Rig Veda 5.45.2: Mandala 5, Sukta 45, Mantra 2
Sukta 5.45
- Rishi
- Atri Bhauma
- Devata
- Sūrya
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
वि सूर्यो अमतिं न श्रियं सादोर्वाद्गवां माता जानती गात् । धन्वर्णसो नद्यः खादोअर्णाः स्थूणेव सुमिता दृंहत द्यौः ॥
ví sū́ryo amatíṃ ná śríyaṃ sādór vā́d gavā́ṃ mātā́ jānatī́ gāt | dhánvārṇaso nadyàḥ khā́dorṇāḥ sthū́ṇeva sumitā́ dṛṃhata dyáuḥ ||
सूर्य अपनी चमक फैला रहा है, जैसे कोई भटकना दूर करता है। गाइयों की माँ अपने घर से बाहर आती है, वो जानती है कहाँ जाना है। नदियाँ पानी लेकर बह रही हैं, नालियाँ जल्दी-जल्दी भाग रही हैं। आसमान खड़ा है जैसे कोई मजबूत खंभा, बिल्कुल सीधा।
Word by Word
- वि
- apart, forth, widelyIndeclinableupasarga (preverb)Root वि (upasarga)
- सूर्यः
- the SunNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- अमतिम्
- lack of thought; follyNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot अ-मति (प्रातिपदिक)
- न
- like, asIndeclinableउपमा/निषेध-निपात (here: comparative ‘as/like’)Root न (निपात)
- श्रियम्
- splendour; fortuneNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot श्री (प्रातिपदिक)
- सादोः
- of the seat/sitting-place; of the settlementNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole Sambandha (genitive relation)Root सादु/साद (प्रातिपदिक; RV form)
- वात्
- from the windNounपुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन (ablative)Role ApādānaRoot वात (प्रातिपदिक)
- गवाम्
- of the cowsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचनRole Sambandha (genitive relation)Root गो (प्रातिपदिक)
- माता
- motherNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (in apposition)Root मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- जानती
- knowing; awareAdjective/Participleस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (वर्तमान सक्रिय कृदन्तः)Role Kartā (qualifier)Root √ज्ञा (धातु) → जानत् (वर्तमान कृदन्त)
- गात्
- went; cameVerbलुङ् (aorist), परस्मैपद, 3 पुरुष, एकवचनRole KriyāRoot √गा (धातु)
- धन्वर्णसः
- those of bow-like/arched appearance; (epithet of waters/streams)Noun/Adjective(बहुवचन) प्रथमा, बहुवचन (gender as used here: पुं/स्त्री; collective)Role Kartā (new clause subject)Root धन्वर्णस् (प्रातिपदिक; RV compound)
- नद्यः
- riversNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole Kartā (apposition)Root नदी (प्रातिपदिक)
- खादः
- channels; clefts; ‘eaters’ (i.e., eroding streams)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (RV usage)Role Kartā (apposition/epithet)Root खाद (प्रातिपदिक)
- अर्णाः
- floods; waves; watersNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole Kartā (apposition)Root अर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
- स्थूणा
- a pillar; postNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (in simile)Root स्थूणा (प्रातिपदिक)
- इव
- like, asIndeclinableउपमान-निपातRoot इव (निपात)
- सुमिता
- well-measured; well-builtAdjective/Participleस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (past/passive participial adjective)Role Kartā (qualifier)Root सु-√मा (धातु) → मित (कृदन्त) / सुमित (प्रातिपदिक)
- दृंहत
- makes firm; strengthensVerbलट् (present), परस्मैपद, 3 पुरुष, एकवचनRole KriyāRoot √दृंह् (धातु)
- द्यौः
- Heaven; the SkyNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot द्यौ (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- Given text normalized and sandhi-resolved as: वि सूर्यः अमतिम् न श्रियम् सादोः वात् गवाम् माता जानती गात् । धन्वर्णसः नद्यः खादः अर्णाः स्थूणा इव सुमिता दृंहत द्यौः ॥ Notable: (1) सूर्यो॑ → सूर्यः (visarga in pada). (2) सा॒दोर्वाद् → सादोः वात् (gen. sg. + abl. sg.; RV sandhi with loss/assimilation around visarga). (3) न॒द्य१॒॑: → नद्यः. (4) स्थूणे॑व → स्थूणा इव. (5) खादो॑अर्णा॒: → खादः अर्णाः (sandhi across word-boundary). Accents are not fully recoverable from the provided continuous text
- analysis is pada-based
The meaning
Outer meaning
The Sun spreads splendour and dispels bewilderment; from a dwelling the knowing Mother of the cows moves forth. Like broad rivers and rushing channels, Heaven is made firm like a well-set pillar.
