Rig Veda 6.73.2: Mandala 6, Sukta 73, Mantra 2
Sukta 6.73
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja Bārhaspatya
- Devata
- Bṛhaspati
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
जनाय चिद्य ईवत उ लोकं बृहस्पतिर्देवहूतौ चकार । घ्नन्वृत्राणि वि पुरो दर्दरीति जयञ्छत्रूँरमित्रान्पृत्सु साहन् ॥
janā́ya cid yá ī́vate u lokáṃ bṛ́haspátir deváhūtau cakā́ra | ghnán vṛtrā́ṇi ví púro dardarīti jáyañ chátrūn amítrān pṛtsú sā́han ||
बृहस्पति ने मेहनत करने वाले के लिए जगह बना दी। भगवान के बुलावे पर काम करते हैं। रास्ते में आने वाले को मारते हैं। किले तोड़ देते हैं। दुश्मन को हरा देते हैं। लड़ाई में जीत लेते हैं।
Word by Word
- जनाय
- for (the) people, to mankindNounपुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी-एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot जन (प्रातिपदिक) < √जन्
- चित्
- even, indeedIndeclinableनिपात; अर्थे ‘अपि/एव’Root चित् (निपात) अथवा √चित् (अव्यय-प्रयोग)
- यः
- whoPronounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचनRole कर्तृ (सम्बन्ध-प्रवर्तक)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- ईवत
- so great, mighty (of such measure)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचन; ‘यः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्Role कर्तृ-विशेषणRoot ईवत् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘ईव’ + मतुप्/वतुप्-प्रत्यय)
- उ
- indeed, verilyIndeclinableनिपात; बल/अन्वयार्थकRoot उ (निपात)
- लोकम्
- world, realmNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचनRole कर्मRoot लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
- बृहस्पतिः
- BṛhaspatiNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot बृहस्पति (प्रातिपदिक)
- देवहूतौ
- at the divine invocation/call (in the rite)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot देवहूति (प्रातिपदिक; देव + √हू ‘आह्वाने’ + क्तिन्)
- चकार
- made, fashionedVerbलिट् (परस्मैपद); प्रथम-पुरुष; एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot √कृ (करणे)
- घ्नन्
- smashing, slayingVerb (participle)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचन; वर्तमानकालिकः शतृ; ‘बृहस्पतिः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्Role कर्तृ-विशेषणRoot √हन् (हिंसागत्योः) — शतृ (वर्तमान कृदन्त)
- वृत्राणि
- Vṛtras, obstructersNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot वृत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- वि
- apart, asunderIndeclinableउपसर्ग; ‘विभाग/विस्फोट’ अर्थेRoot वि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- पुरः
- fortresses, strongholdsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-बहुवचन (वैदिके ‘पुरः’ रूपम्)Role कर्मRoot पुर्/पुर (प्रातिपदिक; ‘fort, stronghold’)
- दर्दरीति
- splits open, shattersVerbलट्; प्रथम-पुरुष; एकवचन; (वैदिक-रूप) ‘he splits/tears open repeatedly’Role क्रियाRoot √दृ (विदारणे/भेदने) — देसिदेरटिव/इटि-प्रयोगः (वैदिक)
- जयन्
- conqueringVerb (participle)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचन; वर्तमानकालिकः शतृ; ‘बृहस्पतिः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्Role कर्तृ-विशेषणRoot √जि (जये) — शतृ (वर्तमान कृदन्त)
- शत्रून्
- enemiesNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot शत्रु (प्रातिपदिक)
- अमित्रान्
- foes, non-friendsNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-बहुवचनRole कर्म (शत्रून् इत्यस्य विशेषण/समनार्थक-द्वितीयम्)Root अमित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- पृत्सु
- in battlesNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-बहुवचनRole अधिकरणRoot पृत्/पृत्स् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘battle, contest’)
- साहन्
- overpowering, prevailingVerb (participle)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचन; वर्तमानकालिकः शतृ; ‘बृहस्पतिः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्Role कर्तृ-विशेषणRoot √सह् (सहने/अभिभवे) — शतृ (वर्तमान कृदन्त)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (pada-splitting): जनाय चिद्य ईवत उ लोकं बृहस्पतिर्देवहूतौ चकार → जनाय | चित् | यः | ईवत् | उ | लोकम् | बृहस्पतिः | देवहूतौ | चकार
- घ्नन्वृत्राणि → घ्नन् | वृत्राणि
- वि पुरो → वि | पुरः (Vedic acc.pl. of पुर् ‘fort’)
- जयञ्छत्रूँरमित्रान्पृत्सु साहन् → जयन् | शत्रून् | अमित्रान् | पृत्सु | साहन्
- Accent marks are preserved from the saṃhitā text but not re-applied per pada here
The meaning
Outer meaning
Even for the striving man, Bṛhaspati has made a world in the divine calling. Smiting the obstructers, he shatters the strongholds; conquering foes, he prevails in battles.
