Rig Veda 7.38.6: Mandala 7, Sukta 38, Mantra 6
Sukta 7.38
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Savitṛ and Bhaga
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
अनु तन्नो जास्पतिर्मंसीष्ट रत्नं देवस्य सवितुरियानः । भगमुग्रोऽवसे जोहवीति भगमनुग्रो अध याति रत्नम् ॥
ánu tán no jā́spátir maṃsīṣṭa rátnam devásya savitúr iyānáḥ | bhágam ugró ’váse jóhavīti bhágam anúgro ádha yāti rátnam ||
ขอชาสปติ (Jāspati) จงตามการเคลื่อนไปอันเที่ยงตรงนั้น ปั้นแต่งขุมทรัพย์ให้แก่เรา ก้าวไปตามวิถีของเทพสวิตฤ (Savitṛ). ผู้เกรียงไกรเรียกภคะ (Bhaga) เพื่อการคุ้มครองของเรา; ครั้นภคะมาพร้อมพระกรุณา เมื่อนั้นแลขุมทรัพย์ย่อมมาถึงโดยแท้.
Word by Word
- अनु
- after, according toIndeclinableअव्ययRoot अनु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- तत्
- thatPronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया/प्रथमा एकवचनRole KarmaRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- नः
- of us / for usPronounषष्ठी बहुवचन (एन्क्लिटिक)Role SampradānaRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- जास्पतिः
- the lord of the clan/peopleNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनRole KartāRoot जास्पति- (प्रातिपदिक; जास् + पति)
- मंसीष्ट
- think (for us), deviseVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ); मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपदRoot मंस् (धातु; ‘to think/plan’)
- रत्नम्
- treasure, boonNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot रत्न- (प्रातिपदिक)
- देवस्य
- of the godNounपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी एकवचनRoot देव- (प्रातिपदिक)
- सवितुः
- of SavitṛNounपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी एकवचनRoot सवितृ- (प्रातिपदिक)
- इयानः
- going, advancingParticipleपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; वर्तमान/परिप्रयोग-भाव (going, advancing)Role KartāRoot इ (धातु; ‘to go’) → इयान- (कृदन्त, परस्मैपदीय परिप्रयोग)
- भगम्
- Bhaga; fortune, allotmentNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot भग- (प्रातिपदिक)
- उग्रः
- mighty, fierceAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनRole KartāRoot उग्र- (प्रातिपदिक)
- अवसे
- for help, for aidNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot अवस्- (प्रातिपदिक)
- जोहवीति
- invokes repeatedlyVerbलट्; तृतीयपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद (वेदिक इंटेन्सिव: ‘keeps invoking’)Root ह्वे (धातु; ‘to call, invoke’) → जोहवीति (तीव्र-आवृत्ति/इंटेन्सिव-प्रयोग)
- भगम्
- Bhaga; fortuneNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot भग- (प्रातिपदिक)
- उग्रः
- mightyAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनRole KartāRoot उग्र- (प्रातिपदिक)
- अध
- then, thereafterIndeclinableअव्ययRoot अध (अव्यय)
- याति
- goes, comesVerbलट्; तृतीयपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपदRoot या (धातु; ‘to go’)
- रत्नम्
- treasure, boonNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot रत्न- (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (noting Vedic accent is retained in the source but not required for morphological segmentation): (1) तन्नो = तत् + नः (final -t with following nasal gives gemination)
- (2) जास्पतिर्मंसीष्ट = जास्पतिः + मंसीष्ट (visarga before m → r/ḥ sandhi in saṃhitā; written -r-)
- (3) सवितुरियानः = सवितुः + इयानः (visarga before vowel → r; hence -tur i-)
- (4) उग्रोऽवसे = उग्रः + अवसे (visarga before vowel → o ’)
- (5) भगमनुग्रो = भगम् + उग्रः (final -m before vowel; saṃhitā shows अनु- prefixed in text as भग॒मनु॑ग्रो; interpreted as भगम् + उग्रः with intervening अनु as separate avyaya in pada-style; many recensions read ‘भगम् उग्रः’ with repetition)
The meaning
Outer meaning
May Jāspati, following that, shape for us the treasure, advancing in Savitṛ’s way. The strong one calls Bhaga for help; when Bhaga comes with favor, the treasure arrives.
