Rig Veda 5.45.1: Mandala 5, Sukta 45, Mantra 1
Sukta 5.45
- Rishi
- Atri Bhauma
- Devata
- Uṣas / Sūrya complex
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
विदा दिवो विष्यन्नद्रिमुक्थैरायत्या उषसो अर्चिनो गुः । अपावृत व्रजिनीरुत्स्वर्गाद्वि दुरो मानुषीर्देव आवः ॥
vidā́ divó vi-syán ádrim uktháir āyatyā́ uṣáso arcíno guḥ | ápāvṛta vrajínīr út svàr gād ví dúro mā́nuṣīr devá ā́vaḥ ||
Dengan mengetahui langit, memecahkan batu dengan madah-madah pujian, Fajar-fajar yang bernyala datang, mara ke hadapan. Mereka membuka kandang dan naik ke alam yang bercahaya; sang dewa membukakan luas pintu-pintu manusia.
Word by Word
- विदा
- with knowledge; knowinglyIndeclinable (adverbial use of subanta)नपुंसकलिङ्ग? (अव्ययीभाव-प्रायः), तृतीया एकवचन (विदया/विद्वत्ता ‘by knowledge/knowingly’)Role KaraṇaRoot √विद् (विदाँ) / विद्- (प्रातिपदिक ‘विदा’ = विद्या/विद्वत्ता) — here as adverbial instr.
- दिवः
- of heaven; of the skyNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग (दिव्), षष्ठी एकवचनRole Sambandha (genitive)Root दिव्- (प्रातिपदिक) ‘द्यौः/दिव्’
- विष्यन्
- spreading; pervadingVerb (participle)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (कर्तरि)Role Kartā (to the participle; agreeing with implied agent)Root √विष् (वेष्टने/व्याप्तौ) (वेदिक) — present participle
- अद्रिम्
- the rock; stone (obstacle)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot अद्रि- (प्रातिपदिक)
- उक्थैः
- with hymns; with recitationsNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot उक्थ- (प्रातिपदिक)
- आयत्या
- by coming near; in approachNoun (abstract) used adverbiallyस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचनRole Karaṇa (manner)Root आयति- (प्रातिपदिक) / √यत् (प्रयत्न) — ‘approach/coming’
- उषसः
- the DawnsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचनRole KartāRoot उषस्- (प्रातिपदिक)
- अर्चिनः
- shining; radiantAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन (उषसः-विशेषण)Role Kartā (as qualifier)Root अर्चिन्- (प्रातिपदिक ‘radiant, flaming’) from √अर्च्
- गुः
- went; cameVerbलिट् (परस्मैपद), 3 पुरुष, बहुवचनRole KriyāRoot √गु (गवेषणे/गमने) — Vedic perfect/aorist form
- अपावृत
- opened; uncoveredVerbलुङ् (आorist), 3 पुरुष, एकवचन (परस्मैपद)Role KriyāRoot अप + √वृ (वरणे/आवरणे) — ‘open, uncover’
- व्रजिनीः
- the enclosures; the barriersNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot व्रजिनी- (प्रातिपदिक) ‘enclosure/pen; barrier’
- उत्
- up; outIndeclinable (prefix/preverb)Root उत् (उपसर्ग)
- स्वर्गात्
- from heaven; from the heavenly realmNounपुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी एकवचनRole ApādānaRoot स्वर्ग- (प्रातिपदिक)
- वि
- apart; asunderIndeclinable (prefix/preverb)Root वि (उपसर्ग)
- दुरः
- the doors; gatesNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot दुर्/द्वार्- (प्रातिपदिक ‘door, gate’) — Vedic form दुरः
- मानुषीः
- human; of menAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया बहुवचन (दुरः-विशेषण)Role Karma (as qualifier)Root मानुषी- (प्रातिपदिक) from मनु/मानुष ‘human’
- देवः
- the god (Agni/Indra per context)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole KartāRoot देव- (प्रातिपदिक)
- आवः
- helped; favored; aidedVerbलुङ् (aorist), 3 पुरुष, एकवचन (परस्मैपद)Role KriyāRoot आ + √अव् (रक्षणे/सहाय्ये) — Vedic aorist
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolved as: विदा | दिवः | विष्यन् | अद्रिम् | उक्थैः | आयत्या | उषसः | अर्चिनः | गुः || अपावृत | व्रजिनीः | उत् | स्वर्गात् | वि | दुरः | मानुषीः | देवः | आवः || Notes: (1) ‘उत्स्वर्गात्’ = उत् + स्वर्गात् (t-sandhi). (2) ‘दुरो मानुषीः’ shows Vedic ‘दुरः’ (doors) with following adjective
- pada-division follows standard RV pada reading
The meaning
Outer meaning
Knowing the heaven, breaking open the stone with hymns, the flaming Dawns came advancing. They opened the pen and rose upward to the luminous world; the god opened wide the human doors.
