Rig Veda 1.51.2: Mandala 1, Sukta 51, Mantra 2
Sukta 1.51
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
अभीमवन्वन्त्स्वभिष्टिमूतयोऽन्तरिक्षप्रां तविषीभिरावृतम् । इन्द्रं दक्षास ऋभवो मदच्युतं शतक्रतुं जवनी सूनृतारुहत् ॥
abhīm avanvanta svabhiṣṭim ūtayo ’ntarikṣa-prāṃ taviṣībhir āvṛtam | indraṃ dakṣāsa ṛbhavo mada-cyutaṃ śata-kratuṃ javanī sūnṛtā ā aruhat ||
Hacia Él se apremian los Poderes benéficos, buscando el cumplimiento verdadero; Indra está ceñido por sus potencias que colman el mundo medio (antarikṣa). Los diestros Ṛbhus, maestros de la recta formación, alzan a Indra —no caído del éxtasis (mada), de cien voluntades eficaces (śatakratu)—; y la Verdad veloz (sūnṛtā) asciende hasta Él.
Word by Word
- अभीम्
- him (Indra)Indeclinable/Pronounअव्यय-प्रयोगः; सर्वनाम-रूपम्: एनम् (अक्. एक.) वैदिके ‘इम्/ईम्’Role KarmaRoot अभि (उपसर्ग) + इदम् (सर्वनाम, एनद्-प्रत्ययः) → इम्
- अवन्वन्त्
- helping, protectingAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम् (विशेषणम्) — ‘अवन्वन्तः’ (पदपाठे बहुवचन-रूपम्)Role KartāRoot अवन् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘रक्षण/सहाय’ अर्थे) / अव (धातु ‘रक्ष्/पाल्’ इत्यर्थे) + वन्त्
- स्वभिष्टिमूतयः
- (they) whose aids/impulses are good; well-helping (ones)Noun (compound) / Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्; समासः (कर्मधारय/बहुव्रीहि-प्राय): ‘सु-अभिष्टि-मूतयः’ = ‘यासां (तेषां) अभिष्टिः मूतिः च शुभे’Role KartāRoot सु- (उपसर्ग/उपपद) + अभिष्टि (प्रातिपदिक ‘सहाय/आश्रय/रक्षा’) + मूत (प्रातिपदिक ‘प्रेरणा/उत्साह/सहायता’; वैदिक) + इ (स्त्री) → मूतयः
- अन्तरिक्षप्राम्
- the midspace-expanse (the wide region of the atmosphere)Noun (compound) / Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘अन्तरिक्षस्य प्रा’ = ‘अन्तरिक्ष-व्याप्ति/विस्तार’Role KarmaRoot अन्तरिक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रा (स्त्री. प्रातिपदिक ‘पूरण/विस्तार’; RV) → प्राम्
- तविषीभिः
- with (his) powers/strengthsNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे तृतीया बहुवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot तविषी (स्त्री. प्रातिपदिक ‘बल/शक्ति’)
- आवृतम्
- covered, encompassedVerb (past passive participle)कृदन्तः (क्त); नपुंसकलिङ्गे/पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम् (कर्म-विशेषणम्) — ‘covered, encompassed’Role KarmaRoot आ + √वृ (वृञ् वरणे/आवरणे) → आवृत
- इन्द्रम्
- IndraNounपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- दक्षासः
- the able/skillful onesAdjective (substantive)पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot दक्ष (प्रातिपदिक ‘कुशल/बलवान्/दक्ष’)
- ऋभवः
- the Rbhus (divine artisans)Nounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot ऋभु (प्रातिपदिक; देव-समूहः ‘ऋभवः’)
- मदच्युतम्
- not fallen from exhilaration; steadfast in intoxication (of soma)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम् (इन्द्रम् इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role KarmaRoot मद (प्रातिपदिक ‘मद/उन्माद/हर्ष’) + च्युत (√च्यु ‘चलने/पतने’ क्त) → मद-च्युत
- शतक्रतुम्
