Rig Veda 4.53.7: Mandala 4, Sukta 53, Mantra 7
Sukta 4.53
- Devata
- Savitṛ
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
आगन्देव ऋतुभिर्वर्धतु क्षयं दधातु नः सविता सुप्रजामिषम् । स नः क्षपाभिरहभिश्च जिन्वतु प्रजावन्तं रयिमस्मे समिन्वतु ॥
ā́gand devá ṛtúbhir várdhatu kṣáyaṃ dádhātu naḥ savitā́ su-prajā́m íṣam | sá naḥ kṣapā́bhir áhabhiś ca jinvatu prajā́vantaṃ rayím asmè sám invatu ||
دیوتا موسموں کے ساتھ آئے اور ہمارے وجود کے گھر کو بڑھائے، ساوتر ہم میں نسل سے بھرپور پرورش کی طاقت رکھے۔ راتوں اور دنوں وہ ہمیں زندگی بخشے، وہ ہم میں ایسی دولت قائم کرے جو اولاد لاے، زندگی اور روشنی کی پوری۔
Word by Word
- आ
- towards, hither (preverb)Indeclinableउपसर्ग (preverb)Root आ (उपसर्ग) / ā (preverb)
- गन्
- let (him) comeVerbलोट् (Vedic injunctive/imperative nuance), 3rd sg (elliptic with देवः); ‘let (him) come’Root गम् (धातु)
- देवः
- the godNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- ऋतुभिः
- with the seasons / at the proper timesNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot ऋतु (प्रातिपदिक)
- वर्धतु
- let (him) increase, prosperVerbलोट्, 3rd sgRoot वृध् (धातु)
- क्षयम्
- dwelling, abodeNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot क्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
- दधातु
- let (him) place, bestowVerbलोट्, 3rd sgRoot धा (धातु)
- नः
- for us, to usPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी, बहुवचन (enclitic) — ‘of us/for us’Role SampradānaRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सविता
- Savitar (the impeller)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot सवितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- सुप्रजाम्
- having good offspringAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (agreeing with इषम्)Role KarmaRoot सु-प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक; सु + प्रजा)
- इषम्
- refreshment, nourishment, prosperityNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot इष्/इषा (प्रातिपदिक)
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- नः
- usPronounद्वितीया, बहुवचन (enclitic) — ‘us’Role KarmaRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- क्षपाभिः
- with nightsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot क्षपा (प्रातिपदिक)
- अहभिः
- with daysNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग (Vedic usage), तृतीया, बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot अहन्/अह (प्रातिपदिक)
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चयRoot च (निपात)
- जिन्वतु
- let (him) invigorateVerbलोट्, 3rd sgRoot जिव्/जिन्व् (धातु; Vedic ‘to quicken, invigorate’)
- प्रजावन्तम्
- endowed with offspringAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (agreeing with रयिम्)Role KarmaRoot प्रजावन्त् (प्रातिपदिक)
- रयिम्
- wealthNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot रयि (प्रातिपदिक)
- अस्मे
- to us, for usPronounचतुर्थी/सप्तमी, बहुवचन (Vedic enclitic) — ‘to us/among us’Role SampradānaRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सम्
- together, fully (preverb)Indeclinableउपसर्ग (preverb)Root सम् (उपसर्ग)
- इन्वतु
- let (him) further, promote, bestowVerbलोट्, 3rd sgRoot इ/इन्व् (धातु; Vedic ‘to set in motion, impel, further’)
Sandhi Notes
- संहिता-पाठ: आगन्देव ऋतुभिर्वर्धतु क्षयं दधातु नः सविता सुप्रजामिषम् । स नः क्षपाभिरहभिश्च जिन्वतु प्रजावन्तं रयिमस्मे समिन्वतु ॥ पद-विच्छेद (मुख्य): आ + गन् + देवः | ऋतुभिः + वर्धतु | क्षयम् | दधातु | नः | सविता | सुप्रजाम् + इषम् || सः | नः | क्षपाभिः | अहभिः + च | जिन्वतु | प्रजावन्तम् | रयिम् | अस्मे | सम् + इन्वतु | विशेष: ‘आगन्’ = आ + (गम्) लोट्/विधिलिङ्-प्राय Vedic injunctive/imperative प्रयोग
- ‘स नः’ में ‘सः’ का विसर्ग संहितायां लुप्त
- ‘अहभिः’ Vedic बहुवचन-तृतीया (अहन्-शब्द) रूप
- ‘समिन्वतु’ = सम् + इन्वतु (उपसर्ग-संधि)
The meaning
Outer meaning
May the god come with the seasons and increase our dwelling; may Savitṛ place in us nourishing force rich in progeny. By nights and days may he quicken us; may he set in us wealth that bears offspring.
