Rig Veda 4.56.2: Mandala 4, Sukta 56, Mantra 2
Sukta 4.56
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Devata
- Dyāvāpṛthivī
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
देवी देवेभिर्यजते यजत्रैरमिनती तस्थतुरुक्षमाणे । ऋतावरी अद्रुहा देवपुत्रे यज्ञस्य नेत्री शुचयद्भिरर्कैः ॥
devī́ devébhiḥ yajaté yajatraír áminatī tasthatur ukṣámāṇe | ṛtā́varī ádruhā deváputre yajñásya netrī́ śucáyadbhir arkáiḥ ||
Dua Dewi berdiri teguh bersama para dewa yang layak disembah, tidak berkurang, mencurahkan pertambahan mereka. Penjaga Ṛta, tanpa tipu daya, puteri-puteri Ilahi, mereka memimpin yajña dengan arka-arka yang menyucikan.
Word by Word
- देवी
- the goddessNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot देवी (प्रातिपदिक) < देव (दिव् ‘दीप्तौ’)
- देवेभिः
- with the godsNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole सह/साधन (कर्तृ-सहचर्य) / करणRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक) < दिव् ‘दीप्तौ’
- यजते
- worships / performs sacrificeVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot यज् (यजँ) ‘देवपूजासंगतिकरणदान’
- यजत्रैः
- with the worshipful (ones)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole करण (यजते इत्यस्य साधन/सहचर्य) / विशेषणRoot यजत्र (कृदन्त/विशेषण) < यज् + त्र (यजनीय)
- अमिनती
- not harming; not diminishingParticipleवर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (देवी-विशेषण) / क्रियाविशेषणRoot मन्/मिन् (मिनँ) ‘हिंसायाम्/क्षये’ + अ- (निषेध) → अ-मिनत् ‘अहिंसन्ती/अनपकर्षन्ती’
- तस्थतुः
- the two stood / have stoodVerbलिट् (परिपूर्ण/परोक्श), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, द्विवचनRole क्रियाRoot स्था (ष्ठा) ‘तिष्ठति/अवस्थान’
- उक्षमाणे
- while the two are sprinkling/causing to rain; while nourishingParticipleवर्तमान कृदन्त (शानच्), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, द्विवचनRole अधिकरण (यत्र/यस्मिन् अवस्थायाम्) / विशेषणRoot वक्ष्/उक्ष् (उक्षँ) ‘सिञ्चने/वर्षणे/पोषणे’
- ऋतावरी
- the two who are of ṛta (cosmic order); the two righteous onesAdjective (used substantively)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचनRole कर्तृRoot ऋतावरी (प्रातिपदिक) < ऋत + वरी (ऋत-सम्बद्धा/ऋतस्य वह्निः)
- अद्रुहा
- non-deceitful; not treacherousAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचनRole कर्तृ (ऋतावरी-विशेषण)Root द्रुह् ‘द्रोहे’ + अ- (निषेध) → अ-द्रुह्
- देवपुत्रे
- the two ‘sons of the gods’ (dual epithet)Noun (dual epithet)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचनRole कर्तृ (ऋतावरी/अद्रुहा इत्यस्य अपपद-विशेषण)Root देवपुत्र (समास) = देवस्य पुत्रः
- यज्ञस्य
- of the sacrificeNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक) < यज्
- नेत्री
- leader/guideNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (देवी-विशेषण)Root नेत्री (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) < नय् ‘नी’ (नयँ) ‘प्रापणे/नेतृत्वे’ + तृ (कर्तरि)
- शुचयद्भिः
- with shining/purifyingParticipleपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole करण (अर्कैः इत्यस्य विशेषण) / सहचर्यRoot शुच् ‘शोचने/दीप्तौ/शौचे’ → शुचयत् (वर्तमान कृदन्त शतृ) ‘शोचयन्/दीपयन्’
- अर्कैः
- with hymns (or rays)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole करणRoot अर्क (प्रातिपदिक) ‘स्तुति/ऋक्/किरण’
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धिविग्रह): दे॒वी | दे॒वेभिः | यज॒ते | यज॑त्रैः | अ-॒मि॑नती | तस्थतुः | उ॒क्षमा॑णे || ऋ॒ताव॑री | अ॒द्रुहा॑ | दे॒वपु॑त्रे | य॒ज्ञस्य॑ | ने॒त्री | शु॒चय॑द्भिः | अ॒र्कैः || 1) देवेभिर्यजते = देवेभिः + यजते (विसर्गलोपः, र्-आदेशः)
- 2) यजत्रैरमिनती = यजत्रैः + अमिनती (विसर्गलोपः)
- 3) तस्थतुरुक्षमाणे = तस्थतुः + उक्षमाणे (विसर्गलोपः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Two goddesses (Heaven and Earth) stand firm with the gods worthy of worship, undiminished, pouring out increase; guardians of ṛta, without deceit, daughters of the Divine, they lead the sacrifice by purifying hymns.
