Rig Veda 5.45.8: Mandala 5, Sukta 45, Mantra 8
Sukta 5.45
- Rishi
- Atri
- Devata
- Angiras/Saramā illumination-forces
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
विश्वे अस्या व्युषि माहिनायाः सं यद्गोभिरङ्गिरसो नवन्त । उत्स आसां परमे सधस्थ ऋतस्य पथा सरमा विदद्गाः ॥
víśve asyā́ vyùṣi mā́hināyāḥ sáṃ yád góbhir áṅgiraso návanta | útsa āsāṃ paramé sadhástha ṛtásya pathā́ sarámā vidád gā́ḥ ||
ఆమె మహత్తర ప్రకాశోద్భవమైన ఈ వ్యుష్టిలో—అంగిరసులు గోవులతో/కిరణాలతో కలిసి పీడించి కార్యం చేయునప్పుడు—ఈ సమస్త శక్తులు ఏకమవుతాయి. వారి ఉత్సం పరమ సధస్థంలో ఉంది; ఋతపథం ద్వారా సరమా గోవులను/కిరణాలను కనుగొంటుంది.
Word by Word
- विश्वे
- all (of them)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- अस्याः
- of her / of this (f.)Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole Sambandha (genitive)Root इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- व्युषि
- at (her) dawning / at dawnNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot व्युष् (धातु; ‘to dawn, become light’)
- माहिनायाः
- of (her) greatness / mightNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole Sambandha (genitive)Root माहिना (प्रातिपदिक; ‘greatness, might’)
- सम्
- together, completelyIndeclinableउपसर्ग (preverb) to the verb नवन्तRoot सम् (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- यत्
- which (thing) / whatPronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (correlative/relative object)Role KarmaRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- गोभिः
- with cows (i.e., cattle)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot गो (प्रातिपदिक)
- अङ्गिरसः
- the AṅgirasesNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot अङ्गिरस् (प्रातिपदिक; name of a seer-clan)
- नवन्त
- praised / celebratedVerbलङ् (imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदRole KriyāRoot नु (धातु; ‘to praise, celebrate’)
- उत्साः
- springs / wellsNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot उत्स (प्रातिपदिक; ‘spring, well’)
- आसाम्
- of them (f.)Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचनRole Sambandha (genitive)Root इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- परमे
- in the highestAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot परम (प्रातिपदिक)
- सधस्थे
- in the seat/abodeNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot सधस्थ (प्रातिपदिक; ‘seat, abode, station’)
- ऋतस्य
- of ṛta (cosmic order)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole Sambandha (genitive)Root ऋत (प्रातिपदिक; ‘cosmic order, truth’)
- पथा
- by the pathNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot पथ (प्रातिपदिक)
- सरमा
- SaramāNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot सरमा (प्रातिपदिक; proper name, Saramā)
- विदत्
- found / discoveredVerbलङ् (imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole KriyāRoot विद् (धातु; ‘to find, discover’)
- गाः
- the cowsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot गो (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (padapāṭha-style): विश्वे | अस्याः | व्युषि | माहिनायाः | सम् | यत् | गोभिः | अङ्गिरसः | नवन्त । उत्साः | आसाम् | परमे | सधस्थे | ऋतस्य | पथा | सरमा | विदत् | गाः । Notable: (1) सं यत् → सम् + यत् (anusvāra before y)
- (2) यद्गोभिः → यत् + गोभिः (final -t becomes -d before voiced g)
- (3) विद॒द्गाः in saṃhitā reflects vidat + gāḥ with voicing/assimilation at t+g → dg in recitation
The meaning
Outer meaning
All these powers of her vast shining-out, when the Aṅgirases work with the cows (rays), come together. Their fountain is in the highest seat; by the path of Ṛta Saramā finds the cows.
Inner meaning
The verse points to a supreme feminine ‘shining-out’ (vyuṣi māhināyāḥ)—a vast dawning of consciousness (Uṣas/Mahī/illumining Power). When the Aṅgirases ‘knead/press’ (navanta) with the Rays (gobhiḥ), the dispersed powers of the awakening gather into unity: thought, will, sense, and life are harmonized by illumination. The source (utsa) of these rays is not in the surface mind but in the ‘supreme seat’ (parame sadhastha)—the higher plane of truth-consciousness. Saramā, the intuition, finds the rays by the path of Ṛta: right seeing follows right order; revelation is lawful and exact.
Universal truth
True integration comes when life is worked upon by illumination and reconnected to its higher source; intuition discovers the light reliably when it walks the path of truth-order.
Themes
source of illumination, intuition on ṛta-path, integration of rays and seer-forces
The seer
- Rishi
- Atri
- Lineage
- Ātreya
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 5.45.1, Rig Veda 5.45.6, Rig Veda 5.45.11
Family tradition
Ātreya hymns frequently weave Dawn/illumination motifs with Aṅgiras labor and the discovery of the cows, presenting a psychology of awakening and integration.
Significance
Atri’s vision here emphasizes that the many powers of awakening become one only when reconnected to their transcendent source (parame sadhastha) through Ṛta-guided intuition.
The deity
- Devata
- Illumination-forces (Uṣas/Mahī implicit) with Aṅgirases and Saramā
- Epithets
- Māhinī (the Vast, implied), Vyūṣī (the Shining-out, implied), Ṛta-padmā (truth-pathed, implied)
- Related deities
- Uṣas, Agni, Indra, Bṛhaspati
Cosmic role
Brings the dawn of consciousness; gathers the scattered powers; reveals the higher source of light and channels it into the human field.
