Rig Veda 6.73.3: Mandala 6, Sukta 73, Mantra 3
Sukta 6.73
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja Bārhaspatya
- Devata
- Bṛhaspati
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
बृहस्पतिः समजयद्वसूनि महो व्रजान्गोमतो देव एषः । अपः सिषासन्त्स्वरप्रतीतो बृहस्पतिर्हन्त्यमित्रमर्कैः ॥
bṛ́haspátiḥ sám ajayad vásūni mahó vrājā́n gómato devá eṣáḥ | apáḥ sisāsánt svàr ápratīto bṛ́haspátir hánty amítram arkáiḥ ||
ພຣະພຣິຫັສປະຕິໄດ້ຊະນະເອົາຄວາມຮັ່ງຮິ່ງ, ຝູງສັດໃຫຍ່ທີ່ເຕັມໄປດ້ວຍຮົງສີ; ພະເຈົ້າອົງນີ້. ປາຖະໜານ້ຳ ແລະ ສວຣະ, ຜູ້ທີ່ບໍ່ອາດຕ້ານໄດ້, ພຣະພຣິຫັສປະຕິຕີອຳນາດສັດຕູ ດ້ວຍຄຳສັງກະລິຍະຂອງພຣະອົງ.
Word by Word
- बृहस्पतिः
- BṛhaspatiNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot बृहस्पति- (प्रातिपदिक)
- समजयत्
- conquered, wonVerbलङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot √जि (जये)
- वसूनि
- goods, richesNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot वसु- (प्रातिपदिक)
- महो
- of the greatAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (वैदिक रूप: महो = महतः)Role सम्बन्धRoot महत्- (प्रातिपदिक)
- व्रजान्
- enclosures, pens (cattle-stalls)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot व्रज- (प्रातिपदिक)
- गोमतः
- rich in cowsAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (व्रजान् विशेषण)Role कर्मRoot गोमत्- (प्रातिपदिक)
- देवः
- the godNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (सम्बोधनार्थ/विशेषणार्थ: एषः के लिए)Root देव- (प्रातिपदिक)
- एषः
- this (one)Pronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अपः
- watersNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot अप्- (प्रातिपदिक)
- सिषासन्त्
- desiring to set in motion / to directVerb (participle)वर्तमाने कृदन्त: शतृ (परस्मै), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (एषः/देवः के साथ)Role कर्तृRoot √शास् (शासने) / desiderative stem सि-षास-
- स्वः
- to heaven, heavenwardIndeclinableअव्यय (दिशा/लोकवाचक)Role अधिकरणRoot स्वर्/स्वः (अव्यय/नाम)
- अप्रतीतः
- unopposed, not resistedAdjective (participle)भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (एषः/देवः के साथ)Role कर्तृ (विशेषण)Root प्रति-√इ (प्रतीति/प्रत्यय) → प्रतीत (कृदन्त); न-प्रतीत
- बृहस्पतिः
- BṛhaspatiNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot बृहस्पति- (प्रातिपदिक)
- हन्ति
- strikes, slaysVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot √हन् (हिंसागत्योः)
- अमित्रम्
- the foeNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot अमित्र- (प्रातिपदिक)
- अर्कैः
- with hymns (praises)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole करणRoot अर्क- (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (sandhi-resolved): बृहस्पतिः | समजयत् | वसूनि | महो | व्रजान् | गोमतः | देवः | एषः | अपः | सिषासन्त् | स्वः | अप्रतीतः | बृहस्पतिः | हन्ति | अमित्रम् | अर्कैः । विशेष: (1) महो = महतः (वैदिक षष्ठी-एकवचन रूप)
- (2) सिषासन्त् = desiderative (सन्) of √शास्, present active participle (शतृ)
- (3) स्वः is avyaya ‘heaven(ward)’
- (4) अप्रतीतः = न + प्रतीतः (unopposed)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Bṛhaspati has won together the riches—great herds full of cows; this god. Desiring the waters and the Swar, irresistible, Bṛhaspati strikes the hostile power with his hymns.
