Rig Veda 5.48.3: Mandala 5, Sukta 48, Mantra 3
Sukta 5.48
- Devata
- A māyin associated with vajra
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
आ ग्रावभिरहन्येभिरक्तुभिर्वरिष्ठं वज्रमा जिघर्ति मायिनि । शतं वा यस्य प्रचरन्त्स्वे दमे संवर्तयन्तो वि च वर्तयन्नहा ॥
ā́ grā́vabhir ahanyébhir aktúbhir váriṣṭhaṃ vájram ā́ jigharti māyíni | śatáṃ vā́ yásya prácaran své damé saṃvartáyanto ví ca vartayann áhā ||
Dengan batu-batu pemeras—oleh siang dan oleh malam—Sang Pembentuk mengangkat vajra yang paling perkasa. Di rumahnya sendiri bala-bala bergerak menurut edarannya, menghimpunkan hari-hari bersama, lalu kembali memisahkannya.
Word by Word
- आ
- towards, untoIndeclinableupasarga (preverb)Root आ (upasarga)
- ग्रावभिः
- with pressing-stonesNounmasculine, instrumental pluralRole KaraṇaRoot ग्रावन् (prātipadika)
- अहन्येभिः
- with the daily (rites), day-relatedAdjectivemasculine/neuter, instrumental pluralRole KaraṇaRoot अहन्य (prātipadika from अहन् ‘day’)
- अक्तुभिः
- with nights / with darknessNounmasculine, instrumental pluralRole KaraṇaRoot अक्तु (prātipadika)
- वरिष्ठम्
- the most excellentAdjectiveneuter, accusative singularRole KarmaRoot वरिष्ठ (superlative prātipadika from वृ/वर ‘choose, prefer; excellent’)
- वज्रम्
- thunderboltNounmasculine, accusative singularRole KarmaRoot वज्र (prātipadika)
- आ
- unto, forthIndeclinableupasarga (preverb)Root आ (upasarga)
- जिघर्ति
- he/it anoints, smears, appliesVerbpresent indicative, 3rd person singular, parasmaipadaRole (verb)Root घृ (dhātu) with reduplication (जि-)
- मायिनि
- in/for the wondrous, magical one (the possessor of māyā)Adjectivemasculine, locative singularRole AdhikaraṇaRoot मायिन् (prātipadika)
- शतम्
- a hundredNumeral/Nounneuter, accusative singular (used as numeral)Role KarmaRoot शत (prātipadika)
- वा
- or, indeedIndeclinabledisjunctive/enclitic particleRoot वा (particle)
- यस्य
- whosePronounmasculine/neuter, genitive singularRole Sambandha (genitive relation)Root यद् (pronoun)
- प्रचरन्त्
- moving about, rangingParticiplemasculine, nominative plural (Vedic form used predicatively)Role KartāRoot चर् (dhātu) with preverb प्र-; present active participle
- स्वे
- in his ownAdjective/Pronounmasculine/neuter, locative singularRole AdhikaraṇaRoot स्व (pronominal adjective)
- दमे
- house, domainNounmasculine, locative singularRole AdhikaraṇaRoot दम (prātipadika)
- संवर्तयन्तः
- causing to turn together, rolling up, gatheringParticiplemasculine, nominative pluralRole KartāRoot वृत्/वर्त् (dhātu) with causative -य- and preverb सम्-; present active participle
- वि
- apart, asunderIndeclinableupasarga (preverb)Root वि (upasarga)
- च
- andIndeclinableconjunctionRoot च (particle)
- वर्तयन्
- causing to turn, setting in motionParticiplemasculine, nominative singular (agreeing with an implied agent; Vedic usage)Role KartāRoot वृत्/वर्त् (dhātu) causative -य-; present active participle
- अहाः
- daysNounneuter, nominative pluralRole Karma (as what is set in motion/ordered)Root अहन् (prātipadika)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (padapāṭha-style): आ | ग्रावभिः | अहन्येभिः | अक्तुभिः | वरिष्ठम् | वज्रम् | आ | जिघर्ति | मायिनि । शतम् | वा | यस्य | प्रचरन्त् | स्वे | दमे | संवर्तयन्तः | वि | च | वर्तयन् | अहाः ॥ Notable: (1) -भिर् + व- in अक्तुभिर्वरिष्ठम् is external sandhi: अक्तुभिः + वरिष्ठम्. (2) वज्रम् + आ remains with anusvāra before vowel in saṃhitā: वज्रमा = वज्रम् + आ. (3) प्रचरन्त्स्वे: final -न्त् + s- gives -न्त्स- (प्रचरन्त् + स्वे). (4) दमे + संवर्तयन्तः: vowel coalescence avoided by pause in padapāṭha
- saṃhitā shows दमे संवर्तयन्तः. (5) वर्तयन्नहा: -न् + अ- gives gemination/assimilation in saṃhitā: वर्तयन् + अहाः → वर्तयन्नहा(ः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
With pressing-stones, by days and nights, the Shaper raises the most mighty thunderbolt. In whose own house the forces move in their courses, bringing days together and separating them again.
