Upanishads · Devī 5
॥
Devanāgarī
देवीं वाचमजनयन्त देवास्तां विश्वरूपाः पशवो वदन्ति । सा नो मन्द्रेशमूर्जं दुहाना धेनुर्वागस्मानुपसुष्टुतैतु
Transliteration (IAST)
devīṃ vācamajanayanta devāstāṃ viśvarūpāḥ paśavo vadanti | sā no mandreśamūrjaṃ duhānā dhenurvāgasmānupasuṣṭutaitu
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
देवीं वाचम् अजनयन्त देवाःdevīṃ vācam ajanayanta devāḥthe gods brought forth the Goddess Speech
ताम् विश्व-रूपाः पशवः वदन्तिtām viśva-rūpāḥ paśavaḥ vadanticreatures of every form speak her
सा नः मन्द्राsā naḥ mandrāshe, delightful to us
इषम् ऊर्जं दुहानाiṣam ūrjaṃ duhānāmilking food and strength
धेनुः वाक् अस्मान् उपdhenuḥ vāk asmān upathe cow Speech, to us
सुष्टुता एतुsuṣṭutā etuwell-praised, may she come
Translation
«The gods brought forth the Goddess Speech; creatures of every form speak her. She, delightful, milking food and strength for us — the cow Speech, well-praised, may she come to us».
Version
4c43f767fe9f · published Aug 12, 2026, 5:00:00 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Here is the verse (Ṛgveda 8.100.11) that this book cites itself, and it settles the question posed by the second line.
It is stated plainly: devīṃ vācam ajanayanta devāḥ, “the gods brought forth the Goddess Speech.” The verb ajanayanta is a causative of jan, “to be born”: “made to be born, produced.”
Compare this with what stood in line 2. There Speech said: “I bear Mitra and Varuṇa, I bear Viṣṇu”; here it is said that she was produced by the gods. Both verses are taken from the Ṛgveda, both are cited in this book one after the other, and there is no contradiction between them: the one who bears can be produced, if he is an instrument, and not a source.
The second half of the verse confirms this better than any argument. Speech is called dhenu, “the milk-cow,” and it is said that she is duhānā, “milking food and strength for us.” A cow is kept for its milk; it is precious, it is fed and cared for, but it has an owner.
Hence the Vaiṣṇava reading does not war against this book and does not reject it. Speech, knowledge, power, nature — all this is truly divine, truly alive, and truly honored; the dispute concerns only whether there is, behind them, One to whom they belong. The Ṛgveda answers this in the very hymn cited here: they were brought forth.
Worth noting, finally, is the phrase paśavaḥ vadanti, “creatures speak”: speech is not the possession of humans alone. This thought in the ancient hymn is unexpected and fine — every living thing raises its voice, and that voice is called by the same name, Speech.