Rig Veda 2.17.7: Mandala 2, Sukta 17, Mantra 7
Sukta 2.17
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Devata
- Bhaga within an Indra hymn cluster
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Shringara (love)
अमाजूरिव पित्रोः सचा सती समानादा सदसस्त्वामिये भगम् । कृधि प्रकेतमुप मास्या भर दद्धि भागं तन्वो येन मामहः ॥
amājū́r iva pitróḥ sácā satī́ samānā́d ā́ sádasas tvām iye bhágam | kṛdhí prakétam úpa māsyā́ bhara daddhí bhāgáṃ tanvò yéna mā́mahaḥ ||
Jaise baccha maa baap ke paas rehta hai, main bhi tumhare paas aaya hoon. Ek hi jagah se aake main tumhe bhagwan ke roop mein bulata hoon. Humein sahi raasta dikhao, sahi nazdik lao. Humein woh hissa do jo hamare liye sahi hai, taaki hum khush rahein.
Word by Word
- अमाजूरिव
- like a (devoted) helper/attendantIndeclinableअव्यय (उपमार्थे ‘इव’)Root अमाजूरि (प्रातिपदिक; इव-समास/उपमा)
- पित्रोः
- of the two parents (two fathers)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी/सप्तमी? द्विवचन; (वेदे ‘पित्रोः’ = षष्ठी द्विवचन ‘of the two fathers/parents’)Role सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)Root पितृ
- सचा
- together withIndeclinableअव्यय; सह/साकम्-अर्थेRole सहकारक (association)Root सच् (अव्यय ‘सचा’)
- सती
- being; as one who is (faithful/true)Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ/सत्-आधारित) ‘being, true’Role कर्तृ-विशेषण (of the addressed/implicit subject) / विधेयविशेषणRoot अस् (सत्-प्रातिपदिक) / सती (स्त्री.)
- समानात्
- from the same (source/line)Adjective (used substantively)नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी एकवचन (ablative) ‘from the same (place/lineage)’Role अपादानRoot समान
- आ
- hither; towardsIndeclinableअव्यय; उपसर्ग/प्रगृह्य ‘towards, hither’Root आ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- सदसः
- of the assembly; of the seat/sessionNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot सदस्
- त्वाम्
- youPronounद्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्मRoot युष्मद्
- इये
- I have come / I have gone (hither)Verbलिट् (परिपूर्ण/परफेक्ट); उत्तमपुरुष? (वेदे ‘इये’ = 1st sg perfect middle/active sense ‘I have gone/come’); एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot इ (इण्) / या (गत्यर्थ) — वेद. परस्मैपद
- भगम्
- Bhaga; the Dispenser (of fortune)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्म (apposition/object of seeking) / सम्बोधनार्थे देवता-नामRoot भग
- कृधि
- make; doVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ); मध्यमपुरुष एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole क्रिया (आज्ञा)Root कृ
- प्रकेतम्
- a clear sign; discernment; recognitionNoun/Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्मRoot प्रकेत (प्र+केत) / केत (ज्ञाने)
- उप
- near; towardsIndeclinableअव्यय; ‘near, towards’Root उप (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- मास्याः
- of the month; monthlyAdjective (used substantively)स्त्रीलिङ्ग; षष्ठी एकवचन (वेद. ‘मास्याः’ = ‘of the month/ monthly (offering)’)Role सम्बन्धRoot मास्य (मास-सम्बन्धी) / मास
- भर
- bring; bearVerbलोट्; मध्यमपुरुष एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole क्रिया (आज्ञा)Root भृ
- दद्धि
- giveVerbलोट्; मध्यमपुरुष एकवचन; परस्मैपद (वेद. रूप)Role क्रिया (आज्ञा)Root दा
- भागम्
- a share; portionNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्मRoot भाग
- तन्वः
- of the body; of the person/selfNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; षष्ठी एकवचन (वेद. ‘तन्वः’)Role सम्बन्धRoot तनू
- येन
- by whichPronoun (relative)तृतीया एकवचन; नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (instrumental)Role करणRoot यद्
- माम्
- mePronounद्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्मRoot अस्मद्
- अहः
- day; daylightNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया/प्रथमा एकवचन (वेद. ‘अहः’)Role कर्म/अधिकरण (contextual: ‘day’ as object/measure)Root अहन्
Sandhi Notes
- संधि-विच्छेद (मुख्य): पित्रोः सचा सती (पद-सीमा)
- समानाद् + आ → समानाद् आ (पदपाठे पृथक्)
- सदसः + त्वाम् (विसर्ग-संधि)
- त्वाम् + इये (स्वर-संधि/पद-सीमा)
- प्रकेतम् + उप
- उप + मास्याः
- दद्धि (वेद. लोट्-रूप ‘दा’)
- तन्वोः/तन्वः (वेद. षष्ठी एकवचन)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Like a child close to its parents, from the common seat/assembly I come to you, O Bhaga. Make clear perception for us; bring it near in due measure; give a share to our embodied being by which we may grow.
