Rig Veda 8.2.29: Mandala 8, Sukta 2, Mantra 29
Sukta 8.2
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Likely Tr̥ṣṭubh/Jagatī family
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
स्तुतश्च यास्त्वा वर्धन्ति महे राधसे नृम्णाय । इन्द्र कारिणं वृधन्तः ॥
stutáś ca yā́s tvā vardhánti mahé rā́dhase nṛmṇā́ya | índra kā́riṇaṃ vṛdhántaḥ ||
Et les louanges qui te font croître, ô Indra — pour le grand accomplissement du don et pour la vigueur virile —, elles, te fortifiant, font de toi parmi nous l’agent et l’accomplisseur.
Word by Word
- स्तुतः
- praisedAdjective (past passive participle used adjectivally)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (with implied ‘त्वम्/इन्द्रः’ as the praised one)Root √स्तु (स्तवति) / स्तुत (PPP)
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चय-अव्ययRoot च
- याः
- which (fem. pl.) / those whoPronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot यद् (यत्-प्रातिपदिक)
- त्वा
- youPronounद्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot युष्मद् (त्वद्-प्रातिपदिक)
- वर्धन्ति
- they increase / strengthenVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचनRoot √वृध् (वर्धते/वर्धति)
- महे
- for greatAdjective (used substantively with following noun)पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot महत् (महा-प्रातिपदिक)
- राधसे
- for bounty / wealth / giftNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot राधस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- नृम्णाय
- for manly might / heroic powerNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot नृम्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNoun (vocative)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole (address)Root इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- कारिणम्
- the doer / achieverNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot कारिन् (from √कृ ‘to do/make’), कारिण्-प्रातिपदिक
- वृधन्तः
- strengthening / increasingParticiple (adjectival)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot √वृध् (वर्धते) / वृधन्त् (present active participle)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: स्तुतः च याः त्वा वर्धन्ति महे राधसे नृम्णाय । इन्द्र कारिणम् वृधन्तः । Sandhi: स्तुत॑श्च = स्तुतः + च (विसर्ग-सन्धि: ḥ + c → śc). यास्त्वा = याः + त्वा (विसर्ग-लोप before dental stop; orthographic contraction). Accent marks retained from saṃhitā
- pada-forms shown without explicit accent notation
The meaning
Outer meaning
The hymns of praise that are offered to Indra increase him for great riches (fulfillment) and for heroic strength; by these praises Indra is strengthened and becomes the effective doer.
Inner meaning
When the seeker’s conscious aspiration and illumined speech (stuti) rise steadily, they “increase Indra” within—i.e., they enlarge the luminous mind-power that can execute the divine intention. The strengthened Indra becomes kāriṇam, the inner accomplisher: the awakened intelligence that turns insight into effective action and victorious growth (nṛmṇā).
Universal truth
What we repeatedly affirm with clarity and sincerity grows in us. Right praise—truthful aspiration and focused intention—builds the inner power that converts vision into accomplishment.
Themes
praise efficacy, inner empowerment, boon as realization, Indra as agent
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 8.2.30, RV 8.2.31, RV 8.2.32, RV 8.2.33
Family tradition
Mandala 8 is predominantly Kaṇva; the hymn’s diction and Indra-stuti style align with Kaṇva praise-poetry aimed at awakening inner force.
Significance
The seer-voice functions as a psychological guide: praise is not flattery but a method of concentration (mantra-śakti) that increases the indwelling power of illumination until it becomes effective action.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- kāriṇ (accomplisher), maghavan (lord of plenitude, implicit in the sequence), vṛtrahan (contextual in adjacent verses)
- Related deities
- Agni, Soma, Bṛhaspati, Uṣas
Cosmic role
Breaker of obstruction; bringer of luminous rains (inspiration) and victorious powers; establishes the wideness of consciousness.
Inner power
Illuminated intelligence and decisive will in the mind that converts inspiration into mastery over resistance.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-stotra in Soma-related praise cycles (general Indra śastra/stotra usage; exact assignment varies by śākhā)
स्तुत॑श्च॒ यास्त्वा॒ वर्ध॑न्ति म॒हे राध॑से नृ॒म्णाय॑ । इन्द्र॑ का॒रिणं॑ वृ॒धन्त॑: ॥
स्तुतः॑ । च॒ । याः । त्वा॒ । वर्ध॑न्ति । म॒हे । राध॑से । नृ॒म्णाय॑ । इन्द्र॑ । का॒रिण॑म् । वृ॒धन्तः॑ ॥
stutaḥ | ca | yāḥ | tvā | vardhanti | mahe | rādhase | nṛmṇāya | indra | kāriṇam | vṛdhantaḥ
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4 pādas × 12 syllables (probable)
Expansive, forward-driving cadence suitable for ‘increase’ (vardhana) and accomplishment.