Inner meaning
The ‘pressing-stones’ (grāva) are inner instruments that crush and extract the Soma—i.e., they represent concentrated disciplines (attention, tapas, mantra-japa) applied day and night. Through this constant pressing, the māyin (formative consciousness-power) lifts the supreme vajra: the penetrating force of illumination that breaks false formations. In the ‘house’ (sve dame)—the embodied field of our nature—the energies (impulses, thoughts, prāṇas) move in ordered circuits. The alternation of ‘bringing days together’ and ‘separating’ depicts cycles of integration and differentiation: periods when experiences consolidate into a single understanding, and periods when they unfold into distinct discernments.
Universal truth
Transformation is forged by sustained practice across all conditions. The power that shapes reality (māyā as divine formation) can also forge the weapon of truth—illumination that dismantles confusion—while regulating the rhythms of integration and analysis in life.
Themes
Cyclic time, Formative power, Breaking obstruction, Soma symbolism
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 5.48.2, Rig Veda 5.48.4, Rig Veda 5.48.5
Family tradition
Maṇḍala V milieu; seer speaks in the idiom of Soma-pressing but reveals an inner discipline of constant extraction of essence.
Significance
The seer presents yoga as ‘pressing’—a continuous alchemy producing the vajra of discrimination/illumination within the embodied house.
The deity
- Devata
- Māyin (formative divine power), with Indraic vajra-imagery
- Epithets
- māyini (shaper), variṣṭha-vajra-dhṛt (raiser of the mightiest vajra)
- Related deities
- Indra (vajra-bearer), Soma (pressed essence), Savitṛ (impeller of rhythms)
Cosmic role
Forms and reforms worlds by rhythmic cycles; raises the power that breaks obstruction and sets right movement.
Inner power
Shakti of formation plus the luminous strike of discernment; regulation of inner rhythms (day/night cycles of consciousness).
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma pressing (general thematic fit)
आ ग्राव॑भिरह॒न्ये॑भिर॒क्तुभि॒र्वरि॑ष्ठं॒ वज्र॒मा जि॑घर्ति मा॒यिनि॑ । श॒तं वा॒ यस्य॑ प्र॒चर॒न्त्स्वे दमे॑ संव॒र्तय॑न्तो॒ वि च॑ वर्तय॒न्नहा॑ ॥
आ । ग्राव॑ऽभिः । अ॒ह॒न्ये॑भिः । अ॒क्तुऽभिः॑ । वरि॑ष्ठम् । वज्र॑म् । आ । जि॒घ॒र्ति॒ । मा॒यिनि॑ । श॒तम् । वा॒ । यस्य॑ । प्र॒ऽचर॑न् । स्वे । दमे॑ । स॒म्ऽव॒र्तय॑न्तः । वि । च॒ । व॒र्त॒य॒न् । अहा॑ ॥
ā | grāva-bhiḥ | ahanyebhiḥ | aktu-bhiḥ | variṣṭham | vajram | ā | jigharti | māyini | śatam | vā | yasya | pra-caran | sve | dame | sam-vartayantaḥ | vi | ca | vataryan | ahā
44
4 × ~11 syllables
Hammering yet controlled; apt for ‘pressing’ and ‘lifting’ imagery.
