Rig Veda 7.48.1: Mandala 7, Sukta 48, Mantra 1
Sukta 7.48
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- R̥bhus / Vāja / Rbhukṣaṇa
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
ऋभुक्षणो वाजा मादयध्वमस्मे नरो मघवानः सुतस्य । आ वोऽर्वाचः क्रतवो न यातां विभ्वो रथं नर्यं वर्तयन्तु ॥
ṛ́bhu-kṣaṇo vājā mā́dayadhvam asmē naro maghavānaḥ sutásya | ā́ vo’rvā́caḥ krátavo ná yātāṃ víbhvo ráthaṃ náryaṃ vartayantu ||
Wahai Rbhukṣaṇa dan Vāja, bersukarialah di sini bersama kami dalam Soma yang diperah, wahai para pemberi yang perkasa. Biarlah kuasa-kuasa berkesan kamu datang mendekati kami; biarlah para Vibhvan menggerakkan kereta yang gagah, kereta karya itu.
Word by Word
- ऋभु॑क्षणः
- O Rbhukṣaṇas (the Rbhus, the skilful ones)Noun (proper/epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole सम्बोधन (addressed) / कर्तृ (of following imperatives)Root ऋभु-क्षण (प्रातिपदिक; ऋभु + क्षण ‘समर्थ/कुशल’)
- वाजाः
- O Vājas (O prize-winners/strength-bringers)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot वाज (प्रातिपदिक)
- मादयध्वम्
- rejoice / become exhilaratedVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, बहुवचन, आत्मनेपदRole (क्रिया)Root मद् (धातु)
- अस्मे
- among us / for usPronoun(नपुंसकवत् प्रयोग) सप्तमी/चतुर्थी, बहुवचन; वैदिक प्रयोग ‘among/for us’Role अधिकारण / सम्प्रदान (context-dependent)Root अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- नरः
- O men / O heroesNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot नर (प्रातिपदिक)
- मघवानः
- O bountiful onesAdjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole सम्बोधन (qualifying the addressed) / कर्तृRoot मघवन् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘दानशील/समृद्ध’)
- सुतस्य
- of the pressed (Soma)Nounपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root सुत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √सु ‘to press’)
- आ
- hither, towardsIndeclinableRole (क्रियाविशेषण/उपसर्ग)Root आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- वः
- to you / for youPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी, बहुवचन (enclitic)Role सम्प्रदान/सम्बन्ध (to/for you)Root युष्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- अर्वाचः
- (those) facing hither / coming this wayAdjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (of ‘याताम्’)Root अर्वाच् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘अधो/इहाभिमुख’)
- क्रतवः
- powers of will / purposeful powersNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (of ‘याताम्’)Root क्रतु (प्रातिपदिक)
- न
- like, asIndeclinableRole (उपमान-चिह्न)Root न (निपात)
- याताम्
- let them comeVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), तृतीयपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपदRole (क्रिया)Root या (धातु)
- विभ्वः
- the all-pervading/mighty onesAdjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (of ‘वर्तयन्तु’)Root विभ्व (प्रातिपदिक; ‘व्यापक/महान्’)
- रथम्
- the chariotNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (object of ‘वर्तयन्तु’)Root रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
- नर्यम्
- manly / heroicAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (agreeing with रथम्)Role विशेषण (of कर्म)Root नर्य (प्रातिपदिक; ‘नर-सम्बन्धि/वीर्यवत्’)
- वर्तयन्तु
- let them turn/drive (it), set (it) rollingVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), तृतीयपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपदRole (क्रिया)Root वृत्/वर्त् (धातु; causative sense ‘to set in motion/turn’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (sandhi-resolution): ऋभु॑क्षणो → ऋभु॑क्षणः (nom.pl.)
- वाजा → वाजाः (voc./nom.pl.)
- आ वो॒ऽर्वाच॒: → आ वः अर्वाचः (ऽ = अ-लोप/अवग्रह)
- पदरूप में विसर्ग/अवग्रह के कारण रूप-परिवर्तन दिखता है।
The meaning
Outer meaning
The poet calls on R̥bhukṣaṇa and Vāja to rejoice in the pressed Soma here; he invites their efficacious powers to come near and asks the all-pervading ones to set the manly chariot in motion.