Inner meaning
Sūrya, the power of luminous consciousness, expands the inner radiance that breaks confusion (amati). From the concealed seat within (ūrva/dwelling), the ‘Mother of the cows’—the generative Light (often Dawn/Earth as the womb of illumination)—brings out the rays of knowledge (go). When the streams of inspiration and clarified perception begin to flow unobstructed, the higher mind (dyauḥ, Heaven) becomes stable and firmly founded, able to support the ascent.
Universal truth
When true illumination arises, it dissolves delusion, releases latent knowledge, and establishes a stable higher perspective; clarity first flows like widening waters, then becomes a steady pillar of understanding.
Themes
dispelling ignorance, release of rays (cows), cosmic stabilization
The seer
- Rishi
- Atri Bhauma
- Lineage
- Ātreya
- Other hymns
- RV 5.40, RV 5.44, RV 5.46, RV 5.52
Family tradition
Ātreya seers (Atri lineage) noted for hymns of illumination and right seeing; a tradition that links outer cosmic dawn/sun to inner awakening of dhī (inspired intelligence).
Significance
Atri’s vision frequently turns on the release of light and the firming of the higher consciousness; ‘Bhauma’ suggests a grounding of the supramental/solar insight into the earthly field of practice.
The deity
- Devata
- Sūrya (with Uṣas/Mother-of-Light resonance)
- Epithets
- svar-dṛś (seer of the luminous world), viśva-cakṣas (all-seeing, implied), jyotiṣmat (radiant, implied)
- Related deities
- Uṣas, Agni, Indra, Sarasvatī
Cosmic role
Reveals forms, measures the worlds, and establishes the order of seeing; draws out hidden radiance and makes the ‘heaven’ firm.
Inner power
Illumination that dispels confusion and releases the ‘cows’ (rays/knowledges) from concealment; stabilizes the higher mind as a support for ascent.
In ritual
Where it is used
Sūrya-related stotra/śastra usage in Soma and morning invocations (general RV usage; hymn-level application).
वि सूर्यो॑ अ॒मतिं॒ न श्रियं॑ सा॒दोर्वाद्गवां॑ मा॒ता जा॑न॒ती गा॑त् । धन्व॑र्णसो न॒द्य१॒॑: खादो॑अर्णा॒: स्थूणे॑व॒ सुमि॑ता दृंहत॒ द्यौः ॥
वि । सूर्यः॑ । अ॒मति॑म् । न । श्रिय॑म् । सा॒त् । आ । ऊ॒र्वात् । गवा॑म् । मा॒ता । जा॒न॒ती । गा॒त् । धन्व॑ऽअर्णसः । न॒द्यः॑ । खादः॑ऽअर्णाः । स्थूणा॑ऽइव । सुऽमि॑ता । दृं॒ह॒त॒ । द्यौः ॥
vi | sūryaḥ | amatim | na | śriyam | sāt | ā | ūrvāt | gavām | mātā | jānatī | gāt | dhanva-arṇasaḥ | nadyaḥ | khādaḥ-arṇāḥ | sthūṇāiva | su-mitā | dṛṃhata | dyauḥ
44
4 pādas of ~11 syllables (with Vedic resolutions/variations possible)
Forward-driving, expansive cadence suited to revelation and establishment.
Builds a felt widening (like rivers) followed by settling into steadiness (pillar/heaven made firm).
