Rig Veda 2.35.14: Mandala 2, Sukta 35, Mantra 14
Sukta 2.35
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Devata
- Apām Napāt
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
अस्मिन्पदे परमे तस्थिवांसमध्वस्मभिर्विश्वहा दीदिवांसम् । आपो नप्त्रे घृतमन्नं वहन्तीः स्वयमत्कैः परि दीयन्ति यह्वीः ॥
asmín pade paráme tasthivā́ṁsam adhvasmábhir viśváhā dīdivā́ṁsam | ā́po náp tre ghṛtám ánnaṁ váhantīḥ svayám atká iḥ pári dīyanti yahvī́ḥ ||
W tej najwyższej stacji on stoi, wiecznie świecący przez ścieżki naszego bytu. Synowi Wód silne Wody same przynoszą klarowną obfitość jako pokarm, i z własnego popędu krążą wokół niego i oddają się, rozległe w swojej płynącej mocy.
Word by Word
- अस्मिन्
- in thisPronounपुं/नपुं, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकारणRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) → अस्मद्-श्रुति
- पदे
- place/stepNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकारणRoot पद (प्रातिपदिक)
- परमे
- highest, supremeAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (पदे इति विशेषणम्)Role अधिकारणRoot परम (प्रातिपदिक)
- तस्थिवांसम्
- the one who has stood/abidesParticipleपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (परिप्रश्न्य/कर्मपद-रूपेण)Role कर्मRoot स्था (धातु) → तस्थिवस् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
- अध्वस्मभिः
- with paths/waysNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole करणRoot अध्वन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- विश्वहा
- always, at all timesIndeclinableअव्ययRole अव्यय (काल/नित्यत्व-निर्देश)Root विश्व + हा (अव्ययीभाव)
- दीदिवांसम्
- shining, radiantParticipleपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (तस्थिवांसम् इति विशेषणम्)Role कर्मRoot दीदिवि/दीप् (धातु) → दीदिवस् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
- आपः
- the watersNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot अप् (प्रातिपदिक)
- नप्त्रे
- to the grandson/descendant (Naptṛ)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot नप्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- घृतम्
- gheeNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot घृत (प्रातिपदिक)
- अन्नम्
- foodNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
- वहन्तीः
- bearing, carryingParticipleस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (आपः इति विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृRoot वह् (धातु) → वहन्ती (वर्तमान-कृदन्त)
- स्वयम्
- of themselvesIndeclinableअव्ययRole अव्यय (स्वकर्तृत्व-निर्देश)Root स्वयम् (अव्यय)
- अत्कैः
- with waterskins/buckets (vessels)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole करणRoot अत्क (प्रातिपदिक)
- परि
- aroundIndeclinableअव्ययRole अव्यय (दिशा/परितः)Root परि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- दीयन्ति
- they give/offerVerbलट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, आत्मनेपदRole क्रियाRoot दा (धातु) [आत्मनेपद]
- यह्वीः
- swift/impetuous (mighty)Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (आपः इति विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृRoot यह्वी (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- सन्धि-विग्रहः: अस्मिन्पदे → अस्मिन् पदे
- तस्थिवांसम्+अध्वस्मभिः → तस्थिवांसम् अध्वस्मभिः
- अध्वस्मभिः+विश्वहा → अध्वस्मभिः विश्वहा
- दीदिवांसम् । आपो → दीदिवांसम् । आपः
- आपो नप्त्रे → आपः नप्त्रे
- वहन्तीः स्वयम् → वहन्तीः स्वयम्
- स्वयम्+अत्कैः → स्वयम् अत्कैः
The meaning
Outer meaning
In the highest station he stands, ever shining through our paths. The Waters bring ghee as food to the Son of the Waters; of their own impulse they move around him and give themselves, vast and flowing.
