Rig Veda 2.41.13: Mandala 2, Sukta 41, Mantra 13
Sukta 2.41
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Devata
- Viśve Devāḥ
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
विश्वे देवास आ गत शृणुता म इमं हवम् । एदं बर्हिर्नि षीदत ॥
víśve devāsa ā́ gata śṛṇutā́ ma imáṃ hávam | édaṃ barhír ní ṣīdata ||
विश्वे देवाः आगच्छत; ममेमं हवं शृणुत। एतस्मिन् बर्हिषि निषीदत—पवित्रे विस्तरे आसत।
Word by Word
- विश्वे
- allAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचन (देवास् इति विशेषणम्)Role KartāRoot विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- देवासः
- the godsNounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनRole KartāRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- आ
- hither, towards (here)Indeclinableउपसर्गः (आगच्छत इत्यर्थे) / दिशाबोधक-अव्ययम्Root आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- गत
- come (having come)Verbक्त-प्रत्ययान्तः; पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचन (देवासः इत्यस्य विशेषणवत्/आह्वानार्थे)Role KartāRoot गम् (धातु) → गत (कृदन्त)
- शृणुत
- hear!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), मध्यमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपदम्Role Karma (इमं हवम् इति कर्म शृणुत) / संबोधन-प्रयोगे क्रियाRoot श्रु (धातु)
- मे
- my, of mePronounषष्ठी एकवचन (एन्क्लिटिक रूपम्) अथवा चतुर्थी एकवचन; अत्र ‘मम’ (gen.)Role Sampradāna/सम्बन्ध (speaker’s)Root अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- इमम्
- thisPronounपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचन (हवम् इति विशेषणम्)Role KarmaRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- हवम्
- invocation, callNounपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot हव (प्रातिपदिक; ‘हव’/‘हवस्’—आह्वान/आहूति)
- एदम्
- here, now; this (indeed)Indeclinable/Pronounनिपातवत् प्रयोगः; ‘इदम्’ = ‘here/now/this’ (deictic)Role Adhikaraṇa (deictic ‘here’) / वाक्योपपादकRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक; वैदिक रूप ‘एद’ = ‘इदम्’)
- बर्हिः
- the sacred grass (barhis), the ritual seatNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचन (वैदिके ‘बर्हिः’ इति रूपम्) अथवा पुंलिङ्ग-प्रयोगः; अत्र प्रथमा एकवचनRole Adhikaraṇa (नि-षीदत इत्यस्य आधारः) / Karma-सम्बन्धःRoot बर्हिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- नि
- down, in placeIndeclinableउपसर्गः (षीदत इत्यस्य)Root नि (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- षीदत
- sit down (take your seat)Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), मध्यमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपदम्; उपसर्ग-युक्तम्: नि-षीदतRole Kartā (विश्वे देवासः) + Adhikaraṇa (बर्हिः)Root सद्/सीद् (धातु; वैदिक ‘षीद’ < √सद् ‘to sit’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (sandhi-resolved): विश्वे | देवासः | आ | गत | शृणुत | मे | इमम् | हवम् | एदम् | बर्हिः | नि | षीदत । 1) देवास॒ आ ग॑त → देवासः + आ + गत (विसर्ग-लोपः पदसंहितायाम्)
- 2) शृणु॒ता म॑ → शृणुत + मे (एन्क्लिटिक ‘मे’)
- 3) ब॒र्हिर्नि → बर्हिः + नि (विसर्गः ‘र्’ इव संहितायाम्)
- 4) नि षी॑दत: उपसर्ग ‘नि’ + लोट्-रूप ‘षीदत’ (वैदिक धातुरूप-विशेषः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
A call to the Viśve Devāḥ to come, hear the invocation, and sit on the sacred grass spread (barhis).
Inner meaning
The seeker calls the totality of divine powers—each a function of awakened consciousness—to descend into the prepared inner field (barhis), the clarified and quieted mind-heart made ready for reception. ‘Come’ is an opening of aspiration; ‘hear’ is attunement; ‘sit’ is stable presence of the gods within the system.
Universal truth
When the being prepares a receptive ground and sincerely calls, higher powers respond and establish themselves as stable supports for transformation.
Themes
Invitation of the gods, Establishing the seat, Ritual as inner preparation
The seer
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada (Bhārgava)
- Lineage
- Bhṛgu (Bhārgava)
- Other hymns
- RV 2.3, RV 2.23, RV 2.41
Family tradition
Bhārgava hymns often emphasize correct calling and right seating of the gods—i.e., establishing stable inner conditions for the descent of powers.
Significance
Here the rishi acts as priest of the inner sacrifice, orchestrating a gathering of powers in the consciousness for integrality (viśvadeva).
The deity
- Devata
- Viśve Devāḥ (All the Gods)
- Epithets
- viśve (all, universal)
- Related deities
- Agni (as summoner), Indra (as leader of illumination), Soma (as delight), Sarasvatī (as inspiration/flow)
Cosmic role
The collective cosmic powers that maintain and execute ṛta in the worlds; harmonizers of the sacrifice.
