Rig Veda 10.50.2: Mandala 10, Sukta 50, Mantra 2
Sukta 10.50
- Rishi
- As RV 10.50
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
सो चिन्नु सख्या नर्य इनः स्तुतश्चर्कृत्य इन्द्रो मावते नरे । विश्वासु धूर्षु वाजकृत्येषु सत्पते वृत्रे वाप्स्वभि शूर मन्दसे ॥
só cit nú sakhyā́ nárya ináḥ stutáś carkṛ́tya índro mā́vate náre | víśvāsu dhūrṣú vā́ja-kṛ́tyeṣu sat-pate vṛ́tre vā́psv àbhí śū́ra mandase ||
इन्द्र इंसान का दोस्त है। जब लोग उसकी तारीफ करते हैं, वो खुश हो जाता है और देनेवाले इंसान के लिए तैयार हो जाता है। हर जगह, हर काम में जो ताकत लाता है, वो सही काम का मालिक है। दुश्मन पे या पानी में, वो हीरो बन जाता है, जीत के लिए रेडी।
Word by Word
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- चित्
- indeed, evenIndeclinableअव्ययम्Root चित् (निपात)
- नु
- now, indeedIndeclinableअव्ययम्Root नु (निपात)
- सख्याः
- of (his) friendship / of a friendNounपुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, एकवचनम् (वैदिक-रूप) — ‘सख्याः’ = ‘सख्यस्य’Role सम्बन्धRoot सखि (प्रातिपदिक)
- नर्यः
- manly, belonging to menAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (विशेषणम्) / सम्बोधन-भावःRoot नर्य (प्रातिपदिक; नर-सम्बद्ध)
- इनः
- the strong one, mightyNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (विशेषणम्) / सम्बोधन-भावःRoot इन (प्रातिपदिक)
- स्तुतः
- praisedParticipleपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (विशेषणम्) / भावेRoot स्तु (धातु) → स्तुत (कृदन्त, क्त)
- चर्कृत्यः
- ever-active, repeatedly doing (deeds)Adjective/Participleपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (विशेषणम्)Root कृ (धातु) → चर्कृत्य (वैदिक-देशिदेरिवेटिव/कृदन्त; ‘चर्कृ’ = पुनःपुनः कर्तुम्)
- इन्द्रः
- IndraNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- मावते
- to the generous (patron)Adjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्गः, चतुर्थी, एकवचनम्Role सम्प्रदानRoot मावत् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘मावन्’ = उदार/दानशील)
- नरे
- to the man (patron)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, चतुर्थी, एकवचनम्Role सम्प्रदान (अप्पोजिशन)Root नर (प्रातिपदिक)
- विश्वासु
- in allAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, बहुवचनम् (धूर्षु इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role अधिकरणRoot विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- धूर्षु
- in the yokes/teams (harnessings)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, बहुवचनम्Role अधिकरणRoot धूर् (प्रातिपदिक)
- वाजकृत्येषु
- in the prize-winning deedsNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, बहुवचनम्Role अधिकरणRoot वाजकृत्य (प्रातिपदिक; वाज + कृत्य)
- सत्पते
- O lord of the good/trueNoun (vocative)पुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन, एकवचनम्Role सम्बोधनRoot सत्पति (प्रातिपदिक)
- वृत्रे
- in/at Vṛtra (the obstruction)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, एकवचनम्Role अधिकरणRoot वृत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- वा
- orIndeclinableअव्ययम्Root वा (निपात)
- अप्सु
- in the watersNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, बहुवचनम्Role अधिकरणRoot अप् (प्रातिपदिक)
- अभि
- towards, againstIndeclinableअव्ययम् (क्रियायोगे ‘towards/against’)Root अभि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- शूर
- O heroNoun (vocative)पुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन, एकवचनम्Role सम्बोधनRoot शूर (प्रातिपदिक)
- मन्दसे
- you rejoice / are exhilaratedVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपदम्, मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (स्वकर्मक/भावप्रवृत्ति)Root मन्द् (धातु)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (padapāṭha-style): सो → सः
- चि॒न्नु → चित् नु
- सख्या॒ → सख्याः (gen. sg. Vedic form)
- स्तु॒तश्च॒र्कृत्य॒ → स्तुतः चर्कृत्यः
- इन्द्रो॒ → इन्द्रः
- माव॑ते॒ नरे॑ kept as two datives in apposition
- विश्वा॑सु धू॒र्षु and वा॑ज॒कृत्ये॑षु are locative plurals
- वृ॒त्रे वा॒प्स्व१॒॑भि → वृत्रे वा अप्सु अभि
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra, the strong friend of men, rejoices when praised by the generous worshipper. In every onset and every force-winning act, whether against Vṛtra or in the waters, the hero exults, ready for victory.
