Rig Veda 4.38.4: Mandala 4, Sukta 38, Mantra 4
Sukta 4.38
- Rishi
- Dadhikrāvan / within Maṇḍala 4 Vāmadeva-family collection
- Devata
- Dadhikrā
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
यः स्मारुन्धानो गध्या समत्सु सनुतरश्चरति गोषु गच्छन् । आविॠजीको विदथा निचिक्यत्तिरो अरतिं पर्याप आयोः ॥
yáḥ smā́rundhāno gádhyā samátsu sánutaras cárati góṣu gácchan | āvír-ṛjī́ko vidáthā nicíkyat tíro aratíṃ páry ā́pa āyóḥ ||
युद्ध में वो पक्का रहता है और आगे बढ़ता है। वो चमकता है और सीधा चलता है। यज्ञ का काम समझता है। बुरी शक्ति को पार करके ताकत हासिल करता है।
Word by Word
- यः
- whoPronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- स्म
- indeed / justIndeclinableनिपातः (अव्ययम्)Root स्म (निपात)
- अरुन्धानः
- blocking / obstructingVerb (Participle)वर्तमानकाले, आत्मनेपदीयः, शानच्-प्रत्ययान्तः, पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot रुध् (धातु) → अरुन्ध (वर्तमान-धातु-आधार) + शानच्
- गध्या
- with a snare / with a binding (device)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, तृतीया, एकवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot गधि (प्रातिपदिक; ‘गधि’ = जाल/बन्धन/अवरोध-प्रकारः; RV-प्रयोगः)
- समत्सु
- in battlesNounपुंलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, बहुवचनम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot समत्सु (प्रातिपदिक ‘समत्सु’ < सम्+अत्सु/मत्सु; RV ‘समत्सु’ = संग्रामेषु)
- सनुतरः
- more ancient / earlier (or: more winning, ‘better in old ways’)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot सनु-तर (प्रातिपदिक; तुलनात्मकः)
- चरति
- moves / goesVerbलट् (वर्तमानः), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Root चर् (धातु)
- गोषु
- among the cows / in the cattle (herds)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्गः (RV में प्रायः), सप्तमी, बहुवचनम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot गो (प्रातिपदिक)
- गच्छन्
- goingVerb (Participle)वर्तमानकाले, परस्मैपदीयः, शतृ-प्रत्ययान्तः, पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot गम् (धातु) → गच्छत् (वर्तमान-कर्तरि शतृ)
- आविॠजीकः
- Āviṛjīka (a proper name/epithet)Noun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot विॠजीक (प्रातिपदिक; RV-विशेष-नाम/विशेषण)
- विदथा
- ritual distributions / ceremonial sessionsNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्Role KarmaRoot विदथ (प्रातिपदिक)
- निचिक्यत्ति
- observes / recognizesVerbलट् (वर्तमानः), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Root चिक्य्/चित् (RV धातु; ‘to perceive/notice/understand’) + नि-
- तिरः
- across / beyond / overIndeclinableअव्ययम्Root तिरस् (अव्यय/उपसर्गार्थ)
- अरतिम्
- harm / misfortune / distressNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot अरति (प्रातिपदिक)
- परि
- around / away (as preverb)Indeclinableउपसर्गः (क्रियायोगे) / अव्ययम्Root परि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- आपः
- watersNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot आप् (प्रातिपदिक)
- आयोः
- of life / of vital forceNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Role SambandhaRoot आयु (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- (1) यः स्मा॑रुन्धा॒नः → यः स्म अरुन्धानः (स्म-निपातः पृथक्; ‘स्मा’ = स्म + आ (प्लुति/प्रगृह्य-प्रभावः) वैदिक-पाठभेदेन).
- तृतीया ‘गध्या’ + सप्तमी ‘समत्सु’. (3) सनु॑तर॒श्चर॑ति → सनुतरः चरति (विसर्ग-सन्धि: अः + च → अश्च). (4) गोषु॒ गच्छ॑न्: कोई विशेष सन्धि नहीं. (5) आ॒विॠ॑जीको वि॒दथा॑ → आविॠजीकः विदथा (ओ/ः-परिवर्तन: -ओ = -अः पदान्त-रूप; संहिता में ‘-ओ’). (6) नि॒चिक्य॑त्ति॒रो → निचिक्यत्ति तिरः (तिरो = तिरः पदान्त-रूप). (7) अ॑र॒तिं पर्याप॑ → अरतिम् परि आपः (म् + प → म्प (अनुस्वार/परसवर्ण) संहिता-रूप ‘पर्याप’). (8) आ॒योः: षष्ठी एकवचन ‘आयुः’ का वैदिक रूप
The meaning
Outer meaning
He who, holding fast the firm line in battles, moves ever forward, going among the cows; manifest in straight-going energy, he has perceived the workings of the sacrifice and passes beyond incapacity, encompassing the metal-strong might.
