Rig Veda 2.39.8: Mandala 2, Sukta 39, Mantra 8
Sukta 2.39
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Devata
- Aśvinau
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
एतानि वामश्विना वर्धनानि ब्रह्म स्तोमं गृत्समदासो अक्रन् । तानि नरा जुजुषाणोप यातं बृहद्वदेम विदथे सुवीराः ॥
etā́ni vām aśvinā vardhánāni bráhma stómaṃ gṛtsamadā́so akran | tā́ni narā jujuṣāṇópa yātaṃ bṛhád vadema vidáthe suvī́rāḥ ||
হে অশ্বিনদ্বয়! এগুলি তোমাদের বর্ধন—এই ব্রহ্ম (প্রেরিত বাণী) ও এই স্তোম (স্তব-গীত), যা গৃত্সমদ ঋষিরা নির্মাণ করেছেন। হে নর-বীরদ্বয়! এগুলি গ্রহণ করে নিকটে এসো; আমরা বিদথ (যজ্ঞ-সভা)তে বৃহৎ (মহৎ/বিস্তৃত সত্য) উচ্চারণ করি, সু-বীর (উত্তম বীর-সন্ততি)সমৃদ্ধ হই।
Word by Word
- एतानि
- these (things)Pronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वाम्
- of you two / for you twoPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी, द्विवचनRole SampradānaRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अश्विना
- O Aśvins (you two)Noun (proper)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, द्विवचनRole (Address)Root अश्विन् (प्रातिपदिक; देवता-नाम)
- वर्धनानि
- strengthenings, means of increaseNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot वर्धन (प्रातिपदिक; वर्ध्-धातोः नाम)
- ब्रह्म
- sacred formulation / prayerNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- स्तोमम्
- hymn of praiseNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot स्तोम (प्रातिपदिक)
- गृत्समदासः
- the Gṛtsamada-s (poets of Gṛtsamada line)Noun (proper)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot गृत्समद (प्रातिपदिक; ऋषि-नाम)
- अक्रन्
- they made / fashionedVerbलुङ् (अorist), परस्मैपद, 3 पुरुष, बहुवचनRole (finite verb)Root कृ (धातु)
- तानि
- those (things)Pronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- नरा
- O you two men (Aśvins)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, द्विवचनRole (Address)Root नर (प्रातिपदिक)
- जुजुषाणौ
- enjoying / accepting gladlyParticipleपरिपूर्ण/परस्मैपद-परिप्रेक्ष्ये: परस्मैपदीय-परस्मैपद-परिपूर्णार्थकः; वर्तमानकाले शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त (Vedic), पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, द्विवचनRole Kartā (with imperative)Root जुष् (धातु) → जुजुषाण (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
- उप
- near, towardsIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRole (preverb)Root उप (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- यातम्
- come (you two)!Verbलोट् (imperative), परस्मैपद, 2 पुरुष, द्विवचनRole (finite verb)Root या (धातु)
- बृहद्वदेम
- let us speak great (words)Verbलोट् (imperative/benedictive sense in Vedic usage), परस्मैपद, 1 पुरुष, बहुवचनRole (finite verb)Root वद् (धातु)
- विदथे
- in the rite/assembly (of worship)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot विदथ (प्रातिपदिक)
- सुवीराः
- having good heroes/sons; well-mannedAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole Kartā (predicate to ‘we’)Root सुवीर (प्रातिपदिक; सु- + वीर)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolved as: एतानि | वाम् | अश्विना | वर्धनानि | ब्रह्म | स्तोमम् | गृत्समदासः | अक्रन् || तानि | नरा | जुजुषाणौ | उप | यातम् | बृहद् | वदेम | विदथे | सुवीराः । Notable: (1) वामश्विना = वाम् + अश्विना (anusvāra before vowel)
- (2) जुजुषाणोप = जुजुषाणौ + उप (Vedic sandhi: औ + उ → ओ)
- (3) बृहद्वदेम = बृहद् + वदेम (final -द् before voiced consonant)
- Accents in the saṃhitā text are not reproduced per-pada here, but the segmentation follows the Vedic pada-patha style
The meaning
Outer meaning
The Gṛtsamada seers have made a hymn and inspired word as ‘increasings’ for the Aśvins; may the two heroes accept and come near; may we speak the Vast in the assembly, possessing good heroes.
