Rig Veda 1.13.10: Mandala 1, Sukta 13, Mantra 10
Sukta 1.13
- Rishi
- Kaṇva
- Devata
- Tvaṣṭṛ
- Chandas
- Anuṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
इह त्वष्टारमग्रियं विश्वरूपमुप ह्वये । अस्माकमस्तु केवलः ॥
ihá tváṣṭāram agriyáṃ viśvárūpam úpa hvaye | asmā́kam astu kévalaḥ ||
یہاں میں تشتر کو، سب سے پہلے صورت گر، تمام شکلوں والے کو بلاتا ہوں، کاش وہ پوری طرح ہمارا ہو جائے تاکہ ہم میں صورت گر طاقت ہمیں دیوی ارادے کے مطابق بنائے۔
Word by Word
- इह
- hereIndeclinableदेशवाचक-अव्यय (locative sense: ‘here’)Role अधिकारणRoot इह (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
- त्वष्टारम्
- Tvaṣṭar (the divine artisan)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot त्वष्टृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- अग्रियम्
- foremost, pre-eminentAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (त्वष्टारम् इति विशेषणम्)Role कर्मRoot अग्रिय (प्रातिपदिक; अ-ग्रिय)
- विश्व-रूपम्
- of all forms; multiformAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (त्वष्टारम् इति विशेषणम्)Role कर्मRoot विश्वरूप (प्रातिपदिक; विश्व + रूप)
- उप
- unto, nearIndeclinableउपसर्गः (ह्वये इत्यनेन सह: ‘near/unto’)Root उप (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- ह्वये
- I invoke, I callVerbलट् (वर्तमान), उत्तम-पुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपदRole क्रिया (कर्तृ-सम्बन्धः: अहम्)Root √ह्वा (आह्वाने)
- अस्माकम्
- of us, ourPronounषष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अस्तु
- let (him) beVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ/आशीर्लिङ्-प्राय), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot √अस् (भुवि)
- केवलः
- exclusive, only (for us)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (अस्तु इत्यस्य कर्तृ/विषयः: सः = त्वष्टा)Role कर्ता (वाक्य-विषयः)Root केवल (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: इह | त्वष्टारम् | अग्रियम् | विश्वरूपम् | उप | ह्वये | अस्माकम् | अस्तु | केवलः । 1) विश्वरूपम् + उप → विश्वरूपमुप (अन्त्य ‘म्’ + आरम्भ ‘उ’ संधिः; लेखने ‘मुप’). 2) अन्यत्र विशेष-सन्धि-परिवर्तनं न
- ‘त्वष्टारम्’ इत्यत्र दीर्घ-आकारः प्रातिपदिक ‘त्वष्टृ’ (ऋ-प्रातिपदिक) का द्वितीया एकवचन रूपः।
The meaning
Outer meaning
A call to Tvaṣṭṛ, the foremost artisan of the gods, of all forms, to come near; may he be exclusively ours.
Inner meaning
Tvaṣṭṛ is the formative intelligence-power that shapes substance into a divine figure. The seeker calls this power ‘near’ (upa hvaye) so the inner nature—mind, life, body—can be re-formed according to the higher intention, not according to habit. “Wholly ours” indicates sustained possession by the divine shaper rather than intermittent inspiration.
Universal truth
Transformation requires a conscious formative power that can reshape our mixed nature into a coherent pattern of truth; aspiration must invite that power to work intimately and continuously.
Themes
Invocation, Divine artisan, Formation of the inner being, Soma-ritual support
The seer
- Rishi
- Kaṇva
- Lineage
- Kaṇva (Kaṇva-gotra)
- Other hymns
- RV 1.13.1–12 (sequence), RV 1.14.1ff (Agni leading the gods)
Family tradition
Kaṇva hymns often move stepwise: establish supporting powers, then invoke specialized functions (formation, transmission, illumination).
Significance
Kaṇva here signals the necessity of right ‘design’ in yoga: not only calling light and bliss, but reshaping the instruments so they can hold them.
The deity
- Devata
- Tvaṣṭṛ
- Epithets
- agriya, viśvarūpa
- Related deities
- Viśvakarman (later artisan archetype), Prajāpati (creative ordering), Agni (who carries the formed offering)
Cosmic role
Cosmic artisan: fashions forms, bodies, and functional harmonies; aligns manifestation with the archetype.
Inner power
The shakti of formation—organizing mind-life-body into a harmonious instrument for the divine will.
