Rig Veda 1.90.2: Mandala 1, Sukta 90, Mantra 2
Sukta 1.90
- Devata
- Ādityas / righteous divine guardians
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace)
ते हि वस्वो वसवानास्ते अप्रमूरा महोभिः । व्रता रक्षन्ते विश्वाहा ॥
té hí vásvo vásavānās té ápramūrā máhobhiḥ | vratā́ rakṣante viśvā́hā ||
ເພາະພຣະອົງທັງສອງເປັນຜູ້ຄອບຄອງຄວາມຮັ່ງມີແຫ່ງການມີຢູ່ຢ່າງແທ້ຈິງ; ຜູ້ບໍ່ຖືກຫຼອກລວງ, ໂດຍພະລັງອັນຍິ່ງໃຫຍ່ຂອງພຣະອົງ, ພຣະອົງປົກປ້ອງກົດລະບຽບແຫ່ງການປະຕິບັດທີ່ຖືກຕ້ອງທຸກມື້.
Word by Word
- ते
- they (those)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- हि
- indeed, forIndeclinableअव्ययम्Root हि (निपात)
- वस्वः
- of the VasusNounपुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root वसु (प्रातिपदिक)
- वसवानाः
- wealthy, possessing richesAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृ (विशेषणम् ‘ते’)Root वसवान (प्रातिपदिक; वसु + -वान्, ‘possessing riches’)
- ते
- theyPronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अप्रमूराः
- unerring, not deludingAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृ (विशेषणम् ‘ते’)Root अ-प्रमूर (प्रातिपदिक; नञ् + प्रमूर ‘deceiving/erring’)
- महःभिः
- with great powers/mightNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, तृतीया, बहुवचनम्Role करणRoot महस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- व्रता
- vows, ordinancesNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्Role कर्मRoot व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
- रक्षन्ते
- they protect/guardVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Root रक्ष् (धातु)
- विश्वाहा
- all days, alwaysIndeclinableअव्ययम्Role अधिकरण (काल)Root विश्वाहा (अव्ययीभाव; विश्व + अहा)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: ते | हि | वस्वः | वसवानाः | ते | अप्रमूराः | महोभिः | व्रता | रक्षन्ते | विश्वाहा । 1) महोभिः = महः + भिः (विसर्गस्य ‘ओ’ आदेशः भकारादौ; RV संधि-रूप)
- 2) विश्वाहा = विश्व + अहा (अव्ययीभाव-समासः; ‘all days’)
The meaning
Outer meaning
They are true holders of riches; undeluded, by their great powers they guard the vows/laws of right working every day.
Inner meaning
The Ādityas are ‘vasu’ not merely as givers of wealth but as possessors of the true riches of being—stable powers of consciousness. ‘Apramūra’ indicates absence of inner bewilderment: they represent unconfused discernment. By their ‘mahas’ (greatness/light) they protect ‘vratā’—the inner laws of right functioning (right thought, right will, right relation) continuously (viśvāhā). This is the psychology of sustained sādhanā: the higher powers keep the seeker faithful to the soul’s intention against dispersion and forgetfulness.
Universal truth
Enduring progress comes from fidelity to inner law: clarity that is not deluded and power that guards right practice day by day.
Themes
guardianship, divine-law, clarity-vs-delusion, spiritual-wealth
The seer
Significance
A collective voice emphasizing daily guardianship: the seer-function here is the steady remembrance (smṛti) of ṛta in action.
The deity
- Devata
- Ādityas (especially Varuṇa–Mitra–Aryaman in context)
- Epithets
- vasavānāḥ (rich in being), apramūrāḥ (undeluded), mahobhiḥ (of great powers)
- Related deities
- Aditi, Savitar, Bhaga, Agni (as executor of the inner sacrifice)
Cosmic role
Sustainers of cosmic and moral order; guardians of vows and lawful movements in worlds.
Inner power
Stabilize the practitioner in unwavering right practice; protect against confusion, relapse, and crooked action.
