Rig Veda 8.77.3: Mandala 8, Sukta 77, Mantra 3
Sukta 8.77
- Devata
- Indra
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Raudra (fury)
समित्तान्वृत्रहाखिदत्खे अराँ इव खेदया । प्रवृद्धो दस्युहाभवत् ॥
sám ít tā́n vṛtra-hā́ akhidat | khé arā́n-iva khedayā́ | prá-vṛddho dasyu-hā́ abhavat ||
इंद्र ने वृत्र को मारा और उसके साथियों को पीछे छोड़ दिया। जैसे गाड़ी के धक्कन में पायल घिस जाती है, वैसे ही वो उनको घिस के खत्म कर दिया। इंद्र की ताकत बढ़ती गई और दुश्मन के अंदर का दुश्मन बन गया।
Word by Word
- समित्
- kindling-stick; fuel (for fire)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचन (वैदिक: ‘समित्’ = समिध्)Role KartāRoot सम् + इध् (इन्धे) / समिध् (प्रातिपदिक)
- तान्
- those (them)Pronounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वृत्रहा
- Vṛtra-slayer (Indra)Noun (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचनRole Kartā (apposition)Root वृत्रहन् (वृत्र + हन्) (प्रातिपदिक)
- अखिदत्
- he distressed/afflictedVerbलुङ् (अोरिस्ट); परस्मैपद; 3 पुरुष; एकवचनRole (क्रिया)Root खिद् (खिद्यते/खेदति)
- खे
- in the void/space; in a placeNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot ख (प्रातिपदिक; ‘आकाश/शून्य/स्थान’—वैदिक प्रयोग)
- अरान्
- spokes (of a wheel)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot अर (प्रातिपदिक; ‘आरा/स्पोक/पिन’—रथाङ्ग-सम्बद्ध)
- इव
- like, asIndeclinableउपमा-अव्ययRole (सम्बन्ध/उपमा)Root इव
- खेदया
- with distress; by vexationNoun (instrumental)पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot खेद (प्रातिपदिक) / खिद् (धातु) से भाव/करण-नाम
- प्रवृद्धः
- grown strong; increasedAdjective/Participleपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचन; भूतकृत् (क्त) अर्थे ‘grown, increased’Role Kartā (विशेषण)Root प्र + वृध् (वर्धते) → प्रवृद्ध (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
- दस्युहा
- Dasyu-slayerNoun (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचनRole Kartā (apposition)Root दस्युहन् (दस्यु + हन्) (प्रातिपदिक)
- अभवत्
- he became; he came to beVerbलुङ् (अोरिस्ट); परस्मैपद; 3 पुरुष; एकवचनRole (क्रिया)Root भू (भवति)
Sandhi Notes
- समित्तान्वृत्रहाखिदत्खे अराँ इव खेदया । प्रवृद्धो दस्युहाभवत् ॥ इति संहितापाठः। पदच्छेदः: समित् | तान् | वृत्रहा | अखिदत् | खे | अरान् | इव | खेदया | प्रवृद्धः | दस्युहा | अभवत् । प्रमुख-सन्धयः: (1) समित् + तान् → समित्तान् (व्यञ्जन-सन्धि: त् + त्)
- (2) तान् + वृत्रहा → तान्वृत्रहा (न् + व्)
- (3) वृत्रहा + अखिदत् → वृत्रहाखिदत् (आ + अ → आ; सवर्णदीर्घ)
- (4) अखिदत् + खे → अखिदत्खे (त् + ख्)
- (5) दस्युहा + अभवत् → दस्युहाभवत् (आ + अ → आ; सवर्णदीर्घ)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra, the slayer of Vṛtra, pressed upon the hostile powers and exhausted them, like grinding spokes in the axle-space; increasing in might, he became the slayer of the Dasyu.
Inner meaning
The illumined Mind-Power (Indra) applies relentless pressure on inner resistances—habitual obscurity and inertia—wearing them down through repeated contact and friction in the ‘space’ of consciousness (kha). As the seeker’s force grows (pravṛddhaḥ), Indra becomes dasyuhā: the destroyer of the “dasyu” within—those lawless impulses, falsehood-forces, and distortions that oppose the true sacrifice.
Universal truth
Spiritual progress often happens by sustained, rhythmic insistence: illumination repeatedly meets resistance until the covering breaks. When the higher intelligence is steadily strengthened, it naturally becomes the power that eliminates inner disorder and establishes right action.
Themes
Vṛtra-slaying, Dasyu-slaying, increase of power, symbolic mechanics (wheel of order)
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 8.77.1, RV 8.77.2, RV 8.77.4, RV 8.77.5, RV 8.77.6, RV 8.77.7
Family tradition
Maṇḍala 8 is predominantly Kāṇva
Significance
The seer-voice here is that of the warrior-mystic: the hymn records an inner battle where illumination must ‘grind down’ entrenched patterns until the obstructing will collapses.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Vṛtrahā (slayer of the Coverer), Dasyuhā (slayer of the lawless), Pravṛddha (the increasing one)
- Related deities
- Agni, Soma, Bṛhaspati, Maruts, Uṣas
Cosmic role
Breaker of obstructions, releaser of the waters/light, establisher of victorious order for the sacrifice.
