Rig Veda 4.16.18: Mandala 4, Sukta 16, Mantra 18
Sukta 4.16
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
भुवोऽविता वामदेवस्य धीनां भुवः सखावृको वाजसातौ । त्वामनु प्रमतिमा जगन्मोरुशंसो जरित्रे विश्वध स्याः ॥
bhúvo ’vitā́ vā́madevasya dhīnā́ṃ bhúvaḥ sákḥā́vṛko vā́ja-sātau | tvā́m ánu prámatim ā́ jaganma urúśaṃso jaritré viśvádha syāḥ ||
Sei der Helfer der inspirierten Gedanken Vāmadevas; sei der unverwundbare Freund beim Gewinnen des vāja. Dir folgend sind wir zur rechten Einsicht gelangt; werde dem Sänger in jeder Weise die allumfassend gepriesene, weithin gerühmte Kraft der Erfüllung.
Word by Word
- भुवः
- in the world; in existenceNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचन (अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः: ‘भुवः’ = ‘भुवि/भुवने’)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot भू (भुवस्-)
- अविता
- protector; helperNoun (agent)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole KartāRoot अवितृ (√अव् ‘रक्षणे’)
- वामदेवस्य
- of VāmadevaNoun (proper name)पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; एकवचनRole Sambandha (genitive)Root वामदेव (प्रातिपदिक)
- धीनाम्
- of the thoughts/insightsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; बहुवचनRole Sambandha (genitive)Root धी (प्रातिपदिक)
- भुवः
- in the world; in existenceNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचन (अव्ययवत्)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot भू (भुवस्-)
- सखा
- friend; companionNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole KartāRoot सखि (प्रातिपदिक)
- वृकः
- wolf (metaphor: fierce one)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole Kartā (apposition to सखा)Root वृक (प्रातिपदिक)
- वाजसातौ
- in the winning of prize/strength (in the contest for booty)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot वाजसाति (प्रातिपदिक)
- त्वाम्
- youPronounद्वितीया; एकवचनRole KarmaRoot युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
- अनु
- after; along; followingIndeclinableRoot अनु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- प्रमतिम्
- guidance; wise intent; counselNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole Karma (with अनु)Root प्रमति (प्रातिपदिक)
- आ
- towards; untoIndeclinableRoot आ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- जगन्मा
- let (me) not go astray / do not let (me) wander (lit. ‘moving—do not’)Compound/particle phraseजगन्- (नपुंसक/पुं; प्रातिपदिकवत्) + मा (निषेध/प्रार्थना-अव्यय)Root √गम् (जगन्- ‘going, moving’ as kṛdanta-stem) + मा (अव्यय)
- उरुशंसः
- wide-praised; of far-reaching fameAdjective/Noun (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole Kartā (predicate epithet)Root उरुशंस (प्रातिपदिक: उरु ‘wide’ + शंस ‘praise’)
- जरित्रे
- to the singer/praiserNoun (agent)पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी; एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot जरितृ (√गॄ/√जर् ‘स्तुतौ’)
- विश्वधा
- in every way; whollyIndeclinableRoot विश्वधा (अव्यय; विश्व + धा)
- स्याः
- may you beVerbविधिलिङ् (optative); मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचनRole Kartā (implicit ‘त्वम्’)Root √अस् (भू-अर्थे) / √भू (optative of ‘to be’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धिविग्रह): भुवोऽविता → भुवः अविता (अः + अ → ओऽ)
- वामदेवस्य धीनाम् (षष्ठी-सम्बन्धः)
- भुवः सखा वृकः वाजसातौ (सप्तमी-स्थाने)
- त्वामनु → त्वाम् अनु
- प्रमतिमा → प्रमतिम् आ
- जगन्मोरुशंसो → जगन् मा उरुशंसः (न् + म → न्म्; अः/ओ-परिवर्तनः पदान्तस्वर-सन्धिः)
- जरित्रे विश्वध स्याः → जरित्रे विश्वधा स्याः (अव्यय ‘विश्वधा’)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Be the helper of Vāmadeva’s inspired thoughts; be the un-harmable friend in the winning of vāja. Following you we have come to right understanding; be for the singer the widely praised fulfillment in every way.
Inner meaning
The rishi openly links Indra to the protection and increase of dhī (inspired intelligence). Indra is asked to be avitā—one who fosters the growth of higher thought—and sakhā avṛka—friend whom no ‘wolf’ (destructive force) can wound: i.e., a stable inner companion in the struggle for victorious power (vājasāti). By aligning with Indra, the seeker attains pramati—right measure, right understanding, mature discernment. The prayer culminates in universal fulfillment (viśvadhā): not a single-sided gain, but an integral support across the nature.
Universal truth
True progress depends on a protected and growing intelligence, right discernment, and an inner companionship with the higher mind that cannot be shaken by hostile forces.
Themes
rishi-devata intimacy, guidance of thought, victory-winning (vāja-sāti), universal fulfillment
The seer
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 4.16.1-20, Rig Veda 4.26-27
Family tradition
The Gautamas emphasize inspired speech (dhī) and its divine guardianship; Vāmadeva often speaks in first-person intimacy with the gods.
Significance
This verse is a signature yogic move: requesting the deity not only for outer victory but as protector and increaser of inner illumination and right understanding (pramati).
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- अविता (avitā), सखा (sakhā), अवृक (avṛka), उरुशंस (uruśaṃsa)
- Related deities
- Bṛhaspati (lord of inspired utterance), Agni (leader of inner sacrifice), Soma (bliss that confirms illumination)
Cosmic role
Secures victory for the luminous powers; supports inspired thought and right action.