Inner meaning
For the one who makes effort (īvata), Bṛhaspati creates a loka—an inner ‘world’ or stable plane of consciousness—through devahūti, the call to the divine. He strikes vṛtrāṇi (coverers) and breaks the puras (fortresses): psychological formations of ignorance, fear, and inertia that hold the light captive. The ‘battles’ (pṛtsu) are the recurring conflicts in the seeker’s nature; Bṛhaspati’s weapon is the truth-word that dislodges false structures and establishes a new inner order.
Universal truth
A sincere call to the higher can create a new inner world; truth-speech and right understanding dismantle entrenched resistance and make progress victorious over repeated inner conflicts.
Themes
mantra efficacy, victory over obstruction, spiritual warfare, creation of ordered space
The seer
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja Bārhaspatya
- Lineage
- Bharadvāja
- Other hymns
- RV 6.73.1-3, RV 2.23 (Bṛhaspati series, parallel tradition)
Family tradition
Seer-line that treats mantra as world-making (loka-kṛt): speech aligned to ṛta builds inner realms and breaks the cave of obstruction.
Significance
The rishi emphasizes sādhanā realism: the ‘world’ is made for the striving one, and resistance must be actively broken by truth-vision.
The deity
- Devata
- Bṛhaspati
- Epithets
- Loka-kṛt (world-maker, implied), Vṛtra-ghna (smiting coverers, implied), Puraṃdara (fort-breaker motif, parallel to Indra)
- Related deities
- Indra (parallel fort-breaker), Agni (aspiration), Sarasvatī (inspired flow of speech)
Cosmic role
Opens the path by the power of brahman; establishes a luminous field for the sacrificer; destroys obstructive powers.
Inner power
Constructive intuition: builds a coherent inner space (loka) and simultaneously deconstructs ignorance-structures (puras).
In ritual
Where it is used
Bṛhaspati offerings for success of rite and removal of obstacles; invoked to secure a ‘loka’ (safe sphere) for the sacrificer.
जना॑य चि॒द्य ईव॑त उ लो॒कं बृह॒स्पति॑र्दे॒वहू॑तौ च॒कार॑ । घ्नन्वृ॒त्राणि॒ वि पुरो॑ दर्दरीति॒ जय॒ञ्छत्रूँ॑र॒मित्रा॑न्पृ॒त्सु साह॑न् ॥
जना॑य । चि॒त् । यः । ईव॑ते । ऊँ॒ इति॑ । लो॒कम् । बृह॒स्पतिः॑ । दे॒वऽहू॑तौ । च॒कार॑ । घ्नन् । वृ॒त्राणि॑ । वि । पुरः॑ । द॒र्द॒री॒ति॒ । जय॑न् । शत्रू॑न् । अ॒मित्रा॑न् । पृ॒त्ऽसु । साह॑न् ॥
janāya | cit | yaḥ | īvate | oṃ iti | lokam | bṛhaspatiḥ | deva-hūtau | cakāra | ghnan | vṛtrāṇi | vi | puraḥ | dardarīti | jayan | śatrūn | amitrān | pṛt-su | sāhan
44
4 × ~11
Alternation of constructive and destructive verbs gives a ‘build-then-break’ cadence.
Instills confidence that inner practice is not vague: it creates a real inner ground and breaks specific resistances.
