Rig Veda 7.63.5: Mandala 7, Sukta 63, Mantra 5
Sukta 7.63
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Mitra–Varuṇa
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
यत्रा चक्रुरमृता गातुमस्मै श्येनो न दीयन्नन्वेति पाथः । प्रति वां सूर उदिते विधेम नमोभिर्मित्रावरुणोत हव्यैः ॥
yátrā cakrúr amṛ́tā gātúm asmai śyénो ná dī́yan ánv eti pā́thaḥ | práti vāṃ sūra údite vidhema námo-bhir mitrāvaruṇota havyáiḥ ||
यत्र अमृताः अस्मै गातुं चक्रुः, तत्र श्येन इव दीयन् पाथोऽन्वेति। प्रति वां सूर उदिते विधेम नमोभिर्मित्रावरुणौ तथा हव्यैः; अस्मासु ज्योतिषः ऋजुं पन्थानं धत्तम्॥
Word by Word
- यत्र
- whereIndeclinableस्थानवाचक अव्यय (relative adverb: ‘where’)Role अधिकारणRoot यत्र (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
- चक्रुः
- they have made / they madeVerbलिट् (परोक्शभूत/परफेक्ट), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपदRole कर्तृ (क्रिया)Root कृ (धातु)
- अमृताः
- the immortals (gods)Noun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग (देवाः), प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot अमृत (प्रातिपदिक)
- गातुम्
- a path / passageNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot गातु (प्रातिपदिक; √गा/गम् ‘to go’ से ‘going, path’)
- अस्मै
- for himPronounपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot अयम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- श्येनः
- the falconNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot श्येन (प्रातिपदिक)
- न
- likeIndeclinableउपमा/सदृशार्थक अव्यय (‘like’)Root न (अव्यय)
- दीयन्
- flying / in flightVerbशतृ-प्रत्यय (वर्तमान कृदन्त), प्रथमा, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्गRole कर्तृ (अन्वेति-क्रिया का)Root दी (धातु; ‘to fly/soar’—वेदिक प्रयोग)
- अन्वेति
- followsVerbलट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole कर्तृ (क्रिया)Root अनु-इ (धातु)
- पाथः
- the path / courseNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot पाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
- प्रति
- towardsIndeclinableदिशा/सम्बन्धवाचक (‘towards, in response to’)Root प्रति (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- वाम्
- to you two / of you twoPronounषष्ठी/द्वितीया, द्विवचन (वेदिक रूप)Role सम्प्रदान (उद्देश्य: ‘to you two’)Root युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सूरः
- the SunNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (विधेम-क्रिया का)Root सूर (प्रातिपदिक)
- उदिते
- at the risingAdjective/Participleसप्तमी, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (सूर-सम्बद्ध: ‘at (his) rising’)Role अधिकारणRoot उदित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √उद्-इ ‘to rise’)
- विधेम
- may we perform / may we serveVerbविधिलिङ्/आशीर्लिङ् (वेदिक: ‘let us do/serve’), उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपदRole कर्तृ (क्रिया)Root वि-धा (धातु)
- नमोभिः
- with obeisancesNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole करणRoot नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- मित्रावरुणा
- O Mitra and VaruṇaNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन/प्रथमा, द्विवचन (देवद्वय)Role सम्प्रदान (यज्य-देवता)Root मित्रावरुण (द्वन्द्व-समास प्रातिपदिक)
- उत
- and alsoIndeclinableसमुच्चयार्थक (‘and also’)Root उत (अव्यय)
- हव्यैः
- with oblationsNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole करणRoot हव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद: यत्र | चक्रुः | अमृताः | गातुम् | अस्मै | श्येनः | न | दीयन् | अन्वेति | पाथः || प्रति | वाम् | सूरः | उदिते | विधेम | नमोभिः | मित्रावरुणा | उत | हव्यैः || संधि: यत्रा॑ = यत्र + आ (पदपूरण/छन्दसि दीर्घ), च॒क्रुर॒मृता॑ = चक्रुः + अमृताः (विसर्ग-लोप/र्-आदेश), गा॒तुम॑स्मै = गातुम् + अस्मै (म् + अ → म्-अ, लेखन में संयोग), दीय॒न्नन्वे॑ति = दीयन् + अन्वेति (न् + अ → न्न), वां॒ सूर॒ = वाम् + सूरः (अनुस्वार/म्-परिवर्तन), मित्रावरुणो॒त = मित्रावरुणा + उत (आ + उ → ओ)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Where the Immortals have made for him a path, he follows it like a swift falcon. At the rising of the Sun we serve you, Mitra and Varuṇa, with reverence and offerings.
