Rig Veda 2.26.2: Mandala 2, Sukta 26, Mantra 2
Sukta 2.26
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Devata
- Brahmaṇaspati
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
यजस्व वीर प्र विहि मनायतो भद्रं मनः कृणुष्व वृत्रतूर्ये । हविष्कृणुष्व सुभगो यथाससि ब्रह्मणस्पतेरव आ वृणीमहे ॥
yáj asva vī́ra prá víhi manāyató bhadráṃ mánaḥ kṛṇuṣva vṛtra-tū́rye | havíḥ kṛṇuṣva su-bhágo yáthā́sasi bráhmaṇas patér áva ā́ vṛṇīmahe ||
اے بہادر، قربانی کر؛ تلاش کرنے والی مرادی آگے بڑھا, پردہ توڑنے میں ذہن کو مبارک اور روشن آلہ بنا۔ نذر تیار کر تاکہ تم صحیح راستے میں خوش نصیب ہو؛ ہم برہمنسپتی کی حفاظتی مدد کو انتخاب کرتے ہیں اور بلاتے ہیں۔
Word by Word
- यजस्व
- worship (you)!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदRoot यज्
- वीर
- O heroNoun (vocative)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot वीर
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinable (preverb)उपसर्गRoot प्र
- विहि
- place/lay down, bestowVerbलोट्, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; (विधि/नियोगार्थ) ‘स्थापय/निधेहि’ अर्थेRoot वि + हि (√हि/√धा-आदेशः)
- मनायतः
- of the intent one / of him who is mindedAdjective/Participle (genitive)पुं/नपुं, षष्ठी, एकवचन (अर्थतः ‘मनायमानस्य/मनायतो’ = ‘one who is intent/thinking’)Role सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root मनायन्त् (मनस् + √या, ‘मनाय’ प्रातिपदिक) अथवा ‘मनाय’ (thought/intent) + -तस्
- भद्रम्
- good, auspicious (thing)Adjective (used substantively)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot भद्र
- मनः
- mindNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot मनस्
- कृणुष्व
- make for yourself / makeVerbलोट्, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदRoot कृ
- वृत्रतूर्ये
- in the overcoming of Vṛtra; in the Vṛtra-battleNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot वृत्रतूर्य
- हविष्कृणुष्व
- prepare the oblationVerb (compound-verb)लोट्, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदRoot हविस् + कृ
- सुभगः
- fortunate, auspiciousAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्ताRoot सु-भग
- यथा
- as, just asIndeclinableसम्बन्ध/उपमानार्थ अव्ययRoot यथा
- अससि
- you areVerbलट् (वर्तमान), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; वैदिक रूप ‘अससि’ = ‘असि’Root अस्
- ब्रह्मणस्पतेः
- of Brahmaṇaspati (Lord of prayer)Noun (proper/title)पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root ब्रह्मणस्-पति
- अवः
- help, protectionNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot अवस्
- आ
- towards, hitherIndeclinable (preverb)उपसर्गRoot आ
- वृणीमहे
- we choose, we seekVerbलट् (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपदRoot वृ (वृञ्)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धि-निरसन): यजस्व | वीर | प्र | विहि | मनायतः | भद्रम् | मनः | कृणुष्व | वृत्रतूर्ये | हविष्कृणुष्व | सुभगः | यथा | अससि | ब्रह्मणस्पतेः | अवः | आ | वृणीमहे । प्रमुख सन्धयः: (1) मनायतो भद्रम् → मनायतः + भद्रम् (ओ/अ → अः, पदान्त-ओकारस्य विसर्गादेशः)
- (2) भद्रं मनः → भद्रम् + मनः (म् + म → म्, अनुनासिक-सन्धि/समास-सदृश संयोग)
- (3) वृत्रतूर्ये । हविष्कृणुष्व → विरामे सन्धि-निवृत्ति
- (4) ब्रह्मणस्पतेरव आ → ब्रह्मणस्पतेः + अवः + आ (रेफ-लोप/विसर्ग-प्रकृति: पाठमते ‘-तेरव’ = ‘-तेः अवः’)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Sacrifice, O hero; thrust forward the seeking intention. Make the mind auspicious in the battle against Vṛtra. Prepare the offering rightly so you may prosper; we choose the protection of Brahmaṇaspati.