Inner meaning
The seeker approaches Bhaga—the divine Dispenser of felicity and right allotment—as a child approaches the protecting origins (the ‘two parents’: Heaven and Earth, or soul and nature). From the ‘common seat’ (shared field of consciousness) the aspiration turns to the power that apportions the true share: clarity of perception (praketa) and the right measure of spiritual enjoyment and capacity in the embodied life (tanū).
Universal truth
Maturity in the spiritual life includes childlike trust joined to discernment: we ask not for random gain, but for right measure, right share, and clear seeing that supports growth in wholeness.
Themes
divine allotment, inner prosperity, discernment (praketa), ritual seat (sadas)
The seer
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada Bhārgava
- Lineage
- Bhārgava
- Other hymns
- RV 2.17 (cluster context), RV 2.18 (chariot/advance imagery)
Family tradition
Bhṛgu-line with a strong emphasis on inner sacrifice and the right distribution of powers (bhāga) among the parts of the being—illumination supporting embodied growth.
Significance
Here the seer turns from sheer conquest imagery to the psychology of receptivity: the right ‘portion’ of clarity and joy must descend into the embodied nature for stable progress.
The deity
- Devata
- Bhaga (Āditya)
- Epithets
- Bhaga (the Dispenser), dātṛ (giver, implied), āditya (solar order, implied by class)
- Related deities
- Mitra, Varuṇa, Aryaman, Savitar
Cosmic role
Allots shares—fortune, felicity, and rightful participation in the cosmic order; ensures harmonious distribution of goods/powers.
Inner power
Capacity to receive joy rightly and to perceive clearly; the divine principle of ‘measure’ that prevents distortion in enjoyment and attainment.
In ritual
Where it is used
Āditya/Bhaga invocation within broader praise sequences; adaptable as a prosperity/clarity prayer.
अ॒मा॒जूरि॑व पि॒त्रोः सचा॑ स॒ती स॑मा॒नादा सद॑स॒स्त्वामि॑ये॒ भग॑म् । कृ॒धि प्र॑के॒तमुप॑ मा॒स्या भ॑र द॒द्धि भा॒गं त॒न्वो॒३॒॑ येन॑ मा॒मह॑: ॥
अ॒मा॒जूःऽइ॑व । पि॒त्रोः । सचा॑ । स॒ती । स॒मा॒नात् । आ । सद॑सः । त्वाम् । इ॒ये॒ । भग॑म् । कृ॒धि । प्र॒ऽके॒तम् । उप॑ । मा॒सि॒ । आ । भ॒र॒ । द॒द्धि । भा॒गम् । त॒न्वः॑ । येन॑ । म॒महः॑ ॥
amājūḥ-iva | pitroḥ | sacā | satī | samānāt | ā | sadasaḥ | tvām | iye | bhagam | kṛdh i | pra-ketam | upa | māsi | ā | bhara | daddhi | bhāgam | tanvaḥ | yena | mamahaḥ
44
4×11 (approx.)
Supplicatory yet steady; triṣṭubh gives dignity and forward movement while allowing intimate appeal.
Creates a feeling of approach and request—clarifying and settling into right measure.
