Rig Veda 8.5.39: Mandala 8, Sukta 5, Mantra 39
Sukta 8.5
- Rishi
- Kaṇva
- Devata
- Aśvinau
- Chandas
- Jagatī
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
माकिरेना पथा गाद्येनेमे यन्ति चेदयः । अन्यो नेत्सूरिरोहते भूरिदावत्तरो जनः ॥
mā́kir enā́ pathā́ gādyéna imé yánti cedáyaḥ | anyó nét sūrír óhate bhūridā́vattaro jánáḥ ||
कोई भी सिर्फ गाने का रास्ता न चले। चैद्य लोग अलग रास्ते पर चलते हैं। कोई और दाता उनसे बड़ा नहीं होता। यह लोग बहुत देने वाले हैं, सही रास्ता पकड़के चलना ऐसा ही होता है।
Word by Word
- मा
- not / do notIndeclinableनिषेधार्थक अव्ययRoot मा (निषेध) अव्यय
- किः
- anyone (someone)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-एकवचनम् (वेदिक ‘किः’ = ‘कश्चित्’)Role KartāRoot किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- एना
- by this / by suchPronounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, तृतीया-एकवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot एना (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक; एतद्-सम्बद्ध)
- पथा
- by the path / by wayNounपुंलिङ्गः, तृतीया-एकवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot पथ् (प्रातिपदिक ‘पथ’)
- गाद्येन
- by the ‘gādya’ way (a particular course/track)Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गः, तृतीया-एकवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot गाद्य (प्रातिपदिक; ‘गाद्य’ = गमन/गाथा-सम्बद्ध, वेदिक)
- इमे
- thesePronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- यन्ति
- go / proceedVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथम-पुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Root या (धातु)
- चेत्
- if / even ifIndeclinableशर्तार्थक/सम्भावनार्थक निपातRoot चिद्/चेत् (निपात; शर्त/अपि)
- एदयः
- the impetuous ones / movers (a class of beings/men)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot एद (प्रातिपदिक; वेदिक ‘एद’ = गति/उत्साह/आवेग-सम्बद्ध)
- अन्यः
- another / someone elsePronoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- न
- notIndeclinableनिषेधार्थक अव्ययRoot न (निषेध) अव्यय
- इत्
- indeed / justIndeclinableनिश्चय/अवधारणार्थक निपातRoot इत् (निपात; एव/खलु)
- सूरिः
- patron / lord (generous chief)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot सूरि (प्रातिपदिक)
- ओहते
- drives/ushers (forward)Verbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्Root ऊह्/वह् (धातु; वेदिक ‘ओहते’ < √वह्/√ऊह् ‘to bring/drive/lead’)
- भूरिदावत्-तरः
- more bountiful-giving / more generousAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-एकवचनम्, तुलनात्मक (तर)Role KartāRoot भूरिदावत् (बहुव्रीहि/कर्मधारय; ‘भूरि’ + ‘दावत्’ < √दा ‘to give’)
- जनः
- people / a man (folk)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot जन (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- संधि-विच्छेद (पद-रूप): माकिरेना → मा + किः + एना
- गाद्येनेमे → गाद्येन + इमे
- चे॒दयः → चेत् + एदयः
- नेत्सूरिरोहते → न + इत् + सूरिः + ओहते
- भूरिदावत्तरो → भूरिदावत् + तरः. (स्वरचिह्न/उदात्तादि पाठानुसार यथास्थानम्)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Let no one go by this path of mere song/recitation-display; these Cedayas go by another way. No other patron surpasses them; they are the people more abundant in giving.
Inner meaning
The mantra distinguishes two paths: a ‘gādya’ path—mere verbal display, aesthetic performance without inner truth—and the other way: the path of effective giving, i.e., the soul’s right movement that converts inspiration into concrete increase of light and force. The ‘Cedayas’ become emblematic of a psychic collectivity that chooses sincerity and substance over show, embodying the law that true progress is measured by the capacity to give (to the sacrifice, to the Divine working), not to advertise.
Universal truth
Spiritual life is not performance. The true path is verified by results in consciousness—greater generosity, steadiness, and effective service of the Truth.
Themes
right-method, dāna-economy, patronal-ethics, collective-movement
The seer
- Rishi
- Kaṇva
- Other hymns
- RV 8.5.37, RV 8.5.38, RV 8.6.1
Family tradition
Kaṇva hymns frequently warn against hollow ritualism and point to the efficacy of right intention and right giving as the true measure of spiritual movement.
Significance
The seer draws a line between outer form and inner truth, aligning with the Aurobindonian emphasis on psychological sincerity over mere rite.
The deity
- Devata
- Aśvinau
- Epithets
- nāsatyā, dasrā, satyadharmā (true in law, thematic)
- Related deities
- Sarasvatī (true inspiration vs mere speech), Indra (effective illumination), Agni (true sacrifice)
Cosmic role
Guides who set the right track at beginnings and transitions; they correct false turns and lead to effective increase.
