Rig Veda 8.77.2: Mandala 8, Sukta 77, Mantra 2
Sukta 8.77
- Devata
- Indra
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
आदीं शवस्यब्रवीदौर्णवाभमहीशुवम् । ते पुत्र सन्तु निष्टुरः ॥
ādī́ṃ śavasī́ abravīd aurṇa-vābhám ahī́śuvam | té putra santu niḥ-túraḥ ||
फिर उसकी माँ ने उसे बताया कि वो कितना ताकतवर है। उसने कहा, वो साँप को भगाने वाला है। माँ ने कहा बेटा, यह लोग तेरे लिए दुश्मनों को हरायेंगे।
Word by Word
- आ
- towards, unto (preverb)Indeclinableउपसर्ग (preverb), अव्ययRoot आ (उपसर्ग) / ā (preverb)
- दीम्
- her/this (acc. sg.)Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग? (वेदे ‘दीम्’ = ‘इमाम्/एनाम्’), द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) / idam
- शवस्य
- of strength, of mightNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचनRole Sambandha (genitive relation)Root शवस् (नपुंसकलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिक) / śavas
- अब्रवीत्
- said, spokeVerbलुङ् (aorist), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot ब्रू (धातु) / brū
- और्णवाभम्
- Aurṇavābha (a person/epithet)Noun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचनRole Karma (object of ‘said’ = addressed/mentioned)Root और्णवाभ (प्रातिपदिक; विशेषण/नाम) / aurṇavābha
- अहीशुवम्
- Ahīśuva (a person/epithet)Noun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचनRole Karma (in apposition with previous)Root अहीशुव (प्रातिपदिक; विशेषण/नाम) / ahīśuva
- ते
- theyPronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचनRole KartāRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) / tad
- पुत्र
- O son!Noun (vocative) / Addressपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन एकवचनRoot पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक) / putra
- सन्तु
- let them beVerbलोट् (imperative/benedictive sense), परस्मैपद, तृतीयपुरुष, बहुवचनRoot अस् (धातु) / as
- निष्टुरः
- harsh, stern, unyieldingAdjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचनRole Kartā/Predicate nominative (with ‘सन्तु’)Root निष्टुर (प्रातिपदिक; विशेषण) / niṣṭura
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (sandhi-resolution): आ + दीम् + शवस्य + अब्रवीत् + और्णवाभम् + अहीशुवम् । ते + पुत्र + सन्तु + निष्टुरः । 1) आदीं॑ = आ + दीम् (दीम् is Vedic pronominal acc. sg. ‘her/this’, often corresponding to इमाम्/एनाम्)
- 2) शव॒स्य॑ब्रवीत् = शवस्य + अब्रवीत् (a-vowel sandhi at word boundary)
- 3) और्णवा॒भम॑ही॒शुव॑म् = और्णवाभम् + अहीशुवम् (a + a sandhi; written as -म॑अ- in saṃhitā)
- 4) नि॒ष्टुर॑: = निष्टुरः (visarga in pausa)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Then the mighty Mother spoke of him as ‘wool-webbed, serpent-impelling’: ‘Let those, my son, be your overthrowers (of the enemy).’
Inner meaning
The Mother-force (Śavasī—mighty Shakti) reveals the means and allies for Indra’s victory. ‘Aurṇavābha’ (wool-webbed / spider-like) suggests the power to weave, bind, and skillfully manage the threads of nature—organizing energies into a net of effective action. ‘Ahīśuva’ (serpent-impelling) points to directing the coiled vital forces (ahi) so they serve illumination rather than obstruction—mastery over the subconscient/vital currents. These become ‘niṣṭuraḥ’—sure overthrowers: disciplined powers that can decisively break resistance.
Universal truth
Higher guidance does not merely inspire; it provides method—how to weave energies and redirect primal forces so that resistance is surely overcome.
Themes
maternal empowerment, naming of powers, overcoming obstruction
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 8.77.1 (Indra’s question), RV 1.113 (Uṣas as awakener; allied Shakti theme)
Family tradition
Shakti-guided Indra mythology: victory is achieved through revealed methods and organized energies, not brute force alone.
Significance
The ‘Mother’s answer’ is the yogic principle of guidance: the awakened will must learn the art of weaving life-energies and directing the serpent-force rather than suppressing it.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra (with Mother-Shakti as speaking power)
- Epithets
- Śatakratu (context), Vṛtrahan (implied outcome)
- Related deities
- Aditi, Sarasvatī (guiding flow), Maruts (energizing allies)
Cosmic role
Indra receives empowering knowledge from the Mother-force to conquer hostile powers; Shakti provides the strategy and instruments.
Inner power
Integration of force and method: weaving capacities (organization) + redirected vital energy (serpent-force) into sure conquest.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra empowerment narrative within praise; supports rites seeking victory, protection, and effective force.