Inner meaning
Uṣas are the powers of illumination that arrive when consciousness turns toward the higher (divo vidā). The ‘stone’ (adri) is the hard obstruction of the subconscient/ignorance that imprisons light; hymns (uktha) are forces of inspired speech that strike and split this resistance. The ‘pen’ (vraja) is the enclosure where the rays/cows of knowledge are held back; dawn-forces open it and lead the energies upward into svar (the luminous plane). The ‘human doors’ are the habitual thresholds of the mind and senses; the divine power opens them wide so that higher light can enter and the being can ascend.
Universal truth
Illumination comes by turning toward the higher truth and applying inspired effort; then inner obstructions break, hidden knowledge is released, and the ordinary mind becomes open to a greater light.
Themes
dawn-opening, breaking the rock, opening the doors of consciousness
The seer
- Rishi
- Atri Bhauma
- Lineage
- Atri (Ātreya)
- Other hymns
- RV 5.45 (Uṣas hymns), RV 5.44 (Agni awakening context)
Family tradition
Atri hymns frequently depict the release of light (go), the breaking of the obstruction (adri), and the coming of dawn-illumination as stages of inner realization.
Significance
Atri’s dawn symbolism is central to the psychological Rig Veda: illumination is not merely a time phenomenon but a decisive inner event that opens the path to svar.
The deity
- Devata
- Uṣas (with Sūrya aid implicit)
- Epithets
- arcinī (flaming), āyatyāḥ (advancing)
- Related deities
- Sūrya, Agni, Indra, Bṛhaspati
Cosmic role
Goddess of dawn who brings light, reveals paths, and opens the hidden; allied with solar truth.
Inner power
Illumination that breaks the inertia of ignorance, releases the rays of knowledge, and opens the mind’s doors to higher consciousness.
In ritual
Where it is used
Dawn invocations; recitation in morning rites and in sequences praising Uṣas/Sūrya
वि॒दा दि॒वो वि॒ष्यन्नद्रि॑मु॒क्थैरा॑य॒त्या उ॒षसो॑ अ॒र्चिनो॑ गुः । अपा॑वृत व्र॒जिनी॒रुत्स्व॑र्गा॒द्वि दुरो॒ मानु॑षीर्दे॒व आ॑वः ॥
वि॒दाः । दि॒वः । वि॒ऽस्यन् । अद्रि॑म् । उ॒क्थैः । आ॒ऽय॒त्याः । उ॒षसः॑ । अ॒र्चिनः॑ । गुः॒ । अप॑ । अ॒वृ॒त॒ । व्र॒जिनीः॑ । उत् । स्वः॑ । गा॒त् । वि । दुरः॑ । मानु॑षीः । दे॒वः । आ॒व॒रित्या॑वः ॥
vidāḥ | divaḥ | vi-syan | adrim | ukthaiḥ | āyatyāḥ | uṣasaḥ | arcinaḥ | guḥ | apa | avṛta | vrajinīḥ | ut | svaḥ | gāt | vi | duraḥ | mānuṣīḥ | devaḥ | āvar ity āvaḥ
44
4×11
Expansive and ascending; strong breaks suit ‘breaking the stone’ and ‘opening doors’.
Energizes aspiration; evokes widening and upward movement, helpful for morning practice.
