Rig Veda 1.13.8: Mandala 1, Sukta 13, Mantra 8
Sukta 1.13
- Rishi
- Medhātithi Kāṇva
- Devata
- Daivyau Hotārā
- Chandas
- Gāyatrī
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
ता सुजिह्वा उप ह्वये होतारा दैव्या कवी । यज्ञं नो यक्षतामिमम् ॥
tā́ sujिह्वā́ úpa hvaye hótārā daívyā kavī́ íti | yajñáṃ no yakṣatām imám ||
আমি সেই দুই সুজিহ্বা (সুন্দর-জিহ্বা)কে নিকটে আহ্বান করি—দৈব দুই হোতৃ, কভি (ঋষি-প্রজ্ঞাসম্পন্ন); তাঁরা আমাদের জন্য এই যজ্ঞ সম্পাদন করুন।
Word by Word
- ताः
- those (two/these revered ones)Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सुजिह्वाः
- having good tongues (eloquent)Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन (विशेषणम्)Role KartāRoot सु- + जिह्वा (प्रातिपदिक)
- उप
- near, towardsIndeclinableअव्ययRoot उप (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- ह्वये
- I invoke/callVerbलट् (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपदRoot √ह्वे (ह्वयति) / √हू (आह्वाने)
- होतारौ
- the two Hotṛ-priests (invokers)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, द्विवचनRole KarmaRoot होतृ (प्रातिपदिक; √हु ‘to sacrifice/offer’)
- दैव्यौ
- divineAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, द्विवचन (विशेषणम्)Role KarmaRoot दैव्य (प्रातिपदिक; देव-सम्बन्धी)
- कवी
- the two seers/poetsNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, द्विवचन (होतारौ इत्यस्य समानाधिकरणम्)Role KarmaRoot कवि (प्रातिपदिक)
- यज्ञम्
- the sacrificeNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक; √यज् ‘to worship/sacrifice’)
- नः
- for us / ourPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी-एकवचन (एन्क्लिटिक ‘नः’), अत्र स्वाम्यर्थेRole SampradānaRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- यक्षताम्
- let the two worship/perform (the offering)Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), प्रथमपुरुष, द्विवचन, परस्मैपदRoot √यज् (यष्टुम्; वेदिक ‘यक्ष-’ रूप)
- इमम्
- thisPronounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (यज्ञम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role KarmaRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- संहिता-पाठ: ता सु॑जि॒ह्वा उप॑ ह्वये॒ होता॑रा॒ दैव्या॑ क॒वी । य॒ज्ञं नो॑ यक्षतामि॒मम् ॥ पदच्छेद (सन्धि-विग्रह): ताः | सु-जिह्वाः | उप | ह्वये | होतारौ | दैव्यौ | कवी | यज्ञम् | नः | यक्षताम् | इमम् | मुख्य सन्धि: (1) होता॑रा दैव्या॑ → होतारौ दैव्यौ (औ/आ संधि; पदपाठ में द्विवचन-रूप स्पष्ट)
- (2) यक्षतामि॒मम् → यक्षताम् इमम् (म् + इ → मि; संहितायां अनुनासिक-लोप/समास-प्रभाव से ‘मि’ प्रकट)
The meaning
Outer meaning
“Those two, the good-tongued, I call near—the two divine Hotars, the seer-poets; may they perform this sacrifice for us.” It invokes the pair of divine officiants.
Inner meaning
The “two divine Hotars” are twin powers of inspired utterance and effective offering—often read as complementary priest-forces (e.g., invocation and formation; inspiration and execution). ‘Good-tongued’ indicates pure expression: speech that is true, luminous, and capable of carrying the offering upward and bringing the response downward. As ‘kavī’ they are seer-powers in us that know by vision, not by opinion, and can conduct the inner yajña so it becomes a real transformation rather than a formality.
Universal truth
Right speech and right discernment are themselves divine instruments. When our expression becomes purified and inspired, inner work gains power and the sacrifice of life becomes effective.
Themes
Divine officiants, Speech and seership, Ritual efficacy, Invocation
The seer
- Rishi
- Medhātithi Kāṇva
- Lineage
- Kāṇva
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 1.12, Rig Veda 1.13, Rig Veda 1.14
Family tradition
Kāṇva liturgy highlights the power of inspired speech (mantra) and seer-knowledge (kavi) to conduct the sacrifice inwardly.
Significance
After seating Night/Dawn, the seer calls the operative priest-powers: the inner yajña needs not only atmosphere but also the right instruments of speech and knowledge.
The deity
- Devata
- Daivyau Hotārā (Two Divine Hotars)
- Epithets
- su-jihvau (good-tongued), daivyā (divine), kavī (seer-poets)
- Related deities
- Agni (chief Hotṛ and carrier), Sarasvatī (speech/inspiration), Bṛhaspati (word/vision that breaks obstacles)
Cosmic role
Cosmic officiants who articulate the rite and make the offering effective; they bridge human intention and divine fulfillment through inspired formulation.
