Rig Veda 5.63.4: Mandala 5, Sukta 63, Mantra 4
Sukta 5.63
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Mitra-Varuṇa
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
माया वां मित्रावरुणा दिवि श्रिता सूर्यो ज्योतिश्चरति चित्रमायुधम् । तमभ्रेण वृष्ट्या गूहथो दिवि पर्जन्य द्रप्सा मधुमन्त ईरते ॥
māyā́ vāṃ mitrāvaruṇā diví śritā́ sū́ryo jyótiś carati citrám ā́yudham | tám abhreṇa vṛṣṭyā́ gūhatho diví párjanya drapsā́ mádhu-manta īrate ||
मित्र और वरुण की ताकत आसमान में है। सूरज रोशनी की तरह चमकता है, जैसे कोई चमकदार हथियार। बादल और बारिश से तुम उसे ढाक देते हो। फिर बारिश की बूंदें आती हैं जो मीठी हैं। यह बूंदें धरती और लोगों के लिए अच्छी हैं।
Word by Word
- माया
- (divine) māyā, wondrous powerNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole कर्तृ (वाक्य-कर्तृ/विषय)Root माया (प्रातिपदिक; √मा ‘मापने/निर्माणे’ से व्युत्पन्न)
- वाम्
- of you twoPronounषष्ठी/सम्बन्धे द्विवचन (enclitic)Role सम्बन्ध (genitive relation)Root युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- मित्रावरुणा
- O Mitra and VaruṇaNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन/प्रथमा द्विवचन (देवद्वय-सम्बोधन)Role सम्बोधनRoot मित्र- + वरुण- (देवनाम; द्वन्द्व-समास)
- दिवि
- in heaven, in the skyNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot द्यौ/दिव् (प्रातिपदिक)
- श्रिता
- resting, establishedParticiple/Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (माया-विशेषण)Root √श्रि (श्रयणे) ; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त
- सूर्यः
- the SunNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- ज्योतिः
- lightNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्मRoot ज्योतिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- चरति
- moves, goesVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष एकवचनRoot √चर् (गत्यर्थे)
- चित्रम्
- bright, wondrousAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (आयुधम्-विशेषण)Root चित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- आयुधम्
- weapon (here: the sun’s radiant implement)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्म (उपमेय/वस्तु)Root आयुध (प्रातिपदिक)
- तम्
- him/that (Sun)Pronounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्मRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अभ्रेण
- with a cloudNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचनRole करणRoot अभ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- वृष्ट्या
- with rainNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचनRole करणRoot वृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
- गूहथः
- you two concealVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष द्विवचनRoot √गूह्/√गुह् (गोपने/गूहनार्थे)
- दिवि
- in heaven, in the skyNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot द्यौ/दिव् (प्रातिपदिक)
- पर्जन्य
- O Parjanya (rain-god)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot पर्जन्य (देवनाम; प्रातिपदिक)
- द्रप्साः
- dropsNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot द्रप्स (प्रातिपदिक)
- मधुमन्तः
- honeyed, sweetAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन (द्रप्साः-विशेषण)Root मधुमन्त् (प्रातिपदिक)
- ईरते
- are set in motion, rush forthVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष बहुवचनRoot √ईर् (प्रेरणे/गतौ)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (pada-level): (1) माया वाम् → माया + वाम् (enclitic gen.du. of युष्मद्). (2) मित्रावरुणा is a द्वन्द्व compound (मित्र + वरुण) used as dual vocative (also formally identical to nom.du. in Vedic). (3) दिवि श्रिता → दिवि + श्रिता (no further split). (4) सूर्यो ज्योतिश्चरति → सूर्यः + ज्योतिः + चरति
- visarga before voiced consonant is written as ओ in saṃhitā (सूर्यो), and ज्योतिः + चरति gives ज्योतिश्चरति (ः + च → श्च). (5) चित्रमायुधम् → चित्रम् + आयुधम् (m-final before vowel). (6) तमभ्रेण → तम् + अभ्रेण (m-final before vowel). (7) वृ॒ष्ट्या गू॑हथो → वृष्ट्या + गूहथः (no split). (8) पर्ज॑न्य द्र॒प्सा → पर्जन्य + द्रप्साः (plural nom.)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Your māyā, O Mitra and Varuṇa, is established in heaven: the Sun moves as light, a wondrous weapon. You conceal him with cloud and rain; then Parjanya’s sweet drops surge forth.
