Rig Veda 7.21.7: Mandala 7, Sukta 21, Mantra 7
Sukta 7.21
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
देवाश्चित्ते असुर्याय पूर्वेऽनु क्षत्राय ममिरे सहांसि । इन्द्रो मघानि दयते विषह्येन्द्रं वाजस्य जोहुवन्त सातौ ॥
devāś cit te asuryā́ya pū́rve ’nu kṣatrā́ya mamire sahā́ṃsi | índro maghā́ni dayate viṣáhya índraṃ vā́jasya johuvanta sātáu ||
حتى الآلهةُ الأُوَلُ، لأجلِ بأسِكَ السيِّد، قاسوا القوى على وَفْقِ كْشَتْرَكَ (سُلطانِكَ). إندرا يَهَبُ العطايا التي لا تُغلَب؛ وفي نَيْلِ فَوْزِ امتلاءِ القوّةِ يَدْعُونَ إندرا مرارًا وتكرارًا.
Word by Word
- दे॒वाः
- the godsNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot देव-
- चित्
- even, indeedIndeclinableनिपात (emphatic) अव्ययRoot चित्
- ते
- of you / to youPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी एकवचन (enclitic ‘te’)Role सम्बन्ध (genitive) / सम्प्रदान (dative) संदर्भानुसारRoot त्वद्- (युष्मद्) सर्वनाम
- असुर्याय
- for (your) lordly/Asura-like mightNoun (abstract) / Adjective used substantivelyनपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot असुर्य-
- पूर्वे
- the former/ancient (ones)Adjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot पूर्व-
- अनु
- after, according toIndeclinable (preverb/adverb)उपसर्ग/अव्ययRoot अनु
- क्षत्राय
- for dominion, for sovereigntyNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot क्षत्र-
- ममिरे
- they have apportioned/assignedVerbलिट् (परिपूर्ण/परफेक्ट), 3 पुरुष, बहुवचन, आत्मनेपदRole क्रियाRoot √मा (मि/मा) ‘to measure, apportion, allot’
- सहांसि
- strengths, mighty powersNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot सहस्-
- इन्द्रः
- IndraNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot इन्द्र-
- मघानि
- gifts, bountiesNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot मघ- / मघा- (n.)
- दयते
- gives, bestowsVerbलट् (वर्तमान), 3 पुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपदRole क्रियाRoot √दा/दय् (Vedic) ‘to distribute, give, apportion’
- विषह्य
- having overcome, after conqueringKṛdanta (gerund/absolutive)ल्यप्/त्वा-प्रत्यय (अव्ययभाव), अव्ययRole क्रियाविशेषण (पूर्वक्रिया)Root वि- + √सह् ‘to overcome, withstand’
- इन्द्रम्
- Indra (as the one invoked)Noun (proper)पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot इन्द्र-
- वाजस्य
- of prize/strength, of victoryNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot वाज-
- जोहुवन्त
- they have repeatedly invoked/calledVerbलिट् (परफेक्ट, intensive nuance), 3 पुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद (Vedic form)Role क्रियाRoot √हू ‘to call, invoke’ (intensive stem juhu-/johū-)
- सातौ
- in the winning, in the gaining (of victory)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot साति-
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: दे॒वाः चित् ते असु॒र्या॑य पूर्वे अनु क्ष॒त्राय ममिरे सहांसि । इन्द्रः मघानि दयते विषह्य इन्द्रम् वाजस्य जोहुवन्त सातौ ॥ 1) देवाः+चित् → देवाश्चित् (विसर्गस्य श्चादेशः)
- 2) पूर्वे+अनु → पूर्वेऽनु (ए/ओ + अ → अवग्रह)
- 3) विषह्य+इन्द्रम् → विषह्येन्द्रम् (य् + इ- संधिः, यि-समास/संधि)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Even the ancient gods measured out strengths according to Indra’s lordly might and sovereignty. Indra gives bounties hard to overcome; in winning the prize they call Indra again and again.
