Rig Veda 1.46.10: Mandala 1, Sukta 46, Mantra 10
Sukta 1.46
- Rishi
- Kaṇva
- Devata
- Aśvinau
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
अभूदु भा उ अंशवे हिरण्यं प्रति सूर्यः । व्यख्यज्जिह्वयासितः ॥
abhūd u bhā́ u aṃśáve híraṇyaṃ práti sū́ryaḥ | vy àkhyaj jihváyā́ ásitaḥ ||
Maka terjadilah sinar keemasan bagi aṁśu (sinar/berkas); menghadapinya, Sang Sūrya menjadi nyata—kegelapan dikenali dengan jelas dan dihalau oleh lidah api, kuasa pembeza.
Word by Word
- अभूत्
- became; came to beVerbलुङ् (aorist), परस्मैपद, 3rd person, singularRole (क्रिया)Root √भू (भवति)
- उ
- indeed; andIndeclinableनिपात (emphatic/connecting particle)Root उ (निपात)
- भाः
- a light; radianceNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (अभूत् का कर्ता)Root भा (प्रातिपदिक: ‘प्रकाश/कान्ति’)
- अंशवे
- for the soma-stalk/beam (aṃśu); for SomaNounपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot अंशु (प्रातिपदिक)
- हिरण्यम्
- gold; golden (splendour)Noun/Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (प्रति के साथ: ‘की ओर/के प्रति’)Root हिरण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- प्रति
- towards; against; in response toIndeclinableपूर्वपद/उपपद (directional preverb)Root प्रति (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- सूर्यः
- the SunNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (व्यख्यत् का कर्ता)Root सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- व्यख्यत्
- shone forth; became manifest; proclaimedVerbलुङ् (aorist), परस्मैपद, 3rd person, singularRole (क्रिया)Root √ख्या (ख्यायते/ख्याति) + वि-
- जिह्वया
- with the tongueNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करणRoot जिह्वा (प्रातिपदिक)
- असितः
- the dark one; blackAdjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (व्यख्यत् का विशेषण/सहकर्तृ)Root असित (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पाठ-विभाग (सन्धि-विग्रह): अभू॑दु॒ भा उ॑ अं॒शवे॒ → अभूत् + उ + भाः + अंशवे
- हिर॑ण्यं॒ प्रति॒ सूर्य॑: → हिरण्यम् + प्रति + सूर्यः
- व्य॑ख्यज्जि॒ह्वयासि॑तः → व्यख्यत् + जिह्वया + असितः (त् + ज → ज्ज)
The meaning
Outer meaning
A golden radiance arises for the sunbeam; facing it the Sun becomes manifest; by the flame’s tongue the dark is clearly distinguished and driven away.
Inner meaning
When the inner Fire (Agni as will and discernment) is kindled, a “golden” clarity (hiraṇya-bhā) forms in the ray of consciousness (aṃśu). Then Sūrya—symbol of the illumined Truth-mind—stands revealed to the seeker. The “tongue” of flame is the discriminating power (viveka) that tastes, separates, and consumes obscurity (asita), i.e., the subconscient resistance that hides the Light.
Universal truth
Illumination is not merely received; it is generated by an awakened will and sustained discernment. As the inner flame learns to ‘name and know’ darkness, the truth-sun becomes steadily visible.
Themes
Dawn/Illumination, Knowledge-dispelling darkness, Inner Agni as discernment, Aśvin help as swift restorers
The seer
- Rishi
- Kaṇva
- Lineage
- Kaṇva-pravara (Kaṇva lineage)
- Other hymns
- RV 1.46 (Aśvin hymn cluster), RV 1.47, RV 1.48
Family tradition
Kaṇvas are noted for hymns of illumination and right movement, often invoking the Aśvins as swift bringers of help that opens the path to higher seeing.
Significance
Kaṇva-vision here turns the Aśvin motif into an inner yoga: swift powers that prepare the dawn of knowledge by kindling discernment and unveiling Sūrya (truth-consciousness).
The deity
- Devata
- Aśvinau (with allied Sūrya/Agni imagery)
- Epithets
- Nāsatyā, Dasrā, Śambhū, yuvāna (the youthful ones)
- Related deities
- Uṣas, Agni, Sūrya, Soma
Cosmic role
Twin divine powers of transition—bringing the dawn, healing, and safe passage; they connect night-to-day, ignorance-to-knowledge.
Inner power
Rapid, harmonious forces in the subtle being that restore balance, awaken aspiration, and precipitate illumination.
In ritual
Where it is used
Aśvin morning invocation (prātaranuvāka / early pressing context broadly)
अभू॑दु॒ भा उ॑ अं॒शवे॒ हिर॑ण्यं॒ प्रति॒ सूर्य॑: । व्य॑ख्यज्जि॒ह्वयासि॑तः ॥
अभू॑त् । ऊँ॒ इति॑ । भाः । ऊँ॒ इति॑ । अं॒शवे॑ । हिर॑ण्यम् । प्रति॑ । सूर्यः॑ । वि । अ॒ख्य॒त् । जि॒ह्वया॑ । असि॑तः ॥
abhūt | oṃ iti | bhāḥ | oṃ iti | aṃśave | hiraṇyam | prati | sūryaḥ | vi | akhyat | jihvayā | asitaḥ
Triṣṭubh (likely for RV 1.46; traditional assignment)
44
4 pādas × ~11 syllables (Triṣṭubh cadence)
Forward-driving, expansive, suited to revelation and decisive discernment.
