Rig Veda 5.40.8: Mandala 5, Sukta 40, Mantra 8
Sukta 5.40
- Rishi
- Atri Bhāuma
- Devata
- Sūrya
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
ग्राव्णो ब्रह्मा युयुजानः सपर्यन्कीरिणा देवान्नमसोपशिक्षन् । अत्रिः सूर्यस्य दिवि चक्षुराधात्स्वर्भानोरप माया अघुक्षत् ॥
grā́vṇo brahmā́ yuyujānás saparyán kīríṇā devā́n námasopáśikṣan | átriḥ sū́ryasya diví cákṣur ā́dhāt svàr-bhānor ápa māyā́ adhukṣat ||
Brahmana—pendeta—setelah memasang batu-batu pemerah pada kerjanya, menyembah, mengajar para dewa dengan sujud dan nyanyian puji—Atri menegakkan mata Surya di langit, lalu memerah habis tipu-daya Svàrbhānu.
Word by Word
- ग्राव्णः
- of the pressing-stoneNounMasculine, Genitive, SingularRole Sambandha (genitive relation)Root ग्रावन्
- ब्रह्मा
- the priest (brahman), sacred uttererNounMasculine, Nominative, SingularRole KartāRoot ब्रह्मन्
- युयुजानः
- yoking, harnessing; engagingVerb (participle)Present middle participle, Nominative, Singular, MasculineRole Kartā (qualifying ब्रह्मा)Root युज्
- सपर्यन्
- worshipping, servingVerb (participle)Present active participle, Nominative, Singular, MasculineRole Kartā (qualifying ब्रह्मा)Root सपर्य्
- कीरिणा
- with a singer/poet (hymnist)NounMasculine, Instrumental, SingularRole KaraṇaRoot कीरि
- देवान्
- the godsNounMasculine, Accusative, PluralRole KarmaRoot देव
- नमसा
- with reverence, with homageNounNeuter, Instrumental, SingularRole KaraṇaRoot नमस्
- उपशिक्षन्
- instructing/teaching (them), guidingVerb (participle)Present active participle, Nominative, Singular, MasculineRole Kartā (qualifying ब्रह्मा)Root उप-शिक्ष्
- अत्रिः
- Atri (the seer)Noun (proper name)Masculine, Nominative, SingularRole KartāRoot अत्रि
- सूर्यस्य
- of the SunNounMasculine, Genitive, SingularRole Sambandha (genitive relation)Root सूर्य
- दिवि
- in heaven, in the skyNounFeminine, Locative, SingularRole AdhikaraṇaRoot दिव्
- चक्षुः
- eye; sightNounNeuter, Accusative, SingularRole KarmaRoot चक्षुस्
- आधात्
- he placed; he setVerbAorist (injunctive/aorist), 3rd person, Singular, ParasmaipadaRole Kriyā (finite verb of the clause)Root आ-धा
- स्वर्भानोः
- from SvarbhānuNoun (proper name)Masculine, Genitive, SingularRole Apādāna (source, with अप)Root स्वर्भानु
- अप
- away, offIndeclinablePreverb/particleRole Upasarga (modifying the verb)Root अप
- मायाः
- deceptions, magical powersNounFeminine, Accusative, PluralRole KarmaRoot माया
- अघुक्षत्
- he drove away; he dispelledVerbAorist, 3rd person, Singular, ParasmaipadaRole Kriyā (finite verb of the clause)Root अघुक्ष्
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (pada-splitting): ग्राव्णो॑ → ग्राव्णः (gen. sg. of ग्रावन्)
- स॑प॒र्यन्की॒रिणा॑ → सपर्यन् + कीरिणा (final -न् before k)
- दे॒वान्नम॑सोप॒शिक्ष॑न् → देवान् + नमसा + उपशिक्षन् (final -न् before n; -स् + उ- → -सो-)
- अत्रि॒: → अत्रिः
- चक्षु॒राधा॒त् → चक्षुः + आधात् (visarga before vowel)
- स्व॑र्भानो॒रप॑ → स्वर्भानोः + अप (visarga before vowel). Accent marks are retained in the source but not re-applied per pada here
The meaning
Outer meaning
The brahman-priest, setting the pressing-stones to work, worshipping, teaching the gods with reverence and hymn—Atri established the Sun’s eye in heaven and milked away the deceits of Svarbhānu.
