Rig Veda Sukta 50
Mandala 4Sukta 5010 Mantras

Sukta 50

Sukta 4.50

Rishi

Vāmadeva Gautama (traditional for Mandala 4; hymn 4.50 addressed to Bṛhaspati)

Devata

Bṛhaspati

Chandas

Tr̥ṣṭubh (likely; confirmable from full hymn prosody)

RV 4.50 adalah himne Tr̥ṣṭubh kepada Bṛhaspati, penguasa ujaran suci dan daya kependetaan, yang diseru sebagai pelindung “landasan” komunitas serta kekuatan yang menaklukkan serangan musuh dan segala rintangan. Himne ini memuji kedahsyatan kemenangannya, memohon agar ia menjaga rahim generatif dari tatanan yang benar, dan berpuncak pada seruan bersama kepada Bṛhaspati beserta Indra demi pertambahan, bimbingan yang berpikiran lurus, dan penghancuran segala kesukaran.

Recitation with translationRig Veda 4.50

Mantras

Mantra 2

धुनेतयः सुप्रकेतं मदन्तो बृहस्पते अभि ये नस्ततस्रे । पृषन्तं सृप्रमदब्धमूर्वं बृहस्पते रक्षतादस्य योनिम् ॥

Wahai Bṛhaspati, para penyerang yang mengguncang, yang menyerbu kami sambil bersorak—melawan cahaya yang tertuntun baik di dalam—semoga engkau melindungi landasan yang kuat, tak tertipu, dan luas; wahai Bṛhaspati, jagalah rahim pembentukannya.

Mantra 3

बृहस्पते या परमा परावदत आ त ऋतस्पृशो नि षेदुः । तुभ्यं खाता अवता अद्रिदुग्धा मध्वः श्चोतन्त्यभितो विरप्शम् ॥

Wahai Bṛhaspati, dari wilayah jauh yang paling luhur itu para penyentuh Ṛta (Kebenaran kosmis) telah duduk dekat-Mu; bagi-Mu sumur-sumur yang digali, diperah oleh batu pemeras, meneteskan madu kenikmatan dari segala sisi ke dalam hamparan luas kerja kesadaran.

Mantra 4

बृहस्पतिः प्रथमं जायमानो महो ज्योतिषः परमे व्योमन् । सप्तास्यस्तुविजातो रवेण वि सप्तरश्मिरधमत्तमांसि ॥

Bṛhaspati, lahir terlebih dahulu, di langit tertinggi dari Cahaya Agung; bermulut tujuh, terlahir perkasa—dengan seruannya, yang bertujuh-sinar, ia menghalau dan memisahkan kegelapan-kegelapan.

Mantra 5

स सुष्टुभा स ऋक्वता गणेन वलं रुरोज फलिगं रवेण । बृहस्पतिरुस्रिया हव्यसूदः कनिक्रदद्वावशतीरुदाजत् ॥

Ia, dengan kidung yang tersusun indah dan rombongan para ṛṣi, merobek Vala—gua yang menutup—dengan seruannya. Bṛhaspati, pembawa nyala persembahan, sambil melenguh, memancarkan ke atas sapi-sapi bercahaya—sinar pengetahuan yang tersembunyi.

Mantra 6

एवा पित्रे विश्वदेवाय वृष्णे यज्ञैर्विधेम नमसा हविर्भिः । बृहस्पते सुप्रजा वीरवन्तो वयं स्याम पतयो रयीणाम् ॥

Demikianlah kepada Sang Bapa, Yang Serba-Ilahi, Sang Perkasa (Vṛṣan), kami berbakti dengan yajña, dengan sembah-hormat (namas) dan dengan persembahan (havis). Wahai Bṛhaspati, semoga kami berketurunan baik, berlimpah daya kepahlawanan, dan menjadi tuan atas kekayaan-kekayaan (rayi).

