Rig Veda 2.23.17: Mandala 2, Sukta 23, Mantra 17
Sukta 2.23
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Devata
- Brahmaṇaspati
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
विश्वेभ्यो हि त्वा भुवनेभ्यस्परि त्वष्टाजनत्साम्नःसाम्नः कविः । स ऋणचिदृणया ब्रह्मणस्पतिर्द्रुहो हन्ता मह ऋतस्य धर्तरि ॥
víśvebhyo hí tvā bhúvanebhyaḥ párí tváṣṭā́janat sāmnáḥ-sāmnaḥ kavíḥ | sá ṛṇácid ṛṇayā́ brahmaṇáspatir druhó hantā mahá ṛtásya dhártarí ||
సర్వ భువనాల నుండీ, వాటిని చుట్టుముట్టి వ్యాపించి, త్వష్టా నిన్ను సృజించాడు—కవులలో కవి, సామ్నులలో సామం. ఆ బ్రహ్మణస్పతి ఋణబద్ధుల మధ్యకూడా ఋణ-నివారకుడై సంచరిస్తాడు; ద్రోహాన్ని సంహరించేవాడు, మహా ఋతస్య ధర్తా (ఋతధారకుడు).
Word by Word
- विश्वेभ्यः
- from all (beings)Adjective (substantivized)पुं./नपुं., पञ्चमी/चतुर्थी बहुवचनRole Apādāna (abl.)Root विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- हि
- for, indeedIndeclinableनिपातRoot हि (निपात)
- त्वा
- youPronounद्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- भुवनेभ्यः
- from the worldsNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी/चतुर्थी बहुवचनRole Apādāna (abl.)Root भुवन (प्रातिपदिक)
- अस्परि
- apart (from), beyondIndeclinableअव्यय (वैदिक प्रयोग: ‘apart/away from, beyond’)Root अस् + परि (निपात-समास/अव्यय)
- त्वष्टा
- TvaṣṭṛNoun (proper/deity)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole KartāRoot त्वष्टृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- अजनत्
- begot, generatedVerbलुङ् (अorist), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष एकवचनRoot √जन् (जनँ)
- साम्नः
- of the sāman (chant)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचनRole Sambandha (gen.)Root सामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- साम्नः
- of the sāmanNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचनRole Sambandha (gen.)Root सामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- कविः
- the seer, poetNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole Kartā (apposition)Root कवि (प्रातिपदिक)
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole KartāRoot तद् (सर्वनाम)
- ऋणचित्
- even (one) indebtedNoun + particle (indeclinable compound)चित् = ‘even’; समस्तपदRoot ऋण (प्रातिपदिक) + चित् (निपात)
- ऋणया
- with debt, by indebtednessNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग (वैदिके कदाचित् स्त्रीवत्), तृतीया एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot ऋण (प्रातिपदिक)
- ब्रह्मणस्पतिः
- Brahmaṇaspati (Lord of prayer)Noun (deity)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole KartāRoot ब्रह्मन् + पति (समास: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)
- द्रुहः
- the hostile (ones), injurersNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया बहुवचन (वैदिक रूप: -ः = -आन्)Role KarmaRoot द्रुह् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘injury/hostility’, also ‘hostile one’)
- हन्ता
- slayerAgent nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole Kartā (apposition)Root √हन् (हनँ) → हन्तृ (कृदन्त)
- महत्
- greatly; a great (deed)Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (or adverbial acc.)Role Karma/AdverbialRoot मह्/महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- ऋतस्य
- of ṛta (cosmic order)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचनRole Sambandha (gen.)Root ऋत (प्रातिपदिक)
- धर्तरि
- in/at the supporter; as supporterNoun (agent) / locative epithetपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot √धृ (धृञ्) → धर्तृ (कृदन्त)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: विश्वेभ्यः हि त्वा भुवनेभ्यः अस्परि | त्वष्टा अजनत् साम्नः साम्नः कविः | सः ऋण-चित् ऋणया ब्रह्मणस्पतिः द्रुहः हन्ता महत् ऋतस्य धर्तरि || 1) साम्नःसाम्नः → साम्नः साम्नः (पुनरुक्त-षष्ठी)
- 2) चिदृणया → चित् ऋणया (त् + ऋ → द् ऋ, वैदिक संधि)
- 3) ब्रह्मणस्पतिर्द्रुहो → ब्रह्मणस्पतिः द्रुहः (विसर्ग-संधि; द्रुहः = acc.pl. वैदिक)
- 4) हन्ता मह → हन्ता महत् (त्-लोप/पदविभागे पुनःस्थापन)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Tvaṣṭṛ fashioned you encompassing all worlds; you are the poet, the chant within chant. Brahmaṇaspati moves even among those bound to right movement; he is the slayer of treachery and the great upholder of the Vast Ṛta.
