Rig Veda 6.39.1: Mandala 6, Sukta 39, Mantra 1
Sukta 6.39
- Devata
- likely Indra
- Chandas
- likely Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
मन्द्रस्य कवेर्दिव्यस्य वह्नेर्विप्रमन्मनो वचनस्य मध्वः । अपा नस्तस्य सचनस्य देवेषो युवस्व गृणते गोअग्राः ॥
mandrásya kavér divyásya váhner viprámanmano vacanásya mádhvaḥ | apā́ naḥ tásya sacanásya deva íṣo yuvasva gṛṇaté go-agrāḥ ||
Hey bhagwan, us rishi ki baaton ko hamare liye banao. Woh rishi jo bhagwan ka kaam karta hai, uski baatein madhur hain aur uska mann roshni se bhara hai. Jo log gaate hain, unke liye uske saath ki shakti badhao. Roshni aage chalti hai.
Word by Word
- मन्द्रस्य
- of the gladdening/pleasant (one)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive qualifier)Root मन्द्र-
- कवेः
- of the sage/poetNounपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot कवि-
- दिव्यस्य
- of the heavenlyAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot दिव्य-
- वह्नेः
- of the bearer/conveyor (Agni)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot वह्नि-
- विप्रमन्मनः
- of him whose thought is that of a seer (inspired-minded)Adjective (compound)पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot विप्र- + मन्मन्-
- वचनस्य
- of the utterance/wordNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot वचन-
- मध्वः
- of sweetness / of honey (i.e., sweet speech)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; एकवचन (Vedic gen. in -वः)Role सम्बन्धRoot मधु-
- अप
- away, forth (as preverb)Indeclinable (preverb) / particleउपसर्ग/निपातRoot अप
- नः
- for us / of usPronounषष्ठी; बहुवचन (enclitic)Role सम्प्रदान/सम्बन्ध (for us/our)Root अस्मद्
- तस्य
- of that (one)Pronounपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot तद्
- सचनस्य
- of companionship/association; of the fellowshipNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot सचन-
- देवेषः
- the god-seeker / one who seeks the gods (worshipper)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot देवेष-
- युवस्व
- join yourself; yoke (yourself)Verbलोट् (imperative); मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचन; आत्मनेपदRole क्रियाRoot यु (योजने) + स (आत्मनेपद)
- गृणते
- (he) praises / to the one who praises (contextual)Verb (present participial stem used as finite? actually tiṅanta)लट्; तृतीयपुरुष; एकवचन; आत्मनेपद (Vedic: ‘to the praiser’ sense often with dative in context)Role सम्प्रदान (to/for the singer) / अधिकरण by contextRoot गॄ/गृ (स्तुतौ) → गृण-
- गोअग्राः
- having cows in front; cow-leading (bringing cattle first)Adjective (compound)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole कर्तृ/विशेषण (of देवेषः or implied subjects)Root गो- + अग्र-
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (pada-wise): मन्द्रस्य कवेः दिव्यस्य वह्नेः विप्रमन्मनः वचनस्य मध्वः । अप नः तस्य सचनस्य देवेषः युवस्व गृणते गोअग्राः ॥ Notable: मध्वः is Vedic genitive sg. of मधु- (neut.) with -वः
- Compound forms kept as single padas: विप्रमन्मनः (विप्र- + मन्मन्-), गोअग्राः (गो- + अग्र-)
The meaning
Outer meaning
O god, foster for us the inspirations/works of that harmonious seer, the divine bearer, of his honeyed speech filled with luminous mind. For the praising singer, increase the powers of that companionship, with rays of light in the forefront.
Inner meaning
The prayer asks the divine power (likely Indra in context) to augment the inner ‘works’ (apāḥ) born from the divine carrier of inspiration (divya vahni). The ‘honeyed word’ is sweetness of truth (madhu of vāc) arising from vipra-manas—illumined mentality. ‘Go-agrāḥ’ indicates the rays of knowledge leading the movement: let light go first, and action follow.
Universal truth
When speech is true and sweet (madhu) because it comes from luminous mind, it becomes a carrier of power. Spiritual companionship with the Divine increases our capacities, guided by knowledge-light at the front.
Themes
honeyed speech, seer-poetry, invigoration (iṣ), light-rays recovered/led
The seer
- Lineage
- Bharadvāja (probable)
- Other hymns
- RV 6.39.2 (release of usrāḥ; Vala/Pani), RV 6.38.3-5 (growth of Indra through word and thought)
Family tradition
Emphasis on the power of inspired speech and the release/leadership of the ‘cows’ (rays of knowledge) in Indra-Bṛhaspati themes.
Significance
The seer frames speech as yoga: when the word becomes ‘madhu’ through illumination, it fosters effective inner works and companionship with the divine.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra (probable by continuity; addressed as deva)
- Epithets
- deva (god), mandra (harmonious—transferred quality), kavi-associated (seer-linked)
- Related deities
- Agni/Vahni (carrier-will), Sarasvatī/Vāc (inspired speech), Bṛhaspati (word-power)
Cosmic role
Giver of inspired energies and leader of the rays; supporter of the singer’s ascent.
Inner power
Strengthens luminous mind and the effective impulses (iṣaḥ) that follow knowledge-light.
