Rig Veda 4.50.7: Mandala 4, Sukta 50, Mantra 7
Sukta 4.50
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Devata
- Bṛhaspati
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
स इद्राजा प्रतिजन्यानि विश्वा शुष्मेण तस्थावभि वीर्येण । बृहस्पतिं यः सुभृतं बिभर्ति वल्गूयति वन्दते पूर्वभाजम् ॥
sa íd rājā́ práti-janyā́ni víśvā śúṣmeṇa tasthāv abhí vī́ryeṇa | bṛ́haspátiṃ yáḥ su-bhṛ́taṃ bibhárti valgūyáti vándate pū́rva-bhā́jam ||
Er wird wahrlich zum König: durch Glutkraft und Heldenmacht steht er über allen widerstreitenden Geburten und Anspruchstellern. Wer den wohlgetragenen Bṛhaspati in sich trägt, der jubelt und verehrt den uralten Ersten-Teiler (der Wahrheit).
Word by Word
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) → स
- इत्
- indeed, justIndeclinableनिपातः (अव्ययम्)Root इत् (निपात) अथवा इद् (निपात) वैदिक-रूप
- राजा
- king, rulerNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role Kartā (सः इद् राजा … तस्थौ) / विशेषण-भावेनRoot राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- प्रतिजन्यानि
- all rival/hostile (forces), adversariesAdjective (substantivized)नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्Role KarmaRoot प्रतिजन्य (प्रातिपदिक; प्रति+जन्य) अथवा प्रतिजन्य (विशेषण)
- विश्वा
- allAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम् (प्रतिजन्यानि इति विशेषणम्)Role Karma (विशेषणम्)Root विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- शुष्मेण
- with might, with vigorNounपुंलिङ्गः, तृतीया, एकवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot शुष्म (प्रातिपदिक)
- तस्थौ
- stood firm, took his standVerbलिट् (परिपूर्ण/परफेक्ट), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Root स्था (धातु)
- अभि
- towards, againstIndeclinableउपसर्गःRoot अभि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- वीर्येण
- with heroism/powerNounनपुंसकलिङ्गम्, तृतीया, एकवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot वीर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- बृहस्पतिम्
- BṛhaspatiNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot बृहस्पति (प्रातिपदिक)
- यः
- whoPronoun (relative)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सुभृतम्
- well-supported, well-sustainedAdjective (kṛdanta)पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम् (बृहस्पतिम् इति विशेषणम्)Role Karma (विशेषणम्)Root सुभृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; सु- + √भृ ‘to bear’ → भृत ‘borne/maintained’)
- बिभर्ति
- bears, supportsVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Root भृ (धातु)
- वल्गूयति
- moves/acts gracefully; exultsVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Root वल्गूय (धातु; denominative from वल्गु ‘graceful/pleasant’), वैदिक-प्रयोग
- वन्दते
- pays homage, worshipsVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Root वन्द् (धातु)
- पूर्वभाजम्
- the one who has the first share; foremost recipientNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम् (बृहस्पतिम् इति विशेषणम्)Role Karma (विशेषणम्)Root पूर्वभाज् (प्रातिपदिक; पूर्व + भाज् ‘sharing/portioning’)
Sandhi Notes
- स इद्राजा → सः इत् राजा (विसर्ग-लोपः; इद्/इत् निपातः)
- प्रति॑जन्यानि॒ विश्वा॒ (विशेषण-विशेष्य-सम्बन्धः; पृथक् पदे)
- तस्थाव॒भि → तस्थौ अभि (पदपाठे तस्थौ; दीर्घ-आकारः संहितायाम्)
- बृह॒स्पतिं॒ यः → बृहस्पतिम् यः (अनुस्वार/नासिक्य-समायोजनम्)
The meaning
Outer meaning
He becomes king: by strength and heroic power he stands over all opposing claimants. Whoever bears the well-sustained Bṛhaspati rejoices and worships the ancient first-sharer.
Inner meaning
Kingship here is inner sovereignty. When Bṛhaspati (right-guiding Truth-intelligence) is ‘borne’ and ‘well-sustained’ within—kept alive by practice—one stands above ‘pratijanyāni’ (counter-births, rival formations): habitual impulses, false claimants, and reactive patterns that contest the soul’s rule. ‘Śuṣma’ is ardour/tapas in the vital; ‘vīrya’ is courageous power. The seeker who carries Bṛhaspati becomes a ruler of the inner kingdom and naturally rejoices (valgūyati) and offers adoration to the ‘pūrvabhājam’—the primordial distributor of Truth and right delight.
Universal truth
Sustained inner guidance creates self-mastery: competing impulses lose their claim, and life becomes ordered by an ancient, deeper wisdom.
Themes
Bṛhaspati, inner kingship, victory over hostile forces, power of the Word, self-mastery
The seer
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 4.50
Family tradition
The Gautama line often links illumination with sovereignty: knowledge must become rule, not mere experience.
Significance
This verse defines the psychological criterion of progress: not visions alone, but stable kingship over contrary movements through sustained Bṛhaspati.
The deity
- Devata
- Bṛhaspati
- Epithets
- subhṛta (well-sustained within), pūrvabhāj (ancient first-sharer)
- Related deities
- Indra (royal power imagery), Varuṇa (order/sovereignty by Ṛta)
Cosmic role
Gives rightful sovereignty by establishing the primacy of brahman (truth-word) over raw force; allocates the ‘portions’ of truth and power in the worlds.
Inner power
Discriminative command that organizes the nature; confers mastery over impulses by right understanding and right speech.
In ritual
Where it is used
Invoked for victory and rulership themes—supporting the patron’s success; in inner sense, establishment of the sacrificer’s mastery.
