Rig Veda 2.19.7: Mandala 2, Sukta 19, Mantra 7
Sukta 2.19
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
एवा त इन्द्रोचथमहेम श्रवस्या न त्मना वाजयन्तः । अश्याम तत्साप्तमाशुषाणा ननमो वधरदेवस्य पीयोः ॥
evā́ ta indrocátham ahema śravasyā́ ná tmanā́ vājáyantaḥ | aśyā́ma tát sā́ptam āśuṣāṇā́ nanámo vádhar ádevasya pīyóḥ ||
हे इंद्र, हम तेरे लिए गाते हैं ताकि तेरा नाम बड़ा हो। हम अपनी ताकत से जीतना चाहते हैं। हम उस सातवीं मंज़िल तक पहुँच जाएँ, आगे बढ़ते हुए। दुश्मन की ताकत हमारे सामने झुक जाए, हम तेरे साथ रहें।
Word by Word
- ए॒वा
- thus, just soIndeclinableनिपात (अव्यय)Root एव (निपात)
- त॑
- to youPronounद्वितीया/चतुर्थी? एकवचन (एन्क्लिटिक ‘ते’ रूप; यहाँ ‘to you’ = चतुर्थी एकवचन)Role SampradānaRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- उ॒चथ॑महेम
- we have uttered (a hymn of praise)Verbलिट्/लुङ्-प्राय? 1पुरुष, बहुवचन; वैदिक स्तुति-क्रिया: ‘we have sung/recited (uktha)’Role KartāRoot वच् (धातु) → उक्थ (नाम) + मह्/मही (धातु ‘to rejoice/esteem’?)
- श्रव॒स्या
- fame-seeking, glory-winningAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग? प्रथमा बहुवचन (वाजयन्तः के विशेषणरूपेण)Role Kartā (विशेषण)Root श्रवस् (प्रातिपदिक) → श्रवस्य (विशेषण)
- न
- like, asIndeclinableउपमा/निषेध-निपात; यहाँ उपमार्थ ‘like/as’Root न (निपात)
- त्मना॑
- by (our) own self, of ourselvesNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot त्मन् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘self, person’)
- वा॒जय॑न्तः
- winning prizes, striving for bootyParticipleवर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot वाजय् (धातु/कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) ‘to win/drive for prize’
- अ॒श्याम
- may we attainVerbविधिलिङ्/आशीर्लिङ्, 1पुरुष, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot अश् (धातु ‘to reach, obtain’)
- तत्
- thatPronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- साप्त॑म
- the seventhAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (तत् के विशेषणरूपेण)Role Karma (विशेषण)Root सप्तम (क्रमवाचक-प्रातिपदिक)
- आशुषा॒णा
- hastening, speedingParticipleपरस्मैपदी? क्त/शानच्-प्रकार: ‘आशुषाण’ (मध्य/आत्मनेपदी वर्तमान कृदन्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग/नपुंसक? प्रथमा एकवचन; यहाँ क्रियाविशेषणवत् ‘hastening’Role Kartā/हेतुः (क्रियाविशेषणवत्)Root आ-शु (धातु ‘to hasten’)
- न॒नमः
- we have bowedVerbलिट् (परिपूर्ण), 1पुरुष, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot नम् (धातु ‘to bow’)
- वध॒रदे॑वस्य
- of the slaying god (epithet)Noun (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole Sambandha (genitive)Root वधरदेव (समास-प्रातिपदिक; ‘whose god is the weapon/striker’ / ‘slaying-god’ as epithet)
- पी॒योः
- in/for the draught (Soma), of the drinkNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी/सप्तमी, एकवचन (वैदिक रूप ‘पीयोः’)Role Adhikaraṇa/SambandhaRoot पीयू (प्रातिपदिक; ‘drink, draught’; esp. Soma-draught)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (pada-style): एव + ते → एवा त॑ (enclitic te)
- इन्द्र + उचथमहेम → इन्द्रो॒चथ॑महेम (o + u sandhi)
- श्रवस्या + न → श्रव॒स्या न
- त्मना + वाजयन्तः (no external sandhi)
- अश्याम + तत् → अश्याम तत्
- तत् + साप्तम → तत्साप्त॑म (t + s)
- साप्तम + आशुषाणा → साप्त॑माशुषा॒णा (a+a)
- ननमः + वधरदेवस्य (no external sandhi)
- देवस्य + पीयोः (no external sandhi). Accents retained as in saṃhitā where applicable
The meaning
Outer meaning
Thus we would utter your praise, O Indra, for fame, striving by our own self to win the plenitudes. May we attain that seventh, pressing forward; may the weapon of the godless, the swelling hostile force, bow down before us.
