Rg Veda Mandala 2 Suktas 23-26 Brhaspati

 

1: Prologue

·      The Rg Veda Family Books are the earliest, written, documented writing and are considered the basis and roots of modern-day Hinduism. The mantras from these books are still chanted,

·      Thanks to Internet and AI, we can access the Rg Veda hymns through an online Apps (example, Vedapath) based on Rg Veda Samhita Patha consisting of 1028 hymns (1017 regular hymns, 11 valakhilya hymns).

·      All content in this writing is based entirely on the written words in Rg Veda mandala 2 (Sage Grtsamada).

·      I’ve truly tried to hear and read the words and phrases the way the Indo-aaryans may have uttered and intended for the words to be heard.

2: Key Concepts related to the early Aaryans

·      Generally, there is an understanding that there are 3 levels to every key word in the Rg Veda: the Concept, the outer expression in the manifest world, and the inner expression in human mind.

·      Common suffixes to etymological roots seen are ~tr, ~na, ~as, ~man, ~pati, ~wati, ~ti, ~ni

·      Letters such as ‘pa’ (to protect) can be either a root, a prefix or a noun element, or a phonetic syllable

·      Combination letters such as ‘tr’ can mean “to cross”, as a suffix means “maker/doer”. For example, Tvashtr means “The Maker.” Tvasht: to shape, to carve. tr: the one 

·      The below key concepts are some words and phrases of interest in the hymns to Brhaspati in Rg Veda Mandala 2 Suktas 23-26  (RV 2 M 2 S23-26).

·      Brhaspati is addressed to the “Lord of hymns”. He is also addressed as Ganapati (RV 2.23.1) and Haraswati (Saraswati) (RV 2.23.6)

·      In these hymns the Indo-aaryans call on Brhaspati to destroy enemies in. However, notable, the weapon is indicated as speech and positive affirmations and thoughts.

·      Separate entities from the Adityas are Tvashtr (Divine craftsman (forged Indra’s thunderbolt)), Brhspati / Angirasa (Protector of sacred hymns), Indr (Controller/Dynamic Power), Agni (Dynamic Energy/Will power/Fire), Haraswati/Saraswati (River, Infinite radiant Self), Prithvi (Earth), Usas (Dawn)

·      Dev, Devi:

o   Dev/Devi stems from a root meaning “shining”, “light”. Dev was not a deified God as in the modern-day sense. There are no indications to temples.

o   In the family books there is no mention of Gods such as modern-day Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva.

o   The Aaryan's were said to be primarily animistic. There were no temples, no deities. Worship was to fire and through fire to Devs.

o   A good way to understand the Deva or Devi and the related principle is to examine the etymological roots of the Dev’s name. The names of the Devas and Devis are indicative of their function.

o   Many Aaryan Devs such as Indr, Varun, Saraswati, Bhag had their roles and powers demoted around the time of the start of CE and during the Puranic period. New Gods were created, deified.

·      Aditi:

o   Aditi translates to boundless, undifferentiated matrix, the whole.

o   From unordering (Aditi) arises a natural ordering Rt and governed by her offspring Varun.

o   Aditya's (solar Devs) were offspring of Aditi. In the Family books, the only named Adityas are Mitr, Savitr, Varun, Aryaman, Bhag, Daksh, Amsh.

§  Although not in these hymns, it may be useful to know the translated names of the 7 aforementioned Adityas.

§  Mitr: Mi: to join ~tr: the one

§  Savitr: Su: to impel

§  Varun: Vr: to surround

§  Bhag: bhag: to share

§  Daksh: Skill

§  Amsh: Portion

·      Agni:

o   Agni is written as the first born of Aditi. Agni is identified with Aditi, not separate.

o   He is often invoked with Brhaspati

o   Aditi is the whole, freedom and Agni is the fire within the whole.

o   Agni is called the navel of Aditi (Aditr nabhih) in other sections of RV 2.

o   Dev Agni has a special place with dual birth in both heavens and earth. Therefore, offerings to Agni were offerings to Devs.

·      Rt:

o   Rt is a key concept and means the natural order of things. Many of the Devs functions are to help establish (Indr), support (Mitr), and govern (Varun) Rt.

o    In later centuries, Rt forms the basis of the concept of dharma.

·      Varuna:

o   Both Conceptual and Deva. Governs cosmic law or Rt.

·      Tvastr  त्वष्टृ

o   It is written in RV 2.23.17, Tvastr created Brhmansspati

o   RV 2.1.5

§  त्वमग्ने त्वष्टा विधते सुवीर्यं

§  tvam agne tvaṣṭā vidhate suvīryam

§  Agni you are Tvashtr increasing/granting strength

o   RV 2.23.17:

§   Brahmanaspate is said to be created and fashioned by Tvastr

o   Tvastr is the divine artisan already existing, and his birth is not described or mentioned in the family books.

·      Brhman | Brhaspati | Brhmanaspati: ब्रह्मन् बृहस्पति

o   Brhman translates to sacred hymn or mantra

§  Brhm: etymological root translates to hymn

§  Brh/Brhm: “to grow” or “to expand” + man: “that” + pati : “Protector”.

