Rig Veda 3.56.5: Mandala 3, Sukta 56, Mantra 5
Sukta 3.56
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Devata
- Savitṛ
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
त्री षधस्था सिन्धवस्त्रिः कवीनामुत त्रिमाता विदथेषु सम्राट् । ऋतावरीर्योषणास्तिस्रो अप्यास्त्रिरा दिवो विदथे पत्यमानाः ॥
trī ṣaḍhásthā síndhavas tríḥ kavīnā́m utá trímātā vidáthēṣu samrā́ṭ | ṛtā́varīr yóṣaṇās tisró apyā́s trír ā́ divó vidáthē pátyamānāḥ ||
แม่น้ำทั้งสามตั้งอยู่บนรากฐานหกชั้น; กิจของกวีผู้หยั่งรู้ (kavi) ก็เป็นสามชั้น; และ “สามมารดา” (Tri-mātā) เป็นผู้ครองในสภาแห่งพิธี (vidatha) ทั้งหลาย. หญิงสาวสามนางผู้เพิ่มพูน ṛta (ระเบียบอันเที่ยงธรรม) มีอยู่; น้ำลึกก็มีสามส่วน; นางทั้งหลายเคลื่อนมาจากสวรรค์สามครั้ง ครองอำนาจในวาระแห่งยัญพิธี (vidatha).
Word by Word
- त्री
- threeNoun/Adjective (Numeral)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole Kartā (सम्बन्धः—विशेष्य ‘सिन्धवः’)Root त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) → स्त्रीलिङ्ग रूप
- षधस्थाः
- the six seats/abodesNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole Karma (गत्यर्थ/प्राप्त्यर्थ—‘to/into the six seats’)Root षधस्था (प्रातिपदिक; षध- ‘six’ + स्था ‘standing/places’ → ‘sixfold seats/abodes’)
- सिन्धवः
- the rivers/streamsNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot सिन्धु (प्रातिपदिक)
- त्रिः
- thriceIndeclinableअव्ययRole Adhikaraṇa (क्रियाविशेषण—‘thrice’)Root त्रिस् (अव्यय; संख्या-क्रियाविशेषण)
- कवीनाम्
- of the seers/poetsNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचनRole Sambandha (genitive)Root कवि (प्रातिपदिक)
- उत
- and/alsoIndeclinableअव्ययRoot उत (निपात)
- त्रिमाता
- she who has three mothersAdjective (Bahuvrīhi)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (सम्बन्धः—अभिधेय स्त्रीलिङ्ग समूह/देवी)Root त्रिमातृ (प्रातिपदिक; ‘having three mothers’)
- विदथेषु
- in the assemblies/ritesNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot विदथ (प्रातिपदिक)
- सम्राट्
- the sovereign rulerNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (apposition/epithet)Root सम्राज् (प्रातिपदिक)
- ऋतावरीः
- the ṛta-abiding (women/maidens)Adjective/Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole Kartā (सम्बन्धः—‘योषणाः’)Root ऋतावरी (प्रातिपदिक; ‘possessing ṛta/true order’, ‘truthful/according-to-ṛta’)
- योषणाः
- maidens/womenNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot योषणा (प्रातिपदिक)
- तिस्रः
- threeNoun/Adjective (Numeral)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole Kartā (सम्बन्धः—‘योषणाः’)Root त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) → तिसृ (स्त्रीलिङ्ग)
- अप्याः
- watery/of the watersAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole Kartā (विशेषण—‘योषणाः’)Root अप्य (प्रातिपदिक; ‘belonging to/being in the waters’, ‘watery’)
- त्रिः
- thriceIndeclinableअव्ययRole Adhikaraṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)Root त्रिस् (अव्यय)
- आ
- towards, untoIndeclinableअव्ययRoot आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- दिवः
- of/from heavenNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole Apādāna/Sambandha (genitive: ‘of/from heaven’)Root द्यौ/दिव् (प्रातिपदिक ‘heaven/sky/day’)
- विदथे
- in the assembly/riteNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot विदथ (प्रातिपदिक)
- पत्यमानाः
- ruling/acting as lordsVerb-derived Participleवर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ/शानच्-समकक्षः), आत्मनेपद-भावः; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (सम्बन्धः—‘योषणाः’)Role Kartā (कर्तृवाचक कृदन्त)Root पत् (धातु ‘to rule/be lord’) + यमान (वर्तमान-कृदन्त, आत्मनेपद)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (pada-wise): त्री षधस्थाः (no further split; ‘त्री’ agrees with ‘सिन्धवः’ by sense though form is fem. numeral used predicatively)
- सिन्धवः त्रिः (no sandhi)
- कवीनाम् उत (no sandhi)
- त्रिमाता विदथेषु (no sandhi)
- ऋतावरीः योषणाः तिस्रः अप्याः (no sandhi)
- तिस्रो अप्याः → तिस्रः + अप्याः (visarga before vowel)
- त्रिरा → त्रिः + आ (final -s/visarga before ā)
- दिवो → दिवः (gen. sg. with o-sandhi before voiced sound)
- विदथे पत्यमानाः (no sandhi)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Three are the Rivers set in the sixfold foundation; threefold is the working of the seers; and the Three-Mother is sovereign in the assemblies. Three are the maidens who increase the Right; three are the waters of the deep: thrice they move from heaven, governing in the gatherings of the sacrifice.