In ritual
Where it is used
Praise to foster iṣaḥ (energies) and inspired works; likely within Indra hymn recitation
म॒न्द्रस्य॑ क॒वेर्दि॒व्यस्य॒ वह्ने॒र्विप्र॑मन्मनो वच॒नस्य॒ मध्व॑: । अपा॑ न॒स्तस्य॑ सच॒नस्य॑ दे॒वेषो॑ युवस्व गृण॒ते गोअ॑ग्राः ॥
म॒न्द्रस्य॑ । क॒वेः । दि॒व्यस्य॑ । वह्नेः॑ । विप्र॑ऽमन्मनः । व॒च॒नस्य॑ । मध्वः॑ । अपाः॑ । नः॒ । तस्य॑ । स॒च॒नस्य॑ । दे॒व॒ । इषः॑ । यु॒व॒स्व॒ । गृ॒ण॒ते । गोऽअ॑ग्राः ॥
mandrasya | kaveḥ | divyasya | vahneḥ | vipra-manmanaḥ | vacanasya | madhvaḥ | apa | naḥ | tasya | sacanasya | deva | iṣaḥ | yuvasva | gṛṇate | go--agrāḥ
44
4×11 (approx.)
Smooth and ‘mandra’—more lyrical than martial; still forward-moving.
Creates sweetness and clarity; good for opening inspired speech and luminous thinking.
- mandrasya
- Literal: harmonious/pleasing. Symbolic: right vibration; mantra in tune with truth
- kaveḥ
- Literal: seer-poet. Symbolic: inner witness with revelatory perception
- divyasya vahneḥ
- Literal: divine bearer/carrier (vahni). Symbolic: the carrying will or inspired force that conveys offerings upward (often Agni-like function)
- vipra-manmanaḥ
- Literal: of inspired mind. Symbolic: illumined mentality receptive to higher truth
- vācanaṃ madhvaḥ
- Literal: honeyed word. Symbolic: truth-speech carrying ananda and power
- apāḥ
- Literal: works/waters/deeds. Symbolic: effective energies/operations in consciousness
- sacanasya
- Literal: companionship/association. Symbolic: yoga of union; abiding presence with the divine power
- iṣaḥ
- Literal: impulsions/energies. Symbolic: dynamic soul-impulses and capacities
- go-agrāḥ
- Literal: having cows (rays) in front. Symbolic: knowledge-light leading the movement
Verse seeking iṣ (invigorating impulses) and the leading lights (go-agrāḥ) for the praising singer; suitable for Soma praise and empowerment of the chant.
Before/within stotra sequences to prepare inspired utterance and right action
Invocation for increase of inspirations and powers for the singer
Chant before teaching, writing, chanting practice, or any truth-speaking task; set intention that ‘light leads’ (go-agrāḥ).
go- in go-agrāḥ is multivalent: ‘cow’ and ‘ray/light’; inner sense prefers ‘rays of illumination’ leading the energies. madhú ‘honey’ is delight-substance of inspired speech. sacana from √sac ‘accompany’ (PIE *sekʷ- ‘follow’ is sometimes compared). iṣ: ‘impulse/nourishment’ central to Vedic psychology as energizing currents.
Vāc as honeyed truth-delight, Illumination leading the life-forces (go-agrāḥ), Sahana/sacana: communion between human and divine
‘Mandra’ suggests alignment of sound with ṛta; right rhythm brings right result.
Vipra-manas speech is satya-bearing: truth that is also honeyed (non-violent, luminous).
Word as carrier (vahni) of creative force; energies (iṣaḥ) arise from companionship with the divine.
Mantra-vidyā orientation; Vāc as shakti (Aurobindo/Kashyap style).
Honey = ananda in expression; cows/rays = illuminations that lead the mind’s movement.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is ‘honeyed inspired speech that nourishes and leads with light’: the divine power is asked to foster iṣ (energetic impulses) for the praising singer, with go (rays/illuminations) at the forefront—an inner image of consciousness-led life-energy.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- madhú reflects PIE *médʰu ‘honey/mead’ (English mead, Greek méthy). √gṛ ‘praise’ is part of an inherited IE poetic lexicon of song/praise (exact cognates vary by branch).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi/singer offers praise (gṛṇate) and seeks reciprocal empowerment: the devata is asked to ‘yuvasva’ (invigorate) the singer’s iṣ, ensuring that illumination (go-agrāḥ) leads the practitioner’s energies and works (apāḥ) in harmonious companionship (sacana).
Cultivate ‘madhu-vāc’: speech arising from luminous mind; invite divine companionship that increases inner energies.
Viśuddha (speech) with support of Ājñā (illumined mind)
Slow exhale chanting; feel resonance in throat and brow; 5 minutes silent listening after
Quietly luminous, receptive, inspired
Before chanting, sit and ‘taste’ silence; chant as if each word is honeyed truth. After chanting, speak only what is necessary and true for a set period (mauna-in-speech discipline).
Not fully derivable; follow visible accents (e.g., म॒न्द्रस्य॑, दिव्यस्य॒, वह्ने॒र्विप्र॑, मध्व॑:).
Keep a gentle rise on accented syllables; avoid force—this verse benefits from ‘mandra’ smoothness.
(mandrasya): ‘ndr’ cluster clean, (vahneḥ): audible ‘h’ and visarga, (vipra-manmanaḥ): split as vipra + manmanaḥ; keep nasalization light, (madhvaḥ): ‘dhv’ cluster; visarga soft, (go-agrāḥ): separate vowels go-a; long ‘grā’
Soft, resonant, sweet tone; sustained vowels.
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