Rig Veda 2.43.1: Mandala 2, Sukta 43, Mantra 1
Sukta 2.43
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Devata
- Śakuni/Śakunta
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
प्रदक्षिणिदभि गृणन्ति कारवो वयो वदन्त ऋतुथा शकुन्तयः । उभे वाचौ वदति सामगा इव गायत्रं च त्रैष्टुभं चानु राजति ॥
pradakṣiṇíd abhi gṛṇanti kārávo váyo vádanta ṛtuthā́ śakúntayaḥ | ubhé vā́cau vadati sāmagā́ iva gāyatráṃ ca traíṣṭubhaṃ cā́nu rājati ||
சுபமான பிரதக்ஷிண (வலப்புற) நடைமுறையில் பாடகர்கள் புகழ்கின்றனர்; ருது-ஒழுங்கும் ‘ருத்’ (சத்திய-ஒழுங்கு) மும் ஏற்ப பறவைகள் தம் குறிகளைச் சொல்கின்றன. அது சாமகன் போல இரு வாக்குகளையும் உரைக்கிறது; காயத்ரீயும் த்ரைஷ்டுபும்—இரு சந்தங்களையும் பின்பற்றி அது ஒளிர்கிறது.
Word by Word
- प्रदक्षिणी
- moving/turning to the right (auspiciously), rightwardAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot प्रदक्षिणी- (प्रातिपदिक; प्र- + दक्षिणी)
- इद्
- indeed, justIndeclinableनिपात (अव्यय)Root इद् (निपात)
- अभि
- towards, uponIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRoot अभि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- गृणन्ति
- they sing/praiseVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, ३ पुरुष, बहुवचनRoot गृ (गृणाति ‘स्तु/गाय’)
- कारवः
- singers, bardsNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot कारु-
- वयः
- the birds (bird-kind)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (समूह/जातिवाचक)Role KartāRoot वयस्-
- वदन्ते
- they speak/utterVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, ३ पुरुष, बहुवचनRoot वद्
- ऋतुथा
- seasonally, in due seasonIndeclinableअव्यय (प्रकार/कालवाचक)Root ऋतु- + -था (अव्ययीभाव)
- शकुन्तयः
- birdsNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot शकुन्त-
- उभे
- bothAdjective (pronominal)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, द्विवचनRole KarmaRoot उभ-
- वाचौ
- two utterances/voices (two kinds of speech/chant)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, द्विवचनRole KarmaRoot वाच्-
- वदति
- he speaks/uttersVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, ३ पुरुष, एकवचनRoot वद्
- सामगा
- a Sāman-chanter (sāmaga)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot सामग-
- इव
- like, asIndeclinableउपमानवाचक अव्ययRoot इव (निपात)
- गायत्रम्
- the Gāyatrī (metre/chant)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot गायत्र-
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चयार्थक अव्ययRoot च (निपात)
- त्रैष्टुभम्
- the Triṣṭubh (metre/chant)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot त्रैष्टुभ-
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चयार्थक अव्ययRoot च (निपात)
- अनु
- after, along, in sequenceIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRoot अनु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- राजति
- he shines, is resplendentVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, ३ पुरुष, एकवचनRoot राज् (राजते/राजति ‘शोभते’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (Vedic sandhi resolution): प्रदक्षिणी इद् अभि गृणन्ति कारवः | वयः वदन्ते ऋतुथा शकुन्तयः || उभे वाचौ वदति सामगा इव | गायत्रम् च त्रैष्टुभम् च अनु राजति || 1) प्रदक्षिणिद॒भि → प्रदक्षिणी + इद् + अभि (इद्-निपातः ‘indeed’ sandhi with following vowel; Vedic text shows contraction)
- 2) वद॑न्त ऋतु॒था → वदन्ते ऋतुथा (ए-लोप/पदपाठ-परम्परा: finite verb is आत्मनेपद ‘वदन्ते’)
- 3) चानु → च + अनु
- 4) त्रैष्टु॑भं॒ चानु॑ → त्रैष्टुभम् + च + अनु
- Accent marks in Saṃhitā indicate udātta/svarita but are not repeated in padapāṭha forms here
The meaning
Outer meaning
The singers praise as they move in the auspicious rightward course; the birds speak according to seasons. The bird speaks with both voices like a Sāman-chanter and shines following both Gāyatrī and Triṣṭubh.
