Commentary on the Rig Veda

HYMN 15

The fourth hymn, in the fourth Section, is by Medhatithi, son of Kanva. It consists of twelve Riks in gāyatri metre. This hymn is said to belong to the ṛtu, with the ṛtu for its Deity, as the gods mentioned are Indra and others along with ṛtu. Just as developments in the world, appropriate to each--from the tree to man-are seen effectuated according to divisions in time like day, night month, season, characterised by different activities and results, so also in the inner sacrifice, the special manifestations of Indra and other gods following the appropriate conditions of time, work out corresponding fruitions in the sacrificer who is bent upon total self-offering, aspiring for the plenary Home of Truth, and hence devoted to union with the many gods who are its limbs. The term ṛtu signifies the time-factor of the acts well-borne by the gods within us, a secret within the keeping of the gods, dependent upon the state of development of the sacrificer. Hence the word ṛtunā in the Mantras to be commented upon, is to be taken in the sense of according to the divine timing. The word ṛtu is being used without explanation in order not to mar the beauty of the Mantra.

This is the first Rik.

1. indra somam piba ṛtunā tvā visantvindavaḥ; matsarāsastadokasaḥ.
   indra somam piba ṛtunā ā tvā visantu inaavaḥ matsarāsaḥ tať okasaḥ.

indra O Indra; ṛtunā along with ṛtu as described; somam piba drink soma; indavaḥ the soma-juices; tvā thee; āvi’santu may they enter from all sides; of what kind are they? matsarā saḥ satisfying ; tadokasaḥ dwelling in it (they whose abode is in the belly of Indra denoted by the word tat); thus coheres the meaning of ’yaḥ kukşiḥ somapātamaḥ’ (his belly superbly drinking the soma) in Rv. 1.8.7.

Tr. Indra, drink the soma in season ; may the juices, satisfying and aboded in thee, flow to thee from all sides.

This is the second Rik.

2. marutaḥ pibata stunā potrā dyajñam punitana; yūyam hi șthā sudānavaḥ.
   marutaḥ pibata stunā potrāt yajñam punitana yāyam hi stha su’dānavaḥ.

sudānavaḥ O auspicious givers; marutaḥ O Maruts; stunā according to your proper timings; pibata drink (soma); from where? potrāt from the vessel of the purifier (potā from pu to purify, possessive form to denote this is his’, absence of lengthening is optional in Veda); yajñam this sacrifice; punitana purify, cleanse (the substitute tana, Vedic); hi because ; yāyam stha you are celebrated for purifying.

sudānavaḥ: the word dānu means giving or the giver, prepositional compound. The priest (Ritvik) by name Potr denotes in the inner sacrifice a special deity who purifies, cleanses. Indeed, all the Ritviks are said to be gods themselves. It has been said in the beginning itself regarding Agni, “the divine Ritvik of the sacrifice’. Drinking from this vessel of the Purifier, which acts as the receptacle to take soma, the Maruts also become the famous purifiers capable of making the sacrifice purified, faultless. 1.1.28] (187) [1.1.15 Thus they are su dānavaḥ, their auspiciousness in their act of conferring purification is most desirable.

Tr. Drink, O Maruts, auspicious givers, from the Purifier’s cup, in season; sanctify the sacrifice, you are well known for it.

This is the third Rik.

3. abhi yajñam grņihi no grāvo neșțaḥ piba stunā; tvam hi ratnadhā asi.
   abhi yajñam grņiși naș gnāvaḥ neşțariti piba ṛtunā tvam hi ratna’dhāḥ asi.

Ognāvaḥ he whose are the women (gnāḥ) is gnāvān, vocative is gnāvan (vaḥ by transmutation, Vedic), along with wife; O neştaḥ "neşta’ is the special deity who has become the Ritvik priest, (derived from the root nijir meaning to cleanse and nourish; if the potā purifies the sacrifice and makes it faultless, the neștā makes it clean, white and so endowed with the quality of splendour; it is said in authority here that the tvaştā, the architect of the gods, is invited as the neştā; in that case it is not wrong because embellishment in the form of bringing about pure whiteness is part of the work of tvaştā; calling the divine priest possessing this aforesaid quality, the Rishi proceeds to say; naḥ. our; yajñam sacrifice; abhigrņihi make it worthy of praise; stunā in season; piba drink the soma; hi because ; tvam thou; ratnadhāḥ asi art the bearer of ecstasies (ratnadhāḥ has been explained) therefore drink the soma which produces superb ecstasy.

Tr. O brightener, with thy spouse, make our sacrifice laudable; drink the soma in season; thou art the bearer of ecstasies.

This is the fourth Rik.

4. agne devān ihā vaha sādayā yonişu trișu; pari bhūsa piba ṛtunā.
   agne devān iha ā vaha sādaya yonișu trișu pari bhūşa piba ṛtunā.

agne O Agni; devān iha āvaha bring the gods hither; sādaya seat the invoked gods; where? trișu yonişu in the three places of libation ; paribhūșa adorn on all sides; ṛtunā in season; piba drink. This secret of the three libations or houses is to be understood.

