Rig Veda 7.41.2: Mandala 7, Sukta 41, Mantra 2
Sukta 7.41
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Bhaga, son of Aditi
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
प्रातर्जितं भगमुग्रं हुवेम वयं पुत्रमदितेर्यो विधर्ता । आध्रश्चिद्यं मन्यमानस्तुरश्चिद्राजा चिद्यं भगं भक्षीत्याह ॥
prā́tarjitaṃ bhágam ugráṃ huvema vayáṃ putrám aditéryo vidhartā́ | ā́dhraś cid yáṃ manyámānas turáś cid rājā́ cid yáṃ bhágaṃ bhakṣī́ty ā́ha ||
প্ৰভাতত আমি ভগক—প্ৰভাতৰ বিজয়ী, ভয়ংকৰ—আহ্বান কৰোঁ; অদিতিৰ পুত্ৰ, যি জগতসমূহ ধাৰণ কৰে। দীনজনেও যি তেওঁক স্মৰে, বলৱানেও, ৰজাও—সেই ভগৰ বিষয়ে কয়: ‘মই ভাগ লওঁ।’ তেনেদৰে আমিও আনন্দ আৰু বৃদ্ধি-সমৃদ্ধিৰ ন্যায়সঙ্গত অংশত অংশীদাৰ হওঁ।
Word by Word
- प्रातः
- in the morningIndeclinableकालवाचक-अव्यय (प्रभाते)Role अधिकरण (काल)Root प्रातः (अव्यय)
- जितम्
- won, victoriousAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन (कर्मणि-भूतकृदन्त; ‘जित’)Role विशेषण (भगम् उग्रम्)Root √जि (जये) → जित (कृदन्त)
- भगम्
- Bhaga (the god of fortune/share)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (हु॒वेम)Root भग (प्रातिपदिक)
- उग्रम्
- fierce, mightyAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole विशेषण (भगम्)Root उग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- हुवेम
- may we invoke/callVerbलोट् (वैदिक: आशीर्लिङ्/लोट्-प्रयोग), उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot √ह्वे (आह्वाने)
- वयम्
- wePronounप्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- पुत्रम्
- sonNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole अप्पोज़िशन/विशेष्य (भगम्) अथवा कर्म (हु॒वेम) में सह-निर्देशRoot पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- अदितेः
- of AditiNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root अदिति (प्रातिपदिक)
- यः
- whoPronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (वि॒ध॒र्ता)Root यद् (सर्वनाम)
- विधर्ता
- the supporter, sustainerNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (कर्तरि-तृच्)Role कर्तृ/कर्तृवाचक संज्ञाRoot वि-√धृ (धारणे) → विधर्तृ (कृदन्त)
- आध्रः
- poor, needyAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (भक्षीति) में ‘यम्’ का विशेषणRoot आध्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- चित्
- evenIndeclinableनिपात (अपि/एव-भाव)Role सम्बन्धक/बलवर्धकRoot चित् (अव्यय)
- यम्
- whomPronounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (भक्षीति)Root यद् (सर्वनाम)
- मन्यमानः
- thinking, deeming (himself)Participleवर्तमान कृदन्त (शानच्), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद-भावRole कर्तृ (भक्षीति) का विशेषणRoot √मन् (मन्यते; मान/मन्य) → मन्यमान (कृदन्त)
- तुरः
- strong, overbearingAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (भक्षीति) का विशेषणRoot तुर (प्रातिपदिक)
- चित्
- evenIndeclinableनिपातRole बलवर्धकRoot चित् (अव्यय)
- राजा
- a kingNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (भक्षीति)Root राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- चित्
- evenIndeclinableनिपातRole बलवर्धकRoot चित् (अव्यय)
- यम्
- whomPronounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (भक्षीति)Root यद् (सर्वनाम)
- भगम्
- BhagaNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (भक्षीति) / ‘यम्’ का अप्पोज़िशनRoot भग (प्रातिपदिक)
- भक्षीति
- eats, devoursVerbलट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot √भक्ष् (भक्षणे)
- आह
- saidVerbलिट् (परोक्शभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रिया (उक्ति-प्रवर्तन)Root √अह्/√ब्रू (वदने) → आह (परोक्श/लिट्-रूप)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धि-निरसन): प्रातः | जितम् | भगम् | उग्रम् | हुवेम | वयम् | पुत्रम् | अदितेः | यः | विधर्ता || आध्रः | चित् | यम् | मन्यमानः | तुरः | चित् | राजा | चित् | यम् | भगम् | भक्षीति | आह || 1) प्रा॒त॒र्जितम् = प्रातः + जितम् (विसर्ग-लोप/रेफ-आदेश: प्रातः → प्रातर् पदान्ते स्वर-सन्धि)
- 2) अदिते॒र्यो = अदितेः + यः (विसर्ग-लोप; ‘ः’ + ‘य’)
- 3) आध्रश्चि॒द्यं = आध्रः + चित् + यम् (विसर्ग-लोप; चित् निपातः ‘यम्’ से संयोग)
- 4) तुरश्चि॒द्राजा = तुरः + चित् + राजा (विसर्ग-लोप)
- 5) चि॒द्यं = चित् + यम् (त् + य् संयोग; पदपाठ में पृथक्)
- 6) भ॒क्षीत्याह = भक्षीति + आह (इति-लोप/सन्धि-प्रयोग: ‘भक्षीति’ के बाद उक्ति-सूचक ‘इति’ निहित; संहितापाठ में ‘त्याह’)
The meaning
Outer meaning
At dawn we invoke Bhaga, victorious and formidable, son of Aditi who upholds; even the needy, the strong, and the king say of Bhaga, ‘May I partake.’
