Part 10 - Savitṛ (the Preserver)

In the Vedic literature, Savitṛ is called as the preserver of the world:

divo dhartā bhuvanasya prajāpatiḥ.^[1]

In the Brāhmaṇas, he is referred to as identical with Prajāpati.^[2] It is stated that, Prajāpati being Savitṛ, created all the living beings.^[3] He is invoked as the supreme god and creator of the world. Savitṛ regulates all the moveable and immoveable things.^[4] He gives immortality to the deities and lengthens the life of men.^[5] The Nirukta states him as the protector.^[6]

While interpreting a Ṛgvedic verse, devastvaṣṭa savitā, etc., Durgācārya has clarified the preservative aspects of Savitṛ by saying:

tvaṣṭā devo madhyamaḥ savitā sarvasya bhūtagrāmasya prasavitā utpādayitodakasampradānadvāreṇa/ kimutpādayitaiva/ netucyate/ pupoṣa prajāḥ puṣṇāti rasānutpādya/ na kevalaṃ puṣṇāti/ kiṃ tarhi/ purudhā jajāneti/ bahudhā cainā janayati vardhayati/ kena punarasau janayati puṣṇāti vardhayati ca/ yata āha/ imā ca viśvā bhuvanānyasya/ imāni viśvāni bhuvanāni udakāni asya yataḥ svatāyāṃ vartante tasmājjanayati puṣṇāti vardhayati ca/^[7]

Again, Savitṛ is mentioned as the preserver of the rain water, i.e. apāṃ napāt in the Ṛgvedasaṃhitā.^[8]

Sāyaṇācārya in his interpretation, gives the meaning of the term apāṃ napāt as:

apāṃ napātaṃ jalasya ca pālakam/ santāpena śoṣakamityarthaḥ/^[9]

Because, Savitṛ, who belongs to the middle region causes the rain water to come down by evaporating the water body of the earth with its heat. The water and wind follow his order.^[10] He leads the water,^[11] and leads the other gods also.^[12] As soon as Savitṛ appears in the world, the offering of oblations, invocations, etc., towards the other divinities start.^[13]

Savitṛ is mentioned in the Vedas as the ruler, who rules over the wide world, i.e. dhṛtavrata.^[14] He is called the satyadharmā, i.e. observer of divine truth.^[15]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Ṛgvedasaṃhitā, 4.53.2; Kauṣītakibrāhmaṇa, 2.21.4

[2]:

Śatapathabrāhmaṇa, 12.3.5.1

[3]:

cf., prajāpatiḥ savitā bhūtvā prajā asṛjat/ Taittirīyabrāhmaṇa, 1.6.4.1

[4]:

cf., bṛhatsumnaḥ prasavītā niveśano jagataḥ sthāturubhayasya yo vaśī/sa no devaḥ savitā śarma yacchatvasme kṣayāya trivarūthamaṃhasaḥ// Ṛgvedasaṃhitā, 4.53.6

[5]:

cf., devebhyo hi prathamaṃ yajñiyebhyoʹmṛtatvaṃ subasi bhāgamuttamam/ ādiddāmānaṃ savitarvyūrṇuṣeʹnūcīnā jīvitā mānuṣebhyaḥ// Ibid., 4.54.2

[6]:

cf. devastvaṣṭā savitā sarvarūpaḥ poṣati prajā rasānupradānena/ bahudhā cemā janayati/ imāni ca

[7]:

Ibid.

[8]:

cf., apāṃ napātamavase savitāramupa stuhi/ tasya vratānyaśmasi// Ṛgvedasaṃhitā, 1.22.6

[9]:

cf., apāṃ napātaṃ jalasya na pālakam/ santāpena śoṣakamityarthaḥ/ Sāyaṇācārya on Ṛgvedasaṃhitā, 1.22.6

[10]:

cf., āpaścidasya vrata ā nimṛgā ayaṃ cidvāto ramate parijman// Ṛgvedasaṃhitā, 2.38.2

[11]:

cf., devoʹnayatsavitā supāṇistasya vayaṃ prasave yāma ūrvīḥ// Ibid., 3.33.6

[12]:

cf., yasya prayāṇamanvanya idyayurdevā devasya mahimānamojasā/ Ibid., 5.81.3

[13]:

cf., anya it devāḥ anyeʹpyagnyādayaḥ yasya devasya dyotamānasya savituḥ prayāṇamanu yayuḥ gacchanti prāpnuvanti/ kim/ mahimānaṃ mahattvaṃ/ saviturudayābhāve agnihotrādyaniṣpattesteṣāṃ haviḥstutyādyabhāvāt/ Sāyaṇācārya, Ibid.

[14]:

cf., adābhyo bhuvanāni pracākaśadvratāni devaḥ savitābhi rakṣate/ prāsrāgbāhū bhuvanasya prajābhyo dhṛtavrato maho ajmasya rājati// Ṛgvedasaṃhitā, 4.53.4

[15]:

cf., tripañcāśaḥ krīlati vrāta eṣāṃ devaiva savitā satyadharmā/ Ibid., 10.34.8 devaiva savitā satyadharmendro na tasthau samare dhanānām/ Ibid., 10.139.3