Inner meaning
The seers declare an active collaboration: not passive waiting but ‘by our own self’ (tmanā) we strive to win the plenitudes (vājayantaḥ). Praise is the shaping of consciousness to receive Indra’s light. ‘That seventh’ (tat sāptam) indicates a culminating step/plane—often read as the highest completeness of the ascent: a seventh level of consciousness where the seeker stands in a stable truth-order (a perfected ‘step’ beyond the sixfold working). Pressing forward (āśuṣāṇāḥ) is concentrated tapas. The ‘weapon of the godless’ (adevasya vadhaḥ) is the aggressive surge of hostile forces—egoistic violence, doubt, and inflamed desire—here called ‘pīyuḥ’ (swelling/mass), which must bend and lose its power before the illumined will.
Universal truth
Spiritual attainment demands both grace and personal effort; when aspiration is steady, a higher stage of consciousness becomes accessible and hostile impulses lose their force.
Themes
Aspiration to the seventh, Plenitude (vāja) as inner force, Protection from hostile strike, Concluding praise
The seer
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Lineage
- Bhārgava (traditional)
- Other hymns
- RV 2.19.8 (Gṛtsamadas forging thought), RV 2.24 (word and ascent)
Family tradition
Self-referential resolve: the seer-community frames praise as disciplined striving toward higher planes (steps).
Significance
Shows the Vedic balance of grace and effort: Indra’s help is invoked, but the human instrument must be made ready and courageous.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Śūra, Vājapati (lord of plenitudes/prizes, implied), Śravasyu-priya (giver of fame, implied)
- Related deities
- Agni (effort as will), Maruts (impulsion), Sūrya (goal of light)
Cosmic role
Giver of victorious plenitude and protector in the battle for light.
Inner power
Confidence, courageous aspiration, and the power to make hostile impulses bow.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra stotra as part of Soma rite; also suitable for victory-prayers
ए॒वा त॑ इन्द्रो॒चथ॑महेम श्रव॒स्या न त्मना॑ वा॒जय॑न्तः । अ॒श्याम॒ तत्साप्त॑माशुषा॒णा न॒नमो॒ वध॒रदे॑वस्य पी॒योः ॥
ए॒व । ते॒ । इ॒न्द्र॒ । उ॒चथ॑म् । अ॒हे॒म॒ । श्र॒व॒स्या । न । त्मना॑ । वा॒जय॑न्तः । अ॒श्याम॑ । तत् । साप्त॑म् । आ॒शु॒षा॒णाः । न॒नमः॑ । वधः॑ । अदे॑वस्य । पी॒योः ॥
eva | te | indra | ucatham | ahema | śravasyā | na | tmanā | vājayantaḥ | aśyāma | tat | sāptam | āśuṣāṇāḥ | nanamaḥ | vadhaḥ | adevasya | pīyoḥ
44
4 x ~11
Exhortative and upward-climbing; the ‘seventh’ gives a sense of ascent and culmination.
Strengthens resolve and aspiration; stabilizes courage against inner attacks.
