Rig Veda 2.22.4: Mandala 2, Sukta 22, Mantra 4
Sukta 2.22
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Jagatī
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
तव त्यन्नर्यं नृतोऽप इन्द्र प्रथमं पूर्व्यं दिवि प्रवाच्यं कृतम् । यद्देवस्य शवसा प्रारिणा असुं रिणन्नपः । भुवद्विश्वमभ्यादेवमोजसा विदादूर्जं शतक्रतुर्विदादिषम् ॥
táva tyán nár yaṃ nṛtó ’pa índra prathamáṃ pū́rvyaṃ diví prá-vācyaṃ kṛtám | yád devásya śávasā prá ariṇā ásuṃ riṇánn ápaḥ | bhúvad víśvam abhý ā́devam ójasā vidā́d ūrjáṃ śatákratur vidā́d íṣam ||
لكَ ذلك الفعلُ الرجوليّ، يا إندرا—الأوّلُ العتيقُ، المُعلَنُ في السماء: حينَ بقوّةِ الإلهِ أطلقتَ نَفَسَ الحياة، فشققتَ المياهَ وفتحتَها. فصارَ كلُّ ما كان غيرَ إلهيٍّ إلهيًّا بقوّتك؛ يا صاحبَ المئةِ قُدرة (Śatakratu)، وجدتَ الغِذاءَ (ūrj) ووجدتَ الدافعَ (iṣ).
Word by Word
- तव
- of you, yourPronounषष्ठी एकवचन (gen. sg.)Role सम्बन्ध (genitival relation)Root त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- तत्
- thatPronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (nom./acc. sg.)Role कर्म (object; with implied ‘कृतम्’/‘प्रवाच्यम्’)Root तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- नर्यम्
- manly, heroic (deed)Adjective/Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनRole विशेषण/कर्मRoot नर्य (प्रातिपदिक; ‘नर’ से)
- नृतोः
- of the dancer/warrior (epithet; of Indra)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot नृतु (प्रातिपदिक)
- अपः
- the watersNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot अप् (प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNoun (vocative)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- प्रथमम्
- firstAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनRole विशेषणRoot प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक)
- पूर्व्यम्
- ancient, primevalAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनRole विशेषणRoot पूर्व्य (प्रातिपदिक; ‘पूर्व’ से)
- दिवि
- in heavenNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot दिव् (प्रातिपदिक)
- प्रवाच्यम्
- to be proclaimed, praiseworthyVerbal adjective (gerundive)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; भाव्य/विधेयार्थ (‘to be proclaimed’)Role विशेषण (of ‘तत्/नर्यम्’)Root प्र + वच् (धातु) → प्रवाच्य (कृदन्त)
- कृतम्
- done, accomplishedPast passive participleनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनRole विधेय/विशेषण (done, accomplished)Root कृ (धातु) → कृत (कृदन्त; भूतकृत)
- यत्
- which, that (deed)Relative pronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (relative; links to following clause)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- देवस्य
- of the godNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- शवसा
- by (his) mightNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचनRole करणRoot शवस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableउपसर्गRoot प्र (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- अरिणाः
- you impelled/raisedVerbलिट्/लुङ्-प्रयोग (वेदिक), मध्यम?; रूप: 2nd sg. perfect/aorist-type ‘you set in motion/impelled’ (addressed to Indra)Role कर्तृ (implicit ‘त्वम्’)Root ऋ (धातु; Vedic: ‘to set in motion/impel/raise’) + प्र
- असुम्
- breath, lifeNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्मRoot असु (प्रातिपदिक)
- रिणन्
- setting in motion, impellingPresent participleपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (कर्तरि)Role कर्तृ (participial, agreeing with implied agent Indra)Root ऋ (धातु) → रिणत्/रिणन् (वेदिक वर्तमान कृदन्त)
- अपः
- the watersNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot अप् (प्रातिपदिक)
- भुवत्
- becoming, coming to bePresent participleनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (here adverbial/agreeing with ‘विश्वम्’)Role विधेय/विशेषणRoot भू (धातु) → भुवत् (वर्तमान कृदन्त)
