Rig Veda 4.40.4: Mandala 4, Sukta 40, Mantra 4
Sukta 4.40
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Devata
- Dadhikrāvan
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
उत स्य वाजी क्षिपणिं तुरण्यति ग्रीवायां बद्धो अपिकक्ष आसनि । क्रतुं दधिक्रा अनु संतवीत्वत्पथामङ्कांस्यन्वापनीफणत् ॥
utá syá vājī kṣípaṇiṃ turaṇyati grīvā́yāṃ baddhó apikakṣá āsáni | krátuṃ dadhikrā́ ánu saṃtavī́tvat pathā́m aṅkā́ṃsy ánv āpanī́phaṇat ||
At ang kabayong ito ng kasaganaan ay nagmamadali ng may mabilis na pagpapalakas, nakatali sa leeg, hawak nang malapit sa tagiliran ng upuan. Si Dadhikrā ay sumusunod sa kalooban (kratu) ng may ganap na disiplina; sa landas ay yumuyuko at tinatamaan ang mga liko, namamahala sa mga kurba ng daan.
Word by Word
- उत
- and; alsoIndeclinableconj./particleRoot उत
- स्यः
- he (that one)Pronounmasc. nom. sg.Role KartāRoot तद् (स)
- वाजी
- the racer; the swift oneNoun/Adjectivemasc. nom. sg.Role KartāRoot वाजिन्
- क्षिपणिम्
- the thrower/driver (goad/whip; impeller)Nounmasc./fem. acc. sg.Role KarmaRoot क्षिपणि
- तुरण्यति
- hastens; speedsVerbpres. indic. act. 3rd sg.Root तुर्
- ग्रीवायाम्
- on the neckNounfem. loc. sg.Role AdhikaraṇaRoot ग्रीवा
- बद्धः
- bound; fastenedParticiplepast pass. ptcp. masc. nom. sg.Role Kartā (predicative to वाजी)Root बन्ध्
- अपिकक्षः
- the strap/band at the flank (girth/trace)Nounmasc. nom. sg.Role Kartā (apposition)Root अपिकक्ष
- आसनि
- on the seat; in the saddleNounneut. loc. sg. (Vedic loc. in -i)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot आसन
- क्रतुम्
- resolve; power of will; ritual intelligenceNounmasc. acc. sg.Role KarmaRoot क्रतु
- दधिक्राः
- Dadhikrā (the divine steed)Proper Nounmasc. nom. sg. (Vedic nom. in -āḥ)Role KartāRoot दधिक्रावन्
- अनु
- along; afterIndeclinablepreverb/adverbRoot अनु
- संतवीत्वत्
- with/according to victorious impetus; as one who has wonAdjectiveneut. abl./instr. sg. (used adverbially)Role Karaṇa (adverbial)Root संतवीत्वत्
- पथा
- by the pathNounmasc. instr. sg.Role KaraṇaRoot पथ
- अङ्कांसि
- the bends; windings; curvesNounneut. acc. pl.Role KarmaRoot अङ्क
- अनु
- alongIndeclinablepreverb/adverbRoot अनु
- आपनीफणत्
- snorted/puffed along; moved with snortingVerbinjunctive/aorist act. 3rd sg. (Vedic)Root नीफण् (with ā-)
Sandhi Notes
- Resolved forms: स्य वा॒जी → स्यः वाजी
- तु॑रण्यति (no split)
- ब॒द्धो → बद्धः
- अपिक॒क्ष आ॒सनि॑ → अपिकक्षः आसनि
- दधि॒क्रा → दधिक्राः
- अनु॑ सं॒तवी॑त्वत् (kept as one pada: adverbial adjective)
- प॒थामङ्कां॒सि → पथा अङ्कांसि
- अन्वा॒पनी॑फणत् → अनु आपनीफणत् (anu + ā- prefixed verb)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The powerful steed rushes swiftly, harnessed at the neck and held at the flank and seat. Dadhikrā follows the guiding intention (kratu) with perfect training, bending and straightening through the turns of the path, mastering its curves.
Inner meaning
Dadhikrā (the divine war-horse/bird-force of swift accomplishment) images the disciplined life-force and dynamic tapas when it is yoked to the higher Will. The “bindings” are not bondage but yogic harnessing: the vital energy is held steady by concentration (at the ‘neck’/mind-link) and by containment of impulse (flank/seat). When kratu (the luminous will/intention in the heart) leads, the force can negotiate the ‘turns’ of sadhana—changes of state, resistances, and subtle transitions—without losing speed or balance.
Universal truth
Power becomes liberating only when governed by conscious will and inner law. The straight and the curved—direct progress and necessary detours—are both mastered when energy is yoked to a higher intention.
Themes
yoking of energy, disciplined progress, mastery of complexities, will-led force
The seer
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 4.1, RV 4.26, RV 4.27, RV 4.40, RV 4.41
Family tradition
Vāmadeva’s hymns often move from vivid outer images to inner realizations of force, light, and right-guided power; a seer of transformation through disciplined energy.
Significance
As a seer of the fourth maṇḍala, Vāmadeva articulates how divine powers become effective in the human instrument—especially through kratu (conscious will) and ṛta (right order).
The deity
- Devata
- Dadhikrāvan
- Epithets
- vājin (prize-winning steed), swift one, well-trained runner, path-master
- Related deities
- Sūrya, Agni, Indra, Aśvins
Cosmic role
A solar-vital power of rapid movement and victorious accomplishment, often linked with the sun’s course and the conquering rush of inspired energy.
Inner power
The awakened dynamic force that carries the seeker through resistances when yoked to the heart’s higher will (kratu).
