Rig Veda 3.8.9: Mandala 3, Sukta 8, Mantra 9
Sukta 3.8
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Viśve Devāḥ / gods in procession
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
हंसा इव श्रेणिशो यतानाः शुक्रा वसानाः स्वरवो न आगुः । उन्नीयमानाः कविभिः पुरस्ताद्देवा देवानामपि यन्ति पाथः ॥
haṃsā́ iva śreṇiśó yatā́nāḥ śukrā́ vásānāḥ sváravo na ā́guḥ | unnīyámānāḥ kavíbhiḥ purástād devā́ devā́nām ápi yanti pā́thaḥ ||
जैसे हंस उड़ते हैं लाइन में, वैसे ही यह सब चमक के आते हैं। रिशि लोग आगे से उन्हे रास्ता दिखाते हैं। यह सब देवता उस रास्ते पर जाते हैं जो भगवान तक पहुँचता है।
Word by Word
- हंसाः
- swansNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot हंस (प्रातिपदिक)
- इव
- like, asIndeclinableउपमा-अव्ययRoot इव (अव्यय)
- श्रेणिशः
- in rows, in linesIndeclinableअव्ययीभाव/तद्धित-प्रयोग: ‘श्रेणि-शस्’ = पङ्क्तिशःRole अधिकारण (रीत्या/प्रकारेण)Root श्रेणि (प्रातिपदिक)
- यतानाः
- striving, exertingAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; वर्तमानकाले शानच्/आनच्-प्रत्ययार्थः ‘प्रयतमान/यतमान’Role कर्तृ (हंसाः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Root यत् (धातु) → यतमान (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
- शुक्राः
- bright, shiningAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (विशेषणम्)Root शुक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- वसानाः
- wearing, clothedAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; वर्तमानकाले ‘वस्’ धातोः मध्यम/आत्मनेपदीय-भावे शानच्: ‘वसान’ = wearing, clothedRole कर्तृ (विशेषणम्)Root वस् (धातु) → वसान (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
- स्वरवः
- voices, soundsNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (हंसाः इत्यस्य समाना-अधिकरणम्)Root स्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
- नः
- to usPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी, बहुवचन (एन्क्लिटिक ‘नः’ = our / to us; अत्र संदर्भतः ‘to us’)Role सम्प्रदानRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- आगुः
- came, have comeVerbलिट् (परस्मैपद), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; वैदिक-रूप ‘आगुः’ = they have come/they cameRole क्रियाRoot आ + गम् (धातु)
- उन्नीयमानाः
- being led forth, being raisedAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मणि वर्तमानकाले ‘यमान’ (passive present participle): ‘being led/raised up’Role कर्तृ (देवाः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्; भावतः कर्मणि)Root उद् + नी (धातु) → उन्नीयमान (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
- कविभिः
- by the seers/poetsNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole करणRoot कवि (प्रातिपदिक)
- पुरस्तात्
- in front, from the foreIndeclinableअव्यय (दिक्कालवाचक)Role अधिकारणRoot पुरस् + तात् (अव्यय)
- देवाः
- the godsNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- देवानाम्
- of the godsNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- अपि
- also, evenIndeclinableअव्यय (उपसर्ग/निपात: ‘also, moreover; up to’)Root अपि (अव्यय)
- यन्ति
- go, proceedVerbलट्, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot यम्/या (धातु: या = गत्यर्थः)
- पाथः
- path, courseNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (वैदिके -ः अन्तः रूपम्)Role कर्मRoot पाथस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धि-विग्रह): हंसाः इव श्रेणिशः यतानाः | शुक्राः वसानाः स्वरवः नः आगुः || उन्नीयमानाः कविभिः पुरस्तात् | देवाः देवानाम् अपि यन्ति पाथः || 1) ‘हंसा’ → ‘हंसाः’ (प्रथमा बहुवचन)
- 2) ‘न॒ आगुः’ = ‘नः आगुः’ (एन्क्लिटिक सर्वनाम ‘नः’ + स्वरादि ‘आ-’ आरम्भ; पदपाठे पृथक्)
- 3) ‘उन्नीयमानाः’ = उद्+नी → उन्नी- (उद् का न्-आगम/अनुस्वार-सम्बन्ध) + यमान
- 4) ‘पुरस्तात् देवाः’ इत्यत्र सन्धिः न कृतः (पदसीमा)
- 5) ‘पाथः’ वैदिक-रूप: पाथस्-शब्दस्य नपुंसक एकवचन कर्मपदम् (अर्थे ‘पथम्’)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Like swans in ordered flight they come, clothed in brightness, sounding the svar; led upward by the seers from the front, the gods go on the path that reaches to the gods.
