Aditi Sūktaṃ – अदिति सूक्तम्

 

In Rig Veda, Devi Aditi was eulogised as mother of Adityas, ie., Mitra, Aryaman, and Bhaga, Varuṇa, Dakṣa, and Aṃśa (Rig Veda 2.27.1).  She was also eulogised as the Feminine energy of BRAHMAN.

We can find Sūktas in Rig Veda, for almost all forms of BRAHMAN,ie., Indra, AGNI, Saraswati, Varuna, Brihaspati, Rudra, etc.  However, not even single Sūktaṃ was dedicated to ADITI, the Feminine energy of BRAHMAN.

Hence, an attempt was made to consolidate important Riks, addressed to Devi Aditi, in a SINGLE Sūktaṃ, which is given below.

ब्रह्मार्पणमस्तु  - brahmārpaṇamastu

 

Rig Veda 1.24.2

Ṛṣi/seer: śunaśepa ājīgarti

अ॒ग्नेर्व॒यं प्र॑थ॒मस्या॒मृता॑नां॒ मना॑महे॒ चारु॑ दे॒वस्य॒ नाम॑ । स नो॑ म॒ह्या अदि॑तये॒ पुन॑र्दात्पि॒तरं॑ च दृ॒शेयं॑ मा॒तरं॑ च ॥

agner vayam prathamasyāmṛtānām manāmahe cāru devasya nāma | sa no mahyā aditaye punar dāt pitaraṃ ca dṛśeyam mātaraṃ ca ||

Padapatha

अग्नेः । वयम् । प्रथमस्य । अमृतानाम् । मनामहे । चारु । देवस्य । नाम । सः । नः । मह्यै । अदितये । पुनः । दात् । पितरम् । च । दृशेयम् । मातरम् । च ॥
agneḥ | vayam | prathamasya | amṛtānām | manāmahe | cāru | devasya | nāma | saḥ | naḥ | mahyai | aditaye | punaḥ | dāt | pitaram | ca | dṛśeyam | mātaram | ca

English translation

We will have to keep on thinking (cling to) the dear name of the god Agni, of the first of the immortals. He will return us to great Aditi. (Then) we would see our father and mother.

 (The spiritual journey of a seeker till one reaches the goal was mentioned esoterically in the Rik.  The complete explanation of the Rik is available at this post).

 

Rig Veda 1.89.10

Ṛṣi/seer: gotama rāhūgaṇa

अदितिर्द्यौरदितिरन्तरिक्षमदितिर्माता स पिता स पुत्रः ।विश्वे देवा अदितिः पञ्च जना अदितिर्जातमदितिर्जनित्वम् ॥

aditir dyaur aditir antarikṣam aditir mātā sa pitā sa putraḥ |viśve devā aditiḥ pañca janā aditir jātam aditir janitvam ||

Padapatha

अदितिः । द्यौः । अदितिः । अन्तरिक्षम् । अदितिः । माता । सः । पिता । सः । पुत्रः । विश्वे । देवाः । अदितिः । पञ्च । जनाः । अदितिः । जातम् । अदितिः । जनित्वम् ॥
aditiḥ | dyauḥ | aditiḥ | antarikṣam | aditiḥ | mātā | saḥ | pitā | saḥ | putraḥ | viśve | devāḥ | aditiḥ | pañca | janāḥ | aditiḥ | jātam | aditiḥ | jani-tvam

English translation

“Aditi is heaven. Aditi is the mid-space (antariksha). Aditi is the mother; she is the father, she the son. Aditi is the All Gods, the five peoples (pañca janāh). Aditi is what has been born,  Aditi what is to be born.”

