Rig Veda 4.24.2: Mandala 4, Sukta 24, Mantra 2
Sukta 4.24
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
स वृत्रहत्ये हव्यः स ईड्यः स सुष्टुत इन्द्रः सत्यराधाः । स यामन्ना मघवा मर्त्याय ब्रह्मण्यते सुष्वये वरिवो धात् ॥
sá vṛtra-hátye havyáḥ sá ī́ḍyaḥ sá suṣṭutá índraḥ satyá-rādhāḥ | sá yā́mann ā́ maghávā martyā́ya brahmaṇyaté suṣváye vári-vo dhāt ||
इंद्र बड़ा है। उसने वृत्र दानव को मारा। उसकी तारीफ करो। जो लोग उसे पुकारते हैं, वो उनको देता है। जो सोम रस चढ़ाते हैं, इंद्र उनके लिए रास्ता बनाता है। वो आसानी से चल सकते हैं।
Word by Word
- सः
- he (that one)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) → स
- वृत्रहत्ये
- in the slaying of VṛtraNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, एकवचनम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot वृत्रहत्य (समासः: वृत्र + हत्य)
- हव्यः
- worthy of oblation / invoked by offeringsAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot हव्य (प्रातिपदिक; √हु ‘to offer/sacrifice’ से)
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot तद् → स
- ईड्यः
- praiseworthy / to be invokedAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot ईड्य (कृदन्त-विशेषण; √ईड्/√ईळ् ‘to praise, invoke’)
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot तद् → स
- सुष्टुतः
- well-praisedAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot सु- + स्तुत (कृदन्त; √स्तु ‘to praise’)
- इन्द्रः
- IndraNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- सत्यराधाः
- of true bounty / truly munificentAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot सत्य-राधस् (समासः; राधस् ‘gift, bounty, success’)
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot तद् → स
- यामन्ना
- on the journey / in the course (of going)Noun (with particle) / Indeclinable compoundनपुंसकलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, एकवचनम् (यामनि) + ‘आ’ (अव्यय) ; वैदिक रूप: यामन्नाRole AdhikaraṇaRoot यामन् (प्रातिपदिक) + आ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) → यामन्ना (वैदिक संधि/प्रयोग)
- मघवा
- the bountiful oneNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम् (वैदिक प्रातिपदिक-रूप: मघवा < मघवान्)Role KartāRoot मघवन् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘bountiful’)
- मर्त्याय
- for the mortalNounपुंलिङ्गः, चतुर्थी, एकवचनम्Role SampradānaRoot मर्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- ब्रह्मण्यते
- (he) shows reverence for prayer / favors the piousVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot √ब्रह्मण्/ब्रह्मण्य (Denominative from ब्रह्मन्; ‘to honor/prize sacred word, be devoted to prayer’)
- सुष्वये
- to the good presser (of Soma)Noun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, चतुर्थी, एकवचनम्Role SampradānaRoot सुष्वि/सुष्वय (प्रातिपदिक; ‘good pressing/pressing well’, esp. Soma-presser)
- वरिवः
- room / free scope; favorNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot वरिवस् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘wide space, room; favor, protection’)
- धात्
- let him bestow / may he grantVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ/विधिलिङ्-सदृश वैदिक प्रयोग), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role (Verb) —Root √धा ‘to place, bestow’
Sandhi Notes
- संधि-विग्रह (मुख्य): (1) स वृत्रहत्ये हव्यः = सः + वृत्रहत्ये + हव्यः. (2) स ईड्यः = सः + ईड्यः (विसर्ग-लोप/संधि). (3) स सुष्टुत इन्द्रः = सः + सुष्टुतः + इन्द्रः. (4) स यामन्ना = सः + यामनि + आ → यामन्ना (वैदिक: -नि + आ में ‘न’ द्वित्व/समास-सदृश संधि). (5) ब्रह्मण्यते सुष्वये = ब्रह्मण्यते + सुष्वये (पदसंधि नहीं). (6) वरिवो धात् = वरिवः + धात् (विसर्गः ओकारादेशः: -अः + ध- → -ओ ध-). उच्चारण-चिह्न (॑, ॒) मूलपाठ के वैदिक स्वर (उदात्त/अनुदात्त/स्वरित) सूचक हैं
- पद-विभाग में शब्दरूप वही रखे गए हैं।
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra is the offering in the Vṛtra-slaying; he is to be invoked and adored—well praised, truly bounteous. On the journey he comes to the mortal who seeks sacred speech and presses Soma; he grants wide space.
