Rig Veda 1.71.3: Mandala 1, Sukta 71, Mantra 3
Sukta 1.71
- Rishi
- Parāśara Śāktya
- Devata
- Agni
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
दधन्नृतं धनयन्नस्य धीतिमादिदर्यो दिधिष्वो विभृत्राः । अतृष्यन्तीरपसो यन्त्यच्छा देवाञ्जन्म प्रयसा वर्धयन्तीः ॥
dádhann ṛtáṃ dhánayann asya dhītím ā́d íd aryó didhiṣvó víbhṛtrāḥ | átṛṣyantīr apáso yánty ácchā devā́n jánma práyasā vardháyantīḥ
Ustanawiając Prawdę na miejscu i zwiększając jego myśl, szlachetny, pragnąc ustanowić, niesie liczne podpory; nieznużone dzieła zmierzają prosto ku bogom, wzmacniając narodziny mocy boskich swoim impulsem ofiarnym.
Word by Word
- दधत्
- placing, establishingVerb (participle)Present active participle; nominative plural masculine (agreeing with implied agents)Role KartāRoot धा (√धा)
- ऋतम्
- ṛta, cosmic order/truthNounNeuter; accusative singularRole KarmaRoot ऋत (prātipadika)
- धनयत्
- winning wealth, enrichingVerb (participle)Present active participle; nominative plural masculineRole KartāRoot धनय (denominative from धन)
- अस्य
- of this (one), hisPronounGenitive singular (masc./neut.)Role Sambandha (genitival)Root इदम् (sarvanāman)
- धीतीम्
- thought, insight, hymn-visionNounFeminine; accusative singularRole KarmaRoot धीति (prātipadika)
- आ
- towards, untoIndeclinablePreverb (directional/intensive)Root आ (upasarga)
- दिदर्यः
- Didarya (a name/epithet; the one who ‘sets/arranges’)Noun (proper/epithet)Masculine; nominative singularRole KartāRoot दिदर्य (prātipadika; Vedic epithet/name)
- दिधिष्वः
- desirous to place/establish; intent on settingAdjective/NounMasculine; nominative singularRole Kartā (apposition to दिदर्यः)Root दिधिषु (prātipadika; Vedic)
- विभृत्-त्राः
- the widely-bearing/supporting onesNoun/AdjectiveMasculine; nominative pluralRole KartāRoot वि-भृ (√भृ) + त्र (suffix)
- अतृष्यन्तीः
- not thirsting, unweariedVerb (participle)Present active participle; nominative plural feminineRole KartāRoot तृष् (√तृष्) with privative a-
- अपसः
- the works, active powersNounFeminine; nominative pluralRole Kartā (apposition to अतृष्यन्तीः)Root अपस् (prātipadika)
- यन्ति
- they goVerbPresent indicative active; 3rd person pluralRole KriyāRoot या (√या)
- अच्छा
- towards, straight toIndeclinableDirectional adverbRoot अच्छा (indeclinable)
- देवान्
- the godsNounMasculine; accusative pluralRole Karma (goal)Root देव (prātipadika)
- जन्म
- birth, originNounNeuter; accusative singular (Vedic: often as object/inner-acc.)Role KarmaRoot जन्मन् (prātipadika)
- प्रयसा
- with vigor/force, with effortNounNeuter; instrumental singularRole KaraṇaRoot प्रयस् (prātipadika)
- वर्धयन्तीः
- increasing, causing to growVerb (participle)Present active participle; nominative plural feminineRole KartāRoot वृध् (√वृध्)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (padapāṭha-style): दध॑न् + ऋ॒तम् → दधत् ऋतम् (final -न् before vowel gives -त् in external sandhi)
- ध॒नय॑न् + अस्य → धनयत् अस्य (final -न् before vowel → -त्)
- धी॒तिम् + आ → धीतीम् आ (m + ā → long vowel with nasal assimilation in saṃhitā)
- आ + दिदर्यः (no change)
- दिधिष्वः (as in saṃhitā)
- विभृत्राः treated as compound/agent-noun from वि-भृ
- अतृष्यन्तीः अपसः (no change)
- यन्ति + अच्छ → यन्त्यच्छा (i + a → ya; y + a cluster)
- देवान् + जन्म (no change)
- प्रयसा + वर्धयन्तीः (no change). Accents are preserved as in the saṃhitā text
- padapāṭha accents may differ
The meaning
Outer meaning
Setting ṛta and increasing his thought, the noble one who desires to establish bears the many supports; the tireless works go straight to the gods, fostering the birth of the divine powers by their offering-impulse.