Inner meaning
A structured triadic order pervades the yoga: three rivers (streams of force/knowledge/bliss) established in the sixfold base of nature; threefold is the inspired action of the kavi (seer-mind) as it receives, forms, and expresses truth. The ‘Three-Mother’ is the supreme matrix-power—often read as the triple divine energy (e.g., Ila–Sarasvatī–Bhāratī, or a triune Shakti) presiding over inner ‘assemblies’ (vidatha: gatherings of powers in consciousness). The three maidens are the increasing powers of ṛta—progressive illuminations that grow the right movement. The three deep waters are the profound currents of being (subconscient/inner ocean) which, when touched by the descent ‘from heaven’, become instruments of truth. ‘Thrice they move’ indicates repeated descents of higher force into mind, life, body, establishing governance in the inner sacrifice.
Universal truth
Transformation is rhythmic and graded: higher truth descends in ordered streams, repeatedly, until the whole nature is governed by the right. The many works of insight depend on a deeper Mother-power that organizes and nourishes them.
Themes
Triads in Vedic cosmology, Ṛta-realization, Inner sacrifice (vidatha), Waters as consciousness-forces
The seer
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Lineage
- Gāthin / Viśvāmitra lineage
- Other hymns
- RV 3.62.10, RV 3.33, RV 2.3 (Iḷā–Sarasvatī–Mahī/triad of goddesses; thematic parallel)
Family tradition
This family book often encodes triads (three worlds, three powers, three goddesses) as the architecture of inner realization under the solar truth.
Significance
Viśvāmitra’s vision is architectural: the yoga is an ordered descent and establishment of forces in the sixfold human base, governed by the Mother-power.
The deity
- Devata
- Savitṛ (dominant sūkta tendency) with triadic ordering powers (Three Mothers / three rivers / three maidens)
- Epithets
- samrāṭ (sovereign), ṛtāvarīḥ (increasers of ṛta)
- Related deities
- Iḷā, Sarasvatī, Bhāratī (or Mahī), Āpaḥ, Ādityas
Cosmic role
Savitṛ impels and orders; the triadic Shakti-streams establish right movement in the sixfold world-base and govern the sacrificial sessions.
Inner power
The impulsion of illumination (Savitṛ) organizing the triple streams of force and the Mother’s harmonizing governance over mind-life-body.
In ritual
Where it is used
Vidatha-style assemblies within soma/śrauta settings (general)
त्री ष॒धस्था॑ सिन्धव॒स्त्रिः क॑वी॒नामु॒त त्रि॑मा॒ता वि॒दथे॑षु स॒म्राट् । ऋ॒ताव॑री॒र्योष॑णास्ति॒स्रो अप्या॒स्त्रिरा दि॒वो वि॒दथे॒ पत्य॑मानाः ॥
त्री । ष॒धऽस्था॑ । सि॒न्ध॒वः॒ । त्रिः । क॒वी॒नाम् । उ॒त । त्रि॒ऽमा॒ता । वि॒दथे॑षु । स॒म्ऽराट् । ऋ॒तऽव॑रीः । योष॑णाः । ति॒स्रः । अप्याः॑ । त्रिः । आ । दि॒वः । वि॒दथे॑ । पत्य॑मानाः ॥
trī | ṣadha-sthā | sindhavaḥ | triḥ | kavīnām | uta | tri-mātā | vidatheṣu | sam-rāṭ | ṛta-varīḥ | yoṣaṇāḥ | tisraḥ | apyāḥ | triḥ | ā | divaḥ | vidathe | patyamānāḥ
44
4 × 11 syllables (probable; conforms to triṣṭubh style)
Enumerative and organizing; triadic repetitions create a structured, mantra-mandala feel.
Builds a sense of cosmic order and inner systematization; stabilizes practice by rhythmic ‘threefold’ emphasis.
- सिन्धवः (sindhavaḥ)
- Literal: rivers. Symbolic: streams of consciousness-force (knowledge, power, delight) flowing into the being
- षधस्था (ṣadhasthā)
- Literal: sixfold foundation. Symbolic: sixfold base of embodied nature; the field where forces must be established
- कवीनाम् (kavīnām)
- Literal: of the seers/poets. Symbolic: illumined faculties that receive and shape mantra-truth
- त्रिमाता (trimātā)
- Literal: three-mother. Symbolic: triune Shakti/matrix power presiding over the inner sacrifice and its formations
- विदथेषु (vidatheṣu)
- Literal: in the assemblies/sessions. Symbolic: inner gatherings where powers meet—moments of concentrated practice and offering
- ऋतावरीः (ṛtāvarīḥ)
- Literal: increasing the ṛta. Symbolic: forces that expand right order—growing truth in mind and life
- योषणाः (yoṣaṇāḥ)
- Literal: maidens. Symbolic: beautiful, receptive powers of illumination/energy that nurture growth
- अप्याः (apyāḥ)
- Literal: waters of the deep. Symbolic: profound currents of the inner ocean; subconscient depths capable of purification
- दिवः (divaḥ)
- Literal: from heaven. Symbolic: descent from higher consciousness into the lower nature
General Savitṛ-related prayāja/anuvākyā usage in soma and daily rites; vidatha-language suggests application in formal sacrificial sessions as an invocation of right-ordering powers (not uniquely fixed without a brāhmaṇa-prayoga mapping).