Inner meaning
The divine formative power (māyā) operates in the higher mind: the Sun is the supramental/illumined Truth-light moving as a ‘weapon’ that cuts ignorance. At times this light is veiled by cloud-formations and rain—periods of obscurity and pressure—so that the being may receive the descent in a form it can assimilate. Parjanya is the releasing power: the concentrated drops of delight (madhu) and life-force fall as nourishing experiences—sweetness that feeds both earth (life) and soul.
Universal truth
Higher truth does not always blaze openly; it is sometimes veiled so its force can be transformed into assimilable nourishment. What looks like concealment may be a compassionate shaping of light into sweetness.
Themes
Concealment and revelation, Solar weapon imagery, Rain as sweetness
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Other hymns
- RV 5.63.1-7, RV 7.86, RV 7.88
Family tradition
A seer of ṛta and the solar law; his poetry often shows how divine governance translates into concrete inner experiences (light veiled, then released as sweetness).
Significance
Vasiṣṭha articulates the pedagogy of the gods: concealment and revelation are both acts of wisdom shaping the soul’s growth.
The deity
- Devata
- Mitra-Varuṇa (with Parjanya operative)
- Epithets
- māyāvat (possessors of māyā, implied), divi-śrita (heaven-established power)
- Related deities
- Sūrya, Parjanya, Maruts
Cosmic role
They regulate the solar light and atmospheric processes: veiling/unveiling Sūrya and releasing Parjanya’s rains according to ṛta.
Inner power
They govern the timing and measure of illumination: when to reveal truth, when to veil it, and how to release it as assimilable delight and vitality.
In ritual
Where it is used
Āditya praise; rain-bringing and solar regulation themes in Soma-related recitations.
मा॒या वां॑ मित्रावरुणा दि॒वि श्रि॒ता सूर्यो॒ ज्योति॑श्चरति चि॒त्रमायु॑धम् । तम॒भ्रेण॑ वृ॒ष्ट्या गू॑हथो दि॒वि पर्ज॑न्य द्र॒प्सा मधु॑मन्त ईरते ॥
मा॒या । वा॒म् । मि॒त्रा॒व॒रु॒णा॒ । दि॒वि । श्रि॒ता । सूर्यः॑ । ज्योतिः॑ । च॒र॒ति॒ । चि॒त्रम् । आयु॑धम् । तम् । अ॒भ्रेण॑ । वृ॒ष्ट्या । गू॒ह॒थः॒ । दि॒वि । पर्ज॑न्य । द्र॒प्सा । मधु॑ऽमन्तः । ई॒र॒ते॒ ॥
māyā | vām | mitrāvaruṇā | divi | śritā | sūryaḥ | jyotiḥ | carati | citram | āyudham | tam | abhreṇa | vṛṣṭyā | gūhathaḥ | divi | parjanya | drapsā | madhu-mantaḥ | īrate
44
4×11 (approx.)
Alternation of brilliance and cover: a bright lift on ‘sūryo jyotiḥ’ and a heavier, enclosing movement on ‘abhreṇa vṛṣṭyā’.
Trains the mind to accept both revelation and obscuration as movements of one wisdom; ends in a felt sweetness and release.
