Rig Veda 7.64.4: Mandala 7, Sukta 64, Mantra 4
Sukta 7.64
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Mitra–Varuṇa
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
यो वां गर्तं मनसा तक्षदेतमूर्ध्वां धीतिं कृणवद्धारयच्च । उक्षेथां मित्रावरुणा घृतेन ता राजाना सुक्षितीस्तर्पयेथाम् ॥
yó vāṃ gártaṃ mánasā tákṣad etám ūrdhvā́ṃ dhī́tiṃ kṛṇávad dhā́rayac ca | ukṣéthāṃ mitrāvaruṇā ghṛténa tā́ rājānā sukṣitī́s tarpayethām ||
यः वां गर्तं मनसा तक्षदेतम् ऊर्ध्वां धीतिं कृणवद्धारयच्च । उक्षेथां मित्रावरुणा घृतेन तौ राजानौ सुक्षितीस्तर्पयेथाम् ॥
Word by Word
- यः
- who (he who)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वाम्
- of you two / you twoPronounद्विवचनम्, षष्ठी/द्वितीया (एन्क्लिटिक रूप)Role SampradānaRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- गर्तम्
- pit, seat, enclosureNounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot गर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
- मनसा
- with (his) mindNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, तृतीया, एकवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- तक्षत्
- fashioned, constructedVerbलुङ् (अोरिस्ट), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot तक्ष् (धातु)
- एतम्
- thisPronounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- ऊर्ध्वाम्
- upright, raisedAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot ऊर्ध्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- धीतिम्
- thought, hymn, insightNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot धीति (प्रातिपदिक) < धा/धी (धातु)
- कृणवत्
- made, producedVerbलुङ् (अोरिस्ट), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot कृ (धातु)
- धारयत्
- held, supportedVerbलुङ् (अोरिस्ट), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot धृ (धातु)
- च
- andIndeclinableअव्ययम्Root च (निपात)
- उक्षेथाम्
- you two sprinkle/anointVerbलट्/विधिलिङ्-प्रयोगसदृश (वैदिक), आत्मनेपदम्, मध्यमपुरुषः, द्विवचनम्Role KartāRoot उक्ष् (धातु)
- मित्रावरुणा
- O Mitra and VaruṇaNounपुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन, द्विवचनम्Role SambodhanaRoot मित्र-वरुण (समास-प्रातिपदिक; द्वन्द्व)
- घृतेन
- with gheeNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, तृतीया, एकवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot घृत (प्रातिपदिक)
- ता
- you two (those two)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन/प्रथमा, द्विवचनम् (वैदिक रूप)Role SambodhanaRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- राजाना
- O two kingsNounपुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन, द्विवचनम् (वैदिक: राजाना)Role SambodhanaRoot राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- सुक्षितीः
- good dwellings/settlementsNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्Role KarmaRoot सु-क्षिति (प्रातिपदिक; कर्मधारय/उपपद-समास)
- तर्पयेथाम्
- you two satisfy, gladdenVerbलट् (वैदिक), परस्मैपदम्, मध्यमपुरुषः, द्विवचनम्Role KartāRoot तृप्/तर्प् (धातु)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धि-निरसन): यो→यः
- तक्षदे॒तम्→तक्षत् + एतम् (त् + ए → द्)
- कृणवद्धा॒रय॑च्च→कृणवत् + धारयत् + च (त् + ध → द्ध; त् + च → च्च)
- उक्षेथां॑ (द्विवचन-आत्मनेपद)
- मित्रावरुणा (द्वन्द्व-समास, सम्बोधन-द्विवचन)
- ता रा॑जाना (वैदिक सम्बोधन-द्विवचन)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Whoever has fashioned this seat for you by mind, made the thought rise upward and held it firm—may Mitra and Varuṇa sprinkle him with ghee; you two kings, satisfy and foster his good dwellings.
