Rig Veda 8.13.4: Mandala 8, Sukta 13, Mantra 4
Sukta 8.13
- Devata
- Indra
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
इयं त इन्द्र गिर्वणो रातिः क्षरति सुन्वतः । मन्दानो अस्य बर्हिषो वि राजसि ॥
iyáṃ ta indra girvaṇo rātíḥ kṣarati sunvatáḥ | mandāná asyá barhíṣo ví rājasi ||
This thy giving, O Indra praised by song, flows out for the presser; delighted, upon his sacred seat of offering, thou shinest forth in full manifestation.
Word by Word
- इयम्
- this (f.)Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (वाक्ये ‘रातिः’ इत्यस्य विशेषण-सम्बन्धेन) / विषय-निर्देशRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- ते
- to/for youPronounषष्ठी, एकवचन (एन्क्लिटिक ‘ते’)Role सम्प्रदान/सम्बन्ध (दत्तव्यस्य स्वामि/प्राप्ता) — ‘to/for you’Root युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- गिर्वणः
- O praise-delighting / praised oneAdjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन (इन्द्रस्य विशेषणम्)Role सम्बोधन (विशेषणम्)Root गिर्वणस् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘गिर्’ + ‘वणस्’ = स्तुतिभिः प्रियः/स्तुतिवान्)
- रातिः
- gift; givingNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (क्षरति इत्यस्य कर्ता)Root राति (प्रातिपदिक; √रा/√दा ‘to give’ से ‘gift, giving’)
- क्षरति
- flows; streamsVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot √क्षर् (क्षरणे ‘to flow, stream’)
- सुन्वतः
- of the Soma-presserParticiple (present active)पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (जनिटिव्) — ‘of the presser’Role अपादान/सम्बन्ध (स्रोतः/उद्गम-सम्बन्धः: ‘from/of the Soma-presser’)Root √सु (सोमसवने ‘to press (Soma)’) → शतृ-प्रत्यय ‘सुन्वत्’
- मन्दानः
- exhilarated; gladdenedParticiple (middle; ‘being exhilarated’)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (इन्द्रः)Role कर्तृ (वि राजसि इत्यस्य कर्ता)Root √मन्द्/√मद् (हर्षे/मदे ‘to be exhilarated’) → मध्यमान/आत्मनेपद-शतृ/शानच् ‘मन्दान’
- अस्य
- of thisPronounषष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी) — ‘of this (rite/one)’Root इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- बर्हिषः
- of the sacrificial grass (barhis)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole अधिकारण/सम्बन्ध (वि-राजसि: ‘over/at the barhis’)Root बर्हिस् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘sacrificial grass, barhis’)
- वि
- apart; widely; forthIndeclinable (preverb)उपसर्गः (क्रियायाः ‘राजसि’ सह)Role क्रियाविशेषण (विभाग/विशेष-प्रकाशार्थ)Root वि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- राजसि
- you shine forth; you ruleVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन (वैदिके—स्तुत्यर्थं देवतासम्बोधन-प्रयोगः)Role क्रियाRoot √राज् (दीप्तौ/राज्ये ‘to shine, rule’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: इयम् | ते | इन्द्र | गिर्वणः | रातिः | क्षरति | सुन्वतः || मन्दानः | अस्य | बर्हिषः | वि | राजसि । 1) ‘इयं त’ = ‘इयम् ते’ (म् + त् संयोगे अनुस्वार/लोप-प्रवृत्तिः; संहितायां ‘इयं त’ इति)
- 2) ‘इन्द्र गिर्वणो’ = ‘इन्द्र गिर्वणः’ (विसर्गः पदान्ते स्वरव्यञ्जन-संहितायां ‘ओ’ इव श्रूयते/लिख्यते—वैदिक-प्रयोगः)
- 3) ‘बर्हिषो वि’ = ‘बर्हिषः वि’ (विसर्ग-सन्धिः: अः + व् → ओ व् (वैदिक-लिप्यन्तर/संहिता-पाठः))
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra’s gift flows out for the soma-presser; delighted, he shines forth upon the sacred seat/grass of offering.
Inner meaning
When the seeker ‘presses’ (sunvati) the Soma—extracting delight from life and experience—Indra’s giving (rāti) begins to flow as a spontaneous outpouring of light-force. Seated on the inner barhis (the prepared foundation of consciousness), Indra becomes manifest (vi rājasi): illumination stabilizes and radiates.
Universal truth
Genuine aspiration and inner extraction of essence invite a natural descent of help; when the foundation is prepared, higher clarity shines openly and continuously.
Themes
Divine gift, Soma-pressing, Radiance of Indra, Prepared seat (barhis)
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 8.13.1-8, Rig Veda 8.48 (Soma joy themes; conceptual resonance)
Significance
The seer emphasizes the law of reciprocity: when Soma is ‘pressed’ inwardly, Indra’s radiance naturally manifests on the prepared seat of consciousness.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- girvaṇa (praised by song), mandāna (delighted)
- Related deities
- Soma, Agni, Bṛhaspati
Cosmic role
Receiver of Soma and giver of victorious powers; makes the luminous order operative in human life.
