Rig Veda 2.20.9: Mandala 2, Sukta 20, Mantra 9
Sukta 2.20
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
नूनं सा ते प्रति वरं जरित्रे दुहीयदिन्द्र दक्षिणा मघोनी । शिक्षा स्तोतृभ्यो माति धग्भगो नो बृहद्वदेम विदथे सुवीराः ॥
nū́naṃ sā́ te práti váraṃ jaritré duhī́yád indra dákṣiṇā maghónī | śíkṣā stotṛ́-bhyo mā́ áti dhák bhágo no bṛhád vadema vidáthe su-vī́rāḥ ||
अब इंद्र, गाने वाले के लिए तुम्हारी तरफ से बड़ा दान मिले। स्तुति करने वाले को तुम दे दो। हमें अपना हिस्सा मत कटना। हम सबके सामने बड़ी बात करें और ताकत से भरें।
Word by Word
- नूनम्
- now; surelyIndeclinableअव्यय (काल/निश्चयार्थे)Root नूनम् (अव्यय) < नूना
- सा
- she/that (fem.)Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- ते
- of you; yourPronounषष्ठी, एकवचन (एन्क्लिटिक) अथवा चतुर्थी, एकवचन; अत्र षष्ठीRole सम्बन्ध (genitive) / Sampradāna (if dative)Root युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- प्रति
- towards; in returnIndeclinableअव्ययRoot प्रति (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- वरम्
- a boon; choice giftNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot वर (प्रातिपदिक) < √वृ (वरणे) / वर (श्रेष्ठ/वरणीय)
- जरित्रे
- to the praiser (singer)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot जरितृ (प्रातिपदिक) < √गॄ/√जर् (स्तुतौ) (Vedic: ‘singer/praiser’)
- दुहीयत्
- may (she) milk/yieldVerbविधिलिङ्/आशीर्लिङ् (Vedic injunctive-like optative), परस्मैपद, 3 एकवचनRole KriyāRoot √दुह् (दोहने)
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNoun (proper) / Vocativeपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- दक्षिणा
- the sacrificial fee; giftNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot दक्षिणा (प्रातिपदिक)
- मघोनी
- bountiful; generous (lady)Adjective (used substantively) / Noun-epithetस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (apposition to ‘दक्षिणा’)Root मघोनी (प्रातिपदिक) < मघवन्/मघ (दान/समृद्धि)
- शिक्षा
- grant; bestow; teachVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपद, 2 एकवचनRole KriyāRoot √शिक्ष् (शिक्षायाम्/अभ्यासे; Vedic: ‘to grant/teach’)
- स्तोतृभ्यः
- to the praisersNounपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, बहुवचनRole SampradānaRoot स्तोतृ (प्रातिपदिक) < √स्तु (स्तुतौ)
- मातिम्
- thought; inspiration; counselNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot मति (प्रातिपदिक) < √मन् (मनने)
- धक्
- indeed; then; prayIndeclinableअव्यय (उत्साह/प्रेरणा/सम्बोधनार्थक)Root धक् (निपात; Vedic particle)
- भगः
- Bhaga (dispenser of fortune); good fortuneNoun (deity/abstract)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot भग (प्रातिपदिक)
- नः
- our; of usPronounषष्ठी, बहुवचन (एन्क्लिटिक) अथवा द्वितीया; अत्र षष्ठीRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- बृहद्वदेम
- may we speak greatly (loftily)Verb (with adverbial qualifier)विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, 1 बहुवचनRole KriyāRoot √वद् (वदने) + बृहत् (विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक)
- विदथे
- in the rite/assembly; at the worshipNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot विदथ (प्रातिपदिक)
- सुवीराः
- having good heroes/sons; strong in heroesAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole Kartā (predicate/attribute of ‘we’)Root सुवीर (प्रातिपदिक) = सु- + वीर
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: नूनम् | सा | ते | प्रति | वरम् | जरित्रे | दुहीयत् | इन्द्र | दक्षिणा | मघोनी | शिक्षा | स्तोतृभ्यः | मातिम् | धक् | भगः | नः | बृहद्-वदेम | विदथे | सुवीराः । मुख्य-सन्धयः: (1) बृहद्वदेम = बृहद् + वदेम (द् + व → द्व)
- (2) धग्भगो = धक् + भगः (क् + भ → ग्भ; निग्रह/उच्चारण-परिवर्तन)
- (3) दुही॒यत्: √दुह् का विधिलिङ्/आशीर्लिङ् 3sg रूप (Vedic)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Let the bounteous Dakṣiṇā be milked out in return for you, O Indra, for the singer. Give to the praisers; let not our Bhaga be overburnt or diminished. May we speak the Vast (Bṛhat) in the assembly, possessing good heroes.
