Rig Veda 7.98.6: Mandala 7, Sukta 98, Mantra 6
Sukta 7.98
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
तवेदं विश्वमभितः पशव्यं यत्पश्यसि चक्षसा सूर्यस्य । गवामसि गोपतिरेक इन्द्र भक्षीमहि ते प्रयतस्य वस्वः ॥
tavédáṃ víśvam abhítaḥ paśavyàṃ yát páśyasi cákṣasā sū́ryasya | gávām asi gopátir éka indra bhakṣīmáhi te práyatasya vásvaḥ ||
यह सब कुछ तुम्हारा है जो तुम सूरज की आँख से देख सकते हो। तुम गायों के एक ही मालिक हो, इंद्र। जो दान दिया जाता है, उसमें हम भी हिस्सा पाएँ।
Word by Word
- तव
- of you / yourPronounषष्ठी (gen.), एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitival relation)Root युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
- इदम्
- thisPronounप्रथमा/द्वितीया (nom./acc.), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्गRole कर्म (with implied ‘is/exists’ or as object in sense)Root इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- विश्वम्
- all, the whole (everything)Adjective (used substantively)प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्गRole कर्म/विषय (the whole, as ‘everything’)Root विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- अभितः
- around, on all sidesIndeclinableअव्ययRole अधिकरण (circumstantial: ‘around/on all sides’)Root अभितः (अव्यय)
- पशव्यम्
- rich in cattle, abounding in livestockAdjectiveप्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्गRole विशेषण (qualifier of ‘विश्वम्/इदम्’)Root पशव्य (प्रातिपदिक) < पशु
- यत्
- which, that whichRelative pronounप्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्गRole सम्बन्ध/अन्वय (relative: ‘that which’)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- पश्यसि
- you seeVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot √पश् (दर्शने)
- चक्षसा
- with (your) sight/eyeNounतृतीया (instr.), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्गRole करणRoot चक्षस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- सूर्यस्य
- of the SunNounषष्ठी (gen.), एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्गRole सम्बन्ध (genitival: ‘of the Sun’)Root सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- गवाम्
- of cows / of cattleNounषष्ठी (gen.), बहुवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्ग (वैदिके ‘गो’ सामान्यतः स्त्री)Role सम्बन्धRoot गो (प्रातिपदिक)
- असि
- you areVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot √अस् (भुवि)
- गोपतिः
- lord/guardian of cattleNounप्रथमा (nom.), एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्गRole कर्तृ/विशेष्य (predicate nominative)Root गोपति (प्रातिपदिक) = गो + पति
- एकः
- alone, uniqueAdjectiveप्रथमा, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्गRole विशेषण (of ‘गोपतिः’)Root एक (प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNoun (vocative)सम्बोधन (voc.), एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्गRole सम्बोधनRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- भक्षीमहि
- may we partake/eat/enjoyVerbलिङ् (विधिलिङ्/आशीर्लिङ्-प्रयोगः: ‘may we’), आत्मनेपद, उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot √भक्ष् (भक्षणे)
- ते
- of you / yourPronounषष्ठी (gen.), एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
- प्रयतस्य
- of the prepared/ordered (one); of the well-directedAdjective (participial)षष्ठी (gen.), एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (here agreeing with ‘वसुः/वस्वः’ gen. sg.)Role विशेषण (of ‘वस्वः’)Root प्र-√यम् (यमे) → प्रयत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, ‘restrained/controlled; prepared’)
- वस्वः
- of wealth, of treasureNounषष्ठी (gen.), एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्गRole सम्बन्ध (genitival: ‘of wealth/treasure’)Root वसु (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: तव | इदम् | विश्वम् | अभितः | पशव्यम् | यत् | पश्यसि | चक्षसा | सूर्यस्य || गवाम् | असि | गोपतिः | एकः | इन्द्र | भक्षीमहि | ते | प्रयतस्य | वस्वः || प्रमुख-सन्धयः: (1) तव + इदम् → तवेदम् (स्वर-सन्धि/स्वर-समासः)
- (2) यत् + पश्यसि → यत्पश्यसि (व्यञ्जन-सन्धि: त् + प → त्प)
- अन्यत्र पदसीमा पर विरामः।
The meaning
Outer meaning
All this around is your wealth of living beings/powers, whatever you see with the Sun’s eye. You are the one lord and protector of the cows (rays), Indra; may we partake of the riches you rightly bestow.
