Rig Veda 8.47.4: Mandala 8, Sukta 47, Mantra 4
Sukta 8.47
- Devata
- Ādityas
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
यस्मा अरासत क्षयं जीवातुं च प्रचेतसः । मनोर्विश्वस्य घेदिम आदित्या राय ईशतेऽनेहसो व ऊतयः सुतयो व ऊतयः ॥
yásmā arā́sata kṣáyaṃ jīvā́tuṃ ca prá-cetasaḥ | mánoḥ víśvasya ghéd imá ādityā́ rāyá īśate 'néhaso va ūtáyaḥ su-ūtáyaḥ va ūtáyaḥ ||
जिन लोगों को पहले से घर मिला है और जीने का हक मिला है, वो आदित्य देवता उनके ऊपर हुकूमत करते हैं। यह सब कुछ मनु से शुरू हुआ, और अब तक चल रहा है। तुम्हारी रक्षा में कोई गलती नहीं, तुम्हारी अच्छी रक्षा हमारे साथ है।
Word by Word
- यस्मै
- to whomPronounपुं., चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) यस्-
- अरा॑सत
- they grantedVerbलुङ् (aorist), परस्मैपद, 3 पुरुष, बहुवचनRole (क्रिया)Root रास् (दाने) / रा (दाने) — Vedic: ‘to grant, bestow’
- क्षयम्
- dwelling, abodeNounपुं., द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot क्षय (प्रातिपदिक) < √क्षि (क्षये/निवासे)
- जी॒वातुम्
- life, livingNounपुं., द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot जीवातु (प्रातिपदिक) < √जीव् (जीवने)
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चय-अव्ययRole (सम्बन्ध) समुच्चयRoot च
- प्रचे॑तसः
- the wise/foreknowing onesNoun/Adjectiveपुं., प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot प्र-चेतस् (प्रातिपदिक) < √चित् (चेतने)
- मन॑ोः
- of ManuNounपुं., षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root मनु (प्रातिपदिक)
- विश्वस्य
- of all, of the wholeAdjective (used substantively)नपुं., षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- घ
- indeedIndeclinableनिपात (emphatic particle)Role (सम्बन्ध) निपातRoot घ
- इमः
- thesePronounपुं., प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) इम-
- आदित्या
- ĀdityasNounपुं., प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (इमः-आदित्या: apposition)Root आदित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- रायः
- of wealthNounस्त्री., षष्ठी, एकवचन (Vedic form: रायः = रायेः)Role सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root रायि/राय (प्रातिपदिक) ‘wealth’
- ईशते
- rules, has powerVerbलट्, आत्मनेपद, 3 पुरुष, एकवचनRole (क्रिया)Root √ईश् (ऐश्वर्ये)
- अनेहसः
- of untroubled (wealth)Adjectiveपुं., षष्ठी, एकवचन (qualifying ‘रायः’)Role सम्बन्ध (विशेषण-षष्ठी)Root अन्-एहस् (प्रातिपदिक) ‘without distress/need’
- वः
- yourPronounषष्ठी, बहुवचन (enclitic)Role सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root युष्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- ऊतयः
- helps, aidsNounस्त्री., प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ/विधेय (nominal predicate)Root ऊति (प्रातिपदिक) < √अव् (रक्षणे) ‘help, aid’
- सुतयः
- pressings (of Soma), libationsNounस्त्री., प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ/विधेय (parallel nominal)Root सुति (प्रातिपदिक) < √सु (सवने/प्रसवे) ‘pressing, libation’
- वः
- yourPronounषष्ठी, बहुवचन (enclitic)Role सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root युष्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- ऊतयः
- helps, aidsNounस्त्री., प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ/विधेय (refrain)Root ऊति (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- Resolved/normalized sandhi & padapāṭha-style segmentation: (1) ईशतेऽनेहसो → ईशते + अनेहसः (final -e + a- gives ’). (2) घेदिम → घ + इमः (particle घ + pronoun इमः; in saṃhitā often written together). (3) Accent marks retained as in saṃhitā where shown
- several padas here are unmarked in the citation. (4) रायः is Vedic gen. sg. of ‘रायि/राय’ (later रायेः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
To whom the fore-knowing ones granted a dwelling and life-power—of Manu, of all—these Ādityas are masters of riches; your unfailing protections are our safeguards.