Inner meaning
Bhaga is the power that apportions the right share of divine delight and fruitful increase. At dawn—when consciousness is most receptive—we call Bhaga ‘prātarjita’ (morning-victorious): the joy that wins first, before the day’s dispersions. As Aditi’s son, he acts from the infinite wideness and undivided Truth. The verse insists universality: every condition of the human being—weakness (ādhra), force (tura), and authority (rājā)—needs this right portion. Psychologically, all parts of us, from the struggling to the commanding, must learn to ask for the true share, not the ego’s craving.
Universal truth
Sustainable prosperity is alignment with a higher law of right distribution: when we ask for the ‘right portion’ rather than excess, life becomes supported, inclusive, and victorious from the beginning.
Themes
Fortune as right share, Universality of aspiration (poor to king), Dawn victory over inertia, Delight and participation
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vāsiṣṭha
- Other hymns
- RV 7.41.3 (Bhaga as guide and inspirer), RV 7.41.4 (continuity of bhaga through the day), RV 7.40.7 (ṛta, protection, illumination)
Family tradition
Vasiṣṭha’s approach frequently integrates Aditya powers (law, right distribution, harmony) with practical human conditions, making spiritual attainment applicable to all parts of life.
Significance
The seer insists that divine delight is not elitist: every layer of the being can and must participate, from weakness to strength to rulership.
The deity
- Devata
- Bhaga (Āditya)
- Epithets
- prātarjita (morning-victorious), ugra (formidable), Aditi-putra (son of Infinity), vidhartā (upholder)
- Related deities
- Aditi, Mitra, Varuṇa, Aryaman (as Aditya kin)
Cosmic role
Distributor of the right portion; ensures fortunate increase in accord with the Aditya law; sustains social and cosmic order through rightful allotment.
Inner power
Capacity to receive and hold the soul’s lawful delight without distortion; replaces scarcity and grasping with right enjoyment and gratitude.
In ritual
Where it is used
Morning invocation to Bhaga within Aditya-oriented recitations; auspicious beginning and prosperity-seeking contexts.
प्रा॒त॒र्जितं॒ भग॑मु॒ग्रं हु॑वेम व॒यं पु॒त्रमदि॑ते॒र्यो वि॑ध॒र्ता । आ॒ध्रश्चि॒द्यं मन्य॑मानस्तु॒रश्चि॒द्राजा॑ चि॒द्यं भगं॑ भ॒क्षीत्याह॑ ॥
प्रा॒तः॒ऽजित॑म् । भग॑म् । उ॒ग्रम् । हु॒वे॒म॒ । व॒यम् । पु॒त्रम् । अदि॑तेः । यः । वि॒ऽध॒र्ता । आ॒ध्रः । चि॒त् । यम् । मन्य॑मानः । तु॒रः । चि॒त् । राजा॑ । चि॒त् । यम् । भग॑म् । भ॒क्षि॒ । इति॑ । आह॑ ॥
prātaḥ-jitam | bhagam | ugram | huvema | vayam | putram | aditeḥ | yaḥ | vi-dhatār | ādhraḥ | cit | yam | manyamānaḥ | turaḥ | cit | rājā | cit | yam | bhagam | bhakṣi | it i | āha
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4 pādas × ~11 syllables
Assertive and declarative; suitable for stating a law that applies to all (needy, strong, king).
