Rig Veda 5.45.3: Mandala 5, Sukta 45, Mantra 3
Sukta 5.45
- Rishi
- Atri Bhauma
- Devata
- Sūrya/Uṣas complex
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
अस्मा उक्थाय पर्वतस्य गर्भो महीनां जनुषे पूर्व्याय । वि पर्वतो जिहीत साधत द्यौराविवासन्तो दसयन्त भूम ॥
asmā́ ukthā́ya párvatasya gárbho mahī́nāṃ jánuṣe pū́rvyāya | ví párvato jihī́ta sā́dhata dyáur ā́vivāsanto dasayanta bhū́ma ||
Bagi kidung peneguhan ini, rahim gunung yang tersembunyi—purba dalam kelahiran di antara para agung—terbuka. Gunung menganga lebar; Langit ditegakkan bagi penyempurnaan yang benar; dengan pemujaan, mereka membuat landasan yang luas itu menyerah.
Word by Word
- अस्मै
- to him / for himPronounपुं/स्त्री/नपुं (सर्वनाम), चतुर्थी एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- उक्थाय
- for the hymn of praiseNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot उक्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
- पर्वतस्य
- of the mountainNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot पर्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
- गर्भः
- the embryo / womb-sonNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot गर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
- महीनाम्
- of the great (waters/earths)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी बहुवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot मही (प्रातिपदिक)
- जनुषे
- for birth / for begettingNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot जनु (प्रातिपदिक)
- पूर्व्याय
- for the primeval (birth)Adjectiveपुं/नपुं, चतुर्थी एकवचन (जनुषे इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role सम्प्रदानRoot पूर्व्य (विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक)
- वि
- apart, asunder, forthIndeclinableउपसर्गःRoot वि (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- पर्वतः
- the mountainNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot पर्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
- जिहीत
- let (it) open / split / yawnVerbलुङ्-आज्ञार्थ/इञ्जङ्क्टिव (वैदिक), परस्मैपद, 3 एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot √हा (जहाति) / Vedic injunctive base जिही-
- साधत
- accomplishes / makes succeedVerbलट्, परस्मैपद, 3 एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot √साध्
- द्यौः
- HeavenNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग (वैदिक), प्रथमा एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot द्यौ (प्रातिपदिक)
- आविवासन्तः
- honoring, servingParticipleवर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ), परस्मैपद-परक, पुंलिङ्ग प्रथमा बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot आ + √वास् (विवासयति/विवासति ‘to serve, to honor’)
- दसयन्त
- they display power / they make (it) wondrousVerbलट्, परस्मैपद, 3 बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot √दस (वैदिक) / denominative-like ‘to make wondrous/skillful, to show power’
- भूम
- EarthNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (वैदिक संक्षिप्त रूप)Role कर्तृRoot भूमन्/भूमि (प्रातिपदिक; वैदिक रूप ‘भूम’)
Sandhi Notes
- Resolved padas follow the RV pada-style segmentation: अस्मा उक्थाय पर्वतस्य गर्भः महीनाम् जनुषे पूर्व्याय । वि पर्वतः जिहीत साधत द्यौः आविवासन्तः दसयन्त भूम । Notable: गर्भो → गर्भः (visarga before consonant in pada)
- द्यौरा → द्यौः आ (visarga + initial vowel sandhi)
- आविवासन्तो → आविवासन्तः (pada visarga)
The meaning
Outer meaning
For this hymn, the hidden womb of the mountain—ancient among the great—opens. The mountain gapes; Heaven is set to its accomplishment; adoring, they make the vast foundation yield.
Inner meaning
The ‘mountain’ is the obstructing mass of the subconscient/ignorance that holds the light in its ‘womb’ (garbha). The mantra declares that for the true utterance (uktha) this hidden womb opens: the sealed consciousness breaks, releasing concealed riches of perception. As the obstruction parts, the higher consciousness (dyauḥ) is established in its right working, and the ‘earth-foundation’ (bhūma) yields—meaning the physical-vital basis becomes responsive to the higher light through aspiration and adoration.
Universal truth
When the right word of truth is born, the deepest resistance opens; higher consciousness takes its rightful place, and even the densest foundation becomes pliable to transformation.
Themes
opening of concealment, cosmic foundation yielding, power of uktha (true word)
The seer
- Rishi
- Atri Bhauma
- Lineage
- Ātreya
- Other hymns
- RV 5.45, RV 5.40, RV 5.44
Family tradition
Ātreya hymns often narrate the Angirasa-style opening of hidden light; the ‘mountain-womb’ is a classic Aurobindonian symbol for the subconscient cave.
Significance
Atri’s seeing here is the yoga of breakthrough: the mantra (uktha) is not description but a force that compels the opening of the inner mountain.
The deity
- Devata
- Sūrya–Uṣas illumination (opening power) with Dyau–Bhūmi pair
- Epithets
- pūrvyāya januṣe (ancient-born), mahīnām (among the great)
- Related deities
- Indra (breaker of the cover), Angirasa seers (openers of the cave), Sarasvatī (flow of inspiration)
Cosmic role
Unseals the hidden light in the mountain; establishes heaven’s right functioning; makes the earthly foundation yield to the vast.
Inner power
Breakthrough illumination—an opening of blocked layers and a descent/establishment of higher consciousness into the base.
In ritual
Where it is used
Hymn of affirmation (uktha) in Soma context; also suitable in dawn/sun sequences (general).
