Rig Veda 5.20.4: Mandala 5, Sukta 20, Mantra 4
Sukta 5.20
- Rishi
- Atri
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Trishtubh/Jagati
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
इत्था यथा त ऊतये सहसावन्दिवेदिवे । राय ऋताय सुक्रतो गोभिः ष्याम सधमादो वीरैः स्याम सधमादः ॥
itthā́ yáthā te ūtáye sáhasāvandive-dive | rāyá ṛtā́ya sukrato góbhīḥ syāma sadhamā́do vīráiḥ syāma sadhamā́daḥ ||
ఇట్లే కావాలి—హే సహసావన్ (అత్యంత పరాక్రమవంతుడా), దినదినమూ నీ ఊతి (సహాయం) కోసం; హే సుక్రతో (శుద్ధ-సంకల్పుడా), ఋతానికి అనుగుణమైన ధన-సమృద్ధి కోసం—గోభిః (గోవులు/కాంతికిరణాలు) మరియు వీరైః (వీరశక్తులు) తో కలిసి మేము సధమాదః (సామూహిక ఆనందం) లో సహచరులమై ఉండుగాక; సధమాదః లో సహచరులమై ఉండుగాక.
Word by Word
- इत्था
- thus, in this mannerIndeclinableअव्यय (manner)Role Adhikaraṇa (प्रकार/रीति)Root इत्था (avyaya-prātipadika)
- यथा
- as, just asIndeclinableअव्यय (comparative/relative)Role Adhikaraṇa (प्रकार/उपमान)Root यथा (avyaya-prātipadika)
- ते
- of you, yourPronounषष्ठी एकवचन (enclitic) / alternatively चतुर्थी एकवचन in some contexts; here genitive is standard with ऊतयेRole Sampradāna (possessor of aid) / relationRoot त्वद् (sarvanāman-prātipadika)
- ऊतये
- for (your) help/aidNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot ऊति (prātipadika)
- सहसावन्
- O mighty oneNoun (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन एकवचनRole Sambodhana (addressed deity)Root सहसावन् (prātipadika; from सहस् ‘might’)
- दिवे-दिवे
- day by dayNoun (reduplicated adverbial)सप्तमी एकवचन + सप्तमी एकवचन (repetition)Role Adhikaraṇa (काल)Root दिव्/द्यौ (prātipadika: दिवस/दिव्)
- रायः
- of wealth, of bountyNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचनRole Sampradāna/Relation (genitive of purpose/association)Root राय्/रायि (prātipadika)
- ऋताय
- for ṛta (truth/cosmic order)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी एकवचनRole Sampradāna (goal/purpose) / Adhikaraṇa (norm)Root ऋत (prātipadika)
- सु-क्रतो
- O good-minded/wise in resolveAdjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन एकवचनRole Sambodhana (addressed deity)Root सुक्रतु (prātipadika)
- गोभिः
- with cows (cattle)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot गो (prātipadika)
- स्याम
- may we beVerbविधिलिङ् (optative), उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole Kartā (implicit ‘we’)Root अस् (धातु)
- सध-मादः
- a companion at the common feast/pressingNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole Kartā/Predicate-nominative (with स्याम)Root सधमाद (prātipadika)
- वीरैः
- with heroes/menNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया बहुवचनRole Karaṇa (association/instrumental of accompaniment)Root वीर (prātipadika)
- स्याम
- may we beVerbविधिलिङ् (optative), उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole Kartā (implicit ‘we’)Root अस् (धातु)
- सध-मादः
- a companion at the common feast/pressingNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole Kartā/Predicate-nominative (with स्याम)Root सधमाद (prātipadika)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: इत्था | यथा | ते | ऊतये | सहसावन् | दिवे-दिवे | रायः | ऋताय | सुक्रतो | गोभिः | स्याम | सधमादः | वीरैः | स्याम | सधमादः । प्रमुख सन्धि: (1) त ऊतये = ते + ऊतये (ए/ओ-पूर्वसवर्णदीर्घ; enclitic ते before vowel)
- (2) सहसावन्दिवेदिवे = सहसावन् + दिवे-दिवे (न् + द् → न्द्)
- (3) सधमादो वीरैः = सधमादः + वीरैः (विसर्गः + व् → ओ; RV sandhi)
- (4) गोभिः ष्याम = गोभिः + स्याम (पदपाठे स्याम; संहितायां ‘ष्याम’ इति शकारस्य षत्वं—जिह्वामूलीय/उपध्मानीय-प्रभावित वैदिक उच्चारणपरम्परा/लिप्यन्तर)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Thus, for your help, O mighty one, day by day: for wealth in accord with ṛta, O clear-willed one, may we be companions in shared delight—with cows and with heroes; may we be companions in shared delight.
