Rig Veda 7.44.2: Mandala 7, Sukta 44, Mantra 2
Sukta 7.44
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Dadhikrāvan
- Chandas
- Tr̥ṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
दधिक्रामु नमसा बोधयन्त उदीराणा यज्ञमुपप्रयन्तः । इळां देवीं बर्हिषि सादयन्तोऽश्विना विप्रा सुहवा हुवेम ॥
dadhikrā́m u námasā bodháyanta utī́rāṇā yajñám upaprayántaḥ | iḷā́ṁ devī́ṁ bárhiṣi sā́dayanto 'śvínā víprā suháva huvema ||
ដោយភ្ញាក់រឭកទាធិក្រាវន៍ដោយការគោរព ក្រោកឡើង និងរីកចម្រើនទៅរកយញ្ញបូជា យើងដាក់ទេពធីតាអិឡាលើអាសនៈពិសិដ្ឋ យើងដែលមានការបដិបត្តិហៅទេពអស្វិនទាំងឡាយដោយការហៅដ៏ល្អ ដ្បិតពួកគេមកដោយស្រួល
Word by Word
- दधिक्राम्
- Dadhikrāvan (the divine steed/deity)Noun (proper name)पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन (कर्मपद)Role KarmaRoot दधिक्रावन् (प्रातिपदिक) / दधिक्रामन् (वैदिक रूप)
- नमसा
- with reverence, by homageNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- बोधयन्तः
- awakening, causing to awakenVerb (causative participle)णिजन्त (बोधय-), वर्तमान कृदन्त: शतृ, प्रथमा-बहुवचन, पुंलिङ्गRole KartāRoot बुध् (धातु)
- उदीराणाः
- rising up, setting in motionVerb (participle)उद्-उपसर्गपूर्वक, वर्तमान कृदन्त: शानच्, प्रथमा-बहुवचन, पुंलिङ्गRole KartāRoot उद्-ईर् (धातु) / ईर् (गत्यर्थ)
- यज्ञम्
- the sacrifice, ritualNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचनRole KarmaRoot यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
- उपप्रयन्तः
- approaching, coming nearVerb (participle)उप+प्र उपसर्ग, वर्तमान कृदन्त: शतृ, प्रथमा-बहुवचन, पुंलिङ्गRole KartāRoot उप-प्र-इ (धातु: इ ‘गमन’)
- इळाम्
- Iḷā (goddess of nourishment/oblation)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचनRole KarmaRoot इळा (प्रातिपदिक)
- देवीम्
- the goddessNoun/Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन (इळाम् विशेषणम्)Role KarmaRoot देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
- बर्हिषि
- on the sacred grass (barhis)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot बर्हिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- सादयन्तः
- seating, causing to sitVerb (causative participle)णिजन्त, वर्तमान कृदन्त: शतृ, प्रथमा-बहुवचन, पुंलिङ्गRole KartāRoot सद् (धातु) → णिजन्त सादय-
- अश्विना
- O Aśvins (divine twins)Noun (dual deity name)पुंलिङ्ग, द्विवचन, सम्बोधन (हे अश्विनौ) — वैदिके ‘अश्विना’ इति रूपम्Role SampradānaRoot अश्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- विप्राः
- inspired priests/seersNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-बहुवचनRole KartāRoot विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- सुहवाः
- good at invocation, invoking wellAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-बहुवचन (विप्राः विशेषणम्)Role KartāRoot सु-हव (प्रातिपदिक; सु + हव ‘to call’)
- हुवेम
- we have invoked / we invokeVerbलिट् (परिप्रास/वैदिक परफेक्ट), उत्तम-पुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपदRole KartāRoot हू (धातु ‘आह्वान’)
Sandhi Notes
- संहिता-पाठ: दधिक्रामु नमसा → पदपाठ: दधिक्राम् । नमसा । (अन्त्य-व्यञ्जन ‘म्’ परे नकारे ‘मु’ इति वैदिक संधि/अनुनासिक-प्रसार)
- उदीराणा यज्ञम् → उदीराणाः । यज्ञम् (आः + य- इत्यत्र विसर्ग-लोप/संधि)
- यज्ञम् उपप्रयन्तः → यज्ञम् । उपप्रयन्तः (म् + उ-)
- सादयन्तोऽश्विना → सादयन्तः । अश्विना (ओऽ- = अः + अ- इत्यत्र विसर्गस्य ‘ओ’ आदेशः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
With reverence the singers awaken Dadhikrāvan, rise and move toward the yajña, seat the goddess Iḷā on the barhis (sacred seat), and invoke the Aśvins who are easy to call and swift to come.
