Rig Veda 4.35.8: Mandala 4, Sukta 35, Mantra 8
Sukta 4.35
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Devata
- Ṛbhus as newly divine/immortal
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
ये देवासो अभवता सुकृत्या श्येना इवेदधि दिवि निषेद । ते रत्नं धात शवसो नपातः सौधन्वना अभवतामृतासः ॥
yé devā́so ábhavatā sukṛtyā́ śyenā́ ivéd ádhi diví niṣédá | té rátnam dhāta śaváso napātaḥ saudhánvanā ábhavatāmṛ́tāsaḥ ||
Kalian yang dengan kesempurnaan yang benar menjadi para dewa, bagaikan elang kalian mengambil tempat duduk di langit. Maka tetapkanlah ratna (harta suci) itu, wahai putra-putra Kekuatan, wahai Saudhanvana; jadilah bagi kami daya-daya yang tak-mati—menegakkan dalam insan perolehan yang abadi.
Word by Word
- ये
- who (those who)Pronounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- देवासः
- the godsNounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- अभवत
- became / came to beVerbलङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनम्Role (क्रिया)Root भू (धातु) + अभि-
- सुकृत्या
- by good deed / through good performanceNoun (abstract) / Adjective (used substantively)स्त्रीलिङ्गे तृतीया एकवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot सु-कृत्य (प्रातिपदिक; सु + कृत्य)
- श्येनाः
- hawks, falconsNounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot श्येन (प्रातिपदिक)
- इव
- like, asIndeclinableअव्ययम्Role (उपमान)Root इव (निपात)
- एदधि
- indeed, right upon / thereuponIndeclinable (particle group)अव्ययम्Role (सम्बन्ध/उपपद)Root इद्/एद् (निपात-प्रातिपदिक; emphatic particle) + अधि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- दिवि
- in heaven, in the skyNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे सप्तमी एकवचनम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot द्यौ/दिव् (प्रातिपदिक)
- निषेदुः
- sat down, took their seatVerbलिट् (परोक्शभूत/परफेक्ट), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचनम्Role (क्रिया)Root सद् (धातु) + नि-
- ते
- theyPronounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- रत्नम्
- treasure, precious giftNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot रत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
- धात
- place! bestow!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचनम् (वैदिक रूप: धात = धेहि/धत्तात्-समकक्ष) अथवा injunctive-आदेशार्थ प्रयोगRole (क्रिया)Root धा (धातु)
- शवसः
- of might, of strengthNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे षष्ठी एकवचनम्Role (सम्बन्ध)Root शवस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- नपातः
- O descendants/sons (O offspring)Nounपुंलिङ्गे सम्बोधन बहुवचनम् (हे नपातः)Role Sampradāna (सम्बोधन/आह्वान)Root नपात् (प्रातिपदिक)
- सौधन्वनाः
- good-archers / well-armedAdjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot सु-धन्वन् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘having good bow/weapon’ or ‘good archer’)
- अभवत
- became / came to beVerbलङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनम्Role (क्रिया)Root भू (धातु) + अभि-
- अमृतासः
- immortal onesAdjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot अमृत (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सम्भाव्य): ये देवासो अभवत सुकृत्या श्येना इव एदधि दिवि निषेदुः । ते रत्नं धात शवसो नपातः सौधन्वनाः अभवत अमृतासः ॥ 1) देवासो = देवासः (पदपाठ-रूप)
- 2) इवेदधि = इव + एदधि (इव + एद्/इद्-निपात + अधि; संहिता में ‘इवेदधि’)
- 3) निषेद = नि + सद् (लिट् 3pl निषेदुः)
- 4) नपातः = सम्बोधन बहुवचन (वैदिक)
- 5) अभवत (एकवचन) का प्रयोग बहुवचन कर्तृ (देवासः/श्येनाः/सौधन्वनाः/अमृतासः) के साथ वैदिक सामूहिक/समष्टि-प्रयोग (collective singular) के रूप में समझा जा सकता है।
The meaning
Outer meaning
You who by perfect action became gods; like falcons you took your seat in heaven. Therefore set the treasure, O offspring of Force, O Saudhanvanas; become for us the immortals.
