Rig Veda 7.40.5: Mandala 7, Sukta 40, Mantra 5
Sukta 7.40
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Composite: Vishnu, Rudra, and the Aśvins
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
अस्य देवस्य मीळ्हुषो वया विष्णोरेषस्य प्रभृथे हविर्भिः । विदे हि रुद्रो रुद्रियं महित्वं यासिष्टं वर्तिरश्विनाविरावत् ॥
asyá devásya mīḷhúṣo vayā́ víṣṇor eṣásya prabhṛthé havírbhiḥ | vidé hí rudró rudriyáṃ mahitváṃ yāsiṣṭáṃ vártír aśvināv írāvat ||
Para este deus gracioso — Viṣṇu, o que avança em largo passo — fazemos avançar as forças vitais com as oferendas. Pois Rudra conhece, de fato, a grandeza rudriana. Que os Aśvins venham pelo melhor caminho do movimento, ricos em plenitude e em justo alimento.
Word by Word
- अस्य
- of thisPronounपुं/नपुं; षष्ठी; एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)Root इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- देवस्य
- of the godNounपुं; षष्ठी; एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- मीळ्हुषः
- of the bountiful oneNoun (epithet)पुं; षष्ठी; एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot मीळ्हु (प्रातिपदिक; ‘दाता/वर्षक’)
- वयाः
- vital powers / strengthsNounनपुं; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; बहुवचनRole कर्म (object of implied offering/praise)Root वयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- विष्णोः
- of ViṣṇuNounपुं; षष्ठी; एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
- एषस्य
- of this (one)Pronoun/Adjectiveपुं; षष्ठी; एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot एष (प्रातिपदिक; ‘this one/this’)
- प्रभृथे
- in the offering / at the distributionNounपुं/नपुं; सप्तमी; एकवचनRole अधिकरण (locative: in/at)Root प्र-भृथि/प्रभृथ (प्रातिपदिक; ‘offering, distribution, bestowal’)
- हविर्भिः
- with oblationsNounनपुं; तृतीया; बहुवचनRole करणRoot हविस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- विदे
- I know / I recognizeVerbलिट् (परस्मैपद); उत्तमपुरुष; एकवचन (वेदिक रूप ‘विदे’ = ‘I know/recognize’)Role क्रियाRoot विद् (धातु; ‘to know, to find’)
- हि
- indeed, forIndeclinableनिपातRole सम्बन्ध/वाक्य-सम्बन्धRoot हि (निपात)
- रुद्रः
- RudraNounपुं; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- रुद्रियम्
- Rudra’s / RudrianAdjectiveनपुं; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot रुद्रिय (प्रातिपदिक; ‘belonging to Rudra, Rudra-like’)
- महित्वम्
- greatness, majestyNounनपुं; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot महित्व (प्रातिपदिक; from महत्)
- यासिष्टम्
- may you two go / comeVerbलिट्/आशीर्लिङ्-प्राय (वेदिक स्तुत्यादेश/आशीर्वाद-रूप); मध्यमपुरुष; द्विवचन (अश्विनौ प्रति)Role क्रियाRoot या (धातु; ‘to go’)
- वर्तिः
- the path, courseNounस्त्री; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृ/विधेय (as ‘the path (is)…’)Root वर्ति (प्रातिपदिक; ‘path, course, track’)
- अश्विनौ
- O Aśvins (you two)Noun (dual deity)पुं; प्रथमा; द्विवचनRole कर्तृ (addressed/subject)Root अश्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- इरा-वत्
- rich in refreshment/prosperityAdjectiveनपुं/पुं; प्रथमा; एकवचन (agreeing with वर्तिः in sense: ‘endowed with iḷā’)Role विशेषणRoot इरा (प्रातिपदिक; ‘refreshment, food, prosperity’) + वत् (तद्धित)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सम्भाव्य): अस्य | देवस्य | मीळ्हुषः | वयाः | विष्णोः | एषस्य | प्रभृथे | हविर्भिः || विदे | हि | रुद्रः | रुद्रियम् | महित्वम् | यासिष्टम् | वर्तिः | अश्विनौ | इरावत् || 1) हविर्भिः: हविस् + भिस् → हविर्भिः (स् → र् before voiced consonant)
- 2) विष्णोरेषस्य: विष्णोः + एषस्य → विष्णोरेषस्य (ः + ए → रे, visarga sandhi)
- 3) अश्विनाविरावत् (संहितापाठ): अश्विनौ + इरावत् → अश्विनाविरावत् (औ + इ → आवि)
The meaning
Outer meaning
With offerings, the singer brings forward the vital powers for this gracious god—Vishnu in his forward-striding. Rudra knows the Rudrian greatness. May the Aśvins come by the best path, rich in plenitude and nourishment.
