Rig Veda 8.72.6: Mandala 8, Sukta 72, Mantra 6
Sukta 8.72
- Devata
- Implied moving divine power
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
उतो न्वस्य यन्महदश्वावद्योजनं बृहद् । दामा रथस्य ददृशे ॥
utó nv asya yán mahád aśvā́vad yójanaṃ bṛhád | dā́mā ráthasya dadṛ́śe ||
उसकी सवारी बहुत बड़ी है। घोड़ा गाड़ी चलाता है, और उसका रास्ता बहुत लंबा है। गाड़ी की रस्सी साफ दिखती है। सब कुछ ठीक से जुड़ा है, सब काम कर रहा है।
Word by Word
- उतो
- and also; moreoverIndeclinableसमुच्चय/अन्वादेशार्थक अव्ययRoot उ (उत) अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक
- नु
- now; indeedIndeclinableनिपात (प्रयोगे ‘now/indeed’)Root नु (अव्यय)
- अस्य
- of him/thisPronounपुं/नपुं, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- यत्
- that whichPronounनपुंसक, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (सम्बन्धवाचक)Root यद् (सम्बन्ध/यत्-प्रातिपदिक)
- महत्
- greatAdjectiveनपुंसक, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनRole विशेषण (यत्-शब्दस्य)Root मह् (विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक: महत्)
- अश्वावत्
- having horses; horse-possessingAdjectiveनपुंसक, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनRole विशेषण (यत्/महत्-सम्बद्धम्)Root अश्व (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (मतुप्-प्रत्यय)
- योजनम्
- yoking; team; harnessing (equipment)Nounनपुंसक, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म/विषय (ददृशे इत्यस्य—‘appeared as/was seen as’)Root युज् (धातु) → योजन (कृदन्त/नामधातु-निर्मित प्रातिपदिक)
- बृहत्
- lofty; vastAdjectiveनपुंसक, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनRole विशेषण (योजनम्-शब्दस्य)Root बृह् (विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक: बृहत्)
- दामा
- strap; band; reinNounनपुंसक, प्रथमा, एकवचन (वैदिक रूप: दामा < दाम)Role कर्तृ (ददृशे—‘the strap appeared/was seen’)Root दामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- रथस्य
- of the chariotNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
- ददृशे
- was seen; appearedVerbलिट् (परफेक्ट), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot दृश् (धातु) — परस्मै/आत्मनेपद परिपूर्ण (परफेक्ट)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: उतो नु अस्य यत् महत् अश्वावत् योजनम् बृहत् । दामा रथस्य ददृशे ॥ 1) न्वस्य = नु + अस्य (उकारस्य वकारादेशः/संयोगः: नु + अ… → न्व…)
- 2) महदश्वावत् = महत् + अश्वावत् (त् + अ → द + अ, वैदिक संधि/स्वरसंयोगे ‘महत्’ → ‘महद्’)
- 3) अश्वावद्योजनम् = अश्वावत् + योजनम् (त् + य → द्य, व्यञ्जनसंधि)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The verse marvels at the greatness of “his” horse-borne course (the chariot’s movement): the yoking is vast, and the binding strap of the chariot is visibly set—an image of ordered harnessing and effective motion.
Inner meaning
The “horse-borne course” is the soul’s dynamic advance when the life-force (aśva) is taken up by a higher Power and yoked (yojanam) to the divine intention. The “strap/band” (dāmā) that is “seen” signifies an inner law of right connection: the energies of action are not left to impulsive wandering but are held in a luminous discipline. The seer indicates a perceptible moment in sādhanā when one actually observes the governance of movement—vital force becoming an instrument rather than a master.
Universal truth
True progress is not mere speed but right harnessing: when power is bound to purpose, motion becomes a conscious vehicle of the Spirit. Inner freedom arrives through inner order, not through unregulated force.
Themes
divine movement, yoking and order, vastness, manifestation
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 8.72.1-10 (same sūkta context)
Significance
The anonymous seer-type here represents a recurring Vedic yogic voice: the emphasis is on observable inner mechanics—how divine force harnesses the vital and makes the journey effective.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra (implied as the dynamic divine Power of victorious movement; chariot imagery often serves Indra in Book 8)
- Epithets
- rathī (charioteer, implied), vṛtrahan (slayer of the Coverer, contextual), maghavan (giver of plenitude, contextual)
- Related deities
- Agni, Soma, Maruts, Uṣas
Cosmic role
Releases and directs the powers of Light; leads the forward march of consciousness against obstruction.
