Rig Veda 4.33.6: Mandala 4, Sukta 33, Mantra 6
Sukta 4.33
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Devata
- Rbhus
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
सत्यमूचुर्नर एवा हि चक्रुरनु स्वधामृभवो जग्मुरेताम् । विभ्राजमानाँश्चमसाँ अहेवावेनत्त्वष्टा चतुरो ददृश्वान् ॥
satyám ūcuḥ nárā evā́ hí cakrúr ánu svadhā́m ṛbhávo jagmur etā́m | ví-bhrājamānāṃś camasā́m ahéva ā́venat tváṣṭā catúro dadṛ́śvān ||
ఆ బలవంతులు సత్యాన్ని పలికారు; ఎందుకంటే వారు కార్యాన్ని నిజంగా సాధించారు. తమ స్వధా—తమ సత్త్వనియమం—అనుసరించి ర్భువులు ఈ సిద్ధికి వచ్చారు. త్వష్టా, చూసి గ్రహించి, ఒకే రోజులోనట్టుగా, కాంతితో మెరిసే నాలుగు చమసాలను గుర్తించాడు.
Word by Word
- सत्यम्
- truly; the truthNoun (used adverbially)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा एकवचन (क्रियाविशेषणवत् ‘सत्यं’)Role Karma (वाच्यस्य/उक्तस्य विषयः; adverbial accusative)Root सत्य (प्रातिपदिक; < सत् ‘being’ + -य)
- ऊचुः
- they said/spokeVerbलिट् (परोक्सभूत), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole (क्रिया)Root वच् (धातु)
- नरः
- the men (heroes)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचनRole KartāRoot नर (प्रातिपदिक)
- एव
- indeed; justIndeclinableअव्ययRole (निपात; बल/निश्चयार्थ)Root एव (निपात)
- हि
- for; indeedIndeclinableअव्ययRole (निपात; हेत्वर्थ/समर्थन)Root हि (निपात)
- चक्रुः
- they made/didVerbलिट् (परोक्सभूत), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole (क्रिया)Root कृ (धातु)
- अनु
- after; followingIndeclinableअव्यय (उपसर्गभावः)Role (क्रियाविशेषण; अनुगमन/अनुसार)Root अनु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- स्वधाम्
- their own ordinance/power; proper place/portionNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचनRole Karma (अनु + गम्/जग्मुः इत्यस्य)Root स्वधा (प्रातिपदिक)
- ऋभवः
- the Rbhus (artisan-gods)Noun (proper/collective)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचनRole KartāRoot ऋभु (प्रातिपदिक)
- जग्मुः
- they wentVerbलिट् (परोक्सभूत), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole (क्रिया)Root गम् (धातु)
- एताम्
- this (one); this (path/way)Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- विभ्राजमानान्
- shining forth; radiantAdjective/Participleपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया बहुवचन (शतृ/शानच्-प्रत्ययः; ‘-मान’)Role Karma (ददृश्वान् इत्यस्य)Root वि-भ्राज् (धातु) → विभ्राजमान (वर्तमानकृदन्त)
- चमसान्
- cups; bowls (for Soma)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot चमस (प्रातिपदिक)
- अह
- as it wereIndeclinableअव्यय (उपमान/उदाहरणार्थे ‘as it were’)Role (निपात)Root अह (निपात; वैदिक)
- एव
- indeed; justIndeclinableअव्ययRole (निपात)Root एव (निपात)
- अवेनत्
- he worked/strived; he fashionedVerbलङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole (क्रिया)Root वन्/वेन् (धातु; वैदिक ‘to strive/seek, to work/serve’)
- त्वष्टा
- Tvaṣṭṛ (the divine artisan)Noun (proper)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole KartāRoot त्वष्टृ (प्रातिपदिक; देवता)
- चतुरः
- fourAdjective (numeral)पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक)
- ददृश्वान्
