Rig Veda 7.29.2: Mandala 7, Sukta 29, Mantra 2
Sukta 7.29
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
ब्रह्मन्वीर ब्रह्मकृतिं जुषाणोऽर्वाचीनो हरिभिर्याहि तूयम् । अस्मिन्नू षु सवने मादयस्वोप ब्रह्माणि शृणव इमा नः ॥
bráhman vī́ra bráhma-kṛtiṃ juṣāṇó ’rvācī́nó háribhir yāhi tū́yam | asmínn ū ṣú sávane mādayasvópa bráhmāṇi śṛṇava imā́ naḥ ||
O Indra, du Held, der du am gestalteten brahman Gefallen hast: komm schnell zu uns her, uns zugewandt, mit deinen fahlen (hari) Kräften. Bei diesem Soma-Pressen berausche dich an der Wonne; und nahe bei uns höre diese unsere inspirierten Worte.
Word by Word
- ब्रह्मन्
- O (one) of/with sacred hymn; O Brahman (hymn/holy power)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Voc.), एकवचनRole सम्बोधन (addressed entity)Root ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) < √बृह् ‘वर्धने’ (निरुक्त-सम्बन्ध) / ‘ब्रह्म’ = स्तोत्र/प्रार्थना
- वीर
- O heroNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot वीर (प्रातिपदिक)
- ब्रह्मकृतिम्
- the hymn-making / the sacred compositionNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (of जुषाणः) / object of delightRoot ब्रह्मकृति (प्रातिपदिक) = ब्रह्मन् + कृति (√कृ ‘करणे’)
- जुषाणः
- delighting in; accepting gladlyVerb (participle)वर्तमान कृदन्त (शानच्), प्रथमा, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्गRole कर्तृ (of याहि) / attendant circumstanceRoot √जुष् (सेवने/प्रीतौ) → जुषाण (शानच्)
- अर्वाचीनः
- turned hither; facing towards usAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ-विशेषण (of implied ‘त्वम्’/इन्द्र)Root अर्वाचीन (प्रातिपदिक) < अवाच्/अर्वाच् ‘इहाभिमुख’
- हरिभिः
- with the (two) tawny steedsNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, द्विवचन/बहुवचन (RV usage: usually dual ‘with the two Haris’)Role करण (instrument/means)Root हरि (प्रातिपदिक) ‘हरिताश्व’ (इन्द्रस्य अश्वौ)
- याहि
- come; drive hitherVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रिया (imperative)Root √या (गत्यर्थे)
- तूयम्
- swiftlyIndeclinableअव्ययRole क्रियाविशेषणRoot तूयम् (अव्यय) < तूय ‘शीघ्र’
- अस्मिन्
- in thisPronounपुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- ऊ
- indeed; justParticleनिपातRole सम्बन्ध/बलवर्धकRoot ऊ (निपात)
- षु
- now; prayParticleनिपातRole सम्बन्ध/अनुनयRoot षु (निपात)
- सवने
- at the Soma-pressing; in the libationNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot सवन (प्रातिपदिक) < √सु (सोम-प्रसवने) ‘pressing’
- मादयस्व
- be exhilarated; gladden thyselfVerbलोट्, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद (causative imperative)Role क्रियाRoot √मद् (हर्षे/मत्तत्वे) → मादय (णिच्) + स्व (आत्मनेपद)
- उप
- near; towardsIndeclinableअव्ययRole क्रियाविशेषण/उपसर्गRoot उप (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- ब्रह्माणि
- the hymns; sacred utterancesNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्म (of शृणव)Root ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- शृणव
- hear; listenVerbलोट्, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद (Vedic injunctive/imperative form used as command)Role क्रियाRoot √श्रु (श्रवणे)
- इमा
- thesePronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्म (apposition to ब्रह्माणि)Root इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- नः
- for us; ourPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी, बहुवचन (enclitic)Role सम्प्रदान/सम्बन्ध (for us / of us)Root अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (resolved): ब्रह्मन् वीर ब्रह्मकृतिम् जुषाणः अर्वाचीनः हरिभिः याहि तूयम् । अस्मिन् ऊ षु सवने मादयस्व उप ब्रह्माणि शृणव इमा नः ॥ मुख्य सन्धयः: (1) जुषाणोऽर्वाचीनः = जुषाणः + अर्वाचीनः (विसर्ग-लोपः, अवग्रह)
- (2) हरिभिर्याहि = हरिभिः + याहि (विसर्गस्य रुत्व/रेफः)
- (3) अस्मिन्नू = अस्मिन् + ऊ (निपात-संयोग)
- (4) मादयस्वोप = मादयस्व + उप (स्वर-सन्धि/संयोग)
The meaning
Outer meaning
O heroic Indra, delighting in the fashioned brahman, come swiftly toward us with your tawny horses. In this Soma pressing be exhilarated, and near us hear these our inspired utterances.
