Rig Veda 1.151.6: Mandala 1, Sukta 151, Mantra 6
Sukta 1.151
- Rishi
- Māmateya
- Devata
- Mitra-Varuṇa
- Chandas
- Jagatī
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
आ वामृताय केशिनीरनूषत मित्र यत्र वरुण गातुमर्चथः । अव त्मना सृजतं पिन्वतं धियो युवं विप्रस्य मन्मनामिरज्यथः ॥
ā́ vām ṛtā́ya keśinī́r anūṣata mitra yátra váruṇa gātúm árcathaḥ | áva tmanā́ sṛjátaṃ pínvataṃ dhíyo yuváṃ víprasya mánmanām irajyathaḥ ||
ഋതം (സത്യധർമ്മം) നിമിത്തം നിങ്ങളുടെ അടുക്കലേക്ക് കേശിനീ—പ്രകാശമുള്ള കേശങ്ങളുള്ള പ്രചോദനശക്തികൾ—ഗാനം ചൊല്ലി, ഹേ മിത്ര; അവിടെ, ഹേ വരുണ, നിങ്ങൾ പഥത്തെ സ്തുതിയോടെ അംഗീകരിക്കുന്നു. നിങ്ങളുടെ സ്വസ്വരൂപത്താൽ ഞങ്ങളുടെ ധിയഃ (ചിന്ത/ബുദ്ധി)യെ വിടുവിക്കുകയും പോഷിപ്പിക്കുകയും ചെയ്യുക; നിങ്ങൾ ഇരുവരും വിപ്ര (ഋഷി)യുടെ മനസ്സിലെ ആന്തരിക രൂപീകരണങ്ങളായ മൻമയിൽ ആനന്ദിക്കുന്നു.
Word by Word
- आ
- hither, towardsIndeclinableउपसर्ग/निपातRoot आ (उपसर्ग) अथवा आ (अव्यय)
- वाम्
- you two (to/for you two; of you two)Pronounद्वितीया/षष्ठी द्विवचन (एन्क्लिटिक रूप)Role कर्म (आह्वान/प्राप्ति-लक्ष्य) / सम्बन्धRoot युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
- ऋताय
- for ṛta (cosmic order/truth)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot ऋत (प्रातिपदिक)
- केशिनीः
- the long-haired (fem.) onesAdjective (used substantively)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचनRole कर्ताRoot केशिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- अनूषत
- praised, uttered (hymns)Verbलुङ् (अorist), परस्मैपद, 3 पुरुष बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot वच् (धातु) → अनूष् (वैदिक परोक्ष/आर्ष रूप ‘स्तु/वच्’ अर्थे)
- मित्र
- O MitraNoun (vocative)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot मित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- यत्र
- whereIndeclinableस्थानवाचक अव्ययRole अधिकरणRoot यत्र (अव्यय)
- वरुण
- O VaruṇaNoun (vocative)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot वरुण (प्रातिपदिक)
- गातुम्
- path, passage, wayNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्मRoot गा- (धातु ‘गम्/गा’ गतौ) → गातु (प्रातिपदिक)
- अर्चथः
- you two praiseVerbलट्, परस्मैपद, 2 पुरुष द्विवचनRole क्रियाRoot अर्च् (धातु)
- अव
- down; forth; away (intensifier with verbs)Indeclinableउपसर्ग/निपातRoot अव (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- त्मना
- by (your) self, with your own powerNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचनRole करणRoot त्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- सृजतम्
- release, let flowVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपद, 2 पुरुष द्विवचनRole क्रियाRoot सृज् (धातु)
- पिन्वतम्
- make swell, strengthenVerbलोट्, परस्मैपद, 2 पुरुष द्विवचनRole क्रियाRoot पिव्/पिन्व् (धातु ‘पिन्वति’ प्रीणने/वर्धने)
- धियः
- thoughts, insights, prayersNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot धी (प्रातिपदिक)
- युवम्
- you twoPronounप्रथमा द्विवचनRole कर्ताRoot युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
- विप्रस्य
- of the inspired poet/seerNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- मन्मनाम्
- intentions, hymns/mental formulationsNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot मन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- इरज्यथः
- you two set in motion / take delight in / impelVerbलट्, आत्मनेपद, 2 पुरुष द्विवचनRole क्रियाRoot इरज्य् (धातु; वैदिक ‘प्रेरणे/उत्साहे/आनन्दे’)
Sandhi Notes
- संहिता-पाठ से पद-विभाग: आ | वाम् | ऋताय | केशिनीः | अनूषत | मित्र | यत्र | वरुण | गातुम् | अर्चथः || अव | त्मना | सृजतम् | पिन्वतम् | धियः | युवम् | विप्रस्य | मन्मनाम् | इरज्यथः । प्रमुख संधि/रूप-टिप्पणी: (1) ‘आ वाम्’ में ‘आ’ निपात + ‘वाम्’ (युष्मद्-द्विवचन एन्क्लिटिक) । (2) ‘केशिनीः’ प्रथमा बहुवचन स्त्री, ‘अनूषत’ के कर्ता। (3) ‘मित्र … वरुण’ सम्बोधन-द्वय
- ‘अर्चथः’ द्विवचन क्रिया। (4) ‘अव त्मना’ = अव + त्मना (तृतीया) ‘स्वशक्त्या’ अर्थे। (5) ‘सृजतं पिन्वतं’ संहिता में ‘-तम्’ द्विवचन आज्ञार्थ (लोट्) परस्मैपद। (6) ‘मन्मनाम्’ = मन्मन् (नपुंसक) द्वितीया बहुवचन
- ‘विप्रस्य’ षष्ठी सम्बन्ध।
The meaning
Outer meaning
The inspired powers with bright manes sing to Mitra and Varuṇa for ṛta (the true law). Where they praise the path, the gods are asked to release and strengthen the thinker’s thoughts and to delight in the seer’s inner mental formations.
