Rig Veda 8.49.9: Mandala 8, Sukta 49, Mantra 9
Sukta 8.49
- Rishi
- Kaṇva
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh/Jagatī
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
एतावतस्त ईमह इन्द्र सुम्नस्य गोमतः । यथा प्रावो मघवन्मेध्यातिथिं यथा नीपातिथिं धने ॥
etā́vatas te īmahe índra sumnásya gómataḥ | yáthā prā́vo maghavan médhyā́tithiṃ yáthā nī́pā́tithiṃ dháne ||
इंद्र, हम तुम्हारी कृपा माँगते हैं। वो कृपा जो रोशनी और ज्ञान से भरी हो। जैसे तुमने मेध्यातिथि की रक्षा की थी, और निपातिथि को धन देने में मदद की थी, वैसे ही हमारी भी मदद करो।
Word by Word
- एतावतः
- of so much, of this extentAdjective/Pronoun-likeपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी एकवचन (gen. sg.)Role सम्बन्ध (genitival relation to ‘सुम्नस्य’)Root एतावत् (प्रातिपदिक) < एतद् + वत्
- ते
- to youPronounचतुर्थी एकवचन (dat. sg.)Role सम्प्रदान (recipient)Root युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- ईमहे
- we seek / we requestVerbलट् (present); उत्तमपुरुष; बहुवचन; आत्मनेपदRole क्रियाRoot ईम्/ई (धातु: ईम् ‘to seek, request’)
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन एकवचन (voc. sg.)Role सम्बोधनRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- सुम्नस्य
- of favor, of graceNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी एकवचन (gen. sg.)Role सम्बन्ध (with ‘गोमतः’ as qualifier; object-domain of seeking)Root सुम्न (प्रातिपदिक)
- गोमतः
- rich in cows; cattle-aboundingAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी एकवचन (gen. sg.) (agreeing with सुम्नस्य)Role विशेषण (qualifier of ‘सुम्नस्य’)Root गोमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- यथा
- as, just asIndeclinableRole सम्बन्ध/उपमान-सम्बन्ध (introduces comparison/parallel clause)Root यथा (अव्यय)
- प्रावः
- you helped / you protectedVerbलुङ् (aorist); मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot प्र + अव् (धातु: अव् ‘to help, protect, favor’)
- मघवन्
- O bountiful oneNoun (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन एकवचन (voc. sg.)Role सम्बोधनRoot मघवन् (प्रातिपदिक; epithet of Indra ‘bountiful’)
- मेध्यातिथिम्
- MedhyātithiNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन (acc. sg.)Role कर्म (object of प्रावः)Root मेध्यातिथि (प्रातिपदिक; proper name) < मेध्य + अतिथि
- यथा
- as, just asIndeclinableRole सम्बन्ध/उपमान-सम्बन्धRoot यथा (अव्यय)
- नीपातिथिम्
- NīpātithiNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन (acc. sg.)Role कर्म (object of implied/elliptic ‘प्रावः’)Root नीपातिथि (प्रातिपदिक; proper name) < नीप + अतिथि
- धने
- in wealth; in the gaining of richesNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी एकवचन (loc. sg.)Role अधिकरण (locus/field: ‘in/for wealth, in the contest for booty’)Root धन (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (resolved): एतावतः ते ईमहे इन्द्र सुम्नस्य गोमतः । यथा प्रावः मघवन् मेध्यातिथिम् यथा नीपातिथिम् धने ॥ Sandhi/phonetics: (1) ते ईमहे: hiatus retained in saṃhitā with Vedic prosody
- no consonantal sandhi. (2) एतावतस्त ईमह → एतावतः + ते + ईमहे (final -स् of saṃhitā reflects external sandhi/phonetic joining; pada has एतावतः). (3) Other words largely stand without further sandhi
- vocatives इन्द्र, मघवन् are independent. (4) Second यथा-clause is elliptical: ‘यथा (प्रावः) नीपातिथिम्’ understood from prior verb
The meaning
Outer meaning
The singer asks Indra for a measure of his grace, rich in ‘cows’; as Indra protected Medhyātithi and Nīpātithi in the gaining of wealth, so may he grant favor now.
Inner meaning
The prayer seeks Indra’s sumná (benevolent power) that is gomát—full of rays of knowledge. The remembered ‘protections’ are inner precedents: Indra guards and carries forward the receptive ‘guest’ in us (atithi)—the arriving inspiration/intuition—so it can be established in the field of plenitude (dhana = abundance of force and light).
Universal truth
Grace is not vague comfort but an active illumination that protects the growing truth in us and leads it to stable abundance.
Themes
prayer for grace, ancestral precedent, light-wealth, protection
The seer
- Rishi
- Kaṇva
- Lineage
- Kāṇva
- Other hymns
- RV 8.49, RV 8.50
Family tradition
Kāṇva hymns frequently combine praise with ‘memory of help’—using ancestral victories as inner archetypes of divine intervention.