- having seen; seeing (perfect participle)Participle (perfect active)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole KartāRoot दृश् (धातु) → ददृश्वस्/ददृश्वान् (कृदन्त; लिट्-परिप्रयोग)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सम्भाव्य): सत्यम् | ऊचुः | नरः | एव | हि | चक्रुः | अनु | स्वधाम् | ऋभवः | जग्मुः | एताम् || विभ्राजमानान् | चमसान् | अह | एव | अवेनत् | त्वष्टा | चतुरः | ददृश्वान् || 1) सत्यमूचुः = सत्यम् + ऊचुः (म् + ऊ → मू)
- 2) चक्रुरनु = चक्रुः + अनु (विसर्गलोपः/संहितायां रुत्वाभावः)
- 3) स्वधामृभवः = स्वधाम् + ऋभवः (म् + ऋ → मृ)
- 4) जग्मुरेताम् = जग्मुः + एताम् (विसर्गलोपः)
- 5) विभ्राजमानाँश्चमसाँ = विभ्राजमानान् + चमसान् (न् + च → ञ्श्/श्च; वैदिक संधि-लेखन)
- 6) अहेवावे… = अह + एव + अवेनत् (एव + अ → वा/आव इति संहितारूपम्; पाठभेदानुसारं ‘अह एव अवेनत्’)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The strong ones spoke the truth, for they indeed did the work. Following their own law, the Ṛbhus came to this fulfillment. Tvaṣṭṛ, seeing, recognized as if in a single day the four shining cups.
Inner meaning
Truth-speech (satya-vāc) is not mere statement but a power that corresponds to effective action: ‘they spoke truth because they did the work’. The Ṛbhus follow svadhā—an inner law of being, an inherent right rhythm—rather than external compulsion. When action aligns with svadhā and satya, the result appears with an ‘aha-iva’ suddenness: what took long preparation is recognized in a single luminous moment. The four cups are the stabilized, radiant capacities of the transformed instrument, now clearly ‘seen’ and sanctioned by the formative Intelligence (Tvaṣṭṛ).
Universal truth
Truth becomes real when embodied in right action aligned with one’s deepest law; then realization may crystallize suddenly, though prepared over time.
Themes
truth-speech, swift manifestation, fourfold completion, vision of the shaper
The seer
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 4.23, RV 4.26, RV 4.33.5
Family tradition
Emphasis on satya as effective power and on svadhā as the inner law guiding the ascent.
Significance
This verse gives a key Aurobindonian principle: satya is validated by accomplishment; inner law (svadhā) leads to swift recognitions after long formation.
The deity
- Devata
- Ṛbhus (with Tvaṣṭṛ)
- Epithets
- satyam ūcuḥ (truth-speakers), naraḥ (strong ones)
- Related deities
- Tvaṣṭṛ, Indra, Agni
Cosmic role
Demonstrate the creative efficacy of truth aligned with right work; they are models of divine craftsmanship achieving luminous stability.
Inner power
Integrity of speech-action-thought; the power to let truth ‘do’ rather than merely ‘say’.
In ritual
Where it is used
Ṛbhu praise in Soma ritual cycles; affirmation of successful formation and divine approval of implements/work.
स॒त्यमू॑चु॒र्नर॑ ए॒वा हि च॒क्रुरनु॑ स्व॒धामृ॒भवो॑ जग्मुरे॒ताम् । वि॒भ्राज॑मानाँश्चम॒साँ अहे॒वावे॑न॒त्त्वष्टा॑ च॒तुरो॑ ददृ॒श्वान् ॥
स॒त्यम् । ऊ॒चुः॒ । नरः॑ । ए॒व । हि । च॒क्रुः । अनु॑ । स्व॒धाम् । ऋ॒भवः॑ । ज॒ग्मुः॒ । ए॒ताम् । वि॒ऽभ्राज॑मानान् । च॒म॒सान् । अहा॑ऽइव । अवे॑नत् । त्वष्टा॑ । च॒तुरः॑ । द॒दृ॒श्वान् ॥
satyam | ūcuḥ | naraḥ | eva | hi | cakruḥ | anu | svadhām | ṛbhavaḥ | jagmuḥ | etām | vi-bhrājamānān | camasān | ahāiva | avenat | tvaṣṭā | caturaḥ | dadṛśvān
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4 × ~11 syllables
Firm, truth-declaring beats; a culminating clarity in the final pāda with ‘caturo dadṛśvān’.
