Rig Veda 1.95.1: Mandala 1, Sukta 95, Mantra 1
Sukta 1.95
- Devata
- Enigmatic/cosmological
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
द्वे विरूपे चरतः स्वर्थे अन्यान्या वत्समुप धापयेते । हरिरन्यस्यां भवति स्वधावाञ्छुक्रो अन्यस्यां ददृशे सुवर्चाः ॥
dvé virū́pe carataḥ svárthe anyā́nyā vatsám úpa dhāpayete | hárir anyasyā́ṃ bhávati svadhā́vāñ chukró anyasyā́ṃ dadṛśe suvárcāḥ ||
สองนางผู้มีรูปต่างกัน เคลื่อนไปสู่เป้าหมายของตน; ต่างฝ่ายต่างให้ลูกโคเข้ามาใกล้เพื่อดูดนม. ในฝ่ายหนึ่ง ผู้มีสีเหลืองอมน้ำตาลดำรงอยู่ตามสวธา (svadhā) คือกฎของตนเอง; ในอีกฝ่ายหนึ่ง ผู้สว่างผ่องปรากฏให้เห็น เปล่งรัศมีรุ่งเรืองยิ่ง.
Word by Word
- द्वे
- twoAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, द्विवचनRole विशेषण (कर्तृ/कर्म-सम्बन्धी)Root द्वि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
- विरूपे
- of different formsAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, द्विवचनRole विशेषण (द्वे इत्यस्य)Root वि-रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
- चरतः
- they two move/wanderVerbलट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, द्विवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रिया (कर्तृ-सम्बन्धी)Root चर् (चरति)
- स्वर्थे
- in/for their own purposeNounपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकारणRoot स्व-अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
- अन्यान्या
- each the other / mutuallyAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचनRole कर्तृ (द्वे विरूपे इत्यस्य पुनर्निर्देशः)Root अन्य-अन्य (प्रातिपदिक; परस्पर-भाव)
- वत्सम्
- the calfNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot वत्स (प्रातिपदिक)
- उप
- near, towardsIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRole क्रियाविशेषणRoot उप (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- धापयेते
- they two cause to suckle / make (it) drinkVerbलट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, द्विवचन, आत्मनेपदRole क्रिया (कर्म=वत्सम्)Root धा (धत्ते) → धापयति (णिच्-कारित)
- हरिः
- the tawny oneNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
- अन्यस्याम्
- in the other (one)Pronoun/Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकारणRoot अन्य (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- भवति
- becomes/isVerbलट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot भू (भवति)
- स्वधावान्
- possessing svadhā (inherent power/ritual potency)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole विशेषण (हरिः इत्यस्य)Root स्वधा-वत् (प्रातिपदिक; -वत् प्रत्यय)
- शुक्रः
- bright, shiningAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (द्वितीय-पक्षे)Root शुक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- अन्यस्याम्
- in the other (one)Pronoun/Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकारणRoot अन्य (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- ददृशे
- has appeared/was seenVerbलिट् (परोक्स/परफेक्ट), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपदRole क्रियाRoot दृश् (पश्यति) → ददर्श (परोक्स/लिट्)
- सुवर्चाः
- of good radiance, splendidAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole विशेषण (शुक्रः इत्यस्य)Root सु-वर्चस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- मन्त्रपाठः प्रायः पदविभागानुकूलः। ‘चरत॒:’ = ‘चरतः’ (द्विवचन-तिङन्त)
- ‘वत्सम् उप’ इत्यत्र संधिः न कृतः (पदपाठ-रीति)
- ‘स्वधावा॑ञ्’ = ‘स्वधावान्’ (पुं. प्रथमा एक.)
- ‘ददृशे’ लिट्-आत्मनेपद रूपम्। ‘अन्यान्या’ परस्परार्थे द्विवचन-स्त्रीलिङ्ग प्रथमा।
The meaning
Outer meaning
Two unlike forms move toward their own goal; each makes the calf drink near her. In one, the tawny one becomes self-lawed; in the other, the bright one appears, richly radiant.