Inner meaning
A daily yoga of alignment: the seeker asks Agni’s continual aid (dive-dive) so that the increase (rāyaḥ) comes in harmony with ṛta—right order, truth of movement. ‘Sukrato’ (clear/beautiful will) is Agni as luminous intentionality. ‘Gobhīḥ’ are not cattle but rays of knowledge; ‘vīraiḥ’ are heroic soul-forces (courage, steadfastness, victorious energies). ‘Sadhamādaḥ’ is shared delight: a state where the human and the divine powers participate together in Ananda, the joy of right becoming.
Universal truth
Sustainable prosperity is prosperity aligned with truth and right order. When knowledge-rays and heroic energies grow together, life becomes a shared joy rather than a private struggle.
Themes
Prayer for ṛta-aligned abundance, Recovery/possession of light (go), Heroic powers (vīra) as inner faculties, Continual practice (dive-dive)
The seer
- Rishi
- Atri (Ātreya)
- Lineage
- Ātreya
- Other hymns
- RV 5.20.1, RV 5.20.3, RV 5.1
Family tradition
Atri hymns often culminate in the goal-state: ṛta-aligned richness and ‘sadhamāda’—companionship in delight with the gods.
Significance
Atri frames spiritual life as daily renewal leading to ananda in right order—knowledge (go) and force (vīra) unified.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- Sahasāvan, Sukratu, Ūtí (helper, implied)
- Related deities
- Indra (vīra-force), Soma (sadhamāda/ananda), Uṣas (gobhiḥ as illumination)
Cosmic role
Sustainer of daily ascent; giver of ṛta-aligned riches; harmonizer of knowledge and strength.
Inner power
Clear will (sukratu) that organizes the being into a joyful, truthful collectivity of powers.
In ritual
Where it is used
Closing or supportive verse in an Agni hymn; suitable for concluding an offering with a prayer for ṛta-aligned prosperity and companionship.
इ॒त्था यथा॑ त ऊ॒तये॒ सह॑सावन्दि॒वेदि॑वे । रा॒य ऋ॒ताय॑ सुक्रतो॒ गोभि॑: ष्याम सध॒मादो॑ वी॒रैः स्या॑म सध॒माद॑: ॥
इ॒त्था । यथा॑ । ते॒ । ऊ॒तये॑ । सह॑साऽवन् । दि॒वेऽदि॑वे । रा॒ये । ऋ॒ताय॑ । सु॒क्र॒तो॒ इति॑ सुऽक्रतो । गोभिः॑ । स्या॒म॒ । स॒ध॒ऽमादः॑ । वी॒रैः । स्या॒म॒ । स॒ध॒ऽमादः॑ ॥
itthā | yathā | te | ūtaye | sahasāvan | dive--dive | rāye | ṛtāya | sukrato itisu-krato | gobhiḥ | syāma | sadha-mādaḥ | vīraiḥ | syāma | sadha-mādaḥ
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Likely 4 pādas with expanded cadence; repetition ‘syāma sadhamādaḥ’ creates a refrain-like close.
Supplicatory and expansive; the repeated phrase produces a communal, hymn-like resonance.
Builds a sense of daily reliance and collective joy; repetition anchors the desired state in the listener.
