Rig Veda 4.36.5: Mandala 4, Sukta 36, Mantra 5
Sukta 4.36
- Rishi
- Rbhus cycle poet
- Devata
- Rbhus
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
ऋभुतो रयिः प्रथमश्रवस्तमो वाजश्रुतासो यमजीजनन्नरः । विभ्वतष्टो विदथेषु प्रवाच्यो यं देवासोऽवथा स विचर्षणिः ॥
ṛbhutó rayíḥ prathamáśravastamo vājáśrutāso yám ajī́janan nárāḥ | vibhva-táṣṭo vidáthēṣu pra-vā́cyo yáṃ devā́so’vathā́ sá vícarṣaṇiḥ ||
ربھو ہنر سے پیدا ہوئی دولت سب سے پہلے شہرت میں ہے؛ یہ وہ ہے جسے مردانہ طاقتوں نے، فراوانی کے لیے مشہور، پیدا کیا۔ وبھو کے بنایا ہوا، یہ مجلسوں میں بیان کرنے کے قابل ہے؛ اس کی دیوتا مدد کرتے ہیں، وہ وسیع نظر اور طاقت کا مالک بن جاتا ہے۔
Word by Word
- ऋभुतः
- the Rbhus (craftsmen-sages)Noun (proper name) / Adjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot ऋभु (प्रातिपदिक; ऋभु- ‘ऋभु’ नाम) अथवा ऋभु- (विशेषण ‘कुशल/चतुर’)
- रयिः
- wealth, bountyNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृ (वाक्य-सम्बन्धे ‘is/was’ निहित)Root रयि (प्रातिपदिक)
- प्रथमश्रवस्तमः
- most famed as the first / foremost in fameAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole विशेषण (रयिः) / कर्तृ-सम्बन्धीRoot प्रथम- + श्रवस्- + तम (तमप्-प्रत्यय; समास)
- वाजश्रुतासः
- renowned for prize/strength (vāja), famed for winningAdjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (अजीजनन्) / विशेषण (ऋभुतः)Root वाज- + श्रुत- (कृदन्त ‘श्रुत’ < √श्रु) ; बहुव्रीहि/तत्पुरुष-समास (अर्थ: ‘वाजेन श्रुताः/वाज-कीर्तयः’)
- यम्
- whomPronounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्म (अजीजनन्) / यं…स (correlative)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अजीजनन्
- they produced, generatedVerbलुङ् (अोरिस्ट); परस्मैपद; 3 पुरुष; बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot √जन् (जनने) ; causative stem जनय-/जीजन- (Vedic reduplicated aorist/causative usage)
- नरः
- the men, heroesNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (अजीजनन्) — apposition to ऋभुतःRoot नर (प्रातिपदिक)
- विभ्वतष्टः
- fashioned by the mighty (Vibhvan) / well-fashionedAdjective (kṛdanta-based)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole विशेषण (यम्/स) — ‘the fashioned (one)’Root विभ्वन्/विभ्व (प्रातिपदिक ‘all-pervading, mighty’) + तष्ट (कृदन्त ‘तष्ट’ < √तक्ष् ‘to fashion’)
- विदथेषु
- in the assemblies/ritual distributionsNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; बहुवचनRole अधिकरणRoot विदथ (प्रातिपदिक)
- प्रवाच्यः
- to be proclaimed, worthy to be spoken ofAdjective (gerundive)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole विधेय-विशेषण (यम्/स) — ‘to be proclaimed’Root प्र-√वच् (वचने) ; वाच्य (gerundive/णीयत्-भाव) with प्र-
- यम्
- whomPronounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्म (अवथ) / यं…स (correlative)Root यद् (सर्वनाम)
- देवासः
- the godsNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (अवथ)Root देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- अवथ
- you protect/helpVerbलट् (वर्तमान); परस्मैपद; 2 पुरुष; एकवचन (Vedic: ‘thou protectest’—addressed to a deity) अथवा injunctive-like usageRole क्रियाRoot √अव् (रक्षणे/अवने) ; present stem अव-
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृ/विषय (सम्बन्ध: यं…स)Root तद् (सर्वनाम)
- विचर्षणिः
- the eminent one, the distinguished heroNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole विधेय (सः …) / कर्तृ-सम्बन्धीRoot वि-चर्षणि (प्रातिपदिक; ‘distinguished among men/peoples’, ‘far-seeing/renowned’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (Vedic sandhi resolution): ऋभुतः | रयिः | प्रथमश्रवस्तमः | वाजश्रुतासः | यम् | अजीजनन् | नरः || विभ्वतष्टः | विदथेषु | प्रवाच्यः | यम् | देवासः | अवथ | सः | विचर्षणिः || 1) देवासोऽवथा = देवासः + अवथ (अः + अ → ओऽ).
