Rig Veda 1.14.3: Mandala 1, Sukta 14, Mantra 3
Sukta 1.14
- Rishi
- Kaṇva
- Devata
- Viśve Devāḥ
- Chandas
- Gāyatrī
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
इन्द्रवायू बृहस्पतिं मित्राग्निं पूषणं भगम् । आदित्यान्मारुतं गणम् ॥
indravāyū́ iti bṛ́haspátiṃ mitrā́gnim pū́ṣaṇaṃ bhágam | ādityā́n mārútaṃ gaṇám ||
ఇంద్ర-వాయు, బృహస్పతి, మిత్ర-అగ్ని, పూషన్, భగ, ఆదిత్యులు, మరుత్ గణం—ఇవన్నీ ఇక్కడికి రానివ్వండి.
Word by Word
- इन्द्रवायू
- Indra and VāyuNoun (compound proper names)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया द्विवचन (सम्बोधन-रहित; मन्त्र-आह्वान/निदर्शन)Role सम्प्रदान (देवताः आहूयन्ते/यज्यन्ते)Root इन्द्र- + वायु- (प्रातिपदिक) (द्वन्द्व-समास)
- बृहस्पतिम्
- BṛhaspatiNoun (proper name)पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्म (आह्वान/स्तुति/यजनस्य विषयः)Root बृहस्पति- (प्रातिपदिक)
- मित्राग्निम्
- Mitra and AgniNoun (compound proper names)पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन (द्वन्द्वस्य एकवद्भावः)Role कर्मRoot मित्र- + अग्नि- (प्रातिपदिक) (द्वन्द्व-समास)
- पूषणम्
- PūṣanNoun (proper name)पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्मRoot पूषन्- (प्रातिपदिक)
- भगम्
- BhagaNoun (proper name)पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्मRoot भग- (प्रातिपदिक)
- आदित्यान्
- the ĀdityasNoun (class of deities)पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot आदित्य- (प्रातिपदिक)
- मारुतम्
- the Marut-related (i.e., belonging to the Maruts)Adjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्मRoot मारुत- (प्रातिपदिक)
- गणम्
- troop, hostNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्मRoot गण- (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- संहिता-पाठ: इन्द्रवायू बृहस्पतिं मित्राग्निं पूषणं भगम् । आदित्यान्मारुतं गणम् ॥ 1) इन्द्र + वायू → इन्द्रवायू (द्वन्द्व; द्विवचन-रूपम्). 2) मित्र + अग्निम् → मित्राग्निम् (अ + अ → आ; द्वन्द्वस्य एकवद्भावेन एकवचन-द्वितीया). 3) आदित्यान् + मारुतम् → आदित्यान्मारुतम् (न् + म → न्म्; परसवर्ण-सन्धि/अनुस्वार-पर्यायः).
- सर्वे पदाः देवतानाम् आह्वान/यजन-सूचका द्वितीया-रूपेण (कर्मत्वेन) प्रयुक्ताः।
The meaning
Outer meaning
A list-invocation of deities: Indra-Vāyu, Bṛhaspati, Mitra-Agni, Pūṣan, Bhaga, the Ādityas, and the Marut host.
Inner meaning
The mantra is a deliberate assembling of inner powers needed for transformation: illumination (Indra) with life-force and breath (Vāyu); inspired word and truth-forming intuition (Bṛhaspati); harmony (Mitra) with the will-fire (Agni); guidance on the path (Pūṣan); delight and distributive grace (Bhaga); wide luminous law and purity (Ādityas); and the dynamic storm-forces (Maruts) that break resistance and energize progress.
Universal truth
Integral growth requires a coordinated descent of many faculties—clarity, breath-force, inspired speech, harmony, guidance, delight, law, and courageous energy—working together rather than in isolation.
Themes
Pantheon invocation, Soma-ritual, Forces of transformation, Clearing obstruction
The seer
- Rishi
- Kaṇva
- Lineage
- Kaṇva (Āṅgirasa-related seer line)
- Other hymns
- RV 1.14, RV 8.12, RV 8.13
Family tradition
Kaṇvas frequently employ enumerative invocations to establish a complete inner ‘pantheon’ of functional powers for the sacrifice.
Significance
The seer’s method is synthetic: not one power alone, but a harmonized congress of devas—an early expression of integral yoga in Vedic terms.
The deity
- Devata
- Viśve Devāḥ (specific group: Indra-Vāyu, Bṛhaspati, Mitra-Agni, Pūṣan, Bhaga, Ādityas, Maruts)
- Epithets
- Viśve (all), Deva-gaṇa (divine host)
- Related deities
- Soma, Uṣas, Varuṇa (within Ādityas)
Cosmic role
Cooperative powers maintaining and advancing ṛta; each governs a domain of cosmos and human nature.
Inner power
A complete inner instrumentation: mind-light, breath-force, inspired word, harmony, will, guidance, delight, law, and dynamic energy.
