Rig Veda 7.91.3: Mandala 7, Sukta 91, Mantra 3
Sukta 7.91
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Vāyu
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
पीवोअन्नाँ रयिवृधः सुमेधाः श्वेतः सिषक्ति नियुतामभिश्रीः । ते वायवे समनसो वि तस्थुर्विश्वेन्नरः स्वपत्यानि चक्रुः ॥
pī́vo-annā́n rayivṛ́dhaḥ sumedhā́ḥ śvétáḥ siṣakti niyútām abhiśrī́ḥ | té vāyáve sámanaso ví tasthur víśven nárāḥ svapatyā́ni cakruḥ ||
यह लोग खाने में धनवान हैं और दूसरों को भी बढ़ाते हैं। उनकी समझ में दम है। चमक उनकी ताकत से जुड़ी है। वायु के लिए यह सब एक मन से खड़े हैं। इन लोगों ने अपना काम और अपनी ज़िन्दगी सही बनायी है।
Word by Word
- पीवः
- rich, abundantAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole Kartā (सम्बन्धेन विशेषणम्) / विषय-विशेषणRoot पीवस्- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘fat, rich, abundant’)
- अन्नान्
- foods, provisionsNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot अन्न- (प्रातिपदिक)
- रयिवृधः
- increasing wealthAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole Kartā (सम्बन्धेन विशेषणम्)Root रयि-वृध- (बहुव्रीहि/तत्पुरुष; ‘wealth-increasing’)
- सुमेधाः
- wise, of good insightAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole Kartā (सम्बन्धेन विशेषणम्)Root सु-मेधस्- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘good-witted, wise’)
- श्वेतः
- white, brightAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole Kartā (सम्बन्धेन विशेषणम्)Root श्वेत- (प्रातिपदिक)
- सिषक्ति
- attaches, yokes, joinsVerbलट् (वर्तमान); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचनRole KriyāRoot सञ्ज्/सज् (धातु; ‘to attach, yoke, join’) → सिषक्ति (वेद. पुनरुक्त/इंटेन्सिव्-प्रयोगः)
- नियुताम्
- teams (of steeds), yokesNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot नियुत्- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘yoking, team, pair’; here ‘teams/harnessings’)
- अभिश्रीः
- (with) splendour, gloryNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole Kartā (सम्बन्धेन/सहचर्येण) / सहभावRoot अभि-श्री- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘splendour, glory’ with अभि-)
- ते
- theyPronounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole KartāRoot तद् (सर्वनाम)
- वायवे
- to/for VāyuNoun (deity name)पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी; एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot वायु- (प्रातिपदिक)
- समनसः
- like-mindedAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole Kartā (सम्बन्धेन विशेषणम्)Root स-मनस्- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘of one mind, like-minded’)
- वि
- apart, forthIndeclinableउपसर्गः (क्रियाविशेषणम्)Role Kriyā-viśeṣaṇaRoot वि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- तस्थुः
- they stood, took their stationsVerbलिट् (परिपूर्ण/परफेक्ट); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; बहुवचनRole KriyāRoot स्था (धातु) → तस्थुः (परिपूर्ण/परफेक्ट)
- विश्वे
- allAdjective (substantivized)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole Kartā (सम्बन्धेन विशेषणम्)Root विश्व- (प्रातिपदिक)
- नरः
- men, heroesNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole KartāRoot नर- (प्रातिपदिक)
- स्वपत्यानि
- their own possessions/household goodsNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot स्व-पत्य- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘one’s own lordship/offspring/household’; neut. pl. as ‘one’s own possessions/household goods’)
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चयार्थकRole SamuccayaRoot च (अव्यय)
- चक्रुः
- they made, fashionedVerbलिट् (परिपूर्ण/परफेक्ट); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; बहुवचनRole KriyāRoot कृ (धातु) → चक्रुः (परिपूर्ण/परफेक्ट)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धिविच्छेद): पीवो॑अन्नाँ → पीवः + अन्नान् (विसर्ग-सन्धिः: अकारादौ ‘ः’ → ‘ो’)
- रयि॒वृध॑: → रयिवृधः (विसर्गः पदान्ते)
- नि॒युता॑मभि॒श्रीः → नियुताम् + अभिश्रीः (म् + अ → म्-अ, संहितायां ‘म’ परे ‘अ’)
- ते वा॒यवे॒ → ते + वायवे (सन्धिरहितं)
- सम॑नसो॒ वि त॑स्थुः → समनसः + वि + तस्थुः
- विश्वेन्नर॑: → विश्वे + नरः (ए + न → एन्, ‘ए’ परे ‘न’ आगमे ‘एन्’)
- स्वप॒त्यानि॑ → स्वपत्यानि (सन्धिरहितं)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The well-nourished, wealth-increasing, wise ones: white splendour attaches itself to the yoked teams. For Vāyu they stand firm with one intention; these men accomplish all works of good mastery and rightful possession.