- समास: प्रथम-श्रवस्-तम, वाज-श्रुता-, विभ्व-तष्टः
The meaning
Outer meaning
The wealth born of Rbhu-skill is foremost in fame; the manly powers famed for plenitude have generated it. Fashioned by Vibhu, it is to be proclaimed in assemblies; the gods help him—he becomes wide-ranging (vicarṣaṇi).
Inner meaning
Rayi (wealth) here is inner wealth: capacity, force, and luminous substance generated by perfected craftsmanship of consciousness (ṛbhutaḥ). The ‘naraḥ’ are the strong powers in us—energies of action—when aligned with Vāja (plenitude), they generate this wealth. Vibhu ‘fashions’ it by pervading the whole being, integrating all parts. When this inner wealth is ‘proclaimed in assemblies’ (vidatheṣu), it means it becomes stable in the collective functioning of our faculties—thought, speech, will, life—no longer private or intermittent. Supported by the gods (higher powers), the practitioner becomes vicarṣaṇi: one whose vision and force range widely across planes and situations.
Universal truth
Lasting prosperity is a product of skillful integration and higher support: when the whole being participates, inner wealth becomes stable and effective in life.
Themes
Boon of wealth (inner), Fame as radiance of realization, Assembly proclamation, Divine-human cooperation
The seer
- Rishi
- Rbhus cycle poet
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 4.33-4.37
Family tradition
Focus on the ‘gain’ of the inner sacrifice: rayi as a spiritual wealth produced by skilled formation and divine cooperation.
Significance
The rishi links inner craftsmanship to practical fruition: rayi that is ‘proclaimable’ and socially/psychologically operative, not merely mystical experience.
The deity
- Devata
- Rbhus (Vibhu prominent) with Vāja as supporting force
- Epithets
- vibhvataṣṭa (fashioned by Vibhu), vājaśruta (famed for plenitude)
- Related deities
- Bṛhaspati (power of proclamation/word in assemblies), Indra (victory and wide-ranging force)
Cosmic role
They generate and stabilize the ‘wealth’ of perfected functioning—capacities that serve the divine work in the world.
Inner power
Integration (Vibhu) + increase (Vāja): pervading harmonization that yields stable abundance.
In ritual
Where it is used
Praise within Soma/assembly (vidatha) context; affirmation of gains secured by deity-aid
ऋ॒भु॒तो र॒यिः प्र॑थ॒मश्र॑वस्तमो॒ वाज॑श्रुतासो॒ यमजी॑जन॒न्नर॑: । वि॒भ्व॒त॒ष्टो वि॒दथे॑षु प्र॒वाच्यो॒ यं दे॑वा॒सोऽव॑था॒ स विच॑र्षणिः ॥
ऋ॒भु॒तः । र॒यिः । प्र॒थ॒मश्र॑वःऽतमः । वाज॑ऽश्रुतासः । यम् । अजी॑जनन् । नरः॑ । वि॒भ्व॒ऽत॒ष्टः । वि॒दथे॑षु । प्र॒ऽवाच्यः॑ । यम् । दे॒वा॒सः । अव॑थ । सः । विऽच॑र्षणिः ॥
ṛbhutaḥ | rayiḥ | prathamaśravaḥ-tamaḥ | vāja-śrutāsaḥ | yam | ajījanan | naraḥ | vibhva-taṣṭaḥ | vidatheṣu | pra-vācyaḥ | yam | devāsaḥ | avatha | saḥ | vi-carṣaṇiḥ
44
4 x ~11
Strongly declarative with public ‘proclamation’ energy.
Energizes resolve to embody inner gains in speech and action; gives a sense of social/collective stability.