Inner meaning
The ‘pressing-stones’ (grāvan) are inner instruments that crush and express Soma—bliss and luminous essence—from life-experience. The brahmā is the soul’s mantric will that correctly sets the forces in motion. By saparyā (consecrated service), kīri (hymn), and namas (self-offering), Atri re-establishes the ‘eye’ of truth-vision in the higher mind (divi cakṣuḥ). ‘Milking away’ the māyā means extracting the false formations from the vital-mind until only the luminous essence remains.
Universal truth
Right inner practice is not mere belief: it is a disciplined setting to work of the instruments of consciousness, reverent self-offering, and true speech—by which vision is restored and deception is drained out.
Themes
mantra as action, restoring vision, Soma-pressing symbolism, removal of illusion
The seer
- Rishi
- Atri Bhāuma
- Lineage
- Atri (Ātreya)
- Other hymns
- RV 5.40.6, RV 5.40.9
Family tradition
Ātreya tradition closely linked with soma-pressing symbolism and the efficacy of brahman (mantra) to restore light.
Significance
Atri represents the accomplished inner priesthood: the one who can set the yoga of the sacrifice correctly and thereby re-open the divine vision.
The deity
- Devata
- Sūrya (restored) and the Devāḥ (inner powers)
- Epithets
- Sūrya (divi cakṣuḥ—eye in heaven)
- Related deities
- Soma, Agni, Indra, Bṛhaspati
Cosmic role
Sūrya as the witness and revealer; the Devāḥ as functional powers of consciousness awakened by hymn and offering.
Inner power
Restoration of higher seeing; activation of inner gods through mantra and reverence.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma pressing (abhisava) imagery; brahmā-priest function in śrauta soma-yajña
ग्राव्णो॑ ब्र॒ह्मा यु॑युजा॒नः स॑प॒र्यन्की॒रिणा॑ दे॒वान्नम॑सोप॒शिक्ष॑न् । अत्रि॒: सूर्य॑स्य दि॒वि चक्षु॒राधा॒त्स्व॑र्भानो॒रप॑ मा॒या अ॑घुक्षत् ॥
ग्राव्णः॑ । ब्र॒ह्मा । यु॒यु॒जा॒नः । स॒प॒र्यन् । की॒रिणा॑ । दे॒वान् । नम॑सा । उ॒प॒ऽशिक्ष॑न् । अत्रिः॑ । सूर्य॑स्य । दि॒वि । चक्षुः॑ । आ । अ॒धा॒त् । स्वः॑ऽभानोः । अप॑ । मा॒याः । अ॒घु॒क्ष॒त् ॥
grāvṇaḥ | brahmā | yuyujānaḥ | saparyan | kīriṇā | devān | namasā | upa-śikṣan | atriḥ | sūryasya | divi | cakṣuḥ | ā | adhāt | svaḥ-bhānoḥ | apa | māyā | adhukṣat
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4×~11 syllables
Ritual-technical energy in first half; decisive, luminous resolution in second half.
Gives a sense of ‘setting to work’ inner forces; ends with cleansing release as māyā is ‘milked away’.
- ग्राव्णः (grāvṇaḥ)
- Literal: of the pressing-stone. Symbolic: inner pressure/discipline that expresses the essence (Soma) from experience
- ब्रह्मा (brahmā)
- Literal: brahman-priest. Symbolic: mantric will and formative truth-speech guiding the inner sacrifice
- युयुजानः (yuyujānaḥ)
- Literal: yoking/setting to work. Symbolic: organizing inner powers and faculties into right action
- सपर्यन् (saparyan)
- Literal: worshipping, serving. Symbolic: consecrated attention and devoted practice
- कीरिणा (kīriṇā)
- Literal: with hymn/praise. Symbolic: vibrational truth-speech that instructs and awakens the gods within
- चक्षुः (cakṣuḥ)
- Literal: eye. Symbolic: faculty of direct seeing—illumined discernment
- अघुक्षत् (aghukṣat)
- Literal: milked out. Symbolic: drained away the falsehood; extracted deception until it loses power
Soma pressing (grāvan) imagery: supports the idea that correct ritual speech and inner pressure extract Soma (delight) and remove obscuration; used to affirm efficacy of stotra/śastra in restoring light.