Inner meaning
The ‘offerings’ are inner acts—attention, aspiration, self-giving—by which the seeker brings forth ‘vayāḥ’: vital powers and capacities, for the divine action of Vishnu, the one who strides forward and measures the worlds (progressive expansion of consciousness). Rudra represents the intense force that knows the profound, sometimes formidable greatness needed to heal and transform (rudriyaṃ mahitvam). The Aśvins, twin powers of swift help and right movement, are invoked to arrive by the best inner path (yāsiṣṭaṃ vartiḥ): the most harmonious and effective trajectory of progress, ‘irāvat’—bearing plenitude, right nourishment, and increase.
Universal truth
Spiritual progress requires conscious offering: we bring our life-powers forward to the evolutionary stride of the Divine. Transforming intensity (Rudra) must be understood and accepted, and swift helpers (Aśvins) arrive when the path is chosen rightly and nourished by true plenitude.
Themes
Expansion (Vishnu), Purification and healing (Rudra), Swift aid (Aśvins), Right path of progress
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha (Maitrāvaruṇa)
- Other hymns
- RV 7.99 (Vishnu strides, thematic), RV 7.46 (Rudra healing, thematic)
Family tradition
Vasiṣṭha integrates multiple deities as complementary functions in the inner sacrifice: progressive expansion (Vishnu), transformative force (Rudra), and swift helping powers (Aśvins).
Significance
Shows an integral method: offer life-energies to the forward-striding divine movement, accept transformative intensity, and call swift healers/helpers for right progress.
The deity
- Devata
- Composite (Vishnu foregrounded; Rudra; Aśvins)
- Epithets
- Vishnu: eṣa (impelling, forward-striding), Rudra: knower of rudriya mahitva, Aśvins: bringers by best path, irāvat
- Related deities
- Soma (often linked with offerings and delight), Uṣas (Aśvins’ dawn association)
Cosmic role
Vishnu measures and widens the worlds; Rudra is the fierce-healer and purifier; Aśvins are dawn-like helpers of journey, restoration, and swift arrival.
Inner power
Progressive expansion (Vishnu) + transformative purification (Rudra) + practical swift aid and healing (Aśvins).
In ritual
Where it is used
Offerings in Soma/fire rites where Vishnu is associated with the sacrificial stride and Rudra/Aśvins with protection and healing.
अ॒स्य दे॒वस्य॑ मी॒ळ्हुषो॑ व॒या विष्णो॑रे॒षस्य॑ प्रभृ॒थे ह॒विर्भि॑: । वि॒दे हि रु॒द्रो रु॒द्रियं॑ महि॒त्वं या॑सि॒ष्टं व॒र्तिर॑श्विना॒विरा॑वत् ॥
अ॒स्य । दे॒वस्य॑ । मी॒ळ्हुषः॑ । व॒याः । विष्णोः॑ । ए॒षस्य॑ । प्र॒ऽभृ॒थे । ह॒विःऽभिः॑ । वि॒दे । हि । रु॒द्रः । रु॒द्रिय॑म् । म॒हि॒ऽत्वम् । या॒सि॒ष्टम् । व॒र्तिः । अ॒श्वि॒नौ॒ । इरा॑ऽवत् ॥
asya | devasya | mīḷhuṣaḥ | vayāḥ | viṣṇoḥ | eṣasya | pra-bhṛthe | haviḥ-bhiḥ | vide | hi | rudraḥ | rudriyam | mahi-tvam | yāsiṣṭam | vartiḥ | aśvinau | irāvat
44
4 × ~11
Processional and forward-moving; fits Vishnu’s ‘stride’ imagery with a steady advance.
Encourages momentum and confidence; a sense of being guided on an optimal path with protective intensity.
