Rig Veda 6.49.6: Mandala 6, Sukta 49, Mantra 6
Sukta 6.49
- Devata
- Parjanya and Vāta
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
पर्जन्यवाता वृषभा पृथिव्याः पुरीषाणि जिन्वतमप्यानि । सत्यश्रुतः कवयो यस्य गीर्भिर्जगतः स्थातर्जगदा कृणुध्वम् ॥
párjanya-vātā vṛṣabhā pṛthivyā́ḥ purī́ṣāṇi jinvatam ápyāni | satyá-śrutaḥ kavayo yásya gī́rbhir jágataḥ sthātár jágad ā́ kṛṇudhvam ||
اے پرجنیا اور وات، زمین کے بیل، نمکین دولت کو، اندرونی رس کو جلدی دو۔ اے سچ سننے والے رشیو، جن کے الفاظ سے چلتی دنیا اور ٹھہری ہوئی دنیا ترتیب پاتی ہے، دنیا کو اس کے صحیح ہونے کی طرف بڑھاؤ۔
Word by Word
- पर्जन्यवाता
- O Parjanya and Vāta (rain-god and wind)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचनRole कर्तृRoot पर्जन्य-वात (प्रातिपदिक-द्वन्द्व) अथवा पर्जन्य + वात
- वृषभा
- (you) two bulls / mighty onesNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचनRole कर्तृRoot वृषभ (प्रातिपदिक)
- पृथिव्याः
- of the earthNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root पृथिवी (प्रातिपदिक)
- पुरीषाणि
- richnesses / fertilizing masses (moisture, abundance)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot पुरीष (प्रातिपदिक)
- जिन्वतम्
- impel, quicken (you two)!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, द्विवचन; परस्मैपदRole क्रिया (कर्तृ-आदेश)Root जिव्/जिन्व् (धातु; ‘to quicken, invigorate, set in motion’)
- अप्यानि
- the inmost/hidden (stores)Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (पुरीषाणि इति विशेषणम्)Role कर्म (विशेषण-भावेन)Root अप्य (प्रातिपदिक; ‘inner, inmost, intimate’)
- सत्यश्रुतः
- truth-hearing / of true reportAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (कवयः इति विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृ (विशेषण-भावेन)Root सत्य-श्रुत (समास; ‘true-hearing/true-to-hear’)
- कवयः
- the seers/poetsNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot कवि (प्रातिपदिक)
- यस्य
- whosePronounपुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- गीर्भिः
- with hymnsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole करणRoot गीर्/गिर् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘hymn, song, voice’)
- जगतः
- of the moving world / of all that movesNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- स्थातः
- of the standing (world)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (जगतः इति समन्वयः: ‘of the moving (and) the standing’)Role सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root स्थातृ (प्रातिपदिक; ‘stander’)
- जगदाः
- throughout the world / in the worldIndeclinableअव्यय (क्रियाविशेषणम्)Role अधिकारण/क्रियाविशेषणRoot जगत् (प्रातिपदिक) + आ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) → जगदा (अव्ययीभाव/क्रियाविशेषण-प्रयोगः)
- कृणुध्वम्
- make (it)!, accomplish!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपदRole क्रिया (कर्तृ-आदेश)Root कृ (धातु; ‘to make, do’)
Sandhi Notes
- पाठे ‘पर्ज॑न्यवाता’ इति द्वन्द्व-समासः (पर्जन्य + वात) प्रथमा-द्विवचनम्। ‘जिन्वत॒मप्या॑नि’ इति संहितायां जिन्वतम् + अप्यानि (अकार-सन्धिः; पदच्छेदे स्पष्टम्)। ‘गी॒र्भिर्जग॑तः’ इति गीर्भिः + जगतः (विसर्ग-लोपः/रकारादेशः संहितायाम्)। ‘स्थात॒र्जग॒दा’ इति स्थातः + जगदा (विसर्ग-लोपः; जगदा = जगत् + आ अव्ययभावः ‘जगति/जगत्-आ’ अर्थे)।
The meaning
Outer meaning
A call to Parjanya (rain-cloud) and Vāta (wind), praised as strong bulls of Earth, to stimulate the moist fertilizing richness and hidden waters; and an invocation to the truth-hearing seers whose inspired speech establishes both the moving and the stable worlds, asking them to make the world grow into its right order.
