Rig Veda 5.41.13: Mandala 5, Sukta 41, Mantra 13
Sukta 5.41
- Rishi
- Atri
- Devata
- The ‘great ones’ — collective divine powers previously invoked
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Bhayankara
विदा चिन्नु महान्तो ये व एवा ब्रवाम दस्मा वार्यं दधानाः । वयश्चन सुभ्व आव यन्ति क्षुभा मर्तमनुयतं वधस्नैः ॥
vidā́ cit nu mahā́nto yé va evā́ bravāma dasmā́ vā́ryaṃ dádhānāḥ | váyaś caná su-bhvá ā́va yanti kṣubhā́ mártam anuyatáṃ vadhasnáiḥ ||
നിശ്ചയമായും മഹാന്മാർ അറിയുന്നു—നാം പറയുന്ന നിങ്ങളുടെ അതേ അവർ—ദസ്മാഃ (അത്ഭുതകർമ്മികൾ), വാർയം (അമൂല്യ സമൃദ്ധി) ധരിക്കുന്നവർ. സുഭ്വാ (ശുഭ-ഭവനം)യുടെ പക്ഷികളും താഴേക്ക് ഇറങ്ങിവരും; എന്നാൽ തെറ്റായ വഴിയെ പിന്തുടരുന്ന മർത്ത്യനെ ക്ഷുഭാ (കുലുക്കുന്ന ശക്തികൾ) വധസ്നൈഃ (പ്രഹാരശക്തികളാൽ) പിന്തുടരും.
Word by Word
- विदा
- he knows / he has foundVerbलिट् (परिप्रास/परफेक्ट), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; ‘विदा’ = ‘वेद/विदा’ (Vedic perfect form)Role (मुख्य क्रिया)Root विद् (√विद् ‘जानना/पाना’)
- चित्
- indeed, evenIndeclinableनिपातRoot चित् (अव्यय) (< PIE *kʷid ‘indeed’)
- नु
- now, indeedIndeclinableनिपातRoot नु (अव्यय)
- महान्तः
- the great (ones)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (विदा इत्यस्य)Root महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- ये
- whoPronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (महान्तः इत्यस्य विशेषण/सम्बन्ध)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वः
- to you / of youPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी, बहुवचन (enclitic ‘वः’ = ‘of you/for you’)Role सम्प्रदान/सम्बन्ध (ब्रवामि इत्यस्य)Root युष्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- एव
- just, indeedIndeclinableनिपातRoot एव (अव्यय)
- ब्रवाम
- we speak / we sayVerbलट्, उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद (Vedic: ‘ब्रवाम’ for classical ‘ब्रूमः’)Role (मुख्य क्रिया)Root ब्रू (√ब्रू ‘कथयति/वदति’)
- दस्माः
- the wondrous (ones)Adjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole सम्बोधन/कर्तृ (यन्ति इत्यस्य; ‘the wondrous ones’)Root दस्म (प्रातिपदिक; ‘अद्भुत/दक्ष’)
- वार्यम्
- a choice boon / excellent giftNoun/Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (दधानाः इत्यस्य)Root वार्य (प्रातिपदिक < वर्/वृ ‘choose, excellent’)
- दधानाः
- bearing, holdingVerb (participle)वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ), परस्मैपद-भाव, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (यन्ति इत्यस्य; ‘bearing’)Root धा (√धा ‘धारयति/दधाति’)
- वयः
- vigor / vital powerNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (यन्ति इत्यस्य; ‘vigor/strength’ as subject)Root वयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- चन
- also, evenIndeclinableनिपातRoot चन (अव्यय; = च + न/नु, emphatic)
- सुभ्वे
- to/into well-being, auspiciousnessNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग (Vedic), सप्तमी/चतुर्थी एकवचन (contextually: ‘towards/into auspiciousness’)Role अधिकरण/सम्प्रदान (यन्ति इत्यस्य)Root सुभ्व (प्रातिपदिक; ‘सु-भ्व’ = ‘well-being/auspicious state’)
- आ
- towards, hitherIndeclinableउपसर्ग (गत्यर्थे ‘towards, hither’)Root आ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- यन्ति
- they go / they comeVerbलट्, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपदRole (मुख्य क्रिया)Root या (√या ‘गच्छति’)
- क्षुभा
- with agitation, with shakingNoun (instrumental) / verbal nounपुं/नपुं, तृतीया, एकवचन (instrumental: ‘with agitation/with shaking’)Role करण (अनुयतं इत्यस्य)Root क्षुभ् (√क्षुभ् ‘क्षोभयति/उद्वेजयति’)
- मर्तम्
- the mortalNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (अनुयतं इत्यस्य)Root मर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
- अनुयतम्
