Rig Veda 8.2.14: Mandala 8, Sukta 2, Mantra 14
Sukta 8.2
- Rishi
- Kaṇva
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Anuṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
उक्थं चन शस्यमानमगोररिरा चिकेत । न गायत्रं गीयमानम् ॥
uktháṃ cana śasyámānam ágoḥ arír ā́ ciketa | ná gāyatráṃ gīyámānam ||
حَتّى الأُكْثَا (uktha) الجَلِيلَةُ، وَهِيَ تُتْلَى، لا يَدْرِي بِهَا القُوَّةُ المُعَادِيَةُ؛ وَلا تُدْرِكُ الغَايَتْرَا (gāyatra) وَهِيَ تُغَنَّى—هَكَذَا يَتَجَاوَزُ النَّشِيدُ الحَقُّ عَدُوَّ النُّورِ.
Word by Word
- उक्थम्
- hymn of praise; laudationNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (शस्यते/गीयते इत्यस्य) / विषयRoot उक्थ (प्रातिपदिक) < √वच् (वच् ‘to speak’) (नामधातु/निष्पन्न)
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चयार्थक अव्ययRoot च (निपात)
- चन
- even; indeedIndeclinableनिपात (बलार्थ/अपि/एव)Root चन (निपात; ‘च’ + ‘न’ इव, बलवर्धक/अपि-अर्थ)
- शस्यमानम्
- being praised; being recited in praiseVerb (participle)वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि/आत्मनेपद-प्रयोगे वर्तमानकृदन्त (मान-प्रत्यय), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म/विषय (यत् स्तूयते)Root √शंस् (स्तुतौ) → शस्य (य-प्रत्यय) + मान (शानच्/मान)
- अगोररिः
- the non-dreaded foe / the foe of the ‘gora’ (epithet; likely of Indra)Noun/Adjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (चिकेत इत्यस्य)Root अगोररि (प्रातिपदिक; बहुव्रीहि/कर्मधारय-समासः: अ-गोर + अरि)
- आरिरा
- has gone/has come; has advanced (Vedic perfect form)Verbलिट् (परिपूर्ण/पूर्वकाल), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (वेदिक-रूप ‘आरिरा’)Role क्रियाRoot √ऋ (गत्यर्थ/प्रापणे) / √रि? (वेदिक-रूप; पुनरुक्त-आगमयुक्त परिपूर्ण/तीव्रार्थक)
- चिकेत
- has perceived; has noticed; has understoodVerbलिट् (परिपूर्ण/पूर्वकाल), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot √चित् (अवबोधने) → लिट्
- न
- notIndeclinableनिषेधार्थक अव्ययRoot न (निषेध)
- गायत्रम्
- the Gāyatra (chant/metre); gāyatrī-songNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म/विषय (गीयते इत्यस्य)Root गायत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- गीयमानम्
- being sung; being chantedVerb (participle)वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि/आत्मनेपद-प्रयोगे वर्तमानकृदन्त (मान-प्रत्यय), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म/विषय (यत् गीयते)Root √गै (गाने) → गीय (य-प्रत्यय) + मान (शानच्/मान)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धिविग्रह): उक्थम् | च | न | शस्यमानम् | अगोररिः | आरिरा | चिकेत | न | गायत्रम् | गीयमानम् । 1) ‘चन’ = ‘च’ + ‘न’ (निपात-समुच्चय/बलवर्धन), संहितायां एकपदमिव। 2) ‘अगोर॒रिरा’ इत्यत्र संहितापाठे ‘अगोररिः आरिरा’ (विसर्गः र्-आदौ लोप/रकारादेशः) — विसर्गसन्धिः। 3) ‘शस्यमानम्’, ‘गीयमानम्’ इति कर्मणि-प्रयोगे वर्तमानकृदन्तौ (मान-प्रत्यय) — ‘being praised/sung’ इत्यर्थः। 4) स्वरचिह्नाः (उदात्त/अनुदात्त/स्वरित) संहितापाठानुसारं
- पदच्छेदे मूलस्वरः यथासम्भवः धातु/प्रातिपदिके निहितः।
The meaning
Outer meaning
Even when the uktha (solemn recitation) is being proclaimed, the hostile power does not perceive it; nor does it grasp the gāyatra when it is being sung.
Inner meaning
When the soul’s true mantra-utterance rises (uktha) and the luminous rhythm of aspiration is sung (gāyatra), the “enemy” (ari)—the obscuring, doubting, sensational consciousness—cannot seize its secret. The effective inner Word moves in a subtle plane beyond the reach of the coverer; right vibration itself becomes a protection.
Universal truth
What is uttered from sincerity, clarity, and alignment with Truth carries a subtle force that confusion and negativity cannot appropriate; inner authenticity is naturally guarded by its own light.
Themes
mantric efficacy, enemy of light, gāyatra power, speech-act theology
The seer
- Rishi
- Kaṇva
- Lineage
- Kaṇva (Kaṇva lineage)
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 8.2.1-20 (Kaṇva Indra hymn cycle), Rig Veda 1.47 (Kaṇva-associated tradition in some indices)
Family tradition
Kaṇvas are renowned for Indra-hymns stressing victorious illumination, the efficacy of the inspired Word (uktha/stoma), and comradeship with the god as inner ally.
Significance
The Kaṇva-seer voice emphasizes mantra as a weapon of light: when the Word is true and rhythmically established, it becomes invulnerable to hostile forces and opens the way for Indra’s victory.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra (implicit in hymn-context)
- Epithets
- Vajrin (wielder of the thunderbolt), Śacīva/Śacīvān (lord of effective power), Maghavan (bountiful)
- Related deities
- Agni, Soma, Bṛhaspati, Uṣas
Cosmic role
Breaker of obstructions; releases the hidden Light and Waters; establishes the wideness of the luminous Mind.