During gatherings of recitation/offerings where cosmic ordering powers and waters are invoked; also suitable in rites emphasizing Savitṛ’s impulsion and the goddesses.
Recitation alongside offerings and libations (waters/soma), invoking the triadic powers to govern the session.
A mantra for ‘structuring the day’: morning—invoke descent from ‘heaven’; midday—establish in the sixfold activities; evening—offer the works back to the Mother-power.
Key terms: (1) síndhu (river/stream) from √syand ‘to flow, stream’ → inner ‘currents’ of force/awareness. (2) kavi ‘seer’ linked to √kav/ku ‘to see/know/compose’ (Vedic semantic field: inspired vision and formulation). (3) ṛtá ‘right order/truth in action’ from √ar/ṛ ‘to fit, move in proper way’ → law of harmonious becoming. ṛta-varīḥ: varīḥ from √vṛ ‘to choose, cover, hold’ or ‘to further/increase’ in Vedic usage; here ‘those that foster/augment ṛta’. (4) samrāṭ from sam- + rāj ‘to rule’ → integral sovereignty. (5) apyāḥ from ap ‘waters’ (plural āpaḥ) with adjectival -ya → ‘belonging to the waters/depth’; symbolic of the subconscient/inconscient reservoir. (6) patyamānāḥ: present middle participle from √pat ‘to rule, be master’ (Vedic: ‘lord over’), indicating active governance of the rite/planes.
Ṛta (cosmic order), triadic structuring of reality, descent of higher light into ritual/action
Explicit: the maidens ‘increase ṛta’; the verse describes how right order grows and governs.
Truth becomes effective through repeated descents and establishment in the base of life.
Mother-power and rivers: creation as nurturing flow from higher to lower, organizing multiplicity.
Vedic Shakti-cosmology (triune Mothers) with integral-yoga resonance (descent and establishment in mind-life-body).
morning-to-noon (descent and establishment motif)
rainy season (suggested by rivers/waters imagery)
Rivers=streams of force/knowledge/bliss; deep waters=subconscient/vital depths; heaven=higher consciousness; three maidens=progressive illuminations; sixfold foundation=total field of embodied life.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- A triadic cosmogonic ordering: three streams/waters and three feminine powers ‘fostering ṛta’ descend/operate ‘thrice from heaven’ and ‘rule in the vidatha’. The mythic action is not a battle but the structured descent of higher order (div) into the sacrificial field—an archetype of manifestation where the Truth-Order becomes effective in human action.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- rāj in samrāṭ continues PIE *h₃rḗǵs ‘king, ruler’ (cf. Latin rēx, Celtic *rīxs, Germanic *rīk-). ap ‘waters’ reflects PIE *h₂ep- (cf. Hittite āpa-, Latin aqua often compared though debated). ṛta (Vedic) is often aligned in function with Indo-Iranian *arta- ‘order, truth’ (Avestan aša/arta), indicating a shared inherited religious-ethical lexicon.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer frames the cosmos as a disciplined cooperation: the devatā’s sovereignty (samrāṭ) is expressed through ordered triads that ‘rule’ within the vidatha. The rishi’s role is to name and align with these operations—by recognition (kavi-work) he invites the higher descent (ā divaḥ) so that ṛta becomes active governance in the human vessel and its sacrificial decisions.
Perceive three descending streams (light, force, delight) from above the head into mind, heart, and body; offer the whole sixfold activity-field to the Three-Mother.
sahasrāra (descent from heaven), ājñā (seer-work), anāhata (Mother-governance), mūlādhāra (establishment in the base)
Three rounds of slow inhalation ‘from above’ and exhalation ‘into the base’; brief pause after exhale to feel establishment.
Ordered descent and integrated governance; a ‘mandala’ of forces harmonized.
Work in triads: (1) receive light, (2) consent of life-force, (3) establish in action. Repeat ‘thrice’—do not expect one descent to finish the transformation.
Triṣṭubh; the repeated ‘trī/triḥ/tisraḥ’ should receive crisp articulation with accent maintained per recensional markings.
Use slight rhythmic emphasis on each ‘three’ to preserve the mantra’s architecture; keep pāda endings firm to ‘seal’ the enumerations.
(trī ṣadhasthā): long ī; retroflex ṣ; aspirate sthā, (sindhavaḥ): clear dh; final ḥ audible, (ṛtāvarīḥ): vocalic ṛ; long ā; long īḥ, (apyāḥ): ‘py’ cluster clean; long āḥ, (patyamānāḥ): ‘ty’ crisp; long ā in mā; final āḥ
Clear, patterned, slightly incantatory; let the triadic cadence be audible.
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