Rig Veda 6.69.2: Mandala 6, Sukta 69, Mantra 2
Sukta 6.69
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja
- Devata
- Indra-Viṣṇu
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
या विश्वासां जनितारा मतीनामिन्द्राविष्णू कलशा सोमधाना । प्र वां गिरः शस्यमाना अवन्तु प्र स्तोमासो गीयमानासो अर्कैः ॥
yā́ viśvāsā́ṃ janitā́rā matīnā́m indrā́viṣṇū kalaśā́ soma-dhānā́ | prá vāṃ gíraḥ śasyámānā avantu prá stómāso gīyámānāso arkáiḥ ||
इंद्र और विष्णु, तुम दोनों सब आइडियाज के सोर्स हो। तुम्हारे पास सोम है, जैसे कोई खाली बर्तन भरा हो। हमारी बातें तुम्हे प्रोटेक्ट करें। हमारे गाने, जो रिशियों के थ्रू बने हैं, तुम्हे स्ट्रांग करें।
Word by Word
- या
- who (those who)Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot यद् (sarvanāma-prātipadika)
- विश्वासाम्
- of allAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचनRole Sambandha (genitive)Root विश्व (prātipadika)
- जनितारा
- the two begetters/creatorsNoun (agent)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचनRole KartāRoot जनि-तृ (from √जन् ‘to beget, produce’)
- मतीनाम्
- of thoughts/hymnsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचनRole Sambandha (genitive)Root मति (prātipadika)
- इन्द्राविष्णू
- Indra and ViṣṇuNoun (dual deity name)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचनRole Kartā (apposition to जनितारा)Root इन्द्र + विष्णु (devatā-nāman)
- कलशा
- the two pitchers/vesselsNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचनRole Kartā (apposition)Root कलश (prātipadika)
- सोमधाना
- the two holders/containers of SomaNoun (compound)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचनRole Kartā (apposition)Root सोम-धान (धाना ‘placing/holding’, from √धा ‘to place’)
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableRoot प्र (upasarga/avyaya)
- वाम्
- for you two / of you twoPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी, द्विवचन (enclitic form)Role Sampradāna (dative sense: ‘for you two’) / SambandhaRoot युष्मद् (2nd person pronoun)
- गिरः
- songs, praisesNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot गिर् (prātipadika)
- शस्यमानाः
- being recited/praisedParticipleस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole Kartā (agreeing with गिरः)Root √शंस् ‘to praise, recite’
- अवन्तु
- may they help/protectVerbलोट् (imperative), परस्मैपद, 3rd person, बहुवचनRoot √अव् ‘to help, protect’
- प्र
- forthIndeclinableRoot प्र (avyaya)
- स्तोमासः
- praise-hymnsNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot स्तोम (prātipadika)
- गीयमानासः
- being sungParticipleपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole Kartā (agreeing with स्तोमासः)Root √गै/√गी ‘to sing’
- अर्कैः
- with hymns/verses (arches)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot अर्क (prātipadika)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolved as: या | विश्वासाम् | जनितारा | मतीनाम् | इन्द्रा-विष्णू | कलशा | सोम-धाना || प्र | वाम् | गिरः | शस्यमानाः | अवन्तु || प्र | स्तोमासः | गीयमानासः | अर्कैः । Notable: इन्द्राविष्णू is a dvandva in dual (इन्द्रा-विष्णू). सोमधाना is a tatpuruṣa compound ‘Soma-holding’. वाम् is enclitic dual of युष्मद् (gen./dat.)
- here best taken in dative sense with avantu: ‘may (the songs) help you two’
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra and Viṣṇu are praised as begetters of inspirations and as vessels holding Soma; the poet asks that spoken words and sung hymns go forth and support the divine communion/sacrifice.
Inner meaning
Indra (illumined mind) and Viṣṇu (all-pervading expansive consciousness) are invoked as the twin powers that generate right thought (matī) and hold the Soma (ānanda) in the inner being. The seer’s mantric speech (giraḥ, stoma, arka) is not flattery but a formative force: inspired utterance stabilizes and “protects/fosters” these powers in us by continually re-establishing their presence and action in the psyche.
Universal truth
Higher consciousness is sustained by a reciprocal rhythm: the divine powers awaken inspiration in the human instrument, and the human responds with truthful, luminous speech that consolidates the connection. True words are not merely descriptive; they are creative acts that build communion with the Real.
Themes
Mantra-power, Soma containment, Inspiration genesis, Praise and protection
The seer
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja
- Other hymns
- RV 6.1, RV 6.16, RV 6.45, RV 6.69
Family tradition
Bharadvāja Āṅgirasa lineage noted for Agni, Indra, and integrative yogic hymns combining power (indra) and wideness (viṣṇu).
Significance
Bharadvāja’s vision often emphasizes effective mantra (brahman) as a shaping power that brings the gods into the human field; here speech itself is treated as a protector and carrier of realization.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra-Viṣṇu
- Epithets
- janitārā matīnām, kalaśā somadhānā
- Related deities
- Soma, Agni, Bṛhaspati, Uṣas
Cosmic role
Indra breaks the obstructing cover and releases the light; Viṣṇu measures out the worlds and establishes wide space for the ascent.
