Rig Veda 2.32.4: Mandala 2, Sukta 32, Mantra 4
Sukta 2.32
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Devata
- Rākā
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
राकामहं सुहवां सुष्टुती हुवे शृणोतु नः सुभगा बोधतु त्मना । सीव्यत्वपः सूच्याच्छिद्यमानया ददातु वीरं शतदायमुक्थ्यम् ॥
rākām aháṃ su-hávāṃ suṣṭutī huve śṛṇótu naḥ su-bhágā bódhatu tmanā | sī́vyatv ápaḥ sū́cyā́c-chídyamānayā dádātu vīráṃ śatá-dāyam ukthyàm ||
A Rākā la invoco con buena invocación, con alabanza recta; que la Bienaventurada nos oiga, que despierte en su propia autoconciencia. Que cosa las corrientes con una aguja que no se quiebra, y que nos otorgue al héroe — de cien dádivas, digno del himno pronunciado.
Word by Word
- राकाम्
- Rākā (the goddess), (as) the one invokedNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचनRole कर्मRoot राका- (प्रातिपदिक; देवी-नाम)
- अहम्
- IPronounउत्तमपुरुष; प्रथमा-एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot अस्मद्- (सर्वनाम)
- सुहवाम्
- easy to invoke, readily callableAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचन; राकाम् इति विशेषणम्Role कर्मRoot सु- + √ह्वा (ह्वयति) → सुहवा- (विशेषण)
- सुष्टुती
- with good praise (a fine hymn)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया-एकवचन (करणे)Role करणRoot सु- + √स्तु (स्तौति) → सुष्टुति- (स्तुतिः)
- हुवे
- I invoke/callVerbलट् (वर्तमाने); उत्तमपुरुष; एकवचन; आत्मनेपदRoot √ह्वा (ह्वयति)
- शृणोतु
- let (her) hearVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपदRoot √श्रु (शृणोति)
- नः
- for us / to usPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी-बहुवचन (एन्क्लिटिक ‘नः’); अत्र प्रायः चतुर्थी (अस्मभ्यम्)Role सम्प्रदानRoot अस्मद्- (सर्वनाम)
- सुभगा
- fortunate, graciousAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचन; (देवी) कर्तृपदेनRole कर्तृRoot सु- + भग- → सुभग- (विशेषण)
- बोधतु
- let (her) awaken/be awareVerbलोट्; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपदRoot √बुध् (बोधति)
- त्मना
- by herself, of her own accordNoun (instrumental adverbial)पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग-प्रयोग; तृतीया-एकवचनRole करणRoot त्मन्- (आत्मन्-सम; ‘स्वयम्/स्वेन’)
- सीव्यतु
- let (her) sew/stitchVerbलोट्; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; आत्मनेपदRoot √सिव्/√स्यिव् (सीव्यति ‘to sew’)
- अपः
- watersNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot अप्- (स्त्री; ‘water’)
- सूच्या
- with a needleNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया-एकवचनRole करणRoot सूची- (स्त्री; ‘needle’)
- च्छिद्यमानया
- with (the needle) that is piercing/cuttingParticiple (Adjective)स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया-एकवचन; (सूच्या इति सह) ‘छिद्यमानया (सूच्या)’Role करणRoot √छिद् (छिनत्ति) → छिद्यमान- (कृदन्त, वर्तमान-कर्तरि/कर्मणि) + -या
- ददातु
- let (her) giveVerbलोट्; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपदRoot √दा (ददाति)
- वीरम्
- a hero/sonNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचनRole कर्मRoot वीर- (प्रातिपदिक)
- शतदायम्
- bringing a hundredfold gift, of hundredfold bountyAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचन; वीरम् इति विशेषणम्Role कर्मRoot शत- + दाय- (दाय ‘gift/share’) → शतदाय- (विशेषण)
- उक्थ्यम्
- worthy of praise (fit to be celebrated in hymns)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचन; वीरम् इति विशेषणम्Role कर्मRoot उक्थ्य- (उक्थ ‘hymn’ से; ‘praiseworthy/fit for hymn’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सम्भाव्य): राकाम् अहम् सुहवाम् सुष्टुती (इति) हुवे । शृणोतु नः सुभगा बोधतु त्मना । सीव्यतु अपः सूच्या छिद्यमानया । ददातु वीरम् शतदायम् उक्थ्यम् ॥ मुख्य-सन्धयः: (1) राकाम्+अहम् → राकामहं (अनुस्वार/मकार-सन्धि)
- (2) सुष्टुती+हुवे → सुष्टुती हुवे (इकारान्त-दीर्घ + ह- आरम्भ; पदपाठे पृथक्)
- (3) सीव्यतु+अपः → सीव्यत्वपः (उ+अ → व्-अवग्रह-रहित संधि)
- (4) सूच्या+छिद्यमानया → सूच्याच्छिद्यमानया (आ+छ → आच्छ; छकारादौ द्वित्व/आगम)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The seer invokes Rākā with good praise, asking her to hear and awaken; he prays that she “stitch” the waters/streams with an unbroken needle and grant a heroic, richly gifted power worthy of the hymn.