Inner meaning
The R̥bhus are powers of skill and perfecting intelligence in the human being—artisan-forces that refashion the instruments of life into divine forms. Soma is the delight/ānanda distilled by aspiration and surrender. The mantra asks these powers to awaken within us, to bring their effective will (kratú) and to set moving the ‘chariot’—the organized dynamic of the sadhana and works—so the journey of transformation proceeds with strength and right direction.
Universal truth
When delight (Soma) is received, the faculties of perfection awaken: effective will, skill, and coordinated action. Spiritual progress is not only vision but also the craftsmanship that remakes life into a fit vehicle for the divine journey.
Themes
Soma-ritual inner delight, Invocation of artisan-powers, Mobilization of the chariot (progress on the path)
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha (Maitrāvaruṇa lineage)
- Other hymns
- RV 7.48.2-4, RV 1.20 (R̥bhus), RV 4.33-37 (R̥bhu hymns)
Family tradition
Vasiṣṭha hymns often integrate devotion with practical inner mastery: invoking powers that establish harmony and effective action according to ṛta.
Significance
Here Vasiṣṭha turns from vast cosmic powers to the ‘craft’ of transformation—inviting the R̥bhu-perfections to animate the inner work with Soma-delight and effective will.
The deity
- Devata
- R̥bhus / Vāja / R̥bhukṣaṇa
- Epithets
- naraḥ (heroes), maghavānaḥ (givers), vibhvaḥ (all-pervading)
- Related deities
- Indra (often associated with R̥bhus and Soma), Soma, Tvaṣṭṛ (artisan principle), Aśvins (helpers in perfection)
Cosmic role
Divine artisans who fashion forms of immortality; they perfect the instruments (mind, life, body) and set the ‘vehicle’ of the work in right motion.
Inner power
Capacity for refinement, mastery, and joyful precision in action; transformation of ordinary faculties into luminous instruments.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma pressing and offering contexts where R̥bhus are invited as helpers of the sacrifice and perfecters of the rite/work.
ऋभु॑क्षणो वाजा मा॒दय॑ध्वम॒स्मे न॑रो मघवानः सु॒तस्य॑ । आ वो॒ऽर्वाच॒: क्रत॑वो॒ न या॒तां विभ्वो॒ रथं॒ नर्यं॑ वर्तयन्तु ॥
ऋभु॑ऽक्षणः । वा॒जाः॒ । मा॒दय॑ध्वम् । अ॒स्मे इति॑ । न॒रः॒ । म॒घ॒ऽवा॒नः॒ । सु॒तस्य॑ । आ । वः॒ । अ॒र्वाचः॑ । क्रत॑वः । न । या॒ताम् । विऽभ्वः॑ । रथ॑म् । नर्य॑म् । व॒र्त॒य॒न्तु॒ ॥
ṛbhu-kṣaṇaḥ | vājāḥ | mādayadhvam | asme iti | naraḥ | magha-vānaḥ | sutasya | ā | vaḥ | arvācaḥ | kratavaḥ | na | yātām | vi-bhvaḥ | ratham | naryam | vartayantu
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4 pādas × 11 syllables
Energetic and work-oriented; strong forward thrust suited to calling powers ‘toward’ (ā…arvācaḥ) and initiating motion (vartayantu).
Quickens resolve and coordinated energy; evokes a sense of harnessing forces into a single moving vehicle.
- ऋभुक्षणः (ṛbhukṣaṇaḥ)
- Literal: R̥bhukṣaṇa (name of an R̥bhu). Symbolic: power of formative skill that ‘nourishes’ the work; perfecting intelligence
- वाजाः (vājāḥ)
- Literal: Vāja (also ‘prize, plenitude’). Symbolic: force of plenitude and victorious energy; increase of substance/power in the being
- मादयध्वम् (mādayadhvam)
- Literal: rejoice, be intoxicated. Symbolic: enter the ecstasy of Soma—divine delight energizing the faculties
- सुतस्य (sutasya)
- Literal: of the pressed Soma. Symbolic: delight extracted by tapas/aspiration; refined bliss in consciousness
- मघवानः (maghavānaḥ)
- Literal: bounteous givers. Symbolic: powers that bestow inner riches—light, strength, joy
- क्रतवः (kratavaḥ)
- Literal: wills, efficacious powers. Symbolic: effective intention that accomplishes; luminous executive force
- विभ्वः (vibhvaḥ)
- Literal: all-pervading ones. Symbolic: wide-working faculties that can act in all parts of the being
- रथम् नर्यम् (rathaṃ naryam)
- Literal: manly/heroic chariot. Symbolic: the disciplined vehicle of sadhana and works; coordinated energies for the journey
Soma pressing context; invocation of R̥bhus as enhancers/perfecters of the sacrifice and as bringers of skill (kratu) and victorious force (vāja).
