Rig Veda 8.27.8: Mandala 8, Sukta 27, Mantra 8
Sukta 8.27
- Devata
- Maruts, Viṣṇu, Aśvins, Pūṣan, and chiefly Indra
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
आ प्र यात मरुतो विष्णो अश्विना पूषन्माकीनया धिया । इन्द्र आ यातु प्रथमः सनिष्युभिर्वृषा यो वृत्रहा गृणे ॥
ā prá yāta maruto víṣṇo aśvínā pū́ṣan mākī́nayā dhiyā́ | índra ā yātu prathamáḥ saniṣyúbhir vṛ́ṣā yó vṛtrá-hā gṛṇé ||
सब देवता आगे आओ। मरुत्स, विष्णु, अश्विन, पूषन, सब आओ। कोई बुरा खयाल नहीं, सीधा मन से बुला रहे हैं। इंद्र सबसे पहले आओ। तुम बड़े हो, दुश्मन को हराते हो। तुम्हारा गाना गाते हैं।
Word by Word
- आ
- hither, towards (preverb ‘to/near’)Indeclinableउपसर्ग (गत्यर्थक अव्यय)Root आ (उपसर्ग) / ā (preverb)
- प्र
- forth, forward (intensifying preverb)Indeclinableउपसर्ग (प्रकर्ष/प्रवृत्त्यर्थक)Root प्र (उपसर्ग) / pra (preverb)
- यात
- go/come (you all), come forth hitherVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), मध्यमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्; (आ+प्र उपसर्गयुक्त)Root या (धातु) / yā ‘to go’
- मरुतः
- the Maruts (storm-gods)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot मरुत् (प्रातिपदिक) / Marut
- विष्णो
- O ViṣṇuNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole SambodhanaRoot विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक) / Viṣṇu
- अश्विना
- O Aśvins (Divine Twins)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, द्विवचन (वैदिक रूप: -ā)Role SambodhanaRoot अश्विन् (प्रातिपदिक) / Aśvin
- पूषन्
- O PūṣanNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole SambodhanaRoot पूषन् (प्रातिपदिक) / Pūṣan
- माकीनया
- with no scanty (i.e., abundant)Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (धिया इति सह विशेषणम्)Role KaraṇaRoot माकीन (प्रातिपदिक) / mākīna ‘not small, not scanty’
- धिया
- with (our) inspired thought/hymnNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot धी (प्रातिपदिक) / dhī ‘thought, insight, hymn’
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole SambodhanaRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) / Indra
- आ
- hitherIndeclinableउपसर्गRoot आ (उपसर्ग) / ā (preverb)
- यातु
- let him comeVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; (आ उपसर्गयुक्त)Root या (धातु) / yā ‘to go’
- प्रथमः
- the firstAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (इन्द्रस्य विशेषणम्)Role KartāRoot प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक) / prathama ‘first’
- सनिष्युभिः
- with the gain-seekers / with those eager to winAdjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot सन्-इष्यु (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) / saniṣyu ‘seeking to win, eager to gain’ (< √सन्/सन् ‘to win, gain’ + इच्छार्थक -इष्यु)
- वृषा
- the bull (the mighty one)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (इन्द्रस्य विशेषणम्)Role KartāRoot वृषन्/वृष (प्रातिपदिक) / vṛṣā ‘bull, mighty one’
- यः
- whoPronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) / relative pronoun
- वृत्रहा
- Vṛtra-slayerNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (इन्द्रस्य विशेषणम्)Role KartāRoot वृत्रहन् (प्रातिपदिक) / Vṛtrahan ‘slayer of Vṛtra’
- गृणे
- I praise / I sing (to him)Verbलट् (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्Root गॄ/गृ (धातु) / √gṛ ‘to sing, praise’
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (Vedic sandhi resolved): आ | प्र | यात | मरुतः | विष्णो | अश्विना | पूषन् | माकीनया | धिया | इन्द्र | आ | यातु | प्रथमः | सनिष्युभिः | वृषा | यः | वृत्रहा | गृणे । 1) ‘आ प्र यात’ = आ + प्र + √या (लोट् 2pl) ‘come forth hither’. 2) ‘पूषन्माकीनया’ = पूषन् + माकीनया (संधि: -न् + म-). 3) ‘सनिष्युभिर्वृषा’ = सनिष्युभिः + वृषा (विसर्ग-लोप/संयोग). 4) ‘यो वृत्रहा’ is straightforward relative clause: ‘who (is) Vṛtra-slayer’. Accents in the saṃhitā text are not reproduced per-pada here
- forms are given in padapāṭha-style segmentation
The meaning
Outer meaning
A call for the Maruts, Vishnu, Ashvins, and Pūṣan to come forward with an undivided thought; then Indra is asked to come first with victory-seekers, the Bull Vṛtra-slayer, praised by the hymn.
