Rig Veda 1.142.12: Mandala 1, Sukta 142, Mantra 12
Sukta 1.142
- Rishi
- Dīrghatamas Āucathya
- Devata
- Multiple
- Chandas
- Likely Jagatī/Triṣṭubh-contextual
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
पूषण्वते मरुत्वते विश्वदेवाय वायवे । स्वाहा गायत्रवेपसे हव्यमिन्द्राय कर्तन ॥
pūṣaṇvate marutvate viśvadevāya vāyave | svāhā gāyatravepase havyam indrāya kartana ||
हवन की आहुति ऊपर की तरफ भेजो। पूषन को भेजो जो खिलाता है, मरुत को भेजो जो हवा की ताकत है, सब देवताओं को भेजो, और वायु को भेजो जो साँस है। स्वाहा बोल के आहुति बनाओ इंद्र के लिए। इंद्र जो बिजली और ताकत वाला देवता है, गायत्री की शक्ति से यह ऑफरिंग उसके लिए बनाओ।
Word by Word
- पूषण्वते
- to PūṣanNoun (proper/theonym)पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी (दत्तिव) एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot पूषन् (प्रातिपदिक) ← √पुष् (पोषणे)
- मरुत्वते
- to the Marut-possessing one / accompanied by the MarutsAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot मरुत्वन्त् (प्रातिपदिक) ← मरुत् + -वत्
- विश्वदेवाय
- to the All-GodsNoun (collective/theonym)पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot विश्वदेव (प्रातिपदिक) = विश्व + देव
- वायवे
- O VāyuNoun (proper/theonym)पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन (vocative) एकवचन (Vedic form वायवे)Role सम्बोधनRoot वायु (प्रातिपदिक)
- स्वाहा
- svāhā (hail!; offering-call)Indeclinable (ritual exclamation)अव्यय; यज्ञीय-उद्गारRole (न/अप्रयोज्य) यज्ञ-उद्गारRoot स्वाहा (निपात/उद्गार)
- गायत्रवेपसे
- to the gāyatra-impulse/rapture (epithet; i.e., to the one whose inspiration is gāyatra)Noun/epithet (compound)नपुंसकलिङ्ग (वेपस्); चतुर्थी एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot गायत्र-वेपस् (प्रातिपदिक) = गायत्र + वेपस्
- हव्यम्
- the oblation / offeringNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्मRoot हव्य (प्रातिपदिक) ← √हू (आह्वाने) (यज्ञ-सम्बद्ध)
- इन्द्राय
- to IndraNoun (proper/theonym)पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- कर्तन
- make/perform (it); prepare (the offering)Verbलोट्/विधिलिङ्-सदृश आज्ञार्थ (Vedic); मध्यमपुरुष बहुवचन (injunctive/imperative sense: ‘do/make!’)Role (क्रिया)Root √कृत् (करणे) / √कृ (करणे) — Vedic injunctive/imperative formation
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (sandhi-resolved): पूषण्वते | मरुत्वते | विश्वदेवाय | वायवे | स्वाहा | गायत्रवेपसे | हव्यम् | इन्द्राय | कर्तन । 1) पूषण्वते = पूषण् + वते (चतुर्थी एकवचन; न् + व → ण्व). 2) मरुत्वते = मरुत् + वत् (प्रातिपदिक) → मरुत्वन्त्
- चतुर्थी एकवचन. 3) वायवे is vocative singular of वायु (Vedic). 4) गायत्रवेपसे is a तत्पुरुष compound गायत्र-वेपस्
- dative singular -ए. 5) कर्तन is taken as a Vedic imperative/injunctive form from √कृ/√कृत्, used as an exhortation in ritual context
The meaning
Outer meaning
An oblation is offered with the cry svāhā to Pūṣan, the Maruts, the All-gods, and Vāyu; the offering is then shaped for Indra through the vibrating impulse of the Gāyatrī.
Inner meaning
The seeker arranges the inner sacrifice by invoking successive powers needed for ascent: Pūṣan as the guiding nourisher of the path, Maruts as dynamic life-forces that break inertia, Viśve Devāḥ as the harmonizing totality of divine functions, and Vāyu as the purified prāṇa that carries the offering upward. With svāhā (self-giving), the will-impulse is cast into the fire of aspiration; through the gāyatra-vepasa (the vibrating, illumined mantra-force), the offering is formed for Indra—the awakened luminous Mind that receives and turns it into victory over obscurity.