(pañca janāh  - The Atmavadins (who are for the inner meaning of the Vedas) hold at the panca janāḥ are the Sight, the Audience, the Mind, the Voice, the life."

https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.24703/page/n287/mode/2up?q=eye)

Rig Veda 8.18.4

Ṛṣi/seer: irimbiṭhi kāṇva

दे॒वेभि॑र्देव्यदि॒तेऽरि॑ष्टभर्म॒न्ना ग॑हि । स्मत्सू॒रिभि॑: पुरुप्रिये सु॒शर्म॑भिः ॥

devebhir devy adite 'riṣṭabharmann ā gahi | smat sūribhiḥ purupriye suśarmabhiḥ ||

Padapatha

देवेभिः । देवि । अदिते । अरिष्टभर्मन् । आ । गहि । स्मत् । सूरिभिः । पुरुप्रिये । सुशर्मभिः ॥

devebhiḥ | devi | adite | ariṣta-bharman | ā | gahi | smat | sūri-bhiḥ | puru-priye | suśarma-bhiḥ

English translation

“Divine Aditi, bringer of safety from all adversities, beloved of many, come here with the gods, along with patrons who provide good shelter, o you dear to many

Rig Veda 8.18.5

Ṛṣi/seer: irimbiṭhi kāṇva

ते हि पु॒त्रासो॒ अदि॑तेर्वि॒दुर्द्वेषां॑सि॒ योत॑वे । अं॒होश्चि॑दुरु॒चक्र॑योऽने॒हस॑: ॥
te hi putrāso aditer vidur dveṣāṃsi yotave | aṃhoś cid urucakrayo 'nehasaḥ ||

Padapatha

ते । हि । पुत्रासः । अदितेः । विदुः । द्वेषांसि । योतवे । अंहोः । चित् । उरुचक्रयः । अनेहसः ॥

te | hi | putrāsaḥ | aditeḥ | viduḥ | dveṣāṃsi | yotave | aṃhoḥ | cit | uru-cakrayaḥ | anehasaḥ

English translation

For these sons of Aditi know how to keep away enemies/hostilities—the faultless ones, who know how to extricate (us) from sin.

Rig Veda 8.18.6

Ṛṣi/seer: irimbiṭhi kāṇva

अदि॑तिर्नो॒ दिवा॑ प॒शुमदि॑ति॒र्नक्त॒मद्व॑याः । अदि॑तिः पा॒त्वंह॑सः स॒दावृ॑धा ॥

aditir no divā paśum aditir naktam advayāḥ | aditiḥ pātv aṃhasaḥ sadāvṛdhā ||

Padapatha

अदितिः । नः । दिवा । पशुम् । अदितिः । नक्तम् । अद्वयाः । अदितिः । पातु । अंहसः । सदावृधा ॥

aditiḥ | naḥ | divā | paśum | aditiḥ | naktam | advayāḥ | aditiḥ | pātu | aṃhasaḥ | sadāvṛdhā

English translation

“May Aditi protect our cattle (spiritual efforts), and, free us from duplicity, ie, take us to Advaita stage; may Aditi, by her constant favour, save us from sin and may make us grow strong.”

Rig Veda 8.18.7

Ṛṣi/seer: irimbiṭhi kāṇva

उ॒त स्या नो॒ दिवा॑ म॒तिरदि॑तिरू॒त्या ग॑मत् । सा शंता॑ति॒ मय॑स्कर॒दप॒ स्रिध॑: ॥

uta syā no divā matir aditir ūtyā gamat | sā śaṃtāti mayas karad apa sridhaḥ ||

Padapatha

उत । स्या । नः । दिवा । मतिः । अदितिः । ऊत्या । आ । गमत् । सा । शम्ताति । मयः । करत् । अप । स्रिधः ॥

uta | syā | naḥ | divā | matiḥ | aditiḥ | ūtyā | ā | gamat | sā | śam-tāti | mayaḥ | karat | apa | sridhaḥ

English translation

“May the monitress Aditi come to us, for our prosecution by day; may she grant us joy, and ward off, (our) enemies/errors.”

