Rig Veda 8.62.7: Mandala 8, Sukta 62, Mantra 7
Sukta 8.62
- Devata
- Indra
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
विश्वे त इन्द्र वीर्यं देवा अनु क्रतुं ददुः । भुवो विश्वस्य गोपतिः पुरुष्टुत भद्रा इन्द्रस्य रातयः ॥
viśvé te indra vī́ryaṃ devā́ ánu krátum daduḥ | bhúvo viśvásya gopátiḥ puruṣṭuta bhadrā́ índrasya rātáyaḥ ||
جميعُ الآلهةِ وهبوا لك، يا إندرا، القوّةَ البطوليةَ على وَفقِ الإرادةِ المقدّسة. فصرتَ سيّدَ الحراسةِ لكلِّ ما يصير، يا كثيرَ المديح؛ مباركةٌ عطايا إندرا.
Word by Word
- विश्वे
- all (the gods)Adjective (substantivized)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot विश्व (प्रातिपदिक) सर्व
- ते
- of you / yourPronounषष्ठी (genitive), एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive relation)Root युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- वीर्यम्
- heroic power, valorNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot वीर्य (प्रातिपदिक) < वीर
- देवाः
- the godsNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- अनु
- after, in accordance withIndeclinableअव्ययRole (क्रियाविशेषण/उपसर्गार्थ)Root अनु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- क्रतुम्
- resolve, will, sacred intelligenceNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot क्रतु (प्रातिपदिक)
- ददुः
- they have givenVerbलिट् (परोक्ष/परफेक्ट), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपदRole (मुख्यक्रिया)Root दा (धातु)
- भुवः
- of the world/being (of existence)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive relation)Root भू (धातु) → भुवस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- विश्वस्य
- of all, of the wholeAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- गोपतिः
- lord/guardian of cattle; protectorNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ/विशेष्य (नामवाचक)Root गो + पति (प्रातिपदिक; समास: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)
- पुरुष्टुत
- O much-praised oneAdjective used as vocative epithetपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot पुरु-स्तुत (प्रातिपदिक; बहुव्रीहि/कर्मधारय: ‘बहुभिः स्तुतः’)
- भद्राः
- auspicious, goodAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ/विशेषण (of रायतयः)Root भद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्रस्य
- of IndraNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- रायतयः
- gifts, bountiesNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (nominal clause)Root रायि/राय (प्रातिपदिक ‘wealth, gift’) → रायतयः (वैदिक बहुवचन)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: विश्वे त इन्द्र वीर्यं देवाः अनु क्रतुम् ददुः । भुवः विश्वस्य गोपतिः पुरुष्टुत भद्राः इन्द्रस्य रायतयः ॥ 1) ‘विश्वे॑’ = विश्वे (प्रथमा बहु)
- 2) ‘त’ = ते (युष्मद्-षष्ठी एक)
- 3) ‘दे॒वा’ = देवाः (प्रथमा बहु; विसर्ग लोपः पदान्ते)
- 4) ‘भुवो॒’ = भुवः (षष्ठी एक; ओ-स्वरः पदपाठ-परम्परया)
- 5) ‘भ॒द्रा इन्द्र॑स्य’ में संधि: भद्राः + इन्द्रस्य → भद्रा इन्द्रस्य (विसर्ग-लोपः/सवर्णदीर्घ-निरासः पदपाठानुसार)
- 6) ‘रा॒तय॑:’ = रायतयः (प्रथमा बहु; विसर्गः पदान्ते)
The meaning
Outer meaning
All the gods have granted Indra heroic power according to purposeful will (kratu). Indra becomes the protector-lord of all existence; his gifts are auspicious.
Inner meaning
All the awakened powers of the being (viśve devāḥ) consent to and reinforce the illumined Mind (Indra) with vīrya—courageous effective force—aligned with kratu (the soul’s intelligent will). Thus Indra becomes gopatiḥ of bhuvaḥ viśvasya: the guardian of the whole field of becoming in us, protecting the “cows” (rays of knowledge) and the movement of life from distortion. The ‘gifts of Indra’ are the steady influx of light, right discernment, and victorious energy that support inner progress.
Universal truth
When the faculties of a person are harmonized behind a single luminous intention, a higher intelligence arises that can govern life’s becoming and distribute beneficent powers—clarity, courage, and right action.
Themes
divine-council, guardianship, illumination-cows, ṛta-governance
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 8.62.1-11 (refrain: bhadrā indrasya rātayaḥ)
Significance
The seer-voice here is devotional and psychological: it frames Indra not merely as a battlefield god but as the organizing luminous Intelligence who receives support from all divine powers and becomes guardian of the whole inner becoming.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- puruṣṭuta (much-praised), gopati (guardian-lord), maghavan (bounteous) (theme in the hymn)
- Related deities
- Agni, Soma, Viśve Devāḥ, Bṛhaspati
Cosmic role
Upholder of victorious light; breaker of obstructions; establishes the dominion of the gods in the human field.
Inner power
Illumined Mind and decisive discernment that coordinates the faculties, protects inner light, and distributes right energies as ‘gifts’.
In ritual
Where it is used
Concluding affirmation of Indra’s delegated sovereignty: the collective gods empower Indra; used to seal praise with the doctrine of cosmic collaboration among devāḥ.
