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Rigveda · Maṇḍala 1

The Path of Truth: Protection and Grace of the Ādityas

📜 9 Verses

Act 1

The Shield of the Ādityas and Safe Paths

Verses 1, 2, 3, 4

Verse 1

यं रक्षं॑ति॒ प्रचे॑तसो॒ वरु॑णो मि॒त्रो अ॑र्य॒मा । नू चि॒त्स द॑भ्यते॒ जनः॑ ॥

yám rákṣanti prácetaso váruṇo mitró aryamā́ ǀ nū́ citsá dabhyate jánaḥ ǁ

Verse 2

यं बा॒हुते॑व॒ पिप्र॑ति॒ पांति॒ मर्त्यं॑ रि॒षः । अरि॑ष्टः॒ सर्व॑ एधते ॥

yám bāhúteva píprati pā́nti mártyam riṣáḥ ǀ áriṣṭaḥ sárva edhate ǁ

Verse 3

वि दु॒र्गा वि द्विषः॑ पु॒रो घ्नंति॒ राजा॑न एषां । नयं॑ति दुरि॒ता ति॒रः ॥

ví durgā́ ví dvíṣaḥ puró ghnánti rā́jāna eṣām ǀ náyanti duritā́ tiráḥ ǁ

Verse 4

सु॒गः पंथा॑ अनृक्ष॒र आदि॑त्यास ऋ॒तं य॒ते । नात्रा॑वखा॒दो अ॑स्ति वः ॥

sugáḥ pánthā anṛkṣará ā́dityāsa ṛtám yaté ǀ nā́trāvakhādó asti vaḥ ǁ

📖 Immersive narrative, word breakdowns, and spiritual context

In these opening verses, the Ṛṣi invokes the great Ādityas—Varuṇa, Mitra, and Aryaman—who stand as divine guardians of cosmic order (Ṛta) and human righteousness. When these discerning deities protect a mortal, no force can diminish or conquer that person. The mortal is held as if cradled in supportive arms, completely shielded from harm, injury, and the malice of rivals. The imagery shifts dynamically to the journey of life. The Ṛṣi declares that those who walk the path of Ṛta find their roads smooth, free of thorns, and devoid of hidden traps or pits. Even when obstacles or hostile forces ('puro ghnanti') rise to block the way, the sovereign Ādityas shatter them and guide the seeker safely across every perilous stretch of existence. It is an assurance that alignment with divine law turns the jagged terrain of life into an open, welcoming highway.

💭 Flowing Translation

Verse 1: That mortal whom Varuṇa, Mitra, and Aryaman—the wise ones—protect, is never defeated, no, not even a little.

Verse 2: Whom they cradle like supportive arms, guarding the mortal from injury, so that unharmed, he thrives in every way.

Verse 3: Their royal guardians smash difficult pathways and hostile ramparts, leading the seeker safely past all troubles.

Verse 4: Smooth is the path, thornless for one who walks in Ṛta with the Ādityas; here there is no pitfall for you.

📝 Scholar's Reading Note

The translation remains close to the direct sense found in Sāyaṇa's commentary, where 'bāhutāiva' signifies supportive nurturing arms, and 'anṛkṣaraḥ' denotes the absence of spiritual and physical hindrances on the path of Ṛta.

📚 Word-by-Word Breakdown

Verse 1

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
यम्	yam	whom
रक्षन्ति	rakṣanti	they protect
प्रचेतसः	pracetasaḥ	wise, observant ones
वरुणः	varuṇaḥ	Varuṇa, deity of cosmic water and moral binding
मित्रः	mitraḥ	Mitra, deity of contracts, friendship, and light
अर्यमा	aryamā	Aryaman, deity of societal bonds and chivalry

Verse 2

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
बाहुतेव	bāhutāiva	like two arms
पिप्रति	piprati	they fill, uphold, or nourish
पान्ति	pānti	they protect
अरिष्टः	ariṣṭaḥ	unhurt, safe

