Rig Veda 2.19.9: Mandala 2, Sukta 19, Mantra 9
Sukta 2.19
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
नूनं सा ते प्रति वरं जरित्रे दुहीयदिन्द्र दक्षिणा मघोनी । शिक्षा स्तोतृभ्यो माति धग्भगो नो बृहद्वदेम विदथे सुवीराः ॥
nū́naṃ sā́ te práti váraṃ jaritré duhī́yád indra dákṣiṇā maghónī | śíkṣā stotṛ́-bhyo mā́ áti dhák bhágo no bṛhád vadema vidáthe su-vī́rāḥ ||
अब इंद्र के लिए वो बड़ा देना मिल रहा है जो गाने वाले के लिए है। यह देना बड़ा और फुल है। इंद्र, स्तुति करने वाले लोगों को भी दे। हमारा हिस्सा मत घटाना। हमें सबके सामने बड़ी बात बोलने की ताकत दे।
Word by Word
- नूनम्
- now; indeedIndeclinableअव्यय (काल/निश्चयार्थ)Root नूनम् (अव्यय)
- सा
- she (that one)Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- ते
- to you; yourPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी, एकवचन (एन्क्लिटिक)Role Sampradāna (दत्तेः) / सम्बन्धRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- प्रति
- towards; in returnIndeclinableअव्ययRoot प्रति (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- वरम्
- a choice gift; boonNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot वर (प्रातिपदिक)
- जरित्रे
- to the singer/praiserNounपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot जरितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- दुहीयत्
- may she milk/yieldVerbविधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमा, एकवचनRoot दुह् (धातु)
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNoun (vocative)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- दक्षिणा
- the sacrificial fee; giftNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot दक्षिणा (प्रातिपदिक)
- मघोनी
- bountiful; generousAdjective (epithet)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (विशेषणम्)Root मघोनी (प्रातिपदिक)
- शिक्षा
- grant; bestowVerbलोट् (imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यम, एकवचनRoot शिक्ष् (धातु)
- स्तोतृभ्यः
- to the praisersNounपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, बहुवचनRole SampradānaRoot स्तोतृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- मातिम्
- thought; inspirationNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot मति (प्रातिपदिक)
- धक्
- indeed; thenIndeclinableनिपात (प्रोत्साहन/समुच्चयार्थ)Root धक् (निपात/अव्यय, वैदिक)
- भगः
- Bhaga; fortuneNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot भग (प्रातिपदिक)
- नः
- to us; ourPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी, बहुवचन (एन्क्लिटिक)Role Sampradāna / सम्बन्धRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- बृहद्वदेम
- may we speak greatlyVerbविधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, उत्तम, बहुवचनRoot वद् (धातु) + बृहद् (उपपद/क्रियाविशेषण)
- विदथे
- in the rite/assemblyNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot विदथ (प्रातिपदिक)
- सुवीराः
- having good heroes/sons; strong in heroesAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole Kartā (कर्तृपदस्य विशेषणम्)Root सुवीर (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (वैदिक-सन्धि-निरसन): नूनम् | सा | ते | प्रति | वरम् | जरित्रे | दुहीयत् | इन्द्र | दक्षिणा | मघोनी | शिक्षा | स्तोतृभ्यः | मातिम् | धक् | भगः | नः | बृहद्-वदेम | विदथे | सुवीराः । मुख्य-सन्धयः: (1) बृहद्वदेम = बृहद् + वदेम (द् + व → द्व)
- (2) धग्भगो = धक् + भगः (क् + भ → ग्भ; वैदिक-रूपे धक्/धग् निपातः)
- (3) दुही॒यदिन्द्र = दुहीयत् + इन्द्र (त् + इ → ति/द्-प्रवृत्तिः; संहितायां त्-लोप/परिवर्तनं)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The poet asks that the generous Dakṣiṇā (reward/gift) be “milked out” for Indra in return for the singer; may the praisers receive; may our Bhaga (share of good fortune) not be burnt away; may we speak the Vast (Bṛhat) in the assembly, having good heroic sons/powers.
Inner meaning
Dakṣiṇā is the right offering-force and right distribution of inner gains that follows a true Indra-action. The seeker asks that the abundant “yield” of the sacrifice—illumined energies, capacities, and right enjoyments—flow out in response to Indra (the divine Mind) for the jaritṛ (the soul that chants/affirms). “Let not Bhaga be overburnt” means: let the rightful portion of bliss and prosperity not be wasted by excess tapas without wideness, or by wrong desire; preserve the true allotment. “Speak the Bṛhat in the vidatha” is a demand to utter from wideness—truth-speech born of a vast consciousness—so the collective inner assembly (powers of the being) becomes su-vīra: filled with strong, victorious energies.