Inner meaning
The Ṛbhus are a paradigm: through sukṛtyā—exact, luminous work—they ascend from human limitation to divine status. ‘Like falcons’ indicates the swift flight of concentrated consciousness that reaches and perches in the higher mind (divi). From that height they can ‘set the treasure’ (ratnaṃ dhāta): establish in the seeker a stable deposit of light, joy, and power. ‘Offspring of Force’ (śavaso napātaḥ) points to their origin in dynamic tapas; immortality here is not bodily but the establishment of deathless consciousness-qualities in the human instrument.
Universal truth
Divinity is achieved by perfection of works and consciousness: when our action becomes true, swift, and luminous, higher states become stable possessions and can be transmitted as enduring attainments.
Themes
Apotheosis of Ṛbhus, Heavenly seating, Treasure establishment, Immortality
The seer
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 4.35, RV 4.36, RV 4.26
Family tradition
Book 4’s visionary craft-stream: the Ṛbhus are celebrated as exemplars of transformation through perfected work.
Significance
The verse crystallizes a key Vedic yoga: ascent (divi niṣeda) is won by right works (sukṛtyā), and the fruit is a stable ‘treasure’ (ratna) of immortality-consciousness.
The deity
- Devata
- Ṛbhus (Saudhanvanas)
- Epithets
- saudhanvanāḥ, śavaso napātaḥ, devāsaḥ (become gods), amṛtāsaḥ
- Related deities
- Indra, Soma, Aśvins, Agni
Cosmic role
Transmuters—powers that lift human capacities into divine functioning and seat them in the luminous heaven.
Inner power
Rapid intuition (falcon-flight) plus exact formation; ability to ‘fix’ realizations so they do not fall back into mortality patterns.
In ritual
Where it is used
Ṛbhu praise within Soma ritual; mythic affirmation of their divinization
ये दे॒वासो॒ अभ॑वता सुकृ॒त्या श्ये॒ना इ॒वेदधि॑ दि॒वि नि॑षे॒द । ते रत्नं॑ धात शवसो नपात॒: सौध॑न्वना॒ अभ॑वता॒मृता॑सः ॥
ये । दे॒वासः॑ । अभ॑वत । सु॒ऽकृ॒त्या । श्ये॒नाःऽइ॑व । इत् । अधि॑ । दि॒वि । नि॒ऽसे॒द । ते । रत्न॑म् । धा॒त॒ । श॒व॒सः॒ । न॒पा॒तः॒ । सौध॑न्वनाः । अभ॑वत । अ॒मृता॑सः ॥
ye | devāsaḥ | abhavata | su-kṛtyā | śyenāḥ-iva | it | adhi | divi | ni-seda | te | ratnam | dhāta | śavasaḥ | napātaḥ | saudhanvanāḥ | abhavata | amṛtāsaḥ
44
4 x ~11 syllables
Elevating and proclamatory; imagery-driven lift in the first half, imperative bestowal in the second.
Induces upward movement (ascent imagery) and then a settling/placing sensation (dhāta) as the cadence resolves.
