Ṛgveda · Maṇḍala 1 · Sūkta 23

Ṛk 1.23.21

Vāyu · Indra, Vāyu · Mitra, Varuṇa · Indra Marutvat · Viśvedevās · Pūṣan · Apas · Apas (A) · Agni (B) · Agni · Medhātithi Kāṇva

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Saṃhitā

आपः॑ पृणी॒त भे॑ष॒जं वरू॑थं त॒न्वे॒३॒॑ मम॑ ।
ज्योक् च॒ सूर्यं॑ दृ॒शे ॥

आपः पृणीत भेषजं वरूथं तन्वे मम |
ज्योक् च सूर्यं दृशे ||

ā́paḥ pṛṇītá bheṣajám várūtham tanvé máma ǀ
jyók ca sū́ryam dṛśé ǁ

āpaḥ pṛṇīta bheṣajaṃ varūthaṃ tanve mama |
jyok ca sūryaṃ dṛśe ||

Padapāṭha

आपः॑ । पृ॒णी॒त । भे॒ष॒जम् । वरू॑थम् । त॒न्वे॑ । मम॑ ।
ज्योक् । च॒ । सूर्य॑म् । दृ॒शे ॥

आपः । पृणीत । भेषजम् । वरूथम् । तन्वे । मम ।
ज्योक् । च । सूर्यम् । दृशे ॥

ā́paḥ ǀ pṛṇītá ǀ bheṣajám ǀ várūtham ǀ tanvé ǀ máma ǀ
jyók ǀ ca ǀ sū́ryam ǀ dṛśé ǁ

āpaḥ ǀ pṛṇīta ǀ bheṣajam ǀ varūtham ǀ tanve ǀ mama ǀ
jyok ǀ ca ǀ sūryam ǀ dṛśe ǁ

References

Maṇḍala · Sūkta · Ṛk
01.023.21
Aṣṭaka · Adhyāya · Varga · Ṛk
1.2.12.01
Maṇḍala · Anuvāka · Ṛk
01.05.074
Devatā देवता
1: Vāyu; 2, 3: Indra, Vāyu; 4-6: Mitra, Varuṇa; 7-9: Indra Marutvat; 10-12: Viśvedevās; 13-15: Pūṣan; 16-22: Apas; 23: Apas (A); Agni (B); 24: Agni
Ṛṣi ऋषि
Medhātithi Kāṇva
Chandas छन्दस्
Gāyatrī, Anuṣṭubh, Pura-Uṣṇih, Pratiṣṭhā
Svara स्वरः
षड्जः

Text and interpretations from the Ṛgveda database of theveda.org.in.

Ṛgveda 1.23.21

Interpretations

Kapali Shastri

Translation

Tr. O Waters, fill with medicine, as armour for my body; and for long vision of the Sun.

Commentary

āpaḥ O Waters; mama tanve for my body; varūtham halo-like, like an enclosing armour of protection; bheśajam medicine removing all ill; prņita fill; and also jyok long; süryam supreme Light; dụse ca to see (fill with medicine).

It is not earthly medicine for the protection of the body that is meant. In medical treatment, the taking of medicine is primary, hence the request is for serving the medicine alone. The medicine which gives strength for a long vision of the Sun is not worldly. It is clear that what is spoken of is a medicine of the Waters with glory divine, attainable by the inner sacrificer.