Rig Veda 7.41.6: Mandala 7, Sukta 41, Mantra 6
Sukta 7.41
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Bhaga, with attendant powers Uṣas and Dadhikrāvan imagery
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
समध्वरायोषसो नमन्त दधिक्रावेव शुचये पदाय । अर्वाचीनं वसुविदं भगं नो रथमिवाश्वा वाजिन आ वहन्तु ॥
sám adhvarā́yoṣáso namanta dadhikrā́veva śúcaye padā́ya | arvācīnáṃ vasuvídaṃ bhágaṃ no rátham ivā́śvā vājína ā́ vahantu ||
Que as Alvoradas, em uníssono, se inclinem ao nosso sacrifício, como Dadhikrāvan ao alvo luminoso, ao rastro puro. Que Bhaga, o que se aproxima, descobridor de bens, seja trazido a nós, como cavalos velozes trazem um carro.
Word by Word
- सम्
- together; completelyIndeclinableupasarga/avyayaRoot सम् (upasarga) / सम् (avyaya)
- अध्वराय
- for the sacrifice (adhvara)Nounmasculine, dative singularRole SampradānaRoot अध्वर (prātipadika)
- उषसः
- the DawnsNounfeminine, nominative pluralRole KartāRoot उषस् (prātipadika)
- नमन्त
- bow; inclineVerbpresent (laṭ), 3rd person plural, parasmaipadaRoot नम् (dhātu)
- दधिक्रावे
- in/at DadhikrāvanNounmasculine, locative singularRole AdhikaraṇaRoot दधिक्रावन् (prātipadika; proper name)
- इव
- like; asIndeclinablecomparative particleRoot इव (avyaya)
- शुचये
- to the bright/pure oneAdjectivemasculine, dative singularRole SampradānaRoot शुचि (prātipadika)
- पदाय
- for the step/footing; for the trackNounneuter, dative singularRole SampradānaRoot पद (prātipadika)
- अर्वाचीनम्
- turned hither; coming toward (us)Adjectivemasculine, accusative singularRole KarmaRoot अर्वाचीन (prātipadika)
- वसुविदम्
- wealth-finding; wealth-bestowingAdjectivemasculine, accusative singularRole KarmaRoot वसुविद् (prātipadika; from √विद्)
- भगम्
- Bhaga (the distributor of fortune); good fortuneNounmasculine, accusative singularRole KarmaRoot भग (prātipadika)
- नः
- of us; ourPronoungenitive plural (enclitic)Root अस्मद् (prātipadika)
- रथम्
- chariotNounmasculine, accusative singularRole KarmaRoot रथ (prātipadika)
- इव
- like; asIndeclinablecomparative particleRoot इव (avyaya)
- अश्वाः
- horsesNounmasculine, nominative pluralRole KartāRoot अश्व (prātipadika)
- वाजिनः
- swift; prize-winningAdjectivemasculine, nominative pluralRole KartāRoot वाजिन् (prātipadika)
- आ
- hither; towardIndeclinablepreverb; directional particleRoot आ (upasarga/avyaya)
- वहन्तु
- let them carry/bringVerbimperative (loṭ), 3rd person plural, parasmaipadaRoot वह् (dhātu)
Sandhi Notes
- Resolved padapāṭha-style segmentation: समध्वरायोषसो → सम् + अध्वराय + उषसः (sam + adhvarāya + uṣasaḥ; m + a → ma; ā + u → o by guṇa in sandhi). दधिक्रावेव → दधिक्रावे + इव (e + i → e’v). रथमिवाश्वा → रथम् + इव + अश्वाः (m + i → m i; i + a → yā in saṃhitā giving -vā-śvā-). वाजिन आ वहन्तु → वाजिनः + आ + वहन्तु (visarga before vowel often lost in saṃhitā). Accent marks retained as in saṃhitā text
- analysis given on resolved padas
The meaning
Outer meaning
May the Dawns together bow toward our sacrifice, as Dadhikrāvan goes to the bright goal. May the near-coming Bhaga, finder of riches, be brought to us as swift horses bring a chariot.
