Rig Veda 8.25.23: Mandala 8, Sukta 25, Mantra 23
Sukta 8.25
- Devata
- Indra / transition toward the Aśvins contextually in adjacent hymns
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
ता मे अश्व्यानां हरीणां नितोशना । उतो नु कृत्व्यानां नृवाहसा ॥
tā me aśvyā́nāṃ harī́ṇāṃ ni-tośánā | utó nu kṛtvyā́nāṃ nṛ-vā́hasā ||
Dies sind mir die scharfen Antreiber der schnellen Falben (hari): Antriebe, die die Lebenskräfte vorwärts treiben; und nun auch die männertragenden Mächte, die den Willen in sein wirksames Vollbringen tragen.
Word by Word
- ताः
- those (things/ones)Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- मे
- to/for me; myPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी; एकवचन (enclitic)Role SampradānaRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अश्व्यानाम्
- of the horse(-like)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; बहुवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot अश्व्य (अश्व-सम्बद्ध, प्रातिपदिक)
- हरीणाम्
- of the two bay steeds (Harīs)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; बहुवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
- नितोशनाः
- refreshing, satisfyingAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole KartāRoot नि-तोषण (प्रातिपदिक; ‘satisfying/refreshing’)
- उतो
- and alsoIndeclinableसमुच्चयार्थक निपातRoot उत (निपात)
- नु
- now, indeedIndeclinableअवधारण/अनन्तर्य सूचक निपातRoot नु (निपात)
- कृत्व्यानाम्
- of hostile plots/witchcraftsNoun/Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग (collective/abstract RV usage); षष्ठी; बहुवचनRole ApādānaRoot कृत्व्य (प्रातिपदिक; ‘made/contrived; hostile art’ in RV usage)
- नृवाहसा
- with man-bringing aid/powerNoun (instrumental epithet)नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया; एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot नृ-वाहस् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘man-conveying/bringing men’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: ताः | मे | अश्व्यानाम् | हरीणाम् | नितोशनाः || उतो | नु | कृत्व्यानाम् | नृवाहसा || 1) ता मे → ताः मे (विसर्ग-सन्धि; मन्त्रपाठे ‘ता’ उदात्त-चिह्न सहित)
- 2) उतो = उत + उ (उकारागम/स्वर-सन्धि; ‘उत’ निपातः + ‘उ’ इति प्रगृह्य-प्रवृत्तिः RV-प्रयोगेषु)
- अन्यत्र स्पष्ट सन्धि-परिवर्तनं न।
The meaning
Outer meaning
These are for me the sharp goads of the swift bay horses, and also the man-bearing powers for effective works.
Inner meaning
The seer speaks of inner instruments that drive the ‘harī’ (tawny forces) forward—nitośanā, the goads: keen impulsions, disciplined stimuli that prevent inertia and direct the vital energies (aśvyānām) toward the goal. Then ‘kṛtvyānām nṛvāhasā’ points to powers that ‘carry the man’ (nṛ) into works (kṛtvi): forces that translate intention into effective action. Psychologically, this is mastery of prāṇa and will: the yogin not only awakens energy but also holds the right goad—discriminating impulse—so action serves the soul’s journey rather than desire.
Universal truth
Energy becomes transformative only when guided: sharp discernment and right impulsion turn raw vitality into effective, soul-bearing action.
Themes
Invocation of dynamic powers, Vital-force as carrier of consciousness, Inner yajña: energizing action
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 8.25.19, Rig Veda 8.25.20, Rig Veda 8.25.21, Rig Veda 8.25.22
Significance
A practical yogic seer: after light and vehicle, he details the ‘goads’—the subtle art of directing life-force so it becomes man-bearing, not ego-bearing.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra (implied by harī) / dynamic executive Shakti
- Epithets
- harimān (possessor of bays), vajrin (forceful wielder—implied), karmakṛt (doer of works—implied)
- Related deities
- Aśvins (swift horse powers), Agni (will), Sūrya (guiding light)
Cosmic role
Indra channels and commands the dynamic forces that break resistance and accomplish the journey.
Inner power
Command over prāṇa and impulse; the capacity to translate illumination into effective action.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-leaning stotra language used to strengthen the rite’s momentum and the sacrificer’s efficacy.
ता मे॒ अश्व्या॑नां॒ हरी॑णां नि॒तोश॑ना । उ॒तो नु कृत्व्या॑नां नृ॒वाह॑सा ॥
ता । मे॒ । अश्व्या॑नाम् । हरी॑णाम् । नि॒ऽतोश॑ना । उ॒तो इति॑ । नु । कृत्व्या॑नाम् । नृ॒ऽवाह॑सा ॥
tā | me | aśvyānām | harīṇām | ni-tośanā | uto iti | nu | kṛtvyānām | nṛ-vāhasā
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8+8+8+8 (approx.)