Inner power
Mantric speech and intuitive discernment acting together to transform; the power to name truly and thereby make real.
In ritual
Where it is used
Invocation of officiant-powers in the opening of the sacrifice; calling the divine Hotars to conduct the yajña.
ता सु॑जि॒ह्वा उप॑ ह्वये॒ होता॑रा॒ दैव्या॑ क॒वी । य॒ज्ञं नो॑ यक्षतामि॒मम् ॥
ता । सु॒ऽजि॒ह्वौ । उप॑ । ह्व॒ये॒ । होता॑रा । दैव्या॑ । क॒वी इति॑ । य॒ज्ञम् नः॒ । य॒क्ष॒ता॒म् । इ॒मम् ॥
tā | su-jihvau | upa | hvaye | hotārā | daivyā | kavī iti | yajñam naḥ | yakṣatām | imam
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8+8+8
Crisp and operative—an invocation followed by a clear commissioning (‘may they perform’).
Energizes speech and intention; gives a sense of competent guidance taking charge of the inner rite.
- ता (tā)
- Literal: those two. Symbolic: A paired set of inner powers working in complement
- सुजिह्वौ (su-jihvau)
- Literal: good-tongued (dual). Symbolic: Pure, effective speech-force; mantra-utterance aligned with truth
- होतारा (hotārā)
- Literal: two Hotṛ priests (dual). Symbolic: Twin mediators conducting the inner offering—invocation and establishment of the divine working
- दैव्या (daivyā)
- Literal: divine. Symbolic: Not ego-driven: action of higher consciousness
- कवी (kavī)
- Literal: seer-poets. Symbolic: Intuitive/visionary faculties that know and shape truth
- यज्ञम् (yajñam)
- Literal: sacrifice. Symbolic: Self-offering and transformation of energies
- यक्षताम् (yakṣatām)
- Literal: may they worship/perform, accomplish. Symbolic: May these powers effectively carry out the inner process
Invocation of the dual divine officiants who ensure right performance; integrates speech (jihvā) and seeing (kavī) as twin instruments of yajña.
After preparing space and inviting foundational deities; before/alongside further deity-invitations.
Calling the Hotars; entrusting them with the performance of the rite.
Use before chanting/japa or important communication: invoke purified speech and intuitive guidance so words become true offerings rather than noise.
su-jihvā 'good tongue' (jihvā 'tongue'). hotar from √hu 'invoke'. daivya from deva. kaví from √kū/√kav? (Vedic: inspired seer/poet; etymology debated; functionally 'one who sees'). yakṣatām from √yaj with Vedic desiderative/imperative formations; here a performative request that the invoked officiants execute the yajña.
Vāc (right speech as instrument), Rita (right performance of yajña), Duality as complementary powers (speech + vision)
The Hotars as kavī ensure the rite follows ṛta—right word, right timing, right intention.
Su-jihvau implies speech aligned with Satya; truth-speaking becomes a creative force.
Creation through the Word: inspired utterance shapes reality and opens paths (a Vedic precursor to later ‘vāc’ metaphysics).
Mantric psychology (Aurobindo): speech as a power of consciousness; kavi as supramental/intuitive faculty.
Tongue = expressive power; two Hotars = dual currents of inspiration and execution; fire-ritual = transformation process.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The rite is executed by divine officiants: the mythic idea that sacrifice is not merely human action but a collaboration where higher powers themselves 'perform' the yajña through right speech and inspired sight.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- hotar (invoker) belongs to the Indo-Iranian ritual system (cf. Avestan zaotar as functional counterpart). The dual forms (sujihvau, hotārā, kavī) preserve an archaic grammatical category heavily used in early IE poetic diction to encode paired powers.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi delegates efficacy to the devatā-functions: by calling the two divine Hotars, he asks that his human yajña be uplifted into a divine operation—speech becomes pure instrument, and vision guides the offering according to ṛta.
Purify speech and intention; let mantra arise from quiet seeing rather than mental chatter.
viśuddha (speech) and ājñā (seer-vision)
Chant on a long exhale; brief pause after exhale to feel the ‘offering’ completed; keep throat relaxed and resonant.
Inspired clarity—speech emerging from inner silence.
Before speaking or chanting, feel two supports: (1) a quiet intuitive seeing (kavi) and (2) a clean expressive channel (su-jihvā). Offer the session to these powers and let them ‘perform the yajña’ through you.
Respect udātta on marked syllables; keep dual forms (su-jihvau, hotārā) clearly lengthened where long vowels occur.
Give sujihvā a bright articulation; slightly emphasize daivyā kavī as the ‘divine seer’ peak; land firmly on yakṣatām imam as the commissioning.
su-jihvau: jihvā with aspirated hv (jih-vā); keep dual ending -au clear., hotārā: long ā in tā; roll lightly through tārā., daivyā: pronounce ‘dai-vyā’ with clear yā., yakṣatām: kṣ conjunct crisp; long ā in -tām.
Clear, resonant, slightly forward in the mouth (speech-centered) but grounded; avoid nasal heaviness.
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