Rig Veda 7.47.4: Mandala 7, Sukta 47, Mantra 4
Sukta 7.47
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Sindhavaḥ / Āpaḥ, with Sūrya and Indra as co-actors
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
याः सूर्यो रश्मिभिराततान याभ्य इन्द्रो अरदद्गातुमूर्मिम् । ते सिन्धवो वरिवो धातना नो यूयं पात स्वस्तिभिः सदा नः ॥
yā́ḥ sū́ryo raśmíbhir ātatā́na yā́bhya índro áradad gātúm ū́rmim | té síndhavo várīvo dhātana no yūyám pāta svastíbhiḥ sadā́ naḥ ||
सूर्य अपनी किरण से पानी को फैलाता है। इंद्र उनमें से रेस्ता बनाता है और लहरें उठती हैं। आये नदियाँ, हमारे लिए खुला रेस्ता बना दो। तुम हमेशा अपनी शक्ति से हमारी रक्षा करो।
Word by Word
- याः
- which (fem. pl.)Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole Kartā (सम्बन्धवाचक—याः … ते) / विशेषण-सम्बन्धRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सूर्यः
- the SunNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole KartāRoot सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- रश्मिभिः
- with raysNounपुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया; बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot रश्मि (प्रातिपदिक)
- आततान
- having stretched/spread (out)Participle (verbal adjective)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; कर्मणि-भूतकृदन्त (क्त) — ‘आतत’ का वैदिक/छान्दस रूप ‘आततान’Role Kartā-विशेषण (सूर्यः … आततान) / क्रियाविशेषणार्थकRoot √तन् (तनू) + आ- (उपसर्ग); क्त (PPP) रूप
- याभ्यः
- from which (fem. pl.)Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी (अपादान) / षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध) बहुवचन; वैदिक प्रयोगे ‘याभ्यः’ प्रायः पञ्चमी-बहुवचनRole Apādāna (याभ्यः … अरदत्) / सम्बन्धRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्रः
- IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole KartāRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- अरदत्
- cut/opened (made)Verbलङ् (अनद्यतन-भूत); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचनRole Kriyā (मुख्य क्रिया)Root √रद् (रदति ‘to cut/cleave/tear open’)
- गातुम्
- a path, passageNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole KarmaRoot गातु (प्रातिपदिक; √गा/गम् से ‘गमन/मार्ग’)
- ऊर्मिम्
- the wave, surge (of water)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole Karma (गातुम् का विशेष्य/समन्वय—‘ऊर्मिम्’ = तरङ्ग/धारा) अथवा द्वितीय कर्मRoot ऊर्मि (प्रातिपदिक)
- ते
- thosePronounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole Kartā (मुख्य वाक्य का कर्ता) / ‘याः’ का प्रत्युद्देशRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सिन्धवः
- riversNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole Kartā (ते सिन्धवः … धातन)Root सिन्धु (प्रातिपदिक)
- वरिवः
- wide space; protection; helpNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन (छान्दस)Role KarmaRoot वरिवस्/वरिवः (प्रातिपदिक; ‘विस्तार/अवकाश/सहायता/रक्षा’)
- धातन
- grant/establishVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ); परस्मैपद; मध्यमपुरुष; बहुवचनRole Kriyā (आज्ञा/प्रार्थना)Root √धा (दधाति ‘to place/establish/grant’)
- नः
- to us / for usPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी; बहुवचन (एन्क्लिटिक) — ‘our/to us’Role Sampradāna (प्राप्तकर्ता) / सम्बन्धRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- यूयम्
- you (pl.)Pronounप्रथमा; बहुवचनRole KartāRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- पात
- protectVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ); परस्मैपद; मध्यमपुरुष; बहुवचनRole Kriyā (आज्ञा/प्रार्थना)Root √पा (पिबति/पाति ‘to protect’—रक्षणार्थ)
- स्वस्तिभिः
- with well-being, with blessingsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया; बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot स्वस्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
- सदा
- alwaysIndeclinableअव्ययRole Adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण—समय) / क्रियाविशेषणRoot सदा (अव्यय)
- नः
- us / ourPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी; बहुवचन (एन्क्लिटिक)Role Sampradāna / सम्बन्धRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धि-विग्रह): याः | सूर्यः | रश्मिभिः | आततान | याभ्यः | इन्द्रः | अरदत् | गातुम् | ऊर्मिम् | ते | सिन्धवः | वरिवः | धातन | नः | यूयम् | पात | स्वस्तिभिः | सदा | नः । मुख्य सन्धि: (1) रश्मिभिः + आततान → रश्मिभिराततान (विसर्ग/र्-सन्धि: ‘-भिः’ का ‘-भिर्’)
- (2) याभ्यः + इन्द्रः → याभ्य इन्द्रो (विसर्ग-लोप/छान्दस संधि; ‘इन्द्रः’ का पदान्त ‘-ः’ → ‘-ो’ स्वर-सन्धि)
- (3) अरदत् + गातुम् → अरदद्गातुम् (त् + ग → द्ग; छान्दस)
- (4) गातुम् + ऊर्मिम् → गातुमूर्मिम् (म् + ऊ → म्-उकार-सन्धि/दीर्घ)
- (5) सिन्धवः + वरिवः → सिन्धवो वरिवो (विसर्ग → ओ)
- (6) धातन + नः → धातना नो (नः का ‘नो’ रूप)
- (7) स्वस्तिभिः + सदा → स्वस्तिभिः सदा (पद-सीमा)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The rivers/waters—stretched out by the Sun’s rays and opened into a passage by Indra—are invoked to grant the worshipper a wide, unobstructed space (varivas) and continual protection with welfare (svasti).
