Rig Veda 7.2.9: Mandala 7, Sukta 2, Mantra 9
Sukta 7.2
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Tvaṣṭṛ
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
तन्नस्तुरीपमध पोषयित्नु देव त्वष्टर्वि रराणः स्यस्व । यतो वीरः कर्मण्यः सुदक्षो युक्तग्रावा जायते देवकामः ॥
tán nas turī́pam ádha poṣayitnú deva tváṣṭar ví rarāṇáḥ syasva | yáto vīráḥ karmaṇyàḥ su-dákṣo yuktá-grāvā jā́yate deva-kā́maḥ ||
હે પોષક દેવ ત્વષ્ટૃ, તે ઝડપી આગળ વધતું પોષણ/વૃદ્ધિ અમારે માટે પોષ; આનંદભર્યા દાનમાં તું પ્રકાશિત થા. તારા પરથી જ કર્મયોગ્ય, સુદક્ષ વીરો જન્મે છે—યુક્તગ્રાવા (દબાણ-પથ્થરો જોડેલા) અને દેવકામ (દેવોને ઇચ્છનાર).
Word by Word
- तत्
- that (boon/thing)Pronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- नः
- for us / ourPronounषष्ठी (एन्क्लिटिक), बहुवचनRole SampradānaRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- तु
- indeed / butIndeclinableनिपातRoot तु (निपात)
- रीपम्
- harm, injuryNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot रीप (प्रातिपदिक)
- अध
- then / now / moreoverIndeclinableनिपातRoot अध (निपात)
- पोषयित्नु
- O nourisherNoun (agent epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole SambodhanaRoot पोषयित्नु (प्रातिपदिक; पोषयितृ-भाव)
- देव
- O godNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole SambodhanaRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- त्वष्टः
- O TvaṣṭarNoun (proper name)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole SambodhanaRoot त्वष्टृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- वि
- apart, forth (intensifier)Indeclinable (preverb)उपसर्गRoot वि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- रराणः
- rejoicing, eagerParticipleपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (कर्तरि वर्तमान/परिपूर्ण-भाव)Role KartāRoot √रा/रम् (रराण-; परिपूर्ण/आत्मनेपद-परस्मैपद-भेदयुक्तः; ‘delighting/being eager’)
- स्यस्व
- be (for us)Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपदRoot √अस् (भू)
- यतः
- from whom / whenceIndeclinable (relative)सम्बन्धाव्ययRole ApādānaRoot यतस् (अव्यय/सम्बन्ध)
- वीरः
- a hero, manNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot वीर (प्रातिपदिक)
- कर्मण्यः
- fit for work, activeAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot कर्मण्य (प्रातिपदिक; कर्मन् + यत्)
- सुदक्षः
- very skilled, capableAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot सुदक्ष (प्रातिपदिक; सु- + दक्ष)
- युक्तग्रावा
- having the pressing-stones yoked/readyAdjective (bahuvrīhi epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot युक्तग्रावन्/युक्तग्रावा (प्रातिपदिक; युक्त + ग्रावन् ‘pressing-stone’)
- जायते
- is born / arisesVerbलट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपदRoot √जन्
- देवकामः
- desiring the gods / god-lovingAdjective/Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot देवकाम (प्रातिपदिक; देव + काम)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: तत् नः तु रीपम् अध पोषयित्नु देव त्वष्टः वि-रराणः स्यस्व । यतः वीरः कर्मण्यः सुदक्षः युक्तग्रावा जायते देवकामः ॥ मुख्य-सन्धयः: (1) तन्नः = तत् + नः (त् + न → न्न्)
- (2) तुरीपम् = तु + रीपम् (स्वर-सन्धि/संहिता)
- (3) त्वष्टर्वि = त्वष्टः + वि (विसर्गलोपः संहितायाम्)
- (5) यतो वीरः = यतः + वीरः (विसर्गलोपः/ओकारादेशः संहितायाम्)
The meaning
Outer meaning
A prayer to Tvaṣṭṛ: grant us that swift-advancing increase and nourishment; from him is born a capable hero, fit for works, with pressing-stones yoked, desiring the divine.