Inner meaning
The ‘seasons’ (ṛtubhiḥ) are rhythms of inner time—cycles of growth, ripening, and harvest in sadhana. Savitṛ’s coming is the descent of timely impulsion. ‘Kṣaya’ becomes the stable inner station; ‘iṣ’ is the nourishing energy (often the right impulsion of life-force) made ‘suprajā’—fruitful in creations of consciousness (new formations of thought, character, action). Nights and days symbolize obscurity and clarity, subconscient processing and conscious activity; Savitṛ must energize both, so the whole being becomes fertile in light and effective force (rayiḥ prajāvān).
Universal truth
Spiritual growth is rhythmic and seasonal; when we cooperate with right timing, the same guiding power can transform both our bright and dark periods into fertility and increase.
Themes
Rhythmic growth, Progeny and abundance (inner fruition), Day-night integral quickening
The seer
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama (traditional for RV 4.53)
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 4.53.1-11, RV 4.54.1-6
Family tradition
A line of seers attentive to ṛta as rhythm and law; the hymn frames progress as timely descent of divine impulsion through cycles (ṛtu, night/day).
Significance
The prayer reveals a psychology of practice: growth requires both stable seat (kṣaya) and nourishing energy (iṣ), energized through alternating phases of light and obscurity.
The deity
- Devata
- Savitṛ
- Epithets
- deva (luminous), prasavītṛ (implied), time-ruler through ṛtu (implied)
- Related deities
- Uṣas (awakening), Soma (bliss/nourishment), Agni (will), Pūṣan (nourisher/guide)
Cosmic role
Regulates cycles (seasons, day/night), impels life to growth, and grants increase and fertility.
Inner power
Timely impulsion that makes the vital energy fruitful and harmonizes conscious and subconscious processes.
In ritual
Where it is used
Seasonal and daily Savitṛ invocations; suitable around transitions (dawn/evening) and for prayers of increase (puṣṭi).
आग॑न्दे॒व ऋ॒तुभि॒र्वर्ध॑तु॒ क्षयं॒ दधा॑तु नः सवि॒ता सु॑प्र॒जामिष॑म् । स न॑: क्ष॒पाभि॒रह॑भिश्च जिन्वतु प्र॒जाव॑न्तं र॒यिम॒स्मे समि॑न्वतु ॥
आ । अ॒ग॒न् । दे॒वः । ऋ॒तुऽभिः॑ । वर्ध॑तु । क्षय॑म् । दधा॑तु । नः॒ । स॒वि॒ता । सु॒ऽप्र॒जाम् । इष॑म् । सः । नः॒ । क्ष॒पाभिः॑ । अह॑ऽभिः । च॒ । जि॒न्व॒तु॒ । प्र॒जाऽव॑न्तम् । र॒यिम् । अ॒स्मे इति॑ । सम् । इ॒न्व॒तु॒ ॥
ā | agan | devaḥ | ṛtu-bhiḥ | vardhatu | kṣayam | dadhātu | naḥ | savitā | su-prajām | iṣam | saḥ | naḥ | kṣapābhiḥ | aha-bhiḥ | ca | jinvatu | prajāvantam | rayim | asme iti | sam | invatu
44
4×11 (approx.)
Processional rhythm suited to cycles (ṛtu, night/day) and repeated energizing verbs (vardhatu, dadhātu, jinvatu, invatu).
Creates a feeling of steady increase and enlivenment; supports perseverance through alternating inner states.