Inner meaning
Indra is invoked as vīra, the heroic power of illumination that fights through inner resistance. He ‘delights in brahmakṛti’—the mantra rightly formed, the word aligned with truth. With harī (dynamic energies) he comes swiftly into the seeker’s field. The Soma pressing is the intensification of inner delight; when Indra is ‘intoxicated’ by this bliss, he listens—meaning the higher consciousness receives, confirms, and answers the seeker’s inspired formations.
Universal truth
When aspiration is shaped into true speech and nourished by joy, higher intelligence responds quickly; the divine hears the soul’s call when the call is sincere and well-formed.
Themes
Soma ecstasy, hearing of mantras, swift descent of power
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha-gotra
- Other hymns
- RV 7.29 (Indra-Soma invitation sequence), RV 7.18 (Indra’s heroic force), RV 7.86 (truth-law and sincerity in invocation)
Family tradition
A Vasiṣṭha hallmark: brahman (word) + Soma (delight) invoked to bring Indra (illumined mind) swiftly; the rishi crafts the call as an effective inner technology.
Significance
The seer teaches that right mantra is not mere praise; it is a shaped vibration that Indra ‘enjoys’—i.e., it matches the higher truth and therefore draws response.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- vīra (heroic), harivas (with tawny horses), juṣāṇa (accepting, delighted)
- Related deities
- Soma, Agni, Bṛhaspati (lord of brahman, implicit through brahmakṛti)
Cosmic role
Swift responder to Soma offerings; brings victorious illumination and energizes the sacrifice.
Inner power
Rapid descent of clarity and force when speech is true and joy is present; the ‘hearing’ is intuitive confirmation.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra invitation during Soma pressing
ब्रह्म॑न्वीर॒ ब्रह्म॑कृतिं जुषा॒णो॑ऽर्वाची॒नो हरि॑भिर्याहि॒ तूय॑म् । अ॒स्मिन्नू॒ षु सव॑ने मादय॒स्वोप॒ ब्रह्मा॑णि शृणव इ॒मा न॑: ॥
ब्रह्म॑न् । वी॒र॒ । ब्रह्म॑ऽकृतिम् । जु॒षा॒णः । अ॒र्वा॒ची॒नः । हरि॑ऽभिः । या॒हि॒ । तूय॑म् । अ॒स्मिन् । ऊँ॒ इति॑ । सु । सव॑ने । मा॒द॒य॒स्व॒ । उप॑ । ब्रह्मा॑णि । शृ॒ण॒वः॒ । इ॒मा । नः॒ ॥
brahman | vīra | brahma-kṛtim | juṣāṇaḥ | arvācīnaḥ | hari-bhiḥ | yāhi | tūyam | asmin | oṃ iti | su | savane | mādayasva | upa | brahmāṇi | śṛṇavaḥ | imā | naḥ
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4 pādas × ~11 syllables
Quick, summoning rhythm with imperative verbs; energetic forward motion.
Invokes immediacy; helps the practitioner feel a swift ‘turning’ of consciousness toward higher clarity.
