Rig Veda 5.46.8: Mandala 5, Sukta 46, Mantra 8
Sukta 5.46
- Rishi
- Atri
- Devata
- Devapatnīḥ with named consorts and Rodasī
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
उत ग्ना व्यन्तु देवपत्नीरिन्द्राण्यग्नाय्यश्विनी राट् । आ रोदसी वरुणानी शृणोतु व्यन्तु देवीर्य ऋतुर्जनीनाम् ॥
utá gnā́ vyàntu deva-pátnīr indrā́ṇy àgnā́yy aśvínī rā́ṭ | ā́ ródasī váruṇānī śṛṇotu vyàntu devī́r yá ṛtúr jánīnām ||
Dan semoga para wanita ilahi, para pendamping para dewa, dibangunkan kepada kegiatan bercahaya mereka—Indrāṇī, Agnāyī, Aśvinī, Kuasa yang bersifat ratu. Semoga Varuṇānī, bersama Langit dan Bumi, mendengar kami. Semoga para Dewi digerakkan pada musim yang tepat, pada irama sejati kelahiran dan menjadi.
Word by Word
- उत
- and, alsoIndeclinableसमुच्चय/अन्वादेश-अव्ययRoot उत (निपात)
- ग्नाः
- the divine women (wives)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole KartāRoot ग्ना (स्त्री. प्रातिपदिक)
- व्यन्तु
- let them spread/extend (their aid)Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ); परस्मैपद; 3 पुरुष; बहुवचनRoot √व्या/वी (व्या- ‘to weave/cover/spread’; Vedic vy- forms)
- देवपत्न्यः
- the wives of the godsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole KartāRoot देव-पत्नी (समास; प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्राणी
- IndrāṇīNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole KartāRoot इन्द्राणी (प्रातिपदिक)
- अग्नाय्यः
- belonging to Agni / Agni’s (wives)Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन (देवपत्न्यः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role KartāRoot अग्नाय्य (अग्नि-सम्बन्धिनी; प्रातिपदिक)
- अश्विनी
- the two AśvinīsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; द्विवचनRole KartāRoot अश्विनी (प्रातिपदिक)
- राट्
- the sovereign lady / queenNoun/Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन (विशेषणवत्/उपाधि)Role KartāRoot राट् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘ruling/queenly’)
- आ
- hither, towardsIndeclinableआगमन/आभिमुख्य-अव्ययRoot आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- रोदसी
- the two worlds (heaven and earth)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग (वैदिक); द्वितीया; द्विवचनRole KarmaRoot रोदसी (द्वन्द्व-प्रातिपदिक; ‘heaven-and-earth’)
- वरुणानी
- VaruṇānīNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole KartāRoot वरुणानी (प्रातिपदिक)
- शृणोतु
- let (her) hearVerbलोट्; परस्मैपद; 3 पुरुष; एकवचनRoot √श्रु (to hear)
- व्यन्तु
- let them spread/extendVerbलोट्; परस्मैपद; 3 पुरुष; बहुवचनRoot √व्या/वी (व्या- ‘to spread/extend’)
- देवीः
- the goddessesNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole KartāRoot देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
- यः
- who (he)Pronounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन (सम्बन्धक)Role KartāRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- ऋतुः
- the season / right timeNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole KartāRoot ऋतु (प्रातिपदिक)
- जनीनाम्
- of women / of peoplesNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; बहुवचनRoot जनी (स्त्री. प्रातिपदिक; ‘women/peoples’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (Vedic sandhi resolved): उत | ग्नाः | व्यन्तु | देवपत्न्यः | इन्द्राणी | अग्नाय्यः | अश्विनी | राट् | आ | रोदसी | वरुणानी | शृणोतु | व्यन्तु | देवीः | यः | ऋतुः | जनीनाम् । प्रमुख-सन्धयः: (1) देवपत्नीरिन्द्राणी → देवपत्न्यः + इन्द्राणी (विसर्ग/यणादेश-प्रकृति; RV पदपाठानुसार)
- (2) इन्द्राण्यग्नाय्यश्विनी → इन्द्राणी + अग्नाय्यः + अश्विनी (स्वर-सन्धि/यण्-प्रवृत्ति; लिखिते ‘ण्य’ संयोगः)
- (3) देवीर्य → देवीः + यः (विसर्गस्य रेफादेशः: ः + य → र्य)
The meaning
Outer meaning
May the Devapatnīḥ be awakened and set in motion—Indrāṇī, Agnāyī, Aśvinī the queenly power; may Varuṇānī hear along with Heaven and Earth; may the goddesses move in the right season, the true rhythm of becomings.
