Rig Veda 5.41.9: Mandala 5, Sukta 41, Mantra 9
Sukta 5.41
- Rishi
- Atri
- Devata
- Parvatas and Aptya
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
तुजे नस्तने पर्वताः सन्तु स्वैतवो ये वसवो न वीराः । पनित आप्त्यो यजतः सदा नो वर्धान्नः शंसं नर्यो अभिष्टौ ॥
tujé nas táne párvatāḥ santu sváitavo yé vásavo ná vīrā́ḥ | panitá āptyó yajatáḥ sádā no várdhān naḥ śáṃsaṃ náryo abhiṣṭáu ||
เพื่อแรงเร่งรุดของพวกเรา ขอให้ภูผาทั้งหลายเป็นหลักค้ำอันมั่นคงแก่เรา—ขับเคลื่อนด้วยตนเองดุจเหล่า Vasus ดุจวีรชน. ขอให้ Āptya ผู้ควรบูชา ผู้ปลุกความรื่นรมย์ เพิ่มพูนแก่เรานิรันดร์: ถ้อยคำยืนยันอันองอาจของมนุษย์ ในยามที่เราวอนขอและแสวงหา.
Word by Word
- तुजे
- for strengthening; in the act of urgingNoun (verbal noun/abstract)नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी एकवचन (locative sg.)Role अधिकारण (locative of purpose/occasion: ‘in/for strengthening’)Root तुज् (धातु; ‘to urge/impel, be strong’)
- नः
- of us; ourPronounषष्ठी बहुवचन (gen. pl., enclitic)Role सम्बन्ध (possessor: ‘of us/our’)Root अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
- स्तने
- on the breastNounपुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी एकवचन (loc. sg.)Role अधिकारण (locative: ‘at/on the breast’)Root स्तन (प्रातिपदिक)
- पर्वताः
- mountainsNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन (nom. pl.)Role कर्तृ (subject)Root पर्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
- सन्तु
- let them beVerbलोट् (imperative); 3rd person pluralRole (क्रिया) —Root अस् (धातु)
- स्वैतवः
- the bright/white onesAdjective (substantivized)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन (nom. pl.)Role कर्तृ (in apposition to पर्वताः)Root स्वैतव (प्रातिपदिक; ‘white/bright ones’, epithet)
- ये
- whoRelative pronounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन (nom. pl.)Role कर्तृ (introducing relative clause)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वसवः
- the VasusNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन (nom. pl.)Role कर्तृ (apposition to ये)Root वसु (प्रातिपदिक)
- न
- like; asIndeclinableउपमा-निपात (comparative particle)Root न (अव्यय)
- वीराः
- heroesNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन (nom. pl.)Role कर्तृ (predicate-nominative)Root वीर (प्रातिपदिक)
- पनितः
- the Paṇi (niggard/demon figure)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन (nom. sg.)Role कर्तृ (subject)Root पनि (प्रातिपदिक)
- आप्त्यः
- ĀptyaNoun (proper/epithet)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन (nom. sg.)Role कर्तृ (in apposition to पनितः)Root आप्त्य (प्रातिपदिक; patronymic/epithet ‘Āptya’)
- यजतः
- worshipping; sacrificingAdjective/Participleवर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ/शानच्-समकक्ष ‘worshipping’); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन (nom. sg.)Role कर्तृ (qualifying the subject)Root यज् (धातु)
- सदा
- alwaysIndeclinableकाल-अव्ययRole अधिकारण (temporal)Root सदा (अव्यय)
- नः
- usPronounद्वितीया/षष्ठी बहुवचन (enclitic ‘us/our’; here best as acc. pl. with वर्धात्)Role कर्म (object: ‘us’)Root अस्मद्
- वर्धात्
- let (him) increase; may (he) strengthenVerbलोट् (imperative); 3rd person singular (injunctive/imperatival Vedic usage)Role (क्रिया) —Root वृध् (धातु)
- नः
- ourPronounषष्ठी बहुवचन (gen. pl., enclitic)Role सम्बन्धRoot अस्मद्
- शंसम्
- praise; hymnNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन (acc. sg.)Role कर्म (object: ‘praise’)Root शंस (प्रातिपदिक)
- नर्यः
- the manly oneAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन (nom. sg.)Role कर्तृ (as epithet of the agent implied with वर्धात्)Root नर्य (प्रातिपदिक; ‘manly, belonging to men’)
- अभिष्टौ
- in the invocation; in the praiseNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी एकवचन (loc. sg.)Role अधिकारण (locative: ‘in the invocation’)Root अभिष्टु (प्रातिपदिक; ‘invocation, praise’)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolved as: तुजे नः स्तने पर्वताः सन्तु स्वैतवः ये वसवः न वीराः । पनितः आप्त्यः यजतः सदा नः वर्धात् नः शंसम् नर्यः अभिष्टौ ॥ Notable points: (1) नः is enclitic and can be gen. ‘our’ or acc. ‘us’
- with वर्धात् it is taken as acc. ‘us’ (object), while the following नः is gen. ‘our’ with शंसम्. (2) वर्धात् is Vedic imperatival/injunctive-style 3sg from √वृध्. (3) Accent marks in the saṃhitā text are preserved in the given Devanāgarī but not re-assigned per pada here
The meaning
Outer meaning
May the Mountains be firm supports for our onward movement, self-driven like the Vasus, like heroes. May the adorable Aptya ever increase our manly praise/affirmation in our seeking.
