Rig Veda 2.38.5: Mandala 2, Sukta 38, Mantra 5
Sukta 2.38
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Devata
- Savitṛ
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
नानौकांसि दुर्यो विश्वमायुर्वि तिष्ठते प्रभवः शोको अग्नेः । ज्येष्ठं माता सूनवे भागमाधादन्वस्य केतमिषितं सवित्रा ॥
nānó-kāṃsi duryó víśvam ā́yur ví tiṣṭhate pra-bhaváḥ śóko agnéḥ | jyéṣṭhaṃ mātā́ sūnáve bhā́gam ā́dhād ánv asya kétam iṣitáṃ savitrā́ ||
Во многих обителях вся жизнь стоит на своих местах; явственно стоит прорывающийся пламень Агни. Мать положила старшую долю Сыну; следуя его знаку, побуждаемое Савитаром, существо движется по предначертанному пути.
Word by Word
- न
- notIndeclinableनिषेधार्थक-अव्ययRoot न
- अनौकांसि
- (their) dwellings/homesNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot अनौकस् (प्रातिपदिक) < अन् + ओकस्
- दुर्यः
- hard to approach / difficultAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot दुर्य (प्रातिपदिक) < दुर् + य
- विश्वम्
- all, the whole (world)Adjective (used substantively)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- आयुः
- life, lifetimeNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot आयुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- वि
- apart, widely, forthIndeclinable (preverb)उपसर्गRoot वि
- तिष्ठते
- stands, is establishedVerbलट् (वर्तमाने), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot स्था (धातु)
- प्रभवः
- the source/origin, the one who brings forthNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot प्रभव (प्रातिपदिक) < प्र + भू
- शोकः
- flame, blaze (lit. ‘glow’); also grief (contextually: flame)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot शोक (प्रातिपदिक)
- अग्नेः
- of AgniNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole SambandhaRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- ज्येष्ठम्
- the best/eldest (share)Adjective (used substantively)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot ज्येष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
- माता
- motherNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- सूनवे
- to/for the sonNounपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot सूनु (प्रातिपदिक)
- भागम्
- portion, shareNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
- आधात्
- placed, bestowedVerbलुङ् (अorist), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot धा (धातु) + आ (उपसर्ग)
- अनु
- after, along, followingIndeclinable (preverb)उपसर्ग/अव्ययRoot अनु
- अस्य
- of him/thisPronounपुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole SambandhaRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- केतम्
- sign, banner, signal; guiding markNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot केत (प्रातिपदिक)
- इषितम्
- impelled, set in motion, directedParticiple (past passive)पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (केतम् इति विशेषणम्)Role KarmaRoot इष् (धातु) → इषित (कृदन्त)
- सवित्रा
- by Savitṛ (the Impeller)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot सवितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धिविच्छेद): न + अनौकांसि + दुर्यः + विश्वम् + आयुः + वि + तिष्ठते + प्रभवः + शोकः + अग्नेः । ज्येष्ठम् + माता + सूनवे + भागम् + आधात् + अनु + अस्य + केतम् + इषितम् + सवित्रा ॥ मुख्य-सन्धयः: (1) न + अनौकांसि → नानौकांसि (स्वर-सन्धि: अ + अ → आ)
- (2) अनु + अस्य → अन्वस्य (उ/व्-आदेश: अनु + अ- → अन्व-)
The meaning
Outer meaning
In many dwelling-places the whole life is set in its stations; the out-bursting flame of Agni stands manifest. The Mother has placed the eldest portion for the Son; following his sign, impelled by Savitṛ, the being moves in the ordained direction.