- रयिः (rayiḥ)
- Literal: wealth, treasure. Symbolic: inner abundance—capacities, energies, luminous substance
- ऋभुतः (ṛbhutaḥ)
- Literal: from Rbhu-skill. Symbolic: born of perfected craft of consciousness
- नरः (naraḥ)
- Literal: men, manly ones. Symbolic: strong life-powers/energies of action in the being
- वाजश्रुतासः (vājaśrutāsaḥ)
- Literal: famed for Vāja. Symbolic: energies aligned with victorious increase and right effectiveness
- विभ्वतष्टः (vibhvataṣṭaḥ)
- Literal: fashioned by Vibhu. Symbolic: integrated by a pervading consciousness-force
- विदथेषु (vidatheṣu)
- Literal: in assemblies/rites. Symbolic: in the gathered functioning of faculties; in collective inner spaces
- प्रवाच्यः (pravācyah)
- Literal: to be proclaimed. Symbolic: must be affirmed by speech-thought to become fixed and operative
- देवासः अवथ (devāsaḥ avatha)
- Literal: the gods help. Symbolic: higher powers support the transformation and its stability
- विचर्षणिः (vicarṣaṇiḥ)
- Literal: wide-ranging, far-seeing. Symbolic: expanded consciousness with broad effective vision and force
Stuti of the boon (rayi) generated by Rbhu powers; recited to secure spiritual prosperity and fame.
When declaring the fruit of sacrifice and inviting continued divine protection.
Recitation as a ‘fruit-statement’—naming the rayi and its divine support.
For work and service: chant before meaningful tasks to align inner craftsmanship with outer effectiveness and right prosperity.
rayí 'wealth' in RV is often the plenitude of being (root associations with giving/possession); vājá 'strength, prize, plenitude' (semantic field of vigor and fullness). ajījanan from √jan 'be born, generate' (PIE *ǵenh₁-). avathā from √av 'to help, favor, protect'. vi-carṣaṇi: carṣaṇi relates to 'people/settlements' and movement among them; innerly, wide-ranging capacity in the field of life.
Rayi as fullness of being, Vāja as force/plenitude, Divine aid (anugraha) in the human journey
Rayi is stable when formed in harmony with ṛta—right relation among faculties.
‘Proclaimed’ truth fixes the gain; speech aligned with satya stabilizes inner wealth.
Manifestation of wealth as a crafted product of consciousness.
Karmayoga-like Vedic precursor: inner attainment expressed in works and assemblies.
Wealth = stored energy and light; assembly = convergence like rivers meeting—faculties unified.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The generation of a famed 'rayi' (wealth) by Rbhu/Vāja powers, crafted by Vibhu and supported by the gods. Innerly, the myth encodes the birth of spiritual prosperity—capacities, luminous resources, and stable force—through perfected inner workmanship, publicly confirmable (pravācya) as an attained state.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √jan 'generate' reflects PIE *ǵenh₁- (Greek gígnomai, Latin gignō). The inherited birth/generation lexicon is applied not only to physical birth but to the arising of inner states (rayi), a hallmark of archaic Indo-European sacral poetry.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The Rishi frames the boon as a product of the deities’ craft and divine support, implying that the worshipper who aligns with these powers becomes 'vicarṣaṇi'—capable across domains. Praise functions as the social-ritual validation of inner attainment: what is realized inwardly is 'to be proclaimed' among the assemblies.
Integrate gains: make inner wealth stable and expressible in speech and action.
vishuddha (proclamation/pravācya) supported by manipura (effective power)
Ujjayi (gentle) to steady speech-energy; brief silent pause before speaking intentions.
Competent, wide, action-ready clarity.
After meditation, name (quietly) the inner gain you wish to stabilize—peace, light, strength. ‘Proclaim’ it inwardly with truth, then offer it to the collective functioning (work, relationships) as vidatha.
Tri-svara; emphasize the public/proclamatory words (pravācyo, vidatheṣu) with clear udātta lift.
Keep pāda breaks crisp; let ‘yaṃ devāso ’vathā’ be slightly softened as a supportive clause, then strengthen at ‘sa vicarṣaṇiḥ’.
ṛbhutaḥ vocalic r̥, vicarṣaṇiḥ retroflex ṣ; final ḥ light, devāso ’vathā: maintain sandhi; don’t separate ‘so’ from ’vathā excessively
Firm, confident, slightly resonant—like a public declaration.
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