Rig Veda 8.96.20: Mandala 8, Sukta 96, Mantra 20
Sukta 8.96
- Rishi
- Kāṇva tradition
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
स वृत्रहेन्द्रश्चर्षणीधृत्तं सुष्टुत्या हव्यं हुवेम । स प्राविता मघवा नोऽधिवक्ता स वाजस्य श्रवस्यस्य दाता ॥
sá vṛtrahéndraś carṣaṇīdhṛ́t taṃ suṣṭutyā́ hávyaṃ huvema | sá prāvitā́ maghávā no ’dhivaktā́ sá vā́jasya śravásyasya dātā́ ||
Jenen Indra, den Vṛtra-Töter, den Träger der Völker, rufen wir mit wohlgefügtem Lob als Opfergabe an. Er ist unser Schützer, der Freigebige, unser Fürsprecher; er ist der Spender von Fülle an Kraft und leuchtendem Ruhm.
Word by Word
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) → स
- वृत्रहा
- Vr̥tra-slayerNoun/Epithetपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (सः इन्द्रः) विशेषणम्Root वृत्रहन् (वृत्र + हन्) प्रातिपदिक
- इन्द्रः
- IndraNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- चर्षणीधृत्
- supporter of the peoplesNoun/Epithetपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (सः इन्द्रः) विशेषणम्Root चर्षणीधृत् (चर्षणी + धृत् < √धृ ‘धारणे’) प्रातिपदिक
- तम्
- himPronounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सु-स्तुत्या
- with good praiseNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, तृतीया, एकवचनम्Role करणRoot सुस्तुति (सु + स्तुति < √स्तु ‘स्तुतौ’) प्रातिपदिक
- हव्यम्
- the oblation / the offeringNoun/Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्म (हुवेम इत्यस्य)Root हव्य (प्रातिपदिक; ‘to be invoked/offered’)
- हुवेम
- let us invokeVerbलोट् (विधिलिङ्/आशीर्लिङ्-प्रयोगः: ‘let us’), उत्तमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Role क्रियाRoot √हू (ह्वे) ‘आह्वाने’
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot तद् → स
- प्राविता
- protectorNoun (agent)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (सः इन्द्रः) विशेषणम्Root प्रावितृ (प्र + अवितृ < √अव ‘रक्षणे/पालने’) प्रातिपदिक
- मघवा
- the bountiful oneNoun/Epithetपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (सः इन्द्रः) विशेषणम्Root मघवन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- नः
- of us / ourPronounषष्ठी (एन्क्लिटिक), बहुवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- अधिवक्ता
- advocate / intercessorNoun (agent)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (सः इन्द्रः) विशेषणम्Root अधिवक्तृ (अधि + वक्तृ < √वच् ‘वचने’) प्रातिपदिक
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot तद् → स
- वाजस्य
- of prize / of strengthNounपुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root वाज (प्रातिपदिक)
- श्रवस्यस्य
- of fame / of gloryAdjective (substantivized)पुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root श्रवस्य (प्रातिपदिक; ‘fame-bringing, glorious’)
- दाता
- giverNoun (agent)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (सः इन्द्रः) विशेषणम्Root दातृ (प्रातिपदिक < √दा ‘दाने’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: सः वृत्रहा इन्द्रः चर्षणीधृत् तम् सुस्तुत्या हव्यम् हुवेम । सः प्राविता मघवा नः अधिवक्ता । सः वाजस्य श्रवस्यस्य दाता ॥ 1) वृत्रहेन्द्रः = वृत्रहा + इन्द्रः (अ + इ → ए)
- 2) नोऽधिवक्ता = नः + अधिवक्ता (विसर्गस्य ‘ओ’ आदेशः, अ-आदौ अवग्रहः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The worshippers invoke Indra, slayer of Vṛtra and supporter of the peoples, with well-made praise as an offering. He is protector, generous helper, advocate, and giver of strength and fame.
