Rig Veda 8.87.6: Mandala 8, Sukta 87, Mantra 6
Sukta 8.87
- Rishi
- Priyamedhas
- Devata
- Aśvins
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
वयं हि वां हवामहे विपन्यवो विप्रासो वाजसातये । ता वल्गू दस्रा पुरुदंससा धियाश्विना श्रुष्ट्या गतम् ॥
vayaṃ hi vāṃ havāmahe vipanyavo viprāso vāja-sātaye | tā valgū dasrā puru-daṃsasā dhiyā aśvinā śruṣṭyā gatam ||
കാരണം ഞങ്ങൾ നിങ്ങളെ ഹ്വാനിക്കുന്നു—പ്രേരിത വാക്കിന്റെ അന്വേഷകർ, ഋഷിമാർ—ബലസമൃദ്ധി നേടുവാൻ. ഹേ വൽഗു ദസ്രന്മാരേ, അനേകശക്തിയുള്ള അശ്വിന്മാരേ, ഞങ്ങളുടെ ധീ (പവിത്രബുദ്ധി) കൊണ്ടും നിങ്ങളുടെ ശ്രുഷ്ടി (ശ്രവണം-പ്രതികരണം) കൊണ്ടും വരുവിൻ.
Word by Word
- वयम्
- wePronounपुं/स्त्री/नपुं (सर्वनाम), प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot अस्मद्
- हि
- indeed/forIndeclinableनिपात (अव्यय)Root हि
- वाम्
- you two (Aśvins)Pronounद्वितीया/षष्ठी, द्विवचन (एन्क्लिटिक रूप)Role कर्म (हवामहे इत्यस्य)Root युष्मद् (द्वि.)
- हवामहे
- we invoke/callVerbलट्, उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचन, आत्मनेपदRole क्रियाRoot √ह्वा (ह्वयति) / √हू
- विपन्यवः
- praising/eloquent (singers)Adjective (used substantively)पुं, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (वयम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Root विपन्यु- (प्रातिपदिक)
- विप्रासः
- inspired seers/priestsNounपुं, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (वयम्)Root विप्र-
- वाजसातये
- for the winning of prize/strengthNounस्त्री, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदान (उद्देश्य/प्रयोजन)Root वाजसाति-
- ता
- those two (you two)Pronounपुं, द्वितीया, द्विवचनRole कर्म (गतम् इत्यस्य)Root तद् (द्वि.)
- वल्गू
- lovely/gracefulAdjectiveपुं, द्वितीया, द्विवचनRole कर्म-विशेषण (ता इत्यस्य)Root वल्गु-
- दस्रा
- wondrous/skillfulAdjectiveपुं, द्वितीया, द्विवचनRole कर्म-विशेषणRoot दस्र-
- पुरुदंससा
- of many marvelsAdjectiveपुं, द्वितीया, द्विवचनRole कर्म-विशेषणRoot पुरुदंसस्-
- धिया
- with (our) thought/prayerNounस्त्री, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करणRoot धी-
- अश्विना
- O AśvinsNoun (dual deity name)पुं, सम्बोधन, द्विवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot अश्विन्-
- श्रुष्ट्या
- with attentive hearing/obedienceNounस्त्री, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करणRoot श्रुष्टि-
- गतम्
- come (you two)!Verb (participle)भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुं, द्वितीया, द्विवचन (आशीर्वचन/आमन्त्रणार्थे: ‘come!’)Role क्रिया (आह्वानार्थक)Root √गम्
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution: वयं हि वां हवामहे (no change)
- विपन्यवो विप्रासः (ओ + वि- remains separate in pada)
- वाजसातये (dative sg.)
- ता वल्गू दस्रा पुरुदंससा (all dual accusative agreeing with ता)
- धियाश्विना → धिया अश्विना (a + a → ā)
- श्रुष्ट्या गतम् (instrumental + imperative-like perfect participle used as invitation)
The meaning
Outer meaning
We call you, O Aśvins—seekers of inspired praise, seers—for winning the prize of strength. O gracious wonder-workers of many deeds, come by our thought and by your attentive hearing.
Inner meaning
The practitioners identify as vipanyavaḥ/viprāsaḥ—those who cultivate inspired speech and vision. The ‘vājasāti’ is not mere wealth but the gaining of effective force and capacity in the being. The Aśvins are ‘valgū’ (gracious/beautiful in movement) and ‘purudaṃsasā’ (of many powers): they can act on multiple levels to heal and integrate. ‘Come by our dhī’ means enter through the channel of illumined thought/intention; ‘by your śruṣṭi’ means through their responsive hearing—when the inner ear of the higher powers is met by sincere aspiration, there is descent of aid.
Universal truth
True invocation is a meeting: the human offers clear intention and inspired speech; the divine responds with attentive power, bringing effective strength and integration.
Themes
Mantra-and-response, Aspiration-for-vāja, Seer-identity
The seer
- Rishi
- Priyamedhas (probable)
- Other hymns
- RV 8.87.3, RV 8.87.4, RV 8.87.5
Family tradition
Priyamedha hymns often foreground vipra-status (seerhood) and the efficacy of dhī (illumined thought) as the meeting-point with the gods.
Significance
This verse articulates the yoga of mantra: inspired speech + illumined thought evokes a responsive descent (śruṣṭi) that yields vājasāti—effective force for the path.
The deity
- Devata
- Aśvins
- Epithets
- Dasrā, Valgū, Purudaṃsasā
- Related deities
- Bṛhaspati (inspired speech), Agni (will), Indra (illumined force)
Cosmic role
Responders to invocation; swift helpers who bring many-sided powers for progress and protection.
