Rig Veda 2.38.8: Mandala 2, Sukta 38, Mantra 8
Sukta 2.38
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Devata
- Savitṛ
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
याद्राध्यं वरुणो योनिमप्यमनिशितं निमिषि जर्भुराणः । विश्वो मार्ताण्डो व्रजमा पशुर्गात्स्थशो जन्मानि सविता व्याकः ॥
yāt-rā́dhyaṃ váruṇo yónim ápyam áni-śitaṃ ni-míṣi járbhurāṇaḥ | víśvo mārtā́ṇḍo vrajáṃ ā́ paśúr gāt stha-śáḥ jánmāni savitā́ vy ā́kaḥ ||
या अप्सु निहिता गूढा योनिः, यां वरुणः सम्यक् सिद्धां कृतवान्—निमिषेऽप्यनिशिता, अजर्भुराणा सततं प्रवर्तते। ताम् एव विश्वो मार्ताण्डः सूर्यः पशुवत् व्रजम् आगात्। सविता च स्थशो जन्मानि व्याकरोद् विभज्य न्यधात्।
Word by Word
- याद्राध्यम्
- the (thing) to be accomplished/propitiated; the desired (goal)Adjective (used substantively)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot याद्राध्य- (प्रातिपदिक; यद् + राध्य ‘पूज्य/साध्य’)
- वरुणः
- VaruṇaNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot वरुण- (प्रातिपदिक)
- योनिम्
- womb; seat; abodeNounपुं/स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot योनि- (प्रातिपदिक)
- अपि
- also; even; untoIndeclinableअव्ययRoot अपि (अव्यय)
- अमनीशितम्
- unthought-of; not devisedAdjective/Participleनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole Karma (qualifier of योनिम्/याद्राध्यम्)Root अ- + मनीषित- (कृदन्त; √मन्/मनीष् ‘to think, devise’ → मनीषित ‘thought, devised’)
- निमिषि
- in a wink; in an instantNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot निमिष्- (प्रातिपदिक; from √मिष् ‘to wink, blink’ with नि-)
- जर्भुराणः
- hastening; moving swiftlyVerb-participleपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (qualifier of वरुणः)Root √जर्भुर्/जर्भ् (धातु; intensive/frequentative sense ‘to hasten, bustle, be in rapid motion’)
- विश्वः
- all; entireAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (qualifier of मार्ताण्डः)Root विश्व- (प्रातिपदिक)
- मार्ताण्डः
- Mārtāṇḍa (the Sun)Noun (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot मार्ताण्ड- (प्रातिपदिक)
- व्रजम्
- enclosure; pen; foldNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot व्रज- (प्रातिपदिक)
- आ
- towards; intoIndeclinable (preverb)अव्ययRoot आ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- पशुः
- the beast; the animal (as subject)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot पशु- (प्रातिपदिक)
- गात्
- went; cameVerbलुङ् (aorist), परस्मैपद, 3 पुरुष, एकवचनRoot √गा (धातु ‘to go’)
- स्थशः
- one by one; in due orderIndeclinableअव्ययRoot स्थशस् (अव्यय; distributive/adverbial)
- जन्मानि
- births; generationsNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot जन्मन्- (प्रातिपदिक)
- सविता
- Savitar (the Impeller)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot सवितृ- (प्रातिपदिक)
- व्याकः
- has spread out/arranged; has distributedVerbलिट्/लुङ्-प्राय (Vedic perfect/aorist-like), परस्मैपद, 3 पुरुष, एकवचनRoot √अञ्च्/अक् with वि- (धातु; Vedic form; sense ‘to pervade/extend/arrange, distribute’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सम्भाव्य): याद्राध्यम् वरुणः योनिम् अपि अमनीशितम् निमिषि जर्भुराणः । विश्वः मार्ताण्डः व्रजम् आ पशुः गात् स्थशः जन्मानि सविता व्याकः ॥ मुख्य सन्धयः: (1) योनिमपि → योनिम् + अपि (म् + अ → म)
- (2) व्रजमा → व्रजम् + आ (म् + आ → मा)
- (3) गात्स्थशः → गात् + स्थशः (त् + स् → त्स्)
The meaning
Outer meaning
A hidden womb in the waters, prepared by Varuṇa, unfailing and ceaselessly active; to it the universal Mārtāṇḍa (Sun) as a herd comes to the fold. Savitṛ has set out and distinguished births in their proper stations.
