Rig Veda 6.63.2: Mandala 6, Sukta 63, Mantra 2
Sukta 6.63
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja Bārhaspatya
- Devata
- Aśvinau
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
अरं मे गन्तं हवनायास्मै गृणाना यथा पिबाथो अन्धः । परि ह त्यद्वर्तिर्याथो रिषो न यत्परो नान्तरस्तुतुर्यात् ॥
áraṃ me gántam hávanāyā́smai gṛṇānā́ yáthā píbātho ándhaḥ | pári ha tyád vartír yā́tho riṣó ná yát páro nā́ntaras tuturyā́t ||
Придите охотно на мой зов — чтобы, пока мы воспеваем, вы пили выжатую сладость Сомы. Ибо вы обходите тот путь, как ограда от вреда, дабы ни то, что вовне, ни то, что внутри, не прорвалось, чтобы ранить.
Word by Word
- अरम्
- duly, fittingly, readilyIndeclinableअव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण)Role Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)Root अरम् (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक) / PIE *h₂er- (fit, proper) (etym.)
- मे
- for me / to mePronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी एकवचन (enclitic)Role Sampradāna (beneficiary)/PossessorRoot अस्मद्
- गन्तम्
- come, go (you two)Verb (imperative form) / verbal adjective used as injunctiveआज्ञार्थे द्विवचन (addressing two deities); रूपम्: गन्तम् = ‘go (you two)!’ (Vedic imperative-like usage)Role (मुख्य क्रिया)Root गम् (धातु) → गन्तृ/गन्त (कृदन्त) आधार
- हवनाय
- for the invocation, for the call of offeringNounद्वितीया/चतुर्थी?—रूपतः चतुर्थी एकवचन (हवनाय)Role Sampradāna (purpose/for the invocation)Root हवन (√हु ‘to pour/offer’ → हवन ‘invocation/oblation-call’)
- अस्मै
- to this (one), to him/thisPronounचतुर्थी एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot इदम् (प्रonominal stem)
- गृणाना
- praising, singingParticipleवर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ-प्रत्यय), प्रथमा एकवचन स्त्रीलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग?—पदप्रयोगे ‘गृणाना’ = प्रथमा एकवचन स्त्री (वाचः/स्तुतिः implied) or adverbial participle ‘praising’Role Kartā (implicit: the singer/utterance) / Adverbial (manner)Root √गॄ/गृ (to sing, praise) → गृणान (present participle)
- यथा
- so that, asIndeclinableसम्बन्धाव्यय (यथार्थ/उपमान)Role Adverbial (comparison/condition)Root यथा (अव्यय)
- पिबाथो
- you two drinkVerbलट् (वर्तमान), मध्यमपुरुष, द्विवचनRole (मुख्य क्रिया)Root √पा (to drink)
- अन्धः
- the soma-juiceNounद्वितीया एकवचन (अन्धः < अन्धसम्; Vedic acc. sg. neut.)Role KarmaRoot अन्धस् (soma-juice, pressed drink)
- परि
- around, all aboutIndeclinableउपसर्ग/क्रियाविशेषणRole Adverbial (direction/around)Root परि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- ह
- indeed, surelyIndeclinableनिपात (emphatic)Role Discourse particleRoot ह (निपात)
- त्यत्
- that (yonder)Pronounद्वितीया/प्रथमा एकवचन नपुंसकलिङ्ग (त्यत्)Role Karma/Adhikaraṇa (with following noun as apposition)Root तद् (deictic: ‘that yonder’)
- वर्तिः
- the course, track, pathNounप्रथमा एकवचन स्त्रीलिङ्गRole Kartā (of ‘go/ride’ implied) / AppositionRoot वर्ति (track, course, path) < √वृत्/वर्त् (to turn, proceed)
- याथो
- you two go, you two travelVerbलट् (वर्तमान), मध्यमपुरुष, द्विवचन (Vedic form yāthaḥ/yātho)Role (मुख्य क्रिया)Root √या (to go)
- रिषः
- of harm; from injuryNounषष्ठी एकवचन (or abl. sg. in Vedic usage); here best as षष्ठी ‘of harm’Role Apādāna (avoidance: ‘from harm’) / Genitive of separationRoot रिष्/रिषस् (harm, injury) < √रिष् (to hurt)
- न
- like, asIndeclinableउपमान/निषेध—here comparative ‘like/as’Role Adverbial (comparison)Root न (अव्यय)
- यत्
- which, that whichPronoun/Relativeयद्-प्रातिपदिक; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन नपुंसकलिङ्गRole Adhikaraṇa/Connector (relative)Root यद्
- परो
- farther, beyondAdjectiveप्रथमा एकवचन पुल्लिङ्ग (or adverbial ‘beyond’); here paired with न-अन्तरःRole Adhikaraṇa (spatial)Root पर (farther, beyond)