- सूर्यः (sūryaḥ)
- Literal: the Sun. Symbolic: luminous consciousness; the illumining Truth-mind that dispels inner darkness
- अमति (amati)
- Literal: bewilderment, wrong thinking. Symbolic: confusion of the mental-vital nature; obscuring thought-habits
- श्रि (śri/śriyam)
- Literal: splendour, fortune, beauty. Symbolic: inner radiance and harmony of the awakened being
- गवाम् (gavām) / गो (go)
- Literal: cows. Symbolic: rays of light; illuminations/knowledges released into the mind
- माता (mātā)
- Literal: mother. Symbolic: the generative source of illumination (Uṣas/Dyāvā-Pṛthivī as womb of light; inner Shakti that births knowledge)
- ऊर्वात् (ūrvāt)
- Literal: from the enclosure/dwelling. Symbolic: from the inner seat or hidden chamber where light is held back
- नद्यः (nadyaḥ)
- Literal: rivers. Symbolic: streams of inspiration and discernment flowing through consciousness
- द्यौः (dyauḥ)
- Literal: heaven. Symbolic: higher mind/mental heaven; wide luminous consciousness
- स्थूणा (sthūṇā)
- Literal: pillar. Symbolic: axis of stability; fixed support of the awakened awareness
Solar hymn usage in morning recitations: establishing clarity (dispelling amati) and firmness of the luminous plane for right action.
Morning or dawn-associated recitation; also where ‘light-release’ motifs are ritually contemplated.
Praise/invocation to establish clarity and auspicious order; mental ‘opening’ toward the luminous world.
Use as a morning clarity mantra: recite to dispel confusion and stabilize attention before study/meditation.
amati ‘un-mind’ (a- + mati from √man/√mat ‘think’): ignorance as distorted mentality. śrī from √śri ‘to lean on, prosper’ → splendour/abundance. su-mita from √mā ‘measure’ (PIE *meh₁-) → well-established order. dṛṃh from √dṛh ‘make firm’ (PIE *dʰerǵʰ? related firmness set). Rivers imagery indicates streaming of illuminations; dyau as the stable luminous plane once order is set.
ignorance (amati) vs splendour (śrī), order by measure (mā), stabilization of the luminous mind (dyauḥ)
Sūrya is a chief establisher of ṛta through right seeing and measured revelation.
Truth as illumination that removes amati and manifests śrī (radiant harmony).
Unveiling: the hidden light/knowledge emerges from a womb/enclosure into ordered heaven.
Proto-Vedāntic and Yogic symbolism (Aurobindo/Kashyap line): ascent from obscurity to stable higher mind.
dawn to sunrise transition
Rising illumination releases inner knowledges and makes the higher consciousness steady and supportive.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘Sun dispels ignorance and releases the cows (rays)’ mythologem. Inner sense: solar consciousness spreads śrī (splendour/abundance) by driving out amati (confused mentality), and the source of illuminations brings forth the rays into the ordered heaven-mind.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- amati from *men- ‘think’ with privative a- shows an inherited way to name error as ‘un-mind’. √mā (sumita) from PIE *meh₁- ‘measure’ links cosmic order with measurement, a widespread Indo-European concept (cf. Greek metron).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi witnesses the devatā’s action as a transformation of the inner field: Sun spreads splendour and establishes firmness. The human aspiration is implied: by aligning with the solar power, the mind becomes measured and steady, capable of sustaining rita.
Invite a ‘solar’ clarity that dispels confusion; contemplate the Mother-power releasing rays of knowledge into the mind.
Ājñā (clarity/vision) and Sahasrāra (higher stabilization as ‘heaven made firm’)
Moderate nāḍī-śodhana for 6–12 cycles, then chant once per exhale with a brief pause after each pāda.
From rajasic mental scatter to sattvic illumination and settled wideness.
Begin with attention at brow; on ‘vi sūryo’ feel light spreading; on ‘mātā… gāt’ feel knowledge emerging; end by resting in a stable vastness above the head as the ‘pillar’.
Triṣṭubh with Vedic svaras: observe udātta on marked syllables, svarita where applicable; keep pitch steady across each pāda with a slight lift on udātta.
Honor the marked accents in the Saṃhitā text; avoid flattening the udātta on key words like sūryo, śriyaṃ, dyauḥ.
Keep 'sūryo' as sūryaḥ sandhi; do not over-roll 'r'., Maintain retroflex 'ṇ' in dhanvarṇaso; clear dental/retroflex contrast., 'dyauḥ' ends with visarga-like ḥ; release softly without adding a vowel.
Bright, steady, slightly ascending on revelatory phrases; end each pāda with grounded firmness.
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