Inner power
The illumined mind-force that discerns truth, smites the coverer, and makes the mantra effective as a power of realization.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-stotra/uktha within Soma-yajña sequences (general Indra praise; protective efficacy of chant)
उ॒क्थं च॒न श॒स्यमा॑न॒मगो॑र॒रिरा चि॑केत । न गा॑य॒त्रं गी॒यमा॑नम् ॥
उ॒क्थम् । च॒न । श॒स्यमा॑नम् । अगोः॑ । अ॒रिः । आ । चि॒के॒त॒ । न । गा॒य॒त्रम् । गी॒यमा॑नम् ॥
uktham | cana | śasyamānam | agoḥ | ariḥ | ā | ciketa | na | gāyatram | gīyamānam
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4 pādas × ~8 syllables (compact, aphoristic cadence)
Crisp, declarative, protective—like a verbal shield.
Builds a firm mental boundary; stabilizes attention so the mantra’s subtle sense is ‘kept inside’ and not scattered.
- ukthám
- Literal: solemn utterance, hymn-recitation. Symbolic: the formulated inner Word—articulate aspiration and soul-call that shapes consciousness
- śasyamānam
- Literal: being recited/proclaimed. Symbolic: mantra-force in active expression; consciousness set into right vibration
- ágoḥ
- Literal: of the un-‘cow’/of Ago; (contextually) of light/illumination. Symbolic: the domain of the Rays (go = light-knowledges); the luminous field the adversary tries to raid
- aríḥ
- Literal: enemy, hostile one. Symbolic: the inner adversary—egoistic impulse, doubt, inertia, and the coverer that steals light
- gāyatrám
- Literal: gāyatrī-song; also the gāyatrī meter/chant. Symbolic: the luminous rhythm of aspiration; a mantra-form that carries the mind upward toward illumination
- gīyamānam
- Literal: being sung. Symbolic: the mantra’s living vibration in the vital and mental being, made dynamic and effective
- ciketa
- Literal: perceives, notices, understands. Symbolic: the power to seize/appropriate; hostile consciousness cannot ‘cognize’ the subtle truth-force
Protective/efficacious praise in Soma rite: mantra as shield against ‘ari’ (obstruction) while invoking Indra’s victorious force
During Indra invocations in Soma pressing or praise cycles; also suitable as a protective recitation before japa/meditation.
Recitation/singing of stoma/uktha to invoke Indra’s victorious force and guard the rite from hostile influences.
Use as a ‘psychic protection’ preface: chant before meditation to quiet intrusive thoughts and establish a sealed, luminous intention.
from √vac/ukth- tradition of ‘spoken’ sacred formulation; semantically ‘uttered praise’. - from √śaṃs ‘to recite, praise’. - ‘without cows’ where go = ‘cow’ also ‘ray/light/knowledge’; thus ‘lightless’ obstruction. ‘enemy’ possibly from √ar ‘to harm/fit against’. (perf.) from √cit ‘to perceive, be conscious’. gāyatra from √gai ‘to sing’ + -tra; a vehicle of song; gīyate passive from √gai.
mantra as consciousness-force, avidyā/obstruction as ‘cowless’ state, sound as carrier of ṛta (ordered rhythm)
Right rhythm (chandas) and right speech (uktha) align the being with Ṛta, making it inaccessible to forces of disorder.
Truth in utterance carries self-protecting power; falsehood is what the ‘enemy’ can seize.
The Word as formative power: sound/meaning ordered by Ṛta shapes inner reality.
Vedāntic-psychological reading (Aurobindo/Kashyap): mantra as consciousness-force rather than mere ritual formula.
Mantric vibration as a subtle ‘flame’ that illumines and guards the mind; the ‘enemy’ is the darkness that cannot enter the circle of light.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem of the hidden light (go) guarded by hostile powers: the enemy is ‘cowless/lightless’ and cannot cognize the true hymn. Mantra operates as a stealthy luminous action that bypasses obstruction and prepares the victory of Indra.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √cit ‘notice’ corresponds to PIE *ḱei̯t-/*ḱi- ‘perceive’ (broadly ‘observe/know’). √gai ‘sing’ has Indo-European parallels in the poetics of sung praise; the opposition between knowing/perceiving and not-knowing encodes a cognitive boundary typical of IE sacred speech.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi asserts the autonomy of inspired speech: the chant aligned with Indra’s force is opaque to the hostile ‘ari’. The devatā is thus approached through a protected channel—true rhythm and utterance that the obstruction cannot intercept.
Establish a protected inner space where the mantra’s meaning can descend without interference.
Viśuddha (speech/inner resonance)
Gentle nāḍī-śodhana for 3–5 rounds, then chant on a smooth exhale.
Collected, vigilant calm (apramāda) with luminous inward hearing.
Before chanting, set intention: ‘Let the true Word rise from the heart.’ Chant slowly 3–9 times, then sit and feel the mind become less accessible to intrusive currents.
Use standard Rigvedic svara discipline: observe udātta on marked syllables; anudātta as default; svarita as the falling tone following udātta (exact svara requires pada-svara text of the śākhā).
Keep the main lift (udātta) clear on the accented syllables; avoid musical sliding—Rigvedic tone is precise, not melodic like Sāman.
uktham: keep ‘kh’ aspirated (uk-tham), śasyamānam: ‘śa’ palatal, not dental ‘sa’, gāyatraṃ: long ‘ā’; retroflex ‘tr’ cluster clearly, gīyamānam: long ‘ī’; avoid turning ‘y’ into ‘j’
Steady, contained, resonant (as if forming a protective wall of sound).
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