Mantra 7

स इद्राजा प्रतिजन्यानि विश्वा शुष्मेण तस्थावभि वीर्येण । बृहस्पतिं यः सुभृतं बिभर्ति वल्गूयति वन्दते पूर्वभाजम् ॥

Dialah sungguh menjadi raja: dengan daya-nyala batin (śuṣma) dan dengan kekuatan kepahlawanan (vīrya) ia berdiri mengatasi segala kelahiran dan para penuntut yang berlawanan. Siapa yang memikul dalam dirinya Bṛhaspati yang terpelihara baik (subhṛta), ia bersukacita dan memuja Sang Pembagi-Pertama yang purba (pūrvabhāj).

Mantra 8

स इत्क्षेति सुधित ओकसि स्वे तस्मा इळा पिन्वते विश्वदानीम् । तस्मै विशः स्वयमेवा नमन्ते यस्मिन्ब्रह्मा राजनि पूर्व एति ॥

Dialah sungguh berdiam di rumahnya sendiri yang kokoh-tertegak; baginya Iḷā yang menyejahterakan mengembang, memberi anugerah semesta. Kepadanya umat-umat keberadaan menunduk dengan sendirinya—dia yang di dalamnya Brahman (daya ilham suci) berjalan terlebih dahulu di hadapan kehendak rajawi.

Mantra 9

अप्रतीतो जयति सं धनानि प्रतिजन्यान्युत या सजन्या । अवस्यवे यो वरिवः कृणोति ब्रह्मणे राजा तमवन्ति देवाः ॥

Tanpa tertandingi ia meraih himpunan kekayaan—milik lawan dan juga milik sanak-sekaumnya—ia yang menyediakan ruang lapang bagi Brahman ketika ia memerlukan. Para dewa melindungi raja itu, yang mengabdi kepada daya ilham suci.

Mantra 10

इन्द्रश्च सोमं पिबतं बृहस्पतेऽस्मिन्यज्ञे मन्दसाना वृषण्वसू । आ वां विशन्त्विन्दवः स्वाभुवोऽस्मे रयिं सर्ववीरं नि यच्छतम् ॥

Wahai Indra dan Brihaspati, minumlah Soma dalam yajña ini, bersukacita sebagai pembawa kekayaan bercahaya yang perkasa. Biarlah tetes-tetes Soma masuk ke dalam kalian menurut keberadaan sejatinya; lalu tegakkan dalam diri kami kelimpahan harta yang sarat daya kepahlawanan.

Mantra 11

बृहस्पत इन्द्र वर्धतं नः सचा सा वां सुमतिर्भूत्वस्मे । अविष्टं धियो जिगृतं पुरंधीर्जजस्तमर्यो वनुषामरातीः ॥

Wahai Brihaspati dan Indra, bertumbuhlah bersama kami; semoga bimbingan kalian yang berbaik-budi hadir dalam diri kami. Jadikanlah pikiran kami diinginkan dan diteguhkan, dan kelimpahan pemahaman kami kokoh menggenggam; hancurkanlah permusuhan mereka yang menahan dan menghalangi.

Inside Sukta 50

How it unfolds

  1. Where it opens

    Invocation of Bṛhaspati as the well-guiding, protective power who can shield the community against shaking, rushing assailants and safeguard the secure base.

  2. Development

    Praise expands into Bṛhaspati’s victorious capacity: sacred force and heroic potency overcome rival claimants and hostile pressures; the hymn links inner bearing of Bṛhaspati with joy, worship, and rightful share in truth.

  3. Climax

    The hymn peaks in the sovereignty motif—whoever ‘bears’ the well-sustained Bṛhaspati stands as king over oppositions—then turns to a joint intensification with Indra for increase and decisive crushing of hostility.

  4. Where it settles

    It closes with a practical blessing: may good guidance dwell in us, may thoughts and understanding be firmly grasped, and may obstructive hostilities be broken down.