Inner meaning
The aspirant rouses the dynamic life-force (Dadhikrāvan) and turns it upward into the inner sacrifice. Iḷā—intuitive revelation/true speech—is established on the prepared “seat” of consciousness (barhis: the spread, quieted basis). Then the Aśvins, the twin powers of swift help (illumined vitality and clear mind, or prāṇa and manas in harmony), are called to bring quick remedies, right adjustments, and forward movement in sādhanā.
Universal truth
Spiritual progress begins by awakening the will-to-advance, establishing intuitive truth in a purified foundation, and invoking higher assisting powers that harmonize and heal the instruments so the journey can proceed without delay.
Themes
Ritual activation, Invocation technique, Readiness of divine aid, Inner awakening
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha (probable)
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha-gotra
- Other hymns
- RV 7.44.1-6, RV 7.45.1-4, RV 7.33, RV 7.76-77
Family tradition
The Vasiṣṭhas (Mandala 7) emphasize ṛta (right order), inner rectitude, and the harmonizing action of divine powers in the human journey.
Significance
Vasiṣṭha’s vision often moves from invocation to inner alignment: establishing truth (satya/ṛta) in the being, then calling swift divine agencies to perfect the instruments.
The deity
- Devata
- Dadhikrāvan (with Iḷā and the Aśvins)
- Epithets
- suhavā (of the Aśvins), devī (Iḷā)
- Related deities
- Agni, Uṣas, Sūrya, Viśve Devāḥ
Cosmic role
Dadhikrāvan as the forward-driving power that leads the movement toward the sacrifice; Iḷā as revelatory speech; Aśvins as swift restorers and helpers who make the path practicable.
Inner power
Activation and right direction of prāṇic energy; installation of intuitive truth; rapid harmonization/healing of mind-life for progress.
In ritual
Where it is used
Morning/approach-to-yajña invocation; associated with Dadhikrāvan and helper deities before offerings
द॒धि॒क्रामु॒ नम॑सा बो॒धय॑न्त उ॒दीरा॑णा य॒ज्ञमु॑पप्र॒यन्त॑: । इळां॑ दे॒वीं ब॒र्हिषि॑ सा॒दय॑न्तो॒ऽश्विना॒ विप्रा॑ सु॒हवा॑ हुवेम ॥
द॒धि॒ऽक्राम् । ऊँ॒ इति॑ । नम॑सा । बो॒धय॑न्तः । उ॒त्ऽईरा॑णाः । य॒ज्ञम् । उ॒प॒ऽप्र॒यन्तः॑ । इळा॑म् । दे॒वीम् । ब॒र्हिषि॑ । सा॒दय॑न्तः । अ॒श्विना॑ । विप्राः॑ । सु॒ऽहवा॑ । हु॒वे॒म॒ ॥
dadhi-krām | oṃ iti | namasā | bodhayantaḥ | ut-īrāṇāḥ | yajñam | upa-prayantaḥ | iḷām | devīm | barhiṣi | sādayantaḥ | aśvinā | viprāḥ | su-havā | huvema
44
4 pādas of ~11 syllables (Triṣṭubh cadence with a natural caesura around 4/7)
Forward-driving, martial yet controlled; suited to ‘advance’ imagery (upaprayantaḥ).
Energizes aspiration, gives a sense of marching progress; stabilizes the mind while quickening the vital.