Inner meaning
Rightward movement (pradakṣiṇa) is the inner conformity to ṛta: the consciousness turns in the right direction around the inner fire. The birds are intuitions that speak ‘ṛtuthā’—in the right timing and rhythm of growth; not every truth is for every moment. ‘Both voices’ indicates a dual register: outer and inner speech, or mind and intuition, or affirmation and warning—harmonized like the Sāman singer. The mention of Gāyatrī and Triṣṭubh suggests that intuition can modulate across planes: luminous clarity (Gāyatrī) and forceful victorious movement (Triṣṭubh).
Universal truth
True guidance is rhythmic and timely; it can speak in more than one register, adapting to the seeker’s stage. Right movement around the sacred center brings harmony between illumination and power.
Themes
Poetics-of-nature, Ṛta-rhythm, Meter-symbolism, Auspicious-signs
The seer
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada Bhārgava
- Lineage
- Bhārgava
- Other hymns
- RV 2.43.2
Family tradition
Poetic-ritual mastery joined to inner hearing; sensitivity to meter as a force of consciousness.
Significance
Here the seer explicitly ties the omen-sign to chandas and sāman: rhythm is not ornament but the law of manifestation; intuition ‘shines’ by right measure.
The deity
- Devata
- Śakuni / Śakunta (ṛta-speaking sign)
- Epithets
- ṛtuthā-vadant (speaking in right season), sāmagā-iva (like a Sāman singer)
- Related deities
- Soma (sāman, bliss-rhythm), Sarasvatī (vāc), Savitar (impeller in right timing)
Cosmic role
Transmitter of ṛta through timed signals; bridges natural rhythms and sacred rhythm (chandas).
Inner power
Capacity to harmonize multiple layers of speech and guidance; rhythmic intuition.
In ritual
Where it is used
Omen-interpretation sanctified by ṛta and chandas; praise-invocation of auspicious signs
प्र॒द॒क्षि॒णिद॒भि गृ॑णन्ति का॒रवो॒ वयो॒ वद॑न्त ऋतु॒था श॒कुन्त॑यः । उ॒भे वाचौ॑ वदति साम॒गा इ॑व गाय॒त्रं च॒ त्रैष्टु॑भं॒ चानु॑ राजति ॥
प्र॒ऽद॒क्षि॒णित् । अ॒भि । गृ॒ण॒न्ति॒ । का॒रवः॑ । वयः॑ । वद॑न्तः । ऋ॒तु॒ऽथा । श॒कुन्त॑यः । उ॒भे इति॑ । वाचौ॑ । व॒द॒ति॒ । सा॒म॒ऽगाःऽइ॑व । गा॒य॒त्रम् । च॒ । त्रैस्तु॑भम् । च॒ । अनु॑ । रा॒ज॒ति॒ ॥
pra-dakṣiṇit | abhi | gṛṇanti | kāravaḥ | vayaḥ | vadantaḥ | ṛtu-thā | śakuntayaḥ | ubhe iti | vācau | vadati | sāma-gāḥ-iva | gāyatram | ca | traistubham | ca | anu | rājati
44
4×11 (approx.; needs pada-by-pada count in the received recension)
Balanced and luminous; alternation of descriptive clauses gives a ‘responsive’ feel (two voices).
Encourages attunement to timing; the listener feels rhythmic intelligence—when to advance, when to wait.
