Rig Veda 8.96.7: Mandala 8, Sukta 96, Mantra 7
Sukta 8.96
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Karuna (compassion)
वृत्रस्य त्वा श्वसथादीषमाणा विश्वे देवा अजहुर्ये सखायः । मरुद्भिरिन्द्र सख्यं ते अस्त्वथेमा विश्वाः पृतना जयासि ॥
vṛ́trasya tvā śvasáthād ī́ṣamāṇā víśve devā́ ajahur yé sakhā́yaḥ | marúdbhir indra sakhyáṃ te astv áthemā́ víśvāḥ pṛ́tanā jayāsi ||
Cuando, bajo el ahogo de la opresión de Vṛtra, luchabas por el aliento, todos los dioses —compañeros y amigos— no te abandonaron. Con los Maruts sea firme tu amistad, oh Indra; entonces vences todas estas batallas.
Word by Word
- वृत्रस्य
- of VṛtraNounपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)Root वृत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- त्वा
- you (acc.)Pronounद्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्म (object)Root युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- श्वसथा
- with panting/breathing; by (your) snorting forceNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया; एकवचनRole करण (instrument/means)Root श्वसथ (प्रातिपदिक)
- अदीषमाणा
- not harming; uninjuringParticiple (Adjective)स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन (कर्तरि वर्तमान-शतृ)Role कर्तृ-विशेषण (agentive qualifier)Root दीष् (धातु; ‘to injure/harm’), शतृ-प्रत्यय (वर्तमान कृदन्त)
- विश्वे
- allAdjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (subject)Root विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- देवाः
- the godsNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (subject)Root देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- अजहुः
- left/abandonedVerbलिट्; परस्मैपद; उत्तम? (न) → प्रथमा; बहुवचन; 3rd person pluralRole क्रियाRoot हā (धातु; ‘to leave/abandon’), लिट् (परोक्स/परफेक्ट)
- ये
- whoRelative pronounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (relative subject)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सखायः
- (as) friendsNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (predicate nominative)Root सखि (प्रातिपदिक)
- मरुद्भिः
- with the MarutsNounपुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया; बहुवचनRole सह/करण (association/instrument)Root मरुत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNoun (vocative)पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन; एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- सख्यम्
- friendshipNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचन (here predicative with अस्तु)Role प्रधानीय-विशेष्य/कर्म (predicative complement)Root सख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- ते
- yourPronounषष्ठी; एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अस्तु
- let there beVerbलोट्; परस्मैपद; 3rd person; एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot अस् (धातु; ‘to be’), लोट् (आज्ञार्थ)
- अथ
- thenIndeclinableअव्ययRole सम्बन्ध/अनुक्रम (discourse connector)Root अथ (अव्यय)
- इमाः
- theseDemonstrative pronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole कर्म (object) / विशेष्य (of विश्वाः)Root इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- विश्वाः
- allAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole विशेषणRoot विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- पृतनाः
- battles/hostile armiesNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; बहुवचन (here object of जयासि)Role कर्म (object)Root पृतना (प्रातिपदिक)
- जयासि
- you conquerVerbलट्; परस्मैपद; 2nd person; एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot जि (धातु; ‘to conquer’), लट् (वर्तमान)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (Vedic sandhi resolved): वृत्रस्य | त्वा | श्वसथा | अदीषमाणा | विश्वे | देवाः | अजहुः | ये | सखायः || मरुद्भिः | इन्द्र | सख्यम् | ते | अस्तु | अथ | इमाः | विश्वाः | पृतनाः | जयासि || प्रमुख-सन्धयः: (1) श्वसथा + अदीषमाणा → श्वसथादीषमाणा (अ + आ = आ)
- (2) अजहुः + ये → अजहुर्ये (विसर्ग/रुत्व-प्रभाव: उः + य → उर्य)
- (3) अस्तु + अथ → अस्त्वथ (उ + अ → व्-अवग्रह/व-आगम)
- (4) अथ + इमाः → अथेमा (अ + इ → ए)
The meaning
Outer meaning
When you were striving from the breath/oppression of Vṛtra, all the gods, your comrades, did not abandon you. With the Maruts may your friendship be; then you win all battles.
Inner meaning
In the pressure of the Coverer (Vṛtra) upon life-breath (śvasatha), the illumined mind-force (Indra) strains to emerge. The total divine powers (viśve devāḥ)—supporting faculties of truth—do not desert the aspiring consciousness. Especially the Maruts (dynamic life-forces purified into storm-powers) must be in alliance with Indra: when life-energy serves illumination, every inner conflict (pṛtanā) can be conquered.
Universal truth
Victory is collective: illumination succeeds when all supportive powers cooperate, and when vital energies become comrades of the higher mind rather than allies of resistance.
Themes
Indra-Marut alliance, Vṛtra struggle, victory
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 1.85 (Maruts as allies), RV 5.87 (Marut force and truth), RV 1.32 (Vṛtra as coverer; archetype)
Family tradition
Eighth Maṇḍala Indra hymns frequently emphasize Indra–Marut companionship (sakhya) as the condition for victory.
Significance
Names the crucial yogic alliance: life-force must become a friend of illumination; otherwise battles repeat.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra (with Maruts; supported by Viśve Devāḥ)
- Epithets
- Vṛtrahan, Sakhā (comrade/ally in the struggle), Jayin (victorious)
- Related deities
- Maruts, Viśve Devāḥ, Agni
Cosmic role
Champion of the gods in the cosmic battle; ensures the triumph of the luminous order over obstruction.