- विश्वम्
- all, the wholeAdjective/Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्म/विधेय (context: ‘the whole/all’)Root विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- अभि
- towards, overIndeclinableउपसर्गRoot अभि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- आ
- to, untoIndeclinableउपसर्गRoot आ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- देवम्
- the godNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्म (goal/object with अभि-आ)Root देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- ओजसा
- by strengthNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचनRole करणRoot ओजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- विदात्
- he found/obtainedVerbलुङ् (aorist), 3rd sg. परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot विद् (धातु; ‘to find/know’) + आ
- ऊर्जम्
- strength, nourishmentNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्मRoot ऊर्ज् (प्रातिपदिक)
- शतक्रतुः
- the hundred-powered (Indra)Noun/Epithetपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot शत-क्रतु (प्रातिपदिक; बहुव्रीहि)
- विदात्
- he found/obtainedVerbलुङ् (aorist), 3rd sg. परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot विद् (धातु) + आ
- इषम्
- refreshment, prosperityNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्मRoot इष्/इषा (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (मुख्य): तव | तत् | नर्यम् | नृतोः | अपः | इन्द्र | प्रथमम् | पूर्व्यम् | दिवि | प्रवाच्यम् | कृतम् || यत् | देवस्य | शवसा | प्र | अरिणाः | असुम् | रिणन् | अपः || भुवत् | विश्वम् | अभि | आ | देवम् | ओजसा | विदात् | ऊर्जम् | शतक्रतुः | विदात् | इषम् । संधि-विशेष: त्यत्→तत् (उदात्त-प्रयोग/पदपाठ-सम्बन्ध), नृतोऽपः→नृतोः अपः (विसर्ग-लोप), यद्देवस्य→यत् देवस्य (त्+द्), प्रारिणाः→प्र + अरिणाः, रिणन्नपः→रिणन् अपः (न्+अ), अभ्यादेवम्→अभि आ देवम् (इ/आ संधि), विदादूर्जम्→विदात् ऊर्जम् (त्+ऊ), शतक्रतुर्विदादिषम्→शतक्रतुः विदात् इषम् (विसर्ग-लोप; त्+इ)।
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra’s first and ancient manly deed is to be proclaimed in heaven: by the god’s might he freed the life-breath, breaking open the waters. Then all that was undivine became divine by his force; he found nourishment and impulsion.
Inner meaning
This is the archetypal Indra-act: the release of asu (life-breath, life-soul) by breaking the ‘waters’ that are held in obstruction. In psychological terms, the waters are the hidden streams of truth, inspiration, and delight locked in the subconscient or in compressed vital nature. Indra’s force breaks the seals; life-energy (asu) is liberated from constriction and begins to move in the right rhythm. As a result, what was ‘adeva’—not in the divine nature, disordered, mechanical—becomes ‘deva’: luminous, conscious, governed by higher powers. Indra then ‘finds’ ūrj (nourishment, sustaining strength) and iṣ (impulsion, right initiative): the steady fuel and the forward urge necessary for the long sadhana.
Universal truth
True liberation is the release of life and truth-energies from inner obstruction; when illumination acts, the undivine in us can be converted into divine order, yielding sustainable strength and right impetus.
Themes
primal heroic deed, release of waters and life, divinization of the being, finding nourishment and impulse
The seer
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada (Bhārgava)
- Lineage
- Bhārgava
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 2.12, Rig Veda 2.22
Family tradition
Bhārgava seers often return to the Vṛtra-myth as a map of inner liberation: opening the waters, releasing life, and transforming the lower into the divine.