- the hundred-powered/with a hundred stratagemsNoun/Adjective (bahuvrīhi epithet)पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम् (इन्द्रस्य विशेषणम्); बहुव्रीहिः: ‘यस्य क्रतवः शतम्’Role KarmaRoot शत (संख्या) + क्रतु (प्रातिपदिक ‘संकल्प/शक्ति/कर्म-प्रज्ञा’)
- जवनी
- the swift one; the speed-bringer (chariot/impulse)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot जव (प्रातिपदिक ‘वेग’) + नी (स्त्री. ‘नेत्री/वाहिका’; √नी ‘ने’)
- सूनृताः
- true/kindly wordsNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया बहुवचनम्Role KarmaRoot सु- + नृत (प्रातिपदिक ‘सत्य/ऋजु-वाक्’; सूनृता ‘kindly/true speech’)
- अरुहत्
- mounted, ascendedVerbलङ् (इम्पर्फेक्ट्), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot आ + √रुह् (रुहँ आरोहणे) → अरुहत्
Sandhi Notes
- संहितापाठः: अ॒भीम॑वन्वन्त्स्वभि॒ष्टिमू॒तयो॑ऽन्तरिक्ष॒प्रां तवि॑षीभि॒रावृ॑तम् । इन्द्रं॒ दक्षा॑स ऋ॒भवो॑ मद॒च्युतं॑ श॒तक्र॑तुं॒ जव॑नी सू॒नृतारु॑हत् ॥ Sandhi-विच्छेदः (मुख्याः): 1) अवन्वन्त्स्वभिष्टिमूतयः → अवन्वन्तः स्वभिष्टिमूतयः (ः + स् → त्स्)
- 2) मूतयोऽन्तरिक्षप्राम् → मूतयः अन्तरिक्षप्राम् (ः + अ → ’/अवग्रह)
- 3) तविषीभिरावृतम् → तविषीभिः आवृतम् (ः + आ → र्-आदेशः/रेफ-संधिः)
- 4) सूनृतारुहत् → सूनृताः अरुहत् (आः + अ → आ-दीर्घ/संहितायां संयोगः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The aiding Powers press toward Indra for true attainment; Indra is surrounded by strengths that fill the mid-region. The skilful Rbhus uplift Indra—steady in ecstasy, of a hundred powers of action; swift Truth (sūnṛtā) climbs to him.
Inner meaning
The seeker’s inner helpers (ūtayaḥ—impulsions of the gods in us) converge upon the illumined Mind-Power (Indra) to establish the right fulfilment (su-abhiṣṭi). Indra stands in the antarīkṣa—our intermediate plane between sense-mind and higher light—full of dynamic energies (taviṣī). The Rbhus (powers of right formation, luminous artisans) shape and raise the Indra-consciousness so it remains unfallen from the delight-intoxication (mada-acyuta: stable in divine Ananda). Then sūnṛtā—truth-speaking, truth-acting intuition—ascends and takes its seat in that illumined mind, making the whole nature truthful in movement.
Universal truth
Real spiritual progress requires (1) a central illumined intelligence, (2) surrounding dynamic forces disciplined to it, and (3) a formative power that refashions the being so truth can rise and govern action without falling from delight.
Themes
Indra-empowerment, Truth-speech, Divine helpers (ūtayaḥ), Formative powers (Rbhus)
The seer
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Lineage
- Viśvāmitra (Gāthina lineage)
- Other hymns
- RV 1.50, RV 1.52, RV 3.62 (Gāyatrī tradition attribution in later memory)
Family tradition
Kṣatriya-seer who embodies the ascent from forceful will to spiritual illumination; hymns often show Indra as inner conqueror opening light for the human journey.
Significance
Viśvāmitra’s vision emphasizes the disciplined dynamism of the yoga: powers gather, are shaped (ṛbhu), and become truth-acting (sūnṛtā) around the illumined mind (Indra).
