Rig Veda 5.44.4: Mandala 5, Sukta 44, Mantra 4
Sukta 5.44
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism)
प्र व एते सुयुजो यामन्निष्टये नीचीरमुष्मै यम्य ऋतावृधः । सुयन्तुभिः सर्वशासैरभीशुभिः क्रिविर्नामानि प्रवणे मुषायति ॥
prá va ete suyújo yā́mann iṣṭáye nī́cīr amúṣmai yamyá ṛtā́vṛdhaḥ | suyántubhiḥ sarvaśā́sair abhī́śubhiḥ krívir nā́māni praváṇe muṣāyati ||
พลังทั้งหลายที่เทียมแอกดีเหล่านี้ก้าวไปข้างหน้า ในหนทางเพื่อความสำเร็จแห่งสิ่งที่ปรารถนา; พวกเขาก้มต่ำลงเพื่อผู้นั้น และเจริญขึ้นด้วยฤตะ (ṛta ความจริง/ระเบียบจักรวาล). ด้วยบังเหียนนำทาง ด้วยวินัยทั้งปวง ด้วยรัศมีที่ควบคุม—ผู้มีนามว่า กริวิ (Krivi) ในไหล่เขาชันลักเอานามทั้งหลาย (ป้ายชื่อที่ตรึงไว้) ไปเสีย.
Word by Word
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableupasarga (preverb)Root प्र (upasarga)
- वः
- of you (your)Pronoungenitive pluralRoot युष्मद्
- एते
- thesePronoun/Adjectivenominative masculine pluralRole KartāRoot एतद्
- सुयुजः
- well-yoked, well-harnessedAdjectivenominative masculine pluralRole Kartā (apposition)Root सु-युज् (prātipadika from √युज्)
- यामन्
- on the journey, in the course (of going)Nounlocative singular (Vedic loc. in -न्)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot यामन्
- इष्टये
- for the sacrifice/oblation, for the desired riteNoundative singularRole SampradānaRoot इष्टि
- नीचीः
- downward (courses/paths), low-lying (streams)Adjective (used substantively)accusative feminine pluralRole KarmaRoot नीचि (adv./adj. stem)
- अमुष्मै
- to that (one), for himPronoundative masculine singularRole SampradānaRoot अमुष्मद्
- यम्यः
- restraining, guiding, controllingAdjectivenominative masculine singularRole Kartā (apposition/epithet)Root यम्य (from √यम्)
- ऋतावृधः
- increasing (upholding) ṛta, fostering cosmic orderAdjectivenominative masculine pluralRole Kartā (apposition)Root ऋत-वृध् (compound)
- सुयन्तुभिः
- with well-driving/impelling (means/agents)Noun (instrumental agent/means)instrumental pluralRole KaraṇaRoot सुयन्तु (instr. pl. of a noun/agent-stem from √सु/√सव् ‘to impel/press’)
- सर्वशासैः
- with all-ruling/all-commanding (powers/ordinances)Adjectiveinstrumental masculine/neuter pluralRole KaraṇaRoot सर्व-शास (compound)
- अभीशुभिः
- with reins, with guiding linesNouninstrumental masculine pluralRole KaraṇaRoot अभि-ईशु (compound)
- क्रिविः
- Krivi (a person/tribal name)Proper Nounnominative masculine singularRole KartāRoot क्रिवि
- नामानि
- namesNounaccusative neuter pluralRole KarmaRoot नामन्
- प्रवणे
- on the slope, in the declivityNounlocative singularRole AdhikaraṇaRoot प्रवण
- मुषायति
- steals, robsVerbpresent indicative, 3rd person singular, parasmaipadaRole KriyāRoot √मुष्
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (pada-style): प्र वः एते सुयुजः यामन् इष्टये नीचीः अमुष्मै यम्यः ऋतावृधः । सुयन्तुभिः सर्वशासैः अभीशुभिः क्रिविः नामानि प्रवणे मुषायति ॥ Notable: याम॑न्नि॒ष्टये = यामन् + इष्टये (न् + इ → न्नि)
- नीची॑र॒मुष्मै = नीचीः + अमुष्मै (ः + अ → र्)
- ऋता॒वृध॑: = ऋतावृधः (visarga in saṃhitā)
- सर्वशा॒सैर॒भीशु॑भिः = सर्वशासैः + अभीशुभिः (ः + अ → र्)
The meaning
Outer meaning
These well-yoked powers go forward on the journey for the desired fulfilment, bending down for that one, increasing by Truth. With guiding reins, with all disciplines, with controlling rays—Krivi in the slope steals away the names.