Inner meaning
The divine powers arrive in harmony and order (śreṇiśaḥ), like hamsas—symbols of the soul’s discerning flight between waters (lower consciousness) and sky (higher mind). They are śukrāḥ, clothed in brightness: luminous movements entering the being. Their svara-voice is the vibration of illumination. The kavayaḥ (seers, the awakened faculties of insight) lead from the front—aspiration and intuition pioneer the ascent. Thus the gods in us move along the pāthaḥ: the established pathway of consciousness that leads from the human to the divine, from lower formations to their own higher source.
Universal truth
When the inner faculties become orderly and luminous, higher energies arrive naturally. Insight must lead; then the path to the highest becomes a lived movement, not an idea.
Themes
divine procession, ordered ascent, svar (luminous world) approach
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha-gotra
- Other hymns
- RV 3.2 (Agni as path-finder), RV 3.62 (illumination), RV 7.76 (Uṣas and ascent motifs), RV 7.87 (cosmic order)
Family tradition
Vasiṣṭha frequently depicts ordered ascent and the coming of luminous powers; his imagery often unites beauty (śukra) with disciplined progression (śreṇi).
Significance
He shows the gods not as distant beings but as powers that can ‘come’ and ‘move’ within us when led by the seer-faculty; the path becomes experiential.
The deity
- Devata
- Viśve Devāḥ (gods in procession)
- Epithets
- śukrāḥ, svaravaḥ
- Related deities
- Agni (as carrier on the path), Soma (as luminous bliss that brightens), Uṣas (as awakening light)
Cosmic role
Powers of light and order that travel the connecting path between worlds; they respond to the seers’ lead and establish the upward movement of the sacrifice.
Inner power
Descent-ascent dynamic: luminous forces enter, align, and then carry consciousness upward to their own level.
In ritual
Where it is used
Invocation/arrival of gods to the rite; procession motif as the rite reaches its effective ascent.
हं॒सा इ॑व श्रेणि॒शो यता॑नाः शु॒क्रा वसा॑ना॒: स्वर॑वो न॒ आगु॑: । उ॒न्नी॒यमा॑नाः क॒विभि॑: पु॒रस्ता॑द्दे॒वा दे॒वाना॒मपि॑ यन्ति॒ पाथ॑: ॥
हं॒साःऽइ॑व । श्रे॒णि॒शः । यता॑नाः । शु॒क्राः । वसा॑नाः । स्वर॑वः । नः॒ । आ । अ॒गुः॒ । उ॒त्ऽनी॒यमा॑नाः । क॒विऽभिः॑ । पु॒रस्ता॑त् । दे॒वाः । दे॒वाना॑म् । अपि॑ । य॒न्ति॒ । पाथः॑ ॥
haṃsāḥ-iva | śreṇiśaḥ | yatānāḥ | śukrāḥ | vasānāḥ | svaravaḥ | naḥ | ā | aguḥ | ut-nīyamānāḥ | kavi-bhiḥ | purastāt | devāḥ | devānām | api | yanti | pāthaḥ
44
4 × ~11 syllables
Flowing yet orderly; imagery of flight is matched by smooth forward rhythm and a lifted middle cadence.
Induces an upward, buoyant clarity; supports visualization of ascent and orderly arrival of higher powers.
