Rig Veda 2.31.4: Mandala 2, Sukta 31, Mantra 4
Sukta 2.31
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Devata
- Tvaṣṭṛ and associated deities
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
उत स्य देवो भुवनस्य सक्षणिस्त्वष्टा ग्नाभिः सजोषा जूजुवद्रथम् । इळा भगो बृहद्दिवोत रोदसी पूषा पुरंधिरश्विनावधा पती ॥
utá syá devó bhúvanasya sakṣáṇis tváṣṭā gnā́bhiḥ sajoṣā́ jūjuvad rátham | iḷā́ bhágo bṛháddivóta ródasī pūṣā́ puráṃdhir aśvínāv ádha pátī ||
また、世界を支える神なる造り手、トヴァシュトリ（Tvaṣṭṛ）は、知ある力どもと同心に、戦車を駆り動かす。イラー（Iḷā）とバガ（Bhaga）、広き天と二つの世界（天地）、プーシャン（Pūṣan）とプランディ（Purandhi）、そして二人の主、アシュヴィン双神（Aśvins）——これらすべての力が、われらの整えられた進行のうちに、それぞれの座を占めますように。
Word by Word
- उत
- and, alsoIndeclinableconj./particleRoot उत
- स्य
- he (that one)Pronounmasc. nom. sg. (enclitic demonstrative)Role KartāRoot स
- देवः
- the godNounmasc. nom. sg.Role KartāRoot देव
- भुवनस्य
- of the world/beingNounneut. gen. sg.Role SambandhaRoot भुवन
- सक्षणिः
- companion/associate (helper)Nounmasc. nom. sg.Role Kartā (apposition to देवः)Root सक्षणि
- त्वष्टा
- Tvaṣṭṛ (the divine artisan)Nounmasc. nom. sg.Role Kartā (apposition)Root त्वष्टृ
- ग्नाभिः
- with (his) women/maidensNounfem. instr. pl.Role KaraṇaRoot ग्नाभि
- सजोषाः
- in concord, togetherAdjectivemasc. nom. sg. (predicative; Vedic form)Role Kartā (qualifier of त्वष्टा)Root सजोषा
- जूजुवत्
- he urged on / set in motionVerbimperfect (injunctive-like Vedic), 3rd sg., activeRole KriyāRoot जु
- रथम्
- the chariotNounmasc. acc. sg.Role KarmaRoot रथ
- इळा
- Iḷā (goddess of nourishment/oblation)Nounfem. nom. sg.Role Kartā (list item)Root इळा
- भगः
- Bhaga (dispenser of fortune)Nounmasc. nom. sg.Role Kartā (list item)Root भग
- बृहद्दिवः
- of the great heaven / Great-HeavenedAdjective (compound)masc. nom. sg.Role Kartā (list item)Root बृहद्दिव
- उत
- and alsoIndeclinableconj./particleRoot उत
- रोदसी
- Heaven-and-EarthNoun (dual)fem. nom. du.Role Kartā (list item)Root रोदसी
- पूषा
- PūṣanNounmasc. nom. sg.Role Kartā (list item)Root पूषन्
- पुरंधिः
- Purandhi (abundance/prosperity)Nounfem. nom. sg.Role Kartā (list item)Root पुरंधि
- अश्विनौ
- the AśvinsNounmasc. nom. du.Role Kartā (list item)Root अश्विन्
- अधा
- then, indeedIndeclinableparticle (then/now/indeed)Root अधा
- पती
- the two lordsNounmasc. nom. du.Role Kartā (apposition to अश्विनौ)Root पति
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolved as: उत स्य | देवः भुवनस्य सक्षणिः | त्वष्टा ग्नाभिः सजोषाः जूजुवत् रथम् | इळा भगः बृहद्दिवः उत रोदसी | पूषा पुरंधिः अश्विनौ अधा पती । Notable: स्य is enclitic nom.sg. of demonstrative स-
- बृहद्दिवोत → बृहद्दिवः उत (visarga before vowel)
- अश्विनावधा → अश्विनौ अधा (dual -ौ + initial अ-)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Tvaṣṭṛ, upholder of the world, with the knowing powers in one accord, sets the chariot in motion. Then Iḷā, Bhaga, wide Heaven, the two Worlds, Pūṣan, Purandhi, and the Aśvins—may all take their place in the ordered movement.
