Rig Veda 6.49.12: Mandala 6, Sukta 49, Mantra 12
Sukta 6.49
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja Bārhaspatya
- Devata
- Generic praise of the heroic divine power
- Chandas
- Tr̥ṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
प्र वीराय प्र तवसे तुरायाजा यूथेव पशुरक्षिरस्तम् । स पिस्पृशति तन्वि श्रुतस्य स्तृभिर्न नाकं वचनस्य विपः ॥
prá vīrā́ya prá taváse turā́ya ā́jā yū́theva paśurákṣir ástam | sá pispṛśati tanví śrutásya stṛ́bhir ná nā́kaṃ vacanásya vípaḥ ||
आगे बढ़ो, वीरों के लिए। आगे बढ़ो, ताकतवर के लिए। आगे बढ़ो, तेज़ रफ़्तार के लिए। जैसे कोई अपने जानवरों के पीछे रहता है, वैसे तुम भी घर की तरफ़ जाओ। वो अपने शरीर में वेद की बात महसूस करता है। जैसे कोई सीधे बोल के स्वर्ग पहुँचता है, वैसे ही वो भी पहुँचता है।
Word by Word
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableupasarga (preverb)Root प्र (upasarga)
- वीराय
- to/for the heroNounmasculine; dative singularRole SampradānaRoot वीर (prātipadika)
- प्र
- forthIndeclinableupasarga (preverb)Root प्र (upasarga)
- तवसे
- to/for strength, mightNounneuter; dative singularRole SampradānaRoot तवस् (prātipadika)
- तुराय
- to/for the swift/impetuous oneAdjective (used substantively)masculine; dative singularRole SampradānaRoot तुर (prātipadika)
- अजा
- the she-goatNounfeminine; nominative singularRole KartāRoot अज (prātipadika)
- यूथेव
- like a herdNoun + Indeclinableयूथ (neuter; nominative/accusative singular) + इव (particle)Root यूथ + इव
- पशुः
- the beast, animalNounmasculine; nominative singularRole KartāRoot पशु (prātipadika)
- अक्षिः
- the eyeNounneuter; nominative singularRole KartāRoot अक्षि (prātipadika)
- रस्तम्
- most fitting/rightly (Vedic epithet; ‘best/most proper’)Adjectiveneuter; accusative singular (agreeing with an implied object; often taken adverbially in Vedic)Role KarmaRoot रस्त (prātipadika; Vedic)
- स
- hePronounmasculine; nominative singularRole KartāRoot स (sarvanāman)
- पिस्पृशति
- touches, reachesVerbpresent indicative; 3rd person singular; (reduplicated present: पि- + स्पृश्)Root स्पृश् (dhātu)
- तन्वि
- in/with the body, in personNounfeminine; locative singular (Vedic loc. in -i)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot तनू (prātipadika)
- श्रुतस्य
- of the heard (fame/renown), of what is heardNoun/Adjectivemasculine/neuter; genitive singularRole Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandhaRoot श्रुत (PPP from √श्रु)
- स्तृभिः
- with/through layers/strands (Vedic: ‘coverings, strata’)Nounfeminine; instrumental pluralRole KaraṇaRoot स्तृ (prātipadika; Vedic)
- न
- like, asIndeclinablecomparative particleRoot न (particle)
- नाकम्
- heaven, the celestial vaultNounmasculine/neuter; accusative singularRole KarmaRoot नाक (prātipadika)
- वचनस्य
- of speech/utteranceNounneuter; genitive singularRole Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandhaRoot वचन (prātipadika)
- विपः
- the inspired poet/sageNounmasculine; nominative singularRole KartāRoot विप् (prātipadika; Vedic)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (pada-style): प्र वी॒राय / प्र त॒वसे॑ / तु॒राय / अजा / यूथ इव → यूथेव / पशुः / अक्षिः / रस्तम् । स / पिस्पृशति / तन्वि / श्रुतस्य / स्तृभिः / न / नाकम् / वचनस्य / विपः । Accents retained as in saṃhitā where applicable
- pada-division follows standard RV padapāṭha practice (e.g., -इव → एव)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Advance for the hero, the strong, the swift—go homeward like a herd’s protector. He touches in his body the fullness of what is heard (revealed), as the inspired one reaches heaven by the firm steps of speech.