Inner meaning
The ‘Immortals’ (amṛtāḥ) are the higher powers that carve a passage in consciousness. Once that supramental/solar track is opened, the seeker’s will follows it with the sure swiftness of the falcon (śyena)—the soul’s upward and forward flight. At each inner sunrise, one renews alignment with Mitra (harmonizing light) and Varuṇa (vast truth and law), offering reverence (namo) and inner oblation (havya) so the straight luminous passage remains established.
Universal truth
Grace creates the path, but the seeker must follow swiftly and faithfully; repeated inner sunrises require renewed consecration to harmony and truth-law.
Themes
path-of-light, dual-deity-governance, swift-ascent-symbolism
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 7.60, Rig Veda 7.61, Rig Veda 7.64, Rig Veda 7.66
Family tradition
Āditya-centered hymns stressing law, harmony, and the right path (supathā) as a lived realization.
Significance
Vasiṣṭha often frames progress as ‘path-making’ by higher powers and ‘path-following’ by the soul—discipline as fidelity to the revealed way.
The deity
- Devata
- Mitra–Varuṇa (with Sūrya as occasion/symbol)
- Epithets
- sūra udite (at the Sun’s rising), ṛtāvṛdhā (ṛta-increasing; common Āditya epithet, thematic)
- Related deities
- Aryaman, Sūrya, Savitṛ, Uṣas
Cosmic role
Guardians of ṛta: Mitra establishes harmony and right relations; Varuṇa holds vastness, truth, and the binding law.
Inner power
Mitra: concord, clarity in relationships of thought and life; Varuṇa: wide truth, ethical-spiritual restraint, purification and vast peace.
In ritual
Where it is used
Āditya worship at sunrise; offerings to Mitra–Varuṇa in daily rites and śrauta contexts.
यत्रा॑ च॒क्रुर॒मृता॑ गा॒तुम॑स्मै श्ये॒नो न दीय॒न्नन्वे॑ति॒ पाथ॑: । प्रति॑ वां॒ सूर॒ उदि॑ते विधेम॒ नमो॑भिर्मित्रावरुणो॒त ह॒व्यैः ॥
यत्र॑ । च॒क्रुः । अ॒मृताः॑ । गा॒तुम् । अ॒स्मै॒ । श्ये॒नः । न । दीय॑न् । अनु॑ । ए॒ति॒ । पाथः॑ । प्रति॑ । वा॒म् । सूरे॑ । उत्ऽइ॑ते । वि॒धे॒म॒ । नमः॑ऽभिः । मि॒त्रा॒व॒रु॒णा॒ । उ॒त । ह॒व्यैः ॥
yatra | cakruḥ | amṛtāḥ | gātum | asmai | śyenaḥ | na | dīyan | anu | eti | pāthaḥ | prati | vām | sūre | ut-ite | vidhema | namaḥ-bhiḥ | mitrāvaruṇā | uta | havyaiḥ
44
4 × ~11 syllables
Swift, winged movement in the first hemistich; solemn consecration in the second.
First line gives a felt ‘flight’; second line settles into devotional alignment—good for transitioning from meditation to consecrated action.
