Rig Veda 10.5.4: Mandala 10, Sukta 5, Mantra 4
Sukta 10.5
- Rishi
- Dīrghatamas Āucathya
- Devata
- R̥ta / Rodasī as field of R̥ta
- Chandas
- Jagatī
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
ऋतस्य हि वर्तनयः सुजातमिषो वाजाय प्रदिवः सचन्ते । अधीवासं रोदसी वावसाने घृतैरन्नैर्वावृधाते मधूनाम् ॥
ṛtásya hí vartanáyaḥ su-jātám íṣo vājā́ya prá-divaḥ sácante | adhīvāsáṃ rodasī vāvásāne ghṛtáiḥ ánnair vāvṛdhāte mádhūnām ||
แท้จริง หนทางทั้งหลายแห่ง ṛta (ระเบียบ-สัจธรรมจักรวาล) ย่อมประสานกับสิ่งที่บังเกิดดีแล้ว; แรงเร้า (iṣaḥ) ทั้งหลายย่อมเข้าร่วมสู่ความบริบูรณ์แห่งพลัง (vāja) อันมาจากฟากฟ้าผู้นำหน้า (pradiv). สองโลก (ฟ้าและดิน) สวมคลุมด้วยเครื่องห่มแล้วส่องประกาย เติบโตด้วยความอุดมแห่งเนยใส (ghṛta) และด้วยอาหารอันรื่นรมย์ ด้วยความหวานทั้งหลาย (madhūnām).
Word by Word
- ऋतस्य
- of ṛta (cosmic order/truth)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)Root ऋत (प्रातिपदिक) < √ऋ (गतौ/ऋणोति) → ‘ऋत’ (स्थापित-नियम/सत्य)
- हि
- indeed, forIndeclinableनिपात (अव्यय)Root हि (निपात)
- वर्तनयः
- paths/coursesNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (subject)Root वर्तन (प्रातिपदिक) < √वृत् (वर्तने) ‘turning/track’
- सुजातम्
- well-born, nobly producedAdjective (past passive participle used adjectivally)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (विशेष्य ‘मिषः’ इत्यस्य)Role कर्म (object, as qualifier)Root सु-जात (कृदन्त/विशेषण) < √जन् (जनने) + उपसर्ग ‘सु’
- मिषः
- nourishment, refreshmentNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot मिष्/मिष (प्रातिपदिक) ‘refreshment, food, nourishment’
- वाजाय
- for (the gaining of) strength/prizeNounपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदान (purpose/recipient)Root वाज (प्रातिपदिक) ‘prize, strength, (esp.) food/booty’
- प्रदिवः
- of the fore/heavenly expanseNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot प्र-दिव् (प्रातिपदिक) ‘fore-heaven, highest heaven’ (प्र + दिव्) अथवा ‘प्रदिव’
- सचन्ते
- they accompany/attach themselvesVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole क्रिया (with कर्तृ = वर्तनयः)Root √सच् (समवाये/अनुगमने) ‘to accompany, to join’
- अधीवासम्
- the dwelling/abodeNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot अधि-वास (प्रातिपदिक) ‘dwelling, abode; putting on/covering’ < √वस् (निवासे/आच्छादने) with अधि
- रोदसी
- Heaven and EarthNoun (dual fixed pair)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, द्विवचनRole कर्म (as the pair affected/concerned)Root रोदसी (द्विवचन-प्रातिपदिक) ‘Heaven-and-Earth’
- वावसाने
- shining/abiding (the two)Participle (present/active, Vedic) used adjectivallyस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, द्विवचन (रोदसी इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role विशेषण (qualifier)Root √वस् (दीप्तौ/निवासे) with intensive/reduplicated stem वावस्; participial form
- घृतैः
- with gheeNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole करणRoot घृत (प्रातिपदिक) ‘ghee, clarified butter’
- अन्नैः
- with foodsNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole करणRoot अन्न (प्रातिपदिक) ‘food’
- वावृधाते
- the two grow/increaseVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, द्विवचनRole क्रिया (कर्तृ = रोदसी)Root √वृध् (वर्धने) with intensive/reduplicated stem वावृध्
- मधूनाम्
- of sweet drinks/honeysNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot मधु (प्रातिपदिक) ‘sweetness; honey; soma-sweet drink’
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सम्भाव्य): ऋतस्य | हि | वर्तनयः | सुजातम् | मिषः | वाजाय | प्रदिवः | सचन्ते || अधीवासम् | रोदसी | वावसाने | घृतैः | अन्नैः | वावृधाते | मधूनाम् । मुख्य-सन्धयः: (1) वर्तनयः सुजातम्—विसर्गः + स- (जिह्वामूलीय/उपध्मानीय न; साधारणः) → ‘वर्तनयः सुजातम्’। (2) वावसाने घृतैः—अन्त्य-ए + घ् (गुटुरल्) परे सन्धिः न विशेषः
- पदसीमा। (3) घृतैः अन्नैः—विसर्गः + अ- → ‘घृतैरन्नैः’ (ः → र्, पररूप/रेफ-सन्धि)।
The meaning
Outer meaning
The paths of Ṛta attach themselves to what is well-born; the impulsions (iṣaḥ) unite with plenitude of force (vāja) from the forward heaven. Heaven and Earth, putting on a covering, increase by ghee-richness and foods—by sweetnesses.