Inner meaning
The ‘hero/strong/swift’ is the divine-force in us (often Marut/Indra-like energy) that leads the movements of life safely toward their true ‘home’ (the soul’s settled foundation). ‘Protector of the herd’ symbolically protects the rays/powers of consciousness from dispersal. The sādhaka ‘touches in the body’ the substance of śruti—mantric truth becomes embodied, not merely conceptual. The vipaścit/inspired one ascends to ‘nāka’ (luminous heaven-state) by steady, well-placed steps of speech: mantra as a ladder of consciousness.
Universal truth
True progress is not only inward insight but embodied transformation; disciplined speech/affirmation can become a stable staircase by which consciousness rises into higher clarity.
Themes
Forward movement in sādhanā, Protection of inner collectivity, Ascent by inspired speech
The seer
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja Bārhaspatya
- Lineage
- Bharadvāja
- Other hymns
- RV 6.47 (heroic force and protection), RV 6.50 (invocations for aid)
Family tradition
Aṅgirasa-Bārhaspatya tradition emphasizing the power of inspired speech (brahman) to build worlds and secure the rays of knowledge.
Significance
Bharadvāja’s mantras often link vāc (speech) with ascent: right utterance is not ornament but a means of embodiment of śruti and a stair to higher consciousness.
The deity
- Devata
- Heroic Divine Power (contextually Marut/Indra-force)
- Epithets
- vīra (hero), tavasa (strong), tura (swift), paśurakṣi (protector), vipaḥ (inspired/illumined)
- Related deities
- Maruts, Indra, Agni, Bṛhaspati
Cosmic role
Leads and protects the ‘herd’ of powers; establishes safe movement toward the true home; enables ascent to nāka through vāc.
Inner power
Embodied courage and disciplined expression—force that makes revelation tangible in life and action.
In ritual
Where it is used
Praise-stanza used in sequences that ‘send forth’ the power (pra) and establish protection—general śrauta recitation context.
प्र वी॒राय॒ प्र त॒वसे॑ तु॒रायाजा॑ यू॒थेव॑ पशु॒रक्षि॒रस्त॑म् । स पि॑स्पृशति त॒न्वि॑ श्रु॒तस्य॒ स्तृभि॒र्न नाकं॑ वच॒नस्य॒ विप॑: ॥
प्र । वी॒राय॑ । प्र । त॒वसे॑ । तु॒राय॑ । अज॑ । यू॒थाऽइ॑व । प॒शु॒ऽरक्षिः॑ । अस्त॑म् । सः । पि॒स्पृ॒श॒ति॒ । त॒न्वि॑ । श्रु॒तस्य॑ । स्तृऽभिः॑ । न । नाक॑म् । व॒च॒नस्य॑ । विपः॑ ॥
pra | vīrāya | pra | tavase | turāya | aja | yūthāiva | paśu-rakṣiḥ | astam | saḥ | pispṛśati | tanvi | śrutasya | stṛ-bhiḥ | na | nākam | vacanasya | vipaḥ
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4 pādas of ~11 syllables
Processional, ‘marching’ rhythm matching the repeated ‘pra’ impetus.
Creates forward drive and steadiness; supports resolve and step-by-step ascent through speech.
