Rig Veda 8.49.2: Mandala 8, Sukta 49, Mantra 2
Sukta 8.49
- Devata
- Indra
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
शतानीकेव प्र जिगाति धृष्णुया हन्ति वृत्राणि दाशुषे । गिरेरिव प्र रसा अस्य पिन्विरे दत्राणि पुरुभोजसः ॥
śatā́nīkeva prá jigāti dhṛṣṇu-yā́ hánti vṛtrā́ṇi dāśúṣe | girériva prá rasā́ asya pinvire dátrāṇi puru-bhójasāḥ ||
Woh aage badhta hai jaise koi bada sena ho. Jo log dete hain, unke liye dushmanon ko maar deta hai. Uski den pahad se girne wale paani jaisi hai, bahut zyada aur har taraf.
Word by Word
- शतानीकः
- the hundred-battled/with hundred hosts (Indra)Adjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot शत-नीक (प्रातिपदिक) < नीक ‘मुख/सेना-समूह’
- इव
- like, asIndeclinableउपमा-अव्ययम्Root इव
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinable (preverb)उपसर्गःRoot प्र
- जिगाति
- goes forth / advancesVerbलट् (वर्तमाने), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role क्रियाRoot √गम् (गच्छति) — desiderative stem जिगा-
- धृष्णुया
- with bold force / with daring powerNoun (instrumental of manner/power)स्त्रीलिङ्गः, तृतीया, एकवचनम्Role करणRoot धृष्णु (प्रातिपदिक) < √धृष् ‘धर्षणे/साहसे’
- हन्ति
- slaysVerbलट्, परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role क्रियाRoot √हन्
- वृत्राणि
- Vṛtra-obstacles / obstructing foesNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्Role कर्मRoot वृत्र (प्रातिपदिक) < √वृ ‘आवरणे’
- दाशुषे
- for the worshipper (the pious giver)Noun (participle-stem used as noun)पुंलिङ्गः, चतुर्थी, एकवचनम्Role सम्प्रदानRoot दाशु (प्रातिपदिक) < √दाश्/√दश् ‘दान/पूजा’ (RV: ‘worshipper, giver’)
- गिरेः
- of a mountainNounपुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्धRoot गिरि (प्रातिपदिक)
- इव
- likeIndeclinableउपमा-अव्ययम्Root इव
- प्र
- forthIndeclinable (preverb)उपसर्गःRoot प्र
- रसाः
- juices/streams (sap, flow)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot रस (प्रातिपदिक)
- अस्य
- of him / hisPronounपुं/नपुं, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्धRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- पिन्विरे
- have surged / have been set in motionVerbलिट् (परोक्शे/परफेक्ट), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Role क्रियाRoot √पिव्/√पिन्व् (RV) ‘पिन्वते—to swell, set in motion, impel’
- दत्राणि
- giftsNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्Role कर्म (with implied ‘he gives’) / or विषयRoot दत्र (प्रातिपदिक) ‘gift’ < √दा ‘to give’
- पुरुभोजसः
- of abundant bounty / richly bestowingAdjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (apposition to the subject, i.e., Indra)Root पुरु-भोजस् (बहुव्रीहि/तत्पुरुष-समास; प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- Resolved sandhi/pada-division per RV pada-style: श॒तानी॑केव → शतानीकः + इव (visarga lost before vowel)
- प्र जि॑गाति unchanged (प्र as upasarga)
- धृष्णु॒या unchanged (instr. sg.)
- हन्ति वृत्राणि दाशुषे unchanged
- गि॒रेरि॑व → गिरेः + इव (ḥ > r before vowel, RV sandhi)
- प्र रसा अस्य unchanged
- पिन्विरे दत्राणि unchanged
- पुरुभोजसः as compound epithet in nominative sg.
The meaning
Outer meaning
Like a host with a hundred banners he advances; with impetuous force he strikes down the Vṛtras for the giver. Like juices from a mountain, his gifts swell forth—he of abundant enjoyment and power.
