Rig Veda 4.36.3: Mandala 4, Sukta 36, Mantra 3
Sukta 4.36
- Rishi
- Rbhus cycle poet
- Devata
- Rbhus and Vāja
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
तद्वो वाजा ऋभवः सुप्रवाचनं देवेषु विभ्वो अभवन्महित्वनम् । जिव्री यत्सन्ता पितरा सनाजुरा पुनर्युवाना चरथाय तक्षथ ॥
tád vo vājā ṛbhavaḥ su-pravācanáṃ devéṣu vi-bhvo abhavan mahitvanám | jivrī́ yát sántā pitarā́ sanā́jurā púnar yúvānā caráthāya tákṣatha ||
Đó chính là uy lực vĩ đại của các ngươi giữa chư thần, điều đáng được xướng tụng—hỡi Vāja và các Rbhu, hỡi Vibhu: dẫu cha mẹ các ngươi đã già, các ngươi vẫn tạo tác họ trở lại tuổi trẻ, thích hợp cho bước đi và cho cuộc hành trình.
Word by Word
- तत्
- that (deed/thing)Pronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वः
- of you / yourPronounषष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- वाजाः
- prizes; strengthsNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot वाज (प्रातिपदिक)
- ऋभवः
- the RbhusNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot ऋभु (प्रातिपदिक)
- सुप्रवाचनम्
- well-to-be-spoken; excellent utterance/praiseAdjective/Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot सु-प्र-वाच् (प्रातिपदिक: सुप्रवाचन)
- देवेषु
- among the godsNounपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- विभ्वो
- O Vibhu (all-pervading one)Noun (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole SambodhanaRoot विभ्वन्/विभ्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- अभवन्
- they becameVerbलुङ् (अorist/preterite), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole KriyāRoot भू (धातु)
- महित्वनम्
- greatness; mighty powerNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot महित्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- जिव्री
- the (aged) woman Jivrī (name/epithet)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot जिव्री (प्रातिपदिक; RV-विशेष)
- यत्
- which (that which)Relative pronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot यद् (सर्वनाम)
- सन्ता
- being; existing (two)Participleपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचनRole KartāRoot सत् (कृदन्त: √अस्)
- पितरा
- the two parentsNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचनRole KartāRoot पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- सनाजुरा
- very old; long-aged (two)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचनRole KartāRoot सनाजुर (प्रातिपदिक; RV-विशेष)
- पुनः
- againIndeclinableअव्ययRole AdverbRoot पुनः (अव्यय)
- युवाना
- young (two)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचनRole KartāRoot युवन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- चरथाय
- for going/moving; for the course (of life)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot चरथ (प्रातिपदिक)
- तक्षथ
- you fashioned; you madeVerbलिट्/लट्-प्रयोग (RV-प्रयोग), मध्यमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole KriyāRoot तक्ष् (धातु)
Sandhi Notes
- तद्वो → तत् + वः। सुप्रवाच॒नं दे॒वेषु॑ → सुप्रवाचनम् + देवेषु (म् + द् → ं द्)
- अभवन्महित्व॒नम् → अभवन् + महित्वनम् (न् + म्)
- जिव्री॒ यत्सन्ता॑ → जिव्री + यत् + सन्ता (त् + स् → त्स्)
- पि॒तरा॑ सना॒जुरा॒ → पितरा + सनाजुरा (पदच्छेद)
- पुन॒र्युवा॑ना → पुनः + युवाना (ः + य् → र्य्)
- चरथा॑य॒ तक्ष॑थ → चरथाय + तक्षथ (पदच्छेद)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Your greatness among the gods is worthy of fine proclamation, O Vāja and Rbhus (Vibhu): though your parents were old, you made them young again, fit to move and to journey.
Inner meaning
The ‘parents’ are the foundational powers that gave birth to our present nature—habitual mind and life formed in the past (old, worn). The Rbhus’ marvel is rejuvenation: they renew the original instruments so they become plastic, mobile, and capable of progress (carathāya). Vāja adds the victorious impetus and increase. This is a key yogic act: not merely suppressing the old nature but re-casting it into youthful capacity for the divine journey.
Universal truth
True renewal is possible: what is aged by repetition can be made young by higher skill and conscious force, restoring mobility, hope, and forward movement in life.
Themes
Renewal, Divine craftsmanship, Transformation of the old nature, Mythic wonder
The seer
- Rishi
- Rbhus cycle poet
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 4.33, Rig Veda 4.34, Rig Veda 4.35, Rig Veda 4.36, Rig Veda 4.37
Family tradition
A tradition of hymns celebrating divine craftsmanship as inner yoga: perfection through dhī (thought-force) and takṣa (shaping).
Significance
The seer presents transformation as rejuvenation: the old bases of nature can be remade for the onward journey, a central promise of the Vedic path.
The deity
- Devata
- Vāja, Rbhus (with Vibhu)
- Epithets
- vibhvaḥ (all-pervading), takṣaṇāḥ (fashioners, implied)
- Related deities
- Sarasvatī (inspiration and right speech for ‘supravācanam’), Agni (transformative will)
Cosmic role
Agents of renewal and perfection; they restore the powers that support cosmic and human evolution, enabling movement in ṛta.