Inner power
Guardian-friend of the seeker’s intelligence; stabilizer against hostile movements; giver of pramati (right discernment).
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra praise connected to securing ‘vāja’ and protection of the sacrificer’s intent (dhī).
भुवो॑ऽवि॒ता वा॒मदे॑वस्य धी॒नां भुव॒: सखा॑वृ॒को वाज॑सातौ । त्वामनु॒ प्रम॑ति॒मा ज॑गन्मोरु॒शंसो॑ जरि॒त्रे वि॒श्वध॑ स्याः ॥
भुवः॑ । अ॒वि॒ता । वा॒मऽदे॑वस्य । धी॒नाम् । भुवः॑ । सखा॑ । अ॒वृ॒कः । वाज॑ऽसातौ । त्वाम् । अनु॑ । प्रऽम॑तिम् । आ । ज॒ग॒न्म॒ । उ॒रु॒ऽशंसः॑ । ज॒रि॒त्रे । वि॒श्वध॑ । स्याः॒ ॥
bhuvaḥ | avitā | vāma-devasya | dhīnām | bhuvaḥ | sakhā | avṛkaḥ | vāja-sātau | tvām | anu | pra-matim | ā | jaganma | uru-śaṃsaḥ | jaritre | viśvadha | syāḥ
44
4 x ~11
Steady, supportive, companionable heroism rather than sheer attack.
Strengthens confidence in inner guidance; fosters a calm, capable clarity (pramati).
- धी (dhī) / धीना॑म् (dhīnām)
- Literal: thought, vision, inspired intelligence. Symbolic: Supramental/intuitive formations in the mind guided by truth
- अविता (avitā)
- Literal: helper, protector. Symbolic: Power that fosters growth and guards the process of inner illumination
- सखा (sakhā)
- Literal: friend. Symbolic: Intimate inner presence of Indra as companion-consciousness
- अवृक (avṛka)
- Literal: not-wolfed, not harmed by wolves. Symbolic: Unassailable by hostile forces; stable protection against inner ‘predators’ (doubt, depression, falsehood)
- वाजसातौ (vājasātau)
- Literal: in the winning of vāja. Symbolic: In the conquest for effective force, mastery, and plenitude
- प्रमति (pramati)
- Literal: right thought, right measure, understanding. Symbolic: Discerning intelligence that knows the true proportion and right step
- उरुशंस (uruśaṃsa)
- Literal: widely praised. Symbolic: The expansive power that others in the being can trust—broad, beneficent illumination
- विश्वधा (viśvadhā)
- Literal: in every way, universally. Symbolic: Integral fulfillment across mind, life, and body
Self-referential rishi petition within Indra hymn; supports the seer’s dhī in Soma praise
When seeking success in undertakings and safeguarding inspiration—before recitations, decisions, or journeys.
Recitation as stuti; offering of clarified intention into the rite.
Before study/creative work: recite to protect and widen inspiration, then sit for a minute to receive pramati (right next step).
dhī ‘inspired thought’ (visionary intelligence) is central to Vedic psychology. avṛka ‘not wolfed’ (a- + vṛka ‘wolf’) symbolises freedom from predatory forces of division/violence in consciousness. pramatí (pra + mati from √man ‘think’) is ‘forward/right-mindedness’, a guided intelligence attained by following the deity.
dhī (inspired intelligence), pramati (right understanding), invulnerability (avṛka)
Pramati is the individual’s alignment with ṛta—right proportion and timing in action.
Dhī becomes satya-bearing when protected from distortion by hostile forces.
Inner creation: inspired thoughts (dhī) are ‘formed’ and stabilized into effective power (vāja).
Aurobindonian psychology: Indra as illumined mind fostering intuitive thought-forms.
Wolf = predatory doubt/falsehood; friend = steady higher presence; winning vāja = harnessing life-force under light.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Indra as the invulnerable friend who supports the seer’s dhī and leads to pramati, enabling the ‘winning of vāja’—the mythic alliance of god and rishi in the conquest of force and knowledge.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √man ‘think’ (mati in pramati) corresponds to PIE *men- (mind, mental activity). sakhā ‘friend’ reflects a widespread IE social-religious register of ‘companionship with the god’ in hymnic diction.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- Explicit and personal: the rishi asks Indra to be the protector of his dhī, and declares attainment of pramati by following the god. The offering is hymn and fidelity; the return is guided intelligence and invulnerable companionship in the inner battle.
Invoke Indra as ‘inner friend’ guarding inspiration; cultivate pramati—right measure in thought and action.
ājñā (discernment) with anāhata (friendship/trust)
Gentle nāḍī-śodhana (alternate nostril) before chanting to balance and invite right understanding.
Clear, balanced, quietly heroic.
After chanting, write one sentence of ‘pramati’: the simplest true next step; then act on it—this is vājasāti in practice.
Observe udatta lift on key relational terms (avitā, sakhā, pramati); keep cadence even across four pādas.
Soften the tone on ‘sakhā avṛkaḥ’ (friendship), then brighten on ‘pramatim ā jaganma’ (arrival at understanding).
Pronounce ‘vāmadevasya’ with clear long ā, Keep ‘avṛkaḥ’ with vocalic ṛ, ‘uruśaṃsaḥ’—distinct ś + anusvāra, Do not compress ‘viśvadhā’—keep three beats
Warm, steady, confident.
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