Inner meaning
The Ādityas (pracetasaḥ, ‘fore-knowing’) bestow kṣaya (a secure dwelling) and jīvātu (power to live): psychologically, a stable inner base and a true life-force that is not prey to disorder. ‘Manu’ stands for the human mental being and the law-giver principle in humanity; thus the verse says: for the whole human race and its mental evolution, the Ādityas govern the plenitudes (rāyaḥ)—not merely material wealth but inner riches: clarity, harmony, strength, and right joy. Their protection is the condition for a secure inner home where life can grow straight in ṛta.
Universal truth
A secure inner foundation and a true vitality are gifts of alignment with higher truth; the greatest ‘wealth’ is the plenitude of a life ordered by wisdom.
Themes
Sovereignty of truth-powers, Plenitude, Establishment and life
The seer
Significance
The rishi presents the Ādityas as givers of the two essentials for sadhana: a secure seat (kṣaya) and a right life-force (jīvātu), and as sovereigns of true plenitude (rāyaḥ).
The deity
- Devata
- Ādityas.
- Epithets
- pracetasaḥ, anehasaḥ, rāya īśate (lords of plenitudes)
- Related deities
- Aditi, Mitra–Varuṇa, Bhaga
Cosmic role
Sustainers of human life in ṛta: they grant stability, vitality, and the lawful distribution of plenitudes.
Inner power
Bestow a settled inner ‘home’ and a purified vitality; rule the inflow of inner riches when the being is aligned to truth.
In ritual
Where it is used
Blessing/protection for household stability and well-being of the sacrificer (and community) under Āditya guardianship.
यस्मा॒ अरा॑सत॒ क्षयं॑ जी॒वातुं॑ च॒ प्रचे॑तसः । मनो॒र्विश्व॑स्य॒ घेदि॒म आ॑दि॒त्या रा॒य ई॑शतेऽने॒हसो॑ व ऊ॒तय॑: सु॒तयो॑ व ऊ॒तय॑: ॥
यस्मै॑ । अरा॑सत । क्षय॑म् । जी॒वातु॑म् । च॒ । प्रऽचे॑तसः । मनोः॑ । विश्व॑स्य । घ॒ । इत् । इ॒मे । आ॒दि॒त्याः । रा॒यः । ई॒श॒ते॒ । अ॒ने॒हसः॑ । वः॒ । ऊ॒तयः॑ । सु॒ऽऊ॒तयः॑ । वः॒ । ऊ॒तयः॑ ॥
yasmai | arāsata | kṣayam | jīvātum | ca | pra-cetasaḥ | manoḥ | viśvasya | gha | it | ime | ādityāḥ | rāyaḥ | īśate | anehasaḥ | vaḥ | ūtayaḥ | su-ūtayaḥ | vaḥ | ūtayaḥ
Gift-bestowal statement + human universal reference (Manu) + sovereignty of plenitudes + refrain.
Declarative and grounding: ‘granted a home and life’ then ‘masters of riches’—ending in the stabilizing refrain.
Builds trust and groundedness; supports feelings of safety, belonging, and sufficient inner energy.
- प्रचेतसः (pracetasaḥ)
- Literal: fore-knowing, wise. Symbolic: truth-conscious powers with prior discernment; guardians of right law
- क्षयम् (kṣayam)
- Literal: dwelling, home, abode. Symbolic: stable inner base; settled consciousness
- जीवातुम् (jīvātum)
- Literal: life, power to live. Symbolic: right prāṇa; sustained vital force free from harm
- मनुः (manuḥ)
- Literal: Manu. Symbolic: the human mental being; law and measure in humanity
- रायः (rāyaḥ)
- Literal: riches, plenitudes. Symbolic: inner wealth: truth, harmony, strength, luminous joy
- ईशते (īśate)
- Literal: rules, is master of. Symbolic: sovereign governance of plenitudes by truth-powers
Invocation for stable dwelling (kṣaya) and life-force (jīvātu) under Āditya guardianship; used for welfare and right-order establishment.
