Rig Veda 6.25.4: Mandala 6, Sukta 25, Mantra 4
Sukta 6.25
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja Bārhaspatya
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
शूरो वा शूरं वनते शरीरैस्तनूरुचा तरुषि यत्कृण्वैते । तोके वा गोषु तनये यदप्सु वि क्रन्दसी उर्वरासु ब्रवैते ॥
śū́ro vā śū́raṃ vanate śárīrais tanū-rú cā tár uṣi yát kṛṇváite | tók e vā góṣu tánaye yád apsú ví krándasī urvárāsu brávāite ||
Ein Held, wahrlich, bezwingt den Helden durch die Kräfte des leibhaftigen Wesens, wenn du das sieghafte Werk mit dem Licht deiner eigenen Substanz vollbringst. Sei es im Kinde, in den Herden (der Kühe), in der Nachkommenschaft oder in den Wassern—dein Ruf bricht hervor; auf den weiten Fluren verkündest du.
Word by Word
- शूरः
- the hero, the brave oneNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot शूर (प्रातिपदिक)
- वा
- or / indeedIndeclinableविकल्पार्थक अव्ययRoot वा (निपात)
- शूरम्
- a hero (as opponent/target)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot शूर (प्रातिपदिक)
- वनते
- wins, conquersVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot √वन् (वनते) / √वन्
- शरीरैः
- with bodies / with bodily powersNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole करणRoot शरीर (प्रातिपदिक)
- तनू-रुचा
- with body-brightness; with shining bodyAdjective (compound)बहुव्रीहि/कर्मधारय-समास; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (रुचा)Role करणRoot तनू (प्रातिपदिक) + रुच्/रुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
- तरुषि
- in the onrush/assault; in the chargeNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot तरुषि (प्रातिपदिक)
- यत्
- that whichPronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (सम्बन्धसूचक)Root यद् (सर्वनाम)
- कृण्वैते
- the two do/makeVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, तृतीयपुरुष, द्विवचनRoot √कृ (कृणोति)
- तोके
- in offspring; in the childNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot तोक (प्रातिपदिक)
- वा
- or / indeedIndeclinableविकल्पार्थक अव्ययRoot वा (निपात)
- गोषु
- among the cows; in cattleNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचनRole अधिकरणRoot गो (प्रातिपदिक)
- तनये
- in the son/descendantNounपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot तनय (प्रातिपदिक)
- यत्
- when/that whichPronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (सम्बन्धसूचक)Root यद् (सर्वनाम)
- अप्सु
- in the watersNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचनRole अधिकरणRoot अप् (प्रातिपदिक)
- वि
- apart, forth, widelyIndeclinableउपसर्ग (विशेषण/विभागार्थ)Root वि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- क्रन्दसी
- you cry out, you roarVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, द्वितीयपुरुष, एकवचनRoot √क्रन्द्
- उर्वरासु
- in the fertile fieldsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचनRole अधिकरणRoot उर्वरा (प्रातिपदिक)
- ब्रवैते
- speaks, proclaimsVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, तृतीयपुरुष, एकवचनRoot √ब्रू (ब्रवीति)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धिविच्छेद): शूरो॑ → शूरः (ओः सन्धि/विसर्ग-लोप लेखन)
- वनते॒ (स्वर सहित तिङन्त)
- शरी॑रैः (इः + ऐः)
- तनू॒रुचा॒ → तनू-रुचा (समास/सन्धि: तनू + रुचा)
- तरु॑षि (स्वतंत्र)
- यत्कृ॒ण्वैते॑ → यत् कृण्वैते (त् + क्)
- तो॒के (स्वतंत्र)
- गोषु॒ (स्वतंत्र)
- यद॒प्सु → यत् अप्सु (त् + अ)
- वि क्रन्द॑सी (उपसर्ग + तिङन्त)
- उ॒र्वरा॑सु (स्वतंत्र)
- ब्रवै॑ते (स्वतंत्र). उच्चारण-चिह्न (॑/॒) मूल पाठ के वैदिक स्वर (उदात्त/अनुदात्त/स्वरित) सूचक हैं
- पद-रूपों में उन्हें यथावत रखा गया है जहाँ संभव।
The meaning
Outer meaning
A hero wins a hero by the powers of the embodied being, when you accomplish the conquering work with the light of your own substance. Whether in the child, or in the cows, or in the offspring, or in the waters—your cry breaks forth; in the wide fields you proclaim.
