Ṛgveda · Maṇḍala 1 · Sūkta 40

Ṛk 1.40.1

Brahmaṇaspati · Kaṇva Ghaura

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Saṃhitā

उत्ति॑ष्ठ ब्रह्मणस्पते देव॒यंत॑स्त्वेमहे ।
उप॒ प्र यं॑तु म॒रुतः॑ सु॒दान॑व॒ इंद्र॑ प्रा॒शूर्भ॑वा॒ सचा॑ ॥

उत् तिष्ठ ब्रह्मणस् पते देवयन्तस् त्वेमहे |
उप प्र यन्तु मरुतः सुदानव इन्द्र प्राशूर् भवा सचा ||

úttiṣṭha brahmaṇaspate devayántastvemahe ǀ
úpa prá yantu marútaḥ sudā́nava índra prāśū́rbhavā sácā ǁ

ut tiṣṭha brahmaṇas pate devayantas tvemahe |
upa pra yantu marutaḥ sudānava indra prāśūr bhavā sacā ||

Padapāṭha

उत् । ति॒ष्ठ॒ । ब्र॒ह्म॒णः॒ । प॒ते॒ । दे॒व॒ऽयन्तः॑ । त्वा॒ । ई॒म॒हे॒ ।
उप॑ । प्र । य॒न्तु॒ । म॒रुतः॑ । सु॒ऽदान॑वः । इन्द्र॑ । प्रा॒शूः । भ॒व॒ । सचा॑ ॥

उत् । तिष्ठ । ब्रह्मणः । पते । देवऽयन्तः । त्वा । ईमहे ।
उप । प्र । यन्तु । मरुतः । सुऽदानवः । इन्द्र । प्राशूः । भव । सचा ॥

út ǀ tiṣṭha ǀ brahmaṇaḥ ǀ pate ǀ deva-yántaḥ ǀ tvā ǀ īmahe ǀ
úpa ǀ prá ǀ yantu ǀ marútaḥ ǀ su-dā́navaḥ ǀ índra ǀ prāśū́ḥ ǀ bhava ǀ sácā ǁ

ut ǀ tiṣṭha ǀ brahmaṇaḥ ǀ pate ǀ deva-yantaḥ ǀ tvā ǀ īmahe ǀ
upa ǀ pra ǀ yantu ǀ marutaḥ ǀ su-dānavaḥ ǀ indra ǀ prāśūḥ ǀ bhava ǀ sacā ǁ

References

Maṇḍala · Sūkta · Ṛk
01.040.01
Aṣṭaka · Adhyāya · Varga · Ṛk
1.3.20.01
Maṇḍala · Anuvāka · Ṛk
01.08.061
Devatā देवता
Brahmaṇaspati
Ṛṣi ऋषि
Kaṇva Ghaura
Chandas छन्दस्
Bṛhatī, Satobṛhatī
Svara स्वरः
मध्यमः

Text and interpretations from the Ṛgveda database of theveda.org.in.

Ṛgveda 1.40.1

Interpretations

Kapali Shastri

Introduction

Though Deities like Agni, Indra are mentioned both in the Veda and in the Puranas, there is a difference in their form, function, abode etc. The very names of some of the Deities of the Veda are heard in the Puranas, Brahmanaspati being one, for instance. Brahmanaspati of the Veda appears in the Tantra Yoga in the form of Ganapati, presiding over parā vāk with his abode in the Muladhara Chakra. Verily he is the Elephant-Om-faced God, Ganapati, worshipped in the Puranas.

In the Veda the three terms - Brahmanaspati, Brihaspati and Brahma – relate to one Deity. In the Veda Brahma stands also for Mantra, Brahma presides over it. Vak, speech, is the creator of the universe. This is not the original intense Vibration, spanda. It is the Power that manifests in Word, the truth seen or intuited in the heart of the creature. The meaningful sound thus expresed is the Vedic Mantra known by the term Brahma. This is the metrical speech by which the universe is impelled from within and without and goes on incessantly.

Though the Infinite Consciousness designated by Saccidananda upholds the universe from its supreme superconscious station, yet it enters the Inconscient and works to release the concealed truths of existence from the insentient waters and lead them upwards in manifestation. This Conscious ness that manifests thus is the Word signified by Brahma. Thus it is that the soul, the being, rising upward in man is called Brahma manifesting as Knowledge-Power in God and Man.

Brahma stresses on the soul-power manifested by the word, not the word itself.

This creative Power manifest as the Word of rhythm in the awakened man on planes above the physical, vital and the mental, is Brahma; its lord is Brihaspati. Brihaspati points to the preeminence of the creative Word - not so much the divine Power which is the base of the creative Word.

Thus one Deity having two constituents is designated by the two terms: Brahma and Brihaspati. Both the elements are coordinated, harmonised and unified in Brahmanaspati.

This is how these three names denote one Deity.

Brihaspati gives to the Gods, especially Indra, the Word enwombed with Knowledge, manifesting the higher Consciousness – Indra being the King of the Gods of the triple world, Lord of the Divine Mind. Brihaspati aids the Maruts. Hence the praise of Brahmanaspati along with the Maruts or with Indra.

Brahmanaspati is stationed within man, as if asleep. In this hymn, there is first a prayer to him to awake. By the power of his Word, the happy speech of truth, the Maruts, Indra, Mitra, Varuna, Aryama and other Gods take their positions in the sacrificer. He himself takes his dwelling in the sacrificer.

Translation

With the rising of Brahmanaspati, the other Gods begin to come. The Rishi prays for their swift arrival.

Commentary

Rise up, Brahmanaspati; aspiring for Gods, we beseech thee. May Maruts with auspicious gifts come hither. O Indra, be swift (to come) with him.