Rig Veda 7.34.20: Mandala 7, Sukta 34, Mantra 20
Sukta 7.34
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Tvaṣṭṛ
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
आ यन्नः पत्नीर्गमन्त्यच्छा त्वष्टा सुपाणिर्दधातु वीरान् ॥
ā́ yán naḥ pátnīr gámanty ácchā tváṣṭā supā́ṇir dádhātu vīrā́n ॥
जब हमारी पत्नियाँ हमारे पास आएँ, तब त्वष्टा हम में ताकत डाले। वो ऐसा करे कि हम अंदर से स्ट्रॉंग बन जाएँ।
Word by Word
- आ
- hither; towardsIndeclinableउपसर्ग/निपात (गत्यर्थे ‘towards, hither’)Root आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- यत्
- that which; whatPronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (सम्बन्धसूचक ‘that/which’)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- नः
- of us; ourPronounषष्ठी, बहुवचन (enclitic)Role सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- पत्नीः
- wivesNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot पत्नी (प्रातिपदिक)
- गमन्ति
- they go; they comeVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot गम् (धातु)
- अच्छा
- towards; untoIndeclinableअव्यय (गत्यर्थे ‘towards, unto’)Root अच्छा (अव्यय)
- त्वष्टा
- Tvaṣṭṛ (the divine artisan)Noun (proper)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot त्वष्टृ (प्रातिपदिक; देवता-नाम)
- सुपाणिः
- having good hands; skillful-handedAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (त्वष्टुः विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृ (कर्तुः विशेषणम्)Root सु-पाणि (प्रातिपदिक; बहुव्रीहि/कर्मधारय-समास)
- दधातु
- let him place; let him bestowVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ/विधिलिङ्-भाव), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot धा (धातु)
- वीरान्
- heroes; strong sons/menNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot वीर (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: आ | यत् | नः | पत्नीः | गमन्ति | अच्छा | त्वष्टा | सुपाणिः | दधातु | वीरान् । Sandhi: (1) यन् + नः → यन्नः (तकारस्य नकारे परे अनुस्वार/नकारादेशः; लिखितरूपे ‘यन्नः’)
- (2) गमन्ति + अच्छा → गमन्त्यच्छा (इ + अ → य्-अगमः)
- (3) सुपाणिः + दधातु → सुपाणिर्दधातु (विसर्गस्य रुत्व/रेफः दकारादौ)
The meaning
Outer meaning
When our consorts come toward us, may Tvaṣṭṛ of good hands place heroes within us.
Inner meaning
The ‘patnīḥ’ are the allied powers/energies that accompany the seeker—supporting faculties (faith, obedience to truth, right enjoyment) that ‘come near’ when the inner sacrifice is ready. Tvaṣṭṛ, the divine Fashioner, forms within the being ‘vīrān’—heroic soul-forces: courage, endurance, luminous initiative for the journey of transformation.
Universal truth
Spiritual progress requires right formation: when supportive energies gather, the higher Shaper can build stable capacities that carry the consciousness through trials.
Themes
Tvaṣṭṛ the Fashioner, heroic strength (vīra), harmonized consorts, inner formation
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha-gotra
- Other hymns
- RV 7.34.21, RV 7.34.22
Family tradition
Vasiṣṭha hymns frequently invoke right formation, protection, and the establishment of ṛta in the human instrument.
Significance
The seer’s poise calls not only for help but for a crafted inner nature—capacities shaped for truth-bearing life.
The deity
- Devata
- Tvaṣṭṛ
- Epithets
- su-pāṇiḥ (skilful-handed), viśvarūpa-kṛt (implied: maker of forms)
- Related deities
- Agni (who uses the formed instrument), Sarasvatī (right inspiration), Indra (heroic illumination)
Cosmic role
Divine artisan who fashions bodies, faculties, and right forms in the cosmos; ordains apt instruments for the gods’ work.
Inner power
Formative intelligence that builds heroic qualities and harmonizes energies into a functional spiritual instrument.
In ritual
Where it is used
Blessing for progeny/strength and right formation; in inner sense, for the fashioning of heroic faculties; fits domestic/saṃskāra resonances though verse is in RV context.