- अमृताः (amṛtāḥ)
- Literal: Immortals (gods). Symbolic: higher powers of consciousness that open spiritual ways
- गातुम् (gātum)
- Literal: path, going, passage. Symbolic: inner passage of ascent and right movement
- श्येनः (śyenaḥ)
- Literal: falcon. Symbolic: swift upward will; penetrating intuition that follows the true track
- पाथः (pāthaḥ)
- Literal: way, course. Symbolic: the established line of consciousness opened by the gods
- मित्रावरुणा (mitrāvaruṇā)
- Literal: Mitra and Varuṇa. Symbolic: harmonizing light and vast truth-order governing the being
- नमोभिः…हव्यैः (namobhiḥ…havyaiḥ)
- Literal: with reverences and offerings. Symbolic: acts of consecration; surrender of ego-motive into the inner sacrifice
Dual-invocation suited to offerings at sunrise; compatible with Soma and non-Soma rites where Mitra–Varuṇa receive havis; also functions as a prayer for right path (sugati) under their governance
At sunrise; also when seeking guidance for right conduct or clarity of path.
Recitation with oblation (ghee) or water offering; inner act of ‘namo’—bowing of the will.
Use when choosing a life direction: chant, then silently ask for the ‘made path’ and commit to follow it without wavering.
gātú- 'path/going' from √gā 'go' (PIE *gʷeh₂- 'go, step'). śyéna- 'falcon' is a standard Vedic symbol for swift ascent and keen perception; √dī 'fly' (dīyan) underlines the non-linear, aerial movement of consciousness. vidhema: Vedic ritual verb (vi-√dhā 'to arrange/do') used for 'render worship/service'; innerly, it is conscious ordering of the being toward the gods. The dual Mitrāvaruṇā marks the paired governance: harmony/contract (Mitra) and vast law/purification (Varuṇa).
deva-made path (ṛta as established way), self-offering (namas, havis) as inner alignment, guidance by Mitra–Varuṇa
The ‘path made by Immortals’ is ṛta’s track in the being; Mitra–Varuṇa maintain it.
Varuṇa’s truth-vastness ensures the path is straight, not a compromise with falsehood.
The gods ‘make a way’ for evolution—ordered ascent rather than random movement.
Aurobindonian: descent of higher aid (grace) opens passages; aspiration follows with swiftness (śyena).
sunrise
Falcon = swift intuition/will; sunrise = recurring awakening; path = channel of consciousness established by higher forces.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘path made by the Immortals’ and the falcon-like following: the Sun travels the divine track established by higher powers. Innerly, the way of ascent is prefigured in ṛta; the seeker aligns to it through reverence and offering, asking Mitra–Varuṇa to uphold the straight luminous passage.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The ‘path/going’ lexeme (gātú < √gā) reflects inherited IE movement vocabulary. The paired sovereign gods (Mitra–Varuṇa) echo an Indo-European pattern of dual sovereignty (contract/order and vast law), comparable in structural terms (not identity) to other IE dual functions.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi offers namas and havis (inner surrender and outer oblation) ‘in response’ (prati) to the rising light, seeking governance and guidance. The devatās reciprocate by maintaining the right path and protecting the order of the journey.
Recognize the ‘already-made’ inner track of truth; practice swift adherence without mental debate.
ājñā (intuition/track) and anāhata (reverent consecration)
Inhale: feel a straight luminous path up the spine; exhale: offer ‘namo’—softening the heart and releasing ego-grip.
Guided swiftness with devotional steadiness.
Before major decisions: chant once; visualize a falcon-line of light; choose the option that feels widest, truest, and most harmonious (Mitra–Varuṇa test).
Keep first pāda light and swift; Vedic accents as transmitted—avoid flattening ‘śyéno’ and ‘pā́thaḥ’.
Give lift to ‘udité’ (at rising) and weight to ‘mitrāvaruṇā’ as the devotional anchor.
yatrā: long ā, amṛtā: retroflex ṛ; long ā, śyeno: palatal ś; clear ye, dīyan: lengthen ī; articulate -yan, vidhema: aspirated dh, mitrāvaruṇā: retroflex ṇ; long ā endings
First line slightly quicker; second line deeper and more reverent.
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