In ritual
Where it is used
Invitation to Tvaṣṭṛ in yajña sequences; associated with craftsmanship of rite and the ‘forming’ of offerings/vessels
इ॒ह त्वष्टा॑रमग्रि॒यं वि॒श्वरू॑प॒मुप॑ ह्वये । अ॒स्माक॑मस्तु॒ केव॑लः ॥
इ॒ह । त्वष्टा॑रम् । अ॒ग्रि॒यम् । वि॒श्वऽरू॑पम् । उप॑ । ह्व॒ये॒ । अ॒स्माक॑म् । अ॒स्तु॒ । केव॑लः ॥
iha | tvaṣṭāram | agriyam | viśva-rūpam | upa | hvaye | asmākam | astu | kevalaḥ
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4 × 8 (compact petition form)
Directive and focused; a ‘call’ rhythm with a concluding resolve.
Concentrates will and intention; helpful for invoking formative clarity and self-organization.
- त्वष्टा (tvaṣṭā)
- Literal: the shaper/artisan. Symbolic: Formative divine intelligence that crafts the being toward its true type
- अग्रियम् (agriyam)
- Literal: foremost, pre-eminent. Symbolic: The leading power of formation—prior to outer action, it sets the inner design
- विश्वरूपम् (viśva-rūpam)
- Literal: of all forms. Symbolic: Capable of shaping every plane: thought, emotion, vitality, body, circumstance
- उप ह्वये (upa hvaye)
- Literal: I call near. Symbolic: Bringing the power into intimate working proximity in consciousness
- केवलः (kevalaḥ)
- Literal: exclusive, entire, alone. Symbolic: Undivided surrender: let the divine formation occupy the field without rival formations
Invocation of the divine artisan within the soma-yajña sequence, supporting right formation of the offering and the sacrificer’s inner ‘body’ of practice.
During invocations of specific deities assisting the sacrifice (before/around offering actions)
Āvāhana (invitation) of Tvaṣṭṛ; mentally ‘forming’ the offering/altar-space
Use before planning/creative work or self-discipline: invoke the inner shaper to align habits, speech, and daily rhythms to a higher pattern.
tvaṣṭāram: from the agent noun Tvaṣṭṛ, related to √tvakṣ/√takṣ ‘to fashion, carpent’ (cf. takṣan ‘carpenter’), indicating shaping/formation. hvaye: 1sg from √hū ‘call, invoke’. viśvarūpam: viśva ‘all’ + rūpa ‘form’ (rūpa < √rūp ‘to form/appear’), emphasizing universal form-capacity. kevalaḥ ‘whole, exclusive’ conveys undivided alignment—psychologically, the formative power not dispersed by contrary impulses.
ṛta as right form and right measure, viśvarūpa: universality of manifestation, śakti of formation in the embodied being
Tvaṣṭṛ manifests ṛta as design—right arrangement of parts into an effective whole.
True form is an expression of satya; distortion is mis-formation by desire and inertia.
Creation as craftsmanship: the One becomes many forms without losing the governing intelligence.
Integral-psychological Vedism: deity as power of conscious formation acting in the adhāra.
The ‘workshop’ is the inner nature; Tvaṣṭṛ is the organizing intelligence that re-patterns impulses into a divine habitus.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘cosmic artisan’ mythologem: Tvaṣṭṛ as the shaper of forms is invoked to actively fashion the rite and the human vessel. The request ‘may he be wholly ours’ encodes the need for undivided formative guidance—so the being is shaped in accordance with ṛta rather than by mixed, discordant impulses.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The crafting semantics align with PIE artisan motifs (cf. Greek téktōn ‘builder’ from *tek̂s- ‘to weave/build’), paralleling Indo-Aryan √takṣ/√tvakṣ ‘to fashion’. √as ‘to be’ (astu) continues PIE *h₁es- (Lat. est, Eng. is).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi seeks not a product but the power itself: calling Tvaṣṭṛ ‘near’ (upa) indicates intimacy of operation. ‘Kevalaḥ’ expresses a covenant of full support—divine formation answering human aspiration—so the inner nature becomes a fit instrument for truth-conscious action.
Offer the raw nature to the ‘inner artisan’ and ask for re-formation into a truthful pattern.
Maṇipūra (organization of will) supported by Ājñā (design/vision).
Inhale 4, exhale 6 for 12 rounds; on exhale feel ‘releasing old form’; then chant once with steady mind.
Collected intention (saṅkalpa) with plasticity—readiness to be reshaped.
After chanting, visualize a luminous blueprint descending; let one concrete habit today be ‘re-crafted’ (speech, food, attention).
Observe udātta on marked syllables (त्वष्टा॑रम्, विश्वरू॑पम्, केव॑लः); keep the fall after udātta natural (svarita).
Give ‘viśva-rūpam’ a clear lift on rū; end ‘kevalaḥ’ with a clean visarga.
tvaṣṭāram: pronounce ṣṭ cluster distinctly (ṣ + ṭ), agriyam: short ‘a’ at start, roll ‘gr’ lightly, viśvarūpam: keep ‘ū’ long, kevalaḥ: ‘va’ soft, final ḥ audible but light
Firm, well-supported, slightly brighter tone (invoking formative power).
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