Rig Veda 4.36.1: Mandala 4, Sukta 36, Mantra 1
Sukta 4.36
- Rishi
- Rbhus
- Devata
- Rbhus
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
अनश्वो जातो अनभीशुरुक्थ्यो रथस्त्रिचक्रः परि वर्तते रजः । महत्तद्वो देव्यस्य प्रवाचनं द्यामृभवः पृथिवीं यच्च पुष्यथ ॥
anaśvó jātó anabhī́śur ukthyò rathás tri-cakráḥ pári vartate rájaḥ | mahát tád vo devyásya prá-vācanam dyā́m ṛbhavaḥ pṛthivī́ṃ yát ca púṣyatha ||
एक रथ है जिमें घोड़े नहीं हैं, लगाम भी नहीं है। तीन पहिए हैं, फिर भी चल रहा है आसमान में। यह र्भु देवता की खास बात है। यह लोग धरती और आसमान दोनों को बड़ा करते हैं, उनकी ताकत बढ़ा देते हैं।
Word by Word
- अनश्वः
- horselessAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole विशेषण (कर्तृ-पदस्य)Root अनश्व (प्रातिपदिक; a- + अश्व)
- जातः
- born, arisenParticipleपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; भूतकृत् (क्त)Role कर्तृ-पदस्य विशेषणRoot √जन् (जायते) → जात (कृदन्त)
- अनभीशुः
- without reinsAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole विशेषण (रथस्य)Root अनभीशु (प्रातिपदिक; a- + अभीशु)
- उक्थ्यः
- praiseworthy / fit for hymnsAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole विशेषण (रथस्य)Root उक्थ्य (प्रातिपदिक; उक्थ ‘hymn’ + य)
- रथः
- chariotNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (वर्तते)Root रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
- त्रिचक्रः
- three-wheeledAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole विशेषण (रथस्य)Root त्रिचक्र (प्रातिपदिक; त्रि + चक्र)
- परि
- aroundIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRole क्रियाविशेषण (वर्तते)Root परि
- वर्तते
- turns, movesVerbलट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपदRole क्रियाRoot √वृत् (वर्तते)
- रजः
- the region/spaceNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (वेदे: ‘space/region’)Role कर्म (परि-वर्तते)Root रजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- महत्
- greatAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole विशेषण (तत्)Root महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- तत्
- thatPronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (अस्ति—अध्याहृत) / विषयRoot तद् (सर्वनाम)
- वः
- for you / of youPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी, बहुवचन (एन्क्लिटिक)Role सम्प्रदान/सम्बन्ध (प्रवाचनम्—‘for you/of you’)Root युष्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- देव्यस्य
- of the divine oneAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (प्रवाचनम्)Root देव्य (प्रातिपदिक; देवी-सम्बन्धी)
- प्रवाचनम्
- proclamation, utteranceNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (अस्ति—अध्याहृत) / विधेयRoot प्रवाचन (प्रातिपदिक; प्र + √वच् → वाचन)
- द्याम्
- heavenNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (पुष्यथ)Root द्यौ (प्रातिपदिक)
- ऋभवः
- O Rbhus (artisan-gods)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (पुष्यथ)Root ऋभु (प्रातिपदिक)
- पृथिवीम्
- earthNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (पुष्यथ)Root पृथिवी (प्रातिपदिक)
- यत्
- which, that whichPronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (सम्बन्ध-प्रयोगः)Role कर्म (पुष्यथ) / सम्बन्धRoot यद् (सर्वनाम)
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चय-अव्ययRole समुच्चयRoot च
- पुष्यथ
- you make thrive / you prosperVerbलट्, मध्यमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot √पुष् (पुष्यति)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: अनश्वः | जातः | अनभीशुः | उक्थ्यः | रथः | त्रिचक्रः | परि | वर्तते | रजः || महत् | तत् | वः | देव्यस्य | प्रवाचनम् | द्याम् | ऋभवः | पृथिवीम् | यत् | च | पुष्यथ || 1) उक्थ्यो॒ रथः = उक्थ्यः + रथः (विसर्ग-लोप/संयोग)
- 2) रज॑: = रजः (विसर्गः पदान्ते)
- 3) द्यामृ॑भवः = द्याम् + ऋभवः (म् + ऋ → मृ; परसवर्ण/संहितारूप)
- 4) यच्च = यत् + च (त् + च → च्च)
The meaning
Outer meaning
A chariot is born without horses, without reins, fit for the hymn; with three wheels it moves around through the luminous regions. Great is your divine renown, O Ṛbhus, for you foster Heaven and Earth.