Inner meaning
Dyāvā–Pṛthivī are the two foundational fields of consciousness: the higher luminous mind (Heaven) and the receptive embodied nature (Earth). When they are ‘undiminished’ (aminatī) and ‘pouring increase’ (ukṣamāṇe), the higher and lower cooperate to amplify inner growth. As ṛtāvarī and adruhā they represent truth-guided, non-distorting faculties; as ‘leaders of the sacrifice’ they govern the right ordering of the inner yajña through clarifying mantras (śucayadbhir arkaiḥ) that purify thought and emotion.
Universal truth
Transformation requires a stable harmony between aspiration (the higher) and receptivity/practice (the lower). When both are aligned to truth and free from inner duplicity, the soul’s discipline becomes self-purifying and steadily fruitful.
Themes
Rita and guidance, Purification by hymns, Cosmic support of sacrifice
The seer
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 4.1, RV 4.26, RV 4.27, RV 4.58
Family tradition
Vāmadeva of Maṇḍala 4; hymns often present a psychological yoga of illumination and right order (ṛta) through the gods’ powers.
Significance
Vāmadeva’s vision frequently turns ritual language into an inner discipline: the fire of will, the widening of consciousness, and the establishment of ṛta as a lived harmony between the heights and the embodied life.
The deity
- Devata
- Dyāvāpṛthivī (Heaven-and-Earth, the Two Goddesses)
- Epithets
- devī, ṛtāvarī, adruhā, devaputre, yajñasya netrī
- Related deities
- Mitra, Varuṇa, Agni, Indra, Aditi
Cosmic role
The primal dyad that holds the worlds: Heaven as the luminous vault of law and illumination; Earth as the stable foundation that receives, sustains, and brings forms to manifestation.
Inner power
Integration power: harmonizing higher light with lower nature so that the inner yajña proceeds without distortion and yields increase.
In ritual
Where it is used
Invocations to Dyāvā–Pṛthivī in śrauta offerings (general praise/āhvāna within soma or agni-based rites).
दे॒वी दे॒वेभि॑र्यज॒ते यज॑त्रै॒रमि॑नती तस्थतुरु॒क्षमा॑णे । ऋ॒ताव॑री अ॒द्रुहा॑ दे॒वपु॑त्रे य॒ज्ञस्य॑ ने॒त्री शु॒चय॑द्भिर॒र्कैः ॥
दे॒वी इति॑ । दे॒वेभिः॑ । य॒ज॒ते इति॑ । यज॑त्रैः । अमि॑नती॒ इति॑ । त॒स्थ॒तुः॒ । उ॒क्षमा॑णे॒ इति॑ । ऋ॒तव॑री॒ इत्यृ॒तऽव॑री । अ॒द्रुहा॑ । दे॒वपु॑त्रे॒ इति॑ दे॒वऽपु॑त्रे । य॒ज्ञस्य॑ । ने॒त्री इति॑ । शु॒चय॑त्ऽभिः । अ॒र्कैः ॥
devī iti | devebhiḥ | yajate iti | yajatraiḥ | aminatī iti | tasthatuḥ | ukṣamāṇeiti | ṛtavarī ity ṛta-varī | adruhā | devaputreitideva-putre | yajñasya | netrī | iti | śucayat-bhiḥ | arkaiḥ
44
4 pādas × ~11 syllables
Forward-driving, declarative cadence suited to establishing firmness and order.
Creates a sense of stability and widening; supports a meditative ‘standing firm’ of attention while invoking purification through sound.