Inner meaning
The ‘hero’ is the courageous soul-force in us that can act. The mantra instructs: offer your energies (yajasva), project the will-to-seek (pra vihi manāyataḥ), and make the mind bhadra—clear, luminous, benevolent—precisely in the crisis of confronting the Coverer (vṛtratūrye). The ‘havis’ is the purified substance of life (desire, breath, thought) made fit for ascent. Calling Brahmaṇaspati is invoking the inner guru-power of right word and right formation to protect and guide the process.
Universal truth
Transformation requires brave offering: a forward will, a clarified mind, and disciplined preparation of one’s energies; then higher guidance becomes operative.
Themes
inner yajña instruction, mind-discipline, Vṛtra-overcoming, invocation of Brahmaṇaspati
The seer
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada (Āṅgirasa)
- Lineage
- Āṅgirasa
- Other hymns
- RV 2.23 (Brahmaṇaspati as breaker of obstacles), RV 2.3 (Agni and the right leading of the sacrifice), RV 2.19 (Indra’s victory over obstruction; allied vṛtra-theme)
Family tradition
A seer-line emphasizing the efficacy of mantra and the disciplined yajña as inner yoga of will, mind, and speech.
Significance
Gṛtsamada frames spiritual progress as a heroic act: aspiration must become organized will and luminous mind in order to pierce the Coverer.
The deity
- Devata
- Brahmaṇaspati (Br̥haspati)
- Epithets
- Brahmaṇaspati, Pati (Lord), Protector (ava)
- Related deities
- Indra (vṛtra-slayer; illumination), Agni (sacrificial will), Soma (delight that supports endurance)
Cosmic role
Guardian and leader of the sacrificial Word; establishes right mental formation and protects the seeker during breakthroughs.
Inner power
The shaping intelligence in mantra that turns aspiration into effective realization; protective discrimination during inner upheavals.
In ritual
Where it is used
Invocation to Brahmaṇaspati in śrauta rites where priestly power of brahman is sought for success and protection; also suitable for preparatory recitation before offerings.
यज॑स्व वीर॒ प्र वि॑हि मनाय॒तो भ॒द्रं मन॑: कृणुष्व वृत्र॒तूर्ये॑ । ह॒विष्कृ॑णुष्व सु॒भगो॒ यथास॑सि॒ ब्रह्म॑ण॒स्पते॒रव॒ आ वृ॑णीमहे ॥
यज॑स्व । वी॒र॒ । प्र । वि॒हि॒ । म॒ना॒य॒तः । भ॒द्रम् । मनः॑ । कृ॒णु॒ष्व॒ । वृ॒त्र॒ऽतूर्ये॑ । ह॒विः । कृ॒णु॒ष्व॒ । सु॒ऽभगः॑ । यथा॑ । अस॑सि । ब्रह्म॑णः । पतेः॑ । अवः॑ । आ । वृ॒णी॒म॒हे॒ ॥
yajasva | vīra | pra | vihi | manāyataḥ | bhadram | manaḥ | kṛṇuṣva | vṛtra-tūrye | haviḥ | kṛṇuṣva | su-bhagaḥ | yathā | asasi | brahmaṇaḥ | pateḥ | avaḥ | ā | vṛṇīmahe
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4 x ~11 syllables
Commanding imperative rhythm; energizing and directive.
Builds resolve and forward momentum; steadies the mind for a ‘breakthrough’ phase.