Inner meaning
In the inner battle against the Coverer (Vṛtra), Indra is both the invoked power and the very ‘havis’—the effective force offered into the psychic fire: the seeker’s energy, will, and clarity given upward becomes Indra’s action within. When the aspirant is brahmaṇyate (seeks/serves the brahman: the word of power, the soul’s truth-speech) and suṣvaye (presses Soma: intensifies delight/ānanda), the illumined Mind arrives ‘on the journey’ (yāman)—in the process of growth—and establishes varivas: wideness, free room, unobstructed movement of life-force and thought.
Universal truth
When we offer our energies sincerely to a higher intelligence and cultivate true speech and inner delight, the path itself becomes supported; consciousness widens and obstacles lose their power.
Themes
Vṛtra-slaying, Soma pressing, Freedom/wideness
The seer
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama (hymn-level tradition; verse sometimes listed as unknown)
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 4.16, RV 4.17, RV 4.23, RV 4.25
Family tradition
The Gautamas are strongly associated with Indra-Bṛhaspati themes: word-power (brahman) that breaks coverings and releases wideness.
Significance
This verse is a classic Vedic yoga formula: word (brahman) + bliss (soma) → descent of illumined force (Indra) → wideness (varivas).
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- vṛtrahan (implicit), suṣṭuta (well praised), satyarādhāḥ (true-bounteous), maghavā (bounteous)
- Related deities
- Soma, Agni, Bṛhaspati
Cosmic role
Victor over the Coverer; opener of the path; giver of wideness and right movement.
Inner power
Discriminating illumination that acts; the arriving help that turns effort into victory.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra stotra in Soma pressing; victory and path-opening invocations
स वृ॑त्र॒हत्ये॒ हव्य॒: स ईड्य॒: स सुष्टु॑त॒ इन्द्र॑: स॒त्यरा॑धाः । स याम॒न्ना म॒घवा॒ मर्त्या॑य ब्रह्मण्य॒ते सुष्व॑ये॒ वरि॑वो धात् ॥
सः । वृ॒त्र॒ऽहत्ये॑ । हव्यः॑ । सः । ईड्यः॑ । सः । सुऽस्तु॑तः । इन्द्रः॑ । स॒त्यऽरा॑धाः । सः । याम॑न् । आ । म॒घऽवा॑ । मर्त्या॑य । ब्र॒ह्म॒ण्य॒ते । सुष्व॑ये । वरि॑वः । धा॒त् ॥
saḥ | vṛtra-hatye | havyaḥ | saḥ | īḍyaḥ | saḥ | su-stutaḥ | indraḥ | satya-rādhāḥ | saḥ | yāman | ā | magha-vā | martyāya | brahmaṇyate | suṣvaye | var ivaḥ | dhāt
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4 × ~11
Balanced but urgent; repeated ‘saḥ’ creates a drumbeat of affirmation.
Stabilizes confidence; the anaphora (‘saḥ… saḥ…’) builds certainty and steadies the mind in struggle.