In ritual
Where it is used
Protective and order-establishing recitation within Āditya sequences
ते हि वस्वो॒ वस॑वाना॒स्ते अप्र॑मूरा॒ महो॑भिः । व्र॒ता र॑क्षन्ते वि॒श्वाहा॑ ॥
ते । हि । वस्वः॑ । वस॑वानाः । ते । अप्र॑ऽमूराः । महः॑ऽभिः । व्र॒ता । र॒क्ष॒न्ते॒ । वि॒श्वाहा॑ ॥
te | hi | vasvaḥ | vasavānāḥ | te | apra-mūrāḥ | mahaḥ-bhiḥ | vratā | rakṣante | viśvāhā
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4 pādas of ~11 syllables (approximate)
Grave and steady; emphasizes constancy (‘day by day’).
Builds resolve and ethical stamina; a feeling of being held to a higher standard without strain.
- vasvaḥ / vasavānāḥ
- Literal: rich ones; possessors of wealth. Symbolic: powers holding essential being and its true plenitude (light, force, joy)
- apramūrāḥ
- Literal: not bewildered, not deluded. Symbolic: unconfused consciousness; discernment free from ego-mist and desire
- mahobhiḥ
- Literal: by great powers. Symbolic: by the largeness/light (mahas) of higher mind/truth-force
- vratā
- Literal: vows, ordinances, laws. Symbolic: inner disciplines and laws of right working (ṛta in action)
- viśvāhā
- Literal: all days; day by day. Symbolic: continuity—integral practice across all states, not only in ritual moments
Supportive praise in hymns to Ādityas; reinforces the protective function of vratá in rite and life (non-specific Shrauta anchoring).
Whenever vows/observances are undertaken; also in daily rites emphasizing truth and lawful action
Recitation to ‘guard the vratā’ before/after offerings
Use as a ‘daily discipline’ mantra—before work, study, or any long-term practice to invoke clarity and consistency.
vasu ‘good, wealth’ (PIE *wesu- ‘good’) shifts from material to ontological plenitude in RV inner reading: ‘riches of being’. vratá from √vṛ ‘to choose/will’ or ‘to encompass’ in Vedic development → a chosen/established law of action; √rakṣ ‘protect’ expresses the gods as maintainers of cosmic and psychological order.
Vrata (divine law of action), Non-delusion/clarity (apramūra), Maḥas (greatness; vast power)
Vrata are the operational forms of ṛta in action; the Ādityas guard them.
Undeluded seeing (apramūra) is satya in cognition.
Maintenance of order through continuous lawful action.
Integral Yoga-compatible: divine powers as stabilizers of practice and ethical truth.
day (repeated daily cycle)
Daily return of light symbolizes recurring remembrance and renewal of right practice.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The guardians-of-Ṛta mythologem: the luminous powers as vigilant protectors of vratā (cosmic/psychological ordinances), ensuring continuity (‘all days’) against forces of confusion.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- vasu aligns with PIE *wesu- ‘good’, showing a deep Indo-European valuation of ‘goodness/wealth’ as a sacred category. The opposition apramūra (undeluded) vs. delusion echoes an Indo-European poetic binary of clear sight vs. obscuration.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi acknowledges the gods as possessors of true riches and asks implicitly to be included in their protected order. Praise becomes alignment: by affirming their unbewildered guarding, the seeker invites those same stabilizing powers into his own conduct.
Contemplation on ‘vrata’ as inner alignment: choose one right-working principle (truth in speech, non-reactivity, steady aspiration).
maṇipūra (will-discipline)
box breathing (4-4-4-4) for steadiness; then natural breath during japa
Stable, vigilant calm; ‘ethical clarity’ without rigidity.
Chant 3 times, then write one line: ‘Today my vrata is…’. During the day, recall ‘viśvāhā’—the practice must continue through all moods.
Vedic accents as per śākhā; emphasize the natural stress on ‘vratā’ and ‘viśvāhā’ with clear udātta rises where marked.
Keep ‘te hi’ light; give weight to ‘apramūrā’ and ‘mahobhiḥ’; slight pause before ‘viśvāhā’.
v in vasavānāḥ: soft labio-dental, not ‘b’, ḍh-like aspiration absent—keep ‘mahobhiḥ’ aspirated on ‘bh’, ś in viśvāhā: palatal ‘ś’, not retroflex ‘ṣ’
even, grounded, slightly lower register
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