Inner meaning
The ‘horse-less, rein-less chariot’ is a self-moving formation of consciousness—action carried not by outer vital impulse (aśva) nor controlled by external constraint (abhīśu), but by an inner law. ‘Fit for the hymn’ (ukthya) indicates it is made of mantric truth-substance: speech and thought become a vehicle. The ‘three wheels’ suggest a triple principle—often read psychologically as the harmonized movement of mind, life, and body; or knowledge, will, and delight—circling through the luminous inner spaces (rajas). The Ṛbhus’ greatness is that they ‘foster heaven and earth’: they increase both the higher plane (illumined mind) and the lower foundation (physical/vital nature), integrating spirit and life.
Universal truth
True progress is self-driven by inner truth, not by compulsion; when our faculties are harmonized in a triple movement, higher consciousness and embodied life grow together.
Themes
Divine craftsmanship, Cosmic vehicle, Heaven-and-Earth, Praise of marvels
The seer
- Rishi
- Ṛbhus (or Ṛbhu-cycle poet; traditional attribution varies within the cycle)
- Other hymns
- RV 4.36.2-5 (continuation of the Ṛbhu hymn), RV 1.110, RV 1.111
Family tradition
Ṛbhu hymns often foreground ‘making’ as spiritual act; here the crafted chariot is a signature symbol of their transformative artistry.
Significance
This verse presents a central psychological image: a self-moving mantric vehicle with triple harmony—an emblem of yogic integration and swift progress through luminous consciousness.
The deity
- Devata
- Ṛbhus
- Epithets
- ukthya (hymn-worthy, of the chariot), devyasya pravācana (divine fame/utterance)
- Related deities
- Aśvins (divine craftsmen/healers), Indra (movement through rajas), Agni (leader of inner sacrifice)
Cosmic role
Makers of divine instruments; nourish the two worlds by establishing perfected forms that bridge heaven and earth.
Inner power
Capacity to organize the being into a self-propelled, truth-governed movement; integrates higher illumination with embodied growth.
In ritual
Where it is used
Praise of Ṛbhus in Soma/uktha recitation; celebration of their crafted marvels
अ॒न॒श्वो जा॒तो अ॑नभी॒शुरु॒क्थ्यो॒३॒॑ रथ॑स्त्रिच॒क्रः परि॑ वर्तते॒ रज॑: । म॒हत्तद्वो॑ दे॒व्य॑स्य प्र॒वाच॑नं॒ द्यामृ॑भवः पृथि॒वीं यच्च॒ पुष्य॑थ ॥
अ॒न॒श्वः । जा॒तः । अ॒न॒भी॒शुः । उ॒क्थ्यः॑ । रथः॑ । त्रि॒ऽच॒क्रः । परि॑ । व॒र्त॒ते॒ । रजः॑ । म॒हत् । तत् । वः॒ । दे॒व्य॑स्य । प्र॒ऽवाच॑नम् । द्याम् । ऋ॒भ॒वः॒ । पृ॒थि॒वीम् । यत् । च॒ । पुष्य॑थ ॥
anaśvaḥ | jātaḥ | anabhīśuḥ | ukthyaḥ | rathaḥ | tri-cakraḥ | pari | vartate | rajaḥ | mahat | tat | vaḥ | devyasya | pra-vācanam | dyām | ṛbhavaḥ | pṛthivīm | yat | ca | puṣyatha
44
4 x ~11 syllables
Strong, rolling motion echoing the ‘circling’ (pari vartate) of the chariot; vivid descriptive drive.
Produces a felt sense of movement and expansion; helpful for visualization practices and energizing inner ascent.
- अनश्वः (anaśvaḥ)
- Literal: without horses. Symbolic: not driven by raw vital impulse; action supported by inner power
- अनभीशुः (anabhīśuḥ)
- Literal: without reins. Symbolic: not controlled by external restraint; self-governed by inner law (ṛta)
- उक्थ्यः (ukthyaḥ)
- Literal: fit for hymn/praise. Symbolic: made of mantric truth; speech as vehicle
- रथः (rathaḥ)
- Literal: chariot. Symbolic: organized dynamic formation of the being; vehicle of progress
- त्रिचक्रः (tricakraḥ)
- Literal: three-wheeled. Symbolic: triple instrumentation (mind-life-body) or triple powers (knowledge-will-delight) in coordinated motion
- रजः (rajaḥ)
- Literal: space/region; luminous realm. Symbolic: inner luminous planes of consciousness
- द्याम्...पृथिवीम् (dyām...pṛthivīm)
- Literal: heaven and earth. Symbolic: higher mind and embodied nature; spirit and life integrated
- पुष्यथ (puṣyatha)
- Literal: you nourish/increase. Symbolic: you grow and perfect both planes; integral development
Soma-sacrifice praise: recounting Rbhu wonders as qualification for receiving offerings; chariot-motif used in praise recitation (uktha).