Inner meaning
Dadhikrāvan is the steadfast will that holds the ‘line’ (gadhyā) in inner conflict—maintaining the right orientation amid attacks of inertia and confusion. He advances ever onward (sanutaraḥ), entering ‘goṣu’—the cows as rays of knowledge—moving within luminous perceptions rather than in darkness. ‘Āvirṛjīka’ is the manifest straight-going force: directness without deviation. By perceiving ‘vidathā’ (the arrangements/operations of the sacrifice), this power understands how to offer, transform, and receive—how the inner yajña works. Therefore it crosses beyond ‘arati’ (incapacity/non-attainment) and encompasses ‘āyoḥ’ (metal/iron strength): a firm, enduring shakti that can bear pressure and complete the work.
Universal truth
Victory is not only speed but steadfast right-direction under pressure. When one understands the inner law of transformation (yajña), incapacity is surpassed and a durable strength is established that can carry realization into life.
Themes
crossing-beyond-inertia, recovery-of-light, right-going-force, victory-in-inner-battle
The seer
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama (family attribution); hymn subject: Dadhikrāvan
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 4.1 (Agni and the inner sacrifice), RV 4.26–4.27 (visionary self-exceeding), RV 4.38.3 (flowing progress and wind-like vibration)
Family tradition
The Gautama vision often frames battle as inner conquest and ‘cows’ as recovered lights; this verse explicitly connects victorious movement with understanding the sacrifice (inner yajña).
Significance
This verse is a compact sadhana-instruction: hold the line, move among the lights, understand the yajña, and incapacity falls away—strength becomes durable.
The deity
- Devata
- Dadhikrā (victorious steed/power of right-going movement)
- Epithets
- āvirṛjīka (manifest straight-goer), sanutara (ever-advancing), samatsu-sthira (steadfast in battles, implied)
- Related deities
- Agni (knower of the sacrifice), Indra (breaker of obstruction), Soma (bliss that supports endurance)
Cosmic role
Embodies the victorious forward motion that secures the rays (go) and supports the rite’s success; a carrier-force of triumph and right progression.
Inner power
Disciplined will-force that maintains alignment, enters luminous knowledge, understands transformative process, and overcomes incapacity by establishing enduring strength.
In ritual
Where it is used
Dadhikrāvan praise in contexts of victory and successful performance; also thematically aligned with yajña-knowledge (contextual).
यः स्मा॑रुन्धा॒नो गध्या॑ स॒मत्सु॒ सनु॑तर॒श्चर॑ति॒ गोषु॒ गच्छ॑न् । आ॒विॠ॑जीको वि॒दथा॑ नि॒चिक्य॑त्ति॒रो अ॑र॒तिं पर्याप॑ आ॒योः ॥
यः । स्म॒ । आ॒ऽरु॒न्धा॒नः । गध्या॑ । स॒मत्ऽसु॑ । सनु॑ऽतरः । चर॑ति । गोषु॑ । गच्छ॑न् । आ॒विःऽऋ॑जीकः । वि॒दथा॑ । नि॒ऽचिक्य॑त् । ति॒रः । अ॒र॒तिम् । परि॑ । आपः॑ । आ॒योः ॥
yaḥ | sma | ārundhānaḥ | gadhyā | samat-su | sanu-taraḥ | carati | goṣu | gacchan | āviḥ-ṛjīkaḥ | vidathā | ni-cikyat | tiraḥ | aratim | pari | āpaḥ | āyoḥ
44
4×11; allows a sequence of disciplined actions (hold → advance → enter lights → discern yajña → surpass incapacity).
Firm, marching cadence; less soaring than 4.38.3, more ‘held line’ and resolute advance.
Strengthens resolve and steadiness; helpful for crossing fatigue and indecision.
- ārundhānaḥ (आऽरुन्धानः)
- Literal: holding fast, restraining/keeping in check. Symbolic: steadfast self-mastery that keeps the right line
- gadhyā (गध्या)
- Literal: firm line/track (hard to move). Symbolic: fixed orientation to truth; disciplined path in conflict
- samatsu (समत्सु)
- Literal: in battles. Symbolic: inner struggles with resistance, habits, and hostile suggestions
- sanutaraḥ (सनुतरः)
- Literal: more and more onward. Symbolic: persistent progress; irreversible advance
- goṣu (गोषु)
- Literal: among the cows. Symbolic: among the rays of light/knowledge (illumined perceptions)
- āvirṛjīka (आविःऋजीकः)
- Literal: manifest, straight-going. Symbolic: clear, direct force aligned with ṛta
- vidathā (विदथा)
- Literal: sacrificial workings/assemblies. Symbolic: inner yajña: right offering, ordering of energies, transformative process
- nıcikyat (नि-चिक्यत्)
- Literal: has perceived, has discerned. Symbolic: discriminative knowledge of how transformation operates
- arati (अरति)
- Literal: lack, incapacity, non-attainment. Symbolic: tamas, helplessness, inability to execute the truth
- āyoḥ (आयोः)
- Literal: metal, iron/bronze. Symbolic: enduring strength; firm capacity to bear and accomplish
Used as a praise-unit for invoking victorious progress through contest (samat) and for establishing right order in the rite (vidatha); applicable where ‘crossing beyond arati’ (failure/inauspiciousness) is sought.