Inner meaning
The mantra calls specific feminine powers as functional shaktis: Indrāṇī (illumined force that supports the divine Mind/Indra), Agnāyī (the flame’s power—capacity for aspiration and transformative will), Aśvinī (swift healing and harmonizing energy), Varuṇānī (vastness, purity, right law), and Rodasī (the pair/field of heaven-and-earth—higher and lower nature). ‘vyantu’ is an awakening into luminous activity: these powers are to become dynamic in us. ‘ṛtuḥ janīnām’ indicates the right timing and rhythm by which inner states are born—progress happens by a law of season, not by impatience. The seeker asks that the Shaktis hear and act, coordinating the whole being (heaven and earth) into right movement.
Universal truth
Transformation requires awakened energies and right timing. When the powers of illumination, will, healing harmony, and truth-law act together, the whole nature aligns and growth becomes rhythmic, not forced.
Themes
divine feminine, right timing, cosmic harmony, invocation
The seer
- Rishi
- Atri
- Lineage
- Ātreya
- Other hymns
- RV 5.46.1-11, RV 5.47.1-3
Family tradition
Ātreya tradition often invokes coordinated divine agencies; here the seer differentiates shaktis to make the inner work precise.
Significance
Atri’s approach is pragmatic-yogic: name the powers, awaken them, and insist on ṛtu (right season) so the transformation is stable.
The deity
- Devata
- Devapatnīḥ (with Indrāṇī, Agnāyī, Aśvinī, Varuṇānī; with Rodasī)
- Epithets
- rāṭ (queenly/sovereign)
- Related deities
- Indra, Agni, Aśvins, Varuṇa, Dyāvā-Pṛthivī
Cosmic role
They are the executive counterparts of the gods, governing illumination (Indra), fire-will (Agni), harmonizing swiftness (Aśvins), and truth-law/vastness (Varuṇa), integrating heaven and earth.
Inner power
Activation of multiple inner shaktis into coordinated action under ṛta/ṛtu.
In ritual
Where it is used
Invocatory passages calling Devapatnīḥ to attend the rite; supportive in soma/pressing or general śrauta invocations.
उ॒त ग्ना व्य॑न्तु दे॒वप॑त्नीरिन्द्रा॒ण्य१॒॑ग्नाय्य॒श्विनी॒ राट् । आ रोद॑सी वरुणा॒नी शृ॑णोतु॒ व्यन्तु॑ दे॒वीर्य ऋ॒तुर्जनी॑नाम् ॥
उ॒त । ग्नाः । व्य॒न्तु॒ । दे॒वऽप॑त्नीः । इ॒न्द्रा॒णी । अ॒ग्नायी॑ । अ॒श्विनी॑ । राट् । आ । रोद॑सी॒ इति॑ । व॒रु॒णा॒नी । शृ॒णो॒तु॒ । व्यन्तु॑ । दे॒वीः । यः । ऋ॒तुः । जनी॑नाम् ॥
uta | gnāḥ | vyantu | deva-patnīḥ | indrāṇī | agnāyī | aśvinī | rāṭ | ā | rodasī iti | varuṇānī | śṛṇotu | vyantu | devīḥ | yaḥ | ṛtuḥ | janīnām
44
4 × ~11
Quickening, ‘rousing’ cadence; the repeated vyantu creates a stirring refrain-like propulsion.
Energizes and mobilizes; helpful when one feels dullness or delay—invokes right activation without strain.
