rigvedavediconenesstruth

ඒකං සද්විප්රා බහුධා වදන්ති

एकं सद्विप्रा बहुधा वदन्ति in Sinhala · සිංහල

🕉️ vedic·📿 9× repetitions·🕐 At dawn during meditation, or before study of scripture and inter-faith reflection·📜 Rigveda 1.164.46

Read in your language / script

हिन्दी / देवनागरी తెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ Englishසිංහල𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

Origin & Story

Rigveda 1.164.46 · Rishi Dirghatamas Auchathya · Vedic period (c. 1500 BCE or earlier)

This line closes a verse within the famous riddle-hymn of the Rigveda known as the Asya Vamasya Sukta, ascribed to the blind seer Dirghatamas. The hymn poses profound questions about the cosmos, the sun, time and the divine. In this verse the seer resolves the apparent multiplicity of the Vedic gods by declaring that the one Existent (Ekam Sat) is what the wise address through many names — Indra, Mitra, Varuna, Agni, the celestial Garutman, Yama and Matarishvan.

✦ As told in scripture

Through the ages this single line has been quoted by saints, philosophers and reformers — from the Upanishadic seers to Swami Vivekananda at the Parliament of Religions — as proof that the Vedic vision embraces all forms of the divine. Many devotees say that meditating on it dissolves the inner quarrel between paths and grants a peace born of seeing the one Truth everywhere.

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The Mantra

Tap any line — or the ▶ button — to hear it recited

ඉන්ද්රං මිත්රං වරුණමග්නිමාහුරථෝ දිව්යඃ ස සුපර්ණෝ ගරුත්මාන්. ඒකං සද්විප්රා බහුධා වදන්ත්යග්නිං යමං මාතරිශ්වානමාහුඃ..

Indraṃ mitraṃ varuṇam agnim āhur atho divyaḥ sa suparṇo garutmān | Ekaṃ sad viprā bahudhā vadanty agniṃ yamaṃ mātariśvānam āhuḥ ||

Meaning:वे उसी एक को इन्द्र, मित्र, वरुण और अग्नि कहते हैं, और वही दिव्य सुन्दर पंखों वाला गरुत्मान (सुपर्ण) भी है। सत्य एक ही है, किन्तु ज्ञानी जन उसे अनेक प्रकार से वर्णित करते हैं — उसी को अग्नि, यम और मातरिश्वा भी कहते हैं। वस्तुतः वह एक ही सत् तत्त्व अपने भिन्न-भिन्न रूपों के अनुसार ऋषियों द्वारा अनेक नामों से पुकारा जाता है, फिर भी वह सदा एक ही रहता है।

Word-by-Word Meaning

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ඉන්ද්රම්🔊indramIndra (the lord of the heavens)

මිත්රම්🔊mitramMitra (the friendly deity of day and harmony)

වරුණම්🔊varuṇamVaruna (the deity of cosmic order and waters)

අග්නිම්🔊agnimAgni (the sacred fire)

ආහුඃ🔊āhuḥthey call (Him), they name (Him)

අථෝ🔊athoand also, moreover

දිව්යඃ🔊divyaḥthe divine, the heavenly one

සඃ🔊saḥHe (that very same One)

සුපර්ණඃ🔊suparṇaḥthe beautiful-winged one (the celestial bird / sun)

ගරුත්මාන්🔊garutmānGarutman (the winged celestial being, Garuda)

ඒකම්🔊ekamOne (the single, undivided Reality)

සත්🔊satthe Existent, the Truth, that which is

විප්රාඃ🔊viprāḥthe wise, the seers, the inspired sages

බහුධා🔊bahudhāin many ways, by many names

වදන්ති🔊vadantispeak of, describe, call

යමම්🔊yamamYama (the lord of dharma and the departed)

මාතරිශ්වානම්🔊mātariśvānamMatarishvan (the cosmic wind / vital breath)

Benefits of Chanting एकं सद्विप्रा बहुधा वदन्ति

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Reveals the foundational Vedic truth that the divine is one, named in many ways

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Cultivates a spirit of harmony, tolerance and respect for all paths and traditions

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Deepens understanding of non-dual (Advaita) wisdom from its earliest Vedic root

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Frees the mind from sectarian narrowness and the quarrel over names and forms

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Inspires reverence for the seers (rishis) and the inclusive vision of Sanatana Dharma

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Steadies contemplation on the one Reality (Sat) underlying all diversity

How to Chant एकं सद्विप्रा बहुधा वदन्ति

Repetitions9times

Best TimeAt dawn during meditation, or before study of scripture and inter-faith reflection

Recite the verse slowly with attention to its meaning, holding the contemplation that all the named deities point to one indivisible Reality (Ekam Sat). It is well suited to japa, to the opening of spiritual study, and to interfaith or unity gatherings. Chant with a calm, reverent mind, ideally after a few moments of silence, letting the truth of oneness settle in the heart.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete एकं सद्विप्रा बहुधा वदन्ति written in the Sinhala script — the same Sanskrit/Hindi verses, transliterated character-by-character so you can read and chant comfortably. Tap any line (or the ▶ button) to hear it recited aloud.

Yes — only the script changes; the words and their meaning are the original. The verse-by-verse meaning, benefits and how-to-chant guidance on this page apply exactly the same.

It means 'Truth (or That which Exists) is One; the wise call it by many names.' It teaches that the various gods such as Indra, Agni, Varuna and Yama are different names and powers of one and the same Supreme Reality.

It is the second half of Rigveda 1.164.46, from a long philosophical hymn (the Asya Vamasya Sukta) attributed to the seer Dirghatamas Auchathya. It is among the oldest statements of unity in all of human scripture.

It is frequently cited as the heart of Hinduism's inclusive outlook — that there is one Truth approached through many names, deities and paths. It underlies the harmony between the many forms of worship in Sanatana Dharma and its respect for other traditions.

It reconciles both: the many gods are real powers and aspects, yet they are expressions of a single underlying Reality (Sat). The worship of any form, done sincerely, reaches that one Truth.