Rig Veda 4.34.3: Mandala 4, Sukta 34, Mantra 3
Sukta 4.34
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Devata
- Rbhus
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
अयं वो यज्ञ ऋभवोऽकारि यमा मनुष्वत्प्रदिवो दधिध्वे । प्र वोऽच्छा जुजुषाणासो अस्थुरभूत विश्वे अग्रियोत वाजाः ॥
ayáṃ vo yajñá ṛbhavo 'kāri yám ā́ manuṣvát pradívo dadhidhvé | prá vo ácchā jujuṣāṇā́so asthúr ábhūt víśve agriyótá vājā́ḥ ||
ഹേ ഋഭുക്കളേ! ഈ യജ്ഞം നിങ്ങള്ക്കായി നിർമ്മിക്കപ്പെട്ടിരിക്കുന്നു—നിങ്ങൾ പരം ദ്യു (ദൂരെയുള്ള സ്വർഗ്ഗം) മുതൽ സ്ഥാപിച്ച്, മനുഷ്യത്വത് (മനുഷ്യർക്കു പ്രാപ്യമാക്കി) ചെയ്തതു. നിങ്ങളെ സ്വീകരിച്ചു പ്രിയപ്പെടുന്നവരായി ഞങ്ങൾ നിങ്ങളിലേക്കു മുന്നേറി നില്ക്കുന്നു; എല്ലാം അഗ്രിയ (ആദ്യമായി മുന്നേറുന്ന) വാജ (ബല-ശക്തികൾ) പ്രസ്ഫുടമായിരിക്കുന്നു.
Word by Word
- अयम्
- this (one/this)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वः
- for you / of youPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी, बहुवचनम् (enclitic)Role SampradānaRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- यज्ञः
- sacrifice, riteNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक; √यज्)
- ऋभवः
- O Ṛbhus (divine artisans)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role SampradānaRoot ऋभु (प्रातिपदिक)
- अकारि
- has been made / was performedVerbलुङ् (aorist), आत्मनेपदम्, 3 पुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role KriyāRoot √कृ (करणे)
- यम्
- which (that)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- आ
- to, unto; (prefix)Indeclinableउपसर्गःRoot आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- मनुष्वत्
- in the manner of Manu / like menIndeclinableअव्ययम् (तुल्यभावे)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot मनुष्वत् (अव्यय; मनु + -ष्वत्)
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableउपसर्गः/निपातःRoot प्र (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- दिवः
- from heaven / of heavenNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Role ApādānaRoot दिव्/द्यौ (प्रातिपदिक)
- दधिध्वे
- you have placed / you have establishedVerbलिट् (perfect), आत्मनेपदम्, 2 पुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Role KriyāRoot √धा (धारणे)
- प्र
- forthIndeclinableनिपातःRoot प्र (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- वः
- for you / to youPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी, बहुवचनम् (enclitic)Role SampradānaRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अच्छा
- towards, untoIndeclinableअव्ययम्Root अच्छा (अव्यय)
- जुजुषाणासः
- delighting (in), gladly acceptingParticiple (Adjective)वर्तमानकाले (लिट्-आधारित) मध्यम/परस्मै?; रूपतः: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot √जुष् (सेवने/प्रीतौ) → जुजुषाण (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
- अस्थुः
- they stood / they came to standVerbलुङ् (aorist), परस्मैपदम्, 3 पुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Role KriyāRoot √स्था (तिष्ठति)
- अभूत्
- becameVerbलुङ् (aorist), परस्मैपदम्, 3 पुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role KriyāRoot √भू (भवति)
- विश्वे
- allAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- अग्रियः
- foremost, firstAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot अग्रिय (प्रातिपदिक; अग्र + -इय)
- उत
- and, alsoIndeclinableसमुच्चयार्थकःRoot उत (निपात)
- वाजाः
- prizes, strengths, winningsNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot वाज (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- Resolved sandhi/pada-splits: ऋभवोऽकारि = ऋभवः + अकारि (visarga before vowel → ’)
- यमा = यम् + आ (pronoun + preverb/nipāta)
- मनुष्वत्प्रदिवो = मनुष्वत् + प्र + दिवः
- वोऽच्छा = वः + अच्छा
- जुजुषाणासो अस्थुः = जुजुषाणासः + अस्थुः (final -o/-as alternation in saṃhitā)
- अग्रियोत = अग्रियः + उत (visarga + u → o/ot in saṃhitā). Accent marks in the given saṃhitā text are not reproduced in the pada forms here
The meaning
Outer meaning
This sacrifice has been made for you, O Rbhus—the one you set down from the far heaven, making it human. We, cherishing you, stand moving toward you; and all the foremost powers of force have come to manifestation.