Quick, clipped, tool-like diction; suited to ‘goading’ and action.
Stimulates alertness and drive; helps overcome lethargy and convert intention into movement.
- अश्व्या॑नाम् (aśvyānām)
- Literal: of the horses/swift ones. Symbolic: vital energies, forces of action and movement
- हरीणाम् (harīṇām)
- Literal: of the tawny bays. Symbolic: illumined dynamic energies (Indra-like executive powers)
- नितोशना (nitośanā)
- Literal: goads/spurs. Symbolic: keen directing impulses; discrimination that prods energy rightly
- कृत्व्यानाम् (kṛtvyānām)
- Literal: of works/effective doings. Symbolic: capacities for accomplishment; organized action-powers
- नृवाहसा (nṛ-vāhasā)
- Literal: man-bearing. Symbolic: forces that carry the soul/personality forward into divine work
General invitatory/propitiatory usage in Soma context: energizing the ‘steeds’ (forces) that bring the gods/powers to the offering; also adaptable as an inner yajña formula for invoking swift executive energies.
When calling for swift assistance, effective accomplishment, and overcoming obstacles in the rite.
Recitation as energizing affirmation; may accompany pressing forward in the sequence of acts.
A mantra for procrastination and scattered energy: chant to sharpen impulse-control and align action with purpose.
aśva- ‘horse’ from √aś ‘to reach, to run’ → symbolism: swift dynamic force. harí- ‘tawny, bright’ (also Indra’s steeds) → luminous vital energies. tośaná- ‘goad/impulsion’ related to √tuṣ/√tuj in the sense of urging/impelling (semantic field: stimulus, incitement). kṛtvya- from √kṛ ‘to do, to make’ → that which is to be effected; effective operation. vāhas- from √vah ‘to carry’ with nṛ- ‘man’ → that which bears/carries the human being (consciousness) toward the goal.
R̥ta as right movement/ordered progression of forces, kratu/kṛti as effective will and right execution
Goads symbolize the governance that keeps energy aligned with ṛta rather than wandering desire.
True action is ‘man-bearing’—serving the inner person/soul, not falsehood.
From force to form: energies are directed into effective works (kṛtvi).
Karmayogic emphasis within Vedic symbolism: disciplined prāṇa as instrument of the soul.
Horses = prāṇic energies; goads = discriminating impulse and training; man-bearing = soul-led action.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘steeds’ and their goads: a mythic image of divine/vital horses driven forward—classically Indra’s harīs—recast inwardly as the propelled life-forces that carry the seeker. The mythologem is not a narrative exploit but the archetype of swift divine motion responding to invocation.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- Key carrier-morpheme √vah ‘to carry’ (PIE *weǵh- ‘to convey, transport’) appears in vāhas-, with wide Indo-European cognates (e.g., English ‘way/vehicle’ via related transport roots; Latin vehō from *weǵh-). √kṛ ‘to do/make’ reflects PIE *kwer-/*ker- ‘to do’ (broadly productive in Indo-Iranian). The compound nṛ-vāhas- shows typical archaic compounding: agentive/functional epithet formed by noun + action-noun.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The speaker claims these impulsions ‘for me’ (me), indicating appropriation: the Devata’s powers become instruments within the human vessel. The reciprocity is implicit: by offering (outer or inner yajña), the seeker receives the driven energies (ni-tośanāḥ) and the carrying forces (nṛ-vāhasā) that translate aspiration into accomplished movement.
Observe impulses as ‘goads’: choose which impulses to feed; direct prāṇa toward one sattvic action aligned with truth.
Maṇipūra (drive) regulated by Ājñā (discernment); grounding in Mūlādhāra to avoid restless excess.
Brisk-energetic: 10 rounds of bhastrikā-light (or fast breathing) followed by 2 minutes slow nasal breathing; then chant to ‘harness’ the awakened force.
Collected dynamism; disciplined vigor.
When energy surges chaotically, repeat the mantra 9 times, then act on one clear next step; treat the mantra as reins—short, precise, directive.
Svara not fully derivable; chant with crisp articulation and slightly increased energy on ‘nitośanā’ and ‘nṛvāhasā’.
Keep first half steady; give a decisive lift at ‘uto nu’; land firmly on the final long ā of ‘nṛvāhasā’.
aśvyānām: palatal ś; long ā in nām, harīṇām: long ī; retroflex ṇ, nitośanā: long ā at end; keep ‘to’ clear, nṛvāhasā: vocalic ṛ; long ā at end; v is soft labiodental
Focused, penetrating, not loud—like a precise command to energy.
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