Inner meaning
The “bright-maned” inspirers are uplifted movements of intuition/illumination in the seeker. Mitra (harmony, glad clarity) and Varuṇa (vastness, truth-guarding purity) are invoked to reveal the gātu (the inner passage/way) of ṛta—right ordering of consciousness. The prayer asks them to ‘let loose’ (sṛjatam) obstructed thought-movements and then ‘increase’ (pinvatam) the dhīḥ—visionary intelligence—so the vipra’s manmanāḥ (formed intentions/mental creations) become pleasing to the gods and aligned with truth.
Universal truth
When consciousness aligns with truth and harmony, higher inspiration naturally descends; the mind is freed from inner constraint and becomes a luminous instrument rather than a self-driven fabricator.
Themes
Rita-guidance, Invocation of Mitra-Varuṇa, Illumination of the path, Strengthening of inspired thought
The seer
- Rishi
- Māmateya
- Other hymns
- RV 1.151, RV 1.152
Family tradition
Māmateya seer-line (a family stream of inspired poets) associated with hymns emphasizing ṛta, right speech, and the ethical-spiritual governance of Mitra–Varuṇa.
Significance
The Māmateya voice typically seeks inner rectitude: speech and thought made ‘true’ by contact with the guardians of ṛta, so inspiration becomes a disciplined illumination rather than mere poetic excitement.
The deity
- Devata
- Mitra-Varuṇa
- Epithets
- ṛtāvānā (upholders of ṛta), narā (strong lords/two heroes)
- Related deities
- Aryaman, Bhaga, Aditi, Indra, Agni
Cosmic role
Guardians of ṛta and satya: Mitra stabilizes harmony, contracts, and luminous accord; Varuṇa enforces vast law, purity, and the binding of falsehood.
Inner power
A twin action in sādhanā: Mitra brings clarity, goodwill, and right relation; Varuṇa brings wideness, truth-compulsion, and release from inner crookedness—together they open the true path and regulate the mind’s formations.
In ritual
Where it is used
General āhavana invocation in Soma-related praise; suitable for Mitra-Varuṇa stotras seeking ṛta-guidance and purification (not uniquely tied to one named śrauta act in the provided data).
आ वा॑मृ॒ताय॑ के॒शिनी॑रनूषत॒ मित्र॒ यत्र॒ वरु॑ण गा॒तुमर्च॑थः । अव॒ त्मना॑ सृ॒जतं॒ पिन्व॑तं॒ धियो॑ यु॒वं विप्र॑स्य॒ मन्म॑नामिरज्यथः ॥
आ । वा॒म् । ऋ॒ताय॑ । के॒शिनीः॑ । अ॒नू॒ष॒त॒ । मित्र॑ । यत्र॑ । वरु॑ण । गा॒तुम् । अर्च॑थः । अव॑ । त्मना॑ । सृ॒जत॑म् । पिन्व॑तम् । धियः॑ । यु॒वम् । विप्र॑स्य । मन्म॑नाम् । इ॒र॒ज्य॒थः॒ ॥
ā | vām | ṛtāya | keśinīḥ | anūṣata | mitra | yatra | varuṇa | gātum | arcathaḥ | ava | tmanā | sṛjatam | pinvatam | dhiyaḥ | yuvam | viprasya | manmanām | irajyathaḥ
48
4 pādas × 12 syllables (Jagatī cadence)
Long, flowing, processional; suited to describing a ‘path’ (gātu) and sustained inner regulation.
Encourages steadiness and wideness of breath; supports a meditative ‘opening’ feel rather than sharp intensity.
- ṛtāya
- Literal: for ṛta, the cosmic order/right law. Symbolic: alignment of thought, speech, and will with truth-consciousness
- keśinīḥ
- Literal: long-/bright-maned (feminine powers). Symbolic: radiant inspirers—intuitive movements crowned with light
- gātum
- Literal: path, passage, way. Symbolic: inner route of progress; the opening through resistance into truth
- dhiyah
- Literal: thoughts, insights. Symbolic: visionary intelligence (dhī), illumined discernment
- manmanām
- Literal: mental formations, intentions, devised thoughts. Symbolic: inner word-forms/intentions that shape the sacrifice of consciousness
- tmanā
- Literal: by (your) self-being. Symbolic: by the deity’s own inherent truth-power acting within
General āhavana invocation in Soma-related praise; suitable for Mitra-Varuṇa stotras seeking ṛta-guidance and purification (not uniquely tied to one named śrauta act in the provided data).
