Rig Veda 7.39.2: Mandala 7, Sukta 39, Mantra 2
Sukta 7.39
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Vāyu and Pūṣan
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace)
प्र वावृजे सुप्रया बर्हिरेषामा विश्पतीव बीरिट इयाते । विशामक्तोरुषसः पूर्वहूतौ वायुः पूषा स्वस्तये नियुत्वान् ॥
prá vāvṛje su-prayā́ bárhir eṣām ā́ viśpátīva bī́riṭa iyāte | viśā́m aktór uṣásaḥ pū́rva-hūtau vāyúḥ pū́ṣā svastáye niyutvā́n ||
यज्ञ के लिए कुश का आसन साफ बिछा दिया है। जैसे दो बड़े लोग आते हैं, वैसे ही यह देवता पक्की जगह पर आते हैं। रात और सुबह के मिलने के वक्त, सबसे पहले वायु और पूषन आते हैं। यह हमारे भले के लिए जुड़ के आते हैं।
Word by Word
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableupasarga (preverb)Root प्र (upasarga)
- वावृजे
- has turned/has set forthVerbPerfect (लिट्), 3rd person singular, ĀtmanepadaRole Kartā (implicit subject = ‘she/it’)Root √वृज् (वृजति/वृञ्जते) "to turn/choose, set in motion" (Vedic)
- सुप्रया
- with good onward course; well-advancingAdjectivefeminine, nominative singular (agreeing with बर्हिः/एषा)Role Viśeṣaṇa (of the subject) / Karaṇa nuanceRoot सु- + प्रया (प्रया < प्र-√इ/√या ‘going, course’; as prātipadika) অথবা ‘good advance/leading’
- बर्हिः
- the sacred grass (barhis)Nounneuter, nominative singularRole Kartā (subject) / also ritual instrumentalityRoot बर्हिस् (prātipadika)
- एषाम्
- of thesePronoungenitive pluralRole Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandhaRoot एतद् (sarvanāman)
- आ
- towards, untoIndeclinableupasarga (preverb)Root आ (upasarga)
- विश्पतीव
- like two lords of the clanNoun + Indeclinableविश्पती: masculine, nominative dual; इव: indeclinableRole Upamā (simile) qualifying the motion/approachRoot विश्पति (viś-páti) ‘lord of the clan/settlement’ + इव
- बीरिट्
- Bīriṭ (a name/epithet)Nounmasculine, nominative singularRole Kartā (subject of इयाते) / appositionRoot बीरिट् (Vedic prātipadika; epithet/name, often taken as a proper/rare word)
- इयाते
- goes, comes, advancesVerbPresent, 3rd person singular, Ātmanepada (Vedic form)Role Kriyā (main verb); Kartā = बीरिट्Root √या (याति) with preverb(s) implied by context
- विशाम्
- of the peoples/clansNounfeminine, genitive pluralRole Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandhaRoot विश् (prātipadika) ‘clan, people’
- अक्तोः
- of the nightNounfeminine, genitive singularRole Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandhaRoot अक्ति (prātipadika) ‘night’ (Vedic; cf. √अञ्ज् ‘to smear’ > ‘darkening’)
- उषसः
- the DawnsNounfeminine, nominative plural (Vedic also allows gen.sg. in some contexts; here taken as nom.pl.)Role Kartā (co-subject with following deities) / or appositionalRoot उषस् (prātipadika)
- पूर्वहूतौ
- at/with the two earlier-invoked (ones)Adjective (compound)dual, locative (or nominative) ending -औ (Vedic dual); here best as locative dual ‘at the earlier-invoked (two)’Role Adhikaraṇa (locative setting) / epithet of the pairRoot पूर्व- + हूत (ppp of √ह्वा/√हू ‘to call, invoke’)
- वायुः
- VāyuNounmasculine, nominative singularRole Kartā (named deity) / appositionRoot वायु (prātipadika)
- पूषा
- PūṣanNounmasculine, nominative singular (Vedic nom.sg. of -an stem: पूषा)Role Kartā (named deity) / appositionRoot पूषन् (prātipadika)
- स्वस्तये
- for well-beingNounfeminine, dative singularRole Sampradāna (purpose/benefit)Root स्वस्ति (prātipadika)
- नियुत्वान्
- having a yoked team; team-possessingAdjectivemasculine, nominative singularRole Viśeṣaṇa (of वायुः) / Kartā-qualifierRoot नियुत्वन्त् (from नियुत् ‘yoking, team’ + -वत् possessive)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (main): वि॒श्पती॑व = विश्पती + इव
- (accent retained as in Saṃhitā). Other items largely already in pada-like form. Note Vedic forms: पूषा is nom.sg. of पूषन्
- नियुत्वान् is nom.sg. masc. of -वत् adjective
- वावृजे is perfect (लिट्) Ātmanepada. Some lexemes (e.g., बीरिट्, अक्तोः, पूर्वहूतौ) are Vedic/rare
- analysis follows standard Vedic morphology
The meaning
Outer meaning
The barhis (sacrificial seat) is spread in good order for them; like two lords of the clan they come to the firm place. For the peoples, at the meeting of Night and Dawn, first-invoked, Vāyu and Pūṣan arrive yoked for our well-being.