- ब्रह्मन् (brahman)
- Literal: O prayer/holy word; also vocative form. Symbolic: address from the mantric consciousness; speech as power
- वीर (vīra)
- Literal: heroic. Symbolic: courageous force of illumination confronting resistance
- ब्रह्मकृतिम् (brahmakṛtim)
- Literal: fashioned brahman. Symbolic: precise mantric formulation; shaped intention-vibration
- जुषाणः (juṣāṇaḥ)
- Literal: delighting in, accepting. Symbolic: divine assent to right invocation
- हरिभिः (haribhiḥ)
- Literal: with the tawny horses. Symbolic: dynamic vital energies yoked to illumined mind
- सवने (savane)
- Literal: at the Soma pressing. Symbolic: moment of intensified practice where delight is extracted
- मादयस्व (mādayasva)
- Literal: be intoxicated, exhilarate yourself. Symbolic: let bliss empower illumination into victorious action
- शृणवः (śṛṇavaḥ)
- Literal: hear. Symbolic: inner reception and response of higher consciousness
Soma-pressing invitation; emphasizes Indra’s enjoyment and hearing of brahman
At the active moment of pressing/offerings, to draw Indra near and request attentive hearing of stotra/mantra.
Āvāhana (invitation), offering Soma, recitation of brahman for divine hearing.
Before japa or important speech: chant to align words with truth and invite a higher response (intuition).
juṣāṇa from √juṣ ‘enjoy, be pleased’ indicates divine consent. mādayasva from √mad ‘be exhilarated’ (Soma ecstasy → inner intensification). savana from √su ‘press’ + -ana action noun.
crafted inspiration (brahma-kṛti), divine consent (juṣ)
Rightly formed brahman is an expression of ṛta; when the call is in order, the divine response is swift.
‘Hearing’ implies truth-recognition: the higher consciousness answers what is sincere and aligned.
Word and delight collaborate to manifest power: mantra + bliss yields effective illumination in life.
Mantra-śakti emphasis consistent with Aurobindo’s ‘creative Word’ and Kashyap’s psychological symbolism.
Soma pressing context (often morning/midday/evening), unspecified here.
Horses = mobilized prāṇa/vital force; pressing = extracting subtle joy from experience into consciousness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Indra’s ‘intoxication’ with Soma and pleasure in brahman: the god is strengthened by delight and by the inspired word. Psychologically, when delight is intensified, the Indra-force becomes more potent and attentive to the soul’s formulated aspiration.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √mad ‘exhilarate’ has Indo-Iranian parallels (Avestan mad-), reflecting shared sacral semantics of inspired exhilaration. The repeated deictic and directional forms (arvācīna, upa) encode a spatial grammar typical of archaic hymn-invitation.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi ‘makes’ brahman and offers Soma; Indra’s side is to accept, become intensified, come near, and listen—showing a relationship where divine power grows through the human offering and returns as responsive guidance and force.
Make the inner word precise; invite swift illumination; rest in the sense of being heard.
Viśuddha (mantra) + Ājñā (illumination) with prāṇic support in Maṇipūra (drive).
Kapalabhati-light (gentle, 30 strokes) before chanting to energize, then calm nasal breathing during recitation.
Inspired activation (tapas with ānanda).
Chant 3 times, then silently ‘listen back’ for 2 minutes—receive intuitive guidance rather than forcing thought.
Vedic tri-svara; exact accenting requires svara text.
Give crisp articulation to imperatives: yāhi tūyam, mādayasva, śṛṇavaḥ; keep meter tight and energetic.
brahman vīra: keep n in brahman audible; long ī in vīra, juṣāṇaḥ: retroflex ṣ; long ā; final ḥ light, arvācīnaḥ: rv cluster clear; long ī, haribhiḥ: bh voiced aspirate; final ḥ light, mādayasva: long ā; avoid turning y into j, śṛṇavaḥ: vocalic ṛ; ś palatal
Bright, commanding, yet devotional; clean consonants.
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