Rig Veda 8.46.7: Mandala 8, Sukta 46, Mantra 7
Sukta 8.46
- Devata
- Indra
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
तस्मिन्हि सन्त्यूतयो विश्वा अभीरवः सचा । तमा वहन्तु सप्तयः पुरूवसुं मदाय हरयः सुतम् ॥
tásmin hí sánty ūtáyo víśvā abhī́ravaḥ sácā | tám ā́ vahantu saptáyaḥ purūvásuṃ mádāya hárayaḥ sutám ||
إنّ فيه حقًّا كلَّ المعوناتِ التي لا تهاب، ملازمةً له. فلتأتِ به إلى هنا ذواتُ النيرِ السبعة—إندرا الغنيَّ بالوفرة—للنشوة: جيادُه الشُّقرُ تحملُ سوما المعصور.
Word by Word
- तस्मिन्
- in/at that (one)Pronounनपुंसकलिङ्गे (सर्वनाम), सप्तमी एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- हि
- indeed, forIndeclinableनिपात (अव्यय)Root हि (निपात)
- सन्ति
- are, existVerbलट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचनRoot अस् (धातु)
- ऊतयः
- helps, aidsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचनRole KartāRoot ऊति- (स्त्री. प्रातिपदिक)
- विश्वाः
- allAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन (ऊतयः इति विशेष्यस्य)Root विश्व- (विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक)
- अभीरवः
- fearless, undauntedAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन (ऊतयः इति विशेष्यस्य)Root अभीरु- (विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक)
- सचा
- together (with), in companyIndeclinableअव्ययRoot सच्/सच (अव्यय; ‘सह’ अर्थे)
- तम्
- himPronounपुंलिङ्गे (सर्वनाम), द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- आ
- hither, towardsIndeclinableउपसर्ग (वाहन्तु इत्यस्य)Root आ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- वहन्तु
- let (them) carry/bringVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचनRoot वह् (धातु)
- सप्तयः
- the mares/steedsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचनRole KartāRoot सप्ति- (स्त्री. प्रातिपदिक; ‘सप्ति’ = घोड़ा/अश्व)
- पुरूवसुम्
- rich in much wealthAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (तम् इति सर्वनामस्य विशेषणम्)Role KarmaRoot पुरूवसु- (विशेषण/नाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- मदाय
- for exhilaration/joy (of soma)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot मद- (पुं. प्रातिपदिक)
- हरयः
- the tawny (horses)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचनRole KartāRoot हरि- (पुं. प्रातिपदिक)
- सुतम्
- pressed (soma)Participle (verbal adjective)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (सोमम् अवगम्य)Role KarmaRoot सु- (धातु) → सुत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: तस्मिन् हि सन्ति ऊतयः विश्वाः अभीरवः सचा । तम् आ वहन्तु सप्तयः पुरूवसुम् मदाय हरयः सुतम् ॥ 1) तस्मि॒न्हि = तस्मिन् + हि (न् + ह् संयोग)
- 2) सन्त्यू॒तयः = सन्ति + ऊतयः (इ + ऊ → यू, यण्-सन्धि)
- 3) तमा = तम् + आ (म् + आ; अनुस्वार/मकार-सन्धि; पदे ‘तमा’)
The meaning
Outer meaning
In him are all fearless helps accompanying him. Let the seven-yoked bring him here—Indra rich in plenitude—for intoxication/ecstasy; the tawny steeds bring the pressed Soma.
Inner meaning
All aids (ūtayaḥ) are gathered in the illumined Mind (Indra) and move with it (sacā)—meaning that when higher intelligence leads, supports arise in every layer of the being. The ‘seven-yoked’ (saptayaḥ) are the complete harnessing of the energies of consciousness—often read as seven rays/forces or seven channels that can carry the divine power into the embodied field. The tawny horses (harayaḥ) are dynamic vital energies purified to serve illumination; they bring ‘pressed Soma’—the distilled bliss-essence—into the system, producing madāya: spiritual ecstasy, widened delight that empowers victory over resistance.
Universal truth
When consciousness is organized around the higher mind, the whole system becomes a chariot of integrated energies; bliss (soma) then fuels transformation and courageous action.
Themes
Soma-invocation, Divine helps, Ecstasy and force, Indra’s arrival
The seer
Significance
This is a vivid yoga-image: the chariot of integrated forces bringing Indra with Soma—i.e., the descent of illumined mind empowered by bliss into the active nature.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra (with Soma and the Haris)
- Epithets
- Purūvasu (rich in plenitude), Fearless helper (implied by abhīrava ūtayaḥ)
- Related deities
- Soma, Maruts, Agni
Cosmic role
Receives Soma and becomes the victorious power releasing light and waters; his aids are manifold and fearless.
Inner power
Coordinates supports and harnesses energies (haris/saptayaḥ) to bring bliss into action—transforming life-force into a carrier of illumination.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma-yajña: calling Indra to come with the Haris to drink Soma
तस्मि॒न्हि सन्त्यू॒तयो॒ विश्वा॒ अभी॑रव॒: सचा॑ । तमा व॑हन्तु॒ सप्त॑यः पुरू॒वसुं॒ मदा॑य॒ हर॑यः सु॒तम् ॥
तस्मि॑न् । हि । सन्ति॑ । ऊ॒तयः॑ । विश्वाः॑ । अभी॑रवः । सचा॑ । तम् । आ । व॒ह॒न्तु॒ । सप्त॑यः । पु॒रु॒ऽवसु॑म् । मदा॑य । हर॑यः । सु॒तम् ॥
tasmin | hi | santi | ūtayaḥ | viśvāḥ | abhīravaḥ | sacā | tam | ā | vahantu | saptayaḥ | puru-vasum | madāya | harayaḥ | sutam
Jagatī (probable due to longer cadence in second half)
48
4 pādas of ~12 syllables
Rolling, processional movement—like a chariot arriving.
