Rig Veda 10.113.6: Mandala 10, Sukta 113, Mantra 6
Sukta 10.113
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Raudra (fury) and Vira (heroism)
इन्द्रस्यात्र तविषीभ्यो विरप्शिन ऋघायतो अरंहयन्त मन्यवे । वृत्रं यदुग्रो व्यवृश्चदोजसापो बिभ्रतं तमसा परीवृतम् ॥
indrasyā́tra taviṣībhyo vi-rapśina ṛghāyato araṃhayanta manyáve | vṛtráṃ yad ugró vyàvṛścad ójasā́po bíbhrataṃ támasā párīvṛtam ||
इंद्र की ताकत इतनी तेज़ थी कि उसके गुस्से के लिए सब तैयार हो गए। उसने वृत्र को काट दिया जो अंधेरे में ढका हुआ था। वृत्र पानी को रोक के रखता था। इंद्र ने उसे मार दिया और पानी आज़ाद कर दिया।
Word by Word
- इन्द्रस्य
- of IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive relation)Root इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- अत्र
- hereIndeclinableस्थानवाचक अव्ययRole अधिकारणRoot अत्र (अव्यय)
- तविषीभ्यः
- from/through the mighty powersNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी-बहुवचनRole अपादानRoot तविषी (प्रातिपदिक)
- विरप्शिनः
- the strong/active (ones)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot विरप्शिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- ऋघायतः
- raging, roaringAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot ऋघाय (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √ऋघाय्/ऋघ् ‘to rage/roar’)
- अरंहयन्त
- they made (him) hasten / they spedVerbलङ् (imperfect); परस्मैपद; 3-पुरुष; बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (क्रिया)Root √रंह्/रंहय् (धातु; causative)
- मन्यवे
- for wrath / for (Indra’s) furyNounपुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी-एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot मन्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
- वृत्रम्
- VṛtraNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचनRole कर्मRoot वृत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- यत्
- when/that whichPronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचन (सम्बन्ध/यद्-तद् construction)Role कर्म (correlative)Root यद् (सर्वनाम)
- उग्रः
- the fierce oneAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot उग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- व्यवृश्चत्
- he cut asunderVerbलङ् (imperfect); परस्मैपद; 3-पुरुष; एकवचनRole कर्तृ (क्रिया)Root वि + √वृश्च् (धातु)
- ओजसा
- with strengthNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया-एकवचनRole करणRoot ओजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- अपः
- the watersNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot अप् (प्रातिपदिक)
- बिभ्रतम्
- bearing, holdingParticiple (Adjectival)वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ); पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचन (वृत्रम्-विशेषण)Role कर्म (विशेषण)Root √भृ (धातु; शतृ-प्रत्यय)
- तमसा
- with darknessNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया-एकवचनRole करणRoot तमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- परिवृतम्
- enveloped, coveredParticiple (Adjectival)भूतकृदन्त (क्त); पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचन (वृत्रम्-विशेषण)Role कर्म (विशेषण)Root परि + √वृ (धातु; क्त-प्रत्यय)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (Vedic sandhi resolved): इन्द्रस्य | अत्र | तविषीभ्यः | विरप्शिनः | ऋघायतः | अरंहयन्त | मन्यवे | वृत्रम् | यत् | उग्रः | व्य-अवृश्चत् | ओजसा | अपः | बिभ्रतम् | तमसा | परि-आवृतम् → परिवृतम् (परि + आवृत)
- ‘व्यवृश्चत्’ = वि + अवृश्चत् (augment a- of लङ् retained)
The meaning
Outer meaning
From Indra’s driving intensities the wide-workers hastened the impetuous energies for his battle-wrath; when the fierce one with might cut apart Vritra who held the waters, wrapped around with darkness.
Inner meaning
Indra’s intensities (taviṣī) generate swift, wide-working powers (virapśin)—forces that can operate across the being—accelerating the battle-impulse (manyu) needed to confront entrenched resistance. The fierce illumination cuts the Coverer that withholds the waters (truth-energies, life-currents), which are otherwise surrounded by tamas (inconscience). This describes the mechanics of breakthrough: generated force → mobilized executive energies → decisive cut → release from darkness.
Universal truth
Breakthrough requires mobilizing broad capacities, not a single effort; when decisive clarity meets the deep obstruction, the withheld energies return and darkness recedes.
Themes
Vṛtra-slaying, waters-release, darkness vs. light, divine wrath as transformative force
The seer
Significance
A technical yogic note: how Indra’s force delegates to ‘wide-workers’ (inner functions) to mobilize manyu and cut the tamasic cover around the waters.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra (Vṛtrahan, releaser of the Waters)
- Epithets
- Ugra (fierce), Vṛtrahan (slayer of Vṛtra)
- Related deities
- Āpaḥ (waters), Maruts (implied by rushing forces, though not named here)
Cosmic role
Releases the waters/light from the dark cover; commands forces that execute his will.
