Rig Veda 8.89.2: Mandala 8, Sukta 89, Mantra 2
Sukta 8.89
- Rishi
- Gautama
- Devata
- Indra with Maruts
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
अपाधमदभिशस्तीरशस्तिहाथेन्द्रो द्युम्न्याभवत् । देवास्त इन्द्र सख्याय येमिरे बृहद्भानो मरुद्गण ॥
ápā dhamad abhíśastīr aśastihā́théndro dyumnyā́bhavat | devā́sta indra sakhyā́ya yemire bṛhád-bhāno marúd-gaṇa ||
इंद्र ने दुश्मनों की हरकतें हटा दी, अंधेरा भगा दिया। फिर इंद्र चमक उठा। देवता उसके दोस्त बन गए। मरुत सेना के साथ वो चमक रहा था।
Word by Word
- अपाधमत्
- he blew away / drove offVerbलुङ् (अorist), परस्मैपद, प्रथम्-पुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रिया (मुख्य क्रियापद)Root अप-धम् (धातु √धम् ‘धमने/अपसारणे’)
- अभिशस्तीः
- (the) curses, hostile imprecationsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot अभिशस्ति- (प्रातिपदिक)
- अशस्तिहा
- slayer of reproach / destroyer of blameAdjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (इन्द्रस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृ-विशेषणRoot अ-शस्ति-हन् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘अशस्ति’ + √हन् ‘हनने’)
- अथ
- thenIndeclinableRole सम्बन्ध/अन्वय (क्रमसूचक)Root अथ (अव्यय)
- इन्द्रः
- IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot इन्द्र- (प्रातिपदिक)
- द्युम्न्याः
- glorious, splendidAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (भवत्-क्रियायाः विशेषणम्/पूरक)Role कर्तृ-विशेषण/पूरकRoot द्युम्न्य- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘द्युम्न’ से ‘द्युम्न्य’ ‘glorious’)
- अभवत्
- became / came to beVerbलुङ् (अorist), परस्मैपद, प्रथम्-पुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot √भू (भवति)
- देवाः
- the godsNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot देव- (प्रातिपदिक)
- ते
- to youPronounचतुर्थी (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन (वैदिके ‘ते’ = ‘तुभ्यम्’)Role सम्प्रदानRoot त्वद्/युष्मद्- (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNoun (vocative)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot इन्द्र- (प्रातिपदिक)
- सख्याय
- for friendship / for allianceNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदान (उद्देश्य)Root सख्य- (प्रातिपदिक)
- येमिरे
- they joined / allied themselvesVerbलिट् (perfect), आत्मनेपद, प्रथम्-पुरुष, बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot √यम् (यच्छति/यमते; वैदिक ‘येमिरे’)
- बृहद्भानः
- of great radianceAdjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (इन्द्रस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृ-विशेषणRoot बृहद्-भानु- (समास-प्रातिपदिक; ‘महान्’ + ‘भानु’)
- मरुद्गणः
- the troop of MarutsNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (समूहवाचक)Role कर्तृ (देवाः इत्यस्य विशेषण/अप्पोजिशन)Root मरुत्-गण- (समास-प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (pada-splitting): अपाधमत् | अभिशस्तीः | अशस्तिहा | अथ | इन्द्रः | द्युम्न्याः | अभवत् || देवाः | ते | इन्द्र | सख्याय | येमिरे | बृहद्भानः | मरुद्गणः । Notable: ‘अशस्तिहा’ is a compound with -हा (< √हन्) ‘slayer’
- ‘ते’ is Vedic dative sg. ‘to you’ (for तुभ्यम्)
- ‘येमिरे’ is Vedic perfect middle 3pl of √यम् ‘to join/attach’
- ‘मरुद्गण’ shows sandhi in the text as मरु॑द्गण (त् + ग → द्ग)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra blows away hostile attacks and slays the unpraised/unspeakable darkness; then he becomes full of splendor. The gods join him in friendship, the wide-shining one, together with the Marut host.
Inner meaning
Indra’s force clears the psyche of invasive suggestions (abhiśastīḥ)—inner hostile formations, self-doubt, depression, and fear. As ‘aśastihā’ he destroys the darkness that cannot be named or rightly formulated (the vague subconscient obscurity). When that is removed, the mind becomes dyumnī—luminous with victorious clarity. Then the higher powers (devāḥ) in us consent to alliance: the faculties harmonize around the illumined center, with the Maruts as disciplined energies serving the enlightened will.
Universal truth
When the obscure and hostile pressures are expelled, the inner intelligence becomes radiant; our scattered powers naturally unite in friendship around the highest clarity and purpose.
Themes
Dispelling hostility, Indra’s dyumna, Divine alliance, Marut host
The seer
- Rishi
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 1.84, RV 1.85, RV 1.86, RV 1.32 (thematic: Vṛtra and release)
Family tradition
Gautama hymns often portray inner battle and subsequent harmonization: once obstruction is removed, the ‘gods’ (powers) gather in a new order around the luminous center.
Significance
The seer’s stress is on purification by illumination: hostile impacts are dispersed, and the being becomes capable of divine comradeship—cooperation of inner powers rather than conflict.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra (wide-shining, with Marut host)
- Epithets
- aśastihā, dyumnī, bṛhadbhānu
- Related deities
- Maruts, Bṛhaspati (word-power that supports illumination), Agni
Cosmic role
Protector and victor; clears hostile forces and establishes radiant sovereignty; gathers the gods into a victorious alliance.