Inner meaning
The seeker calls the illumined Mind-Power (Indra) to break inner obstruction (Vṛtra) and to uphold the rightly ordered human energies (carṣaṇī). The ‘well-formed praise’ is not mere eulogy but a shaped aspiration and clarified thought offered into the inner sacrifice. Indra becomes prāvitā (guardian-force) and adhivaktā (the higher voice that speaks for the soul against lower impulsions), granting vāja (effective force for works) and śravas (luminous renown—inner clarity and right hearing of truth).
Universal truth
When aspiration becomes precise and sincere, a higher intelligence awakens that protects the journey, dissolves resistance, and grants both power to act and a clear, truthful name/recognition in consciousness.
Themes
invocation, boon request, victory and protection, speech as offering
The seer
- Rishi
- Kāṇva (Kāṇva tradition)
- Lineage
- Kāṇva
- Other hymns
- RV 8.96 (Kāṇva collection, Indra-focused), RV 8.97 (Indra-focused continuation in the same cycle)
Family tradition
Kāṇva seers are strongly associated with hymns of Indra and the dynamics of inner conquest—breaking obstacles, winning light and power, and establishing right order in the being.
Significance
The Kāṇva voice emphasizes effective aspiration (stuti) as a power that calls down Indra’s illumination to turn struggle into victory and ordered growth.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- vṛtrahā, maghavā, carṣaṇīdhṛt, prāvitā, adhivaktā
- Related deities
- Agni, Soma, Bṛhaspati, Maruts, Uṣas
Cosmic role
Lord of the luminous mind and the victorious power that releases the waters/light by shattering the Coverer; establishes wideness and right movement in the worlds.
Inner power
Decisive illumination, courageous will of intelligence, and the ‘higher advocacy’ that defends the soul’s intention against confusion and inertia.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-invocation in Soma sacrifice contexts; also general śastra/stotra usage in Indra sequences.
स वृ॑त्र॒हेन्द्र॑श्चर्षणी॒धृत्तं सु॑ष्टु॒त्या हव्यं॑ हुवेम । स प्रा॑वि॒ता म॒घवा॑ नोऽधिव॒क्ता स वाज॑स्य श्रव॒स्य॑स्य दा॒ता ॥
सः । वृ॒त्र॒ऽहा । इन्द्रः॑ । च॒र्ष॒णि॒ऽधृत् । तम् । सु॒ऽस्तु॒त्या । हव्य॑म् । हु॒वे॒म॒ । सः । प्र॒ऽअ॒वि॒ता । म॒घऽवा॑ । नः॒ । अ॒धि॒ऽव॒क्ता । सः । वाज॑स्य । श्र॒व॒स्य॑स्य । दा॒ता ॥
saḥ | vṛtra-hā | indraḥ | carṣaṇi-dhṛt | tam | su-stutyā | havyam | huvema | saḥ | pra-avitā | magha-vā | naḥ | adhi-vaktā | saḥ | vājasya | śravasyasya | dātā
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4 pādas of ~11 syllables each
Forward-driving, heroic cadence suitable for invocation and victory.
Builds inner courage and mental clarity; supports a ‘breakthrough’ feeling as the verse turns from invocation to assurance of protection and gift.
- वृत्रहा (vṛtrahā)
- Literal: slayer of Vṛtra. Symbolic: destroyer of the inner Coverer—tamas, inertia, subconscient resistance
- चर्षणिधृत् (carṣaṇīdhṛt)
- Literal: upholder of the peoples/men. Symbolic: supports and harmonizes the faculties of the embodied being
- सुस्तुत्या (suṣṭutyā)
- Literal: with good praise. Symbolic: well-shaped aspiration/mantric thought offered without distortion
- हव्य (havya)
- Literal: oblation, what is to be invoked. Symbolic: the offered intention/energy of the seeker
- प्राविता (prāvitā)
- Literal: protector, helper. Symbolic: inner safeguarding force guiding the sādhanā
- अधिवक्ता (adhivaktā)
- Literal: over-speaker, advocate. Symbolic: higher discernment/voice of truth speaking above the lower mind
- वाज (vāja)
- Literal: prize, strength, plenitude. Symbolic: effective spiritual force for right action
- श्रवस्य (śravasyá)
- Literal: fame, glory. Symbolic: luminous hearing/recognition—clarity that spreads in consciousness
Concluding invocation: offering the suṣṭuti as havis; calling Indra as protector and giver of vāja and śravas in the Soma rite; also suitable as a closing benediction for victory and inner strength.
