Rig Veda 10.82.1: Mandala 10, Sukta 82, Mantra 1
Sukta 10.82
- Rishi
- Viśvakarman
- Devata
- Viśvakarman
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
चक्षुषः पिता मनसा हि धीरो घृतमेने अजनन्नन्नमाने । यदेदन्ता अददृहन्त पूर्व आदिद्द्यावापृथिवी अप्रथेताम् ॥
cákṣuṣaḥ pitā mánasā hí dhīró ghṛtámene ajanann annamā́ne | yadéd ántā adadṛhanta pū́rva ā́d id dyāvāpṛthivī́ aprathetām ||
Bapa penglihatan, yang teguh lagi bijaksana, dengan fikiran melahirkan aliran jernih (ghṛta) daripada pengertian yang bercahaya, sedang kedua-duanya tunduk dalam pemujaan. Apabila sempadan-sempadan pertama ditegakkan dengan kukuh, maka Langit dan Bumi pun mengembang ke hamparan luas kediamannya.
Word by Word
- चक्षुषः
- of the eye / of sightNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)Root चक्षुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- पिता
- fatherNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole KartāRoot पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- मनसा
- with/by mindNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया; एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- हि
- indeed / forIndeclinableनिपातRoot हि
- धीरः
- wise, steadfastAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole Kartā (विशेषणम् of पिता)Root धीरा (प्रातिपदिक)
- घृतमेनः
- with ghee-like power/brightness (unctuous might)Noun/Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया; एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot घृतमेन (प्रातिपदिक; घृत + मेन)
- अजनन्
- generated, producedVerbलुङ् (aorist); परस्मैपद; 3rd person; एकवचनRole KriyāRoot अज् (धातु; ‘to drive/produce’), caus./aor. stem in Vedic usage
- अन्नम्
- foodNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole KarmaRoot अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
- आने
- in/within the breath (life)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot आना (प्रातिपदिक; Vedic ‘breath/life’)
- यत्
- when/that whichPronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचन (relative)Role सम्बन्ध (relative connector)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- ईदन्ताः
- these (present) ones / these beingsNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole KartāRoot ईदन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
- अददृहन्त
- they made firm, they strengthenedVerbलुङ् (aorist); आत्मनेपद; 3rd person; बहुवचनRole KriyāRoot दृंह्/दृह् (धातु; ‘to make firm, strengthen’)
- पूर्वे
- the former ones, the ancientsAdjective (substantive)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole Kartā (apposition to ईदन्ताः)Root पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- आत्
- then / thereuponIndeclinableनिपात/अव्यय (Vedic: ‘then, from that’)Root आत्
- इत्
- just, indeedIndeclinableनिपात (emphatic)Root इत्
- द्यावापृथिवी
- Heaven-and-EarthNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग (द्वन्द्व); प्रथमा; द्विवचनRole KartāRoot द्यावा-पृथिवी (द्वन्द्व-प्रातिपदिक)
- अप्रथेताम्
- they two spread out, expandedVerbलुङ् (aorist); आत्मनेपद; 3rd person; द्विवचनRole KriyāRoot प्रथ् (धातु; ‘to spread, extend’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: चक्षुषः | पिता | मनसा | हि | धीरः | घृतमेनः | अजनन् | अन्नम् | आने | यत् | ईदन्ताः | अददृहन्त | पूर्वे | आत् | इत् | द्यावापृथिवी | अप्रथेताम् । मुख्य-सन्धयः: (1) घृतमेने अजनन् → घृतमेनः अजनन् (अ + अ = आ; विसर्ग-रूपः पदान्ते) । (2) यद् + ईदन्ताः → यदेदन्ताः (द् + ई = दे) । (3) आत् + इत् → आदित् (त् + इ = दि; संहितायां) ।
The meaning
Outer meaning
The Father of vision, steadfast and wise, by the mind brought forth the clarified (ghee-like) essence; the two (Heaven and Earth) bowed in adoration. When the first boundaries were set firm, then Heaven and Earth expanded.
