Rig Veda 8.4.6: Mandala 8, Sukta 4, Mantra 6
Sukta 8.4
- Rishi
- Kaṇva
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Jagatī
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
सहस्रेणेव सचते यवीयुधा यस्त आनळुपस्तुतिम् । पुत्रं प्रावर्गं कृणुते सुवीर्ये दाश्नोति नमउक्तिभिः ॥
sahásreṇeva sacate yavī-yúdhā yás ta ā́naḷ úpa-stutim | putráṃ prā́vargaṃ kṛṇute su-vī́rye dā́śnoti náma-ukti-bhiḥ ||
जो इंसान तुम्हारी तारीफ करता है और तुम्हारे साथ रहता है, वो बड़ा लकी होता है। उसकी औलाद आगे बढ़ती है और उसके पास बड़ी ताकत आती है। वो अपनी बातों से भगवान को खुश करता है।
Word by Word
- सहस्रेण
- with a thousand (i.e., by a thousandfold/with thousands)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचनRole करणRoot सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- इव
- like, asIndeclinableअव्ययRoot इव
- सचते
- he accompanies / he associates (with)Verbलट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपदRoot √सच् (सचते)
- यवीयुधा
- with greater youthful vigor / more impetuouslyAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः—सहस्रेण इव … यवीयुधा = ‘more vigorously/with greater youthful force’)Role करणRoot यवीयुध् (प्रातिपदिक; तुलनात्मक/विशेषण)
- यः
- whoPronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- ते
- yourPronounषष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन (एन्क्लिटिक ‘ते’ = ‘thy/your’)Role सम्बन्धRoot त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अनळु
- unwearied, not slack (tireless)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (यः … अनळु …)Root अनळु (प्रातिपदिक; वैदिक)
- उपस्तुतिम्
- praise, hymn of invocationNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot उप-स्तुति (प्रातिपदिक)
- पुत्रम्
- a sonNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- प्रावर्गम्
- pre-eminent one / foremost (as an excellent son)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचनRole कर्म (पुत्रम् … प्रावर्गम् = ‘a son as an eminent/foremost one’)Root प्रावर्ग (प्रातिपदिक; वैदिक/याज्ञिक)
- कृणुते
- he makes, he fashions, he brings aboutVerbलट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपदRoot √कृ (कृणुते)
- सुवीर्ये
- in good heroism / in excellent valorNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot सु-वीर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- दाश्नोति
- he attains, obtainsVerbलट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRoot √दाश्/√दंश् (वैदिक ‘दाश्नोति’ = attains/obtains)
- नमः
- reverence, homageNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (अव्ययीभाववत् ‘नमः-उक्तिभिः’ समासाङ्ग)Root नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- उक्तिभिः
- with utterances / with hymnsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचनRole करणRoot उक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution: सहस्रे॑णेव → सहस्रेण + इव
- यस्त॒ → यः + ते
- आन॒ळुप॑स्तुतिम् (as given) is read as ते अनळु उपस्तुतिम्: te + anāḷu + upastutim (no further external sandhi)
- नम॑उक्तिभिः → नमः + उक्तिभिः (visarga before vowel; often written without ḥ in Saṃhitā orthography)
The meaning
Outer meaning
He who attends you as if with a thousand youthful weapons and reaches you with near-praise—he makes a son, a forward-leading outcome, in heroic power; by reverent utterances he attains fulfillment.
Inner meaning
The devotee approaches Indra with a rich arsenal of fresh energies (yavīyudhā)—disciplined life-forces ready for the inner battle. ‘Near-praise’ (upastuti) is intimate affirmation: mantra and will placed close to the deity within. The ‘son’ is not merely progeny but a new birth in consciousness—an emergent power or formation that leads forward (prāvarga) in the field of heroic becoming (suvīrya). Reverent speech (nama-uktibhiḥ) is the right vibration that opens attainment (dāśnoti): fulfillment as stabilizing of the new power.
Universal truth
When aspiration is supported by many fresh, disciplined energies and sincere affirmation, a new capacity is born in us—one that leads our life forward. Right speech and reverence are not ornament; they are forces that shape inner results.
Themes
reward of praise, heroic power, progeny (inner and outer), devotional approach
The seer
- Rishi
- Kaṇva
- Other hymns
- RV 8.4, RV 8.6
Family tradition
Kaṇvāḥ: emphasize effective approach (upastuti) and the birth of new powers through Indra’s aid—often expressed as ‘sons’ or forward outcomes.
Significance
The Kaṇva seer frames devotion as a technology of consciousness: disciplined energies + mantra-reverence → birth of a leading force in the being.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- receiver of upastuti (near-praise), giver of suvīrya (good heroism)
- Related deities
- Agni (leader of sacrifice), Maruts (supporting energies), Sarasvatī (inspired speech, by resonance with nama-ukti)
Cosmic role
Strengthens the gods’ side in the human; grants victorious capacities and forward-leading outcomes.
Inner power
Awakens courageous, clarified action-forces; supports the birth of new, leading formations in consciousness.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra praise accompanying offerings; petitions for strength and prosperity
स॒हस्रे॑णेव सचते यवी॒युधा॒ यस्त॒ आन॒ळुप॑स्तुतिम् । पु॒त्रं प्रा॑व॒र्गं कृ॑णुते सु॒वीर्ये॑ दा॒श्नोति॒ नम॑उक्तिभिः ॥
स॒हस्रे॑णऽइव । स॒च॒ते॒ । य॒वि॒ऽयुधा॑ । यः । ते॒ । आन॑ट् । उप॑ऽस्तुतिम् । पु॒त्रम् । प्रा॒व॒र्गम् । कृ॒णु॒ते॒ । सु॒ऽवीर्ये॑ । दा॒श्नोति॑ । नम॑ऽउक्तिऽभिः ॥
sahasreṇa-iva | sacate | yavi-yudhā | yaḥ | te | ānaṭ | upa-stutim | putram | prāvargam | kṛṇute | su-vīrye | dāśnoti | nama-ukti-bhiḥ
48
4 pādas × 12 syllables (Jagatī-type).