In ritual
Where it is used
Viśve Devāḥ invitation in soma-sacrifice sequences and general deva-āhvāna
इ॒न्द्र॒वा॒यू बृह॒स्पतिं॑ मि॒त्राग्निं पू॒षणं॒ भग॑म् । आ॒दि॒त्यान्मारु॑तं ग॒णम् ॥
इ॒न्द्र॒वा॒यू इति॑ । बृह॒स्पति॑म् । मि॒त्रा । अ॒ग्निम् । पू॒षण॑म् । भग॑म् । आ॒दि॒त्यान् । मारु॑तम् । ग॒णम् ॥
indravāyū iti | bṛhaspatim | mitrā | agnim | pūṣaṇam | bhagam | ādityān | mārutam | gaṇam
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3×8 (with name-compounds filling beats)
Litany-like, processional listing; steady cadence that ‘gathers’ powers
Creates a sense of assembling an inner council; the mind feels supported by multiple aligned forces.
- इन्द्रवायू (indravāyū)
- Literal: Indra and Vāyu. Symbolic: illumined mind joined to prāṇic force; clarity that can act
- बृहस्पतिम् (bṛhaspatim)
- Literal: Bṛhaspati. Symbolic: master of the mantra/word; intuition that breaks open the sealed mind
- मित्रा (mitrā)
- Literal: Mitra. Symbolic: harmony, right relation, wideness and consent in the being
- अग्निम् (agnim)
- Literal: Agni. Symbolic: will and purification that executes the truth
- पूषणम् (pūṣaṇam)
- Literal: Pūṣan. Symbolic: inner guide, path-finder, protector of the journey
- भगम् (bhagam)
- Literal: Bhaga. Symbolic: delight, fortunate distribution of the divine share
- आदित्यान् (ādityān)
- Literal: Ādityas. Symbolic: luminous law, vastness, truth-guardianship (ṛta)
- मारुतं गणम् (mārutaṃ gaṇam)
- Literal: the Marut host. Symbolic: storming energies, heroic impulses that shatter inertia and fear
Formal invitation of multiple deities to the soma-drinking session; establishing the pantheon-as-psychic-powers for the rite.
During invitations and offerings where multiple devas are called to the seat
Recitation while offering or preparing offerings, mentally ‘seating’ the devas
Use as an ‘inner alignment’ mantra before work/decision: call clarity (Indra), breath (Vāyu), right word (Bṛhaspati), harmony (Mitra), will (Agni), guidance (Pūṣan), delight (Bhaga), law (Ādityas), energy (Maruts).
This verse is largely a list of devatā names functioning as accusatives of invitation. Notable: gaṇam ‘host, troop’ from √gaṇ ‘count, group’. marut from mar ‘to shine/strike’ (varied proposals); functionally ‘storm troop’. bṛhaspati: bṛh ‘great/vast’ + pati ‘lord’—lord of the Vast in speech; mantra as expansive truth-force.
ṛta through Ādityas (law of truth), mantra/word-force (Bṛhaspati), harmonious relation (Mitra)
Ādityas and Mitra embody law and harmony; Maruts and Indra enforce it against obstruction.
Bṛhaspati as truth-forming word; Indra as truth-seeing mind.
Cosmic order sustained by differentiated powers acting in concert.
Vedic integralism: many powers of the One acting for transformation (anticipates Upaniṣadic synthesis).
morning/forenoon (typal for Indra-Vāyu and assembling powers)
Breath and storm symbolize prāṇa and dynamic tapas; sun-law symbolizes truth-consciousness; fire symbolizes will.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘summoning of the divine host’ mythologem: a coordinated pantheon is called to participate in Soma. Innerly, it is the assembling of complementary faculties—force, breath, inspired word, harmony, guidance, delight, law, and dynamic energies—needed for integral transformation.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- pati ‘lord’ (< PIE *pótis) appears in Bṛhaspati. The grouping term gaṇa ‘troop’ reflects an inherited social-collective lexical pattern (compare IE collectivizing formations), while the storm-host motif (Maruts) parallels Indo-European ‘warband/storm’ poetic formulas.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- Rather than a single deity, the rishi engages a system of powers: the sacrifice requires a coordinated descent. The relationship is integrative—human aspiration calls each power for its specific function, forming a complete inner liturgy that supports ṛta-realization.
Invoke a balanced set of inner powers; feel each as a distinct capacity aligning around the heart-flame.
Viśuddha (word/Bṛhaspati) + Anāhata (harmony/Mitra) + Maṇipūra (will/Agni, force/Maruts)
Three-part breath: inhale (Vāyu), hold gently (Indra’s clarity), exhale (Mitra’s harmony); repeat while reciting mentally
Integral alignment—clarity with energy, calm with force
Name each power inwardly and pause a moment after each: clarity, breath, inspired word, harmony, will, guidance, delight, law, victorious energy.
Tri-svara with careful compound articulation; keep the listing even, without rushing the deity-names.
Maintain a steady low base (anudātta) and let udātta peaks mark the key names; avoid collapsing accents in long compounds like indravāyū.
Indravāyū: glide the long āyū clearly (vā-yū), Bṛhaspatim: retroflex ṛ and aspirated ‘bh’, Pūṣaṇam: long ū; retroflex ṣ, Ādityān: long ā; dental ‘ty’ cluster clean, Marutaṃ gaṇam: retroflex ṇ in gaṇam
Steady, assembling, confident
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