Rig Veda 5.47.1: Mandala 5, Sukta 47, Mantra 1
Sukta 5.47
- Rishi
- Atri
- Devata
- Ambiguous/poetic: a feminine power and the Pitṛs
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
प्रयुञ्जती दिव एति ब्रुवाणा मही माता दुहितुर्बोधयन्ती । आविवासन्ती युवतिर्मनीषा पितृभ्य आ सदने जोहुवाना ॥
prayuñjatī́ divá eti bruvāṇā́ mahī́ mātā́ duhitur bódhayantī | ā́vivāsantī yuvatír manīṣā́ pitṛ́-bhya ā́ sadáne jóhuvānā ||
ఆమె తన్ను యోజించి, దివ్య ప్రకాశ-లోకం నుండి సాగుతుంది, వాక్యమాడుతూ; మహామాత తన కుమార్తెను మేల్కొలుపుతుంది. మనీష (ప్రేరిత బుద్ధి) గల యువతి, వందనం చేస్తూ, పితృగణులను వారి సదనానికి పిలుస్తుంది—మనలో యజ్ఞ ఋత-వ్యవస్థ స్థిరపడేందుకు పూర్వజ-శక్తులను ఆహ్వానిస్తుంది.
Word by Word
- प्रयुञ्जती
- yoking/setting in motionVerb (present participle)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (शतृ-प्रत्ययान्ता)Role KartāRoot प्र-युज् (युज्)
- दिवः
- of heaven, from the skyNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole Apādāna (source) / Genitive relationRoot दिव् (द्यौः) / दिव्-प्रातिपदिक
- एति
- goes, comesVerbलट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole Kriyā (finite verb) / with Kartā = implied subjectRoot इ (एति)
- ब्रुवाणा
- speaking, declaringVerb (present participle)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (co-referential with main subject)Root ब्रू
- मही
- greatAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Viśeṣaṇa (of ‘माता’)Root महत् (मही-स्त्रीरूप)
- माता
- motherNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (subject of participles/verb-context)Root मातृ
- दुहितुः
- of the daughterNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole Sambandha (genitive relation)Root दुहितृ
- बोधयन्ती
- awakening, making (her) knowVerb (present participle, causative)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot बुध् (caus. बोधय-)
- आविवासन्ती
- paying reverence, doing homageVerb (present participle)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot आ-वि-वास् (intensive/desiderative-like present stem आविवास-)
- युवतिः
- the young womanNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (apposition to ‘माता’)Root युवति-प्रातिपदिक
- मनीषा
- insight, inspired thoughtNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (apposition/abstract as agent: ‘with/through thought’ also possible)Root मनीषा-प्रातिपदिक
- पितृभ्यः
- to the Fathers (ancestors)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, बहुवचनRole SampradānaRoot पितृ
- आ
- towards, untoIndeclinable (preverb/preposition)Role Upasarga (directional)Root आ
- सदने
- in the seat/dwelling (assembly-place)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot सदन-प्रातिपदिक
- जोहुवाना
- repeatedly invoking/callingVerb (perfect/intensive participle)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot हु (intensive stem जोहुव-)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (Vedic sandhi resolved): प्रयुञ्जती | दिवः | एति | ब्रुवाणा | मही | माता | दुहितुः | बोधयन्ती | आविवासन्ती | युवतिः | मनीषा | पितृभ्यः | आ | सदने | जोहुवाना । प्रमुख संधि: (1) दुहितुः + बोधयन्ती → दुहितुर्बोधयन्ती (विसर्ग/रुत्व-परिवर्तनः)
- (2) पितृभ्यः + आ → पितृभ्य आ (विसर्ग-लोपः पदान्ते ‘आ’ इत्यादौ)
The meaning
Outer meaning
A feminine power yokes herself and comes from heaven speaking; the great Mother awakens her daughter. The young maiden of inspired thought reverences and calls the Fathers to their seat.