- ऋतुभिः (ṛtubhiḥ)
- Literal: with the seasons. Symbolic: with right times/cycles; lawful rhythms of growth in consciousness
- क्षयम् (kṣayam)
- Literal: dwelling. Symbolic: stable inner poise/seat of being
- इषम् (iṣam)
- Literal: nourishment, refreshment. Symbolic: right life-energy; impulsion that feeds the sacrifice
- सुप्रजाम् (suprajām)
- Literal: rich in good progeny. Symbolic: fertile in right creations—new luminous formations in mind and life
- क्षपाभिः (kṣapābhiḥ)
- Literal: by nights. Symbolic: periods of obscurity, subconscient work, inner assimilation
- अहभिः (ahabhiḥ)
- Literal: by days. Symbolic: periods of clarity, conscious action and growth
- जिन्वतु (jinvatu)
- Literal: may he quicken, energize. Symbolic: infuse prāṇa with divine impulsion; awaken dormant powers
- रयिम् (rayim)
- Literal: wealth. Symbolic: abundance of force, light, capacities; inner riches
- प्रजावन्तम् (prajāvantam)
- Literal: bearing offspring. Symbolic: productive power—results that multiply in consciousness
Prosperity and continuity prayer aligned to ṛtu (right seasons/times); suitable for rites seeking growth, increase, and protection across day/night cycles.
At seasonal rites and at dawn/evening as a prayer for growth, fertility, and well-being.
Recitation accompanying offerings requesting nourishment (iṣ), increase (vardhana), and protection across day/night.
Use as a ‘rhythm mantra’ when building habits: chant morning and evening to sanctify cycles of work/rest and to invite fruitful energy.
ṛtú: 'season/right time' from ṛta-field (right order), marking rhythmic law. íṣ-: 'refreshment, nourishment, impulse' (inner energy of growth). jinv-: √jīv/jinv 'quicken, enliven'. rayí: wealth/plenitude; from √rā 'give' (rayi as that which is bestowed; psychologized as abundance of being). invati: from √in 'impel/drive'.
ṛta as rhythmic right timing, kṣaya as stable being, rayi as plenitude, prajā as fruitful manifestation
Growth happens ‘with the ṛtus’—when action accords with the cosmic rhythm.
‘Suprajā’ indicates right, harmonious fruitfulness rather than chaotic proliferation.
Creation as cyclic increase—impulsion repeated through time produces stable abundance.
Vedic integral psychology: conscious/subconscious (day/night) both must be illumined and energized.
Both night and day explicitly
All seasons (ṛtu-cycle)
Seasons = stages of sadhana; night = assimilation in the subconscient; day = conscious progress; nourishment = prāṇic-sattvic force that feeds inner sacrifice.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The 'seasonal coming and increase' mythologem: Savitṛ arrives with ṛtus (right seasons), increases the dwelling of being, and establishes a fruitful wealth—integrating nights and days into a continuous quickening.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- rayí (wealth) relates to √rā 'give' within an IE gift/boon economy encoded in hymns. The day/night pairing (áhar/kṣapā) is an archaic IE poetic dyad marking totality. √jīv/jinv 'live/quicken' resonates with IE life-force vocabulary.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The R̥ṣi requests an all-time (day-night) and all-season (ṛtu) governance: Savitṛ is asked to shape not only moments of illumination but the entire rhythm of life into fruitful, protected abundance.
Attune to inner timing: ask for the right impulse in the right season of practice; cultivate fertile energy that produces luminous thoughts and stable habits.
Svādhiṣṭhāna (creative fertility) refined upward to Maṇipūra (effective force)
Morning: energizing 3 rounds of bhastrikā-light (gentle), then quiet breathing; Evening: lengthened exhale to integrate ‘night assimilation’.
Rhythmic steadiness; enlivened yet regulated prāṇa.
Journal your ‘seasons’ (growth, plateau, purification, harvest). Chant to accept each phase and to invite Savitṛ’s quickening in both clarity and obscurity.
Follow Vedic accents; keep clear separation of verbs: vardhatu / dadhātu / jinvatu / invatu to mark stages of increase.
Sustain a gentle lift on ‘āgan deva’ (invitation), broaden on ‘ṛtubhiḥ’, soften on ‘kṣapābhiḥ’ (night), brighten on ‘ahabhiḥ’ (day).
ṛtubhiḥ: syllabic ‘ṛ’ and aspirated ‘bh’., suprajām: keep ‘jā’ long; do not reduce to ‘ja’., kṣapābhiḥ: clear conjunct ‘kṣ’., sam invatu: keep nasal ‘ṃ’ in ‘sam’ before ‘i’ as light assimilation.
Nourishing and rhythmic, like steady breath; avoid haste—let it feel ‘seasonal’.
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