Inner meaning
Tvaṣṭṛ is the divine Fashioner who shapes the instrument of consciousness. The ‘swift-advancing increase’ is the growth of inner capacity—formed nerves, mind, and life-force able to hold higher force. The ‘hero’ is the strong soul-force (vīra) born from right formation, capable of works (karmaṇyaḥ) with perfected skill (sudakṣaḥ). ‘Pressing-stones yoked’ indicates disciplined methods that express Soma—bliss/immortal delight—so the being becomes devakāmaḥ, one who chooses and desires the Divine rather than the lower satisfactions.
Universal truth
True growth is not mere expansion but right formation: when the inner nature is shaped by a higher intelligence, a capable ‘heroic’ consciousness is born—disciplined, effective, and oriented toward the Divine delight.
Themes
Tvaṣṭṛ as shaper, birth of the capable hero, yoking of instruments
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha (Maitrāvaruṇa lineage)
- Other hymns
- RV 7.2, RV 7.3, RV 7.4
Family tradition
The Vasiṣṭhas frequently stress right formation under ṛta—Agni kindled, Indra’s illumination, and powers that build the perfected human instrument.
Significance
Here Vasiṣṭha turns from invocation to formation: the seer asks that the divine Craftsman shape a heroic, competent nature capable of the soma-work (inner extraction of delight).
The deity
- Devata
- Tvaṣṭṛ
- Epithets
- deva (god), poṣayitnu (nourisher)
- Related deities
- Soma, Indra, Viśvakarman, Agni
Cosmic role
Cosmic artisan who fashions forms, organs, and capacities; giver of right embodiment and functional perfection.
Inner power
Shaping intelligence in the substance of mind-life-body; the power that ‘makes the vessel’ fit to hold Soma and execute divine works.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma-pressing context (implied by yuktagrāvā); prayers for progeny/strength/capacity
तन्न॑स्तु॒रीप॒मध॑ पोषयि॒त्नु देव॑ त्वष्ट॒र्वि र॑रा॒णः स्य॑स्व । यतो॑ वी॒रः क॑र्म॒ण्य॑: सु॒दक्षो॑ यु॒क्तग्रा॑वा॒ जाय॑ते दे॒वका॑मः ॥
तत् । नः॒ । तु॒रीप॑म् । अध॑ । पो॒ष॒यि॒त्नु । देव॑ । त्व॒ष्टः॒ । वि । र॒रा॒णः । स्य॒स्वेति॑ स्यस्व । यतः॑ । वी॒रः । क॒र्म॒ण्यः॑ । सु॒ऽदक्षः॑ । यु॒क्तऽग्रा॑वा । जाय॑ते । दे॒वऽका॑मः ॥
tat | naḥ | turīpam | adha | poṣayitnu | deva | tvaṣṭaḥ | vi | rarāṇaḥ | syasveti syasva | yataḥ | vīraḥ | karmaṇyaḥ | su-dakṣaḥ | yukta-grāvā | jāyate | deva-kāmaḥ
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4 × ~11
Energetic and constructive; emphasis on forward movement (turīpam) and birth of the hero.
Builds resolve and confidence; supports a sense of being ‘forged’ inwardly into capability.
- त्वष्टा (Tvaṣṭṛ)
- Literal: Divine artisan/fashioner. Symbolic: Power that forms and perfects the instrument; evolutionary shaper of faculties
- पोषयित्नु (poṣayitnu)
- Literal: Nourisher, increaser. Symbolic: Sustaining force that builds inner capacity and endurance
- तुरीपम् (turīpam)
- Literal: Swift-advancing increase/progress (sense: impetuous, forward). Symbolic: Rapid spiritual growth; accelerating formation toward the higher life
- वि रराणः (vi rarāṇaḥ)
- Literal: Shining forth, rejoicing in giving. Symbolic: Manifesting formative power with glad outflow—grace in shaping
- वीरः (vīraḥ)
- Literal: Hero. Symbolic: Soul-force/courageous consciousness able to act for truth
- कर्मण्यः (karmaṇyaḥ)
- Literal: Fit for works. Symbolic: Effective will in action aligned with the yoga
- सुदक्षः (sudakṣaḥ)
- Literal: Well-skilled, perfectly capable. Symbolic: Right discernment and competent execution without inner division
- युक्तग्रावा (yuktagrāvā)
- Literal: With pressing-stones yoked. Symbolic: Disciplined practice that expresses Soma (bliss) from experience
- देवकामः (devakāmaḥ)
- Literal: Desiring the gods/divine. Symbolic: Aspiration; preference for the Divine over lower impulses
Blessing for formation of capability and heroic efficacy; soma-pressing allusion (grāvan) suggests soma rite context, but psychologically indicates shaping and yoking of faculties for the divine work.
