Rig Veda 7.46.1: Mandala 7, Sukta 46, Mantra 1
Sukta 7.46
इमा रुद्राय स्थिरधन्वने गिरः क्षिप्रेषवे देवाय स्वधाव्ने । अषाळ्हाय सहमानाय वेधसे तिग्मायुधाय भरता शृणोतु नः ॥
imā́ rudrā́ya sthirá-dhanvane gíraḥ kṣipréṣave devā́ya svadhā́vne | aṣā́ḷhāya sáhamānāya vedháse tig máyudhāya bharatā śṛṇótu naḥ ||
この讃歌を、堅き弓を執り、矢速き神、みずからの力により進むルドラ（Rudra）へと運べ。征服されぬ者、耐え忍び勝ち抜く者、智ある配剤者、鋭き武器をもつ者へ——祈りを捧げよ。彼がわれらに耳を傾け給わんことを。
Rudra appeasement and invocation in protective contexts; aligned with rites seeking averting of Rudra’s wrath and gaining his healing/protective aspect.
svadhā (inherent power/law), divine hearing as consent to transformation, awe and propitiation
Rudra’s keen weapons enforce ṛta by removing what violates harmony within and without.
His ‘hearing’ is the descent of truth-force into the human field.
Destruction as a phase of creation: clearing the old to make space for truer formation.
Aurobindonian psychology: Rudra as force of tapas that breaks the egoic crust and heals by purifying.
The storm’s lightning-like strike corresponds to sudden insight and decisive purification; the steady bow corresponds to stable aspiration and aim.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is propitiation of the fierce archer: Rudra as swift, self-powered, keen-weaponed force who must be approached with rightly borne speech so that his power turns from wounding to hearing and protection.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The archer-storm deity complex has broad IE parallels (a fierce sky/storm power with weapons). √śru 'hear' reflects PIE *ḱleu-. vedhas (ordainer) from √vidh resonates with the IE theme of the god as 'fashioner/arranger' of order.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi’s stance is careful and skillful: he 'carries' speech toward Rudra, emphasizing Rudra’s invincibility and sharp power, while requesting the crucial shift—divine hearing—so that the formidable energy becomes an ally rather than a threat within the human field.
Invoke the steady aim of truth and the swift strike against inner falsehood; offer fear and resistance into Rudra’s hearing.
manipura (courage/force) and ajna (piercing discernment)
Brisk-energetic inhale to gather will; firm exhale on the epithets (sthiradhanvane… tigmāyudhāya) as a ‘cutting’ breath; finish with softer exhale on ‘śṛṇotu naḥ’.
Purifying intensity with controlled steadiness.
Do not indulge agitation: hold a steady inner bow (aspiration) and let the ‘arrow’ be a precise insight—one clear falsehood released at a time.
Triṣṭubh with emphatic accent points; keep consonant clusters crisp (kṣipr-, tigm-).
Slightly stronger stress on epithets; final ‘śṛṇotu naḥ’ softened as a sincere request.
‘rudrāya’—clear long ā, ‘sthiradhanvane’—separate sthira-dhanvane, keep ‘dh’ voiced aspirate, ‘kṣipreṣave’—clean kṣ cluster, not ‘khip’, ‘tigmāyudhāya’—hard ‘g’ and long ā; avoid swallowing ‘yudh’
Firm, focused, slightly metallic clarity; not shouted.
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