Inner meaning
Agni (or the Arya, the aspiring noble consciousness) establishes ṛta—right order and truth-law—in the being and increases dhīti, the illumined thought. Desiring firm foundation (didhiṣvaḥ), he becomes ‘vibhṛtrāḥ’, the bearer of many supports: he holds together mind, life, and body in a unified yoga. The ‘works’ (apasaḥ) are tireless inner operations—disciplines, offerings, movements of will—that move directly toward the gods, i.e., toward higher powers of consciousness. These works foster ‘the birth of the gods’ within us: the emergence of divine faculties (clarity, strength, peace, delight) through sincere effort (prayasā).
Universal truth
Spiritual growth is not random: when right order is placed in the nature and thought is illumined, disciplined works become straight and tireless, and higher capacities are born in the human system.
Themes
discipline of works, birth of the gods within, increase of inspired thought, R̥ta in action
The seer
- Rishi
- Parāśara Śāktya
- Lineage
- Śāktya (Parāśara lineage)
- Other hymns
- RV 1.71.1, RV 1.71.2, RV 1.71.4, RV 1.71.5
Family tradition
Agni-centered visionary poetry emphasizing ṛta and dhīti as inner realizations rather than mere ritual correctness.
Significance
The seer frames sadhana as establishing ṛta in the nature so that the ‘gods’—higher powers—can be born and active in human life.
The deity
- Devata
- Agni
- Epithets
- bearer of ṛta (ṛta-dhṛt), increaser of dhīti, vibhṛt (many-supporting)
- Related deities
- Mitra-Varuṇa (ṛta guardians), Indra (force of illumination), Sarasvatī (dhīti/inspiration)
Cosmic role
Mediator who carries offerings to the gods and brings their powers into the human sphere; establisher of order in the worlds.
Inner power
The organizing divine Will that aligns thought and action with truth, generating divine qualities.
In ritual
Where it is used
Agni praise within śrauta offerings (Agni as carrier and establisher of ṛta)
दध॑न्नृ॒तं ध॒नय॑न्नस्य धी॒तिमादिद॒र्यो दि॑धि॒ष्वो॒३॒॑ विभृ॑त्राः । अतृ॑ष्यन्तीर॒पसो॑ य॒न्त्यच्छा॑ दे॒वाञ्जन्म॒ प्रय॑सा व॒र्धय॑न्तीः ॥
दध॑न् । ऋ॒तम् । ध॒नय॑न् । अ॒स्य॒ । धी॒तिम् । आत् । इत् । अ॒र्यः । द॒धि॒ष्वः॑ । विऽभृ॑त्राः । अतृ॑ष्यन्तीः । अ॒पसः॑ । य॒न्ति । अच्छ॑ । दे॒वान् । जन्म॑ । प्रय॑सा । व॒र्धय॑न्तीः ॥
dadhan | ṛtam | dhanayan | asya | dhītim | āt | it | aryaḥ | dadhiṣvaḥ | vi-bhṛtrāḥ | atṛṣyantīḥ | apasaḥ | yanti | accha | devān | janma | prayasā | vardhayantīḥ
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4 × 11; balanced, didactic flow.
Measured and constructive; less explosive, more establishing.
Stabilizes the mind; supports resolve and orderly inner movement.