Significance
The verse states a core yogic doctrine in Vedic form: illumination must break the inner dam; then life-force and right initiative become available for a divine life.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Śatakratu, Vṛtrahan (implied by waters-breaking), Nṛtama/Narya (manly hero)
- Related deities
- Vishnu (widening after release), Agni (leader of sacrifice), Sarasvatī (flow of inspiration)
Cosmic role
Liberator of the waters and life, transformer of disorder into divine order, finder of sustenance and impetus for the worlds.
Inner power
Breakthrough intelligence-force that opens blocked energies, releases prāṇa-like life, and establishes divine functioning in mind-life-body.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra hymns in Soma-yajña and general śrauta recitations recalling the Vṛtra-release
तव॒ त्यन्नर्यं॑ नृ॒तोऽप॑ इन्द्र प्रथ॒मं पू॒र्व्यं दि॒वि प्र॒वाच्यं॑ कृ॒तम् । यद्दे॒वस्य॒ शव॑सा॒ प्रारि॑णा॒ असुं॑ रि॒णन्न॒पः । भुव॒द्विश्व॑म॒भ्यादे॑व॒मोज॑सा वि॒दादूर्ज॑ं श॒तक्र॑तुर्वि॒दादिष॑म् ॥
तव॑ । त्यत् । नर्य॑म् । नृ॒तो॒ इति॑ । अपः॑ । इ॒न्द्र॒ । प्र॒थ॒मम् । पू॒र्व्यम् । दि॒वि । प्र॒ऽवाच्य॑म् । कृ॒तम् । यत् । दे॒वस्य॑ । शव॑सा । प्र । अरि॑णा । असु॑म् । रि॒णन् । अ॒पः । भुव॑त् । विश्व॑म् । अ॒भि । अदे॑वम् । ओज॑सा । वि॒दात् । ऊर्ज॑म् । श॒तऽक्र॑तुः । वि॒दात् । इष॑म् ॥
tava | tyat | naryam | nṛtaḥ | apa | indra | prathamam | pūrvyam | divi | pra-vācyam | kṛtam | yat | devasya | śavasā | pra | ariṇā | asum | riṇan | apaḥ | bhuvat | viśvam | abhi | adevam | ojasā | vidāt | ūrjam | śata-kratuḥ | vidāt | iṣam
48
4 pādas × ~12 syllables
Narrative-expansive with a climactic release at the waters-breaking phrase; then a settling into ‘finding’ ūrj and iṣ.
Induces a sense of opening and relief, followed by grounded strength and forward readiness.
- naryaṃ
- Literal: manly deed. Symbolic: heroic act of consciousness—decisive breakthrough
- pūrvyaṃ prathamam
- Literal: ancient, first. Symbolic: primordial spiritual action repeated in every seeker: release of truth from obstruction
- divi pravācyaṃ
- Literal: to be proclaimed in heaven. Symbolic: a truth of the higher mind to be affirmed and held above
- śavasā
- Literal: by might. Symbolic: spiritual power-force of illumination
- asuṃ
- Literal: life-breath, life. Symbolic: liberated life-energy; the vital soul-force released from knots
- apah (āpaḥ)
- Literal: waters. Symbolic: streams of truth, inspiration, delight; hidden luminous energies
- riṇan apah
- Literal: breaking/opening the waters. Symbolic: shattering the cover; opening blocked channels of consciousness
- adevam → devam
- Literal: undivine → divine. Symbolic: conversion of lower nature into higher functioning
- ūrj
- Literal: nourishment, sap. Symbolic: sustaining strength and inner food for growth
- iṣ
- Literal: impulsion, refreshment. Symbolic: right initiative, inspired push forward in the path
- śatakratu
- Literal: hundred-powered. Symbolic: multiple capacities of the illumined mind acting in many ways
Mythic remembrance of Indra’s primal deed (release of waters/life) used to reinforce faith in present attainment; fits Soma rite as narrative of Indra’s archetypal victory.
When invoking Indra’s archetypal deed for liberation, rain/flow, and prosperity; mythic recitation to support efficacy.