Inner meaning
Parvatas are the stable ‘heights’ and foundations of consciousness—inner firmness, gathered force, and the strongholds of aspiration. They become supports for the pressing forward (tuje). Aptya (a figure of the waters/fire-wisdom complex, akin to Trita/Apām Napāt current) awakens delight and increases śaṃsa—effective mantric affirmation and courageous speech of the soul (naryaḥ) at the moment of intense seeking (abhiṣṭau).
Universal truth
Aspiration needs both stability and inspiration: a firm inner mountain to stand on, and a living current of delight that strengthens true speech and will.
Themes
support for striving, increase of mantric power, Vasus-like stability
The seer
- Rishi
- Atri (Ātreya)
- Lineage
- Ātreya
- Other hymns
- RV 5.41
Family tradition
Ātreya vision frequently invokes supports (mountain/firmness) and delight-currents (waters/soma-like) to strengthen speech and will in the human journey.
Significance
Atri here balances steadfastness (parvata) with the enlivening delight-power (Aptya) so that the seeker’s word becomes potent and fearless.
The deity
- Devata
- Parvatas and Aptya
- Epithets
- svaitavaḥ (self-impelled), yajataḥ (adorable), panitaḥ (gladdening/awakening delight)
- Related deities
- Vasus, Trita, Apām Napāt, Indra (as breaker of obstruction)
Cosmic role
Parvatas uphold the worlds as firm supports; Aptya mediates the deep waters’ potency—bringing refreshment, inspiration, and awakened delight into action and speech.
Inner power
Stability of consciousness + delight that energizes mantra and will; capacity to persist and affirm truth under pressure.
In ritual
Where it is used
Support-invocation in journeys, undertakings, or moments of strain; could accompany soma pressing sequences where ‘pressing onward’ is thematically resonant.
तु॒जे न॒स्तने॒ पर्व॑ताः सन्तु॒ स्वैत॑वो॒ ये वस॑वो॒ न वी॒राः । प॒नि॒त आ॒प्त्यो य॑ज॒तः सदा॑ नो॒ वर्धा॑न्न॒: शंसं॒ नर्यो॑ अ॒भिष्टौ॑ ॥
तु॒जे । नः॒ । तने॑ । पर्व॑ताः । स॒न्तु॒ । स्वऽए॑तवः । ये । वस॑वः । न । वी॒राः । प॒नि॒तः । आ॒प्त्यः । य॒ज॒तः । सदा॑ । नः॒ । वर्धा॑त् । नः॒ । शंस॑म् । नर्यः॑ । अ॒भिष्टौ॑ ॥
tuje | naḥ | tane | parvatāḥ | santu | sva-etavaḥ | ye | vasavaḥ | na | vīrāḥ | panitaḥ | āptyaḥ | yajataḥ | sadā | naḥ | vardhāt | naḥ | śaṃsam | naryaḥ | abhiṣṭau
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4 pādas of ~11 syllables each
Martial and steady; suitable for invoking firmness and heroic support.
Instills grounded courage; the cadence feels like climbing—stepwise ascent with secure footing.
