Rig Veda 6.46.5: Mandala 6, Sukta 46, Mantra 5
Sukta 6.46
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja Bārhaspatya
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
इन्द्र ज्येष्ठं न आ भरँ ओजिष्ठं पपुरि श्रवः । येनेमे चित्र वज्रहस्त रोदसी ओभे सुशिप्र प्राः ॥
índra jyéṣṭhaṃ na ā́ bharaṃ ójiṣṭhaṃ pápuri śrávaḥ | yénemé citra vajrahasta ródasī óbhe suśipra prā́ḥ ||
Indra, bring uns die älteste, die mächtigste Kraft, den Ruhm, voll und überströmend. Durch ihn hast du, o Wunderbarer, o Vajrahast—den Vajra tragend—o Schönlippiger, Himmel und Erde beide mit deinem machtvollen Atem erfüllt.
Word by Word
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- ज्येष्ठम्
- the greatestAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (विशेषण-रूपेण)Role कर्मRoot ज्येष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक; superlative of ज्येष्ठ/ज्यायस्)
- नः
- to us / for usPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी, बहुवचन (एन्क्लिटिक ‘नः’ = ‘our/to us’)Role सम्प्रदानRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- आ
- hither, towards (as preverb)Indeclinableउपसर्ग (आ-)Root आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- भर
- bring!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot भृ (धातु)
- ओजिष्ठम्
- the most powerfulAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (विशेषण-रूपेण)Role कर्मRoot ओजिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक; superlative of ओजस्/ओजिन्)
- पपुः
- they have drunkVerbलिट् (परिपूर्ण/परफेक्ट), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot पा (धातु ‘पिबति’)
- श्रवः
- fame, gloryNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन (वेदे ‘श्रवः’ प्रायः ‘यशः/कीर्तिः’)Role कर्मRoot श्रवस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- येन
- by whichPronounतृतीया, एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (साधारण-प्रयोगः)Role करणRoot यद् (सर्वनाम)
- इमे
- these twoPronounप्रथमा, द्विवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्ग (रोदसी इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम)
- चित्त्र
- O wondrous oneAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot चित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- वज्रहस्त
- O thunderbolt-handedNoun (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot वज्रहस्त (प्रातिपदिक; बहुव्रीहि)
- रोदसी
- the two worlds (Heaven and Earth)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचनRole कर्तृRoot रोदसी (प्रातिपदिक; द्विवचन-तन्तु ‘heaven-and-earth’)
- उभे
- bothAdjective/Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन (रोदसी इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृRoot उभ (प्रातिपदिक)
- सुशिप्र
- O fair-lipped / handsome-jawedNoun (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot सु-शिप्र (प्रातिपदिक; बहुव्रीहि)
- प्राः
- thou hast filled / made fullVerbलिट् (परफेक्ट), द्वितीयपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (वेदिक-रूप ‘प्राः’)Role क्रियाRoot प्र (धातु; ‘पूरण/पूरयति’—वेदे ‘प्रा’ = ‘to fill’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धि-निरसन): इन्द्र | ज्येष्ठम् | नः | आ | भर | ओजिष्ठम् | पपुः | श्रवः | येन | इमे | चित्र | वज्रहस्त | रोदसी | उभे | सुशिप्र | प्राः । 1) ‘आभर’ = आ + भर (उपसर्ग-योग)
- 2) ‘येनेमे’ = येन + इमे (स्वर-सन्धि: अ/ए-सम्भव; संहितायां ‘येन॒मे’)
- 3) ‘चि’ = ‘चित्’ निपातस्य वेदिक-रूप (पदपाठे प्रायः ‘चित्’)
- 4) ‘प्राः’ वेदिक-परफेक्ट-रूपः (प्र + आ √प्रा/√पॄ-सम्बन्धः), संहितायां दीर्घ-आ तथा विसर्गः।
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra, bring us the foremost and most powerful force, the overflowing fame; by which you have filled both Heaven and Earth, O wondrous vajra-holder, fair-lipped, with your out-breathing might.
Inner meaning
The prayer asks for jyeṣṭha ojas: the eldest/foremost strength—original divine force in us prior to deformation by desire and fear. ‘Fame’ (śravas) is not social renown but the heard vibration of truth, the effective luminous expression that spreads through the being. Indra’s ‘breath’ that fills Heaven and Earth is the expansive prāṇa of consciousness: it widens the mental heights (dyu) and the material foundation (pṛthivī) so the whole being can contain the divine power.
Universal truth
When the highest strength descends, it widens both our ideals and our practical life; true ‘fame’ is the resonance of truth that naturally spreads from realized force.
Themes
boon-request, victory-power, cosmic-expansion
The seer
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja Bārhaspatya
- Lineage
- Bharadvāja
- Other hymns
- RV 6.46.1-7, RV 6.45.23-24 (themes of strength and praise)
Family tradition
Bharadvāja hymns frequently seek ojas and śravas as spiritual force and effective truth-expression, not mere outer gain.
Significance
The seer frames realization as widening of the whole being (rodasī) by Indra’s breath—an image of yogic expansion and integration.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- jyeṣṭha-dātā (implied giver of the foremost), ojiṣṭha, citra (wondrous), vajrahasta, suśipra (fair-lipped)
- Related deities
- Vāyu (breath), Sūrya, Agni, Soma
Cosmic role
Expander of the worlds, wielder of the vajra that breaks the cover; establishes wide spaces for light and action.