Evokes arrival and descent; produces a felt sense of ‘carrying’ power into the listener’s field.
- ऊ॒तयः (ūtayaḥ)
- Literal: helps, succors. Symbolic: inner assistances—intuitions, protections, supporting forces
- अभीरवः (abhīravaḥ)
- Literal: fearless. Symbolic: supports that remove anxiety and hesitation; courage as a divine condition
- सचा (sacā)
- Literal: together with, accompanying. Symbolic: inseparability of higher guidance and its aids
- सप्तयः (saptayaḥ)
- Literal: seven-yoked (horses/teams). Symbolic: sevenfold powers/rays/channels of consciousness harnessed for descent and action
- पुरूवसुम् (purūvasum)
- Literal: rich in many goods. Symbolic: plenitude of being; abundance of powers and joys
- मदा॑य (madāya)
- Literal: for exhilaration/intoxication. Symbolic: spiritual ecstasy—uplifted delight that strengthens transformation
- हरयः (harayaḥ)
- Literal: the tawny steeds of Indra. Symbolic: purified dynamic energies that carry illumination
- सुतम् (sutam)
- Literal: pressed (Soma). Symbolic: distilled bliss-essence extracted by discipline and offering
Explicit Soma-pressing imagery (sutam) suggests placement in Soma ritual sequences: calling Indra to the offering for mada (ecstatic force) via his steeds.
At invitation (āvāhana) moments, especially Indra-Soma sequences
Summoning: ‘bring him here’ with the yoked teams; offering Soma for divine exhilaration
Meditation-ritual: visualize the ‘sevenfold energies’ aligning; invite clarity (Indra) to descend, then rest in a subtle bliss (Soma) without excitement.
ūti: from √av/√ū? (Vedic formation) ‘help, protection’ (a key RV term for divine succor). vahantu: √vah ‘to carry, convey’ (3rd pl. impv.). saptayaḥ: ‘sevenfold/yoked by seven’ (sapta ‘seven’ + -ya); in RV, ‘seven’ often marks completeness/totality (e.g., seven rays, seven rivers), here inner completeness of conveying energies. mada: from √mad ‘to be exhilarated’—spiritual ecstasy. soma suta: from √su ‘press’.
divine help (ūti) as ever-present capacities in the Truth-force, mada as transformed delight/rapture supporting victory, sevenfold completeness of energies
The harnessed ‘seven’ suggests ordered movement of forces—r̥ta as coordinated functioning.
Fearless aids support truth-perception by removing disturbance.
Descent of higher power into manifestation via ordered channels (sevenfold).
Integral Vedic symbolism: bliss empowers mind-force; ordered energies mediate descent.
steeds/chariot motion; Soma pressing (ritual-physical image, innerized as distillation of delight)
twilight-to-night (Soma pressing often evening; thematic)
Horses/chariot = mobilized energies; Soma = distilled delight; sevenfold = complete spectrum of conscious forces.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The god’s advent to the Soma: Indra is brought by his steeds to drink the pressed Soma and enter madā (ecstatic power). Innerly, the ‘pressed Soma’ is distilled delight/essence; when received, it mobilizes the complete (sevenfold) energies that carry the divine force into the seeker.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √vah ‘carry’ reflects PIE *weǵh- ‘to convey’ (cf. English ‘way’ is not cognate; closer: Latin vehō). sapta ‘seven’ is PIE *septm̥ (cf. Latin septem, Greek ἑπτά). mada from √mad relates to Indo-Iranian ecstatic vocabulary with shared ritual-poetic heritage.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi orchestrates the meeting: offering (Soma) and invocation (vahantu) together draw Indra’s presence. Reciprocity is explicit—human distills the essence (suta soma), Indra arrives with all his helps (ūtayaḥ) and grants intensified force and delight (mada).
Descent practice: invite ‘Indra’ (clear commanding intelligence) to arrive on the ‘sevenfold harness’ of aligned energies, carrying ‘Soma’ (quiet bliss).
sahasrāra (descent of light) with support in suṣumṇā (sevenfold harmonization as a felt alignment)
Brisk-energetic for the ‘bringing’ lines (shorter inhale/exhale), then slow-meditative on ‘sutam’ to settle into bliss.
Ecstatic clarity—joyful but governed.
Chant once, visualize seven streams aligning along the spine; then feel a cool, luminous sweetness descending into heart and belly; end in silent offering.
Svara not provided; maintain a ‘processional’ cadence; slight lift on ‘ā vahantu’ (inviting) and a settling on ‘sutam’.
Keep ‘tasmin hi santi ūtayaḥ’ as steady assurance; make ‘tam ā vahantu saptayaḥ’ more imperative and forward-moving.
ūtayaḥ: long ū; dental ‘t’, sacā: ‘c’ as ‘ch’ in classical? here palatal ‘c’ (tsa) not; keep ‘sa-cā’ clear, saptayaḥ: ‘pt’ cluster clean, harayaḥ: aspirate lightly; keep ‘yaḥ’ ending clear, sutam: short ‘u’; crisp ‘t’
Invocatory, dynamic, then soften on the final Soma phrase.
1
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