Rig Veda 2.33.12: Mandala 2, Sukta 33, Mantra 12
Sukta 2.33
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Devata
- Rudra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Karuna (compassion)
कुमारश्चित्पितरं वन्दमानं प्रति नानाम रुद्रोपयन्तम् । भूरेर्दातारं सत्पतिं गृणीषे स्तुतस्त्वं भेषजा रास्यस्मे ॥
kumārás cit pitáraṃ vándamānaṃ práti nanāma rudrópa-yántam | bhū́rer dātā́raṃ sát-patiṃ gṛṇīṣe stutás tváṃ bheṣajā́ rāsy asmé ||
जसा कुमारही जवळ येणाऱ्या पित्याला वंदन करतो, तसा जवळ येणाऱ्या रुद्राला मी नमस्कार करतो. ‘भूरि’चा दाता, सत्पति (सत्चा स्वामी) म्हणून मी तुला गातो; हे स्तुत्य, आम्हाला भेषज (आरोग्य-शक्ती) प्रदान कर.
Word by Word
- कुमारः
- the boy/young oneNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot कुमार (प्रातिपदिक)
- चित्
- even, indeedIndeclinableअव्ययRoot चित् (अव्यय)
- पितरम्
- fatherNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- वन्दमानम्
- worshipping, praisingParticiple (Adjective) / Verbalपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; वर्तमानकाले क्रियाविशेषण-भावःRole Karma (पितरम् इति विशेषणम्)Root वन्द् (धातु) → वन्दमान (शतृ/शानच्-प्रत्यय, वर्तमानकालिक कृदन्त)
- प्रति
- towards, in response toIndeclinableअव्ययRoot प्रति (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- नानाम
- I have bowed / I bowVerbलिट् (परिपूर्ण-भूत/परफेक्ट), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRoot नम् (धातु) → नानाम (लिट्/परिपूर्ण-भूत, 1.एकवचन, परस्मैपद; वैदिक रूप)
- रुद्रः
- RudraNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- उपयन्तम्
- approaching, coming nearParticiple (Adjective) / Verbalपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘गच्छन्/आगच्छन्’ अर्थेRole Karma (रुद्रम् इति गम्य-भावः; ‘प्रति’ सह)Root उप-इ (धातु) → उपयन्त (वर्तमानकालिक कृदन्त, शतृ)
- भूरेः
- of abundance / of muchAdjective (used substantively)नपुंसकलिङ्ग/अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः; षष्ठी, एकवचन (वैदिक)Root भूरि (प्रातिपदिक; ‘बहु’)
- दातारम्
- giverNoun (agent)पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot दा (धातु) → दातृ (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
- सत्पतिम्
- lord of the good/true (good lord)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot सत् + पति (समास; प्रातिपदिक)
- गृणीषे
- you praise / you are praised (I address: ‘you praise’ in invocation)Verbलट्, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपदRoot गृ (धातु; ‘स्तु’)
- स्तुतः
- praisedParticiple (Adjective)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (त्वम् इति विशेषणम्)Root स्तु (धातु) → स्तुत (कृदन्त; क्त)
- त्वम्
- youPronounप्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- भेषजा
- remedies, medicinesNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (वैदिक रूप: -ा = -ानि)Role KarmaRoot भेषज (प्रातिपदिक)
- रासि
- grant! give!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद (वैदिक)Root रा (धातु; ‘ददाति/प्रयच्छति’)
- अस्मे
- to us, for usPronounचतुर्थी/षष्ठी, बहुवचन (वैदिक: ‘to us/for us’)Role SampradānaRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- मुख्य सन्धि-विच्छेद: रुद्रोपयन्तम् = रुद्रः + उपयन्तम् (विसर्ग-लोपः, ओ-आदेशः)
- अन्यत्र पदपाठानुसार स्पष्टपदानि: कुमारः चित् पितरम् वन्दमानम् प्रति नानाम । रुद्रः उपयन्तम् । भूरेः दातारम् सत्पतिम् गृणीषे । स्तुतः त्वम् भेषजा रासि अस्मे ॥
The meaning
Outer meaning
As a child bows to his father approaching, so the singer bows to Rudra who comes near; he praises him as giver of abundance and true lord, asking for healing medicines.
Inner meaning
The “child” is the nascent psychic sincerity; the “father” is the divine source of guidance. When Rudra approaches—i.e., when intense truth-force draws near in sadhana—the right response is humility and receptivity, not fear. Rudra gives “bhūri” (vastness): an expansion of consciousness beyond cramped ego, and grants “bheṣajā” (healing powers): forces that restore harmony after the shock of purification.
Universal truth
When transformative power comes close, humility aligns the being; then intensity becomes a physician, bringing expansion and cure rather than disturbance.
Themes
paternal Rudra, healing boons, safe approach of power
The seer
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Lineage
- Bhārgava
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 2.33.1-15
Family tradition
Bhṛgu-line seers known for fire-knowledge and transformative austerity; Gṛtsamada’s hymns often balance fear of Rudra’s fierceness with trust in his healing grace.
Significance
He models the correct inner posture toward strong spiritual force: childlike humility, truthful praise, and a demand for healing integration.
