Rig Veda 6.19.11: Mandala 6, Sukta 19, Mantra 11
Sukta 6.19
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja Bārhaspatya
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
मरुत्वन्तं वृषभं वावृधानमकवारिं दिव्यं शासमिन्द्रम् । विश्वासाहमवसे नूतनायोग्रं सहोदामिह तं हुवेम ॥
marútvantaṃ vṛṣabháṃ vāvṛdhānám ákavārim divyáṃ śā́sām índram | viśvāsā́ham ávase nū́tanāyógráṃ sahodā́m ihá táṃ huvema ||
हम यहाँ इंद्र को बुलाते हैं। वो बल का बुल है, मरुतों के साथ आता है। वो दिन-रात बढ़ता रहता है। वो कमज़ोर नहीं है, जो बोले वो सीधा लगता है। वो सब पे जीतने वाला है, नया मददगर है, ताकत देने वाला है। हम उससे अपनी हिफ़ाज़त के लिए पुकारते हैं।
Word by Word
- मरुत्वन्तम्
- Marut-attended, accompanied by the MarutsAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (हुवे ‘आह्वयामि’ इत्यस्य)Root मरुत्वन्त् (प्रातिपदिक; मरुत् + वन्त्)
- वृषभम्
- the bull (mighty one)Noun (used appositionally)पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (इन्द्रम्—विशेषण/उपपद)Root वृषभ (प्रातिपदिक)
- वावृधानम्
- ever-growing, greatly strengthenedParticiple (Adjective)पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; परस्मैपदी-परिप्रेक्ष्ये परिपूर्ण/वर्धमानार्थक (intensive/perfect-stem participial form)Role कर्म (इन्द्रम्—विशेषण)Root √वृध् (वर्धने) → वावृधान (कृदन्त)
- अकवारिम्
- not to be checked/warded off; irresistibleAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (इन्द्रम्—विशेषण)Root अकवारि (प्रातिपदिक; बहुव्रीहि/विशेषण-शब्द)
- दिव्यम्
- heavenly, divineAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (इन्द्रम्—विशेषण)Root दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक; दिव्)
- शासम्
- the ruler; the one of commandNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (इन्द्रम्—विशेषण/उपपद: ‘शासम् इन्द्रम्’ = the ruling Indra)Root शास (प्रातिपदिक; ‘शासन/आज्ञा/शासक-भाव’)
- इन्द्रम्
- IndraNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (हुवे)Root इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- विश्वासाहम्
- all-conqueringAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (तं—इन्द्रम्—विशेषण)Root विश्वासाह (प्रातिपदिक; विश्व + साह ‘conquering all’)
- अवसे
- for aid, for protectionNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदान (उद्देश्य/प्रयोजन: ‘for help’)Root अवस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- नूतनाय
- for new (renewed)Adjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदान/प्रयोजन (अवसे इत्यस्य विशेषण: ‘for fresh/new (aid)’)Root नूतन (प्रातिपदिक)
- उग्रम्
- fierce, formidableAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (तं—इन्द्रम्—विशेषण)Root उग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- सहोदाम्
- strength-givingAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (तं—इन्द्रम्—विशेषण)Root सहोदा (प्रातिपदिक; सहस् + दा ‘giving strength’)
- इह
- hereIndeclinableअव्ययRole अधिकरण (देश/सन्दर्भ: ‘here’)Root इह (अव्यय)
- तम्
- himPronounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (हुवे)Root तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- हुवेम
- let us call/invokeVerbलोट् (विधिलिङ्/आशीर्लिङ्-प्रायः वैदिक प्रयोग), उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot √हू (आह्वाने)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सम्भाव्य): मरुत्वन्तम् | वृषभम् | वावृधानम् | अकवारिम् | दिव्यम् | शासम् | इन्द्रम् || विश्वासाहम् | अवसे | नूतनाय | उग्रम् | सहोदाम् | इह | तम् | हुवेम || 1) ‘वावृधानम्’ वैदिक-प्रयोगः: √वृध् धातोः पुनरुक्त/परिपूर्ण-स्तेम (वा-वृध्) से कृदन्त-रूपम्, ‘बहुशः वर्धित/वर्धमान’ अर्थे। 2) ‘अवसे नूतनाय’ इत्यत्र दत्वर्थ/प्रयोजनार्थे चतुर्थी
- ‘नूतनाय’ विशेषणरूपेण ‘अवसे’ इत्यस्य। 3) ‘हुवेम’ वैदिके लोट्-प्रायः (आह्वानार्थक ‘let us invoke’)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The hymn calls Indra—bull of power, accompanied by the Maruts—ever increasing, fearless in assault, of divine command; the all-conquering, new helper, fierce giver of might, invoked for protection and fostering.