Inner meaning
Indra is the illumined divine Mind in us that responds to sincere aspiration (stuti). When the human soul is “generous” (māvat)—open, expansive, giving itself to the inner sacrifice—Indra becomes active in all inner battles (dhūḥ) and all works that build plenitude of force (vāja-kṛti). He conquers the Coverer (Vṛtra: obscurity, inertia, subconscient resistance) and releases the waters (āpas: streams of consciousness, inspiration, and life-energy) so the being can move in victorious clarity.
Universal truth
Higher intelligence and clarity awaken most powerfully when met with sincere appreciation, aspiration, and self-giving. In every genuine effort toward growth, the illumined mind both combats inner resistance and releases deeper currents of life and insight, turning struggle into progressive victory.
Themes
friend of man, praise-activated power, victory over obstruction, work of force
The seer
- Rishi
- As in RV 10.50 (Anukramaṇī assigns the hymn; commonly connected with late Rigvedic seers of the Tenth Maṇḍala tradition)
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 10.50.1, Rig Veda 10.50.3, Rig Veda 10.50.4, Rig Veda 10.50.5, Rig Veda 10.50.6
Family tradition
Tenth Maṇḍala ‘saṃvāda/stuti’ style—personal, psychological praise; often universalized rather than clan-specific.
Significance
The seer-voice frames Indra not merely as a ritual recipient but as an inner ally who rejoices in the human’s widening and fights in every decisive inner onset, releasing the ‘waters’ of consciousness.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- sakhyā naryaḥ (friend of man), inaḥ (the strong), satpati (lord of the true), śūra (hero)
- Related deities
- Agni, Soma, Bṛhaspati, Uṣas, Maruts
Cosmic role
Breaker of obstructions; bringer of victorious plenitude (vāja); releaser of the waters and light.
Inner power
Illumined Mind-force that turns aspiration into decisive action; slays inner darkness (Vṛtra) and releases inspiration and free flow.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-stuti in Soma-yajña context (general)
सो चि॒न्नु सख्या॒ नर्य॑ इ॒नः स्तु॒तश्च॒र्कृत्य॒ इन्द्रो॒ माव॑ते॒ नरे॑ । विश्वा॑सु धू॒र्षु वा॑ज॒कृत्ये॑षु सत्पते वृ॒त्रे वा॒प्स्व१॒॑भि शू॑र मन्दसे ॥
सः । चि॒त् । नु । सख्या॑ । नर्यः॑ । इ॒नः । स्तु॒तः । च॒र्कृत्यः॑ । इन्द्रः॑ । माऽव॑ते । नरे॑ । विश्वा॑सु । धूः॒ऽसु । वा॒ज॒ऽकृत्ये॑षु । स॒त्ऽप॒ते॒ । वृ॒त्रे । वा॒ । अ॒प्ऽसु । अ॒भि । शू॒र॒ । म॒न्द॒से॒ ॥
saḥ | cit | nu | sakhyā | naryaḥ | inaḥ | stutaḥ | carkṛtyaḥ | indraḥ | māvate | nare | viśvāsu | dhūḥ-su | vāja-kṛtyeṣu | sat-pate | vṛtre | vā | ap-su | abhi | śūra | mandase
44
4 padas × ~11 syllables
Driving, martial, forward-thrusting cadence suited to ‘onset’ and victory.
Builds confidence and uplift; stimulates the will to break resistance and sustain effort through inner battle.
