Rig Veda 7.98.4: Mandala 7, Sukta 98, Mantra 4
Sukta 7.98
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism)
यद्योधया महतो मन्यमानान्त्साक्षाम तान्बाहुभिः शाशदानान् । यद्वा नृभिर्वृत इन्द्राभियुध्यास्तं त्वयाजिं सौश्रवसं जयेम ॥
yád yodháyā maható manyamānā́n sākṣā́ma tā́n bāhúbhiḥ śāśadānā́n | yád vā nṛ́bhir vṛ́ta indra abhí-yudhyās táṃ tvayā́jim sauśravásaṃ jayema ||
जब तुम बड़े लोगों को लड़ाई में भागते हो जो खुद को बहुत समझते हैं, हम उनका सामना करते हैं। जब तुम लोगों के साथ लड़ते हो, तब हम तुम्हारे साथ जीतना चाहते हैं। अच्छी बदनामी आती है जब हम तुम्हारे जैसा बन जाते हैं।
Word by Word
- यत्
- when; thatIndeclinable (relative pronoun used adverbially) / Conjunctionneut. nom./acc. sg. (used as clause-linker ‘when/that’)Root यद्
- योधयाः
- you cause to fight; you set (them) to battleVerbPresent (causative), 2nd person singular, parasmaipadaRole Kriyā (predicate); implied Kartā = ‘त्वम् (इन्द्र)’Root युध् (caus.) → योधय-
- महतः
- of the great (one); of the mightyAdjective (used substantively) / Noun-likemasc./neut. gen. sg.Role Sambandha (genitive relation) with मन्युमानान्Root महत्
- मन्युमानान्
- those who are full of wrath; the wrathfulAdjective (substantivized) / Nounmasc. acc. pl.Role Karma (object) of योधयाः / शाशदान्Root मन्यु- + -मान (possessive) → मन्युमान्
- साक्षाम्
- directly; face to faceIndeclinableadverbRole Adverbial (manner) modifying शाशदान्Root साक्षात् (Vedic adverbial form) / साक्षा
- तान्
- thosePronounmasc. acc. pl.Role Karma (object), in apposition to मन्युमानान्Root तद्
- बाहुभिः
- with (your) armsNounmasc. instr. pl.Role Karaṇa (instrument) of शाशदान्Root बाहु-
- शाशदानान्
- smitting; overpowering; driving downParticiple (verbal adjective)masc. acc. pl. (agreeing with तान्/मन्युमानान्)Role Karma (those whom you smite/overpower)Root शद्/शाद् (Vedic) → शाशद् (intensive/reduplicated aorist/preterite stem used as participial)
- यत्
- when; thatIndeclinable (relative pronoun used adverbially)neut. nom./acc. sg. (clause-linker)Root यद्
- वा
- or; alternativelyIndeclinableparticleRoot वा
- नृभिः
- with men; by heroesNounmasc. instr. pl.Role Sahakāraka/Karaṇa (association/instrument) with अभियुध्याःRoot नृ-
- वृतः
- chosen; accompanied; surroundedParticiple (past passive) used predicativelymasc. nom. sg.Role Kartā (subject complement) of implied ‘असि’ with इन्द्रRoot वृ (to choose/cover) → वृत-
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNoun (proper)masc. voc. sg.Role Sambोधन (address)Root इन्द्र-
- अभियुध्याः
- you fight against; you engage in battleVerbPresent, 2nd person singular, ātmanepada (middle)Role Kriyā (predicate); Kartā = ‘त्वम् (इन्द्र)’Root युध् (with preverb अभि-) → अभियुध्य-
- तम्
- that (one); himPronounmasc. acc. sg.Role Karma (object) of जयेमRoot तद्
- त्वया
- with you; by youPronouninstr. sg.Role Karaṇa / Sahakāraka (means/companionship) for जयेमRoot त्वद्
- अजिम्
- the race; the contest; the battleNounfem. acc. sg.Role Karma (object) of जयेम (win the contest)Root अजि-
- सौश्रवसम्
- of good fame; gloriousAdjective (epithet)masc. acc. sg. (agreeing with तम्)Role Viśeṣaṇa of तम्Root सु-श्रवस्- → सौश्रवस-
- जयेम
- may we win; may we conquerVerbOptative (present), 1st person plural, parasmaipadaRole Kriyā (main predicate); Kartā = ‘वयम्’Root जि
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (as given in Saṃhitā): यद्यो॒धया॑ → यत् + योधयाः (final -t before y)
- मन्य॑माना॒न्त्साक्षा॑म् → मन्युमानान् + साक्षाम् (n + s)
- तान्बा॒हुभि॒: → तान् + बाहुभिः (n + b)
- शाश॑दानान् । यद्वा॒ → शाशदानान् + यत् + वा
- नृभि॒र्वृत॑ → नृभिः + वृतः (visarga before v)
- इन्द्राभि॒युध्या॒स् → इन्द्र + अभियुध्याः (vowel coalescence a+a)
- त्वया॒जिं → त्वया + अजिम् (a+a)
- सौ॑श्रव॒सं ज॑येम → सौश्रवसम् + जयेम (m + j)
The meaning
Outer meaning
When Indra drives to battle the great who think themselves mighty, and we confront them openly; or when Indra, chosen with men, fights—may we with him win the battle that brings good fame.
