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Rigveda · Maṇḍala 1

Rigveda Maṇḍala 1, Sūkta 22: The Morning Awakening and the Three Strides of Viṣṇu

📜 21 Verses

Act 1

Act I: Awakening the Divine Horsemen at Dawn

Verses 1, 2, 3, 4

Verse 1

प्रा॒त॒र्युजा॒ वि बो॑धया॒श्विना॒वेह ग॑च्छतां । अ॒स्य सोम॑स्य पी॒तये॑ ॥

prātaryújā ví bodhayāśvínāvéhá gacchatām ǀ asyá sómasya pītáye ǁ

Verse 2

या सु॒रथा॑ र॒थीत॑मो॒भा दे॒वा दि॑वि॒स्पृशा॑ । अ॒श्विना॒ ता ह॑वामहे ॥

yā́ suráthā rathī́tamobhā́ devā́ divispṛ́śā ǀ aśvínā tā́ havāmahe ǁ

Verse 3

या वां॒ कशा॒ मधु॑म॒त्यश्वि॑ना सू॒नृता॑वती । तया॑ य॒ज्ञं मि॑मिक्षतं ॥

yā́ vām káśā mádhumatyáśvinā sūnṛ́tāvatī ǀ táyā yajñám mimikṣatam ǁ

Verse 4

न॒हि वा॒मस्ति॑ दूर॒के यत्रा॒ रथे॑न॒ गच्छ॑थः । अश्वि॑ना सो॒मिनो॑ गृ॒हं ॥

nahí vāmásti dūraké yátrā ráthena gácchathaḥ ǀ áśvinā somíno gṛhám ǁ

📖 Immersive narrative, word breakdowns, and spiritual context

As the first golden rays of dawn pierce the horizon, the Ṛṣi calls upon the Aśvins, the divine horsemen who bridge the dark of night and the light of day. These twin physicians of the cosmos are invoked to hasten to the sacrifice, yoked to their swift chariot that touches the very dome of heaven. They carry a honeyed whip, a symbol of sweet refreshment and joyful utterance, bridging the human hearth with the boundless sky. The Ṛṣi reminds us that no dwelling of a devotee who offers the soma is truly distant for these swift movers. They are summoned not merely out of ritual obligation, but because their approach brings an immediate infusion of vitality, healing, and dynamic grace into the seeker's conscious awareness.

💭 Flowing Translation

Verse 1: Awaken the Aśvins at early dawn, yoked to their chariot, that they may come hither to drink of this Soma.

Verse 2: We invoke those two gods who possess fine chariots and supreme skill in driving, who touch the heaven with their presence.

Verse 3: O Aśvins, whatever honey-sweet and truthful whip belongs to you, sprinkle our sacrifice with it.

Verse 4: Nothing of yours is far away, O Aśvins, when with your chariot you come to the house of the Soma-presser.

📝 Scholar's Reading Note

Sāyaṇa interprets the Aśvins literally as morning deities of twilight and physicians of the gods. Sri Aurobindo views them psychologically as the twin powers of divine enjoyment and swift effective action overcoming the night of ignorance.

📚 Word-by-Word Breakdown

Verse 1

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
प्रातर्युजा	prātaryujā	yoked at dawn
अश्विना	aśvinā	the two horsemen, the Aśvins
सोमस्य	somasya	of the pressed juice, Soma

Verse 2

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
सुरथा	surathā	possessing good chariots
दिविस्पृशा	divispṛśā	touching heaven
हवामहे	havāmahe	we invoke

Verse 3

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
कशा	kaśā	whip, lash
मधुमती	madhumatī	honey-sweet, full of sweetness
सूनृतावती	sūnṛtāvatī	full of joyful or truthful utterance

Verse 4

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
दूरके	dūrake	at a distance
रथेन	rathena	with the chariot
सोमिनः	sominaḥ	of the presser of Soma

🧠

Memory Hook

Picture twin riders dashing across the morning sky in a chariot of light, whipping up a sweet mist of honey right over your morning meditation cushion.

