Rig Veda 4.57.7: Mandala 4, Sukta 57, Mantra 7
Sukta 4.57
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Devata
- Indra and Pūṣan in support of Sītā
- Chandas
- Anuṣṭubh-like
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
इन्द्रः सीतां नि गृह्णातु तां पूषानु यच्छतु । सा नः पयस्वती दुहामुत्तरामुत्तरां समाम् ॥
índraḥ sī́tāṃ ní gṛhṇātu tā́ṃ pūṣā́nu yacchatu | sā́ naḥ páyasvatī duhām úttarām-uttarāṃ sámām ||
لِيُمْسِكْ إِندرا بالأَخْدودِ (سِيتَا) ويُثَبِّتْهُ، ولْيَقُدْهُ بُوشَنُ قُدُماً في سَبِيلِهِ القَوِيم. ولْتَحْلِبْ لَنَا هِيَ، الغَنِيَّةُ بِجَوْهَرِ الغِذَاءِ، عَاماً بَعْدَ عَامٍ زِيَادَةً أَعْظَمَ فَأَعْظَم.
Word by Word
- इन्द्रः
- IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- सीताम्
- the furrow / ploughed lineNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot सीता (प्रातिपदिक)
- नि
- down, into; (as preverb)Indeclinableउपसर्ग (क्रियाविशेषक)Root नि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- गृह्णातु
- may (he) seize/holdVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपद, प्रथम पुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot ग्रह् (गृह्णाति) धातु
- ताम्
- her/that (furrow)Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- पूषा
- PūṣanNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot पूषन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- अनु
- along, after; (as preverb)Indeclinableउपसर्ग (क्रियाविशेषक)Root अनु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- यच्छतु
- may (he) guide/hold/extendVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपद, प्रथम पुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot यम् (यच्छति) धातु
- सा
- she (that one)Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- नः
- of us / ourPronounषष्ठी विभक्ति, बहुवचन (एन्क्लिटिक रूप)Role सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- पयस्वती
- rich in milk/juice; abounding in yieldAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (सा … पयस्वती)Root पयस् + वत् (पयस्वत्) → पयस्वती (स्त्री.)
- दुहाम्
- may (she) milk/yieldVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपद, प्रथम पुरुष, एकवचन (वैदिक रूप: -आम्)Role क्रियाRoot दुह् धातु
- उत्तराम्
- a higher/further (one)Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (क्रियाविशेषणवत्)Role कर्म/परिणाम (यत्-फल)Root उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
- उत्तराम्
- still further / successiveAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (पुनरुक्ति: क्रमवृद्धि)Role कर्म/परिणामRoot उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
- समाम्
- year/seasonNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचनRole कर्म (दुहाम्—यत्)Root समा (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (वैदिक संधि-विग्रह): इन्द्रः | सीताम् | नि | गृह्णातु | ताम् | पूषा | अनु | यच्छतु | सा | नः | पयस्वती | दुहाम् | उत्तराम् | उत्तराम् | समाम् || 1) इन्द्र॒: = इन्द्रः (विसर्ग-रूप)
- 2) पू॒षानु॑ = पूषा + अनु (अकार-संधि: आ + अ → आ)
- 3) दुहा॒मुत्त॑रामुत्तरां = दुहाम् + उत्तराम् + उत्तराम् (अन्त्य-व्यञ्जन/अनुस्वार-संधि व पद-सीमा पर उच्चारण-संयोग)
The meaning
Outer meaning
A blessing: Indra should seize and fix the furrow; Pūṣan should guide it onward; and Sītā should yield nourishing milk year after year with increasing abundance.
Inner meaning
Indra (illumined mind-force) ‘takes hold’ of the disciplined channel (Sītā) and establishes it firmly against dispersion. Pūṣan (the guide) leads that established line along the right path of practice. Then the formed consciousness becomes ‘payaḥ-vatī’—rich in sustaining essence—yielding ever-increasing inner nourishment and results through successive cycles (years) of sadhana.
Universal truth
Spiritual growth requires (1) decisive illumination to establish the practice, (2) guidance to keep it on course, and (3) patient continuity that yields compounding nourishment over time.
Themes
Guided action, Victorious stabilization, Recurring abundance, Integration of deities in work
The seer
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 4.26–4.27, RV 4.58
Family tradition
Gautama line emphasizes the efficacy of mantra and the progressive ascent of consciousness; Vāmadeva’s hymns often encode stages of inner victory and increase.
Significance
The seer integrates three powers—illumination (Indra), guidance (Pūṣan), and receptive formation (Sītā)—as a complete psychology of sustained progress.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra and Pūṣan (supporting Sītā)
- Epithets
- Indra: establisher, slayer of cover (implied), Pūṣan: path-leader, protector (implied)
- Related deities
- Agni (initiating will), Parjanya (pouring), Soma (delight that nourishes)
Cosmic role
Indra stabilizes the creative line against obstruction; Pūṣan ensures right movement and safe passage; together they enable Earth’s receptacle to yield increase.
Inner power
Indra: decisive clarity and force; Pūṣan: steady guidance and right discernment in action; Sītā: receptive channel that bears results.