The three principle of existence that base the triple body of matter-life-mind are stationed in the three worlds of pşthivi, Earth, antarikșa, Mid-region, dyuloka, Heaven, denoted by the three vyāhſtis. Their respective fields of special grandeur, their planes are there within man, concealed or partly manifest. In the inner sacrifice where one sets the Agni, these three abodes of the gods are made ready for the gods with Agni placed in their front to adorn as receivers of the sacrifice.

Tr. O Agni, bring the gods hither; seat them in the three places of libation and embellish all around. Drink in season.

This is the fifth Rik.

5. brāhmaṇādindra rādhasaḥ pibā somamệtūnranu; taveddhi sakhyamastṛtam.
   brāhmaṇāt indra rādhasaḥ piba somam ștūn anu tava it hi sakhyam astṛtam.

indra O Indra; brāhmaṇāt a special Ritvik (priest), God, Brahma bespeaks from Brahmana, they say; from that Brahma which is his; rādhasaḥ from the repository of wealth in the form of the soma-essence (in the external sense, from the vessel -vide comment on the term pātra, vessel) ; stūn anu following the season ; somam piba drink the soma; tava it sakhyam thy friendship alone; astſtam is unafflicted; hi used for emphasis. In the case of the sacrificer yearning for the Godhead, awake within, offering all oneself to the gods, steadily fixed on the supreme divinity, the friendship of of Indra is indeed constant.

Tr. O Indra, drink the soma in season from Brahma the fount of treasure. Thy friendship alone is unafflicted.

This is the sixth Rik.

6. yuvam dakşam dhịtavrata mitrāvaruņa dūļabham; Țtunā yajñamāśāthe.
   yuvam dakşam dhștavratā mitrāvarurā duh’dabham ṛtunā yajñam āśāthe iti.

dhṛtavrata O firm in your laws, who upbear the activities conforming to Truth; mitrāvaruņā Mitra and Varuna (in the Samhita text, the short ending in both the places is Vedic); yuvam of you both; dakşam power of discrimination (explained before); durdabham difficult to burn, that is to say impossible for others to destroy; yajñam sacrifice; ṛtuna in proper time ; āśāthe occupy (to enjoy).

dūlabham: derivative of the root daḥ with the prefix duḥ. duḥ lengthens to dūḥ in the Veda, so also the elision of r, da for da and bha for ha.

Tr. O Mitra and Varuna, who uphold the laws, your power of discrimination is unassailable. Occupy the sacrifice in season. Thus ends the twenty-eighth group in the first Chapter of the first Eighth.

This is the seventh Rik.

7. draviņodā draviņaso grāvahastāso adhvare; vajñeşu devami ļate.
   draviņaḥ dāḥ dravinasaḥ grāva’hastāsaḥ adhvare yajñeșu devam i ļate.

He who is dravinodāḥ bestower of treasure; him devam God Agni; iļate they laud in adoration (the Ritwiks); where ? adhvare in the general rite of sacrifice; yajñeșu in particular sacrifices; according to the followers of the external interpretation, the original natural sacrifice is the Agnishthoma and special forms of it are the Uktha and the like ; but in the context of the inner sacrifice, the common sacrifice is the general self-surrender by the Yajamana (sacrificer), the abandonment of his sense of self to the supreme Godhead; but special sacrifice is the particular offering of each and every part of all that is oneself to the supreme Deity through consecration to the various deities who are limbs of the Supreme Godhead. This essential difference between the common and the special sacrifices is to be noted; and these priests draviņasaḥ avid of treasure; grāvahastāsaḥ in whose hands are the mortars that are the means for the libation of the soma-juices. It is the gods themselves as priests desirous of treasure, ready for the libation of soma, that impel Agni, donor of treasure, with welcome for the sake of the sacrificer; the treasure may be of wealth or of strength; that divine substance is the treasure; it is learnt from the Mantras that God Agni himself seeks for and accomplishes this treasure for the sacrificer; therefore Agni is also the securer, not merely the donor, of the treasure. It is to be noted here that the other gods as priests become seekers of treasure for the sacrificer. The termination inan on drut and akși and so draviņa. One who gives treasure is draviņodaḥ, s in the former word is Vedic; substitution of su in the latter word is also Vedic. dravinasaḥ: form is Vedic ; those who desire the treasure for themselves are draviņasyavaḥ; the constituent meaning is those desiring the treasure.

Tr. Mortars in hand, the seekers of treasure laud adoringly in rite and in sacrifices the God, donor of treasure.

This is the eighth Rik.