Inner meaning
When the soul-movement is ‘well-born’ (sujāta: sincere, rightly founded aspiration), the ways of Ṛta naturally open—right processes appear. Iṣaḥ are the divine impulsions/energies that press the being upward; they join to vāja, the victorious plenitude (force, capacity, fruition) descending from ‘pradivá’—the luminous forward heaven, symbol of the higher mind/supramental light ahead of the ordinary. Rodasī (heaven-earth) are the higher and lower hemispheres of our nature; they ‘clothe’ themselves (adhīvāsa) with a new covering—purified substance/body of consciousness—and grow by ghṛta (clarified light) and madhu (delight).
Universal truth
Right growth is not forced: when intention is rightly born, the lawful paths appear, energies align, and both inner heights and daily life are nourished by clarity and delight—illumination becomes sustenance.
Themes
paths of truth, nourishment and increase, heaven-earth integration, sweetness of realization
The seer
- Rishi
- Dīrghatamas Āucathya
- Lineage
- Aucathya (traditional)
- Other hymns
- RV 1.164, RV 10.5 (sequence)
Family tradition
Riddle-cosmology joined to practical inner law: how Ṛta becomes lived process and nourishment.
Significance
He maps the ‘paths’—not merely truths—showing how illumination and delight become stable growth in both hemispheres of being.
The deity
- Devata
- Ṛta (with Rodasī as its field)
- Epithets
- ṛtasya vartanayaḥ, pradivaḥ (of the forward heaven)
- Related deities
- Aditi (vastness that holds Ṛta), Agni (carrier of Ṛta into life), Indra (force of illumination that opens paths)
Cosmic role
Ṛta as the law of right movement; Rodasī as the twofold arena where that law is embodied and increased.
Inner power
Reveals the right sequence (path) and supplies clarified light (ghṛta) and delight (madhu) to sustain transformation.
In ritual
Where it is used
Explains sacrificial nourishment (ghṛta/anna) as inner clarifications that widen the worlds; supports soma-ritual theology of increase (vavṛdhāte)
ऋ॒तस्य॒ हि व॑र्त॒नय॒: सुजा॑त॒मिषो॒ वाजा॑य प्र॒दिव॒: सच॑न्ते । अ॒धी॒वा॒सं रोद॑सी वावसा॒ने घृ॒तैरन्नै॑र्वावृधाते॒ मधू॑नाम् ॥
ऋ॒तस्य॑ । हि । व॒र्त॒नयः॑ । सुऽजा॑तम् । इषः॑ । वाजा॑य । प्र॒ऽदिवः॑ । सच॑न्ते । अ॒धी॒वा॒सम् । रोद॑सी॒ इति॑ । व॒व॒सा॒ने इति॑ । घृ॒तैः । अन्नैः॑ । व॒वृ॒धा॒ते॒ इति॑ । मधू॑नाम् ॥
ṛtasya | hi | vartanayaḥ | su-jātam | iṣaḥ | vājāya | pra-divaḥ | sacante | adhīvāsam | rodasī iti | vavasāne iti | ghṛtaiḥ | annaiḥ | vavṛdhāteiti | madhūnām
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4×12 syllables
Measured and processional; emphasizes ‘paths’ and steady increase.
Builds a feeling of lawful progression; supports confidence and steadiness in practice.
