Rig Veda 1.6.2: Mandala 1, Sukta 6, Mantra 2
Sukta 1.6
- Rishi
- Madhucchandas Vaiśvāmitra
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Gāyatrī
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
युञ्जन्त्यस्य काम्या हरी विपक्षसा रथे । शोणा धृष्णू नृवाहसा ॥
yuñjanty asya kāmyā harī vipakṣasā rathe | śoṇā dhṛṣṇū nṛvāhasā ||
ពួកគេបរិយោគឲ្យទ្រង់ ជាវត្ថុនៃការប្រាថ្នានៃព្រលឹង នូវកម្លាំងពីរដ៏រះស្វាងលើរថ ដែលមានស្លាបទូលាយក្នុងចលនការ ក្រហម មានកម្លាំង និងជាអ្នកនាំមនុស្ស: ថាមពលដែលនាំអ្នកស្វែងរកទៅរកព្រះអធិបតីនៃកម្លាំងដ៏រះស្វាង។
Word by Word
- युञ्जन्ति
- they yoke / harnessVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole (क्रिया)Root युज् (युजँ)
- अस्य
- of him / of this (one)Pronounपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक: अ-)
- काम्या
- desired, wishfulAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन (हरी-विशेषण)Role कर्तृ-विशेषणRoot काम्य (प्रातिपदिक; √कम्/काम ‘desire’ से)
- हरी
- the two bay steedsNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचनRole कर्तृ (युञ्जन्ति का कर्ता)Root हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
- विपक्षसा
- with (their) outspread wings / with side-feathersAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (साधन/करण)Role करणRoot वि-पक्षस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- रथे
- on the chariotNounपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
- शोणा
- ruddy, tawnyAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन (हरी-विशेषण)Role कर्तृ-विशेषणRoot शोण (प्रातिपदिक)
- धृष्णू
- bold, impetuousAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन (हरी-विशेषण)Role कर्तृ-विशेषणRoot धृष्णु (प्रातिपदिक; √धृष् ‘to be bold’)
- नृवाहसा
- man-bearing / bringing men (to aid)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन (हरी-विशेषण)Role कर्तृ-विशेषणRoot नृ-वाहस् (प्रातिपदिक; नृ ‘man’ + वाहस् ‘bearing/bringing’, √वह्)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (RV pada-pāṭha के अनुसार): युञ्जन्ति । अस्य । काम्या । हरी । विपक्षसा । रथे । शोणा । धृष्णू । नृवाहसा । सन्धि/रूप-टिप्पणी: (1) ‘युञ्जन्त्यस्य’ = युञ्जन्ति + अस्य (इकार-लोप/यण्-सन्धि से ‘...न्ति अ...’ → ‘...न्त्य...’).
- ‘काम्या’ स्त्री. द्वि. प्रथमा ‘हरी’ (द्विवचन) का विशेषण.
- ‘विपक्षसा’ तृतीया एकवचन करण, ‘रथे’ सप्तमी अधिकरण. (4) ‘शोणा धृष्णू नृवाहसा’—तीनों विशेषण प्रथमा द्विवचन, ‘हरी’ का पुनः विशेषण-समूह।
The meaning
Outer meaning
They yoke for him the desired two tawny steeds to the chariot, wide-winged in movement, ruddy and forceful, bearers of man.
Inner meaning
For Indra—the illumined Mind—our powers yoke the twin dynamic energies (harī) to the ‘chariot’ of action (ratha). These are ‘kāmyā’: the soul’s longed-for forces, because without them aspiration cannot travel. ‘Vipakṣasā’ suggests wide-ranging, winged movement: energies that can traverse inner worlds. When made ‘śoṇā’ and ‘dhṛṣṇū’ (ruddy, daring), they become nṛvāhasā: they carry the human seeker beyond human limitation toward luminous strength.
Universal truth
Spiritual progress needs harnessed energies, not rejection of energy. When vital force and mental force are yoked to a higher intelligence, they become wings that carry life toward truth.
Themes
Indra’s dynamic powers, Yoking/discipline of energies (proto-yogic motif), Inner battle-readiness (dhṛṣṇū), Ascent/progress via divine force
The seer
- Rishi
- Madhucchandas Vaiśvāmitra
- Lineage
- Vaiśvāmitra
- Other hymns
- RV 1.4, RV 1.5, RV 1.6, RV 3.53 (Viśvāmitra lineage theme: widening/expansion)
Family tradition
Vaiśvāmitra hymns frequently stress Indra’s chariot/steeds imagery as a psychology of harnessed force.
Significance
The seer’s vision shows yoga as ‘yoking’—not only contemplation but a mastery of energies so the inner journey becomes effective.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Rathī (charioteer/possessor of chariot), Hariyūpa (yoked with tawny steeds), Vṛṣan (bull of force)
- Related deities
- Maruts (storm-forces/impulsions), Agni (will-fire), Soma (bliss-force)
Cosmic role
Drives the powers that conquer obstruction and establish the wide luminous realm.
Inner power
The commanding intelligence that can take the raw energies (harī) and make them instruments of illumination.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra invocation in Soma offerings (yoking the ‘steeds’ before calling Indra to drink).
यु॒ञ्जन्त्य॑स्य॒ काम्या॒ हरी॒ विप॑क्षसा॒ रथे॑ । शोणा॑ धृ॒ष्णू नृ॒वाह॑सा ॥
यु॒ञ्जन्ति॑ । अ॒स्य॒ । काम्या॑ । हरी॒ इति॑ । विप॑क्षसा । रथे॑ । शोणा॑ । धृ॒ष्णू इति॑ । नृ॒ऽवाह॑सा ॥
yuñjanti | asya | kāmyā | harī iti | vipakṣasā | rathe | śoṇā | dhṛṣṇū iti | nṛ-vāhasā
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3 × 8
Energetic, forward-driving; the horse/chariot imagery matches the meter’s quick propulsion.
