Rig Veda 6.39.4: Mandala 6, Sukta 39, Mantra 4
Sukta 6.39
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja Bārhaspatya
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
अयं रोचयदरुचो रुचानोऽयं वासयद्व्यृतेन पूर्वीः । अयमीयत ऋतयुग्भिरश्वैः स्वर्विदा नाभिना चर्षणिप्राः ॥
ayáṃ rocayad arúco rucānó ’ayáṃ vāsayad ví ṛ́tena pūrvī́ḥ | ayám īyate ṛtayúg-bhir áśvaiḥ svàr-vidā nā́bhinā carṣaṇi-prā́ḥ ||
Ia, yang bersinar, menjadikan yang tidak bercahaya menyala; dengan Kebenaran (Ṛta) ia membentangkan susunan-susunan purba. Ia bergerak dengan kuda-kuda yang terpasang pada Ṛta; sebagai penemu Swar, ia memajukan umat manusia melalui pusat pusar—takhta batin penyatuan.
Word by Word
- अयम्
- this (one), hePronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- रोचयत्
- made shine, illuminedVerbलङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot √रुच् (रुचँ दीप्तौ) → caus. रोचयति
- अरुचः
- the unshining/dark (ones), the non-luminousNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्Role KarmaRoot अरुच् (नञ्-समास/अ-उपसर्गयुक्त ‘रुच्’ से; प्रातिपदिक)
- रुचानः
- shining, being radiantParticipleपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot √रुच् (रुचँ दीप्तौ) → शानच् (वर्तमान कृदन्त)
- अयम्
- this (one), hePronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वासयत्
- clothed, caused to dwell/coverVerbलङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot √वास् (वासँ निवासे/आच्छादने) → caus. वासयति
- वि
- apart, asunder, widelyIndeclinableउपसर्गःRoot वि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- ऋतेन
- with ṛta (cosmic order/truth)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, तृतीया, एकवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot ऋत (प्रातिपदिक)
- पूर्वीः
- the former/ancient (ones)Adjective (used substantively)स्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्Role KarmaRoot पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- अयम्
- this (one), hePronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- ईयत
- went, advancedVerbलङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot √इ (इण् गतौ) → ईयति
- ऋतयुग्भिः
- with ṛta-yoked (ones)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, तृतीया, बहुवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot ऋत-युग् (तत्पुरुष-समास; ‘ṛta-yoked/ṛta-joined’)
- अश्वैः
- with horsesNounपुंलिङ्गः, तृतीया, बहुवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot अश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- स्वर्विदा
- with the heaven-finder (as guide/means)Noun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, तृतीया, एकवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot स्वर्-विद् (तत्पुरुष-समास; ‘heaven-finding’)
- नाभिना
- with the navel; with the hub/centerNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, तृतीया, एकवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot नाभि (प्रातिपदिक)
- चर्षणिप्राः
- supporting/filling the peoples (men/tribes)Adjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot चर्षणि-प्र (बहुव्रीहि/तत्पुरुष-समास; ‘filling/supporting the peoples’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धि-विग्रह): अयम् | रोचयत् | अरुचः | रुचानः || अयम् | वासयत् | वि | ऋतेन | पूर्वीः || अयम् | ईयत | ऋतयुग्भिः | अश्वैः | स्वर्विदा | नाभिना | चर्षणिप्राः । 1) रोचयद्+अरुचः → रोचयद॒रुचो॑ (द् + अ → द + अ; पदान्त-द् उच्चारणे ‘द’/‘त्’ रूप)
- 2) वासयद्+वि → वासयद्वि (द् + व् संयोग)
- 3) वि+ऋतेन → व्यृतेन (इ + ऋ → यृ)
- 4) अयम्+ईयत → अयमी॑यत (म् + ई → मी)
- 5) ऋतयुग्भिः+अश्वैः → ऋतयुग्भिरश्वैः (विसर्ग-लोप/र्-सन्धि)
The meaning
Outer meaning
He shines and makes the unshining shine; by Ṛta he spreads out the ancient formations. He moves with horses yoked to Ṛta; finding Swar, he advances the peoples by the navel (central seat).
