Rig Veda 8.2.35: Mandala 8, Sukta 2, Mantra 35
Sukta 8.2
- Rishi
- Kaṇva
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Jagatī
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
प्रभर्ता रथं गव्यन्तमपाकाच्चिद्यमवति । इनो वसु स हि वोळ्हा ॥
prábhārtā ráthaṃ gavyántam apākā́c cid yám ávati | inó vásu sá hí voḷ́hā ||
അവൻ ഗവ്യന്തം (ഗോങ്ങൾ/കിരണങ്ങൾ തേടുന്ന) രഥത്തെ മുന്നോട്ട് കൊണ്ടുവരുന്നു; ദൂരത്തുനിന്നും പോലും അവൻ അനുഗ്രഹിക്കുന്നവനെ കാക്കുന്നു. അവൻ ബലവാൻ, ശുഭ നിധി—നിശ്ചയം, നമ്മെ ചുമന്ന് കടത്തുന്ന വാഹകൻ അവൻ തന്നേ.
Word by Word
- प्रभर्ता
- the bearer/driver (one who carries forth)Noun (agent)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot प्र-√भृ (भृञ् धारणे) / प्रभर्तृ- (कर्तृ-प्रातिपदिक)
- रथम्
- the chariotNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot रथ-
- गव्यन्तम्
- cow-seeking, rich in/aimed at cattleAdjective (participial stem)पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (रथम् इति विशेष्यस्य)Role कर्म (विशेषणरूपेण)Root गव्यन्त- (गो + -यन्त, ‘seeking/coveting cows’)
- अपाकात्
- from afar, awayIndeclinable/Adverbial (ablatival form)अपादानार्थे ‘from afar/away’Role अपादानRoot अप + आ + √कॄ/√कृ? (Vedic: अपाक ‘away, from afar’ as ablative)
- चित्
- even, indeedIndeclinableअव्यय; बलार्थक/अपि-अर्थकRoot चित् (निपात)
- यम्
- whomPronounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (अवति इत्यस्य)Root यद्- (सर्वनाम)
- अवति
- protects, helpsVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot अव-√अव् (अव रक्षणे/पालने)
- इनो
- the strong one, the vigorous (one)Noun/Adjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (द्वितीयपादे)Root इन- (Vedic adj./noun ‘strong, vigorous’; also used as epithet)
- वसु
- wealth, good (treasure)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (अत्र विधेय/उपपदभावे)Role कर्म/विधेय (स हि … इति)Root वसु-
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot तद्- (सर्वनाम)
- हि
- for, indeedIndeclinableअव्यय; हेतौ/निश्चयार्थेRoot हि (निपात)
- वः
- for you / of youPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी, बहुवचन (एन्क्लिटिक ‘वः’)Role सम्प्रदान/सम्बन्ध (contextual: ‘for you/of you’)Root युष्मद्- (सर्वनाम)
- वोळ्हा
- the carrier, the one who conveys (driver/bearer)Noun (agent)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (सः … वोळ्हा)Root वह्- (√वह् वहने) → वोळ्हृ- (Vedic agent noun; from PPP/agentive formation)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (sandhi-resolved): प्रभर्ता | रथम् | गव्यन्तम् | अपाकात् | चित् | यम् | अवति || इनो | वसु | सः | हि | वः | वोळ्हा । 1) अपाकाच्चिद्यमवति → अपाकात् + चित् + यम् + अवति (त् + च् → च्च्; चित् + यम् → चिद्यम्)
- 2) स हि → सः + हि (विसर्ग-लोपः पदान्ते)
- 3) वोळ्हा is Vedic phonology for a √वह्-derived agent noun (classical: वोढा)
The meaning
Outer meaning
He brings forward the chariot that seeks the cows (rays), and even from afar he protects the one he favors; he is strong, a good treasure, the carrier.
Inner meaning
Indra sets in motion the inner chariot—our disciplined dynamic consciousness—that ‘seeks the cows,’ i.e., pursues the rays of knowledge. Even when the seeker feels distant from realization (apākāt), Indra guards and upholds the chosen movement. As inaḥ vasu (strong, good wealth), he carries the being across obstacles, transporting it toward luminous attainment.
Universal truth
When the aspiration is yoked to a higher intelligence, the journey toward knowledge is protected even through periods of distance, delay, or obscurity; the guiding power carries the sincere seeker through.
Themes
seeking the cows (rays), divine guidance, protection from afar
The seer
- Rishi
- Kaṇva
- Lineage
- Kaṇva (Kaṇvāḥ)
- Other hymns
- RV 8.2.1-40 (Indra sequence), RV 1.47
Family tradition
Kaṇva poetry often uses journey and vehicle imagery (ratha, aśva) to describe inner progress toward light (go).
Significance
The Kaṇva vision emphasizes that illumination is not passive: it is pursued by a rightly driven inner chariot, yet safeguarded by the divine Mind even across inner ‘distance’.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- prabhartā (one who brings forward/sets in motion), avitā (protector), inaḥ (strong), vasu (good treasure/wealth), voḷhā (carrier)
- Related deities
- Maruts (heroic powers), Agni (inner leader of sacrifice), Soma (delight-force)
Cosmic role
Leader of the gods in the battle for light; mover of forces; protector of the sacrificer; conveyor of the offering and its fruits.
