Rig Veda 5.75.4: Mandala 5, Sukta 75, Mantra 4
Sukta 5.75
- Rishi
- Atri
- Devata
- Aśvinau
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
सुष्टुभो वां वृषण्वसू रथे वाणीच्याहिता । उत वां ककुहो मृगः पृक्षः कृणोति वापुषो माध्वी मम श्रुतं हवम् ॥
suṣṭúbho vāṃ vṛṣaṇvasū ráthe vāṇī́cy ā́hitā | utá vāṃ kakúho mṛgáḥ pṛ́kṣaḥ kṛṇoti vā́puṣo mā́dhvī mama śrutáṃ hávam ||
Wasze pięknie ukształtowane chwały są umieszczone na waszym rydwanie, o panowie siły i obfitości. I wzniosły, szybki twórca kształtuje dla was lśniącą formę, usłyszcie moje miodowe wezwanie.
Word by Word
- सु-ष्टुभः
- well-praising, good praisersAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole विशेषण (कर्तृ-पदस्य) / Kartā (as qualifier)Root √स्तुभ् (स्तुभ् ‘स्तुतौ’) / स्तुभ्- (प्रातिपदिक) with उपसर्ग सु-
- वाम्
- of you two / yourPronounद्विवचन, षष्ठी (gen.) ‘of you two’ (Vedic also overlaps with acc. in some contexts)Role सम्बन्ध / Adhikaraṇa (genitival relation)Root युष्मद् (द्वितीया/षष्ठी द्विवचन-रूप)
- वृषण्वसू
- O you two ‘bull-like/virile’ Vasus (i.e., the Aśvins)Noun (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, द्विवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot वृषण्वसु- (प्रातिपदिक; वृषण् + वसु)
- रथे
- on/in the chariotNounपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकारणRoot रथ-
- वाणी
- speech, voiceNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot वाणी-
- इच्य
- indeed/and (particle)Indeclinableअव्ययRole सम्बन्ध (particle)Root इच्य (निपात/अव्यय; Vedic particle, often intensifying/connecting)
- आ-हिता
- placed, set upon (there)Adjective (PPP)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole विशेषण (वाणी-)Root √धा (धाञ् ‘धारणे’) → हित (PPP) with उपसर्ग आ-; प्रातिपदिक: आहित-
- उत
- and alsoIndeclinableअव्ययRole सम्बन्ध (conj.)Root उत (निपात)
- वाम्
- of you twoPronounद्विवचन, षष्ठी (gen.)Role सम्बन्धRoot युष्मद्
- ककुहः
- the hump-backed one / a humped (animal)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot ककुह-
- मृगः
- wild animal, deerNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (apposition to ककुहः)Root मृग-
- पृक्षः
- sprinkling/refreshing one (name/epithet)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (apposition)Root पृक्ष-
- कृणोति
- makes, doesVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्र.पुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot √कृ (डुकृञ् ‘करणे’)
- वापुषः
- beautiful forms, beautiesNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (Vedic form; ‘forms/beauties’)Role कर्मRoot वापुष्-
- माध्वीः
- honey-sweet, mead-likeAdjective/Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole विशेषण (वापुषः) / Karma-qualifierRoot माध्वी-
- मम
- myPronounषष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot अस्मद्
- श्रुतम्
- heard, hearkened-toAdjective (PPP)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole विशेषण (हवम्)Root √श्रु (श्रु ‘श्रवणे’) → श्रुत (PPP) / श्रुत-
- हवम्
- invocation, callNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot हव- (from √हू ‘आह्वाने’)
Sandhi Notes
- सु॒ष्टुभो॑ → सु-ष्टुभः (उपसर्ग सु- + स्तुभ्-; पदान्त -oḥ as Vedic nom.pl. m.)
- वाणी॒च्याहि॑ता → वाणी + इच्य + आहिता (च्य = particle; आहिता = आ-√धा PPP)
- ककु॒हो → ककुहः (nom.sg. m.)