Inner meaning
Indra as the luminous mind awakens the obscure parts of the being (arucaḥ → rocate). By Ṛta (truth-law) he ‘spreads out’ and reorganizes the old formations (pūrvīḥ): inherited habits, samskāras, and fixed patterns. His forces of action (aśvāḥ) are yoked to Ṛta—vital energies disciplined by truth—so the journey becomes a right movement. ‘Swar-finding’ is discovery of the higher luminous plane; ‘nābhi’ is the inner center of union (psychic/central knot) from which the peoples (powers of the nature) are led forward.
Universal truth
Illumination is effective when action is yoked to truth. Real progress requires reorganizing ancient patterns by a higher law, discovering a higher light (swar), and leading all parts of the being from the inner center toward that light.
Themes
illumination of darkness, Ṛta-guided energies, opening/finding of Swar, inner integration of the faculties
The seer
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja Bārhaspatya
- Lineage
- Bharadvāja
- Other hymns
- RV 6.39, RV 6.40, RV 6.43 (Indra hymns in Mandala 6, traditional Bharadvāja set)
Family tradition
Bārhaspatya inspiration: speech and illumination guided by the power of truth (ṛta)
Significance
Bharadvāja’s Indra is not merely a storm-god but the inner leader who reorders the inherited nature by Ṛta and discovers Swar—an explicit psychological yoga of transformation.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Rucāna (shining), Svarvid (Swar-finder), Carṣaṇiprā (advancer of the peoples)
- Related deities
- Sūrya (Swar/light), Bṛhaspati (truth-word, Bharadvāja lineage), Agni (inner leader, implicit ally)
Cosmic role
Brings light to darkness, establishes Ṛta in formations, leads beings to Swar (luminous world).
Inner power
Illumined mind-force that disciplines life-energy and reorganizes subconscious formations into truth-aligned movement.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra stotra in Soma sacrifice; praise of Ṛta-guided victory
अ॒यं रो॑चयद॒रुचो॑ रुचा॒नो॒३॒॑ऽयं वा॑सय॒द्व्यृ१॒॑तेन॑ पू॒र्वीः । अ॒यमी॑यत ऋत॒युग्भि॒रश्वै॑: स्व॒र्विदा॒ नाभि॑ना चर्षणि॒प्राः ॥
अ॒यम् । रो॒च॒य॒त् । अ॒रुचः॑ । रु॒चा॒नः । अ॒यम् । वा॒स॒य॒त् । वि । ऋ॒तेन॑ । पू॒र्वीः । अ॒यम् । ई॒य॒ते॒ । ऋ॒त॒युक्ऽभिः॑ । अश्वैः॑ । स्वः॒ऽविदा॑ । नाभि॑ना । च॒र्ष॒णि॒ऽप्राः ॥
ayam | rocayat | arucaḥ | rucānaḥ | ayam | vāsayat | vi | ṛtena | pūrvīḥ | ayam | īyate | ṛtayuk-bhiḥ | aśvaiḥ | svaḥ-vidā | nābhinā | carṣaṇi-prāḥ
44
4 × ~11
Energetic and marching; strong propulsion suited to ‘īyata’ (he moves)
Elicits vigor and upward striving; supports an inner ‘advance’ feeling.
- रोचयत् (rocayat)
- Literal: makes shine/illumine. Symbolic: awakens clarity in obscure parts
- अरुचः (arucaḥ)
- Literal: unshining/dark. Symbolic: inconscient or unlit movements
- ऋतेन (ṛtena)
- Literal: by Ṛta. Symbolic: by truth-law/right order of consciousness
- पूर्वीः (pūrvīḥ)
- Literal: ancient (formations). Symbolic: old habit-structures/samskāras
- ऋतयुग्भिः अश्वैः (ṛtayugbhir aśvaiḥ)
- Literal: with horses yoked to Ṛta. Symbolic: vital forces disciplined by truth
- स्वर्विदा (svarvidā)
- Literal: finder of Swar. Symbolic: discoverer of higher luminous consciousness
- नाभिना (nābhinā)
- Literal: by the navel. Symbolic: from the central inner seat of integration (psychic center)
Soma-yajña context (Indra-invocation within Soma pressing/offerings; employed where Indra is called to establish Ṛta and open the luminous world).
