Rig Veda 8.34.11: Mandala 8, Sukta 34, Mantra 11
Sukta 8.34
- Rishi
- Kāṇva lineage
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- likely Gāyatrī/Anuṣṭubh-like refrain structure
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
आ नो याह्युपश्रुत्युक्थेषु रणया इह । दिवो अमुष्य शासतो दिवं यय दिवावसो ॥
ā́ no yāhy úpaśruty uktheṣú raṇaya ihá | divó amúṣya śā́sato dívaṃ yáya divāvaso ||
हमें आओ, तुम जो सब सुनते हो। हमारे गानों में खुशी मचाओ। आसमान की तरफ से आओ, वहाँ से जो हुकुम चलता है उसके हिसाब से। फिर उस उजियाले आसमान में जाओ और लोगों के बीच सही खुशी पैदा करो।
Word by Word
- आ
- hither, towardsIndeclinableउपसर्ग (preverb)Root आ (उपसर्ग)
- नः
- of us / for usPronounषष्ठी (gen.), बहुवचनम्Role Sampradāna (beneficiary/for us)Root अस्मद्
- याहि
- come!Verbलोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Root या (गत्यर्थे)
- उपश्रुत्युक्थेषु
- in the well-heard/attentively-heard hymns (ukthas)Noun (compound)सप्तमी, बहुवचनम्; समासः: तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय-प्रायः (उपश्रुत्य-उक्थेषु = ‘उपश्रुत्य’ नामक-उक्थेषु)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot उपश्रुति- + उक्थ-
- रणय
- O gladdener / O giver of delightNoun (vocative epithet)सम्बोधन, एकवचनम्Root रणय (प्रातिपदिक; ‘आनन्द/रति/हर्ष’ भाव)
- इह
- hereIndeclinableदेशवाचक-अव्ययRole AdhikaraṇaRoot इह
- दिवः
- from heaven / of heavenNounषष्ठी (gen.), एकवचनम्Role Apādāna (source: ‘from heaven’)Root दिव्/द्यौः (प्रातिपदिक: दिव्/द्यौ-)
- अमुष्य
- of that (one)Pronounषष्ठी (gen.), एकवचनम्Root असौ (दूरवाचक सर्वनाम)
- शासतॊ
- of the ruler/commanderParticiple (agentive)षष्ठी (gen.), एकवचनम्; वर्तमान-कृदन्तः (शासत् = ‘शासन्/शासकः’)Root शास् (अनुशासने) → शासितृ/शास (प्रातिपदिक: शासत्)
- दिवम्
- heaven, the skyNounद्वितीया (acc.), एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot दिव्/द्यौः (प्रातिपदिक: दिव्/द्यौ-)
- यय
- go! / proceed!Verbलोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्; वेदिक-रूप ‘यय’ = ‘याहि/गच्छ’Root या (गत्यर्थे) → यय (वेदिक-लोट्/आज्ञार्थ-रूप)
- दिवावसो
- O heaven-wealthy one / O possessor of heavenly richesNoun (vocative epithet)सम्बोधन, एकवचनम्; समासः: बहुव्रीहिःRoot दिवावस् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘दिवा-वसु’ = ‘whose wealth is heavenly’ / ‘heaven-rich’)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution: आ नो॑ या॒ह्युप॑श्रुत्यु॒क्थेषु॑ → आ + नः + याहि + उपश्रुति-उक्थेषु (याहि + उप… → याह्युप… by i+u sandhi with y glide). Remaining words are already pada-separated in the Saṃhitā
- accents retained as in the given text. Note: ‘यय’ is a Vedic imperative variant from √या, functionally parallel to ‘याहि’
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra is invited to come to us, the close-listener, and to make joy resound in our hymns here; again the refrain calls him to move from the commanding heaven to the luminous heaven as divāvasu.
Inner meaning
The mantra stresses receptivity: Indra as upa-śruti (“he who listens near/closely”) is the awakened intelligence that responds when the human mind becomes attentive. In the uktheṣu (uplifting utterances), he causes raṇa/raṇaya—ringing joy, a victorious resonance—so the mantra becomes not only praise but an instrument that vibrates the being into luminous gladness. The refrain indicates that this joy is not mere emotion but the effect of the higher truth-law descending and establishing a luminous station in the mind.
Universal truth
When attention becomes inwardly exact and sincere, higher inspiration ‘hears’ us; true joy is the resonance of consciousness aligned with truth.
Themes
Hymn-power, Divine hearing, Joy in embodied life
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 8.34.10, Rig Veda 8.34.12, Rig Veda 8.34.13, Rig Veda 8.34.14
Family tradition
Book 8 Indra hymns shaped for powerful recitation; a seer-line emphasizing mantra as effective vibration.