Inner meaning
Indra as illumined Mind leads the inner struggle against magnified ego-forces and entrenched habits that ‘deem themselves mighty’. The seekers face these forces directly (sākṣām), not through denial but through conscious engagement. ‘Chosen with men’ indicates Indra working with the human faculties that consent to be instruments (disciplined senses, trained prāṇa, courageous will). Victory yields ‘su-śravas’—true hearing: receptivity to higher truth, and the good report of the soul’s alignment with it.
Universal truth
True victory is not domination of others but conquest of inner arrogance and resistance; the fruit is clearer receptivity and a life that naturally radiates good influence.
Themes
invictory, battle symbolism, Indra as inner warrior, overcoming egoic magnitudes
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha gotra
- Other hymns
- RV 7.18, RV 7.19, RV 7.24, RV 7.31
Family tradition
Maṇḍala 7 hymns often combine royal/heroic diction with inward discipline; victory is framed as restoration of right order.
Significance
Vasiṣṭha presents the spiritual path as an open contest where the divine ally must be consciously chosen; the seer’s emphasis is on steadfast confrontation and truthful ‘hearing’.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Vṛtrahan, Maghavā, Sahasrin (of many strengths, implied)
- Related deities
- Maruts (often as battle-allies), Bṛhaspati (counsel/word-power)
Cosmic role
Warrior-protector who leads the gods and humans to victory against hostile powers.
Inner power
Courageous illumination that exposes and defeats egoic magnitudes; organizer of disciplined action (bāhu) under a higher seeing.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra invocation for victory/protection in communal rites
यद्यो॒धया॑ मह॒तो मन्य॑माना॒न्त्साक्षा॑म॒ तान्बा॒हुभि॒: शाश॑दानान् । यद्वा॒ नृभि॒र्वृत॑ इन्द्राभि॒युध्या॒स्तं त्वया॒जिं सौ॑श्रव॒सं ज॑येम ॥
यत् । यो॒धयाः॑ । म॒ह॒तः । मन्य॑मानान् । साक्षा॑म । तान् । बा॒हुऽभिः॑ । शाश॑दानान् । यत् । वा॒ । नृऽभिः॑ । वृतः॑ । इ॒न्द्र॒ । अ॒भि॒ऽयुध्याः॑ । तम् । त्वया॑ । आ॒जिम् । सौ॒श्र॒व॒सम् । ज॒ये॒म॒ ॥
yat | yodhayāḥ | mahataḥ | manyamānān | sākṣāma | tān | bāhu-bhiḥ | śāśadānān | yat | vā | nṛ-bhiḥ | vṛtaḥ | indra | abhi-yudhyāḥ | tam | tvayā | ājim | sauśravasam | jayema
44
4 × ~11; strong caesura typical after 4–5 syllables
Martial, exhortative; alternating push and resolve across pādas.
Elicits bravery and frank self-honesty; supports ‘standing one’s ground’ in meditation.