Inner power
Courageous emergence of illumined intelligence from prāṇic oppression; integrative leadership of the faculties.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-Marut stotra/śastra segments in Soma ritual cycles; verses used to invoke cooperative powers for victory.
वृ॒त्रस्य॑ त्वा श्व॒सथा॒दीष॑माणा॒ विश्वे॑ दे॒वा अ॑जहु॒र्ये सखा॑यः । म॒रुद्भि॑रिन्द्र स॒ख्यं ते॑ अ॒स्त्वथे॒मा विश्वा॒: पृत॑ना जयासि ॥
वृ॒त्रस्य॑ । त्वा॒ । श्व॒सथा॑त् । ईष॑माणाः । विश्वे॑ । दे॒वाः । अ॒ज॒हुः॒ । ये । सखा॑यः । म॒रुत्ऽभिः॑ । इ॒न्द्र॒ । स॒ख्यम् । ते॒ । अ॒स्तु॒ । अथ॑ । इ॒माः । विश्वाः॑ । पृत॑नाः । ज॒या॒सि॒ ॥
vṛtrasya | tvā | śvasathāt | īṣamāṇāḥ | viśve | devāḥ | ajahuḥ | ye | sakhāyaḥ | marut-bhiḥ | indra | sakhyam | te | astu | atha | imāḥ | viśvāḥ | pṛtanāḥ | jayāsi
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4 × ~11 syllables
Strenuous and rallying; a ‘comrade-call’ rhythm that binds forces together.
Creates solidarity and courage; helps the practitioner feel supported and less isolated in inner struggle.
- श्वसथ (śvasatha)
- Literal: breathing, panting; breath-force. Symbolic: prāṇa under pressure; the life-force field where struggle is felt
- वृत्र (vṛtra)
- Literal: the obstructer. Symbolic: covering resistance, inertia/ignorance compressing consciousness
- ईषमाण (īṣamāṇa)
- Literal: striving, pushing forward. Symbolic: aspiration and effort of emergence from oppression
- विश्वे देवाः (viśve devāḥ)
- Literal: all the gods. Symbolic: the ensemble of divine faculties—light, order, force, delight—supporting transformation
- सखायः (sakhāyaḥ)
- Literal: friends/comrades. Symbolic: inner allies; harmonized powers in the yoga
- मरुत् (marut)
- Literal: storm-gods. Symbolic: purified vital energies, dynamic forces that can amplify illumination
- पृतना (pṛtanā)
- Literal: battle, conflict. Symbolic: inner wars: impulses vs. truth, habit vs. aspiration
Alliance hymn for Indra-Marut cooperation; used in contexts emphasizing collective divine support in struggle.
When calling Indra with Maruts; before/around offerings seeking strength in contests.
Praise and invocation emphasizing sakhya (alliance) to secure victory and protection.
Useful during periods of anxiety/breath-pressure: recite to reframe struggle as supported, then consciously enlist ‘Marut’ energies (discipline, movement, courage) to serve clarity.
vṛtra from √vṛ ‘to cover, obstruct’ → the covering power of ignorance; marut from √mar/√mṛ? (traditional: ‘the shining/roaring ones’) functions psychologically as dynamic life-forces that accompany Indra; √hā ‘abandon’ in ajahuḥ (a- + jahus) ‘did not leave’.
collective powers aiding the central will, overcoming obstruction (Vṛtra), victory as establishment of right order
When Indra and Maruts are in sakhya, the dynamic execution (Maruts) aligns with right order (ṛta) led by illumination (Indra).
The gods not abandoning signifies the persistence of truth-support even in obscurity.
Emergence from compression: consciousness ‘is born’ upward by struggle supported by higher powers.
Yoga of integration: harmonizing prāṇa (Maruts) with buddhi/illumination (Indra) to overcome subconscious resistance (Vṛtra).
Wind/breath = prāṇa; storm = energized vital; battle = inner conflict field where transformation is fought.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The coalition against Vṛtra: Indra’s victory is not solitary but supported by allied powers (all gods, specifically Maruts). Mythically this is the ‘storm-host aiding the dragon-slayer’; psychologically, coordinated inner energies support the illumined will.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The ‘dragon/obstructor’ combat myth is widely attested in IE traditions. The social vocabulary sakhya ‘friendship/alliance’ reflects an old IE poetic habit of framing divine functions as kinship/companionship bonds.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi requests stable sakhya between Indra and Maruts: the poet mediates harmony among powers so that victory (jayāsi) becomes inevitable—an inner instruction that the central will must be supported by disciplined life-energies.
Transform breath-pressure into aspiration; feel supportive ‘gods’ as capacities (clarity, calm, courage) gathering behind you.
anāhata (support/companionship) and maṇipūra (battle-force)
If breath feels tight: lengthen exhale (inhale 4, exhale 8) while softly chanting; let ‘śvasathāt’ cue release of constriction.
Courageous steadiness under pressure; mobilized yet centered.
Chant 9 times; then list (mentally) 3 inner allies you can activate today (discipline, truth-speaking, physical movement). Dedicate them as ‘Maruts’ serving Indra.
Maintain strong udātta rises on key nouns (vṛ́trasya, víśve devā́ḥ) with controlled falls; keep the second pāda steady to convey ‘not abandoning’.
Give weight to ajahur (did not abandon) as the emotional pivot; brighten on marudbhir… sakhyam…; conclude with a victorious lift on jayāsi.
śvasathāt : keep śva cluster clear; not ‘svas’., īṣamāṇāḥ : long ī; retroflex ṇ., pṛtanā : vocalic ṛ; light dental n.
Rallying, steady; avoid harshness—strength with reassurance.
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