Rig Veda 5.68.3: Mandala 5, Sukta 68, Mantra 3
Sukta 5.68
- Rishi
- Atri
- Devata
- Mitra-Varuṇa
- Chandas
- Gāyatrī
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
ता नः शक्तं पार्थिवस्य महो रायो दिव्यस्य । महि वां क्षत्रं देवेषु ॥
tā́ naḥ śáktaṃ pārthivásya mahó rāyó divyásya | máhi vāṃ kṣatráṃ devéṣu ||
ആ രണ്ടു (ദേവന്മാർ) ഭൂമിയിലെ മഹത്തായ റായയും ദിവ്യപരിപൂർണതയും നേടാൻ ഞങ്ങളെ ശേഷിയുള്ളവരാക്കട്ടെ. ദേവന്മാരിൽ നിങ്ങളുടെ ക്ഷത്രം മഹത്താണ്—അതേ നമ്മുടെ ഉള്ളിൽ ശക്തിയും അധിപത്യവും ആയി പ്രവർത്തിക്കട്ടെ.
Word by Word
- ताः
- those (things/boons)Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- नः
- of us / for usPronounषष्ठी (एन्क्लिटिक), बहुवचनRole SampradānaRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- शक्तम्
- able, powerful, effectiveAdjective (participle)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (यथासन्दर्भं ‘रायः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role KarmaRoot शक् (धातु) → शक्त (कृदन्त, भूतकृदन्त/PPP)
- पार्थिवस्य
- of the earthly (one/realm)Adjective/Nounपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot पार्थिव (प्रातिपदिक; पृथिवी-सम्बन्धी)
- महो
- of the greatAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (वैदिक रूप ‘महो’ = ‘महतः’)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- रायः
- of wealth, of bountyNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole ApādānaRoot राय्/रायि (प्रातिपदिक; ‘wealth, bounty’)
- दिव्यस्य
- of the heavenly, divineAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- महि
- greatlyIndeclinableअव्ययRole KaraṇaRoot महि (अव्यय; ‘greatly’)
- वाम्
- of you two / for you twoPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी (एन्क्लिटिक), द्विवचनRole SampradānaRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- क्षत्रम्
- dominion, sovereign powerNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot क्षत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- देवेषु
- among the godsNounपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धि-निरसन): ताः नः शक्तम् पार्थिवस्य महो रायः दिव्यस्य । महि वाम् क्षत्रम् देवेषु ॥ 1) ता नः → ताः + नः (विसर्ग-लोप/संहितायां ‘आ’ + ‘न’ संयोगः)
- 2) महो = वैदिक षष्ठी-एकवचन रूप ‘महतः’ (महत्-शब्दस्य)
- 3) वां = वाम् (युष्मद्-द्विवचन एन्क्लिटिक; संहितायां अनुस्वार/अनुनासिक-परिवर्तनं)
- 4) देवेषु = देव + एषु (सप्तमी-बहुवचन)
- उच्चारण-चिह्नाः (स्वर): न॑ः, शक्तं॒, पार्थि॑वस्य, म॒हो, रा॒यो, दि॒व्यस्य॑, महि॑, क्ष॒त्रं, दे॒वेषु॑ — एते संहितापाठानुसारं।
The meaning
Outer meaning
May Mitra and Varuṇa make us capable (śaktam) of great earthly and heavenly riches; great is their kṣatra (sovereign power) among the gods.
Inner meaning
The prayer is for inner capacity: the ability of the embodied nature (‘earthly’) and the higher mind/soul (‘heavenly’) to receive plenitude (rāyas). Mitra-Varuṇa’s kṣatra is the governing mastery that organizes our instruments so the higher abundance can descend and be held without distortion. ‘Śaktam’ is not mere strength but fitness—preparedness of mind, life, and body to serve truth.
Universal truth
Prosperity that truly fulfills must be integrated: the earthly life and the heavenly aspiration become one field when governed by truth and harmony; then abundance becomes a force for right action.
Themes
Spiritual wealth (rayi), Empowerment (śak), Integration of planes, Divine sovereignty
The seer
- Rishi
- Atri (Ātreya)
- Lineage
- Ātreya
- Other hymns
- RV 5.68, RV 5.69
Family tradition
Ātreya hymns frequently seek capacities (śakti) and right governance (kṣatra) so that divine plenitudes can be embodied, not merely envisioned.
Significance
Atri’s vision here is practical yoga: invoke the law-guardians to build a stable instrument capable of receiving both worldly and divine fulfillments.
The deity
- Devata
- Mitra-Varuṇa
- Epithets
- mahī kṣatra (great sovereignty), ṛtāvān (possessing ṛta—common epithet), gopā (guardian)
- Related deities
- Bhaga (distributor of fortune), Aryaman (right social order), Savitar (impulsion)
Cosmic role
They distribute and regulate boons so that abundance supports ṛta; they prevent excess, disorder, and falsehood from corrupting prosperity.
