Rig Veda 4.57.1: Mandala 4, Sukta 57, Mantra 1
Sukta 4.57
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Devata
- Kṣetrasya Pati
- Chandas
- Gāyatrī
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
क्षेत्रस्य पतिना वयं हितेनेव जयामसि । गामश्वं पोषयित्न्वा स नो मृळातीदृशे ॥
kṣétrasya páthinā vayáṃ hiténeva jayāmasi | gā́m áśvaṃ poṣayitnvā́ sá no mṛḷātīdṛ́śe ||
ด้วยพระผู้เป็นเจ้าแห่งทุ่งนา เราทั้งหลายย่อมมีชัย ดุจได้ชัยด้วยพระกรุณาอันแน่นอน; พระองค์ผู้ทรงหล่อเลี้ยงในเราซึ่ง ‘โค’ และ ‘อัศวะ’ (รัศมีแห่งความสว่างและพลัง) —ขอทรงเมตตาแก่เราผู้แสวงหาโดยนัยนี้เถิด.
Word by Word
- क्षेत्रस्य
- of the fieldNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive relation)Root क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- पतिना
- with the lord (master)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole सह/साधन (instrumental: with/by)Root पति (प्रातिपदिक)
- वयम्
- wePronounउत्तमपुरुष, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- हितेन
- with what is beneficial / by benefitAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करण (instrumental: by/with what is beneficial)Root हित (कृदन्त; √धा/√हि?; here ‘हित’ = ‘placed/beneficial’ as adj.)
- इव
- like, asIndeclinableउपमा-अव्ययRoot इव
- जयामसि
- we win / we conquerVerbलट् (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot √जि (जये)
- गाम्
- a cowNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot गो (प्रातिपदिक)
- अश्वम्
- a horseNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot अश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- पोषयित्न्वा
- with the nourisher / by the fostering oneNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करण/सह (instrumental: with the nourisher)Root पोषयित्नु (प्रातिपदिक; agent-noun from causative √पुष् ‘to cause to thrive, nourish’)
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- नः
- to us / for usPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी, बहुवचन (enclitic ‘us/our’)Role सम्प्रदान/सम्बन्ध (to us / for us)Root अस्मद् (enclitic pronoun)
- मृळाति
- is gracious / shows mercyVerbलट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot √मृळ् (मृळे/मृळति ‘to be gracious, show mercy’)
- ईदृशे
- to such (a one) / to one like thisAdjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदान (dative: to such a one)Root ईदृश (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: क्षेत्रस्य पतिना वयम् हितेन इव जयामसि । गाम् अश्वम् पोषयित्न्वा सः नः मृळाति ईदृशे ॥ Sandhi: (1) हितेन॑ + इव → हितेने॑व (स्वर-सन्धि/स्वरित-प्रभाव सहित)
- (2) गाम् + अश्वम् → गामश्वम् (व्यञ्जन-सन्धि: म् + अ → म + अ; पदसंयोग)
- (3) स + नः → स नो (विसर्गाभाव/प्रगृह्य-प्रयोग: सः before नः in saṃhitā gives स नो)
- (4) मृळाति + ईदृशे → मृळातीदृशे (स्वर-सन्धि: इ + ई → ई; दीर्घ)
The meaning
Outer meaning
By the Lord of the Field we gain victory/prosperity as by a beneficent help; he who nourishes the cow and horse—our wealth—may he be gracious to us.
Inner meaning
The ‘Field’ is the inner kṣetra of nature (mind-life-body) where yoga is cultivated. Kṣetrasya Pati is the indwelling Master of the field (the divine Consciousness governing growth). By aligning with that Master, the seeker ‘wins’—not outward conquest, but progress in the work. He nourishes Go and Aśva: rays of knowledge/illumination (go) and the vital force of right action (aśva). The prayer asks for his grace upon those who approach in this disciplined, purposeful way (īdṛśe).
Universal truth
True prosperity is the right cultivation of the inner field: when illumination and energy are nourished by the indwelling divine governance, life becomes a victorious growth rather than a struggle.
Themes
Fertility, Field consecration, Increase of light (go) and force (aśva), Divine protection
The seer
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 4.57.1-11 (Kṣetrasya Pati cycle)
Family tradition
Vāmadeva’s hymns often translate outer works (like cultivation) into inner disciplines—growth of light and force under divine governance.
Significance
The seer presents the ‘agricultural’ as a psychology of sādhanā: the field is prepared, energies yoked, and sweetness (madhu) made to flow into the being.
The deity
- Devata
- Kṣetrasya Pati (Lord of the Field)
- Epithets
- Pati (Master), Poṣayitnu (Nourisher)
- Related deities
- Pūṣan (nourisher/guide), Savitar (impeller of right action), Indra (victory in consciousness)
Cosmic role
Power presiding over fertility, ordered growth, and right yield—both in earth and in the cosmic field of manifestation.
Inner power
The inner Guide who cultivates the nature, increases illumination (go) and effective force (aśva), and grants benign conditions for progress.
In ritual
Where it is used
Kṣetra rites and prosperity invocations; used in contexts of ploughing/sowing and securing increase.