Builds an ascending pressure: from arising light → manifestation of truth-sun → cutting away of darkness.
- भाः (bhāḥ)
- Literal: radiance, light. Symbolic: awakening of luminous consciousness
- अंशु/अंशवे (aṃśu/aṃśave)
- Literal: ray, beam (also Soma-stalk in other contexts). Symbolic: a focused current of awareness; a channel for light/bliss
- हिरण्य (hiraṇya)
- Literal: golden. Symbolic: supramental/true light, pure and unalloyed clarity
- सूर्य (sūrya)
- Literal: the Sun. Symbolic: Truth-vision, illumined mind that reveals reality
- जिह्वा (jihvā)
- Literal: tongue (of flame). Symbolic: power of discrimination and transformative ‘tasting’ of experience
- असित (asita)
- Literal: dark, black. Symbolic: ignorance, obscurity, subconscient cover
Aśvina-invocation in Soma-yajña context (Prātaḥ-savana / morning pressing themes: arrival, drinking, bringing boons); also usable as invitatory (āvāhana) in Śrauta recitations for the Aśvins.
Dawn or early morning recitations; when seeking swift aid, healing, and right opening of the day’s sacrifice.
Invitation (āvāhana) and praise to draw the Aśvins; inner ‘kindling’ of clarity.
Use at the start of meditation or workday to invoke discernment and remove mental fog.
: aor. 3sg of √bhū 'to become'. : nom. sg. from bhā́- 'light' (PIE *bʰeh₂- 'shine'). : dat. sg. of aṃśú- 'ray/beam' (also 'soma-stalk/beam' in Vedic polyvalence). : neut. nom./acc. sg. 'golden, gold' from hiraṇya- (luminous substance; used for supramental radiance). : nom. sg. sū́rya- 'sun' (PIE *seh₂u-el- 'sun'). (vi-akhyat): aor. 3sg of vi+√khyā 'to make known/visible, distinguish'. : instr. sg. of jihvā́- 'tongue'—Vedic often a symbol of Agni’s discerning flame (taste = discrimination). : nom. sg. 'dark/black' from a-sita 'not bright/white', functioning as personified darkness/ignorance.
Rita (implicit: ordered manifestation of the Sun and discernment), illumination vs. ignorance, differentiating knowledge (vi-)
Illumination reveals Ṛta by distinguishing true from false movements in consciousness.
Sūrya’s manifestation is Satya becoming visible to the mind.
Emergence of light from darkness; revelation as an inner dawn.
Proto-Vedāntic / Aurobindonian psychological reading (inner sacrifice; ascent of consciousness).
dawn
Agni = will/discernment; Sūrya = truth-vision; darkness = subconscient covering that must be ‘seen’ and transformed.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The epiphany of the Sun through the arising of golden radiance, with darkness (asita) being distinctly revealed and thereby overcome. Mythically it is the recurring victory of Light/Knowledge at dawn; psychologically it is the emergence of discriminating consciousness (vi-akhyā) through the flame-like faculty that 'tastes' and separates truth from obscurity (jihvā).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- bhā́- 'shine' aligns with PIE *bʰeh₂- (brightness/appearance). sū́rya- aligns with PIE solar vocabulary (*seh₂u-el-). The aorist abhūt (√bhū) reflects an inherited Indo-European perfective past formation. The preverb vi- in vy-akhyat encodes a common IE spatial-to-cognitive extension: 'apart, distinctly' → 'discern/know clearly'.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer’s speech frames a reciprocal unveiling: as the invoked powers (Aśvins as bringers of right movement, allied with solar illumination) arrive, the inner Sun becomes manifest and darkness is exposed. The rishi offers articulation (mantra as a vehicle of rita), and the devatā responds by making the light effective in consciousness—knowledge is not merely described but enacted.
Ignite the inner flame of discernment; watch thoughts as ‘dark’ or ‘luminous’ and let the luminous align to the truth-sun.
ājñā (clarity/vision)
nāḍī-śodhana or slow equal breathing to stabilize discrimination before contemplation.
From tamasic haze to sattvic clarity and a first touch of truth-perception.
Begin with a steady gaze inward; on each exhale release ‘asita’ (obscurity). On inhale call in ‘hiraṇya bhā’ (golden clarity). Let discernment name the obscuring impulse without hostility, then offer it to the inner fire.
Vedic accents per saṃhitā text (udātta/anudātta/svarita); key udāttas often on marked syllables (e.g., abhū́d, híraṇyam, sū́ryaḥ, jihvā́yā).
Maintain clear udātta lift on acute-marked syllables; let svarita fall-glide where indicated; keep unmarked syllables level (anudātta) without stress.
Differentiate ś/ṣ/s (here: sūrya with dental s)., jihvāyā: keep jih- aspirated? (it is plain j, not jh); lengthen ā in -vāyā., hiraṇyam: retroflex ṇ; avoid dental n., Keep final visarga in sūryaḥ lightly audible before pause.
Bright, focused, slightly rising on udātta; end with a clean cadence.
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