Inner meaning
The “waters” are the flowing currents of consciousness and life-force in the being. When the Sun (illumined Truth) extends its rays, these currents are clarified and made luminous; when Indra (the illumined Mind-Power) “cuts a path,” he breaks through inner resistances so the wave (ūrmí) of ascending force can move freely. The prayer for varivas is the request for an inner wideness—release from constriction, fear, and inertia—so the sadhaka may dwell and act in a spacious, protected consciousness.
Universal truth
When consciousness is illumined (Sūrya) and empowered to overcome obstruction (Indra), the inner streams of life become beneficent and protective. Spiritual progress requires both light (clarity) and force (breakthrough), resulting in wideness, freedom, and stable well-being.
Themes
Opening of the path, Freedom/space (varivas), Protection and auspiciousness, Collaboration of Sūrya and Indra through the Waters
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha (Maitrāvaruṇa lineage)
- Other hymns
- RV 7.47 (Āpaḥ/Sindhavaḥ), RV 7.48 (R̥bhus/Vāja), RV 7.33 (Vasiṣṭha and the rivers), RV 7.82 (Varuṇa-Mitra order and truth)
Family tradition
Saptarṣi of the Vasiṣṭha family; hymns often emphasize ṛta, harmony, and the right ordering of inner and outer life through divine powers.
Significance
Vasiṣṭha’s vision frequently seeks inner wideness and right law (ṛta) rather than mere boon; here the rivers become powers of release, purification, and protected movement in the yoga of the sacrifice.
The deity
- Devata
- Sindhavaḥ / Āpaḥ (Rivers/Waters), with Sūrya and Indra as co-actors
- Epithets
- sindhavaḥ (rivers), āpaḥ (waters), svastibhiḥ (bearers of welfare)
- Related deities
- Sūrya, Indra, Varuṇa (as lord of waters/ṛta), Sarasvatī (as luminous flow of inspiration)
Cosmic role
Waters as universal carriers: they connect realms, nourish, purify, and provide passages; under Sūrya they shine, under Indra they are opened into effective channels.
Inner power
Flowing consciousness that cleanses and widens; capacity to carry illumination into the vital and physical; protective harmonization (svasti).
In ritual
Where it is used
Āpaḥ / Sindhu invocations in Soma-related and purification contexts; also protective benediction (svasti).
याः सूर्यो॑ र॒श्मिभि॑रात॒तान॒ याभ्य॒ इन्द्रो॒ अर॑दद्गा॒तुमू॒र्मिम् । ते सि॑न्धवो॒ वरि॑वो धातना नो यू॒यं पा॑त स्व॒स्तिभि॒: सदा॑ नः ॥
याः । सूर्यः॑ । र॒श्मिऽभिः॑ । आ॒ऽत॒तान॑ । याभ्यः॑ । इन्द्रः॑ । अर॑दत् । गा॒तुम् । ऊ॒र्मिम् । ते । सि॒न्ध॒वः॒ । वरि॑वः । धा॒त॒न॒ । नः॒ । यू॒यम् । पा॒त॒ । स्व॒स्तिऽभिः॑ । सदा॑ । नः॒ ॥
yāḥ | sūryaḥ | raśmi-bhiḥ | ātatāna | yābhyaḥ | indraḥ | aradat | gātum | ūrmim | te | sindhavaḥ | varivaḥ | dhātana | naḥ | yūyam | pāta | svasti-bhiḥ | sadā | naḥ
44
4 pādas × 11 syllables
Forward-driving, expansive cadence suited to invocation and breakthrough imagery (path, wave, wideness).
Builds a sense of opening and onward movement; supports an inner feeling of widening space and protected flow.
