Rig Veda 4.13.3: Mandala 4, Sukta 13, Mantra 3
Sukta 4.13
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Devata
- Sūrya
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
यं सीमकृण्वन्तमसे विपृचे ध्रुवक्षेमा अनवस्यन्तो अर्थम् । तं सूर्यं हरितः सप्त यह्वीः स्पशं विश्वस्य जगतो वहन्ति ॥
yáṃ sīm ákṛṇvan támase vipṛ́ce dhruvá-kṣemā anava-syánto ártham | táṃ sū́ryaṃ harítaḥ saptá yahvī́ḥ spáśaṃ víśvasya jágato vahanti ||
सूरज को अँधेरे से लड़ने के लिए बनाया गया है। वो अपना टारगेट पकड़ के चलता है। सात हरित उस सूरज को उठा कर ले जाते हैं। वो पूरी दुनिया का काम देखता है।
Word by Word
- यम्
- whomPronounपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सीम्
- indeed; just; himIndeclinableअव्ययRoot सीम् (निपात/अव्यय)
- अकृण्वन्तम्
- (him) not making / not doingParticiple (verbal adjective)पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन; वर्तमान-कर्तरि कृदन्त (शतृ) + नकारार्थक अ-Role कर्मRoot कृ (धातु) → कृण्वत् (वर्तमान कृदन्त) + अ- (निषेध/अभाव-उपसर्ग)
- तमसे
- for darkness; to the darknessNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी-विभक्ति; एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot तमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- विपृचे
- in the mingling/confusing (state); in the entanglingAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति; एकवचन (स्थाने/अधिकरणे)Role अधिकरणRoot वि- + पृच् (धातु) → विपृच् (कृदन्त/विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक)
- ध्रुवक्षेमाः
- having firm security; steadfast in safetyAdjective (compound)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot ध्रुव- + क्षेम (समास-प्रातिपदिक)
- अनवस्यन्तः
- not seeking; not desiringParticipleपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; बहुवचन; वर्तमान-कर्तरि कृदन्त (शतृ) + नकारार्थक अन्-Role कर्तृRoot अन्- + वस्/वस्य् (धातु ‘to desire/seek’, Vedic) → वस्यन्त् (वर्तमान कृदन्त) + अन्- (निषेध)
- अर्थम्
- aim; purpose; objectNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
- तम्
- himPronounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सूर्यम्
- the SunNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- हरितः
- the bay mares (sun’s steeds)Noun (f.)स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot हरित् (प्रातिपदिक)
- सप्त
- sevenNumeralअव्ययवत् संख्या; (विशेषणरूपेण) बहुवचन-सामान्यRoot सप्तन् (संख्या)
- यह्वीः
- swift/impetuous (fem.)Adjective (f.)स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot यह्वी (प्रातिपदिक)
- स्पशम्
- the spy; watcherNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot स्पश् (प्रातिपदिक)
- विश्वस्य
- of all; of the wholeAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-विभक्ति; एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- जगतः
- of the moving world; of creationNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-विभक्ति; एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- वहन्ति
- they carry; they conveyVerbलट् (वर्तमान); परस्मैपद; प्रथम-पुरुष; बहुवचनRoot वह् (धातु)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (main): यं → यम्
- सी॒मकृ॑ण्व॒न्तम् → सीम् + अकृण्वन्तम्
- तम॑से → तमसे
- वि॒पृचे॑ → विपृचे
- ध्रु॒वक्षे॑मा॒ → ध्रुवक्षेमाः
- अन॑वस्यन्तो॒ → अनवस्यन्तः
- अर्थ॑म् → अर्थम्
- तं सूर्यं॑ → तम् + सूर्यम्
- ह॒रित॑: → हरितः
- स॒प्त य॒ह्वीः → सप्त + यह्वीः
- स्पशं॒ → स्पशम्
- विश्व॑स्य॒ जग॑तो → विश्वस्य + जगतः. Accent marks in the saṃhitā are not repeated in the pada forms here
- analysis is morphological after sandhi-splitting
The meaning
Outer meaning
They made him a discerner against the darkness, seeking the aim with firm security. The seven swift Harits bear that Sun, the spy and witness of all the moving world.