Inner meaning
Bṛhaspati ‘wins together’ (sam ajayat) vasūni—essential riches of being: capacities, harmonies, and powers gathered into a unified possession. The ‘great herds’ (maho vrajān gomataḥ) are not cattle but abundant rays of knowledge collected in ordered formations. He seeks the waters (apaḥ)—the flowing currents of life and consciousness—and Swar (svah/svar): the luminous world of truth-illumination. apratīto: nothing can withstand him when the word is true. He strikes the ‘hostile’ (amitra) with arkaiḥ—hymns of light: inspired formulations that cut through falsehood and opposition.
Universal truth
True knowledge is a gathered wealth: when the inner word becomes luminous and sincere, it collects scattered powers, opens the flow of life, and reveals higher truth-light while dissolving hostility within and without.
Themes
mantric victory, attainment of light and waters, defeat of hostility, recovery of treasures
The seer
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja Bārhaspatya
- Lineage
- Bharadvāja
- Other hymns
- RV 6.73.1-3, RV 2.23.16-18 (Bṛhaspati as giver of wealth/insight), RV 10.68 (waters/light release)
Family tradition
Bṛhaspati-centered Bharadvāja vision: the word gathers riches (vasu), releases waters (ap), and opens Swar—classic Angiras itinerary of illumination.
Significance
The rishi links prosperity to consciousness: ‘wealth’ is primarily luminous capacity; the mantra teaches integration—sam (together) as a key to spiritual abundance.
The deity
- Devata
- Bṛhaspati
- Epithets
- Deva eṣaḥ (this god), Apratīta (irresistible), Amitra-han (slayer of hostile)
- Related deities
- Indra (opens Swar), Soma (delight that accompanies light), Sarasvatī (river of inspired speech), Varuṇa (waters, vastness)
Cosmic role
Bestower of true wealth (light, power, harmony); opener of waters and Swar; protector by luminous hymn.
Inner power
Integrative gnosis: gathers scattered energies into a coherent luminous order and uses inspired speech to dissolve opposition.
In ritual
Where it is used
Bṛhaspati invocations for winning ‘vasu’ (wealth) and success; supportive in rites seeking increase and right speech.
बृह॒स्पति॒: सम॑जय॒द्वसू॑नि म॒हो व्र॒जान्गोम॑तो दे॒व ए॒षः । अ॒पः सिषा॑स॒न्त्स्व१॒॑रप्र॑तीतो॒ बृह॒स्पति॒र्हन्त्य॒मित्र॑म॒र्कैः ॥
बृह॒स्पतिः॑ । सम् । अ॒ज॒य॒त् । वसू॑नि । म॒हः । व्र॒जान् । गोऽम॑तः । दे॒वः । ए॒षः । अ॒पः । सिसा॑सन् । स्वः॑ । अप्र॑तिऽइतः । बृह॒स्पतिः॑ । हन्ति॑ । अ॒मित्र॑म् । अ॒र्कैः ॥
bṛhaspatiḥ | sam | ajayat | vasūni | mahaḥ | vrajān | go--mataḥ | devaḥ | eṣaḥ | apaḥ | sisāsan | svaḥ | aprati-itaḥ | bṛhaspatiḥ | hanti | amitram | akairḥ
44
4 × ~11
Confident, acquisitive cadence (‘won together’) followed by upward lift toward Swar.
Produces a sense of gathering and ascent—collecting inner resources, then opening to higher light.