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- śatakratu, maghavan, vṛtrahan, purandara (idea implicit in breaking obstacles)
- Related deities
- Agni, Soma, Maruts, Rbhus, Uṣas
Cosmic role
Lord of the luminous heaven-mind who releases the hidden lights and waters by breaking the coverer; establishes the wide mid-world for right action.
Inner power
Illuminative intelligence with victorious force—clarity that can act, not merely know.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra śastra/stotra sequences in Soma sacrifice (general Indra praise)
अ॒भीम॑वन्वन्त्स्वभि॒ष्टिमू॒तयो॑ऽन्तरिक्ष॒प्रां तवि॑षीभि॒रावृ॑तम् । इन्द्रं॒ दक्षा॑स ऋ॒भवो॑ मद॒च्युतं॑ श॒तक्र॑तुं॒ जव॑नी सू॒नृतारु॑हत् ॥
अ॒भि । ई॒म् । अ॒व॒न्व॒न् । सु॒ऽअ॒भि॒ष्टिम् । ऊ॒तयः॑ । अ॒न्त॒रि॒क्ष॒ऽप्राम् । तवि॑षीभिः । आऽवृ॑तम् । इन्द्र॑म् । दक्षा॑सः । ऋ॒भवः॑ । म॒द॒ऽच्युत॑म् । श॒तऽक्र॑तुम् । जव॑नी । सू॒नृता॑ । आ । अ॒रु॒ह॒त् ॥
abhi | īm | avanvan | su-abhiṣṭim | ūtayaḥ | antarikṣa-prām | taviṣībhiḥ | āvṛtam | indram | dakṣāsaḥ | ṛbhavaḥ | mada-cyutam | śata-kratum | javanī | sūnṛtā | ā | aruhat
44
4 pādas of ~11 syllables each
Forward-driving, martial yet spacious; suited to proclamation and victory-hymn.
Builds inner momentum and confidence; supports an ascending movement culminating in ‘sūnṛtā’—a felt rise of truth in the listener.
- ūtayaḥ
- Literal: helps, succours. Symbolic: supporting divine impulsions and assisting powers in the sadhana
- su-abhiṣṭi
- Literal: good/true desired attainment. Symbolic: right fulfilment of the soul’s aim; true siddhi rather than egoic success
- antarīkṣa-prāṃ
- Literal: filling the mid-region. Symbolic: pervading the intermediate consciousness (life-mind field) where conflicts are worked out
- taviṣī
- Literal: force, might. Symbolic: dynamic energies of illumination that can conquer resistance
- ṛbhavaḥ
- Literal: Rbhus, skilful ones. Symbolic: powers of right formation; inner craftsmen shaping mind-life into divine pattern
- madacyuta
- Literal: not fallen from intoxication/ecstasy. Symbolic: steadfastness in divine Ananda; delight that does not lapse into inertia
- śatakratu
- Literal: of a hundred kratus (wills/works). Symbolic: multiplied effective will-powers; many right actions from one luminous mind
- sūnṛtā
- Literal: good/true speech, fair truth. Symbolic: swift intuitive truth (truth-word and truth-movement) rising to govern
Indra-stotra used in Soma rites (general Indra praise within Agniṣṭoma/related Soma-yāgas; exact viniyoga varies by śrauta tradition)
During Soma pressing and Indra-invocations; also as general victory/protection recitation
Recitation to strengthen Indra’s presence and invite effective powers (kratu) into the rite
Use as a mantra of ‘right formation’: before work/decisions, invoke truthful intelligence and the shaping power to make action aligned with inner truth.
