Hymn to the Viśvedevāḥ
Rigveda I.164 is a sūkta (hymn of praise) addressed to the Viśvedevāḥ, the all-gods, in the great Riddle Hymn (Asya Vāmasya), a cosmological poem of enigmas. It is one of the 1,028 hymns of the Rigveda organized within Maṇḍala 1, the first of ten books. The ṛṣi (seer) to whom this hymn is attributed and its precise liturgical context are recorded in the traditional Śākalya Anukramaṇī.
The Rigveda is the oldest of the four Vedas and one of the oldest surviving religious texts in the world, composed approximately 1700–1100 BCE in the Vedic Sanskrit of the Indus-Sarasvatī region. Its hymns were preserved through oral transmission across millennia before being committed to writing. This is a Good Works Translation produced by the New Tianmu Anglican Church from the Sanskrit of the Śākala recension.
The riddle of the cosmos, O ye wise ones, hear and ponder deep—
For I shall speak the mysteries that the ancient seers did know,
The hidden truth that lieth beneath the veil of all appearances.
Hearken: Two birds do dwell upon the self-same tree,
Kindred in nature, bound by fate, yet separate in essence.
One sitteth still in silence, watching all with eyes unmoving,
The other flitteth restless, eating of the tree's sweet fruit.
The one that eateth knoweth neither end nor beginning,
Yet the one that sitteth watcheth both the eater and the eaten.
Which bird art thou, O mortal? Which dost thou become?
For in this riddling truth doth lie the answer to thy being.
Now hear the greater mystery: the wheel of ages turning,
With twelve rim-divisions, neither more nor less,
And three-hundred-and-sixty spokes that do not break nor bend.
What power doth turn this wheel? What hand doth guide its motion?
The ancients knew, but speak they not in words of common speech,
For the wheel is Time itself, the great devouring serpent,
That bringeth forth all things and taketh all away again.
The horse of heaven, bound unto this wheel, doth run forever,
His speed is the speed of all becoming, his rest the pause of worlds.
Dost thou see the wheel? Art thou the hub or art thou spoke?
Now comes the greatest riddle, O ye who seek the truth:
What is that One which the wise do call by many names?
Some call it Indra, lord of battle and of thunder,
Some call it Mitra, guardian of the sacred covenant,
Some call it Varuṇa, he who bindeth all with laws,
Some call it Agni, the devouring fire of transformation.
Yet it is One alone, though bearing many faces,
One sole reality beneath the multiplicity of forms.
The priests do speak of it in many tongues and many ways,
But the wise among them know the secret that it uttereth:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with the One,
And all that is did spring forth from that One eternal utterance.
Lo, what burneth in the heaven? What shineth in the sky?
What dwelleth in the waters? What floweth as the wind?
The answer is the same for all: the One that hath no second,
The One that standeth still while all else doth move and change,
The One that is the watching bird, the turning wheel, the cosmic horse.
The sun doth rise by its power, the stars do shine by its glory,
The clouds do carry water by its hidden command,
And we, small mortals, do exist within its vast embrace.
Some say this riddle hath no answer, that the mystery is endless,
But those who seek shall find, if they do listen with the heart.
For the answer dwelleth not in words, but in the silence beneath words,
Not in the wheel, but in the axis 'round which all things turn,
Not in the birds, but in the sky wherein they fly and rest.
O ye who hunger for the truth, who seek the hidden knowledge,
Go deep within yourselves and find the one eternal presence,
For thou art the watching bird, and thou art also the eating bird,
Thou art the wheel and the hub, the spoke and the turning axle,
Thou art Indra, Mitra, Varuṇa, Agni—all and none at once.
This is the riddle's answer: That which cannot be spoken,
Yet speaketh in the silence of the heart that learns to listen.
The wise do call what is One in many ways—
This is the greatest truth the ancient seers did know.
Colophon
Rigveda I.164 is drawn from the Śākala recension of the Rigveda, the version that has been transmitted and is considered canonical in the mainstream tradition. The Rigveda was composed approximately 1700–1100 BCE; this hymn addresses the Viśvedevāḥ, the all-gods, in the great Riddle Hymn (Asya Vāmasya), a cosmological poem of enigmas. This is a Good Works Translation produced by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, translated independently from the Sanskrit. Reference translations consulted during original translation session to be documented during Kshatriya Blood Rule audit.