Inner power
Illuminated force of the mind that can seize the life-energy and yoke it to truth-directed action.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-related Soma offering / praise in the Soma-yajña setting (general)
उ॒तो न्व॑स्य॒ यन्म॒हदश्वा॑व॒द्योज॑नं बृ॒हद् । दा॒मा रथ॑स्य॒ ददृ॑शे ॥
उ॒तो इति॑ । नु । अ॒स्य॒ । यत् । म॒हत् । अश्व॑ऽवत् । योज॑नम् । बृ॒हत् । दा॒मा । रथ॑स्य । ददृ॑शे ॥
uto iti | nu | asya | yat | mahat | aśva-vat | yojanam | bṛhat | dāmā | rathasya | dadṛśe
Likely Triṣṭubh (common in Indra hymns of Book 8)
44
4 pādas x ~11 syllables (probable)
Driving, expansive cadence suited to images of yoking and forward motion.
Builds a felt sense of gathered power and controlled propulsion—useful for concentrating scattered energies.
- अश्ववत् (aśva-vat)
- Literal: having horses; horse-borne. Symbolic: vital energies and powers of action carried by prāṇa, made swift for the journey
- योजनम् (yojanam)
- Literal: yoking; joining; harnessing. Symbolic: linking lower energies to higher will; integration of parts of the being
- बृहत् (bṛhat)
- Literal: vast; wide. Symbolic: expansive consciousness that can contain and direct power
- दामा (dāmā)
- Literal: strap; band; rein. Symbolic: inner restraint and right law (niyama) that holds energies to the divine aim
- रथ (ratha)
- Literal: chariot. Symbolic: the embodied system (mind-life-body) as vehicle of the indwelling consciousness
- ददृशे (dadṛśe)
- Literal: is seen; has appeared. Symbolic: a stage of direct inner perception—governance becomes experientially evident
Descriptive praise of the deity’s ordered movement (yoking, chariot-band); supports contemplative visualization of the god’s dynamic approach in the rite.
During Indra stotras/śastras around Soma pressing and offering; also as praise before undertaking action
Recitation to invoke right-directed force and successful ‘yoking’ of powers
Before work/decision-making: brief japa to align motivation (aśva) with intention (yojanam) and self-discipline (dāmā).
aśva ‘horse’ symbolizes dynamic energies. yojana from √yuj ‘yoke, join’ (PIE *yeug-). bṛhat ‘vast’ is a key Vedic term (bṛhat as wideness of consciousness). dāmán ‘band’ relates to binding (cf. √dā ‘bind’ in some analyses; lexical dāmā ‘cord’). ratha ‘chariot’ as vehicle of the god’s movement. √dṛś ‘see’ gives dadṛśe (perfect middle/passive sense ‘has appeared/is seen’).
Bṛhat (the Vast), Ordered joining (yojana) as Ṛta in motion
The visible ‘strap’ signifies ṛta as an inner law binding energies to the true course.
Truth is not abstract: it appears as correct relation among parts of the being.
Ordering of chaotic motion into a coherent advance—cosmos from impulsion.
Proto-Vedāntic / integral yogic reading (Aurobindo-Kashyap style): ascent through harmonized instruments.
The ‘journey’ is the evolutionary movement of consciousness; reins are self-mastery under a higher Light.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The chariot-yoking mythologem: divine power advances through an ordered harnessing of energies (aśva-vat yojanam). The visible ‘band’ (dāmā) indicates Ṛta made perceptible—order binding movement so it can carry consciousness into the Vast (bṛhat).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- yojana (√yuj) reflects PIE *yeug- ‘yoke’ (Latin iugum, English yoke), a hallmark IE cultural-poetic motif (yoking horses/chariot). ratha/chariot imagery is also pan-IE in heroic and sacral poetry.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer witnesses (dadṛśe) the deity’s ordering principle: he reads the signs of harnessed movement as a revelation of how the divine force operates—by binding and coordinating energies—inviting the aspirant to mirror that order inwardly.
Observe and ‘see’ the inner reins: where life-energy pulls, and how it can be yoked to the higher aim.
maṇipūra (will/force) with support from ājñā (governing insight)
Moderate nāḍī-śodhana (6–6) before chanting to steady the ‘horses’; then natural breath during recitation.
Collected dynamic poise—calm power under guidance.
Bring to mind one scattered impulse; on ‘yojanam’ inwardly offer it upward; on ‘dāmā’ feel a gentle but firm restraint establishing right direction.
Use the Rigvedic three-tone framework (udātta/anudātta/svarita) as per śākhā tradition; exact svara per word requires pada-svara notation not provided.
Keep a clear lift on likely udātta syllables; avoid flattening compounds (aśva-vat, pari-jmānam style). Maintain caesura after the first pāda bar.
aśvavat: keep ś as palatal fricative (not s), yojanam: short o, clear j, bṛhat: vocalic ṛ, not ri, dāmā: long ā in both syllables, dadṛśe: vocalic ṛ, retroflex ḍ in Vedic recitation traditions may vary; keep d’s dental unless trained otherwise
Firm, forward-leaning, but controlled; ‘reined power’ rather than loudness.
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