Inner meaning
The mantra acknowledges the law of exchange in the inner yajña: the crafted brahman (inspired formulation) increases the godhead’s action in us. By offering the stoma, the seeker invites the Aśvins to draw near as living powers. ‘Speak the Vast’ (bṛhat) is to utter from a widened consciousness, not from small ego-mind; ‘suvīrāḥ’ are not merely sons, but strong soul-forces—luminous capacities born of the widened state.
Universal truth
Sincere, well-formed aspiration enlarges the field of consciousness; when higher powers are welcomed, speech and action arise from wideness, generating strong inner capacities.
Themes
Invocation, Mantra-craft, Inner widening, Ashvin aid, Satyam-Ritam-Brihat
The seer
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada (Bhārgava) / Gṛtsamada lineage
- Lineage
- Bhārgava
- Other hymns
- RV 2.39, RV 2.40, RV 2.1
Family tradition
A family of seers who emphasize the making (akran) of effective brahman—mantra as a crafted truth-force.
Significance
This closing verse is self-referential: it reveals the seer’s psychology of mantra—speech as a means to increase the gods’ workings and to enter the Vast.
The deity
- Devata
- Aśvinau
- Epithets
- narā (heroes), dasrā (wonder-workers), yuvānā (ever-young)
- Related deities
- Bṛhaspati (lord of brahman), Uṣas, Indra
Cosmic role
Bringers of swift help and harmonious progress; mediators between human aspiration and divine functioning.
Inner power
Immediate assisting forces that translate aspiration into practical transformation—healing, integrating, widening.
In ritual
Where it is used
Concluding invitation/acceptance verse in an Aśvin hymn
ए॒तानि॑ वामश्विना॒ वर्ध॑नानि॒ ब्रह्म॒ स्तोमं॑ गृत्सम॒दासो॑ अक्रन् । तानि॑ नरा जुजुषा॒णोप॑ यातं बृ॒हद्व॑देम वि॒दथे॑ सु॒वीरा॑: ॥
ए॒तानि॑ । वा॒म् । अ॒श्वि॒ना॒ । वर्ध॑नानि । ब्रह्म॑ । स्तोम॑म् । गृ॒त्स॒ऽम॒दासः॑ । अ॒क्र॒न् । तानि॑ । न॒रा॒ । जु॒जु॒षा॒णा । उप॑ । या॒त॒म् । बृ॒हत् । व॒दे॒म॒ । वि॒दथे॑ । सु॒ऽवीराः॑ ॥
etāni | vām | aśvinā | vardhanāni | brahma | stomam | gṛtsa-madāsaḥ | akran | tāni | narā | jujuṣāṇā | upa | yātam | bṛhat | vadema | vidathe | su-vīrāḥ
44
4 × ~11 syllables
Concluding and expansive; the phrase ‘bṛhad vadema’ opens the cadence into wideness.
A sense of arrival and enlargement; supportive for ending a session with aspiration toward vastness.
- वर्धनानि (vardhanāni)
- Literal: increasings, growth-makers. Symbolic: offerings that augment divine action; practices that expand consciousness
- ब्रह्म (brahma)
- Literal: sacred formulation/inspired word. Symbolic: mantric truth-force; creative speech-power
- स्तोमम् (stomam)
- Literal: hymn of praise. Symbolic: structured aspiration; ordered offering of thought-speech
- जुजुषाणा (jujuṣāṇā)
- Literal: accepting, enjoying. Symbolic: divine consent; higher power taking up the offering
- उप यातम् (upa yātam)
- Literal: come near. Symbolic: descent/approach of the divine presence into the inner field
- बृहद् (bṛhat)
- Literal: the Vast. Symbolic: widened consciousness (mahattva); expansive truth-plane
- विदथे (vidathe)
- Literal: in the assembly/ritual gathering. Symbolic: in the collected being; the inner council of faculties
- सुवीराः (suvīrāḥ)
- Literal: having good heroes/sons. Symbolic: strong soul-powers; luminous energies born of realization
Invocatory verse in Soma-related offerings; suitable for Ashvin-shastra/prayoga contexts where the twin helpers are called to ‘come near’ and accept the hymn (general Soma-yajña usage rather than a single fixed śrauta niche).