Inner meaning
Indra’s illumined force moves as an organized army of powers (‘hundred banners’: many faculties aligned under one light). With daring energy (dhṛṣṇuyā) he smites the Vṛtras—the coverers, resistances of the subconscient—that obstruct the sacrificer who gives (dāśuṣe: the offering soul). When obstruction breaks, Indra’s gifts (datrāṇi)—flows of force, joy, clarity—pour out like mountain-juices: abundant, natural, inexhaustible. Purubhojasaḥ indicates a consciousness capable of wide enjoyment: not sense-indulgence but the large capacity to hold and distribute power.
Universal truth
When inner powers are organized under illumination and one persists in offering, resistance collapses; then energy and gifts flow in a natural abundance, like springs released from a height.
Themes
Vṛtra-slaying, Obstacle removal, Release of abundance, Indra as warrior
The seer
Significance
A battle-and-breakthrough verse: it maps the inner combat (Indra vs. Vṛtra) and the consequent release of higher ‘juices’—the rasa of liberated consciousness.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Dhṛṣṇu (bold/impetuous) (implied), Purubhojas (abundant enjoyment)
- Related deities
- Soma (often empowers Indra), Agni, Maruts (as battle-powers)
Cosmic role
Slayer of Vṛtra; releaser of waters/streams; giver of boons to the sacrificer.
Inner power
Victorious illumination-force that breaks subconscious coverings and releases the pent-up currents of energy and delight.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra praise for victory and release (often in Soma context)
श॒तानी॑केव॒ प्र जि॑गाति धृष्णु॒या हन्ति॑ वृ॒त्राणि॑ दा॒शुषे॑ । गि॒रेरि॑व॒ प्र रसा॑ अस्य पिन्विरे॒ दत्रा॑णि पुरु॒भोज॑सः ॥
श॒तानी॑काऽइव । प्र । जि॒गा॒ति॒ । धृ॒ष्णु॒ऽया । हन्ति॑ । वृ॒त्राणि॑ । दा॒शुषे॑ । गि॒रेःऽइ॑व । प्र । रसाः॑ । अ॒स्य॒ । पि॒न्वि॒रे॒ । दत्रा॑णि । पु॒रु॒ऽभोज॑सः ॥
śatānīkāiva | pra | jigāti | dhṛṣṇu-yā | hanti | vṛtrāṇi | dāśuṣe | gireḥ-iva | pra | rasāḥ | asya | pinvire | datrāṇi | puru-bhojasaḥ
44
4 x ~11
Martial surge in first half; flowing, cascading movement in second half matching ‘streams from a mountain’.
First energizes and steels the will; then induces a felt release and abundance—useful for breaking stagnation.
- शतानीक (śatānīka)
- Literal: having a hundred faces/banners; a host. Symbolic: Many organized powers of consciousness acting together
- धृष्णुया (dhṛṣṇuyā)
- Literal: with bold/impetuous force. Symbolic: Courageous dynamic energy needed to break resistance
- वृत्राणि (vṛtrāṇi)
- Literal: Vṛtras (obstructors). Symbolic: Covering forces of darkness, inertia, subconscient resistance
- दाशुषे (dāśuṣe)
- Literal: to/for the giver (worshipper). Symbolic: The offering soul; one who gives energies to the inner sacrifice
- गिरेरिव (girेर iva)
- Literal: like from a mountain. Symbolic: From the heights of consciousness; source in the higher being
- रसाः (rasāḥ)
- Literal: juices, sap, streams. Symbolic: Currents of delight/force/essence released after breakthrough
- दत्राणि (datrāṇi)
- Literal: gifts. Symbolic: Boons as capacities: strength, insight, effective will, joy
- पुरुभोजसः (purubhojasaḥ)
- Literal: of abundant enjoyment. Symbolic: Wide capacity to contain and distribute power and delight
Indra-vṛtra-slaying praise to secure removal of obstacles and release of streams (wealth/force) for the sacrificer (dāśuṣ).