During soma-pressing praises; also in narratives of eclipse removal/restoration of Sūrya
Consecration of pressing, hymn-recitation, and invocation of devāḥ to restore light and right functioning.
A mantra for disciplined practice: begin meditation by ‘yoking’ attention, then offer reverence, then seek restored inner seeing.
(grāvan) ‘pressing stone’ (Soma ritual); symbolically the pressure of concentrated effort (tapas) that expresses Soma (delight) from the plant of experience. -√ ‘to instruct, train’ suggests precise, effective utterance bringing divine powers into right action. from √cakṣ ‘to see’ (PIE *kʷekʷ- ‘to see’ debated; cf. Skt cakṣ-, Av. čaxš-). √dhā ‘to place, establish’ in ā-adhāt: re-establishment of the eye of truth. √duh ‘to milk’ in a-dhukṣat: a key Vedic metaphor—drawing out essence; here removing māyā as if extracting a substance.
brahman (word-power) as operative knowledge, māyā as removable covering, div (heaven) as higher consciousness, tapas/pressure symbolized by grāvan
Establishing the Sun’s eye in heaven is restoring the right order of seeing—vision aligned with ṛta.
Truth becomes operative when vision (cakṣuḥ) is reinstated above the mind’s distortions.
Re-establishment of cosmic function: the eye of heaven returns; order is reconstituted.
Integral/Vedāntic tendency: inner sacrifice as psycho-spiritual process producing revelation.
Morning/soma-pressing context; psychologically: the moment of re-illumination
Pressing = tapas/discipline; milking = extraction of truth from mixed experience; Sun-eye = awakened higher discernment.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The seer-priest restores the Sun’s eye and removes the eclipse-demon’s māyā. The mythic act is explicitly mantric-ritual: through brahman, hymn, and adoration, the obscuration is steadily ‘milked away’ and vision is re-established.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The root √duh ‘milk’ (PIE *dʰewgʰ- ‘produce, be effective’ debated; but ‘milk’ is an IE pastoral-poetic staple) is used metaphorically, as in other IE traditions where extracting essence is a central poetic operation. The ‘eye/seeing’ lexeme cakṣuḥ aligns with Indo-Iranian cognates (Avestan čaxš-), indicating inherited diction for vision/knowledge.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- Atri functions as a mediator who ‘educates’ the gods through precise praise—meaning he aligns human speech to divine rhythms—so that the gods’ own powers can manifest as restored vision. The devatā is both invoked and activated through the rishi’s brahman.
Threefold inner act: (1) yoke attention (yuyujānaḥ), (2) offer reverence (namas), (3) let mantra restore the ‘eye’ above the mind.
Ājñā (inner eye)
Breath with gentle ‘pressing’: inhale gather, exhale ‘express’—repeat with the mantra’s cadence; pause briefly after each pāda.
From scattered attention to organized, luminous seeing; cleansing of glamour-thoughts.
Begin sessions by consciously ‘setting the stones’: posture, breath, intention. Chant, then sit in silence imagining the Sun’s eye fixed in the inner sky, while deceptive thoughts drain away.
Use śākhā-prescribed accents; keep compound clusters clear (grāvṇo, brahmā, yuyujānaḥ).
Mark pāda breaks distinctly; slightly emphasize action-verbs in first half and illumination phrases in second (cakṣur ādhāt… aghukṣat).
: grāvṇo—keep long ā and retroflex ṇ, : yu-yu-jā-naḥ—do not rush the reduplication, : u-pa-śik-ṣan with clear kṣ, : a-ghuk-ṣat—retain kṣ cluster
Bright, precise articulation; end with a cleansing softness on ‘aghukṣat’.
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