Inner meaning
Life (āyus) distributes itself across many ‘houses’ (okāṃsi)—the various planes and parts of our nature. In each, Agni’s flame (śokaḥ) can stand forth: the divine will becomes visible as aspiration, discernment, and force of progress. The ‘Mother’ is the universal Shakti/Nature placing the ‘eldest portion’ (jyeṣṭha bhāga) for the ‘Son’—the soul-being or the evolving conscious entity—so it can claim its first right: the primacy of the inner divine element over the rest. The ‘sign’ (keta) is the inner indication/intuition; Savitṛ impels the being to follow that sign, moving steadily in the destined direction rather than being dispersed among many dwellings.
Universal truth
Human life is scattered across many compartments; the awakening of the inner flame and fidelity to the soul’s sign, under the solar impulsion, gathers life into a purposeful evolution.
Themes
Ordering of life, Agni-Savitṛ linkage, Inner guidance, Apportionment of power
The seer
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Lineage
- Bhārgava (Bhṛgu lineage)
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 2.1, Rig Veda 2.4, Rig Veda 2.38
Family tradition
Strong Agni tradition within Maṇḍala 2; integrates solar impulsion (Savitṛ) with the inner fire (Agni) as executor of transformation.
Significance
Here the seer links cosmic order with practical inner evolution: the many ‘dwellings’ of life are unified by Agni’s flame and Savitṛ’s direction.
The deity
- Devata
- Savitṛ (with Agni referenced)
- Epithets
- Savitṛ (impeller), Agni prabhavaḥ (out-bursting)
- Related deities
- Uṣas, Indra, Mātariśvan (Agni in movement), Aditi (Mother, thematic)
Cosmic role
Savitṛ directs movement along the ordained line; Agni manifests as the visible power establishing stations and transforming life in each domain.
Inner power
Savitṛ: illumined impulsion and guidance (keta). Agni: executive will and purification that makes the guidance effective in all ‘houses’.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni-Savitṛ framing in soma/offerings: establishing hearths/stations and invoking right impulsion for the sacrificer’s life.
नानौकां॑सि॒ दुर्यो॒ विश्व॒मायु॒र्वि ति॑ष्ठते प्रभ॒वः शोको॑ अ॒ग्नेः । ज्येष्ठं॑ मा॒ता सू॒नवे॑ भा॒गमाधा॒दन्व॑स्य॒ केत॑मिषि॒तं स॑वि॒त्रा ॥
नाना॑ । ओकां॑सि । दुर्यः॑ । विश्व॑म् । आयुः॑ । वि । ति॒ष्ठ॒ते॒ । प्र॒ऽभ॒वः । शोकः॑ । अ॒ग्नेः । ज्येष्ठ॑म् । मा॒ता । सू॒नवे॑ । भा॒गम् । आ । अ॒धा॒त् । अनु॑ । अ॒स्य॒ । केत॑म् । इ॒षि॒तम् । स॒वि॒त्रा ॥
nānā | okāṃsi | duryaḥ | viśvam | āyuḥ | vi | tiṣṭhate | pra-bhavaḥ | śokaḥ | agneḥ | jyeṣṭham | mātā | sūnave | bhāgam | ā | adhāt | anu | asya | ketam | iṣitam | savitrā
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4 x ~11 syllables
Stately and declarative; suitable for ‘stations’ and ‘manifest standing’.
Grounds and stabilizes; evokes a sense of placement, purpose, and steady following of inner guidance.
- okāṃsi
- Literal: dwellings, houses. Symbolic: planes/parts of the being (body, life, mind, heart) where consciousness resides
- āyuḥ
- Literal: life, lifespan. Symbolic: the total movement of embodied existence and its energies
- śokaḥ agneḥ
- Literal: flame/blaze of Agni. Symbolic: divine will/aspiration bursting forth as transformative fire
- mātā
- Literal: mother. Symbolic: universal Nature/Shakti that distributes powers and portions
- sūnave
- Literal: to the son. Symbolic: psychic being/evolving soul-personality
- jyeṣṭha bhāga
- Literal: eldest portion, first share. Symbolic: primacy of the divine element; first right of the soul to lead
- keta
- Literal: sign, mark, signal. Symbolic: inner guidance—intuition, soul-indication
- iṣitam savitrā
- Literal: impelled by Savitṛ. Symbolic: action moved by luminous will, not by desire or inertia
Recitation for establishing life (āyuḥ) in ordered stations and kindling the will-flame (Agni) under Savitṛ’s impulsion; bridges solar impulsion and fire-ritual symbolism.