Inner meaning
The ‘ancient gods’ are the established powers of the being (deva-forces) that cooperate with the supreme illumined Mind. Indra’s asuryā (lordliness) and kṣatra (sovereign rule) set the measure (mamire) of effective energies (sahāṃsi): when illumination rules, all inner faculties align and apportion their strengths rightly. Indra grants maghāni—inner riches: clarity, courage, delight, and victorious capacity that hostile forces cannot overpower (viṣahya). Therefore, in every attainment of vāja (plenitude of force/achievement), the seeker repeatedly invokes Indra—renewing the call for higher illumination at each stage of conquest.
Universal truth
When a higher principle leads, all capacities find their right proportion. Repeated invocation—returning again and again to the source of clarity—turns effort into progressive mastery.
Themes
Indra-invocation, victory and attainment, bestowal of irresistible powers, inner sovereignty
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha Maitrāvaruṇi
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha
- Other hymns
- RV 7.21 (this hymn cluster), RV 7.33 (Vasiṣṭha’s authority and ṛta)
Family tradition
As Maitrāvaruṇa priest-line, Vasiṣṭha’s tradition holds the harmonizing powers (Mitra-Varuṇa) together with Indra’s victorious illumination—order plus conquest.
Significance
Shows the integral coordination of inner gods under a sovereign illumination—an image of psychic government of the nature.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- asuryá (lordly), kṣatrī (sovereign), maghavan (giver of bounties), viṣahya (hard to overcome—of his gifts/force)
- Related deities
- Mitra-Varuṇa (harmony and law), Maruts (impelling energies), Soma (delight that feeds victory)
Cosmic role
King of the gods in action; establishes victorious order by distributing powers and leading the conquest.
Inner power
Central illumined intelligence that coordinates all faculties and grants victorious capacities for works.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra stotra in Soma liturgy; praise of Indra’s sovereignty and gifts
दे॒वाश्चि॑त्ते असु॒र्या॑य॒ पूर्वेऽनु॑ क्ष॒त्राय॑ ममिरे॒ सहां॑सि । इन्द्रो॑ म॒घानि॑ दयते वि॒षह्येन्द्रं॒ वाज॑स्य जोहुवन्त सा॒तौ ॥
दे॒वाः । चि॒त् । ते॒ । अ॒सु॒र्या॑य । पूर्वे॑ । अनु॑ । क्ष॒त्राय॑ । म॒मि॒रे॒ । सहां॑सि । इन्द्रः॑ । म॒घानि॑ । द॒य॒ते॒ । वि॒ऽसह्य॑ । इन्द्र॑म् । वाज॑स्य । जो॒हु॒व॒न्त॒ । सा॒तौ ॥
devāḥ | cit | te | asuryāya | pūrve | anu | kṣatrāya | mamire | sahāṃsi | indraḥ | maghāni | dayate | vi-sahya | indram | vājasya | johuvanta | sātau
44
4 × 11
Regal, measured, declarative—befitting ‘measuring out strengths’ and sovereign power.
Instills confidence in inner governance; a sense of ordered strength rather than frantic striving.
- देवाः पूर्वे (devāḥ pūrve)
- Literal: ancient gods. Symbolic: foundational inner powers—senses, life, mind—when aligned to light
- असुर्या (asuryāya)
- Literal: lordliness. Symbolic: sovereign consciousness; mastery over nature
- क्षत्र (kṣatra)
- Literal: dominion, rulership. Symbolic: governing power of illumined mind over the being
- ममिरे (mamire)
- Literal: measured out. Symbolic: right proportioning and harmonizing of energies
- सहांसि (sahāṃsi)
- Literal: strengths, mights. Symbolic: effective soul-energies for endurance and conquest
- मघानि (maghāni)
- Literal: bounties, gifts. Symbolic: inner riches: light, force, joy, right success
- वाज (vāja)
- Literal: prize, strength, plenitude. Symbolic: integral accomplishment; victorious energy in works
- साति (sāti)
- Literal: winning, conquest. Symbolic: attainment after inner battle—realization made stable
Indra-stotra in Soma sacrifice context (general Sautrāmaṇī/Agniṣṭoma-style Indra praise at Soma pressing); used as invocation for strength and victory in the soma-yajña atmosphere.
