Rig Veda 1.142.13: Mandala 1, Sukta 142, Mantra 13
Sukta 1.142
- Rishi
- Dīrghatamas Āucathya
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Gāyatrī
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
स्वाहाकृतान्या गह्युप हव्यानि वीतये । इन्द्रा गहि श्रुधी हवं त्वां हवन्ते अध्वरे ॥
svāhākṛtāny ā gahy upa havyāni vītaye | indrā gahi śrudhī havaṃ tvāṃ havante adhvare ||
स्वाहा बोल के जो आहुतियाँ तैयार हुई हैं, उनके पास आओ। इन्हे ले और खुश हो जाओ। इंद्र, तुम आओ। पुकार सुनो, लोग यज्ञ में तुम्हे बुला रहे हैं। तुम वो शक्ति हो जो ऊपर की इच्छा पूरी करती है।
Word by Word
- स्वाहा॑कृता
- (O Indra,) ‘made with svāhā’, accompanied by the svāhā-callNoun/Adjective (compound)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (सम्बोधनार्थे/विशेषणवत्) — ‘स्वाहाकृतā’ = ‘स्वाहाकार-युक्ता/स्वाहाकृता’Role Kartā (with implied ‘(त्वम्/सा)’ as subject of ‘गहि’) / or Viśeṣaṇa of implied ‘आहुतिः’Root स्वाहा + कृ (कृञ्)
- अन्या
- another (one)Pronoun/Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (co-referential with ‘स्वाहाकृता’) / ViśeṣaṇaRoot अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- गहि
- come!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद — Vedic imperative ‘gahi’Role (मुख्य क्रिया) — addressed to IndraRoot गम् (गच्छ्)
- उप
- near, towardsIndeclinableउपसर्ग/निपात (preverb/adverb)Role Adhikaraṇa/Directional (towards) modifying ‘गहि’Root उप
- हव्यानि॑
- oblations, offeringsNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole Karma (object of ‘गहि’ understood: ‘approach the oblations’)Root हव्य (प्रातिपदिक; from √हु ‘to sacrifice/invoke’)
- वी॒तये॑
- for enjoyment/for the feast (of offerings)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन (दातृ/प्रयोजनार्थ)Role Sampradāna / Purpose (for participation/enjoyment)Root वीति (प्रातिपदिक; ‘enjoyment/feasting, reception’)
- इन्द्रा
- O IndraNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन (Vedic voc. in -ā)Role Sambodhana (address)Root इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- गहि
- come!Verbलोट्, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole (मुख्य क्रिया)Root गम् (गच्छ्)
- श्रुधी
- hear!Verbलोट्, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद — Vedic imperative ‘śrudhī’Role (मुख्य क्रिया)Root श्रु (श्रवण)
- हवम्
- the invocation, callNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole Karma (object of ‘श्रुधी’)Root हव (प्रातिपदिक; from √ह्वे/√हु in sense ‘invocation/call’)
- त्वाम्
- youPronounद्वितीया, एकवचनRole Karma (object of ‘हवन्ते’)Root युष्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- हवन्ते
- they invoke/callVerbलट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद — ‘they invoke’Role (मुख्य क्रिया)Root ह्वे (ह्वयति) / √हू (Vedic ‘to call, invoke’)
- अध्वरे
- in the sacrifice, in the ritualNounपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole Adhikaraṇa (locative: in the rite)Root अध्वर (प्रातिपदिक; ‘sacrifice/ritual’)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (pada-wise): स्वाहा॑कृता॒न्या → स्वाहा॑कृता + अन्या (vowel coalescence ā + a → ā; written as one in saṃhitā). ग॒ह्युप॑ → गहि + उप (final i + initial u gives y glide in saṃhitā: i + u → yu). Other words are already pada-separated
- accents are retained as in the given saṃhitā text
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra is invited to come near the offerings prepared with svāhā to enjoy them; he is asked to hear the call, for he is invoked in the sacrifice.
Inner meaning
Once self-offering has been made ready (svāhākṛtāni), the illumined Mind is summoned to approach and ‘taste’ the prepared energies—meaning: to take them up, clarify them, and turn them into victorious force. The call (hava) is the soul’s aspiration; the adhvara is the unbroken inner work. Indra’s hearing is the descent of light that answers the upward will.
Universal truth
Transformation happens when aspiration is matched by a responding illumination. Preparedness (consecration) invites presence; presence converts offerings into lived power.
Themes
invitation (āgamanam), hearing the call (śruti), acceptance of offering (vīti)
The seer
Significance
The seer speaks from the stance of the inner priest: after consecration, the decisive requirement is Indra’s presence—illumination that completes the offering by acceptance.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Śatakratu (implied by kratu-power), Vṛtrahan (implied as the fulfiller of upward will against resistance), Maghavan (giver of boons, implied by acceptance of offerings)
- Related deities
- Agni, Soma, Maruts, Bṛhaspati
Cosmic role
Lord of luminous intelligence who receives the sacrifice and breaks the coverings to release light and power.
