Rig Veda 10.113.3: Mandala 10, Sukta 113, Mantra 3
Sukta 10.113
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Raudra (fury)
वृत्रेण यदहिना बिभ्रदायुधा समस्थिथा युधये शंसमाविदे । विश्वे ते अत्र मरुतः सह त्मनावर्धन्नुग्र महिमानमिन्द्रियम् ॥
vṛtréṇa yád áhinā bibhrád ā́yudhā samásthithā yudháye śáṃsam ā́vide | víśve te átra marútaḥ sáha tmanā́vardhann ugra mahimā́nam indriyám ||
वृत्र और उसकी सेना से लड़ने के लिए इंद्र तैयार हो गया। उसने अपने हथियार उठा लिए। मरुत सेना उसके साथ खड़ी हो गई। उन सबने मिलके इंद्र की ताकत और बड़ाई को और बढ़ा दिया।
Word by Word
- वृत्रेण
- with/against VṛtraNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot वृत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- यत्
- which/thatPronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अहिना
- with the serpent (Ahi)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot अहि (प्रातिपदिक)
- बिभ्रत्
- bearing, carryingVerbवर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ), परस्मैपदी; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग (कर्तरि)Role KartāRoot √भृ (भृञ्) धातु
- आयुधा
- with weaponsNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot आयुध (प्रातिपदिक)
- सम्
- together, completelyIndeclinableउपसर्गRoot सम् (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- अस्थिथाः
- thou didst stand / didst take thy standVerbलिट् (परिपूर्ण/परफेक्ट), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole KartāRoot √स्था (ष्ठा) धातु
- युधये
- for battle, for fightingNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग (युध्), चतुर्थी विभक्ति, एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot युध् (प्रातिपदिक; दातिव-रूप)
- शंसम्
- praise, proclamationNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot शंस (प्रातिपदिक)
- आविदे
- he has found/obtainedVerbलिट् (परफेक्ट), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद (आ-उपसर्ग)Role KartāRoot √विद् (विदँ) धातु
- विश्वे
- allAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- ते
- thy, of theePronounषष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचनRole SambandhaRoot त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अत्र
- hereIndeclinableदेशवाचक अव्ययRole AdhikaraṇaRoot अत्र (अव्यय)
- मरुतः
- the MarutsNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot मरुत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- सह
- together withIndeclinableसह-योगे अव्यय (सह + तृतीया)Root सह (अव्यय)
- त्मना
- with (their/thy) self, by their own mightNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot त्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- अवर्धन्
- they increased, they strengthenedVerbलङ् (इम्परफेक्ट), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपदRole KartāRoot √वृध् (वृधँ) धातु
- उग्र
- O mighty oneAdjective (vocative)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole SambodhanaRoot उग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- महिमानम्
- greatness, majestyNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot महिमन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्रियम्
- Indra-like power; heroic strengthNoun/Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (Vedic sandhi resolution): वृत्रेण | यत् | अहिना | बिभ्रत् | आयुधा | सम् | अस्थिथाः | युधये | शंसम् | आविदे || विश्वे | ते | अत्र | मरुतः | सह | त्मना | अवर्धन् | उग्र | महिमानम् | इन्द्रियम् । प्रमुख सन्धयः: (1) समस्थिथाः = सम् + अस्थिथाः (उपसर्ग-सम् + लिट्-रूप)
- (2) शंसमाविदे = शंसम् + आविदे (म् + आ → मा; परसवर्ण/सन्धि-समायोजन)
- (3) त्मनावर्धन् = त्मना + अवर्धन् (आ + अ → आ; सवर्णदीर्घ)
The meaning
Outer meaning
When Indra, weapon-bearing, took his stand for battle with Vritra the serpent to win acclaim, all the Maruts together increased his lordly greatness by their own force.
Inner meaning
At the moment the illumined mind (Indra) confronts the coiling resistance (ahi/Vṛtra) with its instruments of discernment and force (āyudha), the dynamic life-powers that serve the divine (Maruts) gather and intensify his effective capacity (indriya-mahimā). The ‘acclaim’ (śaṃsa) is the inner recognition of Truth—confirmation through experience.
Universal truth
When clarity commits to the inner battle, supportive energies awaken; aligned vitality magnifies the power of discernment and makes victory possible.
Themes
Vṛtra/Ahi conflict, Indra-Marut alliance, increase of indriya (lordly power)
The seer
Significance
The verse reads like a yogic report: the seer observes a law of sādhanā—commitment to truth-battle evokes allied prāṇic forces (Maruts) that amplify illumination.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra (with Maruts as allied powers)
- Epithets
- Ugra (strong, fierce)
- Related deities
- Maruts
Cosmic role
Indra as war-leader of the gods; Maruts as his troop that augments his might in the storm of transformation.
