Rig Veda 7.37.7: Mandala 7, Sukta 37, Mantra 7
Sukta 7.37
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Raudra (fury) and Vira (heroism)
अभि यं देवी निॠतिश्चिदीशे नक्षन्त इन्द्रं शरदः सुपृक्षः । उप त्रिबन्धुर्जरदष्टिमेत्यस्ववेशं यं कृणवन्त मर्ताः ॥
abhí yáṃ devī́ nír̥tiś cid ī́śe nákṣanta índraṃ śáradaḥ su-pṛ́kṣaḥ | úpa tri-bándhur jarad-aṣṭím eti ásvaveśaṃ yáṃ kṛṇávanta mártāḥ ||
A él —Indra—, a quien incluso la diosa Nirṛti, la Disolución, podría reclamar, las estaciones bien nutridoras lo buscan y lo alcanzan. Hacia él avanza el «atado por tres lazos», hasta el antiguo límite óctuple; ese estado estrechado que los mortales se forjan, él puede sobrepasarlo y transformarlo.
Word by Word
- अभि
- towards, against, uponIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRole Adhikaraṇa (दिशा/सम्बन्ध) / उपसर्गRoot अभि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- यम्
- whomPronounपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग? द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- देवी
- the goddessNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग प्रथमा एकवचनRole KartāRoot देवी (देव-स्त्री)
- निॠतिः
- Nirr̥ti (goddess of destruction/misfortune)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग प्रथमा एकवचनRole Kartā (देवी-निॠतिः समनाधिकरणम्)Root निॠति (प्रातिपदिक)
- चित्
- evenIndeclinableनिपातRoot चित् (अव्यय)
- ईशे
- rules, has power overVerbलट् (वर्तमान) आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष एकवचनRole KriyāRoot ईश् (धातु)
- नक्षन्ते
- they reach, attainVerbलट् (वर्तमान) आत्मनेपद, तृतीयपुरुष बहुवचनRole KriyāRoot नश्/नक्ष् (धातु; ‘to reach/attain’)
- इन्द्रम्
- IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- शरदः
- autumns; yearsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग प्रथमा बहुवचनRole KartāRoot शरद् (प्रातिपदिक)
- सुपृक्षः
- well-adorned/beautifulAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग प्रथमा बहुवचन (शरदः इति विशेषणम्)Role Kartā (विशेषण-सम्बन्ध)Root सु-पृक्ष (प्रातिपदिक; बहुव्रीहि/कर्मधारय)
- उप
- near, towardsIndeclinableअव्ययRole Adhikaraṇa (सामीप्य) / उपसर्गRoot उप (अव्यय/उपसर्ग)
- त्रिबन्धुः
- the three-kin/threefold-related one (epithet)Nounपुंलिङ्ग प्रथमा एकवचनRole KartāRoot त्रि-बन्धु (प्रातिपदिक)
- जरदष्टिः
- the old-staffed one; one with an aged staffNounपुंलिङ्ग प्रथमा एकवचनRole Kartā (त्रिबन्धुः इति समनाधिकरणम्)Root जरद्-अष्टि (प्रातिपदिक; कर्मधारय)
- एति
- goes, comesVerbलट् (वर्तमान) परस्मैपद, तृतीयपुरुष एकवचनRole KriyāRoot इ (धातु)
- अस्ववेशम्
- not in one’s own dwelling; homeless/without proper abodeAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग द्वितीया एकवचन (यम् इति विशेषणम्)Role Karma (विशेषण-सम्बन्ध)Root अ-स्व-वेश (प्रातिपदिक; नञ्-समास)
- यम्
- whomPronounपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग? द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- कृण्वन्त
- they makeVerbलट् (वर्तमान) परस्मैपद, तृतीयपुरुष बहुवचन (वैदिक रूप: कृण्वन्ति → कृण्वन्त)Role KriyāRoot कृ (धातु)
- मर्ताः
- mortalsNounपुंलिङ्ग प्रथमा बहुवचनRole KartāRoot मर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सम्भाव्य): अभि | यम् | देवी | निॠतिः | चित् | ईशे | नक्षन्ते | इन्द्रम् | शरदः | सुपृक्षः || उप | त्रिबन्धुः | जरदष्टिः | एति | अस्ववेशम् | यम् | कृण्वन्त | मर्ताः || 1) निॠतिश्चित् = निॠतिः + चित् (विसर्ग-सन्धि: ः + च → श्च)
- 2) नक्षन्त इन्द्रम् = नक्षन्ते इन्द्रम् (वैदिक संहिता-पाठे अन्त्य ‘-e’ लोप/संक्षेपः)
- 3) जरदष्टिमेत्य = जरदष्टिः + एति (विसर्ग-लोपः, संहिता-रूपे ‘-मेत्य’ इति संयोगः)
- 4) कृणवन्त = कृण्वन्ति (वैदिक बहुवचन-रूपे अन्त्य ‘-ि’ लोपः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra, whom even Nirṛti (dissolution) would claim, is still sought by the nourishing seasons. The ‘threefold-bound’ approaches the old eightfold limit; the constricted state made by mortals is something Indra can overpass and transform.
