Rig Veda 7.33.14: Mandala 7, Sukta 33, Mantra 14
Sukta 7.33
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Vasiṣṭha as priestly power
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
उक्थभृतं सामभृतं बिभर्ति ग्रावाणं बिभ्रत्प्र वदात्यग्रे । उपैनमाध्वं सुमनस्यमाना आ वो गच्छाति प्रतृदो वसिष्ठः ॥
ukthá-bhṛtaṁ sā́ma-bhṛtaṁ bibharti grā́vāṇaṁ bíbhrat prá vadāty ágre | upá enam ādhvaṁ su-manasyámānā ā́ vo gacchāti pra-tṛ́do vasiṣṭháḥ ||
Dia memikul uktha (himne pujian) dan memikul sāman (nyanyian suci); sambil membawa batu pemerah (grāvan), dia berseru di hadapan. Hampirilah dia dengan hati yang gembira dan seia; Vasiṣṭha, sang pemecah jalan, datang kepada kamu.
Word by Word
- उक्थभृतम्
- bearing the hymn/recitationAdjective (compound)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा एकवचन (contextually object-like; agrees with implied सोमम्/स्तुतिम्)Role कर्म (that which is borne/supported)Root उक्थ- (प्रातिपदिक) + √भृ (धातु) → भृत (कृदन्त, क्त)
- सामभृतम्
- bearing the sāman-chantsAdjective (compound)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा एकवचन (parallel to उक्थभृतम्)Role कर्मRoot सामन्- (प्रातिपदिक) + √भृ → भृत (क्त)
- बिभर्ति
- he bears / supportsVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot √भृ (भरति)
- ग्रावाणम्
- the pressing-stoneNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot ग्रावन्- (प्रातिपदिक)
- बिभ्रत्
- bearing, carryingParticipleपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (agent-participle; agrees with implied subject)Role कर्ताRoot √भृ → बिभ्रत् (वर्तमान कृदन्त, शतृ)
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableअव्ययRole (क्रियाविशेषण/उपसर्ग)Root प्र (उपसर्ग)
- वदाति
- speaks, uttersVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot √वद्
- अग्रे
- in front, at the beginningNoun (adverbial locative)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (अव्ययीभाव-प्रायः: ‘in front/at first’)Role अधिकरणRoot अग्र- (प्रातिपदिक)
- उप
- near, towardsIndeclinableअव्ययRole (क्रियाविशेषण/उपसर्ग)Root उप (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- एनम्
- himPronounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot एतद्/इदम्- (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक; एनद्-श्रुति)
- आध्वम्
- urge (him) on / set (him) in motionVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot √आ + √ध्वा/धू (Vedic: ‘to shake/urge on’; imperative plural form used in RV)
- सुमनस्यमानाः
- being well-disposed, with good intentParticiple (middle, denom.)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (addressed group)Role कर्ताRoot सु- + मनस्- (प्रातिपदिक) + √अस्/√मन्? → सुमनस्य (denom.) + यमान (शानच्)
- आ
- hither, towardsIndeclinableअव्ययRole (क्रियाविशेषण/उपसर्ग)Root आ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- वः
- to you (pl.)Pronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी बहुवचन (enclitic; here best as dative/benefactive ‘to you’)Role सम्प्रदानRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- गच्छाति
- goes, comesVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (Vedic variant beside गच्छति)Role क्रियाRoot √गम्
- प्रतृदः
- the impeller/urging one; the goaderNoun/Agent nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्ता (as apposition to subject)Root प्र- + √तृद् (‘to pierce, thrust’) → प्रतृद् (कृदन्त/नाम)
- वसिष्ठः
- VasiṣṭhaNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्ताRoot वसिष्ठ- (प्रातिपदिक; proper name)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolved: बिभ्रत्प्र → बिभ्रत् + प्र. उपै॑नम् → उप + एनम्. आ वो → आ + वः. Accent marks in the saṃhitā text indicate Vedic udātta/svarita
- pada-division follows RV padapāṭha conventions where available
The meaning
Outer meaning
He bears the recited hymn (uktha) and the chanted song (sāman); bearing the pressing-stone, he speaks first in front. Approach him with a happy, consenting mind; Vasiṣṭha, the path-breaker, comes to you.