- यो॒धयाः (yodhayāḥ)
- Literal: you cause to fight/you lead to battle. Symbolic: you energize the yogic struggle; you mobilize will and insight
- महतः (mahataḥ)
- Literal: the great ones. Symbolic: large ego-formations, powerful habitual forces, inflated impulses
- मन्यमानान् (manyamānān)
- Literal: thinking themselves. Symbolic: self-asserting pride/false self-estimation (ahaṃkāra)
- साक्षाम (sākṣām)
- Literal: face to face, openly. Symbolic: direct awareness; conscious confrontation without evasion
- बाहुभिः (bāhubhiḥ)
- Literal: with arms. Symbolic: active powers of execution—trained energies of action
- वृतः (vṛtaḥ)
- Literal: chosen, selected; also ‘covered’ in other contexts. Symbolic: Indra ‘chosen’ by our consenting faculties; the divine force accepted inwardly
- अभियुध्याः (abhiyudhyāḥ)
- Literal: you fight against. Symbolic: decisive engagement with obstruction
- आजिम् (ājim)
- Literal: battle, contest. Symbolic: the inner field of transformation where truth and falsehood contend
- सौश्रवसम् (sauśravasam)
- Literal: bringing good fame/good hearing. Symbolic: purified receptivity (śravaṇa) and the harmonized resonance of truth in life
Indra hymn used to invoke aid in contests and hostile pressures; in Soma setting, it aligns the sacrificer with Indra for overcoming obstructive forces.
Before/within Soma offerings; also adaptable to pre-battle royal rites in later reception.
Praise + petition for winning the contest with Indra’s aid.
Use before challenging conversations, addictions, or inner conflicts: recite to cultivate directness (sākṣām) and disciplined action.
yodháyāḥ: causative of √yudh ‘fight’ (PIE *h₁eudʰ- ‘stir, move, agitate’ > battle). manyamānān: √man ‘think’ (PIE *men-), here ‘self-opining’ as inflated mental-vital formations. ājí: contest (possibly linked to √aj ‘drive’), the arena of force. su-śravas: śravas ‘hearing, fame’ from √śru ‘hear’ (PIE *ḱleu̯-), allowing the inner reading: victory that yields ‘right hearing’—capacity to receive the true word.
inner combat of light vs. obstruction, truth-hearing (śravas/śruti) as a fruit of victory, R̥ta as right triumph (jayema) over self-conceit (manyamāna)
Victory is framed as alignment with ṛta against self-deluding magnitudes.
‘Good hearing’ (su-śravas) implies truth received and echoed correctly in life.
Ongoing creation as conquest: the world-order is maintained by repeated victories over disorder.
Yoga of will and illumination (Aurobindo’s ‘battle of the gods and titans’ motif)
Storm-battle = upheaval that clears; arms = executive energies; facing openly = conscious awareness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The Indra-led battle against the ‘great’ adversaries. The ‘great ones who think themselves great’ are classic figures of obstruction (vṛtra-like in psychology): inflated powers of the lower nature. Victory yields suśravas—right hearing/renown—i.e., the capacity to receive and hold true inspiration.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The root √śru (PIE *ḱleu̯-) in śravas links ‘fame’ with ‘hearing’—a shared Indo-European semantic field (*ḱléwos ‘fame’). The optative jayema expresses wish/aim typical of archaic prayer syntax, aligning with PIE desiderative/volitional hymn style.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- Alliance model: the ṛṣi asks not for external slaughter but for co-operative victory ‘with thee’ (tvayā). Indra is invoked as the inner champion who organizes human faculties (nṛbhiḥ) into a victorious formation that culminates in ‘good hearing’—stable receptivity to the truth-word.
Bring to mind one ‘great’ inner adversary (pride, craving, despair). Invoke Indra to face it sāksām with calm force.
Maṇipūra (will) with support from Ājñā (discernment)
Brisk but controlled ujjāyī for 12 breaths, then settle; chant on a steady exhale to embody ‘yodhayāḥ’.
Resolute, alert, truth-facing.
Do not negotiate with self-deception; name it, face it, act once from the clearer mind. Close by listening inwardly for ‘su-śravas’—the quiet right instruction.
Triṣṭubh recitation with clear udatta peaks on yodhayā́ḥ, maható, indra; keep particles (yad, vā) light.
Emphasize contrasts: mahato manyamānān / sākṣām; vṛta indra / abhiyudhyāḥ; ājím / sauśravasám.
‘sākṣām’: pronounce kṣ as k+ṣ; keep long ā., ‘manyamānān’: nasal ‘n’ clear; long ā in -mānān., ‘abhiyudhyāḥ’: aspirate dhy distinctly, not ‘diya’., ‘sauśravasam’: au diphthong smooth; śr cluster crisp ( + ).
Clear, martial, slightly raised energy; avoid shouting—precision over volume.
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