Rig Veda 2.23.13: Mandala 2, Sukta 23, Mantra 13
Sukta 2.23
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Devata
- Bṛhaspati
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
भरेषु हव्यो नमसोपसद्यो गन्ता वाजेषु सनिता धनंधनम् । विश्वा इदर्यो अभिदिप्स्वो मृधो बृहस्पतिर्वि ववर्हा रथाँ इव ॥
bharéṣu hávyo námasopasádyó gántā vā́jeṣu sánitā dhánaṃdhanam | víśvā íd aryó abhídipsvo mṛ́dho bṛ́haspátir ví vavarhā ráthāṃ iva ||
En el apremio de la lucha, a él se le invoca; con reverencia se le aborda. En la conquista de las plenitudes él llega, vencedor que gana riqueza tras riqueza. Todos los asaltos del envidioso atacante, Bṛhaspati los aparta, como quien despeja obstáculos — como carros que se abren paso.
Word by Word
- भरेषु
- in battles/contestsNounपुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; बहुवचनRole अधिकारणRoot भर (प्रातिपदिक: भर-)
- हव्यः
- worthy to be invoked/offered (as oblation); the invoked oneAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot हव्य (√हु ‘to offer’ से; हव्य-)
- नमसा
- with reverence, by homageNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया; एकवचनRole करणRoot नमस् (नमस्-)
- उपसद्यः
- approachable; to be approached/attendedAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot उपसद्य (उप-√सद् ‘to sit/approach’ से; उपसद्य-)
- गन्ता
- goer/attainer; one who comesNoun (agent)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot √गम् (गन्तृ- ‘goer/attainer’)
- वाजेषु
- in prizes/strengths (in contests)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; बहुवचनRole अधिकारणRoot वाज (वाज-)
- सनिता
- winner, bestower/gainerNoun (agent)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot √सन् (सनितृ- ‘winner/gainer’)
- धनंधनम्
- wealth upon wealth; abundant wealthNoun (reduplicated compound)नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन (अव्ययीभाव/पुनरुक्ति-प्रयोगः ‘धनं धनम्’)Role कर्मRoot धन (धन-)
- विश्वाः
- all (things)Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot विश्व (विश्व-)
- इत्
- indeed, justIndeclinableनिपात; अव्ययRoot इत् (निपात) अथवा इद् (निपात)
- अर्यः
- the noble one; (here) the beneficent lordNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot अर्य (अर्य-)
- अभिदिप्स्वः
- assailants, those wishing to injure/attackAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot अभि-√दिप्स्/√दभ्? (दिप्सु- ‘desirous to harm/attack’; desiderative sense)
- मृधः
- hostilities, assaultsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot मृध् (मृध्-)
- बृहस्पतिः
- BṛhaspatiNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot बृहस्पति (बृहस्पति-)
- वि
- apart, asunder, forthIndeclinableउपसर्ग; अव्ययRoot वि (उपसर्ग)
- ववर्हा
- has struck down/has torn apartVerbलिट् (परफेक्ट); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपदRoot √वर्ह्/√वृह् (ववर्ह- परस्मैपद; परिपूर्ण/परफेक्ट)
- रथान्
- chariotsNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot रथ (रथ-)
- इव
- like, asIndeclinableउपमा-अव्ययRoot इव
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धि-निरास): भरेषु | हव्यः | नमसा | उपसद्यः | गन्ता | वाजेषु | सनिता | धनं धनम् | विश्वाः | इत् | अर्यः | अभिदिप्स्वः | मृधः | बृहस्पतिः | वि | ववर्हा | रथान् | इव । विशेषाः: (1) धनंधनम् = धनं धनम् (पुनरुक्ति-प्रयोगः, संहितायां अनुस्वार-सन्धिः). (2) विश्वा इद अर्यः → विश्वाः इत् अर्यः (इद्/इत् निपातः; संहितायां स्वर-परिवर्तन/दीर्घता). (3) रथाँ इव → रथान् इव (पदान्त -न् + इव; संहितायां नासिक्य-चिह्न ‘ाँ’). (4) अभिदिप्स्वो…: पाठे ‘ओ’ प्लुत/स्वरित-चिह्न सहितः
- पदे अभिदिप्स्वः (प्रथमा बहुवचन)
The meaning
Outer meaning
In battles he is to be invoked and approached with reverence; he comes in the winning of plenitudes, gaining riches upon riches. Bṛhaspati drives apart all assaults of the envious assailant, as one clears obstacles like chariots pushing through.