Inner power
Discriminating luminous force that expels negativity and organizes the being into a unified instrument.
In ritual
Where it is used
Protective and victorious stotra: dispelling hostile forces (abhiśasti) and establishing alliance of gods with Indra; relevant in Soma rites for overcoming opposition.
अपा॑धमद॒भिश॑स्तीरशस्ति॒हाथेन्द्रो॑ द्यु॒म्न्याभ॑वत् । दे॒वास्त॑ इन्द्र स॒ख्याय॑ येमिरे॒ बृह॑द्भानो॒ मरु॑द्गण ॥
अप॑ । अ॒ध॒म॒त् । अ॒भिऽश॑स्तीः । अ॒श॒स्ति॒ऽहा । अथ॑ । इन्द्रः॑ । द्यु॒म्नी । आ । अ॒भ॒व॒त् । दे॒वाः । ते॒ । इ॒न्द्र॒ । स॒ख्याय॑ । ये॒मि॒रे॒ । बृह॑द्भानो॒ इति॒ बृह॑त्ऽभानो । मरु॑त्ऽगण ॥
apa | adhamat | abhi-śastīḥ | aśasti-hā | atha | indraḥ | dyumnī | ā | abhavat | devāḥ | te | indra | sakhyāyayemire | bṛhadbhāno itibṛhat-bhāno | marut-gaṇa
44
4 × ~11
Strong, clearing cadence; a ‘sweeping away’ motion then a settling into radiance.
Helps expel mental noise; leaves a bright, unified feeling after recitation.
- abhiśastīḥ
- Literal: hostile imprecations/assailments. Symbolic: intrusive negative formations; attacks on aspiration
- aśastihā
- Literal: slayer of the unpraised/unsaid. Symbolic: destroyer of vague, unformulated darkness in the subconscient
- dyumnī
- Literal: full of splendor/glory. Symbolic: luminous mind-state; victorious radiance
- sakhyāya
- Literal: for friendship/comradeship. Symbolic: integration of faculties around the soul’s aim
- bṛhadbhānu
- Literal: wide-shining. Symbolic: vast illumination; broadened radiance of consciousness
- marudgaṇa
- Literal: host of Maruts. Symbolic: organized life-energies supporting the ascent
Protective and victorious stotra: dispelling hostile forces (abhiśasti) and establishing alliance of gods with Indra; relevant in Soma rites for overcoming opposition.
Indra praise in contexts seeking protection, victory, and luminous strength; often adjacent to Marut invocations.
Recitation to secure Indra’s protection and alliance of divine powers.
Use when facing anxiety, intrusive thoughts, or social/psychic hostility; a mantra for inner protection and integration.
ádhamat from √dham ‘to blow’ → dispelling hostile formations like wind dispersing clouds; inner: prāṇic-force clearing attacks. abhiśastí- ‘imprecation/attack’ from √śaṃs ‘to utter/praise’ with abhi-; paradoxically speech can be hostile—inner: adverse suggestions. aśastihā́: ‘slayer of aśasti’ (non-praise/negation) → removal of incapacity to affirm the divine. dyumná- from dyu ‘shine’ → luminous glory. sakhyá- ‘friendship’ from sakhā ‘friend’ → alliance of powers.
Speech as power (praise vs. curse), Alliance of divine faculties (sakhya)
Implicit: the ‘gods join in friendship’ indicates restoration of right order among powers.
Truth is experienced as clarity and cohesion after the removal of obscure formations.
Radiance arises after clearing; manifestation depends on purification.
Integral psychological reading: purification → illumination → integration.
morning/after-storm clarity (implicit)
Storm-winds symbolize vigorous cleansing; sunlight symbolizes the settled illumined mind.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The dispelling of hostile powers (abhiśasti) and the consolidation of a divine alliance around Indra. Innerly, adverse formations and negating impulses are blown away; then luminous glory (dyumna) manifests and the coordinated gods (faculties) join the central illumined will.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- dyu/diw ‘shine/sky’ is a core IE root (PIE *dyeu-). The semantic network linking ‘sky, brightness, divinity’ appears again in dyumná and devá, reflecting inherited Indo-European sacral poetics.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi narrates a transformation: clearing opposition enables Indra’s dyumna to become active. The human invocation aims to reproduce this sequence inwardly—first remove hostile suggestions, then establish a stable comradeship of inner powers under Indra’s leadership.
Clear hostile thought-forms; establish a radiant, unified mind.
maṇipūra (protective will) and ājñā (clarity)
Brisk-energetic bhastrikā (mild, 20–30 strokes) then quiet recitation; avoid if contraindicated.
From pressured/attacked to luminous composure and inner alliance.
On ‘apādhamat’ imagine sweeping out dark pressure from the chest and head; on ‘dyumnī’ rest in a steady sun-like brightness; feel inner faculties agreeing to one aim (sakhyāya).
Vedic accents per śākhā; emphasize clearing verbs and luminous nouns (apādhamat, dyumnī, bṛhadbhānu).
Strike ‘apā́dhamat’ cleanly; brighten on ‘dyúmnī’; broaden on ‘bṛ́hadbhāno’.
apādhamat: keep long ā in apā-, abhiśastīḥ: ś as palatal ‘sh’, long īḥ at end, dyumnī: pronounce ‘dyum-nī’ with clear dy- cluster, marudgaṇa: retroflex ḍ? (here ‘d’ in marud-), keep gaṇa as ‘ga-na’
Clearing, slightly forceful at start; then luminous, even tone.
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