Inner meaning
The illumined consciousness (Sūrya) is established as the power of discernment that separates truth from obscurity. The seekers, steadfast in their secure foundation, pursue the true aim (artha). The seven Harits—energies of dynamic illumination—carry the Sun: the all-seeing awareness that observes every movement in the being and world, exposing falsehood and guiding right progress.
Universal truth
Illumination is not mere brightness; it is discriminative truth that watches all motions. When the seeker is steady and purpose-driven, the forces of luminous energy carry awareness beyond darkness.
Themes
illumination, all-seeing-witness, seven-rays, overcoming-darkness
The seer
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 4.13.1, RV 4.13.2, RV 4.13.4
Family tradition
Vāmadeva’s solar passages frequently stress discernment (viveka-like) and the all-seeing witness aspect of Sūrya as the basis for right action and progress.
Significance
This verse articulates the yogic necessity of a ‘sun’ in consciousness: a stable witness that discriminates and keeps the seeker aligned to the true aim.
The deity
- Devata
- Sūrya (borne by the seven Harits)
- Epithets
- स्पशम् (spaśam) watcher/witness, विश्वस्य जगतः साक्षी (implicit) witness of all movement
- Related deities
- Savitṛ (impeller), Uṣas (awakening), Mitra-Varuṇa (law/harmony)
Cosmic role
Sūrya illumines, measures, and reveals; as cosmic eye he oversees the moving worlds. The Harits are his carriers—powers that convey light across the field of manifestation.
Inner power
Awareness that sees through darkness, detects deviation, and restores right direction; the witness that makes transformation possible by conscious seeing.
In ritual
Where it is used
Solar praise within morning rites; recitation for clarity, truth-seeing, and protection (Sūrya as watcher).
यं सी॒मकृ॑ण्व॒न्तम॑से वि॒पृचे॑ ध्रु॒वक्षे॑मा॒ अन॑वस्यन्तो॒ अर्थ॑म् । तं सूर्यं॑ ह॒रित॑: स॒प्त य॒ह्वीः स्पशं॒ विश्व॑स्य॒ जग॑तो वहन्ति ॥
यम् । सी॒म् । अकृ॑ण्वन् । तम॑से । वि॒ऽपृचे॑ । ध्रु॒वऽक्षे॑माः । अन॑वऽस्यन्तः । अर्थ॑म् । तम् । सूर्य॑म् । ह॒रितः॑ । स॒प्त । य॒ह्वीः । स्पश॑म् । विश्व॑स्य । जग॑तः । व॒ह॒न्ति॒ ॥
yam | sīm | akṛṇvan | tamase | vi-pṛce | dhruva-kṣemāḥ | anava-syantaḥ | atharm | tam | sūryam | haritaḥ | sapta | yahvīḥ | spaśam | viśvasya | jagataḥ | vahanti
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4 × ~11
Firm, declarative; strong caesura supports ‘discernment’ and ‘witness’ statements.
Creates steadiness and clarity; supports a meditative ‘witness stance’ while retaining forward momentum.
- तमसे विपृचे (tamase vipṛce)
- Literal: for discerning against darkness. Symbolic: discrimination that separates subconscious obscurity from truth
- ध्रुवक्षेमाः (dhruvakṣemāḥ)
- Literal: firm in security. Symbolic: stable inner foundation; settled peace that supports seeking
- अर्थम् (artham)
- Literal: aim, purpose. Symbolic: soul-intention; the true goal of growth toward truth-consciousness
- सूर्यं (sūryaṃ)
- Literal: the Sun. Symbolic: illumined mind / truth-vision
- हरितः सप्त (haritaḥ sapta)
- Literal: seven tawny steeds. Symbolic: seven dynamic energies/rays that bear the solar consciousness
- यह्वीः (yahvīḥ)
- Literal: impetuous, swift. Symbolic: ardent forward-driving forces of progress
- स्पशम् (spaśam)
- Literal: spy, watcher. Symbolic: witness-consciousness observing all movements
- विश्वस्य जगतः (viśvasya jagataḥ)
- Literal: of all that moves. Symbolic: the total field of mind-life-body motions under awareness
Solar hymn for awakening discernment; recitable at sunrise as a meditation on the all-seeing truth-light.