Inner meaning
This is a Dawn-like (Uṣas) or supramental feminine power of illumination descending from the ‘div’ (luminous heaven of mind/spirit). She ‘yokes’ herself—organizes her energies for manifestation—and ‘speaks’ as revelation (mantra). The ‘great Mother’ is the vast creative Consciousness (Mahī/Pr̥thivī as universal Mother or Aditi-like principle) awakening the ‘daughter’—a new-born light or inspired intelligence within the seeker. The ‘yuvatir manīṣā’ is the fresh, youthful intuitive discernment that performs inner reverence (āvivāsantī) and summons the Pitṛs: ancestral powers of the soul, the forefathers of the path—previous realizations, established truth-forces in the subtle being—to take their seat (sadana) and support the rite (inner sacrifice) in us.
Universal truth
Illumination descends when consciousness is yoked and receptive; new insight is born from the Mother-force, and stable progress depends on calling the accumulated wisdom/power of the lineage of realization within the being.
Themes
cosmic feminine agency, invocation of Fathers, awakening of consciousness, rite as inner seating
The seer
- Rishi
- Atri
- Lineage
- Ātreya
- Other hymns
- RV 5.47.1-3, RV 5.40, RV 5.44
Family tradition
Ātreya hymns often move from invocation into subtle genealogy of powers—Mother/Daughter/Fathers—mapping inner births and inherited truth-forces.
Significance
Atri presents revelation as a living descent: illumination speaks, awakens new faculties, and calls the ‘Fathers’—the deep roots of the soul’s tradition—to stabilize the gain.
The deity
- Devata
- Feminine luminous power (Uṣas-like / Mahī as Mother) with the Pitṛs
- Epithets
- mahī mātā (great mother), yuvatir manīṣā (young inspired intelligence)
- Related deities
- Uṣas, Aditi (as great mother archetype), Sarasvatī (inspired speech), Pitṛs
Cosmic role
Mediator of descent from heaven to earth; awakener of new births of consciousness; summoner of ancestral powers that uphold ṛta in the human field.
Inner power
Revelatory illumination that initiates inner rebirth and establishes continuity with the soul’s lineage of realization.
In ritual
Where it is used
Pitṛ-invocation and dawn/illumination thematic recitation within broader śrauta settings; also suitable as a contemplative prelude to offerings.
प्र॒यु॒ञ्ज॒ती दि॒व ए॑ति ब्रुवा॒णा म॒ही मा॒ता दु॑हि॒तुर्बो॒धय॑न्ती । आ॒विवा॑सन्ती युव॒तिर्म॑नी॒षा पि॒तृभ्य॒ आ सद॑ने॒ जोहु॑वाना ॥
प्र॒यु॒ञ्ज॒ती । दि॒वः । ए॒ति॒ । ब्रु॒वा॒णा । म॒ही । मा॒ता । दु॒हि॒तुः । बो॒धय॑न्ती । आ॒ऽविवा॑सन्ती । यु॒व॒तिः । म॒नी॒षा । पि॒तृऽभ्यः । आ । सद॑ने । जोहु॑वाना ॥
prayuñjatī | divaḥ | eti | bruvāṇā | mahī | mātā | duhituḥ | bodhayantī | āvivāsantī | yuvatiḥ | manīṣā | pitṛ-bhyaḥ | ā | sadane | johuvānā
44
4 × ~11
Narrative, descending cadence—movement from heaven to inner seat; steady and evocative.
Creates a felt descent of light and a solemn continuity; supports meditative receptivity and remembrance of inner lineage.