Inner power
Dynamic guidance that organizes life-force and mind into a purposeful vehicle aiming at knowledge; protective strength that sustains progress.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra praise in Soma rites; also suitable as a protective stotra within offerings for success and safe passage.
प्रभ॑र्ता॒ रथं॑ ग॒व्यन्त॑मपा॒काच্চि॒द्यमव॑ति । इ॒नो वसु॒ स हि वोळ्हा॑ ॥
प्रऽभ॑र्ता । रथ॑म् । ग॒व्यन्त॑म् । अ॒पा॒कात् । चि॒त् । यम् । अव॑ति । इ॒नः । वसु॑ । सः । हि । वोळ्हा॑ ॥
pra-bhartā | ratham | gavyantam | apākāt | cit | yam | avati | inaḥ | vasu | saḥ | hi | voḷhā
48
4×12 (approx.) with a driving mid-line caesura typical of jagatī
Rolling, kinetic; suited to ‘bringing forward the chariot’ imagery.
Energizes aspiration while giving a sense of being carried and protected; good for mobilizing will without strain.
- रथ (ratha)
- Literal: chariot. Symbolic: organized dynamic consciousness; the vehicle of sādhanā and action
- गव्यन्त (gavyantam)
- Literal: seeking cows. Symbolic: seeking rays of illumination/knowledge (go = light)
- अपाक़ात् (apākāt)
- Literal: from afar, from a distance. Symbolic: states of inner remoteness: obscurity, discouragement, or separation from the goal
- अवति (avati)
- Literal: he protects. Symbolic: divine guardianship sustaining aspiration and progress
- वोळ्हा (voḷhā)
- Literal: carrier, one who conveys. Symbolic: the power that ‘bears across’—supports transition to higher consciousness
Soma praise; request for protection and conveyance of the sacrificer/aspirant toward vāja and go (light)
During Indra invocations connected with winning vāja and protection of the yajamāna.
Chant to invoke Indra’s protection and forward-driving force for the rite and its fruits.
Recite before travel, major transitions, or starting a difficult practice; take it as a ‘protected progress’ mantra when feeling far from the goal.
pra-bhartā: √bhṛ ‘bear, carry’ (PIE *bher-). gavyant-: desiderative/participial from go ‘cow’ + √i/√yā ‘seek/go’ → ‘seeking the cows’; symbolically seeking rays of knowledge. avati: √av ‘protect, help’ (PIE *h₂ew- ‘help, favor’ often proposed). voḷhā: from √vah ‘carry, convey’ (PIE *weǵh- ‘carry, transport’). vasu: ‘good, bright wealth’—not material only, but stable inner possession.
go (cow) as illumination/knowledge, divine protection (√av), guidance/conveyance (√vah)
The ‘chariot’ moving toward the cows symbolizes the right movement of consciousness toward ṛta’s luminous order.
Protection from afar implies satya’s guardianship even when truth is not yet fully seen.
Progressive manifestation: forces are yoked and advanced to recover hidden light.
Integral yoga lens: organized action (karma) carried by higher guidance toward knowledge (jñāna) and victory (vāja).
Chariot = disciplined practice; cows = rays of insight; distance = periods of obscurity; protection = felt presence that keeps the path intact.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘seeking of the cows’—a central Vedic mythologem where the lost cows (rays of light/knowledge) are recovered by divine power. Here Indra advances the chariot of pursuit and safeguards the seeker even from ‘afar’ (apākāt), i.e., across difficult inner distances.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √bhṛ (pra-bhartā) and √vah (voḷhā) both reflect inherited PIE transport verbs (*bher-, *weǵh-), showing the archaic Indo-European motif of the god as ‘carrier/leader’ who conveys the worshipper across obstacles.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The r̥ṣi positions Indra as the one who not only wins illumination (go) but also personally ‘carries’ (voḷhā) the aspirant’s movement. The reciprocity is devotional and practical: invocation leads to protection (avati) and forward carriage of the inner journey.
Visualize the ‘inner chariot’ (body-life-mind) aligned and moving toward light; invoke protective guidance when doubt arises.
maṇipūra (will/drive)
ujjāyī (gentle) for 3–5 minutes to build steady forward energy
Steady striving with surrendered trust.
On ‘rathaṃ gavyantam’ feel aspiration aiming at light; on ‘apākāc cid yam avati’ offer your sense of distance to the Divine; on ‘sa hi voḷhā’ rest in being carried—release strain.
Maintain Vedic accents; keep prabhartā with clear initial cluster (pra-bh-), and avoid over-splitting sandhi.
Mark the caesura after rathaṃ gavyantam; let ‘apākāc cid’ be articulated clearly without rushing.
prabhartā: bh is voiced aspirate; ṛ is syllabic, gavyantam: hard ‘g’, y as palatal glide, apākāt: long ā; retroflex ṭ, voḷhā: pronounce ḷ as retroflex lateral (if trained); otherwise a careful ‘l’ with retroflex touch
Forward-driving, clear consonants, not harsh.
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