Rig Veda 1.155.4: Mandala 1, Sukta 155, Mantra 4
Sukta 1.155
- Rishi
- Dīrghatamas Aucathya
- Devata
- Viṣṇu
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
तत्तदिदस्य पौंस्यं गृणीमसीनस्य त्रातुरवृकस्य मीळ्हुषः । यः पार्थिवानि त्रिभिरिद्विगामभिरुरु क्रमिष्टोरुगायाय जीवसे ॥
tat-tad id asya paṃsyaṃ gṛṇīmasi inasya trātur avṛkasya mīḷhuṣaḥ | yaḥ pārthivāni tribhir id vigāmabhir uru kramiṣṭor urugāyāya jīvase ||
وہ، یہی اس کی بہادری ہم بیان کرتے ہیں: مضبوط محافظ کی، بھیڑیے سے نہ کھائے گئے کی، سخاوت کرنے والے کی۔ جو تین قدموں سے زمینی دنیاؤں کو وسیح پیمائش کرتا ہے، وسیع زندگی کے لیے، عظیم بھجن کے لیے۔
Word by Word
- तत्
- thatPronounनपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- तत्
- thatPronounनपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- इत्
- indeed / justIndeclinableनिपातः (अव्ययम्)Root इत् (निपात)
- अस्य
- of him / of this (one)Pronounपुं/नपुंसकलिङ्गे षष्ठी एकवचनम्Role Sambandha (genitive)Root इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- पौंस्यम्
- manly power, prowessNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot पौंस्य (प्रातिपदिक; पुंस् → पौंस्य)
- गृणीमसि
- we praise / we singVerbलट् (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Root √गॄ/गृ (स्तुति-गाने)
- एनस्य
- of this one / of himPronounपुं/नपुंसकलिङ्गे षष्ठी एकवचनम्Role Sambandha (genitive)Root एतद्/एना (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक; ‘एना’ series)
- त्रातुः
- of the protectorNounपुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी एकवचनम्Role Sambandha (genitive)Root त्रातृ (प्रातिपदिक; √त्रा ‘to protect’ से कर्तृ-नाम)
- अवृकस्य
- of the unharming / unwolfish (harmless) oneAdjectiveपुं/नपुंसकलिङ्गे षष्ठी एकवचनम्Role Sambandha (genitive)Root अ-वृक (प्रातिपदिक; वृक ‘wolf’/‘harm’ से नञ्-समास)
- मीळ्हुषः
- of the bountiful giverNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी एकवचनम्Role Sambandha (genitive)Root मीळ्हु (प्रातिपदिक; √मिह्/मिह ‘to shower’ → ‘bountiful’)
- यः
- whoPronounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- पार्थिवानि
- earthly (things/realms)Adjective (substantive)नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया बहुवचनम्Role KarmaRoot पार्थिव (प्रातिपदिक; पृथिवी-सम्बन्धी)
- त्रिभिः
- with threeNumeralपुं/नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया बहुवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
- इत्
- indeedIndeclinableनिपातः (अव्ययम्)Root इत् (निपात)
- विगामभिः
- with wide strides / with far-going (steps)Noun/Adjectiveपुं/नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया बहुवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot विगाम (प्रातिपदिक; वि-गाम ‘wide-going/striding’)
- उरु
- wide, vastAdjective (indeclinable use)अव्ययीभाववत्—विशेषणरूपेण (व्याप्ति/विशालता)Root उरु (प्रातिपदिक)
- क्रमिष्टोः
- of the striderNounपुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी एकवचनम्Role Sambandha (genitive)Root क्रमिष्टृ (प्रातिपदिक; √क्रम् ‘to stride’ से कर्तृ-नाम)
- उरुगायाय
- to the far-famed (one)Adjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्गे चतुर्थी एकवचनम्Role SampradānaRoot उरुगाय (प्रातिपदिक; उरु+गाय ‘wide-sung, far-famed’)
- जीवसे
- for living, for lifeNoun (purpose infinitival dative)नपुंसकलिङ्गे चतुर्थी एकवचनम् (उद्देश्ये)Role Prayojana (dative of purpose)Root जीवस् (प्रातिपदिक; √जीव् ‘to live’ से भाव/उद्देश्य-नाम)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (Vedic): तत् तत् इत् अस्य पौंस्यम् गृणीमसि एनस्य त्रातुः अवृकस्य मीळ्हुषः । यः पार्थिवानि त्रिभिः इत् विगामभिः उरु क्रमिष्टोः उरुगायाय जीवसे ॥ Sandhi highlights: (1) तत्तदिदस्य = तत् तत् इत् अस्य (द्+इ → दि; संहितायां ‘इद्’)
- (2) गृणीमसीनस्य = गृणीमसि + एनस्य (इ + ए → ई; संहितायां दीर्घ)
- (3) त्रिभिरिद्विगामभिः = त्रिभिः इत् विगामभिः (ः + इ → रि; विसर्ग-रुत्व)
The meaning
Outer meaning
We proclaim his heroic might: of the strong protector, not wolf-like, bountiful. With three strides he has widely measured the earthly worlds for wide-going life and for the vast hymn.