When kindling/affirming Agni and invoking Savitṛ’s guidance—often morning contexts, but applicable wherever right direction is sought.
Recitation accompanying kindling/oblation, affirming Agni’s manifestation and Savitṛ’s impulsion of the rite and life.
Chant at the start of the day to ‘place’ life in right stations: body-care, work, relationships, practice—each under Agni’s will and Savitṛ’s sign.
okas ‘dwelling’ indicates seats/fields; in inner reading, multiple planes or faculties. śoka ‘flame/ardor’ (Agni) is the emergent will-light. mātā/sūnu mythic pair encodes source-nature giving the ‘eldest portion’ (jyeṣṭha bhāga) to the divine child—psychologically, the foundational energy is assigned to the awakened will. keta ‘sign/ray’ guides; √iṣ ‘impel’ links Savitṛ to directed movement.
Right apportionment (bhāga) as cosmic justice, Guidance by sign (keta) as inner discernment, Savitṛ’s impulsion directing evolution
Stations (vi tiṣṭhate) and ordained direction show ṛta as structured distribution of life-energies.
The ‘sign’ (keta) is satya’s practical indicator in the individual—truth guiding action.
Differentiation of life into many dwellings; manifestation of fire as evolutionary catalyst; allotment of portions by the Mother.
Integral symbolism: Shakti (Mother) and Agni (will) under Savitṛ (illumined impulsion) guiding evolution.
morning (Agni kindling; Savitṛ impulsion)
Fire = aspiration/will; dwellings = layers of personality; Mother = formative Nature; sign = intuition; sun = directive light.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The Mother assigning the eldest share to the Son, while Agni’s flame stands forth—an origin/apportionment myth. Innerly, Nature gives the first power to the awakened divine will (Agni), and Savitṛ’s impulsion guides life through discernible signs (keta) toward ordered manifestation.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √sthā (tiṣṭhate) is PIE *steh₂-. The kinship terms mātā (mother) and sūnu (son) are inherited Indo-European lexemes (PIE *méh₂tēr; *suHnús). This supports the archaic mythic grammar of ‘Mother–Son’ as cosmological principle.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi reads the divine signs (keta) and aligns life (āyuḥ) to the established stations; Savitṛ provides the impulsion, Agni provides the manifest flame of will. The exchange is alignment to guidance → stable life-order and intensified inner fire.
Unify the ‘many dwellings’ by lighting Agni in each: body, life, mind; then follow the inner keta under Savitṛ’s light.
Manipura (Agni) guided by Ajna (keta/illumined direction)
Bhrāmarī or slow diaphragmatic breathing to collect scattered energies; then a few rounds of ujjāyī to ‘ignite’ steady inner fire.
Collected, purposeful, quietly luminous.
Scan the body-life-mind as separate ‘houses’; in each, imagine a steady flame. Ask inwardly for the day’s ‘sign’ (keta)—one clear right movement. Act on it as an offering.
Keep the Triṣṭubh cadence steady; highlight udātta on ‘Agneḥ’, ‘jyeṣṭham’, ‘ketam’, ‘savitrā’ as per accent marks.
Make ‘prabhavaḥ śokaḥ agneḥ’ bright and clear; soften slightly on ‘anu asya ketam’ to evoke following guidance.
nānaukāṃsi: articulate long ā; keep au diphthong clear, duryo: pronounce ry cluster cleanly, śokaḥ: ś palatal; visarga audible but light, iṣitam: ṣ retroflex; short i at start
Warm and steady, like a maintained flame; not sharp.
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