Rig Veda 7.49.2: Mandala 7, Sukta 49, Mantra 2
Sukta 7.49
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Āpaḥ
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace)
या आपो दिव्या उत वा स्रवन्ति खनित्रिमा उत वा याः स्वयंजाः । समुद्रार्था याः शुचयः पावकास्ता आपो देवीरिह मामवन्तु ॥
yā́ ā́po divyā́ utá vā́ srávanti khanitrímā utá vā́ yā́ḥ svayaṃjā́ḥ | samudrā́rthā yā́ḥ śúcayaḥ pāvakā́s tā́ ā́po devī́r ihá mām avantu ||
வானிலிருந்து வரும் நீர்கள், அல்லது கிணறு/குழியிலிருந்து எடுக்கப்படும் நீர்கள், அல்லது தாமே பிறந்த (ஸ்வயம்-ஜா) நீர்கள்; கடலை நோக்கிச் செல்லும்—அந்தத் தூய, பாவக, ஒளிமிகு நீர்த் தேவியர், அந்தத் திவ்ய ஆபः இங்கே என்னைக் காக்கட்டும்.
Word by Word
- याः
- who/which (fem. pl.)Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- आपः
- watersNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot अप् (प्रातिपदिक)
- दिव्याः
- heavenly, celestialAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (आपः विशेषण)Role KartāRoot दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक; दिव् ‘द्युत्/स्वर्ग’ से)
- उत
- and; alsoIndeclinableसमुच्चय/विकल्पार्थक निपातRoot उत
- वा
- orIndeclinableविकल्पार्थक निपातRoot वा
- स्रवन्ति
- they flowVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, 3 पुरुष, बहुवचनRole (क्रिया) —Root स्रु (धातु)
- खनित्रिमाः
- dug out (from wells), excavatedAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (आपः विशेषण)Role KartāRoot खनित्रिम (प्रातिपदिक; ‘खनित्र’ = खनन-उपकरण/खोदित)
- उत
- and; alsoIndeclinableसमुच्चय/विकल्पार्थक निपातRoot उत
- वा
- orIndeclinableविकल्पार्थक निपातRoot वा
- याः
- which (fem. pl.)Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- स्वयंजाः
- self-born, springing up of themselvesAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (आपः विशेषण)Role KartāRoot स्वयंज (प्रातिपदिक; स्वयम् + ज ‘जन्’ से)
- समुद्रार्थाः
- whose goal is the sea; sea-boundAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (आपः विशेषण)Role KartāRoot समुद्रार्थ (प्रातिपदिक; समुद्र + अर्थ ‘गमन/लक्ष्य’)
- याः
- which (fem. pl.)Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- शुचयः
- bright, pureAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (आपः विशेषण)Role KartāRoot शुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
- पावकाः
- purifyingAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (आपः विशेषण)Role KartāRoot पावक (प्रातिपदिक; √पू ‘पवित्रे’ से)
- ताः
- thosePronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- आपः
- watersNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot अप् (प्रातिपदिक)
- देवीः
- goddesses; divine (ones)Noun/Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (आपः के लिए विशेषण/अप्पोज़िशन)Role KartāRoot देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
- इह
- hereIndeclinableदेशवाचक अव्ययRole AdhikaraṇaRoot इह
- माम्
- mePronounउत्तमपुरुष, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अवन्तु
- may they protect/helpVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपद, 3 पुरुष, बहुवचनRole (क्रिया) —Root अव् (धातु; ‘रक्षण/पालन’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (Vedic sandhi resolved): याः | आपः | दिव्याः | उत | वा | स्रवन्ति | खनित्रिमाः | उत | वा | याः | स्वयंजाः | समुद्रार्थाः | याः | शुचयः | पावकाः | ताः | आपः | देवीः | इह | माम् | अवन्तु || मुख्य संधि/संहिता-रूप: (1) या आपो → याः आपः (आ + अ = आ; visarga in pada)
- (2) दिव्या उत → दिव्याः उत (आः + उ)
- (3) वा स्रवन्ति (विकल्प-निपात + क्रिया, संधि नहीं)
- (4) खनित्रिमा उत → खनित्रिमाः उत
- (6) समुद्रार्था याः → समुद्रार्थाः याः
- (7) पावकास्ता → पावकाः ताः
- (8) देवीरिह → देवीः इह
- (9) मामवन्तु → माम् अवन्तु (म् + अ)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Whether waters flow from heaven, or are drawn from wells, or are self-born, or move toward the ocean—those bright, purifying waters, may the divine Waters protect me here.
Inner meaning
Purifying consciousness comes from multiple sources: from above (divyāḥ: higher mind/supramental influence), from the depths accessed by effort (khanitrimāḥ: drawn up by discipline), and from the innate soul-nature (svayaṃjāḥ: self-born spontaneity). All true movements tend toward the ocean of plenitude (samudrārthāḥ): integration into vast being. The mantra affirms that whatever the entry-point, the criterion is śuci/pāvaka—clarity and purification—leading to protection and wholeness.
Universal truth
The path of purification is many-sourced—grace, effort, and innate awakening—but its direction is one: toward a greater totality of being and a cleaner, brighter consciousness.
Themes
Universal invocation of waters, Purification and protection, Source-diversity, essence-unity
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha-gotra
- Other hymns
- RV 7.60–7.66 (Āditya hymns emphasizing ṛta and protection), RV 7.89 (confession and release under Varuṇa)
Family tradition
Maṇḍala 7: hymns of harmony, protection, and the law of right order expressed as living powers.
Significance
He maps multiple yogic entries for purification—descent, ascent, and spontaneous psychic emergence—yet unifies them in the oceanic goal.
