Rig Veda 5.81.5: Mandala 5, Sukta 81, Mantra 5
Sukta 5.81
- Rishi
- Atri
- Devata
- Savitṛ
- Chandas
- Jagatī
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
उतेशिषे प्रसवस्य त्वमेक इदुत पूषा भवसि देव यामभिः । उतेदं विश्वं भुवनं वि राजसि श्यावाश्वस्ते सवित स्तोममानशे ॥
úteśiṣe prasavásya tvám éka íd utá pūṣā bhavasi deva yā́mabhiḥ | utédáṃ víśvaṃ bhúvanaṃ ví rājasi śyāvā́śvas te savitar stómam ānaśe ||
మరియు ప్రసవం—ప్రేరణాత్మక ప్రవర్తనం—కు అధిపతి నీవొక్కడివే; మరియు, ఓ దేవా, నీ యామములలో (గమనమార్గాలలో) నీవు పూషన్—పోషక మార్గదర్శి—గా అవుతావు. మరియు ఈ సమస్త భువనం—మొత్తం జగత్—పై నీవు విస్తరించి విరాజిల్లుతావు; ఓ శ్యావాశ్వ సవితృ, మా స్తోమం—స్తుతిగానం—స్వీకరించి ఆస్వాదించు.
Word by Word
- उत
- and; also; moreoverIndeclinableसमुच्चय/पुनरुक्ति-निपातRoot उत
- ईशिषे
- you rule; you have masteryVerbलट् (वर्तमान), मध्यम? (वस्तुतः 2nd sg. ātmanepada), एकवचन, आत्मनेपदRoot ईश्
- प्रसवस्य
- of the impulsion/instigation (creative sending-forth)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive relation)Root प्रसव
- त्वम्
- youPronounउत्तम-पुरुष? (2nd person pronoun), प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot युष्मद्
- एकः
- alone; oneAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (त्वम्-विशेषण)Root एक
- इत्
- indeed; justIndeclinableनिपात (एव/खलु-बलवर्धक)Root इत्
- उत
- and alsoIndeclinableसमुच्चय-निपातRoot उत
- पूषा
- Pūṣan (the nourisher/guide deity)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (भवसि-समासार्थे)Root पूषन्
- भवसि
- you become; you areVerbलट् (वर्तमान), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRoot भू
- देव
- O godNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot देव
- यामभिः
- with goings/paths; with coursesNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole करणRoot याम
- उत
- and alsoIndeclinableसमुच्चय-निपातRoot उत
- इदम्
- thisPronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (वि-राजसि इत्यस्य) / विषयRoot इदम्
- विश्वम्
- all; entireAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (भुवनम्-विशेषण)Role कर्म/विषयRoot विश्व
- भुवनम्
- world; being; realmNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म/विषयRoot भुवन
- वि
- apart; widely; forth (prefix)Indeclinableउपसर्ग (विशेषेण/विभागे)Root वि
- राजसि
- you shine; you ruleVerbलट् (वर्तमान), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRoot राज्
- श्यावाश्वः
- Śyāvāśva (the seer/poet)Noun (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (अस्ते इत्यस्य)Root श्यावाश्व
- ते
- to you; for you / of youPronounषष्ठी, एकवचन (enclitic)Role सम्प्रदान/सम्बन्ध (स्तोमस्य)Root युष्मद्
- सवितः
- O SavitarNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot सवितृ
- स्तोमम्
- hymn; praiseNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot स्तोम
- आनशे
- has attained; reaches; offers/obtainsVerbलिट्/परिप्रास? (वैदिक प्रयोग), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद (आ-उपसर्गयुक्त)Root अश्
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (pada-wise): उ॒तेशि॑षे → उत + ईशिषे
- एक॒ इदु॒त → एकः + इत् + उत (निपात-समुच्चय)
- देव॒ याम॑भिः → देव + यामभिः
- उ॒तेदं → उत + इदम्
- विश्वं॒ भुव॑नं → विश्वम् + भुवनम्
- वि रा॑जसि → वि + राजसि
- श्या॒वाश्व॑स्ते → श्यावाश्वः + ते
- सवित॒ स्तोम॑मानशे → सवितः + स्तोमम् + आनशे (आ-उपसर्ग). Accent marks retained in citation but not re-applied per pada
The meaning
Outer meaning
Savitṛ alone rules the impulsion (prasava); in his goings he becomes Pūṣan, and he rules all this world. O Savitar of dark steeds, accept our hymn.
