Rig Veda · 1018 of 1027
Mandala 10: HYMN CLXXXI. Viśvedevas.
1.VASIṢṬHA mastered the Rathantara, took it from radiant Dhātar, Savitar, and Viṣṇu, Oblation, portion of fourfold oblation, known by the names of Saprathas and Prathas.
2.These sages found what lay remote and hidden, the sacrifice’s loftiest secret essence. From radiant Dhātar, Savitar, and Viṣṇu, from Agni, Bharadvāja brought the Brhat.
3.They found with mental eyes the earliest Yajus, a pathway to the Gods, that had descended. From radiant Dhātar, Savitar, and Viṣṇu, from Sūrya did these sages bring the Gharma.
Asked of Guide
Why does the hymn repeat “From radiant Dhātar, Savitar, and Viṣṇu” three times?
The hymn is crediting the same divine sources for different ritual knowledges: Vasiṣṭha took the Rathantara, Bharadvāja brought the Brhat, and other sages brought the Gharma, each “from radiant Dhātar, Savitar, and Viṣṇu.” The repeated line frames these gifts as coming from those three luminous deities, tying distinct ritual elements back to a shared sacred origin.
This pattern resembles how other Vedic hymns attribute varied priestly arts to specific gods as patrons; compare Ṛgveda Mandala 1 hymns where Agni or Varuṇa repeatedly appears as donor of multiple ritual powers. The repetition emphasizes continuity and authority rather than listing separate, unrelated donations.
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