Inner meaning
Dakṣiṇā is not merely a ritual fee but the right ‘gift’ of the divine—an outflow of inner riches (plenitude, capacity, right power) responding to aspiration. To ‘milk’ it is to draw steadily from the yielding abundance of the higher consciousness. Bhaga is the allotment of felicity—our destined share of harmony and joy; the prayer is that it not be ‘burnt away’ by wrong desire, impatience, or hostile forces. ‘Speaking the Vast’ (bṛhat) is uttering from wideness—mantra and thought that come from the large consciousness in the vidatha (assembly: the collected powers within and without). Suvīrāḥ are ‘good heroes’: strong faculties and energies that can embody the gained light.
Universal truth
Spiritual reward is an inner plenitude that must be received rightly and protected from dissipation; when consciousness widens, speech and action become large, confident, and effective.
Themes
dakṣiṇā as inner fruition, guarding bhaga, right speech from wideness
The seer
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Lineage
- Bhārgava (Bhr̥gu lineage)
- Other hymns
- RV 2.20 (closing petitions typical of hymn endings)
Family tradition
Bhārgava prayer often turns from victory narrative to the right enjoyment and stable possession of gains—protection of Bhaga and establishment in Bṛhat.
Significance
Shows the integral balance: conquest must be followed by right distribution (Bhaga), right giving (Dakṣiṇā), and wide speech (Bṛhat) that sustains the community/inner assembly.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra (with Bhaga)
- Epithets
- maghavan (bountiful, implied by maghonī), giver to stotṛs, lord of increase
- Related deities
- Bhaga, Sarasvatī, Agni, Soma
Cosmic role
Bestows increase and victorious plenitude; ensures the right portion of felicity and power for the sacrificer.
Inner power
Capacity to release abundance in response to aspiration and to safeguard the gains from dissipation.
In ritual
Where it is used
Dakṣiṇā and blessing-oriented close of an Indra hymn; suitable near completion of offerings.
नू॒नं सा ते॒ प्रति॒ वरं॑ जरि॒त्रे दु॑ही॒यदि॑न्द्र॒ दक्षि॑णा म॒घोनी॑ । शिक्षा॑ स्तो॒तृभ्यो॒ माति॑ ध॒ग्भगो॑ नो बृ॒हद्व॑देम वि॒दथे॑ सु॒वीरा॑: ॥
नू॒नम् । सा । ते॒ । प्रति॑ । वर॑म् । ज॒रि॒त्रे । दु॒ही॒यत् । इ॒न्द्र॒ । दक्षि॑णा । म॒घोनी॑ । शिक्ष॑ । स्तो॒तृऽभ्यः॑ । मा । अति॑ । ध॒क् । भगः॑ । नः॒ । बृ॒हत् । व॒दे॒म॒ । वि॒दथे॑ । सु॒ऽवीराः॑ ॥
nūnam | sā | te | prati | varam | jaritre | duhīyat | indra | dakṣiṇā | maghonī | śikṣa | stotṛ-bhyaḥ | mā | ati | dhak | bhagaḥ | naḥ | bṛhat | vadema | vidathe | su-vīrāḥ
44
4×11 (approx.)
Supplicatory yet confident; broader vowels around ‘bṛhat’ give an expansive close.
Shifts from heroic intensity to settled blessing; leaves the listener in wideness and gratitude.
