Ayaṃ yajñaḥ svasṛjat puruṣaḥ । Paścām yaśya vedata ityāhuḥ । Ṛtasya yonim upahvayem । Ṛtasya yonim prapadye ॥
“This Purusha, having produced the Yajna, is the source; having reached it they say; I call upon the womb of Ṛta; I bow to the womb of Ṛta.”
Structure
Ayaṃ yajñaḥ sva-sṛjat puruṣaḥ Paścām yaśya veda-ta ity āhuḥ Ṛtasya yonim upahvayem Ṛtasya yonim prapadye
Puruṣaḥ (the person, Purusha) ayaṃ (this) yajñaḥ (sacrifice) sva-sṛjat (created by himself)ity āhuḥ (thus they say) yaśya (of whom) paścām (later) veda-ta (the knowledge or Veda pertains)Ṛtasya (of the Truth or Ṛta) yonim (the womb or source) upahvayem (let us invoke or call)Ṛtasya (of the Truth) yonim (the womb or source) prapadye (I resort to or take refuge in)
Word-by-Word Grammar
| Word | IAST | Type | Grammar | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ayaṃ | Ayaṃ | pronoun | nominative · singular · masculine | this |
| yajñaḥ | yajñaḥ | noun | nominative · singular · masculine | sacrifice |
| sva-sṛjat | sva-sṛjat | compound | bahuvrīhi · "sva-sṛj + at" | self-born |
| puruṣaḥ | puruṣaḥ | noun | nominative · singular · masculine | man, person |
| Paścām | Paścām | noun | accusative · singular · feminine | back, rear |
| yaśya | yaśya | pronoun | genitive · singular · masculine | whose |
| veda-ta | veda-ta | verb | √vid · past · third | he knows |
| ity | iti | indeclinable | — | thus, say |
| āhuḥ | āhuḥ | verb | √ā + √hū · present · third | they say |
| Ṛtasya | Ṛtasya | noun | genitive · singular · masculine | of Ṛta |
| yonim | yonim | noun | accusative · singular · masculine | womb, source |
| upahvayem | upahvayem | verb | √hū + upa · optative · first | I may call |
| Ṛtasya | Ṛtasya | noun | genitive · singular · masculine | of Ṛta |
| yonim | yonim | noun | accusative · singular · masculine | womb, source |
| prapadye | prapadye | verb | √pad + pra · present · first | I resort to |
Scholarly Commentary
Advaita Vedānta (Ādi Śaṅkarācārya): In his commentary on the Brahmasūtra, Śaṅkara interprets this verse as indicative of the non-dual nature of Brahman. The phrase 'ayaṃ yajñaḥ svasṛjat puruṣaḥ' suggests that the ultimate reality, Purusha, is the source of all creation, including the yajña, or sacrificial ritual. The subsequent phrase 'ṛtasya yonim upahvayem' is seen as a call to realize the womb of Ṛta, or cosmic order, which is none other than Brahman itself. Śaṅkara's reasoning on this verse underscores the idea that the individual self (ātman) is ultimately identical with Brahman, and that this realization is the goal of spiritual inquiry. By invoking the womb of Ṛta, the seeker is, in effect, invoking the ultimate source of all existence, and thereby dissolving the distinctions between the individual and the absolute.
Vaiṣṇava tradition (Rāmānujācārya): Rāmānujācārya, in his Śrī Bhāṣya, offers a distinctively devotional reading of this verse. For Rāmānuja, the phrase 'paścām yaśya veda-ta ity āhuḥ' highlights the idea that the supreme Lord, Nārāyaṇa, is the ultimate destination of all spiritual striving. The invocation of Ṛta's womb is seen as a prayer to be united with the Lord's divine energy, which pervades all creation. Rāmānuja's interpretation emphasizes the loving relationship between the jīva (individual self) and Īśvara (the Lord), and the necessity of surrender (prapatti) to the divine will. In this context, the verse is understood as a call to devotion and self-surrender, rather than a merely philosophical or speculative exercise.
Neo-Vedānta (Swami Vivekānanda): Swami Vivekānanda, in his lectures on the Vedas, emphasizes the universal and practicalapplication of this verse. He interprets 'ayaṃ yajñaḥ svasṛjat puruṣaḥ' as a call to recognize the divine within oneself, and to actualize that divinity through selfless action (niskāma karma). The invocation of Ṛta's womb is seen as a symbol of the eternal and unchanging principle that underlies all existence. Vivekānanda argues that this verse points to the importance of living in harmony with the natural order (Ṛta), and of cultivating a sense of reverence and awe for the mysteries of the universe. In contemporary life, this verse can be seen as a reminder of the interconnectedness of all beings, and the need to strive for a more profound sense of unity and purpose.