Inner meaning
In every pressure of life (bhara), the seeker calls the inner Priest of the Word, not by force but by namas—humble alignment. Bṛhaspati ‘comes’ as widening power in the pursuit of vājas: plenitudes of energy, capacity, and accomplishment. The ‘wealth’ is not merely material but draviṇa of consciousness—clarity, courage, right speech, right action. Envious assaults (abhidipsu mṛdhaḥ) are the jealous, self-sabotaging movements and hostile suggestions that resent growth; the mantra affirms Bṛhaspati’s separating power—he clears the path like a chariot breaking through congestion, restoring free movement of the sādhanā.
Universal truth
Reverent alignment with the higher Word widens life-energy and clears envy-born obstruction; true wealth multiplies as inner capacities and harmonious action.
Themes
Aid in struggle, Acquisition of plenitude, Removal of obstacles, Noble path (arya)
The seer
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada (Bhārgava)
- Lineage
- Bhārgava
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 2.23, Rig Veda 2.24, Rig Veda 2.26–2.27 (Bhārgava invocations with protection/progress motifs)
Family tradition
A line emphasizing mantra as effective force; the approach ‘namasā upasadyah’ reflects the Bhārgava balance of tapas and surrender.
Significance
The seer teaches the practical psychology of invocation: call in pressure, approach with reverence, receive plenitude, and let the Word-power clear hostile tangles.
The deity
- Devata
- Bṛhaspati
- Epithets
- havya (worthy of invocation), upasadya (to be approached), sanitā (winner), vavarhā (remover/cleaver of obstacles)
- Related deities
- Indra (winner of vāja), Soma (plenitude/bliss), Aśvins (helpers in crises)
Cosmic role
Giver of vāja (plenitude) and remover of mṛdha (assaults); ensures victorious movement of the sacrifice toward fruition.
Inner power
Widening guidance that converts struggle into gain; discriminative force that separates envy/hostility from the seeker’s path.
In ritual
Where it is used
General invocation in contests/pressures; in śrauta settings, supportive recitation for successful performance and removal of opposition.
भरे॑षु॒ हव्यो॒ नम॑सोप॒सद्यो॒ गन्ता॒ वाजे॑षु॒ सनि॑ता॒ धनं॑धनम् । विश्वा॒ इद॒र्यो अ॑भिदि॒प्स्वो॒३॒॑ मृधो॒ बृह॒स्पति॒र्वि व॑वर्हा॒ रथाँ॑ इव ॥
भरे॑षु । हव्य॑ । नम॑सा । उ॒प॒ऽसद्यः॑ । गन्ता॑ । वाजे॑षु । सनि॑ता । धन॑म्ऽधनम् । विश्वाः॑ । इत् । अ॒र्यः । अ॒भि॒ऽदि॒प्स्वः॑ । मृधः॑ । बृह॒स्पतिः॑ । वि । व॒व॒र्ह॒ । रथा॑न्ऽइव ॥
bhareṣu | havya | namasā | upa-sadyaḥ | gantā | vājeṣu | sanitā | dhanam-dhanam | viśvāḥ | it | aryaḥ | abhi-dipsvaḥ | mṛdhaḥ | bṛhaspatiḥ | vi | vavarha | rathān-iva
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4 × ~11
Expansive and processional; a sense of ‘coming’ and ‘winning’ with a clean, clearing motion in the final pādas.
Shifts mood from pressure to confidence; supports perseverance and a feeling of widening inner space.