Universal truth
Integral progress requires coordinated inner powers: guidance, energy, harmony, and breath/impulse. When self-offering is sincere (svāhā), speech and rhythm become a vehicle of transformation, and illumination (Indra) can take the prepared energy and convert it into clear seeing and effective action.
Themes
invocation, oblation-consecration, inner ascent via breath and mantra, integration of powers for Indra-force
The seer
Significance
The anonymity itself suits the verse’s function: it is a technical-spiritual injunction of the inner yajña, emphasizing correct ordering of powers (guide–life-force–totality–breath) before the illumined Mind (Indra) is invoked to act.
The deity
- Devata
- Pūṣan, Maruts, Viśve Devāḥ, Vāyu (culminating toward Indra)
- Epithets
- Pūṣan (Nourisher/Path-finder), Marutvat (endowed with Marut-force), Viśvadeva (All-gods), Vāyu (Life-breath), Indra (lord of luminous power)
- Related deities
- Agni, Soma, Uṣas, Sūrya
Cosmic role
A graded procession of cosmic functions: guidance and safe passage (Pūṣan), dynamic purification (Maruts), universal harmony (Viśve Devāḥ), upward movement (Vāyu), and decisive illumination/victory (Indra).
Inner power
Aurobindonian sequence of inner ascent: right direction → energizing forces → integrative harmony → lifted prāṇa → illumined mind that can receive and transform the offering.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agniṣṭoma/Soma-yāga offering sequences; also general āhuti formulas in śrauta contexts
पू॒ष॒ण्वते॑ म॒रुत्व॑ते वि॒श्वदे॑वाय वा॒यवे॑ । स्वाहा॑ गाय॒त्रवे॑पसे ह॒व्यमिन्द्रा॑य कर्तन ॥
पू॒ष॒ण्ऽवते॑ । म॒रुत्व॑ते । वि॒श्वऽदे॑वाय । वा॒यवे॑ । स्वाहा॑ । गा॒य॒त्रऽवे॑पसे । ह॒व्यम् । इन्द्रा॑य । क॒र्त॒न॒ ॥
pūṣaṇ-vate | marutvate | viśva-devāya | vāyave | svāhā | gāyatra-vepase | havyam | indrāya | kartana
Triṣṭubh/Jagatī context (verse is formulaic; the phrase gāyatra-vepase refers to mantric force rather than guaranteeing Gāyatrī meter)
44
Likely 4 pādas with uneven counts due to liturgical enumeration; cadence aligns with Triṣṭubh-family recitation
Enumerative, forward-driving, with a culminating stress on svāhā and indrāya
Builds a sense of ascent and preparation; the listener feels a gathering of forces and a final release toward Indra.
- पूषण्वते (pūṣaṇvate)
- Literal: to Pūṣan, the nourisher/protector of paths. Symbolic: the inner Guide that fosters growth, right direction, and safe passage in consciousness
- मरुत्वते (marutvate)
- Literal: to the Marut-force (storm-gods). Symbolic: impetuous but purifying life-energies that shatter tamas and awaken aspiration
- विश्वदेवाय (viśvadevāya)
- Literal: to the All-gods. Symbolic: the integrated totality of divine faculties acting together in the being
- वायवे (vāyave)
- Literal: to Vāyu (wind). Symbolic: prāṇa—life-breath as carrier of offerings; the moving force that lifts consciousness upward
- स्वाहा (svāhā)
- Literal: hail; consecrating exclamation in offering. Symbolic: act of self-giving; consent of the ego to be offered into the divine working
- गायत्रवेपसे (gāyatra-vepase)
- Literal: to the vibrating Gāyatrī-impulse. Symbolic: mantric rhythm of illumined speech that makes aspiration effective and luminous
- हव्यम् (havyam)
- Literal: the offering/oblation. Symbolic: all energies, thoughts, and desires made fit to be received by higher consciousness
- इन्द्राय (indrāya)
- Literal: for Indra. Symbolic: divine Mind/illumination that conquers the Coverer and releases the rays of knowledge
- कर्तन (kartana)
- Literal: shape/make/form (the offering). Symbolic: deliberate inner formation—discipline that refines raw impulse into a fit sacrifice
Oblation-formula within an Agni-centered sequence; suitable to offering-calls (havis) in soma-less fire rites and general iṣṭi contexts
During offering rounds where multiple devatās are invoked in a structured order
Utter svāhā and place oblation; mentally ‘form’ the offering toward Indra via mantra-rhythm
Use as a short inner-ritual: align guidance (Pūṣan), energy (Maruts), harmony (All-gods), breath (Vāyu), then offer to illumination (Indra) before study/meditation.
