Rig Veda 7.102.2: Mandala 7, Sukta 102, Mantra 2
Sukta 7.102
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Parjanya
- Chandas
- Gāyatrī
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
यो गर्भमोषधीनां गवां कृणोत्यर्वताम् । पर्जन्यः पुरुषीणाम् ॥
yó gárbham óṣadhīnām gávāṃ kṛṇóty árvatām | parjányáḥ puruṣī́ṇām ||
Ele, que forma o embrião das plantas, das vacas e dos corcéis — Parjanya, abundante para muitos.
Word by Word
- यः
- who (he who)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role Kartā (सम्बन्ध-कर्ता; यः = ‘who’ referring to the agent)Root यद्- (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- गर्भम्
- embryo; seed; germNounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot गर्भ- (प्रातिपदिक)
- ओषधीनाम्
- of the plants/herbsNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, बहुवचनम्Role Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (genitive relation to गर्भम्)Root ओषधि- (प्रातिपदिक)
- गवाम्
- of the cowsNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, बहुवचनम्Role Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (genitive relation to गर्भम्)Root गो- (प्रातिपदिक)
- कृणोति
- makes; forms; producesVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role (क्रिया) — takes कर्म ‘गर्भम्’Root कृ- (धातु)
- अर्वताम्
- of the horses/steedsNounपुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, बहुवचनम्Role Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (genitive relation to गर्भम्)Root अर्वत्- (प्रातिपदिक)
- पर्जन्यः
- Parjanya (Rain-god)Noun (proper)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role Kartā (explicit subject apposition to यः)Root पर्जन्य- (प्रातिपदिक; देवता-नाम)
- पुरुषीणाम्
- of womenNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, बहुवचनम्Role Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (genitive relation to गर्भम्)Root पुरुषी- (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (sandhi-resolved): यः | गर्भम् | ओषधीनाम् | गवाम् | कृणोति | अर्वताम् | पर्जन्यः | पुरुषीणाम् || Sandhi/phonetics: (1) ‘गर्भ॒मोष॑धीनाम्’ = ‘गर्भम् ओषधीनाम्’ (म् + ओ → mo by external sandhi)
- (2) ‘कृ॒णोत्यर्व॑ताम्’ = ‘कृणोति अर्वताम्’ (इ + अ → य् glide: tyar-)
- Accent as in Saṃhitā: गर्भ॒म् (anudātta-marked), ओष॑धीनाम् (udātta on ष), कृ॒णोति (udātta on कृ), अर्व॑ताम् (udātta on व), पर्जन्य॑ः (udātta on न्य), पुरु॒षीणा॑म् (udātta on णा)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Parjanya forms the embryo (germ) of plants, cows, and horses—he causes fertility and generation.
Inner meaning
The descending abundance establishes the ‘germ’ of new formations in the being: in the growing mind (plants), in the rays of knowledge (cows), and in the vital force of action (horses). Parjanya is the power that makes latent possibilities take shape.
Universal truth
All true growth begins as an inner seed: when higher plenitude touches the nature, new capacities are conceived and developed across mind, knowledge, and energy.
Themes
Fertility of all planes, Seed-forming power, Plenitude, Inner and outer prosperity
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha-gotra
- Other hymns
- RV 7.23 (Indra and victory over obstruction), RV 7.60 (Ādityas and right law), RV 7.97 (healing/integration)
Family tradition
Vasiṣṭha’s hymns frequently stress right formation and increase under ṛta—how divine powers build the inner life as a well-ordered kingdom.
Significance
The seer-vision here is of ‘conception’: divine descent not only gives outer rain but initiates inner birth—new knowledge, new energy, new growth.
The deity
- Devata
- Parjanya
- Epithets
- puruṣīṇa (abounding, rich in increase)
- Related deities
- Soma (nourishing delight), Indra (releaser of waters/illumination), Aśvins (helpers in birth and emergence), Āpas (waters of consciousness)
Cosmic role
Fertiliser of all births—vegetal, animal, and energetic; sustainer of continuity and multiplication.
Inner power
Initiator of inner gestation: makes knowledge-rays and action-forces capable of carrying and delivering new states of being.
In ritual
Where it is used
Fertility and increase prayers; agricultural and cattle/horse prosperity contexts.
