Rig Veda 2.30.4: Mandala 2, Sukta 30, Mantra 4
Sukta 2.30
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Devata
- Indra and Bṛhaspati
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
बृहस्पते तपुषाश्नेव विध्य वृकद्वरसो असुरस्य वीरान् । यथा जघन्थ धृषता पुरा चिदेवा जहि शत्रुमस्माकमिन्द्र ॥
bṛ́haspate tápūṣā́śneva vidhya vṛ́ka-dvaraso ásurasya vīrā́n | yáthā jaghántha dhṛṣatā́ purā́ cid evā́ jahi śátrum asmā́kam indra ||
O Bṛhaspati, durchbohre mit Glut, wie mit einem Stein, die Helden des Asura, dessen Tore wolfsartig sind. Wie du sie einst mit kühner Kraft erschlugst, so erschlage auch jetzt unseren Feind, o Indra.
Word by Word
- बृहस्पते
- O BṛhaspatiNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot बृहस्पति- (प्रातिपदिक)
- तपुषा
- with heat/ardourNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करणRoot तपु- (प्रातिपदिक)
- अश्ना
- with a stoneNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करणRoot अश्ना- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘stone’)
- इव
- like, asIndeclinableउपमा-अव्ययRoot इव
- विध्य
- pierce/smite!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot व्यध् (विध्) ‘to pierce, smite’
- वृकद्वरसः
- the wolf-toothed/with tearing fangs (one)Noun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (विशेष्य-रूपेण ‘असुरस्य’)Role कर्म (लक्ष्य-विशेषण)Root वृकद्वरस्- (प्रातिपदिक; बहुव्रीहि/तत्पुरुष-समास)
- असुरस्य
- of the AsuraNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root असुर- (प्रातिपदिक)
- वीरान्
- heroes/warriorsNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot वीर- (प्रातिपदिक)
- यथा
- as, just asIndeclinableउपमान/प्रकार-अव्ययRoot यथा
- जघन्थ
- thou hast slainVerbलिट् (परिपूर्ण/परोक्श), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot हन् ‘to slay’
- धृषता
- boldly, with daringAdjective (used adverbially) / Nounपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (क्रियाविशेषण-भावे)Role करण/रीतिRoot धृषत्- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘bold, daring’)
- पुरा
- formerly, of oldIndeclinableकाल-अव्ययRole अधिकरण (काल)Root पुरा
- चित्
- indeed, evenIndeclinableनिपात (emphatic)Root चित्
- एव
- just, indeedIndeclinableनिपात (restrictive/emphatic)Root एव
- जहि
- slay!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot हन् ‘to slay’
- शत्रुम्
- the enemyNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot शत्रु- (प्रातिपदिक)
- अस्माकम्
- of us, ourPronounषष्ठी, बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot इन्द्र- (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: बृहस्पते | तपुषा | अश्ना इव | विध्य | वृकद्वरसः | असुरस्य | वीरान् || यथा | जघन्थ | धृषता | पुरा | चित् | एव | जहि | शत्रुम् | अस्माकम् | इन्द्र || मुख्य-सन्धयः: (1) अश्नेव = अश्ना + इव (आ-इ → ए; ‘अश्ना’ तृतीया एकवचन). (2) विध्य वृकद्वरसः: विसर्ग-सन्धि/पदविराम
- ‘वृकद्वरसः’ प्रथमा-एकवचन रूपं, परन्तु अर्थतः ‘असुरस्य’ इत्यस्य विशेषणत्वेन लक्ष्य-निर्देशः (स्मेय-प्रयोगः). (3) चिदेवा = चित् + एव (द् + ए → दे). (4) अस्माकमिन्द्र = अस्माकम् + इन्द्र (म् + इ → मि; अनुस्वार/अनुनासिक-समायोजन)
The meaning
Outer meaning
O Brihaspati, strike the heroes of the Asura, whose gateways are like those of wolves, with thy burning heat as with a stone. Just as thou didst strike them down before with bold force, so now destroy our enemy, O Indra.
Inner meaning
This mantra is a powerful invocation for the destruction of the psychological forces of greed and subconscient resistance. Brihaspati (the Master of the Soul-Word) is asked to use the spiritual heat (Tapas) and the solidified will (Stone) to pierce the 'heroes' of the Asura. These Asuric forces have 'wolf-like gates,' symbolizing senses that are ravenous, devouring, and distorting. Indra (Divine Mind) is invoked to complete the destruction of these inner enemies through the power of illumination.
Universal truth
The vibration of Divine Truth (Word/Sound) acts as a weapon to dismantle the structures of falsehood and ego-centric desire.
Themes
mantric piercing, defeat of asuric forces, protection/victory prayer
In ritual
Where it is used
Used where mantric force (Bṛhaspati) and executive force (Indra) are jointly invoked for overcoming adversaries; common in Soma praise-sequences
बृह॑स्पते॒ तपु॒षाश्ने॑व विध्य॒ वृक॑द्वरसो॒ असु॑रस्य वी॒रान् । यथा॑ ज॒घन्थ॑ धृष॒ता पु॒रा चि॑दे॒वा ज॑हि॒ शत्रु॑म॒स्माक॑मिन्द्र ॥
बृह॑स्पते । तपु॑षा । अश्ना॑ऽइव । वि॒ध्य॒ । वृक॑ऽद्वरसः । असु॑रस्य । वी॒रान् । यथा॑ । ज॒घन्थ॑ । धृ॒ष॒ता । पु॒रा । चि॒त् । ए॒व । ज॒हि॒ । शत्रु॑म् । अ॒स्माक॑म् । इ॒न्द्र॒ ॥
bṛhaspate | tapuṣā | aśnāiva | vidhya | vṛka-dvarasaḥ | asurasya | vīrān | yathā | jaghantha | dhṛṣatā | purā | cit | eva | jahi | śatrum | asmākam | indra
Used where mantric force (Bṛhaspati) and executive force (Indra) are jointly invoked for overcoming adversaries; common in Soma praise-sequences
bṛhaspati (bṛh- 'great' + pati 'lord') as 'lord of the expansive word'; tapas from √tap 'to heat, burn' → ardor/concentration; vidhya from √vyadh 'to pierce'; asura in early RV can be 'mighty' but here adversarial: power divorced from ṛta; dhṛṣatā from √dhṛṣ 'to dare'.
tapas as concentration, vāc/mantra as effective power
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The allied victory of Word and Force: Bṛhaspati’s piercing (mantric intelligence) supports Indra’s slaying (executive power). The 'Asura’s heroes' represent organized resistance; psychologically, these are hardened formations of false power that must be struck by tapas-charged insight.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- pati 'lord' reflects PIE *pótis (Greek posis, Latin potis). √tap has Indo-Iranian continuities (Avestan tap- 'heat'). The weaponized speech theme is an archaic IE poetic feature where 'word' functions as 'deed' (performative utterance).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi appeals to a remembered archetype ('as once you struck') to activate present help: the hymn establishes continuity between primordial divine victory and the sacrificer’s current inner battle, requesting the same powers to act now for 'us' (asmākam).
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