Rig Veda 7.41.5: Mandala 7, Sukta 41, Mantra 5
Sukta 7.41
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Bhaga
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
भग एव भगवाँ अस्तु देवास्तेन वयं भगवन्तः स्याम । तं त्वा भग सर्व इज्जोहवीति स नो भग पुरएता भवेह ॥
bhága evá bhágavāṃ astu devā́s ténā vayáṃ bhágavantaḥ syāma | táṃ tvā bhaga sárva íj johavīti sá no bhaga puraetā́ bhavehá ||
Bhaga selbst sei der Gott, erfüllt vom göttlichen Anteil; durch ihn mögen auch wir Anteilhabende werden. Dich, o Bhaga, den wahrlich alle anrufen, — sei hier für uns der Vorangehende, der Wegbereiter.
Word by Word
- भगः
- Bhaga (the god Bhaga / distributor of fortune)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot भग (प्रातिपदिक)
- एव
- indeed, justIndeclinableअव्ययRoot एव
- भगवान्
- the blessed one, the bountiful (Bhaga)Adjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (सम्बन्धः ‘भगः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Root भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- अस्तु
- may (he) beVerbलोट् (आशीर्लिङ्/आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot अस् (धातु)
- देवाः
- the godsNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (समुच्चित-कर्तृ)Root देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- तेन
- by that, with thatPronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करणRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वयम्
- wePronounत्रिलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- भगवन्तः
- fortunate, blessedAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (वयम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Root भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- स्याम
- may we beVerbविधिलिङ्, परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचनRoot अस् (धातु)
- तम्
- himPronounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- त्वा
- youPronounत्रिलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (एन्क्लिटिक रूप)Role कर्म (जोहवीति इत्यस्य)Root युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- भग
- O BhagaNoun (vocative)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot भग (प्रातिपदिक)
- सर्वः
- everyone, allAdjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- इत्
- indeed, justIndeclinable (emphatic particle)अव्ययRoot इत्
- जोहवीति
- invokes repeatedly, calls uponVerbलट्, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; वेदिक-यङ्/आवृत्तिरूप (frequentative/intensive) ‘keeps invoking’Root ह्वे (धातु) / √ह्वा ‘आह्वाने’ (वेदिक: जोहवीति = यङ्-आवृत्त्यर्थ/आतिशय्य)
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (भवेह इत्यस्य)Root तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- नः
- for us / of usPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी, बहुवचन (एन्क्लिटिक)Role सम्प्रदान (हितार्थे: ‘for us’)Root अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- भग
- O BhagaNoun (vocative)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot भग (प्रातिपदिक)
- पुरएता
- leader, one who goes beforeNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ-विशेषण (सः इत्यस्य)Root पुरएतृ (प्रातिपदिक; पुरः-एतृ ‘going in front’)
- भव
- beVerbलोट्, परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot भू (धातु)
- इह
- hereIndeclinableअव्ययRole अधिकरणRoot इह
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धि-निरास): भगः | एव | भगवान् | अस्तु | देवाः | तेन | वयम् | भगवन्तः | स्याम | तम् | त्वा | भग | सर्वः | इत् | जोहवीति | सः | नः | भग | पुरएता | भव | इह || 1) देवा॒स्तेन॑ → देवाः + तेन (विसर्ग-सन्धि: अः + त → आस् + त)
- 2) इज्जोहवीति → इत् + जोहवीति (द् + ज → ज्ज)
- 3) स नो → सः + नः (विसर्ग-लोप/सन्धि in saṃhitā)
- 4) पुरए॒ता → पुरः + एता/एतृ-समासरूप ‘पुरएता’ (RV orthography preserves compound without visarga)
- 5) भ॑वे॒ह → भव + इह (अ + इ → ए)
The meaning
Outer meaning
A prayer that Bhaga be truly the divine giver of the “portion” (share of good fortune), so that the worshippers may also become bhagavant (possessed of the divine portion). Bhaga, invoked by all, is asked to come here as the one who goes before—leader/pioneer.