- पृक्ष॑: → पृक्षः
- वापु॒षो → वापुषः (Vedic nom/acc.pl. neuter ending -oḥ/-aḥ)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The poet says the well-formed praises are placed upon the Aśvins’ chariot; a high-crested swift creature fashions for them a shining form; again he asks them to hear the honeyed call.
Inner meaning
The ‘praises well-shaped’ are rightly articulated mantras—vāk ordered by truth—that become a vehicle (ratha) for the descent of the Aśvin powers. When speech is aligned (vāṇīcī āhitā), it is not mere words but a formed force. The ‘high-crested swift one’ (kakuha mṛgaḥ) can be read psychologically as the uplifted, keen life-energy or prāṇic force that, when purified, gives a radiant embodiment (vāpuṣ) to the descending help—so the divine aid becomes workable in the physical nature.
Universal truth
Rightly formed aspiration and truthful speech create a stable ‘vehicle’ for higher forces; purified life-energy then gives those forces a visible, effective shape in action and character.
Themes
Mantra-speech, Shaping divine presence, Vehicle symbolism
The seer
- Rishi
- Atri (Ātreya)
- Lineage
- Ātreya
- Other hymns
- RV 5.75, RV 5.76
Family tradition
Ātreya hymns often emphasize the power of well-formed speech (vāk) to call and seat the gods, making inner realization practical and embodied.
Significance
Atri’s vision here stresses mantra as a ‘vehicle’: the seer crafts speech so the divine helpers can take hold of the life-force and shape it into a luminous form.
The deity
- Devata
- Aśvinau
- Epithets
- Vṛṣaṇvasū, Nāsatyā (implied in the hymn)
- Related deities
- Uṣas, Agni, Soma
Cosmic role
Bringers of swift aid who ride the chariot of dawn and make the divine influence concretely operative in the embodied world.
Inner power
They take the aspirant’s speech and life-energy, align them, and produce a ‘shining form’—effective transformation expressed in conduct and action.
In ritual
Where it is used
Aśvin praises in Soma offering sequences (general)
सु॒ष्टुभो॑ वां वृषण्वसू॒ रथे॒ वाणी॒च्याहि॑ता । उ॒त वां॑ ककु॒हो मृ॒गः पृक्ष॑: कृणोति वापु॒षो माध्वी॒ मम॑ श्रुतं॒ हव॑म् ॥
सु॒ऽस्तुभः॑ । वा॒म् । वृ॒ष॒ण्व॒सू॒ इति॑ वृषण्ऽवसू । रथे॑ । वाणी॑ची । आहि॑ता । उ॒त । वा॒म् । क॒कु॒हः । मृ॒गः । पृक्षः॑ । कृ॒णो॒ति॒ । वा॒पु॒षः । माध्वी॒ इति॑ । मम॑ । श्रुत॑म् । हव॑म् ॥
su-stubhaḥ | vām | vṛṣaṇvasūitivṛṣaṇ-vasū | rathe | vāṇīcī | āhitā | uta | vām | kakuhaḥ | mṛgaḥ | pṛkṣaḥ | kṛṇoti | vāpuṣaḥ | mādhvī iti | mama | śrutam | havam
44
4 × ~11
Well-balanced, with a crafted ‘architectural’ feel fitting the theme of well-formed praise
Encourages precision and clarity; supports ‘placing’ the mantra in the mind as a stable formation.
- सुस्तुभः (su-stubhaḥ)
- Literal: well-praised/well-formed praise. Symbolic: mantra-force shaped by truth and right rhythm
- वृषण्वसू (vṛṣaṇvasū)
- Literal: lords of virile power and wealth. Symbolic: plenitude of strength and effective capacity
- रथ (ratha)
- Literal: chariot. Symbolic: organized instrument of consciousness; the formed system that carries divine powers into life
- वाणीची (vāṇīcī)
- Literal: speech/voice (as an adjective: of speech). Symbolic: the expressive power (vāk) that can embody truth
- आहिता (āhitā)
- Literal: placed, set, established. Symbolic: fixed concentration; mantra seated in the instrument
- ककुहः (kakuhaḥ)
- Literal: high-crested, peaked. Symbolic: uplifted life-force/aspiration rising to a summit
- मृगः (mṛgaḥ)
- Literal: wild creature, deer. Symbolic: swift moving prāṇa; searching dynamism
- पृक्षः (pṛkṣaḥ)
- Literal: sprinkled, shining, speckled. Symbolic: luminous, energized vitality touched by higher force
- वापुषः (vāpuṣaḥ)
- Literal: beauty, form. Symbolic: radiant embodiment of the divine influence in the nature
Stoma as an adornment placed upon the divine chariot; emphasizes the correct formation of praise (suṣṭuti) as a means to shape the gods’ presence (vāpuṣ).
