Rig Veda 4.39.4: Mandala 4, Sukta 39, Mantra 4
Sukta 4.39
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Devata
- Dadhikrāvan
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
दधिक्राव्ण इष ऊर्जो महो यदमन्महि मरुतां नाम भद्रम् । स्वस्तये वरुणं मित्रमग्निं हवामह इन्द्रं वज्रबाहुम् ॥
dadhikrā́vṇa iṣá ūrjó máho yád ámanmahi marútāṃ nā́ma bhadrám | svastáye váruṇaṃ mítram agníṃ havāmahe índraṃ vájrabāhum ||
કારણ કે અમે દધિક્રાવણને પોષણ અને બળની મહાન પૂર્ણતા તરીકે ગ્રહણ કર્યો છે, અને મરુતોનું શુભ નામ ચિત્તમાં ધારણ કર્યું છે—અમારી સ્વસ્તિ માટે અમે વરુણ અને મિત્ર, અગ્નિ, તથા વજ્રબાહુ ઇન્દ્રને આહ્વાન કરીએ છીએ.
Word by Word
- दधिक्राव्णे
- to Dadhikrāvan (the divine steed)Noun (proper name)पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी-एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot दधिक्रावन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- इषे
- for refreshment/impulse (iṣ)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी-एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot इष् (इषा) (प्रातिपदिक)
- ऊर्जे
- for strength/nourishmentNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी-एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot ऊर्ज् (ऊर्जा) (प्रातिपदिक)
- महो
- of the great (one/thing)Adjective (used substantively)नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-एकवचन (वेदिक रूप: महो = महतः)Role सम्बन्धRoot महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- यत्
- which/that (what)Pronoun/Relativeनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचनRole कर्मRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अमन्महि
- we have thought/ponderedVerbलुङ् (अोरिस्ट), आत्मनेपद; उत्तम-पुरुष, बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot मन् (धातु)
- मरुताम्
- of the MarutsNounपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-बहुवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot मरुत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- नाम
- nameNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचनRole कर्मRoot नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- भद्रम्
- auspicious (good)Adjective (used substantively)नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचनRole कर्मRoot भद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- स्वस्तये
- for well-beingNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी-एकवचनRole प्रयोजन/सम्प्रदानRoot स्वस्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
- वरुणम्
- VaruṇaNoun (deity)पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचनRole कर्मRoot वरुण (प्रातिपदिक)
- मित्रम्
- MitraNoun (deity)पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचनRole कर्मRoot मित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- अग्निम्
- AgniNoun (deity)पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचनRole कर्मRoot अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- हवामहे
- we invoke/callVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद; उत्तम-पुरुष, बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot ह्वा (धातु)
- इन्द्रम्
- IndraNoun (deity)पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचनRole कर्मRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- वज्रबाहुम्
- having the thunderbolt as (his) arm / thunderbolt-armedAdjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचनRole विशेषण (कर्म-सम्बद्ध)Root वज्र-बाहु (समास-प्रातिपदिक; कर्मधारय/बहुव्रीहि-प्राय)
Sandhi Notes
- सन्धि-विग्रहः: दधिक्राव्ण॑ इ॒षः → दधिक्राव्णे इषे (वेदिक: -e दत्त्वे/चतुर्थी; इषः = इषे)
- ऊ॒र्जो → ऊर्जे (चतुर्थी-एकवचन)
- महो = महतः (वेदिक षष्ठी-एकवचन)
- यदम॑न्महि → यत् अमन्महि (त् + अ → द्/त्-लोप/संयोग-सरलीकरण; पदपाठे यत्)
- म॒रुतां॒ नाम॑ → मरुताम् नाम (अनुस्वार/दीर्घ-समायोजन)
- स्व॒स्तये॒ → स्वस्तये
- वरु॑णं मि॒त्रम॒ग्निं → वरुणम् मित्रम् अग्निम्
- हवा॑मह॒ → हवामहे (ह्वा धातोः लट् आत्मनेपद 1pl)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Since we have grasped Dadhikrāvan as the great nourishment and force, and have held the auspicious name of the Maruts, for well-being we call Varuṇa and Mitra, Agni, and Indra of the thunderbolt arm.