- सख्या (sakhyā)
- Literal: friendship, companionship. Symbolic: intimate alliance of the human seeker with the divine Mind-power
- नर्यः (naryaḥ)
- Literal: belonging to men, manly. Symbolic: power active in human nature, uplifting the mortal consciousness
- इनः (inaḥ)
- Literal: strong, forceful. Symbolic: concentrated might of illumination that can break resistance
- स्तुतः (stutaḥ)
- Literal: praised. Symbolic: evoked by aspiration, affirmation, mantra-remembering
- मावते (māvate)
- Literal: to the generous/giving one. Symbolic: the wideness of soul that offers itself to the inner work
- धूर्षु (dhūrṣu)
- Literal: in onsets, charges, impulses. Symbolic: critical moments of inner effort; surges of will and struggle
- वाजकृत्येषु (vājakṛtyeṣu)
- Literal: acts that make vāja (prize/strength). Symbolic: works that build plenitude—energy, mastery, victorious capacity
- सत्पते (satpate)
- Literal: lord of the true/good. Symbolic: master of right consciousness aligned with satya/ṛta
- वृत्रे (vṛtre)
- Literal: in/against Vṛtra. Symbolic: against the Coverer—ignorance, depression, inertia, subconscient knot
- अप्सु (apsu)
- Literal: in the waters. Symbolic: in the inner streams—life-force, inspiration, intuitive currents
- शूर (śūra)
- Literal: hero. Symbolic: courageous luminous power in the seeker’s consciousness
Soma praise emphasizing Indra’s readiness in all ‘dhūr’ (charges) and ‘vāja-kṛti’ (force-making works); suitable for mid-rite invocations seeking victory and right action
During Soma pressings or Indra-invocations; also as a general hymn of empowerment before demanding undertakings.
Recitation/praise to invite Indra’s force for overcoming obstacles and winning plenitude.
Use as a ‘victory mantra’ before work, study, or spiritual practice—invoking clarity to break inertia and restore flow.
vāja from √vaj ‘be strong, speed, vigor’ → not merely ‘prize/food’ but ‘plenitude of force’. sat-pati: sat ‘being, truth’ + pati ‘lord’ suggests Indra as master of true existence in action. mand- ‘gladden’ links soma-joy to readiness for heroic action. ap- ‘waters’ are multivalent: outer waters, inner life-depths, and the flowing consciousness.
vāja (plenitude of force), sat (true being), soma-exhilaration as divine readiness
Indra as satpati supports right action in ‘all onsets’—the ordered advance of consciousness.
Praise aligns the being to satya; Indra’s joy indicates harmony between human aspiration and truth-force.
Release of waters/light as recurring creation-motif: from obstruction to manifestation.
Proto-Vedānta / integral-psychological reading (Aurobindo-Kashyap): gods as powers of consciousness.
Waters = liberated streams of consciousness and life-energy; storm-onset = decisive tapas; vāja = achieved fullness of power and capacity.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Indra’s soma-glad readiness for combat ‘against Vṛtra’ and ‘in the waters’—a compressed reference to the obstruction in the life-depths and the release of flows. Inner sense: when praised, the god-force rejoices and becomes operative in every decisive effort that generates vāja (victorious fullness of energy).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The ‘hero gladdened by mead/praise’ is an IE poetic theme. vāja as strength aligns with IE valor lexicon; sat ‘being’ corresponds to the deep IE concern with ‘what is’ as stable reality (cf. Greek on ‘being’, though not cognate, the conceptual parallel is archaic).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- Praise (stuti) is presented as the trigger that awakens Indra’s ever-active power (carkṛtya). The ṛṣi’s speech is thus an instrument of activation; Indra’s response is joy that becomes victorious action for the generous aspirant.
Invoke the illumined mind to break inner resistance and restore the free flow of inspiration.
Ājñā (clarity/illumination) and Maṇipūra (victorious will)
Moderate ujjāyī or 4-4-6 breathing while mentally repeating ‘satpate… śūra’ on exhale.
Dynamic concentration—calm force (śānta-vīrya) rather than agitation.
Begin with gratitude/praise (stuti), widen the heart (māvat), then hold the will steady through the ‘onset’ until the inner ‘waters’ begin to move again.
Triṣṭubh recitation with standard Vedic accents (udātta prominent on key verbals; svarita following udātta in sandhi sequences). For precise svara, consult śākhā-specific pada/saṃhitā accent notation.
Lift (udātta) on praise/force words (stutá-, iná-, śūr-), keep gentle fall on enclitics (nu, cit). Maintain clear caesura after the first pāda’s main verb cluster.
Hold retroflex ṛ in carkṛtya (-) distinctly; avoid turning it into ‘ri’., Differentiate vṛtra with vocalic ṛ; keep consonant cluster clean., In apsu, keep ‘ps’ crisp, not ‘pusu’., Satpate: articulate ‘tp’ without inserting a vowel (sat-pate).
Bright, steady, heroic; avoid shouting—aim for ‘firm luminosity’.
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