Inner power
Discerning guidance that rejects egoic display and establishes the ‘other way’—sincere, fruitful practice.
In ritual
Where it is used
Embedded in Aśvin praise; also functions as a didactic aside within the hymn
माकि॑रे॒ना प॒था गा॒द्येने॒मे यन्ति॑ चे॒दय॑: । अ॒न्यो नेत्सू॒रिरोह॑ते भूरि॒दाव॑त्तरो॒ जन॑: ॥
माकिः॑ । ए॒ना । प॒था । गा॒द्येन॑ । इ॒मे । यन्ति॑ । चे॒दयः॑ । अ॒न्यः । न । इत् । सू॒रिः । ओह॑ते । भू॒र्द॒ाव॑त्ऽतरः॑ । जनः॑ ॥
mākiḥ | enā | pathā | gādyena | ime | yanti | cedayaḥ | anyaḥ | na | it | sūriḥ | ohate | bhūrdāvat-taraḥ | janaḥ
48
4×12 (probable)
Directive and admonitory; the opening ‘mākiḥ’ gives a sharp turn, then the cadence broadens into praise of abundance.
Cuts through complacency; then uplifts into an ethic of generosity and true movement.
- mākiḥ
- Literal: let none/never anyone. Symbolic: a strong prohibition against false movement; vigilance in the yoga
- pathā
- Literal: path. Symbolic: method of sādhanā; the chosen orientation of consciousness
- gādya
- Literal: song-speech, recitation, display. Symbolic: outer religiosity, verbalism, egoic performance
- anyo (pathaḥ)
- Literal: another (way). Symbolic: inner sincerity; path of truth-works rather than word-works
- sūriḥ
- Literal: patron, giver, lord. Symbolic: the inner leader-force that supports the sacrifice; also any governing impulse in the being
- bhūridāvattaraḥ
- Literal: more abundant in giving. Symbolic: psychic generosity: spontaneous outflow of force, light, and goodwill that increases the whole being
Patronal praise/benchmarking within sacrificial economy; emphasizes right method (path) and true generosity (bhūri-dāvat)
When affirming the right mode of praise and offering—discouraging empty recitation.
Recitation to align the sacrificer with sincerity and effective giving.
A pre-chant intention: ‘not for display, but for transformation’; useful before group chanting or teaching settings.
mā́kis is a fixed RV negative ‘none whatsoever’. gādyéna from √gai/gā ‘sing’ + -dya derivative, ‘by song/chant’; here contrasted with a truer ‘path’ (pathā). sūrí is a technical RV term for a patron/benefactor (linked to giving dakṣiṇā); psychologically, the ‘supporting power’ that enables increase. bhūri-dāvat-tara is a comparative compound: bhūri ‘much’ + dāvat (from √dā ‘give’) + tara ‘more’.
right path (panthā) vs. mere form (song-display), reciprocity and abundance (dāna) as law of ṛta in collective life
The ‘other way’ is the ṛta-path: speech and action aligned to Truth, producing real increase.
Truthful speech is speech that corresponds to inner state and leads to effective offering, not ornament.
Evolution by right choice of path—selection of truth-movement over false movement.
Ethical-yogic Vedism: sincerity (satya) as a power that changes consciousness.
dawn (Aśvin context, implied)
Choosing the right inner track at the ‘dawn’ of an impulse; refusing the detour of egoic display.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘right path’ mythologem: not all movement is by the true way; a people/patron exemplifies the superior track through abundant giving. Psychologically, it distinguishes outer performance (mere gādyena) from the effective path that carries real increase and support.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- pathā from panthā ‘path’ continues PIE *pent(h)- (cf. Greek pónos in related semantic field; Germanic *fand- in ‘find’ is debated, but the ‘path’ lexeme is strongly Indo-Iranian). √gā ‘sing’ has IE parallels in song/chant vocabulary; √dā ‘give’ is PIE *deh₃-.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- By praising the superior ‘sūri’/people, the rishi implicitly aligns his invocation with the law the gods uphold: truth-effective approach and generous increase. The devatā’s response is conditioned by the right path, not by empty form.
Sincerity audit: notice where practice becomes performance; return to inner offering.
viśuddha (speech purification)
Three cleansing exhalations, then silent inhalation with the resolve ‘no display’; exhale ‘true giving’.
Clear, upright will with purified expression.
Before chanting, pause: ‘Is this for appearance or for inner change?’ Then chant once slowly, once normally, feeling the shift from sound-as-show to sound-as-offering.
Three-tone accents; opening ‘mākiḥ’ should be crisp and emphatic; keep pāda breaks clear.
Slight pause after ‘pathā’; make ‘anyo’ distinct to mark the turn to the ‘other way’.
mākiḥ: long ā; final ḥ audible but light, gādya: keep long ā; dy cluster clean, cedayaḥ: palatal c, clear e vowels, bhūridāvattaraḥ: hold long ū and ā; articulate -tt- gemination
Clear, firm, admonitory at start; warmer and expansive on bhūridāvattaraḥ.
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