- वसूनि (vasūni)
- Literal: riches, goods. Symbolic: essential powers and harmonies of the being
- व्रजान् (vrajān)
- Literal: herds/enclosures. Symbolic: organized groups of illuminations; stable knowledge-forms
- गोमतः (gomataḥ)
- Literal: full of cows. Symbolic: full of rays of knowledge/light
- अपः (apaḥ)
- Literal: waters. Symbolic: life-currents, consciousness-flow, purification and wideness
- स्वः / स्वर् (svaḥ/svar)
- Literal: heaven, sun-world. Symbolic: plane of illumination; truth-light consciousness
- अप्रतिइतः (apratīto)
- Literal: irresistible, not to be opposed. Symbolic: unstoppable truth-force when aligned with ṛta
- अमित्रम् (amitram)
- Literal: non-friend, hostile. Symbolic: inner hostility: doubt, denial, perversion; outer adverse forces
- अर्कैः (arkaiḥ)
- Literal: hymns, songs of praise. Symbolic: rays/utterances of light; mantra as luminous weapon
Chant for winning spiritual riches and for mantraic victory; supports the brahman-priest function in Soma rites and contests of speech.
When prosperity, victory over hostility, and opening of higher ‘heaven’ are prayed for in the sacrifice.
Recitation with offering; emphasis on hymns (arka) as effective power.
Chant for integration: gather scattered attention, restore flow (waters), and open ‘Swar’ (clarity). Useful before creative work, teaching, or conflict-resolution.
Key terms: vasu- 'good, wealth' → spiritual treasures (powers, felicities). vraja- 'herd/enclosure' → collectives of rays/forces. arka- 'hymn, praise' also 'ray' → the word as light; Bṛhaspati strikes by luminous speech. sisāsan is a desiderative expressing aspiration to obtain; apratī-ita 'not opposed' indicates unstoppable momentum of truth-word.
word as light (arka), Swar attainment, inner riches (vasu) as powers of being
Bṛhaspati’s victory is ordering (sam): ṛta gathers and harmonizes forces into wealth.
Swar as truth-light; arkaiḥ as truth-utterance that defeats falsehood.
From waters to Swar: emergence of light and ordered riches from the flowing matrix.
Vedic gnosis leading to Upaniṣadic ‘light as knowledge’ and ‘speech as power’.
dawn-to-sunrise trajectory implied (opening to Swar)
Cows/herds = rays gathered; waters = purified life-energy and consciousness flow; Swar = illumined plane of truth.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Winning the herds/treasures and striking the hostile with arkas: the myth of recovering luminous wealth through the power of the Word. Inwardly, Bṛhaspati gathers the scattered powers of the being into an integrated richness and uses illumined speech to defeat inner hostility, opening access to waters (flow) and Swar (truth-light).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √ji 'conquer' (ajayat) is PIE *gʷeyh₃- 'live/overcome' (with Indo-Iranian developments), part of inherited victory diction. The identification of hymn/utterance with 'ray' (arka) parallels an archaic IE poetics where speech is luminous and efficacious, not merely descriptive.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi treats Bṛhaspati as the operative power of inspired speech within the sacrifice and within the soul. The reciprocity is: the human offers arkas (luminous chants) and aspiration (sisāsan); Bṛhaspati responds by assembling inner riches and actively striking down the adversarial forces that deny light and flow.
Gather the ‘vasu’—attention, energy, goodwill—into one place; invite a cleansing flow (apas) and then open to a clear, solar awareness (Swar).
Anāhata (integration) → Viśuddha (truth-word) → Ājñā (illumination/Swar)
3-stage breath: inhale (gather), exhale (let waters flow/release), brief pause (open to Swar).
Integrated, purified, luminous; hostility dissolves into clarity.
When negativity arises: chant once, then speak one ‘arka’—a short truthful sentence that names reality without aggression; feel the hostile vibration lose support.
Keep Vedic pitch accents as in Saṃhitā; give clear lift on बृह॒स्पतिः and on स्वः.
Mark the inner ascent: first half ‘winning together’, second half ‘waters → Swar’; slight pause before … for the concluding strike.
sam ajayat: keep consonant junction clear (sa-ma-ja-yat), gomato: long o maintained, siṣāsan: retroflex ṣ, and long ā, apratīto: long ī, dental t, arkaiḥ: diphthong ai and visarga ḥ audible but light
Bright and clear; let ‘svah’ ring lightly upward; conclude firmly on हन्त्य अमित्रम्.
3
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Rig Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
