Rig Veda 7.33.11: Mandala 7, Sukta 33, Mantra 11
Sukta 7.33
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Mitra-Varuṇa complex
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
उतासि मैत्रावरुणो वसिष्ठोर्वश्या ब्रह्मन्मनसोऽधि जातः । द्रप्सं स्कन्नं ब्रह्मणा दैव्येन विश्वे देवाः पुष्करे त्वाददन्त ॥
utā́si maitrāvaruṇó vasiṣṭhorvaśyā́ brahman mánaso 'dhi jātáḥ | drápsaṁ skánnaṁ bráhmaṇā daívyena víśve devā́ḥ púṣkare tvā adadanta ||
และท่านคือปุโรหิตแห่งมิตร–วรุณะ (Maitrāvaruṇa) โอ วสิษฐะ; เกิดจากอุรวศี (Urvaśī) โอ พราหมณ์ เกิดขึ้นเหนือจากมโน (manas). หยดหนึ่งที่ร่วงหล่นนั้น ด้วยวาจาศักดิ์สิทธิ์คือพรหมัน (brahman) เหล่าเทพทั้งปวงได้นำท่านไปวางไว้ในสระบัว.
Word by Word
- उत
- and; alsoIndeclinableसमुच्चय/अपि-अर्थे अव्ययम्Root उत
- असि
- you areVerbलट्, मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Root अस् (असँ)
- मैत्रावरुणः
- the Maitrāvaruṇa priest (assistant of Hotṛ)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role Kartā (नाम-सम्बोधन/विधेय-नाम)Root मैत्रावरुण (प्रातिपदिकम्)
- वसिष्ठः
- VasiṣṭhaNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role Kartā (विधेय-नाम)Root वसिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिकम्)
- उर्वश्याः
- of UrvaśīNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root उर्वशी (प्रातिपदिकम्)
- ब्रह्मन्
- a sacred formulation; brahmanNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम् (विधेय-नाम; Vedic usage)Role Kartā (विधेय-नाम)Root ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिकम्)
- मनसः
- of the mindNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root मनस् (प्रातिपदिकम्)
- अधि
- from; uponIndeclinableउपसर्ग/उपपद-अव्ययम्; ‘upon/from’Role Apādāna/Adhikaraṇa (with √जन्)Root अधि
- जातः
- bornVerbक्त-प्रत्ययान्तः, पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; भूतकर्मणि/भूतभावे ‘born’Role Kartā (with implied ‘he’ = Vasiṣṭha/brahman)Root जन् (जनीँ) → जात (क्त)
- द्रप्सम्
- a drop; a shining dropNounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot द्रप्स (प्रातिपदिकम्)
- स्कन्नम्
- spilled; poured outAdjectiveक्त-प्रत्ययान्तः, पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम् (द्रप्सम् इति विशेषणम्)Role Karma (qualifier)Root स्कन्द् (स्कन्दँ) → स्कन्न (क्त)
- ब्रह्मणा
- by/with sacred power (brahman)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, तृतीया, एकवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिकम्)
- दैव्येन
- divineAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गः, तृतीया, एकवचनम् (ब्रह्मणा इति विशेषणम्)Role Karaṇa (qualifier)Root दैव्य (प्रातिपदिकम्)
- विश्वे
- allAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम् (देवाः इति विशेषणम्)Role Kartā (qualifier)Root विश्व (प्रातिपदिकम्)
- देवाः
- the godsNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot देव (प्रातिपदिकम्)
- पुष्करे
- in the lotus; in a pond/lakeNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, एकवचनम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot पुष्कर (प्रातिपदिकम्)
- त्वा
- youPronounद्वितीया, एकवचनम् (enclitic form)Role KarmaRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- अददन्त
- they gave; they placedVerbलङ् (इम्पर्फेक्ट्), प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Root दा (डुदाञ्) → अददन्त
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution: उतासि → उत + असि
- मैत्रावरुणो वसिष्ठो → मैत्रावरुणः + वसिष्ठः (visarga before v-)
- वसिष्ठोर्वश्या → वसिष्ठः + उर्वश्याः (ḥ + u → o; then u- retained; gen. sg. उर्वशी → उर्वश्याः)
- ब्रह्मन्मनसोऽधि → ब्रह्मन् + मनसः + अधि (अः + अ → ’; avagraha)
- द्रप्सं स्कन्नं → द्रप्सम् + स्कन्नम् (anusvāra before sibilant)
- दैव्येन विश्वे → दैव्येन + विश्वे (no change)
- पुष्करे त्वाददन्त → पुष्करे + त्वा + अददन्त (vowel coalescence not obligatory here; pada-text keeps separate)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Vasiṣṭha is called Maitrāvaruṇa; born from Urvaśī, O brahman, out of the mind. A fallen drop, by the divine Word, all the gods placed him in the lotus-pool.