At the end of a hymn cycle; sealing the offering and inviting nearness
Upasthāna (drawing near) through praise; aspiration for success in the assembly
Use as a closing mantra after meditation/chanting: offer one’s practice and affirm ‘speech from the Vast’ in daily life.
aśvin-: from aśva ‘horse’ (< √aś ‘to reach/drive swiftly’), signifying swift luminous movement and effective aid. vardhanāni: from √vṛdh ‘to grow, increase’, here ‘forms that augment the seeker’s force and wideness’. brahma: from √bṛh ‘to expand, make great’; brahma as expanding mantric formulation that builds inner vastness. stoma: from √stu ‘to praise’; praise as affirming alignment with the divine powers. jujuṣāṇā: desiderative/intensive from √juṣ ‘to enjoy, accept, be pleased’; indicates divine consent to the offering. bṛhat: participial/adj. from √bṛh ‘to grow vast’; doctrinally linked with the Vast of truth-consciousness. su-vīra: su- ‘good’ + vīra ‘hero’ (< √vī ‘to be strong’), interpreted psychologically as strong effective faculties born of the rite.
Bṛhat (the Vast consciousness), mantric speech as creative power (brahma), reciprocity of offering and divine response
Speaking in the vidatha implies speech aligned with ṛta—right timing, right word, right force.
Brahman and stoma are vehicles of satya when formed by vision, not ego.
Mantra as creative act (akran): the seer ‘makes’ a form that enables descent and enlargement.
Vedic psychology of mantra; anticipates Upaniṣadic ‘bṛhat’ as expansive brahman-consciousness.
dawn
Approach of dawn→approach of divine help; Vast sky→widened consciousness; assembly→integrated inner faculties.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The key mythic action is the ‘arrival and acceptance’ motif: the Ashvins as twin rescuers are invited to approach (upa yātam) and accept (jujuṣāṇā) the crafted hymn. Mythically, this is the recurrent Ashvin pattern—swift divine intervention responding to the call; psychologically it is the descent of helpful luminous powers into the seeker’s working consciousness when the mantra is rightly formed.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- Several lexemes preserve archaic Indo-European poetic diction: √vṛdh ‘grow’ (cf. PIE *h₁werdh- ‘to grow’, Eng. ‘worth’ via semantic drift in Germanic; also Lat. ‘virdis’ is different root), √stu ‘praise’ (PIE *stew- ‘praise’, cf. Gk. stéō ‘I honor’), and √bṛh ‘expand’ (often connected with PIE *bʰerǵʰ- ‘rise/high’ in broader IE comparisons; Vedic brahma/bṛhat show an inherited nexus of ‘greatness/expansion’ central to IE sacral speech). The dual vocatives (aśvinā, narā) retain an old IE dual address typical of early Indo-European hymn style.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- It is explicitly reciprocal: the rishi-lineage ‘fashions’ (akran) brahma and stoma as a formed offering; the devatā is asked to ‘accept’ (jujuṣāṇā) and ‘come near’ (upa yātam). The boon is not crude gain but the capacity to ‘speak the Vast’ (bṛhad vadema) in the communal rite—i.e., to stabilize widened truth-consciousness and generate ‘good heroes’ (suvīrāḥ), inner powers capable of right action.
Offer your practice to the helping powers; rest in wideness (bṛhat) and let speech arise from silence.
Anāhata (wideness/expansion) and Viśuddha (speech from truth)
Long exhale with a brief pause after ‘bṛhat’ to feel expansion; then continue softly.
Widened awareness (bhāva of vastness) with devotional offering.
End a session by inwardly ‘handing over’ the mantra to the divine; then sit for 1–2 minutes in spacious awareness, resolving to speak from that space in the day’s ‘assembly’ of life.
Standard Śākala accents; emphasize vardhánāni, bráhma, stómam, jújuṣāṇā, úpa yātam, bṛhád vádema.
Let the final pāda open and broaden; slightly lengthen ‘bṛhat’ to convey vastness without slowing the meter excessively.
etāni: clear long ā, aśvinā: śv cluster crisp, gṛtsamadāso: retroflex ṛ; avoid inserting extra vowel between ts, jujuṣāṇā: repeated ju; ṣā long, bṛhad: vocalic ṛ (bṛ-) clean, vidathe: soft dh, suvīrāḥ: long ī; visarga audible but gentle
Grateful, expansive, concluding tone; end with a soft resonance on the final visarga.
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