- वीर (vīra)
- Literal: hero. Symbolic: the courageous divine force that leads the inner journey
- तवस् (tavas)
- Literal: strength. Symbolic: spiritual power/śakti supporting endurance
- तुर (tura)
- Literal: swift. Symbolic: quick responsiveness of the will and mind to the Truth
- यूथ (yūtha)
- Literal: herd. Symbolic: collected powers/rays of consciousness needing guidance
- पशुरक्षि (paśu-rakṣi)
- Literal: protector of cattle. Symbolic: guardian of inner energies and knowledge-rays from loss and confusion
- अस्तम् (astam)
- Literal: home, resting-place. Symbolic: the soul’s settled station; the right foundation of being
- श्रुतस्य (śrutasya)
- Literal: of what is heard/revealed. Symbolic: mantric revelation; intuitive truth received
- वचन (vacana)
- Literal: speech. Symbolic: formative word-power that builds the path upward
- स्तृभिः (stṛbhiḥ)
- Literal: with firm steps/props. Symbolic: steady rhythmic supports—disciplined mantra-steps
- नाक (nāka)
- Literal: heaven. Symbolic: luminous plane of mind/intuition
Used as an energizing and forward-driving formula within recitation; applicable where progress (prá) and protection of gathered powers are sought.
At moments of urging the deity/power forward and securing protection and right guidance of the rite’s energies.
Stuti with directional impetus (pra), protective intention, sealing of inspired speech.
Mantra for disciplined progress: before study, speech, teaching, or any practice where revelation must become embodied and steady.
vipaḥ often from √vip ‘to tremble/quiver’—the seer-poet vibrates with inspiration. śruta from √śru ‘to hear’ indicates revealed knowledge. nāka ‘heaven’ functions as a consciousness-term: the high luminous status reached by the stepped articulation (stṛbhiḥ) of the word.
Śruti (inner hearing), Nāka (luminous consciousness-plane), Power of speech (vāc as force)
Firm ‘steps’ of speech imply alignment with ṛta—right measure and right sequence in expression.
Śruti as satya heard inwardly; becomes ‘touched’ in the body as lived truth.
World-building by vāc: ascent and formation through measured utterance.
Mantra-vidyā orientation; compatible with Aurobindonian notion of ‘word as power’ effecting transformation.
The outward journey to ‘home’ mirrors the inward return to the psychic foundation; ‘steps’ are rhythmic mantra-breath units lifting awareness upward.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ascent to heaven (nāka) by the power of inspired speech: the seer-poet reaches the luminous plane through ‘steps’ of word (stṛbhiḥ). The pastoral protector-image becomes an inner guide safeguarding the gathered faculties toward their ‘home’ in truth.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- śru- ‘hear’ is PIE *ḱlew- ‘hear, fame’ (cf. Greek klúō, English ‘loud’ via related developments). The Vedic linkage of ‘hearing’ with revelation preserves an archaic sense where heard word carries authority.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi models an inner practice: by forming speech that is ‘heard’ inwardly (śruta), the body-consciousness is touched and transformed, enabling ascent. The devata is experienced as the force of heroic progress and protection responding to the rishi’s forward call (prá).
Feel a forward-leading force guiding scattered energies into a unified direction; let mantra become ‘firm steps’ rising to clarity.
vishuddha
4-step breath with silent count (inhale-hold-exhale-hold) synchronized to pādas; keep throat relaxed for clear vāc.
Steady uplift—energized but collected; embodied clarity.
Repeat while walking slowly or sitting upright; emphasize each ‘pra’ as a conscious step; conclude by resting attention in the throat/heart, sensing ‘śruti’ becoming substance in the body.
Tri-svara; give clear udātta lift on repeated ‘pra’ openings; keep cadence even across four pādas.
Let each ‘pra’ be a distinct impulse; avoid rushing the second hemistich—make ‘śrutasya’ and ‘vacanasya’ resonant.
(vīrāya): long ī sustained, (tavase): soft ‘v’, not ‘w’, (yūtheva): long ū and ē; sandhi smooth, (paśurakṣiḥ): ‘kṣ’ as combined consonant, crisp, (śrutasya): ‘ś’ palatal, not dental, (vipaḥ): final visarga lightly echoed before pause
Firm and measured, like steps; articulate consonant clusters cleanly.
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