Inner meaning
‘Maitrāvaruṇa’ signifies a consciousness formed by harmony (Mitra) and law-vastness (Varuṇa). Urvaśī is not merely a nymph but the wide, luminous delight that moves in the mind-plane; from mind (manas) the seer-formation arises. The ‘drop’ (drapsa) is a concentrated essence of consciousness—seed of gnosis—fallen into manifestation. By the divine Word (daivya brahman), the universal powers (Viśve Devāḥ) establish this essence in the ‘lotus-pool’ (puṣkara): the purified psychic/mind-lotus where it can expand into stable seerhood.
Universal truth
A realized capacity begins as a small concentrated essence; when upheld by truth-word and harmonized cosmic powers, it grows in the purified inner lotus into a stable spiritual function.
Themes
initiation, apsaras-inspiration, priestly-function, descent-and-incubation
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha (Vasiṣṭhas)
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha-gotra
- Other hymns
- RV 7.33, RV 7.60, RV 7.87
Family tradition
Self-identification of Vasiṣṭha’s function as Maitrāvaruṇa reflects a priestly-spiritual office: upholding harmony and law through mantra.
Significance
The verse depicts the yogic ‘installation’ of seerhood: essence (drapsa) placed in the lotus of consciousness by divine Word and supported by all powers.
The deity
- Devata
- Mitra-Varuṇa complex; Urvaśī; Viśve Devāḥ
- Epithets
- Mitra: harmonizer, friend, Varuṇa: all-encompassing law-king, Urvaśī: wide-moving (etymic sense) inspiration-delight, Viśve Devāḥ: totality of powers
- Related deities
- Sarasvatī, Bṛhaspati, Ādityas
Cosmic role
Mitra-Varuṇa shape right order; Urvaśī supplies luminous delight/inspiration; Viśve Devāḥ establish and integrate the seer-power in the cosmic working.
Inner power
Integration of delight, truth-law, and mantric formation—so a seed of gnosis becomes a stable inner function.
In ritual
Where it is used
Maitrāvaruṇa priestly association (office-name; later śrauta role)
उ॒तासि॑ मैत्रावरु॒णो व॑सिष्ठो॒र्वश्या॑ ब्रह्म॒न्मन॒सोऽधि॑ जा॒तः । द्र॒प्सं स्क॒न्नं ब्रह्म॑णा॒ दैव्ये॑न॒ विश्वे॑ दे॒वाः पुष्क॑रे त्वाददन्त ॥
उ॒त । अ॒सि॒ । मै॒त्रा॒व॒रु॒णः । व॒सि॒ष्ठ॒ । उ॒र्वश्या॑ । ब्र॒ह्म॒न् । मन॑सः । अधि॑ । जा॒तः । द्र॒प्सम् । स्क॒न्नम् । ब्रह्म॑णा । दैव्ये॑न । विश्वे॑ । दे॒वाः । पुष्क॑रे । त्वा॒ । अ॒द॒द॒न्त॒ ॥
uta | asi | maitrāvaruṇaḥ | vasiṣṭha | urvaśyā | brahman | manasaḥ | adhi | jātaḥ | drapsam | skannam | brahmaṇā | daivyena | viśve | devāḥ | puṣkare | tvā | adadanta
44
4×11
Ceremonial and ‘installing’; the cadence suits a mythic-psychological account of origin.
Evokes reverence and a sense of consecration; the mind naturally visualizes a seed being placed and nurtured.