- haṃsā iva
- Literal: like swans. Symbolic: soul-forces of discernment; free, upward-moving consciousness
- śreṇiśaḥ
- Literal: in ranks/ordered rows. Symbolic: harmonized, coordinated movements of inner powers
- śukrāḥ vasānāḥ
- Literal: clothed in brightness. Symbolic: luminous states and forces taking form in the being
- svaravaḥ
- Literal: sounding svar. Symbolic: vibration/cry of illumination; truth-tone
- unnīyamānāḥ
- Literal: being led upward. Symbolic: ascent guided by higher insight rather than ego impulse
- kavibhiḥ purastāt
- Literal: by seers from the front. Symbolic: intuition/illumined mind leading the journey
- devā devānām
- Literal: gods to the gods. Symbolic: higher powers in us returning to their own plane/source
- pāthaḥ
- Literal: path. Symbolic: established channel of ascent in consciousness
Processional/ascending imagery suited to the ‘leading’ of offerings and chants; describes the orderly arrival and ascent of invoked powers in yajña.
When inviting divine powers to take their seats and to carry the offering upward; transitional/culminating movement.
Recitation to ‘bring in’ the gods and affirm the upward-leading guidance of seers.
Use as a meditation opener to invite orderly luminous states; helpful before chanting sessions or contemplative study to align mind into ‘ranked flight’.
haṃsa ‘swan/goose’ (Vedic symbol later elaborated; root uncertain). śreṇi ‘row, rank’ (order). śukra ‘bright’ from √śuc ‘shine, be pure’ (PIE *ḱeu̯k- ‘shine’). svar ‘sunlight/heaven’ (PIE *sóh₂wl̥? but svar is Indo-Iranian ‘sun/heaven’ complex). ud-√nī again in participle unnīyamāna ‘being led up’. pātha ‘path’ related to √path ‘go, tread’ (cf. English ‘path’ often linked to Germanic; Sanskrit patha is cognate within PIE *pent(h)- ‘path’ though mapping is debated; Vedic pathá is common).
ṛta as ordered ranks (śreṇi), ascent via the path (pātha), guidance by seer-vision (kavi)
Orderly procession indicates ṛta as a lived movement; the path is lawful and repeatable.
Svar as luminous vibration suggests truth manifesting as sound-light in consciousness.
Ascent path between planes: a dynamic cosmos where powers circulate between human and divine levels.
Yoga of ascent/descent (Aurobindo): higher powers descend as light, then lift the being along an established inner path.
dawn or early morning (suggested by brightness and arrival)
The soul’s upward movement in ordered harmony; luminous vibrations entering and lifting consciousness toward its source.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘procession on the luminous path’: gods arrive in ordered ranks like swans and proceed on a path ‘to the gods’—a mythic image of ascent from invoked manifestation toward the supramental source (svar).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The semantic cluster ‘shine’ (śukra/√śuc) and ‘path’ (pātha/pathá) are archaic Indo-European poetic staples: light and wayfaring encode the movement from obscurity to ordered radiance.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seers are leaders (purastāt) who ‘uplift’ the gods—meaning the invoked powers are raised into effective presence through mantra and right leading; the rishi’s vision organizes the divine movement.
Visualize luminous swans (inner powers) arriving in ordered ranks; let intuition lead; rest attention on an inner upward path.
Ājñā (seer-lead) and Sahasrāra (path to the gods)
Ujjāyī (soft) or simple lengthened exhale; on exhale imagine being ‘led upward’ (unnīyamānāḥ).
Quietly elevated, lucid, harmonized; receptive to higher guidance.
1) Sit upright; feel a vertical axis. 2) With each breath, invite ‘ordered flight’—thoughts align behind a leading intuition. 3) After chanting, hold silence and sense the ‘path’ as a subtle current upward.
Rigvedic accent; keep ‘haṃsā iva’ light and flowing; emphasize svaravo and unnīyamānāḥ with a subtle upward inflection consistent with udātta positions.
Maintain smooth linkage across imagery phrases; slight pause after ‘na āguḥ’; final pāda should feel like a steady onward movement along ‘pāthaḥ’.
haṃsā: nasalization on ṃ; long ā at end., śreṇiśaḥ: retroflex ṣ; long ē in śreṇi., śukrā: clear ś; long ā., unnīyamānāḥ: double n (unn-), long ī; keep y glide., kavibhiḥ: bh aspirated; short i., pāthaḥ: long ā; final ḥ as soft aspiration.
Airy, luminous, flowing—like flight; avoid harsh stops.
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.