Significance
The rishi-impulse here is śravaṇa (inner hearing): the psychological key is receptivity and the joy that proves divine response.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- upaśruti (close-listener), divāvasu
- Related deities
- Sarasvatī (inspired speech), Agni (carrier of offering), Soma (bliss)
Cosmic role
Mediator of inspired speech and luminous force; he empowers the hymn to become an effective channel.
Inner power
Discriminating, responsive intelligence that turns mantra into lived joy and strength.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma rite / Indra-invocation within praise sequences
आ नो॑ या॒ह्युप॑श्रुत्यु॒क्थेषु॑ रणया इ॒ह । दि॒वो अ॒मुष्य॒ शास॑तो॒ दिवं॑ य॒य दि॑वावसो ॥
आ । नः॒ । या॒हि॒ । उप॑ऽश्रुति । उ॒क्थेषु॑ । र॒ण॒य॒ । इ॒ह । दि॒वः । अ॒मुष्य॑ । शास॑तः । दिव॑म् । य॒य । दि॒वा॒व॒सो॒ इति॑ दिवाऽवसो ॥
ā | naḥ | yāhi | upa-śruti | uktheṣu | raṇaya | iha | divaḥ | amuṣya | śāsataḥ | divam | yaya | divāvaso itidivāvaso
44
4×11 (approx.), with a repeated refrain-pāda sequence
Resonant and declarative; suited to ‘raṇaya’ (ringing) effect
Enhances auditory focus; the refrain imprints a ‘higher-law’ cadence that stabilizes attention.
- upaśruti
- Literal: one who listens close; near-hearing. Symbolic: the responsive illumined mind that answers to sincere aspiration
- uktha
- Literal: hymn, solemn chant. Symbolic: mantric speech that lifts consciousness
- raṇaya
- Literal: make resound; delight/joy. Symbolic: vibratory Ananda that confirms contact with higher light
- iha
- Literal: here. Symbolic: in the embodied field—mind, life, and daily action
- divo…śāsataḥ
- Literal: from heaven’s command. Symbolic: truth-law governing the descent of illumination
Recitation context (uktha) in Soma liturgy; calling Indra as ‘listener’ and joy-bringer
During communal recitation to invite Indra’s presence into the chant
Vocal invocation; strengthening the sonic field of the sacrifice
Use before japa or kīrtan-like chanting: cultivate ‘close listening’ and let joy arise as resonance rather than excitement.
upa-śruti: upa ‘near’ + √śru ‘hear’ (PIE *ḱlew- ‘hear’, cf. Greek klúō). ukthá: from √vac/√uk? traditionally ‘hymn, praise’ (RV technical term for a solemn recitation). raṇaya: causative/imperative from √raṇ/related to √ram ‘to delight’—to make joy vibrate/resound.
Vāc as effective power (uktha), Divine responsiveness (upaśruti), Ānanda as force (raṇaya)
Joy in the hymn is treated as an effect of alignment with ṛta rather than sensory pleasure.
Divam as luminous truth-plane toward which speech aspires.
Sound as creative power: ordered vibration brings down light.
Mantra-śakti emphasis; compatible with Aurobindo’s Vedic psychology of Vāc.
Sound = consciousness-vibration; ‘here’ = embodiment; heaven = higher mind/supramental light.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The god as ‘near-hearer’ who answers the chant and makes joy present. Psychologically, it is the doctrine of effective speech: when the word of aspiration (uktha) is rightly formed, the divine force hears and awakens a resonant delight (raṇa) in the embodied field (iha).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √śru ‘hear’ continues PIE *ḱlew- (fame/hearing complex: ‘heard-of’). The prominence of ‘hearing’ and ‘hymn’ reflects an inherited Indo-European sacral poetics where the deity is invoked as one who listens and is moved by the formulated word.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi emphasizes receptivity on the divine side (upaśruti) and efficacy on the human side (uktha). The exchange is conscious: the hymn is offered as a vehicle of truth, and Indra’s response is the establishment of living joy and strength that supports the soul’s right movement.
Shift from speaking to hearing: let the mantra ‘listen itself’ within; invite illumined intelligence to respond.
viśuddha (mantric resonance)
Slow inhale; chant on a long exhale, then pause and ‘listen’ in silence for 1–2 breaths.
Receptive clarity; subtle inner sound and quiet joy.
After chanting, keep attention at the throat and inner ear; notice a fine vibration—treat it as Indra’s ‘answer’ establishing joy in the field (iha).
Maintain clear svarita transitions on compound words; let ‘upaśruti’ be articulated distinctly (upa-śruti).
Sustain ‘uktheṣu’ evenly; give ‘raṇayā’ a ringing, slightly brighter tone.
upaśruti: palatal ś; avoid ‘s’., uktheṣu: aspirated ‘th’ (uk-tha), not ‘t’., raṇaya/raṇayā: retroflex ṇ; tongue curled back.
Resonant, listening-oriented; avoid force—aim for clarity and ring.
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Rig Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