Inner power
Awakened discernment and victorious clarity that takes up consecrated energies and reorganizes the being.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-invocation during śrauta offerings; acceptance/enjoyment (vīti) phase
स्वाहा॑कृता॒न्या ग॒ह्युप॑ ह॒व्यानि॑ वी॒तये॑ । इन्द्रा ग॑हि श्रु॒धी हवं॒ त्वां ह॑वन्ते अध्व॒रे ॥
स्वाहा॑ऽकृतानि । आ । ग॒हि॒ । उप॑ । ह॒व्यानि॑ । वी॒तये॑ । इन्द्र॑ । आ । ग॒हि॒ । श्रु॒धि । हव॑म् । त्वाम् । ह॒व॒न्ते॒ । अ॒ध्व॒रे ॥
svāhākṛtāni | ā | gahi | upa | havyāni | vītaye | indra | ā | gahi | śrudhi | havam | tvām | havante | adhvare
Triṣṭubh (probable for the hymn sequence; invitation formulas often in triṣṭubh cadence)
44
4 pādas of ~11 syllables (approximate; depends on saṃhitā splitting)
Imperative and beckoning; repeated ā gahi creates a strong rhythmic pull.
Creates a felt ‘approach’—a drawing near of force; repetition intensifies receptivity.
- स्वाहाकृतानि (svāhākṛtāni)
- Literal: made/prepared with svāhā. Symbolic: energies consecrated by self-giving; ego loosened so the higher can act
- आ गहि (ā gahi)
- Literal: come here. Symbolic: invocation of descent/near-presence of higher consciousness
- हव्यानि (havyāni)
- Literal: offerings. Symbolic: purified movements of thought, feeling, and will presented to the divine
- वीतये (vītaye)
- Literal: for enjoyment/acceptance. Symbolic: divine ‘tasting’—assimilation and transformation of offered energies
- श्रुधि हवम् (śrudhī havaṃ)
- Literal: hear the call. Symbolic: illumination responding to aspiration; inner guidance becoming audible
- अध्वरे (adhvare)
- Literal: in the sacrifice (unbroken rite). Symbolic: continuous disciplined sādhanā, not interrupted by doubt or inertia
Indra-invocation at the moment of offering acceptance; characteristic of iṣṭi/Soma contexts where Indra is asked to ‘come and drink/enjoy’ (vīti)
After oblations are prepared and consecrated; during calling of the devatā to partake
Recite invitation; offer āhuti; attentive listening pause after śrudhī
Before meditation: make a brief inner svāhā (release tension/ego), then invoke clarity: ‘Indra, come—hear my call’ and sit quietly for response.
svāhā-kṛta: kṛta from √kṛ ‘make/do’; gahi from √gam ‘go/come’; upa ‘towards’ (PIE *upo); havam/havya from √hu ‘invoke/offer’; vīti from √vī/√vī̆ ‘to pursue/enjoy, take’ (acceptance/participation); śrudhi from √śru ‘hear’; adhvara (often explained as ‘non-injurious’ a-dhvara) denotes the rite as a right-going course.
call-and-response between human will and divine power, ṛta as correct performance enabling descent of force
Adhvara signifies the rite that does not go wrong—right continuity of effort.
Indra’s ‘hearing’ is truth entering mind as direct perception.
Acceptance (vīti) is assimilation—divine consciousness taking up and re-forming the human movement.
Integral yoga reading: invocation–descent dynamic (aspiration answered by higher force).
The sky of mind opens; the ‘thunderbolt’ is decisive insight; the call is aspiration vibrating upward.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The epiphany of Indra through invitation: the god is not assumed present; he is called to approach, hear, and partake. Mythically this is the ‘arrival of the champion’ to the rite; psychologically it is the descent of illumined power into the prepared offering of the will.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- upa ‘towards’ is a clear IE preverb (*upo). śru- ‘hear’ matches PIE *ḱlew- ‘hear/fame’ in function (auditory reception and renown). √gam ‘go/come’ is pan-IE (cf. Gk. baínō ‘go’ is different root, but Indo-Iranian √gam is inherited within Indo-European with parallels in Tocharian/others for movement roots).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The ṛṣi’s speech is an operational summons: by declaring the offerings svāhā-kṛta (rightly formed), he claims a lawful basis (ṛta) for Indra’s approach. Indra’s reciprocity is to ‘hear’ and ‘enjoy’—i.e., to take up the human offering and convert it into effective force in the adhvara.
Invoke illumined mind to ‘approach’ and take up the offered movements.
Ājñā (clarity) with support from Viśuddha (call/word)
Inhale: ā gahi (invite); exhale: śrudhī havaṃ (listen inwardly). 9 cycles.
Receptive alertness—quiet mind awaiting descent of insight.
After recitation, sit 2–3 minutes without seeking thoughts; notice the first clear, quiet directive that arises—treat it as Indra’s answer and act on it simply.
Vedic svara with clear udātta on key imperatives (ā gahi) and on indrā; maintain svarita transitions on compounds.
Give two distinct calls: first ā gahi (approach offerings), then indrā ā gahi (direct address); slight pause before śrudhī.
svāhā-kṛtāni: long ā; kṛ with vocalic ṛ, gahy: pronounce gahi (not ‘gai’); light h, vītaye: long ī, śrudhī: retroflex ḍhī with aspiration, adhvare: dhv cluster—keep it clean, not ad-vara
Invocatory and bright; then soften into attentive tone on śrudhī.
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