In ritual
Where it is used
Sowing/ploughing rite and prayers for annual increase
इन्द्र॒: सीतां॒ नि गृ॑ह्णातु॒ तां पू॒षानु॑ यच्छतु । सा न॒: पय॑स्वती दुहा॒मुत्त॑रामुत्तरां॒ समा॑म् ॥
इन्द्रः॑ । सीता॑म् । नि । गृ॒ह्णा॒तु॒ । ताम् । पू॒षा । अनु॑ । य॒च्छ॒तु॒ । सा । नः॒ । पय॑स्वती । दु॒हा॒म् । उत्त॑राम्ऽउत्तराम् । समा॑म् ॥
indraḥ | sītām | ni | gṛhṇātu | tām | pūṣā | anu | yacchatu | sā | naḥ | payasvatī | duhām | uttarām-uttarām | samām
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4 pādas of ~8 syllables (approximate)
Blessing-like cadence; two guiding imperatives followed by a long wish of increase.
Builds confidence and continuity; encourages a ‘year-by-year’ patient perseverance.
- इन्द्रः (indraḥ)
- Literal: Indra. Symbolic: Divine Mind/illumined force that breaks resistance and establishes right action
- नि गृ॑ह्णातु (ni gṛhṇātu)
- Literal: may he seize/hold down, fix. Symbolic: Firm establishment of the discipline; mastery over wandering mind and inertia
- पूषा (pūṣā)
- Literal: Pūṣan. Symbolic: Inner guide; the power that leads along the right track and protects the journey
- पयस्वती (payasvatī)
- Literal: milk-rich, full of nourishment. Symbolic: Consciousness rich in sustaining delight-force and vitality
- उत्तरामुत्तरां समाम् (uttarām-uttarāṃ samām)
- Literal: higher and higher year by year. Symbolic: Progressive ascent and cumulative increase through repeated cycles of practice
Sowing rite: stabilization of furrow (Indra) + guidance of work (Pūṣan) + request for recurring yield
At the time of setting the furrow and commencing cultivation; also as a yearly renewal prayer
Invocation of Indra and Pūṣan for establishing and guiding; blessing for abundance
Use at the beginning of a new habit, training cycle, or yearly intention-setting: establish, guide, and grow progressively.
Indra embodies victorious force that ‘holds’ the channel steady (√grah ‘seize’). Pūṣan from √puṣ ‘to thrive, nourish’ is also path-guardian; √yam ‘to hold, guide, restrain’ (in yacchatu) suggests right direction and control. payasvatī ‘abounding in essence’ from payas ‘milk/sap’. uttarām-uttarām expresses iterative ascent—progressive unfolding rather than one-time gain.
Indra as force that fixes the channel for truth, Pūṣan as guide of right movement (path of ṛta), Progressive increase (uttarām-uttarām) as spiritual growth
Pūṣan’s ‘anu yacchatu’ expresses movement along R̥ta; Indra’s fixing expresses stability of R̥ta in the adhara.
The ‘right path’ is truth-aligned action; increase is the sign of satya embodied.
Establishment → guidance → progressive manifestation: a staged model of creation and growth.
Integral yoga-compatible reading: illumination establishes discipline; guidance maintains it; delight-nourishment increases.
Agricultural year cycle
Furrow = disciplined channel; milk = sustaining delight and force; year cycle = repeated sadhana cycles producing compounded transformation.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘triple cooperation for fertility’ mythologem: Indra stabilizes the furrow (victorious fixing of the channel), Pūṣan guides it (right path), and Sītā yields essence (milk of increase). Inner sense: force + guidance + receptivity produce progressive, year-on-year growth in consciousness.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- Indra’s role as a victorious stabilizer parallels IE storm/hero functions, though distinctively Vedic in name. The guiding deity Pūṣan reflects pastoral-path themes common in IE myth. The iterative comparative (uttarām-uttarām) is a poetic device for incremental ascent.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The ṛṣi orchestrates a coordinated inner ritual: he calls Indra to fix the prepared channel, Pūṣan to lead the movement rightly, and Sītā to yield nourishing essence. The human seeker becomes the field where these powers collaborate, resulting in sustained progressive fulfillment.
Establish the practice (Indra), then follow the right track (Pūṣan), aiming for steady increase of inner nourishment.
Maṇipūra (will/discipline) supported by Ājñā (guidance/illumination).
Alternate-nostril (nāḍī-śodhana) 6–6 rhythm to stabilize and ‘set the furrow’ in the nervous system.
Steady, directed, progressively expansive.
After chanting, choose one ‘furrow’ only (single line of effort) for the day; ask inwardly for Indra’s firmness and Pūṣan’s guidance before action.
Maintain Saṃhitā accents; keep Indraḥ with clear initial lift; avoid dragging compound uttarām-uttarām.
Two imperative phrases should be crisp; lengthen the final blessing slightly for a sense of ongoing increase.
ni gṛhṇātu: retroflex ṇ in gṛhṇ-; do not simplify to ‘grinatu’, pūṣā: long ū; retroflex ṣ, duhām: aspirated dh; long ā
Firm, steady, slightly brighter on Indra/Pūṣan; softer and fuller on payasvatī.
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