Universal truth
Spiritual effort must be balanced by right distribution: illumination should translate into sustainable joy, strength, and right action. When the mind is opened to a vaster truth, the fruits of practice are not “burnt” by strain but become stable capacities that uplift the whole life.
Themes
reciprocity of sacrifice (offering and return-boon), inner wealth as spiritual plenitude (Dakṣiṇā/magha), protection of the destined share (Bhaga) from diminution, aspiration to speak from the Vast (Bṛhat) in the assembly
The seer
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Lineage
- Bhārgava (traditionally connected with the Bhṛgu line)
- Other hymns
- RV 2.19, RV 2.20, RV 2.12 (Indra theme in adjacent tradition though different rishi)
Family tradition
Maṇḍala 2 is chiefly attributed to Gṛtsamada; hymns emphasize Indra as the awakener of force and wideness for the Arya-seeker.
Significance
Gṛtsamada’s Indra hymns repeatedly convert ritual images (gift, reward, assembly) into a psychology of right effort, right increase, and the stabilizing of luminous force in life.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra (with Bhaga invoked)
- Epithets
- maghavan (bounteous), yuvan (youthful, ever-renewing), vṛtrahan (slayer of the coverer—implied Indra-function), bṛhad-vāc (lord of vast speech—by effect)
- Related deities
- Bhaga, Agni, Soma, Bṛhaspati
Cosmic role
Breaker of obstructions, releaser of the waters/rays, establisher of wideness and victorious power for the Arya.
Inner power
Illuminating Mind-force that organizes energies, releases blocked joy/knowledge, and ensures right measure (with Bhaga) of the fruits.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-stotra within Soma-yajña sequences (praise to draw Indra’s power and the rewarding flow)
नू॒नं सा ते॒ प्रति॒ वरं॑ जरि॒त्रे दु॑ही॒यदि॑न्द्र॒ दक्षि॑णा म॒घोनी॑ । शिक्षा॑ स्तो॒तृभ्यो॒ माति॑ ध॒ग्भगो॑ नो बृ॒हद्व॑देम वि॒दथे॑ सु॒वीरा॑: ॥
नू॒नम् । सा । ते॒ । प्रति॑ । वर॑म् । ज॒रि॒त्रे । दु॒ही॒यत् । इ॒न्द्र॒ । दक्षि॑णा । म॒घोनी॑ । शिक्ष॑ । स्तो॒तृऽभ्यः॑ । मा । अति॑ । ध॒क् । भगः॑ । नः॒ । बृ॒हत् । व॒दे॒म॒ । वि॒दथे॑ । सु॒ऽवीराः॑ ॥
nūnam | sā | te | prati | varam | jaritre | duhīyat | indra | dakṣiṇā | maghonī | śikṣa | stotṛ-bhyaḥ | mā | ati | dhak | bhagaḥ | naḥ | bṛhat | vadema | vidathe | su-vīrāḥ
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4 pādas × ~11 syllables
Forward-driving, martial yet spacious cadence; suited to invocation plus assertion of will.
Builds confidence and wideness; the final pāda tends to open into a resonant expanse (bṛhat/vidatha/suvīra) that feels like a release.
- दक्षिणा (dakṣiṇā)
- Literal: gift, sacrificial fee, offering. Symbolic: right giving/distribution of inner gains; the yielding abundance that follows true effort
- दुहीयत् (duhīyat)
- Literal: let it be milked. Symbolic: let the hidden plenitude be drawn out from the inner sacrifice
- मघोनी (maghonī)
- Literal: bounteous, rich. Symbolic: abundant power of increase; plenitude of force and joy
- शिक्ष (śikṣā)
- Literal: grant, give, teach. Symbolic: bestowal of capacities by the illumined Mind
- भग (bhaga)
- Literal: share, portion; god of allotment. Symbolic: right measure of felicity/bliss apportioned to the soul
- मा अति धक् (mā ati dhak)
- Literal: let it not be over-burnt. Symbolic: do not waste the inner gain by excess heat, impatience, or wrong austerity
- बृहत् (bṛhat)
- Literal: the Vast. Symbolic: wideness of consciousness; truth-speech from the Infinite
- विदथ (vidatha)
- Literal: assembly, distribution, rite. Symbolic: inner gathering of powers where truth is affirmed and energies are ordered
- सुवीराः (suvīrāḥ)
- Literal: having good heroes/sons. Symbolic: possessing strong victorious energies and effective soul-forces
Indra-stotra in Soma-yajña contexts (general applicability: invoking Indra’s force and the Dakṣiṇā/fruit of offering; not restricted to a single named śrauta act in this excerpt)
During Indra hymns in Soma pressing/offerings; also as part of praise when seeking strength and prosperity.