- दधिक्राम् / दधिक्रावन् (dadhikrām / dadhikrāvan)
- Literal: a neighing/charging steed (Dadhikrāvan). Symbolic: the awakened vital dynamism that carries the seeker forward in the inner journey
- नमसा (namasā)
- Literal: with reverence, bowing. Symbolic: self-offering and consent of the ego to the higher working
- बोधयन्तः (bodhayantaḥ)
- Literal: awakening, making aware. Symbolic: arousing the inner force and consciousness from inertia
- यज्ञम् (yajñam)
- Literal: sacrifice, worship. Symbolic: the inner offering of works, thoughts, and energies to the Divine
- इळाम् देवीम् (iḷām devīm)
- Literal: the goddess Iḷā. Symbolic: illumined intuition and true inspired speech/revelation
- बर्हिषि (barhiṣi)
- Literal: on the sacred grass-seat. Symbolic: a prepared, widened, quiet foundation of consciousness for descent of light
- अश्विना (aśvinā)
- Literal: the Aśvins (twin horsemen). Symbolic: twin divine helpers—swift harmonizers of mind-life, bringers of healing and right functioning
- सुहवा (suhavā)
- Literal: easy to call, readily invoked. Symbolic: powers responsive to sincere aspiration and clear invocation
Rite-activation verse: awaken the swift aid-power, approach the yajña, seat Iḷā (revelatory offering-power) on barhis, then invoke the Aśvins for ready help.
At the commencement/approach of pressing or offering sequences; as an ‘awakening’ and ‘seating’ formula
Awakening the deity/power, seating Iḷā on barhis, inviting Aśvins
Use as a pre-meditation ‘startup’ mantra: (1) bow inward, (2) awaken will, (3) seat intuition, (4) call swift harmonizers for clarity and balance.
√budh ‘wake’ (PIE *bʰewdʰ-; cf. English bid/forbid are not cognate; better: German bieten ‘offer’ is not; but Sanskrit budh has cognates in Slavic buditi ‘wake’). Iḷā is a ritual-personified power: connected with ‘refreshment/oblation’ and ‘inspired speech’ in Vedic usage. su-havā: su ‘good’ + havā ‘invocation’ from √hū.
Awakening of powers (√budh), Establishment (√sad caus.), Inspired speech/oblation (Iḷā)
Movement ‘toward the yajña’ signifies aligning action with ṛta through conscious offering.
Iḷā embodies truth-revelation and right articulation of inner knowledge.
Descent/installation of light (Iḷā) into a prepared field (barhis) enabling progressive manifestation.
Proto-Vedāntic/Integral (Aurobindonian) reading: ascent by will, descent of intuition, harmonization by higher powers.
early morning (implied by awakening/invoking Aśvins)
Horse = vital force in forward motion; barhis = widened quiet mind-field; morning-awakening = first illumination that begins the day of sādhanā.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is ‘awakening and seating’ divine powers: Dadhikrāvan is awakened, Iḷā is enthroned on the barhis, and the Aśvins are summoned. It depicts the inner rite as a conscious installation of faculties—speed, revelation, and healing help.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √budh ‘wake’ has IE cognates (e.g., Slavic bud- ‘awake’), pointing to an inherited lexicon for awakening—here ritualized as activating a deity. √sad ‘sit’ is PIE *sed- (cf. Latin sedēre, English sit), used to ‘seat’ Iḷā, showing continuity of enthronement language.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi is a ritual-technician of consciousness: by namas, awakening, and seating, he ‘installs’ the devatā-powers. The devas are responsive when rightly invoked (suhavā), implying a lawful reciprocity: correct inner gesture elicits immediate aid.
Awaken the forward will and establish intuitive guidance before action.
maṇipūra (will/fire) with support of ājñā (intuition)
4-4-6 breathing: inhale ‘bodhayantaḥ’, hold lightly ‘udīrāṇā’, exhale ‘huvema’—ending in quiet receptivity.
Uplifted, attentive, ready-for-descent (receptive dynamism).
Begin with namas (inner bow). Feel a bright steed-force rising in the spine. Spread a calm ‘seat’ in the heart-mind, place Iḷā (clear intuitive word) there, then call the Aśvins to harmonize body-energy and thought so the day’s works become yajña.
Vedic svara as per Śākala tradition: udatta peaks on key verbs (bodhayantaḥ/huvema) with anudatta supports; svarita on dependent accents (requires śākhā-based notation for exact mapping).
Lean the voice slightly upward on udātta syllables; keep anudātta low and steady; let svarita fall-rise smoothly without stress.
Retroflex ḷ in iḷām is distinct from dental l., Keep conjunct -pr- in upaprayantaḥ crisp (u-pa-pra-yan-taḥ)., Aśvinā: clear ś (palatal) and short i., Do not over-lengthen final visarga-less endings; keep triṣṭubh pace.
Bright, forward, but reverent; avoid harshness—‘invocation’ rather than ‘shout’.
3
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