Rig Veda 5.81.2: Mandala 5, Sukta 81, Mantra 2
Sukta 5.81
- Rishi
- Atri
- Devata
- Savitar
- Chandas
- Jagatī
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
विश्वा रूपाणि प्रति मुञ्चते कविः प्रासावीद्भद्रं द्विपदे चतुष्पदे । वि नाकमख्यत्सविता वरेण्योऽनु प्रयाणमुषसो वि राजति ॥
viśvā́ rūpā́ṇi práti muñcate kavíḥ prā́sāvīd bhadráṃ dvi-páde cátuṣ-pade | ví nā́kam akhyat savitā́ varéṇyo'nu prayā́ṇam uṣáso ví rājati ||
वो रिशि सब रूपों को दिखाता है। उसने इंसानों और जानवरों के लिए अच्छा किया है। सवितर को लोग चुनते हैं क्योंकि वो अच्छा है। उसने आसमान को साफ दिखाया है। उषा के साथ चल के वो चमकता है।
Word by Word
- विश्वा
- allAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया बहुवचनम् (विशेषणम्)Role कर्म (रूपाणि इति विशेष्यस्य)Root विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- रूपाणि
- formsNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया बहुवचनम्Role कर्मRoot रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
- प्रति
- towards, in returnIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययम्Role (क्रियाविशेषणम्) दिशासूचक/प्रत्यभिमुख्येRoot प्रति
- मुञ्चते
- releases, lets goVerbलट्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, आत्मनेपदम्Role क्रियाRoot मुच् (मुञ्चति)
- कविः
- the seer/poetNounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot कवि (प्रातिपदिक)
- प्र
- forthIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययम्Role (क्रियाविशेषणम्)Root प्र
- असावीत्
- impelled, set in motionVerbलुङ् (अorist), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Role क्रियाRoot सू (सुवति) / √सू (प्रसवने)
- भद्रम्
- the auspicious (good)Adjective (used substantively)नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role कर्म (असावीत् इत्यस्य)Root भद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- द्विपदे
- for the two-footed (humans)Noun/Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गे चतुर्थी एकवचनम् (द्विपद-समूहाय)Role सम्प्रदानRoot द्विपद (प्रातिपदिक)
- चतुष्पदे
- for the four-footed (cattle)Noun/Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गे चतुर्थी एकवचनम् (चतुष्पद-समूहाय)Role सम्प्रदानRoot चतुष्पद (प्रातिपदिक)
- वि
- apart, widelyIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययम्Role (क्रियाविशेषणम्) विभक्तौ/विशेषेणRoot वि
- नाकम्
- heaven, the firmamentNounपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot नाक (प्रातिपदिक)
- अख्यत्
- made manifest, revealedVerbलुङ् (aorist), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Role क्रियाRoot ख्या (आख्याने) / √ख्या
- सविता
- Savitar (the Impeller)Nounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot सवितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- वरेण्यः
- most choice-worthy, excellentAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (सविता इति विशेष्यस्य)Root वरेण्य (प्रातिपदिक; √वृ ‘to choose’ से)
- अनु
- along, followingIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययम्Role (क्रियाविशेषणम्) अनुगमनार्थेRoot अनु
- प्रयाणम्
- the onward course, departureNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role कर्म/अधिकरण (अनु इत्यनेन सह: ‘following the course’)Root प्रयाण (प्रातिपदिक; प्र-√या ‘to go’ से)
- उषसः
- of DawnNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे षष्ठी एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध (प्रयाणस्य)Root उषस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- वि
- widely, distinctlyIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययम्Role (क्रियाविशेषणम्) विशेषेण/विभक्तौRoot वि
- राजति
- shines, reigns (in radiance)Verbलट्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Role क्रियाRoot राज् (दीप्तौ) / √राज्
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (sandhi-resolved): विश्वा रूपाणि प्रति मुञ्चते कविः । प्र असावीत् भद्रं द्विपदे चतुष्पदे । वि नाकम् अख्यत् सविता वरेण्यः । अनु प्रयाणम् उषसः वि राजति ॥ मुख्य सन्धयः: (1) प्रासा॑वीद् → प्र + असावीत् (उपसर्ग-सन्धि; दीर्घ/स्वर-समायोजन)
- (2) नाक॑मख्यत् → नाकम् + अख्यत् (म् + अ → म् अ; पदसंयोग)
- (3) वरे॒ण्योऽनु → वरेण्यः + अनु (ः + अ → ऽ; विसर्ग-सन्धि)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The Seer releases all forms; he sets forth good for two-footed and four-footed. Savitar makes heaven visible; following Dawn’s going forth, he shines.
Inner meaning
Savitar the inner Kavi releases latent possibilities into manifestation—forms of consciousness and life (rūpāṇi). He impels the good (bhadram) for the ‘two-footed’ and ‘four-footed’: the human mental being and the vital-physical energies that carry action. He opens the ‘heaven’ (nāka) in us—higher consciousness becoming visible. As Dawn’s illumination goes forward, Savitar’s sovereign radiance follows and establishes the reign of light.
Universal truth
When the higher impulsion acts, hidden potentials unfold, and both our reflective mind and our embodied energies receive the good; spiritual life is the progressive visibility of the inner heaven.
Themes
cosmic manifestation, universal welfare, sovereign radiance
The seer
- Rishi
- Atri
- Lineage
- Ātreya
- Other hymns
- RV 5.81.1, RV 5.81.3
Family tradition
Ātreya vision often moves from dawn-awakening to solar ordering: Uṣas opens, Savitar establishes and governs.
Significance
Atri articulates a psychology of manifestation: first release of forms, then the good for all parts, then the opening of inner heaven.
