Rig Veda 1.152.2: Mandala 1, Sukta 152, Mantra 2
Sukta 1.152
- Rishi
- Māmateya
- Devata
- Mitra–Varuṇa
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
एतच्चन त्वो वि चिकेतदेषां सत्यो मन्त्रः कविशस्त ऋघावान् । त्रिरश्रिं हन्ति चतुरश्रिरुग्रो देवनिदो ह प्रथमा अजूर्यन् ॥
etác caná tvó ví ciketad eṣā́ṃ satyó mántraḥ kaviśastá ṛ́ghāvān | trír-aśriṃ hánti catúr-aśrir ugró devánido há prathamā́ ajūryan ||
ಇದೇ—ನೀನು ಇದನ್ನು ಸ್ಪಷ್ಟವಾಗಿ ಅರಿತುಕೋ: ಇವರ ಮಧ್ಯೆ ಸತ್ಯಮಂತ್ರ, ಕವಿಯಿಂದ ಸ್ತುತಿಸಲ್ಪಟ್ಟು ಋಘಾವಾನ್ (ಸರಳಗತಿಯ ಶಕ್ತಿ)ದಿಂದ ಪ್ರೇರಿತವಾಗಿ, ಉಗ್ರ ಚತುರಶ್ರಿಯಾಗಿ ತ್ರಿರಶ್ರಿಯನ್ನು ಸಂಹರಿಸುತ್ತದೆ; ಮತ್ತು ದೇವನಿದಃ (ದೇವನಿಂದಕರು) ಮೊದಲಿಗರೇ ಚೂರುಚೂರಾಗಿ, ಅಜೂರ್ಯ (ಅನಶ್ವರ)ವಾಗಿ ಉಳಿಯರು.
Word by Word
- एतत्
- this (thing)Pronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चय-अव्ययRoot च
- न
- notIndeclinableनिषेध-अव्ययRoot न
- त्वः
- of you / yourPronounषष्ठी, एकवचन (एन्क्लिटिक रूप)Root त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वि
- apart, distinctlyPreverbउपसर्गRoot वि
- चिकेतत्
- let (him) perceive/understandVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपद, 3 पुरुष, एकवचनRoot √चित् (चेतति/चिकेत) ‘to perceive, notice, understand’
- एषाम्
- of these (persons/things)Pronounषष्ठी, बहुवचनRoot एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सत्यः
- trueAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (विशेषण-रूपेण)Root सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- मन्त्रः
- hymn / sacred formulationNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- कविशत्
- like a seer; seer-wiseIndeclinable (adverbial)अव्ययीभाव/क्रियाविशेषणRoot कवि (प्रातिपदिक) + शस्/शत् (क्रियाविशेषणीय-प्रत्यय; ‘in the manner of’)
- ऋघावान्
- vigorous/strong (in chant)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (विशेषण-रूपेण)Root ऋघावन् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘having ṛghā/ṛk-strength, vigorous in hymn/chant’)
- त्रिः
- thriceIndeclinableसंख्याव्ययRoot त्रिस्
- अश्रिम्
- the three-edged (one) / tri-cornered (foe)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot अश्रि (प्रातिपदिक; ‘edge/corner; sharp point’)
- हन्ति
- he strikes / slaysVerbलट्, परस्मैपद, 3 पुरुष, एकवचनRoot √हन् ‘to strike, slay’
- चतुरश्रिः
- the four-edged (one)Noun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot चतुर् + अश्रि (प्रातिपदिक समास; ‘four-edged’)
- उग्रः
- fierceAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (विशेषण-रूपेण)Root उग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- देवनिदः
- god-revilersNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot देव + निद् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘reviler/denier of the gods’)
- ह
- indeedIndeclinableनिपात (उद्घोष/निश्चयार्थ)Root ह
- प्रथमाः
- the first / foremostAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole Kartā (विशेषण-रूपेण)Root प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक)
- अजूर्यन्
- they did not age / did not weakenVerbलङ् (अनद्यतन-भूत), परस्मैपद, 3 पुरुष, बहुवचनRoot √जुर्/√जॄ ‘to grow old, wear out’ (नकारार्थे अ- उपसर्ग/निषेध)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (padapāṭha-style): एतच्चन → एतत् + च + न. त्वो → त्वः (enclitic gen.sg. of त्वद्). चि॑केतदेषां → चिकेतत् + एषाम् (final -t before vowel; Vedic sandhi). मन्त्र॑: → मन्त्रः. कविश॒स्त → कविशत् (adverbial formation ‘like a kavi’). त्रि॒रश्रिं॑ → त्रिः + अश्रिम् (visarga before vowel). चतु॑रश्रिरु॒ग्रो → चतुरश्रिः + उग्रः (visarga before vowel). दे॑व॒निदो॒ ह → देवनिदः + ह. प्र॑थ॒मा अ॑जूर्यन् → प्रथमाः + अजूर्यन् (visarga before vowel). Accents are retained as in saṃhitā
- pada forms given without explicit accent marking
The meaning
Outer meaning
May you discern this clearly: the true mantra, praised by the seer and driven by straight force, becomes a fierce four-edged power that strikes down the three-edged; the first god-deniers are shattered and do not endure.