Act 2

Act II: Invoking Savitṛ, the Golden-Handed Impeller

Verses 5, 6, 7, 8

Verse 5

हिर॑ण्यपाणिमू॒तये॑ सवि॒तार॒मुप॑ ह्वये । स चेत्ता॑ दे॒वता॑ प॒दं ॥

híraṇyapāṇimūtáye savitā́ramúpa hvaye ǀ sá céttā devátā padám ǁ

Verse 6

अ॒पां नपा॑त॒मव॑से सवि॒तार॒मुप॑ स्तुहि । तस्य॑ व्र॒तान्यु॑श्मसि ॥

apā́m nápātamávase savitā́ramúpa stuhi ǀ tásya vratā́nyuśmasi ǁ

Verse 7

वि॒भ॒क्तारं॑ हवामहे॒ वसो॑श्चि॒त्रस्य॒ राध॑सः । स॒वि॒तारं॑ नृ॒चक्ष॑सं ॥

vibhaktā́ram havāmahe vásościtrásya rā́dhasaḥ ǀ savitā́ram nṛcákṣasam ǁ

Verse 8

सखा॑य॒ आ नि षी॑दत सवि॒ता स्तोम्यो॒ नु नः॑ । दाता॒ राधां॑सि शुंभति ॥

sákhāya ā́ ní ṣīdata savitā́ stómyo nú naḥ ǀ dā́tā rā́dhāṃsi śumbhati ǁ

📖 Immersive narrative, word breakdowns, and spiritual context

The focus now shifts from the dynamic dawn twins to Savitṛ, the divine Impeller of all life, distinguished by his radiant golden hands. The Ṛṣi calls upon him for protection and sustenance, acknowledging him as the cosmic knower of every divine state and station. Savitṛ is also addressed as the 'Grandson of Waters' (Apāṁ Napāt), pointing to the hidden, life-giving streams of consciousness welling up from the depths of being. Friends and companions are invited to sit down together as Savitṛ reveals himself as a bountiful distributor of wondrous treasures. He is worthy of all praise because his giving is not a mechanical transaction, but a glorification of the seeker's inner worth and receptivity.

💭 Flowing Translation

Verse 5: I invoke Savitṛ, the golden-handed, for my protection; he is the deity who knows every domain.

Verse 6: Praise Savitṛ, the grandson of waters, for your protection; we desire to walk in his sacred laws.

Verse 7: We invoke the distributor of wondrous riches, Savitṛ, who beholds all men with discerning eyes.

Verse 8: Sit down, friends! Savitṛ is truly worthy of our praise; as the giver, he adorns us with magnificent bounties.

📝 Scholar's Reading Note

Sāyaṇa identifies Savitṛ primarily with the solar orb and its vivifying power. Modern commentators see him as the divine power of impulse, stimulation, and the birth of truth within the human intellect.

📚 Word-by-Word Breakdown

Verse 5

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
हिरण्यपाणिम्	hiraṇyapāṇim	golden-handed
ऊतये	ūtaye	for help or protection
सवितारम्	savitāram	Savitṛ, the impeller

Verse 6

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
अपाम् नपातम्	apām napātam	grandson of the waters
अवसे	avase	for aid
व्रतानि	vratāni	wills, laws, ordinances

Verse 7

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
विभक्तारम्	vibhaktāram	the distributor, divider
राधसः	rādhasaḥ	of bounty or wealth
नृचक्षसम्	nṛcakṣasam	beholding men

Verse 8

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
सखायः	sakhāyaḥ	O friends, companions
स्तोम्यः	stomyaḥ	worthy of praise
राधांसि	rādhāṃsi	gifts, bounties

🧠

Memory Hook

Imagine a glorious sun rising with hands made of pure liquid gold, reaching down to scatter handfuls of brilliant gems across the earth.

