Rig Veda Sukta 41
Mandala 2Sukta 4121 Mantras

Sukta 41

Sukta 2.41

Rishi

Gṛtsamada (and/or the Gṛtsamada lineage)

Chandas

Gāyatrī (likely; short 3-pāda structure typical of gāyatrī invites)

この讃歌は主として、迅速なる生命の風ヴァーユ(Vāyu)を、千の力を具えた戦車に乗って来臨し、ソーマを飲んで、祭祀者の生命気息を活気づけ澄明にするよう招く。儀礼が進むにつれ、祈りは守護と吉祥へと広がり、さらにインドラの恩寵と、より広い「祭にふさわしい」神々(yajñiya)の一団にも席に着いて供物に与るよう呼びかける。

Recitation with translationRig Veda 2.41

In this hymn

Addressed to

  • VayuMantras 1-2Vāyu

    Vāyu is praised as the swift-moving wind and breath, arriving first to the Soma with his yoked teams (niyut) and radiant chariots; he is a welcome guest of the pressing and a carrier of invigorating strength.

  • Indra-VayuMantra 3Indra-Vāyu (dual)
  • Mitra-VarunaMantras 4-6Mitra-Varuṇa (dual Ādityas)
  • AshvinsMantras 7, 9Aśvins (Nāsatyas)
  • Primarily AshvinsMantra 8Primarily Aśvins (vṛṣaṇvasū as dual epithet fits them)
  • IndraMantras 10-12
  • VishvedevasMantras 13, 15, 21Viśve Devāḥ (All the Gods)
  • SomaMantra 14as the delight/rapture offered to the gods, within a multi-deity concluding sequence
  • MarutsMantra 15with Indra as chief
  • SarasvatiMantras 16-18Sarasvatī
  • AgniMantra 19and the paired ritual power implied by dual, commonly Idā in this closing sequence
  • Dyava-PrithiviMantra 20Dyāvā-Pṛthivī (Heaven and Earth)

Mantras

Mantra 1

वायो ये ते सहस्रिणो रथासस्तेभिरा गहि । नियुत्वान्त्सोमपीतये ॥

ヴァーユ(Vāyu)よ、汝の千の力ある戦車をもって、その戦車らとともにここへ来たれ。汝の馭(niyut)を繋ぎ、ソーマ(Soma)を飲むために。

Mantra 2

नियुत्वान्वायवा गह्ययं शुक्रो अयामि ते । गन्तासि सुन्वतो गृहम् ॥

馭(niyut)を繋いだまま、ヴァーユ(Vāyu)よ来たれ。ここにこの輝けるソーマ(Soma)を、汝のためにわれは差し出す。汝は搾り手の家へ来たらん——供犠のために整えられた内なる住まいへ。

Mantra 3

शुक्रस्याद्य गवाशिर इन्द्रवायू नियुत्वतः । आ यातं पिबतं नरा ॥

今日、牛の精髄を和した輝けるソーマを——インドラとヴァーユよ、軛を結びし御車の隊とともに来たれ。飲め、勇士なる二神よ。光の力と生命の息とが、われらの内にともに働かんことを。

Mantra 4

अयं वां मित्रावरुणा सुतः सोम ऋतावृधा । ममेदिह श्रुतं हवम् ॥

これは汝らのために搾りしソーマ、ミトラよ、ヴァルナよ、ṛta(真理の秩序)を増し広げる者たちよ。ここに、いま、わが呼びかけを聞け。わが祈願が受け取られんことを。

Mantra 5

राजानावनभिद्रुहा ध्रुवे सदस्युत्तमे । सहस्रस्थूण आसाते ॥

二人の王は、欺かず背かず、集会の最高にして不動の座に堅く坐す。千の柱に支えられて、そこに坐す——魂の評議における揺るがぬ主権の力。

Mantra 6

ता सम्राजा घृतासुती आदित्या दानुनस्पती । सचेते अनवह्वरम् ॥

その二柱の普遍の王、清澄なる光(ギー)の注ぎに富むアーディティヤ(Ādityas)、豊饒の主たちは、互いに和して進み、まっすぐで揺るがぬ道へと向かい、われらの歩みを逸れなきものとする。

Mantra 7

गोमदू षु नासत्याश्वावद्यातमश्विना । वर्ती रुद्रा नृपाय्यम् ॥

ナーサティヤ(Nāsatyas)よ、アシュヴィン双神(Aśvins)よ、牛の富(gomad)を、また馬の力(aśvāvant)を携えて来たれ。さらに、護りの道筋をもたらしたまえ、ルドラたち(Rudras)よ、人の旅路を守るその守護を。