- ऊति (ūti)
- Literal: help, aid. Symbolic: active grace and support of the inner Divine
- सहसावन् (sahasāvan)
- Literal: mighty, full of force. Symbolic: abundant spiritual power sustaining the ascent
- दिवे-दिवे (dive-dive)
- Literal: day by day. Symbolic: continuous practice; daily renewal of aspiration
- राय ऋताय (rāya ṛtāya)
- Literal: wealth for ṛta. Symbolic: plenitude that serves truth-order, not ego
- सुक्रतु (sukratu)
- Literal: good/bright will, clear intention. Symbolic: luminous discernment guiding works
- गो (go) / गोभिः (gobhiḥ)
- Literal: cows. Symbolic: rays of light/knowledge; illuminations
- वीर (vīra) / वीरैः (vīraiḥ)
- Literal: heroes. Symbolic: strong soul-powers; victorious energies
- सधमाद (sadhamāda)
- Literal: shared feast/delight. Symbolic: collective Ananda—communion of human and divine forces
Concluding wish-formula within Agni praise; used as prosperity-and-ṛta alignment prayer in sacrificial setting (general Śrauta recitation).
End of morning/evening agnihotra-like devotion; also at completion of a work-session as consecration of results.
Final oblation and prayer for right increase; communal recitation.
Use as a daily affirmation: seek prosperity that serves truth; cultivate knowledge (learning) and heroism (courage) as companions in joy.
ūtaye < √av/√ū ‘to help, protect’ (Vedic ūti ‘aid’). sahasāvan from sáhas ‘might, victorious force’ (possibly PIE *seǵh- ‘to hold/overpower’ semantic overlap via strength). rayi (rāye) from √rā ‘to give, bestow’ → fullness bestowed by the gods. ṛta (ṛtāya) from √ar ‘to fit, move rightly’ → cosmic rightness/order. su-kratu: krátu ‘resolve, intelligence in action’ from √kr ‘to do/make’ → effective will; su- intensifies as ‘good/right’. go- ‘cow’ also ‘ray/light’ in Vedic symbolic diction (cows of the dawn/knowledge), supporting inner reading as illuminations.
Ṛta (cosmic order), Kratu (effective will/intelligence), Rayi (plenitude of being), Communion in ānanda (sadhamāda)
The central request is wealth that accords with ṛta—growth that strengthens cosmic/human harmony.
Clear will chooses truth-aligned increase, not distorted gain.
Daily maintenance of the ascent: continuous formation of knowledge-rays and heroic energies into a harmonious delight.
Integral Vedic yoga: knowledge + force + delight unified under ṛta.
daily cycle (dive-dive)
Daily fire = daily aspiration; cows = illuminations; heroes = dynamic strengths; shared feast = ananda in collective being.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem of gaining the 'cows' (go) as lights/knowledges under ṛta, and entering sadhamāda—shared divine exhilaration. Rather than a cattle-raid, it encodes the attainment of illumination and force, sustained by the deity’s daily aid.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- ṛta corresponds to the Indo-Iranian and wider IE concern with cosmic order (cf. Avestan aša). go ‘cow’ as a central IE poetic symbol (wealth/light) is widespread; the semantic bifurcation ‘cow/ray’ is particularly productive in Vedic diction. kratu as ‘effective resolve’ reflects an IE poetics of will-as-action (root √kr ‘make/do’).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The human aspirants request continuous protection (ūti) and the boon of ṛta-aligned plenitude (rāyá ṛtā́ya). The deity is addressed as sukratu—whose right resolve enables the aspirants to become sadhamādaḥ, participants in the same uplifted delight, with illumined knowledges (go) and heroic powers (vīra).
Daily alignment with ṛta: ask for growth that is truthful, luminous, and courageous; rest in shared delight.
Anāhata (companionship/communion) with Maṇipūra (strength) and Ājñā (illumination)
Coherent breathing (5–6 breaths/min) while repeating ‘syāma sadhamādaḥ’ as a gentle refrain.
Harmonized aspiration—joyful steadiness.
At day’s end, review actions: (1) Did they serve ṛta? (2) What ‘go’ (insight) was gained? (3) What ‘vīra’ (courage) was exercised? Offer both into Agni and end with the refrain.
Maintain Vedic accents; the repeated ‘sadhamādaḥ’ should keep identical pitch contour both times.
Give a gentle lift on ‘ṛtāya’ and ‘sukrato’; treat each ‘syāma sadhamādaḥ’ as a refrain with a slightly broadened cadence.
itthā: double tth aspirated cluster, dive-dive: keep both ‘dive’ distinct, not merged, gobhiḥ: bh voiced aspirate; short iḥ at end, sadhamādaḥ: keep dh voiced aspirate; long ā in -māda-
Warm, inclusive, steady; allow the refrain to open the heart.
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