Rig Veda 6.51.15: Mandala 6, Sukta 51, Mantra 15

Sukta 6.51

Rishi

Bharadvāja Bārhaspatya

Devata

Viśve Devāḥ

Chandas

Anuṣṭubh-like

Rasa

Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)

Samhita Patha (Devanagari)

यूयं हि ष्ठा सुदानव इन्द्रज्येष्ठा अभिद्यवः । कर्ता नो अध्वन्ना सुगं गोपा अमा ॥

Recitation with translationRig Veda 6.51.15

Transliteration

yūyáṃ hí ṣṭhā su-dānava índra-jyeṣṭhā abhi-dyávaḥ | kártā no ádhvann ā́ su-gáṃ gopā́ amā́ ||

Translation

तुम लोग अच्छे तोहफे देते हो। इंद्र सबसे बड़ा है। तुम लोग रोशनी की तरफ ले जाते हो। हमारे सफर में अच्छा रास्ता बना दो। हमारे साथ रहो और हमारी रक्षा करो।

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Word by Word

यूयम्

you (all)Pronoun · पुं. (सामान्य-लिङ्ग), प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ · Root युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

हि

indeed, forIndeclinable · निपात (अव्यय)Root हि (निपात)

स्थ

areVerb · लट् (वर्तमान), मध्यमपुरुष, बहुवचन; वेदिक रूप ‘स्थ’ = ‘स्थ’/‘स्थः’ (2pl ‘are’)Root अस् (धातु) / अस्-लट् (वेदिक-आदेश)

सुदानवः

O good givers / bountiful onesNoun (address) / Adjective · पुं., प्रथमा, बहुवचन (सम्बोधनार्थे प्रथमा-प्रयोगः)Role कर्तृ (सम्बोधन-सम्बन्ध) · Root सु-दानु (प्रातिपदिक); दानु/दानव (दानव-सम्बन्ध)

इन्द्रज्येष्ठाः

having Indra as the foremost / Indra-chiefAdjective · पुं., प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (विशेषण) · Root इन्द्र-ज्येष्ठ (बहुव्रीहि/तत्पुरुष-समास प्रातिपदिक)

अभिद्यवः

heavenward / reaching toward heavenNoun/Adjective · पुं., प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (विशेषण/सम्बोधन) · Root अभि-द्यु (प्रातिपदिक; ‘द्यु’ = द्यौ/द्युत् ‘heaven/shine’)

कर्तार्

makers, doersNoun (agent) / Kṛdanta · पुं., प्रथमा, बहुवचन (वेदिक: -आः/-अर् रूप-भेद; here ‘कर्तार्’ for ‘कर्तारः’)Role कर्तृ · Root कृ (धातु) → कर्तृ (कृदन्त, तृच्)

नः

for us / of usPronoun · षष्ठी/चतुर्थी, बहुवचन (enclitic ‘नः’ = ‘of us/for us’)Role सम्प्रदान (हितार्थे) / सम्बन्ध · Root अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

अध्वन्

path, journeyNoun · पुं., द्वितीया, एकवचन (वेदिक: ‘अध्वानम्’ → sandhi/metrical shortening ‘अध्वन्’)Role कर्म · Root अध्वन् (प्रातिपदिक)

न

(particle)Indeclinable · निषेध/अनुकरण-निपात; here as particle with imperative sense ‘(make) …’ (often with optative/imperative ellipsis)Root न (निपात)

सुगम्

easy to go, auspiciousAdjective · नपुं., द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (विशेषण) · Root सु-ग (प्रातिपदिक; ‘good-going’)

गोपाः

cow-protectors, guardiansNoun · पुं., प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (विशेषण) · Root गो-पा (प्रातिपदिक; ‘protector of cows’)

अमा

at home, nearbyIndeclinable · अव्यय (स्थान/सन्निधि-अर्थ)Role अधिकरण · Root अमा (अव्यय; ‘at home/near’)

Sandhi Notes

• पदच्छेद (resolved): यूयम् | हि | स्थ | सुदानवः | इन्द्रज्येष्ठाः | अभिद्यवः | कर्तार् | नः | अध्वन् | न | सुगम् | गोपाः | अमा । विशेष: (1) ‘ष्ठा’ = ‘स्थ’ (अस् धातोः लट्, म.पु. बहु.; वेदिक/पदपाठ-रूप)
• (2) ‘कर्ता’ → ‘कर्तार्’ (प्रथमा बहु. वेदिक -ar् रूप)
• (3) ‘अध्वन्ना’ = ‘अध्वन् न’ (अध्वन् + न; नकार-सन्धि/पदविभाग)

The meaning

Outer meaning

You are indeed givers of good gifts, with Indra as the foremost, powers that press toward the luminous. Make for us on the journey a good path—guardians here with us.

Inner meaning

The All-Gods, led by Indra, are invoked as sudānavaḥ—beneficent powers that truly give (strength, clarity, joy). abhidyavaḥ indicates those who move toward the light/sky: inner forces oriented upward, not toward obscurity. The central request is practical yoga: make the adhvan (the path of life and inner progress) suga—clear and auspicious. And be gopāḥ amā—guardians ‘here, in our immediate being’: not remote divinity, but present protection of the rays of knowledge in daily action.

Universal truth

Spiritual life is a journey; it succeeds when our energies are oriented toward light and when higher guidance actively protects and clears the path in everyday circumstances.

Themes

safe-journey, indra-led-powers, guardianship, upward-aspiration

The seer

Rishi

Bharadvāja Bārhaspatya

Lineage

Bharadvāja

Other hymns

RV 6.50 (path and protection themes, adjacent), RV 6.52–6.55 (Viśve Devāḥ support)

Family tradition

Bharadvāja’s closing prayers often turn to ‘path-making’ (sugam) and guardianship—spirituality tested in the journey of life.

Significance

The seer’s integral emphasis: divine gifts are for the road of transformation; protection must be present ‘amā’—in the lived moment.

The deity

Devata

Viśve Devāḥ (Indra-led)

Epithets

Sudānavaḥ (good givers), Indrajyeṣṭhāḥ (Indra foremost), Gopāḥ (guardians)

Related deities

Savitṛ (impeller on the path), Pūṣan (path-guide), Mitra-Varuṇa (guardians of ṛta)

Cosmic role

Collective powers administering increase, protection, and right movement toward light in the worlds.

Inner power

A coordinated uplift of all faculties toward illumination, with practical guardianship over knowledge and direction.

In ritual

Where it is used

Viśvedevas invocation for safe passage and protection; closing benediction

Accents and Padapatha

Chandas Analysis

Key Symbols

Ritual Application

Etymology

Philosophical Concepts

Vedic Cosmology

Natural Symbolism

Academic Analysis

Yogic Application

Chanting Notes