Mantra 8

न यत्परो नान्तर आदधर्षद्वृषण्वसू । दुःशंसो मर्त्यो रिपुः ॥

外より来るものも、内に潜むものも、汝らを圧し伏せることはできぬ――力を授ける強き施与者(vṛṣaṇvasū)よ。悪しき言を吐く死すべき敵は、ついに勝ち得ない。

Mantra 9

ता न आ वोळ्हमश्विना रयिं पिशङ्गसंदृशम् । धिष्ण्या वरिवोविदम् ॥

アシュヴィン双神よ、われらにその充溢の富を運び来たれ――見映えして輝くものを。光明の妙技を司る主、われらの内に広き場を見いだす者よ。

Mantra 10

इन्द्रो अङ्ग महद्भयमभी षदप चुच्यवत् । स हि स्थिरो विचर्षणिः ॥

インドラはまことに大いなる恐怖に立ち向かい、それを投げ捨てた。彼は堅固にして、遍く行きわたる力、ひとの性を限界の彼方へと育て広げる者である。

Mantra 11

इन्द्रश्च मृळयाति नो न नः पश्चादघं नशत् । भद्रं भवाति नः पुरः ॥

インドラもまた、われらに慈しみを垂れたまえ。悪が後ろよりわれらを襲わぬように――吉祥が前に立ち、われらを導かんことを。

Mantra 12

इन्द्र आशाभ्यस्परि सर्वाभ्यो अभयं करत् । जेता शत्रून्विचर्षणिः ॥

インドラよ、あらゆる方角から、われらの周囲に無畏を成し給え。広く見渡し遍く行きわたる御方は、敵対する力に勝利する征服者となる。

Mantra 13

विश्वे देवास आ गत शृणुता म इमं हवम् । एदं बर्हिर्नि षीदत ॥

すべての神々よ、来たり給え。わがこの呼びかけを聴き給え。この敷き設けた聖なるバルヒス(barhis)に坐し、整えられた座にお着き給え。

Mantra 14

तीव्रो वो मधुमाँ अयं शुनहोत्रेषु मत्सरः । एतं पिबत काम्यम् ॥

この激しく蜜に満ちたソーマ(Soma)の歓喜は、迅き衝動の祭りにおける正しき供物の中で、汝らのためにある。これなる望ましき飲みものを飲め。

Mantra 15

इन्द्रज्येष्ठा मरुद्गणा देवासः पूषरातयः । विश्वे मम श्रुता हवम् ॥

インドラを最上とするマルトの群よ、プーシャンの豊穣を授ける神々よ――汝らすべて、わが呼びかけを聞け。

Mantra 16

अम्बितमे नदीतमे देवितमे सरस्वति । अप्रशस्ता इव स्मसि प्रशस्तिमम्ब नस्कृधि ॥

最も母なるもの、最も川なるもの、最も女神なるもの――サラスヴァティよ。われらはまるで讃えられぬ者のごとし。母よ、われらに真の讃歌と正しき称揚を授けよ。

Mantra 17

त्वे विश्वा सरस्वति श्रितायूंषि देव्याम् । शुनहोत्रेषु मत्स्व प्रजां देवि दिदिड्ढि नः ॥

サラスヴァティよ、汝においてわれらのあらゆる生命のはたらきは神性に支えられる。迅速なる真の供犠に喜べ。女神よ、われらの成長と正しき裔の誕生を堅く定めよ。

Mantra 18

इमा ब्रह्म सरस्वति जुषस्व वाजिनीवति । या ते मन्म गृत्समदा ऋतावरि प्रिया देवेषु जुह्वति ॥

サラスヴァティよ、力と豊穣に満ちた者よ、これらのブラフマン(brahman)の言霊を嘉納したまえ。グリツァマダ(Gṛtsamada)が汝に捧げるその思念(manman)は、リタ(ṛta)を選び取る者、神々に愛される者よ、供物のごとく注がれ、神々へと捧げ入れられる。

Mantra 19

प्रेतां यज्ञस्य शम्भुवा युवामिदा वृणीमहे । अग्निं च हव्यवाहनम् ॥

安寧と吉祥の二つの力として、祭儀のために進み出よ。今日われらは汝ら二者を選ぶ——イダー(Idā)、正しき霊感をもたらす者、そしてアグニ(Agni)、供物を運ぶ者を。

Mantra 20

द्यावा नः पृथिवी इमं सिध्रमद्य दिविस्पृशम् । यज्ञं देवेषु यच्छताम् ॥

天と地よ、今日われらのために、この成就し、光明の諸界に触れる祭儀を支えたまえ。われらの供えを神々のうちに据え置きたまえ。

Mantra 21

आ वामुपस्थमद्रुहा देवाः सीदन्तु यज्ञियाः । इहाद्य सोमपीतये ॥

咎なき御座に、汝ら二柱よ、祭祀にふさわしき神々が、今日ここに坐しますように。ここに、いま、ソーマ(Soma)を飲まんがために。

Inside Sukta 41

How it unfolds

  1. Where it opens

    A direct, urgent invitation to Vāyu: come swiftly on mighty chariots, yoked with teams, for Soma-drinking.