Inner meaning
The “barhis” is the prepared field of consciousness—quiet, receptive, rightly ordered—made ready for the descent/arrival of divine powers. “Like two lords of the clan” indicates Vāyu and Pūṣan as governing powers of the inner household: Vāyu as Life-Breath/Prāṇa-force and Pūṣan as the Guide/Nourisher who leads on paths. Their arrival at the junction of Night and Dawn symbolizes the critical transition from obscurity to illumination, where prāṇa and guidance must be invoked first to stabilize the awakening. “niyutvān” (yoked) suggests harnessed energies: regulated breath and directed movement brought for “svastaye” (well-being, wholeness).
Universal truth
Transformation depends on preparing a receptive inner seat and invoking regulated life-force together with right guidance at the threshold moments of change; well-being arises from harnessed energy moving on true paths.
Themes
Invocation, Well-being, Transition (night to dawn), Harnessed energies
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha (Maitrāvaruṇa)
- Other hymns
- RV 7.39.1 (Agni establishes the rite), RV 7.39.3 (broadening the path)
Family tradition
Vasiṣṭha often details the ‘arrival’ (āyāta) of gods as a psychology of descent: the being prepares a seat, then invokes key sustaining powers.
Significance
He emphasizes thresholds (night-dawn) and right preparation (barhis) so the life-force and guidance can safely carry illumination into embodied life.
The deity
- Devata
- Vāyu and Pūṣan
- Epithets
- pūrvahūtau, niyutvān, viśpatīva (like lords of the clan)
- Related deities
- Agni (prepared seat and invocation), Uṣas (illumination), Soma (often associated with Vāyu’s first drink)
Cosmic role
Vāyu: mover of life, carrier of Soma, purifier of the mid-world; Pūṣan: guardian of paths, nourisher, protector of travelers and herds (symbolically, rays/energies).
Inner power
Vāyu: regulated prāṇa that clears and energizes; Pūṣan: guiding intuition that leads safely along inner paths and integrates the journey.
In ritual
Where it is used
Invitation of deities to the barhis; Vāyu often invoked early in Soma rites; Pūṣan for safe passage and well-being
प्र वा॑वृजे सुप्र॒या ब॒र्हिरे॑षा॒मा वि॒श्पती॑व॒ बीरि॑ट इयाते । वि॒शाम॒क्तोरु॒षस॑: पू॒र्वहू॑तौ वा॒युः पू॒षा स्व॒स्तये॑ नि॒युत्वा॑न् ॥
प्र । व॒वृजे॒ । सु॒ऽप्र॒या । ब॒र्हिः । ए॒षा॒म् । आ । वि॒श्पती॑ इ॒वेति वि॒श्पती॑ऽइव । बीरि॑टे । इ॒या॒ते॒ इति॑ । वि॒शाम् । अ॒क्तोः । उ॒षसः॑ । पू॒र्वऽहू॑तौ । वा॒युः । पू॒षा । स्व॒स्तये॑ । नि॒युत्वा॑न् ॥
pra | vavṛje | su-prayā | barhiḥ | eṣām | ā | viśpatīiveti viśpatī-iva | bīriṭe | iyāteiti | viśām | aktoḥ | uṣasaḥ | pūrva-hūtau | vāyuḥ | pūṣā | svastaye | niyutvān
44
4 × ~11
Processional and invitatory; a ‘spreading’ then ‘arrival’ rhythm.
Induces readiness and receptivity; supports breath-awareness and a sense of guided entry into practice.
