Rig Veda 4.41.8: Mandala 4, Sukta 41, Mantra 8
Sukta 4.41
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Devata
- Indra-Varuṇa with functional distribution: speech to Indra, thought to Varuṇa
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
ता वां धियोऽवसे वाजयन्तीराजिं न जग्मुर्युवयूः सुदानू । श्रिये न गाव उप सोममस्थुरिन्द्रं गिरो वरुणं मे मनीषाः ॥
tā́ vāṃ dhíyo’váse vāja-yántīr ā́jiṃ ná jagmur yuva-yū́ḥ sudānū | śríye ná gā́va úpa sómam asthur índraṃ gíro váruṇaṃ me manīṣā́ḥ ||
ബലത്തിന്റെ പൂർണ്ണതയെ വർദ്ധിപ്പിക്കുന്ന ഈ ധീകൾ (പ്രേരണകൾ) സഹായത്തിനായി ഓട്ടംപോലെ നിങ്ങളുടെ അടുക്കൽ എത്തിയിരിക്കുന്നു, ഹേ യുവ സുധാനൂ. ശ്രീക്കായി ഗാവുകൾ എങ്ങനെയോ, അങ്ങനെ അവ സോമത്തിനരികെ നിലകൊണ്ടിരിക്കുന്നു. എന്റെ ഗിരഃ ഇന്ദ്രനിലേക്കു പോകുന്നു; എന്റെ മനീഷകൾ (ചിന്താരൂപങ്ങൾ) വരുണനിലേക്കു.
Word by Word
- ताः
- those (f.)Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वाम्
- for you two / of you twoPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी, द्विवचन (enclitic)Role SampradānaRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- धियः
- thoughts, hymns, inspirationsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot धी (प्रातिपदिक)
- अवसे
- for aid, for helpNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot अवस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- वाजयन्तीः
- bringing strength/prize; invigoratingParticiple (Adjectival)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; वर्तमान-कर्तरि शतृRole KartāRoot वाजय् (धातु) → वाजयन्त् (वर्तमान-कृदन्त)
- आजिम्
- race, contestNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot आजि (प्रातिपदिक)
- न
- like, asIndeclinableउपमा-अव्ययRoot न (अव्यय)
- जग्मुः
- they went, they have goneVerbलिट् (परोक्शभूत/परफेक्ट), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचनRoot गम् (धातु)
- युवयूः
- you two youths (the two young ones)Noun (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन (इन्द्र-वरुणौ)Role KartāRoot युवयु (प्रातिपदिक; द्विवचन-सम्बोधन/प्रथमा रूप)
- सुदानू
- bountiful, of good giftsAdjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन (इन्द्र-वरुणौ)Role KartāRoot सु-दानु (प्रातिपदिक; बहुव्रीहि/कर्मधारय)
- श्रिये
- for splendor/prosperityNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot श्री (प्रातिपदिक)
- न
- like, asIndeclinableउपमा-अव्ययRoot न (अव्यय)
- गावः
- cowsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot गो (प्रातिपदिक)
- उप
- towards, nearIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRoot उप (अव्यय/उपसर्ग)
- सोमम्
- Soma (the pressed drink/deity)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
- अस्थुः
- they stood / took their placeVerbलिट् (परफेक्ट), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचनRoot स्था (धातु)
- इन्द्रम्
- IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- गिरः
- songs, hymnsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot गिर् (प्रातिपदिक)
- वरुणम्
- VaruṇaNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot वरुण (प्रातिपदिक)
- मे
- myPronounषष्ठी, एकवचन (enclitic)Root अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- मनीषाः
- insights, inspired thoughtsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot मनीषा (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (padapāṭha-style): ताः वाम् धियः अवसे वाजयन्तीः | आजिम् न जग्मुः युवयूः सुदानू || श्रिये न गावः उप सोमम् अस्थुः | इन्द्रम् गिरः वरुणम् मे मनीषाः || Notable: धियोऽवसे = धियः + अवसे (visarga → ’ before vowel)
- जग्मुर्युवयूः = जग्मुः + युवयूः (ḥ + y → r-y in saṃhitā)
- सोममस्थुः = सोमम् + अस्थुः (m + a → ma)
- other junctions are simple vowel contacts
The meaning
Outer meaning
The inspirations have gone to Indra and Varuṇa for help like to a race; like cows to glory they stand near Soma. The poet’s utterances go to Indra; his thought-formations to Varuṇa.