During Indra-invocations in Soma pressing; also apt for morning recitation
Recitation to invoke right action and illumination; symbolic ‘yoking’ of forces to Ṛta
Use before work/decision-making to align energy with truth and reform old habits.
Key roots: √ruc ‘shine’ → rocayati (caus.) ‘to illumine’; arucá- ‘non-luminous’ (privative a-). √vas ‘dwell’ → vāsayati (caus.) ‘to establish/make abide’. ṛtá- from √ar/ṛ ‘to fit, set in order’ → cosmic rightness that also becomes inner right arrangement. √yuj ‘yoke’ in ṛta-yúj- ‘yoked to Ṛta’ (energies disciplined by truth). svàr (Swar) ‘luminous plane’ + √vid ‘find/know’ → ‘finder of the light-world’; suggests discovery of higher consciousness, not mere heaven. nā́bhi ‘navel/centre’ as the integrative hub (also of the sacrifice), enabling harmonization of the ‘peoples’ (carṣaṇí) = faculties in the human vessel.
Ṛta (truth-order), Swar (luminous consciousness-plane), inner centrality (nābhi as integrative centre)
Explicit: Ṛta is the organizing law by which ancient formations are spread/rearranged and by which the horses are yoked.
Illumination that makes the unshining shine is Satya entering the obscure nature.
Re-creation of the being: old formations are re-laid out by truth into a higher order.
Integral/psychological Vedism: ascent to Swar through Ṛta-guided transformation.
Disciplined life-force (horses) carries the mind toward higher light; truth-law reshapes inherited patterns.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is the opening of Light: the radiant power makes the ‘unshining’ shine and becomes svàr-vid (‘finder of Swar’). In inner terms, Indra (or the Indra-force) converts obscurity into illumination, expands the established formations by Ṛta, and leads the faculties (‘peoples’) from a central integrative seat (nābhi) toward the luminous world.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √ruc ‘shine’ aligns with PIE *lewk-/*leuk- ‘light, brightness’ (cf. Latin lūx), supporting the semantic field of illumination. √vid ‘know/find’ reflects PIE *weyd- ‘see/know’ (cf. Latin vidēre, English wit). The verse’s causatives (rocayat, vāsayat) show the Vedic tendency to encode agency of divine powers as ‘making’ states occur—fitting the Indo-European poetic idiom where gods ‘cause’ light, order, and victory.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer presents the deity as an operative inner power already ‘here’ (ayám… ayám… ayám), emphasizing immediacy: the devatā is not distant but active in the human and ritual centre. The reciprocity is implicit: by aligning with Ṛta (ṛtena; ṛtayug-bhiḥ), the human offering/consecration enables Indra’s action of illumination and guidance, which in turn advances the collective faculties (carṣaṇi) toward Swar.
Bring light to an ‘unlit’ habit; consciously yoke breath and action to truth (ṛta).
Maṇipūra (nābhi center; will and organization) with ascent toward Ājñā (Swar-finding clarity)
Kapalabhati-light (gentle) or energizing ujjāyī for ‘advance’, followed by quiet breath to feel truth-alignment.
From dispersed impulses to coordinated, truth-led dynamism.
Name one old pattern (pūrvīḥ) and offer it to Ṛta: act only from what feels clean, exact, and luminous; let the ‘horses’ (impulses) move only when yoked to that.
Rigvedic accenting per recension; ensure clear udātta on key roots (roc-, vās-, īy-) as marked in the source text (not fully notated here).
Do not flatten compounds: ṛta-yúgbhiḥ should keep internal clarity; pause lightly at caesura after first pāda.
ṛ in ṛtena: brief vocalic r; avoid ‘ri’., aśvaiḥ: pronounce śv cluster cleanly (ash-vaiḥ)., svarvidā: keep svar as ‘svár’ (not ‘suwar’)., carṣaṇiprāḥ: retroflex ṣ in carṣaṇi; articulate ṇ clearly.
Bright, forceful, forward-thrusting
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