- वर्तनयः (vartanayaḥ)
- Literal: turnings, paths. Symbolic: processes of right becoming; lawful stages of inner development
- सुजात (sujāta)
- Literal: well-born. Symbolic: rightly founded aspiration; pure motive and true beginning
- इषः (iṣaḥ)
- Literal: impulsions, promptings. Symbolic: divine urges/energies that propel sādhanā
- वाज (vāja)
- Literal: prize, strength, plenitude. Symbolic: victorious power and fruition of force-consciousness
- प्रदिवः (pradivaḥ)
- Literal: forward heaven. Symbolic: higher luminous plane ‘in front’ of the mind; leading light
- अधीवास (adhīvāsa)
- Literal: covering, garment. Symbolic: new substance/formation of consciousness; purified sheath
- घृत (ghṛta)
- Literal: ghee. Symbolic: clarified light; luminous understanding
- मधु (madhu)
- Literal: honey, sweetness. Symbolic: ananda-delight that feeds and enlarges the being
- रोदसी (rodasī)
- Literal: Heaven and Earth. Symbolic: higher and lower nature; mind and life/body as a pair
Explains sacrificial nourishment (ghṛta/anna) as inner clarifications that widen the worlds; supports soma-ritual theology of increase (vavṛdhāte)
Chant when beginning a new habit/practice: affirm ‘sujāta’ intention, invite right sequencing, and nourish the day with clarity (ghṛta) and delight (madhu) rather than strain.
(vartanaya) from √ (vṛt) ‘to turn, proceed’: courses/paths. / (iṣ/ iṣā) from √ (iṣ) ‘to seek, impel’: impulsion. (vāja) from √/√ (vaj/vāj) associated with strength, vigor, prize; here taken as plenitude of force. (ghṛta) from √ (ghṛ) ‘to shine/sprinkle’ (etymology debated), RV symbolism: clarified, luminous nourishment.
R̥ta as right path, vāja as force-plenitude, increase of worlds through clarified substance (ghṛta) and delight (madhu)
Explicit: Ṛta’s paths join what is rightly born and lead to vāja (victorious plenitude).
Satya as ‘sujāta’—truth in the origin of aspiration; then truth expresses as right process.
Increase of the two worlds by clarified light and delight—cosmic nourishment as basis of manifestation.
Integral-psychological Veda: transformation as descent of light (ghṛta) and delight (madhu) into mind-life-body.
Paths = inner disciplines; covering = purified sheath of consciousness; ghee = clarified understanding; honey = ananda that makes growth sustainable.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘paths of ṛta’ that adhere to the well-born and make the two worlds increase through ghṛta and sweetness: a myth of cosmic growth by right order and luminous nourishment. Psychologically, when impulses (iṣaḥ) align with ṛta, the inner heaven and earth expand through clarified understanding (ghṛta) and delight (madhu).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √ ‘turn/proceed’ reflects a common IE motion/turning semantic (cf. Latin vertō). The ‘two worlds’ as a dual cosmic schema appears across IE poetics (sky/earth).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi positions himself as aligning human impulses with the pre-existent ‘paths’ of ṛta. The devatā is the law of right course; the human contribution is offering clarified substance (ghṛta = clarified mind/energy) so the cosmic field within expands and becomes fruitful.
Contemplate ‘paths of Ṛta’: ask inwardly for the next right step (not the whole map). Receive clarity and delight as nourishment.
Anahata (sweetness/delight) with Ajna (clarified light)
Slow breathing with a slight pause after inhale (clarity) and after exhale (settling delight); keep it gentle.
Quiet, ordered progression; mind feels ‘guided’ rather than self-driven.
Begin with sujāta: purify motive. Then follow small lawful movements; feed practice with ghṛta (study/insight) and madhu (gratitude/joy).
Rigvedic accents as per śākhā; maintain udātta lifts especially on ṛta/ vāja/ pradivá-related words; avoid monotone.
Keep each 12-syllable pāda evenly paced; give slight emphasis to semantic pivots: ṛtasya—vartanayaḥ—sujātam—vāja—pradivaḥ—ghṛtaiḥ—madhūnām.
ṛtasya: clear vocalic ṛ, vartanayaḥ: retroflex ṇ? (here ‘n’ dental), keep ‘yaḥ’ light, pradivaḥ: short i; do not overlengthen, ghṛtaiḥ: gh + vocalic ṛ; diphthong ai clean, madhūnām: long ū; nasal ‘-nām’
Warm, even, nourishing tone; slightly softer on the ‘sweetness’ cadence.
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