Rig Veda 7.71.6: Mandala 7, Sukta 71, Mantra 6
Sukta 7.71
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Aśvinau
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
इयं मनीषा इयमश्विना गीरिमां सुवृक्तिं वृषणा जुषेथाम् । इमा ब्रह्माणि युवयून्यग्मन्यूयं पात स्वस्तिभिः सदा नः ॥
iyáṃ manīṣā́ iyám aśvinā gī́r imā́ṃ suvṛktíṃ vṛṣaṇā juṣethām | imā́ bráhmāṇi yuvayū́ny agman yūyáṃ pāta svastíbhiḥ sádā naḥ ||
ഇതാണ് മനീഷ, ഇതാണ് അശ്വിന്മാർക്കുള്ള ഗീർ; ഹേ വൃഷണന്മാരേ, ഈ സുവൃക്തി—സുനെയ്ത സ്തുതിയെ—സ്വീകരിക്കുവിൻ. നിങ്ങളുടെ ശക്തിയാൽ യുവത്വം പ്രാപിച്ച ഈ ബ്രഹ്മവചനങ്ങൾ എത്തിയിരിക്കുന്നു; സ്വസ്തിയുടെ വിശാലമായ കല്യാണങ്ങളാൽ ഞങ്ങളെ എപ്പോഴും കാത്തുകൊള്ളുവിൻ.
Word by Word
- इयम्
- this (f.)Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (वाक्ये विषयः) / निर्देश्यRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- मनीषा
- thought, inspirationNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ/विषय (इयम् … मनीषा) / विधेयRoot मनीषा (प्रातिपदिक) < √मन् (मनुते/मन्यते) ‘to think’
- इयम्
- this (f.)Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (वाक्ये विषयः) / निर्देश्यRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अश्विना
- O AśvinsNoun (dual deity name)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, द्विवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot अश्विन् (प्रातिपदिक) ‘the Aśvins’
- गीः
- song, hymnNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ/विषय (इयम् … गीः) / विधेयRoot गीर्/गिर् (प्रातिपदिक) ‘song, hymn’
- इमाम्
- this (f., acc.)Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (जुषेथाम्) / विशेष्य-निर्देशRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सुवृक्तिम्
- well-composed (hymn), good praiseNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (जुषेथाम्) / अपपद-विशेषणRoot सु-वृक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) < √वृज्/वृञ्ज् ‘to arrange, compose’ (वृक्ति ‘composition’)
- वृषणा
- O you two vigorous onesAdjective used as noun (vocative)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, द्विवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot वृषण (प्रातिपदिक) ‘bull-like, vigorous’ (epithet)
- जुषेथाम्
- may you two accept / take pleasure inVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ/विधिलिङ्ग-प्राय), मध्यमपुरुष, द्विवचन, आत्मनेपदRole क्रिया (सम्बोधितयोः) ; कर्म = इमाम् सुवृक्तिम्Root √जुष् (जुषते) ‘to enjoy, accept, be pleased’
- इमानि
- these (n. pl.)Pronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्म/विषय (अग्मन्) / निर्देश्यRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- ब्रह्माणि
- prayers, sacred utterancesNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (अग्मन्) / विषयRoot ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) ‘sacred formulation, prayer’
- युवयूनि
- meant for you twoAdjective (possessive/relational)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (ब्रह्माणि इति विशेषणम्)Role विशेषण (ब्रह्माणि) परिणतः कर्तृRoot युवयु (प्रातिपदिक) ‘belonging to you two / for you two’
- अग्मन्
- have come / cameVerbलुङ् (अorist/इञ्जुङ्-प्रयोगः), तृतीयपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रिया; कर्तृ = ब्रह्माणि (युवयूनि)Root √गम् ‘to go, come’
- यूयम्
- you (pl.)Pronounप्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (पात) / सम्बोधित-समूहःRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- पात
- protect!Verbलोट्, मध्यमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रिया; कर्म = नःRoot √पा (पिबति/पाति) ‘to protect’
- स्वस्तिभिः
- with blessings, with well-beingNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole करण (पात) / साधनRoot स्वस्ति (प्रातिपदिक) ‘well-being, blessing’
- सदा
- alwaysIndeclinableअव्ययRole क्रियाविशेषण (काल) / अधिकरण-भावRoot सदा (अव्यय)
- नः
- usPronounषष्ठी/द्वितीया, बहुवचन (एन्क्लिटिक) — अत्र द्वितीया ‘us’Role कर्म (पात) / रक्षणस्य विषयःRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धि-निरसनम्): इयम् मनीषा | इयम् अश्विना गीः | इमाम् सुवृक्तिम् वृषणा जुषेथाम् | इमानि ब्रह्माणि युवयूनि अग्मन् | यूयम् पात स्वस्तिभिः सदा नः || विशेषम्: ‘गीरिमाम्’ इति संहितापाठ-रूपे ‘गीः इमाम्’ इत्यस्य सन्धिः (गीः + इमाम् → गीर्-इमाम्; ऋग्वैदिके र्-आगम/संयोग-लेखनम्)
- ‘युवयून्यग्मन्’ = युवयूनि + अग्मन् (इ + अ → य्-अ)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The poet offers thought and chant to the Aśvins, asking them to accept the well-woven hymn; these utterances have come empowered by them; may they guard us always with well-being.
