Rig Veda 8.40.2: Mandala 8, Sukta 40, Mantra 2
Sukta 8.40
- Rishi
- Nabhāka
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Jagatī
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
नहि वां वव्रयामहेऽथेन्द्रमिद्यजामहे शविष्ठं नृणां नरम् । स नः कदा चिदर्वता गमदा वाजसातये गमदा मेधसातये नभन्तामन्यके समे ॥
náhi vā́ṃ vavráyāmahe ’théndram íd yajāmahe śáviṣṭhaṃ nṛṇā́ṃ náram | sá naḥ kadā́ cíd árvatā gámadā́ vā́ja-sātaye gámadā́ médha-sātaye nábhantām anyaké samé ||
Wir suchen euch nicht auszusperren; vielmehr opfern wir Indra allein, dem Mächtigsten, dem Helden unter den Menschen. Möge er irgendwann mit seinem Ross zu uns kommen zum Gewinn von vāja, der Fülle der Kraft, und zum Gewinn von medhā, der leuchtenden Einsicht; mögen die anderen auf derselben Stätte vertrieben werden.
Word by Word
- नहि
- surely not / indeed notIndeclinableनिपात (निषेध/प्रत्यवाय) + हि (निश्चयार्थक)Root नहि (न + हि)
- वाम्
- you two (acc./gen.)Pronounद्वितीया/षष्ठी द्विवचन (enclitic)Role कर्म (यजामहे/वव्रयामहे इत्यस्य) / सम्बन्धRoot युष्मद्
- वव्रयामहे
- we have chosen (for ourselves)Verbलिट् (परिपूर्ण/परोक्श), आत्मनेपद, उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (वयम्)Root √वृ (वृणोति/वृणुते) ‘वरणे/वृणुते’
- अथ
- then / and thenIndeclinableसमुच्चय/अनन्तरार्थक निपातRoot अथ
- इन्द्रम्
- IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (यजामहे)Root इन्द्र
- इत्
- indeed / justIndeclinableनिपात (एव/नूनम्-बलार्थक)Root इत् (इद्)
- यजामहे
- we worship / we sacrifice toVerbलट्, आत्मनेपद, उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (वयम्)Root √यज्
- शविष्ठम्
- the most mightyAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (इन्द्रम् इति विशेषणम्)Role कर्म-विशेषणRoot शविष्ठ (शवस्-तमप्)
- नृणाम्
- of menNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (नरम् इत्यस्य)Root नृ
- नरम्
- the man/heroNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (इन्द्रम् इत्यस्य अपि)Role कर्म (यजामहे)Root नर
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (गमदाति)Root तद्
- नः
- to us / for usPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी बहुवचन (enclitic)Role सम्प्रदान (आगमनस्य) / सम्बन्धRoot अस्मद्
- कदा
- whenIndeclinableप्रश्नार्थक अव्यय (कालवाचक)Role अधिकरण (काल)Root कदा
- चित्
- even / everIndeclinableनिपात (अपि/एव बलार्थक)Root चित्
- अर्वता
- with a steed / by (his) horseNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करणRoot अर्वत्
- गमदात्
- may he comeVerbविधिलिङ्/आशीर्लिङ् (वेदिक: injunctive-like optative sense), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (सः)Root √गम्
- वाजसातये
- for winning prizes/strengthNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदान (उद्देश्य)Root वाजसाति
- गमदात्
- may he comeVerbविधिलिङ्/आशीर्लिङ्, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (सः)Root √गम्
- मेधसातये
- for winning wisdom/skillNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदान (उद्देश्य)Root मेधसाति
- नभन्ताम्
- let them burst forth / let them spring upVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (ते/अन्ये)Root √नभ्
- अन्यके
- in another (assembly) / among othersAdjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकरण (समे इत्यस्य) / विशेषणRoot अन्यक
- समे
- in the gathering/assemblyNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot सम
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (main): वव्रया॑म॒हेऽथेन्द्र॒मिद्य॑जामहे → वव्रयामहे + अथ + इन्द्रम् + इत् + यजामहे
- क॒दा चि॒दर्व॑ता → कदा + चित् + अर्वता
- गम॒दा वाज॑सातये → गमदात् + वाजसातये
- गम॒दा मे॒धसा॑तये → गमदात् + मेधसातये
- नभ॑न्तामन्य॒के स॑मे → नभन्ताम् + अन्यके + समे
The meaning
Outer meaning
We do not bar you out; rather we sacrifice to Indra alone, the mightiest hero. May he come with his steed for winning vāja and medhā; may the others be driven away.
Inner meaning
The seeker refuses inner compromise: no shutting out of the divine allies, yet a focused offering to Indra as the decisive illumined Mind needed at this stage. Indra’s arrival ‘with the steed’ (arvatā) signifies the descent of dynamic vital energy harnessed to truth. The goal is twofold: vāja-sāti (winning of force, capacity, victorious energy) and medhā-sāti (winning of luminous intelligence, right discernment). Hostile movements are again expelled: illumination must be protected from competing impulses and distractions.
Universal truth
Spiritual growth needs concentrated aspiration: seek the power of clear intelligence and the energy to enact it; protect the mind from dispersive influences.
Themes
Indra-invocation, winning (sāti) of force and intelligence, exclusion of hostile forces
The seer
- Rishi
- Nabhāka (traditional)
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 8.40.1-4
Family tradition
Nābhāka line in Maṇḍala 8; hymn-voice of concentrated battle-invocation.
Significance
The seer models a yogic tact: at times one must invoke a specific divine power (Indra) to break through, while keeping the general openness of the sacrifice.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- śaviṣṭha (most mighty), nṛṇāṃ nara (hero among men)
- Related deities
- Agni, Maruts, Soma, Uṣas, Bṛhaspati
Cosmic role
Breaker of obstructions, winner of the light-cows, lord of the luminous mind and victorious force.
