Rig Veda 7.26.2: Mandala 7, Sukta 26, Mantra 2
Sukta 7.26
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
उक्थौक्थे सोम इन्द्रं ममाद नीथेनीथे मघवानं सुतासः । यदीं सबाधः पितरं न पुत्राः समानदक्षा अवसे हवन्ते ॥
ukthá-ukthe sóma índraṁ mamāda nī́the-nī́the maghávānaṁ sutā́saḥ | yad ī́ṁ sa-bā́dhaḥ pitáraṁ ná putrā́ḥ samāná-dakṣā́ aváse hávante ||
हर गाने के साथ सोम रस इन्द्र को खुश करता है। हर पूजा में वो देनेवाला बंदा खुश होता है। जब सब मिलकर पुकारते हैं, जैसे बेटे बाप को पुकारते हैं, तब वो सबकी मदद के लिए आता है।
Word by Word
- उक्थे
- in the hymn/chantNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकारणRoot उक्थ (प्रातिपदिक) < √वच् (स्तुति/उक्ति)
- उक्थे
- in (each) hymnNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकारणRoot उक्थ (प्रातिपदिक) < √वच्
- सोमः
- Soma (the pressed drink/deity)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot सोम (प्रातिपदिक) < √सु (सवन/प्रसव) / सोम-रस
- इन्द्रम्
- IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- ममाद
- has exhilarated / made (him) rejoiceVerbलिट् (परोक्स/परफेक्ट), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot √मद् (हर्षे/मदे)
- नीथे
- in the guiding (song)/leadership-chantNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकारणRoot नीथ (प्रातिपदिक) < √नी (नेतृत्व/नयन) (वेदिक: ‘नेतृ-स्तुति/मार्गदर्शन’)
- नीथे
- in (each) guiding chantNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकारणRoot नीथ (प्रातिपदिक) < √नी
- मघवानम्
- the bountiful one (Indra)Noun (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot मघवन् (प्रातिपदिक) ‘दानशील/समृद्ध’ (इन्द्र-विशेषण)
- सुतासः
- the pressed (Soma-drops)Adjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot सुत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) < √सु (सवने) ‘pressed’
- यत्
- when / sinceIndeclinable (relative)सम्बन्ध-निपात (यदा/यत् = ‘when/that’)Role सम्बन्धRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- ईम्
- indeed / himIndeclinableएन्क्लिटिक कण (emphatic/accusative particle)Root ईम् (निपात)
- सबाधः
- together / in a bodyAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot सबाध (प्रातिपदिक) ‘सहित-बाध/एकसाथ’
- पितरम्
- (their) fatherNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- न
- likeIndeclinableउपमा-निपातRoot न (निपात)
- पुत्राः
- sonsNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- समानदक्षाः
- of like intent/abilityAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot समान-दक्ष (समास; प्रातिपदिक) ‘एक-धिया/एक-शक्ति’
- अवसे
- for help / for protectionNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot अवस् (प्रातिपदिक) ‘सहाय्य/रक्षा’
- हवन्ते
- they call/invokeVerbलट्, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, आत्मनेपदRole क्रियाRoot √ह्वे (आह्वाने)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (मुख्य): उक्थे उक्थे | सोमः इन्द्रम् ममाद | नीथे नीथे | मघवानम् सुतासः || यत् ईम् | सबाधः | पितरम् न पुत्राः | समानदक्षाः | अवसे | हवन्ते || 1) उक्थौक्थे = उक्थे उक्थे (वेदिक द्विरुक्ति; औ/ओ-समाससदृश संधि-लेखन)
- 2) सोम इन्द्रम् → सोमः इन्द्रम् (विसर्ग लोप/पदपाठ में विसर्ग)
- 3) नीथेनीथे = नीथे नीथे (द्विरुक्ति)
- 5) यदीं = यत् + ईम् (त् + ई → दी; वेदिक संधि)
- 6) पितरं न = पितरम् न (अनुस्वार/म्-लेखन)
The meaning
Outer meaning
With hymn after hymn Soma gladdens Indra; in rite after rite pressed offerings delight the bounteous one—when, pressing close like sons their father, equal in capacity, they call him for help.
Inner meaning
Repetition here is not mechanical but progressive: ‘uktha-ukthe’ and ‘nīthe-nīthe’ indicate sustained, renewing invocation and disciplined practice. Activated delight (Soma) repeatedly fills the illumined mind (Indra) with power. The community of inner powers (or seekers) gathers ‘close together’—a concentrated, unified being—calling the Father-force for aid. ‘Samānadakṣāḥ’ is crucial: equalized capacities, harmonized faculties, no part of the nature lagging behind; then the call becomes effective and help descends.
Universal truth
Spiritual efficacy increases with sustained practice, repeated renewal of joy and aspiration, and inner unity—harmonized faculties calling together for higher assistance.
Themes
iterative invocation, communal aspiration, Soma delight, aid-request
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Other hymns
- RV 7.26.1, RV 7.25.6
Family tradition
Emphasis on collective harmony and repeated rite: the Vasiṣṭha vision includes the ‘family’ of powers acting together under a fathering divine Mind.
Significance
Shows the secret of continuity: repeated invocation and practice, plus inner unification (‘sons close to father’), makes the descent dependable.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra (Soma-mediated)
- Epithets
- Maghavān (bounteous)
- Related deities
- Soma, Agni, Maruts, Bṛhaspati
Cosmic role
Receives hymns and offerings; responds as the helpful father-leader when invoked by unified powers.