- तुजे (tuje)
- Literal: for pressing onward, impelling. Symbolic: yogic urge of ascent; forward tapas
- पर्वताः (parvatāḥ)
- Literal: mountains. Symbolic: stable heights/foundations of consciousness; inner supports
- स्वएतवः (svaitavaḥ)
- Literal: self-impelled. Symbolic: autonomous inner strengths not dependent on outer conditions
- वसवः (vasavaḥ)
- Literal: Vasus (bright gods). Symbolic: fundamental luminous powers that uphold existence
- वीराः (vīrāḥ)
- Literal: heroes. Symbolic: courageous soul-forces resisting inertia
- आप्त्यः (āptyaḥ)
- Literal: Aptya (of the waters). Symbolic: delight-current from deep consciousness; purifier/awakener
- शंसम् (śaṃsam)
- Literal: praise, affirmation. Symbolic: effective true word; mantra-force that confirms realization
- अभिष्टौ (abhiṣṭau)
- Literal: in the seeking/approach. Symbolic: crucial moment of aspiration and invocation
Stabilization and support invocation: securing firmness (parvata) and strengthening the effective praise (śaṃsa) during the rite; Aptya invoked for increase of efficacious utterance
Before demanding rites, travel, or when seeking strength and steadiness in performance.
Recitation as protective-strengthening stotra; offerings may include water libation (Aptya association).
Use before difficult conversations or decisions: invoke inner steadiness (mountain) and truthful courageous speech (śaṃsa).
tuj- (tuje) from √tuj ‘to push, hasten, impel’ indicates the spiritual urge/pressure. parvata ‘mountain’ (from √pṛ/√parv ‘joint/knob; elevation’) becomes symbol of stable heights. vasu ‘good, bright substance’ (PIE *wesu ‘good’; cf. Sanskrit vasu, Avestan vohu). śaṃsa from √śaṃs ‘to recite/praise’ is the efficacious utterance. āptya is traditionally ‘of the waters/attained’ (āp ‘waters’ + -tya), connecting to the hidden fire/wisdom in the waters motif.
support/foundation for ascent, mantric efficacy (śaṃsa), self-impelled force (sva-etavaḥ)
Mountains symbolize the fixed supports of ṛta; aspiration moves upon stable law.
Śaṃsa as true speech that increases with divine support.
Worlds upheld by supports; life-force and delight emerge from depths to empower expression.
Psychological Veda (Aurobindo): ascent needs both ‘rock of being’ and ‘waters of delight’.
Mountains = inner stability, enduring aspiration; waters = deep subconscious/superconscious currents of refreshment and delight powering speech.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘mountains as supports’ motif: the stable heights that hold the world/order, enabling the sacrificial ascent. Aptya belongs to the hidden-wisdom-in-waters complex: the power that increases effective speech and attainment.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- vasu ‘good’ reflects PIE *wesu- ‘good’ (Avestan vohu). The heroic register (vīrāḥ, naryaḥ) is a shared IE poetic field. The optative/benedictive ‘vardhāt’ is a typical Vedic wish-formula.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi seeks stable supports and an increase of the efficacious word. The devatās reciprocate by providing firmness (parvata) for the inner journey and by amplifying śaṃsa (mantric affirmation) so the seeking (abhiṣṭi) becomes effective.
Cultivate ‘mountain-mind’: immovable witness; then let a cool delight-current rise to empower truthful speech.
Mūlādhāra (steadiness) to Viśuddha (true speech).
Box-breathing lightly (4-4-4-4) to build steadiness; then free exhale while mentally repeating śaṃsaṃ to release true expression.
Steady, courageous, uplifted; readiness for decisive action without agitation.
Chant 3–7 times standing or seated upright; visualize a mountain within the spine. After chanting, speak one clear intention aloud—your ‘śaṃsa’—without exaggeration.
Three-tone Vedic accents; emphasize the lift on key invocatory words (parvatāḥ, āptyaḥ, vardhāt).
Keep pāda breaks clean; slightly lengthen long vowels in parvatāḥ, vīrāḥ, āptyaḥ.
: pronounce as sva-e-ta-vaḥ (clear hiatus), : long ā + cluster pty (āp-tyaḥ), : aspirate dh (var-dhāt), : retroflex ṣṭ (a-bhi-ṣṭau)
Firm, resonant, slightly martial; avoid rushing consonant clusters.
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