- सिन्धवः (sindhavaḥ)
- Literal: rivers, streams. Symbolic: currents of consciousness; life-streams that can carry clarity, purification, and movement
- आपः (āpaḥ)
- Literal: waters. Symbolic: fluid energies of the being; the conscious flow that purifies and connects planes
- सूर्यः (sūryaḥ)
- Literal: the Sun. Symbolic: illumined truth-consciousness; the light of revelation and right seeing
- रश्मि (raśmi)
- Literal: ray, rein. Symbolic: rays of knowledge that extend and order the movements of consciousness
- इन्द्रः (indraḥ)
- Literal: Indra. Symbolic: divine Mind-Power; the force of illumination that breaks obstruction
- अरदत् (aradad)
- Literal: he cut, carved, opened. Symbolic: breakthrough in the inner nature; opening a channel through resistance
- गातु (gātu)
- Literal: path, passage. Symbolic: the inner way; a cleared route for ascent and right action
- ऊर्मि (ūrmi)
- Literal: wave, surge. Symbolic: ascending surge of energy/aspiration; dynamic movement of consciousness
- वरिवस् (varivas)
- Literal: wide space, free room. Symbolic: inner wideness, liberty from narrowing formations; spacious peace
- स्वस्ति (svasti)
- Literal: well-being, auspiciousness. Symbolic: harmonizing protection; stable right condition of the being
Protective and auspicious recitation; used where water is invoked for ‘svasti’ (safe passage, well-being) and for opening the ‘path’ in ritual and inner journey.
During offerings where waters are invoked for purification, passage, and auspicious protection; also as a concluding protective refrain-like blessing.
Sprinkling/approaching waters; recitation to consecrate movement and remove obstacles.
Use as a meditation for releasing constriction and invoking luminous flow before travel, major decisions, or inner work requiring clarity and protection.
ātatāna from ā-√tan ‘stretch, extend’—light spreads the waters: symbolism of illumination organizing the life-flows. aradat from √rad ‘to scratch, cut, cleave’—opening a channel (gātu) through obstruction. varivas ‘wide space, freedom’ (from √vṛ ‘to cover/choose’ with semantic development to ‘room, scope’): psychologically the release from constriction. svasti ‘well-being’ (su- ‘good’ + √as ‘to be’).
Ṛta as ordered channel/passage (gātu), Release into vastness (varivas), Light organizing life-force (Sūrya over āpaḥ)
The “gātu” is the ordered way of ṛta—right passage through inner and outer worlds.
Sūrya’s rays symbolize satya’s revealing power that stretches consciousness into clarity.
Waters as primal carriers of manifestation; illumination orders the flow; force opens channels for evolution.
Proto-Vedāntic / integral-psychological reading (Aurobindonian): ascent through illumination and force into wideness.
dawn-to-daylight transition (implied by Sūrya’s active rays)
unspecified
Luminous awareness (sun) clarifies the life-currents (waters); the mind-force (Indra) opens a channel so aspiration (wave) can surge without obstruction into inner wideness (varivas).
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The opening of a ‘passage’ (gātu) through the waters by Indra, under the spread of Sūrya’s rays—an archetype of the light-forces cutting a way through resistance and establishing free scope (varivas) for the human journey.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- svasti (su- + √as) reflects inherited IE morphology (prefix + ‘to be’). The imagery of ‘rays’ (raśmi) and ‘stretching’ (√tan) aligns with IE poetics where light ‘spreads’ order across space; while not a single cognate chain, the compositional technique is strongly Indo-European (formulaic extension of cosmic elements into law/path).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi appeals to the rivers as active protectors and grantors of inner ‘space’; the relationship is pragmatic and yogic: the human asks for an opened channel (gātu) and sustained well-being (svasti) so the movement toward truth can proceed without constriction.
Invoke inner ‘waters’ to become luminous and unobstructed; contemplate a sun of truth above the mind sending rays into the vital, while Indra-force opens a clear channel for the upward wave of aspiration.
Anāhata to Ājñā axis (widening heart-space; clarifying inner vision).
Slow nāḍī-śodhana-like breathing (without strain): inhale ‘sūrya-raśmi’ clarity, exhale releasing constriction into ‘varivas’.
Widened, शांत (quiet) but dynamically flowing awareness; protected equanimity.
Before japa/meditation, recite once slowly; feel a widening in the chest and head; then sit silently 2–3 minutes imagining luminous currents moving freely, guarded by an all-around auspiciousness (svasti).
Use the Rigvedic svara discipline: maintain udatta (raised) on accented syllables, anudatta (lower) preceding, and svarita (falling) where marked; follow the pada text for clear word boundaries.
Keep energy on key invocatory nouns/verbs: sūryo, raśmibhiḥ, indro, aradat, gātum, ūrmim, sindhavo, varivo, dhātana, pāta, svastibhiḥ, sadā.
Differentiate dental ‘n’ in (naḥ) from retroflex ‘ṇ’ where applicable., Hold long vowels: ā in ātatāna, gātum; ī in sindhavo (accented flow)., Pronounce ṛ in indraḥ, kṛt- forms carefully; keep visarga in naḥ audible but light., Cluster care: svastibhiḥ (sva-sti-bhiḥ) three beats, do not swallow ‘sti’.
Clear, flowing, slightly resonant; aim for a ‘stream-like’ continuity with a gentle lift on udatta.
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