- amājūr iva
- Literal: like a child/young one moving close. Symbolic: humble, intimate approach of the soul to the divine source
- pitroḥ
- Literal: of the two parents. Symbolic: Heaven-Earth; higher and lower principles; origin-powers that nurture
- samānād
- Literal: from the same/common (place). Symbolic: from a unified inner ground; shared seat of consciousness
- sadas
- Literal: seat, assembly. Symbolic: inner forum where thoughts/impulses are offered; the psychic gathering
- Bhaga
- Literal: the distributor; fortune. Symbolic: divine allotment—felicity, harmony, rightful enjoyment
- praketam
- Literal: clear perception, discernment. Symbolic: awakening of precise inner seeing; guidance-mind
- māsyā
- Literal: in measure/portion. Symbolic: right measure (mātrā) of force and enjoyment—neither excess nor deficiency
- bhāgam
- Literal: share, portion. Symbolic: right spiritual entitlement—what supports growth of the being
- tanvo
- Literal: to the body/embodied self. Symbolic: integration of realization into life and substance, not only mental experience
- māmahaḥ
- Literal: may we grow/increase. Symbolic: progress in felicity, plenitude, and capacity
Dāna/dakṣiṇā-oriented praise: verse aligns with the ‘share’ motif in Soma sacrifice (distribution, auspicious allotment, prosperity of the yajamāna)
Invocations for auspicious allotment (bhāga), especially when seeking harmonious results of the rite; also suited to morning recitation.
Recitation with offering and intention for right share and clear guidance.
Use before decisions: ask for praketa (clear perceiving) and ‘māsyā’—right measure in work, pleasure, and ambition.
Bhaga is ‘share, portion, good fortune’ from √bhaj ‘to apportion, distribute, partake’ (PIE *bhag- ‘share’ cf. Slavic bogŭ ‘god’ via ‘dispenser of fortune’). praketa: pra- ‘forward’ + keta ‘mark, perception’ (√cit/ket in Vedic semantic field of noticing/appearing) → ‘clear discernment’. mamahaḥ: desiderative/intensive nuance from √mah ‘to grow, be great’—inner increase of being, not mere wealth.
R̥ta as right allotment, Bhaga as divine distribution of inner fortune, growth (mah) as expansion of consciousness
Bhaga’s ‘portioning’ is ṛta in distribution—each part receives what supports harmony.
praketa is satya’s psychological form: accurate seeing and guidance.
Sustenance of the created order through right allotment rather than force—maintenance of harmony.
Āditya-centric ethical cosmology moving toward Upaniṣadic ‘measure’ and truth-governed life.
Sun = law of clarity and proportion; parents = supportive origin-powers; sadas = inner council where the being aligns with truth.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘divine allotter’ mythologem: Bhaga as the power that distributes the right portion. Innerly, the soul approaches like a child to its sustaining powers, asking not for random gain but for the true share—clarity (praketa) and an embodied portion that increases the being (√mah).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √bhaj (bhaga/bhāga) is a classic IE ‘share’ root (PIE *bhag-). √i ‘go’ (iye) is pan-IE (PIE *h₁ei- ‘to go’). √mah ‘grow, be great’ has broad IE reflexes in the semantics of greatness/strength. The verse’s imperative chain (kṛdhi… bhara… daddhi) encodes a transactional-sacral grammar: request → bringing-near → granting.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- It is intimate and familial (amājūr iva… pitróḥ sacā): the rishi approaches Bhaga as a sustaining presence that can ‘measure out’ the right inner fortune. The reciprocity is ethical-ritual: the seer comes from the ordered seat (sadas) and asks for the ordered share (bhāga), aligning personal growth with cosmic rightness.
Invoke Bhaga for ‘right share’: clarity, contentment, and balanced enjoyment aligned with dharma/ṛta.
Anahata (trust/childlike openness) with Ajna (praketa—clear seeing).
4-4-6 breathing (inhale-hold-exhale) to cultivate measure; end with a few breaths focusing on the brow for clarity.
Quiet receptivity; sattvic balance; guided discernment.
Approach inwardly ‘like a child’: soften the heart, then ask for praketa. Conclude by offering your day’s actions to the divine measure—accepting only what supports growth (māmahaḥ).
Keep a gentle rise on vocatives (bhagam) and requests (kṛdhi, ā bhara, daddhi); avoid harsh emphasis—this is a receiving mantra.
Stress: pitroḥ sacā, tvām iye bhagam, kṛdhi praketam, daddhi bhāgam, tanvo.
Pronounce bhagaṃ with clear aspirated bh., praketam: keep ‘ke’ clear, not ‘kye’., tanvo: nasalization is minimal; keep ‘nv’ conjunct clean., māsyā: long ā; palatal ś.
Warm, intimate, prayerful; clear articulation of requests.
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