Broad and processional; supports the idea of assembling many forces and bringing forth a result.
Creates steadiness and constructive momentum; good for building resolve and ‘forming’ a new inner capacity.
- सहस्रेणेव (sahasreṇeva)
- Literal: as if with a thousand. Symbolic: abundant, many-sided energies gathered for transformation
- यवीयुधा (yavīyudhā)
- Literal: with youthful weapons. Symbolic: fresh vital forces disciplined into instruments of progress
- उपस्तुतिम् (upastutim)
- Literal: near-praise, close adoration. Symbolic: intimate mantra-affirmation placed close to the indwelling Power
- पुत्रम् (putram)
- Literal: son. Symbolic: new birth/formation in consciousness; emergent spiritual capacity
- प्रावर्गम् (prāvargam)
- Literal: forward-leading, set in front. Symbolic: that which pioneers the next step of the yoga
- सुवीर्ये (suvīrye)
- Literal: in good heroism. Symbolic: in the field of victorious spiritual action
- नमउक्तिभिः (nama-uktibhiḥ)
- Literal: with words of homage. Symbolic: reverent vibration aligning ego to a higher will
- दाश्नोति (dāśnoti)
- Literal: attains, obtains. Symbolic: realizes and stabilizes the sought inner result
Phala-śruti style assurance: the one who praises and accompanies Indra gains heroic potency and progeny; applicable to Soma praise and patron-benefit framing.
During Indra invocations where results (victory, progeny, prosperity) are asked; also suitable in ancillary rites seeking ‘suvīrya’.
Recitation with oblations and praise; affirmation of devotion as the means to attainment.
For practitioners seeking a ‘new beginning’ (habit change, new inner strength): use as a constructive mantra to support the birth of a leading capacity (prāvarga).
√sac 'accompany' (cf. sakhā friendship complex). yudh 'fight' from PIE *yeudh- (cf. English 'youth' is different; but German Leute? no; clearer: Sanskrit yudh-, Avestan yaozda-?; PIE *yeudh- yields Germanic 'youth' is unrelated; better cognate: Old Irish 'iud' debated). vīrya from vīra 'hero' (PIE *wiHro- 'man' cf. Latin vir). namaḥ from √nam 'bow' (PIE *nem- 'bend'). dāśnoti from √daś 'attain' (Indo-Iranian). prāvarga is difficult: could relate to pra-√vṛj/√varg 'set forth, arrange'; treated here semantically as 'advance-leading product'.
praise as approach (upa-stuti) and alignment, progeny as inner formation (new conscious power), namaḥ as surrender that enables attainment
The ‘forward-leading’ son signifies right evolution—growth aligned with R̥ta rather than random desire.
Nama-ukti aligns speech to truth, making attainment stable rather than momentary.
Birth of new forms: consciousness creates ‘sons’—new powers—through right force and right speech.
Vedic psychology (Aurobindo/Kashyap): inner birth and formation as central sādhanā process.
Weapons = disciplined faculties; youth = freshness of prāṇa and will; son = new emergence; forward-leading = evolutionary push.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is the devotee’s gaining of heroic power and progeny through close praise and accompaniment of Indra. Inner sense: sustained alignment with the Indric force (sacate) and reverent speech (nama-ukti) generates a 'son'—a new conscious formation—leading the being forward in su-vīrya.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- vīra/vīrya reflects PIE *wiHro- 'man' (Latin vir). namaḥ from √nam corresponds to PIE *nem- 'bend'. The semantic chain 'bowing speech → attainment' shows an inherited IE linkage between ritual posture, speech-act, and success.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The relationship is pedagogical and contractual: the rishi states the inner law of reciprocity—near-praise and reverent utterance draw Indra’s force, resulting in vīrya and a forward-leading 'issue' (putra). The god’s gift is conditioned by the aspirant’s sustained companionship and right speech.
Assemble fresh energies; offer intimate praise; visualize the birth of a new leading capacity in life.
Viśuddha (nama-ukti: truth-speech) and Maṇipūra (suvīrya: heroic force).
Bhrāmarī-soft or slow ujjāyī to ‘forge’ inner vibration; on exhale, inwardly offer nama-ukti.
Constructive, formative concentration (bhāvanā) with steady enthusiasm.
Name the new quality you seek (steadiness, courage, clarity) as the ‘putra’; repeat the mantra while feeling energies gather and organize; end by sitting silently, letting the new formation ‘stand in front’ and lead.
Rigvedic accent; allow Jagatī’s longer line to carry a steady build toward ‘putram prāvargam’.
Keep the phrase ‘nama-uktibhiḥ’ reverential and slightly softened; emphasize ‘suvīrye’ with firmness.
yavīyudhā: long ī; articulate ‘yudh’ clearly., upastutim: keep ‘stu’ crisp, avoid ‘sht’., prāvargam: long ā; roll ‘rg’ lightly without inserting a vowel.
Steady, confident, formative; less martial than 8.4.5, more constructive.
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