आदीं॑ शव॒स्य॑ब्रवीदौर्णवा॒भम॑ही॒शुव॑म् । ते पु॑त्र सन्तु नि॒ष्टुर॑: ॥
आत् । ई॒म् । श॒व॒सी । अ॒ब्र॒वी॒त् । औ॒र्ण॒ऽवा॒भम् । अ॒ही॒शुव॑म् । ते । पु॒त्र॒ । स॒न्तु॒ । निः॒ऽतुरः॑ ॥
āt | īm | śavasī | abravīt | aurṇa-vābham | ahīśuvam | te | putra | santu | niḥ-turaḥ
Two-pāda narrative with descriptive epithets; compound-heavy, giving a ‘woven’ sonic texture.
Textured and binding—clusters (aurṇavābham, ahīśuvam) create a net-like sound.
Gives a feeling of harnessing and organizing energy; steadies the vital and brings it under guidance.
- śavasī
- Literal: the mighty (feminine), strong one. Symbolic: Shakti that empowers the awakened will; force of nature aligned to the divine
- aurṇavābham
- Literal: wool-webbed; spider/web-like. Symbolic: weaving intelligence of prakṛti; capacity to organize threads of life into a coherent net of action
- ahīśuvam
- Literal: serpent-impelling/urging. Symbolic: mastery and right direction of coiled vital/subconscient energies (ahi) toward light
- putra
- Literal: son. Symbolic: the awakened Indra-force within the seeker
- niṣṭuraḥ
- Literal: overthrowers, subduers. Symbolic: decisive conquering faculties—disciplined energies that defeat resistance
Recited as part of Indra’s heroic cycle; supports invocation of overcoming powers in Soma rites.
In contexts emphasizing Indra’s acquisition of power/means; could accompany protective intentions in Soma sessions.
Recitation to invoke Shakti-guided conquering power; affirmation of ‘sure overthrowers’.
Use when energy feels chaotic: invoke the capacity to ‘weave’ routines and channel primal impulses into disciplined action.
: from śávas ‘strength’ (cognate field with vigor). : nis- + agent noun from √tṝ/√tur ‘to cross over, overcome’ (semantic of surpassing resistance). : likely from ūrṇa ‘wool’ + vābha ‘web/covering’ (a binding net-image). : ahi ‘serpent’ + śu/śva? ‘impel/arrow’—a difficult compound; taken here as a power dealing with serpentine obstruction (ahi) either by driving it or wielding it.
shavas (strength), overcoming (tura) as crossing beyond limitation
The web/weave symbolizes ordered arrangement—ṛta as patterning intelligence in life.
Guidance from the Mother aligns force with truth-purpose rather than desire.
Weaving of manifestation: prakṛti as loom; energies as threads; right weaving yields victory and harmony.
Integral yoga reading: transformation through Shakti’s method—organization and sublimation/redirecting of vital energy.
Web = organized life-patterns and mental-vital networks; Serpent = coiled life-force/subconscient power that must be directed upward and outward rightly.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The Mother identifies specific formidable powers (named by striking epithets) that will serve Indra as ‘overcomers’. Mythically, it is the arming/alliance stage; psychologically, Nature points out the functional energies needed to master serpentine obstruction.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The overcoming semantic in √tṝ/√tur resonates with PIE *terh₁- ‘to cross over, overcome’ (cf. Latin trans, English through via Germanic), preserving the archaic metaphor of victory as ‘crossing beyond’ a boundary.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The r̥ṣi presents Indra’s empowerment as a template for inner discipline: the seeker receives from the Mother-principle the right names/functions—i.e., discriminated energies—to become ‘niḥturaḥ’, effective overcomers.
Invoke the Mother-force to reveal the right ‘weave’ (daily pattern) and to redirect the coiled energies into purposeful action.
Svadhisthana–Manipura (serpent/vital redirected into disciplined force)
Nāḍī-śodhana 9 rounds; then feel a ‘web of steadiness’ forming around impulses; conclude with one firm exhale imagining resistance overthrown.
Disciplined power; guided vital energy.
Do two practices together: (1) weaving—create a simple, repeatable routine; (2) serpent-direction—when desire surges, channel it into one chosen work or mantra rather than suppression.
RV svara as per accented saṃhitā; keep epithets aurṇavābham/ahīśuvam carefully articulated so accent does not blur in consonant clusters.
Give slight emphasis to the Mother’s speech tone; pause after ‘abravīt’.
ād īṃ: separate long īṃ clearly, śavasy: keep ‘śa’ palatal; avoid ‘sa’, aurṇavābham: vocalic ṛ in ‘aurṇa’; keep ‘vā’ long, ahīśuvam: long ī; palatal ś, niṣṭuraḥ: retroflex ṣ; keep ‘ṭu’ crisp; final ḥ
Firm, instructive, grounded—like a guiding command rather than a shout.
9
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