Inner meaning
The hymn speaks in riddles of the two great powers that nurse the ‘calf’—the emerging divine consciousness in us. The two unlike forms can be read as Night and Dawn, or the two worlds (lower/upper), or the dual currents of Nature (inconscience and illumination) that alternately foster the growth of the inner child. The ‘calf’ is the nascent Agni/Sūrya—psychic fire or illumined mind—fed by both: by the dark mother as a concealed growth (discipline, endurance, tapas in obscurity) and by the bright mother as manifest illumination. ‘Hari’ (tawny) suggests dynamic force, life-energy and the sun-power in formation; ‘śukra’ (bright) is pure clarity/illumination. The verse maps the paradox of sādhanā: the same soul-growth is nourished by both struggle and light, and becomes svadhāvān—self-lawed, guided from within.
Universal truth
Growth of consciousness is nursed by complementary opposites—concealment and revelation, force and light. The inner divine becomes autonomous (self-lawed) when it has drunk from both experience and illumination.
Themes
riddle-hymn, cosmic-duality, birth-of-light, inner-nourishment
The seer
Significance
Riddle-verses are characteristic of visionary psychology: the seer encodes inner processes of concealment and revelation so the mantra works as a key in meditation rather than as surface description.
The deity
- Devata
- Enigmatic paired principle nursing the hidden child (often read as Night/Dawn or two Mothers of the worlds)
- Epithets
- virūpe (unlike-formed), mātṛ-like nourishers (implied)
- Related deities
- Uṣas, Rātri, Agni, Sūrya, Aditi
Cosmic role
Maintain the alternation and balance by which the hidden light is fostered and brought to manifestation.
Inner power
Integration of opposites in the seeker; ability to draw nourishment from both obscurity and illumination.
In ritual
Where it is used
Contemplative recitation within Agni/Sūrya contemplations; not a straightforward offering-formula
द्वे विरू॑पे चरत॒: स्वर्थे॑ अ॒न्यान्या॑ व॒त्समुप॑ धापयेते । हरि॑र॒न्यस्यां॒ भव॑ति स्व॒धावा॑ञ्छु॒क्रो अ॒न्यस्यां॑ ददृशे सु॒वर्चा॑: ॥
द्वे । विरू॑पे॒ इति॒ विऽरू॑पे । च॒र॒तः॒ । स्वर्थे॒ इति॑ सु॒ऽअर्थे॑ । अ॒न्याऽअ॑न्या । व॒त्सम् । उप॑ । धा॒प॒ये॒ते॒ इति॑ । हरिः॑ । अ॒न्यस्या॑म् । भव॑ति । स्व॒धाऽवा॑न् । शु॒क्रः । अ॒न्यस्या॑म् । द॒दृ॒शे॒ । सु॒ऽवर्चाः॑ ॥
dve | virūpeitivi-rūpe | carataḥ | svartheitisu-arthe | anyāanyā | vatsam | upa | dhāpayeteiti | hariḥ | anyasyām | bhavati | svadhāvān | śukraḥ | anyasyām | dadṛśe | su-varcāḥ
Likely Triṣṭubh (riddle-hymns in Book 1 frequently use triṣṭubh; exact scansion not fully verifiable here)
44
4 × ~11
Enigmatic, forward-moving; strong caesura supports the ‘two-ness’ imagery.
Induces contemplative inquiry; the mind seeks the hidden correspondences while the rhythm keeps aspiration steady.