- मीळ्हुषः (mīḻhuṣaḥ)
- Literal: gracious, bountiful. Symbolic: the divine that responds with increase when approached rightly
- वयाः (vayāḥ)
- Literal: vital powers, strengths. Symbolic: energies of life and capacity offered for transformation
- विष्णोः एषस्य (viṣṇor eṣasya)
- Literal: of Vishnu, the forward-moving. Symbolic: the divine stride of evolution; expansive movement of consciousness
- प्रभृथे (prabhṛthe)
- Literal: we bring forward, present. Symbolic: offer and manifest inner energies for divine work
- हविर्भिः (havirbhih)
- Literal: with oblations. Symbolic: with acts of self-offering—attention, will, surrender
- रुद्रियं महित्वम् (rudriyaṃ mahitvam)
- Literal: Rudrian greatness. Symbolic: transforming intensity that heals by breaking false formations
- यासिष्टं वर्तिः (yāsiṣṭaṃ vartiḥ)
- Literal: best path/track. Symbolic: most effective inner movement—right method and rhythm of progress
- अश्विनौ (aśvinau)
- Literal: the Aśvins. Symbolic: twin powers of swift aid: intuition and dynamic execution; healing and right journey
- इरा॒वत् (irāvat)
- Literal: rich in refreshment/nourishment. Symbolic: bearing plenitude, right substance for growth (inspiration, strength, joy)
Versatile in Soma offerings and transitional invocations calling swift helpers (Aśvins) and expansive stride (Vishnu); also for Rudra’s purifying/healing force
During sequences invoking Vishnu’s expansion and calling healing/protective powers; also suitable for travel and recovery motifs.
Havis-offering with praise; calling the Aśvins for swift arrival and right nourishment.
Use when beginning a new phase: offer your energies to ‘forward stride’ (Vishnu), accept needed inner purification (Rudra), ask for swift supportive intuitions and practical helps (Aśvins).
mīḷhuṣ- from √mīḍh ‘to be gracious, to favour, to give’. prabhṛtha from pra-√bhṛ ‘to bring forward’. Rudra from √rud ‘to cry/howl’ (outer), but RV function includes healer-transformer. varti- ‘course/turning/path’ from √vṛt ‘to turn, proceed’. īrā ‘refreshment/nourishment’ linked to vitality and right enjoyment.
right movement/path (varti), transformative greatness (mahitva), offering as consecration of energies (havis)
‘Best path’ implies movement aligned with ṛta—right rhythm and right method.
Rudra ‘knows’ the greatness: truth requires confronting what must be healed/removed.
Expansion of worlds through divine stride; purification as necessary evolutionary pressure; helpers that restore harmony.
Integral evolutionism (Aurobindo): the Divine advances the manifestation; purification and assistance are functional powers.
dawn (Aśvins’ typical arrival)
Stride = progressive widening of consciousness; best path = right inner method; twin horsemen = paired faculties (intuitive insight + effective action); Rudra = force that heals by strong correction.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘advancing offering and the right path’: Vishnu’s expansive forward-stride is invoked through the act of prabhṛtha (bringing forward). Rudra’s greatness is acknowledged as a knowing power that can transform. The Aśvins then embody the swift, correct movement (yāsiṣṭa varti) that carries the seeker safely with plenitude.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √vṛt ‘turn/proceed’ (varti) is strongly PIE (cf. Latin vertere). The twin-helper motif (Aśvins) parallels IE divine twins. The semantic pairing ‘praise/offer = advance/bring forward’ (pra-√bhṛ) reflects archaic ritual-poetic action language.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer offers consecrated energies (havis) to activate Vishnu’s expansive progress; recognizes Rudra’s transformative might as conscious knowledge; and calls the Aśvins to establish the best track of movement—divine response is guidance, healing intensity, and swift assistance.
‘Three strides’ contemplation: feel expansion from body-awareness → mind-sky → silent wideness. Offer vital energies (vayāḥ) into that expansion; let Rudra’s force cut falsehood; invite Aśvins as swift balance-restorers.
Maṇipūra (offered vital power) rising to Ājñā/Sahasrāra (Vishnu’s widening); Rudra as purification at Viśuddha/Ājñā.
Three-stage breathing: inhale to abdomen, chest, head (three strides), exhale slowly; after a few rounds, sit in wideness.
Expansive forward movement with a clean, healing edge; readiness for right next step.
Choose one concrete ‘best path’ action after chanting; if resistance arises, invoke Rudra to reveal what must be corrected; ask Aśvins for quick practical solutions.
Maintain accentuation on ‘viṣṇor eṣasya’ and ‘rudro’; let ‘yāsiṣṭaṃ vartiḥ’ be sung with a clear rising intention.
Keep compound clarity: viṣṇor-eṣasya; do not swallow visarga in mīḻhuṣo before v-.
(mīḻhuṣo): retroflex ḻh (often approximated; keep a heavy lateral quality), (viṣṇoḥ): retroflex ṣṇ; visarga audible, (prabhṛthe): aspirate bh; vocalic ṛ, (havirbhih): final ḥ light; bhih clear, (rudriyaṃ): ‘dry’ cluster smooth; anusvāra nasalize, (yāsiṣṭaṃ): long ā; retroflex ṣṭ, (aśvinau): śv cluster clear
uplifting and forward-moving; slightly brighter on Aśvins’ invocation.
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