Rig Veda 7.32.7: Mandala 7, Sukta 32, Mantra 7
Sukta 7.32
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
भवा वरूथं मघवन्मघोनां यत्समजासि शर्धतः । वि त्वाहतस्य वेदनं भजेमह्या दूणाशो भरा गयम् ॥
bhávā várūthaṃ maghavan maghónāṃ yát samájāsi śárdhataḥ | ví tvāhatasya védaṇaṃ bhajemahy ā́ dūṇā́śo bharā́ gáyam ||
হে মঘবন্, মঘোনদের (দানশীলদের) সেই সমাবেশকে যখন তুমি দলে দলে একত্র কর, তখন আমাদের রক্ষাকারী আশ্রয় হও। পরাহত শত্রুর অর্জনে আমরা অংশী হই; বিপন্ন ও বৈরী শক্তিদের কাছ থেকে আমাদের জন্য লাভ ও পূর্ণতা (গয়) এনে দাও।
Word by Word
- भव
- be; become (do thou be)Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole (आदेशः) संबोधन-प्रयुक्तःRoot √भू (भवति)
- वरूथम्
- protection; shelterNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot वरूथ (प्रातिपदिक)
- मघवन्
- O bountiful one (Indra)Noun (vocative epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot मघवन् (प्रातिपदिक; इन्द्रस्य विशेषणम्)
- मघोनाम्
- of the bountiful onesNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root मघवन्/मघोन् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘दानशील/समृद्ध’)
- यत्
- which; whatPronoun (relative)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन (सन्दर्भे कर्मत्वेन)Role कर्म (यद्-सम्बन्धः)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- समजासि
- thou didst gather/bring togetherVerbलिट्/लुङ्-प्राय (वैदिक-प्रयोग), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; उपसर्गः सम्-Role कर्तृ (त्वम् = इन्द्रः)Root √जस्/जन्? (वैदिक: सम्+√जस् ‘to be born/come together’ अथवा सम्+√जन् ‘to beget/produce’; पाठानुसार रूपम्)
- शर्धतः
- from the host; from the troopNounपुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन (अथवा षष्ठी एकवचन—वैदिके द्व्यर्थता), -तःRole अपादान/सम्बन्ध (context: ‘from/among the host’)Root शर्ध (प्रातिपदिक; ‘समूह/सेना/गण’)
- वि
- apart; forth; distinctlyIndeclinableउपसर्गः/निपातःRoot वि (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- त्वाहतस्य
- of him/that which is smitten by theeAdjective (past passive participle) used substantivelyपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी) — ‘of the one smitten by thee’Root त्वाहत (प्रातिपदिक; ‘त्वा-हत’ = ‘by thee smitten/struck’)
- वेदनम्
- booty; gain; possessionNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot वेदन (प्रातिपदिक; from √विद् ‘to know’ → ‘finding/possession/booty’ in RV usage)
- भजेमहि
- may we partake; may we shareVerbलोट्/विधिलिङ्-प्राय (वैदिक प्रार्थना), उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचन, आत्मनेपदRole कर्तृ (वयम्)Root √भज् (भजते)
- ह्या
- indeed; for; nowIndeclinableनिपातः (प्रेरण/हेतु/उपपादनार्थ)Root हि + आ (निपात-संयोग; वैदिक)
- दूणाशः
- the harmful ones; injurersNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (भरा इत्यस्य)Root दूणाश (प्रातिपदिक; ‘दूणाश’ = ‘दुःख/हानि करने वाला’ अथवा ‘दूषण’)
- भर
- bear; bringVerbलोट्, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole (आदेशः) संबोधन-प्रयुक्तःRoot √भृ (भरति)
- गयम्
- wealth; household prosperityNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot गय (प्रातिपदिक; ‘गय’ = ‘गृह/धन/जीवन-समृद्धि’ RV)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (संभाव्य): भव | वरूथम् | मघवन् | मघोनाम् | यत् | समजासि | शर्धतः || वि | त्वाहतस्य | वेदनम् | भजेमहि | ह्या | दूणाशः | भर | गयम् || प्रमुख-सन्धयः: (1) मघवन् + मघोनाम् (सम्बोधन + षष्ठी) — संधि-रहित पदपाठानुसार पृथक्। (2) यत् + समजासि → यत्समजासि (त् + स = त्स्)
- (3) वि + त्वाहतस्य → वि त्वाहतस्य (विसर्गादि नहीं; पदविभाग)
- (4) भजेमहि + ह्या → भजेमह्या (इ + ह्य = इह्य; संहितायां ‘ह्या’ निपात-समूह)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Be our protective shelter, O bounteous one, of the bounteous when you gather them in companies; may we share the winning of the smitten foe—bring us gain and plenitude from the distressed/hostile ones.
Inner meaning
Indra is invoked as the inner fortress (varūtha): a protective wideness and strength for those who seek the true riches (maghonām). He gathers the luminous forces in ordered formations (śardhataḥ)—the coordinated powers of mind, life, and soul under illumination. Then the seeker can partake in the ‘winning’ (vedanam) of what is taken from the struck-down resistance: energies and capacities previously held by hostile formations (dūṇāśaḥ). The prayer is to convert adverse pressures into gain (gayaṃ): transformed life-force and fulfilled growth.
Universal truth
Protection is not mere shielding; it is the organizing presence that gathers our scattered energies, defeats inner hostility, and converts difficulty into lasting increase.
Themes
protection, mustering of powers, sharing the gain, overcoming hostility
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha (Maitrāvaruṇa)
- Other hymns
- RV 7.2, RV 7.17, RV 7.32, RV 7.83, RV 7.88
Family tradition
A lineage of ‘established’ seers; emphasis on protection through truth and the right ordering of forces.