Inner meaning
Uṣas are multiple dawnings—successive illuminations—made to ‘incline’ toward the inner yajña (adhvara: the journey/work without harm). Dadhikrāvan (the swift, shining steed) images the dynamic movement of aspiration and disciplined energy toward the ‘śuci pada’ (pure, luminous goal). Bhaga is ‘arvācīna’ (turning/coming near): the power of fortunate right distribution approaches when the being is oriented to the light. The vājina aśvāḥ are vital forces made swift and obedient, bringing the chariot of consciousness—so the divine portion becomes present and effective.
Universal truth
Illumination is not a single event but repeated dawnings that must be turned toward our conscious work. When aspiration runs toward the pure goal and the life-forces are harnessed, right fortune (inner abundance) arrives naturally.
Themes
Invocation of dawn-powers, Bringing the deity into presence, Right movement on the path (pada)
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vāsiṣṭha
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 7.41.1-7, Rig Veda 7.42.1-2
Family tradition
Vasiṣṭha hymns frequently coordinate multiple divine powers (Uṣas, Bhaga, Agni/Soma imagery) as cooperating functions of the inner yajña.
Significance
The seer frames awakening (Uṣas) and fortunate distribution (Bhaga) as results of rightly directed energy (Dadhikrāvan) in the sacrificial journey.
The deity
- Devata
- Bhaga (with Uṣas and Dadhikrāvan as attendant powers)
- Epithets
- arvācīna (near-coming), vasuvid (finder of riches)
- Related deities
- Savitar, Sūrya, Agni (as leader of yajña), Indra (as confirmer of the gain)
Cosmic role
Bhaga brings auspicious participation in the cosmic good; Uṣas opens the gates of manifestation; Dadhikrāvan symbolizes swift movement toward the goal.
Inner power
Bhaga: harmonizing allotment; Uṣas: awakening illumination; Dadhikrāvan: dynamic will/aspiration that carries the seeker forward.
In ritual
Where it is used
Morning pressing/pravargya-like dawn auspiciousness sequences (broad Soma-yajña milieu); also general invocation at the opening of adhvara.
सम॑ध्व॒रायो॒षसो॑ नमन्त दधि॒क्रावे॑व॒ शुच॑ये प॒दाय॑ । अ॒र्वा॒ची॒नं व॑सु॒विदं॒ भगं॑ नो॒ रथ॑मि॒वाश्वा॑ वा॒जिन॒ आ व॑हन्तु ॥
सम् । अ॒ध्व॒राय॑ । उ॒षसः॑ । न॒म॒न्त॒ । द॒धि॒क्रावा॑ऽइव । शुच॑ये । प॒दाय॑ । अ॒र्वा॒ची॒नम् । व॒सु॒ऽविद॑म् । भग॑म् । नः॒ । रथ॑म्ऽइव । अश्वाः॑ । वा॒जिनः॑ । आ । व॒ह॒न्तु॒ ॥
sam | adhvarāya | uṣasaḥ | namanta | dadhikrāvāiva | śucaye | padāya | arvācīnam | vasu-vidam | bhagam | naḥ | ratham-iva | aśvāḥ | vājinaḥ | ā | vahantu
44
4 × ~11 syllables
Kinetic and processional; imagery of movement (bowing dawns, racing steed, chariot) matches the forward thrust of Triṣṭubh.
Energizes aspiration while keeping it ordered; good for ‘starting the day’ or beginning a practice session.