विश्वे॑ त इन्द्र वी॒र्यं॑ दे॒वा अनु॒ क्रतुं॑ ददुः । भुवो॒ विश्व॑स्य॒ गोप॑तिः पुरुष्टुत भ॒द्रा इन्द्र॑स्य रा॒तय॑: ॥
विश्वे॑ । ते॒ । इ॒न्द्र॒ । वी॒र्य॑म् । दे॒वाः । अनु॑ । क्रतु॑म् । द॒दुः॒ । भुवः॑ । विश्व॑स्य । गोऽप॑तिः । पु॒रु॒ऽस्तु॒त॒ । भ॒द्राः । इन्द्र॑स्य । रा॒तयः॑ ॥
viśve | te | indra | vīryam | devāḥ | anu | kratum | daduḥ | bhuvaḥ | viśvasya | go--patiḥ | puru-stuta | bhadrāḥ | indrasya | rātayaḥ
Likely Triṣṭubh (common in Maṇḍala 8 praise-verses); exact identification uncertain for this verse
44
4 pādas × ~11 syllables (approximate)
Forward-driving, declarative cadence suited to proclamation of power and guardianship.
Builds confidence and inner alignment; the refrain-like closure ‘bhadrā indrasya rātayaḥ’ seals the verse with a sense of beneficence and assurance.
- विश्वे देवाः (viśve devāḥ)
- Literal: all the gods. Symbolic: all soul-powers/faculties awakened toward the Divine (thought, will, sense, life-forces) acting in harmony
- वीर्य (vīrya)
- Literal: heroic power. Symbolic: effective spiritual energy; courageous capacity to overcome resistance
- क्रतु (kratu)
- Literal: will, resolve, intelligence in action. Symbolic: the luminous intentional will that organizes the inner sacrifice
- भुवः (bhuvaḥ)
- Literal: becoming, world of life. Symbolic: the life-plane and dynamic field of experience in the seeker
- गोपति (gopati)
- Literal: lord/guardian of cows. Symbolic: protector and master of the rays of knowledge (go) and their right distribution
- पुरुष्टुत (puruṣṭuta)
- Literal: much-praised. Symbolic: the inner Presence repeatedly affirmed by aspiration and mantra
- रातयः (rātayaḥ)
- Literal: gifts. Symbolic: bestowals of illumination, force, and right joy from the higher Mind
Concluding affirmation of Indra’s delegated sovereignty: the collective gods empower Indra; used to seal praise with the doctrine of cosmic collaboration among devāḥ.
Indra-stotras in Soma-yajña contexts; also adaptable to daily recitation for strength and clarity
Stotra/śastra-style praise to invoke Indra’s support and ‘gifts’ for victory and right ordering
Use as an affirmation before demanding work or sādhanā: invite inner faculties to align behind luminous will (kratu) and protect the ‘rays’ of insight.
gopati 'cow-lord' (go + pati): in inner sense go = rays/illumined knowledges (from √/ as 'light/brightness' in Vedic symbolism), hence gopati = guardian of illuminations. kratu as conscious will/intelligence organizing action. √ 'give' → daduḥ (perfect). bhū/bhuvaḥ from √ 'be, become' (PIE *bʰuH-).
kratu as organizing will of the gods, delegation of power within the divine order, go (light/knowledge) guarded against darkness
Indra’s guardianship (gopati) expresses ṛta as right governance of becoming—life moving under truth-guided intelligence.
Truth becomes effective as ‘gifts’—discernment and force that do not deceive or scatter.
The gods empower a central luminous principle to govern manifestation (bhuvaḥ).
Proto-Vedāntic/Integral (Aurobindonian) reading: ascent of consciousness and harmonization of powers.
‘Cows’ are rays of knowledge; ‘becoming’ is the life-field. Indra as gopati is the inner governor who keeps knowledge from being stolen by confusion and channels it into right living.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The divine delegation: all gods confer vīrya upon Indra according to kratu, making him gopati—the guardian of the luminous 'cows' (rays/knowledges). This is the mythic charter for Indra’s leadership in the battle for light.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- pati 'lord' reflects PIE *pótis. √bhū 'be/become' reflects PIE *bʰuH-. The 'glory-by-hearing' complex persists indirectly via puruṣṭuta (much-praised), aligning with the IE poetic economy of renown through song.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi recognizes Indra’s authority as rooted in a wider divine consensus (devāḥ … daduḥ) and invokes him as puruṣṭuta, sustained by many hymns. The relationship is thus not private but cosmic: the singer aligns with the gods’ kratu and calls Indra to guard the illuminations in the human being.
Align all inner faculties behind a single luminous intention; invoke Indra as the organizing intelligence that protects insight.
Ājñā (brow) (discernment) with support to Maṇipūra (effective force)
4-4-6 breathing (inhale-hold-exhale) while mentally repeating ‘bhadrā indrasya rātayaḥ’ on the exhale
Collected, alert, upward-aspiring (sattvic-vīra)
Begin by offering scattered thoughts to the ‘Viśve Devāḥ’ within; then call Indra to take guardianship of the day’s becoming. End with gratitude for the ‘gifts’—clarity, courage, right decision.
Vedic accents as marked in Saṃhitā text (udātta/anudātta/svarita); keep the refrain ‘bhadrā indrasya rātayaḥ’ steady and resolved.
Lift on marked udātta syllables (e.g., viśvé, te, indra, vī́ryaṃ); avoid flattening svarita into udātta.
Maintain retroflex in ‘indra’ dental clarity; do not over-roll ‘r’, ‘gopatiḥ’: keep ‘go’ long and open; final visarga lightly aspirated, ‘puruṣṭuta’: articulate ṣṭ cluster clearly (ṣ + ṭ), ‘rātayaḥ’: long ‘ā’ in rā; soft ‘yaḥ’ with visarga echo
Clear, firm, slightly uplifting; end-line refrain with benevolent assurance.
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