Inner meaning
The awakened Apāṃ Napāt stands in the ‘highest station’ (parame pade): the summit-plane of consciousness (truth-plane) from which he illumines all the paths (adhvā) of our being—mind, life, body. The waters (life-currents) now become willing servants: they carry ghṛta (clarified mind-substance/bright offering) as nourishment to the inner fire. ‘Of their own impulse’ indicates spontaneous harmony—when the central truth is established, the movements of nature self-organize and circulate around it, offering themselves as force for the divine work.
Universal truth
When consciousness is founded in its highest truth-stance, life ceases to resist and begins to collaborate; energies spontaneously orbit the inner light and offer their richness for growth and action.
Themes
ascent to the supreme station, nourishment of the inner fire, self-giving of the life-forces, luminous order
The seer
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Lineage
- Bhārgava (traditional)
- Other hymns
- RV 2.35, RV 2.1
Family tradition
Vision of ascent to the ‘highest station’ and of the spontaneous ṛta when the central flame is established; a culminating note within the hymn’s progression.
Significance
A description of accomplished alignment: the light stands above and yet pervades the paths; life becomes an offering by its own nature.
The deity
- Devata
- Apāṃ Napāt
- Epithets
- naptre (to the child/son), dīdivāṃs (ever-shining), tasthivāṃs (standing, established)
- Related deities
- Viṣṇu (parama pada resonance), Agni, Savitar
Cosmic role
Establishes a luminous center in the highest plane and radiates through the worlds; receives the waters’ offerings and converts them into sustaining clarity.
Inner power
Stabilizing realization (standing in the highest station) and harmonizing life-forces into spontaneous offering.
In ritual
Where it is used
Recitation in Apāṃ Napāt praise; thematically suitable for concluding/establishing verses in fire rites
अ॒स्मिन्प॒दे प॑र॒मे त॑स्थि॒वांस॑मध्व॒स्मभि॑र्वि॒श्वहा॑ दीदि॒वांस॑म् । आपो॒ नप्त्रे॑ घृ॒तमन्नं॒ वह॑न्तीः स्व॒यमत्कै॒: परि॑ दीयन्ति य॒ह्वीः ॥
अ॒स्मिन् । प॒दे । प॒र॒मे । त॒स्थि॒ऽवांस॑म् । अ॒ध्व॒स्मऽभिः॑ । वि॒श्वहा॑ । दीदि॒ऽवांस॑म् । आपः॑ । नप्त्रे॑ । घृ॒तम् । अन्न॑म् । वह॑न्तीः । स्व॒यम् । अत्कैः॑ । परि॑ । दी॒य॒न्ति॒ । य॒ह्वीः ॥
asmin | pade | parame | tasthi-vāṃsam | adhvasma-bhiḥ | viśvahā | dīdi-vāṃsam | āpaḥ | naptre | ghṛtam | annam | vahantīḥ | svayam | atkaiḥ | pari | dīyanti | yahvīḥ
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4 x ~11 syllables
Majestic and stabilizing; a ‘standing’ cadence with broad illumination.
Induces elevation and wideness; supports a sense of being established above turbulence while still pervading life.
- परम पद (parama pada)
- Literal: highest step/station. Symbolic: truth-plane; summit of consciousness; stable realization
- अध्वन् (adhvan)
- Literal: path, way. Symbolic: channels of inner movement; life-journeys of the being
- दीदिवांस् (dīdivāṃs)
- Literal: shining, blazing. Symbolic: constant illumination; steady supramental light
- याह्वी (yāhvīḥ)
- Literal: mighty/impetuous (of waters). Symbolic: vast life-forces when purified and aligned
- स्वयम् (svayam)
- Literal: of themselves. Symbolic: spontaneous right movement (natural ṛta) after inner alignment
- अत्कैः (atkaiḥ)
- Literal: impulses/forces (contextual). Symbolic: inner drives now guided by truth, not desire
- घृत (ghṛta)
- Literal: ghee. Symbolic: clarified luminous mind-energy; offering of bright thought
- अन्न (anna)
- Literal: food. Symbolic: sustaining force for the divine presence in us
Recitational praise supporting the ‘kindling’ and stabilization of the inner Agni; compatible with Soma and Agni offerings where ghṛta and annam imagery is central.
