Rig Veda 2.24.8: Mandala 2, Sukta 24, Mantra 8
Sukta 2.24
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Devata
- Brahmaṇaspati
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
ऋतज्येन क्षिप्रेण ब्रह्मणस्पतिर्यत्र वष्टि प्र तदश्नोति धन्वना । तस्य साध्वीरिषवो याभिरस्यति नृचक्षसो दृशये कर्णयोनयः ॥
ṛtá-jyená kṣipréṇa bráhmaṇas pátir yátra váṣṭi prá tád aśnoti dhánvanā | tásya sādhvī́r íṣavo yā́bhir ásyati nṛ-cákṣaso dṛśáye kárṇa-yonayaḥ ||
رِت کی تیر کمان کی ڈور سے، تیز، برہمنسپتی جو چاہتا ہے اسے حاصل کرتا ہے اور آگے بڑھاتا ہے؛ اس کی سیدھی تیریں جس سے وہ مارتا ہے لوگوں کے دیکھنے کے لیے ہیں، کان سے پیدا ہوئیں، وہ نظر کو ظاہر کرتی ہیں۔
Word by Word
- ऋतज्येन
- by/with the truth-conquering (power)Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया एकवचनम् (विशेषणम्) अथवा पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया एकवचनम्; ‘-ेन’Role करणRoot ऋतज्य (प्रातिपदिक; ऋत + ज्य ‘जीत/विजय’)
- क्षिप्रेण
- swiftly; with swift (means)Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया एकवचनम् (विशेषणम्) अथवा पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया एकवचनम्Role करणRoot क्षिप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- ब्रह्मणस्पतिः
- Bṛhaspati (Lord of prayer/sacred utterance)Nounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot ब्रह्मणस्-पति (समास; ब्रह्मणस् ‘ब्रह्म/प्रार्थना’ + पति ‘स्वामी’)
- यत्र
- whereIndeclinableअव्ययम् (स्थान/सम्बन्धे)Role अधिकरणRoot यत्र (य-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय)
- वष्टि
- wills, desiresVerbलट्, परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role क्रियाRoot वश् (धातु; ‘इच्छ्/वशे कर्तुम्’)
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableअव्ययम्Role उपपद-निपात (क्रियाविशेषण)Root प्र (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- तत्
- that (thing)Pronounनपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अश्नोति
- attains, reachesVerbलट्, परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role क्रियाRoot अश् (धातु; ‘अश्नुते/अश्नोति’ = ‘प्राप्नोति’)
- धन्वना
- with the bowNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया एकवचनम् (वैदिक रूप: -ना)Role करणRoot धन्वन् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘धनुष्/धन्व’ ‘bow’)
- तस्य
- of him/itsPronounपुं/नपुंसकलिङ्गे षष्ठी एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्धRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- साध्वीः
- true, effective, well-aimedAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम् (विशेषणम्) अथवा द्वितीया बहुवचनम्; अत्र ‘इषवः’ इति पुंलिङ्गे सह वैदिक-प्रयोगे गुणवाचक-समन्वयःRole कर्तृ (इषवः-विशेषणम्)Root साध्वी (प्रातिपदिक; ‘साधु’ स्त्रीलिङ्ग)
- इषवः
- arrowsNounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot इषु (प्रातिपदिक)
- याभिः
- with whichPronounस्त्रीलिङ्गे तृतीया बहुवचनम्Role करणRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अस्यति
- shoots, hurlsVerbलट्, परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role क्रियाRoot अस्/अस्य् (धातु; ‘क्षेपणे’ = ‘to throw, shoot’)
- नृचक्षसः
- having man-like sight; keen-sightedAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम् (बहुव्रीहिः/तत्पुरुष-आधारित विशेषणम्) अथवा षष्ठी एकवचनम्; अत्र ‘कर्णयोनयः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणं—प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृ (कर्णयोनयः-विशेषणम्)Root नृ-चक्षस् (समास; नृ ‘man’ + चक्षस् ‘sight/eye’)
- दृशये
- for seeing; for manifestation/visibilityNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे चतुर्थी एकवचनम् (दृशये = ‘दर्शनाय/प्रकाशाय’)Role सम्प्रदानRoot दृश् (धातु) → दृशय (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; ‘दर्शन’/‘दर्शनीय’ भाव)
- कर्णयोनयः
- those whose source/seat is the ear; ear-born (i.e., heard/aural)Nounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot कर्ण-योनि (समास; कर्ण ‘ear’ + योनि ‘source, seat’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: ऋतज्येन | क्षिप्रेण | ब्रह्मणस्पतिः | यत्र | वष्टि | प्र | तत् | अश्नोति | धन्वना || तस्य | साध्वीः | इषवः | याभिः | अस्यति | नृचक्षसः | दृशये | कर्णयोनयः || मुख्य-सन्धयः: (1) ब्रह्मणस्पतिः + यत्र → ब्रह्मणस्पतिर्यत्र (विसर्ग-रेफः)
- (2) वष्टि + प्र → वष्टि प्र (सन्धि न आवश्यक)
- (3) प्र + तत् → प्र तद् (अन्त्य ‘त्’ + आरम्भ ‘त’ में घोष/सन्धि-लेखन: ‘तद्’)
- (4) अश्नोति + धन्वना → अश्नोति धन्वना (सन्धि नहीं)
- (5) साध्वीः + इषवः → साध्वीरिषवः (ई + इ → ईर्, यणादेश/दीर्घ-सन्धि)
The meaning
Outer meaning
With the swift bowstring of Ṛta, Brahmaṇaspati attains whatever he wills and shoots it forth with his bow. His straight arrows, with which he shoots, are for men to see—born of the ear, they make vision manifest.