- pursued, followedVerb (participle)भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘that which is pursued/followed’Role विशेषण (मर्तम्) / कर्म-सम्बन्धRoot यत् (√यत् ‘प्रयत्न/नियमन’; with अनु- ‘follow/pursue’)
- वधस्नैः
- with weapons / with slaying meansNounनपुंसक/पुं, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole करणRoot वधस्नि (प्रातिपदिक; ‘weapon/means of slaying’, from √वध् ‘to strike/kill’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (sandhi-resolved): विदा | चित् | नु | महान्तः | ये | वः | एव | ब्रवाम | दस्माः | वार्यम् | दधानाः || वयः | चन | सुभ्वे | आ | यन्ति | क्षुभा | मर्तम् | अनुयतम् | वधस्नैः । Notes: (1) ‘चिन्नु’ = चित् + नु. (2) ‘ब्रवाम’ is Vedic present 1pl of √ब्रू (classical ब्रूमः). (3) ‘आव यन्ति’ in saṃhitā = आ + यन्ति (with intervening particle/word-break in pada). (4) Accent marks in the given text are preserved in saṃhitā
- pada forms here are unaccented lexical forms
The meaning
Outer meaning
The great ones know the wondrous powers spoken of—bearers of precious plenitude. Birds of good flight/being come down; but turbulent forces pursue and strike the mortal who follows wrongly.
Inner meaning
The ‘great ones’ (mahāntaḥ) are the higher divine powers that already know and hold the true plenitude (vāryam). When the being is aligned, the ‘birds’ (vayaḥ)—symbols of uplifted movements and messengers between planes—descend with good becoming (subhvaḥ), bringing inspirations and confirmations. But for the consciousness that follows a wrong track (anuyatam), the turbulent vibrations (kṣubhāḥ) of the lower nature pursue with ‘smiting powers’ (vadhasnaiḥ): reactions, disturbances, and karmic consequences that correct deviation from ṛta.
Universal truth
Higher guidance is real and responsive, but inner law is exact: aligned movements attract descending help; distorted pursuit invites turbulence and corrective blows until the path is rectified.
Themes
ethical-cosmic consequence, descent of good becoming, warning against wrong pursuit
The seer
- Rishi
- Atri (Ātreya)
- Lineage
- Ātreya
- Other hymns
- RV 5.41, RV 5.43
Family tradition
Atri hymns often juxtapose descending help (light, waters, dawn-like movements) with the resistance and disturbance that follow error.
Significance
Atri speaks as a practical yogin of ṛta: he recognizes both grace (vāryam, subhvaḥ) and the law of correction (kṣubhā, vadhasnaiḥ).
The deity
- Devata
- Mahāntaḥ (collective divine powers)
- Epithets
- mahāntaḥ, dasmāḥ, vāryaṃ dadhānāḥ
- Related deities
- Indra (illumined mind), Ādityas (ṛta-guardians), Maruts (storm-powers as dynamic correctors)
Cosmic role
Guardians and distributors of the ‘treasure’ of right becoming; regulators of descent and correction in the worlds.
Inner power
Higher mind-forces that confer luminous capacity; also uphold the moral-cosmic law that destabilizes false pursuit.
In ritual
Where it is used
General stotra within a multi-deity hymn; supports right conduct of sacrifice and right following (anuyāna) of the path.
वि॒दा चि॒न्नु म॑हान्तो॒ ये व॒ एवा॒ ब्रवा॑म दस्मा॒ वार्यं॒ दधा॑नाः । वय॑श्च॒न सु॒भ्व१॒॑ आव॑ यन्ति क्षु॒भा मर्त॒मनु॑यतं वध॒स्नैः ॥
वि॒द । चि॒त् । नु । म॒हा॒न्तः॒ । ये । वः॒ । एवाः॑ । ब्रवा॑म । द॒स्माः॒ । वार्य॑म् । दधा॑नाः । वयः॑ । च॒न । सु॒ऽभ्वः॑ । आ । अव॑ । य॒न्ति॒ । क्षु॒भा । मर्त॑म् । अनु॑ऽयतम् । व॒ध॒ऽस्नैः ॥
vida | cit | nu | mahāntaḥ | ye | vaḥ | evāḥ | bravāma | dasmāḥ | vāryam | dadhānāḥ | vayaḥ | cana | su-bhvaḥ | ā | ava | yanti | kṣubhā | martam | anu-yatam | vadha-snaiḥ
44
4 pādas of ~11 syllables each
Declarative and weighty; suited to stating knowledge/law and contrasting outcomes.