- बर्हिः (barhiḥ)
- Literal: sacrificial grass/seat. Symbolic: prepared receptive consciousness; inner altar-seat
- सुप्रया (suprayā)
- Literal: well-forwarded/well-ordered. Symbolic: right arrangement of the being for divine reception
- विश्पती (viśpatī)
- Literal: lords of the clan/settlement. Symbolic: governing inner powers that rule and organize life
- बीरिटे (bīriṭe)
- Literal: firm place/seat (secure station). Symbolic: stable foundation in the psyche for descent of forces
- अक्तोः उषसः (aktoḥ uṣasaḥ)
- Literal: of Night and Dawn. Symbolic: transition from ignorance to illumination
- पूर्वहूतौ (pūrvahūtau)
- Literal: first-invoked. Symbolic: primary supports: breath and guidance are invoked before other powers
- वायुः (vāyuḥ)
- Literal: wind. Symbolic: prāṇa, life-breath, vital dynamism purified
- पूषा (pūṣā)
- Literal: Pūṣan, nourisher/guide. Symbolic: inner guide, path-finder, integrator of movement
- स्वस्तये (svastaye)
- Literal: for well-being. Symbolic: wholeness, harmony, right condition for sādhanā
- नियुत्वान् (niyutvān)
- Literal: yoked, harnessed. Symbolic: regulated energies; disciplined prāṇa
Hospitality/āsana preparation (barhis) and early invocation of Vāyu in Soma rites; Pūṣan for safe passage and well-being
At the beginning/transition of offerings, especially around dawn-like junctures in the rite; preparatory invitation verses.
Spreading barhis, inviting Vāyu and Pūṣan to come yoked, establishing auspiciousness (svasti).
Use at the start of pranayama/meditation: ‘spread the inner seat’ (settle posture), invoke regulated breath (Vāyu) and inner guidance (Pūṣan) for safe, wholesome practice.
barhis is the prepared ‘seat’—ritually grass, psychologically the ordered receptivity. svastí ‘well-being’ from su + asti (good + being): not luck but a stable state of right existence. viś-pati ‘lord of the clan’ frames gods as governors of collective life. Vāyu (vital breath) and Pūṣan (nourishing guide) arrive ‘yoked’ (niyut), indicating harnessed energies entering the prepared field.
Svastí as ‘good being’, Prepared receptivity (barhis) as inner discipline, Guidance on paths (Pūṣan)
The well-ordered barhis signifies alignment with ṛta—right arrangement invites right forces.
The ‘firm place’ suggests establishment in truth before movement; guidance (Pūṣan) keeps the journey faithful.
At the junction of night and dawn, forces of life and guidance cooperate to bring forth illumination into the world.
Vedic yoga of descent: preparation (āsana/seat), regulation (prāṇa), guidance (inner buddhi) enabling illumination.
twilight (night-dawn junction)
Night→dawn = ignorance→awakening; wind = prāṇa; path = inner channel of progress; seat = stable awareness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘arrival of the gods at dawn’ mythologem: at the liminal junction of Night and Dawn, the first-invoked vital and guiding powers (Vāyu, Pūṣan) come to the prepared seat—psychologically, breath-force and guidance enter when consciousness turns from obscurity toward illumination.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- svastí (su-asti) parallels Indo-Iranian forms (Avestan hu-sti- ‘good existence’), showing inherited formulaic well-being language. The compound structure is archaic and productive in IE poetic diction.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi prepares the barhis (ordered receptivity) and calls the devatā; Vāyu and Pūṣan reciprocate by arriving ‘yoked’—disciplined energies that stabilize life-force and guide the journey of the rite and the inner ascent.
Prepare the inner ‘seat’ and invite regulated breath and guidance at the threshold of practice.
Mūlādhāra (seat/stability) and Anāhata (prāṇa movement)
Nāḍī-śodhana or simple equal breathing; feel Vāyu ‘yoked’—steady, not forceful.
Settled receptivity with gentle alertness at the ‘dawn’ of awareness.
First establish posture and calm (barhis). Then regulate breath (Vāyu). Finally, inwardly ask for right direction (Pūṣan) before engaging deeper concentration.
Triṣṭubh; emphasize the invitatory flow on ā́… iyāte; keep ‘vāyúḥ pū́ṣā’ clearly articulated with correct accent tradition.
Let the first half be ‘preparatory’ (slightly softer), the arrival names slightly brighter; avoid speeding through compounds (pūrvahūtau, devayānaiḥ in nearby context).
(barhir): final r before vowel may link; keep h audible, (viśpatīva): ś + p; long ī, (aktoḥ): kt cluster crisp; final ḥ, (uṣasaḥ): retroflex ṣ; final ḥ, (pūrvahūtau): long ū; hū; au diphthong, (niyutvān): palatal y; long ān
Soft, welcoming, and steady—breath-synchronized.
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