Rig Veda 4.53.3: Mandala 4, Sukta 53, Mantra 3
Sukta 4.53
- Devata
- Savitṛ
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
आप्रा रजांसि दिव्यानि पार्थिवा श्लोकं देवः कृणुते स्वाय धर्मणे । प्र बाहू अस्राक्सविता सवीमनि निवेशयन्प्रसुवन्नक्तुभिर्जगत् ॥
ā́prā rajā́ṃsi divyā́ni pārthívā ślókaṃ deváḥ kr̥ṇute svā́ya dhármaṇe | prá bāhū́ asrāk savitā́ savī́mani niveśáyan prasúvann aktúbhir jágat ||
Ia telah memenuhi wilayah-wilayah langit dan bumi; sang dewa menjadikan suatu seruan yang jelas bagi dharma-Nya sendiri. Savitṛ telah menghulurkan lengan-lengan-Nya dalam tindakan pendorongan, menempatkan dan menggerakkan dunia yang bergerak melalui fasa-fasa cahaya-Nya.
Word by Word
- आ
- forth, towardsIndeclinableउपसर्ग (prefix) with following verbRoot आ (उपसर्ग) / ā (preverb)
- प्र
- forward, forthIndeclinableउपसर्ग (prefix) with following verbRoot प्र (उपसर्ग) / pra (preverb)
- रजांसि
- regions, spaces (realms)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot रजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- दिव्यानि
- heavenlyAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, बहुवचन (रजांसि-विशेषण)Role KarmaRoot दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- पार्थिवा
- earthlyAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, बहुवचन (रजांसि-विशेषण)Role KarmaRoot पार्थिव (प्रातिपदिक)
- श्लोकम्
- renown, fame; proclamationNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot श्लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
- देवः
- the god (Savitṛ)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- कृणुते
- makes, fashionsVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot कृ (धातु)
- स्वाय
- for his ownAdjective/Pronounपुं/नपुंसक, चतुर्थी, एकवचन (धर्मणे-विशेषण)Role SampradānaRoot स्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- धर्मणे
- for (his) ordinance/law; for his established orderNounपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot धर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- प्र
- forthIndeclinableउपसर्ग (prefix) with following verbRoot प्र (उपसर्ग) / pra (preverb)
- बाहू
- (his) two armsNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, द्विवचनRole KarmaRoot बाहु (प्रातिपदिक)
- अस्राक्
- he stretched out / let forthVerbलुङ् (अोरिस्ट), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; injunctive/aorist form in Vedic usageRoot सृज्/सृ (धातु; Vedic aorist stem)
- सविता
- Savitṛ (the Impeller)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot सवितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- सवीमनि
- in the impelling (course/act), in the setting-in-motionNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot सवीमन (प्रातिपदिक; from √सू/सव ‘to impel’)
- निवेशयन्
- Root नि-विश् (धातु) / √विश् with preverb नि; causative stem निवेशय-
The meaning
Outer meaning
He has filled the heavenly and earthly regions; the god makes a proclamation for his own law. Savitṛ has stretched out his arms, settling and setting in motion the moving world with his lights.
Inner meaning
Savitṛ fills all planes (rajāṃsi)—higher and lower—with his luminous force so that nothing remains outside the divine impulsion. His ‘śloka’ is not mere sound: it is the clear utterance of the Truth-law (svāya dharmaṇe) within the being—an inner directive that makes right action self-evident. The outstretched arms signify the universal reach of the divine will: it both establishes (niveśayan) stable order in the parts and impels (prasuvan) the dynamic nature into right movement through successive illuminations (aktubhiḥ).
Universal truth
The divine guidance is both establishing and mobilizing: it settles the being in truth and simultaneously sets life into right evolution through progressive lights.
Themes
Cosmic ordering, Establishing and impelling, Divine law proclamation
The seer
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama (traditional)
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 4.53.1, RV 4.53.2, RV 4.53.4
Family tradition
This family’s solar vision often unites law (dharma/ṛta) with dynamism (prasava).
Significance
Shows the integral balance: establish truth-order inwardly while advancing the evolutionary movement.
The deity
- Devata
- Savitṛ
- Epithets
- Devaḥ (luminous god), Prasavitā (impeller—implicit), Dharmakṛt (maker of law—implicit)
- Related deities
- Varuṇa (ṛta-guardian), Mitra, Indra (illumination in action), Uṣas
Cosmic role
Fills the worlds, proclaims the law, and impels all movement in harmony with that law.
Inner power
The power that both grounds and propels: stability in truth plus forward evolution.