Inner power
Unifying illumined intelligence that is strengthened by bliss and becomes actively protective and aiding.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma-yajña sequence emphasizing uktha/stotra repetition and pressed offerings
उ॒क्थौ॑क्थे॒ सोम॒ इन्द्रं॑ ममाद नी॒थेनी॑थे म॒घवा॑नं सु॒तास॑: । यदीं॑ स॒बाध॑: पि॒तरं॒ न पु॒त्राः स॑मा॒नद॑क्षा॒ अव॑से॒ हव॑न्ते ॥
उक्थेऽउ॑क्थे । सोमः॑ । इन्द्र॑म् । म॒मा॒द॒ । नी॒थेऽनी॑थे । म॒घऽवा॑नम् । सु॒तासः॑ । यत् । ई॒म् । स॒ऽबाधः॑ । पि॒तर॑म् । न । पु॒त्राः । स॒मा॒नऽद॑क्षाः । अव॑से । हव॑न्ते ॥
ukthe--ukthe | somaḥ | indram | mamāda | nīthe--nīthe | magha-vānam | sutāsaḥ | yat | īm | sa-bādhaḥ | pitaram | na | putrāḥ | samāna-dakṣāḥ | avase | havante
44
4 x ~11
Repetitive parallelism gives a cumulative, wave-like build; ends in a communal call.
Encourages perseverance and unity; induces a sense of gathered force and collective aspiration within the practitioner.
- उक्थेउक्थे (ukthe-ukthe)
- Literal: in hymn after hymn. Symbolic: renewed mantric formulation; iterative deepening of invocation
- नीथेनीथे (nīthe-nīthe)
- Literal: in rite after rite, in leading/ceremony after ceremony. Symbolic: repeated disciplined inner processes; stepwise practice led by the inner guide
- सुतासः (sutāsaḥ)
- Literal: pressed offerings. Symbolic: purified, concentrated energies offered to the higher consciousness
- स-बाधः (sabādhaḥ)
- Literal: pressing close together. Symbolic: concentration; gathering of scattered parts into one-pointedness
- पितरम् (pitaram)
- Literal: father. Symbolic: originating higher power; Indra as leader and progenitor of luminous action in us
- पुत्राः (putrāḥ)
- Literal: sons. Symbolic: the faculties/aspirants that must unite and call together
- समानदक्षाः (samānadakṣāḥ)
- Literal: of equal ability/skill. Symbolic: harmonized capacities; balanced development of mind, life, and body instruments
- अवसे (avase)
- Literal: for help. Symbolic: for the descending support that completes what effort begins
Reinforces repetitive recitation cycles (uktha) and repeated rite-acts (nītha) in Soma sacrifice; models communal invocation for avas (aid).
During iterative recitations and offerings; to stress continuity of rite
Repeated chanting and offering; collective invocation for help
Group chanting/meditation: synchronize breath and voice; cultivate ‘samānadakṣa’ harmony—equal participation and shared intention.
dakṣa: ‘capacity, effective will’ (connected to skill/fitness; Indo-Iranian *dakṣa-). sa-bādha: from √bādh ‘press, constrain’ with sa- ‘together’ → convergence/intensification. nītha: often ‘leading, guidance, rite’; psychologically the ordered movement of practice. √hū ‘call’ is the basic invocation root, making the verse strongly performative.
collective sādhanā (samāna-dakṣa), ṛta as repeated right action (nīthe-nīthe), divine paternity as source/support
Right order is established through repeated, rhythmic sacrifice and harmonized action.
Equalized capacities (samānadakṣāḥ) reflect satya-integration—no inner contradiction.
From repeated offering arises a stable channel for descent; unity creates a ‘field’ where help can manifest.
Integral psychological Vedism: harmonization of parts; mantra + ananda as engines of transformation.
Concentration like pressing grapes; repeated waves of joy; family-like cohesion of inner faculties around a central guiding light.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The recurring mythologem of ‘sons calling the father’: emergent faculties (putrāḥ) converge and invoke the paternal power (Indra as protector-source). The repeated uktha and nītha depict a rhythm of practice by which Soma-delight repeatedly awakens the god-force.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The kinship metaphor (pitṛ/putra) is a classic Indo-European poetic device. √hū ‘call’ aligns with PIE *ḱlew-/invocation traditions (auditory ritual economy), while dakṣa as ‘capacity’ parallels Indo-Iranian shared vocabulary of competence and ritual efficacy.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi frames the relationship as a disciplined repetition: each utterance and rite builds the conditions for Indra’s joy (mad) and thus his readiness to help. The seekers are ‘equal in dakṣa’—a harmonized collective fit to receive and channel Indra’s force.
Sustained repetition with renewal: each cycle deepen sincerity; gather scattered parts into one call for help.
anāhata (unity/collective harmony) with viśuddha (repeated mantra)
Group or solo: 11 cycles—inhale gather attention (‘sabādhaḥ’), exhale chant one pāda; brief silence to ‘receive help’.
Collected, unified, receptive.
Practice ‘samānadakṣa’: bring mind, emotion, and body into one intention before chanting; let repetition be living—each time slightly more conscious, more offered.
Rigvedic accents; the reduplications (ukthe-ukthe, nīthe-nīthe) should keep identical accent patterns each time, clean and steady.
Use repetition as a measured pulse; keep a slight lift on ‘maghavānam’; soften into the simile ‘pitaraṃ na putrāḥ’.
uktheukthe: do not insert extra vowel; keep k-th cluster clear, nīthe-nīthe: long ī; aspirated th, sabādhaḥ: sa-bā-dhaḥ, long ā, pitaram: short i; dental t, samānadakṣāḥ: long ā; retroflex ṣ; final ḥ light, havante: ha-van-te, not ‘hawante’
Steady, cohesive, communal; rounded vowels.
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