Inner meaning
The mantra orchestrates an integral advance. Maruts (vital forces) purify and energize; Viṣṇu is the all-pervading wideness and the power of the great strides—expansion of consciousness; the Aśvins are swift twin healers restoring balance; Pūṣan is the guide on the inner path, protector of journeys and right finding. All are to move with ‘mākīnayā dhiyā’—a thought that does not steal or divide (undistracted, non-appropriating). Then Indra, the illumined Mind, must come first: the decisive force that breaks the Coverer (Vṛtra) and releases the pent-up light and energies for victory in the inner battle.
Universal truth
Progress requires coordinated faculties—energy, wideness, healing, guidance—held by a unified, non-dividing intention. Illumination must lead; when the mind of light takes the front, obstruction is slain and the path opens.
Themes
Vṛtra-slaying, Invocation, Inner victory, Guidance and healing
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 8.27.1-10
Significance
A compact ‘integral yoga’ sequencing: unify intention → call supporting powers → let illumination lead → break obstruction → affirm by mantra (gṛṇe).
The deity
- Devata
- Indra (chief), with Maruts, Viṣṇu, Aśvins, Pūṣan
- Epithets
- prathamaḥ (first), vṛṣā (bull), vṛtrahā (Vṛtra-slayer)
- Related deities
- Soma, Agni, Bṛhaspati
Cosmic role
Indra releases the waters/lights by slaying Vṛtra; Maruts accompany and augment his force; Viṣṇu measures out the worlds by strides; Aśvins restore and rescue; Pūṣan guides and protects paths.
Inner power
Leadership of illumined intelligence over the energies; expansion, healing, guidance, and victorious breakthrough of resistance.
In ritual
Where it is used
Multi-deity āvāhana with emphasis on Indra in soma rites
आ प्र या॑त॒ मरु॑तो॒ विष्णो॒ अश्वि॑ना॒ पूष॒न्माकी॑नया धि॒या । इन्द्र॒ आ या॑तु प्रथ॒मः स॑नि॒ष्युभि॒र्वृषा॒ यो वृ॑त्र॒हा गृ॒णे ॥
आ । प्र । या॒त॒ । मरु॑तः । विष्णो॒ इति॑ । अश्वि॑ना । पूष॑न् । माकी॑नया । धि॒या । इन्द्रः॑ । आ । या॒तु॒ । प्र॒थ॒मः । स॒नि॒ष्युऽभिः॑ । वृषा॑ । यः । वृ॒त्र॒ऽहा । गृ॒णे ॥
ā | pra | yāta | marutaḥ | viṣṇo iti | aśvinā | pūṣan | mākīnayā | dhiyā | indraḥ | ā | yātu | prathamaḥ | saniṣyu-bh iḥ | vṛṣā | yaḥ | vṛtra-hā | gṛṇe
44
4 pādas, ~11 syllables each
Strong forward surge (‘ā pra yāta…’), culminating in emphatic Indra-line.
Energizes courage and focus; evokes a decisive ‘breakthrough’ feeling when reaching vṛtrahā.
