Rig Veda 3.20.5: Mandala 3, Sukta 20, Mantra 5
Sukta 3.20
दधिक्रामग्निमुषसं च देवीं बृहस्पतिं सवितारं च देवम् । अश्विना मित्रावरुणा भगं च वसून्रुद्राँ आदित्याँ इह हुवे ॥
dadhikrām agním uṣásaṃ ca devī́m bṛ́haspátiṃ savitā́raṃ ca devám | aśvínā mitrā́varuṇā bhágaṃ ca vásūn rudrā́m̐ ādityā́m̐ ihá huve ||
ఇక్కడ నేను దధిక్రావన్ను, అగ్నిని, దేవీ ఉషసును ఆహ్వానిస్తున్నాను; బృహస్పతిని, దేవుడు సవితృను ఆహ్వానిస్తున్నాను. అశ్వినులను, మిత్ర-వరుణులను, భగుని ఆహ్వానిస్తున్నాను; అలాగే ఇక్కడ వసువులను, రుద్రులను, ఆదిత్యులను కూడా హువే—ఆహ్వానిస్తున్నాను.
General saṃgati/invocation verse usable in soma and agni rites as a comprehensive calling of divine powers; inwardly, a ‘gathering’ of faculties before the work of illumination and right action.
Ṛta (cosmic order upheld by Mitra-Varuṇa and Ādityas), Aditi (infinity/undivided consciousness as the ground of the Ādityas), Bṛhat (the Vast; basis for inspired word and widened being), satyam–ṛtam–bṛhat (truth, right order, wideness as a unified aim)
Mitra-Varuṇa and Ādityas embody ṛta; the invocation seeks right movement rather than fragmented striving.
Bṛhaspati and Ādityas support truth-revelation and truth-governance in the being.
Creation as coordinated work of many powers; integral harmony is the condition for sustained evolution.
Integral Vedic psychology (Aurobindo/Kashyap): deities as functional powers of consciousness forming an integral sadhana.
dawn (explicit via Uṣas)
Dawn = awakening; Sun-impulsion = awakened will-to-act rightly; storm = catharsis/purification; supports = stability of nature; law-light = wideness and protection.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is the ‘assembly of the gods’ (devagaṇa-samāhāra): a deliberate summoning of multiple divine functions to descend into the ritual/field. In the inner sense, it is the integrative act of calling all necessary cosmic powers—illumination (Uṣas), will-fire (Agni), inspired word (Bṛhaspati), impulsion (Savitṛ), harmony and law (Mitra-Varuṇa), delight-share (Bhaga), and the great collectives (Vasus/Rudras/Ādityas)—so the human vessel can be aligned to ṛta.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- Several lexemes preserve transparent Indo-Iranian/PIE continuities: bhaga- ‘apportioner’ (PIE *bʰag-; Av. baga-), mitra- (Indo-Iranian *mitra- ‘contract/friendship’), and the functional divine collectives parallel Iranian groupings of cosmic powers. The verbal √hū ‘call’ reflects an old invocation formulaic register; the list-like parataxis (X ca Y ca …) is a common PIE-poetic enumerative strategy for ritual summoning.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi stands as the organizer of an inner rite: by ‘calling’ (√hū) he establishes adhikāra—inviting each power to take its seat and function. The reciprocity is implicit: the human offers attention/aspiration (the call), and the gods respond by presence and action—illumining (Uṣas), kindling will (Agni), widening and ordering (Mitra-Varuṇa/Ādityas), distributing delight and right portion (Bhaga), and purifying obstruction (Rudras).
Integral invocation: call each power as a needed function—will, light, right law, inspired word, purification, stability, swift help, and right enjoyment.
Sahasrāra (wideness/Ādityas) supported by Maṇipūra (Agni/Savitṛ) and Viśuddha (Bṛhaspati/Vāc)
‘Invocation breath’: gentle inhale for each deity-name; brief pause sensing presence; long exhale offering the whole being into their harmony.
Widened, supported, and balanced; readiness for deeper concentration.
Chant once to open the space; then sit quietly and feel a ‘council of powers’ within: stability (Vasus) at the base, purification (Rudras) clearing knots, law-light (Ādityas) widening the mind, while Agni and Uṣas lead the ascent.
Rigvedic accent system applies; in name-lists, maintain clear separation and avoid accent flattening across sandhi.
Micro-pauses between deity clusters: (Dadhikrāvan–Agni–Uṣas) | (Bṛhaspati–Savitṛ) | (Aśvins–Mitra-Varuṇa–Bhaga) | (Vasus–Rudras–Ādityas).
bṛhaspatim: vocalic ṛ; aspirate ‘bh’., mitrāvaruṇā: keep long ā; retroflex ṇ in varuṇa., rudrām̐ ādityām̐: nasalization ‘ām̐’ lightly; don’t over-nasalize., dadhikrām: keep ‘kr’ cluster clear; long ā sustained.
Invoking and expansive; clear diction for each name; end with a grounded cadence on ‘iha huve’.
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