- मैत्रावरुण (maitrāvaruṇa)
- Literal: Belonging to Mitra and Varuṇa. Symbolic: Consciousness of harmony + law; integrative truth-governance
- उर्वशी (urvaśī)
- Literal: Urvaśī (apsaras). Symbolic: Wide-moving delight/inspiration in the mind; luminous beauty of consciousness
- मनस् (manas)
- Literal: Mind. Symbolic: Mental plane as field of formation for seer-vision when illumined
- द्रप्स (drapsa)
- Literal: Drop. Symbolic: Concentrated seed of light/essence; quintessence of realization
- स्कन्न (skanna)
- Literal: Fallen, spilled. Symbolic: Descent of essence into manifestation; incarnation of a power
- ब्रह्म (brahma/brahman)
- Literal: Sacred word; priestly power. Symbolic: Mantric consciousness; formative Word that creates and establishes
- पुष्कर (puṣkara)
- Literal: Lotus-pool. Symbolic: Purified inner center (heart/mind lotus) where the essence can unfold
- विश्वे देवाः (viśve devāḥ)
- Literal: All the gods. Symbolic: Totality of cosmic powers supporting the formation of the seer
Explicitly ritual: maitrāvaruṇa designation ties to Soma liturgy; verse underwrites the legitimacy of the officiant and the divine origin of brahman (mantra).
In contexts honoring Mitra-Varuṇa and priestly functions; also in lineage recitations.
Consecratory praise and remembrance of the seer’s installation by the gods.
A mantra for ‘inner consecration’: place the ‘drop of intention’ into the heart-lotus and support it with truthful speech.
maitrāvaruṇa is a ritual title (later Śrauta office) derived from Mitra-Varuṇa. drapsa 'drop' possibly from √drap/√drabh 'drip' (Vedic); skanna from √skand 'leap, spill, flow down'. puṣkara 'lotus/pool' from puṣ- 'thrive' (semantic field of blossoming). brahman from √bṛh 'grow, expand'—word that makes the being vast.
descent of essence (skanna drapsa), Brahman as expansive word-power, All-gods as integrative totality
Mitra-Varuṇa indicate ṛta as harmony + law; seerhood is an instrument of ṛta.
The ‘divine brahman’ establishes truth in form—satya becoming effective speech and seeing.
Seed (drop) placed in waters/lotus—classic creation and manifestation symbol: essence → growth.
Mantra-śakti emphasis; proto-tantric resonance (seed in lotus) while remaining Vedic.
Lotus-pool = purified inner center; drop = concentrated gnosis-seed; apsaras = flowing inspiration within mind.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The seer as a 'drop' of divine essence placed by the gods into a lotus-pool to mature—an incubation myth of ṛṣi-origin. Inner sense: a concentrated truth-substance descends into a purified field of consciousness, where the total powers (All Gods) establish it as stable seerhood.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- brahman from √bṛh connects to PIE *bʰerǵʰ- 'rise, high, exalt' (semantic: swelling/growing). manas relates to PIE *men- 'think' (cf. Latin mens).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The devatās are formative agents: they 'place' the seer-essence into the proper vessel (puṣkara). Vasiṣṭha’s role is to embody Mitra-Varuṇa’s law in rite and life; the gods reciprocate by stabilizing his origin in divine brahman (effective word).
Consecrate the heart-lotus: feel a single ‘drop’ of pure intention/gnosis placed in still waters within.
Anāhata (heart lotus) with Manomaya support (upper mind)
Slow inhale to the heart; brief retention as ‘placing the drop’; slow exhale as ‘divine word’ stabilizing it.
Consecrated quietude; receptive stillness with subtle delight.
Chant once, then visualize a luminous pearl descending into a lotus lake in the heart; resolve to keep speech truthful and harmonious (Mitra-Varuṇa) for the day.
Use Vedic accenting; keep ‘maitrāvaruṇo’ as a single smooth unit; svarita glides should not become musical vibrato.
Let the second pāda (‘urvaśyā… manaso ’dhi jātaḥ’) be slightly softer and inward; the last pāda more ‘consecratory’ in tone.
maitrāvaruṇo: retroflex ṇ; long ā, urvaśyā: ‘śy’ cluster clear; long ā, manaso ’dhi: sandhi—do not insert extra stop; keep flow, drapsaṃ skannam: ‘ps’ crisp; double n not overdone, puṣkare: retroflex ṣ; short e
Warm, reverent, steady; minimal force.
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