Inner meaning
Viśvakarman as ‘Father of vision’ is the origin of the seeing consciousness (cakṣus). By a conscious ideation (manasā…dhīraḥ) he generates ‘ghṛta’—the clarified luminous substance: in Aurobindo/Kashyap reading, a symbol of clear, flowing light of understanding and delight that feeds the inner fire. Heaven and Earth ‘bow’—the higher and lower principles consent to the divine ordering. Once the primal limits/laws (antāḥ) are fixed—i.e., the fundamental distinctions and measures that make manifestation possible—the whole field of mind (dyauḥ) and body (pṛthivī) can widen into a stable habitation for evolution.
Universal truth
Creation is an act of conscious vision and intelligent measure. When truth sets the right boundaries/laws, the field of life expands safely and fruitfully.
Themes
Cosmogony, R̥ta/measure, Vision and mind, The All-Former (Viśvakarman)
The seer
- Rishi
- Viśvakarman (traditional attribution for RV 10.82)
- Other hymns
- RV 10.82.1-7, RV 10.81.1-7
Family tradition
Cosmogonic hymn tradition of Maṇḍala 10; seer speaks as the vision of the all-forming creator-intelligence.
Significance
A foundational ‘creation psychology’: the divine seeing sets measures; then mind-body can widen—mirrors inner growth where insight establishes order and the being expands.
The deity
- Devata
- Viśvakarman
- Epithets
- Cakṣuṣaḥ pitā (Father of vision), Dhīra (steadfast wise one)
- Related deities
- Dyāvāpṛthivī, Prajāpati, Tvaṣṭṛ, Agni (as receiver of ghṛta)
Cosmic role
Origin of seeing and the measures that allow heaven and earth to take their places and expand.
Inner power
Gives inner sight and the ‘clarified’ substance of understanding; establishes right limits that prevent dispersion and enable widening.
In ritual
Where it is used
Cosmogonic recitation within śrauta contexts; reflective theistic stotra; could be used in rites seeking stability of order and vision.
चक्षु॑षः पि॒ता मन॑सा॒ हि धीरो॑ घृ॒तमे॑ने अजन॒न्नन्न॑माने । य॒देदन्ता॒ अद॑दृहन्त॒ पूर्व॒ आदिद्द्यावा॑पृथि॒वी अ॑प्रथेताम् ॥
चक्षु॑षः । पि॒ता । मन॑सा । हि । धीरः॑ । घृ॒तम् । ए॒ने॒ । अ॒ज॒न॒त् । नम्न॑माने॒ इति॑ । य॒दा । इत् । अन्ताः॑ । अद॑दृहन्त । पूर्वे॑ । आत् । इत् । द्यावा॑पृथि॒वी इति॑ । अ॒प्र॒थे॒ता॒म् ॥
cakṣuṣaḥ | pitā | manasā | hi | dhīraḥ | ghṛtam | ene | ajanat | namnamāneiti | yadā | it | antāḥ | adadṛhanta | pūrve | āt | it | dyāvāpṛthivī iti | aprathetām
44
4×11
Grave, cosmogonic sweep; triṣṭubh supports narrative of origination and expansion.
Induces spaciousness and clarity; suitable for contemplation of origins and inner widening after discernment.
- चक्षुषः पिता (cakṣuṣaḥ pitā)
- Literal: father of sight/vision. Symbolic: source of inner seeing; origin of consciousness that knows
- धीरो (dhīraḥ)
- Literal: steadfast, wise. Symbolic: stable poise of higher mind/gnosis that can create without confusion
- मनसा (manasā)
- Literal: by mind. Symbolic: conscious ideation; formative thought-power
- घृतम् (ghṛtam)
- Literal: ghee/clarified butter. Symbolic: clarified luminous essence (light, understanding, delight) that nourishes the inner sacrifice
- नम्नमाने (namnamāne)
- Literal: bowing down. Symbolic: consent and submission of higher/lower nature to truth-order
- अन्ताः (antāḥ)
- Literal: ends, boundaries, limits. Symbolic: measures/laws that define manifestation; right distinctions
- द्यावापृथिवी (dyāvāpṛthivī)
- Literal: heaven and earth. Symbolic: mind and body; higher and lower hemispheres of consciousness
- अप्रथेताम् (aprathetām)
- Literal: they expanded/spread out. Symbolic: widening of consciousness and life-field after right order is set
General recitation in contemplative/cosmogonic contexts; not tightly bound to a single soma-pressing like many Indra hymns (used as a theistic/cosmic support in pravargya-like or speculative recitations in later tradition).