Inner meaning
The realized priest-power carries both modes of mantra: articulated thought-word (uktha) and melodic soul-vibration (sāman). Holding the grāvan (pressing-stone), he performs the inner pressing—extracting Soma (bliss/immortality) from life-experience. ‘Speaking in front’ indicates the leading illumination that opens the way. When the seeker approaches with su-manas (harmonized mind-heart), the path-breaker (pratṛdáḥ) forcefully clears inner obstacles and establishes a track for the higher consciousness.
Universal truth
When thought and song unite, and experience is ‘pressed’ into essence, guidance appears that can cut a path through resistance. Receptivity and glad consent are the condition for true help.
Themes
soma-ritual, priestly-leadership, mantra-and-chant, obstacle-breaking
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha-gotra
- Other hymns
- RV 7.33 (Vasiṣṭha’s emergence and authority), RV 7.34 (manīṣā and waters of origin), RV 7.18 (Vasiṣṭha and victory motifs in Maṇḍala 7 field)
Family tradition
Vasiṣṭhas emphasize right speech (vāc), right order (ṛta), and priestly mastery of both recitation and chant—integrating knowledge and devotion.
Significance
Vasiṣṭha as inner guide: the established seer who can ‘press’ bliss and ‘cut’ a path for the aspirant.
The deity
- Devata
- Vasiṣṭha (seer-priest power); Soma complex implied
- Epithets
- pratṛdaḥ (path-breaker), ukthabhṛt (bearer of hymn), sāmabhṛt (bearer of chant)
- Related deities
- Soma (pressed bliss), Agni (priest-fire who carries offering), Indra (receives Soma, breaks coverers), Sarasvatī/Vāc (speech inspiration)
Cosmic role
Mediator of the sacrifice: unites speech-knowledge and chant-vibration; enables Soma’s extraction and offering to the gods.
Inner power
Mantric mastery that transforms experience into joy-force; guidance that clears inner roads for ascent.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma pressing and associated recitation/chanting roles (uktha/śastra and sāman/stotra).
उ॒क्थ॒भृतं॑ साम॒भृतं॑ बिभर्ति॒ ग्रावा॑णं॒ बिभ्र॒त्प्र व॑दा॒त्यग्रे॑ । उपै॑नमाध्वं सुमन॒स्यमा॑ना॒ आ वो॑ गच्छाति प्रतृदो॒ वसि॑ष्ठः ॥
उ॒क्थ॒ऽभृत॑म् । सा॒म॒ऽभृत॑म् । बि॒भ॒र्ति॒ । ग्रावा॑णम् । बिभ्र॑त् । प्र । व॒दा॒ति॒ । अग्रे॑ । उप॑ । ए॒न॒म् । आ॒ध्व॒म् । सु॒ऽम॒न॒स्यमा॑नाः । आ । वः॒ । ग॒च्छा॒ति॒ । प्र॒ऽतृ॒दः॒ । वसि॑ष्ठः ॥
uktha-bhṛtam | sāma-bhṛtam | bibharti | grāvāṇam | bibhrat | pra | vadāti | agre | upa | enam | ādhvam | su-manasyamānāḥ | ā | vaḥ | gacchāti | pra-tṛdaḥ | vasiṣṭhaḥ
44
4 × ~11
Energetic and directive; strong imperatives (‘upainam ādhvam’).
Elicits readiness and forward movement; supports an inner ‘approach’ to guidance and a breakthrough mood.
