Rig Veda 4.13.2: Mandala 4, Sukta 13, Mantra 2
Sukta 4.13
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Devata
- Savitṛ
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
ऊर्ध्वं भानुं सविता देवो अश्रेद्द्रप्सं दविध्वद्गविषो न सत्वा । अनु व्रतं वरुणो यन्ति मित्रो यत्सूर्यं दिव्यारोहयन्ति ॥
ūrdhvám bhānúṃ savitā́ devó aśret drapsáṃ davídhvad gaviṣó ná satvā́ | ánu vratáṃ váruṇo yanti mítró yát sū́ryaṃ divy ā́rohayanti ||
Si Savitri ay nagtaas ng paitaas na sinag, ang diyos, na pinapaandar ang kumikinang na patak na parang isang masiglang humahanap ng Liwanag. Sina Varuna at Mitra ay gumagalaw ayon sa Kautusan, kapag pinapaakyat nila ang Araw sa langit.
Word by Word
- ऊर्ध्वम्
- upwards, aloftAdjective (used adverbially)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (क्रियाविशेषणवत्)Role Adhikaraṇa (दिशा/गतिविशेषः)Root ऊर्ध्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- भानुम्
- beam, radianceNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot भानु (प्रातिपदिक)
- सविता
- Savitṛ (the impeller, Sun-god)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole KartāRoot सवितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- देवः
- the godNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole Kartā (सविता-देवः समनाधिकरणम्)Root देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- अश्रेत्
- set/placed, propped, establishedVerbलुङ् (अोरिस्ट), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole KriyāRoot श्रि (धातु) / श्रय् (वेद.)
- द्रप्सम्
- drop; shining drop (ray/bright speck)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot द्रप्स (प्रातिपदिक)
- दविध्वत्
- he drove/impelled; made to move swiftlyVerb (participle-like finite form in Vedic usage)लट्/इञ्ज्-प्रयोगवत् वेदिकरूपम्, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (अश्रेत् इत्यस्य सहक्रिया)Role Kriyā (अनुक्रिया/सहक्रिया)Root दविध्व (धातु-भावः; वेद. तीव्र-गमन/कम्पनार्थक)
- गविषः
- the seeker of cows (cattle-winner)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (वेद. -इष्-प्रातिपदिक; रूपं गविषः)Role Kartā (उपमानपद-सम्बन्धः)Root गविष् (प्रातिपदिक)
- न
- like, asIndeclinableउपमानार्थक निपातRoot न
- सत्वा
- a strong one, vigorous beingNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole Kartā (उपमेयः/उपमानस्य विशेषणम्)Root सत्त्वन्/सत्वन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- अनु
- after, along, in accordance withIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्यय (अनुगमनार्थक)Root अनु
- व्रतम्
- ordinance, fixed lawNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचनRole Karma (अनु + यन्ति इत्यत्र)Root व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
- वरुणः
- VaruṇaNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole KartāRoot वरुण (प्रातिपदिक)
- यन्ति
- they go, they proceedVerbलट्, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole KriyāRoot या (धातु)
- मित्रः
- MitraNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole Kartā (वरुणः ... मित्रः—समुच्चितकर्तृ)Root मित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- यत्
- which, that (which)Relative pronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (यत् = यद्)Role Karma (आरोहयन्ति इत्यत्र)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सूर्यम्
- the SunNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचनRole Karma (आरोहयन्ति इत्यत्र)Root सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- दिव्या
- with divine (power/means)Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचन (करणे)Role KaraṇaRoot दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- आरोहयन्ति
- they cause to mount/ascend; they raiseVerbलट्, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; णिच्-प्रयोगः (causative)Role KriyāRoot रुह् (धातु) + आ (उपसर्ग) + णिच्
Sandhi Notes
- संहिता-पाठः: अ॑श्रेद्द्र॒प्सं = अश्रेत् + द्रप्सम् (त् + द् → द्द्)
- दवि॑ध्वद्गवि॒षो = दविध्वत् + गविषः (त् + ग् → द्ग्)
- यत्सूर्यं॑ = यत् + सूर्यम् (त् + स् → त्स्)
- दिव्या॑रो॒हय॑न्ति = दिव्या + आरोहयन्ति (आ + आ → आ; पदसीमा-लोपः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Savitṛ has lifted the upward beam and set the shining drop in motion like a strong seeker of cows (light). Varuṇa and Mitra move according to their Law when they cause the Sun to mount in heaven.