Inner meaning
Having recognized the divine horse-power as iṣ and ūrj—nourishing inspiration and sustaining energy—the seeker also holds the ‘Name’ of the Maruts: the dynamic harmonies, the life-breaths and forces that make the being vibrant and courageous. For svasti (inner well-being, right-being), the hymn then invokes the full supporting pantheon: Varuṇa (vast truth-law), Mitra (harmony), Agni (divine will), Indra (illumined mind with the thunderbolt that breaks obstruction). The inner teaching is integral: dynamism must be supported by law, harmony, will, and illumination to become stable well-being.
Universal truth
Well-being is not mere comfort; it is the stable integration of energy, harmony, truth-law, will, and illumination—so that life-force becomes a vehicle of conscious victory.
Themes
invocation for welfare, integration of powers, vital energies disciplined, removal of obstruction
The seer
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 4.1 (Agni as priest/leader), RV 4.17-4.18 (Indra victory themes), RV 4.31-4.33 (Marut/Indra dynamics in action)
Family tradition
A synthesis-seer: Vāmadeva often gathers multiple deities as coordinated inner powers for complete realization.
Significance
This verse is a compact map of integral sadhana: recognize the right dynamism, hold the vibrational courage of the Maruts, and invoke the stabilizers (Varuṇa/Mitra) and transformers (Agni/Indra).
The deity
- Devata
- Dadhikrāvan (with Maruts, Varuṇa, Mitra, Agni, Indra)
- Epithets
- iṣaḥ ūrjo mahaḥ (great nourishment and force), vajrabāhu (Indra: thunderbolt-armed)
- Related deities
- Maruts, Varuṇa, Mitra, Agni, Indra
Cosmic role
Dadhikrā provides propulsion; Maruts provide dynamic harmonies; Varuṇa-Mitra provide cosmic governance; Agni initiates transformation; Indra secures victory of light.
Inner power
A complete inner ecology: energized movement (horse) + vital harmonies (Maruts) + ethical-vast order (Varuṇa) + relational harmony (Mitra) + aspiration-fire (Agni) + illuminating breakthrough (Indra).
In ritual
Where it is used
General well-being invocation (svasti) within a praise hymn; can function as a concluding or integrative call.
द॒धि॒क्राव्ण॑ इ॒ष ऊ॒र्जो म॒हो यदम॑न्महि म॒रुतां॒ नाम॑ भ॒द्रम् । स्व॒स्तये॒ वरु॑णं मि॒त्रम॒ग्निं हवा॑मह॒ इन्द्रं॒ वज्र॑बाहुम् ॥
द॒धि॒ऽक्राव्णः॑ । इ॒षः । ऊ॒र्जः । म॒हः । यत् । अम॑न्महि । म॒रुता॑म् । नाम॑ । भ॒द्रम् । स्व॒स्तये॑ । वरु॑णम् । मि॒त्रम् । अ॒ग्निम् । हवा॑महे । इन्द्र॑म् । वज्र॑ऽबाहुम् ॥
dadhi-krāvṇaḥ | iṣaḥ | ūrjaḥ | mahaḥ | yat | amanmahi | marutām | nāma | bhadram | svastaye | varuṇam | mitram | agnim | havāmahe | indram | vajra-bāhum
44
4 × ~11
Enumerative and invocatory; strong list-like cadence suited to calling multiple powers.
Creates a feeling of assembling inner allies; stabilizes and fortifies the practitioner.
- इषः (iṣaḥ)
- Literal: refreshment, nourishment. Symbolic: Inspirational influx; subtle ‘food’ of the soul
- ऊर्जः (ūrjaḥ)
- Literal: vigor, sap, strength. Symbolic: Sustaining life-energy; steady force for practice
- मरुतां नाम (marutāṃ nāma)
- Literal: the name of the Maruts. Symbolic: Vibrational key of dynamic forces; courageous, harmonizing energies in the vital
- स्वस्तये (svastaye)
- Literal: for well-being. Symbolic: Right-being: inner health, harmony, auspiciousness
- वरुणम् (varuṇam)
- Literal: Varuṇa. Symbolic: Vastness and truth-law that purifies and stabilizes
- मित्रम् (mitram)
- Literal: Mitra. Symbolic: Harmony, concord, right relation
- अग्निम् (agnim)
- Literal: Agni. Symbolic: Divine will, aspiration, purifier
- इन्द्रं वज्रबाहुम् (indraṃ vajrabāhum)
- Literal: Indra with thunderbolt arm. Symbolic: Illumined mind-force that breaks the coverer (resistance)
Protective/auspicious invocation (svastaye) suitable for morning rites and for strengthening the yajamāna’s ‘right-being’; inner use as a harmonizing call to the governing powers before action.