When seeking steadfastness and successful completion of a rite or undertaking; in recitation sequences praising dynamic powers.
Stuti to stabilize the yajamāna’s force and align action with the sacrificial order.
For perseverance: during long projects, recovery, or spiritual discipline when ‘arati’ (incapacity) appears—chant to re-establish alignment and durable strength.
Key terms: (1) ā-√rudh ‘restrain/hold’—not mere obstruction but yogic containment: the force is mastered and therefore victorious in ‘battles’ (samat). (2) goṣu: ‘cows’ as rays/knowledges (√gā ‘to shine/go’ is traditionally associated with luminous movement; the RV idiom uses ‘go’ for light and its herds for multiplicity of illuminations). (3) ni-√cik (nicikyat): ‘to discern’—marks the cognitive victory: perception of vidatha (ordered workings/rites) as expressions of r̥ta. (4) arati: a-rati ‘non-going/non-delight’—psychologically inertia and inability to reach the goal. (5) āyas: ‘metal’ stands for hard strength, endurance, and weapon-like power; inwardly, a tempered force that can ‘encompass’ (pari) and secure attainment.
Ṛta (straight-going, ṛjīka), Medhā/Discernment (ni-√cik), Transformation of inertia (arati) into attainment (ā-√āp)
ṛjīka/straight-going is explicit: alignment with ṛta is the condition for victory and knowledge.
nıcikyat (discerned) of vidathā: truth is not belief but perceived law of transformation.
Recovery of the cows (lights) and establishment of enduring strength: evolution of nature by conquest of resistance and stabilization of higher order.
Psychological Vedism (Aurobindo/Kashyap): yajña as inner process; cows as rays; battle as inner tapas.
Battle = inner conflict; cows = rays of knowledge; metal = endurance/firm capacity; track/line = disciplined alignment.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘going among the cows’ mythologem: entry into the luminous herd (rays/knowledges) as the sign of victory. The hero-force perceives the rite’s order (vidatha) and crosses beyond arati (incapacity), a standard Vedic pattern of moving from obstruction to illumination.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √car/√gam for movement and progress reflects core PIE motion roots (*ker-/*gʷem-). The opposition arati (a- + rati) uses privative morphology inherited across IE. The ‘straight’ semantic (ṛju/ṛjīka) resonates with IE associations of ‘right/straight’ = ‘correct/orderly’ (cf. Latin rectus).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer depicts the Devatā as the inner guide that both restrains (disciplines) and advances the being. The human side offers recognition and alignment with r̥ta (nicikyat vidathā), and receives the boon of overcoming incapacity (tíro aratím) and attaining enduring strength (āyas).
Steadfast alignment: visualize a straight inner line from navel to brow; hold it through distractions. Then invite ‘cows’ as rays filling the mind with luminous clarity.
Ajna (straight discernment) supported by Muladhara (steadfastness)
Slow exhale-lengthening (inhale 4, exhale 6–8) to cross ‘arati’; chant once per long exhale, feeling metal-like steadiness in the spine.
Resolute, clear, enduring.
When you feel ‘I can’t,’ return to the basics of inner yajña: (1) offer the disturbance into the inner fire (Agni), (2) re-align to the straight intention, (3) take one small forward step—repeat until the sense of incapacity breaks.
Keep Triṣṭubh cadence with firm pāda endings; emphasize udātta on action-words (चरति, निचिक्यत्) and on ‘goṣu’, ‘arati’.
Deliver the first pāda with restraint (holding line), then slightly intensify through ‘goṣu gacchan’; resolve calmly on ‘tīro aratim’.
ārundhānaḥ: clear long ā; ‘ndh’ cluster articulated without dropping aspiration, samatsu: ‘ts’ cluster clean, āvirṛjīka: vocalic ṛ; long ī, nıcikyat: pronounce ‘ci’ clearly; final ‘yat’ crisp, arati: short a; retroflex ṭ not present—keep dentals clean
Firm, grounded, slightly lower register; end with a calm, resolved tone.
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