- ṛtam
- Literal: truth, right order. Symbolic: law of the divine working organizing the nature
- dhītिम् (dhītim)
- Literal: thought, understanding. Symbolic: illumined intelligence; inspired seeing
- aryo
- Literal: noble/arya. Symbolic: the aspiring soul-nature turned to the Truth
- didhiṣvaḥ
- Literal: desiring to establish/put in place. Symbolic: will for stable realization
- vibhṛtrāḥ
- Literal: bearing many supports. Symbolic: integrative power holding the yoga across parts of being
- apasaḥ
- Literal: works, labors. Symbolic: inner disciplines; movements of offering and transformation
- devāñ janma
- Literal: birth of the gods. Symbolic: manifestation of divine powers within
- prayasā
- Literal: by effort/impulse of offering. Symbolic: sincere consecrated energy; tapas in action
Supports the rite as a process of establishing R̥ta and increasing dhī; emphasizes tireless works (apas) as offerings that manifest the gods.
During sequences emphasizing ṛta, correct offering, and invocation of deva-powers.
Recitation to consecrate works (apas) and align them with ṛta.
As a mantra before daily work: consecrate actions so they ‘go straight’ toward the divine and build inner order.
√dhā ‘place’ (PIE *dʰeh₁-) = establish R̥ta as a settled law in the being. dhīti from √dhī ‘think/see’ (inspired thought). arya denotes nobility as right striving, not ethnicity. vi-√bhṛ ‘bear in distribution’ suggests sustaining multiple planes/parts of the work. prayas ‘forward pressure/offer’ (pra-√i/√yas nuance) = sacrificial impetus that nourishes divine birth. √yā ‘go’ (PIE *h₁ey-).
R̥ta establishment, dhī (inspired thought), manifestation (janma) of divine powers, tapas-like tirelessness (atṛṣyantīḥ)
Central: ṛta is ‘placed’ and becomes the governing law of the sadhana.
Dhīti grows as satya becomes thinkable/seeable; thought is enriched by truth-substance.
Birth of gods within the human field through ordered effort.
Integral yoga hermeneutic: transformation by establishing ṛta and invoking higher powers into embodied action.
Fire = will; straight path = non-deviating aspiration; birth = emergence of new consciousness-powers.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘birth of the gods’ through tireless works aligned to R̥ta: divine powers are not merely invoked but manifested by sustained right action and offering-impulse (prayasā) in the human field.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √dhā (PIE *dʰeh₁-) and √vṛdh (PIE *werdh-) are clear inheritances. The semantic pairing of R̥ta (ordered truth) with dhī (inspired vision) shows a Vedic development of IE ‘truth’ and ‘seeing/knowing’ roots into a spiritual-psychological technology.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi depicts a cooperative yoga: the noble aspirant establishes R̥ta and enriches dhī; the divine powers respond by being ‘born’—becoming active functions within the practitioner, sustained by the offering of works.
Establish ṛta: align intention, thought, speech, and action; cultivate dhīti (quiet illumined thinking).
manipura
4-4-6 breathing (inhale-hold-exhale) to build steadiness before chanting.
Sattwic stability with emerging intuitive order.
Chant once, then reflect: ‘What is the straightest next action toward the Divine?’ Offer that action inwardly to Agni; proceed without dispersion.
Keep udātta prominence on ṛtám, dhánayan, dhītím, devā́n; observe svarita on sandhi transitions per śākhā.
Even pacing; emphasize the constructive verbs (dadhann, dhanayan, vardhayantīḥ) without rushing.
ṛtaṃ: vocalic ṛ clear, not ‘ri’, dhītim: long ī, didhiṣvo: retroflex ṣ; keep ‘vo’ clear, atṛṣyantīḥ: vocalic ṛ; retroflex ṣ; long īḥ, vardhayantīḥ: dhy cluster articulated
Steady, grounded, slightly warm; less force, more clarity.
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