यो गर्भ॒मोष॑धीनां॒ गवां॑ कृ॒णोत्यर्व॑ताम् । प॒र्जन्य॑: पुरु॒षीणा॑म् ॥
यः । गर्भ॑म् । ओष॑धीनाम् । गवा॑म् । कृ॒णोति॑ । अर्व॑ताम् । प॒र्जन्यः॑ । पु॒रु॒षीणा॑म् ॥
yaḥ | garbham | oṣadhīnām | gavām | kṛṇoti | arvatām | parjanyaḥ | puruṣīṇām
24
3×8 syllables
Tight, enumerative, seed-like—each pāda plants an image.
Builds a sense of formative power; the listener feels ‘something beginning’ and organizing itself.
- गर्भ (garbha)
- Literal: embryo, germ. Symbolic: seed of a new consciousness-formation; beginning of inner transformation
- ओषधि (oṣadhi)
- Literal: plants, herbs. Symbolic: growing forms of mind and life; capacities that mature gradually
- गो (gavām)
- Literal: cows. Symbolic: rays of light/knowledge; illumined perceptions
- अर्वत् (arvatām)
- Literal: steeds, horses. Symbolic: vital energies; forces of action and movement
- पुरुषीणाम् (puruṣīṇām)
- Literal: rich in many (abounding). Symbolic: plenitude—power that multiplies formations and increases resources
Fertility-invocation: for vegetation, cattle, and horses; in inner reading, for growth of healing powers, illuminations, and dynamic energies.
Sowing time, monsoon prayers, or rites for prosperity of herds and strength.
Recitation with offerings (milk/ghṛta) symbolizing nourishment; intent to ‘conceive’ right growth.
Chant when starting a new project/training: hold the mantra as an invocation for the ‘right seed’—clear idea (go), steady growth (oṣadhi), and energy to execute (aśva).
garbha- ‘embryo’ as ‘that which is borne’. go- ‘cow’ in Vedic symbolism often ‘ray/light/knowledge’ (because go is repeatedly recovered as light from darkness in RV mythic diction). arvant- ‘steed’ from √ar ‘move’ complex; symbolizes speed/force. puruṣīṇa- ‘abounding’ from puru ‘many’.
Garbha (latent potential), Go as light/knowledge, Aśva/Arvant as force
Embryo-formation is ṛta at work: ordered becoming rather than chaotic change.
True increase is not mere multiplication but right gestation of the divine intention in forms.
Creation as repeated gestation: the One power produces many forms through seed and nourishment.
Sāṃkhya-like emergence (prakṛti’s formations) integrated with Aurobindonian descent of higher consciousness.
unspecified
rains / growing season
Plants = progressive growth of capacities; cows = illumined knowledges; horses = mobilized life-force; embryo = initial psychic formation.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The rain-god as universal seed-former for plants and herds. Inner sense: Parjanya implants potential in (1) growth-powers (oṣadhi), (2) illuminations (go), and (3) dynamic energies (arvant), enabling a total increase of the being.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- go- ‘cow’ continues PIE *gʷōus (cf. Greek bous, Latin bōs). The retention of pastoral lexicon within a cosmic fertility hymn reflects the shared IE sacralization of cattle/wealth imagery.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The Rishi names Parjanya by function (‘who forms the garbha’), establishing a basis for trust: the devatā is the direct artisan of potential. Praise is thus a recognition that invites the same formative action within the sacrificer’s life.
Contemplate a ‘seed’ of transformation placed in mind, knowledge, and vital; feel it being watered by a higher descent.
Svādhiṣṭhāna (creative formation) with support from Anāhata (harmonious growth)
4-4-6 breathing: inhale (receive), hold (gestate), exhale (offer/allow formation).
Creative receptivity; quiet gestation.
After chanting, visualize three inner fields: (1) growing green (mind-forms), (2) golden rays (knowledge), (3) a steady horse-force (energy). Ask Parjanya to ‘form the garbha’ rightly in all three.
Vedic accents as per RV; keep a clear rise on key nouns (gárbham, óṣadhīnām, gávām, árvātām) according to local śākhā tradition.
Enumerations should be evenly weighted; avoid rushing the list—each item is a complete symbol.
(garbham): clear ‘rbh’ cluster, short ‘a’, (oṣadhīnām): retroflex ṣ; long ī in -dhī-, (arvatām): crisp ‘rv’, long ā, (puruṣīṇām): retroflex ṣ; long ī
Steady, formative, warm—like ‘watering’ with sound.
21
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Rig Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
