Rig Veda 7.97.6: Mandala 7, Sukta 97, Mantra 6
Sukta 7.97
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Bṛhaspati
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
तं शग्मासो अरुषासो अश्वा बृहस्पतिं सहवाहो वहन्ति । सहश्चिद्यस्य नीलवत्सधस्थं नभो न रूपमरुषं वसानाः ॥
táṃ śagmā́so aruṣā́so áśvā bṛ́haspátiṃ sahavā́ho vahanti | sáhaś cid yásya nī́lavat sadhásthaṃ nábho ná rū́pam aruṣáṃ vásānāḥ ||
तं शग्मासोऽरुषासोऽश्वाः सहवाहो बृहस्पतिं वहन्ति। यस्य नीलवत्सधस्थं सदनं नभ इव, स च अरुषं रूपं वसानः शक्तिमान् सहचोदनया चरति।
Word by Word
- तम्
- himPronounपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- शग्मासः
- strong, vigorousAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot शग्म (प्रातिपदिक)
- अरुषासः
- ruddy, tawnyAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot अरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
- अश्वाः
- horsesNounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot अश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- बृहस्पतिम्
- BṛhaspatiNoun (proper/deity)पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot बृहस्पति (प्रातिपदिक)
- सहवाहः
- bearing together / yoked togetherAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot सहवाह (प्रातिपदिक; सह- + वाह ‘carrying/bringing’)
- वहन्ति
- they carry, conveyVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथम-पुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Root √वह् (वहति)
- सह
- together, withIndeclinableअव्ययम्Root सह (अव्यय)
- चित्
- evenIndeclinableअव्ययम्Root चित् (अव्यय)
- यस्य
- whosePronoun (relative)पुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी-एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्धRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- नीलवत्सधस्थम्
- having a dark/blue seat or stationAdjective (compound)नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया-एकवचनम् (रूपम् इति विशेष्यम्)Role कर्म (रूपम् इति)Root नीलवत्सधस्थ (समास-प्रातिपदिक: नीलवत् + सदस्/सधस् + स्थ)
- नभः
- skyNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा-एकवचनम्Role उपमान (न ... न)Root नभस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- न
- likeIndeclinableअव्ययम् (उपमा/तुलना)Root न (अव्यय)
- रूपम्
- form, appearanceNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा-एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ/विषय (वसानाः इति विशेषणेन)Root रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
- अरुषम्
- ruddy, tawnyAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा-एकवचनम् (रूपम् इति विशेष्यम्)Root अरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
- वसानाः
- wearing, clothed inParticiple (adjectival)पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-बहुवचनम् (कर्तरि वर्तमानकृदन्तः)Role कर्तृ (अश्वाः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Root √वस् (वसति/वस्ते) → वसान (वर्तमानकृदन्त)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: तं | शग्मासः | अरुषासः | अश्वाः | बृहस्पतिम् | सहवाहः | वहन्ति | सह | चित् | यस्य | नीलवत्सधस्थम् | नभः | न | रूपम् | अरुषम् | वसानाः । 1) सहश्चित् → सह + चित् (व्यञ्जन-सन्धिः: श् + च्). 2) न रू॒पम् → न + रूपम् (पदसन्धिः; दीर्घ/गुण-परिवर्तन नहीं, केवल पदसंयोग). 3) नीलवत्सधस्थम्: समास-रूप
- आन्तरिक सन्धि/समास-निर्माण (नीलवत् + सधस्थ)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Strong ruddy horses, yoked together, carry Bṛhaspati. His seat is blue-dark like the sky, while he wears a ruddy form.
Inner meaning
The ‘horses’ (aśvāḥ) are dynamic life-energies and action-forces. When they are ‘saha-vāha’—bearing together, harmonized—they can carry the power of the inspired Word (Bṛhaspati) in our nature. His ‘seat’ (sadhastha) is nīlavat, deep-blue like the sky: the vast, calm depth of higher consciousness as base. Yet his ‘form’ is aruṣa, ruddy: active, flaming force in manifestation. The verse teaches integration: vastness as foundation, dynamism as expression.
Universal truth
True spiritual power moves through united energies grounded in vastness: depth without inertia, force without agitation.
Themes
Divine epiphany imagery, Dynamic powers as steeds, Vastness and light symbolism, Integrated force (sahas)
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha (Maitrāvaruṇa)
- Other hymns
- RV 7.86-7.88 (Varuṇa—vastness), RV 7.18 (Indra—force)
Family tradition
The Vasiṣṭha vision frequently unites peace (wide sky/Varuṇa tones) with force (Agni/Indra tones), here expressed as blue seat and ruddy form.
Significance
A concise yogic image: establish the divine power on a vast base, then let unified energies carry it into action.
The deity
- Devata
- Bṛhaspati
- Epithets
- borne by strong ruddy steeds, nīlavat-sadhastha (blue-seated), aruṣa-rūpa (ruddy-formed)
- Related deities
- Indra (chariot/steeds imagery), Agni (ruddy force), Varuṇa (blue vastness)
Cosmic role
Leader of inspired movement: he rides the energies of life to bring revelation into action while rooted in the vast sky of higher consciousness.
Inner power
Harmonizer of energies; establishes calm wideness and channels it into luminous dynamism.
In ritual
Where it is used
Praise describing the deity’s movement/vehicle; used in invocations where the god is ‘brought’ to the rite.