- उषसः (uṣasaḥ)
- Literal: dawns. Symbolic: successive illuminations/awakenings in consciousness
- अध्वर (adhvara)
- Literal: sacrifice/rite. Symbolic: the inner journey of transformation, ‘unharmful’ movement toward truth
- दधिक्रावन् (dadhikrāvan)
- Literal: a divine horse/steed. Symbolic: swift aspirational energy carrying the being toward the luminous goal
- शुचि पद (śuci pada)
- Literal: bright/pure step or goal. Symbolic: state of purified consciousness, clear direction in sādhanā
- अर्वाचीन (arvācīna)
- Literal: coming toward, near-coming. Symbolic: the descent/approach of the divine help into the human field
- वसु-विद् (vasuvid)
- Literal: finder of riches. Symbolic: discoverer of essential inner wealth—light, joy, capacity
- अश्वाः वाजिनः (aśvāḥ vājinaḥ)
- Literal: swift horses. Symbolic: disciplined life-energies that carry the mind-body instrument
Morning sacrificial setting: Dawns and swift bringing of the deity to the rite; can be used as a 'bringing' (ā-vahana) formula in soma/agnic contexts.
At dawn or at the commencement of a rite/work to invite illumination and auspicious support.
Inviting Uṣas to ‘incline’ to the rite; calling Bhaga to be brought near like a chariot brought by horses.
A morning mantra for aligning energies: invoke repeated dawns (fresh clarity) and ask for the ‘near-coming’ right fortune in decisions and effort.
uṣas-: dawn from √vas/√uṣ 'shine, burn'—illumination principle. adhvara-: traditionally 'sacrifice' (often analyzed as a-dhvara 'non-injuring'), but functionally 'unbroken rite'; inner sense: steady offering-process. dadhikrāvan: name of a swift divine horse/power; linked to √kru/√krand 'cry, resound, rush' in some analyses; here used as exemplar of swift right movement. vasu-vid: vasu 'good, wealth, substance' + √vid 'find/know'—knowledge and finding converge; hence 'finding the essential riches' fits the inner-outer polyvalence. vājin: from vāja 'strength, prize, plenitude'—root sense supports 'fullness of force' rather than mere food.
Convergence of illuminations towards the offering (sam ... namanta), Vasu as essential substance/wealth of being, Vāja as plenitude of force
The ‘together bowing’ dawns suggest harmonized powers moving in right order toward the yajña.
The bright goal (śuci pada) is truth made experiential—clarity that guides action.
Descent of divine help (arvācīna) as the human being turns toward light; cooperation of powers to manifest inner riches.
Integral-psychological Vedism: dawns as progressive illuminations; yajña as inner evolution.
dawn
Dawn = awakening of perception; horse = vital drive; chariot = organized personality-instrument; path = progressive discipline.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The 'arrival of the god on the chariot' mythologem: divine powers are brought to the rite by the swift horses (energies). The Dawns incline to the sacrifice, indicating the descent of illumination; Bhaga is carried as the chariot-borne presence of felicity and right share.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √vah 'carry' is a classic PIE root (*weǵʰ- 'to convey/transport' is often compared in IE discussions; Sanskrit √vah is central in Indo-Aryan). √vid 'know/find' reflects PIE *weyd- 'see/know' (cf. Latin vidēre, English wit), showing the old IE overlap of seeing/knowing/finding.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi organizes a harmonized field (sam) where dawn-illuminations consent to the offering, so Bhaga may be 'brought near' (arvācīna). The deity responds as vasuvid—revealing and delivering essential riches—once the energies (aśva/vājin) are yoked to carry the work.
‘Bring the near-coming Bhaga’: feel a descending order and support entering the mind-life-body as dawn-clarity arises.
maṇipūra (harnessing energy) and ājñā (clear goal)
3-part breath (dirgha) for steadiness, then 7 slow chants; feel the ‘chariot’ stabilize on exhale.
bright, forward-moving collectedness
Before chanting, set a single ‘śuci pada’ intention (pure goal). After chanting, visualize energies (horses) aligned and pulling one direction.
Vedic tri-svara; consult a svara-marked recension for exact accents.
Keep clear word-boundaries: ‘sam adhvarāya uṣasaḥ’—avoid swallowing consonant clusters.
(uṣasaḥ): retroflex ṣ, short final -aḥ, (dadhikrāveva): keep the long ā in -krāv-, (śucaye): palatal ś, light ‘ch’, (arvācīnam): roll ‘rvā’, long ī
bright, energized but controlled
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