When seeking Indra’s aid against obstacles; during stotra sequences calling for ‘waters’/boons.
Recitation to invoke Indra’s force to break resistances and grant boons.
Use in times of blockage (procrastination, depression, fear): chant to mobilize organized effort and invite a breakthrough and flow state.
vṛtrā́ṇi: from √vṛ 'cover, obstruct' → 'obstructors'; inner: formations that block the flow of light and force. dhṛṣṇu-yā́: from √dhṛṣ 'be bold, dare'—impetuous energy. rasā́ḥ: 'juices/essences' (√ras 'taste, sap')—image of abundant flow; psychologically, streams of delight/force released after obstruction is broken. pinvire: from √pī 'swell, fill' → increase/overflow. puru-bhójas: puru 'many' + bhojas 'enjoyment, bounty' (√bhuj 'enjoy, partake; rule')—Indra as wide enjoyer/distributor.
Obstacle-removal (Vṛtra) enabling flow, Release of rasa as inner delight/essence, Reciprocity: gifts to the giver (dāśuṣ)
The slaying of Vṛtra restores the right flow of energies (‘waters/juices’) in the system—Ṛta reestablished.
Breakthrough reveals what was already true but covered: the hidden streams of being.
Classic Vedic creation motif: release of the waters from the mountain/cave by Indra—psychologically, release of energies from the subconscient.
Dynamic spiritual psychology (Aurobindo): resistance in subconscient; illumination breaks it; Ananda/force flows.
Army = coordinated faculties; mountain = higher consciousness/firm obstruction; streams = liberated prāṇa, joy, inspiration after inner conquest.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The Vṛtra-slaying mythologem: Indra advances as a many-fronted host and smites the obstructors for the offering worshipper. The result is the release of overflowing 'juices'—a classic image for liberated waters/light/energies once obstruction is broken.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √vṛ 'cover' (Vṛtra) reflects an old IE notion of covering/obstructing; √han 'strike, slay' (hanti) corresponds to PIE *gʷhen- 'strike, kill'. The mountain-stream simile is a shared IE poetic device linking victory to released waters.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi frames Indra’s battle as undertaken 'for the dāśuṣ'—the one who gives/serves. The reciprocity is explicit: right offering calls down Indra’s bold force, which in turn releases abundance (rasāḥ, datrāṇi) into the seeker’s life and consciousness.
Contemplate a single knot of resistance (fear/inertia) as ‘Vṛtra’; invoke Indra as a clear, decisive light that strikes the knot; then rest in the released flow (rasa).
Maṇipūra (breakthrough power) and Ājñā (illumined strike)
3 rounds: inhale gathering force; hold briefly (1–2s) focusing on the ‘knot’; exhale with the phrase ‘hanti vṛtrāṇi’ to simulate the releasing strike.
Dynamic clarity → spontaneous flow; transition from effort to effortless abundance.
Use when stuck: chant 3–9 times, then do one decisive action aligned with your highest clarity; afterward, sit and feel the ‘mountain streams’—the natural energy returning.
Let the first hemistich be strongly articulated; emphasize action verbs ‘pra jigāti’ and ‘hanti’; soften into a flowing tone on ‘rasā… pinvire’.
Keep consonant clusters crisp to preserve the martial edge; then lengthen vowels slightly in the ‘streaming’ imagery.
śatānīkeva: long ā; keep ‘keva’ as ke-va, dhṛṣṇuyā: vocalic ṛ; ṣṇ cluster clear; long ā, vṛtrāṇi: vocalic ṛ; retroflex ṭ; long ā, gir iva: roll/flip r lightly; keep separation, pinvire: nv cluster; short i
Forceful in first half, then expansive and flowing; maintain clarity over volume.
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