Inner meaning
When the inner seekers become “well-fed” by the substance of the sacrifice (right energies and right enjoyment), their understanding grows luminous (su-medhāḥ). Then the śveta abhiśrīḥ—white, purifying radiance—spontaneously clings to the niyutām, the disciplined yoked life-forces. Standing “for Vāyu” means the whole being is poised in the movement of prāṇa and the Vast (vāta/vāyu), harmonised and made unanimous (samanasaḥ). Out of that unanimity arises svapatya: true self-rule—an ordered mastery of thought, life, and act.
Universal truth
Purity and inner unanimity make energy obedient to the soul’s intention; when the vital is rightly yoked, a natural radiance forms around action, and life becomes capable of true self-governance rather than compulsion.
Themes
Purification, Yoking of energies, Self-mastery, Increase of plenitude, Vayu dynamics
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha-gotra
- Other hymns
- RV 7.18 (Vasiṣṭha and Indra), RV 7.33 (Vasiṣṭha, the rivers, and the forward movement), RV 7.76–7.77 (Uṣas: illumination and awakening themes)
Family tradition
Vasiṣṭhāḥ of Maṇḍala 7; hymns stressing ṛta (right order), inner harmony, and the shaping of a truthful life-force.
Significance
Vasiṣṭha represents the seer of settled clarity and right arrangement (vasiṣṭha = ‘most excellent’), guiding the transformation of vital energies into instruments of ṛta through luminous intelligence and harmony.
The deity
- Devata
- Vāyu
- Epithets
- Śuci-pā (pure-drinker, in the Indra–Vāyu cycle), Niyutvān (possessor of yoked teams), Prāṇa (life-breath, implicit)
- Related deities
- Indra (illumined mind), Agni (divine will), Soma (bliss/nectar)
Cosmic role
Mover of the worlds; distributor of breath and dynamic currents; swift carrier of offerings to the gods.
Inner power
Regulates and uplifts prāṇa—turning restless vital motion into a clear, obedient, upward-flowing force that supports illumination and right action.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra–Vāyu offerings in Soma-yajña (e.g., morning pressing context)
पीवो॑अन्नाँ रयि॒वृध॑: सुमे॒धाः श्वे॒तः सि॑षक्ति नि॒युता॑मभि॒श्रीः । ते वा॒यवे॒ सम॑नसो॒ वि त॑स्थु॒र्विश्वेन्नर॑: स्वप॒त्यानि॑ चक्रुः ॥
पीवः॑ऽअन्नान् । र॒यि॒ऽवृधः॑ । सु॒ऽमे॒धाः । श्वे॒तः । सि॒ष॒क्ति॒ । नि॒ऽयुता॑म् । अ॒भि॒ऽश्रीः । ते । वा॒यवे॑ । सऽम॑नसः । वि । त॒स्थुः॒ । विश्वा॑ । इत् । नरः॑ । सु॒ऽअ॒प॒त्यानि॑ । च॒क्रुः॒ ॥
pīvaḥ-annān | rayi-vṛdhaḥ | su-medhāḥ | śvetaḥ | siṣakti | ni-yutām | abhi-śrīḥ | te | vāyave | sa-manasaḥ | vi | tasthuḥ | viśvā | it | naraḥ | su-apatyāni | cakruḥ
44
4 pādas of ~11 syllables each (triṣṭubh cadence with strong mid-line caesura)
Firm, forward-driving, suited to invocation and establishing a stance (vi tasthur).
Creates steadiness and unanimity; the listener feels ‘yoked’ and collected, with a brightening clarity around the breath-current.
