Rig Veda 6.53.2: Mandala 6, Sukta 53, Mantra 2
Sukta 6.53
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja tradition
- Devata
- Pūṣan
- Chandas
- Gayatri
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
अभि नो नर्यं वसु वीरं प्रयतदक्षिणम् । वामं गृहपतिं नय ॥
abhí no náryaṃ vásu vīráṃ práyatadakṣiṇam | vā́maṃ gṛhápatiṃ naya ||
எங்கள் பக்கம் நர்யம் வசு—வீரத்துடன் கூடிய செல்வம், ஒழுங்குபட்ட தக்ஷிணா (சாதன-சக்தி) உடையது—அதை கொண்டு வா. அன்பான கிருஹபதியை, எங்களுக்கு நன்மை தருவானை, இங்கே வழிநடத்து.
Word by Word
- अभि
- towards, untoIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRole (क्रियाविशेषण) दिशासूचक/सम्बन्धसूचकRoot अभि (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- नः
- of us / ourPronounषष्ठी (gen.), बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (possessive)Root अस्मद्
- नर्यम्
- manly, heroicAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (विशेषण; ‘वसु’ इत्यस्य)Root नर्य (प्रातिपदिक; नर-सम्बन्धी)
- वसु
- wealth, good (treasure)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot वसु (प्रातिपदिक)
- वीरम्
- heroic, strongAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (विशेषण; ‘गृहपतिम्’ इत्यस्य)Root वीर (प्रातिपदिक)
- प्रयतदक्षिणम्
- whose gift/right-hand is ready; liberalAdjective (compound)पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (बहुव्रीहि/कर्मधारय-समासार्थः: ‘यस्य दक्षिणा प्रयता/प्रयता अस्ति’)Role कर्म (विशेषण; ‘गृहपतिम्’ इत्यस्य)Root प्र-यत (कृदन्त; √यत् ‘to strive/extend, be active’), दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
- वामम्
- gracious, good, desirableAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (विशेषण; ‘गृहपतिम्’ इत्यस्य)Root वाम (प्रातिपदिक)
- गृहपतिम्
- house-lord, master of the houseNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot गृहपति (प्रातिपदिक; गृह + पति)
- नय
- lead (bring)Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रिया (कर्तृ: त्वम्—देवता/स्तुत्यः)Root √नी (नयति)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: अभि | नः | नर्यम् | वसु | वीरम् | प्रयत-दक्षिणम् | वामम् | गृहपतिम् | नय ।
- ‘प्रयतदक्षिणम्’ इति समास/समुच्चय-रूपेण (प्रयत + दक्षिण) एकपदम्।
The meaning
Outer meaning
Lead to us the manly treasure—heroic and rightly apportioned; lead the dear lord of the home.
Inner meaning
Pūṣan is asked to bring near the ‘naryaṃ vasu’—the noble/manly wealth: courage, capacity, and effective power in action (vīra). ‘Prayatadakṣiṇam’ suggests rightly ordered skill/ability and the ‘right-hand’ power of accomplishment—energies placed in correct relation. ‘Gṛhapati’ is the lord of the inner house: the master-force that establishes a harmonious inner dwelling, so the seeker’s nature becomes a stable home for the divine.
Universal truth
True prosperity is inner: courage, right organization of powers, and a stable inner home; guidance brings not only gain but right governance of the being.
Themes
Bringing of treasure, Heroic force, Home-establishment, Right accomplishment
The seer
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja (Bārhaspatya)
- Lineage
- Bharadvāja
- Other hymns
- RV 6.53.1-10
Family tradition
Pragmatic spiritual psychology: invoking divine guidance for right movement, right gain, and right inner governance.
Significance
Bharadvāja asks not merely for gifts but for the ‘home-making’ of consciousness—stability, order, and heroic capacity under divine guidance.
The deity
- Devata
- Pūṣan
- Epithets
- Path-guide (implicit), bringer of vasu (wealth)
- Related deities
- Agni (house-lord in inner sacrifice), Bṛhaspati (lord of inspired order), Indra (heroic illumination)
Cosmic role
Bestower of prosperity, guardian of travelers and herds, conductor toward safe settlement.
Inner power
Brings disciplined strength and establishes an inner ‘home’—a protected, harmonious base for spiritual life.
In ritual
Where it is used
Pūṣan invocations for prosperity, safe return, household well-being.