Inner meaning
The Word-power is not a human construct but a cosmic formation: the shaping intelligence (Tvaṣṭṛ) forges in all planes a master-mantra, ‘the chant within chant’—the secret law of true vibration behind all utterance. Brahmaṇaspati enters even the indebted/bound parts of us (ṛṇa)—areas tied by past formations—and turns them toward right movement. He kills druḥ, the crookedness that corrupts aspiration, and establishes the ‘mahān ṛta’—the vast right order—within mind and life.
Universal truth
True speech is a power of cosmic order. When expression aligns with the deeper law of harmony, it can redeem bound energies and dismantle deceit, restoring right movement in the whole being.
Themes
Cosmic origin of the Word, Upholding ṛta, Slaying falsehood, Mantric harmony
The seer
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada (Bhārgava)
- Lineage
- Bhārgava
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 2.23, Rig Veda 2.24
Family tradition
A lineage where the mantra is treated as a formative force; Gṛtsamada often presents Bṛhaspati as the architect of inner order and the liberator of light from concealment.
Significance
The seer frames spiritual practice as alignment with a cosmic ‘inner chant’—a law of vibration that can reorder even bound nature and uphold ṛta.
The deity
- Devata
- Brahmaṇaspati
- Epithets
- Kavi, Sāmnaḥ-sāmnaḥ (the inner chant), Druho-hantā, Mahā Ṛtasya dhartā
- Related deities
- Bṛhaspati, Tvaṣṭṛ, Indra, Agni
Cosmic role
Lord of Brahman (mantric power) who sustains the vast right order across worlds; purifier and redeemer of distorted movements.
Inner power
A descending luminous intelligence that rectifies speech/thought, repays ‘debts’ of disorder by restoring harmony, and annihilates treachery in the psychological nature.
In ritual
Where it is used
Stotra/śastra to Brahmaṇaspati in śrauta settings; invoked for right formulation of hymns and success of the sacrifice through true speech.
विश्वे॑भ्यो॒ हि त्वा॒ भुव॑नेभ्य॒स्परि॒ त्वष्टाज॑न॒त्साम्न॑:साम्नः क॒विः । स ऋ॑ण॒चिदृ॑ण॒या ब्रह्म॑ण॒स्पति॑र्द्रु॒हो ह॒न्ता म॒ह ऋ॒तस्य॑ ध॒र्तरि॑ ॥
विश्वे॑भ्यः । हि । त्वा॒ । भुव॑नेभ्यः । परि॑ । त्वष्टा॑ । अज॑नत् । साम्नः॑ऽसाम्नः । क॒विः । सः । ऋ॒ण॒ऽचित् । ऋ॒ण॒ऽयाः । ब्रह्म॑णः । पतिः॑ । द्रु॒हः । ह॒न्ता । म॒हः । ऋ॒तस्य॑ । ध॒र्तरि॑ ॥
viśvebhyaḥ | hi | tvā | bhuvanebhyaḥ | pari | tvaṣṭā | ajanat | sāmnaḥ-sāmnaḥ | kaviḥ | saḥ | ṛṇa-cit | ṛṇa-yāḥ | brahmaṇaḥ | patiḥ | druhaḥ | hantā | mahaḥ | ṛtasya | dhartari
44
4×11 (approx.)
Expansive and proclamatory, suited to cosmic scope (‘all worlds’) and ethical force (slaying treachery).
Invokes wideness and authority; supports a felt descent of ordered intelligence and a cleansing of crooked impulses.