अ॒स्मा उ॒क्थाय॒ पर्व॑तस्य॒ गर्भो॑ म॒हीनां॑ ज॒नुषे॑ पू॒र्व्याय॑ । वि पर्व॑तो॒ जिही॑त॒ साध॑त॒ द्यौरा॒विवा॑सन्तो दसयन्त॒ भूम॑ ॥
अ॒स्मै । उ॒क्थाय॑ । पर्व॑तस्य । गर्भः॑ । म॒हीना॑म् । ज॒नुषे॑ । पू॒र्व्याय॑ । वि । पर्व॑तः । जिही॑त । साध॑त । द्यौः । आ॒ऽविवा॑सन्तः । द॒स॒य॒न्त॒ । भूम॑ ॥
asmai | ukthāya | parvatasya | garbhaḥ | mahīnām | januṣe | pūrvyāya | vi | pavartaḥ | jihīta | sādhata | dyauḥ | āvivāsantaḥ | dasayanta | bhūma
44
4 × ~11 syllables (with Vedic flexibility)
Tensive then releasing; strong caesura-like turns that mimic ‘opening’ and ‘yielding’.
Creates a felt ‘crack’ in inner inertia; energizes aspiration and invokes a responsive wideness.
- उक्थ (uktha)
- Literal: hymn/solemn utterance. Symbolic: affirmation of truth; effective mantra-force that opens inner gates
- पर्वत (parvata)
- Literal: mountain. Symbolic: mass of resistance; subconscient inertia that conceals light
- गर्भ (garbha)
- Literal: womb. Symbolic: hidden store of light/knowledge awaiting release
- महीनां (mahīnām)
- Literal: of the great ones. Symbolic: powers of the wide consciousness; greater principles in us
- वि…जिहीत (vi…jihīta)
- Literal: opens/gapes wide. Symbolic: breaking of seals; sudden opening of blocked awareness
- द्यौः (dyauḥ)
- Literal: heaven. Symbolic: higher mind; luminous plane established for right action
- भूम (bhūma)
- Literal: earth/foundation; the vast. Symbolic: the embodied base and its wideness; the field that must yield to spirit
- आविवासन्तः (āvivāsantaḥ)
- Literal: adoring. Symbolic: aspiration, reverent turning toward the Light that effects opening
Invocation for opening of hidden powers at dawn: supports the symbolic ‘opening’ needed for sacrifice and for inner realization.
At moments emphasizing opening/revelation—morning pressing/recitation or reflective stotra segments.
Mantric ‘opening’ of the hidden; establishment of heaven/earth harmony.
Use when stuck in dullness or blockage: chant to invite a breakthrough in practice or insight.
parvata ‘mountain’ as archetype of obstruction and hidden womb (garbha) of light/wealth. garbha from √gṛbh/√grab ‘seize, contain’ → what is held within. √sādh ‘accomplish’ indicates rita-effective action. ā-vivās from √vas in worship-sense (to serve/attend). The verse continues the rock-opening myth: uktha (true word) compels the concealed womb to open, establishing dyau (luminous mind) and making the bhūma (vast foundation) yield to the divine work.
hidden womb of consciousness (garbha), primeval birth (pūrvyā janus), accomplishment (sādhana) in rita
The opening enables ṛta to act: heaven’s right accomplishment is ‘set’ once obstruction parts.
Truth-word (uktha) compels disclosure of what is hidden.
Cave/womb opening motif: concealed light emerges; worlds are set in right relation (dyau–bhūma).
Yoga of revelation and transformation (Aurobindo’s ‘cave of the subconscient’ symbolism).
dawn/sunrise (implied by opening illumination)
Breaking of subconscient seal; higher mind established; embodied nature becomes receptive.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘womb of the mountain opens’ mythologem—variant of the Vala/rock motif. Inner sense: the concealed store of light within the subconscient opens to the true word (uktha), allowing heaven-mind to accomplish and the wide foundation of being to become serviceable.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- uktha relates to √vac-derived speech traditions (Indo-European sacral speech). dyau (sky) reflects PIE *dyew- ‘bright sky/day’ (cf. Zeus, Jupiter). This anchors the cosmology (dyau) in a shared Indo-European lexicon of brightness and divinity.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi offers uktha as the key that unlocks the concealed womb; the devatā responds by opening and establishing right accomplishment. The exchange is functional: speech aligned with truth elicits cosmic cooperation in the inner and outer worlds.
Contemplate the ‘mountain-womb’ as the blocked layer; let the mantra act like a wedge of light opening it.
Maṇipūra (breakthrough force) rising to Ājñā (revelation)
Brisk-energetic ujjāyī for 12 breaths, then chant with a firm exhale; pause briefly after ‘vi parvato jihīta’.
From tamasic compression to dynamic opening and luminous stability.
Identify one inner knot; chant imagining a cleft of light widening; then sit silently as ‘dyauḥ’ establishes above and ‘bhūma’ relaxes below.
Triṣṭubh with Vedic accents; keep a stronger lift on accented syllables around parvatasya, garbho, jihīta, dyauḥ.
Let the voice ‘open’ on vi parvato jihīta; end with a grounded cadence on bhūma.
'jihīta' with clear long ī; avoid 'ji-hita'., Maintain aspirates: 'mahīnām' (h not aspirated) vs 'sādhata' (dh)., 'dyauḥ'—do not add a trailing vowel after ḥ.
Firm, penetrating, then widening and calmer in the final pāda.
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