- द्वे विरूपे (dve virūpe)
- Literal: two of unlike form. Symbolic: Complementary opposites: night/dawn; lower/upper nature; concealment/revelation
- स्वर्थे (svarthe)
- Literal: toward their own aim. Symbolic: Each power fulfills its role in the soul’s evolution according to ṛta
- वत्स (vatsa)
- Literal: calf. Symbolic: The inner child: nascent Agni/Sūrya, the growing divine consciousness
- उप धापयेते (upa dhāpayete)
- Literal: they make (him) drink near. Symbolic: They feed/nourish the evolving soul with their respective energies
- हरि (hari)
- Literal: tawny, golden; also a steed. Symbolic: Dynamic life-force and solar energy in formation; ardent striving
- स्वधावान् (svadhāvān)
- Literal: self-lawed, by its own power. Symbolic: Inner guidance, autonomy of the psychic being; self-sustained dharma
- शुक्र (śukra)
- Literal: bright, clear. Symbolic: Pure illumination, clarity of mind, luminous consciousness
- सुवर्चाः (suvarcāḥ)
- Literal: richly radiant. Symbolic: Abundant inner light, effulgent knowledge-force
Meditative/ṛṣi-vision hymn with riddle-like imagery; used for contemplative recitation rather than a single fixed soma-pressing utility.
As part of riddle-hymn reflection; suitable at dawn or twilight recitation
Recitation with mental offering of understanding (medhā) rather than a fixed oblation
Use in meditation on integrating shadow and light: let both ‘mothers’ nourish the inner flame without rejection of either experience.
virū́pa ‘varied-formed’ (vi + rūpa). svártha ‘own aim’ (sva + artha). dhāpay- causative of √dhā/√dhāp ‘to suck’ (nourish). svadhā́ ‘one’s own law/power’ (sva + dhā from √dhā ‘to place/establish’): inner autonomy of a force. śukrá ‘bright’ from √śuc ‘shine, be pure’ (PIE *ḱewk- ‘shine’ proposed in some comparisons).
duality in manifestation, nourishment of the nascent consciousness (vatsa), svadhā as self-ordering power
The ‘two’ move to their own aim—each fulfills ṛta’s role in evolution.
Śukra/suvarcāḥ indicates emergence of satya-illumination.
Hidden child of light fostered by dual mothers; manifestation from concealment.
Integral/Vedāntic psychology: opposites are instruments for the soul’s becoming.
dawn/twilight (implied)
Milk = nourishment of experience; tawny = force/heat; bright = clarity/light; calf = emerging psychic/illumined consciousness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- A cosmic pair of unlike forms that alternately nourishes a ‘calf’—the growing principle of light/awareness. Mythically: the child of the worlds is fed by two mothers (dual realms or alternating states), yielding tawny dynamism in one and pure radiance in the other.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- sva- ‘own’ reflects PIE *s(w)e- (Latin suus). artha ‘aim’ relates to Indo-Iranian semantic of ‘purpose/meaning’ (direct PIE cognacy less clear). √śuc in śukrá aligns with IE ‘shine/pure’ semantics. The riddle style itself parallels Indo-European poetic tradition of kennings and paired oppositions.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi is not bargaining for a boon but unveiling a law of inner growth: the seeker recognizes how dual powers (often experienced as alternating conditions) nourish the emerging ‘vatsa’ until it can hold both dynamism (hari) and clarity (śukra) in a self-ordered svadhā.
Contemplate the two currents—darkness and light—both feeding the inner child of consciousness; allow svadhā (inner law) to emerge.
moderate
Witnessing insight (vipashyanā-like): seeing complementary opposites without conflict.
On inhalation, receive nourishment from the ‘dark mother’ (patience, endurance); on exhalation, receive from the ‘bright mother’ (clarity, joy). Hold the image of a calf at the heart being fed by both until a stable inner guidance (svadhā) is felt.
Vedic svaras per śākhā; keep clear udātta rises on marked accents (॑) such as ‘virūpe’, ‘haríḥ’, ‘śukró’.
Mark the contrast with slight emphasis: ‘harir anyasyām… śukro anyasyām…’ Keep the pāda breaks crisp to preserve the riddle’s symmetry.
‘virūpe’ with long ū: vi-rū-pe, ‘anyānyā’ articulate both long ā’s: a-nyā-a-nyā, ‘dhāpayete’ keep dhā- (aspirated) distinct from dā-, ‘suvarcāḥ’ pronounce as su-var-cāḥ with clear c
Soft, inquisitive, inward; let the cadence suggest mystery.
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