Inner meaning
Indra’s victory is not abstract: it is realized through the instruments of embodiment (śarīraiḥ) when the seeker acts with the ‘light of one’s own substance’ (tanūrucā)—a luminosity that comes from a purified nature suffused by the higher power. The “hero wins a hero” suggests that the aspiring will (human hero) becomes capable of divine victory by aligning with Indra (the greater Hero). The proclamation/cry (vi krandasī, bravaite) is the outward sign of inner conquest: the liberated force announces itself across all domains—toke (the nascent inner child/seed of new consciousness), goṣu (rays of knowledge), tanaye (new becomings/offspring of works), apsu (waters: flowing energies/feelings). “Wide fields” (urvarāsu) indicate broadened consciousness where the truth can take root and yield.
Universal truth
When action is done from inner light rather than ego-impulse, the embodied life becomes a vehicle of spiritual victory. True conquest expresses itself as a new birth of consciousness across mind, life, and the emotional energies, and it naturally ‘proclaims’ itself as wideness and fruitfulness.
Themes
heroic victory, light symbolism, manifestation in life (waters/fields), increase of progeny/powers
The seer
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja Bārhaspatya
- Lineage
- Bharadvāja
- Other hymns
- RV 6.16, RV 6.23, RV 6.25
Family tradition
Seer of the Angirasa inspiration: emphasis on the victory of light and the fruitful establishment of truth in life (urvarā).
Significance
Bharadvāja links Indra’s conquest with embodied transformation—victory must extend into the ‘fields’ of life, not remain a mental idea.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- śūra (hero), vṛṣan (mighty), turu (swift/overpowering)
- Related deities
- Agni (will-fire), Soma (bliss), Uṣas (illumination)
Cosmic role
He empowers embodied beings to overcome resistance and to establish fertile wideness where truth can manifest.
Inner power
Courageous force joined to luminous substance—clarity that acts, not merely contemplates.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra praise connected with obtaining strength, offspring, and abundance—outer and inner prosperity.
शूरो॑ वा॒ शूरं॑ वनते॒ शरी॑रैस्तनू॒रुचा॒ तरु॑षि॒ यत्कृ॒ण्वैते॑ । तो॒के वा॒ गोषु॒ तन॑ये॒ यद॒प्सु वि क्रन्द॑सी उ॒र्वरा॑सु॒ ब्रवै॑ते ॥
शूरः॑ । वा॒ । शूर॑म् । व॒न॒ते॒ । शरी॑रैः । त॒नू॒ऽरुचा॑ । तरु॑षि । यत् । कृ॒ण्वैते॒ इति॑ । तो॒के । वा॒ । गोषु॑ । तन॑ये । यत् । अ॒प्ऽसु । वि । क्रन्द॑सी॒ इति॑ । उ॒र्वरा॑सु । ब्रवै॑ते॒ इति॑ ॥
śūraḥ | vā | śūram | vanate | śarīraiḥ | tanū-rucā | taruṣi | yat | kṛṇvaiteiti | toke | vā | goṣu | tanaye | yat | ap-su | vi | krandasī iti | urvarāsu | bravaiteiti
44
4 × ~11
Expansive yet forceful; alternation of heroic assertion and widening imagery.
Elicits confidence and a felt sense of wideness; supports integrating insight into action.