Inner meaning
Savitṛ, the impeller, raises the ascending ray of consciousness and releases a concentrated luminous essence (drapsa) into dynamic movement—an inner ‘seed of light’ that becomes an active seeker of illumination (go-iṣaḥ). Varuṇa and Mitra, powers of vastness and harmony, uphold the vrata (law of right working) by establishing the Sun of truth in the higher mind (divi).
Universal truth
True illumination is not accidental: an inner impulsion lifts the ray, releases the essence of light, and the guardians of law and harmony establish clarity when we consent to right order.
Themes
solar-raising, cosmic-law, impulsion, order-and-harmony
The seer
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 4.13.1, RV 4.13.3
Family tradition
Gautama-Vāmadeva hymns frequently coordinate Savitṛ’s impulsion with Varuṇa-Mitra’s law to show that illumination must be both dynamic and rightly ordered.
Significance
The seer presents a precise inner mechanics: impulsion (Savitṛ) + essence released (drapsa) + law/harmony (Varuṇa-Mitra) → establishment of solar truth.
The deity
- Devata
- Savitṛ (with Varuṇa-Mitra)
- Epithets
- देवः (devaḥ) the shining one, उत्प्रेरक (implicit) impeller
- Related deities
- Sūrya, Uṣas, Agni
Cosmic role
Savitṛ impels all movements and awakens beings; Varuṇa preserves cosmic law and purity; Mitra sustains harmony and right relations; together they raise the Sun in heaven.
Inner power
Savitṛ: awakening push toward growth; Varuṇa: widening and cleansing; Mitra: integration and benevolent alignment—resulting in stable illumination.
In ritual
Where it is used
Savitṛ invocations in morning rites; Varuṇa-Mitra recitations for ṛta and purity within śrauta settings.
ऊ॒र्ध्वं भा॒नुं स॑वि॒ता दे॒वो अ॑श्रेद्द्र॒प्सं दवि॑ध्वद्गवि॒षो न सत्वा॑ । अनु॑ व्र॒तं वरु॑णो यन्ति मि॒त्रो यत्सूर्यं॑ दि॒व्या॑रो॒हय॑न्ति ॥
ऊ॒र्ध्वम् । भा॒नुम् । स॒वि॒ता । दे॒वः । अ॒श्रे॒त् । द्र॒प्सम् । दवि॑ध्वत् । गो॒ऽइ॒षः । न । सत्वा॑ । अनु॑ । व्र॒तम् । वरु॑णः । य॒न्ति॒ । मि॒त्रः । यत् । सूर्य॑म् । दि॒वि । आ॒ऽरो॒हय॑न्ति ॥
ūrdhvam | bhānum | savitā | devaḥ | aśret | drapsam | davidhvat | go--iṣaḥ | na | satvā | anu | vratam | varuṇaḥ | yanti | mitraḥ | yat | sūryam | divi | ārohayanti
44
4 × ~11
Strong upward surge in first half; stately, law-like steadiness in the Varuṇa-Mitra portion.
Energizes aspiration (ūrdhvam) while simultaneously imposing calm order (anu vratam).
- सविता (savitā)
- Literal: Savitṛ, the impeller. Symbolic: divine impulsion that sets consciousness in right motion
- ऊर्ध्वं भानुम् (ūrdhvaṃ bhānum)
- Literal: upward beam. Symbolic: ascending ray of aspiration and illumined perception
- द्रप्सम् (drapsam)
- Literal: shining drop. Symbolic: condensed delight-light (essence of consciousness) released into action
- गविषः (gaviṣaḥ) / गोइषः
- Literal: seeker of cows. Symbolic: seeker of rays/knowledges; quest for illumination
- व्रतम् (vratam)
- Literal: law, vow, fixed working. Symbolic: right principle of inner discipline and cosmic order
- वरुणः (varuṇaḥ)
- Literal: Varuṇa. Symbolic: vastness, purity, and law that releases from falsehood
- मित्रः (mitraḥ)
- Literal: Mitra. Symbolic: harmony, right relation, luminous concord
- सूर्यं दिवि आरोहयन्ति (sūryaṃ divi ārohayanti)
- Literal: they cause the Sun to mount in heaven. Symbolic: they establish truth-vision in the higher consciousness
Morning solar activation; supports Savitṛ-pravartana themes used in dawn/impulsion contexts (including Sāvitrī-related recitation atmospheres, though not identical text).