In ritual
Where it is used
Horse/solar laud in śrauta praise sequences; recitation in contexts invoking speed, victory, and right-guided movement.
उ॒त स्य वा॒जी क्षि॑प॒णिं तु॑रण्यति ग्री॒वायां॑ ब॒द्धो अ॑पिक॒क्ष आ॒सनि॑ । क्रतुं॑ दधि॒क्रा अनु॑ सं॒तवी॑त्वत्प॒थामङ्कां॒स्यन्वा॒पनी॑फणत् ॥
उ॒त । स्यः । वा॒जी । क्षि॒प॒णिम् । तु॒र॒ण्य॒ति॒ । ग्री॒वाया॑म् । ब॒द्धः । अ॒पि॒ऽक॒क्षे । आ॒सनि॑ । क्रतु॑म् । द॒धि॒ऽक्राः । अनु॑ । स॒म्ऽतवी॑त्वत् । प॒थाम् । अङ्कां॑सि । अनु॑ । आ॒ऽपनी॑फणत् ॥
uta | syaḥ | vājī | kṣipaṇim | turaṇyati | grīvāyām | baddhaḥ | āpi-kakṣe | āsani | kratum | dadhi-krāḥ | anu | sam-tavītvat | pathām | aṅkāṃsi | anu | āpanīphaṇat
44
4 pādas × ~11 syllables
Driving, forward-thrusting cadence suited to speed and mastery.
Energizes resolve; creates a sense of controlled momentum—good for invoking disciplined power.
- वाजी (vājī)
- Literal: steed; winner of prizes; endowed with vāja. Symbolic: plentitude-power; energetic force that carries consciousness forward
- क्षिपणि (kṣipaṇi)
- Literal: swift-moving; quickening. Symbolic: rapid dynamism of prāṇa/vital force when awakened
- ग्रीवायाम् बद्धः (grīvāyām baddhaḥ)
- Literal: bound at the neck. Symbolic: yoked mind–life link; disciplined direction of impulse by higher thought
- आसनि (āsani)
- Literal: seat; saddle. Symbolic: stable posture/support—inner seat of steadiness (āsana as containment)
- क्रतु (kratu)
- Literal: will, resolve, intelligent purpose. Symbolic: heart-will aligned to the Truth; directive power of the soul
- सम्तवीत्वत् (saṃtavītvat)
- Literal: with perfect training/discipline. Symbolic: integrated mastery; harmonized control of energies
- पथाम् अङ्कांसि (pathām aṅkāṃsi)
- Literal: the bends/curves of the path. Symbolic: subtle transitions, obstacles, and turns in inner progress
Praise emphasizing ‘taming’ and right control—useful where the rite requires disciplined speed (e.g., processional/recitational momentum); inner application: aligning vital force to kratu (conscious will).
During soma-related or praise recitations where Dadhikrāvan is invoked for victorious impetus.
Stotra/śastra-style praise; mental ‘yoking’ of energies to intention.
Use before work or practice to align drive with purpose; a mantra for ‘disciplined speed’ rather than restless haste.
kratu (√kṛ ‘to do’ with cognitive-volitional sense) is will/intelligent intention—central to psychological reading: divine force must be yoked to right will. The imagery of binding at neck and flank shows controlled energy, not wild impulse. kṣipaṇa from √kṣip ‘hurl, speed’ indicates rapid dynamism. aṅka ‘bend/curve’ becomes the complexities of the path; the horse ‘negotiates’ them—symbol of disciplined progress.
kratu (intelligent will), discipline/taming of force, path as inner sādhana
Mastery of the ‘turns of the path’ signifies movement in ṛta rather than impulsive wandering.
True will (satya-kratu) guides energy without deviation.
Right-directed force shapes the path—order emerging from disciplined motion.
Proto-yogic/psychological reading aligned with Aurobindo’s inner sacrifice framework.
The life-force (prāṇa) made swift and victorious by the soul’s will, moving through the stages of practice with balance.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘tamed steed on the path’ mythologem: divine force is not mere speed; it is harnessed and follows kratu, negotiating the bends of the way—an image of rightly governed vitality in spiritual progression.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The harnessing/yoking motif is pan-IE (cf. the IE ‘yoke’ complex; Sanskrit yoga from √yuj). The technical vocabulary of speed and control (√kṣip, turaṇya, bandha) shows early Indo-Iranian concern with disciplined power.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The Rishi highlights the condition for divine help: the force must be bound to intelligent will (kratu). The Devatā exemplifies how power becomes effective when disciplined—teaching the aspirant the law of inner mastery.
Yoking vital energy to the heart’s clear intention (kratu) and moving through difficulties without losing inner balance.
Anāhata (heart-will) with support of Maṇipūra (disciplined dynamism).
Moderate ujjāyī or equal-ratio breathing (sama-vṛtti) to ‘harness’ speed with steadiness.
Dynamic concentration—calm drive rather than agitation.
Before action, feel the ‘reins’ at the throat/neck (clarity of direction), then let energy run the course under the heart’s command; when obstacles arise, adapt—bend/straighten—without inner complaint.
Use standard Rigvedic svara: udatta on marked syllables, svarita on combined accents, anudatta as the default; follow the pada text for segmentation.
Keep the forward thrust on ‘vājī… turaṇyati’; slight lift on ‘kratuṃ’; maintain flow through the compound clusters.
kṣ in kṣipaṇim is a tight cluster (k+ṣ), not ‘kh’, ṛ in kratuṃ is a short vocalic r; avoid ‘ri’, dh in dadhikrā is aspirated; keep it voiced and clear, aṅkāṃsi: nasalize ‘āṃ’ with a gentle anusvāra
Bright, steady, forward-moving; avoid harshness—think ‘controlled speed’.
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Rig Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