Inner meaning
Brahmaṇaspati is the master of the mantric intelligence. His ‘bow’ is the concentrated will of the Word; the bowstring is ṛta-jyā—truth-tension that makes the movement straight and swift. What he ‘wills’ is the destined formation in consciousness, and he accomplishes it by projecting illumined vibrations (iṣavaḥ, arrows). These arrows are ‘born of the ear’ (karṇayonayaḥ): true hearing (śruti, inner receptivity) becomes revelatory sight (dṛśaye). The mantra teaches that revelation begins as right audition—attentive receptivity to truth—then becomes luminous perception.
Universal truth
When intention is yoked to truth, action becomes precise and swift. Deep listening to truth gives rise to clear vision; right speech/thought, projected with integrity, pierces confusion and reveals reality.
Themes
truth as bowstring, mantric arrows, hearing-to-seeing transformation, swift attainment
The seer
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Lineage
- Bhārgava (Āṅgirasa-affiliated in hymn tradition)
- Other hymns
- RV 2.23.1-18 (Bṛhaspati as opener and finder of light), RV 2.24.1-11 (Brahmaṇaspati as victorious will/word)
Family tradition
A line of hymns where the Word (brahman) is not mere praise but an effective force that accomplishes and reveals; Gṛtsamada often frames spiritual progress as victory through inspired formulation.
Significance
This verse is a compact psychology of revelation: hearing → mantric formation → seeing. It aligns with Sri Aurobindo’s emphasis on the Veda as a science of inner faculties.
The deity
- Devata
- Brahmaṇaspati
- Epithets
- Ṛta-armed, Swift accomplisher, Archer of the Word, Revealer through hearing
- Related deities
- Bṛhaspati, Sarasvatī (speech/inspiration), Indra (illumined mind)
Cosmic role
Formative intelligence that ‘shoots’ truth into manifestation—establishing order and revealing hidden realities.
Inner power
The power of mantra: concentrated intention aligned with truth, producing direct insight and effective action.
In ritual
Where it is used
Praise of Brahmaṇaspati for successful intention and effective mantra in soma rites and obstacle-removal sequences
ऋ॒तज्ये॑न क्षि॒प्रेण॒ ब्रह्म॑ण॒स्पति॒र्यत्र॒ वष्टि॒ प्र तद॑श्नोति॒ धन्व॑ना । तस्य॑ सा॒ध्वीरिष॑वो॒ याभि॒रस्य॑ति नृ॒चक्ष॑सो दृ॒शये॒ कर्ण॑योनयः ॥
ऋ॒तऽज्ये॑न । क्षि॒प्रेण॑ । ब्रह्म॑णः । पतिः॑ । यत्र॑ । वष्टि॑ । प्र । तर् । अ॒श्नो॒ति॒ । धन्व॑ना । तस्य॑ । सा॒ध्वीः । इष॑वः । याभिः॑ । अस्य॑ति । नृ॒ऽचक्ष॑सः । दृ॒शये॑ । कर्ण॑ऽयोनयः ॥
ṛta-jyena | kṣipreṇa | brahmaṇaḥ | patiḥ | yatra | vaṣṭi | pra | tar | aśnoti | dhanvanā | tasya | sādhvīḥ | iṣavaḥ | yābhiḥ | asyati | nṛ-cakṣasaḥ | dṛśaye | karṇa-yonayaḥ
44
4 x ~11 syllables
Taut, ‘strung’ rhythm mirroring the bowstring metaphor; crisp propulsion.