Inner meaning
Indra is invoked as the power that exceeds even forces of disintegration (nirṛti)—the tendency toward collapse, despair, and entropy in the being. The ‘seasons’ (śaradaḥ) that mature and nourish symbolize rhythmic cycles of growth in sādhanā; they still seek Indra because illumination is the key to right ripening. ‘Tribandhuḥ’ (threefold-bound) points to the triple knot of mind–life–body (or the three guṇic bonds) that holds the embodied consciousness; ‘jaradaṣṭim’ (old eightfold limit) evokes the fixed boundary-conditions of mortal habit—an aged structure of limitation. ‘Asvaveśa’ is the cramped lodging/state mortals fashion: narrow selfhood. Indra can break these bonds and carry the being beyond its habitual limits.
Universal truth
Even when dissolution threatens, the power of illumination can re-order cycles of growth, break entrenched limitations, and open a larger mode of being.
Themes
Overcoming dissolution, Time and limitation, Indra as transcendent helper
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Other hymns
- RV 7.83 (order vs disorder themes), RV 7.89 (release from sin/bondage)
Family tradition
The Vasiṣṭhas frequently confront forces of obstruction and disorder, invoking sovereign powers to restore ṛta.
Significance
This verse shows a mature psychological insight: limitation is self-fashioned (‘yaṃ kṛṇvanta martāḥ’), and liberation is an ascent beyond constructed bounds through Indra’s light.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Overcomer of Nirṛti (implied), Sought by the seasons (nakṣanta), Transformer of mortal constraint (implied)
- Related deities
- Varuṇa (law/order), Soma (bliss that counters decay), Agni (will that perseveres)
Cosmic role
Maintainer of expansive order against dissolution; ensures fruitful cycles by releasing light and force.
Inner power
Illumination that breaks bonds, surpasses fatalism, and reconstitutes the being in a wider consciousness.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra hymns used in Soma rites and protective recitations; this verse has an apotropaic (warding) tone.
अ॒भि यं दे॒वी निॠ॑तिश्चि॒दीशे॒ नक्ष॑न्त॒ इन्द्रं॑ श॒रद॑: सु॒पृक्ष॑: । उप॑ त्रिब॒न्धुर्ज॒रद॑ष्टिमे॒त्यस्व॑वेशं॒ यं कृ॒णव॑न्त॒ मर्ता॑: ॥
अ॒भि । यम् । दे॒वी । निःऽऋ॑तिः । चि॒त् । ईशे॑ । नक्ष॑न्ते । इन्द्र॑म् । श॒रदः॑ । सु॒ऽपृक्षः॑ । उप॑ । त्रि॒ऽब॒न्धुः॒ । ज॒रत्ऽअ॑ष्टिम् । ए॒ति॒ । अस्व॑वेशम् । यम् । कृ॒णव॑न्त । मर्ताः॑ ॥
abhi | yam | devī | niḥ-ṛtiḥ | cit | īśe | nakṣante | indram | śaradaḥ | su-pṛkṣaḥ | upa | tri-bandhuḥ | jarat-aṣṭim | eti | asvaveśam | yam | kṛṇavanta | martāḥ
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4 × ~11
Dense and weighty; carries a sense of confronting limits and then breaking through.
Helps face fear/decay with steadiness; evokes a ‘cutting’ clarity that loosens inner knots.