In Ṛbhu stotras/śastras, often adjacent to Soma offerings and artisan-myth remembrances.
Recitation of their wondrous works to invite their aid and blessings.
Use as a mantra for ‘integral progress’: before work or study, invoke a self-driven, truth-guided movement of mind-life-body without strain or compulsion.
rathá < √ṛ 'to go, rise, move' (semantic field of ordered motion); tri-cakra: cakrá < √cak 'to move in a circle' (wheel as cyclic power). rájas in RV often denotes 'luminous region/space' between heaven and earth. púṣyatha < √puṣ 'to thrive, make prosper, nourish'—the Rbhus increase the two worlds, i.e., harmonize higher and lower. anabhīśu: bhīśú 'rein' (control), negated: a formation guided from within (self-law under R̥ta).
R̥ta as self-governed order (anabhīśu), Threefold principle (triadic dynamism), Integration of higher and lower worlds
The rein-less chariot implies governance by ṛta from within—order as inherent intelligence.
Ukthya chariot: satya expressed as mantra becomes a vehicle that carries the being.
Crafting instruments of movement; integration of higher and lower planes through perfected formation.
Integral yoga symbolism: ascent through rajas and simultaneous transformation of earth-nature (Aurobindonian integralism).
Chariot = organized sādhanā-force; rajas = inner luminous field; heaven/earth = higher consciousness and physical life to be jointly nurtured.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The Rbhus’ miraculous construction: a self-moving, reinless, horse-less chariot with three wheels. Innerly, it is the fashioned vehicle of consciousness that moves by intrinsic law (R̥ta), not by outer compulsion; its triadic wheels suggest a threefold force (e.g., thought–will–delight) enabling movement through the luminous rajas and the fostering of both Heaven (higher mind) and Earth (embodied foundation).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- cakrá 'wheel' from √cak relates to cyclical motion; PIE parallels for wheel terms are widespread (cf. *kʷekʷlo- 'wheel' seen in Greek kýklos, Sanskrit cakra). dyā́m 'heaven' continues PIE *dyew- (cf. Latin diēs, Greek Zeus < *dyēus). These archaisms anchor the verse in inherited Indo-European cosmic poetics (sky/earth polarity; wheel/cycle imagery).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The poet magnifies the Rbhus’ 'pravācana'—their speakable divine renown—by narrating their craft as cosmic service (nourishing heaven and earth). The hymn-function (ukthya) explicitly ties their wonder to inspired speech: the Rishi’s utterance becomes the medium through which the Rbhus are invoked and their ordering power is asked to operate in the sacrificer’s world.
Visualize a radiant, three-wheeled chariot in the heart or brow—self-moving by truth; let it carry awareness through a luminous inner space, then anchor the gain into embodied calm.
Ājñā (luminous navigation) integrated with Mūlādhāra (earth support)
4-4-6 breathing: inhale (gather), hold (align triple wheels), exhale (move smoothly forward). Pair with silent mantra repetition on exhale.
Dynamic stillness: movement without restlessness; self-governed progress.
Before action, align the ‘three wheels’: (1) thought—clear intention, (2) life-force—calm energy, (3) body—steady posture. Then act without ‘reins’: avoid harsh self-control; let inner truth steer.
Let the motion words carry the lift: pár(i) vartate and rájaḥ; maintain crisp consonants in anaśvo/anabhīśu for the ‘unbound’ feel.
First pāda descriptive, second pāda expansive; third and fourth pādas should land firmly on mahat and puṣyatha to convey greatness and nourishment.
anaśvo: short a-na-śvo; ś not s, anabhīśuḥ: long ī; avoid inserting vowel in bhīś, tricakraḥ: retroflex ṛ not present; keep ‘tr’ cluster tight, pari vartate: roll ‘r’; do not overlengthen, pṛthivīm: retroflex ṛ; short i, long īm
Clear, ringing, slightly faster to evoke circling motion; end with grounded fullness on dyām/pṛthivīm.
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