Rig Veda 8.63.4: Mandala 8, Sukta 63, Mantra 4
Sukta 8.63
- Devata
- Indra
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
स प्रत्नथा कविवृध इन्द्रो वाकस्य वक्षणिः । शिवो अर्कस्य होमन्यस्मत्रा गन्त्ववसे ॥
sá pratnáthā kavi-vṛdhá índro vākásya vakṣáṇiḥ | śivó arkásya hómani asma-trā́ gántv ávase ||
इंद्र बहुत पुराना है, रिशियों को बड़ा करता है। वो शब्द को आगे ले जाता है। अच्छा है, यहाँ आके हमारी मदद करे। हवन के लिए आए।
Word by Word
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) → स
- प्रत्नथा
- as of old; in the ancient wayIndeclinableअव्ययम् (प्रकार/रीति-वाचक)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot प्रत्न (विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक) + -था (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
- कविवृधः
- the increaser of seers/poetsAdjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot कवि + वृध (वृध् ‘वर्धने’ धातु) → कविवृध (बहुव्रीहि/तत्पुरुष-समास)
- इन्द्रः
- IndraNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- वाकस्य
- of speechNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Role SambandhaRoot वाच् (स्त्रीलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिक)
- वक्षणिः
- the bearer/vehicle (carrier)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot वक्षणि (प्रातिपदिक; ‘वह/वह्नि/वाहक’ अर्थ-सम्बद्ध, ‘वाहन/वहक’)
- शिवः
- auspicious; graciousAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot शिव (विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक)
- अर्कस्य
- of the hymn/chant (arká)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Role SambandhaRoot अर्क (प्रातिपदिक)
- होमनि
- in the offering; in the oblationNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, एकवचनम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot होमन् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘हवन/आहुति/यज्ञ’)
- अस्मत्रा
- here with us; in our placeIndeclinableअव्ययम् (देश-वाचक)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + -त्रा (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
- गन्तु
- let him comeVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे/आशीर्लिङ्गार्थे), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Role (मुख्यक्रिया)Root गम् (गच्छति) धातु
- अवसे
- for help; for aidNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, चतुर्थी, एकवचनम्Role SampradānaRoot अवस् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘रक्षा/सहायता’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: सः | प्रत्नथा | कविवृधः | इन्द्रः | वाकस्य | वक्षणिः | शिवः | अर्कस्य | होमनि | अस्मत्रा | गन्तु | अवसे । 1) स प्रत्नथा → सः प्रत्नथा (विसर्ग-लोपः पदान्ते ‘सः’)
- 2) इन्द्रो वाकस्य → इन्द्रः वाकस्य (विसर्गः ‘ओ’ इति श्रुत्या/संहितायाम्)
- 3) होमन्यस्मत्रा → होमनि अस्मत्रा (इ-स्वरान्त + अ-आदिः: यण्-सन्धिः, i + a → ya)
- 4) गन्त्ववसे → गन्तु अवसे (उ + अ → व्-आगमः/संहितायां ‘त्व’ इव दृश्यते)
The meaning
Outer meaning
From of old, increasing the seers, Indra is the carrier of the Word. Kindly, to the offering-place of the hymn, let him come here to our side for help.
Inner meaning
Indra ‘kavivṛdha’—he increases the kavi, the seer-mind in us, by widening and sharpening inspiration. He is ‘vākasya vakṣaṇiḥ’: the bearer/conveyer of Vāc, the Word—meaning he supports the descent and right carriage of inspired speech into the human instrument. When the Word is rightly borne, the hymn (arka) becomes a true offering-place (homan) where consciousness can meet the Divine. The prayer asks the benevolent Power (‘śivaḥ’) to come ‘asmatrā’—into our present embodied field—for ‘avase’ (help/protection): the sustaining force that makes inspiration effective in life.
Universal truth
True speech and inspired expression are not merely personal talent; they are upheld by a higher illumined power that nurtures seerhood and makes the word a vehicle for transformation.
Themes
Indra and Vāc, Seer-increase, Invocation, Benign protection
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 8.63.1-3 (same sequence; ascent, pressing, release of lights)
Significance
The seer culminates the sequence by grounding illumination in Vāc: Indra not only breaks obstacles but also bears the Word, making inspired speech an operative sacrifice.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- kavivṛdha (increaser of seers), vāk-vakṣaṇi (bearer of the Word), śiva (auspicious, kindly), pratna (ancient)
- Related deities
- Vāc, Bṛhaspati, Agni, Sarasvatī
Cosmic role
Supports the emergence of inspired speech and seerhood; enables the hymn to become an effective offering that draws help from the divine world.
Inner power
Power of inspired articulation—clarity, force, and right expression that carries realization into life.