Inner power
Awakening illumination that integrates the being; intuitive discernment (Saramā) as the finder; flame-soul energies (Aṅgirases) as the workers.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma/illumination hymnic context within Atri cycle
विश्वे॑ अ॒स्या व्युषि॒ माहि॑नाया॒: सं यद्गोभि॒रङ्गि॑रसो॒ नव॑न्त । उत्स॑ आसां पर॒मे स॒धस्थ॑ ऋ॒तस्य॑ प॒था स॒रमा॑ विद॒द्गाः ॥
विश्वे॑ । अ॒स्याः । वि॒ऽउषि॑ । माहि॑नायाः । सम् । यत् । गोभिः॑ । अङ्गि॑रसः । नव॑न्त । उत्सः॑ । आ॒सा॒म् । प॒र॒मे । स॒धऽस्थे॑ । ऋ॒तस्य॑ । प॒था । स॒रमा॑ । वि॒द॒त् । गाः ॥
viśve | asyāḥ | vi-uṣi | māhināyāḥ | sam | yat | gobhiḥ | aṅgirasaḥ | navanta | utsaḥ | āsām | parame | sadha-sthe | ṛtasya | pathā | saramā | vidat | gāḥ
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4 × ~11 syllables; Triṣṭubh with Vedic resolution possible.
Expansive and gathering; the cadence ‘collects’ rather than ‘strikes,’ matching the union (saṃ) theme.
Promotes coherence and widening; useful for moving from scattered thoughts into a unified luminous attention.
- व्युषि (vyuṣi)
- Literal: shining-out, dawning. Symbolic: spiritual awakening; emergence of higher light
- माहिनायाः (māhināyāḥ)
- Literal: of the vast/great. Symbolic: the Great Illumining Power (Mahī/Uṣas-like) widening consciousness
- गोभिः (gobhiḥ)
- Literal: with cows. Symbolic: with rays/knowledges used as working powers
- नवन्त (navanta)
- Literal: they press/knead/work. Symbolic: inner alchemy: shaping consciousness with mantra and tapas
- उत्सः (utsaḥ)
- Literal: fountain, spring. Symbolic: source of illumination in the higher consciousness
- परमे सधस्थे (parame sadhastha)
- Literal: in the supreme seat. Symbolic: plane of truth-consciousness (higher mind/supramental foreglow)
- ऋतस्य पथा (ṛtasya pathā)
- Literal: by the path of Ṛta. Symbolic: method of right alignment; truthful way of seeing/doing
- सरमा (saramā)
- Literal: Saramā. Symbolic: intuitive tracker that discovers hidden light
Supports Soma/illumination sequence: integration (sam) of powers and discovery of the ‘source’ in the supreme seat
Recited in stotra/śastra settings where revelation of rays and higher source is invoked; also suitable for dawn recitations.
Chanting to invoke the ‘fountain’ of light and to unify powers for the rite.
Morning meditation mantra to ‘gather the powers’ before work; recite to reconnect to a higher source and align action with Ṛta.
: from mahiman/mahinā ‘greatness’ (√MAH ‘be great’). utsa ‘spring’ from √UD/√VAS? (traditional: ‘up-welling’), symbolically the supramental source. pathā ‘by path’ from panthāḥ (PIE *pent(h)- ‘path’, cf. Gk. pónτος ‘sea-path’, Eng. ‘find’ not related).
Ṛta-path, supreme seat (parama sadhastha) as higher plane, integration of powers (sam)
Explicit: discovery occurs by ṛtasya pathā.
Implicit: unity and right source-contact make the powers effective and true.
Emanation from a supreme seat into multiplicity; reunification through illumination.
Integral-Vedic: higher plane as source; manifestation as descent of light and integration of parts.
dawn
Dawn=awakening; fountain=supramental/higher source; path=ṛta-method; cows=rays that become instruments of inner work.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘supramental source’ mythologem: the cows/rays have a fountain (utsa) in the highest seat; Saramā reaches them by ṛta’s path. This reframes cow-recovery as ascent to origin rather than mere retrieval.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- panthā/pathā aligns with PIE *pent(h)- ‘path’, an inherited sacral metaphor for right procedure. √MAH ‘great’ is pan-Indo-European in valuation of greatness as divine attribute.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer describes the devatā-action as a law: when the Aṅgirases work with rays, the powers integrate; intuition then ‘finds’ by ṛta’s path. The r̥ṣi positions himself as knower of the process-map, enabling the yajamāna to align with it.
Integration of scattered energies by reconnecting to the ‘supreme seat’ of light; letting intuition find the right track.
Sahasrāra/Ājñā (higher source + intuitive path)
4–4–6 breathing (inhale-hold-exhale) for 7 cycles; then recite with long, even exhalations.
Widening (bṛhat) → unification (saṃ) → quiet luminous poise.
Visualize a fountain of light above the head; with each pāda feel rays descending and gathering mind-life into one field; end with 2 minutes of silent ‘source-contact’.
Follow Saṃhitā accents; keep the rise on víśve/asyā́ḥ/vyuṣí; maintain clear fall on svarita syllables without dragging.
Let ‘saṃ’ be a gentle convergence point; slightly lengthen at ‘parame sadhastha’ to mark the ‘supreme seat.’
Pronounce ‘vyuṣi’ with clear ‘vyu’ glide (not ‘vi-u’ separated)., Keep ‘ṛtasya’ with crisp vocalic ṛ., ‘vidad gāḥ’: keep final visarga aspiration light but audible where applicable in your recitation style.
Luminous, unforced, widening tone; soften at line ends into silence.
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