Inner meaning
The divine Will is the single master of true initiation (prasava): the authentic inner push that sets the soul on its right journey. When that Will moves through our paths (yāma), it becomes Pūṣan—the fostering guide who leads the seeker safely through inner roads and nourishes growth. Savitṛ ‘rules’ the whole becoming (bhuvana) when our nature consents to be governed by the higher impulsion. The ‘dark steeds’ (śyāvāśva) signify powers moving through the still-mixed, not-yet-fully-illumined vital and physical; the Divine can harness even these to carry the yoga forward. The stoma is our affirmation that offers mind and speech to be aligned.
Universal truth
There is one true Initiator of progress: when we surrender to that higher impulsion, it becomes both guide and sustainer, governing the whole field of life—even its darker energies—toward growth.
Themes
inner governance of action, divine guidance and fostering (Pūṣan-function), sovereignty of luminous consciousness, hymn as formative speech-act (stoma)
The seer
- Rishi
- Atri (Ātreya) (traditional for RV 5.81 as a whole; specific verse attribution uncertain)
- Lineage
- Ātreya
- Other hymns
- RV 5.81, RV 5.82, RV 1.35 (thematic parallel: Savitṛ as impeller)
Family tradition
Solar and Savitṛ-centric vision: the impelling Light that orders life-movements and guides the path.
Significance
The Atri current emphasizes the single initiating Power behind all true progress and the guidance of the path through inner right motion (Pūṣan-function).
The deity
- Devata
- Savitṛ (becoming Pūṣan by function)
- Epithets
- Ekaḥ (the one master), Prasavasya īśiṣe (lord of impulsion), Pūṣā in yāma (nourishing guide in the paths), Vi rājasi (wide ruler), Śyāvāśva (with dark steeds)
- Related deities
- Pūṣan, Sūrya, Mitra
Cosmic role
Initiates the cosmic movement; guides beings along their courses; sustains and governs the world-process.
Inner power
The one Will that both initiates and shepherds: it converts raw life-force into guided energy and establishes luminous governance over the whole nature.
In ritual
Where it is used
Savitṛ/Pūṣan invocations for setting forth, protection on journeys, and initiating rites
उ॒तेशि॑षे प्रस॒वस्य॒ त्वमेक॒ इदु॒त पू॒षा भ॑वसि देव॒ याम॑भिः । उ॒तेदं विश्वं॒ भुव॑नं॒ वि रा॑जसि श्या॒वाश्व॑स्ते सवित॒ स्तोम॑मानशे ॥
उ॒त । ई॒शि॒षे॒ । प्र॒ऽस॒वस्य॑ । त्वम् । एकः॑ । इत् । उ॒त । पू॒षा । भ॒व॒सि॒ । दे॒व॒ । याम॑ऽभिः । उ॒त । इ॒दम् । विश्व॑म् । भुव॑नम् । वि । रा॒ज॒सि॒ । श्या॒वऽअ॑श्वः । ते॒ । स॒वि॒त॒रिति॑ । स्तोम॑म् । आ॒न॒शे॒ ॥
uta | īśiṣe | pra-savasya | tvam | ekaḥ | it | uta | pūṣā | bhavasi | deva | yāma-bhiḥ | uta | idam | viśvam | bhuvanam | vi | rājasi | śyāva-aśvaḥ | te | savitariti | stomam | ānaśe
Jagatī (likely, consistent with RV 5.81 style; exact pāda counts require pada-based scansion)
48
4 × 12 (probable), with strong caesura after key predicates (īśiṣe / bhavasi / vi rājasi / ānaśe)
Commanding and expansive; conveys sovereignty and guidance through long lines.
Elicits trust and forward impetus—an inner ‘yes’ to being led and governed by the higher Will.
- प्रसव (prasava)
- Literal: impulsion, setting in motion. Symbolic: Divine initiation of right action and inner evolution
- ईशिषे (īśiṣe)
- Literal: you rule/are master. Symbolic: Sovereign governance of consciousness by the higher Will
- पूषन् (pūṣan)
- Literal: nourisher, protector of paths. Symbolic: Inner guide who fosters and leads the seeker on the right roads
- याम (yāma)
- Literal: goings, paths, courses. Symbolic: Inner trajectories of practice; movements of prāṇa and mind
- विश्वं भुवनम् (viśvaṃ bhuvanam)
- Literal: the whole world of becoming. Symbolic: Entire field of embodied nature to be illumined and governed
- श्यावाश्व (śyāvāśva)
- Literal: having dark/black steeds. Symbolic: Harnessing mixed or obscure life-forces as instruments of the Divine
- स्तोम (stoma)
- Literal: hymn of praise/affirmation. Symbolic: Mantric affirmation that shapes consciousness and offers it upward
Savitar hymns are commonly employed in rites of impulsion/permission and auspicious beginnings (prasava), and in daily recitations connected with awakening and right setting-in-motion of acts; specific Śrauta assignment varies by śākhā and prayoga tradition.