- वृत्रहत्ये (vṛtrahatye)
- Literal: in the slaying of Vṛtra. Symbolic: inner conquest of obscurity/resistance
- हव्यः (havyaḥ)
- Literal: fit to be offered/oblation. Symbolic: the effective offering-force; consecrated energy
- ईड्यः (īḍyaḥ)
- Literal: to be invoked/adored. Symbolic: that which responds to aspiration and strengthens faith
- सत्यराधाः (satyarādhāḥ)
- Literal: true in bounty. Symbolic: grace that produces real inner freedom and growth
- यामन् (yāman)
- Literal: journey, course. Symbolic: the sadhana-path; progressive movement of consciousness
- ब्रह्मण्यते (brahmaṇyate)
- Literal: seeks/serves brahman. Symbolic: turns to mantra-truth, soul-speech, higher knowledge
- सुष्वये (suṣvaye)
- Literal: to the Soma-presser. Symbolic: one who intensifies inner bliss/rapture
- वरिवः (varivaḥ)
- Literal: wide room, free space. Symbolic: inner wideness, liberty from constriction
Classic Indra-Soma context: Soma pressing and Indra invocation for vṛtra-hatyā symbolism and varivas (free space/protection)
During Soma-libations and praises of Indra as Vṛtra-slayer; also in rites seeking ‘varivas’ (room/protection).
Chant with offering of Soma/libation; mentally offer effort and speech into the inner fire.
For removing ‘mental tightness’ and restoring spacious clarity—especially during transitions, travel, or major life changes (‘yāman’).
vṛtra- from √vṛ ‘to cover, obstruct’ → obstruction-personified. hatyā from √han ‘slay’ → removal of covering. varivas ‘wide space’ relates to √vṛ/√var ‘choose/cover’ in a distinct development; in Vedic it is ‘room, freedom from constraint’—psychologically, release from inner narrowing. suṣvá- from √su/√sū ‘press Soma’ indicates concentrated delight-force offered to Indra.
Satya (true) bounty, varivas as inner wideness/freedom, brahman as mantric alignment
Indra’s action restores ṛta by breaking the coverer and re-establishing free right movement.
‘True bounty’ is that which yields wideness and right progression, not mere acquisition.
Wideness as a creative act: space for consciousness to grow.
Vedic yoga of the Word (brahman) and Delight (soma) culminating in illumination (indra)
Journey = sadhana-process; Soma = inner delight; wide space = psychological freedom and expansion of awareness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Vṛtra-slaying: the archetype of releasing blocked waters/lights. In inner terms, Indra removes the covering force that constricts consciousness and establishes varivas—wideness and free movement.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √han ‘slay’ is PIE *gʷhen- (cf. Greek phénō ‘slay’ in some analyses; more directly Sanskrit han- is a classic IE root). √dhā ‘place’ is PIE *dʰeh₁- (Greek títhēmi, Latin faciō via different root; but dhā is clear). The verse uses inherited formulae of invocation: havya/īḍya.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi frames the contract: the mortal offers Soma and seeks brahman (right word-power); Indra, being satya-rādhā, responds by coming on the path and establishing varivas—protection and inner spaciousness necessary for further victory.
Offer effort as oblation; repeat the ‘saḥ’ affirmations to anchor faith; visualize wideness entering the chest and brow.
viśuddha (word) and ājñā (illumination)
Ujjāyī lightly for steadiness; chant each pāda on one exhale without strain.
From striving to supported flow; a ‘wide room’ in awareness.
Begin with silent intention: ‘May true speech and inner delight prepare the way.’ Chant 12 times; then sit 2–3 minutes sensing varivas (spaciousness) around thoughts.
RV accentuation with strong lifts on repeated ‘saḥ’ and on ‘índraḥ’; maintain clear cadence in the anaphoric sequence.
Let each ‘saḥ’ be a measured emphasis, not shouted; keep ‘varívo dhāt’ as a decisive closing.
: ‘vṛ-tra-hat-ye’ (ṛ clear), : long ī ‘īḍ-yaḥ’, : ‘brah-maṇ-ya-te’ retroflex ṇ, : ‘suṣ-va-ye’ retroflex ṣ
Steady, declarative, confidence-building.
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