- उक्थ (uktha)
- Literal: recited hymn. Symbolic: formed thought, articulate insight (mantra as knowledge)
- सामन् (sāman)
- Literal: chant. Symbolic: vibrational devotion; soul-tone that carries consciousness upward
- ग्रावाण (grāvāṇa)
- Literal: pressing-stone. Symbolic: disciplined force that extracts Soma-bliss from the raw plant of life
- अग्रे (agre)
- Literal: in front, first. Symbolic: leading light; forefront of consciousness
- सुमनस्य (su-manasya)
- Literal: with good/consenting mind. Symbolic: harmonized receptivity; glad assent of mind and heart
- प्रतृदः (pratṛdaḥ)
- Literal: path-breaker, piercer. Symbolic: the power that cleaves obstruction (vṛtra-like resistances)
Directly Soma-ritual aligned: uktha, sāman, and pressing-stone are core Soma elements; verse invites the community to receive the priest/seer who leads the rite and breaks the path to the soma-essence.
During soma rites when the priestly functions of recitation and chant are emphasized; also in invoking the ṛṣi’s guidance.
Pressing (grāvan), chanting/recitation, inviting the officiant/seer-power.
As a pre-meditation invocation to align thought (uktha) and devotion (sāman) and to request inner guidance to clear obstacles.
uktha from √vac 'speak' (uktha as spoken praise). sāman from √sā/√sam 'to tune/bring together' (chant as harmonizing). grāvan from √grā 'stone/press' (ritual implement). pra-tṛd from pra- + √tṛd 'pierce, break through'—psychologically, breaking the knot of resistance.
Vāc (speech) as forward-leading power, Soma as delight/immortality-essence (inner extraction), removal of obstacles (piercing through)
The ‘front-speaking’ priest establishes right order in the movement of consciousness.
True speech and true chant carry truth-force when mind is consenting (su-manas).
Extraction of essence (Soma) from the given; formation of a path for higher becoming.
Integral yogic reading: harmonizing cognitive and affective instruments to open supramental guidance (Aurobindo/Kashyap style).
Pressing-stone = disciplined tapas; Soma = inner delight; path-breaking = cutting through inertia and obscurity in the subconscient.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The seer-priest as the bearer of both recitation and chant, wielding the pressing-stone and speaking in front: the archetype of the path-opening officiant who extracts soma. Inner sense: the integrated power of word (uktha) and rhythm (sāman) breaks through resistance to release the delight-essence.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √tṛd 'pierce' resonates with IE piercing/boring verb families (cf. English tread is different; but PIE *terh₁-/ *treud- type semantics appear across IE). The ritual lexicon (sāman/uktha) shows archaic poetic specialization akin to other IE traditions where song and speech are distinct but complementary.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- Vasiṣṭha functions as a devatā-like mediator: he comes as 'pratṛd' to open the way. The community’s required reciprocity is su-manas (harmonized consent), without which the mantra/chant cannot fully effect the inner soma-extraction.
Unite clear articulation (silent mantra) with subtle inner melody (nāda-like feeling); then ‘press’ experience into gratitude/bliss.
Viśuddha (vāc/chant) with ascent to Ājñā (front-leading clarity)
Ujjāyī-like gentle throat resonance while mentally repeating the key phrase; exhale to ‘sāman’ tone, inhale to ‘uktha’ clarity.
Collected, empowered, breakthrough-ready.
Approach practice with su-manas: relax resistance, consent to guidance; then apply steady effort (grāvan) to extract joy from difficulty.
Use śākala accenting; keep imperatives crisp; allow a slight lift on ‘agre’ and ‘ā vo gacchāti’ (requires pada-svara for exact).
Mark pauses: | after bibharti and agre; keep ‘upainam ādhvaṃ’ as a single energetic unit.
: ‘kth’ cluster clean, : long ‘ā’ sustained, : long ‘ā’ and retroflex ‘ṇ’, : articulate ‘nya’ softly, : dental ‘tṛ’ with clear ‘ṛ’ vowel
Clear, leading, slightly forceful but not harsh.
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