Inner power
Integralization: bringing multiple awakened forces into a coordinated, stable working within the seeker.
In ritual
Where it is used
Viśve Devāḥ offerings; invitatory verse (āvāhana) in soma and other śrauta rites.
विश्वे॑ देवास॒ आ ग॑त शृणु॒ता म॑ इ॒मं हव॑म् । एदं ब॒र्हिर्नि षी॑दत ॥
विश्वे॑ । दे॒वा॒सः॒ । आ । ग॒त॒ । शृ॒णु॒त । मे॒ । इ॒मम् । हव॑म् । आ । इ॒दम् । ब॒र्हिः । नि । सी॒द॒त॒ ॥
viśve | devāsaḥ | ā | gata | śṛṇuta | me | imam | havam | ā | idam | barhiḥ | ni | sīdata
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4 × ~11 syllables
Invitational yet authoritative; balanced cadence suited to ‘calling’ and ‘seating’.
Creates a sense of gathering and settling; the rhythm naturally moves from summons to quiet establishment.
- viśve devāsaḥ
- Literal: all the gods. Symbolic: Totality of awakened faculties—illumination, will, harmony, joy, truth, right impulse
- ā gata
- Literal: come here. Symbolic: Descent/arrival of higher consciousness into the present moment
- śṛṇutā
- Literal: hear. Symbolic: Resonant receptivity—alignment between aspiration and higher guidance
- havam
- Literal: call, invocation. Symbolic: Soul-cry (psychic aspiration) that summons the divine
- barhiḥ
- Literal: sacrificial grass spread. Symbolic: Prepared inner seat: purified mind-field, calm vital, steady body as altar
- ni ṣīdata
- Literal: sit down. Symbolic: Stabilize the divine influence so it becomes a constant presence
General āvāhana (invitation) and āsana (seating) formula in Soma and other śrauta contexts
At the stage of inviting deities and preparing the seat (barhis) before offerings.
Recitation while indicating/arranging barhis; mentally ‘seating’ the powers in the inner altar.
Before meditation, recite to invite clarity, will, peace, joy, and inspiration to ‘take their seat’—a short inner āvāhana.
deva: from √div 'shine'—not merely 'god' but a luminous power. barhis: ritual grass-seat; psychologically the 'prepared ground' (purified, ordered nature) that can receive the descent/presence of higher forces. √gam and √sad are basic IE motion/settling verbs; the liturgical movement (come, hear, sit) encodes the descent of powers into the human vessel.
Descent of powers into prepared field (barhis as receptacle), Sacred speech-act (havam) as effective summons
The Viśve Devāḥ represent the coordinated functioning of ṛta across all powers.
True invocation (havam) aligns speech-thought with truth-intent.
Order emerges when multiplicity is harmonized under a unifying call.
Integral Vedic psychology leading toward Upaniṣadic synthesis of the many powers into the One.
Barhis is the ‘ground’ of consciousness—soft, receptive, and purified—on which higher influences can rest.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Āvāhana and enthronement: the gods are summoned to arrive, listen, and take their seat. Psychologically, the verse describes the descent of multiple divine faculties into a consciously prepared foundation (barhis) so they can act within the human instrument.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- deva from √div aligns with PIE *deiwos ('shining celestial'), seen in Latin deus, Old Irish día. √gam 'go' is from PIE *gʷem- (cf. Latin veniō 'come' is different root, but the IE motion roots are ancient). The come/hear/sit triad reflects an archaic performative sequence common in IE ritual poetics.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer offers hospitality in the deepest sense: he prepares the 'seat' (ordered nature) and asks the gods to inhabit it. The relationship is cooperative—divine powers respond to human aspiration when the field is made fit for their presence.
Inner āvāhana: invite the awakened powers to settle in the heart and brow; feel the mind become a prepared seat.
anāhata (invocation from the heart) with ājñā (receiving guidance)
Gentle inhalation on ‘ā gata’, soft exhalation on ‘ni ṣīdata’ to embody descent and settling.
Receptive poise; collected attention.
Prepare ‘barhis’ by relaxing the body, smoothing the breath, and quieting reactive thoughts; then call the powers by name (peace, light, strength, joy) and feel them stabilize as a living presence.
Tri-svara; maintain clear udatta on invocatory verbs (ā gata, śṛṇutā) according to pada accents.
Let ‘viśve devāsa ā gata’ rise as a welcoming call; soften and settle on ‘edam barhir ni ṣīdata’.
viśve: ‘śv’ cluster clean, not ‘shive’, devāsaḥ: visarga lightly breathed, śṛṇutā: retroflex ṛ; ‘ṇ’ cerebral, barhiḥ: aspirated bh; visarga audible but gentle
Clear, inviting, slightly softened at the end to convey ‘seating’.
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