Inner meaning
There is an occult matrix (yoni) in the depths (āpas) shaped by Varuṇa—the power of vastness and truth-order—steady in its ‘blink’ (unfailing rhythm of awareness) and tirelessly working. Into that matrix descends/arrives Mārtāṇḍa, the universal Sun-consciousness, gathering the rays/energies (paśu as living powers) into the inner fold (vraja). Then Savitṛ, as the impeller, differentiates and arranges the ‘births’—the emergences of faculties and realizations—each in its right place (sthaśaḥ).
Universal truth
Creation is not random: a hidden order-matrix holds the potential; illumination gathers scattered forces; right impulsion differentiates them into their proper functions and stages.
Themes
Cosmogony (inner), Solar birth imagery, Lawful manifestation, Ordering of becomings
The seer
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada (Bhārgava)
- Lineage
- Bhārgava
- Other hymns
- RV 2.38 (Savitṛ sequence), RV 2.1 (Agni as inner priest—parallel psychology of formation)
Family tradition
Bhṛgu-line seers often stress the hidden formation (yoni) and the law (Varuṇa/ṛta) behind manifest movements.
Significance
The verse shows a characteristic Vedic psychology: depths (āpas) → illumination (Sun) → differentiation (Savitṛ), mapping inner creation.
The deity
- Devata
- Savitṛ
- Epithets
- deva, vyākaḥ (maker distinct, differentiator), impeller of births
- Related deities
- Varuṇa, Mārtāṇḍa (Sūrya), Aditi (implicit)
Cosmic role
Differentiates and assigns beings/powers to their proper stations; sets creation in ordered motion.
Inner power
The discerning impulsion that organizes the awakened forces into a harmonious inner system.
In ritual
Where it is used
Savitṛ and solar invocations in Soma rites; also dawn/twilight recitations where ‘births’ (new awakenings) are thematically apt.
या॒द्रा॒ध्यं१॒॑ वरु॑णो॒ योनि॒मप्य॒मनि॑शितं नि॒मिषि॒ जर्भु॑राणः । विश्वो॑ मार्ता॒ण्डो व्र॒जमा प॒शुर्गा॑त्स्थ॒शो जन्मा॑नि सवि॒ता व्याक॑: ॥
या॒त्ऽरा॒ध्य॑म् । वरु॑णः । योनि॑म् । अप्य॑म् । अनि॑ऽशितम् । नि॒ऽमिषि॑ । जर्भु॑राणः । विश्वः॑ । मा॒र्ता॒ण्डः । व्र॒जम् । आ । प॒शुः । गा॒त् । स्थ॒ऽशः । जन्मा॑नि । स॒वि॒ता । वि । आ । अ॒क॒रित्य॑कः ॥
yāt-rādhyam | varuṇaḥ | yonim | apyam | ani-śitam | ni-miṣi | jarbhurāṇaḥ | viśvaḥ | mārtāṇḍaḥ | vrajam | ā | paśuḥ | gāt | stha-śaḥ | janmāni | savitā | vi | ā | akar ity akaḥ
44
4×11 syllables (approx.)
Architectonic and expansive; supports imagery of formation and ordering.
Induces a sense of vast contained power—like something being shaped and set into place inwardly.
- yoni
- Literal: womb, matrix. Symbolic: origin-field of manifestation; subtle matrix where realizations are formed
- apya/apām
- Literal: hidden/in the waters. Symbolic: secret causal depths of consciousness
- Varuṇa
- Literal: guardian of cosmic law, vast sky. Symbolic: vast truth-consciousness that holds and prepares the inner order
- aniśitam nimiṣi
- Literal: unfailing in the blink. Symbolic: steady, rhythmic, wakeful awareness; unbroken inner vigilance
- jarbhurāṇaḥ
- Literal: busy, ceaselessly working. Symbolic: constant formative activity of consciousness in the depths
- Mārtāṇḍa
- Literal: the Sun (offspring of Aditi). Symbolic: universal illumined consciousness entering the matrix
- paśu
- Literal: cattle/herd, living creatures. Symbolic: life-energies and rays/faculties to be gathered and ordered
- vraja
- Literal: fold, enclosure. Symbolic: inner containment/collection—concentration where energies are unified
- janmāni
- Literal: births. Symbolic: emergences of powers, stages of awakening
- sthaśaḥ
- Literal: in their stations. Symbolic: right placement in the graded order of being (adhvan/levels)
Cosmic-order recitation connecting Varuṇa’s law, the watery matrix, and Savitṛ’s ordering of births; used for consecrating generative processes (inner ‘births’ of states) and stabilizing lawful manifestation.