Builds conviction: the repeated ‘cid’ (even) hammers in inclusivity and inevitability of seeking the right portion.
- प्रातर्-जित (prātar-jita)
- Literal: conquered/won in the morning. Symbolic: Joy and right fortune established at the start of the day; first victory of consciousness
- भग (bhaga)
- Literal: share, portion; the giver of portion. Symbolic: Divine allotment of delight, capacity, and rightful enjoyment
- उग्र (ugra)
- Literal: formidable, powerful. Symbolic: Force of increase that can break inertia and scarcity-consciousness
- अदितेः पुत्र (aditeḥ putra)
- Literal: son of Aditi. Symbolic: Born of infinity; a power of undivided wideness and freedom
- विधर्ता (vidhartā)
- Literal: upholder, supporter. Symbolic: That which sustains the worlds/parts of being in right balance
- आध्र (ādhra)
- Literal: needy, distressed. Symbolic: The struggling part of nature seeking support
- तुर (tura)
- Literal: strong, impetuous. Symbolic: The forceful vital seeking expansion
- राजा (rājā)
- Literal: king. Symbolic: The governing ego/central will; the directive part that must align to ṛta
Morning invocation for ‘bhāga’ (portion) and auspicious participation; thematically aligned with distribution moments in Soma rite and with dawn household prayers
At dawn; before undertaking work, travel, or study; also in prosperity rites.
Āhvāna and prārthanā (request) for rightful share and support.
Use when feeling scarcity, anxiety about resources, or imbalance: chant to shift from craving to rightful receptivity and gratitude.
Bhaga from PIE *bʰag- ‘to apportion, share’ (cf. Slavic bogŭ ‘god’ via ‘dispenser’ semantics; Indo-Iranian Bhaga). vidhartā from vi-√dhṛ ‘to support, arrange, uphold’. bhakṣi ‘I may partake’ from √bhaj ‘share/partake’ (semantic overlap with Bhaga).
bhāga (right portion) as spiritual entitlement by ṛta, Aditi (infinite source), remembrance/concentration (manyamāna) as inner method
Bhaga’s ‘portion’ implies ṛta as right measure and right distribution.
The ‘victory’ at dawn is victory of truthful alignment over anxious grasping.
Sustenance of worlds through right allotment (vidhartā).
Integral psychological reading: prosperity as a function of consciousness aligned to right law, not mere external gain.
Dawn
Dawn = first opening; Sun = truth-light enabling right discernment; ‘portion’ = measured intake of delight and power.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘universal seeking of the divine portion’: Bhaga, morning-victorious, is the dispenser whose share is desired by all conditions of being—from deficiency to sovereignty. Mythically, it is the law that delight/fortune is a divine apportionment grounded in Aditi’s infinity and upheld by cosmic order.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- Bhaga and √bhaj are textbook Indo-European distribution roots (PIE *bʰag-). The verse plays etymologically on name and verb (Bhaga / bhakṣi), a common archaic poetic technique (paronomasia) also seen across IE traditions.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi invokes Bhaga at dawn as the power that enables participation in divine delight and right allotment. The reciprocal relation is framed as ‘partaking’: human aspiration and remembrance meet the god’s distributing grace, yielding an inner share that supports growth.
Receive the ‘right portion’ of joy: feel a quiet wideness (Aditi) and let delight descend without grasping.
Anāhata (receptive delight) with support from Maṇipūra (right measure and strength).
Inhale ‘Aditi’ as wideness; exhale ‘Bhaga’ as gentle receiving; 12 cycles, then chant the verse once.
Confident receptivity; dignified humility; prosperity-consciousness without greed.
After chanting, recall three parts of you (needy, strong, ruler) and let each inwardly say: ‘May I partake of the true share.’ End with a resolve to act in right measure today.
Use Saṃhitā accents; keep the cadence firm on ‘prātarjitam bhagam ugraṃ’.
Slight emphasis on ‘vidhartā’ (upholder) and on the triple ‘cid’ sequence to mark universality.
prātarjitam: maintain retroflex ṭ; avoid inserting extra vowel, ugraṃ: nasalized -aṃ, aditer: short e; clear dental t, vidhartā: aspirate dh; long ā, bhakṣīty āha: kṣ cluster crisp; sandhi: -ītyāha flows without break
Firm and confident, not aggressive; ‘ugra’ as strength with benevolence.
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