At the close of morning recitations or before communal actions requiring harmony and strength.
Calling multiple deities for protection and auspiciousness; mentally ‘gathering’ powers.
As a protective-integrative chant before challenging days: align vitality (Maruts), ethics (Varuṇa), harmony (Mitra), will (Agni), and clarity (Indra).
svasti: su- ‘good’ + asti ‘being’ (√as ‘to be’) → ‘good-being’, inner right-existence. iṣ (√iṣ ‘to impel, seek’) and ūrj (strength/sap) are paired as nourishment + force. marut (from √mar ‘to shine/strike’ debated; as storm-powers) here symbolizes organized vital energies; nāma ‘name’ (√nam ‘to assign/mark’) functions as essence-formula held in mind (ámanmahi). vajra (thunderbolt) from √vaj/√vṛj semantic ‘strength/strike’; bāhu ‘arm’ as executive power.
svasti (integral well-being), nourishment and force (iṣ/ūrj), cosmic law and harmony (Varuṇa/Mitra)
Svasti arises when ṛta governs the energies—Varuṇa-Mitra invoked explicitly for that governance.
Indra’s vajra is truth-force that breaks falsehood/covering; satya becomes effective.
From chaos to ordered plenitude: assembling powers mirrors cosmic organization of energies into a harmonious world.
Integral synthesis: multiple divine powers as aspects of one evolving consciousness.
Storm-winds = prāṇic currents and courageous impulses; fire = aspiration; thunderbolt = decisive illumination; ocean-sky = vast calm law; horse = mobilized life-energy.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The assembling of the divine coalition: the horse-force (Dadhikrāvan) as impetus and strength is linked with the Marut-host and then supported by the triad of ordering powers (Mitra-Varuṇa), transformative fire (Agni), and obstacle-breaking sovereignty (Indra). Mythically: the powers must be invoked together for ‘svasti’—safe passage into right action.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- svasti parallels Avestan hu-sti- ‘good standing’ (Indo-Iranian *su-H₁es-ti). Indra’s vajra has Indo-Iranian parallels in weapon-myths; Mitra/Varuṇa reflect the IE tendency to pair contract/harmony with cosmic order. The abstract pairing iṣ/ūrj shows inherited poetic binomials for ‘food/force’ as inner plenitude.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The Rishi’s mental act (ámanmahi) is central: by rightly ‘holding’ the name/essence of the Marut-force and recognizing Dadhikrāvan as iṣ/ūrj/mahas, he earns the right to invoke the higher governors for svasti—suggesting that correct inner cognition precedes effective divine assistance.
Integral alignment for svasti: bring nourishment (iṣ) and steady energy (ūrj) under harmony, law, will, and illumination.
Anahata (svasti/harmony) as hub; Manipura (Agni/ūrj) and Ajna (Indra) coordinated; subtle prāṇa field (Maruts) balanced through breath.
Nadi-śodhana (alternate nostril) 6–12 rounds to balance Marut currents; then one slow chant to ‘seal’ svasti.
Centered integration—calm strength with alert clarity.
If energy is scattered, first balance breath (Maruts). If will is dull, kindle warmth (Agni). If mind is confused, call Indra’s vajra for one decisive insight. Keep Varuṇa-Mitra as the constant atmosphere of truth and harmony.
Triṣṭubh with udātta prominence on iṣáḥ, ūrjáḥ, marútāṃ, svastáye, váruṇam, mítram, agním, índram; keep list-like clarity without sing-song.
Give a gentle emphasis to the inventory of powers; slight pause after ‘svastaye’ to mark intention; end strongly on ‘indraṃ vajrabāhum’.
: link smoothly (iṣa ūrjo) without inserting extra consonant, : nasal ‘-tāṃ’ with long āṃ, : ‘ha-vā-ma-he’ clear long vā, : ‘vaj-ra-bā-hum’ with long ā
Calm, integrative, slightly deeper tone; final phrase more resonant and decisive.
5
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Rig Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