Inner meaning
The mantra turns from deeds to direct inner offering: manīṣā (inspired intelligence) and gīḥ (the voiced vibration) are presented as a crafted inner sacrifice (suvṛkti). The Word becomes ‘youthful’ by the Aśvins’ power—fresh, effective, living, not mechanical. Protection is asked not merely as outer safety but as swasti: wideness, right ease, harmonious condition of the being. The seer affirms that true mantra is a descent: brahmāṇi ‘have come’—arrived from the higher plane into speech.
Universal truth
When thought and speech are purified into true vibration, they become a living force that protects and widens the being; authentic prayer is a meeting-point of human aspiration and divine empowerment.
Themes
Hymn-acceptance, Mantra efficacy, Protection, Inner renewal
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha (Maitrāvaruṇa)
- Other hymns
- RV 7.71.4, RV 7.71.5, RV 7.72.1
Family tradition
Strong emphasis on brahman (effective word) and ṛta (right formation). Vasiṣṭha’s craft is the ‘well-woven’ hymn that becomes a vehicle of protection and widening.
Significance
The seer reveals mantra as a living descent—speech empowered by divine forces becomes protective and transformative.
The deity
- Devata
- Aśvinau
- Epithets
- Aśvinā, vṛṣaṇā, Nāsatyā (hymn-context)
- Related deities
- Bṛhaspati (as power of Word), Agni (as priest of inner sacrifice), Uṣas
Cosmic role
Receivers of the hymn who respond swiftly; they safeguard the journey and keep the movement ‘young’.
Inner power
They vitalize the Word and the thought, making them effective instruments; they establish swasti—harmonious wideness.
In ritual
Where it is used
Stuti and āśīr (benedictive close) within Aśvin hymns; used to conclude or seal an invocation
इ॒यं म॑नी॒षा इ॒यम॑श्विना॒ गीरि॒मां सु॑वृ॒क्तिं वृ॑षणा जुषेथाम् । इ॒मा ब्रह्मा॑णि युव॒यून्य॑ग्मन्यू॒यं पा॑त स्व॒स्तिभि॒: सदा॑ नः ॥
इ॒यम् । म॒नी॒षा । इ॒यम् । अ॒श्वि॒ना॒ । गीः । इ॒माम् । सु॒ऽवृ॒क्तिम् । वृ॒ष॒णा॒ । जु॒षे॒था॒म् । इ॒मा । ब्रह्मा॑णि । यु॒व॒ऽयूनि॑ । अ॒ग्म॒न् । यू॒यम् । पा॒त॒ । स्व॒स्तिऽभिः॑ । सदा॑ । नः॒ ॥
iyam | manīṣā | iyam | aśvinā | gīḥ | imām | su-vṛktim | vṛṣaṇā | juṣethām | imā | brahmāṇi | yuva-yūni | agman | yūyam | pāta | svasti-bhiḥ | sadā | naḥ
44
4×11 syllables
Balanced and affirming; less narrative, more offering and benediction.
Centers the mind; creates a sense of ‘woven’ coherence; ends in a protective calm.