During solemn offerings or contemplative recitation on creation/order; also as a prayer for vision and right measure.
Recitation with ghṛta offering (symbolically apt) into fire.
Meditation for clarity: visualize a golden ‘ghṛta’ stream of understanding; set ‘boundaries’ (discernment, discipline) so life can widen without chaos.
Key roots: √jan ‘beget, generate’ (: aorist, 3sg); √dṛh ‘make firm, strengthen’ (: aorist, 3pl); √prath ‘spread, widen’ (: aorist middle, 3du). (ghṛta) is traditionally ‘clarified butter’, but from the semantic field of ‘bright/clarified’ and ritual pouring: inwardly it denotes a clarified luminous substance of consciousness that can be ‘poured’ into formation. (dhīra) aligns with sustained, held-together intelligence (from √dhṛ/√dhī semantic complex: holding/insight), supporting the psychological reading as steady seer-mind.
R̥ta (cosmic order as ‘firmly set boundaries’), cosmogony (generation and expansion), inner sight (cakṣus as vision-consciousness)
‘Antāḥ’ as measures of ṛta: creation stabilizes when right order is fixed.
Vision (cakṣus) as truth-seeing; clarity (ghṛta) as satya-substance in mind.
Creation by mind/vision; consent of heaven and earth; establishment of boundaries; subsequent expansion.
Cosmogonic theism tending toward Upaniṣadic reflection on consciousness as creator.
Ghṛta = clarified understanding; heaven/earth = mind/body; boundaries = discipline and right discernment enabling expansion.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The cosmogonic act of setting the first ‘ends/boundaries’ (ántāḥ) and the consequent widening of Heaven-and-Earth. Mythically, the world arises when measure (ṛta as firm limit) is established; psychologically, consciousness becomes a habitable world when the first stable determinations are fixed and the higher (dyauḥ) and lower (pṛthivī) principles can ‘expand’ into ordered being.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √jan ‘generate’ (PIE *ǵenh₁- ‘beget’: cf. Latin gignere, English kin) underpins the creation motif as ‘begetting’. √prath ‘spread’ aligns with PIE *pleth₂-/*pr̥th- type widen/flat semantics seen across Indo-Iranian (Skt pṛthú ‘broad’). The boundary-firming √dṛh ‘make firm’ resonates with the widespread IE idea of ‘strength/firmness’ establishing order (cf. Germanic *derþ- ‘firm’ is debated, but the semantic complex of firmness/order is strongly IE-poetic).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer voices a contemplative recognition rather than a transactional request: the Devatā (Viśvakarman-like Father of vision) is the originating intelligence that ‘generates’ clarified light (ghṛta) through mind. The reciprocity is implicit: by aligning mind to that steady dhīra consciousness, the human participant can re-enact the cosmic act inwardly—establishing right measures (ántāḥ) so that the inner heaven-and-earth (higher clarity and embodied foundation) may widen.
Invoke the ‘Father of vision’ to awaken inner sight; contemplate disciplined boundaries that support widening consciousness.
Ājñā (inner seeing) with supportive grounding in Mūlādhāra; expansion felt in Sahasrāra.
Slow inhale imagining golden clarity (ghṛta) filling the head; slow exhale spreading as wideness through the body; 9 cycles.
Luminous clarity with reverent stillness.
Practice discernment: set one ‘boundary’ (limit a distraction) and offer the resulting clarity into the inner fire; observe the natural expansion of peace and capacity.
Observe udātta on key words like ‘pitā’, ‘dhīraḥ’; keep smooth svarita transitions; cadence broad on ‘aprathetām’.
Mark pāda break after ‘nannamāne’; give weight to ‘ād id’ as turning point; broaden tone on the final expansion phrase.
: ‘kṣ’ crisp; short ‘u’, : ‘ghṛ’ with voiced aspirate and ṛ, : articulate double ‘d’ clearly, : compound should flow without breaking, : aspirate ‘th’, long ‘ām’ ending
Deep, spacious, reverent.
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