Inner meaning
The ‘yajña’ is the inner work of self-offering and transformation. The Rbhus establish it ‘from the far heaven’—from higher consciousness—then make it ‘manuṣvat’, accessible to the human being as a practical discipline. When the seeker approaches in willing acceptance (jujuṣāṇāsaḥ), the leading energies (agriyā vājāḥ) awaken: first-rank forces of action and capacity become available to the embodied nature.
Universal truth
A true spiritual practice descends from higher insight but must be translated into human terms; sincere acceptance activates dormant strengths and makes the higher life workable.
Themes
Descent and embodiment, Yajña as inner discipline, Hierarchy of powers (agriya vājāḥ)
The seer
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 4.33, Rig Veda 4.34, Rig Veda 4.35
Family tradition
The Gautama line frequently frames the yajña as a living bridge between heaven and human life—invocation as a technology of consciousness.
Significance
Vāmadeva’s vision affirms the possibility of ‘bringing down’ higher workings into human nature—an early expression of integral transformation.
The deity
- Devata
- Rbhus
- Epithets
- ṛbhavaḥ (skillful ones), heaven-established (pradivo dadhidhve implied)
- Related deities
- Agni (priest of inner sacrifice), Indra (illumined mind-power), Soma (delight sustaining the work)
Cosmic role
Mediators who render divine operations workable in the human plane; perfecters of the sacrificial forms.
Inner power
Power of practical spiritualization—turning lofty realizations into stable habits, capacities, and instruments.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma-yajña invitation/praise to Rbhus as supporters and drinkers of soma
अ॒यं वो॑ य॒ज्ञ ऋ॑भवोऽकारि॒ यमा म॑नु॒ष्वत्प्र॒दिवो॑ दधि॒ध्वे । प्र वोऽच्छा॑ जुजुषा॒णासो॑ अस्थु॒रभू॑त॒ विश्वे॑ अग्रि॒योत वा॑जाः ॥
अ॒यम् । वः॒ । य॒ज्ञः । ऋ॒भ॒वः॒ । अ॒का॒रि॒ । यम् । आ । म॒नु॒ष्वत् । प्र॒ऽदिवः॑ । द॒धि॒ध्वे । प्र । वः॒ । अच्छ॑ । जु॒जु॒षा॒णासः॑ । अ॒स्थुः॒ । अभू॑त । विश्वे॑ । अ॒ग्रि॒या । उ॒त । वा॒जाः॒ ॥
ayam | vaḥ | yajñaḥ | ṛbhavaḥ | akāri | yam | ā | manuṣvat | pra-divaḥ | dadhidhve | pra | vaḥ | accha | jujuṣāṇāsaḥ | asthuḥ | abhūta | viśve | agriyā | uta | vājāḥ
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4×11 syllables (approx.)
Assertive and explanatory; strong caesura supports ‘this…which…’ constructions.
Creates conviction and approach-movement—well-suited to ‘drawing near’ to the invoked powers.
