Rig Veda 8.4.2: Mandala 8, Sukta 4, Mantra 2
Sukta 8.4
- Rishi
- Kaṇva
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shringara (love)
यद्वा रुमे रुशमे श्यावके कृप इन्द्र मादयसे सचा । कण्वासस्त्वा ब्रह्मभिः स्तोमवाहस इन्द्रा यच्छन्त्या गहि ॥
yád vā rumé rúśame śyā́vake kṛ́pe índra mā́dayase sácā | kaṇvā́sas tvā bráhma-bhiḥ stóma-vāhasa índrā́ yacchánty ā́ gahi ||
इंद्र, तुम रुमा के साथ खुश हो या रुशमा के साथ। श्यावका के साथ भी या कृपा के साथ भी। पर कण्व ऋषि तुम्हे मंत्र और भजन लेके बुलाते हैं। आओ, हमारी बातें तुम्हारे लिए रथ है।
Word by Word
- यद्
- if / whetherIndeclinableसम्बन्ध/विकल्पार्थे अव्ययम् (यद्-तद्-सम्बन्धः); ‘यद् वा’ = ‘यदि वा/अथवा’Root यद् (यद्-प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
- वा
- orIndeclinableविकल्पार्थक-निपातःRoot वा (निपात)
- रुमे
- in/at Rुमā (a place/name) / O RumāNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे, सप्तमी/सम्बोधन-एकवचनम् (वेदे सम्बोधनस्य रूपभेदः); स्थान/सम्बोधनार्थेRole Adhikaraṇa (locative sense) / संबोधनRoot रुमा (प्रातिपदिक; स्त्री)
- रुशमे
- in/at Ruśama (a place/name) / O RuśamaNounपुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी/सम्बोधन-एकवचनम् (वेदिक-रूप); स्थान/सम्बोधनार्थेRole Adhikaraṇa (locative sense) / संबोधनRoot रुशम (प्रातिपदिक; पुं)
- श्यावके
- in/at Śyāvaka (a place/name) / O ŚyāvakaNounपुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी/सम्बोधन-एकवचनम् (वेदिक-रूप); स्थान/सम्बोधनार्थेRole Adhikaraṇa (locative sense) / संबोधनRoot श्यावक (प्रातिपदिक; पुं)
- कृपः
- the miser / the wretched one (as an epithet)Nounपुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-एकवचनम्Role Kartā (of implied ‘is/exists’ or as apposition) / संबोधन-सम्बन्धRoot कृप (प्रातिपदिक; पुं)
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNounपुंलिङ्गे, सम्बोधन-एकवचनम्Role सम्बोधनRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक; पुं)
- मादयसे
- you rejoice / you become exhilaratedVerbलट् (वर्तमाने), मध्यम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्; ‘त्वं मादयसे’Role Kriyā (मुख्यक्रिया)Root मद् (धातु) / मादयति (णिजन्त)
- सचा
- together (with)Indeclinableसह/साकम्-अर्थे अव्ययम्Root सच्/सच (अव्यय; सहार्थे)
- कण्वासः
- the Kaṇvas (seers)Nounपुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-बहुवचनम्Role Kartā (of यच्छन्ति) / स्तोतृ-समूहःRoot कण्व (प्रातिपदिक; पुं)
- त्वा
- youPronounद्वितीया-एकवचनम् (एनक्लिटिक रूप)Role Karma (of यच्छन्ति) / also object of स्तोम-वाहसः (praise-bearing) contextuallyRoot त्वद् (सर्वनाम)
- ब्रह्मभिः
- with sacred formulations / prayersNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-बहुवचनम्Role Karaṇa (instrument)Root ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक; नपुं)
- स्तोमवाहसः
- bearing hymns of praiseAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-बहुवचनम्; कण्वासः इति विशेषणम्Role Kartā-विशेषणम्Root स्तोम-वाहस् (समास; प्रातिपदिक; पुं)
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNounपुंलिङ्गे, सम्बोधन-एकवचनम्Role सम्बोधनRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक; पुं)
- यच्छन्ति
- they offer / present / extendVerbलट् (वर्तमाने), प्रथम-पुरुषः, बहुवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्Role Kriyā (मुख्यक्रिया)Root यम् (धातु) → यच्छति
- अन्त्या
- with the final (one) / as the concluding (verse)Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्गे, तृतीया-एकवचनम्; ‘अन्त्या’ = ‘अन्त्यया (स्तुत्या/धिया)’ इति वेदिक-रूप/छन्दसि संक्षेपः; करणार्थेRole Karaṇa (instrument; ‘with the final (hymn/verse)’)Root अन्त्य (प्रातिपदिक; स्त्री)