Inner meaning
Bhaga is the luminous Power of divine distribution in the being—the faculty that apportions the right share of light, joy, capacity, and circumstance according to ṛta. The seeker asks that this Power itself be established as the ruling ‘deva’ in the nature, so the consciousness becomes bhagavant: inwardly endowed, not dependent on outer chance. ‘Puraetā’ (the one who goes in front) becomes the inner guide that precedes thought and action, arranging the way so aspiration meets the right openings.
Universal truth
When the principle of right distribution (inner harmony with truth) governs the personality, life becomes ‘fortunate’ not by accident but by alignment. The true pioneer is the inner light that goes ahead of our choices and organizes the path.
Themes
Invocation and divine presence (iha), Pioneering the path (puraḥ-etā), Universal call to the auspicious distributor (sarvaḥ johavīti)
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vāsiṣṭha
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 7.41, Rig Veda 7.42, Rig Veda 7.33 (Vasiṣṭha–Indra/Varuṇa themes), Rig Veda 7.88 (Varuṇa and inner truth)
Family tradition
Mandala 7 is predominantly the Vasiṣṭha family collection, marked by a mature harmony of ṛta, devotion, and an inwardly organized yajña.
Significance
Vasiṣṭha’s voice often emphasizes right order (ṛta) and the steady establishment of divine powers in the human instrument; here the ‘fortune’ sought is an inner endowment and right-leading guidance.
The deity
- Devata
- Bhaga
- Epithets
- bhagavān (the endowed/dispenser), puraetā (pioneer/leader), vasuvid (finder of essential riches—implied in the hymn context)
- Related deities
- Aditi (infinite Mother/undividedness), Savitar (impeller of right action), Uṣas (illumination that brings the right openings), Indra (illumined mind that secures the gain)
Cosmic role
Distributor of the divine share—prosperity, auspicious timing, and rightful participation in the cosmic good.
Inner power
The harmonizing intelligence that assigns to each movement of the being its right measure and opportunity; a guiding ‘good fortune’ rooted in truth, not randomness.
In ritual
Where it is used
Bhaga-invocation within a morning/auspiciousness sequence; compatible with soma-related praise in the surrounding hymns.
भग॑ ए॒व भग॑वाँ अस्तु देवा॒स्तेन॑ व॒यं भग॑वन्तः स्याम । तं त्वा॑ भग॒ सर्व॒ इज्जो॑हवीति॒ स नो॑ भग पुरए॒ता भ॑वे॒ह ॥
भगः॑ । ए॒व । भग॑ऽवान् । अ॒स्तु॒ । दे॒वाः॒ । तेन॑ । व॒यम् । भग॑ऽवन्तः । स्या॒म॒ । तम् । त्वा॒ । भ॒ग॒ । सर्वः॑ । इत् । जो॒ह॒वी॒ति॒ । सः । नः॒ । भ॒ग॒ । पु॒रः॒ऽए॒ता । भ॒व॒ । इ॒ह ॥
bhagaḥ | eva | bhaga-vān | astu | devāḥ | tena | vayam | bhaga-vantaḥ | syāma | tam | tvā | bhaga | sarvaḥ | it | johavīti | saḥ | naḥ | bhaga | puraḥ-etā | bhava | iha
44
4 pādas × ~11 syllables (with Vedic resolution/variation possible)
Forward-driving, declarative cadence suited to invocation and establishment of a power.
Builds confident aspiration; the repeated ‘bhaga’ and the closing ‘puraetā’ produce a sense of being led and provided for inwardly.
