Rig Veda 6.42.4: Mandala 6, Sukta 42, Mantra 4
Sukta 6.42
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja tradition
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Bhayankara
अस्माअस्मा इदन्धसोऽध्वर्यो प्र भरा सुतम् । कुवित्समस्य जेन्यस्य शर्धतोऽभिशस्तेरवस्परत् ॥
asmā́-asmā íd ándhaso’́dhvaryo prá bharā sutám | kúvit samásya jényasya śárdhato’bhí-śaster ava-spárat ||
Ihm, ihm wahrlich, o Adhvaryu, bringe das ausgepresste Soma-Wesen hervor. Vielleicht wird der Siegreiche, mit seiner kämpfenden Schar, den Ansturm des Fluches und des feindlichen Wortes abwehren.
Word by Word
- अस्मै
- to him (Indra)Pronounपुं/स्त्री/नपुं; चतुर्थी (दत्तिव) एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot अस्मद्
- अस्मै
- to himPronounपुं/स्त्री/नपुं; चतुर्थी एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot अस्मद्
- इत्
- indeed, justIndeclinableनिपात; अव्ययRoot इद् (निपात) / इत्
- अन्धसः
- of the soma-juiceNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root अन्धस्
- अध्वर्यो
- O Adhvaryu-priestNoun (vocative)पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot अध्वर्यु
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableउपसर्ग/क्रियाविशेषणRoot प्र (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- भर
- bring, offerVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ); मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot √भृ (भरणे)
- सुतम्
- the pressed (soma)Noun/Participleनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्मRoot √सु (सवने) → सुत (कृदन्त)
- कुवित्
- perhaps? whether indeed?Indeclinableसम्भावनार्थक/प्रश्नार्थक निपातRoot कु + वित् (निपात)
- समस्य
- of the same (one), of that very oneAdjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root सम
- जेन्यस्य
- of the noble, of the victoriousAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root जेन्य
- शर्धतः
- of the host (war-band), of the troopNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root शर्धत्
- अभिशस्तेः
- of the imprecation, of hostile accusationNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; षष्ठी एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root अभिशस्ति
- अव
- down, awayIndeclinableउपसर्गRoot अव (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- स्परत्
- warding off / repelling (he repels)Verb (participle used predicatively)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; शतृ (वर्तमान कृदन्त)Role कर्ता (implied: Indra)Root √स्पृ/स्पर् (स्पर्धायाम्/आक्रमणे) → स्परत् (वर्त्तमान कृदन्त)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: अस्मा अस्मा इत् अन्धसः अध्वर्यो प्र भरा सुतम् । कुवित् समस्य जेन्यस्य शर्धतः अभिशस्तेः अव स्परत् । 1) अस्माअस्मा → अस्मै अस्मै (द्विर्वचन/पुनरुक्ति; दत्तिव एकवचन रूप)
- 2) इदन्धसः → इत् + अन्धसः (द्→त् before vowel; निपात ‘इत्’)
- 3) सोऽध्वर्यो → सः + अध्वर्यो (ओऽ = अवग्रह; here ‘सः’ is often taken as enclitic particle; in pada-text the sequence yields …अन्धसः अध्वर्यो)
- 4) भरा → भर (लोट्) with Vedic lengthening/intonation in saṃhitā
- 5) शर्धतोऽभिशस्तेः → शर्धतः + अभिशस्तेः (अः + अ → ओऽ)
- 6) अभिशस्तेरवस्परत् → अभिशस्तेः + अव + स्परत् (ः + अ → र् sandhi; then अव + स्परत् kept separate in pada)
The meaning
Outer meaning
To him—yes, to him—O Adhvaryu, bring forward the pressed Soma-essence. Perhaps that conquering one, with his battling host, will ward off the assault of the curse and hostile speech.
Inner meaning
Addressing the inner priest of action (adhvaryu as the executive will), the mantra urges: bring the distilled essence of experience (andhas, Soma) again and again to the Indra-force. When the illumined mind is fed, it may drive back inner ‘curses’: destructive suggestions, self-denigrating formations, hostile thoughts from the subconscient or environment (abhiśasti). Indra’s ‘host’ is the array of luminous faculties—clarity, courage, discernment, right impulse—mobilized for inner battle.
Universal truth
When we consistently offer our energies to the highest intelligence within, negative formations—fear, blame, hostile speech, inner condemnation—lose their power; the psyche becomes protected by a disciplined, united force.
Themes
Ritual instruction (Adhvaryu), Protection from curse, Victory-host (śardha)
The seer
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja
- Lineage
- Bārhaspatya
- Other hymns
- RV 6.42, RV 6.43, RV 6.44
Family tradition
Bharadvāja hymns often show a practical yoga: invoke Indra, offer Soma, repel hostile forces (inner and outer), and secure the rays of knowledge.
Significance
Bharadvāja frames the sacrifice as a disciplined inner offering where illumination becomes a shield against the ‘hostile word’—a key psychological insight for mantra-sādhana.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Jenya (victorious), Maghavan (giver), Vṛtrahan (cover-slayer)
- Related deities
- Agni (priest of will), Soma (bliss-essence), Maruts (storm-forces as dynamic powers)
Cosmic role
Warrior of ṛta who drives away hostile powers and opens the way for light and right action.