- सुकृत्या (sukṛtyā)
- Literal: by good/right action. Symbolic: perfection of practice; exact alignment of will, knowledge, and deed
- देवासः अभवत (devāso abhavata)
- Literal: you became gods. Symbolic: human faculties transformed into divine powers
- श्येनाः इव (śyenāḥ iva)
- Literal: like falcons. Symbolic: swift ascending intuition; concentrated flight of awareness
- दिवि निषेद (divi niṣeda)
- Literal: sat down in heaven. Symbolic: stabilized in higher mind/illumined plane
- रत्नम् धात (ratnaṃ dhāta)
- Literal: set/place the treasure. Symbolic: fix the gain as a permanent realization in the being
- शवसो नपातः (śavaso napātaḥ)
- Literal: offspring of force. Symbolic: born of tapas/energy; powers generated by inner strength
- सौधन्वनाः (saudhanvanāḥ)
- Literal: descendants of Sudhanvan. Symbolic: lineage of right aim/‘good bow’—precision that hits the truth
- अमृतासः (amṛtāsaḥ)
- Literal: immortals. Symbolic: deathless consciousness-powers active in the human life
Culminating invocation: because Ṛbhus attained godhead by sukṛtyā, they can now establish ratna in the sacrificer; suited to soma rite conclusion/invitation
Recited when inviting Ṛbhus as recipients/helpers; reinforces their status as immortals deserving Soma.
Stotra/śastra praising Ṛbhus and requesting ratna (boon).
Contemplate this verse when seeking stability in practice: ask for the ‘treasure’ to be placed as a fixed habit of consciousness (not a passing experience).
śyena ‘falcon’ is a key Vedic symbol of swift ascent and the bringer of soma (mythic resonance), here marking the Ṛbhus’ heaven-seating. ni-√sad ‘sit down’ indicates establishment, not transient visit—innerly a stable station in higher consciousness. amṛta as deathless state; dhāt from √ again stresses fixation/implantation of the treasure.
Deification through right action (sukṛtyā), Amṛta (immortality) as attained station, Rita as the law of perfection leading to godhead
Sukṛtyā is the practical face of ṛta—right order embodied as right workmanship.
Truth becomes a ‘seat’ (niṣad) when stabilized above; then it can be ‘placed’ below as ratna.
Apotheosis through perfected action; descent of established treasure into human life.
Integral transformation: ascent to higher mind and descent of stabilized gains (Aurobindonian reading).
Falcon = swift intuition; heaven = illumined mind; treasure = concentrated essence of realization; immortality = stable supramentalized qualities (in seed).
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Apotheosis by skill: the Ṛbhus ‘become gods’ through sukṛtyā and take their seat in heaven like falcons. Inwardly, perfected work elevates the human faculties into divine status; from that station they can implant the treasure (ratna) and establish immortality in the seeker.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- napāt again reflects PIE *nepōt-. amṛta uses the inherited Indo-European privative a- and the ‘mortal’ root √mṛ (PIE *mer- ‘die’; cf. Latin mori, English mortal).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi appeals to precedent as authority: since the Ṛbhus attained godhead by perfection, they are competent to confer the same upward establishment. The prayer asks them not merely to give but to ‘become immortals’ for us—i.e., to manifest their deathless mode within the human vessel.
Visualize consciousness rising like a falcon to a clear sky of mind; then invite the ‘treasure’ to be placed in the heart as a stable presence.
Ājñā (seat in heaven) descending to Anāhata (treasure placed)
On inhale: upward sweep attention to brow/crown; brief stillness; on exhale: gently place awareness into heart, feeling a ‘ratna’ settle.
Uplifted stillness with luminous poise; then grounded joy.
Practice ‘sukṛtyā’ as exactness: one thought at a time, one act at a time, done in truth. Speed (falcon) without haste—swift clarity joined to precision.
Keep the lift on śyenā́ḥ iva and diví; the imperative dhā́ta should sound like a firm placement.
First half: rising contour to ‘divi niṣeda’; second half: grounded command ‘ratnaṃ dhāta’ and concluding aspiration ‘amṛtāsaḥ’.
śyenāḥ: palatal ś, long āḥ, niṣeda: retroflex ṣ; split ni-ṣe-da, śavaso: śa-va-so, not ‘sha-va-so’, saudhanvanāḥ: keep ‘dh’ aspirated; long āḥ at end, amṛtāsaḥ: vocalic ṛ; long ā in -tā-
Uplifting, clear, slightly expanded vowel resonance to evoke ‘heaven’.
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Rig Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