Inner meaning
Rākā is the feminine Power of fullness and right formation in consciousness. The “streams” are the divided currents of life-force, thought, and feeling; the unbreaking needle is the steady, integral attention (and the supramental thread of order) that joins them into a single harmonious movement. When this integrality awakens “in her own self-awareness” (tmanā), the being receives vīra—heroic spiritual force—capable of carrying the uttered Word (ukthya) and manifesting abundance (śatadāya).
Universal truth
When the inner Shakti of plenitude awakens, she integrates fragmented energies into a coherent whole; from that integration arises resilient courage and a capacity to express truth with effective power and generous fruit.
Themes
Inner integration of energies, Invocation of feminine powers, Progeny/creative manifestation (vīra as force-child), Plenitude and right distribution (bhaga)
The seer
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Lineage
- Bhṛgu (Gṛtsamada line in Mandala 2 is traditionally connected with the Bhṛgu/Āṅgirasa stream)
- Other hymns
- RV 2.1–2.43 (Gṛtsamada collection, traditional)
Family tradition
Seer-poet of Mandala 2, associated with disciplined invocation and the building of inner order through the Word.
Significance
Gṛtsamada’s vision often emphasizes the right calling (havana) and the effective mantra as a means to establish ṛta in the human being; here he turns that mantra-force toward the feminine power of completion and integration.
The deity
- Devata
- Rākā
- Epithets
- सुभगा (subhagā) gracious/fortunate, सुहवा (suhavā) well-invoked, बोधतु त्मना (bodhatu tmanā) self-awakening
- Related deities
- Sinīvālī, Sarasvatī, Indrāṇī, Varuṇānī
Cosmic role
A lunar-associated goddess of fullness, completion, and shaping—presiding over ripening, wholeness, and the right joining of parts into a formed totality.
Inner power
The integrative Shakti that gathers scattered movements and perfects them into a coherent, fruitful consciousness.
In ritual
Where it is used
Invocations to feminine powers of plenitude in ancillary rites; also usable in prosperity/wholeness intentions within Soma and Agni contexts.
रा॒काम॒हं सु॒हवां॑ सुष्टु॒ती हु॑वे शृ॒णोतु॑ नः सु॒भगा॒ बोध॑तु॒ त्मना॑ । सीव्य॒त्वप॑: सू॒च्याच्छि॑द्यमानया॒ ददा॑तु वी॒रं श॒तदा॑यमु॒क्थ्य॑म् ॥
रा॒काम् । अ॒हम् । सु॒ऽहवा॑म् । सु॒ऽस्तु॒ती । हु॒वे॒ । शृ॒णोतु॑ । नः॒ । सु॒ऽभगा॑ । बोध॑तु । त्मना॑ । सीव्य॑तु । अपः॑ । सू॒च्या । अच्छि॑द्यमानया । ददा॑तु । वी॒रम् । श॒तऽदा॑यम् । उ॒क्थ्य॑म् ॥
rākām | aham | su-havām | su-stutī | huve | śṛṇotu | naḥ | su-bhagā | bodhatu | tmanā | sīvyatu | apaḥ | sūcyā | acchidyamānayā | dadātu | vīram | śata-dāyam | ukthyam
44
4 pādas × ~11 syllables (triṣṭubh cadence)
Forward-driving, expansive, and declarative—suited to invocation and effective asking.
Builds a sense of gathering and integration; the rhythm supports a steady ascent from call → awakening → harmonizing → boon.
- राकाम् (rākām)
- Literal: Rākā, a lunar/fullness goddess. Symbolic: Shakti of plenitude, formative fullness that perfects and completes inner growth
- सुष्टुती (suṣṭutī)
- Literal: right praise, good hymn. Symbolic: true vibration of aspiration; aligned speech that invokes higher consciousness
- बोधतु त्मना (bodhatu tmanā)
- Literal: may she awaken by/within herself. Symbolic: self-luminous awakening of the inner Power (not forced by outer means)
- अपः (apaḥ)
- Literal: waters, streams. Symbolic: currents of consciousness/energies (prāṇa, emotion, thought) needing harmonization
- सूच्या अच्छिद्यमानया (sūcyā acchidyamānayā)
- Literal: with an unbreaking needle. Symbolic: uninterrupted concentration; integrative thread of ṛta that sews the being together
- वीरम् (vīram)
- Literal: hero, heroic force. Symbolic: spiritual courage and effective energy for the inner battle and action
- शतदायम् (śatadāyam)
- Literal: hundred-giving. Symbolic: abundance/multiplying fruition of the higher force
- उक्थ्यम् (ukthyam)
- Literal: fit for the spoken hymn. Symbolic: power that can embody and carry the Word (mantra) into life
Domestic and śrauta contexts where prosperity/progeny and ‘āpah’ (waters) are invoked; adaptable to new/full-moon observances and rites seeking completeness and integration (non-exclusive).