Invokes momentum and courage; helps lift tamas and indecision.
- काम्या (kāmyā)
- Literal: desired, longed for. Symbolic: aspiration’s chosen powers; energies aligned with the soul’s aim
- हरी (harī)
- Literal: two tawny steeds of Indra. Symbolic: dual energies (mind-vital; prāṇa-śakti) that drive the inner journey
- विपक्षसा (vipakṣasā)
- Literal: wide-winged. Symbolic: capacity for expansive movement—thought and life-force that can ‘fly’ beyond habit
- रथ (ratha)
- Literal: chariot. Symbolic: organized instrument of action; the embodied system guided by higher will
- शोणा (śoṇā)
- Literal: ruddy. Symbolic: energized by inner fire; passionate force purified for the divine aim
- धृष्णू (dhṛṣṇū)
- Literal: bold, impetuous. Symbolic: courage of the will to break inertia and fear
- नृवाहसा (nṛ-vāhasā)
- Literal: bearers of man. Symbolic: powers that uplift the human being into a greater consciousness
Indra-invocation in Soma-related recitation contexts (general prayoga: stotra/śastra usage in Soma-yajñas such as Agniṣṭoma; specific assignment varies by Śākhā and ritual sequence)
Before/with offerings where Indra is invited as swift-coming deity.
Chant as an invitation and energizing call; mentally ‘yoke’ breath and attention to the aim.
Use before work or sādhanā: align mind and prāṇa to a single intention; then act from that collected force.
: √yuj ‘to yoke, join, harness’ (also yoga as inner disciplining/connection); 3pl pres. act. of yuñj-. : from √kam ‘to desire, love’; adjectival fem. pl. agreeing with harī (dual sense: ‘desired (steeds/powers)’). : dual of hari- ‘tawny, golden’; conventional for Indra’s two steeds; symbolically paired energies of dynamism and illumination. : vi- ‘apart, wide’ + pakṣa ‘wing/side’; instr. sg. describing manner/quality (‘with wide wings/sides’), suggesting rapid expansive movement. : loc. sg. of ratha- ‘chariot’, the ordered vehicle of the god’s force (inner instrument). : adjective ‘ruddy’; often linked with heat/force. : from √dhṛṣ ‘to dare, be bold’; adjective ‘bold/impetuous’. : nṛ- ‘man/hero’ + √vah ‘to carry’ (vāhas- ‘bearing/carrying’); epithet of the steeds/powers as carriers of the human (or of heroic manhood).
R̥ta (ordered movement/true right action implied by ‘yoking’ into the chariot), Tapas (intensified force/ardor suggested by śoṇā, dhṛṣṇū), Satyam–R̥tam–Bṛhat (expansive ‘wide-winged’ movement toward vast truth)
Yoking (yuj) is the practical act of ṛta: energies placed in right relation.
Truth becomes effective when carried by force (dhṛṣṇū) under guidance of illumined mind.
The divine chariot as instrument by which higher consciousness moves in the manifested worlds.
Yoga of works in Vedic form (karma-yoga prototype): right harnessed energies serving illumination.
morning (tawny/ruddy)
Horses = prāṇic-vital drives; chariot = embodied instrument; wings = liberated movement of consciousness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The yoking of Indra’s two Haris to the chariot: a recurring mythic motif where the god’s swift paired steeds are harnessed for the onward rush to victory and the release of light. In the inner reading, it is the disciplined harnessing of dual dynamic energies (impulsion + illumination) that carry the human seeker toward the divine act of overcoming obstruction.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- yuñjanti derives from √yuj, cognate with PIE *yeug- ‘to yoke, join’ (cf. Latin iungō, English yoke). nṛ-vāhasā contains √vah ‘to carry’ from PIE *weǵh- ‘to convey/transport’ (cf. English way, wagon via Germanic developments; Latin vehō). The formulaic chariot-and-steeds diction aligns with wider Indo-European poetic tradition of the storm/warrior deity’s vehicle and team.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer’s speech presents a reciprocal preparation: the human aspiration (kāmyā) ‘yokes’ the divine powers into an ordered instrument (ratha), inviting Indra’s presence and action. The Devatā responds by making his energies ‘man-bearing’ (nṛ-vāhasā)—i.e., consenting to carry and uplift the human being into the movement of victory and truth, establishing a covenant of aspiration and descent.
Harness the ‘two steeds’: (1) breath/prāṇa and (2) thought-energy—offer both to the higher mind (Indra).
maṇipūra (will/drive) and ājñā (guidance)
kapālabhāti light rounds (if suitable) or brisk equal breathing to awaken śoṇā-dhṛṣṇū energy
energized concentration; readiness for decisive action
Before chanting, set one clear intention. While chanting, feel two currents (left/right nāḍī) becoming balanced and yoked; afterwards act immediately on one aligned step.
Vedic accents with strong lift on yuñjanty, harī, śoṇā, dhṛṣṇū; keep cadence crisp across pādas.
Do not swallow consonant clusters: vipakṣasā (vi-pak-ṣa-sā) and nṛvāhasā (nṛ-vā-ha-sā).
harī: long ‘ī’, vipakṣasā: retroflex ‘ṣ’, śoṇā: ‘ś’ palatal; long ‘ā’, dhṛṣṇū: retroflex ‘ṣṇ’; long ‘ū’, nṛ: syllabic ‘ṛ’ (as in ‘kṛ’)
firm, martial, chest-supported with clear articulation
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