At invitations and approach of the deities; especially apt for dawn-related Aśvin moments
Recitation while preparing/adorning the offering-seat and chariot symbolism
Use before speaking/teaching: to ‘set speech on the chariot’—align words with truth and beneficence.
su-stubhaḥ from √stubh (to praise) with su- → ‘well-made praise’, mantra correctly shaped. vāṇīcī is obscure; likely from vāc ‘speech’ with a derivational suffix suggesting ‘leading/forward speech’—mantra placed in front on the ratha (vehicle) as guiding word. kakuha ‘summit/crest’ conveys ‘high’ or ‘on top’; mṛga ‘wild creature’ in RV often denotes swift moving energies, not zoology alone. vāpuṣ ‘form/beauty’ from √vap/√vapu semantic field of shape/appearance → luminous embodiment.
Vāc (mantric speech) as formative power, Embodiment of divine presence (vāpuṣ) through right utterance, Swift life-force (mṛga) as carrier of movement
Suṣṭubha praise is speech aligned to ṛta; it becomes a lawful vehicle for divine movement.
Truthful speech is the condition for the ‘shining form’ of realization.
Manifestation through Word: vāk shapes force into form.
Mantra-śakti emphasis aligned with Aurobindonian psychology of speech as creative power.
dawn/early light (implicit)
Chariot = organized mind; deer/swift creature = prāṇic dynamism; shining form = luminous embodiment of consciousness in life.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythic ‘construction’ of divine presence: praise set upon the chariot and a swift ‘mṛga’ fashioning a radiant vāpuṣ. It encodes the Vedic idea that right speech and swift vital energies jointly manifest the gods’ effective appearance.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- vāc (speech) is Indo-European (PIE *wekʷ- ‘speak’, cf. Latin vox). √kṛ (kṛṇoti) continues PIE *kwer-/*ker- ‘make/do’ (broadly reflected across IE). The poetics of ‘making’ the divine through speech is a shared archaic Indo-European hymn strategy.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The r̥ṣi’s craftsmanship is central: he places well-formed praise and guiding speech on the ‘vehicle’ of descent. The Aśvins are approached as powers who take shape (vāpuṣ) in response to this rightly ordered utterance and swift energizing movement.
Let speech become a vehicle: repeat softly, feeling each phrase ‘placed’ in the mind like a mantra on a chariot.
viśuddha (purified speech)
Gentle ujjāyī or simple nasal breathing; exhale on the refrain ‘mādhvī mama śrutaṃ havam’
Clear, poised, formative (building inner structure)
Before difficult conversations, invoke the Aśvins: ‘make my speech well-shaped; let it carry healing power.’
Triṣṭubh accenting: keep udatta prominence on suṣṭubhaḥ, rathe, āhitā, kakuhaḥ, vāpuṣaḥ, havam; observe svarita falls after peaks.
Chant with crisp consonants to mirror ‘well-formed praise’; slightly brighten the voice on ‘vāpuṣaḥ’.
suṣṭubhaḥ: retroflex ṣṭ cluster—do not simplify, vṛṣaṇvasū: retroflex ṣ; keep ‘ṇv’ conjunct clear, vāṇīcy: long ī; ‘cy’ palatal cluster clean, kakuhaḥ: articulate both ‘ka’ syllables; aspirate h lightly, pṛkṣaḥ: retroflex ṛ; ‘kṣ’ cluster distinct
clear, crafted, resonant in the head and throat
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