- divo vidāḥ
- Literal: knowing the heaven. Symbolic: orientation to higher consciousness; intuitive recognition of the supramental/greater light
- adri
- Literal: stone, rock. Symbolic: hard resistance of ignorance/subconscient obstruction
- ukthaiḥ
- Literal: with hymns. Symbolic: mantric force of inspired speech used as an instrument of breakthrough
- uṣasaḥ arcinaḥ
- Literal: flaming Dawns. Symbolic: illumining powers that awaken consciousness
- vrajinīḥ / vraja
- Literal: pen/enclosure. Symbolic: inner confinement holding back rays of knowledge (go) and energies
- svar-gāt
- Literal: to the luminous world. Symbolic: ascent to a plane of light and wideness
- vi duro mānuṣīḥ
- Literal: the human doors opened wide. Symbolic: opening of mental-sensory gates to higher influx; release from narrow habitual consciousness
Prātaḥ-savana / dawn-oriented recitations: invoking the opening of paths and the release of hidden light at the beginning of the sacrifice (and psychologically, at the beginning of the day/inner practice).
At dawn or early morning; also at the start of a rite to ‘open the way’
Facing east, lighting fire or offering water/ghṛta while chanting to invite illumination
Ideal as a dawn meditation verse: use to ‘open the doors’ of the mind before study, prayer, or contemplative practice.
√vid ‘know/find’ (PIE *weid-). adri ‘rock’ as obstruction; mythic ‘rock that holds the cows/light’ is opened by uktha (affirming word). √vṛ ‘cover’ with apa ‘away’ → uncovering. uṣas as illumination. ‘doors’ (duraḥ) as thresholds of consciousness; opening human doors indicates inner access to higher light (svar).
release of hidden light (cows in the rock/pen motif), svar (luminous world), mantra as force (uktha)
The movement from enclosure to svar is an ṛtaful ascent—right progression from darkness to light.
‘Knowing heaven’ implies contact with truth-plane guidance rather than opinion-mind.
Release of hidden light from obstruction; opening of gates; ascent into luminous world—microcosmic creation repeated in the seeker.
Early Yogic cosmology leading toward Vedāntic ascent (symbolic svar as higher consciousness).
dawn
Dawn = illumination; stone = subconscious resistance; pen = confinement of rays; doors = mental gates; svar = luminous wideness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘breaking the rock/opening the pen’ mythologem: the Dawns (illumination) open the enclosure that holds back light/wealth. Inner sense: hymns of truth break subconscious obstruction and open the doors of the human being to the luminous plane (svar).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √vid (vidā) from PIE *weid- and √av (āvaḥ) from PIE *h₂ew- ‘help/protect’ (cognate set debated but widely Indo-European) show inherited core verbs. The ‘doors’ and ‘rock’ imagery matches a broader Indo-European poetics of enclosure and release.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi offers uktha (affirming speech) as the effective instrument; the devatā (Dawn/Solar power) responds by opening enclosures and doors—granting access to higher light and aiding the human transition from darkness to ordered radiance.
Visualize dawn-light entering from above the head, breaking a dark ‘stone’ in the chest/solar plexus; feel inner doors opening and attention rising into spacious clarity.
Ājñā/Sahasrāra (light) with Anāhata (opening)
Sūrya-bhedana (right-nostril inhale) gently for 6 rounds; chant once; then sit facing east in silent reception.
Bright, expansive, aspiring.
Use at dawn: (1) set intention ‘know the heaven’ (higher truth), (2) offer one limiting habit as the ‘stone’, (3) chant, (4) sit and notice which ‘door’ in the mind opens—new idea, courage, or quiet joy.
Tri-svara; allow a perceptible lift on uṣasaḥ, arcinaḥ, apāvṛta, svar-gāt, vi duro.
Keep the two main actions clear: (1) breaking open (adri) with uktha, (2) opening doors/pen and rising to svar.
vidā: dental d, long ā, viṣyan: retroflex ṣ; keep nasal ‘n’ light, adri: short a, rolled r, vrajinīḥ: palatal j, long īḥ, svar-gāt: pronounce ‘svar’ clearly, not ‘swar’
Bright, rising, expansive
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