Inner meaning
The ‘seat’ (garta) is the prepared inner foundation—an established poise in consciousness—crafted by concentrated mind. The upward-rising dhīti is the ascent of illumined thought toward higher truth, and ‘holding it’ is steady concentration (dhāraṇā-like firmness). The ‘ghee’ is clarified light/essence (ghṛta) poured into the being: a luminous sweetness that nourishes all parts. ‘Good habitations’ are stable inner states (sukṣitīḥ): harmonized mind, quiet vital, receptive body—fit dwellings for the gods.
Universal truth
The divine responds to conscious preparation: when the seeker builds a stable inner seat and elevates thought, higher light descends and the whole being becomes a well-ordered home for truth.
Themes
inner-altar, stabilization-of-thought, divine-infusion
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha-gotra
- Other hymns
- RV 7.18 (Vasiṣṭha’s strength and protection themes), RV 7.60-7.65 (Mitra–Varuṇa cluster)
Family tradition
Vasiṣṭha often links outer ritual images to inner discipline: preparation, ascent of thought, and descent of light.
Significance
This verse is a compact yogic instruction in Vedic form: prepare the inner seat, raise the thought, hold it—then the divine ‘sprinkles’ illumination and stabilizes the inner life.
The deity
- Devata
- Mitra–Varuṇa
- Epithets
- rājānā (two kings), ukṣethām (may you sprinkle)
- Related deities
- Agni (inner priest who prepares the seat), Soma (delight that fills the dwelling)
Cosmic role
They establish right order and consecrate the prepared field, making it fit for divine habitation.
Inner power
Consecration and stabilization: they pour clarified light and secure lasting harmonious states in mind-life-body.
In ritual
Where it is used
Consecratory language compatible with āhuti/anointment imagery in Soma and fire rites; also fits domestic consecrations by analogy.
यो वां॒ गर्तं॒ मन॑सा॒ तक्ष॑दे॒तमू॒र्ध्वां धी॒तिं कृ॒णव॑द्धा॒रय॑च्च । उ॒क्षेथां॑ मित्रावरुणा घृ॒तेन॒ ता रा॑जाना सुक्षि॒तीस्त॑र्पयेथाम् ॥
यः । वा॒म् । गर्त॑म् । मन॑सा । तक्ष॑त् । ए॒तम् । ऊ॒र्ध्वाम् । धी॒तिम् । कृ॒णव॑त् । धा॒रय॑त् । च॒ । उ॒क्षेथा॑म् । मि॒त्रा॒व॒रु॒णा॒ । घृ॒तेन॑ । ता । रा॒जा॒ना॒ । सु॒ऽक्षि॒तीः । त॒र्प॒ये॒था॒म् ॥
yaḥ | vām | gartam | manasā | takṣat | etam | ūrdhvām | dhītim | kṛṇavat | dhārayat | ca | ukṣethām | mitrāvaruṇā | ghṛtena | tā | rājānā | su-kṣitīḥ | tarpayethām
44
4 × ~11 syllables
Balanced: two preparatory clauses followed by two blessing clauses; a clear ascent-then-descent movement.
Supports concentration (holding the thought) and receptivity (receiving the ‘sprinkling’).
- गर्त (garta)
- Literal: pit/seat/settled place. Symbolic: inner seat or foundation of practice; stable poise prepared for the divine presence
- मनसा तक्षत् (manasā takṣat)
- Literal: fashioned by mind. Symbolic: deliberate inner construction through attention and sincerity
- ऊर्ध्वा धीति (ūrdhvā dhīti)
- Literal: upward thought. Symbolic: ascending aspiration and illumined thinking
- धारयत् (dhārayat)
- Literal: held, sustained. Symbolic: steady concentration; holding the higher orientation against dispersal
- घृत (ghṛta)
- Literal: clarified butter. Symbolic: clarified light/essence; luminous nourishment of consciousness
- सुक्षि॒तीः (sukṣitīḥ)
- Literal: good dwellings/habitations. Symbolic: stable, harmonious states of the being fit for higher presence
Consecratory verse: establishing the inner/outer ‘seat’ for the gods and requesting their infusion; aligns with altar/seat-making motifs and with offering of ghṛta in Śrauta contexts
During invocations where the altar/seat is ‘made’ and the gods are invited; symbolically at the start of meditation.