Inner power
The executive illumination that both breaks limitation and fills the being with expansive force and expressive truth.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra stotra in Soma sacrifice; prayer for strength and ‘śravas’ (glory/efficacy) for the sacrificer.
इन्द्र॒ ज्येष्ठं॑ न॒ आ भ॑रँ॒ ओजि॑ष्ठं॒ पपु॑रि॒ श्रव॑: । येने॒मे चि॑त्र वज्रहस्त॒ रोद॑सी॒ ओभे सु॑शिप्र॒ प्राः ॥
इन्द्र॑ । ज्येष्ठ॑म् । नः॒ । आ । भ॒र॒ । ओजि॑ष्ठम् । पपु॑रि । श्रवः॑ । येन॑ । इ॒मे इति॑ । चि॒त्र॒ । व॒ज्र॒ऽह॒स्त॒ । रोद॑सी॒ इति॑ । आ । उ॒भे इति॑ । सु॒शि॒प्र॒ । प्राः ॥
indra | jyeṣṭham | naḥ | ā | bhara | ojiṣṭham | papuri | śravaḥ | yena | ime iti | citra | vajra-hasta | rodasī iti | ā | ubhe iti | suśipra | prāḥ
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4×11 (approx.)
Majestic, declarative rhythm; strong lift in the second half describing cosmic filling.
Produces a sense of expansion—each pāda feels like a widening breath; supports confidence and largeness.
- ज्येष्ठ (jyeṣṭha)
- Literal: eldest, foremost. Symbolic: primordial, highest power of the soul-nature
- ओजिष्ठ (ojiṣṭha)
- Literal: most forceful. Symbolic: maximum effective spiritual strength
- श्रवस् (śravas)
- Literal: fame, glory; that which is heard. Symbolic: truth-vibration, effective inspired expression; luminous renown of the Real
- पपु॑रि (papuri)
- Literal: full, overflowing. Symbolic: abundance that exceeds limitation; plenitude of force
- वज्रहस्त (vajrahasta)
- Literal: thunderbolt-handed. Symbolic: power that breaks fixed formations and releases light
- रोदसी (rodasī)
- Literal: Heaven and Earth. Symbolic: mind and body; the two poles of our being
- प्राः (prāḥ)
- Literal: thou hast filled/breathed forth. Symbolic: expansive breath of consciousness that pervades and enlarges
Soma praise and request for ojas/śravas to empower the sacrificer’s victory and expansion; suitable in Indra-stotras.
At moments of invoking Indra’s might and securing success/efficacy of the rite.
Recitation with offerings; accompaniment to Soma draught imagery (Indra’s strengthening).
For leadership, speech, and decisive action: ask for ‘foremost strength’ and truthful expression that benefits both ideals (heaven) and practical life (earth).
jyeṣṭha ‘eldest/supreme’ (superlative of jyāyas ‘older’). ojas (from √vaj/√uj semantic field ‘strength’—Vedic ojas as concentrated vital-mental power). śravas is ‘fame’ but also linked to √śru ‘to hear’; psychologically the ‘heard’ truth that becomes manifest renown. rodasī ‘the two broad ones’ (heaven/earth) frequently symbolize upper and lower consciousness-fields.
ojas as spiritualized strength, śravas as manifestation of truth in the world, expansion of consciousness (filling the two worlds)
Indra’s expansion makes space for ṛta to act; limitation is a form of anṛta (disorder) that must be broken.
śravas as heard truth; suśipra suggests right expression of truth-power.
World-filling breath: manifestation as pervasion of consciousness through heaven and earth.
Yogic cosmology of expansion (bṛhat) and pervasion of consciousness.
Breath = expansive consciousness-force; vajra = discriminating shock that breaks knots; heaven/earth = mind-body integration.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Indra’s cosmic expansion: by his might he ‘fills’ Heaven and Earth. Inwardly, the awakened force of Indra pervades the higher (mental) and lower (vital-physical) fields, making the being wide enough to hold the ‘eldest’ power and its overflowing śravas.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √bhṛ ‘to bear/bring’ continues PIE *bʰer- (cf. English bear). √śru ‘to hear’ continues PIE *ḱleu- ‘hear, fame’ (Vedic śrávas ~ Greek kléos). This is a classic Indo-European poetic inheritance: ‘fame’ as what is ‘heard’.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The poet asks Indra to install in him the supreme ojas and the overflowing śravas; the rishi’s hymn is the vehicle, Indra’s response is the widening and strengthening of the sacrificer’s consciousness across the two worlds.
Receive ‘jyeṣṭha ojas’: invoke the highest strength and let it widen mind and body with a single expansive breath of consciousness.
Anāhata (expansive breath/space) to Ājñā (luminous command)
Slow coherent breathing (5–6 breaths/min). On inhale: ‘ā bharam’; on exhale: feel Indra’s prā filling ‘rodasī’.
Vastness (bṛhat-bhāva) with steady power.
Chant 12 times, then sit: feel a vertical axis (heaven–earth) filling with a bright force; speak one truthful intention from that fullness.
Tri-svara; keep udātta prominence on índra and key epithets (vájrahasta).
Give a slight length and lift to ‘jyeṣṭhaṃ… ojiṣṭham’; let the second half expand in tone to match ‘rodasī’.
ā bharam̐: nasalization at end (anusvāra) lightly, papuri: keep ‘pu’ clear, not ‘po’, suśipra: retroflex ‘ṣ’, and ‘pra’ crisp
Broad, resonant, ‘open-throated’ to embody expansion.
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