Rig Veda 7.23.4: Mandala 7, Sukta 23, Mantra 4
Sukta 7.23
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
आपश्चित्पिप्युः स्तर्यो न गावो नक्षन्नृतं जरितारस्त इन्द्र । याहि वायुर्न नियुतो नो अच्छा त्वं हि धीभिर्दयसे वि वाजान् ॥
ā́paś cit pipyuḥ staryò na gā́vo nákṣann ṛtáṃ jaritā́ras ta indra | yā́hi vāyúr na niyúto no ácchā tváṃ hí dhībhír dáyase ví vājā́n ||
حتیٰ کہ پانی بھر گئے ہیں، گائیں جیسے چیخیں مارتے ہوئے، سچائی تک پہنچتے ہیں، اے اندر! اسی طرح تیرے تعریف کرنے والے صحیح قانون تک پہنچ گئے ہیں۔ اپنی جوتے ہوئے طاقتوں کے ساتھ ہمارے پاس وایو کی طرح آ، کیونکہ تو روشن خیالی کے خیالات سے طاقت کی فراوانی تقسیم کرتا ہے۔
Word by Word
- आपः
- watersNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot आप् (प्रातिपदिक ‘आप्’)
- चित्
- even, indeedIndeclinableनिपात (अव्यय)Root चित् (निपात)
- पिप्युः
- have become full / have swelledVerbलिट् (परस्मैपद); ३ पुरुष; बहुवचनRoot प्यै/पि (धातु: ‘प्याय्/प्यै’ = to swell, be full)
- स्तर्यः
- barren (unproductive)Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन (गावः के विशेषण)Role कर्तृ (गावः के साथ)Root स्तर्य (प्रातिपदिक; ‘स्तर’/‘स्तृ’ से, ‘बाँझ/अनुत्पादक’ अर्थ में वैदिक)
- न
- not, like (contextual)IndeclinableनिषेधRoot न (निपात)
- गावः
- cowsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot गो (प्रातिपदिक)
- नक्षन्
- reached, attainedVerbलुङ् (आगम-रहित/वैदिक); ३ पुरुष; बहुवचनRoot नश् (धातु: to reach, attain)
- ऋतम्
- ṛta (truth/cosmic order)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्मRoot ऋत (प्रातिपदिक)
- जरितारः
- praisers, singersNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot जरितृ (प्रातिपदिक; √जृ/जर् ‘to sing/praise’ से ‘स्तुतिकर्ता’)
- ते
- of you, yourPronounषष्ठी एकवचन (एन्क्लिटिक ‘ते’ = तव)Role सम्बन्धRoot त्वद् (सर्वनाम)
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- याहि
- come! go!Verbलोट्; मध्यम पुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपदRoot या (धातु: to go)
- वायुः
- Vāyu (Wind-god)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनRole कर्तृ (उपमान/तुलना में)Root वायु (प्रातिपदिक)
- न
- likeIndeclinableउपमार्थकRoot न (उपमा-निपात)
- नियुतः
- yoked teams / harnessed pairsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन (वैदिक: ‘नियुत्’ = युग/रथ-युक्ति, विशेषतः वायोः)Role कर्तृ (उपमान में)Root नियुत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- नः
- our, of usPronounषष्ठी बहुवचन (एन्क्लिटिक)Role सम्बन्धRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- अच्छा
- towards, hitherIndeclinableगत्यर्थक अव्ययRole अधिकरण/दिशा (गमन-लक्ष्य)Root अच्छा (अव्यय)
- त्वम्
- youPronounप्रथमा एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- हि
- for, indeedIndeclinableहेतौ/निश्चयार्थ निपातRoot हि (निपात)
- धीभिः
- with insights/prayersNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया बहुवचनRole करणRoot धी (प्रातिपदिक)
- दयसे
- you distribute / you grantVerbलट्; मध्यम पुरुष; एकवचन; आत्मनेपदRoot दया/दय् (धातु: to give, apportion; वैदिक प्रयोग)
- वि
- apart, widely, forthIndeclinableउपसर्ग (विभाग/विशेषार्थ)Root वि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- वाजान्
- prizes, strengths, spoils (victorious gains)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot वाज (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- संहिता-पाठ से पद-विभाग: आपः+चित् (आप॑श्चित्)
- पिप्युः (स्वतन्त्र)
- स्तर्यः+न (स्त॒र्यो॒ न)
- गावः+नक्षन् (गावो॒ नक्ष॑न्)
- ऋतम् (स्वतन्त्र)
- जरितारः+ते (जरि॒तार॑स्ते)
- इन्द्र (सम्बोधन)
- याहि (स्वतन्त्र)
- वायुः+न (वा॒युर्न)
- नियुतः+नः (नि॒युतो॑ नो)
- अच्छा (स्वतन्त्र)
- त्वम्+हि (त्वं हि)
- धीभिः (स्वतन्त्र)
- दयसे (स्वतन्त्र)
- वि+वाजान् (वि वाजा॑न्). उच्चारण-चिह्न (उदात्त/स्वरित) संहिता के अनुसार रखे गए हैं
- पद-रूप सामान्यतः अनुदात्त-आधार में दिए गए।
The meaning
Outer meaning
Even the waters have swollen like lowing cows and reached the Truth; so have Indra’s praisers reached the right law. Come to us like Vāyu with yoked teams; for by inspired thoughts you distribute the prizes/strengths.