Recitation/chant with offering (oblations, Soma libation) and request for dakṣiṇā/fruit.
Use as a “right-fruit” mantra: after meditation or disciplined work, chant to integrate gains without burnout and to speak/act from wideness.
: desiderative/passive-injunctive nuance ‘let it be milked’ from √duh ‘to milk, draw out’; symbolically the extraction of essence (rasa/strength) from the plenitude. : from dakṣiṇa ‘right, skillful, south’; connected with √dakṣ ‘to be able, be competent’ → ‘right-giving’ power that distributes the fruit according to ṛta. : from magha ‘gift, bounty, power of giving’ (cognate with Iranian *maga- ‘gift’), indicating plenitude. : imperative from √śikṣ ‘to learn/teach, train’ → ‘cause us to obtain / grant effectively’. : from √dah ‘to burn’ (injunctive/imperative), here with mā́ áti ‘do not over-burn’ → do not let the allotted felicity be consumed by excess or hostile heat. : from √bhaj ‘to apportion, share’ → ‘right share’ of delight/fortune; inwardly: the destined portion of spiritual felicity. : adjective ‘vast’ from √bṛh ‘to grow, expand’ → wideness-consciousness; supports the triad satyam-ṛtam-bṛhat as the high truth-plane.
Ṛta (right order in distribution of fruits—Dakṣiṇā as ‘right-giving’), Satyam-Ritam-Bṛhat (Bṛhat as wideness of truth-consciousness), Vāc (right speech as expression of widened consciousness)
The plea for Bhaga not to be diminished implies alignment with Ṛta: fruits come by right measure, not by grasping or strain.
Bṛhat-vadema: truth-speech from wideness, not from ego-urgency.
Release of plenitude from concealed sources (milking out abundance) mirrors the Vedic motif of hidden riches revealed by the gods.
Proto-Vedāntic/Integral (Aurobindonian) reading: wideness (bṛhat) as a consciousness-plane; fruits as siddhi integrated into life.
Milking = extraction of hidden delight/force from practice; burning = excessive austerity or friction; wealth = stable powers and joys in the being.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘milking’ mythologem: abundance is not seized but drawn out as essence (√duh) from a plenitude-source (Dakṣiṇā maghonī). Psychologically, the right fruit of aspiration is ‘milked’ from the cosmic power through Indra’s mediation, yielding an inner boon (vara) to the jaritṛ (the soul that sustains the mantra).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- Bhaga (bhágaḥ) aligns with PIE *bʰag- ‘to apportion/share’ (cf. Avestan baga- ‘god; distributor’, Slavic bogŭ ‘god/fortune’), preserving the idea of divinity as allotter of felicity. √dah ‘burn’ has PIE *dʰegʷʰ- / *dʰeh₁gʷʰ- ‘to burn’ (cognates in several IE branches), here used metaphorically for the consuming forces that can diminish one’s rightful share.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- A reciprocal economy of inner sacrifice: the r̥ṣi/jaritṛ offers praise that builds Indra’s presence; in return Indra is asked to ‘milk out’ Dakṣiṇā—rightly-distributed fruition—for the praisers. The verse also safeguards the exchange: ‘let not Bhaga over-burn’ means let the destined inner portion not be lost to excess, imbalance, or hostile energies, so the seers may utter the Bṛhat (widened truth-speech) in the vidatha (assembly/field of discernment).
Integrate gains: invoke Indra to organize energies; pray for right measure of joy (Bhaga) and wideness of speech.
viśuddha (truth-speech) and ājñā (illumined mind)
Moderate nāḍī-śodhana 6–6–6 (inhale–hold–exhale) before chanting; then chant on long exhalations to feel bṛhat.
From energetic aspiration (rajas purified) to widened, steady clarity (sattva with force).
After strong practice, chant 3 or 9 times; contemplate: ‘Let the fruit flow, not burn away; let my word arise from wideness.’
Mixed udātta/anudātta/svarita as per Rigvedic accent; key lifts typically on invocatory names (índra) and emphatic nouns (dakṣiṇā, bhága, bṛhát).
Keep ‘índra’ with a clear udātta rise; do not flatten the cadence in pāda 3 where the negation ‘mā’ must be crisp and light.
nūnaṃ: long ū, nasalized ṃ, duhīyad: aspirate dh; long ī, dakṣiṇā: retroflex ṣ; long ā at end, mā ati dhak: separate mā | ati; keep dhak with clear dh, bṛhad: vocalic ṛ; light final d, vidathe: dental th (not aspirated t)
Clear, steady, slightly triumphant; open vowel resonance on bṛhat/vidathe.
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