When seeking victory and prosperous outcome in the rite; adaptable for life situations requiring leadership and coordination.
Recite as invocation for right distribution of energies before undertaking tasks.
For teams/leaders: align motives, distribute effort wisely; for sādhanā: call Indra to govern the day’s energies.
Key terms: (1) asuryā́ya: asurya- from asú 'breath, life-force' with semantic extension 'lordship/mastery'; in inner sense, the sovereign life-power that supports divine rule. (2) kṣatrā́ya: kṣatra- from √kṣi/√kṣad 'to rule, possess power' → 'sovereignty'; psychologically, governing capacity of the awakened being. (3) mamire: perf. mid. of √mā 'measure, mete out'—the gods 'apportion' strengths according to the needed sovereignty. (4) sahā́ṃsi: neut. pl. from √sah 'to overcome, endure'—powers of victorious endurance. (5) viṣáhya: vi- + √sah, 'not to be withstood'; marks Indra’s gifts as forces that break resistance. (6) vā́ja: from √vaj/√vaj 'be strong, impel'—not merely 'prize/food' but 'effective fullness of force' enabling victory (sāti-).
Ṛta (right measure/order implied by 'mamire'—powers meted according to law), sāti (attainment/victory as inner conquest), kṣatra (sovereignty of the soul-nature)
Right measure and right rule are expressions of ṛta in the psyche.
Truth appears as right proportioning of forces—no faculty usurps the whole.
Ordering of powers under a central sovereignty—cosmic governance mirrored in inner governance.
Integral/psychological Veda: ‘gods’ as powers of consciousness coordinated by a higher mind.
As the cosmos is measured into ordered spaces, so the being is apportioned into harmonized strengths under illumination.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is Indra as the irresistible bestower of victorious power: the gods themselves 'measure out' strengths in alignment with sovereignty, and in the decisive 'winning' they repeatedly invoke Indra. Rather than a single narrative (e.g., Vṛtra-slaying), the verse foregrounds the archetype of divine powers depending on Indra’s kṣatra to secure sāti (attainment).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √mā 'to measure' (mamire) continues PIE *meh₁- 'measure' (cf. Greek métron, Latin metior). √dā 'give' (dayate) reflects PIE *deh₃- 'give' (cf. Greek dídōmi, Latin dōnum). √sah 'overcome/endure' (sahāṃsi, viṣahya) aligns with an Indo-Iranian strength/overcoming semantic field (Avestan sah- 'to be strong/prevail' is often compared). These roots support a poetics of 'measured power' and 'gifted force' under ṛta-like order.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The poet positions Indra as the indispensable inner sovereign: even the other divine powers rely on his measured might. The reciprocity is implicit—humans (and gods) invoke (johuvanta) and Indra responds by apportioning maghāni (bounties). The offering here is primarily vā́c (praise/invocation) that calls down an operative power for inner victory (sāti).
Inner government: let the illumined mind set the measure of speech, desire, action, and rest.
maṇipūra (kṣatra/command) with ājñā (illumined direction)
Inhale: ‘asuryāya’; exhale: ‘kṣatrāya’—feel sovereignty settling in the solar plexus and rising to the brow.
Centered leadership; coordinated energies.
Before action, ask: ‘Which force is out of measure?’ Offer it to Indra; then proceed with one clear decision aligned to ṛta.
Triṣṭubh with clear udātta on ‘devā́ḥ’, ‘asuryā́ya’, ‘kṣatrā́ya’, ‘índraḥ’, ‘mághāni’, ‘vā́jasya’.
Keep ‘jo-hu-van-ta’ articulated distinctly; avoid swallowing the repeated ‘indraṃ’.
asuryāya: ‘a-su-ryā-ya’ (ry cluster), kṣatrāya: ‘kṣa-trā-ya’ (kṣ as one cluster), viṣahyendraṃ: split ‘viṣahya indraṃ’ in chanting for clarity
Regal, steady, confident; slight lift on the repeated invocation phrase.
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.