Act 3

Act III: Welcoming the Divine Consorts and Mother Earth

Verses 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15

Verse 9

अग्ने॒ पत्नी॑रि॒हा व॑ह दे॒वाना॑मुश॒तीरुप॑ । त्वष्टा॑रं॒ सोम॑पीतये ॥

ágne pátnīrihā́ vaha devā́nāmuśatī́rúpa ǀ tváṣṭāram sómapītaye ǁ

Verse 10

आ ग्ना अ॑ग्न इ॒हाव॑से॒ होत्रां॑ यविष्ठ॒ भार॑तीं । वरू॑त्रीं धि॒षणां॑ वह ॥

ā́ gnā́ agna ihā́vase hótrām yaviṣṭha bhā́ratīm ǀ várūtrīm dhiṣáṇām vaha ǁ

Verse 11

अ॒भि नो॑ दे॒वीरव॑सा म॒हः शर्म॑णा नृ॒पत्नीः॑ । अच्छि॑न्नपत्राः सचंतां ॥

abhí no devī́rávasā maháḥ śármaṇā nṛpátnīḥ ǀ ácchinnapatrāḥ sacantām ǁ

Verse 12

इ॒हेंद्रा॒णीमुप॑ ह्वये वरुणा॒नीं स्व॒स्तये॑ । अ॒ग्नायीं॒ सोम॑पीतये ॥

ihéndrāṇī́múpa hvaye varuṇānī́m svastáye ǀ agnā́yīm sómapītaye ǁ

Verse 13

म॒ही द्यौः पृ॑थि॒वी च॑ न इ॒मं य॒ज्ञं मि॑मिक्षतां । पि॒पृ॒तां नो॒ भरी॑मभिः ॥

mahī́ dyáuḥ pṛthivī́ ca na imám yajñám mimikṣatām ǀ pipṛtā́m no bhárīmabhiḥ ǁ

Verse 14

तयो॒रिद्घृ॒तव॒त्पयो॒ विप्रा॑ रिहंति धी॒तिभिः॑ । गं॒ध॒र्वस्य॑ ध्रु॒वे प॒दे ॥

táyorídghṛtávatpáyo víprā rihanti dhītíbhiḥ ǀ gandharvásya dhruvé padé ǁ

Verse 15

स्यो॒ना पृ॑थिवि भवानृक्ष॒रा नि॒वेश॑नी । यच्छा॑ नः॒ शर्म॑ स॒प्रथः॑ ॥

syonā́ pṛthivi bhavānṛkṣarā́ nivéśanī ǀ yácchā naḥ śárma sapráthaḥ ǁ

📖 Immersive narrative, word breakdowns, and spiritual context

The ritual space widens to embrace the divine consorts (gnāḥ) and cosmic mothers. Agni is requested to bring forward the willing consorts of the gods, along with Tvaṣṭṛ, for the drinking of Soma. Mighty feminine presences like Hotrā, Bhāratī, Varūtrī, and Dhiṣaṇā are invoked to wrap the sacrificer in a vast mantle of protection and grace. Indrāṇī, Varuṇānī, and Agnāyī are summoned to ensure complete well-being. Then, Heaven and Earth (Dyāvāpṛthivī) are invoked to mingle their richness into the sacrifice, followed by a tender, famous prayer to Pṛthivī (Earth) herself to become smooth, thornless, and a secure resting place that offers broad, sheltering protection.

💭 Flowing Translation

Verse 9: O Agni, bring hither the willing consorts of the gods, and Tvaṣṭṛ too, for the drinking of Soma.

Verse 10: O young Agni, bring hither for our protection Hotrā, Bhāratī, Varūtrī, and Dhiṣaṇā.

Verse 11: May those great goddesses, protectors of men, with unbroken wings and vast shelter, draw close to us with their grace.

Verse 12: Here I invoke Indrāṇī, Varuṇānī for our well-being, and Agnāyī for the drinking of Soma.

Verse 13: May the great Heaven and Earth mingle this sacrifice for us, and nourish us with their abundant streams.

Verse 14: The wise lick up that butter-rich milk of theirs with their insights, in the steadfast place of the Gandharva.

Verse 15: O Earth, be gentle, thornless, and a secure dwelling for us; grant us a broad and sheltering refuge.

📝 Scholar's Reading Note

These verses represent the inclusion of cosmic energies through their feminine counterparts (shaktis). Sāyaṇa names specific ritual roles, while mystical interpreters view them as various facets of divine immanence and comforting grace.

📚 Word-by-Word Breakdown

Verse 9

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
पत्नीः	patnīḥ	wives, consorts
उशतीः	uśatīḥ	willing, desirous, loving
त्वष्टारम्	tvaṣṭāram	Tvaṣṭṛ, the divine artificer

Verse 10

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
होत्राम्	hotrām	Hotrā (goddess of invocation)
भारतीम्	bhāratīm	Bhāratī (goddess of speech/sustenance)
वरूत्रीम्	varūtrīm	Varūtrī (the protectress)

Verse 11

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
देवीः	devīḥ	goddesses
शर्मणा	śarmaṇā	by shelter, refuge
अच्छिन्नपत्राः	acchinnapatrāḥ	with unbroken wings

Verse 12

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
इन्द्राणीम्	indrāṇīm	consort of Indra
वरुणानीम्	varuṇānīm	consort of Varuṇa
स्वस्तये	svastaye	for well-being

Verse 13

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
मही द्यौः पृथिवी च	mahī dyauḥ pṛthivī ca	the great Heaven and Earth
यज्ञम्	yajñam	sacrifice, worship
भरीमभिः	bharīmabhiḥ	with supports or nourishing foods

Verse 14

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
घृतवत्	ghṛtavat	butter-rich, ghee-like
विप्राः	viprāḥ	sages, inspired poets
गन्धर्वस्य	gandharvasya	of the Gandharva

Verse 15

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
स्योना	syonā	gentle, pleasant
अनृक्षरा	anṛkṣarā	free of thorns or obstacles
सप्रथः	saprathaḥ	broad, extensive

🧠

Memory Hook

Visualize a circle of compassionate motherly deities gathering around a hearth, while Mother Earth cushions your feet like soft moss.