Key terms: (1) ūti- ‘help, aid’ from √av/√ū (to favor, help; semantic field of protection and furtherance). (2) taviṣī ‘might, impetuous force’ related to √tav (to be strong, swell with power). (3) dakṣa ‘skill, capacity, discerning power’ from √dakṣ (to be able, be competent; also ‘to fashion effectively’). (4) ṛbhu- traditionally ‘skilful’ (artisan-seers); linked with the idea of right shaping (semantic nexus with √rabh/√ṛbh ‘to grasp, work upon’—philologically debated; here taken functionally as powers of formation). (5) mada ‘rapture, exhilaration’ from √mad (to rejoice, be intoxicated—psychologically: divine ecstasy that fuels action). (6) kratu ‘will, intelligent resolve’ from √kṛ (to do) with a cognitive-volitional sense; śata-kratu indicates multiplicity of effective formations. (7) sūnṛtā ‘good/true utterance’ (su- + nṛtā/ṛtā-related truthfulness in speech); in RV usage often the power of true speech that makes real.
Ṛta as right formation and right action (via dakṣa, sūnṛtā), Truth in speech as a power of manifestation (sūnṛtā), Ascent of consciousness (ā aruhat)
The ‘true fulfilment’ (su-abhiṣṭi) and ascent of sūnṛtā indicate alignment of action with ṛta.
Sūnṛtā is Satya in movement—truth that becomes speech and deed.
Formation (ṛbhu) as a cosmic principle: the worlds and the being are ‘crafted’ into right shape.
Proto-Vedāntic/Integral (Aurobindonian) reading: ascent of consciousness, transformation of nature by truth and delight.
Antarīkṣa corresponds to the vital-mental field where energies must be organized around illumined mind so truth can rise and rule.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Not a single narrative act (like Vṛtra-slaying) is foregrounded; rather, the mythologem is the ‘upholding/enthronement’ of Indra by allied powers: the ūtayaḥ (helps) and ṛbhavaḥ (formative artisans) establish and intensify Indra’s field of force, while sūnṛtā (truth-utterance) ascends to him—i.e., Truth rises to the lord of luminous Force so that right action can be effected.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- Several lexemes preserve Indo-European action semantics: √mad ‘rejoice/intoxicate’ has cognate semantic parallels in Indo-Iranian ecstatic vocabulary (cf. Avestan mad- ‘be intoxicated/exhilarated’). √tav ‘be strong’ aligns with PIE *teh₂u-/*teuH- (strength/swelling; debated), reflected in the recurrent RV abstract taviṣī ‘force’. kratu (intelligent will) is an old Indo-Iranian religious-mental term (cf. Avestan xratu- ‘wisdom, intellect’), showing shared sacral-cognitive vocabulary.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The verse stages a reciprocity: the seer’s world is populated by ‘helpers’ (ūtayaḥ) and ‘skilled formers’ (ṛbhavaḥ) who, through right capacity (dakṣa) and true speech (sūnṛtā), raise and stabilize Indra within the practitioner. Indra, thus enthroned, becomes the effective power for breaking limitations; the rishi’s offering is the ascent of sūnṛtā (truth-utterance), and the devatā’s return is intensified taviṣī (force) and sure attainment (su-abhiṣṭi).
Invoke Indra as the illumined mind; feel assisting powers gathering and being shaped into truthful action.
ājñā (brow)
Moderate rhythmic breathing (e.g., inhale 4, exhale 6) while feeling ‘sūnṛtā’ rise on the exhale as a clear resolve.
Dynamic clarity (illumination with force).
Before chanting, offer the day’s works inwardly. While repeating, visualize scattered energies organizing around a bright center; end in a brief silence to let ‘truth-speech’ form as a spontaneous right intention.
Vedic svaras as in śākala tradition: udatta on marked syllables; svarita on falling accents; anudatta on unmarked lows (exact pitch requires śākhā audio/notation).
Keep the cadence of Triṣṭubh: slight lift at each pāda start; do not flatten compounds like ‘antarīkṣaprāṃ’. Let ‘śatakratuṃ’ carry a firm accent.
ṛbhavo: clear vocalic ṛ (not ‘ri’), sūnṛtā: long ū and long ā; retroflex ṛ in ‘ṛt’ cluster, madacyutam: separate mada-acyutam; avoid merging into ‘madachyutam’ too heavily, taviṣībhir: retroflex ṣ, long ī
Bright, steady, slightly forceful; end each pāda with controlled release.
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Rig Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