During Indra-focused recitations in Soma rites; also adaptable to daily japa as a victory/protection mantra.
Offering of praise (stuti) as havis; calling Indra to protect and bestow strength and śravas.
Use before demanding work or sādhanā sessions: recite as an inner ‘call for advocacy’—to let the higher discernment speak and act.
carṣaṇi-dhṛt: ‘holder/supporter of peoples’ (carṣaṇi ‘men/peoples’ + √dhṛ ‘hold’). pra-avitā from pra-√av ‘protect, further’. adhi-vaktā from adhi-√vac ‘speak over/for’: advocate and establisher of right utterance—psychologically the higher voice that governs. vāja from √vaj ‘be strong’ (semantic field: strength, prize, plenitude of force). śravas from √śru ‘hear’: fame/renown as that which is ‘heard’; inwardly the heard radiance of truth.
protection as forward-leading guidance (pra-avitā), adhi-vaktā as higher governing speech/conscience of truth, vāja as plenitude of force for the soul’s victory, śravas as luminous renown/hearing of truth
Indra upholds the ordered functioning of the human powers (carṣaṇī) by defeating the disordering Coverer.
Adhivaktā implies the supramental/true voice that speaks from above falsehood and confusion.
Release of power and light through victory over obstruction; establishment of wideness and effective force (vāja).
Proto-Vedāntic and Yogic psychology (Aurobindo/Kashyap style): deities as powers of consciousness.
Storm = dynamic illumination; cloud = subconscious resistance; offering-fire = will and aspiration carrying thought upward.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The vṛtrahan as protector-giver: after the battle myth, the hymn turns to the stable cosmic kingship of Indra—upholding peoples and granting vāja (force-plenitude) and śravas (heard glory).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √hū ‘invoke/call’ is archaic Indo-Iranian; √dhṛ ‘hold’ and √dā ‘give’ are pan-IE. The semantic bridge from √śru ‘hear’ to śravas ‘fame’ is an old IE cultural feature: glory is what is ‘heard’ and transmitted.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The r̥ṣi offers suṣṭuti as the effective oblation and requests a threefold reciprocity: protection (pra-avitā), right governance by higher speech (adhi-vaktā), and the gifts of force and luminous renown (vāja, śravas).
Invoke the ‘higher advocate’ within: let clear discernment and courageous intelligence lead the day’s inner sacrifice.
maṇipūra (will/force) and ājñā (illumined guidance)
Moderate paced recitation with steady exhale on each pāda; brief pause between pādas to ‘listen’ inwardly.
Active, luminous concentration (sattva with heroic drive).
Before action: offer a clean intention (suṣṭuti) and ask Indra to cut through the one dominant resistance; end by silently receiving ‘vāja’ (power) and ‘śravas’ (clarity).
Use Vedic-style udatta/anudatta/svarita as per śākhā tradition; if not trained, chant in a steady monotone with light emphasis on key epithets (vṛtrahā, maghavā, adhivaktā).
Accent the invocatory openings ‘sa vṛtrahendraḥ…’ and the assurances ‘sa prāvitā… sa… dātā’. Keep caesura after each pāda.
ṛ in vṛtra (vṛ-tra) is vocalic ‘r’, dhṛt in carṣaṇīdhṛt: crisp ‘dhṛt’, śravasya: palatal ‘ś’ (not ‘s’), maghavā: clear aspirate ‘gh’
Firm, bright, upward-leading tone; end each pāda with settled confidence.
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