- माया (māyā)
- Literal: formative power, skill. Symbolic: conscious power that measures and shapes manifestation; not mere illusion
- दिवि श्रिता (divi śritā)
- Literal: seated/established in heaven. Symbolic: rooted in higher mind-plane where formation is luminous
- सूर्यः ज्योतिः (sūryo jyotiḥ)
- Literal: Sun, light. Symbolic: truth-illumination; the seeing consciousness
- चित्रम् आयुधम् (citram āyudham)
- Literal: wondrous weapon. Symbolic: light as force that pierces falsehood and resistance
- अभ्रेण वृṣ्ट्या (abhreṇa vṛṣṭyā)
- Literal: with cloud and rain. Symbolic: mental veiling and purifying descent; pressure that prepares receptivity
- गूहथः (gūhathaḥ)
- Literal: you hide, conceal. Symbolic: protective concealment of intense truth until the vessel is ready
- पर्जन्य (parjanya)
- Literal: rain-giver. Symbolic: releaser of life-energy and delight from the charged higher formations
- द्रप्सा मधुमन्तः (drapsā madhumantaḥ)
- Literal: sweet drops. Symbolic: drops of bliss/ānanda and nourishing prāṇa descending into life
Invocation linking solar illumination and rain: in sacrifice, the controlled veiling/releasing corresponds to regulated descent of power and delight into the lower nature.
When invoking orderly descent—especially in contexts seeking balance: not merely ‘more light’ but right measure of force.
Recited with offerings to Mitra-Varuṇa; Parjanya imagery supports prayers for timely rains and prosperity.
For practitioners facing ‘veiled guidance’: chant to trust the process—light may be hidden to become sweetness rather than shock.
ā́yudha ‘weapon’ from ā- + √yudh ‘to fight’—instrument of victory; Sun as weapon = power that pierces darkness. drapsá ‘drop’ (condensed essence). īr ‘to set in motion, raise’ (√īr/er). The verse plays on concealment and release: cloud-rain as both veil and means of descent.
māyā as measured formation, revelation through concealment (veil that enables descent), madhu (delight-essence)
The veiling/unveiling of the sun and the release of rain occur according to cosmic order.
Sūrya as the moving emblem of satya; even when hidden, satya remains operative.
Transformation of pure light into nourishing essence (madhu) through atmospheric formation.
Aurobindonian: light-force is modulated by divine powers into forms the nature can receive (descent and assimilation).
day (solar movement)
monsoon imagery
Sun = truth-illumination; clouds = mental formations/ignorance-veils; rain-drops = distilled delight and vital force entering the nerves and life.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The paradox of veiling the Sun to release the rains: the light is ‘hidden’ by cloud so that sweetness-bearing drops can descend. Psychologically, higher illumination may be temporarily covered by formations so the force can be condensed into effective drops of experience (drapsā) that nourish the embodied nature.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- sū́rya and the broader solar lexicon correspond to Indo-Iranian developments; madhu (PIE *médʰu) again shows inherited ‘sweetness’ as divine substance. The ‘weapon’ metaphor for light aligns with archaic Indo-European poetics where radiance is an instrument of victory over darkness.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi contemplates the gods’ higher craft (māyā) as purposeful: even concealment serves a greater descent. The implied boon is a wise governance of inner processes so that obscuration becomes a channel for concentrated delight and power rather than mere ignorance.
Contemplate truth-light (Sūrya) as a conscious force; practice surrender to its timing—revelation, concealment, then sweet descent.
Ājñā (sun of mind) and Sahasrāra (heaven-established māyā) with a descending flow to Viśuddha/Anāhata as ‘madhu’.
On inhale, visualize sun-light above the head; on exhale, a gentle rain of sweetness descending through throat and heart into the body.
Receptive discernment: bright but non-straining; trustful acceptance of cycles.
If the mind feels clouded, do not force clarity. Chant through ‘gūhathaḥ’ with equanimity, then rest on ‘madhumanta īrate’ imagining nectar-drops restoring the nerves.
Observe udātta on key nouns (sūrya, jyotiḥ, māyā) with svarita falls; maintain pāda-end cadence typical of Triṣṭubh.
Let ‘sūryo jyotiś carati’ be bright and lifted; darken slightly on ‘tam abhreṇa… gūhathaḥ’; lighten again on ‘madhumanta īrate’.
śritā: clear ś (palatal), not s., jyotiḥ: aspirate lightly; final visarga as soft echo before consonant/pause., gūhathaḥ: long ū; avoid nasalizing., madhumantaḥ: keep ‘dh’ voiced aspirate; final ḥ audible before pause.
Clear, luminous tone for solar phrases; softer, covered timbre for veiling phrases; finish nectar-sweet and gentle.
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