Inner meaning
Indra’s domain is the full field of energies (paśavyaṃ)—not ‘cattle’ but living powers of the being. He sees with the Sun’s eye: the luminous discernment of truth-consciousness (Sūrya-cakṣus) that surveys and orders the whole nature. Indra is ‘gopati’—lord of the Rays of knowledge (go), guarding and releasing them from obscurity. The prayer to ‘partake’ asks that our offering and aspiration (prayata) receive rightly directed inner riches (vasu): clarity, strength, and illumined energies.
Universal truth
When perception is aligned with truth (the Sun’s eye), life-energies become a wealth rather than a chaos; knowledge is protected and shared as a living nourishment.
Themes
nature-symbolism to psychological meaning, wealth as spiritual plenitude, light-knowledge (cows), Indra as protector
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha gotra
- Other hymns
- RV 7.60, RV 7.62, RV 7.86
Family tradition
Vasiṣṭha often links Indra with Sūrya-like seeing and with the protection/release of the ‘cows’ as illuminations.
Significance
This verse shows a mature yogic economy: all energies are Indra’s wealth when governed by truth-seeing; the seer prays not for random gain but for ‘prayata’ (rightly directed) riches.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Gopati (lord of the cows/rays), Maghavā (giver of wealth), Vṛtrahan (implied: releases rays)
- Related deities
- Sūrya, Uṣas (illumination, implicit), Agni (sacrificial will, implicit)
Cosmic role
Sovereign who governs the dynamic worlds and releases the light-radiances for gods and men.
Inner power
Illumined governance of the life-forces; protector of knowledge-rays; distributor of rightly ordered wealth of being.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra praise for wealth/protection; compatible with offerings for prosperity and right governance
तवे॒दं विश्व॑म॒भित॑: पश॒व्यं१॒॑ यत्पश्य॑सि॒ चक्ष॑सा॒ सूर्य॑स्य । गवा॑मसि॒ गोप॑ति॒रेक॑ इन्द्र भक्षी॒महि॑ ते॒ प्रय॑तस्य॒ वस्व॑: ॥
तव॑ । इ॒दम् । विश्व॑म् । अ॒भितः॑ । प॒श॒व्य॑म् । यत् । पश्य॑सि । चक्ष॑सा । सूर्य॑स्य । गवा॑म् । अ॒सि॒ । गोऽप॑तिः । एकः॑ । इ॒न्द्र॒ । भ॒क्षी॒महि॑ । ते॒ । प्रऽय॑तस्य । वस्वः॑ ॥
tava | idam | viśvam | abhitaḥ | paśavyam | yat | paśyasi | cakṣasā | sūryasya | gavām | asi | go--patiḥ | ekaḥ | indra | bhakṣīmahi | te | pra-yatasya | vasvaḥ
44
4 × ~11
Majestic and surveying; a broad, seeing rhythm with a devotional petition at the close.
Induces spacious oversight and calm authority over energies; settles into grateful receptivity.
- पशव्यं (paśavyam)
- Literal: abounding in living creatures/wealth. Symbolic: field of energies and capacities in the being
- चक्षसा सूर्यस्य (cakṣasā sūryasya)
- Literal: with the eye of the Sun. Symbolic: truth-seeing discernment; illumined perception
- गवाम् (gavām)
- Literal: of cows. Symbolic: rays of light/knowledge, illuminations
- गोपतिः (gopatiḥ)
- Literal: lord/protector of cows. Symbolic: guardian and distributor of illuminations
- एकः (ekaḥ)
- Literal: one, sole. Symbolic: central sovereign power of illumined mind in this function
- प्रयतस्य (prayatasya)
- Literal: of the offered/controlled/extended. Symbolic: rightly directed effort and consecrated offering of the seeker
- वस्वः (vasvaḥ)
- Literal: riches, goods. Symbolic: inner wealth: force, clarity, joy, right movement
Invocation for prosperity and protection of ‘cows’ (rays/wealth) under Indra’s guardianship; suited to Soma-day praise and to prayers for increase (rayi/vasu).