Rig Veda 8.47.9

Ṛṣi/seer: trita āptya

अदि॑तिर्न उरुष्य॒त्वदि॑ति॒: शर्म॑ यच्छतु । मा॒ता मि॒त्रस्य॑ रे॒वतो॑ऽर्य॒म्णो वरु॑णस्य चाने॒हसो॑ व ऊ॒तय॑: सु॒तयो॑ व ऊ॒तय॑: ॥

aditir na uruṣyatv aditiḥ śarma yacchatu | mātā mitrasya revato 'ryamṇo varuṇasya cānehaso va ūtayaḥ suūtayo va ūtayaḥ ||

Padapatha

अदितिः । नः । उरुष्यतु । अदितिः । शर्म । यच्छतु । माता । मित्रस्य । रेवतः । अर्यम्णः । वरुणस्य । च । अनेहसः । वः । ऊतयः । सुऊतयः । वः । ऊतयः ॥
aditiḥ | naḥ | uruṣyatu | aditiḥ | śarma | yacchatu | mātā | mitrasya | revataḥ | ayarmṇaḥ | varuṇasya | ca | anehasaḥ | vaḥ | ūtayaḥ | su-ūtayaḥ | vaḥ | ūtayaḥ

English translation

“May Aditi defend us, may Aditi grant us happiness, the mother of the splendorous Mitra, Aryama and Varuṇa; your aids are void of harm, your aids are true aids.”

Rig Veda 8.67.10

Ṛṣi/seer: matsyaḥ sāmmado mānyo

उ॒त त्वाम॑दिते मह्य॒हं दे॒व्युप॑ ब्रुवे । सु॒मृ॒ळी॒काम॒भिष्ट॑ये ॥

uta tvām adite mahy ahaṃ devy upa bruve | sumṛḻīkām abhiṣṭaye ||

Padapatha

उत । त्वाम् । अदिते । महि । अहम् । देवि । उप । ब्रुवे । सुमृळीकाम् । अभिष्टये ॥

uta | tvām | adite | mahi | aham | devi | upa | bruve | su-mṛḷīkām | abhiṣṭaye

English translation

“I address you, who give abundant delight, the great goddess, Aditi, for the attainment of my desire.”

Rig Veda 8.67.11

Ṛṣi/seer: matsyaḥ sāmmado mānyo

पर्षि॑ दी॒ने ग॑भी॒र आँ उग्र॑पुत्रे॒ जिघां॑सतः । माकि॑स्तो॒कस्य॑ नो रिषत् ॥

parṣi dīne gabhīra ām̐ ugraputre jighāṃsataḥ | mākis tokasya no riṣat ||

Padapatha

पर्षि । दीने । गभीरे । आ । उग्रपुत्रे । जिघांसतः । माकिः । तोकस्य । नः । रिषत् ॥
parṣi | dīne | gabhīre | ā | ugra-putre | jighāṃsataḥ | mākiḥ | tokasya | naḥ | riṣat

English translation

“You protect on every side from unfathomable harms; let, in this shallow water full of mighty offspring.” O you, who have powerful sons, let not of the enemy/destroyer hurt our children

Rig Veda 8.67.12

Ṛṣi/seer: matsyaḥ sāmmado mānyo

अ॒ने॒हो न॑ उरुव्रज॒ उरू॑चि॒ वि प्रस॑र्तवे । कृ॒धि तो॒काय॑ जी॒वसे॑ ॥

aneho na uruvraja urūci vi prasartave | kṛdhi tokāya jīvase ||

Padapatha

अनेहः । नः । उरुव्रजे । उरूचि । वि । प्रसर्तवे । कृधि । तोकाय । जीवसे ॥
anehaḥ | naḥ | uru-vraje | urūci | vi | pra-sartave | kṛdhi | tokāya | jīvase

English translation

Make faultless (shelter) for us, o widely spreading (goddess) possessing a wide enclosure, (for us) to extend afar and for our offspring to live.

