Rig Veda 6.23.6: Mandala 6, Sukta 23, Mantra 6
Sukta 6.23
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja Bārhaspatya
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
ब्रह्माणि हि चकृषे वर्धनानि तावत्त इन्द्र मतिभिर्विविष्मः । सुते सोमे सुतपाः शंतमानि राण्ड्या क्रियास्म वक्षणानि यज्ञैः ॥
bráhmāṇi hí cakṛṣé várdhanāni tā́vat te indra matí-bhir viviṣmaḥ | suté sóme suta-pāḥ śáṃ-tamāni rā́ṇḍyā kriyāsma vákṣaṇāni yajñáiḥ ||
तूने मंत्र को स्ट्रॉंग बनाया है। इसलिए हम अपने दिल से इंद्र को चूज़ करते हैं। इंद्र, जो सोम पीता है, तू यज्ञ के थ्रू हमारे लिए शांति और सुख बना। हमें आगे बढ़ने का पावर दे।
Word by Word
- ब्रह्माणि
- sacred formulations, hymnsNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- हि
- indeed, forIndeclinableनिपात (अव्यय)Root हि
- चकृषे
- you have madeVerbलिट् (परिपूर्ण/परफेक्ट); मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचन; आत्मनेपदRoot कृ (धातु)
- वर्धनानि
- strengthenings, means of increaseNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot वर्धन (प्रातिपदिक; √वृध्-णिच्/वर्ध् से)
- तावत्
- so far, to that extentIndeclinableपरिमाण/अवधारणार्थ अव्ययRoot तावत्
- ते
- for you / to youPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी; एकवचन (एन्क्लिटिक रूप)Role SampradānaRoot त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन; एकवचनRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- मतिभिः
- with thoughts, with hymnic inspirationsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया; बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot मति (प्रातिपदिक)
- विविष्मः
- we have sought/approached (you)Verbलिट् (परफेक्ट); उत्तमपुरुष; बहुवचन; परस्मैपदRoot √विष्/√विश् (धातु; ‘सेव्/प्रवेश्/आश्रय’—वेदे ‘विविष्’ = ‘उपसेव्/प्राप्’)
- सुते
- when the Soma is pressed / in the pressed (Soma)Noun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot सुत (कृदन्त; √सु ‘अभिषव’ → सुत ‘pressed’)
- सोमे
- in SomaNounपुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
- सुतपाः
- O well-ardent/strongly-heated oneAdjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन/प्रथमा; एकवचनRoot सुतपा (प्रातिपदिक; सु-तपस् ‘good-heat/strong-austerity’)
- शंतमानि
- most beneficent (things), best blessingsAdjective (substantivized)नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot शंतम (प्रातिपदिक; शम् + तम)
- राण्ड्या
- with want/poverty (i.e., in a state of lack)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया; एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot राण्ड्या (प्रातिपदिक; ‘राण्ड्य’ = अभाव/दैन्य/असमृद्धि ‘want, lack’)
- क्रियास्म
- may we do / let us performVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ/विधिलिङ्-सदृश प्रयोग); उत्तमपुरुष; बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; एन्क्लिटिक -स्मRoot √कृ (धातु)
- वक्षणानि
- aids, means of conveyance/bringing (supports)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot वक्षण (प्रातिपदिक; √वह्/√वक्ष् ‘वह/वह्नि’—वेदे ‘वक्षण’ = ‘वाहन/वहन-शक्ति, aids’)
- यज्ञैः
- by sacrifices, with ritesNounपुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया; बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धि-विग्रह): ब्रह्माणि | हि | चकृषे | वर्धनानि | तावत् | ते | इन्द्र | मतिभिः | विविष्मः || सुते | सोमे | सुतपाः | शंतमानि | राण्ड्या | क्रियास्म | वक्षणानि | यज्ञैः || 1) ‘तावत्त’ = तावत् + ते (व्यञ्जन-सन्धि: त् + त् → त्त)
- 2) ‘मतिभिर्विविष्मः’ = मतिभिः + विविष्मः (विसर्ग-सन्धि: ः + व् → र्)
- 3) ‘सुते सोमे’ इति पदद्वयम् (सप्तमी-द्विवचनार्थक-समासभावः न; केवलं समानाधिकरण-सप्तमी)
- 4) ‘क्रियास्म’ = क्रियास् + स्म (एन्क्लिटिक ‘स्म’ योग; पदान्तस् स्थिर)
The meaning
Outer meaning
You have made the mantras indeed as strengthenings; therefore, O Indra, we choose you with our thoughts. O drinker of pressed Soma, by the sacrifices make for us the most peace-giving prosperities and rich enjoyments that carry us forward.