Offering of ghṛta; recitation to invite divine consecration and stability.
Use as a ‘pre-meditation’ mantra: prepare posture/seat, lift intention upward, hold steady, then receive a calm luminous descent.
√takṣ 'fashion' (cf. IE *teks- 'weave/build', Lat. texere) supports a strong inner-architectural metaphor: the practitioner constructs a receptacle (garta) in mind for the divine powers. dhī- is inspired thought/insight; ūrdhvā dhīti is the upward orientation of intelligence. √dhṛ 'hold' indicates stabilization (not mere ascent but sustained poise). √ukṣ 'sprinkle' with ghṛta: ritual image becomes inner infusion of clarified luminous substance. su-kṣiti- 'good dwelling' from √kṣi 'dwell' suggests stable founded habitations—innerly, settled luminous states.
inner construction (takṣ) of receptivity, upward thought (ūrdhvā dhī), infusion of luminous essence (ghṛta)
The ‘good habitations’ are the ordered formations of ṛta within the individual nature.
Holding the upward thought is fidelity to truth-orientation; it invites truthful light.
Formation (takṣ-) precedes infusion (ukṣ-): creation as shaping then enlivening by essence.
Vedic yoga of formation and descent (integral psychology): tapas → illumination → stable embodiment.
Upward = ascent of consciousness; ghee = clarified luminous substance; dwelling = organized psycho-physical field capable of hosting higher forces.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The crafting of a seat for the gods and the sprinkling with ghṛta: the worshipper fashions a receptacle and raises thought upward; the gods respond by infusing luminous essence and establishing good dwellings. Innerly, yoga is ‘construction’—forming stable receptivity and receiving the descent of clarified light.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √takṣ ‘fashion’ corresponds to PIE *teks- (build/weave), showing an inherited metaphor of poetic/ritual making as craftsmanship. The ‘dwelling’ root √kṣi also reflects an IE preoccupation with settlement/abiding as a metaphor for stable order.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- A clear reciprocity: the human being prepares the seat (garta) and stabilizes the upward thought (dhī); Mitra–Varuṇa reciprocate by ‘sprinkling’ with luminous essence (ghṛta) and fostering stable, harmonious states (su-kṣitīḥ).
Build the inner seat (steady posture + settled mind), raise aspiration, hold it, then receive luminous consecration.
Sahasrāra (descent) with Ājñā (upward thought)
4-4-6 breathing (inhale 4, hold 4, exhale 6) for 7 cycles to ‘hold’ dhīti; then natural breath for receptive descent.
Collected, upward-oriented, then softly flooded by calm light.
Before sitting, mentally ‘fashion the seat’: relax body, align spine. On chanting ‘ūrdhvāṃ dhītiṃ’, feel the thought rise. On ‘dhārayac ca’, keep it steady. After the verse, remain silent and imagine a warm, clear ‘ghṛta-light’ spreading through head, heart, and navel.
Maintain accent contrasts on key verbs (takṣat, kṛṇavat, dhārayat, ukṣethām). Use traditional udatta lifts where marked; avoid monotone because the verse encodes ascent/descent.
Make pāda 1–2 slightly rising (preparation/ascent), pāda 3–4 settling (sprinkling/stability).
Consonant clusters: takṣad (kṣ), ūrdhvāṃ (rdhv), dhītiṃ (dh long ī), ukṣethām (kṣe)., Ghṛtena: pronounce ghṛ as voiced aspirate + vocalic ṛ; keep retroflex ṛ clear., Sukṣitīḥ: kṣ clearly articulated; long ī maintained.
Quiet, concentrated, with a soft luminous tone on ‘ghṛtena’.
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