8. draviņodā dadātu no vasūni yāni śļņvire; deveșu tā vanāmahe.
   dravinah’dāḥ dadātu naḥ vasūni yāni śprvire deveșu tā vanāmahe.

dravimodaḥ God Agni of this name; naḥ to us ; dadātu may he give; what ? vasūni riches; yāni śṛnvire which are renowned (Perfect tense for the Present, other things Vedic); the divine riches that are much heard of, known to the Rishis who are aware of the mysteries of the gods; tā those; deveșu among the gods who get them; vanā mahe we partake; we enjoy among the gods for the gods; we, soma-sacrificers, are not selfish, but seek for the gods; hence our enjoyment of wealth among the gods themselves.

Tr. May the donor of treasure give us the renowned riches which we shall partake among the gods.

This is the ninth Rik.

9. dravinodāh pipisati juhota pra ca tişthata; neștrādṛtubhirişyata.
   draviņaḥ’dāḥ pipisati juhota pra ca tişthata neșțrāt ļtu’bhiḥ işyata.

draviņodāḥ the God who gives the treasure; ṛtubhiḥ according to conditions of development and fullness of glory; pipisati desires to drink (Vedic) soma; from what ? neșțrāt from the bowl related to Neshtr—the priest of lustration (vide what has been said earlier); therefore juhota cast the offerings; pratişthata ca and set out towards his station ; işyata speed towards him; it is to be noted that the root is of the fourth conjugation; does not mean movement only, it is a movement full of impulsion.

juhota : imperative, second person plural is Vedic.

Tr. The giver of treasure desires to drink according to season from the bowl of the priest of lustration ; cast your offerings, set out and speed.

This is the tenth Rik.

10. yattvā turiyamṛtubhirdraviņodo yajāmahe, adha smā no dadirbhava.
    yat tvā turivam ṛtubhiḥ draviņah’daḥ yajāmahe adha sma naḥ dadiḥ bhava.

dravinodaḥ O Lord, giver of treasure; yat from whom stubhiḥ in accord with thy divine timing ; turiyam who completes the Four; tvà to thee; yajāmahe we sacrifice; adha for that reason; naḥ to us; dadiḥ the donor of treasure; bhava be; sma for metrical exigency.

dadiḥ terminates in i, like the form in Perfect tense, the first word is reduplicated and ā dropped.

Here this is to be borne in mind. The giver of treasure is first lauded thrice in respect to his three stations; now is lauded for the fourth time the giver of treasure in the fourth station in order to secure the divine treasure, the fourth (ultimate) and the highest of all, transcending the three stations denoted by the three vyāhſtis. If the word turiya is taken to qualify the act of sacrifice as we sacrifice for the fourth time’, even then the purport is the same.

Tr. O Lord, giver of treasure, as we sacrifice to thee, the ultimate, in thy seasons, be the giver to us.

This is the eleventh Rik.

11. asvinā pibatam madhu didyagni sucivratā, stunā yajñavāhasā.
    asvinā pibatam madhu didyagni iti didi’agni śucivratā ṛtunā yajña’vāhasā.

aś vinā O Ashwins; stunā according to the divine timing; madhu sweet Soma; pibatam drink; of what kind ? didyagni they whose is the blazing bowl (the root div is repeated, Vedic form); the passage in the Aitareya Brahmana, ’Ashwins, verily, the physicians of the Gods, the priest Ashwins provide the heat, establishes the churning of fire by the Ashwins; elsewhere in the Rik Samhita (10.24.4) there is the Mantra of Rishi Vimada which means the lauded Ashwins, mutually together, churned the Agni; if the purport is made according to the inner meaning, the word-sense of didyagni in the Mantra becomes delightful; the function of the Ashwins has been stated in the first Section, the term didyagni has been used only once in the Rik Samhita ; it is used elsewhere once in the Valakhilya Hymns; in both the places it qualifies the Ashwins ; sucivratā of pure action ; yajñavāhasā bringers of sacrifice.

Tr. Drink the honied Soma in season, O Ashwins of bright flame, pure-actioned, bringers of sacrifice.

This is the twelfth Rik.

12. gārhapatyena santya ṛtunā yajñanirasi, devān devayate yaja.
    gārha’ patyena santya stunā vajña’niḥ asi devān deva’yate yaja.

gārhapatyena by virtue of being the master of the house; santya be in sanana, gift (san to give, the termination ya in the sense of ’be’; other things Vedic) ; O Agni, stuna according to the divine season ; yajñani ḥ bringer of sacrifice; asi thou art; devayate for the sacrificer desiring gods; devān to the gods sacrifice.

Agni himself wields the mastery of the house for the sacrificer and becomes competent to give the gifts; therefore he alone is able to sacrifice to the gods for the sake of the sacrificer; in the term santya it may mean one who is in the gift or one who is good in the gift; if it is one who is in the gift, it is to be understood as in the gift, in the giving up of his things by the sacrificer; if it be good in the gift’, it is clear that it is Agni the giver.

Tr. As the house-master be the giver ; thou art the bringer of sacrifice in season ; sacrifice to the gods for him who desires the gods.

Thus ends the twenty-ninth group in the first Chapter of the first Eighth.