- दक्षिणा (dakṣiṇā)
- Literal: gift, fee, offering; bounteous giver. Symbolic: responsive abundance; right giving of inner riches from the divine
- दुहीयत् (duhīyat)
- Literal: may be milked. Symbolic: steady drawing of nourishment/boon through receptivity and practice
- मघोनी (maghonī)
- Literal: bounteous, rich. Symbolic: plenitude-bearing power that increases being
- भ॒गः (bhagaḥ)
- Literal: share, portion; Bhaga (deity). Symbolic: allotted felicity; harmonious enjoyment and fortune in consciousness
- मा अति धक् (mā ati dhak)
- Literal: may it not be overburnt. Symbolic: may our felicity not be scorched by excess, ego, or hostile agitation
- बृहत् (bṛhat)
- Literal: the Vast. Symbolic: wide consciousness; large truth-speech
- विदथे (vidathe)
- Literal: in the assembly/ritual gathering. Symbolic: in the integrated field of inner faculties and collective life
- सुवीराः (suvīrāḥ)
- Literal: having good heroes/strong sons. Symbolic: possessing strong, luminous powers (mental, vital, physical) to carry realization
Concluding request for fruit (Dakṣiṇā) and right share (Bhaga) in Indra praise
At conclusion phases of Soma rites or any Indra praise where boons and right distribution are sought.
Recitation while offering and/or dedicating gifts; intention of receiving and stabilizing the fruit of the rite.
Chant for prosperity with integrity: to receive abundance without burnout, and to speak from calm wideness in meetings/communities.
Same as RV 2.19.9: √duh, √śikṣ, √dah, √bhaj, √bṛh; Dakṣiṇā as √dakṣ competence/right distribution; Bhaga as apportioner; Bṛhat as expansion into truth.
Ṛta in distribution, Satyam-Ritam-Bṛhat
Bhaga is the r̥tic allotment—right measure and right enjoyment.
‘Speak the Vast’ indicates speech aligned with truth-conscious wideness.
From victory to stable plenitude in the human collective (vidatha).
Integral Vedic ethic: abundance + right measure + wide consciousness
Receiving nourishment from the inner ‘cow of abundance’, protecting joy from the ‘burn’ of excess, and living in wide sky-like consciousness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘milking of abundance’ mythologem, concluding the hymn with a request that the rightly-distributing power (Dakṣiṇā) yield its essence to the singer through Indra.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- Bhaga from PIE *bʰag- ‘share/apportion’; √dah from PIE burning root; √bṛh ‘grow/expand’ has IE parallels in growth semantics. The prohibitive mā́ + verb is an archaic Indo-European syntactic feature.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The r̥ṣi asks for the mature reciprocity of the sacrifice: not merely victory, but the right fruit and its protection—so the community may speak from the Bṛhat (widened truth-consciousness) and embody ‘suvīra’ powers in the collective vidatha.
Receptivity to inner abundance (Dakṣiṇā), safeguarding joy (Bhaga), and speaking from wideness (Bṛhat).
Anāhata (gratitude and giving) and Viśuddha (truth-speech)
Slow coherent breathing (5-5) while feeling ‘milking’ as gentle drawing-in of light into the heart; exhale as offering.
Grateful wideness; calm prosperity-consciousness.
After meditation, chant 1–3 times slowly. Reflect: (1) What abundance is arriving? (2) Where do I ‘burn’ it by excess? (3) Can my next words be from bṛhat—wide, kind, true?
Gentle, even svara flow; if trained, keep subtle udātta rises without sharp accents to preserve the benedictive mood.
Soften on ‘duhīyad’; clearly articulate the caution ‘mā ati dhak’; broaden and slightly lengthen ‘bṛhat’ and ‘vidathe’.
nūnaṃ: nasal ‘ṃ’ audible but light, dakṣiṇā: retroflex ‘ṣ’, long ‘ā’, maghonī: voiced ‘gh’ aspirate, bhago: ‘bh’ aspirate, ‘go’ longish ‘o’, bṛhad: vocalic ‘ṛ’, final ‘d’ light
Warm, rounded, blessing-like; avoid harsh attack.
3
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