- त्मना (tmanā)
- Literal: by oneself, by one’s own self. Symbolic: personal tapas aligned with the soul, not ego-assertion
- वा॒जयन्तः (vājayantaḥ)
- Literal: winning the prizes/plenitudes. Symbolic: gaining fullness of powers: knowledge, force, joy
- तत् साप्तम् (tat sāptam)
- Literal: that seventh. Symbolic: seventh step/realm: completeness of ascent; stable truth-consciousness
- आशुषाणाः (āśuṣāṇāḥ)
- Literal: pressing forward, hastening. Symbolic: intense concentration and swift progress in sādhanā
- अदेवस्य (adevasya)
- Literal: of the godless. Symbolic: forces not consenting to the divine: egoic, obscuring, hostile
- वधः (vadhaḥ)
- Literal: weapon/blow. Symbolic: attack of adverse formations (fear, anger, denial)
Concluding aspiration: attainment of the 'seventh' and subjugation of hostile weapon; recited to seal victory and protection at the end of an Indra praise sequence.
When seeking success in contest and protection from adversities.
Praise and offering; prayer for attainment and subduing hostile forces.
Use before exams, negotiations, or any ‘battle for clarity’—with the inner aim of mastering reactive impulses.
śravas: 'fame, glory' from √ 'to hear'—that which is heard/spread. vāja: from √/√ 'strength, prize, plenitude'; here inner force-fullness. sāptam: 'seventh'—often marks a culminating station (sevenfold symbolism in Veda: rays, rivers, measures). pīyu: 'swelling, fatness, surge' (√ 'to swell' possible); here hostile inflated force; combined with 'without the divine light'.
sevenfold culmination (sāptam) as graded ascent, self-effort aligned with divine aid (tmanā + Indra), subjugation of godless forces (adeva)
The ‘seventh’ suggests fullness of ṛta—right order stabilized beyond wavering struggle.
Victory over adeva forces clears the field for satya-dṛṣṭi.
Ascent by steps; evolution toward higher completeness.
Sevenfold ascent motifs later echoed in yogic cosmology (levels of consciousness).
Steps = graded ascent of consciousness; weapon = sharp reactive force; fame (śravas) = resonance of truth in the being/community.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ascent-to-a-culminating-grade mythologem ('the seventh') paired with the subjugation of the godless weapon. It expresses the seeker’s push toward a highest station while ensuring the hostile striking force of ignorance must bend.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The fame/glory notion śravas (from √śru 'hear') parallels IE social-poetic economies where song yields renown. The 'seven' as a structuring number is widespread in IE traditions, often marking completeness or cosmic ordering.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- A double agency: the ṛṣi strives 'by the self' (tmanā) to win vāja, yet the prayer depends on Indra’s sovereign power to make the hostile weapon bow. Human effort and divine force converge to secure ascent and protection.
Contemplate the ‘seventh step’ as a quiet summit above the mind; affirm effort (tmanā) without strain.
sahasrāra (as ‘seventh’ summit, interpretive) or ājñā for steady ascent
7 slow breaths, each linked to an inner ‘step’; on the 7th, rest in stillness.
Aspiring upward movement culminating in poised mastery.
After chanting, observe one ‘weapon of the godless’ in you (sarcasm, anger, despair). Do not fight it with more violence; let it ‘bow’ by refusing consent and returning to the higher aim.
Let udātta rise on aśyāma and sāptam; keep ‘nanamo’ with a downward settling to embody ‘bowing’.
Clear caesura after each pāda; emphasize: aśyāma tat sāptam | nanamo vadhaḥ.
śravasyā: ‘śra-va-syā’ keep palatal ś, āśuṣāṇāḥ: long ā at start and in -ṇāḥ; retroflex ṣ, nanamo: light repetition ‘na-na-’ without nasal overkill, pīyoḥ: long ī; final ḥ softly aspirated
Uplifting and steady; end with a protective, grounded tone.
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