Compiled and formatted for the Good Work Library by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026.
🌲
Source Text: ṛgveda I.164
asya vāmasya palitasya hotus tasya bhrātā madhyamo asty aśnaḥ |
tṛtīyo bhrātā ghṛtapṛṣṭho asyātrāpaśyaṁ viśpatiṁ saptaputram || 1 ||
sapta yuñjanti ratham ekacakram eko aśvo vahati saptanāmā |
trinābhi cakram ajaram anarvaṁ yatremā viśvā bhuvanādhi tasthuḥ || 2 ||
imaṁ ratham adhi ye sapta tasthuḥ saptacakraṁ sapta vahanty aśvāḥ |
sapta svasāro abhi saṁ navante yatra gavāṁ nihitā sapta nāma || 3 ||
ko dadarśa prathamaṁ jāyamānam asthanvantaṁ yad anasthā bibharti |
bhūmyā asur asṛg ātmā kva svit ko vidvāṁsam upa gāt praṣṭum etat || 4 ||
pākaḥ pṛcchāmi manasāvijānan devānām enā nihitā padāni |
vatse baṣkaye 'dhi sapta tantūn vi tatnire kavaya otavā u || 5 ||
acikitvāñ cikituṣaś cid atra kavīn pṛcchāmi vidmane na vidvān |
vi yas tastambha ṣaḻ imā rajāṁsy ajasya rūpe kim api svid ekam || 6 ||
iha bravītu ya īm aṅga vedāsya vāmasya nihitam padaṁ veḥ |
śīrṣṇaḥ kṣīraṁ duhrate gāvo asya vavriṁ vasānā udakam padāpuḥ || 7 ||
mātā pitaram ṛta ā babhāja dhīty agre manasā saṁ hi jagme |
sā bībhatsur garbharasā nividdhā namasvanta id upavākam īyuḥ || 8 ||
yuktā mātāsīd dhuri dakṣiṇāyā atiṣṭhad garbho vṛjanīṣv antaḥ |
amīmed vatso anu gām apaśyad viśvarūpyaṁ triṣu yojaneṣu || 9 ||
tisro mātṝs trīn pitṝn bibhrad eka ūrdhvas tasthau nem ava glāpayanti |
mantrayante divo amuṣya pṛṣṭhe viśvavidaṁ vācam aviśvaminvām || 10 ||
dvādaśāraṁ nahi taj jarāya varvarti cakram pari dyām ṛtasya |
ā putrā agne mithunāso atra sapta śatāni viṁśatiś ca tasthuḥ || 11 ||
pañcapādam pitaraṁ dvādaśākṛtiṁ diva āhuḥ pare ardhe purīṣiṇam |
atheme anya upare vicakṣaṇaṁ saptacakre ṣaḻara āhur arpitam || 12 ||
pañcāre cakre parivartamāne tasminn ā tasthur bhuvanāni viśvā |
tasya nākṣas tapyate bhūribhāraḥ sanād eva na śīryate sanābhiḥ || 13 ||
sanemi cakram ajaraṁ vi vāvṛta uttānāyāṁ daśa yuktā vahanti |
sūryasya cakṣū rajasaity āvṛtaṁ tasminn ārpitā bhuvanāni viśvā || 14 ||
sākaṁjānāṁ saptatham āhur ekajaṁ ṣaḻ id yamā ṛṣayo devajā iti |
teṣām iṣṭāni vihitāni dhāmaśaḥ sthātre rejante vikṛtāni rūpaśaḥ || 15 ||
striyaḥ satīs tām̐ u me puṁsa āhuḥ paśyad akṣaṇvān na vi cetad andhaḥ |
kavir yaḥ putraḥ sa īm ā ciketa yas tā vijānāt sa pituṣ pitāsat || 16 ||
avaḥ pareṇa para enāvareṇa padā vatsam bibhratī gaur ud asthāt |
sā kadrīcī kaṁ svid ardham parāgāt kva svit sūte nahi yūthe antaḥ || 17 ||
avaḥ pareṇa pitaraṁ yo asyānuveda para enāvareṇa |