Inner meaning
The ‘waters’ are the flowing currents of consciousness; when they swell, they become abundant inspiration. Like cows (rays) they move toward ṛta—truth-order—and reach it. The praisers (inner faculties that affirm the divine) likewise arrive at right law through aspiration. Indra is asked to come with the swift, yoked powers like Vāyu (life-breath), because by dhī (illumined thought) he apportions vāja—plenitudes of force and accomplishment.
Universal truth
When inner energies and inspirations are allowed to widen and flow toward truth, life-force and illumination arrive together, and our capacities are rightly distributed and empowered.
Themes
R̥ta, Invocation, Waters symbolism, Distribution of vāja
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha (Maitrāvaruṇa)
- Other hymns
- RV 7.47 (waters), RV 7.49 (waters), RV 7.60 (ṛta themes)
Family tradition
A lineage emphasizing harmony of waters (inspiration), law (ṛta), and effective force (vāja) through right invocation.
Significance
Vasiṣṭha often joins the imagery of waters and ṛta: inspiration must not remain vague but arrive at right order and effective distribution in life.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- dayālu (gracious), vṛtrahan, maghavan, dhīpati (lord of insight, implied)
- Related deities
- Vāyu, Soma, Sarasvatī, Varuṇa
Cosmic role
Releases and directs the waters of inspiration toward ṛta; grants vāja (effective powers) through illumined discernment.
Inner power
A luminous distributor: turns inspiration into organized strength and right action; arrives with prāṇic swiftness when energies are yoked.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra stotra in Soma rites; water imagery resonates with Soma flow and release motifs
आप॑श्चित्पिप्युः स्त॒र्यो॒३॒॑ न गावो॒ नक्ष॑न्नृ॒तं ज॑रि॒तार॑स्त इन्द्र । या॒हि वा॒युर्न नि॒युतो॑ नो॒ अच्छा॒ त्वं हि धी॒भिर्दय॑से॒ वि वाजा॑न् ॥
आपः॑ । चि॒त् । पि॒प्युः॒ । स्त॒र्यः॑ । न । गावः॑ । नक्ष॑न् । ऋ॒तम् । ज॒रि॒तारः॑ । ते॒ । इ॒न्द्र॒ । या॒हि । वा॒युः । न । नि॒ऽयुतः॑ । नः॒ । अच्छ॑ । त्वम् । हि । धी॒ऽभिः । दय॑से । वि । वाजा॑न् ॥
āpaḥ | cit | pipyuḥ | staryaḥ | na | gāvaḥ | nakṣan | ṛtam | jaritāraḥ | te | indra | yāhi | vāyuḥ | na | ni-yutaḥ | naḥ | accha | tvam | hi | dhī-bhiḥ | dayase | vi | vājān
44
4 × ~11
Flowing first half (waters/cows), then swift imperative (yāhi) and distributive closure (vi vājān).
Combines calm abundance with energizing summoning; helps inspiration become actionable strength.