The deity
- Devata
- Savitar
- Epithets
- kavi (seer), vareṇya (worthy of choosing)
- Related deities
- Uṣas, Sūrya, Pūṣan
Cosmic role
Releaser of forms, impeller of auspiciousness for all creatures, revealer of heaven, sovereign radiance after dawn.
Inner power
The creative vision-force that brings potentials into ordered manifestation and enthrones luminous consciousness.
In ritual
Where it is used
Savitar praise as auspicious opener of undertakings; linked to morning progression from Uṣas to solar power.
विश्वा॑ रू॒पाणि॒ प्रति॑ मुञ्चते क॒विः प्रासा॑वीद्भ॒द्रं द्वि॒पदे॒ चतु॑ष्पदे । वि नाक॑मख्यत्सवि॒ता वरे॒ण्योऽनु॑ प्र॒याण॑मु॒षसो॒ वि रा॑जति ॥
विश्वा॑ । रू॒पाणि॑ । प्रति॑ । मु॒ञ्च॒ते॒ । क॒विः । प्र । अ॒सा॒वी॒त् । भ॒द्रम् । द्वि॒ऽपदे॑ । चतुः॑ऽपदे । वि । नाक॑म् । अ॒ख्य॒त् । स॒वि॒ता । वरे॑ण्यः । अनु॑ । प्र॒ऽयान॑म् । उ॒षसः॑ । वि । रा॒ज॒ति॒ ॥
viśvā | rūpāṇi | prati | muñcate | kaviḥ | pra | asāvīt | bhadram | dvi-pade | catuḥ-pade | vi | nākam | akhyat | savitā | vareṇyaḥ | anu | pra-yānam | uṣasaḥ | vi | rājati
48
4 × 12
Expansive and declarative; supports imagery of release and sovereign shining.
Energizes optimism and creative emergence; good for invoking auspicious beginnings.
- viśvā rūpāṇi
- Literal: all forms. Symbolic: all potential formations of consciousness and life
- kaviḥ
- Literal: seer-poet. Symbolic: the divine knower who reveals and creates by vision
- prāsāvīt
- Literal: he impelled/set forth. Symbolic: divine impulsion initiating right becoming
- bhadram
- Literal: the good, auspicious. Symbolic: harmonizing force; rightness that supports growth
- dvipade catuṣpade
- Literal: two-footed and four-footed beings. Symbolic: mental-human faculties and vital/physical powers of action
- nāka
- Literal: heaven, luminous world. Symbolic: plane of higher consciousness made perceptible
- anu prayāṇam uṣasaḥ
- Literal: following the going forth of Dawn. Symbolic: higher solar illumination stabilizing the first awakening
- vi rājati
- Literal: shines forth, rules in splendor. Symbolic: sovereignty of light in the being
Consecratory/impelling use: Savitar invoked for auspicious unfolding of forms and welfare of all creatures; aligned with dawn-sequence (anu prayāṇam uṣasaḥ).
At dawn/sunrise; also before journeys or new works (prayāṇa imagery).
Invocation for auspiciousness for all beings/powers; affirmation of heaven’s visibility.
Chant before creative work or teaching; visualize latent capacities unfolding and the ‘inner sky’ opening.
prati-√muc ‘release’ implies letting forms emerge from concealment. pra-√sū ‘impel’ is central to Savitar’s identity (savitṛ). nā́ka ‘heaven/firmament’ here as luminous openness of consciousness. vi-√khyā ‘make visible, distinguish’ reinforces the theme of revelation.
manifestation of forms, auspicious impulsion (bhadra), unveiling of nāka (luminous openness)
Savitar’s ‘good’ is the good of Ṛta: right growth for all parts of the being.
Heaven made visible: truth becomes experiential perception, not abstraction.
Release (muñcate) of forms from latency into expression; dawn-to-sun sequence as evolution of light.
Aurobindonian evolution of consciousness: unveiling of higher planes into mind-life.
dawn to early sunrise
Unfolding of inner forms and capacities; opening of higher consciousness; stabilization of awakening into sovereign clarity.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Savitar as revealer/impeller who releases forms into manifestation and makes the heaven visible, shining after Dawn’s advance—mythically the daily re-creation; psychologically the emergence of ordered perceptions and life-energies under a luminous will.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The verb √muc ‘release’ and √sū ‘impel’ encode a cosmology of ‘unbinding’ and ‘setting in motion’—archaic IE-style verbal cosmology where world-order is enacted through divine agency rather than abstract description.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi names Savitar as kavi—seer-consciousness itself—implying that divine revelation and poetic vision are continuous. The hymn seeks Savitar’s impulsion so all life (two-footed/four-footed) receives bhadra: an inner and outer auspicious ordering.
Visualize Savitar releasing all inner forms into right manifestation; offer both ‘two-footed’ (thought, choice) and ‘four-footed’ (energy, habit) to the good.
maṇipūra (impulsion/energy) with ājñā (vision)
inhale imagining ‘opening heaven’; exhale imagining ‘release of forms’ into orderly action.
creative clarity; luminous agency.
After chanting, note one mental intention (dvipad) and one embodied action (catuṣpad) that will express the ‘bhadram’ today.
Observe udātta on key verbs (muñcate, prāsāvīt, akhyat, rājati) for forward impetus.
Keep pāda endings clean; avoid dragging ‘rūpāṇi’—let it flow to ‘prati muñcate’.
muñcate: ‘ñc’ palatal; not ‘nch’, vareṇyaḥ: retroflex ‘ṇy’ carefully, akhyat: clear ‘khy’ cluster, uṣaso: keep final ‘o’ open, not ‘au’
radiant, slightly energized
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