In ritual
Where it is used
Savitṛ stotras/recitations for impulsion and right order
आप्रा॒ रजां॑सि दि॒व्यानि॒ पार्थि॑वा॒ श्लोकं॑ दे॒वः कृ॑णुते॒ स्वाय॒ धर्म॑णे । प्र बा॒हू अ॑स्राक्सवि॒ता सवी॑मनि निवे॒शय॑न्प्रसु॒वन्न॒क्तुभि॒र्जग॑त् ॥
आ । अ॒प्राः॒ । रजां॑सि । दि॒व्यानि॑ । पार्थि॑वा । श्लोक॑म् । दे॒वः । कृ॒णु॒ते॒ । स्वाय॑ । धर्म॑णे । प्र । बा॒हू इति॑ । अ॒स्रा॒क् । स॒वि॒ता । सवी॑मनि । नि॒ऽवे॒शय॑न् । प्र॒ऽसु॒वन् । अ॒क्तुऽभिः॑ । जग॑त् ॥
ā | aprāḥ | rajāṃsi | divyāni | pārthivā | ślokam | devaḥ | kṛṇute | svāya | dharmaṇe | pra | bāhū iti | asrāk | savitā | savīmani | ni-veśayan | pra-suvan | aktu-bhiḥ | jagat
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4 x ~11
Commanding and organizing; alternates fullness (āpra) with motion (prasuvan).
Creates a sense of inner alignment—spine upright, mind ordered, energy mobilized without agitation.
- रजांसि (rajāṃsi)
- Literal: regions, spaces. Symbolic: Planes of consciousness (mental, vital, physical) to be filled with light
- श्लोक (śloka)
- Literal: proclamation, clear utterance. Symbolic: Inner word of truth; directive illumination that clarifies dharma
- स्वाय धर्मणे (svāya dharmaṇe)
- Literal: for his own law. Symbolic: Inherent truth-order (ṛta-dharma) of the divine working in us
- बाहू (bāhū)
- Literal: arms. Symbolic: Power of extension; effective reach of divine will into all parts
- सवीमन्/सवीमन (savīman(i))
- Literal: impulsion, vivifying act. Symbolic: Dynamic push of evolution; energizing will-force
- निवेशयन् (niveśayan)
- Literal: settling, establishing. Symbolic: Stabilizing the consciousness in right poise
- प्रसुवन् (prasuvan)
- Literal: impelling, setting forth. Symbolic: Driving forward growth and action
- जगत् (jagat)
- Literal: moving world. Symbolic: The mobile nature—thoughts, desires, energies—in constant motion
Savitṛ verses commonly accompany acts of 'setting in motion' (prasava) and establishing order; can be used when beginning ritual sequences to align action with dharma/ṛta.
At transitions in rite/day: before action, before setting things ‘in place’
Invocation to establish dharma and set the rite (and inner rite) in motion
Chant before making decisions: ask for the ‘śloka’—clear inner directive—and then act from it.
rajāṃsi: plural of rájas- 'region, expanse' (also 'dusty atmosphere' in outer sense). ślóka: from √śru/√ślōk? Vedic 'proclaimed utterance/fame'—a manifest sound of order. dhárman: from √dhṛ 'to hold' → 'that which supports/order'. asrāk: aorist of √sṛj 'send forth/let go' used with bāhū (arms) for extension of power. pra-sū: √sū 'impel' with pra- → 'set in motion'.
dharma as supporting order, prasava (impulsion), jagat (mobile nature) established in right rhythm
Savitṛ’s own law is the operative ṛta in movement.
Śloka as truth-utterance that makes right action luminous.
Ordering and mobilizing the jagat through progressive light.
Karma-yoga in Vedic form: right action as expression of truth-order.
dawn
Light pervading all layers of the psyche; a clear guiding ‘word’ arises; energies are set in right motion.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The 'Savitṛ sets the world in motion' mythologem: he fills the regions, proclaims his law, stretches out his arms (powers), and establishes/impels the jagat in luminous order.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √dhṛ (dhárman) continues PIE *dʰer- 'hold/support'. √sū (pra-súvan) aligns with IE 'drive/impel' semantics. jagat from √gam 'go' (PIE *gʷem- 'go/come') via present participial formation meaning 'moving'.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The R̥ṣi witnesses Savitṛ as the regulator of both stillness and movement: the god not only impels but also 'settles' (niveśayan), teaching that true progress requires establishment in dharma/ṛta.
Alignment + impulsion: feel a vertical axis (dharma) and a forward flow (prasava) simultaneously.
Muladhara (establishment) + Manipura (impulsion)
Inhale up the spine (establish), exhale forward from navel/heart (impel).
Ordered dynamism—calm force in action.
After chanting, write one clear ‘śloka’ for your day: a single sentence of truth-guided intention; then act in small steps under that light.
Keep crisp accentuation on action-verbs (āpra, kṛṇute, asrāk, niveśayan, prasuvan).
Slightly lengthen ‘svāya dharmaṇe’ to emphasize the law; energize ‘prasuvan’.
āpra: long ā, rajāṃsi: nasal ṃ before s, kṛṇute: vocalic ṛ, niveśayan: ś palatal; y as glide
Clear, firm, forward-moving.
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