आ यन्न॒: पत्नी॒र्गम॒न्त्यच्छा॒ त्वष्टा॑ सुपा॒णिर्दधा॑तु वी॒रान् ॥
आ । यत् । नः॒ । पत्नीः॑ । गम॑न्ति । अच्छ॑ । त्वष्टा॑ । सु॒ऽपा॒णिः । दधा॑तु । वी॒रान् ॥
ā | yat | naḥ | patnīḥ | gamanti | accha | tvaṣṭā | su-pāṇiḥ | dadhātu | vīrān
44
4 × ~11 (approx.)
Forward-moving, constructive cadence; less martial than Indra verses, more ‘building’ in tone.
Encourages a sense of being shaped and strengthened; supports resolve and self-formation.
- पत्नीः (patnīḥ)
- Literal: wives/consorts. Symbolic: associated powers that collaborate with the main force; supportive faculties of the sadhana
- गमन्ति (gamanti)
- Literal: they come. Symbolic: descent/arrival of helpful energies when invoked
- त्वष्टा (tvaṣṭā)
- Literal: the Fashioner, artisan. Symbolic: divine formative intelligence shaping the instruments of nature
- सुपाणिः (su-pāṇiḥ)
- Literal: good-handed, skilful. Symbolic: perfect workmanship in forming inner capacities
- वीरान् (vīrān)
- Literal: heroes. Symbolic: strong soul-powers: courage, steadfast will, victorious energies
Blessing for progeny/strength and right formation; in inner sense, for the fashioning of heroic faculties; fits domestic/saṃskāra resonances though verse is in RV context.
In sequences invoking Tvaṣṭṛ for formation/prosperity; suitable in rites seeking strength, progeny, or right powers (general Vedic use).
Recitation with offering intention: ‘shape in us the needed powers’.
Before learning, training, or life transitions: chant to invoke skilful inner formation and courageous capacities.
‘consort’ extends beyond social marriage to paired powers (devapatnīḥ) in Veda; psychologically, cooperating energies. Tvaṣṭṛ from √tvakṣ/√tvaṣ ‘fashion, form’ (artisan deity). su-pāṇi ‘good-handed’ epithet of skilled crafting. √dhā again ‘place’—implanting vīra (heroic force) in the being.
formation of the instrument by divine intelligence, integration of complementary energies (patnīḥ)
Tvaṣṭṛ’s work is the law of right formation—energies take their true shape under ṛta.
Truth becomes embodied capacity (satya as effective formation).
Creation as craftsmanship: the divine shapes instruments to manifest higher intention.
Integral psychological Vedism: transformation by forming new inner faculties rather than suppressing nature.
Arrival = descent of supportive energies; skilled hands = precise formative action in mind-life-body.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘divine fashioner grants heroes’ motif: Tvaṣṭṛ implants vīra-power. Inwardly, when complementary energies converge, formative intelligence shapes heroic faculties capable of right action in ṛta.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √gam ‘go/come’ is pan-IE. √dhā ‘place’ is PIE *dheh₁-. The artisan-theonym Tvaṣṭṛ reflects an old IE pattern of a ‘fashioner’ deity (comparably, divine smith motifs across IE mythologies).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi asks Tvaṣṭṛ for an internal endowment (vīrān) rather than external goods: the devatā’s gift is the shaping of capacity—strength, courage, and effective powers for the path.
Offer the personality to the ‘inner Artisan’ to shape courage and right capacities.
Anāhata (harmonizing forces)
Slow coherent breathing (5–5) for 3 minutes, then chant with a sense of ‘receiving formation’ on the inhale and ‘setting power’ on the exhale.
Receptive strength; quiet confidence.
Before chanting, name the qualities needed (steadfastness, clarity, courage). While chanting, imagine Tvaṣṭṛ placing these ‘vīras’ as living forces in the heart and will.
Tri-svara chanting; exact udātta marks require RV accent text for 7.34.20.
Keep long vowels sustained (ā in ā, dadhātu); articulate conjuncts: tv in tvaṣṭā, ṣṭ in tvaṣṭā.
tvaṣṭā: pronounce ṣṭ as retroflex cluster, clean and crisp, supāṇiḥ: long ā; final ḥ light, vīrān: long ī; nasal n clear
Warm, formative, steady; less forceful than battle hymns.
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