Inner meaning
Tvaṣṭṛ is the divine Fashioner: the formative intelligence that shapes the instruments of life and body so the journey can proceed. ‘Gnās’ here are the knowing/shakti-powers (intelligences of formation) that collaborate to perfect the vehicle. The listed deities are functional powers within the integral movement: Iḷā (revelatory speech/intuition and right offering), Bhaga (delightful distribution of the divine portion), Bṛhaddiva (wide heaven: vast mind), Rodasī (the two worlds: mind and life / heaven and earth in us), Pūṣan (guide on paths), Purandhi (abundance/skillful plenitude), and the Aśvins (twin healers, swift helpers who bring remedies and right transitions). Together they ‘take their seat’—become established as active faculties in the sādhaka’s progress.
Universal truth
Transformation is a work of formation: the divine does not only inspire; it fashions instruments, distributes delight, guides, heals, and stabilises abundance so the journey becomes embodied and complete.
Themes
Formation and guidance, Abundance and right allotment, Healing transition (Aśvins)
The seer
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada (Bhārgava)
- Lineage
- Bhārgava
- Other hymns
- RV 2.3 (Viśvedevāḥ), RV 2.31 (this hymn cluster), RV 2.33 (Rudra)
Family tradition
Notable for enumerative invocations: many deities as coordinated powers of a single inner sacrifice.
Significance
He presents an integral yoga: formation (Tvaṣṭṛ), guidance (Pūṣan), delight (Bhaga), healing (Aśvins), and right speech (Iḷā) all seated in the same inner movement.
The deity
- Devata
- Tvaṣṭṛ (with Iḷā, Bhaga, Dyāvā, Rodasī, Pūṣan, Purandhi, Aśvins)
- Epithets
- bhuvanasya sakṣaṇi (upholder of the world), sajōṣā (in one accord)
- Related deities
- Iḷā, Bhaga, Dyāvā, Rodasī, Pūṣan, Purandhi, Aśvins
Cosmic role
Divine artisan of forms; fashions bodies, powers, and capacities; ensures right embodiment of the divine intention.
Inner power
Capacity to re-form character and instrument: refine habits, harmonise faculties, and set the inner life into effective motion.
In ritual
Where it is used
Invocations for successful formation and progress of the rite; Tvaṣṭṛ is relevant to crafting/establishing, and Aśvins to healing/help.
उ॒त स्य दे॒वो भुव॑नस्य स॒क्षणि॒स्त्वष्टा॒ ग्नाभि॑: स॒जोषा॑ जूजुव॒द्रथ॑म् । इळा॒ भगो॑ बृहद्दि॒वोत रोद॑सी पू॒षा पुरं॑धिर॒श्विना॒वधा॒ पती॑ ॥
उ॒त । स्यः । दे॒वः । भुव॑नस्य । स॒क्षणिः॑ । त्वष्टा॑ । ग्नाभिः॑ । स॒ऽजोषाः॑ । जू॒जु॒व॒त् । रथ॑म् । इळा॑ । भगः॑ । बृ॒ह॒त्ऽदि॒वा । उ॒त । रोद॑सी॒ इति॑ । पू॒षा । पुर॑म्ऽधिः । अ॒श्विनौ॑ । अध॑ । पती॒ इति॑ ॥
uta | syaḥ | devaḥ | bhuvanasya | sakṣaṇiḥ | tvaṣṭā | gnābhiḥ | sa-joṣāḥ | jūjuvat | ratham | iḷā | bhagaḥ | bṛhat-divā | uta | rodasī iti | pūṣā | puram-dhiḥ | aśvinau | adha | patī iti
44
4×11 (approx.)
Measured yet lively; suitable for ‘setting in motion’ and for a dignified roll-call of powers.
Creates a sense of ordered assembly—many faculties taking their places within a single rhythm.
