āyuḥ as continuity of being, abundance (magha) as spiritual plenitude
Angirases are agents of ṛta—bringing right knowledge that organizes life.
Asura as lordly truth-consciousness; gifts are satya-impulses entering mind.
Revelation as a continuing creation: repeated ‘outpourings’ build a larger life.
Vedic psychology of inspiration; anticipates Upaniṣadic emphasis on prāṇa/āyuḥ sustained by knowledge.
Heaven = higher mind; outpourings = repeated descents of inspiration; life-force = prāṇa widened by light.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The Angirasa mythos: luminous seer-powers, sons of heaven, who bring gifts and extend life. The mythic ‘clan of fire-seers’ becomes inner psychology: diversified illumining energies grant plenitude and carry the life-force across repeated intensifications (sahasra-sāva).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- asúra in early Vedic preserves an archaic ‘lordly’ sense akin to Avestan ahura (cognate), reflecting Indo-Iranian religious poetics. √tṛ ‘cross’ is a robust IE inheritance used metaphorically for overcoming limits.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- Viśvāmitra is presented as recipient and beneficiary of higher seer-powers; the relationship is one of transmission: the rishi’s mantra-work opens to Angirasa assistance, which confers magha (plentitude) and stabilizes āyuḥ (life-continuity).
Receptivity to ‘seer-powers’: sit as if listening for multiple forms of intuition; receive and offer them to the inner teacher.
Viśuddha (mantra/inspired speech) and Ajñā (seer-vision)
Gentle ujjāyī to lengthen breath (āyuḥ); pause after inhale to ‘receive’ an outpouring; exhale to ‘offer’ it into the heart-fire.
Inspired receptivity; widened prāṇa.
Chant once, then sit in silence for 3 minutes. Note any ‘multiform’ insights (images, words, certainties). Write them down; treat them as ‘maghāni’—gifts to be embodied.
Maintain triṣṭubh pacing; keep compounds like ‘divasputrāsaḥ’ articulated without swallowing syllables; svara details depend on śākhā.
Slight rise on ‘virūpā’ (many-formed), sustained clarity on ‘maghāni’, and a lengthened close on ‘āyuḥ’.
aṅgirasaḥ: clear ‘ṅg’ cluster, virūpāḥ: long ‘ū’; final visarga soft, divas: short ‘i’ in di-, asurasya: keep ‘s’ dental; ‘su’ short, sahasrasāve: keep ‘sr’ cluster crisp; long ‘ā’ in sāve, tiranta: dental ‘t’; roll ‘r’ lightly
Clear, reverent, slightly uplifted; avoid harshness.
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