- yajñaḥ
- Literal: sacrifice/rite. Symbolic: inner offering—yogic process of consecration and transformation
- pradivaḥ
- Literal: from the forward/far heaven. Symbolic: from higher mind/supramental ranges; originating above ordinary mentality
- manuṣvat
- Literal: in a human way. Symbolic: made practicable in embodied life; translated into daily discipline
- jujuṣāṇāsaḥ
- Literal: welcoming, cherishing, accepting. Symbolic: receptivity and consent—key condition for descent of power
- agriyāḥ vājāḥ
- Literal: first-going/foremost forces. Symbolic: leading energies of will, clarity, and right action that spearhead progress
- viśve
- Literal: all. Symbolic: integral awakening—many powers of the being come online together
Affirmation that the yajña is properly formed and ‘brought down’ into human performance; inner ritual: establishing higher-plane order (pradivá) into embodied practice (manuṣvat).
When establishing the offering and inviting artisan-deities who ‘set’ the rite.
Declaration of the prepared yajña; invitation and affirmation of manifested powers.
Chant before beginning meditation or service-work as a consecration: ‘make this work humanly accessible and effective’.
manuṣvat: ‘in the manner of Manu/humankind’—a key Vedic idea of translating divine order into human practice. pradivá: ‘from the forward/far heaven’ (pra + div), suggesting descent of higher light. √juṣ ‘to enjoy, be pleased, accept’ indicates an inner consent/adhesion to the divine. agriya: ‘leading, first’ (agra ‘front’), marking precedence in the hierarchy of powers. vāja again as strength/plenitude rather than literal prize.
Descent of higher consciousness (pradivá → manuṣvat), Rita embodied as yajña, Consent/adhesion (√juṣ) as condition of reception
Implicit: a heaven-set yajña implies alignment with cosmic law that can be enacted below.
Truth becomes operative when it is ‘made human’ without being diluted—truth translated into practice.
Manifestation: hidden powers become ‘abhūt’—they come into being in the active life.
Yoga of works (karma-yoga prototype) within a Vedic symbolic frame.
Heaven = higher mind/illumined plane; sacrifice = inner discipline; manifestation = embodiment of force in action.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘bringing down’ of a divine pattern from heaven into human rite: the Rbhus establish the yajña from pradivá and make it manuṣvat. Mythically the Rbhus are perfecters; inwardly they are the powers that translate supramental order into workable human discipline.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The spatial metaphor (div ‘sky/heaven’) is a common IE poetic axis for higher order. The verb √dhā ‘establish’ again frames reality as ‘placed’/‘set’—a hallmark of IE sacral speech where order is constructed through correct placement (ritual and mental).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi acknowledges the devatā’s prior work (you established it), then offers human participation: ‘we stand’ as jujuṣāṇāsaḥ—those who consent and cherish. The reciprocity is pedagogical: the gods provide the archetype; humans provide acceptance and steadiness for manifestation.
Consecrate a practice as a ‘heaven-derived but humanly doable’ discipline; cultivate consent and welcoming receptivity.
Viśuddha (expression of truth into form) and Maṇipūra (effective force in action)
4-4-6 breathing (inhale-hold-exhale) for 6 rounds, then chant with longer exhale to embody ‘descent into human measure’.
Receptive strength; practical clarity.
Begin by offering the day’s work as yajña. While chanting, feel a higher order descending into your routines; end by standing inwardly ‘pra…acchā’—turned toward the divine powers.
Maintain udatta emphasis on yajña, ṛbhavo, pradivaḥ, manuṣvat, viśve, vājāḥ; allow svarita glide on following syllables; keep sandhi clear.
Mark pauses after ayaṃ vo yajñaḥ; and after pradivo dadhidhve; lift slightly on pra vo ’cchā to convey ‘forward-toward’.
’kāri: elide initial ‘a’ in chanting flow but keep vowel clarity, manuṣvat: retroflex ‘ṣ’ clean, short ‘a’ in -vat, jujuṣāṇāsaḥ: repeat ‘ju’ lightly; long ‘ā’ sustained, agriyota: articulate ‘gr’ cluster; keep ‘yo’ separate from ‘ta’
Clear, explanatory, with a forward-leaning cadence on approach phrases.
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