- manīṣā
- Literal: thought, inspired understanding. Symbolic: illumined intelligence; the inner discernment that can receive higher truth
- gīḥ
- Literal: song/chant. Symbolic: vibratory expression of consciousness; mantra as formative force
- suvṛkti
- Literal: well-woven hymn. Symbolic: integrated, rightly formed inner offering—speech aligned with truth
- vṛṣaṇā
- Literal: strong ones. Symbolic: powers that increase force and effectiveness in the instruments
- brahmāṇi
- Literal: sacred utterances/words. Symbolic: mantric formations descending from higher consciousness
- yuvayūni
- Literal: youthful, made young. Symbolic: freshly empowered movements of speech and thought—renewed, not worn
- svastibhiḥ
- Literal: with well-beings. Symbolic: widening harmonies, auspicious states that support the journey
Concluding acceptance-and-protection request typical of hymn endings; suitable as a sealing verse (śānti/protection) after praise in Soma recitations.
At completion of praise/invitation, to secure protection and auspiciousness.
Offer the hymn, request acceptance (juṣethām), then ask for ongoing guarding (pāta).
A closing chant after meditation or healing practice: dedicate the session and ask for steady well-being and integration through the day.
manīṣā́: from √man ‘think’ with -īṣā, ‘formed/inspired intelligence’. gī́r: ‘song/utterance’ (cf. √gṛ ‘to sing/praise’). suvṛktí: su- ‘well’ + √vṛj/√vṛk ‘turn, shape, arrange’ → ‘well-shaped hymn’ (inner sense: right articulation aligning speech with ṛta). juṣethām: √juṣ ‘enjoy, accept’. bráhman (here pl. bráhmāṇi): ‘formulations of the Word/power of prayer’. yuvayū́ni: from yuvá ‘young’ + possessive/derivational nuance ‘youthful through you’—suggesting renewal of speech-energy by the Aśvins. svastí: su- + √as ‘be’ → ‘good being’, widening safety.
Vāc/Bráhman as efficacious word-power, svasti as wideness of being, youthfulness as renewal of consciousness-force
Suvṛkti implies right ordering of speech in accord with ṛta.
True mantra as brahman carries satya-force; protection comes from alignment with truth.
Word as creative power: brahman ‘arrives’ and shapes consciousness.
Mantra-vidyā line leading toward Upaniṣadic emphasis on vāk/brahman; integral psychology of effective vibration.
Dawn/morning (Aśvin ambience)
Voice = prāṇic-current carrying intention; youthfulness = continual renewal of consciousness against habit and decline.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Not a rescue myth but the ‘mythologem of efficacious speech’: the hymn itself becomes a vehicle that, once accepted by the gods, returns as protection (svasti). Psychologically, right-formed thought and utterance (manīṣā, suvṛkti, brahmāṇi) align the being with ṛta and invite the twin powers to guard the journey.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- svastí is a classic Indo-Iranian/Indo-European compositional type ‘good-being’ (su- + ‘to be’), comparable in structure to other IE ‘well-’ formations. The prominence of formulaic demonstratives (iyám... iyám... imā́m... imā́) is an archaic deictic style typical of early Indo-European hymnody, anchoring the ritual present.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The ṛṣi offers not only oblation but crafted consciousness: manīṣā and gīr. The Aśvins are asked to ‘taste/accept’ (juṣethām), implying that divine response depends on right formation of speech aligned to truth. The closing petition ‘pāta svastibhiḥ’ expresses the sought reciprocity: accepted mantra returns as continuous guardianship.
Offer thought and voice as a single ‘well-woven’ movement; rest in swasti (widened ease).
Viśuddha (mantric expression) supported by Anāhata (benedictive protection)
Chant on long, even exhalations; brief pause after each pāda to feel resonance in throat and chest.
Collected, receptive, quietly luminous.
Before chanting, inwardly ‘weave’ intention: sincerity (heart) + clarity (mind) + steadiness (breath). After chanting, sit 2–3 minutes feeling a protective wideness around the body.
Keep udatta prominence on key offering words (iyam, manīṣā, gīḥ, juṣethām, pāta, svastibhiḥ); observe svarita falls naturally after udatta peaks (exact mapping needs pada-svara).
Let the first two pādas sound like presentation; last two like sealing blessing. Slightly lengthen ‘sadā naḥ’ as a benedictive close.
manīṣā: long ī; retroflex ṣ, aśvinā: clear śv cluster, suvṛktim: vṛ with syllabic ṛ; do not reduce to ‘vir’, juṣethām: retroflex ṣ; long ā in -thām, brahmāṇi: nasalized āṇi with retroflex ṇ, svastibhiḥ: keep ‘sv’ cluster; visarga ḥ lightly aspirated
Warm, steady, devotional; allow resonance to bloom.
3
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