Rig Veda 6.22.10: Mandala 6, Sukta 22, Mantra 10
Sukta 6.22
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja Bārhaspatya
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
आ संयतमिन्द्र णः स्वस्तिं शत्रुतूर्याय बृहतीममृध्राम् । यया दासान्यार्याणि वृत्रा करो वज्रिन्त्सुतुका नाहुषाणि ॥
ā saṃyátam indra ṇaḥ svastíṃ śatru-tū́ryāya bṛhatī́m amṛ́dhrām | yayā dāsā́ny ā́ryāṇi vṛtrā́ káraḥ vajrin sutúkā nā́huṣāṇi ||
इंद्र, हमारे लिए ऐसी शक्ति ला जो बड़ी हो और धोखा न दे। दुश्मनों पर जीत दिलाए। वज्र वाले, अंधेरी चीज़ें और रास्ते में आने वाले सब कुछ दूर कर दे। ताकि हम आगे बढ़ के जीत सकें।
Word by Word
- आ
- towards; hitherIndeclinableupasarga (preverb)Root आ (upasarga)
- संयतम्
- well-restrained; well-directed; well-orderedAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (agreeing with स्वस्तिम)Role Karma (qualifier of the object ‘svastim’)Root सम् + यम् (धातु) → संयत (ppp)
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole Sambodhana (addressed deity)Root इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- नः
- our; of usPronounषष्ठी, बहुवचन (enclitic) = ‘of us/our’Role Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (possessor/relational)Root अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
- स्वस्तिम्
- well-being; welfare; blessingNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole Karma (object to be brought)Root स्वस्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
- शत्रुतूर्याय
- for the overcoming of enemies; for enemy-conquestNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (goal-noun), चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole Sampradāna (purpose/for the sake of)Root शत्रु-तूर्य (प्रातिपदिक; tatpuruṣa)
- बृहतीम्
- great; lofty; expansiveAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (agreeing with स्वस्तिम)Role Karma (qualifier of the object)Root बृहती (प्रातिपदिक)
- अमृध्राम्
- unharming; unassailable; not to be injuredAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (agreeing with स्वस्तिम)Role Karma (qualifier of the object)Root अमृध्र (a- + मृध्र ‘harmful/hostile’; prātipadika)
- यया
- by whichPronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (instrumental) referring to ‘स्वस्ति’Role Karaṇa (instrument/means)Root यद् (relative pronoun)
- दासान्
- Dāsas; hostile tribes/foesNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole Karma (object of करोः)Root दास (प्रातिपदिक)
- आर्याणि
- Aryan (peoples); the noble onesAdjective (substantivized)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole Karma (second object/complement with करोः: ‘make … into …’)Root आर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- वृत्रा
- obstacles; Vṛtra-like foesNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (Vedic form; ‘obstacles/enclosers’)Role Karma (appositional/parallel object with दासान्)Root वृत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- करोः
- you make; you renderVerbलट् (present), परस्मैपद, उत्तम? → actually 2nd person singular (मध्यम), ‘thou makest/doest’Role Kriyā (verbal action); governs objectsRoot कृ (धातु)
- वज्रिन्
- O wielder of the thunderboltNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole Sambodhana (addressed epithet of Indra)Root वज्रिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- सुतुकाः
- well-impelled; well-driven; well-hasteningAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (predicate/attribute of the made-into group) অথবা as accusative plural by Vedic fluctuation; taken as nominative predicateRole Karma-sāmānādhikaraṇa (predicative complement)Root सु-तुक (प्रातिपदिक; su- + tuká)
- नाहुषाणि
- Nāhuṣa (people/tribes); Nāhuṣa-onesNoun/Adjective (ethnonym)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (ethnic/tribal name; ‘Nāhuṣa-ones’)Role Karma (object/complement with करोः; parallel to आर्याणि)Root नाहुष (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (Vedic sandhi resolved): आ | संयतम् | इन्द्र | नः | स्वस्तिम् | शत्रुतूर्याय | बृहतीम् | अमृध्राम् | यया | दासान् | आर्याणि | वृत्रा | करोः | वज्रिन् | सुतुकाः | नाहुषाणि । प्रमुख संधि: (1) इन्द्र णः → इन्द्र नः (retroflexion/phonetic assimilation in saṃhitā)
- (2) वज्रिन्त्सुतुका → वज्रिन् सुतुकाः (final -न् + initial स- gives saṃhitā cluster -nts-)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra is asked to come and yoke for us a vast, undeceiving well-being for overcoming hostile powers; by it he should make Dasa and Arya ‘vṛtrā’ into things easily driven away, so the Arya may advance in victory.