- भग (bhaga)
- Literal: share/portion; dispenser of fortune. Symbolic: power of right allotment—divine ‘portioning’ of light, joy, and circumstance according to ṛta
- भगवान् (bhagavān)
- Literal: possessed of bhaga; fortunate. Symbolic: consciousness endowed with inner riches—capacity, clarity, and joy granted by the Divine
- देवाः (devāḥ)
- Literal: gods, shining ones. Symbolic: powers of illumination active in the psyche
- जोहवीति (johavīti)
- Literal: calls/invokes repeatedly. Symbolic: steady aspiration that keeps summoning the higher power
- पुरएता (puraetā)
- Literal: going in front; pioneer. Symbolic: inner leader (guiding intuition) that precedes and prepares the way
Benedictive verse for invoking Bhaga as the presiding power of auspicious distribution; suitable as an opening/leading invocation (puraḥ-etā motif) in yajña sequences.
At beginnings—opening of rites, setting intention, seeking auspicious lead into the work.
Āvāhana (invocation) and prārthanā for guidance and ‘portion’ (bhaga) of the sacrifice’s fruit.
Use as a ‘path-opening’ mantra before study, meditation, travel, or major decisions—invoking right allotment and inner guidance.
bhagavān/bhagavant-: bhaga + -vant possessive; later Sanskrit 'bhagavān' becomes 'the Lord', but RV preserves the concrete sense 'endowed with portion/felicity'. johavīti: intensive/reduplicated calling from √hū 'invoke' (PIE *ǵʰewh₁- 'call' is sometimes proposed; at minimum, the Indo-Iranian √zu/√hū invocation lexicon is central to ritual-poetic speech). puraḥ-etā: puraḥ 'in front' + √i 'go' (etā from √i) — the god as the one who leads the way, psychologically the foremost impulse of right progress.
Participation in divine felicity (bhagavant) through alignment with the deity, Divine leadership (puraḥ-etā) as inner guidance
Bhaga’s ‘portioning’ is meaningful only as distribution according to ṛta—right measure and right time.
To become bhagavant is to embody truth’s abundance—inner resources that do not diminish.
Manifestation of divine plenitude into ordered human life through a leading power (puraetā).
Proto-Vedāntic/Integral (Aurobindo-style) reading: gods as psychological powers; yajña as inner transformation.
Sun (implicit through Bhaga’s auspicious distribution and related Savitar)
morning (context of Bhaga and Uṣas in adjacent verses)
The ‘way’ is the progressive unfolding of consciousness; Bhaga is the right timing and right share of light that makes progress possible.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The 'god-as-pioneer' mythologem: the deity is not only giver but the one who goes before (puraḥ-etā), opening the path of attainment. The mythical action is guidance and initiation into the right share of divine felicity.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The possessive formation with -vant is an old Indo-European adjectival strategy (cf. possessive suffixes across IE). The spatial preverb puraḥ + motion verb √i reflects a widespread IE poetic grammar where preverbs encode directional/psychological movement (forward, upward, outward).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi seeks identification by participation: Bhaga is affirmed as fully bhagavān so that the human collective may become bhagavant. The exchange is: invocation and acceptance of divine leadership in return for the stable power of felicity and right apportionment.
Invoke the ‘right allotment’ power: ask that inner resources (clarity, courage, joy) be distributed in right measure for the day’s sādhanā.
ājñā (guidance/inner leading)
gentle nāḍī-śodhana 6–8 rounds, then chant on a smooth exhale
quiet confidence; receptive alignment with guidance
Chant slowly, then pause after ‘puraetā’ and feel a subtle forward pull—as if the next right step is already prepared.
Vedic tri-svara (udātta/anudātta/svarita) as per Śākala tradition; specific accents require a pada-svara text.
Keep the natural lift on udātta syllables; avoid flattening repeated ‘bhaga’—each invocation should be clear, not rushed.
(bha) is voiced aspirate; keep breathy release, (ga) hard ‘g’ as in ‘go’, (vām̐) includes nasalization; let it resonate lightly, (puraetā): articulate ‘pura-’ then ‘etā’ without inserting extra vowel
steady, luminous, prayerful (not forceful)
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