Inner meaning
Indra is the illumined Mind-force in us, growing by continual aspiration (vāvṛdhānam). The Maruts are the dynamic life-forces/impulsions that become allies of the higher Mind when purified. “Divine command” (divyaṃ śāsam) is the descending intuitive law that governs the inner sacrifice. The seeker invokes this Indra here and now (iha) to break inertia and timidity, and to receive a fresh (nūtanāya) influx of strength and victorious clarity.
Universal truth
Spiritual progress requires a conscious, ever-increasing power of illumination allied with disciplined energies; when the inner will aligns with a higher law, life-forces become helpers rather than distractions, and a new strength repeatedly arrives for each stage of the journey.
Themes
Indra-Maruts, all-conquering-force, divine-command, invocation
The seer
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja Bārhaspatya
- Lineage
- Bharadvāja
- Other hymns
- RV 6.19, RV 6.20, RV 6.16, RV 6.17, RV 6.18
Family tradition
Bārhaspatya (Angirasa line associated with Bṛhaspati: inspired speech, priestly fire, and the conquest of the hidden Light)
Significance
Bharadvāja’s Indra-hymns emphasize the psychology of victory: illumination allied with force, breaking coverings, releasing the inner waters and rays. The seer’s tone is practical—invocation for immediate inner aid (iha) and progressive increase (vāvṛdhānam).
The deity
- Devata
- Indra (with Maruts as associated powers)
- Epithets
- vृषभ (bull of power), viśvāsah (all-conquering), ugra (fierce), sahodā (giver of might), purandara (implicit: breaker of fortresses/obstacles)
- Related deities
- Maruts, Agni, Bṛhaspati, Soma, Viṣṇu
Cosmic role
Champion of the gods who establishes victorious order by breaking the coverer and releasing light, waters, and wide being.
Inner power
Illumined intelligence with executive force—decisive insight that can act, command, and conquer resistance with the help of energized impulses (Maruts).
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-stotra within Soma-yajña sequences (general Indra praise; also applicable in victory/protection rites)
म॒रुत्व॑न्तं वृष॒भं वा॑वृधा॒नमक॑वारिं दि॒व्यं शा॒समिन्द्र॑म् । वि॒श्वा॒साह॒मव॑से॒ नूत॑नायो॒ग्रं स॑हो॒दामि॒ह तं हु॑वेम ॥
म॒रुत्व॑न्तम् । वृ॒ष॒भम् । व॒वृ॒धा॒नम् । अक॑वऽअरिम् । दि॒व्यम् । शा॒सम् । इन्द्र॑म् । वि॒श्व॒ऽसह॑म् । अव॑से । नूत॑नाय । उ॒ग्रम् । स॒हः॒ऽदाम् । इ॒ह । तम् । हु॒वे॒म॒ ॥
marutvantam | vṛṣabham | vavṛdhānam | akava-arim | divyam | śāsam | indram | viśva-saham | avase | nūtanāya | ugram | sahaḥ-dām | iha | tam | huvema
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4 pādas of ~11 syllables each
Driving, expansive, suited to heroic invocation and forward surge
Builds courage and momentum; supports a ‘breakthrough’ feeling—good for energizing concentration and calling decisive inner force.