- माकीनया धिया (mākīnayā dhiyā)
- Literal: with a non-stealing/undivided thought. Symbolic: undistracted concentration; non-egoic intention that does not appropriate
- विष्णु (viṣṇu)
- Literal: Vishnu. Symbolic: pervading wideness; expansive strides of consciousness
- अश्विना (aśvinā)
- Literal: Ashvins. Symbolic: twin powers of swift help—healing, right functioning of dualities
- पूषन् (pūṣan)
- Literal: Pūṣan. Symbolic: inner guide; protector of the path; right finding
- इन्द्रः (indraḥ)
- Literal: Indra. Symbolic: divine mind/illumination; leader in the battle for light
- प्रथमः (prathamaḥ)
- Literal: first. Symbolic: illumination must take precedence in action
- सनिष्युभिः (saniṣyubhiḥ)
- Literal: with those seeking to win. Symbolic: aspirant forces intent on attainment/victory
- वृषा (vṛṣā)
- Literal: bull. Symbolic: strong creative force; irresistible power of luminous mind
- वृत्रहा (vṛtra-hā)
- Literal: slayer of Vṛtra. Symbolic: breaker of obstruction; destroyer of inner darkness/resistance
Processional invitation of multiple devas, culminating in Indra’s precedence; suited to Indra-centric Soma offerings where Vṛtra-slaying symbolizes removal of obstruction to the flow (of Soma/light).
Before offerings/praises to Indra and allied deities; moments requiring victory/protection
Summoning supportive powers; prioritizing Indra’s arrival and praise
Use when facing inner inertia, fear, or confusion: invoke unified intention, then call Indra’s light to lead and cut through resistance.
vṛtra-han ‘Vṛtra-slayer’ from vṛtra ‘obstruction’ (√vṛ ‘to cover, restrain’) + √han ‘to strike, slay’ (PIE *gʷhen-). vṛṣan/vṛṣā ‘bull’ from √vṛṣ ‘to rain, be virile/strong’, symbol of abundant force. dhī from √dhī ‘to think, perceive’—in Vedic, the formative inspired intelligence. mākīna is a specialized epithet; context suggests ‘not stealing/robbing, not harming’—a mind that does not appropriate falsely, hence fit for divine descent.
victory over obstruction (Vṛtra as inner covering), integrity of mind (mākīna dhī), leadership of luminous force (Indra first)
Viṣṇu’s stride symbolizes Ṛta’s ordered expansion; Indra’s victory restores the right flow.
Indra’s light is satya in action—truth that conquers obscurity.
Release of waters/lights from obstruction; re-opening the channels of manifestation.
Aurobindonian psychology: Vṛtra as subconscient coverer; Indra as luminous mind; Viṣṇu as expansive consciousness.
Storm = prāṇic clearing; path = inner guidance; twins = balancing dual currents; strides = expansion of awareness; Vṛtra = knot of subconscient resistance.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Indra’s Vṛtra-slaying is explicit: the force that breaks the obstructing cover so the pent-up plenitudes (waters/light/joy) can flow. The surrounding deities supply complementary functions—expansion (Viṣṇu), healing aid (Aśvins), guidance (Pūṣan), dynamism (Maruts)—forming a complete inner economy for victory.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- vṛtra-han uses √han (PIE *gʷhen- ‘strike/kill’), a classic IE heroic formula. The epithet vṛṣā and the imperative sequence ā prá yāta are typical of archaic poetic command structures used to ‘make present’ the gods.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi offers a ‘mākīna dhī’—a purified, non-appropriating intelligence—as the condition for true divine action. In return, Indra is asked to come first and lead the attainment with win-seekers (saniṣyu), indicating a cooperative ascent: human aspiration + divine force.
Break obstruction: hold one-pointed, non-appropriating attention (mākīnayā dhiyā), then invoke Indra’s decisive light to cut through the knot.
Ājñā (illumination) leading Maṇipūra (victorious force)
Kapalabhati-light or brisk exhale rounds (if suitable) to awaken force, followed by steady nasal breathing on ‘indra ā yātu prathamaḥ’.
Focused, courageous, expansive
1) Gather attention into one stream; 2) feel wideness above (Viṣṇu); 3) call healing balance (Aśvins); 4) invoke guidance (Pūṣan); 5) let Indra’s light strike the obstruction—then rest in the opened flow.
Chant with rising impetus on ‘ā pra yāta’; make ‘indra ā yātu prathamaḥ’ the peak; land firmly on ‘vṛṣā yo vṛtrahā’.
Emphasize consonant clarity in deity list; keep ‘mākīnayā dhiyā’ smooth and continuous (no mental ‘break’).
viṣṇo: retroflex ṣṇ cluster; do not simplify, aśvinā: ‘śv’ clean, pūṣan: long ū, retroflex ṣ, mākīnayā: long ā; ‘kī’ long ī, vṛtrahā: vocalic ṛ; aspirate hā
Forceful, bright, victorious
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