kavīyamānaḥ ka iha pra vocad devam manaḥ kuto adhi prajātam || 18 ||
ye arvāñcas tām̐ u parāca āhur ye parāñcas tām̐ u arvāca āhuḥ |
indraś ca yā cakrathuḥ soma tāni dhurā na yuktā rajaso vahanti || 19 ||
dvā suparṇā sayujā sakhāyā samānaṁ vṛkṣam pari ṣasvajāte |
tayor anyaḥ pippalaṁ svādv atty anaśnann anyo abhi cākaśīti || 20 ||
yatrā suparṇā amṛtasya bhāgam animeṣaṁ vidathābhisvaranti |
ino viśvasya bhuvanasya gopāḥ sa mā dhīraḥ pākam atrā viveśa || 21 ||
yasmin vṛkṣe madhvadaḥ suparṇā niviśante suvate cādhi viśve |
tasyed āhuḥ pippalaṁ svādv agre tan non naśad yaḥ pitaraṁ na veda || 22 ||
yad gāyatre adhi gāyatram āhitaṁ traiṣṭubhād vā traiṣṭubhaṁ niratakṣata |
yad vā jagaj jagaty āhitam padaṁ ya it tad vidus te amṛtatvam ānaśuḥ || 23 ||
gāyatreṇa prati mimīte arkam arkeṇa sāma traiṣṭubhena vākam |
vākena vākaṁ dvipadā catuṣpadākṣareṇa mimate sapta vāṇīḥ || 24 ||
jagatā sindhuṁ divy astabhāyad rathaṁtare sūryam pary apaśyat |
gāyatrasya samidhas tisra āhus tato mahnā pra ririce mahitvā || 25 ||
upa hvaye sudughāṁ dhenum etāṁ suhasto godhug uta dohad enām |
śreṣṭhaṁ savaṁ savitā sāviṣan no 'bhīddho gharmas tad u ṣu pra vocam || 26 ||
hiṅkṛṇvatī vasupatnī vasūnāṁ vatsam icchantī manasābhy āgāt |
duhām aśvibhyām payo aghnyeyaṁ sā vardhatām mahate saubhagāya || 27 ||
gaur amīmed anu vatsam miṣantam mūrdhānaṁ hiṅṅ akṛṇon mātavā u |
sṛkvāṇaṁ gharmam abhi vāvaśānā mimāti māyum payate payobhiḥ || 28 ||
ayaṁ sa śiṅkte yena gaur abhīvṛtā mimāti māyuṁ dhvasanāv adhi śritā |
sā cittibhir ni hi cakāra martyaṁ vidyud bhavantī prati vavrim auhata || 29 ||
anac chaye turagātu jīvam ejad dhruvam madhya ā pastyānām |
jīvo mṛtasya carati svadhābhir amartyo martyenā sayoniḥ || 30 ||
apaśyaṁ gopām anipadyamānam ā ca parā ca pathibhiś carantam |
sa sadhrīcīḥ sa viṣūcīr vasāna ā varīvarti bhuvaneṣv antaḥ || 31 ||
ya īṁ cakāra na so asya veda ya īṁ dadarśa hirug in nu tasmāt |
sa mātur yonā parivīto antar bahuprajā nirṛtim ā viveśa || 32 ||
dyaur me pitā janitā nābhir atra bandhur me mātā pṛthivī mahīyam |
uttānayoś camvo3r yonir antar atrā pitā duhitur garbham ādhāt || 33 ||
pṛcchāmi tvā param antam pṛthivyāḥ pṛcchāmi yatra bhuvanasya nābhiḥ |
pṛcchāmi tvā vṛṣṇo aśvasya retaḥ pṛcchāmi vācaḥ paramaṁ vyoma || 34 ||
iyaṁ vediḥ paro antaḥ pṛthivyā ayaṁ yajño bhuvanasya nābhiḥ |
ayaṁ somo vṛṣṇo aśvasya reto brahmāyaṁ vācaḥ paramaṁ vyoma || 35 ||
saptārdhagarbhā bhuvanasya reto viṣṇos tiṣṭhanti pradiśā vidharmaṇi |
te dhītibhir manasā te vipaścitaḥ paribhuvaḥ pari bhavanti viśvataḥ || 36 ||