- आपः (āpaḥ)
- Literal: waters. Symbolic: currents of consciousness; inspired flow and delight-bearing energies
- गावः (gāvaḥ)
- Literal: cows. Symbolic: rays of light/knowledge that ‘low’ as awakening intuition
- ऋतम् (ṛtam)
- Literal: truth, right order. Symbolic: the law of harmony in consciousness; right alignment
- जरितारः (jaritāraḥ)
- Literal: praisers/singers. Symbolic: aspiring powers in the being that affirm and call the divine
- वायुः (vāyuḥ)
- Literal: wind. Symbolic: prāṇa/life-force, swift carrier of offerings and powers
- नियुतः (niyutaḥ)
- Literal: yoked teams. Symbolic: disciplined harnessed energies (prāṇa under control)
- धीभिः (dhībhiḥ)
- Literal: by thoughts/insights. Symbolic: illumined intelligence (dhī) that knows and apportions rightly
- वाजान् (vājān)
- Literal: prizes, strengths. Symbolic: plenitudes of power, capacities, effective energies in life
Invitation (āhvāna) to Indra during Soma; emphasizes r̥ta-attainment and the granting of vāja through dhī.
During offerings seeking abundance, right order, and victory
Recitation accompanying oblations; symbolic ‘calling’ of Indra’s approach
For creative work and decision-making: invoke flowing inspiration (āpaḥ) and its conversion into effective outcomes (vājāḥ).
(waters) often symbolize flowing powers of consciousness. from √pyā 'swell' indicates fullness. √naś 'reach' (nakṣan) is attainment. (√ṛ 'fit, right') is right order/truth in movement. (ni-√yut 'yoke, bind') controlled teams/energies. from √dhī 'think, perceive' is illumined thought. from √vaj/√vāj 'be strong, impel' supports reading as plenitude of force, not merely 'food/prize'.
R̥ta attainment, Dhī (illumined thought) as instrument of divine giving, Vāja as plenitude of force
Waters and rays ‘arrive’ at ṛta—movement of consciousness toward right order.
Ṛta as operational truth—truth that organizes life-force and results.
From undifferentiated flow (waters) to ordered manifestation (ṛta) and accomplished power (vāja).
Vedic psychology: inspiration (āpaḥ) guided by dhī into effective force.
Waters = creative/intuitive flow; cows = rays of insight; wind = prāṇa; reaching ṛta = alignment; vāja = empowered capacities in action.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Waters/cows reaching r̥ta and Indra’s bestowal of vāja: mythically the cosmic waters swell and the god comes swiftly; psychologically the inner currents of being fill and reach right order, and Indra distributes force-plenitudes through illumined thought.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √naś 'reach' corresponds to IE *nes-/*nek- 'attain' (cognation debated but Indo-Iranian shows inherited attainment verbs). √dhī relates to cognitive roots around PIE *dʰeh1-? (not direct); however the semantic field of thought/vision is central to IE poetics. √pyā 'swell' has Indo-Iranian parallels (Avestan pī- 'swell' attested).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The praisers claim alignment with r̥ta (nakṣann ṛtam), thereby legitimizing the request: Indra is asked to come swiftly and, in response to dhī (illumined intelligence), to apportion vāja—empowering capacities needed for the inner work.
Let the ‘waters’ swell: allow thoughts to become a clear stream; then invite Indra to distribute strength through dhī.
svādhiṣṭhāna (flow) harmonized with ājñā (insight)
Nāḍī-śodhana (6 rounds) to ‘yoke’ niyut; then chant once
Flowing clarity; inspired order
After chanting, write one sentence of ‘ṛta’: the most true next action. Then act on it within the day as the offered vāja.
Let udātta rise on āpaḥ, ṛtam, indra, yāhi, dhībhir, vājān; keep the flow unbroken in pāda 1.
Pāda 3 is an imperative—slightly quicker; pāda 4 should broaden on vi vājān.
: sta-ryaḥ (cluster st), : nakṣan (kṣ), : ṛ-tam (vocalic ṛ), : ni-yu-to (yu clear), : dhī-bhir-da-ya-se (dhī long)
Fluid, bright, and open-throated; avoid harshness.
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