In Indra-related recitations seeking protection of ‘cows/wealth’ and right distribution of gifts.
Stuti + request to share in consecrated riches.
Use for ‘energy management’: before work, ask for Sun-eyed clarity and protection of inner ‘rays’ (ideas, insights) from distraction.
paśavyam: from paśu ‘living creature’—outer cattle; inner ‘vital energies/fruitful powers’. go-pati: go ‘cow/ray’ + pati ‘lord’; go from √gam/√gā? (complex Vedic semantics), but RV symbolism strongly associates ‘cows’ with lights/knowledges recovered. cakṣasā sūryasya: ‘by the Sun’s seeing’—Sūrya as truth-vision (√cakṣ ‘see’, PIE *kʷekʷ- / *sekʷ- semantic parallels of seeing). vasu: ‘good, wealth’—not coin but ‘substance of felicity’.
knowledge as light (go = rays), divine guardianship (gopati) of illuminations, rightly-directed offering (prayata) aligning with R̥ta
Seeing with the Sun’s eye is seeing according to ṛta; wealth becomes ordered movement rather than accumulation.
Sūrya-cakṣus symbolizes satya-dṛṣṭi—truth-vision.
World as a field of powers (‘paśavyaṃ’) to be governed by luminous sovereignty.
Integral-Vedic psychology: energies are not rejected but illumined and mastered.
day (implied by Sūrya’s eye)
Sun = truth-consciousness; cows = illuminations; wealth of creatures = manifold energies of nature around the self.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘cows/rays’ under Indra’s lordship: Indra as gopati who guards the illuminations. Psychologically, the illumined force protects and orders the inner lights (insights) seen by truth-vision (Sūrya’s eye), enabling the seeker to ‘partake’ of rightly-directed riches (vasu).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The cattle/wealth lexicon (paśu, vasu) is deeply Indo-European in poetic economy; ‘wealth’ is expressed via living goods. The semantic bridge from ‘fame/hearing’ (śravas earlier) and ‘wealth’ (vasu) reflects shared IE hymn topoi: victory yields both renown and goods—reinterpretable inwardly as capacities and felicities.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The ṛṣi recognizes Indra’s sovereign vision and guardianship (‘whatever thou seest with the Sun’s eye’) and requests participation (bhakṣīmáhi) in Indra’s rightly ordered treasures. The exchange is alignment with truth-vision and then reception of inner plenitudes.
Rest attention in the ‘Sun’s eye’—a clear witnessing awareness—then invite Indra to guard and gather scattered rays (insights) into a coherent light.
Ājñā (sun-eye)
Slow 4-6 breathing; on inhale feel ‘Sūrya-cakṣus’ brighten; on exhale chant ‘gavām asi gopatir eka indra’.
Witnessing clarity and gentle mastery.
After chanting, list (mentally) your ‘living powers’ (speech, attention, desire, drive). Offer them to be governed by truth-seeing; end with a simple resolve to use one ‘vasu’ rightly today.
Maintain steady udatta peaks on víśvam, paśyasi, sū́ryasya, gavā́m, gopatiḥ, índra; keep enclitics light.
Let the seeing line expand: ‘yat paśyasi cakṣasā sūryasya’; then firm the identity: ‘gavām asi gopatir eka indra’.
‘paśavyam’: ś (palatal) clear; avoid retroflex ṣ., ‘sūryasya’: long ū; ry cluster crisp., ‘gopatiḥ’: short o; final ḥ light., ‘bhakṣīmahi’: kṣ as k+ṣ; long ī.
Broad, even, luminous; slightly nasal resonance can help steadiness.
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