na vi jānāmi yad ivedam asmi niṇyaḥ saṁnaddho manasā carāmi |
yadā māgan prathamajā ṛtasyād id vāco aśnuve bhāgam asyāḥ || 37 ||
apāṅ prāṅ eti svadhayā gṛbhīto 'martyo martyenā sayoniḥ |
tā śaśvantā viṣūcīnā viyantā ny a1nyaṁ cikyur na ni cikyur anyam || 38 ||
ṛco akṣare parame vyoman yasmin devā adhi viśve niṣeduḥ |
yas tan na veda kim ṛcā kariṣyati ya it tad vidus ta ime sam āsate || 39 ||
sūyavasād bhagavatī hi bhūyā atho vayam bhagavantaḥ syāma |
addhi tṛṇam aghnye viśvadānīm piba śuddham udakam ācarantī || 40 ||
gaurīr mimāya salilāni takṣaty ekapadī dvipadī sā catuṣpadī |
aṣṭāpadī navapadī babhūvuṣī sahasrākṣarā parame vyoman || 41 ||
tasyāḥ samudrā adhi vi kṣaranti tena jīvanti pradiśaś catasraḥ |
tataḥ kṣaraty akṣaraṁ tad viśvam upa jīvati || 42 ||
śakamayaṁ dhūmam ārād apaśyaṁ viṣūvatā para enāvareṇa |
ukṣāṇam pṛśnim apacanta vīrās tāni dharmāṇi prathamāny āsan || 43 ||
trayaḥ keśina ṛtuthā vi cakṣate saṁvatsare vapata eka eṣām |
viśvam eko abhi caṣṭe śacībhir dhrājir ekasya dadṛśe na rūpam || 44 ||
catvāri vāk parimitā padāni tāni vidur brāhmaṇā ye manīṣiṇaḥ |
guhā trīṇi nihitā neṅgayanti turīyaṁ vāco manuṣyā vadanti || 45 ||
indram mitraṁ varuṇam agnim āhur atho divyaḥ sa suparṇo garutmān |
ekaṁ sad viprā bahudhā vadanty agniṁ yamam mātariśvānam āhuḥ || 46 ||
kṛṣṇaṁ niyānaṁ harayaḥ suparṇā apo vasānā divam ut patanti |
ta āvavṛtran sadanād ṛtasyād id ghṛtena pṛthivī vy udyate || 47 ||
dvādaśa pradhayaś cakram ekaṁ trīṇi nabhyāni ka u tac ciketa |
tasmin sākaṁ triśatā na śaṅkavo 'rpitāḥ ṣaṣṭir na calācalāsaḥ || 48 ||
yas te stanaḥ śaśayo yo mayobhūr yena viśvā puṣyasi vāryāṇi |
yo ratnadhā vasuvid yaḥ sudatraḥ sarasvati tam iha dhātave kaḥ || 49 ||
yajñena yajñam ayajanta devās tāni dharmāṇi prathamāny āsan |
te ha nākam mahimānaḥ sacanta yatra pūrve sādhyāḥ santi devāḥ || 50 ||
samānam etad udakam uc caity ava cāhabhiḥ |
bhūmim parjanyā jinvanti divaṁ jinvanty agnayaḥ || 51 ||
divyaṁ suparṇaṁ vāyasam bṛhantam apāṁ garbhaṁ darśatam oṣadhīnām |
abhīpato vṛṣṭibhis tarpayantaṁ sarasvantam avase johavīmi || 52 ||
Source Colophon
Sanskrit text of the Rigveda, Śākala recension. The standard scholarly edition is the Bombay Oriental (Vishva Bandhu, 5 vols., 1963–66). IAST transliteration available from GRETIL (Göttingen Register of Electronic Texts in Indian Languages) and Vedaweb (University of Cologne). Both sources are open access. IAST transliteration from the Aufrecht edition (1877) via GRETIL (Van Nooten & Holland input, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0).
🌲