Rig Veda 7.18.19: Mandala 7, Sukta 18, Mantra 19
Sukta 7.18
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
आवदिन्द्रं यमुना तृत्सवश्च प्रात्र भेदं सर्वताता मुषायत् । अजासश्च शिग्रवो यक्षवश्च बलिं शीर्षाणि जभ्रुरश्व्यानि ॥
ā́vad índraṁ yamúnā tṛ́tsavaś ca prā́tra bhedáṁ sarvátātā muṣāyat | ajā́saś ca śígravo yákṣavaś ca balíṁ śīrṣā́ṇi jabhrur áśvyāni ||
यमुना और त्र्त्सु लोगों ने इंद्र की मदद ली। यहाँ सर्वताता ने दुश्मन का तोड़ने का रास्ता चीन लिया। अज, शिग्रु और यक्षु लोगों ने अपना सामान दिया। अपने सर और घोड़े दे के वो सब जीतने वाले के पास आ गए।
Word by Word
- आवत्
- he helped / protectedVerbलुङ् (अorist), परस्मैपद, 3 पुरुष, एकवचनRole Kriyā (मुख्य क्रिया)Root अव् (रक्षण-गत्यर्थ) / अव (प्रत्यव-रक्षण) धातु
- इन्द्रम्
- IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- यमुनाः
- of the YamunāNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (वैदिक रूप: -आः = -आयाः)Role सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)Root यमुना (नदी-नाम, प्रातिपदिक)
- तृत्सवः
- the TṛtsusNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot तृत्सु (जन/गोत्र-नाम, प्रातिपदिक)
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चयार्थक अव्ययRoot च (निपात)
- प्रातर्
- early / in the morningIndeclinableकालवाचक अव्ययRole Adhikaraṇa (काल)Root प्रातर् (अव्यय)
- भेदम्
- a breach / splitNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot भेद (प्रातिपदिक; √भिद् ‘to split’ से)
- सर्वताताः
- of the all-spreading (host/force)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (वैदिक रूप: -आः = -आयाः)Role सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)Root सर्वताति (प्रातिपदिक; ‘सर्व-ताति’ = सर्वत्र-प्रसार/व्याप्ति)
- मुषायत्
- he stole / carried offVerbइम्पर्फेक्ट (लङ्), परस्मैपद, 3 पुरुष, एकवचनRole Kriyā (सहायक क्रिया)Root मुष् (स्तेय/हरण)
- अजासः
- the AjāsNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot अज (प्रातिपदिक; ‘अज’ = बकरा/अज-जन)
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चयार्थक अव्ययRoot च (निपात)
- शिग्रवः
- the ŚigravasNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot शिग्रु/शिग्रव (जन-नाम, प्रातिपदिक)
- यक्षवः
- the YakṣavasNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot यक्षु/यक्षव (जन-नाम, प्रातिपदिक)
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चयार्थक अव्ययRoot च (निपात)
- बलिम्
- tribute / offeringNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot बलि (प्रातिपदिक)
- शीर्षाणि
- heads (as trophies)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole Karma (बलि-विशेषणार्थ समास/सम्बन्ध)Root शीर्षन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- जभ्रुः
- they bore / carriedVerbपरफेक्ट (लिट्), परस्मैपद, 3 पुरुष, बहुवचनRole KriyāRoot भृ (धारण/हरण) with reduplication (ज-भृ)
- अश्व्यानि
- pertaining to horses / horse(-like)Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole Karma (शीर्षाणि-विशेषण)Root अश्व्य (अश्व-सम्बन्धी; प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- Resolved Vedic sandhi/pada-splitting: आव॒दिन्द्रं॑ → आवत् + इन्द्रम्
- य॒मुना॒ तृत्स॑वश्च → यमुनाः + तृत्सवः + च (यमुनाः is Vedic gen.sg. for यमुनायाः)
- प्रात्र॑ → प्रातर् (final -r before pause)
- स॒र्वता॑ता → सर्वताताः (Vedic gen.sg. -आः)
- मुषायत् taken as लङ् 3sg of √मुष्
- अ॒जास॑श्च॒ शिग्र॑वो॒ यक्ष॑वश्च → अजासः + च + शिग्रवः + यक्षवः + च
- जभ्रु॒रश्व्या॑नि → जभ्रुः + अश्व्यानि
The meaning
Outer meaning
Yamunā and the striving Tṛtsus brought Indra’s help; here Sarvatātā stole away the ‘breaking’ from the foe. The Ajās, Śigrus, and Yakṣus brought tribute—heads and swift horse-powers.
Inner meaning
The river Yamunā symbolizes a flowing current of consciousness that supports the Tṛtsus—the striving forces of right effort—bringing Indra’s aid. Sarvatātā ‘steals the bheda’: takes away from the hostile the means of division/breaking—i.e., removes the enemy’s power to fracture the seeker’s unity. The named tribes become inner formations: forces that once opposed now yield bali (tribute), offering their ‘heads’ (governing mental attitudes) and aśvya (horse-powers: vital energies) to the victorious ṛta-order. What was scattered is subordinated to the illumined leadership.
Universal truth
When the current of consciousness and sincere striving align with illumination, divisive powers lose their leverage, and formerly rebellious energies are converted into offerings for the higher order.
Themes
allies-aid-indra, tribute-surrender, horse-power-acquired
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha (Maitrāvaruṇa lineage)
- Other hymns
- RV 7.18.1-25 (battle narrative frame), RV 7.33 (waters and flows)
Family tradition
The Vasiṣṭha tradition often converts tribal/battle imagery into a map of inner forces brought under the kingly law of ṛta.