Inner meaning
The seer celebrates Viṣṇu’s power as protector who is ‘un-wolfed’ (avṛka): not a devourer but a guardian of the soul’s progress—symbolically, a force that does not tear the being with desire or predation. His ‘three strides’ are graded ascents/expansions of consciousness that measure and make habitable the earthly planes—body, life, mind—so they can participate in wideness. This widening is ‘for life’ (jīvase): the true life is the wide life, not cramped by fear, ego, or ignorance; and it is ‘for the vast hymn’ (urugāyāya): the soul’s expression becomes vast when consciousness is vast.
Universal truth
True protection is not control by fear but liberation into wideness. When consciousness expands in ordered steps, even earthly life becomes a field for the Vast and can express a larger truth.
Themes
three strides, protector deity, vastness and life-expansion
The seer
- Rishi
- Dīrghatamas Aucathya
- Lineage
- Aucathya
- Other hymns
- RV 1.154.6, RV 1.155.1, RV 1.155.2, RV 1.155.3
Family tradition
A line of seers articulating the ‘widening’ (uru) as the central sign of divine action; hymns often encode inner liberation rather than mere outer conquest.
Significance
The rishi’s key note is wideness as salvation: Viṣṇu’s strides are inner expansions that make the earthly nature fit for a greater life.
The deity
- Devata
- Viṣṇu
- Epithets
- Trātu (protector), Avṛka (non-wolfed, non-devouring), Mīḻhuṣ (bountiful), Urugāya (wide-going)
- Related deities
- Indra, Agni
Cosmic role
Measures the worlds by three strides; secures terrestrial existence within a larger cosmic order; grants protection and increase.
Inner power
Expansive protection: removes fear and predation in the psyche, widens the being so life becomes a vehicle of the Vast.
In ritual
Where it is used
Praise of Viṣṇu in Soma ritual cycles; also used as a general protective and prosperity-invoking recitation.
तत्त॒दिद॑स्य॒ पौंस्यं॑ गृणीमसी॒नस्य॑ त्रा॒तुर॑वृ॒कस्य॑ मी॒ळ्हुष॑: । यः पार्थि॑वानि त्रि॒भिरिद्विगा॑मभिरु॒रु क्रमि॑ष्टोरुगा॒याय॑ जी॒वसे॑ ॥
तत्ऽत॑त् । इत् । अ॒स्य॒ । पौंस्य॑म् । गृ॒णी॒म॒सि॒ । इ॒नस्य॑ । त्रा॒तुः । अ॒वृ॒कस्य॑ । मी॒ळ्हुषः॑ । यः । पार्थि॑वानि । त्रि॒ऽभिः । इत् । विगा॑मऽभिः । उ॒रु । क्रमि॑ष्ट । उ॒रु॒ऽगा॒याय॑ जी॒वसे॑ ॥
tat-tat | it | asya | paiṃsyam | gṛṇīmasi | inasya | trātuḥ | avṛkasya | mīḷhuṣaḥ | yaḥ | pārthivāni | tri-bhiḥ | it | vigāma-bhiḥ | uru | kramiṣṭa | uru-gāyāyajīvase
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4 × ~11 syllables
Proclamatory and steady; a ‘heroic hymn’ cadence that supports affirmation.
Instills confidence and wideness; the repeated uru/ga sounds create a spacious resonance in chest and head.