Inner power
Decisive discrimination and thunderbolt-force that shatters the coverer; brings medhā and vāja together.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-invocation in soma sacrifice; prayer for strength and inspired intelligence
न॒हि वां॑ व॒व्रया॑म॒हेऽथेन्द्र॒मिद्य॑जामहे॒ शवि॑ष्ठं नृ॒णां नर॑म् । स न॑: क॒दा चि॒दर्व॑ता॒ गम॒दा वाज॑सातये॒ गम॒दा मे॒धसा॑तये॒ नभ॑न्तामन्य॒के स॑मे ॥
न॒हि । वा॒म् । व॒व्रया॑महे । अथ॑ । इन्द्र॑म् । इत् । य॒जा॒म॒हे॒ । शवि॑ष्ठम् । नृ॒णाम् । नर॑म् । सः । नः॒ । क॒दा । चि॒त् । अर्व॑ता । गम॑त् । आ । वाज॑ऽसातये । गम॑त् । आ । मे॒धऽसा॑तये । नभ॑न्ताम् । अ॒न्य॒के । स॒मे॒ ॥
nahi | vām | vavrayāmahe | atha | indram | it | yajāmahe | śaviṣṭham | nṛṇām | naram | saḥ | naḥ | kadā | cit | arvatā | gamat | ā | vāja-sātaye | gamat | ā | medha-sātaye | nabhantām | anyake | same
48
4 pādas of ~12 syllables
Assertive, directive; strong caesura supports the ‘Indra alone’ emphasis.
Creates single-pointed aspiration; then accelerates into a call for dynamic descent (arvatā) and acquisition (sāti).
- नहि वां वव्रयामहे (nahi vāṃ vavrayāmahe)
- Literal: we do not fence you two out. Symbolic: no inner exclusion of the divine; openness without confusion
- इन्द्रम् इत् (indram it)
- Literal: Indra indeed/alone. Symbolic: single-pointed call to the illuminating mind-force
- शविष्ठम् (śaviṣṭham)
- Literal: most mighty. Symbolic: greatest effective power of consciousness in action
- अर्वता (arvatā)
- Literal: with a steed/horse. Symbolic: vital energy disciplined as a carrier of the divine force
- वाजसातये (vājasātaye)
- Literal: for winning vāja. Symbolic: acquisition of force, mastery, victorious capacity
- मेधसातये (medhasātaye)
- Literal: for winning medhā. Symbolic: acquisition of luminous intelligence, right understanding
- नभन्ताम् अन्यके (nabhantām anyake)
- Literal: let the others be driven away. Symbolic: expel rival impulses/obscurities
Soma-yajña invocatory verse for Indra’s arrival and the winning of vāja/medhā (general).
In sequences seeking victory, force, and illumination; often alongside protective refrains
Offering with concentrated call to Indra for vāja/medhā
Recite when needing clarity + energy (study, decision, difficult discipline); treat ‘arvatā’ as the harnessing of life-force for truth.
√yaj ‘to sacrifice, honor’ (yajāmahe 1pl middle). śávas ‘might’ → śáviṣṭha superlative. vāja- from √vaj/√vāj ‘to be strong, vigorous’ → ‘plenitude of force’ (not merely ‘food/prize’). medhā- from √medh ‘to be wise/measure/think’ → intelligence that organizes right action (ṛta-aligned). √gam ‘to go/come’ (gamat optative/injunctive).
medhā (luminous intelligence), vāja (force-plenitude), divine descent/arrival (āgamanam) into the seeker
Indra’s victory re-establishes ṛta by breaking false formations.
medhā-sāti as truth-perception; Indra as bearer of satyam in mind.
Release of light/force from obstruction; evolution through conquest of resistance.
Integral psychology: medhā and vāja as two wings—knowledge and power—needed for transformation.
Horse = vital energy as carrier; storm = dynamic illumination breaking inertia.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Indra’s advent with the steed for ‘winning’—a standard Indra mythic motif of the god arriving as victorious power to secure vāja (force/plenty) and medhā (right intelligence), while rival forces are repelled.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √gam ‘go/come’ is a clear PIE inheritance (*gʷem- ‘to go/come’; cf. Greek baínō is different root, but Sanskrit gácchati is classic *gʷem- reflex). vāja’s strength semantics align with Indo-Iranian vocabulary of vigor/contest.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The r̥ṣi positions the sacrifice as an invitation for Indra’s active entry; the requested gifts (vāja, medhā) are capacities for action and knowledge, showing reciprocity: aspiration and offering call down a power that transforms the seeker’s faculties.
Invoke Indra for clear discrimination and victorious energy; harness the ‘horse’ of prāṇa for right action.
Ājñā (discernment) with Maṇipūra support (force).
Inhale imagining Indra’s light descending to forehead; exhale sending energy into action-centers; pause gently on ‘medhasātaye’.
Single-pointed, luminous, forceful.
Before study or a difficult choice, chant 3/9/12 times; after each repetition, sit briefly and ask for one clear next step (medhā) and the power to do it (vāja).
Vedic three-tone; consult RV 8.40 svara-pāṭha for exact accents (not safely inferable from plain saṃhitā here).
Give weight to ‘indram it’ as the pivot; keep long vowels in śaviṣṭham, vājasātaye, medhasātaye steady.
In (vavrayāmahe), keep vr cluster crisp (va-vra-), In (śaviṣṭham), pronounce śa-vi-ṣṭham with retroflex ṣṭh, In (medha-sātaye), keep dh voiced aspirate; long ā in sātaye
Bright, resolute; slightly softer on ‘kadā cit’ (humble request), stronger on the sāti phrases.
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