Builds a steady surge of confidence and inner enlargement; supportive for japa that aims at effectiveness and execution.
- स्तुतः (stutaḥ) / स्तुतयः (stuti-)
- Literal: praise, hymn. Symbolic: aspiration and illumined speech that calls down and builds the divine force within
- वर्धन्ति (vardhanti)
- Literal: they increase, they enlarge. Symbolic: they expand the capacity of consciousness; intensify the indriya of inner light
- महे राधसे (mahe rādhase)
- Literal: for great bounty/fulfillment. Symbolic: for plenitude—integral growth, abundance of right results in the being
- नृम्णाय (nṛmṇāya)
- Literal: for manly might, heroic force. Symbolic: courageous soul-force and victorious energy in the vital and mental
- कारिणम् (kāriṇam)
- Literal: doer, maker, accomplisher. Symbolic: the executive luminous mind that effectuates the will of Truth in life
- इन्द्र (indra)
- Literal: Indra, lord of heaven. Symbolic: divine Mind/illumination that governs and leads the inner battle
Stotra/uktha context: explains the efficacy of praise to ‘increase’ the god’s power for bestowing rādhas and nṛmṇa.
During Indra invocations in Soma sacrifice sequences; also adaptable to daily recitation as a strength-and-accomplishment mantra.
Recitation/chanting as stuti to ‘increase’ Indra—inviting force and victory into the yajña.
Use before demanding work or decisions: chant to align speech, intention, and action; a mantra for ‘effective execution’ rather than mere motivation.
< √ (vṛdh ‘to grow, increase’; PIE *werdʰ-). (rādhas) ‘bounty, success, favor’—in inner reading, realized plenitude. (nṛmṇa) from (nṛ ‘man, hero’) denotes heroic might. (kārin) from √ (kṛ ‘to do, make’; PIE *kwer-/*ker- ‘do/make’).
speech (stuti) as creative increase of divine power, rādhas as realized fullness (not mere wealth)
Praises aligned with truth (satya-vāk) increase the r̥ta-supporting power in the mind.
True speech as a force that makes the inner Indra effective.
Growth by invocation: consciousness expands by calling and confirming higher powers within.
Proto-Vedāntic/Integral (Aurobindonian) psychological reading: gods as powers of consciousness.
Sound becomes formative power: mantra as ‘inner nourishment’ that increases the luminous mind and its capacity to act.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘strengthening of the god by hymn’: a central Vedic mythic-ritual idea where praise increases divine potency. Innerly, repeated truth-speech amplifies the Indra-function (victorious mind-force) until it becomes the effective doer (kārin) of realization.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √vṛdh (grow) reflects PIE *werdʰ-. √kṛ (do/make) is a major IE action root. The relative clause yāḥ … vardhanti is a common inherited syntactic strategy to define efficacious speech-acts.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi does not merely request; he ‘builds’ Indra through stuti. As Indra grows in the inner field, he returns rādhas (fulfilled being) and nṛmṇa (heroic soul-force), becoming an active transformer rather than a distant giver.
Strengthen the inner ‘doer’: shift from scattered intention to illumined execution.
maṇipūra (will/agency) and ājñā (clarity/command)
4-4-6 breathing: inhale 4 (gather), hold 4 (affirm), exhale 6 (offer/execute) while repeating the mantra mentally.
Dynamic concentration (ekāgratā) leading to quiet certainty of action.
Before action, speak inwardly a clear praise/affirmation of the higher mind (Indra). Then watch for the next right step; act without haste, as if ‘carried’ by a brighter intelligence.
Notated svaras not provided; chant in a steady udātta-led recitation with gentle svarita falls at cadence points (per śākhā tradition).
Keep clear stress on key words: várdhanti, máhe, rā́dhase, nṛ́mṇāya, índra, kāríṇam.
stutaś ca: keep ‘ś’ palatal; avoid ‘s’, vardhanti: aspirate ‘dh’ clearly, rādhase: long ā; soft dental ‘d’, nṛmṇāya: vocalic ṛ; cluster mṇ, kāriṇam: long ā; retroflex ṇ
Bright, firm, upward-moving; end with a contained resolve.
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