Inner power
Indra: illumined command; Maruts: purified prāṇa—courage, speed, ardor that supports breakthrough.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-Marut praises in Soma liturgy (general)
वृ॒त्रेण॒ यदहि॑ना॒ बिभ्र॒दायु॑धा स॒मस्थि॑था यु॒धये॒ शंस॑मा॒विदे॑ । विश्वे॑ ते॒ अत्र॑ म॒रुत॑: स॒ह त्मनाव॑र्धन्नुग्र महि॒मान॑मिन्द्रि॒यम् ॥
वृ॒त्रेण॑ । यत् । अहि॑ना । बिभ्र॑त् । आयु॑धा । स॒म्ऽअस्थि॑थाः । यु॒धये॑ । शंस॑म् । आ॒ऽविदे॑ । विश्वे॑ । ते॒ । अत्र॑ । म॒रुतः॑ । स॒ह । त्मना॑ । अव॑र्धन् । उ॒ग्र॒ । म॒हि॒मान॑म् । इ॒न्द्रि॒यम् ॥
vṛtreṇa | yat | ahinā | bibhrat | āyudhā | sam-asthithāḥ | yudhaye | śaṃsam | āvide | viśve | te | atra | marutaḥ | saha | tmanā | avardhan | ugra | mahimānam | indriyam
44
4 × ~11
Martial and rallying; a ‘mustering’ rhythm as allies gather.
Energizes prāṇa, evokes courage and collective inner support; good for dispelling fear before action.
- ahi
- Literal: serpent. Symbolic: Coiling subconscient habit-energy; repetitive obscurity
- āyudha
- Literal: weapons. Symbolic: Faculties of discrimination, will, and concentrated force
- yudhaye
- Literal: for battle. Symbolic: Deliberate inner struggle against obscuration
- śaṃsa
- Literal: praise, acclaim. Symbolic: Inner assent/verification of truth; luminous ‘yes’ of experience
- marutaḥ
- Literal: Maruts, storm-gods. Symbolic: Dynamic life-forces that become allies of illumination when purified
- tmanā
- Literal: by their own self. Symbolic: Spontaneous self-arising energy when aligned with the soul’s intent
- indriyam
- Literal: Indra’s power/lordship. Symbolic: Effective luminous capacity; mastery of the senses/mind-field
Battle-victory recollection in Indra-Marut hymnic complex; reinforces alliance of central will (Indra) with life-energies (Maruts) in the sacrifice.
When invoking Indra with his troop for victory and force
Stotra emphasizing alliance; inner analogue: summon supportive energies/virtues
Recite when beginning disciplined change (habit-breaking): call the ‘Maruts’—breath, vigor, courage—to stand with clear intention.
ahi ‘serpent’ is a standard Vedic figure for the coiling obstruction. sam-√sthā indicates taking a firm stance—psychologically, the will establishes itself. ā-√vid ‘find/attain’ (PIE *weyd-) links victory to ‘finding’ the confirming word (śaṃsa). Maruts as storm-host also symbolise prāṇic dynamisms that, when harmonised, augment Indra’s central force.
allied powers in the psyche (Maruts aiding Indra), establishment of will (sam-asthā), victory confirmed by the word (śaṃsa)
The Maruts’ augmentation signifies forces of right movement joining the leader of light to re-establish order.
Śaṃsa as the confirming voice of Truth once battle is rightly engaged.
Transformation through conflict: new power is born by confronting the serpent-knot.
Yoga-oriented symbolic Vedism (Aurobindo): prāṇa (Maruts) must ally with buddhi/illumined mind (Indra).
Serpent = coiled inertia; storm-winds = rushing prāṇa; weapons = sharpened faculties.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The battle-stance against Vṛtra/Ahi with Marut support: the archetypal moment when the divine will stands firm and the storm-powers magnify it, leading to the slaying of obstruction and the winning of ‘śaṃsa’ (the victorious affirmation).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- ahi ‘serpent’ participates in an Indo-European mythic lexicon of serpent/dragon obstruction (comparative mythological parallel more than strict lexical cognacy). √sthā ‘stand’ reflects PIE *steh₂- (cf. Lat. stāre, Eng. stand).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi highlights that Indra’s victory is not solitary: allied powers (Maruts) ‘increase’ his greatness. In inner terms, the seeker’s central will succeeds when the life-energies are made companions rather than scattering forces.
Stand inwardly for truth (samasthāna): feel a central clear command in the forehead-space; invite breath-energy to support it rather than scatter.
Maṇipūra (battle-force) supporting Ājñā (command/illumination)
Brisk-energetic bhastrikā (mild, 3 rounds) or kapalabhāti (gentle), then steady breathing while repeating the mantra
From hesitation to courageous alignment; prāṇa becomes an ally of clarity.
Before recitation, collect energies: straighten spine, feel ‘taking a stand’. On each pāda, sense one layer of support joining—resolve, breath-force, courage, and luminous direction.
As above: follow accent marks (॑) for udātta; keep unmarked syllables level/low; maintain pāda cadence.
Emphasize the battle verbs (samasthithā, yudhaye) with firmer tone; lift on marked udātta; pause lightly after |.
vṛtreṇa: vocalic ṛ; long ēṇa, ahinā: short a, clear hi, bibhhrad: aspirated bh, conjunct bhr, samasthithā: cluster sth, dental s, marutaḥ: clear ta, visarga ḥ
Firm, rallying, slightly percussive consonants.
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Rig Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