The deity: Bṛhaspati

  • In the VedaBṛhaspati is portrayed as the lord of brahman (sacred formulation), the powerful priest of the gods, a guardian and guide who breaks through obstacles, routs adversaries, and establishes right order through inspired speech.
  • Cosmic functionHe upholds ṛta through the potency of mantra and priestly intelligence, opening paths, protecting the community’s secure base, and enabling victory and prosperity by right counsel and sacred force.
  • Inner significanceBṛhaspati signifies illumined intelligence and the disciplined power of speech—clarity that protects the inner ‘foundation,’ repels disruptive impulses, and stabilizes the womb of right formation (yonī) from which true action and insight arise.

The seer

  • Vāmadeva GautamaGautama (Vāmadeva) gotra; traditional seer of Maṇḍala 4 · A foremost Rigvedic seer of the Gautama line, celebrated for hymns of inspired vision (dhī) that unite poetic power with spiritual and martial efficacy; traditionally associated with the ‘Vāmadeva’ stream of revelation.

Famous verses

धुनेतयः सुप्रकेतं मदन्तो बृहस्पते अभि ये नस्ततस्रे । पृषन्तं सृप्रमदब्धमूर्वं बृहस्पते रक्षतादस्य योनिम् ॥
Verse 4.50.2Key protective petition: Bṛhaspati is asked to repel assailants and to guard the wide, unfailing foundation and its ‘womb’—a central image for stability and right formation.Read verse 4.50.2 →
स इद्राजा प्रतिजन्यानि विश्वा शुष्मेण तस्थावभि वीर्येण । बृहस्पतिं यः सुभृतं बिभर्ति वल्गूयति वन्दते पूर्वभाजम् ॥
Verse 4.50.7Summarizes the hymn’s royal/sovereignty teaching: inner ardour and heroic power, grounded in Bṛhaspati, make one stand over all opposition; highlights ‘bearing’ Bṛhaspati as an inner discipline.Read verse 4.50.7 →
बृहस्पत इन्द्र वर्धतं नः सचा सा वां सुमतिर्भूत्वस्मे । अविष्टं धियो जिगृतं पुरंधीर्जजस्तमर्यो वनुषामरातीः ॥
Verse 4.50.11Concluding joint invocation of Bṛhaspati and Indra for increase, right-minded guidance (sumati), strengthened thought (dhī), and the crushing of obstructive hostilities—an actionable ritual ending.Read verse 4.50.11 →

Attributes of the deity

  • Lord of sacred speech (brahman) and prayer
  • Priestly leadership and right counsel
  • Protector and guardian of foundations/strongholds
  • Obstacle-breaker and victory-giver
  • Bestower of inspired thought (dhī) and sound understanding (puraṃdhī)

Also by this seer

  • Primary seer of many hymns in Rigveda Maṇḍala 4 (Gautama family book)
  • Hymns praising Indra, Agni, the Ādityas, and allied deities across RV 4 (traditional attribution)
  • Several RV 4 hymns noted for strong ‘brahman’ (sacred utterance) and victory motifs (traditional characterization)

The rite, step by step

  • Establish the sacred fire (Agni) and seat the officiant; perform ācamana and intention (saṅkalpa) for protection and right counsel.
  • Invoke Bṛhaspati with opening praises; recite the hymn (or selected verses) in Tr̥ṣṭubh cadence with attention to clear enunciation.
  • Offer oblations while requesting guarding of the ‘foundation’ and repulsion of assailants/obstructions.
  • Conclude with a strengthening appeal for sumati (good guidance) and for dhī/puraṃdhī to be firmly held; dedicate the merit to communal welfare.

Offerings

  • Ghee (ājya) oblations into Agni
  • Soma (where applicable in soma rites)
  • Optional: grains or simple food offerings as naivedya in later practice

Frequently Asked Questions

Bṛhaspati is the lord of sacred speech and priestly power. In this hymn he protects the community, gives right counsel, and overcomes forces that block progress.

It asks him to repel assailants and hostility, guard the secure foundation of life and order, and strengthen inspired thought and understanding so the worshippers can stand firm.

Indra represents victorious force, while Bṛhaspati represents guiding intelligence and mantra-power. Together they are asked to increase the worshippers’ strength, clarity, and success against obstacles.

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