Inner meaning
The seeker calls Indra to harness (saṃ-yatam) a ‘bṛhatī svasti’—a wide, true welfare-state of consciousness—for the inner battle. ‘Hostile powers’ are thoughts, desires, and forces that oppose growth. Dāsa formations symbolize dark, dividing, unconscious tendencies; even within the Arya nature there can be vṛtra-like resistances (habitual coverings) that block progress. Indra’s vajra-force is asked to convert these resistances into ‘sutukā’—easily propelled away—so the noble soul-nature can move forward steadily.
Universal truth
Lasting well-being is not comfort but a wide truth-aligned condition that empowers victory over inner resistance. Even aspirants carry obstructions; illumination must make them manageable and removable.
Themes
svasti (well-being), overcoming hostile forces, Vṛtra as obstruction, expansion (bṛhat)
The seer
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja Bārhaspatya
- Lineage
- Bharadvāja-gotra
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 6.22.1-11 (context of victory and right powers)
Family tradition
Bharadvāja hymns repeatedly seek ‘bṛhat’ wideness and victorious advance of the Arya through Indra’s aid.
Significance
The seer’s psychology is nuanced: not only ‘others’ but even Arya movements can become vṛtra-like; hence the need for an undeceiving (amṛdhra) well-being grounded in truth.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra (Vajrin)
- Epithets
- Vajrin, Maghavan (bounteous—contextual in neighboring verses), Śatrutūra (enemy-overcomer—functional epithet)
- Related deities
- Maruts (battle energies), Agni (leader of inner sacrifice), Soma (delight sustaining victory)
Cosmic role
Champion who makes the path wide and safe; transforms conflict into forward movement.
Inner power
Power of victorious illumination that converts heavy resistance into manageable energy and clears the road for the soul-nature.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra invocation for victory/protection within Soma ritual sequences; also applicable to rites seeking success against obstacles.
आ सं॒यत॑मिन्द्र णः स्व॒स्तिं श॑त्रु॒तूर्या॑य बृह॒तीममृ॑ध्राम् । यया॒ दासा॒न्यार्या॑णि वृ॒त्रा करो॑ वज्रिन्त्सु॒तुका॒ नाहु॑षाणि ॥
आ । स॒म्ऽयत॑म् । इ॒न्द्र॒ । नः॒ । स्व॒स्तिम् । श॒त्रु॒ऽतूर्या॑य । बृ॒ह॒तीम् । अमृ॑ध्राम् । यया॑ । दासा॑नि । आर्या॑णि । वृ॒त्रा । करः॑ । व॒ज्रि॒न् । सु॒ऽतुका॑ । नाहु॑षाणि ॥
ā | sam-yatam | indra | ṇaḥ | svastim | śatru-tūryāya | bṛhatīm | amṛdhrām | yayā | dāsāni | āryāṇi | vṛtrā | karaḥ | vajrin | su-tukā | nāhuṣāṇi
44
4 × ~11
Forward-thrusting, exhortative; suitable for ‘yoking’ and ‘overcoming’.
Instills wideness and courage; the long vowels in bṛhatīm/amṛdhrām support a feeling of stable expansiveness.