Inner power
The commanding intelligence that organizes the inner forces into a coherent host and rejects negative mental attacks.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma offering to Indra led by Adhvaryu (pressing/oblation context)
अ॒स्माअ॑स्मा॒ इदन्ध॒सोऽध्व॑र्यो॒ प्र भ॑रा सु॒तम् । कु॒वित्स॑मस्य॒ जेन्य॑स्य॒ शर्ध॑तो॒ऽभिश॑स्तेरव॒स्पर॑त् ॥
अस्मैऽअ॑स्मै । इत् । अन्ध॑सः । अध्व॑र्यो॒ इति॑ । प्र । भ॒र॒ । सु॒तम् । कु॒वित् । स॒म॒स्य॒ । जेन्य॑स्य । शर्ध॑तः । अ॒भिऽश॑स्तेः । अ॒व॒ऽस्पर॑त् ॥
asmai-asmai | it | andhasaḥ | adhvaryo iti | pra | bhara | sutam | kuvit | samasya | jenyasya | śardhataḥ | abhi-śasteḥ | ava-sparat
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4 × ~11 (triṣṭubh); syntactic caesuras support the ‘to him, to him’ emphasis.
Martial and directive; suited to command and protective invocation.
Energizes resolve and establishes a protective mental boundary; the repeated ‘asmai-asmai’ acts like a rhythmic hammering of consecration.
- अध्वर्यो (adhvaryo)
- Literal: O Adhvaryu (ritual priest). Symbolic: the executive will in us that arranges the inner sacrifice—right action, right offering
- अन्धसः (andhasaḥ)
- Literal: Soma-essence, juice. Symbolic: the extracted sap of life-experience—refined delight/energy suitable for the higher consciousness
- प्र भरा (pra bharā)
- Literal: bring forward, offer. Symbolic: active consecration: placing one’s energies before the inner Divine Mind
- जेन्यस्य (jenyasya)
- Literal: of the conquering/noble. Symbolic: the victorious power of illumination that wins territory from ignorance
- शर्धतः (śardhataḥ)
- Literal: with (his) troop/host. Symbolic: a coordinated multiplicity of inner powers—thought, will, sense, life—aligned to truth
- अभिशस्तेः (abhiśasteḥ)
- Literal: of the curse/evil imprecation. Symbolic: hostile mental formations: self-curse, doubt, accusation, negative autosuggestion
- अवस्परत् (avasparat)
- Literal: may he ward off, drive away. Symbolic: protective rejection (apavāda) of intrusive darkness
Adhvaryu-directed instruction within Soma rite: bring the Soma-essence so Indra may repel hostile speech and attacks—apotropaic (protective) usage.
At moments of presenting Soma to Indra; protective intent against inimical influences during rite.
Adhvaryu brings Soma (graha) forward; recitation accompanies offering and request for protection.
Use as a mantra of psychic hygiene: before difficult conversations or exposure to negativity, inwardly ‘offer Soma’ (calm joy) to the higher mind and ask it to ward off hostile speech and self-curse.
andhas is Soma as 'essence/sap'—psychologically the extracted rasa of experience. adhvaryu is the priest of execution (adhvara 'sacrifice'); inwardly, the disciplined operative will. abhi-śasti is hostile speech/curse: the power of falsehood and negation (anṛta) attacking the seeker. ava-sparat: repel/ward off—protective Indra-function activated by offering.
Anṛta as hostile speech/curse opposed to Ṛta, Protective force as maintenance of truth-order
Hostile speech is adharma/anti-ṛta; Indra’s victory restores right vibration and truthful order.
Protection is not suppression but alignment with satya—speech and thought purified by higher intelligence.
Establishing a protected field where light can work; the cosmos as a battle between opening (Indra) and assault (covering forces).
Aurobindonian psychological Veda: ‘curse’ as adverse formation; Indra as mental power of victory.
unspecified
unspecified
Soma as refined sap; the ‘host’ as dynamic energies of prāṇa and thought mobilized under illumined command.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Indra as protector who repels the curse/hostile speech when strengthened by Soma: a mythic-social motif where divine force neutralizes malediction and enemy pressure. Psychologically, the offering of the extracted essence empowers the inner Indra to drive away negative formations (abhiśasti) that obstruct the advance toward Ṛta.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √bhṛ (bhar) is PIE *bʰer-. The prominence of preverbs (pra-, abhi-, ava-) shows inherited Indo-European verbal architecture where directionality encodes aspect and force (forward-bring, against-speech, down/away-repel).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi instructs the operative priest (adhvaryu) to intensify the offering; the devatā’s side of the exchange is concrete protection—repelling hostile speech and collective attack. The yajña is thus both ascent (offering) and defense (divine warding).
Consecrate speech and thought: offer a quiet joy upward, then watch for hostile inner commentary; practice rejection and replacement with truth-thought.
Viśuddha (speech purification) supported by Ājñā (discernment).
Exhale-lengthened breathing (4-6 or 4-8) to discharge ‘hostile word’ charge; then silent repetition.
From reactive defensiveness to steady, protected clarity.
Repeat ‘asmai-asmai’ as a double offering: first of emotion, second of thought. Then sit briefly and feel a shield of quiet light around the head and throat.
Maintain Vedic accents as per pada/saṃhitā; give clear udātta lift on vocative ‘adhvaryo’ and action ‘pra bharā’; keep compound accents stable.
Mark the double ‘asmai-asmai’ with equal weight; pause lightly after it to let the offering intention land.
(abhiśasteḥ): śa not ṣa; long -eḥ, (kuvit): short u, crisp final -t, (śardhataḥ): retroflex (ḍha) with breathy aspiration, (adhvaryo): cluster dhv clean, avoid inserting extra vowel
Firm and protective, not harsh; steady volume with a decisive cadence.
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