Act 4

Act IV: The Three Strides of Viṣṇu and the Supreme Summit

Verses 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21

Verse 16

अतो॑ दे॒वा अ॑वंतु नो॒ यतो॒ विष्णु॑र्विचक्र॒मे । पृ॒थि॒व्याः स॒प्त धाम॑भिः ॥

áto devā́ avantu no yáto víṣṇurvicakramé ǀ pṛthivyā́ḥ saptá dhā́mabhiḥ ǁ

Verse 17

इ॒दं विष्णु॒र्वि च॑क्रमे त्रे॒धा नि द॑धे प॒दं । समू॑ळ्हमस्य पांसु॒रे ॥

idám víṣṇurví cakrame tredhā́ ní dadhe padám ǀ sámūḷhamasya pāṃsuré ǁ

Verse 18

त्रीणि॑ प॒दा वि च॑क्रमे॒ विष्णु॑र्गो॒पा अदा॑भ्यः । अतो॒ धर्मा॑णि धा॒रय॑न् ॥

trī́ṇi padā́ ví cakrame víṣṇurgopā́ ádābhyaḥ ǀ áto dhármāṇi dhāráyan ǁ

Verse 19

विष्णोः॒ कर्मा॑णि पश्यत॒ यतो॑ व्र॒तानि॑ पस्प॒शे । इंद्र॑स्य॒ युज्यः॒ सखा॑ ॥

víṣṇoḥ kármāṇi paśyata yáto vratā́ni paspaśé ǀ índrasya yújyaḥ sákhā ǁ

Verse 20

तद्विष्णोः॑ पर॒मं प॒दं सदा॑ पश्यंति सू॒रयः॑ । दि॒वी॑व॒ चक्षु॒रात॑तं ॥

tádvíṣṇoḥ paramám padám sádā paśyanti sūráyaḥ ǀ divī́va cákṣurā́tatam ǁ

Verse 21

तद्विप्रा॑सो विप॒न्यवो॑ जागृ॒वांसः॒ समिं॑धते । विष्णो॒र्यत्प॑र॒मं प॒दं ॥

tádvíprāso vipanyávo jāgṛvā́ṃsaḥ sámindhate ǀ víṣṇoryátparamám padám ǁ

📖 Immersive narrative, word breakdowns, and spiritual context

The Sūkta culminates in one of the most famous and spiritually profound passages of the Rigveda: the cosmic strides of Viṣṇu. From the earth, Viṣṇu takes three vast steps, encompassing the seven cosmic realms, establishing the universal laws (dharmāṇi). His steps span the entire universe, with a portion hidden in the dust of the material world. Viṣṇu is celebrated as the intimate companion and ally of Indra, the guardian whose actions are unassailable. His supreme step is beheld eternally by the wise sages (sūrayaḥ), shining like an open eye in the sky. To this supreme summit of Viṣṇu, the awakened and inspired poets kindle their fires in ecstatic devotion.

💭 Flowing Translation

Verse 16: May the gods protect us from where Viṣṇu strode across the seven regions of the earth.

Verse 17: This is Viṣṇu who strode across, planting his foot in three ways; the whole universe is gathered in the dust of his step.

Verse 18: Three strides did Viṣṇu take—the guardian, unassailable—upholding the cosmic laws from thereon.

Verse 19: Behold the works of Viṣṇu, through which he has perceived the sacred laws—he is the trusted friend and ally of Indra.

Verse 20: That supreme step of Viṣṇu the wise ever behold, like an eye stretched out in heaven.

Verse 21: That supreme step of Viṣṇu the inspired and awakened sages kindle with devotion.

📝 Scholar's Reading Note

Sāyaṇa explains Viṣṇu's three strides as the sun's passage across earth, atmosphere, and sky. Yāska views them as the three positions of the sun (rising, culminating, setting). Sri Aurobindo elevates this to the traversal across the physical, mental, and supramental realms of consciousness.

📚 Word-by-Word Breakdown

Verse 16

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
विष्णुः	viṣṇuḥ	Viṣṇu, the all-pervader
विचक्रमे	vicakrame	strode across
धामभिः	dhāmabhiḥ	by abodes or realms

Verse 17

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
त्रेधा	tredhā	in three ways, threefold
पदम्	padam	step, footstep, place
पांसुरे	pāṃsure	in the dust

Verse 18

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
त्रीणि पदा	trīṇi padā	three steps
गोपाः	gopāḥ	guardian, protector
अदाभ्यः	adābhyaḥ	unassailable, undeceived

Verse 19

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
कर्माणि	karmāṇi	deeds, works
व्रतानि	vratāni	ordinances, vows
युज्यः सखा	yujyaḥ sakhā	yoked companion, close friend

Verse 20

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
परमम् पदम्	paramam padam	highest step or abode
सूरयः	sūrayaḥ	sages, enlightened ones
आततम्	ātatam	stretched out, spread

Verse 21

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
विप्रासः	viprāsaḥ	inspired poets, sages
जागृवांसः	jāgṛvāṃsaḥ	the awakened ones
समिन्धते	samindhate	kindle, ignite

🧠

Memory Hook

Picture a giant cosmic giant stepping once on earth, once in the atmosphere, and once at the summit of the universe, where an eye of pure light gazes across eternity.