- त्वष्टा (tvaṣṭā)
- Literal: Tvaṣṭṛ, the Fashioner. Symbolic: Formative divine intelligence shaping the instruments of consciousness
- भुवनस्य सक्षणिः (bhuvanasya sakṣaṇiḥ)
- Literal: upholder/support of the world. Symbolic: Power that sustains manifestation by right formation
- ग्नाभिः (gnābhiḥ)
- Literal: with the women/knowing ones. Symbolic: Shakti-powers of knowledge and formation working in concord
- जूजुवत् रथम् (jūjuvat ratham)
- Literal: sets the chariot in motion. Symbolic: Activates the organised inner movement; energises the formed instrument
- इळा (iḷā)
- Literal: Iḷā. Symbolic: Revelatory intuition/speech and right offering-consciousness
- भगः (bhagaḥ)
- Literal: Bhaga. Symbolic: Distribution of delight, fortunate share of the divine
- रोदसी (rodasī)
- Literal: the two worlds. Symbolic: Heaven-and-earth in us: mind and life/body to be harmonised
- पूषा (pūṣā)
- Literal: Pūṣan. Symbolic: Inner guide on paths; protector of right journeys
- पुरंधिः (puraṃdhiḥ)
- Literal: Purandhi. Symbolic: Abundance, skill of plenitude; capacity to hold and arrange gains
- अश्विनौ (aśvinau)
- Literal: the Aśvins. Symbolic: Twin healers: swift rectification, harmonising transitions, practical help
Composite invocation for formation, guidance, abundance, and healing; applicable as a ‘supporting’ verse in rites emphasizing successful formation of the sacrifice and safe passage (Pūṣan/Aśvins).
When seeking right formation of the sacrifice’s ‘body’ and smooth progress; also in contexts of remedy and guidance.
Āhvāna of multiple functional deities to ‘seat’ themselves in the rite and the sacrificer.
For building a stable practice: call on Tvaṣṭṛ to ‘re-form’ routines; Aśvins for healing; Pūṣan for guidance; Bhaga for balanced enjoyment.
tvaṣṭṛ from √tvaṣ/√tviṣ ‘to fashion, be vigorous/bright’: indicates shaping by luminous force. iḷā related to √iḍ ‘to praise/invoke’ and semantic field of ‘nourishing speech’. bhaga from PIE *bʰag- ‘to apportion’ (cf. Slavic bogŭ ‘god’, Iranian baga-): distributor of the ‘share’—inwardly, delight and right allotment. pūṣan from √puṣ ‘to thrive, make prosper’: guide that ensures increase.
formation of embodiment (Tvaṣṭṛ), right distribution of delight (Bhaga), plenitude (Purandhi), integration of dual worlds (Rodasī)
Right formation is ṛta embodied—each power seated in its proper function.
Truth becomes effective when shaped into workable forms (instruments).
Cosmic craftsmanship: the world and the yogic instrument are ‘made’ and set into motion by divine formation.
Integral Vedism: deities as differentiated operations of the One shaping mind-life-body.
Heaven = wide mind; two worlds = mind and embodied life; path = progressive stages of sādhanā; chariot = formed instrument in motion.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘assembling of powers on the chariot’: multiple deities converge to animate a single forward movement. Mythically, the sacrifice/journey succeeds only when formation (Tvaṣṭṛ), guidance (Pūṣan), delight-allotment (Bhaga), abundance (Purandhi), and healing swiftness (Aśvins) are harmonized.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- bhaga- is a clear IE inheritance (*bʰag- ‘apportion/share’). The verse preserves the IE poetic habit of enumerative divine catalogues that function as a ‘total invocation’ of the cosmos’ operative powers.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi calls not one power but a coordinated ecology of powers to ‘urge the chariot’. The reciprocity is integrative: human speech-invocation (iḷā) invites divine formation and distribution so the inner journey becomes complete and well-provisioned.
Inner re-formation: offer your habits to the Fashioner; invite each faculty (speech, delight, guidance, healing) to take its seat.
Viśuddha (speech/formation) and Svādhiṣṭhāna (delight/distribution) with grounding in Mūlādhāra (embodiment).
Slow coherent breathing (5–6 breaths/min) to ‘seat’ powers; chant on long exhale.
Ordered integration; sense of a well-crafted inner instrument.
After chanting, visualise the chariot being assembled and started: (1) widen mind (Dyāvā), (2) harmonise mind-life (Rodasī), (3) invoke guidance (Pūṣan), (4) receive healing help (Aśvins).
Keep the enumerative section (iḷā bhago...) evenly stepped; preserve udātta highlights without rushing the list.
Slight pause after ‘jūjuvad ratham’; then deliver the roll-call as a single flowing current.
tvaṣṭā: retroflex ṣṭ cluster; do not simplify, gnābhiḥ: hard g + nā; long ā, bṛhaddivota: articulate bṛhat + diva + uta, aśvināv: long ā; clear v
Clear, well-articulated, ‘crafted’ diction; warm resonance.
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