- प्रदक्षिणित् (pradakṣiṇit)
- Literal: moving to the right, circumambulating auspiciously. Symbolic: right-ordered inner turn around the psychic center/Agni
- कावयः/कारवः (kāravaḥ)
- Literal: singers/poets. Symbolic: faculties of inspired expression in the being
- ऋतुथा (ṛtuthā)
- Literal: according to seasons/right times. Symbolic: truth in right timing; stages of unfolding
- उभे वाचौ (ubhe vācau)
- Literal: both voices/speeches. Symbolic: outer-inner speech; mind-intuition harmony; warning-blessing duality
- सामगा इव (sāmagā iva)
- Literal: like a chanter of Sāman. Symbolic: harmonizing vibration; musical integration of consciousness
- गायत्रम् / त्रैष्टुभम् (gāyatraṃ / traiṣṭubham)
- Literal: meters Gāyatrī and Triṣṭubh. Symbolic: illumination (clarity) and power (force) as two rhythmic modes of truth
Used as an auspicious interpretive frame for signs and right-timed action; aligns ritual speech with cosmic rhythm (ṛtu/ṛta) in recitation contexts.
At seasonal rites or when seeking confirmation that one’s action is in right time/order
Recitation with attention to rightward movement; may accompany pradakṣiṇā around fire/altar
Use as a ‘timing mantra’ before decisions: ask for guidance that speaks in the right season and integrates both intuition and reason.
ṛtu-thā: ṛtu ‘season/right time’ (from √ṛ ‘to fit, move rightly’) + -thā ‘in the manner of’. pradakṣiṇa: pra- + dakṣiṇa ‘right/skillful/auspicious’. rājati from √rāj ‘to shine, rule’. The verse explicitly thematizes Vedic poetics: natural utterance (bird-call) mirrors metrical-sacral speech (gāyatrī/triṣṭubh), implying a continuity between cosmic rhythm and human mantra.
Ṛta and Ṛtu (order and right time), Vāc (speech as cosmic power), Chandas (meter as formative law)
Explicit: birds speak ṛtuthā; rightward course is ṛta-gesture.
Truth becomes effective when expressed in the right rhythm and measure.
Manifestation through measure: chandas as the shaping of consciousness into form.
Vedic psychology of rhythm (chandas) as a power; compatible with Aurobindo’s view of mantra as ‘rhythmic revelation’.
all seasons explicitly (ṛtuthā)
Seasons = stages of inner growth; bird-voices = intuitive signals; pradakṣiṇa = right-ordered circulation of awareness around the inner center.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- ‘Cosmos as chant’: the natural world (birds) is portrayed as participating in ṛta through patterned utterance, mirroring the human sacrificial song. The mythic action is the conversion of sign (śakuna) into sanctioned knowledge by aligning it with meter and ṛtu.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √gṛ ‘sing/praise’ and √vad ‘speak’ represent an inherited Indo-European nexus of ‘poetic speech as power’. The coupling of ‘ruling/shining’ (√rāj) with ordered utterance parallels Indo-Iranian ideology where sovereignty is expressed as radiance and right speech.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi recognizes the Devata’s speech as already metrical and ṛta-aligned; human singers ‘answer’ by praising in the same rightward movement (pradakṣiṇa). The reciprocity is imitation and attunement: the human mantra conforms to the cosmic chant indicated by the bird.
Attune to right timing: listen for the ‘two voices’—quiet intuition and articulate mind—then harmonize them.
ājñā (timely insight) with viśuddha (harmonized expression)
Alternate-nostril breathing (nāḍī-śodhana) to balance ‘both voices’; then chant once steadily.
Harmonized discrimination; rhythmic poise.
When conflicted, do not force action; seek ṛtuthā: the right season within. Let the mantra’s meter teach you pacing—clarity (Gāyatrī mode) then power (Triṣṭubh mode).
Maintain clear svara distinctions; highlight pradakṣiṇit, ṛtuthā, ubhe vācau, gāyatraṃ, traiṣṭubham with gentle udatta emphasis.
Let the line flow; avoid chopping—this verse describes continuity of rhythm and timing.
pradakṣiṇit: retroflex ṣ and ṇ; keep consonant cluster clean., ṛtuthā: vocalic ṛ; aspirate thā., ubhe: short u; do not overlengthen., traiṣṭubham: retroflex ṣṭ; articulate as ‘ṣṭu’., rājati: long ā; soft j.
Melodic, slightly song-like (Sāman flavor) but steady.
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