Rig Veda 8.53.6: Mandala 8, Sukta 53, Mantra 6
Sukta 8.53
- Rishi
- Kaṇva
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
आजितुरं सत्पतिं विश्वचर्षणिं कृधि प्रजास्वाभगम् । प्र सू तिरा शचीभिर्ये त उक्थिनः क्रतुं पुनत आनुषक् ॥
āji-túraṃ sát-patiṃ viśvá-carṣaṇiṃ kṛdhí prajā́sv ā́-bhagam | prá sú tirā śácībhir yé ta ukthínaḥ krátum punatá ā́nuṣak ||
Mache ihn uns zum siegreichen Kämpfer in der Schlacht, zum wahren Herrn, zum allumfassenden Gebieter der Völker, zum Spender des Anteils unter unserer Nachkommenschaft. Führe uns voran durch deine Kräfte wirksamen Handelns — jene, die dich mit Hymnen preisen und unablässig in uns den krátu (Willen/Entschluss) läutern.
Word by Word
- आजितुरम्
- the battle-conqueror / victorious oneAdjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचनRole कर्म (of कृधि)Root आजितुर (प्रातिपदिक; √जि ‘to conquer’ + तृ (agent) with ā- prefix) अथवा ‘आजि’ (battle) + ‘तुर’ (overcoming)
- सत्पतिम्
- the good lord / true lordNoun (compound)पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचनRole कर्म (of कृधि)Root सत्पति (प्रातिपदिक; सत् ‘good/true’ + पति ‘lord’)
- विश्वचर्षणिम्
- (him) of all peoples / belonging to all tribesAdjective (bahuvrīhi/tatpuruṣa used as epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचनRole कर्म (of कृधि)Root विश्वचर्षणि (प्रातिपदिक; विश्व ‘all’ + चर्षणि ‘men/peoples’)
- कृधि
- make! / do!Verbलोट् (imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole (मुख्य क्रिया)Root √कृ (करोति) ‘to make/do’
- प्रजासु
- among the offspring / in the peoplesNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-बहुवचनRole अधिकरणRoot प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक; प्र-√जन् ‘to beget’)
- आभगम्
- the bestower / distributor (of shares)Adjective (used as epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचनRole कर्म (of कृधि)Root आभग (प्रातिपदिक; ā-√भज ‘to allot/share, bestow’ → ‘bestower/portion-giver’)
- प्र
- forth / forwardIndeclinableनिपातRole (क्रियाविशेषण)Root प्र (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- सु
- well / indeedIndeclinableनिपातRole (क्रियाविशेषण)Root सु (निपात)
- तिर
- across / overIndeclinableअव्ययRole (क्रियाविशेषण)Root तिरस्/तिर (अव्यय; ‘across, beyond’)
- शचीभिः
- with (your) powers / skillsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-बहुवचनRole करणRoot शची (प्रातिपदिक; ‘power, skill, might’)
- ये
- whoPronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-बहुवचनRole कर्ता (of पुनत)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- ते
- your / of youPronounषष्ठी-एकवचन (enclitic ‘te’ = ‘of you/your’)Role सम्बन्ध (genitival)Root त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- उक्थिनः
- hymn-singers / possessors of hymnsNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-बहुवचनRole कर्ता (apposition to ये)Root उक्थिन् (प्रातिपदिक; उक्थ ‘hymn’ + इन् ‘possessing’)
- क्रतुम्
- the resolve / sacred powerNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचनRole कर्म (of पुनत)Root क्रतु (प्रातिपदिक; ‘resolve, ritual power, intelligence’)
- पुनत
- they purifyVerbलट् (present), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद (Vedic injunctive-like usage possible by context)Role (मुख्य क्रिया of relative clause)Root √पू (पुनाति) ‘to purify’
- आनुषक्
- in succession / continuously / alongIndeclinableअव्ययRole (क्रियाविशेषण)Root आनुषक् (अव्यय; from अनु ‘after’ with ā- intensifier; ‘in due order, successively, along’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (Vedic sandhi resolved): आजितुरम् | सत्पतिम् | विश्वचर्षणिम् | कृधि | प्रजासु | आभगम् | प्र | सु | तिर | शचीभिः | ये | ते | उक्थिनः | क्रतुम् | पुनत | आनुषक् । मुख्य संधि/संयोग: (1) प्रजास्वाभगम् → प्रजासु + आभगम् (उ + आ = वा/व्-आगमः; संहितायां ‘स्वा’ लेखनम्)
- (2) शचीभिर्ये → शचीभिः + ये (विसर्गस्य य्-आदेशः: ः + य → र्य)
- (3) त उक्थिनः → ते उक्थिनः (एन्क्लिटिक ‘ते’)
- (4) क्रतुं पुनत → क्रतुम् + पुनत (म् + प् संयोगः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Make him (Indra) for us the battle-conqueror, the true lord of all peoples, granting a share among our progeny. Lead us forward by your powers; the hymn-singers continually purify the will (kratu).