Inner meaning
The hymn speaks of mantra as an objective force of consciousness. The ‘true mantra’ (satyo mantraḥ), when rightly seen and affirmed, becomes a four-edged energy—integral in its action (e.g., clarity, force, harmony, wideness) that overcomes the ‘three-edged’ distortion—divided movements of the lower nature (often experienced as fractured thinking-feeling-willing, or the triple modes that attack truth). The ‘god-deniers’ (devanidaḥ) are inner impulses that reject the higher light—cynicism, despair, egoic refusal; they are ‘first’ because they arise early as foundational resistances. Under Mitra–Varuṇa (harmony and vast law), the mantra becomes a weapon of ṛta that shatters these denials.
Universal truth
Truth spoken from vision is not mere speech: it is a formative power that, when integral and rightly directed, breaks the divided falsehoods and the refusal of the higher principle.
Themes
Truth vs. denial, Inner battle (knowledge vs. ignorance), Mantric power, Integral order (quaternity)
The seer
- Rishi
- Māmateya (traditional; attribution may vary by Anukramaṇī recension)
- Lineage
- Māmata lineage (Āṅgirasa-related tradition often associated with this family)
- Other hymns
- RV 1.152 (Mitra–Varuṇa: truth-law and paradox of the hidden mover)
Family tradition
Māmateyas are linked with hymns emphasizing ṛta, truth, and the power of the word (mantra) as a force.
Significance
The seer highlights mantra-shakti: the right word born of vision becomes a multi-edged power that defeats the divided resistance and restores fidelity to the Divine.
The deity
- Devata
- Mitra–Varuṇa
- Epithets
- Ṛtāvṛdhā (increasers of ṛta, thematic), Asura (lords of vast power, in older Vedic sense), Dhṛtavrata (firm in law, common epithet in the dyad corpus)
- Related deities
- Aryaman (noble law of mutuality), Bhaga (right enjoyment), Indra (executive force that implements truth)
Cosmic role
Guardians of ṛta and satya: Mitra as harmony/rightness in relation; Varuṇa as vastness, law, and all-encompassing order.
Inner power
Mitra: inner concord, sincerity, right relation of parts; Varuṇa: wideness, moral/spiritual law, the pressure of truth that corrects deviation.
In ritual
Where it is used
Mitra–Varuṇa hymns in śrauta offerings (pravargya/other contexts vary; generally invoked for ṛta, vows, and right order)
ए॒तच्च॒न त्वो॒ वि चि॑केतदेषां स॒त्यो मन्त्र॑: कविश॒स्त ऋघा॑वान् । त्रि॒रश्रिं॑ हन्ति॒ चतु॑रश्रिरु॒ग्रो दे॑व॒निदो॒ ह प्र॑थ॒मा अ॑जूर्यन् ॥
ए॒तत् । च॒न । त्वः॒ । वि । चि॒के॒त॒त् । ए॒षा॒म् । स॒त्यः । मन्त्रः॑ । क॒वि॒ऽश॒स्तः । ऋघा॑वान् । त्रिः॒ऽअश्रि॑म् । ह॒न्ति॒ । चतुः॑ऽअश्रिः । उ॒ग्रः । दे॒व॒ऽनिदः॑ । ह॒ । प्र॒थ॒माः । अ॒जू॒र्य॒न् ॥
etat | cana | tvaḥ | vi | ciketat | eṣām | satyaḥ | mantraḥ | kavi-śastaḥ | ṛghāvān | triḥ-aśrim | hanti | catuḥ-aśriḥ | ugraḥ | deva-nidaḥ | ha | prathamāḥ | ajūryan
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4 pādas of 11 syllables
Oracular and forceful; balances clarity (discern!) with striking power (hanti).
Builds mantric authority and confidence in truth-speech; evokes a sense of protective law and decisive rectification.
- सत्यः मन्त्रः (satyaḥ mantraḥ)
- Literal: true mantra. Symbolic: word of vision carrying effective truth-force
- कविशस्त (kaviśasta)
- Literal: praised by the seer. Symbolic: validated by inner seeing (kavi-dṛṣṭi), not convention
- ऋघावान् (ṛghāvān)
- Literal: straight-moving, impelled by right force. Symbolic: energy of directness that does not deviate into crooked desire
- चतुरश्रि (caturaśri)
- Literal: four-edged. Symbolic: integral power acting on multiple planes/faculties at once
- त्रिरश्रि (triraśri)
- Literal: three-edged. Symbolic: divided falsehood/fragmentation that attacks truth
- देवनिद् (devanid)
- Literal: god-denier. Symbolic: inner refusal of the Divine—nihilism, egoic negation, hostile doubt
General Mitra–Varuṇa praise/hotra usage; suitable in Soma contexts for invoking ṛta (exact śrauta viniyoga varies by school)
When affirming truth, making vows, seeking restoration of right order, or correcting deviation.