Inner meaning
Indra himself is seen as the shaper of brahma—mantras that are ‘vardhanāni’, forces of increase. Therefore the seeker chooses Indra by matis (directed thoughts, intentions, luminous understandings). Nourished by Soma, Indra is asked to create through yajña (consecrated action) the most peace-bearing prosperities: stable inner harmonies and forward-carrying enjoyments (vakṣaṇāni) that support the journey—joys not of bondage but of growth and wideness.
Universal truth
Mantra is not mere sound but a formative power of consciousness. When thought is aligned with illumination and action is consecrated, prosperity becomes peace-giving and enjoyment becomes a vehicle of progress rather than distraction.
Themes
mantra as strengthening, peace-bestowing abundance, sacrifice as inner method
The seer
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja Bārhaspatya
- Lineage
- Bharadvāja
- Other hymns
- RV 6.23, RV 6.24
Family tradition
Mantra-centered Aṅgirasa approach: brahma as a created power, strengthened through yajña and directed mati.
Significance
The rishi explicitly teaches the psychology of mantra: Indra ‘made’ brahma as strengthenings—suggesting a law of consciousness where higher powers shape speech-thought for transformation.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Sutapā (Soma-drinker), Vardhana-kṛt (maker of strengthenings, implied)
- Related deities
- Soma, Agni, Bṛhaspati
Cosmic role
Empowers mantra and thought, then grants peace-giving prosperities through yajña—ordering life under illumination.
Inner power
Illumined intelligence that converts delight into stable peace and forward-moving enjoyment; organizer of prosperous harmony.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-Soma praise within Soma yajña; prayer for śam (peace) and prosperity as ritual fruit.
ब्रह्मा॑णि॒ हि च॑कृ॒षे वर्ध॑नानि॒ ताव॑त्त इन्द्र म॒तिभि॑र्विविष्मः । सु॒ते सोमे॑ सुतपा॒: शंत॑मानि॒ राण्ड्या॑ क्रियास्म॒ वक्ष॑णानि य॒ज्ञैः ॥
ब्रह्मा॑णि । हि । च॒कृ॒षे । वर्ध॑नानि । ताव॑त् । ते॒ । इ॒न्द्र॒ । म॒तिऽभिः॑ । वि॒वि॒ष्मः॒ । सु॒ते । सोमे॑ । सु॒त॒ऽपाः॒ । शम्ऽत॑मानि । रान्द्र्या॑ । क्रि॒या॒स्म॒ । वक्ष॑णानि । य॒ज्ञैः ॥
brahmāṇi | hi | cakṛṣe | vardhanāni | tāvat | te | indra | mati-bhiḥ | viviṣmaḥ | sute | some | suta-pāḥ | śam-tamāni | rāndryā | kriyāsma | vakṣaṇāni | yajñaiḥ
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4 × ~11
Grave and beneficent; strong base with a soothing resolution in the request for śaṃtamāni.
Stabilizes and reassures; integrates strength with peace, helping the listener feel supported and carried forward.