Energizes will and concentration; supports a sense of disciplined continuity.
- ग्रावभिः (grāvabhiḥ)
- Literal: with pressing-stones. Symbolic: disciplines that press out essence: concentrated effort, tapas, steady attention
- अहन्येभिः अक्तुभिः (ahanyebhiḥ aktubhiḥ)
- Literal: by days and by nights. Symbolic: unbroken continuity of sādhanā through light and dark states
- वज्रम् (vajram)
- Literal: thunderbolt. Symbolic: decisive illumination-force that breaks obstruction and falsehood
- मायिनि (māyini)
- Literal: the shaper, wielder of māyā. Symbolic: divine formative power arranging energies and forging instruments of truth
- स्वे दमे (sve dame)
- Literal: in his own house. Symbolic: the inner field/body-temple where forces circulate and are mastered
Imagery of grāvan (pressing stones) is soma-ritual adjacent; verse can be situated in soma pressing symbolism: pressure → essence → force (vajra) for overcoming obstruction.
During soma-yajña sequences emphasizing pressing and empowerment of Indra/vajra symbolism.
Recitation with pressing actions; inwardly, synchronizing mantra with steady effort across cycles.
A practice-mantra for consistency: recite morning and night to ‘raise the vajra’ of clarity against confusion.
vájra: from √vaj/√vajr ‘to be strong/hard’; in RV the ‘bolt’ is the concentrated force that cleaves obstruction (Vṛtra-type). grā́van: pressing stone; in inner reading, the disciplined pressure that expresses soma-essence. sam-/vi-√vṛt: ‘turn together’ vs ‘turn apart’—a polarity of integration and differentiation, mapping cosmic cycles onto psychological rhythms.
Integration and differentiation (sam-vṛt / vi-vṛt), Soma-pressure as inner discipline, Vajra as illuminative force
Implied through ordered courses and cyclic alternations governed within the ‘house’.
Vajra as truth-force that separates real from unreal.
Worlds and days are cyclically gathered and unfolded—formation through rhythm.
Integral/psychological Veda: māyā as conscious formation, not illusion.
day-and-night cycle
Stones = concentrated faculties; day/night = alternating states of clarity/obscurity; cycles = regulated inner energies.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Forging/raising the vajra through the pressure of the stones: the mythic action of preparing the decisive force that breaks obstruction. The day-night alternation is shown as governed within the deity’s ‘house’, implying a conscious ordering power behind time.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The bolt/weapon of the sky-god complex is pan-Indo-European (cf. Zeus’ thunderbolt, Thor’s hammer analogically). The verbal oppositions sam-/vi- with √vṛt ‘turn’ encode an IE-style cosmological rotation metaphor for time and order.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer contemplates the devatā as the regulator of inner and outer cycles, and as the holder of the vajra-force. Implicitly the human work (pressing/discipline) participates in the divine raising of that force for transformation.
Forge the ‘vajra’ of discrimination by steady practice through light and dark moods.
Maṇipūra (will/heat of tapas) and Ājñā (discernment/vajra)
Bhrāmarī or short kumbhaka after exhale (gentle) to ‘raise’ focused clarity; avoid strain.
From scattered cycles to rhythmic mastery; emergence of decisive insight.
Set two daily anchors (dawn/dusk). Treat distractions as material to be ‘pressed’—extract the essence (lesson), then lift a clear decision (vajra) for the next step.
Three-tone Rigvedic chanting; confirm exact accents from a svara-text.
Emphasize grāvabhiḥ, vajram, jigharti, saṃvartayantaḥ, vartayan for the sense of action and rhythm.
Keep conjunct in grāvabhiḥ (grā-va-), Aspirate in ahanyebhiḥ (ha) and aktubhiḥ (k-tu), Soft retroflex ṇ not present; keep clear dental t in vartayan, Lengthen ī in māyini
Firm, percussive, like measured hammer-strokes.
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