Inner meaning
The verse shifts to the dynamics of forces in the journey (yāman) toward iṣṭi (the sought attainment). ‘Suyujaḥ’ indicates energies rightly yoked—faculties of mind-life-body coordinated under a higher aim. ‘Nīcīḥ… amuṣmai’ suggests a descent or bending toward a particular field/person—innerly, higher powers consenting to work within the lower nature. They grow by ṛta (ṛtāvṛdhaḥ): progress is proportional to truth-alignment. ‘Su-yantubhiḥ… sarvaśāsaiḥ… abhīśubhiḥ’ describes reins, disciplines, and rays—yoga-terms: guidance (yantu), integral self-rule (śāsa), and luminous control (abhīśu). ‘Krivi… muṣāyati nāmāni’ is obscure; psychologically, it can denote a crooked/stealing tendency (krivi as a personified distortion) in the ‘pravaṇa’ (slope, downward inclination) that steals ‘names’—fixed labels, conceptual certainties, ego-identities—leading to confusion. The mantra warns: on the downward slope of consciousness, distortion robs true discernment; therefore the journey needs reins and disciplines rooted in ṛta.
Universal truth
Spiritual progress requires coordinated energies and self-discipline. When consciousness inclines downward, distortion steals clarity by replacing direct truth with mere labels and borrowed identities.
Themes
right-guidance, discipline and control, obstruction/deception in descent
The seer
- Rishi
- Atri (probable hymn context; exact rishi uncertain)
- Lineage
- Ātreya
- Other hymns
- RV 5.40 (Atri and Sūrya motif), RV 5.44 (contextual)
Family tradition
Atri hymns often juxtapose right yoking (suyuja) with hostile/deluding forces that obstruct ascent.
Significance
The seer highlights the necessity of ṛta-based discipline: without it, the lower inclination distorts truth into mere ‘names’.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni (hymn context) with auxiliary powers of guidance; ‘Krivi’ as obstructive force/personification
- Epithets
- ṛtāvṛdha (truth-increasing), suyuja (well-yoking power)
- Related deities
- Indra (power to overcome obstruction), Sarasvatī/Vāc (truth of names/utterance), Aśvins (right yoking and guidance)
Cosmic role
Agni organizes and yokes powers for the journey; hostile forces distort on the downward slope.
Inner power
Capacity to integrate energies and maintain luminous control; discernment against distortion.
In ritual
Where it is used
Processional/going-forth segments of iṣṭi; chariot/yoking imagery often accompanies invocations for right progress (probable)
प्र व॑ ए॒ते सु॒युजो॒ याम॑न्नि॒ष्टये॒ नीची॑र॒मुष्मै॑ य॒म्य॑ ऋता॒वृध॑: । सु॒यन्तु॑भिः सर्वशा॒सैर॒भीशु॑भि॒: क्रिवि॒र्नामा॑नि प्रव॒णे मु॑षायति ॥
प्र । वः॒ । ए॒ते । सु॒ऽयुजः॑ । याम॑न् । इ॒ष्टये॑ । नीचीः॑ । अ॒मुष्मै॑ । य॒म्यः॑ । ऋ॒त॒ऽवृधः॑ । सु॒यन्तु॑ऽभिः । स॒र्व॒ऽशा॒सैः । अ॒भीशु॑ऽभिः । क्रिविः॑ । नामा॑नि । प्र॒व॒णे । मु॒षा॒य॒ति॒ ॥
pra | vaḥ | ete | su-yujaḥ | yāman | iṣṭaye | nīcīḥ | amuṣmai | yamyaḥ | ṛta-vṛdhaḥ | suyantu-bhiḥ | sarva-śāsaiḥ | abhīśu-bhiḥ | kriviḥ | nāmāni | pravaṇe | muṣāyati
44
4×~11
Processional, directive rhythm; a sense of marching forward with controlled cadence.
Instills discipline and alertness; suitable for ‘steering’ the mind and guarding against conceptual confusion.