- पीवः (pīvaḥ)
- Literal: fat, full, well-nourished. Symbolic: inner being nourished by right substance (soma/anna) and steady practice
- अन्न (anna)
- Literal: food. Symbolic: substance of experience offered and transmuted into strength
- रयिवृधः (rayivṛdhaḥ)
- Literal: increasers of wealth/plenitude. Symbolic: powers that enlarge consciousness and its fruitful capacities
- सुमेधाः (sumedhāḥ)
- Literal: good in understanding. Symbolic: clear discerning intelligence aligned to the Truth
- श्वेत (śveta)
- Literal: white, bright. Symbolic: purifying light; sattvic radiance
- अभिश्रीः (abhiśrīḥ)
- Literal: surrounding splendour/beauty. Symbolic: aura of harmony and luminous order around the yoked energies
- नियुत् (niyut)
- Literal: yoked team (esp. of Vāyu). Symbolic: disciplined life-forces/prāṇic currents brought under conscious yoking
- वायवे (vāyave)
- Literal: to Vāyu. Symbolic: to the Power of Life-breath and the Vast; the mover of inner currents
- समनसः (samanasaḥ)
- Literal: of one mind. Symbolic: integrated will—thought, feeling, and life consenting to one aim
- स्वपत्य (svapatya)
- Literal: good lordship/own mastery. Symbolic: self-possession; sovereignty of the soul over nature
Soma hymn: describing the formation of harmonized energies (niyut) and the arising of luminous splendor as prerequisites for divine enjoyment and boons
During Soma pressing sequences where Indra–Vāyu/Vāyu are invited to drink and empower the rite
Invocatory recitation while offering Soma and seating the deities on barhis (ritual grass/seat)
Breath-centered recitation before meditation to unify mind and prāṇa; use as a ‘yoking’ mantra before focused work or sādhanā.
pīva ‘fat, swelling’ → abundance; anná ‘food’ inwardly as ‘nourishment of force’. rayi-vṛdh from rāyí + √vṛdh ‘increase’ = growth of plenitude. sumedhā from su- + medhā (intelligence, from √medh/√man semantic field). siṣakti likely from √saj ‘cling, attach’ (cf. saktá). √sthā (tasthur) from PIE *steh₂- ‘stand’. √kṛ (cakruḥ) from PIE *kwer- ‘do, make’. svapatya (su-patya) is ‘good lordship’—psychologically self-mastery and right governance of one’s energies.
harmonized mind (samanas), self-mastery (svapatya), plenitude (rayi) through right ordering of energies
Unanimous standing (samanasaḥ vi tasthur) expresses the alignment of inner movements to ṛta.
svapatya implies truthful self-possession—actions proceeding from the soul’s truth rather than desire.
Ordering of the many forces into a single consenting movement; emergence of light (śveta) from disciplined energy.
Proto-Vedāntic / integral-psychological reading (Aurobindo): gods as powers of consciousness and transformation.
morning (typical Indra–Vāyu/Soma association)
Breath-current purified and yoked, producing a stable luminous aura and effective self-mastery.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘white splendor’ attaching to the yoked niyuts: a mythic sign that when the life-energies are disciplined and harmonized, luminous glory naturally adheres. The human agents (naraḥ) then ‘make’ svapatya—right lordship—i.e., inner sovereignty.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- tasthur < PIE *steh₂- ‘stand’; cakruḥ < PIE *kwer- ‘make/do’. The verse uses inherited IE perfect forms to mark accomplished inner states: ‘they have stood’ (stability) and ‘they have made’ (effective formation).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi shows the human side of the reciprocity: harmonized seekers establish themselves for Vāyu (life-force) and accomplish self-mastery; the devata’s response is the adhesion of śveta-abhiśrī (purified splendor) to their yoked energies—confirming the rite’s inner success.
Unify mind and breath; yoke scattered vital energies to a single intention aligned with truth.
Anāhata (breath harmony) and Ājñā (unanimity of will and vision)
Nādī-śodhana or gentle sama-vṛtti; feel the ‘white radiance’ settling around the breath after exhale.
Collected, luminous, governed (self-possessed) vitality.
Chant slowly for steadiness; then sit and observe prāṇa becoming smooth and obedient. Offer one habitual impulse into the ‘inner sacrifice’ and replace it with a chosen truthful action.
Vedic accenting with udatta on marked syllables; observe svarita on combined accents per śākhā tradition (audio-lineage dependent).
Keep each pāda clearly separated; emphasize the lift on key words (śvetaḥ, niyutām, vāyave, samanaso).
Maintain retroflex ṭh in (tasthuḥ) with clear aspiration, Hold nasalization in (annām̐) lightly, not as a full ‘n’, Pronounce niyutām with short ‘ni-’ and clear ‘yu’ glide
Clear, steady, slightly bright timbre to evoke śveta (purity).
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