Produces a sense of ethical and spiritual solidity; supports alignment and decisive inner assent.
- सत्यम् (satyam)
- Literal: truth. Symbolic: truth-consciousness; speech aligned with reality-power
- नरः (naraḥ)
- Literal: strong men/heroic ones. Symbolic: energies of the soul-nature capable of effective transformation
- स्वधाम् (svadhām)
- Literal: their own law/abode. Symbolic: intrinsic dharma of the being; right inner rhythm of practice
- विभ्राजमानान् (vibhrājamānān)
- Literal: shining, radiant. Symbolic: clarified, luminous capacities; instruments filled with light
- अहा इव (ahā iva)
- Literal: as if in a day. Symbolic: sudden recognition; swift crystallization of a prepared realization
- अवेनत् (avenat)
- Literal: recognized/approved (as valid). Symbolic: divine confirmation in the consciousness: ‘this is formed rightly’
Affirms satya as the condition of effective ritual work; relevant wherever correct formation of implements and truthful mantra are emphasized in Soma liturgy.
After recounting Ṛbhu feats, to seal the narrative with truth and recognition.
Recitation as a confirming verse—‘the work is done, the form is right’.
Use at the end of a practice session to seal intention: speak one truthful resolve and feel it become deed.
satyá- from sat 'being' (√as 'to be') → truth as accordance with being. svadhā́ (sva- + dhā 'to place') 'one’s own placing/ordinance' → intrinsic law. ví-bhrāj from √bhrāj 'to shine'. dadṛśvān perfect participle from √dṛś 'to see'.
Satya as performative truth, svadhā as intrinsic law of right becoming
Ṛta is enacted: truth is not abstract; it is the right movement that culminates in radiant form.
Satya is performative—speech that corresponds to and carries the force of accomplishment.
Recognition/validation: creation is completed when the formative intelligence ‘sees’ and confirms the right form.
Yoga of works and truth (karma + satya): inner alignment yields manifestation.
Daybreak-to-day image implied by ‘as if in a day’ (sudden light).
Sudden sunlight of recognition after long inner crafting; radiance as stabilized clarity.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Truth-speech that accomplishes formation: the Rbhus 'speak satya' and therefore 'do'—their word and work coincide, culminating in the shining four cups recognized by Tvaṣṭṛ. Inner sense: when speech aligns with being (satya) and action follows svadhā (true nature), the instruments of reception become luminous and complete.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- sat- relates to PIE *h₁es- 'to be' (English is, Latin est). The Vedic linkage of truth with being is thus grounded in inherited morphology/semantics: 'true' as 'in accord with what is'.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi foregrounds satya as the bridge: the divine craftsmen respond to truth-aligned aspiration. By invoking their satya-work identity, he implicitly asks that his own speech and offering become similarly effective and recognized by the shaping power (Tvaṣṭṛ) within.
Unify truth-speech with truth-doing: let one inner statement become one concrete action aligned with svadhā.
Viśuddha (truth-expression) integrated with Maṇipūra (effective doing) and Ājñā (right seeing).
Exhale-lengthening (inhale 4, exhale 6–8) while repeating ‘satyam’ inwardly to stabilize sincerity.
Aligned integrity; luminous confirmation.
Before chanting, choose one truthful sentence you can live today. Chant, then visualize four ‘cups’ in the heart-space filling with steady light—peace, clarity, strength, joy.
Keep ‘satyam’ clean and slightly elevated; maintain consistent tri-tone movement; avoid flattening the cadence in the long compounds.
Mark a deliberate pause after ‘satyam ūcuḥ’; emphasize ‘anu svadhām’; brighten on ‘vibhrājamānān’.
svadhām: keep ‘dh’ aspirated and long ‘ā’., vibhrājamānān: articulate ‘bhrā’ with aspirated ‘bh’ and long ā., ahāiva: glide ‘ahā-iva’ (not ‘aha-iva’)., dadṛśvān: vocalic ‘ṛ’ twice; keep retroflex ‘ṣ’ in dṛś.
Steady, truthful tone; end with a bright resonance on ‘caturo’.
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