तं श॒ग्मासो॑ अरु॒षासो॒ अश्वा॒ बृह॒स्पतिं॑ सह॒वाहो॑ वहन्ति । सह॑श्चि॒द्यस्य॒ नील॑वत्स॒धस्थं॒ नभो॒ न रू॒पम॑रु॒षं वसा॑नाः ॥
तम् । श॒ग्मासः॑ । अ॒रु॒षासः॑ । अश्वाः॑ । बृह॒स्पति॑म् । स॒ह॒ऽवाहः॑ । व॒ह॒न्ति॒ । सहः॑ । चि॒त् । यस्य॑ । नील॑ऽवत् । स॒धऽस्थ॑म् । नभः॑ । न । रू॒पम् । अ॒रु॒षम् । वसा॑नाः ॥
tam | śagmāsaḥ | aruṣāsaḥ | aśvāḥ | bṛhaspatim | saha-vāhaḥ | vahanti | sahaḥ | cit | yasya | nīla-vat | sadha-stham | nabhaḥ | na | rūpam | aruṣam | vasānāḥ
44
4×11
Kinetic and pictorial; strong consonant clusters give a ‘galloping’ feel.
Energizes the vital while keeping a sense of vast backing; helpful for integrating calm and drive.
- अश्वाः (aśvāḥ)
- Literal: horses. Symbolic: vital energies, forces of action and progress
- शग्मासः (śagmāsaḥ)
- Literal: strong, mighty. Symbolic: robust life-force capable of sustained sadhana
- अरुषासः (aruṣāsaḥ)
- Literal: ruddy. Symbolic: fiery dynamism, energized aspiration
- सहवाहः (sahavāhaḥ)
- Literal: bearing together, jointly yoked. Symbolic: harmonized faculties; unified drive rather than scattered impulses
- सधस्थम् (sadhastham)
- Literal: seat, station. Symbolic: base-plane of consciousness where the power is established
- नीलवत् (nīlavat)
- Literal: blue-dark. Symbolic: vast sky-like depth: peace, wideness, higher mind/overmind poise
- नभः (nabhaḥ)
- Literal: sky. Symbolic: infinite expanse of consciousness
- रूपम् (rūpam)
- Literal: form. Symbolic: mode of manifestation in life and mind
- वसानाः (vasānāḥ)
- Literal: wearing, clothed. Symbolic: the divine power taking on an active sheath for work in nature
Visualization/epiphany verse: supports meditative ‘darśana’ of the deity’s approach; in ritual, reinforces the sense of divine arrival carried by energized forces (aśvāḥ).
When summoning Bṛhaspati to the offering-place; imagery of arrival and enthronement.
Recitation during invitation (āvāhana-like) moments; mentally yoke faculties together as the ‘steeds’.
Before work or difficult conversation: unify energies (breath, attention, intention) and act from a wide, calm base.
aśva: from √aś ‘to move swiftly’ (IE *h₁eḱwos ‘horse’); in RV symbolic of dynamic energies. sahas: ‘force’ (often of Indra/Agni), here of Bṛhaspati’s might. √vah ‘carry’ (IE *weǵh-). nabhas: ‘sky’ (vastness; also ‘cloud’ in later usage). Color imagery (aruṣa/nīla) encodes the two poles: fiery illumination and deep firmamental vastness.
Unity of forces (saha-vāha) as integrated yoga of powers, Vastness (bṛhat/nabhas) and illumination (aruṣa) combined
‘Saha-vāha’ implies ṛta: right joining of powers for right movement.
Vast blue seat symbolizes stable truth-base; ruddy form symbolizes truth acting in time.
Descent of vast consciousness into dynamic expression—spirit clothing itself in force.
Integral yoga psychology (wideness + force); Vedic bṛhat imagery as basis of manifestation.
daylight (sky imagery)
Horses = prāṇic dynamism; sky = wideness/peace; blue = depth; red = force/aspiration.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The god’s chariot/steeds motif: Bṛhaspati is carried by ruddy powerful horses. Inner sense: the inspired Word descends borne by coordinated life-energies; its station is the deep-vast firmament (nīla/nabhas) while its active manifestation is luminous (aruṣa).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- aśva is a classic IE inheritance (*h₁eḱwos). √vah (*weǵh-) ‘carry’ is also pan-IE. The poetic similes ‘nabho na’ and adjectival -vat formations (nīlavat) are archaic descriptive strategies shared across IE traditions.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi does not bargain but beholds: relationship is one of visionary recognition (epithet-rich description), stabilizing the deity’s presence in the consciousness by naming his carriers, seat, and luminous form.
Unify prāṇa and intention (‘yoke the horses’) and act from sky-like wideness.
maṇipūra (dynamic force) grounded by sahasrāra/ākāśa sense (wideness)
Brisk-energetic 3 rounds of bhastrikā (gentle), then settle into slow exhale emphasizing spaciousness; mentally repeat ‘sahavāho vahanti’.
Dynamic concentration with wide awareness.
If scattered: gather energies into one direction; feel a deep-blue vastness behind the forehead and above the head; let action arise as a calm red-gold force from that base.
Tri-svara; give energetic lift on ‘aśvā’ and ‘bṛhaspatim’; sustain ‘nīlavat’ with depth.
Chant with clear pāda pauses; keep consonant clusters sharp to preserve the ‘drive’.
शग्मासो: keep ‘gm’ conjunct clean (śag-mā-so), अरुषासो: long ‘ū/ru’ flow; retroflex ‘ṣ’, सहवाहो: ‘h’ audible; avoid collapsing ‘saha’, नीलवत्: long ‘ī’; dental ‘t’ at end
Firm, forward, chest-supported; avoid strain by keeping throat open.
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