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Dhammapada · narration sample

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Rig Veda · 333 of 1027

Mandala 4: HYMN XXXVII. Ṛbhus.

1.COME to our sacrifice, Vājas, Ṛbhukṣans, Gods, by the paths which Gods are wont to travel, As ye, gay Gods, accept in splendid weather the sacrifice among these folk of Manus.

2.May these rites please you in your heart and spirit; may the drops clothed in oil this day approach you. May the abundant juices bear you onward to power and strength, and, when imbibed, delight you.

3.Your threefold going near is God-appointed, so praise is given you, Vājas and Ṛbhukṣans. So, Manus-like, mid younger folk I offer, to you who are aloft in heaven, the Soma.

4.Strong, with fair chains of gold and jaws of iron, ye have a splendid car and well-fed horses. Ye Sons of Strength, ye progeny of Indra, to you the best is offered to delight you.

5.Ṛbhukṣans! him, for handy wealth, the mightiest comrade in the fight, Him, Indra’s equal, we invoke, most bounteous ever, rich in steeds.

6.The mortal man whom, Ṛbhus, ye and Indra favour with your help, Must be successful, by his thoughts, at sacrifice and with the steed.

7.O Vājas and Ṛbhukṣans, free for us the paths to sacrifice, Ye Princes, lauded, that we may press forward to each point of heaven.

8.O Vājas and Ṛbhukṣans, ye Nāsatyas, Indra, bless this wealth, And, before other men’s, the steed, that ample riches may be won.

Asked of Guide

Why does the hymn call the Ṛbhus both 'Vājas' and 'Ṛbhukṣans' and link them with Indra?

The hymn names the Ṛbhus as Vājas and Ṛbhukṣans to stress their role as givers of wealth and skilled craftsmen: “Strong, with fair chains of gold and jaws of iron,” they bring splendid cars and well-fed horses, tangible signs of prosperity. Calling them Nāsatyas and pairing them with Indra ties their generous, salvific function to Indra’s warrior-aspect, making them co-agents who bless mortals with success at sacrifice and victory in battle.

That linkage frames the ritual request: the sacrificer asks these gods to “free for us the paths to sacrifice” so offerings reach heaven and yield rewards—riches and the steed—through divine favour. The hymn echoes other Rigveda passages where Indra’s meteoric power and the Ṛbhus’ crafts combine to transform offerings into cosmic and social gain.

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