At sunrise; before journeys or decisions; when seeking guidance and right direction.
Facing the sun/east, recitation with arghya-like offering (later practice) or simple salutation; in śrauta, linked to morning invocations.
Use as a ‘witness mantra’ before meditation: establish the inner Sun as observer of thoughts and impulses.
vipṛc relates to √pṛc/√pṛṣ ‘separate, distinguish’ with vi-: discrimination as the function of light. dhruva ‘fixed’ from √dhṛ ‘hold’ (PIE *dʰer- ‘hold’). harit (green/golden) names the solar horses/rays; ‘seven’ is a Vedic structuring number for rays, meters, or worlds. spaś ‘spy’ is the watcher motif: the Sun as cosmic witness, aligning with Varuṇa’s surveillance imagery elsewhere.
discernment vs darkness, witness-consciousness, stability (dhruva-kṣema)
The Sun as witness enforces ṛta by revealing all motions; discernment is the cognitive form of ṛta in the mind.
Truth is the power of discrimination (vipṛc) that separates light from darkness.
Ordering of chaos: the discerner is established against darkness, enabling purposeful evolution toward the aim.
Yoga of witness and discrimination (proto-sāṃkhya-yoga resonance) integrated with Vedic solar illumination.
sunrise to early morning
Sun = illumined witness; seven horses = seven rays/energies (often mapped to seven planes or faculties); darkness = subconscious confusion; movement = thoughts, desires, actions.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The Sun as the all-seeing witness borne by seven rays/steeds, established to separate light from darkness. The mythologem is cosmic illumination as discrimination and surveillance of truth over the moving world.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- dhruva from √dhṛ reflects PIE *dʰer- ‘hold, support’ (cf. Greek thronos ‘seat’ in broader semantic network; more directly Sanskrit dhāraṇa). The solar-steed imagery is widespread IE (sun drawn by horses), while the ‘seven’ structuring is a distinctive Vedic systematization.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi invokes Sūrya not merely as a celestial body but as the inner faculty of discrimination and witness: by the Sun’s seeing, the seeker’s aim (artha) is pursued with stable security (dhruva-kṣema), overcoming tamas through luminous discernment.
Establish the ‘inner Sun’ as witness (spaśa) to thoughts, emotions, and impulses; practice discernment against tamas.
Ajna (witness and discernment)
Even nasal breathing; on inhale feel light rising to brow; on exhale feel it observing the whole field without reaction.
From entangled participation to luminous witnessing; from confusion to purposeful direction (artha).
Chant, then watch the next 20 breaths. Label movements in mind-life (‘thought’, ‘urge’, ‘fear’) as seen by the Sun; do not suppress—let the witness-light carry them forward into clarity.
Keep a firm udātta on ‘sūryam’; give ‘tamase vipṛce’ a slightly sharper articulation; let ‘sapta yahvīḥ’ run with energetic flow.
Pause lightly after the first pāda to mark the ‘establishment’ of the discerner; then accelerate slightly in the Harits-bearing line to evoke motion.
(vipṛce): retroflex ‘ṛ’ clear, (dhruvakṣemāḥ): cluster ‘kṣ’ crisp; long āḥ, (haritaḥ): light ‘h’, dental ‘t’, (spaśam): ‘sp’ cluster clean; ‘ś’ palatal
Clear, steady, slightly elevated pitch; ‘witness’ tone—observant, not emotional.
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