- prayuñjatī
- Literal: yoking/setting in harness. Symbolic: organizing consciousness and energies for descent and action
- divaḥ
- Literal: from heaven. Symbolic: from luminous planes of mind/spirit
- bruvāṇā
- Literal: speaking. Symbolic: revelation/inner word (mantra) arising with illumination
- mahī mātā
- Literal: the great Mother. Symbolic: vast creative consciousness; sustaining ground of manifestation
- duhitur bodhayantī
- Literal: awakening the daughter. Symbolic: bringing forth a new birth of light/insight in the seeker
- yuvatir manīṣā
- Literal: young maiden, inspired thought. Symbolic: fresh intuitive intelligence, newly awakened discrimination
- pitṛbhyaḥ
- Literal: to the Fathers. Symbolic: ancestral truth-forces; established attainments supporting the path
- sadane
- Literal: seat, dwelling. Symbolic: settled station in consciousness where powers can work
Pitṛ-invocation context: calling the Fathers to the seat; suitable for rites where ancestral powers are invited to support the sacrifice and continuity of ṛta
At transitions invoking Pitṛs or establishing the ‘seat’ of the rite; symbolically at the start of practice (inner dawn).
Āvāhana of Pitṛs; establishing sadana (seat) for powers within the ritual space.
Use at the beginning of meditation to invite inner guidance, invoke one’s spiritual lineage, and awaken intuitive mind.
pra-√yuj ‘yoke forward’ (PIE *yeug- ‘yoke’, cf. Latin iugum). √brū ‘speak’ archaic speech-act of revelation. √budh ‘awaken’ (PIE *bheudh-). √hu ‘call/invoke’ (frequentative johuvāna). manīṣā denotes shaped/intuitive intelligence (often linked to √man ‘think’).
awakening (bodhana), ancestral support (pitṛ), revelatory speech (brū)
The Pitṛs represent established paths of ṛta; the ‘seat’ is the stable ordering of consciousness.
‘Speaking’ illumination as satya-mantra—truth-word revealing the way.
Mother awakens daughter: creation as successive births of consciousness.
Integral Yoga resonance: descent of higher light, inner rebirth, and reliance on psychic lineage/supporting forces.
dawn (suggested)
Dawn = awakening illumination; yoke = disciplined concentration; heaven = higher mind/spirit; Fathers = deep subliminal supports and past realizations.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- A feminine cosmic power ‘yokes’ and descends/advances from the luminous realm, awakening her daughter, and summons the Fathers to their seat. Mythically this is a renewal of lineage and light through ancestral presence; psychologically it is the descent of inspired mind (manīṣā) that awakens a lower faculty and calls the deep, inherited powers (pitṛs) to stabilize the inner rite.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- pra-√yuj (PIE *yeug-) shows the archaic ‘yoking’ metaphor for initiating cosmic/ritual motion. √budh (PIE *bheudh-) and √hu (invocation) preserve early Indo-European sacral vocabulary of awakening and calling-in.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The ṛṣi witnesses and articulates a process: inspired speech and awakening precede the successful calling of the Fathers. The devatā is not merely petitioned but described as performing the inner work—awakening and establishing continuity—so the human sacrificer can align with the ancestral ṛta-stream.
Receive descending illumination; awaken intuitive mind; invoke inner lineage/support (Pitṛs) to stabilize practice.
Ājñā (illumination/speaking insight) and Anāhata (reverence, continuity)
Slow inhale ‘from above’ visualization; chant on long exhale; brief kumbhaka after each pāda to ‘seat’ the light.
Receptive descent with reverent steadiness.
Begin with a silent upward attention (divaḥ), then allow insight to ‘speak’ internally (bruvāṇā). Offer reverence (āvivāsantī) and invite the Pitṛ-forces—your deepest habits of truth—to take their seat and govern the session.
Use Vedic accenting; keep the descent feeling by not over-accelerating; udatta peaks often coincide with key verbs (eti, bodhayantī, johuvānā). Exact svara requires a marked text.
Phrase clearly in sense-units: prayuñjatī | diva eti | bruvāṇā || mahī mātā | duhitur bodhayantī || ... pitṛbhya ā sadane | johuvānā.
(prayuñjatī): ñj cluster—palatal nasal + j, (divaḥ): visarga lightly aspirated, (bruvāṇā): v not ‘w’; long ā, (bodhayantī): dh voiced aspirate; long ī ending, (pitṛbhyaḥ): ṛ vowel clear; bhy cluster crisp, (johuvānā): huvā—keep long ā
Soft, luminous, reverent; sustained vowels to evoke descent.
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