§  The Sanskrit etymological roots of pati  are two (1) pa for protector and (2) to fall (verb).

o   RV 2.23.1

§  In this opening hymn, Brhaspati is addressed as Ganapati

§  गणानां त्वा गणपतिं हवामहे कविं कवीनामुपमश्रवस्तमम्

§  Ganaanaam tva Ganapatim havamahe kavi kavinaam upram shrvastavam

o   Brhaspati is the Protector of the sacred hymn and is not described as an Aditya in any of the earliest books. He is, however, mentioned alongside Aangirasa, a priestly power of speech (brahman)

o   Brhaspati is created by Tvastr

§  विश्वेभ्यो हि त्वा भुवनेभ्यस्परि त्वष्टाजनत्साम्नःसाम्नः कविः 

§  víśvebhyo hí tvā bhúvanebhyaḥs párí tváṣṭā́ janat sāmnáḥ-sāmnaḥ kavíḥ 

§  For all the worlds indeed, for the world completely, Tvashtr created you, the Seer of chant upon chant

o   Brhaspati is addressed as Haraswati (Saraswati) RV 2.23.8

o   In the Family books the meaning of Brahman differs greatly from later Hinduism of an all-encompassing Brahman.

o   Sravas: in Rg Veda family books the stem srava means glory or fame about someone.

o   RV 2.23.2

§  उस्रा इव सूर्यो ज्योतिषा महो विश्वेषामिज्जनिता ब्रह्मणामसि 

§  Usra iva suryo jyotisha maho vishvesh amijjanita brahmnamasi

§  Like at the dawn the Suns light is wondrous and great, you are the source of all prayers

§  In RV 2.23.2 the sanskrit word प्रचेतसो pra-chetaso is a homonym and it means indeed. If cit  forms nouns like citta, cetas  then it’s the root “to perceive”

o   RV 2.23.6

§  त्वं नो गोपाः पथिकृद्विचक्षणस्तव व्रताय मतिभिर्जरामहे ।

§  Tvam no gopa pathi kridhv chakshunstava vrataya mati bhirjramhe

§  You are our shepherd. Maker of the path, clear-seeing. With our thoughts and mind we praise.

§  This is an important verse signifying the power of positive thought as protection

o   RV 2.23.10

§  सुशंसा मतिभिस्तारिषीमहि

§  su-śáṃsā matí-bhis tāriṣīmahi 

§  With good praise, with thoughts, may we cross over (hostilities)

§  Important verse on positive and affirming power of prayer and positive thoughts

·      Angiras अङ्गिरस्

o   RV 2.23.18: Brahmanspate is addressed as Angiras (a mythic priest ancestor) and said to have united with Indr  to break out and free the waters causing the Ocean.

·      Medhaavaan मेधावान्

o   RV 2.24.1 Medhaavaan is one who is bountiful, gracious, and bestowing in gifts. Medh means praise, graciousness and vaan is a possessive suffix meaning “one who possesses”.

o   However, in later Puranic era and later, ~vaan  changes meaning and is used less.

o   In the Family books, bhag is an Aditya, the possessor of prosperity, fortune. In the Puranic era, the meaning changes and bhagvaan is longer associated with the Aditya bhag.   

o   RV 2.24.3 It says that using the power of word (mantra) that darkness was uncovered and heavenly light made visible – release of dawn, appearance of Sun

·      Maya माया

o   RV 2.24.3

§  तद्देवानां देवतमाय कर्त्वम   

§  Tat (that) devaanaam (of the Devs) devatamaya (most divine) kartvam (act).

o   The changed meaning to Maya is a semantic shift in Sanskrit

o   Maya in Vedanta came to mean an illusion. In this mantra RV 2.24.3, Maya clearly means power, skills, might or creative power. In fact, maya is a skill attributed to Indr, Varun and Asur’s

o   This mantra refers to the making of Sun-world manifest by breaking open an enclosure of darkness that was hiding light by Brhspati.

·      Bowstring, Arrow and Aim analogy

o   RV 2.24.8:

§  ऋतज्येन (Rtjyen - bowstring of Rt) क्षिप्रेण (ikshpren - powerful)

§  ब्रह्मणस्पतिर्यत्र वष्टि (brhmanaspatir yatra vashti - where Brhmanaspati commands)

§  प्र तदश्नोति (pr tad shnoti - he reaches forth)

§  धन्वना  (dhanva - with the bow)

§  तस्य साध्वीरिषवो (tasya sadhvirishvo - his effective arrows)

§  याभिरस्यति (yabhir syati - which he shoots)

§  नृ (nr - mortals) चक्षसो दृशये (chakshaso drishya with eyes becomes visible)

§  कर्णयोनयः (karnayonaya - originating in the ear) ॥

o   Through hearing the (Angirasa) chants, the hymns become light

 