- yajasva
- Literal: sacrifice!. Symbolic: offer the lower movements into a higher fire; conscious self-giving
- vīra
- Literal: hero. Symbolic: soul-force/courage (śakti) that can persist in practice
- pra vihi
- Literal: cast forward, send forth. Symbolic: project the will ahead of habit; initiative of aspiration
- manāyataḥ
- Literal: of the one who seeks/ponders. Symbolic: the seeking intention, the turned mind (mumukṣā-like impulse)
- bhadram manaḥ
- Literal: auspicious/blessed mind. Symbolic: luminous, harmonious mind fit to receive inspiration
- vṛtratūrye
- Literal: in the overcoming of Vṛtra. Symbolic: breakthrough against subconscious obstruction, inertia, depression, ignorance
- haviṣ kṛṇuṣva
- Literal: make the oblation. Symbolic: prepare purified energies (breath, attention, desire) for offering
- ava ā vṛṇīmahe
- Literal: we choose/call down help. Symbolic: opening to grace/protection through consent and invocation
Invocation for strengthening mantra and mind in yajña; used as a support-verse for successful offering and overcoming obstacles in Soma and daily agnihotra-related recitations (broad liturgical applicability).
At the start of a working (yajña) or before difficult undertakings; in contexts symbolically linked to overcoming obstruction.
Exhortation to the yajamāna/priest to prepare havis and align mind; calling down ava (protective help).
Before meditation or challenging conversations: ‘make the mind bhadra’ and invoke guidance for breaking inertia.
(impv. √yaj) frames the verse as practical sādhanā. (manas) from √man ‘to think’; here to be made bhadra ‘good/bright’ (bhadra possibly from √bhad ‘to be fortunate/blessed’). - from √vṛ ‘to cover, obstruct’; tūrya ‘overcoming, pressing through’ (connected to √tṝ/√tur ‘to overcome/urge’ in Vedic usage). ‘help’ is a key soteriological noun in the RV. from √vṛ ‘to choose’ expresses conscious alliance with the devatā.
transformation of mind (manas) into bhadra, divine help (avaḥ) as grace responding to effort, Vṛtra as psychological obstruction
The ‘right way of attainment’ (yathāsasi) implies success by alignment, not by coercion.
Bhadra manaḥ is mind aligned to truth—clear enough to receive the true word and act rightly.
Breaking Vṛtra releases blocked currents of light and force—creation as liberation of hidden powers.
Yoga of will and mantra (Aurobindo/Kashyap psychological interpretation).
Fire/oblation = disciplined offering of energies; battle = inner breakthrough against subconscious cover.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The Vṛtra-breaking (vṛtra-tūrya) is recast as an inner discipline: the hero-seeker is told to sacrifice and to remake the mind into a fit instrument for the decisive breakthrough against obstruction.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √yaj (Ved.) ~ Av. yaz- shows Indo-Iranian continuity of ‘worship/sacrifice’. √vṛ ‘to cover’ underlies Vṛtra and also √vṛ ‘to choose’ in vṛṇīmahe (distinct roots in later analysis, but formally convergent), a poetic paronomasia typical of archaic diction: the coverer is overcome by the chooser of divine help.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi instructs the human ‘hero’ to do the work (yaj-, kṛ-) and then deliberately ‘choose’ (vṛ-) Brahmaṇaspati’s protection (avaḥ). Divine aid is not arbitrary; it is summoned by right preparation of mind and offering.
Projecting aspiration and making the mind ‘bhadra’ during resistance.
Maṇipūra (heroic will) with Ājñā (clarified mind)
Brisk 12–18 rounds of bhastrikā (gentle, within comfort), then slow exhale chanting to stabilize.
Dynamic concentration—forceful yet lucid.
On ‘vṛtratūrye’, identify one repeating obstruction; on ‘haviṣ kṛṇuṣva’, offer one desire into the inner fire; end by silently invoking Brahmaṇaspati’s protection for the next action you will take.
Rigvedic svaras; give clear lift to imperatives (yajasva, vihi, kṛṇuṣva, vṛṇīmahe).
Maintain energetic pace; keep each pāda as a ‘command unit’. Slight pause after vṛtratūrye.
vīra: long ī sustained., vṛtra: retroflex ṛ; do not flatten to ‘virtra’., tūrye: long ū; ‘ry’ cluster clean., brahmaṇaspateḥ: keep retroflex ṇ in brahmaṇa; ‘sp’ cluster crisp.
Bright, rallying, but not shouted; end with a protective softness on ‘ava ā vṛṇīmahe’.
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