- न
- notIndeclinableनिषेधRole NegationRoot न (अव्यय)
- अन्तरः
- inner, in-betweenAdjectiveप्रथमा एकवचन पुल्लिङ्ग (used adverbially: ‘within/in between’)Role Adhikaraṇa (spatial)Root अन्तर (inside, between)
- स्तुतुर्यात्
- may (he/it) praise; may there be praiseVerbविधिलिङ्/आशीर्लिङ् (optative), तृतीयपुरुष एकवचन; ‘may (someone/it) praise/celebrate’ (Vedic formation)Role (मुख्य क्रिया)Root √स्तु (to praise) + desiderative/iterative nuance in Vedic; finite form
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (as in Saṃhitā → pada): गन्तं → गन्तम् (m before h)
- ह॒ त्यद्व॒र्तिर्या॑थो → ह + त्यत् + वर्तिः + याथो (d + v → dv in saṃhitā)
- न यत्परो → न + यत् + परो (t+p → tp)
- नान्त॑रः → न + अन्तरः (a+a contraction)
- other items are already padic. Accent marks are retained from Saṃhitā but not re-assigned here per pada
The meaning
Outer meaning
Aśvinau are invited to come quickly to the singer’s call and drink the pressed Soma; they move around a protective course so that neither outer nor inner harm can pierce and wound.
Inner meaning
The twin powers of swift, harmonizing action (Aśvinau) are summoned to the inner yajña. The “pressed delight” is the distilled Ananda drawn from experience and offered upward. Their “circling course” is the establishing of a luminous, rhythmic protection around the consciousness—guarding both the outer life (forces from “beyond”) and the inner being (disturbances from “within”) so that hostile movements cannot break in and injure the aspiration.
Universal truth
When higher help is sincerely invoked, it not only gives delight and renewal, but also creates a field of protection—an ordered movement of consciousness—through which disruptive forces cannot easily enter; delight and safeguarding are two sides of the same divine action.
Themes
Soma-drinking, protection, invocation readiness, boundary-guarding
The seer
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja Bārhaspatya
- Lineage
- Bharadvāja
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 6.1, Rig Veda 6.2, Rig Veda 6.61, Rig Veda 6.62, Rig Veda 6.64
Family tradition
Āṅgirasa lineage; hymns often emphasize disciplined aspiration, right-ordered will (Agni) and luminous help from the gods.
Significance
Bharadvāja’s vision is practical and yogic: the gods are invoked as powers that rectify the inner instruments, protect the seeker, and hasten the journey toward illumination and Ananda.
The deity
- Devata
- Aśvinau (Nāsatyā)
- Epithets
- Nāsatyā (true, unfailing), Aśvinā (horsemen), Dasrā (wondrous workers, in wider tradition)
- Related deities
- Uṣas, Sūryā, Indra, Agni, Soma
Cosmic role
Twin cosmic helpers who bring swift rescue, restore wholeness, and harmonize movements between night and dawn, sickness and health, confusion and clarity.
Inner power
Rapid, skillful intervention in the mind-vital; harmonizing prāṇa and nervous energy; establishing protective rhythm and right functioning so the Soma-delight can be received.
In ritual
Where it is used
Aśvina-śastra / Aśvina-stotra contexts within Soma rites (general Aśvin invocation)
अरं॑ मे गन्तं॒ हव॑नाया॒स्मै गृ॑णा॒ना यथा॒ पिबा॑थो॒ अन्ध॑: । परि॑ ह॒ त्यद्व॒र्तिर्या॑थो रि॒षो न यत्परो॒ नान्त॑रस्तुतु॒र्यात् ॥
अर॑म् । मे॒ । गन्त॑म् । हव॑नाय । अ॒स्मै । गृ॒णा॒ना । यथा॑ । पिबा॑थः । अन्धः॑ । परि॑ । ह॒ । त्यत् । व॒र्तिः । या॒थः॒ । रि॒षः । न । यत् । परः॑ । न । अन्त॑रः । तु॒तु॒र्यात् ॥
aram | me | gantam | havanāya | asmai | gṛṇānā | yathā | pibāthaḥ | andhaḥ | pari | ha | tyat | vartiḥ | yāthaḥ | riṣaḥ | na | yat | paraḥ | na | antaraḥ | tuturyāt
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4 pādas × ~11 syllables
Forward-driving, firm, with a protective ‘march’ suitable for invocation and warding.