- आ
- hither / towardsIndeclinableआगमनार्थक-उपसर्गः (गम्-धातोः सह) / निपातःRoot आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- गहि
- comeVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), मध्यम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्; वैदिक-आदेशरूपम् ‘गहि’Role Kriyā (आह्वान/आज्ञा)Root गम् (धातु)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धि-विग्रह): यद्वा → यद् + वा
- रुमे रुशमे श्यावके (स्थानीय/सम्बोधन-रूपाणि)
- इन्द्रा यच्छन्त्या गहि → इन्द्र + यच्छन्ति + अन्त्या + आ + गहि. ‘अन्त्या’ छन्दसि ‘अन्त्यया’ (करण-एकवचन) इत्यर्थे संक्षिप्तरूपेण व्यवह्रियते
- ‘आ’ उपसर्गः ‘गहि’ (गम्, लोट्) इत्यनेन सह ‘आगहि’ इत्यर्थं द्योतयति
The meaning
Outer meaning
Whether you rejoice with Ruma, Ruśama, Śyāvaka, or Kṛpa, O Indra—still the Kaṇvas, bearing hymns and mantras, draw you here; come.
Inner meaning
Indra may be active amid many companions/forces (named figures can be read as allied powers or human allies), but the seer insists that inspired speech (brahman) has a magnetic pull: the Kaṇvas ‘yoke’ Indra by mantra. Stomavāhasa (‘hymn-bearing’) implies that the mantra itself becomes the chariot—sound as a vehicle for the descent of illumined consciousness. The inner teaching: even if the mind is engaged elsewhere, concentrated inspired utterance can recall and seat the higher power in the present moment.
Universal truth
Attention follows delight; yet the deepest recall is through inspired word and intention. Mantra is a technology of presence: it draws down the higher force despite distraction.
Themes
invocation, mantric efficacy, Soma delight, seer-lineage (Kaṇva)
The seer
- Rishi
- Kaṇva
- Lineage
- Kaṇva (Kaṇvāḥ)
- Other hymns
- RV 8.4.1 (directional invocation), RV 8.3 (gift/yoking/awakening), RV 1.62–1.64 (Kaṇva Indra hymns)
Family tradition
Kaṇvas are master-invokers: their brahman is portrayed as a chariot that brings Indra near. The family style highlights efficacy of inspired speech over mere circumstance.
Significance
The seer teaches mantra-yoga avant la lettre: the right word, rhythm, and intention can ‘draw’ the divine force into embodied experience.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- stomavāhas (he who is borne by hymns / to whom hymns are vehicles), maghavan (bounteous), somapā (Soma-drinker; delight-strengthened)
- Related deities
- Soma (delight/strength), Agni (priest of invocation), Bṛhaspati (lord of the word)
Cosmic role
Responds to sacred speech; comes to the sacrifice to empower victory and illumination.
Inner power
The illumined mind that is attracted by truth-speech; the force that arrives when invocation is sincere and rhythmic.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra invitation in Soma sacrifice; stotra to seat Indra for offerings
यद्वा॒ रुमे॒ रुश॑मे॒ श्याव॑के॒ कृप॒ इन्द्र॑ मा॒दय॑से॒ सचा॑ । कण्वा॑सस्त्वा॒ ब्रह्म॑भि॒: स्तोम॑वाहस॒ इन्द्रा य॑च्छ॒न्त्या ग॑हि ॥
यत् । वा॒ । रुमे॑ । रुश॑मे । श्याव॑के । कृपे॑ । इन्द्र॑ । मा॒दय॑से । सचा॑ । कण्वा॑सः । त्वा॒ । ब्रह्म॑ऽभिः । स्तोम॑ऽवाहसः । इन्द्र॑ । आ । य॒च्छ॒न्ति॒ । आ । ग॒हि॒ ॥
yat | vā | rume | ruśame | śyāvake | kṛpe | indra | mādayase | sacā | kaṇvāsaḥ | tvā | brahma-bhiḥ | stoma-vāhasaḥ | indra | ā | yacchanti | ā | gahi
44
4 × ~11; list-like opening then imperative closure
Conversational invocation that tightens into a compelling call at ā gahi.