The deity
- Devata
- Rudra
- Epithets
- upayant (approaching), bhūridātā (giver of vastness), satpati (lord of truth-being), bheṣaja-dātā (giver of healings)
- Related deities
- Maruts, Aśvins (healers, by function), Agni
Cosmic role
Regulator through intensity; restores cosmic and bodily harmony by removing imbalance; grants wideness after contraction.
Inner power
A force that both disciplines and heals; it expands the being (wideness) while correcting false movements.
In ritual
Where it is used
Invocations for Rudra’s favor and healing; used in appeasement and for requesting remedies.
कु॒मा॒रश्चि॑त्पि॒तरं॒ वन्द॑मानं॒ प्रति॑ नानाम रुद्रोप॒यन्त॑म् । भूरे॑र्दा॒तारं॒ सत्प॑तिं गृणीषे स्तु॒तस्त्वं भे॑ष॒जा रा॑स्य॒स्मे ॥
कु॒मा॒रः । चि॒त् । पि॒तर॒म् । वन्द॑मानम् । प्रति॑ । न॒ना॒म॒ । रु॒द्र॒ । उ॒प॒ऽयन्त॑म् । भूरेः॑ । दा॒तार॑म् । सत्ऽप॑तिम् । गृ॒णी॒षे॒ । स्तु॒तः । त्वम् । भे॒ष॒जा । रा॒सि॒ । अ॒स्मे इति॑ ॥
kumāraḥ | cit | pitaram | vandamānam | prati | nanāma | rudra | upa-yantam | bhūreḥ | dātāram | sat-patim | gṛṇīṣe | stutaḥ | tvam | bheṣajā | rāsi | asme iti
44
4×11 syllables (approx.)
Dignified and intimate; a bowing gesture in sound—strong opening, softer devotional close.
Encourages surrender and trust; settles fear responses while keeping alertness to the approaching power.
- kumāraḥ
- Literal: child, youth. Symbolic: the fresh, sincere aspiring part of the being (psychic openness)
- pitaraṃ
- Literal: father. Symbolic: the guiding origin; the divine authority that protects and disciplines
- upayantaṃ
- Literal: approaching, coming near. Symbolic: the descent/near-presence of a strong transforming force in practice
- bhūreḥ dātāram
- Literal: giver of much/vastness. Symbolic: bestower of inner wideness, freedom from constriction
- satpatiṃ
- Literal: lord of truth/true lord. Symbolic: master of right being and right order in consciousness
- bheṣajā
- Literal: medicines, healings. Symbolic: harmonizing powers that repair the nerves/vital and restore wholeness after purification
Verse for invoking Rudra’s paternal protection and healing gifts; suited to rites seeking health, wholeness, and safe descent of divine force.
When seeking protection from disease/affliction or after invoking fierce deities; also in rites emphasizing well-being of the sacrificer.
Recitation with offerings; sometimes linked with requesting ‘bheṣaja’ (healing) for community.
Chant when entering intense practice phases; frame it as ‘I bow to the transforming force; grant integration and healing’.
kumāra: ‘child’ (youthful). upa-yant: present ptc. of upa-√i ‘approach’. sat-pati: compound ‘lord (pati) of sat (being/truth)’—Rudra as guardian of authentic existence. √rā ‘to give, grant’ (rāsi: 2sg). bheṣaja: healing powers as pluralizable remedies.
sat (true being), grace through praise (stutaḥ… rāsi), divine fatherhood (pitar)
Rudra as satpati restores ṛta in the being by correcting disorder.
Satpati indicates governance by truth rather than ego preference.
Expansion (bhūri/bṛhat) as a creative movement after purification.
Integral-psychological Vedism; anticipates Upaniṣadic wideness (bṛhat) and healing through truth.
Approach of intense divine energy; humility opens the channels for restorative forces.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The father-child archetype: Rudra is approached not only as fearsome but as paternal giver and healer. The mythic action is the safe nearness of the divine (upa-yantam) met by humility (nam).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- pitar is direct PIE *ph₂tḗr (Lat. pater, Gk. patḗr), showing inherited kinship sacrality: the god as ‘father’ of protection. pati ‘lord’ continues PIE *pótis (Gk. pósis), a common IE sovereignty term.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi models the correct inner posture: childlike trust plus reverence, enabling Rudra’s approach to become beneficent. Praise establishes the channel through which healing forces (bheṣajā) are granted.
Cultivate childlike receptivity to the approaching truth-force; ask for wideness and healing integration.
Anāhata (trust/devotion) supporting Maṇipūra (transformative fire).
Soft inhalation with mental ‘upayantaṃ’ (approaching), slow exhale with ‘bheṣajā’ (healing spreading).
Reverent openness; quiet confidence.
Before chanting, recall one area needing purification; after chanting, feel wideness around the heart and a soothing current through the body-mind.
Tri-svara; keep udātta prominence on key nouns (rudra, bhūreḥ, satpatiṃ, bheṣajā).
Let the first hemistich sound like a bow (gentle downward contour), and the second like a clear proclamation then request.
kumāraś cit: keep ś-c junction clean (ścit)., vandamānam: nasal ‘mā’ sustained., satpatiṃ: crisp dental t., rāsi: long ā; avoid turning into ‘raasi’ overly open.
Softly reverent, steady; end with a hopeful, clear tone on bheṣajā.
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