In ritual
Where it is used
Invocation of Indra to the hymn-offering within Soma/Indra rites
स प्र॒त्नथा॑ कविवृ॒ध इन्द्रो॑ वा॒कस्य॑ व॒क्षणि॑: । शि॒वो अ॒र्कस्य॒ होम॑न्यस्म॒त्रा ग॒न्त्वव॑से ॥
सः । प्र॒त्नऽथा॑ । क॒वि॒ऽवृ॒धः । इन्द्रः॑ । वा॒कस्य॑ । व॒क्षणिः॑ । शि॒वः । अ॒र्कस्य॑ । होम॑नि । अ॒स्म॒ऽत्रा । ग॒न्तु॒ । अव॑से ॥
saḥ | pratna-thā | kavi-vṛdhaḥ | indraḥ | vākasya | vakṣaṇiḥ | śivaḥ | arkasya | homani | asma-trā | gantu | avase
44
4 x ~11 syllables; invocation in last pāda
Elevating and supplicatory: descriptive epithets rise, then turn into a direct call to come.
Invokes a descending presence—listeners often feel speech become steadier and more luminous after chanting.
- pratnathā
- Literal: from of old. Symbolic: eternal principle; perennial support of inspiration
- kavi-vṛdhaḥ
- Literal: increaser of seers/poets. Symbolic: power that expands the seer-consciousness and intuition
- vākasya vakṣaṇiḥ
- Literal: carrier/bearer of the Word. Symbolic: force that conveys inspired speech into the mind and life
- arka
- Literal: hymn/chant. Symbolic: aspirational vibration; luminous formulation of consciousness
- homan(i)
- Literal: offering-place/act of oblation. Symbolic: inner altar where speech becomes sacrifice
- śivaḥ
- Literal: kind, auspicious. Symbolic: benevolent aspect of the divine force—heals, harmonizes, supports
- avase
- Literal: for help/protection. Symbolic: sustaining grace and effective power in action
Invitation verse (āvāhana): calls Indra to the homa of arka; emphasizes his function as bearer of vāc and increaser of seer-vision.
At moments of calling the deity to the offering and requesting aid
Āvāhana-style recitation: inviting Indra to the homa-place of arka
Chant before teaching, singing, public speaking, or mantra-japa to align speech with truth and inspiration; also before journaling/inner inquiry.
kavi from √kav ‘to see/poetically envision’; vāc (Word) as revelatory principle; vakṣaṇi ‘carrier’ from √vah ‘to carry’ (with kṣaṇi formation); arka as hymn/light (root √arc ‘shine, praise’); śiva as auspicious/benign.
Vāc (revelatory Word), Kavi (seer-consciousness), Arka as luminous hymn, Divine help (avase)
Right word is an expression of ṛta; Indra bears the Word so that speech aligns with truth and effective action.
Auspicious speech (śiva vāc) is speech that carries satya, not ego-display.
Word as a creative power: arka offered at the inner altar summons the descent of help.
Mantric cosmology: vibration (vāc/brahma) mediates between human and divine; compatible with Aurobindo’s ‘Word as power of consciousness’.
Homa = inner offering; arka = luminous vibration; Indra’s coming = descent of illumined force into embodied life.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘bearer of the Word’ mythologem: Indra is not only warrior but the carrier who brings vāc into operative power, increasing the seers and arriving at the hymn-offering to aid the work.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √vah ‘carry’ (PIE *wegh-; cf. English way, wagon) underlies vakṣaṇi ‘carrier’. √arc ‘shine/praise’ in arka reflects an inherited linkage of light and laudation in IE poetics.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi invites Indra into the immediate ritual-psychological space (‘asma-trā’). Indra’s reciprocity is framed as avas (help): he strengthens the rishi’s kavi-nature and empowers the Word to accomplish the sacrifice inwardly.
Offer speech as sacrifice: let words arise from quiet truth and illumined intention.
viśuddha (purified expression) linked to ājñā (illumined guidance)
slow_meditative: lengthen exhale while softly humming (nāda) to ‘carry the Word’ inward
Receptive inspiration with calm benevolence; speech emerging from silence.
Sit briefly in silence, feel a luminous presence above the head/brow. Then chant once and pause: notice the quality of inner speech. Resolve that your day’s words become arka—an offering—so Indra’s help can act through communication and decision.
Tri-svara per RV; precise udātta/anudātta positions should be taken from a svara-pāṭha for 8.63.4.
Give clear articulation to compounds: kavivṛdha, vākasya vakṣaṇiḥ; soften on śivo; make the final invocation ‘gantv avase’ gently urgent.
pratnathā: retroflex ṇ? (here ‘pratna’ dental n); keep ‘thā’ aspirated and long ā, kavivṛdha: ṛ vocalic; do not say ‘vridha’ with i, vākasya: long ā; ‘sy’ conjunct light, vakṣaṇiḥ: retroflex ṣ; ṇ; final ḥ light, homan(i): ‘ho’ long o; avoid ‘havan’ substitution, asmatrā: keep cluster ‘sm’ clear, gantv: conjunct ‘ntv’—avoid inserting extra vowel
Warm, resonant, and inviting; end with a protective softness.
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