Around soma pressing or when invoking formative/nourishing powers for successful rite and strong officiant/warrior
Request increase and right formation; align pressing action with divine aspiration
Use when beginning a disciplined practice cycle (sādhana plan): ask for right formation of habits, nerves, and will; chant before focused work or training.
tvaṣṭṛ from √tvakṣ/√tvaṣ ‘fashion, form, make’ → cosmic artisan shaping bodies and capacities; psychologically shaper of the instrument. poṣayitnú from √puṣ ‘nourish, thrive’ (PIE *peh₂- ‘protect/feed’ often associated with nourishment semantics). vīrá from √vīr ‘man/hero’ (Indo-Iranian *wiHrós). yuktá from √yuj ‘yoke’. grā́van ‘pressing stone’ (soma context), inner sense: fixed instruments/forces yoked to the work.
formation of the instrument (tvaṣṭṛ), heroic soul-force (vīra), aspiration (deva-kāma)
The ‘hero fit for works’ is the ṛtāvān outcome: action that expresses truth-order.
sudakṣaḥ implies truth in capacity—no distortion between will, knowledge, and execution.
Formation of the effective being: the Fashioner births the capable instrument for divine work.
Integral yogic evolution: divine Shakti shaping nature into a fit vehicle for higher consciousness.
Pressing-stones = disciplined method; Soma = extracted bliss; forging = tapas shaping the nature.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Tvaṣṭṛ as the divine fashioner who ‘brings forth’ the capable hero: the mythic artisan-god forms the being fit for divine works, linking creation of form with spiritual efficacy.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √yuj ‘yoke’ (yukta) < PIE *yeug-. √puṣ ‘nourish’ aligns with widespread IE nourishment/protection semantics. The verse’s ‘yoking’ of stones and birth of hero reflect inherited IE motifs of harnessing tools and generating the champion.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi asks Tvaṣṭṛ not for crude wealth but for ‘turīpa’—a swift increase of capacity—and for the birth of a karmaṇya vīra: the divine shapes the seeker’s faculties so aspiration (deva-kāma) can act effectively.
Offer your nature to the inner Fashioner: ‘shape me into a capable instrument for divine work’.
Maṇipūra (will/competence) supported by Ājñā (right formation/intelligence)
Kapalabhāti light (if suitable) 30–60 strokes, then calm breathing; chant on steady exhale
Forging concentration; confident aspiration
Visualize a luminous artisan-force refining habits and reactions. On ‘yuktagrāvā’ feel disciplined practice; on ‘devakāmaḥ’ turn desire upward—choose the Divine as the object of delight.
Rigvedic accentuation as transmitted; maintain lift on key invocations (tvaṣṭar) and firmness on ‘vīraḥ… sudakṣaḥ’.
Articulate consonant clusters: tvaṣṭar (ṣṭ), rarāṇaḥ (retroflex ṇ), yuktagrāvā (grā). Keep pāda breaks clean.
tvaṣṭar: retroflex ṣ + ṭ; avoid ‘tvastar’ flattening, turīpam: long ī, poṣayitnu: clear ṣ, not s, sudakṣo: kṣ as ‘k+ṣ’, yuktagrāvā: long ā in grāvā
Firm, forging, confident; slightly brighter on ‘vi rarāṇaḥ’.
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