- पौंस्यं (pauṃsyaṃ)
- Literal: heroic might. Symbolic: effective soul-force; capacity to act from truth
- त्रातुः (trātuḥ)
- Literal: protector. Symbolic: guardian power that preserves the ascent and right movement
- अवृकस्य (avṛkasya)
- Literal: not-wolfed, non-wolfish. Symbolic: non-predatory divine protection; force free from devouring desire/violence
- मीळ्हुषः (mīḻhuṣaḥ)
- Literal: bountiful, gracious giver. Symbolic: the divine that increases and nourishes inner riches (light, peace, joy)
- त्रिभिः (tribhiḥ)
- Literal: with three. Symbolic: threefold ascent/expansion; triple world integration
- विगामभिः (vigāmabhiḥ)
- Literal: with strides/steps (going forth). Symbolic: successive widenings of consciousness
- उरु क्रमिष्ट (uru kramiṣṭa)
- Literal: widely he strode/measured. Symbolic: made space in the being; removed constriction
- पार्थिवानि (pārthivāni)
- Literal: earthly worlds. Symbolic: embodied planes—physical, vital, mental in terrestrial formation
- जीवसे (jīvase)
- Literal: for living. Symbolic: for the true wide life of the soul in nature
- उरुगायाय (urugāyāya)
- Literal: for the wide hymn/praise. Symbolic: for vast expression/manifestation of the soul’s truth
Stotra praising Viṣṇu’s triple stride; supports the rite’s extension into ‘uru’ (wide) space and the establishment of ‘jīvas’ (life-force) in a larger order.
During stotra/śastra praising Viṣṇu’s world-measuring and protective nature; invoked for safeguarding the sacrificer’s ‘life’ and increase.
Recitation with offerings; symbolic ‘measuring’ of space (altar/ritual ground) mirrored by inner widening.
A mantra for widening life: before work, travel, or difficult conversations—chant to replace contraction with spacious protection and generosity.
√kram ‘to step, stride’ (kramiṣṭa) is central to Viṣṇu’s myth. avṛka ‘not-wolf’ (a- + vṛka ‘wolf’) is a moral-psychological epithet: untouched by devouring forces of darkness/falsehood. mīḷhuṣ ‘bountiful’ from √mīḍh ‘to be gracious, to give’.
expansion (uru) as salvation, threefold world-order, life (jīva) as widened by truth-power
Viṣṇu’s measurement is ṛta as cosmic geometry: right extension that allows harmony of worlds and movements.
The protector is ‘un-wolfed’: truth-power that does not distort into predation; satya expresses as benevolent wideness.
Worlds are made habitable by divine extension; the terrestrial is included in the vast cosmic life through measured steps.
Vedic integralism: earthly life is not rejected but widened and secured by higher consciousness (three strides).
Wolf = devouring desire/fear; earth-worlds = embodied layers; strides = progressive expansions; wideness = liberation and right life.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Viṣṇu’s triple stride measuring the earthly worlds. In the inner reading, the ‘earthly’ is the embodied field; the three strides are progressive widenings of consciousness culminating in a life that can carry the vast hymn (urugāya).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The ‘step/stride’ lexeme √kram (Indo-Iranian) functions like the IE ‘foot/step’ semantic field used for cosmic ordering; predator imagery (wolf) is a common IE poetic symbol for devouring danger, here negated (a-vṛka) to mark inviolability.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The ṛṣi’s proclamation (gṛṇīmasi) is performative: by naming Viṣṇu as protector and measurer, the hymn aligns the seeker’s life with widening truth-space; the deity’s ‘boon’ is the expansion of life into a larger order.
Practice widening: feel consciousness extend beyond body, then beyond emotions, then beyond thought—three strides—until life feels protected and generous.
anahata
heart-centered coherent breathing; on each inhale expand laterally (‘uru’), on each exhale soften predatory contraction (‘avṛka’).
Spacious courage; benevolent strength without aggression.
When fear or harshness arises, recall ‘avṛka’: refuse inner predation (self-attack or attack on others). Take three widenings: body-space, heart-space, mind-space. Then act from the widened field—this is ‘jīvase’ (true living).
Tri-svara; emphasize udātta on uru, kramiṣṭa, urugāyāya; keep the opening ‘tat-tad’ crisp and rhythmic.
Maintain a steady heroic cadence; do not over-dramatize ‘avṛkasya’—let it be calm assurance.
avṛkasya: vocalic ṛ; keep vṛ as ‘vri’ with retroflex ṛ, mīḻhuṣaḥ: retroflex ḻ (Vedic lateral) approximated carefully; keep ṣaḥ with clear aspiration/visarga per tradition, kramiṣṭa: retroflex ṣṭ cluster; crisp, urugāyāya: long ā; keep yāyā flowing
confident, open-throated, spacious resonance; end each pāda with a slight release into silence.
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