- ब्रह्माणि (brahmāṇi)
- Literal: mantras, sacred formulations. Symbolic: word-powers that shape and increase consciousness
- वर्धनानि (vardhanāni)
- Literal: strengthenings, increasings. Symbolic: growth-forces: expansions of light, force, and capacity
- मतिभिः (matibhiḥ)
- Literal: by thoughts. Symbolic: directed consciousness, right intention, illumined understanding
- सुतपाः (sutapāḥ)
- Literal: drinker of pressed Soma. Symbolic: illumined power that absorbs delight and turns it into strength and peace
- शंतमानि (śaṃtamāni)
- Literal: most peace-giving. Symbolic: deep harmonies in mind-life-body; sattvic stability under divine influence
- वक्ष॑णानि (vakṣaṇāni)
- Literal: things that carry/bring forward; enjoyments. Symbolic: supportive enjoyments/energies that bear the seeker onward without binding
- यज्ञैः (yajñaiḥ)
- Literal: by sacrifices. Symbolic: consecrated works and offerings; disciplined life-practice
Soma liturgy: mantra as vardhana; request for śam (peace) and rāṇḍyā (abundance) through yajña
After/around Soma offering when boons are requested—prosperity and peace for sacrificer community.
Chant with offering and concluding prayer; mentally dedicate actions (yajña) for peace-giving outcomes.
Evening recitation to convert the day’s effort into consecration; ask for peace-giving prosperity (not restless gain) and supportive enjoyments.
mati is a key RV term for luminous thought/mental formation (√man 'think' with semantic specialization). śam from √śam 'to pacify, make whole' → inner peace and integrality. yajña from √yaj 'to worship, sacrifice' → disciplined offering as inner act. vardhana from √vṛdh 'grow' again emphasizes mantra as force-increaser.
mati (directed thought) as means of choosing the divine, śam (peace/integrality) as fruit of right sacrifice
Prosperity becomes ‘śaṃtamāni’ when aligned with ṛta through yajña—right offering and right action.
Mantra as a created instrument of growth; peace and prosperity as outcomes of aligned consciousness.
Integral Yoga resonance: strength (Indra) must culminate in peace and harmonious enjoyment, not mere conquest.
Soma = bliss-force; yajña = disciplined transformation; prosperity = stable energies that ‘carry’ the being forward.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem of the 'mantra that strengthens': the brahmāṇi are themselves vardhanāni. The sacrifice is a technology where thought (mati) and word (brahman) increase the divine power, yielding śam (peace) and rāṇḍyā (abundant prosperities).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √man (mati) is a core Indo-European cognitive root (cf. Lat. mēns). √yaj is Indo-Iranian but participates in the wider PIE sacrificial lexicon of offering and praise; the conceptual triad thought-word-offering is a hallmark of archaic Indo-European religiosity.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The ṛṣi claims a method: by mati (conscious intention) he 'chooses' Indra; by yajña he asks Indra to 'make' the prosperities. The reciprocity is explicit—human mental and ritual discipline evokes divine formation of peace and forward-bearing fullness.
Rest in the sense that mantra is a strengthening force; invoke peace-giving prosperity (śam + śakti) rather than restless achievement.
Anāhata (peace/harmony) stabilized by Maṇipūra (strength) under Ājñā (right direction).
Slow coherent breathing ~5 breaths/min for 3 minutes while softly repeating ‘śaṃtamāni’.
Quiet strength, harmonious expansion.
After chanting, review one life-area where prosperity feels agitated; offer it inwardly as yajña; ask that enjoyment become ‘vakṣaṇa’—a carrier toward growth, not dispersion.
Keep accent integrity on ‘brahmāṇi’, ‘vardhanāni’, ‘matibhiḥ’, ‘sutapāḥ’, ‘śaṃtamāni’; let svarita fall gently to match śānta tone.
Stress the semantic pivots: (1) brahmāṇi…vardhanāni (affirmation), (2) matibhir viviṣmaḥ (choice), (3) śaṃtamāni…vakṣaṇāni (boon).
brahmāṇi: ‘āṇi’ with retroflex ṇ, cakṛṣe: pronounce ‘kṛ’ with syllabic ṛ, sutapāḥ: long āḥ at end, kriyāsma: conjunct ‘yā’ clear; avoid inserting extra vowel
Deep, soothing, steady; end phrases with a softened release.
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