At the start of undertakings; dawn prayers; before travel or new phases of work/sādhanā
Offering stoma (hymn) as consent; invoking guidance and right impulsion
Use before beginning a task: recite once to align intention (prasava), then silently ask for Pūṣan-like guidance through decisions and obstacles.
Key terms: (1) : from √īś ‘to own, be master, rule’; 2nd sg. middle, indicating inherent lordship rather than external domination. (2) (pra-sava): from √sū ‘to impel, set in motion, bring forth’ with pra- ‘forward’; denotes a divine impulsion/permission that releases energies into right action. (3) (yāma): from √yā ‘to go’; ‘goings, courses, ordinances of movement’; plural instrumental yāmabhiḥ ‘by/with the goings’. (4) : from √rāj ‘to shine, rule’; with vi- gives expansive sovereignty—radiant kingship over bhuvana. (5) : śyāva ‘dark, dusky’ + aśva ‘steed’; symbolically the dynamic forces/energies (aśva from √aś ‘to reach, move swiftly’) driven through obscurity; Savitṛ’s impulsion works even in the mixed or subconscient field. (6) : from √stu ‘to praise’; not merely laudation but a structured ‘affirmation’ that supports ascent. (7) : from √naś ‘to reach, attain, enjoy’; here ‘to accept/receive fully’ the offering.
Ṛta (right order expressed as right movement and governance), unity behind multiplicity (ekaḥ), divine impulsion/permission (prasava) as the law of right action
Implicit: prasava is effective only when aligned with ṛta; Savitṛ’s rulership is the enforcement of right motion.
True impulsion is self-validating and sovereign—coming from the self-glorious source rather than desire.
Creation as a guided journey: the One initiates, nourishes, and rules the unfolding worlds.
Integral/psychological Vedism: divine Will as the master-force organizing mind-life-body.
Dawn-to-day movement implied (Savitṛ’s initiating course)
Dark horses = powerful but partly obscure life-energies; paths = channels of prāṇa and decision; solar rulership = clarity governing action.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is Savitṛ as the sole lord of prasava—the divine ‘sending-forth’ that authorizes and initiates all right movements—who also appears as Pūṣan, the guide and nourisher along the paths. It is not a battle-myth but a governance-myth: the cosmic Impeller who rules the whole bhuvana and leads the inner journey through ordered goings (yāma).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- Several lexemes preserve archaic Indo-European patterns: √īś ‘to own/rule’ aligns with inherited notions of lordship/possession (cf. Indo-Iranian *aiš- ‘to rule/own’). √rāj ‘to rule/shine’ continues the Indo-Iranian royal/bright semantic overlap (Old Iranian xša- ‘rule’ as a comparable sovereignty field, though not a direct cognate of √rāj). √yā ‘to go’ is a clear PIE continuation (*h₁ey- ‘to go’), reflected widely (e.g., Greek eîmi ‘I go’). These roots support the verse’s semantics: ordered movement (yāma) governed by luminous sovereignty (rāj) under lordship (īś).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The speaker offers a stoma as a deliberate speech-act that seeks reciprocity: Savitṛ ‘attains/receives’ it (ānaśe), and in return the god’s mastery of prasava is invited to take hold of the human field—so that the impulsions and journeys of life become guided, fostered, and aligned with Ṛta. The relationship is thus one of inner consecration: the human word shapes an opening, the divine power answers by governing the movements of becoming.
Invoke the ‘one master impulsion’ before action; feel guidance in choices; offer the day’s movement as stoma (affirmation).
Maṇipūra (will/initiative) guided by Ājñā (right discernment)
3 rounds of deep inhalation with the sense of ‘prasava’ rising; exhale with the feeling of being guided along a clear path; then normal breathing while repeating mentally.
Initiated, directed, and protected movement—energy becomes purposeful and governed.
When restless or indecisive: recite, then pause; ask inwardly, ‘What is the true impulsion (not desire)?’ Follow the calmer, wider directive.
Rigvedic accenting with emphatic openings ‘utá…’; keep clarity on compound-like phrases (prasavasya, śyāvāśvaḥ).
Let ‘tvam eka id’ stand out as a firm proclamation; slightly lift on ‘vi rājasi’ to convey expansion.
uteśiṣe: keep vowel sequence clean; do not swallow ‘śi’, prasavasya: articulate ‘sa’ lightly; avoid ‘prasavassya’, pūṣā: long ū; retroflex ṣ, yāmabhiḥ: long ā; final ḥ soft, śyāvāśvaḥ: śy cluster; long ā; clear v, ānaśe: long ā; ś palatal
Firm, guiding, and warm—like a leader setting a caravan in motion.
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