Recited with offerings to Indra; may accompany symbolic ‘release’ acts (libations/flows).
Chant when feeling blocked or lifeless: as a practice to ‘open the waters’—restore inspiration, breath, and momentum.
narya from nṛ ‘man/hero’. pra-vācya from √vac ‘speak’ with pra- ‘forth’: ‘to be proclaimed’. śavas ‘strength’ (often Indra’s). asu ‘life-breath’ (vital principle). √vid ‘find/know’. ūrj ‘sap/nourishment’ (cf. ‘urge’ is not cognate; but semantic proximity). iṣ ‘impulse’ from √iṣ ‘to seek, drive’. adeva ‘undivine’ indicates state before illumination; becoming ‘divine’ suggests transformation by Indra’s ojas.
transformation from adeva to deva (undivine to divine), asu (life-breath) liberated by power, ūrj and iṣ as nourishment and forward impulse, Satya-Rita trajectory (primal deed establishing order)
Breaking the obstruction restores ṛta—the right flow of energies and right movement of life.
The deed is ‘to be proclaimed in heaven’: truth held in higher mind governs the lower transformation.
Release of waters as a creation motif: manifestation arises when hidden energies are freed and ordered.
Integral Vedism: conversion of the ‘adeva’ (inconscient/lower nature) into ‘deva’ (conscious divine functioning).
Dawn-to-daylight transition (implied by release and ‘divi’ proclamation)
Rainy season symbolism (waters released) as outer correlate
Waters = blocked inspiration and delight; asu = prāṇic vitality; rain-release = return of inner flow and creativity.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The archetypal Indra deed: releasing asu (life) and apas (waters) and thereby making the undivine become divine. Inner sense: Indra breaks the obstruction that holds back vital breath and inspired flow; as the waters are released, the whole nature is divinized, and the seeker finds sustaining ūrj and the forward-driving iṣ.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √vid (find/know) is PIE *weyd-. √vac (speak) is PIE *wekʷ-. The mythic pairing of ‘release of waters’ with ‘heroic deed’ parallels IE storm-god narratives (dragon/waters complex), though here framed as transformation of consciousness (adeva→deva).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi proclaims Indra’s ‘first, ancient’ act as a living prototype for the aspirant: remembering the archetype is itself a force of realization. Indra’s gift is not only rescue but conversion—he turns the seeker’s undivine parts into divine workings and grants ūrj (sustaining essence) and iṣ (aspirational drive).
Break the inner dam: visualize a blocked channel opening and a cool luminous flow descending through the system.
Anāhata (life-breath release) and Viśuddha (flow/‘waters’ of expression), supported by Maṇipūra (iṣ/initiative)
Deep diaphragmatic breathing (5–5 count inhale/exhale) for 12 rounds; on exhale, imagine ‘waters’ flowing downward and outward, clearing stagnation.
From constriction to free flow; from tamas to luminous initiative.
Name the ‘adeva’ habit (mechanical reaction). During chanting, feel Indra’s force strike it; after chanting, take one concrete action (iṣ) that expresses the new freedom.
Strong udātta emphasis on breakthrough terms (śávasā, ásuṃ, ápah, ūrjám, íṣam); let the opening pāda be proclamatory, then intensify at waters-breaking.
Keep clear caesura after ‘kṛtam’; articulate ‘riṇann apah’ distinctly; broaden slightly on ‘vidād ūrjam’ and ‘vidād iṣam’ as concluding attainments.
naryaṃ: palatal ‘y’ light, nasal ‘ṃ’, pravācyaṃ: ‘vāc’ with long ‘ā’, ‘cy’ conjunct, śavasā: ‘ś’ palatal, short ‘a’, prāriṇā: long ‘ā’, rolled ‘r’, riṇan: retroflex ‘ṇ’, śatakratu: keep ‘kr’ conjunct, short ‘u’
authoritative and luminous; crescendo at the release, then grounded warmth at ūrj/iṣ.
9
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.