- gnāḥ
- Literal: divine women. Symbolic: feminine powers (shaktis) of consciousness
- vyantu
- Literal: let them be awakened/move. Symbolic: activation of inner faculties into luminous functioning
- Indrāṇī
- Literal: consort of Indra. Symbolic: power of illumined strength supporting the higher mind
- Agnāyī
- Literal: consort of Agni. Symbolic: power of aspiration and transformative will
- Aśvinī
- Literal: consort/power of the Aśvins. Symbolic: swift harmonizing and healing energy; right adjustments in the vital
- rāṭ
- Literal: queen, sovereign. Symbolic: sovereign executive shakti that orders the movement
- Varuṇānī
- Literal: consort of Varuṇa. Symbolic: power of vastness, purity, and truth-law (ṛta) that releases from constriction
- Rodasī
- Literal: Heaven-and-Earth (pair). Symbolic: higher and lower nature needing concord
- ṛtuḥ janīnām
- Literal: season of births. Symbolic: lawful rhythm of inner becomings; maturation by right timing
Devapatnī-invocation segment: calling specific feminine counterparts to energize and harmonize the rite; emphasizes right timing (ṛtu) for effective manifestation
At moments of calling allied deities/powers to ‘hear’ and ‘move’ with the sacrifice; thematically suited to beginnings of a session or transitions.
Āhvāna (invitation) and preraṇa (impulsion) of powers; establishing ṛtu (right timing) for the rite’s success.
Chant before practice to awaken faculties (clarity, will, harmony, purity) and to accept gradual maturation (‘right season’).
śṛṇotu from √śru ‘hear’ (PIE *ḱlew- ‘hear’, cf. Greek klýō). ṛtú ‘season/right time’ from ṛta-field ‘order, fittingness’. janīnām from √jan ‘be born, generate’ (PIE *gen-). The list of devapatnīs individualizes the collective feminine energies that ‘complete’ the gods’ functions.
ṛtu as manifestation-timing within ṛta, hearing as divine receptivity (śruti motif), generation/becoming (jan)
Implied through Varuṇānī and explicit through ṛtu as lawful rhythm.
Hearing (śṛṇotu) as receptivity to truth; action aligned with truth rather than impulse.
Becomings (janīnām) unfold by rhythmic law; powers must awaken to guide manifestation.
Integral/psychological Veda: deities as powers of consciousness acting in graded nature (heaven/earth).
ṛtu (symbolic: right season)
Fire = aspiration/will; Waters = purity and vastness; Heaven/Earth = higher/lower nature; Season = timing of inner growth.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is the activation of the devapatnīs as executive shaktis of the gods, aligned with ṛtu—the right time for births/becomings. Innerly, the seeker calls for the feminine powers to ‘go forth’ so that force (Indrāṇī), flame (Agnāyī), healing swiftness (Aśvinī) and law (Varuṇānī), together with the two worlds (Rodasī), synchronize manifestation according to truth-rhythm.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √śru ‘hear’ reflects PIE *ḱlew- (fame/hearing complex), showing the archaic sacral notion that the gods ‘hear’ and thereby authorize manifestation. √jan (PIE *gen-) anchors the generative theme. ṛtu as ‘fitting time’ parallels broader Indo-European concern with right season/order in ritual and cosmos.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The ṛṣi does not merely request gifts; he requests activation and right timing: ‘vyantu’ (let them go forth) and ‘śṛṇotu’ (let her hear). The devatās’ response is the orderly release of energies into the field of becoming (janīnām) so the human work aligns with cosmic rhythm rather than impulsive desire.
Awaken distinct inner powers and align them to right rhythm (ṛtu) so progress is steady and integrated.
Maṇipūra (activation), Viśuddha (hearing/śṛṇotu—truth reception), Sahasrāra (heavenly impulsion)
3 rounds bhastrikā-light or brisk kapalabhāti (if suitable), then settle into slow exhale chanting on ‘vyantu’ to move energy upward.
Luminous activation with disciplined rhythm.
Mentally invoke each shakti by name, feeling its function; end with a resolve to follow ‘ṛtu’—patient, exact, persistent practice.
Vedic accenting per śākala tradition; keep clear udatta peaks on deity-names; let svarita naturally fall after highs; verify with a svara-text for precision.
Articulate names distinctly: indrāṇī | agnāyī | aśvinī | rāṭ | varuṇānī | rodasī; keep both ‘vyantu’ as energetic pivots.
(indrāṇī): retroflex ṇ; long ā, (agnāyī): long ā; yī glide cleanly, (aśvinī): śv cluster; short i at end, (rāṭ): long ā; final ṭ crisp, (varuṇānī): retroflex ṇ; long ānī, (rodasī): long ī at end
Bright, awakening, slightly ascending intonation; finish each pāda with steadiness.
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