Inner power
Decisive illumined intelligence and courageous will that confronts inertia and falsehood until they dissolve.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-Soma offerings in a general Soma-yajña context (invocation of Indra’s victory)
समित्तान्वृ॑त्र॒हाखि॑द॒त्खे अ॒राँ इ॑व॒ खेद॑या । प्रवृ॑द्धो दस्यु॒हाभ॑वत् ॥
सम् । इत् । तान् । वृ॒त्र॒ऽहा । अ॒खि॒द॒त् । खे । अ॒रान्ऽइ॑व । खेद॑या । प्रऽवृ॑द्धः । द॒स्यु॒हा । अ॒भ॒व॒त् ॥
sam | it | tān | vṛtra-hā | akhidat | khe | arān-iva | khedayā | pra-vṛddhaḥ | dasyuhā | abhavat
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4 pādas × ~11 syllables (approximate Triṣṭubh cadence)
Driving, percussive, with a ‘pressing’ forward motion matching the verb akhidat (wearing down).
Energizes resolve; supports a sense of steady inner assault on resistance rather than sudden emotion.
- vṛtrahā
- Literal: slayer of Vṛtra. Symbolic: the force that breaks the Coverer—ignorance, obstruction, subconscient resistance
- akhidat
- Literal: he wearied/exhausted. Symbolic: persistent pressure that drains the energy of hostile formations
- kha
- Literal: sky; space; hollow. Symbolic: inner space of consciousness; subtle field where movements circulate
- arān iva
- Literal: like spokes. Symbolic: many mental-vital movements bound to a central axis; patterns of habit
- khedayā
- Literal: by grinding/tormenting. Symbolic: transformative friction—repetition that purifies and breaks rigidity
- pravṛddhaḥ
- Literal: grown, increased. Symbolic: amplified Indra-force through aspiration, soma, and right effort
- dasyuhā
- Literal: slayer of Dasyu. Symbolic: destroyer of inner lawlessness—false impulses, perverse thoughts, hostile suggestions
Heroic Indra verse; supports rites aiming at removal of obstruction and increase of force (vṛddhi) through Soma.
Recitation to strengthen Indra’s force at moments of ‘obstruction-breaking’ within the liturgy (symbolically: when obstacles arise).
Praise (stuti) to invoke Indra’s overcoming power; mental alignment with victorious force.
Used as a short ‘inner battle’ mantra: repeat when facing compulsions, fatigue, or recurring negative patterns; pair with steady breath and resolve.
: vṛtra from √vṛ ‘to cover, obstruct’ + hā (< √han). /: from √khid ‘to press, weary, vex’; wheel imagery (ara ‘spoke’, kha ‘axle-space’) encodes ordered motion (ṛta) overcoming friction/obstruction. : from √vṛdh ‘to grow’ (PIE *werdh- ‘grow’, cf. English worth in semantic development, German werden).
Vṛtra as covering obstruction, growth (vṛddhi) of force through right action, ṛta as ordered movement (wheel symbolism)
Indra’s victory restores ṛta by removing the dasyu-force that disrupts right movement.
Truth becomes effective as resistance is worn down; victory is a function of alignment with satya.
Release through breaking of coverings—creation and renewal occur when blocked energies are freed.
Proto-Vedāntic/Integral (Aurobindo-style) reading: evolution of consciousness through conflict with the Inconscient.
The ‘axle-space’ is the subtle hub of awareness; spokes are the many thought-forces. Grinding signifies yogic friction: repeated return to the center until scattered movements are mastered.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The combat myth (Vṛtra/Dasyu slaying) is expressed through wheel imagery: Indra’s force grinds down resistance like spokes under friction. Innerly, the ordered motion of consciousness (ṛta-wheel) wears away the obstructive covering.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √vṛdh ‘grow’ reflects PIE *werdh- ‘to grow’ (broad IE distribution). The wheel lexemes (ara, kha) fit an Indo-European poetic-technological substrate where cosmic order is mapped onto chariot/wheel mechanics.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The r̥ṣi depicts Indra’s growth as the model for the aspirant: concentrated action (sam) plus increase (pra-vṛddha) yields the capacity to slay inner Dasyus—habits of falsehood and inertia.
Invoke Indra as the steady will of illumination that persists until resistance collapses.
maṇipūra (will/force) and ājñā (illumined mind)
Moderate, even inhalation/exhalation; on exhale, feel ‘pressure’ released into the obstruction; on inhale, draw in Indra-force.
Dynamic concentration (ekāgratā with force)
Name the inner ‘dasyu’ (one recurring pattern). Chant 12–27 times, then sit silently and watch the pattern lose momentum under steady awareness.
Not fully derivable from provided text; chant in a simple Vedic-inspired contour: slight rise on udatta-marked syllables, gentle fall after svarita; keep anudatta low and steady.
Lean on vṛtrahā, khedayā, pravṛddho, dasyuhā—these carry the semantic ‘pressure’ and victory.
vṛtra-hā: clear retroflex ṛ; separate compound lightly (vṛ-tra-hā), kha: unaspirated kh? (actually aspirated ‘kha’), open throat, arān iva: lengthen ā in arān, dasyuhā: keep y glide (das-yu-hā)
Firm, forward-placed, martial clarity; avoid heaviness.
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