- शूरः (śūraḥ)
- Literal: hero. Symbolic: the courageous will in man; also Indra as the divine Hero
- शरीरैः (śarīraiḥ)
- Literal: with bodies/powers of the embodied being. Symbolic: instruments of nature—mind, life, body—disciplined for the work
- तनूरुचा (tanūrucā)
- Literal: with the light of one’s own substance. Symbolic: intrinsic luminous substance of a purified being; inner radiance guiding action
- तरुषि (taruṣi)
- Literal: conquering, overcoming. Symbolic: the decisive overcoming of resistance in sādhanā
- तोक (toka)
- Literal: child. Symbolic: newborn inner consciousness; fresh beginning in the being
- गोषु (goṣu)
- Literal: in cows. Symbolic: in rays of knowledge/illumination
- तनये (tanaye)
- Literal: offspring. Symbolic: new formations of life and works born from truth
- अप्सु (apsu)
- Literal: in waters. Symbolic: in the flowing life-energies, emotions, subtle currents
- उर्वरा (urvarā)
- Literal: wide fertile fields. Symbolic: widened consciousness capable of receiving and yielding truth
- वि क्रन्दसी (vi krandasī)
- Literal: you cry out, resound. Symbolic: the mantra-force/illumination breaking forth unmistakably
Praise of Indra’s victorious manifestation; compatible with Soma laud where Indra’s ‘roar’ and proclamation are celebrated as signs of victory and increase
In rites seeking increase (puṣṭi) and victory; also as general Indra stotra.
Praise to awaken Indra’s śavas; aspiration for growth in ‘toka/tanaya/go’ motifs.
Meditate on bringing spiritual light into body and daily work; use for creative projects, parenting, or ‘new beginnings’ in practice.
√van ‘win’ (victory/acquisition). śarīra ‘body’ emphasizes embodiment as instrument. tanū-ruc ‘body-light’ (tanū ‘self/body’ + ruc ‘shine’) indicates inherent luminous substance—apt for inner reading as soul-light in the instrument. taruṣi relates to overcoming (cf. √tṛ/√tar ‘cross’ complex). go ‘cow’ in RV is multivalent: animal, but also ‘ray/light’ (from √gam/√gā?; traditional symbolic usage in RV). ap- ‘waters’ often symbolize life-flows and subconscious. √krand ‘roar/cry’ and √brū ‘speak’ mark manifestation from inarticulate force to articulate proclamation.
embodiment as instrument of victory, go (light/knowledge) as inner wealth, manifestation from vital roar to spoken truth
Right action (r̥ta) becomes fruitful when done from tanūruc—inner truth-light.
Truth expresses as a ‘cry’—a clear vibration across the being.
New birth (toka/tanaya) and fertility (urvarā) as symbols of manifested consciousness.
Integral yoga psychology: realization must descend into mind-life-body and become creative.
spring (suggested by fertility imagery)
Fields = widened receptive mind; waters = life-flow; fertility = capacity to manifest truth in works; resonance = mantra-shakti awakening.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Indra’s victorious ‘roar’ and proclamation spreading through the domains of life—child, cows (rays), offspring, waters, and fields—depicting conquest that results in increase. The mythic thunder becomes the inner sign of force breaking out into manifested order.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √van ‘win’ and √brū ‘speak’ are archaic poetic pillars: victory and the authoritative word. The thunder/roar (√krand) parallels Indo-European storm-god poetics where sound signifies power and conquest.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi witnesses Indra’s force as something that must manifest in all parts of the human field (toka, go, tanaya, ap, urvarā). The hymn frames devotion as enabling embodiment to carry divine light (tanū-ruc) so victory becomes increase and articulated truth.
Feel Indra’s luminous strength descending into the body; let action arise from ‘tanūrucā’—inner radiance.
anāhata (expansion/wideness)
Breath with expansion: inhale feel wideness in chest; exhale send light into limbs; silently repeat ‘tanūrucā’.
From effortful striving to luminous, embodied confidence; creative flow.
Before action, pause and call the inner light in the substance. Offer the work; then act as if the ‘greater Hero’ works through the smaller hero. Notice new ‘offspring’—fresh thoughts, kinder emotions, clearer energies.
Observe Vedic accents; keep the long compounds (tanūrucā) fluid; emphasize the sonic verbs ‘krandasī’ and ‘bravaite’.
Let each pāda end cleanly; keep a slight lift on imagery words (goṣu, apsu, urvarāsu).
: avoid overlengthening ‘vā’, : long ū; ‘rucā’ with clear cā, : dental t; short u, : long ō; ṣ retroflex, : cluster ‘ps’ crisp, : ‘kran’ with nasal; dental d, : initial u short; ‘rv’ smooth
Bright and expansive; slightly resonant on the ‘cry/proclamation’ words.
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