Verse 3

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
दुर्गा	durgā	difficult passages, pitfalls
घ्नन्ति	ghnanti	they strike down, destroy
राजानः	rājānaḥ	kings, sovereigns (referring to the Ādityas)
नयन्ति	nayanti	they lead

Verse 4

Devanāgarī	IAST	Translation
सुगः	sugaḥ	easy to go, smooth
पन्थाः	panthāḥ	path, road
अनृक्षरः	anṛkṣaraḥ	free of thorns or obstacles
ऋतम्	ṛtam	cosmic order, truth

🧠

Memory Hook

Picture a traveler walking down a majestic, sunlit mountain highway with open, protective arms holding them aloft—no thorns, no traps, only the smooth road of truth.

Act 2

Abundance, Reverence, and Spiritual Discretion

Verses 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

Verse 5

यं य॒ज्ञं नय॑था नर॒ आदि॑त्या ऋ॒जुना॑ प॒था । प्र वः॒ स धी॒तये॑ नशत् ॥

yám yajñám náyathā nara ā́dityā ṛjúnā pathā́ ǀ prá vaḥ sá dhītáye naśat ǁ

Verse 6

स रत्नं॒ मर्त्यो॒ वसु॒ विश्वं॑ तो॒कमु॒त त्मना॑ । अच्छा॑ गच्छ॒त्यस्तृ॑तः ॥

sá rátnam mártyo vásu víśvam tokámutá tmánā ǀ ácchā gacchatyástṛtaḥ ǁ

Verse 7

क॒था रा॑धाम सखायः॒ स्तोमं॑ मि॒त्रस्या॑र्य॒म्णः । महि॒ प्सरो॒ वरु॑णस्य ॥

kathā́ rādhāma sakhāyaḥ stómam mitrásyāryamṇáḥ ǀ máhi psáro váruṇasya ǁ

Verse 8

मा वो॒ घ्नंतं॒ मा शपं॑तं॒ प्रति॑ वोचे देव॒यंतं॑ । सु॒म्नैरिद्व॒ आ वि॑वासे ॥

mā́ vo ghnántam mā́ śápantam práti voce devayántam ǀ sumnáirídva ā́ vivāse ǁ

Verse 9

च॒तुर॑श्चि॒द्दद॑मानाद्बिभी॒यादा निधा॑तोः । न दु॑रु॒क्ताय॑ स्पृहयेत् ॥

catúraściddádamānādbibhīyā́dā́ nídhātoḥ ǀ ná duruktā́ya spṛhayet ǁ

📖 Immersive narrative, word breakdowns, and spiritual context

The Sūkta progresses from the divine protection of the path to the tangible fruits of sacrifice and righteous living. The Ṛṣi asks how the Ādityas lead the ritual offering along a straight path so that it reaches fulfillment. When a mortal is thus guided, wealth, radiance, and thriving progeny (tokam) come directly to him by their own innate power, entirely undefeated. Yet, this relationship with the divine is built on deep humility and awe. The Ṛṣi asks, 'How shall we adequately praise and honor the grand bounties of Mitra, Aryaman, and the immense joy (psaraḥ) of Varuṇa?' The final verses offer profound ethical wisdom: avoid petty disputes, do not engage or retaliate against those who strike or curse you maliciously, and stay away from cynical words. True seekers harbor reverence and maintain inner peace, recognizing that even the wealthy or clever must be approached with ethical discernment rather than greedy envy.

💭 Flowing Translation

Verse 5: That sacrifice which you, O leaders and Ādityas, guide along the straight path—may it reach forward for your bounty.

Verse 6: That undefeated mortal attains all ratnas, wealth, and thriving offspring directly by his own inner presence.

Verse 7: How shall we successfully offer our hymns, O friends, to Mitra, Aryaman, and the majestic delight of Varuṇa?

Verse 8: May I not speak in return against one who strikes or curses, but rather court your grace with auspicious blessings.

Verse 9: One should feel awe before the wealthy giver right up to the final endowment, and never lust after harsh or cynical speech.