Inner power
Master force of illumination that can summon and deploy wide-acting energies to pierce subconscient darkness.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-Vṛtra victory and waters-release stotra themes in Soma ritual milieu
इन्द्र॒स्यात्र॒ तवि॑षीभ्यो विर॒प्शिन॑ ऋघाय॒तो अ॑रंहयन्त म॒न्यवे॑ । वृ॒त्रं यदु॒ग्रो व्यवृ॑श्च॒दोज॑सा॒पो बिभ्र॑तं॒ तम॑सा॒ परी॑वृतम् ॥
इन्द्र॑स्य । अत्र॑ । तवि॑षीभ्यः । वि॒ऽर॒प्शिनः॑ । ऋ॒घा॒य॒तः । अ॒रं॒ह॒य॒न्त॒ । म॒न्यवे॑ । वृ॒त्रम् । यत् । उ॒ग्रः । वि । अवृ॑श्चत् । ओज॑सा । अ॒पः । बिभ्र॑तम् । तम॑सा । परि॑ऽवृतम् ॥
indrasya | atra | taviṣībhyaḥ | vi-rapśinaḥ | ṛghāyataḥ | araṃhayanta | manyave | vṛtram | yat | ugraḥ | vi | avṛścat | ojasā | apaḥ | bibhratam | tamasā | pari-vṛtam
44
4 × ~11 (probable)
Rapid, force-projecting; many consonant clusters give a ‘driving’ feel.
Ignites will and dispels lethargy; useful when meditation is dull or heavy.
- taviṣībhyaḥ
- Literal: from the intensities/powers. Symbolic: Pressure of spiritual force that initiates transformation
- virapśinaḥ
- Literal: wide-workers, far-reaching. Symbolic: Executive powers that can act on multiple layers (mind, life, body)
- ṛghāyataḥ
- Literal: rushing, impetuous. Symbolic: Rapid energies; prāṇic momentum directed by the will
- manyu
- Literal: wrath, ardor. Symbolic: Sacred combat-ardor; forceful resolve against falsehood
- āpaḥ bibhṛtam
- Literal: holding the waters. Symbolic: Obstruction that contains/blocks truth and energy-flow
- tamasā parīvṛtam
- Literal: wrapped in darkness. Symbolic: Subconscient obscurity enclosing the blocked energies
- vy avṛścat
- Literal: cut apart. Symbolic: Decisive discrimination that severs the knot
Soma praise of Indra’s Vṛtra-smiting; inner use: calling the cutting force of will to break the subconscious cover and release the streams
When invoking fierce Indra to overcome obstruction and release flow
Praise to empower the act of release; inner analogue: summon force to break tamas
For tamasic states (depression-like heaviness, procrastination): recite with controlled vigor, then sit silently to feel released energy.
Vṛtra is explicitly from √vṛ ‘cover’; pari-vṛtam reinforces total encirclement by obscurity. avṛścat from √vraśc ‘cut’ gives the decisive ‘severing’ image (PIE *wersk- ‘to cut’ is often proposed). manyu is a key psychological term: an ardent, lion-like will-force that can be divine when yoked to ṛta. apaḥ ‘waters’ are multivalent: physical waters + released currents of inspiration/knowledge.
ignorance as enclosure (vṛtra/tamas), release of inspiration (apaḥ), manyu as divine will under ṛta
Waters released from darkness restore right movement and circulation of truth-force in the system.
Waters as satya-in-motion; darkness as concealment of truth.
Emergence of ordered life from enclosing inconscience—classic Vedic ‘release’ cosmogony.
Aurobindonian evolutionism: subconscient darkness holds energies; illumination-force releases them for higher organization.
Waters = flowing inspiration and life; darkness = inertia/ignorance; rushing energies = mobilized prāṇa; cut = decisive insight.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The central mythologem is the cutting apart of Vṛtra who ‘holds the waters’ while being wrapped in darkness—classic dragon/obstructor-slaying leading to release. In the inner sense, Vṛtra is the compressing knot of subconscious inertia; the ‘waters’ are the withheld currents of life and knowledge; Indra’s act is the breakthrough that restores flow.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The obstructor is named by a transparent derivation from √vṛ ‘cover’ (PIE *wer- ‘cover/close’ is commonly reconstructed), while the overcoming act uses √vraśc ‘cut’ (often linked to PIE *wersk- ‘to cut’). The formula ‘covering darkness + withheld waters + heroic cutter’ parallels widespread IE release narratives (e.g., blockage of waters/cattle/light).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi positions the hymn as participation in Indra’s act: the ‘wide-workers’ hasten energies toward Indra’s manyu, implying that inspired speech and sacrificial intention collaborate with the god-power. The human offering aligns will (manyu) with the divine might (ojas), enabling the release of inner waters.
Cut through tamas: feel Indra’s force descending as a clear blade of light; direct it to the ‘blocked waters’ (stuck emotion/energy) and allow flow to resume without drama.
Maṇipūra (manyu/force) to unblock Svādhiṣṭhāna (waters/flow)
Brisk-energetic: 10–20 strong exhalations (kapalabhāti, gentle), then slow breathing while chanting once or thrice
From dullness to sharp clarity and liberated flow.
Use force without violence: manyu as sacred ardor. After chanting, sit quietly and notice where energy begins to move; guide it upward with calm attention rather than further agitation.
Not fully determinable here; maintain Vedic accenting per marks with a stronger lift on ugro/ojasā/tamasā if accented in your recitation tradition.
Keep the line driving: slightly quicken on virapśina/ṛghāyata; give weight to vy avṛścat and tamasā parīvṛtam; pause at | and end with full cadence at ||.
virapśinaḥ: retroflex ṣ, cluster pś, ṛghāyataḥ: vocalic ṛ, gh aspirate, manyave: dental n, long ā? (here short a; keep e clear), parīvṛtam: long ī, vocalic ṛ, clear tam
Forceful but controlled; sharp consonants; avoid shouting—aim for ‘cutting clarity’.
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