In Soma-yajña sequences; also in invocations seeking skill, success, and well-ordered action.
Invitation (āvāhana) and offering of Soma; recitation to ‘set in motion’ the work.
Before creative work, disciplined practice, or service: chant to invoke joyful mastery and coordinated action.
krátu- from √kṛ ‘to do’ (and semantic field of ‘resolve/efficacy’)—in RV the intelligent will that accomplishes. vāja- traditionally ‘prize/strength/food’; from √vaj/√vāj ‘be strong, impel’ → ‘plenitude of force’ (inner vigor enabling victory). vartayantu from causative of √vṛt ‘turn, roll’—set the movement of the work. The R̥bhus are ‘fashioners’: mythic artisans; psychologically powers that perfect and re-form the human instrument.
Kratu (effective will/intelligence), Transformation/perfection of the instrument (R̥bhu function), Victory as inner overcoming (vāja)
Kratú aligned with ṛta becomes the efficacious will that accomplishes without distortion.
Soma-delight supports truth in action—joy that does not intoxicate into error but clarifies.
Perfection as a mode of creation: the world is re-fashioned by divine craftsmanship into a vehicle of the journey.
Integral yoga reading: transformation through delight + skill + effective will.
Soma = distilled bliss; chariot = organized psycho-physical system; the ‘coming near’ of powers = descent/activation of perfected faculties in the practitioner.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The R̥bhus as divine craftsmen who ‘set in motion’ the chariot—mythically the artisan-gods enabling divine mobility; psychologically the powers that perfect the human faculties and propel the aspirant’s movement through effective will (kratu) energized by Soma-delight.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The chariot formula (ratha) and heroic epithet narya are classic Indo-European poetic inheritances (chariot as prestige and movement-symbol). The root √vṛt ‘turn’ has broad IE parallels in ‘turning/rolling’ semantics, used here causatively for initiating progress.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi invites the R̥bhu-powers to take joy ‘in us’ through Soma and to bring their kratus; the exchange is inner-sacrificial: human offers pressed delight, divine returns perfected capacities and forward movement.
Feel Soma as a quiet bliss in the heart and crown; invite the ‘artisan powers’ to refine thought, speech, and action; visualize the inner chariot aligning and beginning to move steadily.
Viśuddha (craft of speech/mantra) and Maṇipūra (executive will/kratú).
Moderate rhythmic breathing (4–4 or 4–6): inhale ‘ā vo arvācaḥ’ (invitation), exhale ‘rathaṃ…vartayantu’ (setting in motion).
Joyful dynamism—delight supporting disciplined effort.
Chant 3 or 9 times before work; then sit briefly to sense which faculty needs refinement today (speech, attention, effort), offering it inwardly to the R̥bhu-perfection.
Follow Rigvedic accents as marked in the saṃhitā; keep udatta peaks on vocatives and action-verbs (mādayadhvam, yātām, vartayantu).
Emphasize the summons: ṛbhukṣaṇo vājā; the invitation: ā vo arvācaḥ; the activation: rathaṃ…vartayantu.
ṛbhukṣaṇaḥ: keep initial ṛ clear; do not add a vowel before ‘ṛ’., mādayadhvam: articulate ‘dhv’ cluster cleanly., vibhvo: preserve ‘bhv’ without breaking into extra syllables., rathaṃ naryam: retroflex ‘ṇ’ not present; keep ‘naryam’ as na-ryam (light glide).
Bright, stirring, forward-propelled; end each pāda with a clean release.
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