स इद्राजा॒ प्रति॑जन्यानि॒ विश्वा॒ शुष्मे॑ण तस्थाव॒भि वी॒र्ये॑ण । बृह॒स्पतिं॒ यः सुभृ॑तं बि॒भर्ति॑ वल्गू॒यति॒ वन्द॑ते पूर्व॒भाज॑म् ॥
सः । इत् । राजा॑ । प्रति॑ऽजन्यानि । विश्वा॑ । शुष्मे॑ण । त॒स्थौ॒ । अ॒भि । वी॒र्ये॑ण । बृह॒स्पति॑म् । यः । सुऽभृ॑तम् । बि॒भर्ति॑ । व॒ल्गु॒ऽयति॑ । वन्द॑ते । पू॒र्व॒ऽभाज॑म् ॥
saḥ | it | rājā | prati-janyāni | viśvā | śuṣmeṇa | tasthau | abhi | vīryeṇa | bṛhaspatim | yaḥ | su-bhṛtam | bibharti | valgu-yati | vandate | pūrva-bhājam
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4 x ~11 syllables
Martial and declarative; strong ‘standing over’ cadence.
Instills resolve and uprightness; supports a ‘spinal’ feeling of sovereignty.
- rājā
- Literal: king. Symbolic: inner sovereign consciousness; self-mastery
- pratijanyāni
- Literal: counter-births/opposing claimants. Symbolic: rival inner formations: habits, desires, doubts, ego-claims
- śuṣmeṇa
- Literal: by force/ardour. Symbolic: tapas in the vital; energetic sincerity
- vīryeṇa
- Literal: by heroic power. Symbolic: courageous soul-force to hold the higher law
- subhṛtam
- Literal: well-borne/well-sustained. Symbolic: kept steadily in the being through remembrance and practice
- bibharti
- Literal: bears/carries. Symbolic: integrates and upholds the guru-power within
- pūrvabhājam
- Literal: ancient first-sharer. Symbolic: primordial Truth that distributes right portions—inner law of harmony
Soma-yajña context: praise of the Brahman-priest power (Bṛhaspati) supporting victory and right distribution of gains; recitable in Soma pressing sequences as stotra/śastra material (general).
In hymnic sequences emphasizing overcoming rivals and stabilizing authority through brahman-power.
Recitation as affirmation of right rule: brahman-guided strength over opposition.
Use when facing competing urges, addiction patterns, or decision-conflict; recite as an affirmation of inner kingship under higher guidance.
Key roots: √ (tasthau, perfect of 'to stand/establish') indicates stable inner station; √ (bibharti, 'to bear/hold') suggests sustained containment of the inspired power; vīrya from vīra 'hero' (PIE *wiHro-) denotes effective soul-force; śuṣma related to swelling/impetus (forceful breath/energy); vandate from √vand 'to praise, revere'; pūrva 'former, primal' + bhāj 'share/portion' (from √bhaj 'to apportion, partake') => the primal apportioner of gains of light.
Ṛta (right order as the basis of true kingship), Brahman (inspired word as formative power), inner sovereignty (rājya as self-rule)
True kingship is ṛta-based: force (śuṣma) must be governed by brahman (truth-intelligence).
The ‘ancient first-sharer’ is satya’s primordial distribution—each part of the being receives its right function.
Evolution toward ordered sovereignty: the many claimants are integrated under the true ruler.
Rajayogic psychology within Vedic symbolism: sovereignty as mastery of nature by higher intelligence.
Firm standing = stable posture of consciousness; rivals = turbulent vital waves; kingship = central governing awareness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is the enthronement of the true king through the power of Bṛhaspati: sovereignty is not hereditary but achieved by establishing oneself over 'prati-janyāni' (counter-births/opponents). In the inner sense, the aspirant becomes ruler by sustaining the inspired Word (Bṛhaspati) that apportions the primal share of Truth.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- vīrya (heroic potency) aligns with PIE *wiHro- 'man/hero' (cf. Latin vir), marking an inherited Indo-European heroic lexicon. √bhaj (bhājam) 'to apportion/partake' has broad IE distribution in the semantics of sharing/portioning, while √sthā (tasthau) reflects PIE *steh₂- 'stand', a core IE stative root used here for inner establishment.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi presents a reciprocity: the human 'bears' (bibharti) Bṛhaspati as an indwelling power, and in return the god-power grants stable kingship—mastery over opposing formations—and the rightful 'first share' of illumination. Adoration (vandate) is the conscious consent that allows the divine Word to govern and distribute the gains.
Establish an inner ‘throne’: feel the central being (witness) seated; invite Bṛhaspati as discerning guidance; watch rival impulses arise and lose authority.
maṇipūra (sovereign will) guided by ājñā (discernment)
Ujjāyī light, steady; recite on a long exhale while keeping the spine erect; pause briefly after ‘rājā’ to feel inner kingship.
Centered command with quiet joy; reduction of reactive identification.
‘Bear’ Bṛhaspati by daily remembrance: before speech or decision, pause and ask for the truest word and the cleanest motive.
Keep a strong udatta lift on ‘rājā’ and ‘bṛhaspatim’; let ‘vandate pūrvabhājam’ soften into reverent cadence.
Mark the contrast: forceful delivery in pāda 1–2; gentler, devotional tone in pāda 3–4.
pratijanyāni: articulate ‘janyā’ clearly; avoid collapsing into ‘jan-ya’, śuṣmeṇa: retroflex ‘ṣ’ and long ‘eṇa’, subhṛtam: keep ‘bhṛ’ with vocalic ṛ, valgūyati: ‘lgū’ cluster clear; long ū
Upright, firm, then warm and reverent in the close.
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