- आ सं॒यत॑म् (ā saṃyatam)
- Literal: come, yoke/prepare. Symbolic: gather and harness the powers of consciousness for sādhanā
- स्वस्तिम् (svastim)
- Literal: well-being, welfare. Symbolic: right state of being—integral harmony supporting progress
- शत्रुतूर्याय (śatrutūryāya)
- Literal: for overcoming enemies. Symbolic: for conquering inner hostile formations
- बृहतीम् (bṛhatīm)
- Literal: vast, wide. Symbolic: expansive consciousness, wideness that defeats constriction
- अमृध्राम् (amṛdhrām)
- Literal: undeceiving, unfailing. Symbolic: truth-secure guidance, not distorted by desire or fear
- दासानि (dāsāni)
- Literal: Dasa things/forces. Symbolic: dark, unconscious impulses; servile automatisms
- आर्याणि (āryāṇi)
- Literal: Aryan/noble things. Symbolic: aspiring movements that can still carry resistances needing purification
- वृत्रा (vṛtrā)
- Literal: coverings/obstructions. Symbolic: the coverer—subconscient resistance, inertia, denial
- वज्रिन् (vajrin)
- Literal: wielder of vajra. Symbolic: one who applies decisive discrimination-force
- सु-तुका (su-tukā)
- Literal: easily driven/impelled away. Symbolic: resistances rendered light, tractable, removable by illumination
Soma pressing and victory-prayers (svasti) for the sacrificer; general Indra-stotra usage in Śrauta Soma rites
Before/around offerings and recitations calling Indra’s help for conquest of adversities.
Chanted as a request to ‘yoke’ Indra’s aid—symbolically harnessing power for the rite and sacrificer.
As a mantra for overcoming anxiety, procrastination, and hostile inner narratives; used before challenging work or transitions.
svasti = su- + asti (√as 'to be'): 'good existence' → inner stability and beneficent harmony. vṛtra from √vṛ 'cover' → psychological 'coverings' that obstruct the flow of light/force. sam-yatam from √yam 'to hold, rein in, yoke' → disciplined harnessing of energies. bṛhat from √bṛh 'to grow, expand' → wideness of consciousness (bṛhat as a key Vedic spiritual term).
Arya vs Dāsa as inner polarity (knowledge vs ignorance), R̥ta-supported victory: harmony enabling right conquest
Victory is restoration of r̥ta in the moving nature; svasti is r̥ta’s felt harmony.
Amṛdhra svasti implies satya-guided well-being—truth that does not mislead.
Evolutionary advance: the Arya nature moves forward when coverings are broken and energies are rightly yoked.
Integral yoga lens: wideness (bṛhat) as key condition for transformation and conquest of subconscient resistance.
Yoking = gathering scattered energies; path = life-journey of sādhanā; enemies = obstructive thought-forms and vital impulses.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The battle-victory mythologem: Indra is asked to yoke a 'vast, unfailing svasti' for śatru-tūrya (enemy-overcoming). Vṛtra is generalized into plural obstructions (vṛtrā), indicating the many coverings that impede the Arya advance.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- svasti (su-asti) preserves the archaic compounding of 'good' + 'being' (PIE *h₁es- 'to be'). ārya- is Indo-Iranian social-religious vocabulary; the paired opposition with dāsa- shows inherited poetic antithesis (light vs dark) typical of Indo-European hymn rhetoric.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The ṛṣi requests a concrete inner boon: not mere external victory but a 'bṛhatī amṛdhrā svasti'—a wide, unwavering state. In exchange, the hymn offers directed intention (ā…sam-yatam) that invites Indra’s disciplined intervention, turning resistances into easily expelled formations.
Invoke ‘bṛhatī svasti’—rest in wideness; then apply vajra-like discernment to identify and release resistances.
Anāhata (wideness/expansion) supported by Maṇipūra (victorious will).
Slow inhale imagining wideness in the chest; exhale releasing ‘coverings’ down and away; chant on the exhale.
Expansive courage; calm readiness for inner battle.
After 9 repetitions, name one ‘vṛtra’ (habit/avoidance) and offer it into the inner light; take one concrete action immediately after practice to embody ‘sutukā’ (easily driven away).
Rigvedic tri-svara; verify with accent-marked text for exact udatta placements.
Elongate bṛhatīm and amṛdhrām slightly to convey wideness and certainty; keep consonants crisp in śatrutūryāya.
: saṃ with nasalization; y as glide, : retroflex ṭ not present; but keep tr cluster clear, : ṛ vowel; dhra cluster, : final n dental, : long ā; ṣ retroflex
Uplifting, steady, forward-driving; avoid strain.
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