Builds a sense of summoning; the final imperative lands as a decisive ‘arrival’ point.
- मादयसे (mādayase)
- Literal: you rejoice, take delight. Symbolic: the higher power is strengthened by joy (soma-like delight) and willing consent
- सचा (sacā)
- Literal: together with, in companionship. Symbolic: association of forces within the being; alliances of energies
- ब्रह्मभिः (brahmabhiḥ)
- Literal: with brahman—sacred formulations/hymns. Symbolic: inspired word that carries truth-force (mantric consciousness)
- स्तोमवाहसः (stoma-vāhasaḥ)
- Literal: bearing hymns. Symbolic: mantra as vehicle/chariot; concentrated praise that ‘carries’ the force
- आ यच्छन्ति (ā yacchanti)
- Literal: they draw/lead (you) here. Symbolic: invocation that pulls down illumination into the field
- आ गहि (ā gahi)
- Literal: come here. Symbolic: descent/arrival of higher consciousness into the present
Direct invitation to Indra to come to the Soma offering; emphasizes the efficacy of brahman (mantric force) as the means of attraction.
Before offering/pressing sequences when Indra is invited to partake
Chant as āhvāna; ‘drawing’ Indra to the ritual seat
When distracted: chant to recall the higher mind from ‘other companions’ (scattered engagements) into present awareness.
√mad 'rejoice, be exhilarated' (Soma-intoxication; psychologically, delight of the power in right energies). brahman here is not later metaphysics but mantric formative power (from √bṛh 'to expand'). stoma-vāhasa 'praise-bearing' uses √vah (PIE *weǵh-). √gam 'go/come' is PIE *gʷem- (cf. Latin veniō, English come).
brahman as formative word-power, divine companionship (sacā) with right energies, invocation as attraction through mantra
Rightly formed brahman aligns the human field to cosmic order, enabling descent.
Truth-speech (brahman) compels presence of the truth-power (Indra).
Sound as vehicle of manifestation; mantra as formative force.
Mantric psychology aligned with Aurobindo/Kashyap: word as consciousness-power, not mere praise.
Joy strengthens the higher power’s action; mantra becomes the vehicle that brings illumination into the mind.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is the god’s delight in chosen companions and his being drawn by hymn-bearing seers. Inner sense: Indra naturally joins energies that can bear his ecstasy (mad), but the decisive magnet is brahman—the expanding word-force—by which the Kaṇvas 'yoke' the god into the human field.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √gam (come) is PIE *gʷem-; √vah (carry) corresponds to PIE *weǵh-; both are stable IE inheritances. The poetic formula 'praise-bearing' reflects inherited diction where song is a vehicle that transports divine presence.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The relationship is explicitly transactional yet inner: the rishis offer brahman and stoma as vehicles; Indra responds by coming and empowering. The Kaṇvas present themselves as competent carriers of the word-force that can host Indra’s intensified consciousness.
Use mantra as a ‘chariot’: let sound carry attention and invite illumined mind to descend.
viśuddha (vāc/mantra) to ājñā (illumined mind)
Chant on a smooth exhale; brief natural inhale; keep rhythm steady to ‘carry’ the force.
invocatory, uplifted, present
Before chanting, set a clear intention (‘come into this moment’). After ā gahi, pause in silence and feel the shift—like a presence arriving.
Keep Vedic accents (e.g., रुमे॒, रुश॑मे, श्याव॑के, कृप॒, इन्द्र॑, मा॒दय॑से, कण्वा॑सः, ब्रह्म॑भिः, स्तोम॑वाहसः, आ ग॑हि).
Slightly brighten on the named companions; strongest, cleanest lift on indra and the closing ā gahi.
rume/ruśame/śyāvake/kṛpa: keep retroflex ṛ in kṛpa; śyā- long ā, mādayase: long ā; dental d, kaṇvāsas: retroflex ṇ; long ā, brahmabhiḥ: aspirated bh; final ḥ, stomavāhasaḥ: long ā; separate vā-ha-saḥ clearly, ā gahi: long ā; gahi with light h
inviting yet firm; clear diction to make ‘word as vehicle’ felt
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