Rig Veda 8.67.14

Ṛṣi/seer: matsyaḥ sāmmado mānyo

ते न॑ आ॒स्नो वृका॑णा॒मादि॑त्यासो मु॒मोच॑त । स्ते॒नं ब॒द्धमि॑वादिते ॥

te na āsno vṛkāṇām ādityāso mumocata | stenam baddham ivādite ||

Padapatha

ते । नः । आस्नः । वृकाणाम् । आदित्यासः । मुमोचत । स्तेनम् । बद्धम्इव । अदिते ॥
te | naḥ | āsnaḥ | vṛkāṇām | ādityāsaḥ | mumocata | stenam | baddham-iva | adite

English translation

“O Aditi , O Ādityas, deliver us, who is like a bound thief,  from the jaws of the wolves/destroyers (our weaknesses)

Rig Veda 8.67.18

Ṛṣi/seer: matsyaḥ sāmmado mānyo

तत्सु नो॒ नव्यं॒ सन्य॑स॒ आदि॑त्या॒ यन्मुमो॑चति । ब॒न्धाद्ब॒द्धमि॑वादिते ॥

tat su no navyaṃ sanyasa ādityā yan mumocati | bandhād baddham ivādite ||

Padapatha

तत् । सु । नः । नव्यम् । सन्यसे । आदित्याः । यत् । मुमोचति । बन्धात् । बद्धम्इव । अदिते ॥

tat | su | naḥ | navyam | sanyase | ādityāḥ | yat | mumocati | bandhāt | baddham-iva | adite

English translation

O Aditi, O Ādityas! If a bound man was relieved from his bondage, it is like a new (life) for an older (man)

Rig Veda 10.72.8

 

Ṛṣi/seer: bṛhaspatirbṛhaspatirvā laukya aditirvā dākṣāyaṇī

अ॒ष्टौ पु॒त्रासो॒ अदि॑ते॒र्ये जा॒तास्त॒न्व१॒॑स्परि॑ । दे॒वाँ उप॒ प्रैत्स॒प्तभि॒: परा॑ मार्ता॒ण्डमा॑स्यत् ॥

aṣṭau putrāso aditer ye jātās tanvas pari | devām̐ upa prait saptabhiḥ parā mārtāṇḍam āsyat ||

Padapatha

अष्टौ । पुत्रासः । अदितेः । ये । जाताः । तन्वः । परि । देवान् । उप । प्र । ऐत् । सप्तभिः । परा । मार्ताण्डम् । आस्यत् ॥
aṣṭau | putrāsaḥ | aditeḥ | ye | jātāḥ | tanvaḥ | pari | devān | upa | pra | ait | sapta-bhiḥ | parā | mārtāṇḍam | āsyat

English translation:

Eight are the sons of Aditi, which were born from her body. With seven she went forth to the gods. She cast away the one stemming from a dead egg.

 

Rig Veda 10.72.9

 

Ṛṣi/seer: bṛhaspatirbṛhaspatirvā laukya aditirvā dākṣāyaṇī

 

स॒प्तभि॑: पु॒त्रैरदि॑ति॒रुप॒ प्रैत्पू॒र्व्यं यु॒गम् । प्र॒जायै॑ मृ॒त्यवे॑ त्व॒त्पुन॑र्मार्ता॒ण्डमाभ॑रत् ॥

saptabhiḥ putrair aditir upa prait pūrvyaṃ yugam | prajāyai mṛtyave tvat punar mārtāṇḍam ābharat ||

 

Padapatha

सप्तभिः । पुत्रैः । अदितिः । उप । प्र । ऐत् । पूर्व्यम् । युगम् । प्रजायै । मृत्यवे । त्वत् । पुनः । मार्ताण्डम् । आ । अभरत् ॥
sapta-bhiḥ | putraiḥ | aditiḥ | upa | pra | ait | pūrvyam | yugam | pra-jāyai | mṛtyave | tvat | punaḥ | mārtāṇḍam | ā | abharat

 

English translation:

 

With seven sons Aditi went forth to the ancient generation.  For procreation but also for death, she brought here again the one stemming from a dead egg.

 

(Who the mārtāṇḍa – मार्ताण्ड is, as per Rig Veda, has been explained in a separate post)