- ईवते (īvate)
- Literal: strives, makes effort. Symbolic: aspirant’s tapas; persistent inner practice
- लोकम् (lokam)
- Literal: world, realm. Symbolic: stable state/plane of consciousness established within
- देवहूतौ (devahūtau)
- Literal: in the divine calling/invocation. Symbolic: aspiration and mantra-invocation that opens higher response
- वृत्राणि (vṛtrāṇi)
- Literal: coverers/obstructors. Symbolic: subconscient resistance, ignorance, depression, obscuration
- पुरः (puraḥ)
- Literal: forts/strongholds. Symbolic: fixed defensive structures of ego and habitual falsehood
- दर्दरीति (dardarīti)
- Literal: splits, shatters. Symbolic: decisive breaking of inner formations
- शत्रून् / अमित्रान् (śatrūn / amitrān)
- Literal: enemies/hostiles. Symbolic: hostile impulses, perversions, anti-growth tendencies
- पृत्सु (pṛtsu)
- Literal: in battles. Symbolic: inner struggles during transformation
Used to invoke Bṛhaspati for victory in contests, success of mantra and rite, and the opening/creation of a protected 'loka' for the sacrificer.
At moments requiring protection, right formulation, and overcoming opposition to the sacrifice.
Recitation with oblation; establishing sacred space and warding off obstructers.
Use when starting a new discipline: ‘make a world’—set a stable routine/inner space; then identify and break one ‘fortress’ habit at a time.
Key terms: loka- 'world/space' (ordered field) → inner domain created by mantra/invocation. devahūti- 'divine calling' → ritual/psychological act of invoking higher powers. dardarīti intensive of √dṛ 'split' → persistent shattering of resistances. √sah 'prevail, endure' → inner stamina. vṛtra- pluralized as vṛtrāṇi: many forms of obstruction.
creation of inner world (loka), invocation as creative act (devahūti), overcoming obstruction (vṛtra)
Bṛhaspati’s loka is ṛta-made: ordered, coherent, luminous.
Devahūti implies sincerity; truth of aspiration determines the descent of help.
World-making through invocation; speech as creative power that establishes realms.
Vāc-as-brahman trajectory toward Upaniṣadic insight; practical mantra-psychology.
Space/world = stable consciousness-field; forts = hardened samskāras; battle = transformative friction with resistance.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Bṛhaspati as fortress-breaker and world-maker: he creates a 'loka' for the striving human through divine invocation, then shatters the obstructing strongholds. Inwardly, mantra and aspiration create a protected field of consciousness where resistances can be systematically broken.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The cluster of victory verbs √ji (conquer), √han (smite), √sah (prevail) reflects inherited IE heroic diction. The intensive formation (dardarīti) is typical of early Indo-Aryan expressive morphology used to convey repeated/forceful action, matching the dramatic style of IE battle poetry.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi portrays Bṛhaspati as responding to human striving (īvate): effort meets grace through devahūti (invocation). The reciprocity is explicit—human aspiration calls; Bṛhaspati creates the inner space and fights the battles within it, enabling the seeker’s progress.
Create an inner ‘loka’: a quiet, luminous room of awareness; then bring one obstruction into that light and let the truth-word dissolve it.
Viśuddha (truth expression) and Anāhata (inner space/field of safety)
Box breathing 4-4-4-4 to ‘build the loka’; then longer exhales to ‘shatter the fort’ (release tension).
From scattered striving to structured aspiration and victorious clarity.
Daily: 2 minutes to establish inner space (loka), 2 minutes to name the day’s main ‘fort’, 2 minutes to call Bṛhaspati and release it into truth-light.
Respect accent marks; keep the verb जोर: चकार / दर्दरीति with clear pitch movement according to svara.
Slight lift on देवहूतौ; articulate the breaking sequence: घ्नन् वृत्राणि | वि पुरो दर्दरीति.
devahūtau: long ū, and au diphthong clean, ghnan: keep nasal + n cluster (gh-nan) without extra vowel, dardarīti: repeat dar- clearly, not ‘dhar’, amitrān: short a- at start, retroflex not needed
Clear, incisive diction; slightly percussive on ‘breaking’ verbs.
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