  2. Development

    The hymn broadens from Vāyu’s arrival to the wider needs of the sacrificer—strengthening life-breath, securing protection, and aligning the rite with auspicious forward-leading power.

  3. Climax

    A concentrated protective prayer—Indra’s graciousness and the turning away of evil—paired with the decisive request that the auspicious lead from the front.

  4. Where it settles

    The gods worthy of sacrifice are seated ‘here, today’ for Soma, sealing the rite as a gathered communion between human intention and divine powers.

The deity: Vāyu

  • Cosmic functionAnimates the worlds through movement and circulation—wind, breath, and the dynamic flow that enables life, weather, and the onward motion of the sacrifice’s offerings and prayers.
  • Inner significanceRepresents prāṇa: the enlivening life-force that, when ‘drinking Soma’ (receiving luminous delight), becomes clear, strong, and rightly directed—supporting alertness, inspiration, and inner steadiness.

The seer

  • Gṛtsamada (Bhārgava) / Gṛtsamada lineageBhṛgu (Bhārgava) family; Gṛtsamada clan in Maṇḍala 2 · Principal seer of much of Rig Veda Maṇḍala 2, noted for powerful Soma-invocation hymns and for articulating the yajña as a carefully staged invitation to the gods.

Famous verses

niyutvān somapītaye
Verse 2.41.1Programmatic opening: it names Vāyu’s thousand-powered chariots and the purpose of his coming—Soma-drinking—setting the hymn’s invitational tone and prāṇa-centered aim.Read verse 2.41.1 →
bhadraṃ bhavāti naḥ puraḥ
Verse 2.41.11Memorable protection and guidance verse: asks Indra’s grace, that evil not strike from behind, and that auspiciousness lead in front—often cited as a compact Vedic prayer for safe passage.Read verse 2.41.11 →
ihādya somapītaye
Verse 2.41.21Ritual closure and gathering: seats the sacrifice-worthy gods on the faultless seat ‘here, today’ for Soma, summarizing the rite as divine assembly and participation.Read verse 2.41.21 →

Attributes of the deity

  • Swift, first-invoked Soma-drinker
  • Niyut-vān (yoked with teams)
  • Life-giving breath/prāṇa
  • Mobile, penetrating, purifying movement
  • Bringer of vigor and clarity to the sacrificer

Also by this seer

  • Majority of Rig Veda Maṇḍala 2 hymns are attributed to Gṛtsamada and his lineage
  • Hymns to Agni and Indra in Maṇḍala 2 that establish the opening/hosting role of Agni and the victorious aid of Indra
  • Soma-related invitational verses (āvāhana style) emphasizing divine arrival, seating, and drinking

The rite, step by step

  • Prepare the Soma pressing and arrange the ritual seat(s) for invited deities
  • Invoke Vāyu to come with his niyut teams and partake of Soma (formal āvāhana)
  • Extend the invocation to allied powers (notably Indra) for graciousness and safeguarding
  • Seat the yajñiya gods (Viśve Devāḥ) on the faultless place within the rite
  • Conclude with the request that the divine company drink Soma ‘here, today’ and establish well-being for the worshippers

Offerings

  • Soma (pressed juice) as the primary offering
  • Oblations into Agni (supporting the rite)
  • Praise/śastra-stotra as the verbal offering (mantra)

Frequently Asked Questions

The hymn mainly addresses Vāyu, the Wind and Life-Breath, inviting him to come quickly and drink Soma. Some verses also call on Indra and the wider group of gods to bless and protect the worshippers.

On the ritual level it means Vāyu is invited to partake of the pressed Soma offering. On an inner level it suggests the life-force (breath/prāṇa) receiving clarity, vigor, and luminous joy through the sacred rite.

It is a concise prayer for protection and right direction in life: may harm not overtake us unexpectedly, and may what is good and благоприятное lead our path forward. Many readers remember it as a universal Vedic blessing for safe progress.

Ask anything about Sukta 41 of the Rig Veda

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