Builds urgency and confidence; the cadence supports a felt sense of encircling protection and steady uplift.
- aram
- Literal: readily, fittingly, at once. Symbolic: prompt readiness of the divine powers to respond when the call is true
- havanāya
- Literal: for the invocation/call. Symbolic: the soul’s aspiration that summons higher forces into the inner work
- gṛṇānā
- Literal: praising, singing. Symbolic: mantric affirmation that aligns mind and vital to the invoked power
- andhaḥ (andhas)
- Literal: pressed Soma-juice. Symbolic: distilled delight/Ananda extracted from life and offered to the gods
- vartiḥ
- Literal: course, track, turning path. Symbolic: protective circuit/ordered rhythm of consciousness established by the Aśvins
- riṣaḥ
- Literal: harm, injury. Symbolic: forces of disorder, depression, confusion that wound the being
- paro…antaraḥ
- Literal: what is beyond…what is within. Symbolic: outer assaults (life-world) and inner breaches (subconscient/turbulent mind-vital)
Invitatory for Soma-drinking and for establishing a protective circuit around the sacrificer/rite
At Soma pressing/invocation sequences where Aśvins are invited to partake of Soma and grant protection/aid.
Calling the Aśvins, offering Soma, establishing auspicious guarding of the rite.
Use as a protective invocation before meditation or travel; recite to ‘seal’ the practice space and invite swift harmonizing help.
aram: ‘fit, ready, sufficient’. piba: from √pā ‘drink’ (PIE *peh₃-). andhas: ‘Soma juice’ (pressed delight/essence). tuturyāt: desiderative/intensive from √tur/√tṝ? Vedic ‘to overpass, break through, overcome’; here ‘pierce through’ as hostile intrusion. varti from √vṛt (PIE *wert-). riṣ: ‘harm’ (root √riṣ ‘to injure’).
divine enjoyment of offered essence, protection from inner and outer harm, guarding the boundary of consciousness
The ‘vartiḥ’ (course) signifies Ṛta as an ordered movement that prevents breach by hostile forces.
Nāsatyā implies the truth-power that does not fail when invoked in sincerity.
Establishing a protected field for the descent/flow of Soma-Ananda into the human vessel.
Proto-Vedāntic / integral yoga reading (Aurobindo-Kashyap): gods as powers of consciousness rather than external deities alone.
Soma = Ananda; the circular course = protective aura/ṛta-field around the seeker; ‘beyond/within’ = outer life forces and inner subconscient disturbances.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The devatā’s arrival to drink Soma and to move in a protective circuit that prevents harm from breaching the being. Innerly: the invoked powers establish a guarded rhythm (varti) so neither external disturbance nor internal revolt can wound the ascent.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √pā ‘drink’ (pibāthaḥ) is PIE *peh₃- (cf. Latin pōtus, Greek pínō). √vṛt ‘turn’ (varti) is PIE *wert-. The protective ‘circuit’ motif is a common archaic poetic strategy (enclosure against chaos).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The ṛṣi offers the essence (andhas) through song (gṛṇānā), inviting the devatā to partake; in return he asks for a concrete safeguarding action—an encircling course that blocks harm from ‘without’ and ‘within’. The exchange is both delight and protection.
Invoke swift harmonizing help; feel a protective circuit around the body-mind while offering inner delight upward.
Anāhata (protective field/heart devotion)
Gentle nāḍī-śodhana for 6–12 rounds before chanting; then slow exhale on key invocatory words (havanāya, andhaḥ).
Guarded openness—receptive yet sealed against intrusion.
Begin with a clear sankalpa (call). While chanting, visualize a luminous ring circling you; offer any joy, gratitude, or sweetness as ‘Soma’ to the higher powers; end by affirming protection from outer and inner disturbance.
Mixed udātta/anudātta/svarita per Śākala tradition; follow pada text accents; maintain clear udātta lifts on invocatory words (aram, gantaṃ, pibātho).
Keep udātta as a gentle rise; svarita as a fall from the rise; do not over-musicalize—retain Vedic speech-tone clarity.
Keep retroflex ṛ in gṛṇānā (not ‘gri’)., andhaḥ: nasalized ‘an’ + aspirated ‘dhaḥ’ (soft visarga)., vartiḥ: clear ‘rt’ cluster; short iḥ at end., tuturyāt: articulate double ‘tu’ and the ‘ry’ glide without inserting a vowel.
Clear, steady, protective firmness; slightly fuller tone on the second hemistich (protection).
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