- suyujaḥ
- Literal: well-yoked. Symbolic: integrated faculties; harmonized energies under a single aspiration
- yāman
- Literal: journey, path. Symbolic: the inner path of growth and transformation
- iṣṭaye
- Literal: for the desired attainment. Symbolic: soul’s sought fulfilment; siddhi of right being
- nīcīḥ
- Literal: bending down, downward. Symbolic: descent of higher powers into lower nature; also the risk of downward lapse
- ṛtāvṛdhaḥ
- Literal: increasing by ṛta. Symbolic: growth through truth-order; right progress
- yantu (reins)
- Literal: guiding reins. Symbolic: inner governance; attentional steering
- sarvaśāsa
- Literal: all disciplines/rules. Symbolic: integral self-discipline across life
- abhīśu
- Literal: reins, rays. Symbolic: luminous control; rays of knowledge that govern impulses
- pravaṇa
- Literal: slope, declivity. Symbolic: downward tendency of consciousness toward inertia/desire
- nāmāni
- Literal: names. Symbolic: mental labels; fixed concepts; ego-identifications
- kriviḥ
- Literal: Krivi (proper name/obscure). Symbolic: personified crookedness/distortion that ‘steals’ true meaning on the downward slope
May reflect a ritual procession/journey (yāman) with reins/yoking imagery; could be applied as a protective-recognition against distortions during the rite’s descent into action.
When seeking successful ‘journey’ of the rite—safe progression and right ordering of powers.
Recitation with gestures of leading/placing; mental ‘yoking’ of intent and offering.
Use when feeling scattered: chant to integrate energies; then consciously drop rigid labels and return to direct perception.
su-yuj 'well-yoked' from √yuj 'yoke' (PIE *yeug-). yamyá from √yam 'rein in, control' (PIE *yem- 'hold'). ṛta-vṛdha: √vṛdh 'grow' (PIE *werdʰ-) with ṛta (Indo-Iranian *Hṛtó-/aša). muṣāyati from √muṣ 'steal'—inner reading: in descent, obscurity steals 'names', i.e., stable recognitions/true denominations, producing confusion.
ṛta as growth-principle, descent into lower planes (nīcīḥ, pravaṇa), name/form vs truth (nāman as limiting label)
Explicit via ṛtāvṛdhaḥ; ṛta is the growth-law of the journey.
Truth is not merely naming; satya is direct alignment and right seeing beyond labels.
Descent of powers into lower field; risk of distortion in manifestation (pravaṇa).
Early insight toward later nāma-rūpa critique: labels can veil truth; discipline restores direct knowledge.
On the ‘slope’ of consciousness, vigilance is needed; luminous reins (attention) and rays (insight) keep the journey true.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The well-yoked journey of truth-nourished powers contrasted with an obscure stealing force (Krivi) that removes 'names' in the downward slope. Mythically: a chariot-progress threatened by a thief; psychologically: during descent into action, obscurity steals clear recognitions and replaces them with unstable labels.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √yuj 'yoke' (PIE *yeug-) and √yam 'hold/rein' (PIE *yem-) preserve chariot-control vocabulary central to Indo-European poetics. √vṛdh 'grow' (PIE *werdʰ-) in vṛdhaḥ is a common inherited growth verb.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer observes a dynamic field where divine powers must be well-yoked and disciplined to remain truth-increasing, especially in descent. The relationship is pedagogic: the hymn teaches vigilance—without right reins (control), the lower slope invites forces that steal clarity (nāman) from experience.
Unify scattered energies; practice ‘reins’ of attention and ‘rays’ of insight; watch how the mind steals reality by naming.
Ājñā (discernment)
Box breathing (4-4-4-4) to establish ‘reins’; then open awareness, releasing labels on exhale.
From distracted naming-mind to luminous, disciplined perception.
After chanting, do 3 minutes of ‘label-dropping’: notice an object/thought and refrain from naming it; return to pure seeing. If downward pull arises, re-yoke with a single intention (iṣṭi).
Standard Vedic accenting; keep udātta prominence on movement-words like ‘prá’, ‘eté’, ‘yā́man’ (recension-dependent).
Maintain forward drive; slight pause after ‘iṣṭaye’. Emphasize consonant clusters in ‘ṛtāvṛdhaḥ’.
suyujaḥ: ‘yu’ clear, final ḥ light, ṛtāvṛdhaḥ: retroflex ṛ, long ā, aspirate dh, abhīśubhiḥ: long ī, ś sound, bh cluster, pravaṇe: dental n, short e
Firm, guiding tone—like steering; avoid overly lyrical delivery.
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