Inner meaning
The prayer asks that Indra become in us the conquering power in the inner battle (against Vṛtra-like resistance), the ‘satpati’—lord of the true being—governing all parts of our nature (‘all peoples’). ‘Prajāsu ābhagam’ seeks a right portion of that divine force established in the future births of our consciousness—our growing faculties and works. The second half highlights the method: by Indra’s śacīs (effective powers), the ukthināḥ (those who utter the inspired word) constantly purify kratu—our executive will and discernment—so the will becomes a fit instrument of illumination.
Universal truth
Victory is not mere struggle but the establishment of a true governing intelligence in all parts of life; inspired speech and steady practice refine the will into a clear instrument of right action.
Themes
Victory and overcoming, Purification of will (kratu), Progeny as inner growth, Indra’s śacī (effective power)
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 8.53 (hymn context)
Family tradition
Mandala 8’s Indra-hymns often pair victory (āji) with inner purification (kratu) through inspired utterance.
Significance
The seer emphasizes kratu-śuddhi: the central yogic move where will becomes transparent to illumination, enabling true victory.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Satpati, Viśvacarṣaṇi, Ājit (conqueror)
- Related deities
- Soma, Agni, Bṛhaspati
Cosmic role
Champion of the gods; opener of the ways; distributor of powers (bhaga) and wideness.
Inner power
Illumined mind-force organizing the whole being; turns will into a sharp, pure instrument.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra invocation in Soma rites; also martial/protective intent in śrauta settings.
आ॒जि॒तुरं॒ सत्प॑तिं वि॒श्वच॑र्षणिं कृ॒धि प्र॒जास्वाभ॑गम् । प्र सू ति॑रा॒ शची॑भि॒र्ये त॑ उ॒क्थिन॒: क्रतुं॑ पुन॒त आ॑नु॒षक् ॥
आ॒जि॒ऽतुर॑म् । सत्ऽप॑तिम् । वि॒श्वऽच॑र्षणिम् । कृ॒धि । प्र॒ऽजासु॑ । आऽभ॑गम् । प्र । सु । ति॒र॒ । शची॑भिः॒ । ये । ते॒ । उ॒क्थिनः॑ । क्रतु॑म् । पु॒न॒ते । आ॒नु॒षक् ॥
āji-turam | sat-patim | viśva-carṣaṇim | kṛdhi | pra-jāsu | ābhagam | pra | su | tira | śacībhiḥ | ye | te | ukthinaḥ | kratum | punate | ānuṣak
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4 x ~11 syllables
Forceful and progressive; suited to ‘lead us forward’ (pra su tirā).
Elicits courage and forward momentum; helps the practitioner feel guided through obstacles.