Morning worship; before disciplined undertakings; purification and truth-alignment contexts.
Offerings to Savitṛ with recitation; mental ‘vow’/alignment to vrata; salutations to Sun.
Use before study, decision-making, or meditation: invoke upward beam, then consciously align to a chosen inner law (truthfulness, steadiness) so illumination can ‘mount’.
Savitṛ from √sū/√su ‘impel, vivify’ (semantic: setting forth). vrata is ‘willed law’ (from √vṛ ‘choose/will’ in some analyses; in Vedic usage: ordinance, fixed working). Varuṇa (from √vṛ ‘cover/encompass’) is the vast enclosing order; Mitra is alliance/harmony (cf. Iranian Mithra). ā-roh ‘mount’ from √ruh ‘rise’ (PIE *h₁rewh₁- ‘to rise’).
vrata (law/ordinance of ṛta), cosmic order (Varuṇa), harmony/contract (Mitra)
Varuṇa-Mitra ‘move according to vrata’—illumination is a function of ṛta, not merely intensity.
The Sun’s mounting in heaven is Satya becoming established in the higher mind.
Impulse → manifestation: Savitṛ releases the luminous essence that becomes the active principle of new creation in consciousness.
Bridges karmayoga (right action under law) and jñāna (illumination): action must conform to ṛta for knowledge to stabilize.
early morning
Upward beam = rising awareness; shining drop = concentrated inner delight/insight; heaven = higher mind plane; Sun mounting = stable clarity.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The raising of the Sun by the upholders of cosmic law: Savitṛ impels the beam; Varuṇa-Mitra, moving by vrata, ‘mount’ the Sun in heaven—mythic expression of ṛta establishing daily illumination.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- Mitra is a clear Indo-Iranian cognate pair (Skt Mitra ~ Av Mithra). √ruh ‘rise’ is IE-inherited. The solar ascent theme is a shared IE poetic structure, with local Vedic development into vrata/ṛta jurisprudence.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi contemplates not a personal boon first but the cosmic mechanics of right order: by aligning with Savitṛ’s impulsion and Varuṇa-Mitra’s vrata, the human consciousness participates in the daily enthronement of truth-light (Sūrya).
Vertical ascent (ūrdhva bhānu) and establishment of inner law (vrata) so that solar clarity can stabilize.
Ajna (beam of perception) with support from Sahasrara (heavenly mounting)
Inhale imagining a golden beam rising up the spine; brief hold as ‘drapsa’ condenses in brow; exhale letting it spread as clear daylight.
From scattered drive to rightly ordered dynamism; clarity anchored by ethical harmony.
Choose one vrata for the day (truthful speech, non-reactivity). Chant, then sit in stillness and feel Savitṛ’s impulsion lifting attention; end by offering your action-stream to Varuṇa-Mitra’s harmony.
Mark the rise on ‘ūrdhvam’ and ‘bhānum’; keep ‘anu vratam’ steady and level; let ‘ārohayanti’ flow with a gentle upward contour.
Contrast dynamics: energetic articulation in first pāda (impulsion), calmer measured tone in Varuṇa-Mitra pādas (law).
(ūrdhvam): clear long ū; cluster ‘rdhv’ carefully, (bhānum): aspirated ‘bh’, (drapsam): crisp ‘ps’ cluster, (varuṇo): retroflex ‘ṇ’, (mitro): short ‘i’, light ‘tr’
Uplifting but controlled; bright head-tone with grounded steadiness.
9
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Rig Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