Significance
Vasiṣṭha’s Indra is a unifier and protector—one who coordinates the inner host so the seeker can safely convert conflict into growth.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Maghavan, Vṛtrahan (implied battle-victory)
- Related deities
- Maruts (companies/hosts), Bṛhaspati (winning of light), Agni
Cosmic role
Leader who marshals the gods; grants protection and victorious gains.
Inner power
Protective, organizing illumination that turns scattered impulses into a disciplined force and makes adversity yield its hidden strength.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra stotra within Soma rite; also applicable as a protective invocation before contest/undertaking
भवा॒ वरू॑थं मघवन्म॒घोनां॒ यत्स॒मजा॑सि॒ शर्ध॑तः । वि त्वाह॑तस्य॒ वेद॑नं भजेम॒ह्या दू॒णाशो॑ भरा॒ गय॑म् ॥
भव॑ । वरू॑थम् । म॒घ॒ऽव॒न् । म॒घोना॑म् । यत् । स॒म्ऽअजा॑सि । शर्ध॑तः । वि । त्वाऽह॑तस्य । वेद॑नम् । भ॒जे॒म॒हि॒ । आ । दुः॒ऽनशः॑ । भ॒र॒ । गय॑म् ॥
bhava | varāūtham | magha-van | maghonām | yat | sam-ajāsi | śardhataḥ | vi | tvāhatasya | vedanam | bhajemahi | ā | duḥ-naśaḥ | bhara | gayam
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4×11 (variable)
Commanding and rallying; suitable for ‘gathering the host’ and claiming the victory-share.
Creates a feeling of protection and collective strength; stabilizes scattered attention.
- वरूथ (varūtha)
- Literal: shelter, defense. Symbolic: inner protection: stable wideness, psychic fortitude
- मघवन् (maghavan)
- Literal: bounteous. Symbolic: the giver of luminous plenty; abundance of consciousness
- शर्धतः (śardhataḥ)
- Literal: in troops/companies. Symbolic: organized host of inner powers acting in harmony
- वि त्वाहतस्य वेदनम् (vi tvāhatasya vedanam)
- Literal: the winning/booty of the smitten. Symbolic: recovered energies and truths released after striking down resistance
- दूणाश (dūṇāśa)
- Literal: distressed, hostile, harming. Symbolic: afflictive formations: doubt, fear, depression, inertia
- गयम् (gayaṃ)
- Literal: gain, wealth, life-plenitude. Symbolic: integrated increase: strength, joy, effective life-energy
Protective and victory petition within Indra-stotra; aligns with martial/competitive contexts (vāja-prize) and inner protection during Soma rite
During Indra invocations seeking protection and victory
Praise + request for shelter and gains; symbolic ‘sharing’ in the victory
Use for psychological protection and integration: before challenging conversations, exams, travel, or when feeling attacked by negativity.
varūtha ‘protective shelter’ (defense/covering) aligns inwardly with a guarding power of consciousness. maghavan from maghá ‘gift/bounty’ (giver-power). sam-ajāsi from √aj ‘drive’ → ‘muster/gather forces’. śárdha ‘troop, host’ indicates organized powers. bhajemahi from √bhaj ‘share, partake’ (middle voice: participation). gayam ‘gain’ (often ‘booty’ outwardly) is taken as inner acquisition of force and wideness.
R̥ta as protection (varūtha) through right alignment, victory as redistribution of obstructed powers into the seeker
Indra’s ‘gathering in companies’ images ṛta as organization of powers toward the true aim.
The ‘smitten foe’ is falsehood/obscurity struck by truth-force.
Transformation: hostile energies become ‘gain’ when reclaimed by the luminous order.
Integral/psychological: conversion of adverse forces rather than mere suppression.
Fortress = inner wideness; troops = coordinated faculties; spoils = reclaimed energies from subconscious or hostile habits.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Indra as leader of the divine hosts who smites the adversary and redistributes the ‘gain’ to allies. Psychologically, the ‘hosts’ are coordinated inner faculties; the ‘smitten foe’ is the obstructive formation; the ‘gain’ is recovered force and joy.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √bhū ‘become’ (bhava) continues PIE *bʰuH- ‘to be, become’. √bhṛ ‘bear/bring’ continues PIE *bʰer- (cf. English bear, Greek phérō). These core IE roots frame the verse in archaic imperative petitions typical of IE hymnic address.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi asks for Indra’s varūtha (protective presence) precisely when Indra organizes the powers for conflict. The human seeks participation (bhajemahi) in the divine victory—an intimate sharing rather than a distant spectacle.
Invoke an inner protective wideness; gather scattered energies into a single aligned host.
anāhata (protection/fearlessness) with maṇipūra (organized force)
Box breathing 4-4-4-4 for steadiness; then chant on long exhale.
From vulnerability to protected strength; from fragmentation to integration.
Visualize Indra as a luminous shield around the heart; then ‘call in’ your faculties (attention, will, emotion) as a unified śardha; offer the day’s conflicts to be converted into gain.
Vedic accents; keep the imperative ‘bhavā’ prominent; maintain lift on ‘maghavan’.
Clear caesura after ‘śardhataḥ’; articulate ‘vi tvāhatasya’ distinctly to avoid slurring consonant clusters.
bhavā: open ‘bh’ with voiced aspiration, varūtham: long ū; retroflex ṭh not present—keep dental ‘th’, śardhataḥ: śa-rdha-taḥ with clear ‘rdh’ cluster, dūṇāśo: long ū and retroflex ṇ
Protective, resonant, slightly weighty; avoid rushing.
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