Inner meaning
Dhiḥ (inspirations) are dynamic powers ‘racing’ to the divine helpers: the seeker’s inner movements hasten toward illumination and truth. Near Soma (bliss), the ‘cows’ (rays of knowledge) stand to be fulfilled in glory (śrī). Speech (giraḥ) is offered to Indra—mantric utterance that calls down force; deeper formations of understanding (manīṣāḥ) are offered to Varuṇa—quiet, wide, truth-governed cognition. The mantra maps an inner division of labor: active invocation to Indra, contemplative ordering to Varuṇa.
Universal truth
Spiritual practice succeeds when aspiration is both dynamic and ordered: fervent call and disciplined truth-thought converge near the source of bliss, where knowledge becomes luminous and fruitful.
Themes
inspiration as dynamic movement, Soma as station of delight, alignment of faculties (speech/mind)
The seer
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 4.41, RV 4.42, RV 4.26
Family tradition
Vāmadeva often distinguishes levels of inner instrument: speech, thought, inspiration; here he explicitly apportions them to Indra and Varuṇa, reflecting a refined yogic psychology.
Significance
Shows the seer’s mastery of inner faculties—how mantra (speech) and manīṣā (deep thought) cooperate under different divine powers.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra-Varuṇa (functional distribution)
- Epithets
- sudānū (good givers)
- Related deities
- Soma, Bṛhaspati, Sarasvatī, Mitra
Cosmic role
Indra empowers the expressive, forceful ascent; Varuṇa governs the ordering intelligence and truth-law that makes realization stable.
Inner power
Indra: energizing word-power and breakthrough; Varuṇa: silent vast discernment and ethical-spiritual alignment.
In ritual
Where it is used
Praise within Soma ritual sequences; also a metapoetic statement of offering speech/thought to deities.
ता वां॒ धियोऽव॑से वाज॒यन्ती॑रा॒जिं न ज॑ग्मुर्युव॒यूः सु॑दानू । श्रि॒ये न गाव॒ उप॒ सोम॑मस्थु॒रिन्द्रं॒ गिरो॒ वरु॑णं मे मनी॒षाः ॥
ताः । वा॒म् । धियः॑ । अव॑से । वा॒ज॒ऽयन्तीः॑ । आ॒जिम् । न । ज॒मुः॒ । यु॒व॒ऽयूः । सु॒दा॒नू॒ इति॑ सुऽदानू । श्रि॒ये । न । गावः॑ । उप॑ । सोम॑म् । अ॒स्थुः॒ । इन्द्र॑म् । गिरः॑ । वरु॑णम् । मे॒ । म॒नी॒षाः ॥
tāḥ | vām | dhiyaḥ | avase | vāja-yantīḥ | ājim | na | jamuḥ | yuva-yūḥ | sudānūitisu-dānū | śriye | na | gāvaḥ | upa | somam | asthuḥ | indram | giraḥ | varuṇam | me | manīṣāḥ
44
4 x ~11
Swift in the first half (race imagery), settling into clarity in the last half (distribution of faculties).
Begins energizing, ends centering—useful to move from aspiration into ordered contemplation.