General Mitra–Varuṇa invocations in soma/agnistoma contexts; also as a truth-and-order hymn within recitation sequences.
Invocatory praise and request for inner rightness; supports correct performance (ṛta) of chant and offering.
Use before meditation or ethical resolve: ‘open the path of truth; release and strengthen my seeing-thought’.
ṛtá from √ar/ṛ (to fit, to move in proper order) → ‘right order, truth in action’; gātú from √gā (to go) → ‘path/passage’, psychologically the opened way in consciousness; dhī from √dhī (to think, perceive, meditate) → ‘inspired intelligence’; sṛj- from √sṛj (to let go, send forth, create) → ‘release/emit’; pinv- from √piv/pin (to swell, make abound) → ‘quicken, intensify’; viprá from vi-√pr (to stir, vibrate, be inspired) → ‘the inspired, trembling-with-vision seer’; manmanā́ from man- (mind) with iterative nuance → ‘mind-formations, crafted intentions’; keśinī́ ‘hair-maned’ (keśa ‘hair, ray’) often imagery for radiant streams (rays/inspirations) rather than literal hair.
Ṛta (cosmic order / truth-law), dhī (inspired intelligence), inner formation of mantra (manmanā)
Direct: the hymn explicitly seeks the gātu of ṛta and the regulation of dhī.
Truth as a lived alignment—thought and word must become ‘true’ in structure (manmanāḥ).
Cosmos sustained by right relation and truthful articulation; the path is opened by higher law, not by ego-effort alone.
Proto-Vedāntic/Integral (Aurobindonian) reading: deities as powers of consciousness governing psychological transformation.
Light = intuition; path = progressive opening in consciousness; sky-vastness = wideness and purity that compels truth.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘opening of the path’ (gātu) under Mitra-Varuṇa’s governance of ṛta: luminous powers (keśinīḥ) sing for ṛta, and the gods ‘acclaim the path’. Mythically this is the recurrent Vedic action where the Truth-powers clear a passage for the sacrificer/seer—an inner journey from constriction to ordered vastness—rather than an external travel scene.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- Key lexemes preserve old Indo-European poetic vocabulary: √gā ‘go’ (gātu) aligns with PIE *gʷeh₂- ‘to go/come’ (broadly ‘movement’ roots across IE); dhī (inspired thought) reflects archaic mental-perception lexicon (compare the Indo-Iranian prominence of ‘vision-thought’ terms); ṛta (order) is Indo-Iranian cognate with Avestan aša (truth/order), showing a shared inherited sacral-legal concept expressed via compact datives (ṛtāya) and dual verb forms (arcathaḥ, sṛjatam, pinvatam, irajyathaḥ) typical of early IE formulaic style.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- Reciprocity is explicit: the seer’s inspired utterance (anūṣata) and crafted mind-formations (manmanā) are offered; Mitra-Varuṇa respond by (1) affirming the ‘path’ of ṛta (gātum arcathaḥ) and (2) actively reshaping the human instrument—releasing and intensifying dhī (sṛjatam, pinvatam). The ‘delight’ verb (irajyathaḥ) signals divine consent: the gods take pleasure in, and therefore empower, the seer’s inner truth-formulations.
Open the ‘path of ṛta’—sit in wideness; invite harmony (Mitra) and truth-compulsion (Varuṇa) to reorganize thought.
ājñā (clarity of seeing) and viśuddha (truthful expression)
Nādi-śodhana (gentle alternate-nostril) for balance; then slow exhale while mentally repeating key phrase ‘ṛtāya… gātum’.
Widened, quiet, luminous discrimination (dhī) with ethical clarity.
Begin with a resolve of truthfulness; watch thoughts arise, then ‘release’ rigidity (sṛj-) and ‘increase’ the luminous thread (pinv-) by returning to a single truthful intention.
Mixed udatta/anudatta/svarita per Ṛgvedic accent; preserve udātta on key invocatory particles (ā, yúvam) and deity names (mítra, váruṇa) as marked in padapāṭha tradition.
Keep the opening ‘ā vā́m’ clearly lifted; do not flatten ‘mítra’/‘váruṇa’; maintain a gentle fall on enclitics and a clean rise-fall on svarita syllables.
ṛ in ṛtāya: brief vocalic ‘ri’ (not ‘ru’), keśinīḥ: ‘ke-shi-neeḥ’ with long ī, final visarga lightly aspirated, gātum: long ā; dental t, dhiyo: ‘dhi-yo’ (dh as aspirated dental), manmanām: double ‘man’—keep both nasals clear
Clear, steady, slightly expansive; avoid force—aim for ‘law-like’ calm authority.
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