- ājituraṃ
- Literal: conquering in battle/contest. Symbolic: victorious force in inner struggle; mastery over resistance
- satpatiṃ
- Literal: lord of the true/good. Symbolic: inner sovereign of truth-being; governing clarity
- viśvacarṣaṇim
- Literal: of all peoples/men. Symbolic: power that pervades and orders all parts of the being
- prajāsu
- Literal: among progeny. Symbolic: emerging faculties, works, future formations of consciousness
- ābhagam
- Literal: giver of portion/share. Symbolic: right distribution of force and joy to each part of life
- śacībhiḥ
- Literal: with powers/skills. Symbolic: effective divine energies enabling right action
- ukthinaḥ
- Literal: hymn-singers. Symbolic: aspiring thoughts/utterances that align mind to truth
- kratu
- Literal: will, resolve, intelligence. Symbolic: executive consciousness—deciding, directing, effectuating; must be purified
Soma praise and empowerment formula for victory/progeny; applicable in Soma offerings seeking strength (vāja) and continuity of lineage/inner formations.
When seeking victory, protection, or strengthening of the sacrificer’s ‘kratu’ during offerings.
Calling Indra to take lordship and distribute δύναμις (bhaga) to the sacrificer’s line/work.
Affirmation for leadership of the higher mind in daily decisions; use before challenging tasks to align will with clarity.
(āji-tura) ‘conquering in contest’ from ājí ‘contest, battle’ + √tur ‘to overcome, be strong, hasten’. (sat-pati) ‘lord of sat’ (sat from √as ‘to be’, true being) + pati ‘lord’. (viśva-carṣaṇi) compound with carṣaṇi ‘people/men’ (possibly from √kṛṣ/√carṣ ‘to plough/settle; people’ in Vedic usage). (ā-bhaga) from bhaga ‘share, portion, fortune’ (PIE *bʰag- ‘to apportion’). (śacī) denotes effective power/skill; linked to √śak ‘to be able’ (semantic field of capability). (kratu) is purposeful will/intelligence; not mere ritual ‘resolve’ but directive cognition. from √pū ‘to purify, cleanse’.
Sat (true being) as sovereignty (satpati), Kratu (purified will/intelligence), Bhaga (right allotment; harmony of distribution)
Kratu purified aligns action with R̥ta; victory becomes right movement rather than egoic conquest.
Satpati indicates governance by truth-consciousness.
Formation of a new ‘progeny’ of consciousness—new faculties born under Indra’s guidance.
Yoga of works (karma) illumined by higher mind—Aurobindo’s reading of Indra/kratu as psychological functions.
The ‘battle’ is the struggle with inertia/falsehood; ‘crossing forward’ is transition to wider consciousness under illumined guidance.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Indra as the victorious leader in the contest (āji-tura) who establishes sovereignty of truth (satpati) and distributes bhaga (right portions). Mythically this echoes the champion who wins and then apportions the spoils; psychologically it is the conquering force that reorganizes life-energies into right distribution and purified will.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- bhaga ‘share’ continues PIE *bʰag- ‘apportion, allot’ (cf. Slavic bogŭ ‘god/fortune’ in later developments; Iranian baga- ‘lord, god’). sat from √as reflects PIE *h₁es- ‘to be’. śak/śacī belongs to the PIE *sekʰ-/*seǵʰ- ability/strength semantic sphere (cross-linguistically ‘be able’ is a stable inherited category).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi asks Indra to become concretely operative within the human field: to be installed as conquering power and as allocator of right portions among the ‘progenies’ (new formations of life). In exchange, the ukthinaḥ—voices of inspired formulation—continually purify kratu, making the vessel fit for Indra’s śacī to act.
Offer the will (kratu) to Indra; ask for purification of motives and clarity of decision.
Maṇipūra (will) with support of Ājñā (illumination)
4-4-6 breathing; on exhale feel ‘kratu’ being clarified and steadied.
Dynamic concentration; ‘guided action’ state.
Before action, repeat the mantra and pause: ‘Is this will transparent to truth?’ Let the next step arise from a clearer, quieter decisiveness.
Keep udātta lift on titles (satpatiṃ, viśvacarṣaṇim) and action verbs (kṛdhi, punata).
Mark the forward impulse: slightly emphasize ‘pra sū’ at pāda start.
viśvacarṣaṇim: retroflex ṣṇ cluster; do not insert extra vowel, śacībhir: long ī; soft ś, ukthinaḥ: aspirate ‘th’, ānuṣak: retroflex ṣ; final k crisp
Firm, rallying, with a clear bright head-tone on Indra-epithets.
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