- देवी (devī)
- Literal: goddess. Symbolic: luminous power of consciousness active in nature
- द्यावापृथिवी (dyāvāpṛthivī)
- Literal: Heaven-and-Earth. Symbolic: higher mind-plane and embodied field cooperating for transformation
- अमिनती (aminatī)
- Literal: undiminished, not failing. Symbolic: steadfastness of aspiration and receptivity; no leakage of force
- उक्षमाणे (ukṣamāṇe)
- Literal: pouring, increasing, sprinkling. Symbolic: outflow of growth-force; progressive intensification of inner light
- ऋतावरी (ṛtāvarī)
- Literal: possessing/guarding ṛta. Symbolic: truth-guided discernment that keeps the inner order
- अद्रुहा (adruhā)
- Literal: without deceit, non-injuring. Symbolic: sincerity; non-distorting perception and speech
- देवपुत्रे (devaputre)
- Literal: daughters of the god/divine. Symbolic: powers born of the Divine Reality, not ego-constructs
- यज्ञस्य नेत्री (yajñasya netrī)
- Literal: leader/guide of the sacrifice. Symbolic: governing intelligence that directs the inner offering
- शुचयद्भिः अर्कैः (śucayadbhir arkaiḥ)
- Literal: with purifying hymns. Symbolic: mantric thought that cleanses mind-stuff and refines will
Establishes the cosmic pair as leaders of the yajña—outer rite and inner offering—ensuring ṛta and purification
At openings or transitions where cosmic support and right order are affirmed.
Recitation as praise to secure protection and alignment with ṛta; accompanying oblations to Agni/Soma depending on the larger rite.
Use as a centering mantra before meditation: invoke the higher mind and embodied steadiness to lead one’s inner ‘sacrifice’ (work, study, sādhanā) with sincerity and clarity.
ṛtā́varī ‘working/guarding ṛta’ from ṛtá + √vṛ ‘to choose/cover/guard’ in Vedic adjective formation; indicates active maintenance of cosmic order. adruhā from a- + druh ‘to harm, deceive’ (cf. drogha-), emphasizing truthfulness. ukṣ- ‘to sprinkle, strengthen, increase’ gives ukṣamāṇe ‘pouring out increase’—fertile expansion as a divine act.
Rita guardianship (ṛtāvarī), Truthfulness/non-deception (adruhā), Yajña as guided inner process
Explicit: the goddesses are ṛtāvarī and lead the yajña by purifying hymns.
Truth as non-deceit (adruhā): alignment of speech, thought, and intention.
The primal pair as supports of manifestation and as channels of increase (ukṣamāṇe).
Proto-Vedāntic/Integral (Aurobindo-style): cosmic powers as states and functions of consciousness.
Sky = illumined mind; Earth = embodied receptivity; ‘increase’ = descent/expansion of force; ‘purifying hymns’ = mantra as a cleanser of inner nature.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘Two Worlds as leaders of yajña’ mythologem: Heaven and Earth are not passive scenery but active guides of the offering, maintaining ṛta and pouring increase—innerly, stabilizing and enlarging the seeker’s field for transformation.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The moral polarity of truth vs. deception (adruhā) reflects archaic IE ethical diction. The root √druh ‘deceive/harm’ has Indo-Iranian parallels (Avestan druj-).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi relies on the cosmic pair to ‘lead’ the offering: their truth-guardianship ensures the mantra and sacrifice remain purifying and effective, preventing deviation into falsehood or diminution.
Unite ‘sky-mind’ and ‘earth-body’: hold a wide, clear awareness above while relaxing the embodied base below; offer thoughts as purifying arka.
ājñā (sky-mind) with mūlādhāra (earth-foundation) integration
Nādi-śodhana (gentle) or equal-ratio breathing to stabilize and purify.
Quiet wideness with lucid sincerity; steady attention that ‘stands firm’.
Begin with a brief inner offering: (1) invoke higher clarity, (2) consent in the body, (3) recite slowly, (4) notice where deceit/self-division appears, (5) realign to ṛta by simple truthful intention.
Vedic svara as in Śākala tradition: udatta/anudatta/svarita encoded by accents in the saṃhitā text (requires śākhā-specific notation for exact contour).
Follow the marked accents: sustain udatta slightly higher; let svarita glide; keep anudatta unraised—avoid musical melody; preserve the tri-tone feel.
: lengthen ī; keep dental d, : clear j; avoid ‘z’, : nasal m + short i; retroflex ṇ not present, : pronounce kṣ as cluster; long ā in mā, : vocalic ṛ clear, not ‘ri’, : dr cluster crisp; long ā at end, : ch as ‘cch’ quality; dhbh cluster carefully
Clear, steady, slightly resonant; emphasize firmness over ornamentation.
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