Inner power
A unified force of illumination (Indra) and wideness/expansion (Viṣṇu) that generates inspired cognition and stabilizes bliss as a sustaining nectar.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma-yajña context; Indra-Viṣṇu offerings and stotra/śastra recitations in soma pressing cycles
या विश्वा॑सां जनि॒तारा॑ मती॒नामिन्द्रा॒विष्णू॑ क॒लशा॑ सोम॒धाना॑ । प्र वां॒ गिर॑: श॒स्यमा॑ना अवन्तु॒ प्र स्तोमा॑सो गी॒यमा॑नासो अ॒र्कैः ॥
या । विश्वा॑साम् । ज॒नि॒तारा॑ । म॒ती॒नाम् । इन्द्रा॒विष्णू॒ इति॑ । क॒लशा॑ । सो॒म॒ऽधाना॑ । प्र । वा॒म् । गिरः॑ । श॒स्यमा॑नाः । अ॒व॒न्तु॒ । प्र । स्तोमा॑सः । गी॒यमा॑नासः । अ॒र्कैः ॥
yā | viśvāsām | janitārā | matīnām | indrāviṣṇūiti | kalaśā | soma-dhānā | pra | vām | giraḥ | śasyamānāḥ | avantu | pra | stomāsaḥ | gīyamānāsaḥ | arkaiḥ
44
4 pādas of ~11 syllables each
Forward-driving, declarative, suited to invocation and affirmation
Builds energized steadiness; the cadence supports ‘going forth’ (pra) of speech as a force, uplifting attention into a wide, bright poise.
- janitārā
- Literal: begetters, generators. Symbolic: powers that generate illumined thought and right movement in consciousness
- matīnām
- Literal: of inspirations/thoughts. Symbolic: seer-intuitions, luminous discernments arising from the soul-mind
- Indrāviṣṇū
- Literal: Indra and Viṣṇu. Symbolic: illumined mind + expansive all-pervading consciousness working as a single yogic force
- kalaśā
- Literal: jars, vessels. Symbolic: formed capacities in the being that can hold and distribute bliss/nectar
- somadhānā
- Literal: holding Soma. Symbolic: containing and bearing ānanda for transformation
- giraḥ
- Literal: utterances, songs. Symbolic: mantric speech as a force of realization
- stomāsaḥ
- Literal: hymns of praise. Symbolic: rhythmic affirmations that align the being with the gods
- arkaiḥ
- Literal: with arka-s (hymnic flashes/verses). Symbolic: seer-vision utterance, a ray-like speech of illumination
- avantū
- Literal: may they help/protect. Symbolic: may the inspired word safeguard and increase the divine action within
Praise in soma context: emphasizing the gods as generators of matis (inspirations) and as soma-holders; used to intensify mantra efficacy and receptivity.
During Soma libation sequences where Indra-Viṣṇu are invited to partake; also as praise before/with oblations
Recitation/chant with offering of soma; establishment of devatā-sannidhya (presence) through stoma and arka
Use as a pre-meditation invocation: offer one’s thoughts as ‘giraḥ’ and invite illumination+wideness to hold inner bliss steady.
janitṛ: from √jan ‘beget, generate’ (PIE *ǵenh₁-). mati: from √man ‘think’ → inspired thought/vision. kalaśa: ‘jar’; here symbolically the containing vessel of Soma-delight (capacity to hold ānanda). arka: RV ‘hymn/chant’ also ‘ray’ (√arc ‘shine, praise’)—supports inner sense of ‘vision-ray’.
origin of inspirations (matis) from higher powers, speech (gir) as protective formative force, Soma as contained delight (soma-dhānā)
The ‘pra’ movement of hymns mirrors ṛta’s forward-leading current—speech aligned with truth becomes a vehicle of cosmic order.
Mantric speech (brahman/giraḥ) is effective only when it carries satya; then it ‘protects’ the divine work in us.
Generation of matī (inspiration) and containment of soma (ānanda) as prerequisites for manifesting higher worlds within.
Proto-Vedāntic and Yogic reading (Aurobindo/Kashyap): gods as powers of consciousness; mantra as realization-force.
unspecified
unspecified
Soma = bliss-substance; vessel = psychic-mental capacity; song = vibratory formation that shapes consciousness and maintains the link with higher powers.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘gods as begetters of inspirations’ mythologem: Indra-Viṣṇu are not only recipients of praise but the source of the seer’s matis. The kalaśa image encodes containment: the capacity to hold Soma-delight without spill or distortion.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √jan ‘beget’ is PIE *ǵenh₁- (Greek γίγνομαι, Latin gignō). The semantic pairing of ‘hearing/singing’ and ‘fame/utterance’ belongs to archaic Indo-European poetics where song is both offering and power.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi acknowledges the deities as the origin of his matis; in return he offers gir/stoma/arka—speech shaped into vision. The exchange is circular: the gods generate inspiration; inspired speech strengthens the channel for their descent and Soma’s containment.
Unify illumined mind (Indra) with widening consciousness (Viṣṇu) and offer speech/thought as mantra-force.
Moderate nāḍī-śodhana-like breathing: inhale ‘Indra’ (clarity), exhale ‘Viṣṇu’ (wideness), then silent savoring (Soma).
From active inspired thinking to a wide, bright, bliss-bearing poise.
Before speaking or creating, inwardly ‘consecrate’ words: let each phrase arise from quiet truth, then release it as an arka—brief, luminous, exact. End with a moment of silent Soma-savoring in the heart-mind.
Vedic accents as in Śākala tradition: udatta peaks on key invocatory words (e.g., indrāviṣṇū), with svarita falls on following syllables; maintain clear accent contrasts.
Keep ‘Indrāviṣṇū’ as a single dvandva unit; emphasize the ‘pra’ beginnings (‘pra vāṃ’, ‘pra stomāsaḥ’) as forward release.
viśvāsāṃ: keep ‘śv’ cluster clean (not ‘siv’), janitārā: long ā in -tārā, indrāviṣṇū: retroflex ‘ṣṇ’ in viṣṇū; long ū, kalaśā: ‘ś’ palatal, not retroflex, somadhānā: clear dh (aspirated), gīyamānāso: long ī; avoid collapsing vowels
Bright, steady, slightly projecting; let cadence ‘carry’ the words outward.
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Rig Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