Inner power
The mind-force that becomes luminous and generous when fed by inner delight; it organizes and radiates from a purified base.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma-pressing (savana) praise to Indra.
इ॒यं त॑ इन्द्र गिर्वणो रा॒तिः क्ष॑रति सुन्व॒तः । म॒न्दा॒नो अ॒स्य ब॒र्हिषो॒ वि रा॑जसि ॥
इ॒यम् । ते॒ । इ॒न्द्र॒ । गि॒र्व॒णः॒ । रा॒तिः । क्ष॒र॒ति॒ । सु॒न्व॒तः । म॒न्दा॒नः । अ॒स्य । ब॒र्हिषः॑ । वि । रा॒ज॒सि॒ ॥
iyam | te | indra | girvaṇaḥ | rātiḥ | kṣarati | sunvataḥ | mandānaḥ | asya | barhiṣaḥ | vi | rājasi
Flowing and luminous; mirrors ‘kṣarati’ (streaming) in cadence.
Encourages receptivity; helps the mind feel ‘seated’ and then brightened from above.
- रातिः (rātiḥ)
- Literal: gift, giving. Symbolic: descent/outpouring of divine support—light, strength, right discernment
- क्षरति (kṣarati)
- Literal: flows, trickles, streams. Symbolic: continuous influx (not a one-time event) of grace and power
- सुन्वतः (sunvataḥ)
- Literal: of the presser (of soma). Symbolic: of the aspirant who extracts bliss/essence through disciplined practice
- मन्दानः (mandānaḥ)
- Literal: delighted, exhilarated. Symbolic: joy of the illumined mind nourished by soma-bliss
- बर्हिषः (barhiṣaḥ)
- Literal: sacrificial grass/seat. Symbolic: prepared inner ground—purified vital-mental field fit for the descent
- वि राजसि (vi rājasi)
- Literal: you shine forth, manifest splendidly. Symbolic: illumination becomes explicit, governing, and widely effective
- गिर्वणः (girvaṇaḥ)
- Literal: praised by songs. Symbolic: power responds to true mantra/word—vibration that calls the deity within
Soma pressing and seating of the on barhis; used to mark the moment of divine arrival and the flowing of gifts in response to pressing.
During pressing/offerings and invocation of Indra to partake and grant boons.
Offer Soma; praise; establish barhis/seat; invite manifestation.
As a meditation cue: ‘prepare the seat’ (posture + calm breath), then invite a steady flow of clarity and generosity in the mind.
girvaṇas- ‘hymn-praised’ (gír ‘song’ + √van ‘to win/like’); rātí- ‘gift’ from √rā ‘give’; kṣarati from √kṣar ‘flow’; sunvat- from √su ‘press Soma’; mandāná from √mand ‘to rejoice, be glad/intoxicated’; barhís- ‘sacrificial grass/seat’ (prepared support). Inner sense: the ‘flowing gift’ parallels Soma flow; as the seeker presses essence, Indra’s rāti streams as spiritual increase, and the god ‘shines forth’ on the prepared inner seat (barhis).
Reciprocity of yajña (offering ↔ gift), Ananda (mandāna as delight), Manifestation (vi- rāj)
Right preparation and right offering produce right manifestation—order as an experiential law.
Indra’s ‘shining forth’ is truth becoming evident in the mental field.
Manifestation (vi-rāj) from a prepared ground—descent of higher light into the human vessel.
Integral psychological symbolism (Soma-Ananda feeding Indra-illumination).
The stream is the continuous inflow of force; the seat is stable posture and purified nature; radiance is awakened intelligence.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The flowing rāti (gift) in response to Soma pressing: the mythic reciprocity where the god, delighted, comes to the seat and radiates, releasing streams of power and increase.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √rā ‘give’ participates in an old IE gift-exchange lexicon (though direct PIE reconstruction is complex). √kṣar ‘flow’ is Indo-Iranian; the poetic equation of ‘flow’ with ‘gift’ is a shared IE metaphor of abundance as liquid.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The sacrificer ‘presses’ (sunvat) and prepares the seat (barhis); Indra, delighted, manifests and makes his giving flow. The relationship is explicitly transactional yet inward: preparation and expression of essence evoke radiant presence and spiritual outpouring.
‘Press Soma’ as extracting delight from breath and awareness; let Indra’s gift flow as clear discernment.
viśuddha (mantra/word)
ujjāyī-light or gentle nasal breathing; feel a ‘stream’ on the inhale, radiance on the exhale.
Receptive luminosity (quiet joy + clarity).
Sit as if preparing barhis: align spine, relax belly, steady gaze. Repeat the mantra until you feel a ‘flow’ of support; then remain silent and let the mind shine without effort.
Notated svara unavailable in input; chant with steady rise on key invocatory names and a gentle ‘flowing’ cadence matching kṣarati.
Mark clear pauses at pada ends; give prominence to índra, rātíḥ, kṣárati, sunvataḥ, ví rājasi.
Keep kṣ in kṣarati conjunct clear., Pronounce girvaṇo with retroflex ṇ., barhiṣo: articulate ṣ and avoid turning it into s.
Smooth, resonant, slightly flowing; avoid harsh attack to preserve ‘stream’ quality.
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