Inner meaning
When the right movement (anu tat) is chosen—following ṛta—Jāspati (lord of birth/people/formation; a shaping intelligence of manifestation) ‘thinks out’ and forms the inner treasure (ratna): capacities of light, strength, and joy. Advancing in Savitṛ’s path means the formation is not ego-driven but solar-directed. The ‘strong one’ (ugra—our awakened force, allied to the divine) calls Bhaga, the distributor of delight and right enjoyment; when Bhaga’s grace (anugra) descends, the treasure becomes concrete in life—spiritual gain embodied as effective power and auspicious fulfillment.
Universal truth
Right following of truth allows the formative power to build real inner wealth; when delight and grace join strength, realization becomes stable and fruitful.
Themes
Savitri-impulsion, Attainment of treasure, Grace and distribution (Bhaga), Aspiration-invocation
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha-gotra
- Other hymns
- RV 7.41 (Bhaga/Ādityas themes), RV 7.60, RV 7.62, RV 7.88
Family tradition
The Vasiṣṭhas frequently connect solar impulsion (Savitṛ) with concrete ‘ratna’—realized gains of consciousness in life.
Significance
Shows the Vedic psychology of manifestation: right direction → right ideation → grace of delight → embodied treasure.
The deity
- Devata
- Savitṛ and Bhaga (with Jāspati)
- Epithets
- devasya savituḥ (of the god Savitṛ), bhagam ugraḥ (Bhaga invoked by the strong one), bhagam anugraḥ (Bhaga with favor)
- Related deities
- Aditi, Aryaman, Mitra, Varuṇa, Soma (as bliss)
Cosmic role
Savitṛ initiates the path; Jāspati forms the result; Bhaga distributes the auspicious share and delight that makes the treasure effective.
Inner power
Guided formation and fulfilled delight: the will aligns with truth, the mind forms rightly, and grace delivers fruition.
In ritual
Where it is used
Auspicious invocations for treasure/boon; Bhaga is often invoked for prosperity and right share within rites
अनु॒ तन्नो॒ जास्पति॑र्मंसीष्ट॒ रत्नं॑ दे॒वस्य॑ सवि॒तुरि॑या॒नः । भग॑मु॒ग्रोऽव॑से॒ जोह॑वीति॒ भग॒मनु॑ग्रो॒ अध॑ याति॒ रत्न॑म् ॥
अनु॑ । तत् । नः॒ । जाःऽपतिः॑ । मं॒सी॒ष्ट॒ । रत्न॑म् । दे॒वस्य॑ । स॒वि॒तुः । इ॒या॒नः । भग॑म् । उ॒ग्रः । अव॑से । जोह॑वीति । भग॑म् । अनु॑ग्रः । अध॑ । या॒ति॒ । रत्न॑म् ॥
anu | tat | naḥ | jāḥ-patiḥ | maṃsīṣṭa | ratnam | devasya | savituḥ | iyānaḥ | bhagam | ugraḥ | avase | johavīti | bhagam | anugraḥ | adha | yāti | ratnam
44
4 × ~11
Processional and consequential: ‘following’ → ‘forming’ → ‘calling’ → ‘arrival’.
Supports confidence in right unfolding; good for invoking fruition and steady progress.