Builds discernment (viveka-like clarity): a felt difference between harmonious descent and turbulent pursuit.
- महान्तः (mahāntaḥ)
- Literal: the great ones. Symbolic: greater godheads/powers; higher principles of consciousness
- दस्माः (dasmāḥ)
- Literal: wonder-working, marvelous. Symbolic: powers that effect transformation beyond ordinary capacity
- वार्यम् (vāryam)
- Literal: precious treasure/choice boon. Symbolic: true plenitude: light, strength, delight, and right capacity
- वयः (vayaḥ)
- Literal: birds. Symbolic: uplifted movements of prāṇa-thought; messengers of higher mind
- सु-भ्वः (subhvaḥ)
- Literal: of good becoming/being. Symbolic: harmonious formations of consciousness that can descend safely
- क्षुभा (kṣubhā)
- Literal: shaking, turbulent forces. Symbolic: disturbing vital-mental vibrations; rajasic storms
- अनु-यतम् (anuyatam)
- Literal: one who follows after (a track). Symbolic: the consciousness pursuing a chosen line—right or wrong
- वधस्नैः (vadhasnaiḥ)
- Literal: with smiting weapons/powers. Symbolic: painful impacts—consequences that break false movement
Admonitory/confirmatory verse within invocation: affirms divine knowledge and the consequences of right vs wrong following in the sacrificial path
When affirming divine knowledge/aid and warding off misdirection and disturbance.
Recitation as a moral-psychological injunction within praise; may accompany offerings to invoked powers.
Use as a ‘course-correction’ mantra: before decisions, recite to invite higher alignment and avoid turbulent consequences.
√vid ‘know’ frames divine omniscience. dasmá ‘wonder-working’ from √das/√daṃs ‘to be skillful, accomplish’. su-bhū ‘good becoming’ (√bhū ‘be, become’; PIE *bʰuH-). √kṣubh ‘shake, agitate’ gives kṣubhā: turbulent forces (often read as disruptive movements). anu-yata ‘following’ suggests the mortal’s alignment; wrongly-following draws smiting forces (vadha).
divine omniscience, right following vs deviation (alignment with ṛta), descent of higher movements (ā-ava)
Explicitly implied: right following brings descent; wrong following brings pursuit by kṣubhāḥ.
The great ones ‘know’—truth is held above and can be participated in through alignment.
Descent of higher formations (‘birds’) into the human field when conditions are right.
Ethical-psychological Veda (ṛta as inner law); compatible with Aurobindo’s ‘descent’ dynamics.
Uplifted movements descend as helpers when the path is true; otherwise the storm of the lower nature pursues and strikes to break error.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The governance of the path by the ‘great ones’ who know and distribute the precious; and the pursuit/smiting of the misaligned mortal by turbulent forces. Psychologically, when consciousness follows the wrong track, disruptive energies attack; when aligned, higher winged movements of ‘good becoming’ descend.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √bhū (become) continues PIE *bʰuH- (cf. English be). The moral-cosmic register (right following vs punishment) is common in IE sacral poetry. The preverb anu- with √yā (go) is a typical IE verbal composition strategy.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi speaks of the powers as bearers of vārya (choice treasure) and acknowledges their knowledge; in return, the divine order supports descent of beneficent movements for the aligned seeker, while allowing corrective forces to strike the deviating mortal—maintaining ṛta in the human field.
Discern the track you are following; invite the ‘great ones’ to set the direction; watch for turbulence as a signal of misalignment.
Ājñā (discernment) and Anāhata (right intention)
4-4-6 breathing (inhale-hold-exhale) for steadiness; then recite once and sit in silent listening.
Quiet strength with alert discrimination.
After chanting, review one habitual pattern: if it creates kṣobha (inner shaking), gently withdraw consent and re-offer the movement to the higher guidance.
Triṣṭubh recitation with clear udatta emphasis on mahāntaḥ / dasmāḥ / vāryam; maintain steady pitch through the warning half.
Keep the first half declarative and lifted; let the second half tighten rhythmically to convey pursuit (kṣubhā…vadhasnaiḥ).
kṣubhā: pronounce kṣ as a single cluster (not ‘k-shu’ separated)., anuyatam: keep ‘nu’ light; avoid over-nasalizing., vadhasnaiḥ: dh is aspirated; keep the final ḥ audible but soft.
Firm, even, slightly stern in the second half; end with a clean cadence.
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