Inner meaning
Parjanya and Vāta become the descending and circulating life-forces that awaken the subconscient’s “moist richness” (purīṣa, apyāni): the sap of hidden vitality and feeling that must be quickened for the inner sacrifice. The “kavayaḥ satyaśrutaḥ” are the illumined faculties (seer-mind) that can hear Satya behind appearances; their mantric speech organizes the inner worlds—mobile energies (jagataḥ) and stable formations (sthātaḥ)—so the being can expand into its true becoming (ā kṛṇudhvam).
Universal truth
True growth is not mere accumulation but an ordered unfolding: when the circulating powers of life are harmonized and the truth-hearing intelligence governs, both change and stability align with Ṛta, and the world—outer and inner—moves toward its right form.
Themes
fertility, rain-wind powers, mantric efficacy, world-ordering speech
The seer
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja Bārhaspatya (hymn tradition)
- Lineage
- Bharadvāja
- Other hymns
- RV 6.47, RV 6.50, RV 6.61
Family tradition
Mandala 6 is predominantly Bharadvāja; the style favors ordering powers (ṛta), inspired speech, and practical yogic-ritual efficacy.
Significance
The Bharadvāja vision often links outer Nature powers to inner operations of force and knowledge; here, life-forces (wind/rain) are subordinated to satya-hearing seerhood that establishes right order.
The deity
- Devata
- Parjanya & Vāta (with address to kavayaḥ as inspired agents)
- Epithets
- vṛṣabhā pṛthivyāḥ (bulls of the earth), satyaśrutaḥ (truth-hearing seers—invoked as agents)
- Related deities
- Indra (release of waters), Apas (inner waters), Bṛhaspati (seer-word ordering worlds)
Cosmic role
Parjanya releases waters and fertility; Vāta moves and distributes; together they sustain terrestrial becoming and atmospheric circulation.
Inner power
Descent (Parjanya) and circulation (Vāta) of prāṇic-psychic energy that awakens hidden rasa; guided by kavi-intuition to organize the moving and stable parts of the being.
In ritual
Where it is used
Invocations allied to rain/fertility and harmonizing atmospheric powers; also general stotra for prosperity and right order.
पर्ज॑न्यवाता वृषभा पृथि॒व्याः पुरी॑षाणि जिन्वत॒मप्या॑नि । सत्य॑श्रुतः कवयो॒ यस्य॑ गी॒र्भिर्जग॑तः स्थात॒र्जग॒दा कृ॑णुध्वम् ॥
पर्ज॑न्यवाता । वृ॒ष॒भा॒ । पृ॒थि॒व्याः । पुरी॑षाणि । जि॒न्व॒त॒म् । अप्या॑नि । सत्य॑ऽश्रुतः । क॒व॒यः॒ । यस्य॑ । गीः॒ऽभिः । जग॑तः । स्था॒तः॒ । जग॑त् । आ । कृ॒णु॒ध्व॒म् ॥
parjanyavātā | vṛṣabhā | pṛthivyāḥ | purīṣāṇi | jinvatam | apyāni | satya-śrutaḥ | kavayaḥ | yasya | gīḥ-bhiḥ | jagataḥ | sthātaḥ | jagat | ā | kṛṇudhvam
44
4 pādas × ~11 syllables
Forward-driving, declarative cadence with strong mid-line lifts typical of triṣṭubh.
Energizes and organizes: suitable for invoking forceful movement (vāta) and descent (parjanya) while keeping mental clarity through measured emphasis.
- पर्जन्य (parjanya)
- Literal: rain-cloud, thunderer. Symbolic: descending plenitude; life-force that releases concealed waters of consciousness
- वात (vāta)
- Literal: wind. Symbolic: circulating prāṇa; dynamic movement that distributes force and clears stagnation
- वृषभा (vṛṣabhā)
- Literal: bulls. Symbolic: strong impellers; virile powers that press forward growth
- पुरीषाणि (purīṣāṇi)
- Literal: moist richness, fertile substance. Symbolic: subconscient nourishment; the raw vital-psychic material to be refined for sādhanā
- अप्यानि (apyāni)
- Literal: waters within, hidden waters. Symbolic: inner sap/essence; latent rasa and energy supporting transformation
- सत्यश्रुतः (satyaśrutaḥ)
- Literal: hearers of truth. Symbolic: faculties attuned to Satya beyond sense-data; intuitive discernment
- कवयः (kavayaḥ)
- Literal: seers, poets. Symbolic: seer-mind (kavi-citta) that shapes reality by mantra
- गीर्भिः (gīrbhiḥ)
- Literal: with utterances/hymns. Symbolic: mantric speech that orders consciousness
- जगतः / स्थातः (jagataḥ/sthātaḥ)
- Literal: moving / standing. Symbolic: mobile energies vs. stable structures in the inner worlds
- आ कृणुध्वम् (ā kṛṇudhvam)
- Literal: make, fashion, bring about. Symbolic: effectuate right becoming; conscious evolution into Ṛta
Used to call rain/wind powers for fertilization and increase; also a meta-poetic affirmation of mantra efficacy—speech that orders moving and stable worlds—thus relevant in rites for prosperity and right establishment.