अ॒भि नो॒ नर्यं॒ वसु॑ वी॒रं प्रय॑तदक्षिणम् । वा॒मं गृ॒हप॑तिं नय ॥
अ॒भि । नः॒ । नर्य॑म् । वसु॑ । वी॒रम् । प्रय॑तऽदक्षिणम् । वा॒मम् । गृ॒हऽप॑तिम् । न॒य॒ ॥
abhi | naḥ | naryam | vasu | vīram | prayata-dakṣiṇam | vāmam | gṛha-patim | naya
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3 × 8
Direct petition rhythm; compact and practical.
Energizes resolve and invokes stabilizing support; feels like calling a guide to ‘bring it here’.
- नर्यं वसु (naryaṃ vasu)
- Literal: manly/noble wealth. Symbolic: inner riches of strength, character, capacity
- वीर (vīra)
- Literal: hero. Symbolic: heroic soul-force that faces resistance
- प्रयतदक्षिण (prayata-dakṣiṇa)
- Literal: with prepared/right dakṣiṇā; well-directed right hand. Symbolic: rightly ordered executive power; skillful, disciplined energy
- गृहपति (gṛhapati)
- Literal: lord of the house. Symbolic: inner ruler establishing harmony and protection in the embodied nature
- नय (naya)
- Literal: lead. Symbolic: conduct the consciousness toward possession and settlement
Guidance toward prosperity and stable ‘home’—invoked for safe return, settlement, and successful completion of undertakings
Household prayers; before setting out; when seeking stability/provision.
Calling Pūṣan to ‘lead’ wealth and the house-lord principle toward the worshipper.
For establishing routines, financial steadiness, and inner order; recite before work to invoke disciplined accomplishment and calm home-feeling within.
√nī ‘lead’ (PIE *neiH-). naryá from nṛ ‘man’ indicates forceful, capable quality. dakṣiṇā: polyvalent—ritual fee and ‘right-hand skill/fitness’; inwardly the effective right power that completes works. gṛha ‘house’ as inner settled consciousness.
dakṣiṇā as right effectiveness, gṛha as stable inner foundation
Rightly ordered power (dakṣiṇā) is prosperity aligned with ṛta, not mere acquisition.
The ‘dear’ (vāma) gṛhapati is the true governing principle, not egoic control.
Settlement and order: consciousness builds a ‘home’ for the divine in matter/life.
Integral yoga: prosperity as perfected instrumentation and stable inner foundation.
Home = stable psychic center in life; right-hand power = effective executive energy; treasure = gathered inner capacities.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The guide-god ‘leads’ wealth and the ‘house-lord’ to the worshipper. Inner mythologem: the path-power brings not random gain but a stable mastery (gṛhapati) and heroic capacity (vīra) to inhabit the right consciousness.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √nī ‘lead’ is a classic IE verb (cf. Greek néō ‘to swim’ is different, but PIE *nei- ‘lead’ appears in several branches). The semantic pairing of ‘treasure/wealth’ with ‘home’ is an inherited poetic economy: gain must culminate in settled order.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi requests guided delivery (naya) rather than mere gift: Pūṣan’s role is to conduct forces safely into the human sphere—strength, right efficacy (dakṣiṇā), and stable inner habitation (gṛha).
Invoke Pūṣan to lead in ‘naryaṃ vasu’: courage + skill; then feel the heart as a quiet home (gṛha) governed by a benevolent inner lord.
Anāhata (inner home) supported by Maṇipūra (heroic capacity)
Inhale: ‘abhi no naryaṃ vasu’; exhale: ‘gṛhapatiṃ naya’—feel drawing strength in and settling it in the heart.
Steady competence and protected inwardness.
When scattered, ask for ‘prayata-dakṣiṇa’—reorder priorities, simplify actions, and establish a stable daily ‘home-base’ of practice.
Vedic accents per Śākala; exact svara requires svara-marked text. Keep a clear lift on vīram, naya.
Maintain pāda breaks cleanly; avoid swallowing final -m in vīram, vāmaṃ; keep anusvāra nasalization distinct.
naryaṃ: palatal ‘y’ clear; anusvāra before v in vasu is light., prayatadakṣiṇam: articulate retroflex ṇ; keep kṣi as cluster (kṣ)., gṛhapatiṃ: vocalic ṛ in gṛ; aspirate h lightly; dental t.
Firm and reassuring; slightly more weight on ‘naya’ (lead).
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