- निॠ॑तिः (nirṛtiḥ)
- Literal: dissolution, decay, misfortune. Symbolic: entropic pull, depression, disintegrative subconscious forces
- श॒रदः॑ (śaradaḥ)
- Literal: autumns/seasons. Symbolic: cycles of maturation and harvesting in spiritual practice
- सु॒पृक्षः॑ (supṛkṣaḥ)
- Literal: well-nourishing. Symbolic: supportive rhythms that feed growth when aligned with ṛta
- त्रि॒ब॒न्धुः (tribandhuḥ)
- Literal: threefold-bound. Symbolic: triple knot of mind-life-body; bondage by three guṇas; threefold limitation of embodied nature
- जरदष्टिम् (jaradaṣṭim)
- Literal: old eightfold (limit/structure). Symbolic: aged, rigid framework of mortal constraints (habitual law of the lower nature)
- अस्ववेशम् (asvaveśam)
- Literal: bad dwelling, cramped lodging. Symbolic: constricted ego-state and narrow self-construction
- मर्ताः (martāḥ)
- Literal: mortals. Symbolic: the consciousness identified with limitation and death-principle
Protective/overcoming hymn-motif within Indra praise (general)
When seeking protection from misfortune/decline; as part of Indra stotra sequences.
Praise and remembrance of Indra’s surpassing power over dissolution and bonds.
Chant during periods of depression, burnout, or when feeling trapped in repetitive patterns; use as a ‘bond-cutting’ contemplation.
nir-ṛti: nir- ‘out, away’ + √ṛ ‘to go, fit, rise’ → ‘that which goes away from order’, dissolution/entropy against ṛta. √īś ‘to own, rule’ (PIE *h₁eish- ‘own/possess’ often proposed). tri-bandhu: from √bandh ‘bind’ (PIE *bʰendʰ-). The compound jarad-aṣṭi is obscure; taken here as a symbolic ‘aged eightfold limit’ (a fixed measure of mortal constraint), supporting the inner reading of bounded embodiment (asvaveśa).
Nirṛti (dissolution/negation) vs divine sovereignty, Bondage and release (bandh), Mortality and transformation
Seasons symbolize ṛta’s cyclic order; Indra is the decisive power enabling right fulfilment of the cycle.
Truth is not the cramped ‘dwelling’ mortals make; satya is the larger reality Indra opens.
Re-creation through breaking old forms: dissolution is met by higher reconstitution.
Integral transformation motif: limitation is mutable; illumination can re-form nature.
autumn (śarad, explicitly)
Autumn = ripening of experience; decay = subconscious collapse; knots = habitual fixations; limit = fixed identity structure.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Indra’s supremacy even where Nirṛti rules: the mythologem is the conquest of dissolution/negation and the breaking of bonds (tri-bandhu). Time (śaradaḥ) itself ‘reaches’ toward Indra, indicating he exceeds mortal limits.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √bandh (bind) has clear IE cognacy (PIE *bʰendʰ-). The opposition of order (implicit ṛta) and nir-ṛti (un-order) is expressed by morphological negation (nir-), a common IE strategy for conceptual polarity.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The r̥ṣi points to the human-made ‘asvaveśa’ (constricted habitation) and invokes Indra as the power that can exceed the claims of Nirṛti. The relationship is salvific: Indra is appealed to as liberator from the bonds mortals unconsciously construct.
Observe the ‘constructed cramped state’ (asvaveśa) and invoke Indra’s light to exceed it.
maṇipūra (knot-breaking will) supported by ājñā (illumination)
Brisk-energetic recitation for 3 rounds, then slow meditative once; finish with 6 deep breaths imagining bonds dissolving on exhale.
From confrontation with shadow to expansive breakthrough.
Name inwardly the ‘three bonds’ you feel (thought-loop, desire-loop, body-habit). Chant once, then sit 2 minutes sensing a widening above the head and a loosening in the chest/solar plexus.
Keep accentual clarity on ‘índram’ and key verbs; allow a sharper svarita fall on words indicating constraint/bonds to mirror meaning.
Do not rush the compound ‘tribandhur jaradaṣṭim’; articulate as two clear units; pause slightly before final pāda to emphasize the mortal-constructed limitation.
: nir-ṛ-tiḥ with clear syllabic ‘ṛ’., : tri-ban-dhuḥ (aspirate ‘dh’)., : as-va-ve-śam; keep ‘ś’ palatal., : ja-rad-aṣ-ṭim with retroflex ṭ.
Grave, steady, cutting clarity; avoid sentimentality.
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