Morning sequences; moments emphasizing cosmic ordering and protection by Varuṇa-like law.
Recitation to establish a protected ‘yoni’ of the rite and to order the participant’s powers.
Use for meditation on inner re-organization: gather scattered energies, then let a higher will assign them their right functions.
Varuṇa + yoni: law (Varuṇa) and matrix (yoni) together indicate a lawful womb of manifestation in the waters (apya). Mārtāṇḍa is a solar-embryo epithet: the sun as born from a cosmic egg/matrix. vraja (fold) often holds ‘cows’ as rays/knowledges; here the herd (paśu) suggests multiplicity gathered under solar consciousness. Savitṛ ‘distinguishes births’ (vy-ā-kar): ordering becomings into their proper stations—evolution under ṛta.
Rita/Varuṇa as law of purity and vastness, Cosmic womb (yoni) and manifestation, Evolution of states (janmāni) ordered by Savitṛ
Varuṇa prepares the matrix according to ṛta; Savitṛ differentiates within that order.
Unfailing ‘blink’ signifies truth-regularity of consciousness.
Hidden womb in waters; solar descent; differentiation of births—classic Vedic creation sequence.
Early cosmological psychology anticipating Sāṃkhya-like differentiation under a higher ordering consciousness.
dawn (new ‘births’ and solar arrival)
Waters = causal depth; womb = subtle formation; Sun = universal illumination; fold = concentration; births = emergent realizations placed on inner levels.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The watery womb governed by Varuṇa, the solar Mārtāṇḍa entering the fold, and Savitṛ distinguishing births. Innerly, lawful vastness (Varuṇa) establishes a pure matrix in the depths; solar consciousness gathers the multiplicity into a coherent field (vraja), and Savitṛ orders the emergences of new states of being in their right stations.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- yoni (womb/source) aligns with a widespread Indo-European concern for ‘matrix’ imagery in cosmogony (though the exact lexeme is Indo-Iranian). Varuṇa’s name and function reflect Indo-Iranian legal-sovereign patterns (cf. Mitra–Varuṇa pairing parallels). The solar-embryo motif (Mārtāṇḍa) resonates with Indo-European ‘sun born from egg’/birth imagery attested in later comparative myth cycles.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi contemplates the divine governance of becoming: Varuṇa provides the lawful womb, Savitṛ actively differentiates and assigns births, and solar consciousness gathers the herd of multiplicity. The human participant gains a map for inner evolution: purification of the depths, gathering of energies, and right differentiation of emergent states under ṛta.
Visualize a calm blue inner ocean-womb; invite the ‘Sun’ of awareness to enter; then allow inner faculties to arrange themselves without strain.
svādhiṣṭhāna (waters/matrix) leading to ājñā (ordering discernment)
Slow inhalation imagining Mārtāṇḍa entering the inner womb; slow exhalation imagining Savitṛ arranging ‘births’ into stations.
Concentrated vastness; then luminous differentiation.
When energies are scattered, first gather (vraja), then discriminate (vyākaḥ). Do not skip the gathering phase.
Rigvedic accents: keep clear rise on udatta in ‘varuṇó’, ‘yónim’, ‘viśvó’, ‘savitā́’.
Maintain strong pāda breaks; emphasize the cadence at ‘vrajam ā’ and ‘janmāni… vyākaḥ’.
‘yo-nim’ with clear long ‘o’., ‘Mārtāṇḍa’ with retroflex ṇḍ: /mār-tāṇ-ḍa/., ‘vyākaḥ’ with clear ‘vyā’ glide, not ‘biya’.
Wide, resonant, with a sense of spacious containment.
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