Significance
Shows the yogic conversion: supportive currents and striving bring divine aid; divisive power is removed; energies submit as offerings.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Sahasrabāhu (many-armed, later epithet; conceptually many-powered), Maghavan, Vṛtrahan
- Related deities
- Sarasvatī (inspirational river), Maruts (striving storm-forces), Agni
Cosmic role
Responds to aligned striving, secures victory, and receives the surrendered powers as part of the divine order.
Inner power
Unifier and commander: removes the enemy’s divisive leverage and converts vital forces into disciplined power.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra stotra linked to victory and securing allies/tributes; Soma context in the broader hymn.
आव॒दिन्द्रं॑ य॒मुना॒ तृत्स॑वश्च॒ प्रात्र॑ भे॒दं स॒र्वता॑ता मुषायत् । अ॒जास॑श्च॒ शिग्र॑वो॒ यक्ष॑वश्च ब॒लिं शी॒र्षाणि॑ जभ्रु॒रश्व्या॑नि ॥
आव॑त् । इन्द्र॑म् । य॒मुना॑ । तृत्स॑वः । च॒ । प्र । अत्र॑ । भे॒दम् । स॒र्वऽता॑ता । मु॒षा॒य॒त् । अ॒जासः॑ । च॒ । शिग्र॑वः । यक्ष॑वः । च॒ । ब॒लिम् । शी॒र्षाणि॑ । ज॒भ्रुः॒ । अश्व्या॑नि ॥
āvat | indram | yamunā | tṛtsavaḥ | ca | pra | atra | bhedam | sarva-tātā | muṣāyat | ajāsaḥ | ca | śigravaḥ | yakṣavaḥ | ca | balim | śīrṣāṇi | jabhruḥ | aśvyāni
44
4×11
Narrative-forward with clear proper-noun beats; feels like a procession of forces converging.
Creates a sense of gathering support and consolidation; good for integrating scattered energies.
- यमुना (yamunā)
- Literal: Yamunā river. Symbolic: a supportive flow of consciousness/inspiration; life-current aiding progress
- तृत्सवः (tṛtsavaḥ)
- Literal: Tṛtsus (a people). Symbolic: striving powers of the being; disciplined effort toward victory
- भेदम् (bhedam)
- Literal: breaking, division. Symbolic: principle of division that splits consciousness and weakens will
- सर्वताताः (sarvatātā)
- Literal: Sarvatātā (name). Symbolic: integral totality-force that ‘steals’ division; restores wholeness
- बलिम् (balim)
- Literal: tribute, offering. Symbolic: converted energies offered to the higher consciousness
- शीर्षाणि (śīrṣāṇi)
- Literal: heads. Symbolic: mental leadership, governing ideas surrendered to truth
- अश्व्यानि (aśvyāni)
- Literal: horse-related, swift steeds. Symbolic: vital energies and action-forces harnessed for the divine work
Victory narrative supporting Indra’s praise; used to affirm divine assistance and acquisition of ‘bali’ (offerings/energies) for the sacrificer
In praises recalling Indra’s aid to the sacrificer/king; for success in collective endeavors.
Commemorative praise to stabilize victory and ensure continued support of powers/resources.
For teamwork and integration: invoke inner unity, remove divisive tendencies, and align energies toward a shared goal.
yamunā as ‘twin/dark’ river name is traditionally geographic; symbolically treated as a current of life-force aiding Indra. muṣāyat from √muṣ ‘to steal’ indicates removal of a strategic capability (‘bheda’) from hostile hands. aśva ‘horse’ commonly symbolizes dynamic force/energy.
redistribution of power according to ṛta, discriminative division (bheda) as a tool of truth
‘Stealing away division’ is restoration of ṛta’s unity against forces of fragmentation.
Surrender of ‘heads’ signifies submission of thought to truth.
Conversion rather than annihilation: energies are re-ordered into the cosmic harmony.
Integral Yoga: transformation of hostile/vital forces into instruments of the Divine.
River = stream of consciousness and grace; horses = dynamic life-force; tribute = converted energy offered upward.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Rivers and allied powers aiding the storm-god, followed by tribute from subdued groups: a mythic pattern of cosmic forces aligning with Indra so that hostile or neutral energies become offerings to the victorious order.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- River-as-power and horse-as-force are common IE poetic symbols. The ‘tribute’ motif (bali) parallels heroic economies of surrender and redistribution seen across Indo-European traditions.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi frames victory as a coordinated inner ecology: currents (Yamunā) and expansive aid (Sarvatātā) support Indra, resulting in surrendered energies (aśva-force, ‘heads’) that become resources for the sacrificer’s ordered growth.
Integration: let the inner ‘river’ carry aspiration; remove divisive self-talk; offer mental leadership and vital energy to the higher will.
Svādhiṣṭhāna (flow) harmonized with Maṇipūra (directed force)
Flow-breath: inhale as a smooth stream up the spine; exhale offering scattered energies into a central flame of will.
Collected, harmonized, cooperative.
Notice where you split yourself (conflicting desires, double intentions). On recitation, imagine the ‘bheda’ taken away; then dedicate one concrete action-force (aśva) to your highest aim.
Keep proper names steady; udatta prominence often on इन्द्रम् and key action verbs (आवत्, मुषायत्, जभ्रुः).
Do not rush lists of tribes; articulate each name distinctly with a slight micro-pause.
(yamunā): clear ya-, long ā, (muṣāyat): retroflex ṣ, long ā, (śīrṣāṇi): śīr with long ī, retroflex ṣ, (aśvyāni): cluster śvy cleanly
Narrative, confident, integrating.
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