The deity
- Devata
- Āpaḥ (Divine Waters)
- Epithets
- देवीः (devīḥ), शुचयः (śucayaḥ), पावकाः (pāvakāḥ)
- Related deities
- Dyaus/Heaven (as source region), Indra (releaser), Soma (delight in the waters)
Cosmic role
Connectors of regions (heaven–earth–depths), carrying life and cleansing across planes, returning all streams to the cosmic ocean.
Inner power
Multi-source purification: descent of peace/light, ascent of clarity through effort, and psychic self-purification; protective harmonization of the system.
In ritual
Where it is used
Purification and consecration of waters from different sources (rain, well, spring/river) for ritual use
या आपो॑ दि॒व्या उ॒त वा॒ स्रव॑न्ति ख॒नित्रि॑मा उ॒त वा॒ याः स्व॑यं॒जाः । स॒मु॒द्रार्था॒ याः शुच॑यः पाव॒कास्ता आपो॑ दे॒वीरि॒ह माम॑वन्तु ॥
याः । आपः॑ । दि॒व्याः । उ॒त । वा॒ । स्रव॑न्ति । ख॒नित्रि॑माः । उ॒त । वा॒ । याः । स्व॒य॒म्ऽजाः । स॒मु॒द्रऽअ॑र्थाः । याः । शुच॑यः । पा॒व॒काः । ताः । आपः॑ । दे॒वीः । इ॒ह । माम् । अ॒व॒न्तु॒ ॥
yāḥ | āpaḥ | divyāḥ | uta | vā | sravanti | khanitrimāḥ | uta | vā | yāḥ | svayam-jāḥ | samudra-arthāḥ | yāḥ | śucayaḥ | pāvakāḥ | tāḥ | āpaḥ | devīḥ | iha | mām | avantu
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4 × ~11 syllables
Enumerative, wave-like clauses that broaden the sense of inclusiveness.
Creates an integrative mood—many sources, one flow—settling anxiety and strengthening trust.
- दिव्याः (divyāḥ)
- Literal: heavenly. Symbolic: descending light/force from higher consciousness
- खनित्रिमाः (khanitrimāḥ)
- Literal: dug out, drawn from wells. Symbolic: truth and purity brought up by tapas, practice, and self-exploration
- स्वयं-जाः (svayaṃjāḥ)
- Literal: self-born. Symbolic: spontaneous emergence from the psychic being; natural purity
- समुद्रार्थाः (samudrārthāḥ)
- Literal: ocean-bound/aimed at the ocean. Symbolic: movements that seek the Infinite; convergence into integral consciousness
- शुचयः (śucayaḥ)
- Literal: bright, clean. Symbolic: clarified mind-substance, sincerity
- पावकाः (pāvakāḥ)
- Literal: purifying. Symbolic: forces that burn/cleanse obscuration and restore right vibration
General water-protection formula adaptable to any water source (rain, well, spring, river); suitable for purification, healing, and consecration.
When collecting water for rites; before bathing; when seeking healing/protection.
Sanctifying gathered waters; sprinkling; drinking a sip as ācamana in later adaptation.
Mindful water practice: while drinking or washing hands, recall the three sources—grace, effort, inner spontaneity—and offer impurities into the flow.
sravanti from √sru ‘flow’ (IE *sreu- ‘flow’, cognate: English ‘stream’). khanitrimā from √khan ‘dig’—waters accessed by human effort, yet still divine in essence. svayam-jā ‘self-born’ expresses spontaneous manifestation. pāvaka from √pū ‘purify’ with -aka adjectival. samudra-artha ‘having the ocean as purpose/end’—teleology of flow: return to plenitude.
Unity of the divine essence across diverse sources, Purity/brightness (śuci) as consciousness-quality, Return-to-plenitude motif (ocean-going)
Right order is the proper direction of movements—toward wholeness (samudra) rather than fragmentation.
Śuci (brightness) indicates truth-substance; what is true clarifies and purifies.
Circulation: descent and ascent of energies, culminating in oceanic unity.
Integral yoga hermeneutic: multiple modalities of transformation converging in the Infinite.
rainy season (suggested by ‘divyāḥ sravanti’ as rain) but not explicit
Rain = descending light; well = drawn-up depth-clarity; self-born spring = psychic emergence; ocean-bound river = integralization into vast consciousness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The totality of Waters across realms—heavenly, earthly, human-accessed, and self-arising—unified as purifying goddesses. Psychologically: all streams of experience, whether given, sought, or spontaneous, can become cleansing powers returning the being to its oceanic wholeness.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √sru ‘flow’ continues PIE *sreu- (stream/flow cognates). The catalog style (‘whether…or…’) is a common IE rhetorical device for totalizing invocation, ensuring no form of the power is excluded.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi seeks protection independent of external circumstance: any water encountered can be invoked as divine. The reciprocity is immediacy—human recognition and call, divine response as purification and safeguarding.
Contemplate three avenues of purification: descent (above), ascent (effort), spontaneous psychic clarity; then feel them merge into one inner river.
Svādhiṣṭhāna (cleansing of desire-nature) and Sahasrāra (divine descent) as a vertical integration
Nadi-śodhana style gentle alternate breathing (without strain) to symbolize multiple channels converging.
Inclusive equanimity; trust in convergence.
During practice, ask: ‘What is descending?’ ‘What must I draw up?’ ‘What is already pure within?’ Offer all three into a single aspiration toward the Vast.
Maintain clear udatta on enumerative openings (yā āpo…); keep each clause distinct with slight pause.
Do not rush the list; let each ‘uta vā’ be evenly weighted; caesura after each pāda.
: aspirate kh clearly; retroflex ṇ not present—keep dental n., : nasalize lightly on ‘svayaṃ’; long āḥ at end., : articulate rth conjunct cleanly.
Clear, steady, explanatory tone—like naming successive sources of one purity.
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