Inner power
They create disciplined wideness: calm containment (Varuṇa) and harmonious functioning (Mitra) that turns energy into effective, right action.
In ritual
Where it is used
Praise/invocation for boons and protection of vows; suitable in soma-related contexts and general śrauta recitations to Mitra-Varuṇa.
ता न॑: शक्तं॒ पार्थि॑वस्य म॒हो रा॒यो दि॒व्यस्य॑ । महि॑ वां क्ष॒त्रं दे॒वेषु॑ ॥
ता । नः॒ । शक्त॑म् । पार्थि॑वस्य । म॒हः । रा॒यः । दि॒व्यस्य॑ । महि॑ । वा॒म् । क्ष॒त्रम् । दे॒वेषु॑ ॥
tā | naḥ | śaktam | pārthivasya | mahaḥ | rāyaḥ | divyasya | mahi | vām | kṣatram | deveṣu
24
3×8 (approx.)
Invocatory and forward-moving; suited to aspiration for capacity and mastery.
Energizes without agitation; builds a sense of readiness and dignified strength.
- शक्तम् (śaktam)
- Literal: capable, empowered. Symbolic: inner fitness and receptivity; yogic capacity to hold higher force
- पार्थिव (pārthiva)
- Literal: earthly. Symbolic: body-life nature; practical existence
- दिव्य (divya)
- Literal: heavenly, divine. Symbolic: higher mind, soul-light, supramental influence
- रायः (rāyaḥ)
- Literal: riches, abundance. Symbolic: plenitudes of consciousness: light, joy, power, right conditions
- क्षत्रम् (kṣatram)
- Literal: sovereign power. Symbolic: mastery that governs the nature; inner kingship aligned to ṛta
Boon-request: empowerment for rayi on both planes (earthly/heavenly); appropriate as a prosperity-and-mastery petition within Soma offerings to Mitra-Varuṇa.
When seeking prosperity with right order—before undertakings, consecrations, or offerings for well-being.
Recite with offering of ghṛta or water-libation as symbol of clarity and wideness.
As a ‘pre-work’ mantra: chant to align ambition with truth and harmony, asking for capacity to hold success without inner disorder.
śakta: from √śak 'to be able, have power'—requested empowerment, not passive gift. rayi: 'wealth' from √rā 'to give, bestow'—in inner sense: plenitude of force/joy and accomplished capacities. divya: from div 'sky, shine'—luminous plane of consciousness. kṣatra as effective rule that organizes energies.
Rayi as plenitude of being, Kṣatra as inner mastery, Integration of earthly and heavenly powers
Abundance is asked under the governance of ṛta; kṣatra among gods implies a cosmic hierarchy of lawful powers.
Capacity includes sincerity: receiving only what can be rightly used.
Descent of heavenly plenitude into earthly embodiment through ordered governance.
Integral-yogic reading: integration of material and spiritual life under truth-conscious governance.
Earth/heaven symbolize lower and higher planes of being; rāyas is the stream of higher gifts entering the embodied field.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is the bestowal of integrated plenitude: the twin sovereigns empower the human to hold both earthly embodiment and heavenly luminosity as one rayi. The gods’ kṣatra is the ordering mastery that makes such integration possible.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √śak 'be able' aligns with a broad Indo-European ability/power semantic domain (cf. Latin posse is not cognate but functionally parallel; Indo-Iranian śak- is well-attested). div/diw- (divya) resonates with PIE *dyew- 'sky/daylight' (cf. Latin deus, Greek Zeus), preserving the sky-luminosity nexus.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi requests not objects but capacity (śakta): the divine sovereignty should become operative as inner mastery enabling the human to receive and organize both planes of rayi. Praise thus becomes a demand for transformation of the human instrument.
Build receptivity for ‘earthly + heavenly’ plenitude without conflict; feel a calm sovereign center governing life.
Maṇipūra (mastery) supported by Ājñā (clarity)
Sama-vṛtti (equal breathing) 4-4-4-4, then chant on a long exhale.
Collected strength (sthira-śakti) with wideness.
After chanting, sit 2–3 minutes: sense a ‘throne’ in the chest-head axis; let decisions arise from that governed stillness rather than impulse.
Follow śākhā-specific udātta/anudātta/svarita; maintain clear lift on maháḥ, rāyáḥ, kṣatrám if accented in your recension.
Mark the pāda breaks with a soft pause; keep ‘māhī vāṃ kṣatram’ as one dignified unit.
(tā naḥ): long ā; visarga in naḥ lightly, (pārthivasya): long ā; aspirate th, (divyasya): soft ‘vya’ cluster, (kṣatram): kṣ cluster clean; short a
firm, even, confident; avoid harshness
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