Rig Veda 4.18.8: Mandala 4, Sukta 18, Mantra 8
Sukta 4.18
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
ममच्चन त्वा युवतिः परास ममच्चन त्वा कुषवा जगार । ममच्चिदापः शिशवे ममृड्युर्ममच्चिदिन्द्रः सहसोदतिष्ठत् ॥
mámac ca ná tvā yuvatíḥ parā́sa mámāc ca ná tvā kúṣavā jagā́ra | mámāc cid ā́paḥ śíśave mamṛḍyúr mámāc cid índraḥ sáhasód atiṣṭhat ||
Nicht einmal meine junge Kraft vermochte dich fortzustoßen; nicht einmal die Hebammen konnten dich bezwingen. Selbst die Wasser gaben dem Kind nach; selbst Indra erhob sich aus eigener Macht.
Word by Word
- मम
- of me / myPronounषष्ठी (gen.), एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitival relation)Root अस्मद्
- च
- and / alsoIndeclinableसमुच्चय-अव्ययRoot च
- न
- notIndeclinableनिषेध-अव्ययRoot न
- त्वा
- you (as object)Pronounद्वितीया (acc.), एकवचनRole कर्मRoot त्वद्
- युवतिः
- a young womanNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot युवति-
- परास
- away, asideIndeclinableदिशा/वियोगार्थ-अव्ययRoot परास्
- मम
- of me / myPronounषष्ठी (gen.), एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot अस्मद्
- च
- and / alsoIndeclinableसमुच्चय-अव्ययRoot च
- न
- notIndeclinableनिषेध-अव्ययRoot न
- त्वा
- you (as object)Pronounद्वितीया (acc.), एकवचनRole कर्मRoot त्वद्
- कुषवाः
- the weavers (lit. makers of kuśa/warp; ‘weavers’)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot कुषवा-
- जगार
- has sung/has cried outVerbलिट् (perfect), परस्मैपद, 3 पुरुष, एकवचनRoot √गॄ (गिर्/गॄ) / √गॄ? (Vedic: ‘to sing/cry out’)
- मम
- of me / myPronounषष्ठी (gen.), एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot अस्मद्
- चिद्
- evenIndeclinableअवधारण-अव्ययRoot चिद्
- आपः
- the watersNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग (Vedic plural), प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot अप्-
- शिशवे
- to the child / infantNounपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (dat.), एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot √शि (शय/शि) → शिशु/शिशव् (Vedic ‘child’)
- ममृड्युः
- (one who is) compassionate / graciousAdjective (used substantively) / Participle-like adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot √मृड् (मृडयति ‘to be gracious, to pity’) / adj. मृड्यु-
- मम
- of me / myPronounषष्ठी (gen.), एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot अस्मद्
- चिद्
- evenIndeclinableअवधारण-अव्ययRoot चिद्
- इन्द्रः
- IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot इन्द्र-
- सहसः
- from strength / of mightNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (gen.), एकवचनRole अपादान/हेतु (source/cause nuance)Root सहस्-
- उद्
- up, forthIndeclinable (preverb) / Upasargaउपसर्गRoot उद्
- अतिष्ठत्
- stood up / aroseVerbलङ् (imperfect), परस्मैपद, 3 पुरुष, एकवचनRoot √स्था
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (sandhi-resolution): मम॑च्च॒न → मम + च + न
- मम॑च्चि॒दाप॒: → मम + चिद् + आपः
- मम॑च्चि॒दिन्द्र॒: → मम + चिद् + इन्द्रः
- सह॒सोद॑तिष्ठत् → सहसः + उद् + अतिष्ठत् (उद् + अ- → उद् अ-; संहितायां ‘ओ’ इव दृश्यते). शिश॑वे = शिशु-शब्दस्य चतुर्थी एकवचन (Vedic)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Not even my youthful strength could cast you away; not even the midwives could overpower you. Even the Waters yielded to the child; even Indra rose up by his own might.
Inner meaning
The Mother/Nature confesses inability to suppress the destined emergence of the divine force. ‘Youthful strength’ and ‘midwives’ represent the formative powers of life-nature and customary processes that try to manage or limit the birth of a higher consciousness. Yet the child (the nascent Indra-power) compels even the Waters—inner currents and life-energies—to yield and serve the new awakening. Indra’s rising ‘by his own might’ signals the self-existent inevitability of illumination: the higher mind-force cannot be permanently constrained by lower mechanisms.
Universal truth
Authentic spiritual emergence is irrepressible: neither personal vitality, nor social conditioning, nor habitual formative forces can ultimately prevent the soul’s destined awakening and ascent.
Themes
irresistible emergence, birth of Indra, energies yielding to truth
The seer
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 4.18, RV 4.26
Family tradition
The Gautama seer-poetry often portrays the gods’ birth as an inner inevitability, with Nature itself acknowledging the supremacy of the emergent divine power.
Significance
A mantra of assurance: the higher awakening is stronger than the forces that attempt to regulate or suppress it.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Sahasavān (mighty), Svayam-utthita (self-uprisen; implied), Vṛtrahan (contextual)
- Related deities
- Āpaḥ, Aditi/Nature (Mother principle), Agni
Cosmic role
Power that asserts itself in creation and establishes mastery over the flowing forces (waters) and the vital formations.