Key roots: √puṣ ‘to thrive, nourish’ → Pūṣan (fostering guide); √mar ‘to shine/strike’ (Marut as impelling storm-force); √vā ‘to blow’ → Vāyu (breath, carrier); svāhā often analyzed as su-āhā ‘well-said’ / ‘well-carried’ (formula of oblation); gāyatrī from √gai ‘to sing’ + tri (threefold), here as a power of mantra; √hu (in havya) ‘to invoke/offer’; Indra from a stem associated with strength/sovereign power; √kṛt/√kart ‘to cut, make, fashion’ → kartana ‘prepare/shape’.
ṛta as right ordering of the offering and forces, mantra-śakti (effective word as power), integration of divine powers (viśve devāḥ)
The ordered invocation of powers reflects ṛta as the law of effective ascent.
Indra receives the shaped offering to establish clearer perception and truthful discernment.
Formation (kartana) echoes the Vedic idea that consciousness is ‘made’ by right sacrifice and right word.
Proto-Vedāntic/Integral (Aurobindo): cosmic powers as psychological functions in the sādhanā.
Breath and mantra-vibration lift the will; dynamic energies clear resistance; guidance and harmony prevent dispersion; illumination crowns the movement.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The coordinated summoning of distinct cosmic powers to empower Indra: breath (Vāyu), impelling hosts (Maruts), the fostering guide (Pūṣan), and the collective gods (Viśve Devāḥ) converge in the sacrificial act. Mythically, it is the ‘mustering of allies’ for Indra’s victorious illumination; psychologically, it is the harmonization of faculties (breath, energies, guidance, totality) so the Indric force can act.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- Vāyu (√vā ‘blow’) aligns with PIE *h₂weh₁- ‘to blow’ (cf. Lith. vė́jas ‘wind’). The offering term havya is built to √hu ‘invoke, pour’ (Indo-Iranian *źauH-/hu- complex of calling/oblation). The imperative kartana (√kart ‘cut/make’) matches widespread IE ‘cut/make’ semantics (cf. Lat. carpo ‘pluck’, Eng. ‘carve’).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The speaker functions as ritual-psychological artisan: he ‘shapes’ (kartana) the havis through svāhā and the gāyatrī-vibration, inviting multiple deities not as external patrons but as inner operative forces. Reciprocity is expressed as: the human offers will/substance in right form; the gods respond by entering the work and empowering Indra’s action as luminous mastery.
Sequential alignment: guidance → energy → harmony → breath → illumination.
Anāhata to Ājñā (breath-lift to illumined mind)
Gentle ujjāyī or nāḍī-śodhana for 7 cycles, then one inward ‘svāhā’ on exhale as self-offering.
Active aspiration moving toward clear, quiet luminous perception.
Before japa or study, recite once slowly; pause after svāhā; feel breath rising (Vāyu) and a settled brightness in the forehead (Indra).
Vedic svara required (udātta/anudātta/svarita) as per śākhā; accent peaks often align with devatā names and svāhā.
Keep svāhā crisp and slightly lifted; do not swallow final -e in vāyave; maintain clear separation in enumeration.
pū-ṣaṇ-va-te: retroflex ṣ, and ṇ before v, marutvate: light dental t, not retroflex, viśvadevāya: ś (palatal) in viśva, vāyave: long ā; v is labio-dental, gāyatra-vepase: long ā in gāyatra; vepase with clear e, indrāya: long ā
Bright, directive, slightly ascending at each invocation; steady breath support.
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