Rig Veda 2.11.12: Mandala 2, Sukta 11, Mantra 12
Sukta 2.11
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
त्वे इन्द्राप्यभूम विप्रा धियं वनेम ऋतया सपन्तः । अवस्यवो धीमहि प्रशस्तिं सद्यस्ते रायो दावने स्याम ॥
tvé índrā́py abhūma víprā dhíyaṃ vanema ṛtáyā sápantaḥ | avasyávo dhīmahi práśastiṃ sadyás te rāyó dā́vane syāma ||
इंद्र, हमने तुम्हे अपना सहारा माना है। तुम्हारी राह पर चल के हमें अच्छी सोच मिलती है। हम तुम्हारी प्रशंसा करते हैं और मदद माँगते हैं। तुम हमें इतनी दौलत दो कि हमारा काम बन जाए।
Word by Word
- त्वे
- in youPronounसप्तमी एकवचन (स्थान/आश्रय)Role अधिकारणRoot त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) → त्वम्
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNounसम्बोधन एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- अपि
- also, indeedIndeclinableअव्ययRole (सम्बन्ध/निपात)Root अपि
- अभू्म
- we becameVerbलुङ् (अorist) उत्तमपुरुष बहुवचन; परस्मैपदRole (क्रिया)Root भू (धातु)
- विप्राः
- inspired seers/poetsNounपुंलिङ्ग प्रथमा बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- धियम्
- thought, insightNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्मRoot धि (स्त्री. प्रातिपदिक)
- वनेम
- may we win/obtainVerbविधिलिङ् (optative) उत्तमपुरुष बहुवचन; परस्मैपदRole (क्रिया)Root वन् (धातु) / वन (to win, obtain)
- ऋतयाः
- truthful, aligned with ṛtaAdjective/Nounपुंलिङ्ग प्रथमा बहुवचन (विप्राः का विशेषण/समनाधिकरण)Role कर्तृRoot ऋतय (प्रातिपदिक; ‘ऋत’ से)
- सपन्तः
- following/attending (on the track)Participleपुंलिङ्ग प्रथमा बहुवचन; वर्तमान सक्रिय कृदन्त (विप्राः का विशेषण)Role कर्तृRoot सप् (धातु) → वर्तमान कृदन्त ‘सपन्त्’
- अवस्यवः
- seeking help/favorAdjective/Nounपुंलिङ्ग प्रथमा बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot अवस्यु (प्रातिपदिक; ‘अवस्’ = सहायता/अनुग्रह की इच्छा)
- धीमहि
- we meditate/ponderVerbलट् उत्तमपुरुष बहुवचन; आत्मनेपदRole (क्रिया)Root धी (धातु; ‘to think, to meditate’)
- प्रशस्तिम्
- praise, laudationNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्मRoot प्रशस्ति (स्त्री. प्रातिपदिक)
- सद्यः
- immediatelyIndeclinableअव्ययRole (काल-विशेषण)Root सद्यः
- ते
- yourPronounषष्ठी एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) → त्वम्
- रायः
- of wealthNounषष्ठी एकवचन (वैदिक रूप; ‘रायाः’ का)Role सम्बन्धRoot राय्/राय (स्त्री. प्रातिपदिक; ‘wealth’)
- दावने
- for giving, for bestowalNoun (action-noun)नपुंसकलिङ्ग चतुर्थी एकवचन (उद्देश्य/प्रयोजन)Role सम्प्रदानRoot दा (धातु) → ‘दावन’ (देने/दान का भाव)
- स्याम
- may we beVerbविधिलिङ् (optative) उत्तमपुरुष बहुवचन; परस्मैपदRole (क्रिया)Root अस् (धातु)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सम्भाव्य): त्वे | इन्द्र | अपि | अभूम | विप्राः | धियम् | वनेम | ऋतयाः | सपन्तः | अवस्यवः | धीमहि | प्रशस्तिम् | सद्यः | ते | रायः | दावने | स्याम । 1) इन्द्राप्यभूम = इन्द्र + अपि + अभूम (स्वर-सन्धि/यण्-आगम से ‘अपि’ का ‘प्य’). 2) ऋतया सपन्तः: संहिता में ‘ऋत॒या सप॑न्तः’—यहाँ ‘ऋतयाः’ (प्रथमा बहु) + ‘सपन्तः’ (प्रथमा बहु) समनाधिकरण
- संहिता-लेखन में दीर्घ/स्वरचिह्न वैदिक पाठानुसार. 3) सद्यस्ते = सद्यः + ते (विसर्ग-लोप/सन्धि). 4) रा॒यो दा॒वने = रायः + दावने (पद-सीमा पर संहिता में अवग्रह नहीं; ‘रायः’ वैदिक षष्ठी एकवचन)
The meaning
Outer meaning
In Indra we have found support; as seers moving by the path of ṛta we win inspired thought. Seeking help, we meditate praise so we may be fit for his giving of wealth/plenitude.
Inner meaning
The seeker-community anchors itself in the illumined Mind (Indra) as a stable support (tve… apy abhūma). Walking the truth-path (ṛtayā sapantaḥ), they win dhī—luminous inspired understanding. Praise here is not flattery but a focusing of consciousness (dhīmahi praśastim) that aligns the being to receive rāyas—inner plenitudes: light, strength, harmony, and effective capacity.
Universal truth
When consciousness is aligned to truth (ṛta) and sustained by a higher clarity, inspiration arises naturally, and life becomes capable of receiving and organizing greater abundance and power.
Themes
aspiration, ṛta-path, inspiration (dhī), boon-request (plenitude)
The seer
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada (Bhārgava)
- Lineage
- Bhārgava
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 2.11, Rig Veda 2.1
Family tradition
Bhārgava emphasis on dhī and ṛta: inspired mind and right order as the means to receive plenitude.