Inner power
They translate aspiration into tangible capacity—strengthening the life-force, clarifying the mind, and healing disharmonies.
In ritual
Where it is used
Invocation in Soma ritual context (general)
व॒यं हि वां॒ हवा॑महे विप॒न्यवो॒ विप्रा॑सो॒ वाज॑सातये । ता व॒ल्गू द॒स्रा पु॑रु॒दंस॑सा धि॒याश्वि॑ना श्रु॒ष्ट्या ग॑तम् ॥
व॒यम् । हि । वा॒म् । हवा॑महे । वि॒प॒न्यवः॑ । विप्रा॑सः । वाज॑ऽसातये । ता । व॒ल्गू इति॑ । द॒स्रा । पु॒रु॒ऽदंस॑सा । धि॒या । अश्वि॑ना । श्रु॒ष्टी । आ । ग॒त॒म् ॥
vayam | hi | vām | havāmahe | vipanyavaḥ | viprāsaḥ | vāja-sātaye | tā | valgū iti | dasrā | puru-daṃsasā | dhiyā | aśvinā | śruṣṭī | ā | gatam
32
4 × ~8 syllables (approx.)
Dialogic rhythm—call and response.
Strengthens sincerity and inner listening; balances effort (dhī) with receptivity (śruṣṭi).
- vipanyáva (विपन्यव)
- Literal: praise-seeking, hymn-loving. Symbolic: one who refines inspired expression; aspiration shaped as mantra
- viprá (विप्र)
- Literal: seer, inspired sage. Symbolic: the inner knower who receives intuitive light
- vā́jasāti (वाजसाति)
- Literal: winning of the prize/strength. Symbolic: acquisition of spiritual force, capacity, victorious energy
- valgū (वल्गू)
- Literal: graceful, lovely. Symbolic: harmonizing movement of divine help; beauty in action
- purudaṃsas (पुरुदंसस्)
- Literal: of many deeds/powers. Symbolic: multi-modal divine efficacy across mind, life, body
- dhī (धी)
- Literal: thought, insight. Symbolic: illumined intention; higher discernment opening a channel
- śruṣṭí (श्रुष्टि)
- Literal: hearing, attentive response. Symbolic: divine receptivity/answering power; grace that ‘listens’ and acts
Concluding invitation emphasizing the seers’ status (vipra) and the aim of vāja-sāti (winning plenitude); suitable as a refrain-like call for divine response through śruti (hearing).
During praise/śastra portions where the priests-seers call for divine approach and response.
Recitation to invite deity; emphasis on attentive hearing/acceptance of praise.
Use to cultivate ‘two-way prayer’: speak intention clearly, then sit in silence to listen for guidance.
vāja- polyvalent: ‘food/prize’ but rooted in strength/plenitude (semantic field of vigor); hence ‘plenitude of force’ in inner reading. dhī- ‘visionary thought’ (√dhī/√dhyai ‘think, contemplate’). √śru ‘hear’ (PIE *ḱleu- ‘hear, fame’), giving śruṣṭi ‘obedient hearing’—a key Vedic reciprocity: gods ‘hear’ and respond. puru-daṃsas-: puru ‘many’ + daṃsas ‘wondrous skill’.
Dhī (inspired thought), Śruti/śruṣṭi (divine hearing as grace), Vāja (plenitude of force)
Right invocation aligns dhī with Ṛta, enabling the gods’ response to act effectively.
Vipra speech aims at satya—truthful utterance that carries power.
Co-creation: human consciousness offers form (mantra), divine consciousness supplies force (help).
Mantra-yoga orientation within Vedic psychology.
dawn-approach (Aśvin setting, implied)
The ‘ear’ symbolizes receptivity; the ‘prize’ symbolizes consolidated inner capacity; ‘coming’ symbolizes descent of helpful forces into the system.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘hearing gods’ mythologem: the Aśvins come through śruṣṭi—responsive listening—to the seer’s dhī. Mythically the gods heed the call; psychologically higher powers answer when thought becomes inspired utterance (vipanā) aiming at vāja, the plenitude of force.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √śru (śruṣṭyā) reflects PIE *ḱleu- (hear/fame), central to IE poetics where ‘hearing’ links to renown and response. The term vipra (inspired seer) and the performative havāmahe preserve an archaic speech-act structure: invocation as a binding formula.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi identifies as vipra/vipanya—one who crafts inspired speech—and asks for vāja-sāti. The Devatā’s side is śruṣṭi: to hear and to come. Thus the relationship is a dynamic circuit: dhī (human luminous intention) evokes śruṣṭi (divine attentive grace), yielding plenitude (vāja).
Unite dhī (clear intention) with śruṣṭi (deep listening).
Ājñā (dhī/insight) with Viśuddha (mantric expression)
4-4-6 breathing: inhale 4 (form intention), hold 4 (offer), exhale 6 (release into listening).
Alert, receptive, quietly strong.
Chant once, then sit 2 minutes in silence focusing on the inner ear; note any ‘response’ as a calm directive rather than a dramatic sign.
Rigvedic accents; give clarity to vocatives (aśvinā) and key nouns (dhiyā, śruṣṭyā).
Mark a contemplative pause after ‘vājasātaye’; let ‘dhiyā… śruṣṭyā’ be slightly slower to emphasize the two means.
vipanyavo: keep ‘ny’ palatal (vi-pan-ya-vo), purudaṃsasā: articulate anusvāra before s (daṃ-sa) clearly, śruṣṭyā: pronounce śru as ‘shru’, keep ṣṭy cluster tight
Sincere, steady, slightly softened at the end to invite inner listening.
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