Inner power
Rejuvenating tapas: entering old formations and re-casting them into youthful, progressive capacities.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma context within Rbhus hymns; praise to secure their aid and presence
तद्वो॑ वाजा ऋभवः सुप्रवाच॒नं दे॒वेषु॑ विभ्वो अभवन्महित्व॒नम् । जिव्री॒ यत्सन्ता॑ पि॒तरा॑ सना॒जुरा॒ पुन॒र्युवा॑ना च॒रथा॑य॒ तक्ष॑थ ॥
तत् । वः॒ । वा॒जाः॒ । ऋ॒भ॒वः॒ । सु॒ऽप्र॒वा॒च॒नम् । दे॒वेषु॑ । वि॒ऽभ्वः॒ । अ॒भ॒व॒त् । म॒हि॒ऽत्व॒नम् । जिव्री॒ इति॑ । यत् । सन्ता॑ । पि॒तरा॑ । स॒ना॒ऽजुरा॑ । पुनः॑ । युवा॑ना । च॒रथा॑य । तक्ष॑थ ॥
tat | vaḥ | vājāḥ | ṛbhavaḥ | su-pravācanam | deveṣu | vi-bhvaḥ | abhavat | mah i-tvanam | jivrī iti | yat | santā | pitarā | sanājurā | punaḥ | yuvānā | carathāya | takṣatha
44
4 x ~11
Declarative and triumphant; suited to proclaiming a ‘deed of greatness’.
Instills confidence in renewal; energizes aspiration for forward movement.
- सुप्रवाचनम् (supravācanam)
- Literal: well-proclaimable. Symbolic: a truth that can be clearly affirmed in consciousness; luminous achievement
- महित्वनम् (mahitvanam)
- Literal: greatness. Symbolic: spiritual magnitude—effective power to transform nature
- पितरा (pitarā)
- Literal: parents. Symbolic: originating formations: inherited tendencies, foundational mind-life structures
- सना-जुरा (sanā-jurā)
- Literal: very old, long-aged. Symbolic: habit-energy of the past; worn grooves of nature
- पुनः युवााना (punaḥ yuvānā)
- Literal: again youthful. Symbolic: renewed faculties—fresh receptivity and plasticity
- चरथाय (carathāya)
- Literal: for movement/journey. Symbolic: fitness for the path; dynamic progress of consciousness
- तक्षथ (takṣatha)
- Literal: you fashioned. Symbolic: conscious crafting—yogic reshaping, not accidental change
- विभ्वः (vibhvaḥ)
- Literal: Vibhu, the pervading one. Symbolic: all-pervading formative power that can enter every part of nature
Praise of Rbhu feats as a merit-statement (stuti) preceding requests/offerings in Soma rite.
Recited with offerings/praise during Soma rites or deity-invocation sequences.
Stotra-like proclamation of their mahitva to invite cooperation.
For life-transitions and burnout: chant as an affirmation of inner rejuvenation—making the ‘old’ faculties young again.
takṣatha < √takṣ 'to fashion, carpent, form' (PIE *teks- 'to weave/build', cf. Greek téktōn 'builder'). sanājurā 'aged from of old' (sanā 'of old' + jūr 'worn/aged' related to √jṝ 'to grow old'). The 'parents made young' is a classic Rbhu motif: renewal of old forms into new vitality—psychologically, rejuvenation of inherited nature by luminous craft.
Rejuvenation of nature (transformation of the conditioned into the luminous), R̥ta as progressive perfection (crafting into right form)
‘Fit for movement’ aligns with ṛta as right-going journey of consciousness.
Renewal is not denial but a truer becoming of the same powers.
Re-creation (punar-janman of capacities) as a divine act within evolution.
Yoga of transformation (Aurobindo: psychic and spiritual renewal of nature)
spring (suggestive of rejuvenation)
Spring/youth = fresh prāṇa and renewed mind; journey = progressive ascent of consciousness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The Rbhus’ signature marvel: rejuvenating their aged parents into youth. Innerly, this encodes the transformation of the 'old' embodied/inherited formations (habits, limits, fatigued energies) into a renewed capacity for the soul’s movement (carathāya), accomplished by the luminous artisan-force (√takṣ).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √takṣ 'to fashion' is a transparent Indo-European inheritance (PIE *teks-), with cognates indicating craft/building. The persistence of this root underlines the Indo-European poetic theme of the 'divine craftsman' who refashions reality—here spiritualized into inner renewal.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The Rishi’s speech establishes the Rbhus’ authority among the gods by citing their transformative act; the hymn thereby legitimizes asking them to perform analogous transformation in the worshipper—renewing worn capacities into youthful, journey-fit powers.
Rejuvenation of tired faculties—renew mind and life-force for the path.
manipura (renewed dynamism) supported by ajna (right recasting)
3-part yogic breathing (dirgha) emphasizing exhale-release of ‘oldness’ and inhale of freshness.
Hopeful dynamism; sense of ‘new beginning’ within the same life.
Offer the sense of fatigue/age inwardly; invoke the artisan-force to re-form it. Visualize the ‘old parents’ (habit patterns) becoming young—responsive, mobile, eager for the journey.
Tri-svara recitation; lift on देवेषु, महित्वनम्, पुनः, युवााना to mark proclamation and renewal.
Let ‘tad vo… supravācanam’ be clearly articulated as the thesis; keep ‘punaḥ yuvānā’ gently emphasized.
vibhvo with bhv cluster—keep aspiration, jivrī pronounce ji-vrī with clear v, takṣatha with retroflex ṣ—tongue curled slightly back
Proclamatory yet smooth; a confident narrative tone.
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.