- भरेषु (bhareṣu)
- Literal: in struggles, pressures. Symbolic: life’s tests; concentrated demands that reveal the soul’s stance
- हव्य (havya)
- Literal: to be invoked/offered. Symbolic: call of aspiration; offering of attention to the higher power
- नमसा (namasā)
- Literal: by reverence. Symbolic: humility, consent, self-giving that opens reception
- उपसद्यः (upasadyaḥ)
- Literal: to be approached, sat near. Symbolic: inner nearness to the guiding consciousness
- वाजेषु (vājeṣu)
- Literal: in winnings/plenitudes. Symbolic: plenitudes of force, joy, capacity; victorious energies
- धनं-धनम् (dhanaṃ-dhanam)
- Literal: wealth upon wealth. Symbolic: multiplying inner resources: light, strength, skill, harmony
- अभिदिप्स्वः (abhidipsvaḥ)
- Literal: envious, desiring to seize. Symbolic: jealous impulses that try to appropriate or diminish the soul’s gain
- मृधः (mṛdhaḥ)
- Literal: assaults, hostilities. Symbolic: formations of resistance and attack in mind/vital
- वि ववर्ह (vi vavarha)
- Literal: drives apart, removes. Symbolic: disentangles and separates mixed/confused forces; clears the path
- रथान् इव (rathān iva)
- Literal: like chariots. Symbolic: power of forward movement; organized energies breaking through obstruction
Invoked for success in contests and for securing ‘vāja’ and ‘dhana’—spiritual and social prosperity—through the right-formulated hymn and offering.
During demanding phases of rite or when seeking success (vāja) and protection from hostility.
Recitation with namas; symbolic ‘approach’ to deity; offerings to strengthen success and clear obstacles.
Before exams, negotiations, creative work, or any ‘pressure period’: chant to convert stress into widened capacity and to clear envy/self-sabotage.
vāja from √vaj ‘to be strong, impel’ → ‘plenitude of force/achievement’; sanítā from √san ‘to gain’; mṛdh ‘hostility’ (conflict-field). vi-vavarha from √vṛh/√barh ‘to tear out, uproot’ with vi- ‘apart’ (dispersal).
Vāja as fullness of force, Right approach (namas, upasad), Dispersion of envy/hostility
Progress in ṛta is not linear without resistance; Bṛhaspati’s function is to keep movement true and unblocked.
True ‘wealth’ is what supports right being and right action; it multiplies when aligned with satya.
Widening as a creative act: the Word opens space and capacity, turning pressure into formation of greater being.
Integral-yogic reading: struggle is a means of expansion; obstacles are separable formations, not the self.
Chariot = organized life-force; obstacle-clearing = removal of knots (granthis) in mind/vital; pressure = tapas-testing that yields expansion.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Bṛhaspati as the ‘path-clearing’ power: he uproots and disperses hostile forces so the seeker wins vāja (plenitude) and layered wealth (dhanaṃ-dhanam).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √san ‘gain’ (cf. Avestan han ‘to win/strike’ is different; but Indo-Iranian *san- ‘to gain’ is well-attested); √vaj relates to Indo-Iranian strength lexicon (Avestan vaz- ‘to grow/strengthen’). The intensification dhanaṃ-dhanam is a typical archaic poetic reduplication-like emphasis.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi offers namas and ‘upasad’ (near-approach) and in return the deity ‘comes’ (gantā) in the very moments of effort, converting aspiration into gains and scattering the envious grasping forces.
In difficulty, shift from contraction to reverent openness; feel Bṛhaspati ‘arrive’ as widening clarity; let envy/hostility be seen and separated.
anāhata (opening through namas) leading to viśuddha (right word)
Box breathing 4-4-4-4 for steadiness, then chant with relaxed open chest.
Widened, confident, unobstructed flow.
Start with a brief bow (physical or inner). Chant while imagining a clear road forming ahead; on ‘vi vavarha’ feel knots loosening and the path opening.
Standard Rigvedic accentuation; keep vocatives and key action-words (gantā, sanitā, vi vavarha) clearly contoured.
Let each pāda ‘arrive’ cleanly; emphasize the shift at ‘viśvā id’ and the decisive ‘vi vavarha’.
bhareṣu: aspirated bh; retroflex ṣ at end, havyo: v not w; keep -yo smooth, namasopasadyaḥ: sandhi—avoid breaking ‘namaso-upa’ too harshly, vājeṣu: long ā; j clean, sanitā: short i; retroflex ṭ not present—keep dental t, abhidipsvo: cluster -psv- carefully; avoid inserting vowel, bṛhaspatir: final -r links into following word in continuous recitation
Bright, encouraging, forward-moving.
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