At moments of affirming the deity’s station and offering ghṛta; can serve as a sealing verse
Offering of ghṛta; circumambulation motifs echoed by waters ‘moving around’
Chant to stabilize after meditation: feel the ‘highest station’ above the head and let breath-currents (waters) circle the heart, offering calm clarity.
tasthivāṃsam: perfect participle of √sthā ‘stand’ → fixed establishment; dīdivāṃsam: intensive/perfect participle of √dī ‘shine’ → continuous blazing; ghṛta from √ghṛ ‘to sprinkle/anoint’ → ‘clarified, luminous’ (hence inner ‘bright essence’); vah- ‘to carry’ marks offering-motion; yahvī- ‘mighty, rushing’ (often of rivers) → strong life-currents; atka- is obscure; often ‘swift, impulsion’—taken here as energetic surges by which the waters circulate and offer.
highest padá as supreme poise of consciousness, self-offering (svayam… dīyanti) as surrender of energies, R̥ta as ordered circulation around the divine center
‘Svayam…pari dīyanti’ depicts ṛta as spontaneous self-ordering of forces around the truth-center.
Paramam padam as the seat of Satya; dīdivāṃs as truth-light pervading paths.
Vertical station (highest) and horizontal pervasion (paths); circulation of waters as sustaining economy of creation.
Integral Vedānta resonance (highest station as consciousness-plane; pervasion as immanence).
Highest station = crown/overhead consciousness; paths = nerves and life-movements; waters circling = prāṇa currents harmonized; ghee = clarified mind offered to the inner flame.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The Waters as worshippers: they carry ghṛta and food to their own offspring and circle him. Mythically, rivers/streams serve the hidden fire; psychologically, the purified vital currents spontaneously offer their clarified essence to the established inner Light at the ‘supreme station’.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √sthā ‘stand’ is a core PIE root (*steh₂-) with wide cognation (Greek histēmi, Latin stō), here in a perfect participle indicating achieved establishment. √vah ‘carry’ (PIE *weǵh-) likewise is pan-IE (Latin vehō). These inherited roots support a shared Indo-European poetic grammar of ‘established deity’ + ‘carrying offerings’.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi frames an inner liturgy: the aspirant’s ‘paths’ (adhvan) lead to the deity’s highest station; the life-forces (āpaḥ) become conscious collaborators, circulating and offering clarified substance. The devatā is the stable center; the human system is trained into spontaneous right movement around it.
Establish awareness ‘above’ (parama pada) and let attention pervade downward through all inner paths; invite prāṇa to offer calm clarity to the heart-flame.
sahasrāra (highest station) to anāhata/maṇipūra (offering center)
Crown-to-heart breathing: inhale sensing light above the head; exhale letting it descend through the spine; then feel prāṇa ‘circling’ the heart on a natural pause.
Stable, wide, luminous; spontaneous integration of mind-life-body around a higher center.
After japa, sit silently and feel the ‘waters’ (sensations, emotions, breath) moving in orbit around a central flame—do not interfere; allow ‘svayam’ (spontaneous right movement) to arise.
Keep a calm, sustained contour; emphasize ‘parame’ and ‘dīdivāṃsam’ per accent; avoid rushing the long compounds.
Let the first pāda feel ‘established’ (slightly more held), then allow a gentle flow in the second half to mirror the waters’ circling.
asmin: clear ‘sm’ cluster, tasthivāṃsam: keep ‘sth’ crisp; nasalization on ‘vāṃ’, viśvahā: ‘śv’ cluster clean, yahvīḥ: long ‘īḥ’ held lightly
Wide, even, luminous; minimal vibrato; long-breath phrasing
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