- त्वष्टा (tvaṣṭā)
- Literal: the shaper, artisan. Symbolic: formative intelligence shaping inner instruments and mantric law
- भुवनेभ्यः परि (bhuvanebhyaḥ pari)
- Literal: encompassing the worlds. Symbolic: operating across planes of consciousness
- साम्नः-साम्नः (sāmnaḥ-sāmnaḥ)
- Literal: chant within chant. Symbolic: secret inner vibration behind outer speech; mantra-seed of harmony
- कविः (kaviḥ)
- Literal: seer-poet. Symbolic: illumined consciousness that sees and speaks truth
- ऋणचित् / ऋणयाः (ṛṇacit / ṛṇayāḥ)
- Literal: even among the indebted/owing. Symbolic: in bound or obstructed parts of nature; karmic knots receptive to right guidance
- द्रुहः हन्ता (druho hantā)
- Literal: slayer of treachery. Symbolic: destroyer of inner falsity and crooked will
- महः ऋतस्य धर्तरि (maha ṛtasya dhartari)
- Literal: upholder of the vast ṛta. Symbolic: establisher of wide right order in consciousness
Establishes Brahmaṇaspati’s cosmic origin and authority; supports use in rites emphasizing correct formation (Tvaṣṭṛ) and the power of sāman/brahman to uphold ṛta.
When establishing priestly/word-power and warding off ritual/inner error; also as a consecration of speech before recitation.
Praise and invocation of Brahmaṇaspati as maker/guardian of mantra and ṛta.
Before teaching, writing, or mantra-japa: align speech with truth; ask that bound habits be turned toward right movement and inner deceit be cut away.
Tvaṣṭṛ from √tvakṣ ‘to fashion’ (PIE *teks- ‘craft’, cf. Latin texere). kavi related to √ku/√kav ‘to be wise/visionary’. dhartar from √dhṛ ‘to hold’ (PIE *dher-). druha from √druh ‘to deceive/harm’. sāmán ‘harmony/chant’. The ṛṇa/ṛta cluster is semantically multivalent: ṛṇa ‘debt/obligation’ and ṛta ‘right order’ are phonologically close; the verse exploits this to suggest governance of bound conditions by right movement.
Ṛta (cosmic order), Brahman (formative word), Visionary cognition (kavi), Truth vs treachery (druh)
Explicit: Brahmaṇaspati is the upholder of the vast ṛta and the destroyer of druḥ that violates it.
The ‘chant within chant’ suggests a hidden truth-vibration; satya is the fidelity of speech to that vibration.
Tvaṣṭṛ ‘fashions’ the deity—creation as formation of powers and laws of harmony.
Mantra-brahman orientation; anticipates Upaniṣadic insight that right speech expresses cosmic order.
Planes of consciousness integrated by a single law of true vibration; the ‘shaper’ is the intelligence that forms purified instruments for expression.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Cosmic fabrication of the priest-power: Tvaṣṭṛ fashions Brahmaṇaspati as the archetypal kavi and inner sāman; he then functions as slayer of treachery and upholder of ṛta—creation → governance.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- Tvaṣṭṛ’s root √tvakṣ aligns with PIE *teks- ‘to craft’ (Greek téktōn, Latin texere). √dhṛ ‘hold’ is PIE *dher-. The compound sāmnaḥ-sāmnaḥ is an archaic intensifying genitive pattern, comparable to IE poetic repetition for superlative essence.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi grounds his invocation in ontology: by declaring the deity’s cosmic making and role as ṛta-holder, he legitimizes the reciprocity—human hymn participates in the deity’s own mantric nature (sāman within sāman).
Listen for the ‘inner chant’ behind thoughts; let speech arise from silence aligned to ṛta.
Viśuddha (throat)
Ujjāyī (gentle) to steady inner vibration; pause after exhale to sense the ‘chant within chant’.
Widened, ordered awareness; speech emerging from a deeper truth-layer.
Chant, then sit with attention at the throat and the space above it; observe impulses to speak; offer them into silence and allow only what feels straight (non-treacherous) to form.
Triṣṭubh with Vedic accentuation; maintain clear udatta rises on key titles (kaviḥ, brahmaṇas patiḥ, druho hantā).
Give breadth on ‘viśvebhyo… pari’ (encompassing); sharpen articulation on ‘druho hantā’.
‘tvaṣṭā’ with retroflex ṣṭ cluster, ‘sāmnaḥ-sāmnaḥ’ keep the nasal and aspiration crisp; avoid collapsing the compound, ‘brahmaṇas patiḥ’—distinct anusvāra/ṇ, ‘ṛtasya’ with syllabic ṛ
Wide, steady, and authoritative; avoid haste so the ‘cosmic’ scope is felt.
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