Recitation as praise and alignment with ṛta; mentally renew one’s vrata (inner vow of truth).
Use before truthful speech/decisions: recite to align intention with satya and to dissolve inner cynicism or denial.
Key terms: (1) ví-ciketat: desiderative/precative sense ‘discern clearly’; √cit ‘to notice, perceive’ (PIE *ḱei- ‘to notice, set in motion’ is sometimes proposed for semantic field of noticing/setting, but Vedic √cit is best treated within Indo-Aryan lexical network). (2) satyá: from sat ‘being’ (present participle of √as ‘to be’) + -ya, ‘that which belongs to being’; in RV often ‘truth’ as ontological reality. (3) mántra: from √man ‘to think, form in mind’ + -tra (instrument), ‘instrument of thought/formation’; here a power of right formulation. (4) √han ‘to strike’: Indo-European cognates include Avestan jan-, Latin (g)han? (limited), but secure IE root *gʷhen- ‘to strike, kill’ (cf. Greek φονός ‘slaughter’). (5) aśri- ‘edged/angled’: from aśra ‘corner, edge’; tri-/catuḥ- indicate structural symbolism: 3 = divided/triple lower formation; 4 = wholeness/order (quarters, directions, completeness). (6) deva-nid: nid- ‘revile, blame’ (√nid), hence ‘reviler/denier of the gods’—psychologically, impulses that negate the higher luminous powers.
Satya (truth as being), Ṛta (right order, law), Mantra as formative consciousness-force
Mitra–Varuṇa embody ṛta; the mantra becomes a weapon of ṛta that strikes divided falsehood.
Explicit: satyo mantraḥ—truth-word as effective force.
Mantra as formative power: speech that shapes reality by truth.
Mantra-ontology (Vedic): word as power; compatible with Aurobindo’s idea of ‘revealed word’ acting on consciousness.
Straight movement = sincerity and directness; four-edged power = integral consciousness; three-edged = divided nature; shattering = dissolution of hostile formations.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- A combat-motif rendered in symbolic geometry: the ‘four-edged’ (integral, stable power of ṛta) strikes down the ‘three-edged’ (a triple, divided formation of obstruction). The ‘deva-nid’ are not merely impious people but inner forces that deny the gods—i.e., reject illumination—thus they are the first to be worn away when the true mantra takes effect.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The core violent verb hánti (√han) aligns with PIE *gʷhen- ‘to strike/kill’ (cf. Greek phon- in φονός). satyá derives from sat (< √as ‘to be’), reflecting the IE copular root *h₁es- ‘to be’. The instrumental suffix -tra in mántra corresponds to productive Indo-European instrumentals (cf. Latin -trum in arātrum), showing inherited morphology used to conceptualize ‘word as tool’.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer positions the devatā as powers of discernment and right order: ‘may you clearly perceive this’. The reciprocity is that the rishi offers the ‘true mantra’ (satyó mántraḥ) as a vehicle for Mitra–Varuṇa’s action, while expecting their force to dismantle the deva-denying obstructions—an exchange of formulation (human-to-divine) for victorious ordering (divine-to-human).
Stabilize truth-speech within; cultivate integral mantra-force that dissolves divided impulses and denial.
Viśuddha (truth-word) supported by Ājñā (discernment) and Anāhata (sincerity/Mitra).
Slow_meditative: inhale 6 with ‘satyo mantraḥ’ felt as a column of clarity; exhale 6 with ‘hanti’ felt as release of divided falsehood; 12 rounds.
Mantric clarity leading to wide, lawful peace (Varuṇa) and harmonious sincerity (Mitra).
1) Sit in stillness; recall one area of inner denial. 2) Recite gently, letting ‘satyo mantraḥ’ become a felt truth, not a concept. 3) Visualize a fourfold light stabilizing mind, heart, life, body. 4) Let the divided impulse lose coherence and fall away.
Triṣṭubh with clear udatta peaks on satyó, mántraḥ, hán-ti; maintain svarita glide on compounded accents; exact svara per RV recensional notation.
Keep the didactic opening (‘etac cana… vi ciketat’) measured; intensify slightly on ‘ugro’ and ‘hanti’.
etac cana: crisp t + c; avoid merging into ‘echa’, vi ciketat: keep ‘ci’ clear; dental t at end, kaviśasta: ś + t cluster; do not drop ś, ṛghāvān: vocalic ṛ; gh voiced aspirate, triraśriṃ/caturaśriḥ: retroflex ṣ; keep nasal ṃ, devanido: keep d as dental; avoid ‘deva-nido’ breaking too hard—flow the compound
Oracular, steady, slightly elevated pitch; articulate retroflexes and aspirates cleanly.
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