2: Hindu texts, era, ruling power at the time

Text / Corpus	Approx. Date	Era / Cultural Phase	Political / Social Context
Rig Veda (Family Books)	1500–1200 BCE	Early Vedic Period	Indo‑Aryan pastoral chiefdoms in the northwest; no large empires yet.
Rig Veda (Full Samhita)	1500–1100 BCE	Early Vedic	Tribal clans (Bharatas, Pūrus); semi‑nomadic society.
Sāma Veda	1200–800 BCE	Middle Vedic	Ritual specialization; Kuru–Pañcāla cultural consolidation begins.
Yajur Veda	1100–800 BCE	Middle Vedic	Rise of Kuru kingdom; formalization of ritual orthodoxy.
Atharva Veda	1000–800 BCE	Middle/Late Vedic	Increasing settlement; early state formation.
Brāhmaṇas	1000–700 BCE	Late Vedic	Kuru–Pañcāla dominance; ritual expansion.
Āraṇyakas	700–500 BCE	Late Vedic	Forest‑teaching period; transition to philosophical inquiry.
Early Upaniṣads	900–300 BCE	Late Vedic → Early Classical	Janapadas & Mahājanapadas; early kingdoms like Kuru, Kosala, Magadha.
Mahābhārata	400 BCE–400 CE (core earlier)	Epic Period	Nanda, Maurya, Śuṅga, Kuṣāṇa periods; expanding states.
Rāmāyaṇa	7th–4th c. BCE (core), additions to 3rd c. CE	Epic Period	Similar to Mahābhārata; pan‑Indian royal models.
Bhagavad Gītā	~400 BCE	Epic Period	Late Mahājanapada to early imperial age (Mauryan).
Dharma Sūtras / Śāstras	300–100 BCE	Early Classical	Mauryan & post‑Mauryan legal codification.
Arthaśāstra	400 BCE–200 CE	Classical	Mauryan empire; statecraft and administration.
Nyāya Sūtras	2nd c. BCE	Classical	Philosophical schools flourish under regional kingdoms.
Vaiśeṣika Sūtra	2nd c. BCE	Classical	Atomistic philosophy; early scholasticism.
Yoga Sūtras	100 BCE–500 CE	Classical	Gupta period intellectual flowering.
Brahma Sūtra	~500 BCE	Classical	Systematization of Upaniṣadic thought.
Purāṇas	250–1000 CE	Puranic Period	Gupta, post‑Gupta, regional kingdoms; rise of sectarian Hinduism.
Yoga Vasiṣṭha	~750 CE	Early Medieval	Regional courts; Kashmir intellectual centers.
Tantric Texts	5th–15th c. CE	Medieval	Rise of Śaiva, Śākta, Buddhist Tantra; regional dynasties.
Bhakti Literature	800–1700 CE	Bhakti Period	Chola, Vijayanagara, Rajput, Maratha periods; vernacular devotional movements.
Modern Hindu Texts	1800–Present	Modern Period	British colonial rule → independent India; reform movements (Ramakrishna, Vivekananda, Aurobindo).

     

•  The invention of the wheel and 2 wheeled chariots are dated about 3000 BCE. Since the earliest Rg Vedas family books reference wheels and chariots, we can only suppose that they are after 3000 BCE.
• I could find no mention of planets so far from my reading in the earliest Rg Veda Family books. It is said that Hellenistic (Greek) astrology entered India (2^nd century BCE) and association of Devs and Planets was introduced then.

3. Devs with Etymological roots 

Dev	Devanāgarī	Etymological Root	Translation / Meaning	Relationship to Brahmaṇaspati
Agni	अग्नि	From PIE h₁n̥gʷnis → “fire,” “ignite”	Fire; sacrificial priest; divine messenger	Agni is repeatedly identified with Brahmaṇaspati in RV 2 & 3.
Tvaṣṭṛ	त्वष्टृ	Root tvaṣ — “to fashion, form, carve”	Divine artisan; cosmic craftsman	Tvaṣṭṛ forges the weapons and tools used by Brahmaṇaspati and other gods.
Sarasvatī	सरस्वती	Root saras (lake), or saar (core)	River goddess; sa:infinite ra: radiant sva:self ti:the one	Sarasvatī is invoked alongside Brahmaṇaspati
Gaṇapati	गणपति	gaṇa “group, host” + pati “lord”	Lord of people	In RV 2.23.1, Gaṇapati is invoked as a title of Brahmaṇaspati himself — maybe lofty origins of the later elephant‑headed deity.
Aṅgirasa	अङ्गिरस	Possibly from angara “coal, ember” or aṅgiras “fiery one”	Ancestral priestly clan	Brahmaṇaspati is the chief of the Aṅgirases, their priestly ancestor and possibly the originator of their sacred power.
Indra	इन्द्र	Root ind — “to be powerful”	Dynamic Power	Indra relies on Brahmaṇaspati
Aditi	अदिति	a- “not” + diti “bound, divided” → “unbounded”	Mother of gods; infinite expanse	Aditi represents the cosmic freedom within which Brahmaṇaspati operates.