In soma/seasonal contexts and prayers for increase; adaptable as a general invocation at the opening of inner/outer work.
Recitation to stimulate ‘waters’ and growth; offering with clarified intention (saṅkalpa) for increase and order.
Use as a meditation-prayer before creative work or healing: invoke descent and circulation of energy, then ask the seer-mind to establish right order in one’s life.
parjanya- rain-thunder power (etymology debated; linked to cloud/rain). vāta- from √vā 'blow' → wind. vṛṣabha- 'bull' from √vṛṣ 'to rain, to be virile' (fertilizing force). jinvatam from √jīv/√jinv 'to enliven, set in motion, invigorate'. satya-śruta-: satya 'truth' + śruta 'heard' (√śru 'hear') → truth received in inspiration. jagat- from √gam 'go' → moving world; sthātṛ from √sthā 'stand' → stable world.
Satya as heard revelation (satya-śruta), mantra as world-ordering force (speech and r̥ta), integration of movement and stability
Explicit: the seer-word establishes moving and stable worlds into order; growth is ‘right becoming’.
satyaśrutaḥ—truth is something heard/received by inner audition, not constructed by opinion.
Worlds are ‘set’ by mantra (gīḥ): consciousness shapes manifestation; increase comes by releasing inner waters.
Proto-Vedāntic and Yogic symbolism (Aurobindo/Kashyap line): evolution of consciousness through descent and ordering word.
rainy/monsoon (implied)
Rain = descent of force/bliss/energy; wind = prāṇic circulation; earth = embodied nature; moisture = subconscious nourishment becoming conscious power.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The fertilizing bulls (rain and wind) who quicken Earth’s moist plenitudes, paired with the mythologem of the seer’s word that establishes both the moving and the stable worlds. Nature-powers and mantra-power converge: outer rain becomes inner sap; outer ordering becomes r̥ta in consciousness.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- vāta- from √vā (PIE *h₂weh₁- 'blow') is an IE wind formation (cf. Latin ventus). jagat (√gam 'go') from PIE *gʷem- 'go/come' (cf. Greek βαίνω is different root, but PIE *gʷem- appears in Latin veniō). √sthā (stand) from PIE *steh₂- is pan-IE (Greek ἵστημι, Latin stō). The paired 'moving/standing' is a structural dualism common in archaic cosmologies.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The r̥ṣi appeals to Parjanya–Vāta to increase the Earth’s inner and outer fecundity, while simultaneously invoking the kavayas as truth-hearers whose speech participates in cosmic construction. The relationship is cooperative creation: divine forces provide energy and moisture; inspired speech shapes and stabilizes the ordered world in the human and the cosmos.
Invite descent and circulation: feel a cool, nourishing current descending (parjanya) and a subtle movement distributing it through the system (vāta), then rest in a truth-hearing stillness that orders thoughts and impulses.
Anāhata to Ājñā axis (circulation of prāṇa and ordering by insight)
Nadi-śodhana or slow 1:1 breathing; imagine ‘wind’ smoothing channels and ‘rain’ cooling the heart-mind.
Quietly energized clarity (sattvic activation).
Chant, then sit: (1) receive, (2) circulate, (3) let the seer-mind place moving and stable parts into harmony; end with a resolve for ‘right becoming’ in one concrete action.
Rigvedic svara not fully derivable from provided text; chant in a tri-svara style (udātta rise, anudātta base, svarita fall) with care on marked accents in the Saṃhitā.
Lean slightly on accented syllables (e.g., párajanya-vātā, vṛ́ṣabhā, satyáśrutaḥ); keep pāda breaks clear after apyāni | and gīrbhiḥ.
ṛ in vṛṣabhā is a short vocalic ‘ri’ (not ‘ru’), Keep retroflex ṭ/ḍ absent here; but sustain conjuncts: sthātar (sthā-) clearly, Do not over-nasalize: jinvatam (not jinvantam), Maintain long vowels: pṛthivyāḥ, gīrbhiḥ, ā kṛṇudhvam
Clear, resonant, slightly forceful on imperatives (jinvatam, ā kṛṇudhvam).
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