- अनु तत् (anu tat)
- Literal: following that. Symbolic: following the right indication of ṛta; alignment with true direction
- जास्पति (jāspati)
- Literal: lord of the people/birth. Symbolic: formative lord in manifestation; organizing intelligence shaping results
- मंसीष्ट (maṃsīṣṭa)
- Literal: may he think/plan. Symbolic: true ideation—right conception that precedes right formation
- रत्न (ratna)
- Literal: treasure, jewel. Symbolic: spiritual riches: realizations, powers, luminous capacities
- इयानः (iyānaḥ)
- Literal: going, advancing. Symbolic: progressive movement in the path of the divine impulsion
- भग (bhaga)
- Literal: dispenser of fortune, share. Symbolic: divine delight and right distribution of bliss/benefit
- उग्र (ugra)
- Literal: strong, intense. Symbolic: awakened force of will/tapas that can call and receive
- अनुग्र (anugra)
- Literal: favor, gracious following. Symbolic: grace that accompanies and perfects effort
Prosperity/attainment (ratna) petition within the Soma context; Savitṛ-linked verses often used for right impulsion and auspicious beginnings
At moments seeking successful outcome and distribution of offerings/boons
Invocation for ratna; calling Bhaga’s help and favor
Use when beginning a project or sadhana phase: align with right direction, then call for grace to bring results.
māṃsīṣṭa < √man ‘to think, conceive’ (optative/benedictive nuance): formation of the inner ‘ratna’. savitṛ < √sū/√su ‘to impel, set in motion’ (Savitṛ as the divine impulsion toward ṛta). bhaga is both a deity and an abstraction ‘share/portion’ (PIE *bʰag- ‘to apportion’; cf. Slavic bogŭ ‘god’). johavīti is an intensive frequentative from √hū ‘call’, indicating sustained aspiration/invocation.
Ṛta as right movement to be ‘followed’ (anu tat), Bhaga as the principle of just distribution/portion, Manifestation of inner treasure (ratna) through divine impulsion
‘Anu tat’ indicates following the right leading; Savitṛ’s path is the ṛta-directed way.
Treasure arrives when favor aligns with true movement—results correspond to truth, not desire.
Manifestation of inner wealth: ideation (maṃsīṣṭa) leading to formed treasure (ratna).
Karmayoga-like Vedic principle: right action under divine impulsion + grace yields fruition.
morning
A sunlit inner road where right ideation crystallizes into a ‘jewel’ of realized capacity, sweetened by delight.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is the ‘arrival of the treasure’ through right impulsion: Savitṛ sets the movement, Bhaga apportions the delight/portion, and the treasure manifests as a result of sustained invocation—an inner economy of grace rather than an external windfall.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- bhaga- reflects PIE *bʰag- ‘to allot, share’ (cognate with Slavic bogŭ ‘god’ as dispenser of fortune). √i ‘to go’ (iyānaḥ, yāti) is a core IE motion root (cf. Latin ire). The verse’s repeated motion lexemes encode attainment as a process (going → coming of ratna).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi aligns human will with Savitṛ’s impulsion (‘following that’), sustains the call (johavīti), and receives Bhaga’s favor; the devatā respond by shaping (māṃsīṣṭa) and delivering (yāti) the inner ratna—reciprocity of aspiration and granting.
Align with the true direction (anu tat), let the formative intelligence shape the inner ‘ratna,’ then invoke Bhaga’s grace for fruition.
maṇipūra (effective formation/strength) with ājñā (right direction)
Three-part: inhale (align), hold briefly (conceive/form), exhale (offer/call Bhaga). Keep it gentle, not forceful.
Purposeful, aligned, and receptive to grace; a sense of auspicious completion.
State a clear intention aligned with truth; chant; then sit and feel a ‘jewel’ of quiet power forming in the solar plexus/heart; end by inviting delight (Bhaga) to permeate the intention without impatience.
Observe Saṃhitā accents; keep the sequential logic audible—each pāda slightly ‘steps’ forward.
Emphasize ‘anu tat’ (alignment), ‘ratnam’ (treasure) with clarity, and ‘bhagam’ with a bright invoking tone; resolve on final ‘ratnam’.
(jāspatiḥ): long ā; sp cluster clean, (maṃsīṣṭa): nasal ṃ; long ī; retroflex ṣṭ, (iyānaḥ): i-yā; long ā, (johavīti): o long; vīti long ī, (anugraḥ): n+u; gr cluster; final ḥ light
Firm and bright; slightly more invoking on ‘bhagam’.
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