- इन्द्र (indra)
- Literal: Indra, lord of heaven, wielder of thunderbolt. Symbolic: Divine Mind/illumination-power that conquers obscurity
- मरुत्वन्तम् (marutvantam)
- Literal: accompanied by the Maruts. Symbolic: Mind-force supported by purified life-energies and inspirations
- वृषभम् (vṛṣabham)
- Literal: bull. Symbolic: Virile power, steadfast strength, masterful dynamism
- ववृधानम् (vāvṛdhānam)
- Literal: ever increasing. Symbolic: Growing consciousness through repeated ascent and descent of force
- दिव्यं शासम् (divyaṃ śāsam)
- Literal: divine command/rule. Symbolic: Intuitive law (ṛta’s directive) guiding the inner sacrifice
- विश्वासाहम् (viśvāsāham)
- Literal: all-conquering. Symbolic: Capacity to overcome every resistance in the nature
- नूतनाय (nūtanāya)
- Literal: new. Symbolic: Fresh descent of help appropriate to the next inner step
- उग्रम् (ugram)
- Literal: fierce, formidable. Symbolic: Forceful intensity required to break entrenched inertia
- सहःदाम् (saho-dām)
- Literal: giver of might. Symbolic: Bestower of spiritual energy and victorious endurance
Invocation of Indra-Marut complex in Soma ritual; calling the god ‘here’ to act as avas (fostering help).
During Soma pressing and offering cycles; also as a protective invocation before demanding undertakings
Recitation to invite Indra’s presence and power; offering of Soma/oblations accompanied by stotra
Use as a mantra of inner courage: before meditation, difficult conversations, exams, or when overcoming lethargy and self-doubt.
marutvant ‘possessing Maruts’ links Indra to the dynamic life-powers. śāsa (from √śās ‘to command, instruct’) is the divine governance aligning action with Ṛta. sahas (might) from √sah ‘to prevail, be strong’—sahaḥ-dā ‘giver of prevailing force’.
divine governance (śāsa) as Ṛta in action, renewal (nūtana) of the helping power
Indra’s ‘divine command’ is read as the operative law of ṛta directing the inner sacrifice.
Victory is not mere dominance but truth’s triumph over confusion and falsehood.
Progressive increase (vāvṛdhānam) as continual becoming—new help for new stages (nūtanāya).
Proto-Vedāntic / Integral (Aurobindonian) reading: gods as powers of consciousness.
Storm-winds become uplifted prāṇic currents; the bull is concentrated strength; ‘heavenly command’ is intuitive guidance descending into mind.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The Indra-Marut coalition: the king-force (Indra) supported by the storm-host (Maruts) to enact irresistible conquest—an archetype of coordinated powers overcoming obstruction.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √sah ‘prevail’ has Indo-Iranian cognacy (Av. sah- ‘be strong’) and likely reflects an inherited IE strength/overcoming root. The epithet structure (compound epithets stacking attributes) is typical of archaic IE praise poetry.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi calls Indra ‘here’ as a present operative force, not distant myth. Indra’s ‘divine command’ is sought as an ordering power within the seeker’s action, while the Maruts signify the uplifted life-energies that accompany the descent of might.
Invoke illumined decisiveness: ‘May the higher Mind command my energies.’
maṇipūra (will/force) with support to ājñā (clarity/command)
Moderate, steady inhalation with a slightly forceful exhale on ‘ugram/saho-dām’ phrases; avoid strain
Energized concentration (dharana) moving toward confident surrender to higher guidance
Before practice, sit upright; feel scattered impulses (Maruts) gathering behind a single luminous intention (Indra). Repeat until a ‘firm yes’ arises in the will, then proceed in silence.
Follow Rigvedic accent: udatta on marked syllables; svarita as falling glide after udatta; anudatta as low support (exact śākhā patterns vary).
Keep the main lift on ‘índram’, ‘viśvāsāhám’, ‘nū́tanāya’, ‘úgram’; let svarita glide be audible but not exaggerated.
: ‘marut-vantam’ (clear t-v), : retroflex ‘ṛ’, soft ‘ṣ’, : ‘va-vṛ-dhā-nam’ (do not swallow ‘dhā’), : long ‘ā’, : visarga as light echo before ‘d’
Bright, forward, chest-supported with clear consonants; end each pāda with a controlled release.
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