Inner power
Sovereign illumined will and intelligence that cannot be cast out; it compels the energies of life to align with truth.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra birth/victory narrative segments in Soma praise; also suitable as general protective/strengthening recitation.
मम॑च्च॒न त्वा॑ युव॒तिः प॒रास॒ मम॑च्च॒न त्वा॑ कु॒षवा॑ ज॒गार॑ । मम॑च्चि॒दाप॒: शिश॑वे ममृड्यु॒र्मम॑च्चि॒दिन्द्र॒: सह॒सोद॑तिष्ठत् ॥
मम॑त् । च॒न । त्वा॒ । यु॒व॒तिः । प॒रा॒ऽआस॑ । मम॑त् । च॒न । त्वा॒ । कु॒षवा॑ । ज॒गार॑ । मम॑त् । चि॒त् । आपः॑ । शिश॑वे । म॒मृ॒ड्युः॒ । मम॑त् । चि॒त् । इन्द्रः॑ । सह॑सा । उत् । अ॒ति॒ष्ठ॒त् ॥
mamat | cana | tvā | yuvatiḥ | parāāsa | mamat | cana | tvā | kuṣavā | jagāra | mamat | cit | āpaḥ | śiśave | mamṛḍyuḥ | mamat | cit | indraḥ | sahasā | ut | atiṣṭhat
44
4 × ~11
Refrain-like insistence with repeated ‘mamac cana/mamac cid’—a hammering emphasis of inevitability.
Instills confidence and inner solidity; repetition creates a mantra-like build of certainty.
- युवतिः (yuvatiḥ)
- Literal: young woman; youthful strength. Symbolic: vital nature’s youthful force, the energetic but limited life-power
- कुषवा (kuṣavā)
- Literal: midwives (attendants at birth). Symbolic: formative agencies—habits, social ‘helpers,’ mental constructors shaping how birth should occur
- शिशु (śiśu) / शिशवे (śiśave)
- Literal: child (to the child). Symbolic: the newly born divine capacity within—pure, potent, destined
- आपः (āpaḥ)
- Literal: waters. Symbolic: life-currents/inspiration that submit to the higher order when awakening comes
- सहसा (sahasā)
- Literal: by force, by might. Symbolic: intrinsic spiritual power; sovereign energy of ascent
- उद् अतिष्ठत् (ud atiṣṭhat)
- Literal: rose up. Symbolic: awakening, emergence from latency into active mastery
Praise of Indra’s irresistible uprising; suitable for strengthening the sacrificer’s will in rites.
When affirming Indra’s unconquerable power; in contexts seeking resilience and breakthrough.
Stuti emphasizing invincibility and alignment of forces to Indra.
Use when facing discouragement: a steady affirmation that the deeper awakening will rise despite inner or outer pressures.
√mṛḍ 'to be gracious, show mercy' indicates consent of the life-currents once the true power appears. The repeated mamat…cana/cit is a rhetorical intensifier: no ordinary formative agency can repel or bind the emergent Indra-force; it asserts inevitability of the divine emergence.
inevitability of the true force once born, consent of energies to higher order (Ṛta)
R̥ta ensures the rightful emergence of the higher power; lower forces ultimately yield to truth-order.
Truth-power is self-validating and cannot be annulled by lesser constructions.
Birth as assertion of higher sovereignty over formative forces; alignment of energies to awakened mind.
Integral-psychological reading: emergent divine faculty within the human instrument.
Birth attendants = formative habits; waters = emotional/vital currents; child = new consciousness; rising = awakening and mastery.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is the unstoppable birth of the hero-power: neither the mother’s youthful force nor the birth-handlers can reject or restrain him; even the waters consent. Inwardly, once the Indra-force is kindled, nature’s resistances yield and the energies reorganize around the higher mastery.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √sthā (atiṣṭhat) is PIE *steh₂-. The emphatic particles cana/cit reflect inherited Indo-Iranian discourse strategies for intensification. The birth/heroic uprising theme parallels broader IE narratives of the young thunder-hero asserting sovereignty.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The R̥ṣi presents Indra as the inner certainty: the seeker’s emerging power is not to be negotiated away by surface nature. The verse functions as an affirmation-mantra for steadfastness when the old formation attempts rejection.
Affirm the inevitability of the soul’s awakening; feel the ‘child of light’ within that cannot be expelled.
anāhata (inner child/psychic) to maṇipūra (sahas/force)
grounding breath: inhale to heart, exhale to navel; feel strength consolidating
Steady courage with quiet faith.
Chant with the repeated ‘mamac’ as a dropping of personal claim into a deeper certainty: the higher force is stronger than the lower nature’s management. Sit after chanting and sense the waters of emotion becoming cooperative and calm.
Repetition-heavy verse benefits from strict svara consistency; use an accented Śākala text for exact udatta/anudatta/svarita mapping.
Keep each ‘mamac’ identical in pitch intent; let the final pāda ‘indraḥ sahasod atiṣṭhat’ carry a firm upward resolve without breaking Vedic accent rules.
mamac cana: keep final c of -cana clear, not swallowed., kuṣavā: retroflex ṣ; long ā., mamṛḍyuḥ: articulate ṛḍy cluster carefully; keep vowel length., sahasod: pronounce as sahasā + ud (sandhi), keep sibilants clear.
Steady, reassuring, strong but not harsh
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