Significance
This is the yogic turn of the hymn: after victory imagery, the seer states the method—support in Indra, movement in ṛta, winning dhī, and becoming fit vessels for rāyas.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- support of the seers (implied), giver of rāyas (dāvane)
- Related deities
- Agni (as initiator of sacrifice), Sarasvatī (as inspiration, thematic)
Cosmic role
Upholder of the inspired mind; bestower of plenitude to those aligned with ṛta.
Inner power
Stabilizing clarity that becomes a foundation for intuition and right action.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra praise within Soma rites; also suitable as a concluding request for inspiration and wealth.
त्वे इ॒न्द्राप्य॑भूम॒ विप्रा॒ धियं॑ वनेम ऋत॒या सप॑न्तः । अ॒व॒स्यवो॑ धीमहि॒ प्रश॑स्तिं स॒द्यस्ते॑ रा॒यो दा॒वने॑ स्याम ॥
त्वे इति॑ । इ॒न्द्र॒ । अपि॑ । अ॒भू॒म॒ । विप्राः॑ । धिय॑म् । व॒ने॒म॒ । ऋ॒त॒ऽया । सप॑न्तः । अ॒व॒स्यवः॑ । धी॒म॒हि॒ । प्रऽश॑स्तिम् । स॒द्यः । ते॒ । रा॒यः । दा॒वने॑ । स्या॒म॒ ॥
tve iti | indra | api | abhūma | viprāḥ | dhiyam | vanema | ṛta-yā | sapantaḥ | avasyavaḥ | dhīmahi | pra-śastim | sadyaḥ | te | rāyaḥ | dāvane | syāma
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4×11 (approx.)
Balanced and affirmative; less violent, more establishing.
Produces steadiness and confidence; supports meditative resolve and receptivity.
- धिय (dhiyam)
- Literal: thought, inspiration. Symbolic: Illumined intuition; inspired seeing that guides action
- ऋतया (ṛtayā)
- Literal: by/along ṛta. Symbolic: Truth-order as the path and method of progress
- सपन्तः (sapantaḥ)
- Literal: pressing on, striving. Symbolic: Steady aspiration and effort aligned to truth
- अवस्यवः (avasyavaḥ)
- Literal: desiring help/protection. Symbolic: Humility and receptivity; call for the higher aid
- प्रशस्ति (praśasti)
- Literal: praise. Symbolic: Mantric affirmation; concentrated appreciation that opens the channel
- रायः (rāyaḥ)
- Literal: wealth, riches. Symbolic: Plenitudes of consciousness: light, force, joy, harmony
Stotra-like affirmation within Soma context: aligns the sacrificer’s aspiration (dhī, praśasti) with ṛta to become a worthy recipient of Indra’s gifts.
After invocations/victory declarations, when turning to attainment (dhī, rāyas).
Recite with offering and with intention of aligning to ṛta; a ‘qualification’ verse for receiving boons.
Use before study, teaching, or decision-making: ask for dhī (inspired discernment) and rāyas (effective resources).
ṛtá- (from √ar ‘to fit, to set in motion rightly’ → ‘right order, truth in movement’); dhī- ‘thought/vision’ (√dhī ‘to think, reflect, conceive’) as inspired cognition; praśasti- ‘well-speaking’ (pra-√śas ‘to praise, proclaim’) as effective mantra; rā́yas (rayi-) ‘wealth/plenitude’ connected to fullness and shining capacity (often correlates with ‘ray’/light imagery in Vedic poetics).
Ṛta as path of right progression, dhī as inspired mind, rāyas as plenitude of being
Explicit: progress (sapantaḥ) is along ṛta; dhī is won by truth-alignment.
Becoming ‘fit’ (syāma) indicates ethical-psychic qualification to hold truth’s gifts.
Rāyas as the organized plenitude of life when truth governs mind and action.
Vedic psychology leading toward Upaniṣadic inner discipline: dhī as a precursor to higher knowledge.
Path = progressive unfolding of consciousness; ‘support in Indra’ = inner axis of clarity; wealth = abundance of energies and capacities.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Not a battle-scene but the ‘ṛta-path’ mythologem: advancement by truth-order to win dhī (inspired cognition). The boon (rāyas) is framed as a consequence of alignment with ṛta rather than mere petition.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- ṛta (truth-order) belongs to Indo-Iranian *ṛta/arta, a central inherited sacral concept (cf. Avestan aša). The collocation of ‘winning thought’ (dhī + van-) reflects an old poetic economy where cognition is an object of conquest/attainment.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi positions the community as vipras who strive by ṛta and offer praśasti; Indra is the support and giver. The exchange is: truth-aligned utterance and striving → immediate bestowal of plenitude and inspired mind.
Rest in Indra as inner support; then contemplate ṛta: ‘What is the truest next step?’ Invite dhī to arise as a clean, quiet intuition.
Slow_meditative
Collected, aligned, receptive to intuition.
Chant 7 times. After each recitation, pause one breath and listen inwardly for a simple directive (dhī). End by offering one concrete action aligned with ṛta.
Maintain clear udatta on índra, víprā, dhíyam, ṛtayā́, dhī́mahi; keep the flow even and contemplative.
Slightly emphasize ṛtayā sapantaḥ (truth-path striving) as the pivot phrase; keep ‘sadyas’ crisp (immediacy).
ṛtayā: vocalic ṛ clean and short; do not turn into ‘ri’., viprā: long ā., praśastim: śa-sti cluster clear.
Clear, even, prayerful; avoid aggressive emphasis.
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