For prayers of well-being, home stability, longevity, and prosperity; also as a protective refrain in communal recitation.
Recitation with offering of water/ghṛta; intention for ‘kṣaya’ (home) and ‘jīvātu’ (life-force).
Use when seeking stability (home, routine, inner seat) and sustainable vitality; helpful during transitions (moving, illness recovery, burnout).
kṣaya ‘dwelling’ from √kṣi ‘dwell’ (PIE *tḱey- ‘settle’ debated). jīvātu from √jīv ‘live’ (PIE *gʷih₃w- ‘live’). pra-cetas ‘fore-knowing’ from √cit ‘perceive, be conscious’ with pra- intensifying forward clarity. rāy (rayi) ‘plenitude/wealth’ in RV often denotes spiritual fullness, not mere material riches. √īś ‘rule’ indicates sovereignty of the Ādityas over these plenitudes.
Manu as archetype of humanity/mental being, Rāy (plenitude) as fullness of being, Stable station (kṣaya) as established consciousness
A lawful home (kṣaya) and right vitality (jīvātu) are fruits of living in ṛta.
Pracetasaḥ indicates satya as foreknowing wisdom guiding distribution of plenitude.
Humanity (Manu) sustained by cosmic law—maintenance of the created order through truth-powers.
Dharma/ṛta as the basis of prosperity and life; yogic reinterpretation as inner stability and plenitude.
day
Home = stable consciousness-seat; life-breath = purified prāṇa; solar law = clarity that governs plenitude.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is the Ādityas as sovereign dispensers of ‘dwelling’ and ‘life’ to Manu (humanity), and as lords of rāy (plenitude). In inner terms, the truth-powers establish the human being in a stable consciousness and sustain the life-force, granting fullness of being.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √jīv ‘live’ aligns with PIE life-roots (cf. Latin vīvus). √men in Manu relates to PIE *men- ‘think’ (Manu as ‘the thinking man’ archetype). √īś ‘rule’ has Indo-Iranian parallels of sovereignty vocabulary; rāy/rayi is Indo-Aryan but fits the IE theme of ‘wealth’ as ‘power/abundance’.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The ṛṣi recognizes the Ādityas as the true governors of human flourishing: not chance, but conscious cosmic powers grant stability (kṣaya), continuity (jīvātu), and plenitude (rāy). The hymn positions the seeker within that lawful beneficence.
Establish the ‘inner home’ (kṣaya) as a steady seat of awareness; invite sustainable life-force (jīvātu) and true plenitude (rāyaḥ).
Muladhara (stability/home) and Anahata (life-force balance/peace).
Slow diaphragmatic breathing; on inhale feel ‘jīvātu’ filling; on exhale settle into ‘kṣaya’ (inner home).
Settled, secure, quietly abundant.
Create a daily ‘kṣaya’: fixed meditation place/time. Repeat the refrain to seal protection; let actions be governed by truth and harmony so ‘rāyaḥ’ becomes inner richness, not agitation.
Exact Vedic accentuation requires the full accented Saṃhitā for RV 8.47.4; keep the refrain with consistent pitch contour.
Let ‘kṣayam’ and ‘jīvātum’ be clearly articulated and slightly lengthened for contemplative emphasis; refrain steady.
kṣayam: articulate kṣ cluster cleanly, jīvātum: long ī and ā, pracetasaḥ: ‘ce’ palatal, clear short a, final visarga, manor: sandhi of manuḥ → manor; roll r lightly, īśate: long ī, ś palatal
Warm, grounding, and clear; avoid harshness—this is a blessing tone.
3
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