Significance
Kaṇva here models the yogic attitude: ask for a definite measure of grace—illumined, practical, and protective of the soul’s arriving truth.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Indra, Maghavan (bountiful)
- Related deities
- Soma, Agni, Bṛhaspati
Cosmic role
Giver of luminous riches, protector of the seeker, opener of paths to abundance.
Inner power
The illumined mind-force that safeguards nascent insight and turns it into stable capacity and fruition.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-stuti accompanying Soma offering; prayer for ‘gomat’ blessing
ए॒ताव॑तस्त ईमह॒ इन्द्र॑ सु॒म्नस्य॒ गोम॑तः । यथा॒ प्रावो॑ मघव॒न्मेध्या॑तिथिं॒ यथा॒ नीपा॑तिथिं॒ धने॑ ॥
ए॒ताव॑तः । ते॒ । ई॒म॒हे॒ । इन्द्र॑ । सु॒म्नस्य॑ । गोऽम॑तः । यथा॑ । प्र । आवः॑ । म॒घ॒ऽव॒न् । मेध्य॑ऽअतिथिम् । यथा॑ । नीप॑ऽअतिथि, । धने॑ ॥
etāvataḥ | te | īmahe | indra | sumnasya | go--mataḥ | yathā | pra | āvaḥ | magha-van | medhya-atithim | yathā | nīpa-atithim | dhane
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Likely 4×11 (Triṣṭubh) or mixed
Supplicatory yet firm; repeated yathā… yathā… creates mnemonic, testimonial rhythm.
Instills trust through remembered precedents; steady cadence supports devotional confidence.
- सुम्न (sumná)
- Literal: favor, grace, benevolence. Symbolic: supporting influx of divine power that harmonizes and uplifts the nature
- गोमत् (gomat)
- Literal: rich in cows. Symbolic: rich in rays of light/knowledge; luminous abundance
- अतिथि (atithi) in names
- Literal: guest. Symbolic: the arriving inspiration/inner visitor—truth that comes from beyond habitual mind
- धन (dhana)
- Literal: wealth. Symbolic: plenitude of consciousness, force, joy—resources for inner life and action
- प्र आवः (prāvo)
- Literal: you protected/advanced. Symbolic: divine guardianship that enables growth of the inner light
Ancestral exempla (itihāsa-like allusion) used to secure Indra’s favour in the present rite
When seeking Indra’s favor for success, protection, and increase (outer and inner).
Praise + request (īmahe) with offering and remembrance of Indra’s former aid.
Recite when seeking clarity and guidance: ask for ‘gomat sumná’—grace that brings insight and protects one’s best aspiration.
: su- + √man ‘think, intend’ → ‘goodwill, favour’ (a benevolent disposition/power). : go ‘cow’ (also ‘ray/light’ in Vedic symbolism) + -mat ‘possessing’. √av ‘help, protect’ (prāvaḥ). : from √dhan ‘to win/obtain’; dhana as ‘gain/wealth’ (inner attainment).
sumná as grace aligning the being to ṛta, protection as spiritual ‘carrying across’ (√av), rayi/dhana as plenitude of being
Grace aligns the seeker’s movement with right order, preventing deviation and waste.
‘Gomat’ grace is truth-bearing illumination, not mere material gain.
Growth of light in the human through divine protection.
Integral-psychological (Indra as illumined mind; ‘cows’ as rays).
Cows = rays of knowledge; ‘wealth’ = stored luminous power and capacity in the being.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The precedent of divine protection of seers: Indra’s past acts for Medhyātithi and Nīpātithi are invoked as a template for present aid. Mythically it is the god’s faithful guardianship; psychologically it is the continuity of grace for those who become ‘fit’ (medhya) for higher reception.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √man in sumná belongs to PIE *men- (mind). √av ‘help/protect’ has Indo-Iranian continuities (Avestan av- ‘help’). The ‘cows = light’ equation is an Indo-Aryan poetic specialization but parallels IE ‘wealth/light’ conflations in heroic diction.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi negotiates through remembered reciprocity: ‘as you did then, do now.’ The requested ‘gomat’ grace is not mere cattle but luminous knowledge that sustains the aspirant in the attainment (dhane) of fullness.
Receive ‘gomat’ grace: visualize rays of understanding descending and stabilizing in the mind-heart.
Anahata–Ajna
Slow nāḍī-śodhana with a brief pause after inhale to ‘receive’ (no strain).
Quiet receptivity with protected clarity.
Repeat the mantra as an invocation of benevolent force; after chanting, sit and notice subtle ‘arrivals’ of insight (atithi) and consciously shelter them from distraction.
Vedic accents vary by recension; keep clear rise on índra and stress on sumnásya gómataḥ phrase; consult accent-marked text for exact svara.
Let ‘etāvatas ta īmahe’ flow as a single request; mark yathā… yathā… with equal emphasis (parallelism).
: long ī ‘ī-ma-he’, : ‘go-ma-taḥ’ (light visarga), : ‘ma-gha-van’ (aspirated gh), : split ‘me-dhyā-ti-thim’
Warm, prayerful, steady; avoid harsh attack.
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