क्षेत्र॑स्य॒ पति॑ना व॒यं हि॒तेने॑व जयामसि । गामश्वं॑ पोषयि॒त्न्वा स नो॑ मृळाती॒दृशे॑ ॥
क्षेत्र॑स्य । पति॑ना । व॒यम् । हि॒तेन॑ऽइव । ज॒या॒म॒सि॒ । गाम् । अस्व॑म् । पो॒ष॒यि॒त्नु । आ । सः । नः॒ । मृ॒ळा॒ति॒ । ई॒दृशे॑ ॥
kṣetrasya | patinā | vayam | hitena-iva | jayāmasi | gām | asvam | poṣayitnu | ā | saḥ | naḥ | mṛḷāti | īdṛśe
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3 pādas × 8 syllables (approx.; verify with full accent-text and sandhi resolution)
Compact, bright, mantra-like—good for repetition and daily remembrance.
Quickly gathers attention; creates a ‘seed’ intention of alignment with the inner Master and nourishment of light/force.
- क्षेत्र (kṣetra)
- Literal: field. Symbolic: the cultivated ground of consciousness—mind, life, body, and their habits
- पतिः (pati)
- Literal: lord, master. Symbolic: the indwelling ruler/guide of growth in the being
- हित (hita)
- Literal: benefit, good arrangement. Symbolic: a sure beneficence—right placing of forces for progress
- जया॑मसि (jayāmasi)
- Literal: we win. Symbolic: we prevail in the inner work; we gain mastery and increase
- गाम् (gām)
- Literal: cow. Symbolic: rays of light/knowledge, illuminations that feed the mind
- अश्वम् (aśvam)
- Literal: horse. Symbolic: vital energy and dynamic force for action
- मृळाति (mṛḻāti)
- Literal: is gracious, shows mercy. Symbolic: the divine consent that softens resistance and supports growth
Agrarian blessing and consecration; recited for field-fertility rites and in seasonal offerings connected with sowing/ploughing
At the start of cultivation (outer) or at the start of a new endeavor (inner).
Invocation for auspicious beginning and nourishment of productive powers.
A daily ‘beginning-of-work’ mantra: recite before study, creative work, or practice to invoke guidance and right growth.
kṣetra from √kṣi ‘to dwell, inhabit’ → ‘settled domain/field’: psychologically the organized nature where growth occurs. pati ‘lord’ from √pā ‘to protect’ (and pati as master): governance and safeguarding. hita from √dhā ‘to place’ with hi-ta ‘placed well’: the right placing that becomes good. go ‘cow’ in RV frequently ‘ray/light’ (from √gā/ga ‘to go’ → moving beams). aśva from √aś ‘to run, be swift’: force in motion. mṛḷ from √mṛḍ ‘to be gracious/soften’: a healing benevolence.
Grace (mṛḷa) as divine softening, Inner fertility (increase of light and force), Right placing (hita) as harmony with ṛta
Implied: true ‘winning’ is by right arrangement (hita) under the lordship of order.
Sincerity of offering and intention in the work of cultivation.
Manifestation as a field where consciousness plants, grows, and yields through divine governance.
Integral-Vedic psychology: the ‘field’ as prakṛti to be transformed under the soul’s divine lord.
spring/monsoon sowing season (outer)
Field = nature; cow = illuminations; horse = life-force for action; winning = inner mastery and fruitful progress.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘Lord of the Field grants victory and increase’ mythologem: the cultivated field is both earth and inner nature; the deity governs lawful growth, granting ‘cows and horses’ as recovered light and energized capacity—victory as attainment of ordered plenitude.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- pati ‘lord’ is a widespread Indo-European title (cf. Greek -potis, Latin potis/potens in semantic vicinity). The symbolic pairing ‘cow/horse’ echoes an Indo-European poetic economy where bovine/horse imagery encodes wealth, light, and power.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The ṛṣi approaches the Field-Lord not as mere agrarian luck but as a governing intelligence of growth. Human effort ‘wins’ (jayāmasi) when aligned with the deity’s right placing (hita); grace (mṛḷa) completes the work by nurturing light and force in the aspirant.
Contemplate the body-mind as a field; invite the indwelling Master to govern growth; feel light (go) and energy (aśva) being steadily nourished.
Maṇipūra (vital power for work) supported by Ājñā (right guidance)
Simple 8-8 breathing for 6–12 cycles while repeating the mantra softly.
Practical, centered receptivity; readiness for disciplined action.
Before practice: (1) feel the ‘field’ (sensations, mind), (2) offer it, (3) ask for nourishment of clarity and force, (4) begin work without haste.
Three-tone Vedic chanting; follow a svara-marked RV text for exact udātta placement.
Keep pāda breaks clear (Gāyatrī): 8-8-8; light pause at each pāda end.
: kṣe-tra-sya (cluster kṣ), : short i in -na, : separate gām aśvam (avoid collapsing vowels too much), : retroflex ḻ (mṛḻ), long ī in -tī-
clear and practical; not overly slow—like a ‘work-beginning’ chant.
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