Creates a sense of tightened focus and release—like drawing and letting fly a luminous arrow.
- ṛtajyena
- Literal: with Ṛta as bowstring. Symbolic: truth-tension that straightens and empowers the will
- kṣipreṇa
- Literal: swiftly. Symbolic: unhesitating movement of aligned consciousness
- brahmaṇaspatiḥ
- Literal: lord of the brahman. Symbolic: power of inspired word and discerning intelligence
- dhanvanā
- Literal: with the bow. Symbolic: focused instrument of will; mantric projection
- iṣavaḥ
- Literal: arrows. Symbolic: directed rays of thought/word-force that strike the target of realization
- sādhvīḥ
- Literal: straight, true, well-aimed. Symbolic: right vibrations free from distortion
- karṇayonayaḥ
- Literal: ear-born. Symbolic: born of śruti—inner listening and receptivity
- dṛśaye
- Literal: for seeing, to make seen. Symbolic: manifestation of inner vision; revelation
Invoked for success in ‘aimed’ action—mantra as weapon; applicable where precise formulation and swift attainment are sought (victory, clarity, effective speech).
Before decisive ritual acts requiring correctness and efficacy of brahman (formula)
Recitation to ‘set the intention’ and ensure straight, unhindered execution of the rite
For meditation before speaking/teaching: align speech with truth; cultivate deep listening that becomes insight.
ṛta-jyā ‘truth-bowstring’ is a compact symbolic compound: jyā ‘string’ provides tension/measure; ṛta supplies rightness and inevitability. √vaś ‘to will/desire’ indicates sovereign intention. iṣu ‘arrow’ becomes the directed mantra-force. karṇa-yonī ‘ear-born’ encodes śruti: knowledge received as inspired hearing, which then becomes vision (dṛśaye).
ṛta as measure/tension enabling right effect, śruti (ear-born) becoming dṛṣṭi (vision), mantra as directed force
Ṛta is the very ‘string’ that makes the action straight and effective.
Truth is experienced as a precision-force that reveals and accomplishes.
Sound-to-form: the heard truth becomes a projected force that manifests vision/reality.
Mantra-vidyā orientation; anticipates Upaniṣadic emphasis on speech and hearing as doors to knowledge.
Bow = focused will; string = truth-tension; arrows = directed thought/word-rays; ear-to-eye = inner audition flowering into illumination.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The divine archer mythologem: Brahmaṇaspati shoots straight arrows. Innerly, the ‘arrows’ are precise, truth-tensed projections of the Word that strike the target—right perception and effective realization.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- Archery as a metaphor for speech and fate is Indo-European-wide; the coupling of ‘will’ (√vaś) with ‘aimed weapon’ (dhanvan/iṣu) reflects inherited poetic mapping of intentionality onto projectile force.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi depicts the devata as the master of effective intention: what is willed under ṛta is swiftly attained. The human counterpart is receptivity to śruti—ear-born inspiration—so that the divine ‘arrows’ become inner vision and right action.
Śruti-to-dṛṣṭi practice: listen inwardly until the heard truth becomes seen truth.
Viśuddha (mantra/speech) supporting Ājñā (vision)
Nādi-śodhana or slow equal breathing; on exhale, ‘release the arrow’—one concise truth-phrase.
Collected, intent, luminous; minimal discursiveness.
1) Sit upright; feel the ‘string’ as inner sincerity. 2) Listen for a subtle right note/impulse. 3) Form one clear mantra-thought. 4) Release it into silence; wait for the arising of vision/understanding.
Vedic tri-svara; verify accents from a pada/svara edition for ṛtajyena, brahmaṇaspatiḥ, karṇayonayaḥ.
Keep compounds clean: ṛtajyena (no extra vowel), brahmaṇaspatiḥ (clear retroflex ṇ). Maintain rhythmic ‘draw-and-release’ across pādas.
ṛta-: crisp retroflex ṛ, kṣipreṇa: kṣ cluster articulated, not ‘ship’, dhanvanā: dental n; avoid nasalizing vowels, iṣavo: ṣ retroflex; short a-vowel, karṇayonayaḥ: retroflex ṇ; y as glide, not j
Focused, slightly ‘tensed’ clarity, then relaxed release at line ends.
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.