At moments of seeking increase, completeness, and successful formation (especially around lunar fullness themes).
Recitation with offering (ghee/oblations) and directed intention for integration and strength.
Use as a mantra for ‘integration practice’: before study/work/creative output, chant to unify scattered energies and invoke fruitful courage.
Key roots: √hū ‘to call’ (huve, su-havām) indicates conscious summoning of a Power; √śru ‘to hear’ (śṛṇotu) signals receptivity of the deity to the human call; √budh ‘to awaken/know’ (bodhatu) frames the boon as an awakening of consciousness rather than a mere external favor; √sīv ‘to sew/join’ (sīvyatu) with sūcī ‘needle’ and a-√chid ‘uncut’ (acchidyamānā) forms a striking image of integrative formation—joining the ‘waters’ (apaḥ) into a single, coherent flow. ‘su-bhagā’ from bhaga (‘portion, felicity, divine distribution’) marks her as allocator of inner plenitude. ‘vīra’ is taken as inner heroic energy/force; śata-dāya as abundant, manifold giving; ukthya as ‘fit to be brought forth by the word’—the gift supports inspired utterance.
Rita (right ordering through ‘stitching’/integration), Tapas as formative power (implicit in coherent formation), Satyam—awakening into truth-consciousness (√budh)
The ‘stitching’ image expresses ṛta as the principle that binds many currents into one ordered movement.
Awakening ‘tmanā’ points to self-existent truth-consciousness rather than borrowed belief.
Formation through joining: creation as integration of waters/energies into a stable pattern that can bear the Word.
Proto-Vedāntic and Yoga-oriented reading (Aurobindo/Kashyap): Shakti as formative consciousness-power.
night-to-fullness (lunar plenitude implied)
unspecified
Waters = streaming consciousness; Moon/fullness = ripened inner growth; needle = unwavering attention that prevents leakage and division.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is the ‘weaving/sewing’ of the Waters into wholeness by a feminine plenitude-power. Instead of an external craft image, it encodes a cosmic-psychological action: the goddess integrates scattered currents of life-force and mind (‘āpah’) into a single ordered flow under ṛta, enabling the birth/arrival of vīra (heroic formative energy) and the capacity for true utterance (uktha).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- Several lexemes preserve old Indo-European verbal semantics: √śru ‘hear’ aligns with PIE *ḱlew- / *ḱleu- ‘hear, be spoken of’ (cf. Greek klúō ‘hear’), while √budh ‘wake/know’ aligns with PIE *bʰewdʰ- ‘be awake, perceive’ (cf. English ‘bid’ is not cognate, but ‘Buddha’ reflects the same root in Indo-Aryan). The integrative verb √sīv ‘sew’ is a specialized formation in Indo-Iranian expressive vocabulary; its collocation with a-√chid ‘uncut’ highlights an inherited poetic technique: negated participles intensifying permanence (‘unbreakable’). The formulaic su- compounds (su-havā, su-stutī, su-bhagā) reflect an early Indo-European preference for evaluative prefixes marking ‘rightness’ and ‘goodness’ in ritual speech.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi offers ‘su-stutī’ (right praise) and ‘su-havā’ (right invocation) as a precise act of inner alignment; in return the devatā is asked to (1) hear and (2) awaken ‘tmanā’—from her own inherent being—then (3) perform a work of integration (stitching the waters), culminating in (4) a gift: vīra-śakti and abundant bestowal supportive of inspired speech (ukthya). The reciprocity is not transactional but developmental: the human word seeks to evoke a corresponding divine action of ordering and creative manifestation within the practitioner.
Invoke the integrative Shakti to unify mind–life–body currents and stabilize a single aspiration.
Ājñā (integration/clarity) and Anāhata (harmonizing currents)
Nādī-śodhana (alternate-nostril) for 6–12 rounds, then slow exhale while repeating the key phrase mentally.
Collected, integral awareness (ekāgratā) moving toward a quiet fullness.
Chant once slowly, then sit 5–7 minutes sensing ‘streams’ within; on each exhale imagine a luminous thread joining them into one flow; end by affirming vīra as steady, non-violent strength.
Use Vedic svara as marked in the Saṃhitā text (udātta on accented syllables; anudātta preceding; svarita on falling tone). If untrained, chant in a steady monotone with slight lift on visually accented syllables.
Keep the lift on key invocatory words: rākām, śṛṇotu, bodhatu, sīvyatu, dadātu, vīram.
rākām: long ā held clearly, suṣṭutī: retroflex ṣṭ cluster; do not soften to ‘st’, śṛṇotu: vocalic ṛ as a crisp ‘r̥’, acchidyamānayā: double ‘cch’ and ‘dy’ conjuncts cleanly, ukthyam: aspirate ‘thya’ (not ‘tya’)
steady, clear, slightly resonant in the chest; end-pāda with gentle firmness.
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