- धियः (dhiyo)
- Literal: inspirations. Symbolic: intuitive movements seeking divine aid
- वाजयन्तीः (vājayantīḥ)
- Literal: bringing strength/plenitude. Symbolic: inspirations that increase inner power (vāja)
- आजिम् (ājim)
- Literal: race, contest. Symbolic: the striving of yoga—energetic movement toward the goal
- श्रिये (śriye)
- Literal: to glory, splendor. Symbolic: fulfilled beauty of realization; luminous prosperity of consciousness
- गावः (gāvaḥ)
- Literal: cows. Symbolic: rays of knowledge gathering to Soma-bliss
- सोमम् (somam)
- Literal: Soma. Symbolic: divine Ananda, nectar of consciousness
- गिरः (giraḥ)
- Literal: utterances, hymns. Symbolic: mantric speech-force offered to Indra
- मनीषाः (manīṣāḥ)
- Literal: thought-formations, insight. Symbolic: deep understanding offered to Varuṇa’s truth-order
Soma offering: positioning of dhī (inspiration) near Soma; hymn as a technology of aligning speech (gīr) and mind (manīṣā) with the respective divine powers.
During chanting near Soma offerings; when emphasizing inspiration and right articulation.
Recitation as an offering of word and mind; mentally ‘placing’ speech in Indra, thought in Varuṇa.
Before study/teaching: dedicate speech to clarity and power (Indra) and thought to truth and wideness (Varuṇa); helpful for mindful communication.
vājá- from √vaj ‘be strong’ → ‘force, prize, plenitude of power’; hence vāja-yantī- ‘bringing strength/plenitude’. gíraḥ ‘utterances’ (√gṛ ‘to sing/utter’). manīṣā from √man ‘think’ with nuance of formed, effective intelligence. śrī- ‘splendor, thriving’ (inner beauty and harmony).
integration of speech and thought in sacrifice/yoga, vāja as plenitude of force, help (ava) as divine response
Varuṇa receives manīṣā to keep cognition aligned with r̥ta; Indra receives giraḥ to act effectively within that order.
Truth is preserved by separating mere speech from deep thought and consecrating both.
Cows gathering to Soma suggests the meeting of knowledge and bliss—completion of the inner creation.
Aurobindonian: integration of mantra (vak) and illumined reason/intuitive mind under cosmic powers.
Race = yogic striving; cows = rays of knowledge; Soma = bliss-substance; standing near Soma = knowledge poised to be transmuted into delight.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘race/contest’ mythologem of the sacrifice: inspirations run to the gods for aid, and the ‘cows’ (rays/abundances) take station near Soma—signifying that delight becomes the gathering-point for luminous increase.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √man ‘think’ is PIE *men- (mind, thought; cf. Latin mens). The partition of faculties (speech vs. mind) echoes archaic IE poetics where correct utterance and right thought are distinct but coordinated powers.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi distributes his inner instruments: gíraḥ (speech) offered to Indra to energize action and breakthrough, and manīṣāḥ (formed intelligence) offered to Varuṇa to align with ṛta and wideness—together ensuring victorious progress.
Align faculties: on inhalation feel inspirations ‘run’ toward the divine; on exhalation offer speech to Indra (clarity/force) and thought to Varuṇa (truth/wideness).
viśuddha (speech) + ājñā (insight)
Inhale 5 (gather dhiḥ), exhale 7 (offer); add a brief pause after exhale to ‘stand near Soma’ in quiet.
From effortful aspiration to organized inner offering and calm joy.
After chanting, sit 2 minutes: let speech become still, let thought widen; notice a subtle sweetness (Soma) when faculties are rightly placed.
Keep clear udātta on ‘índram’ and ‘váruṇam’; the cadence should quicken slightly in pāda 1, then stabilize in pādas 3–4.
Avoid swallowing ‘dhiyo ’vase’; articulate the sandhi lightly. In ‘indraṃ giro varuṇam me manīṣāḥ’ mark the parallelism with balanced stress.
: vā-ja-yan-tīḥ (long īḥ), : yu-va-yūḥ (long ūḥ), : śri-ye (cluster śr), : gi-ro (not ‘gīro’), : ma-nī-ṣāḥ (retroflex ṣ, long āḥ)
Bright at start, then calm and spacious; end with a contemplative resonance.
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