Rig Veda 8.97.7: Mandala 8, Sukta 97, Mantra 7
Sukta 8.97
- Devata
- Indra
- Rasa
- Karuna (compassion) and Shanta (peace)
मा न इन्द्र परा वृणग्भवा नः सधमाद्यः । त्वं न ऊती त्वमिन्न आप्यं मा न इन्द्र परा वृणक् ॥
mā́ na indra parā́ vṛṇag bhávā naḥ sadha-mā́dyaḥ | tváṃ na ūtī́ tvám ín na ā́pyaṃ mā́ na indra parā́ vṛṇak ||
इंद्र, हमे दूर मत करो। हम साथ रहने वाला बनो। तुम्हारा साथ हमें चाहिए। तुम हमारे हो, हमारे पास। हमे दूर मत करो, इंद्र।
Word by Word
- मा
- do notIndeclinableनिषेधार्थक अव्यय (prohibitive particle)Root मा (निषेध) / mā́
- नः
- to us / ourPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी, बहुवचन (enclitic ‘nas’ = our/to us)Role Sampradāna (to us) / Possessor (our)Root अस्मद्
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधन (addressed deity)Root इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) / Indra
- परा
- awayIndeclinableउपसर्ग/क्रियाविशेषण (away, forth)Root परा (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- वृणक्
- choose (us) / selectVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ/प्रार्थनार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; (वेदिक रूप: वृणक् = वृणु/वृणुहि प्रकार)Role क्रियाRoot वृ (वृणोति ‘to choose, select’)
- भवा
- be (for us) / becomeVerbलोट्, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot भू (भवति ‘to be, become’)
- नः
- to us / ourPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी, बहुवचन (enclitic)Role Sampradāna (to us)Root अस्मद्
- सधमाद्यः
- companion in the soma-feast / fellow-revelerAdjective/Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (इन्द्रस्य विशेषणम्)Role Kartā (as predicate-nominative of ‘be’)Root सधमाद्य (प्रातिपदिक; सध- ‘साथ’ + माद्य ‘उत्सव/मद’)
- त्वम्
- youPronounप्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot युष्मद्
- नः
- to usPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी, बहुवचन (enclitic)Role SampradānaRoot अस्मद्
- ऊती
- help, aidNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (predicate-nominative: ‘(you are) help’)Root ऊति (प्रातिपदिक; √अव/ऊ ‘to help, protect’ से) / ū́ti-
- त्वम्
- youPronounप्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot युष्मद्
- इत्
- indeed, justIndeclinableनिपात (emphatic particle)Root इत् (निपात)
- नः
- to usPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी, बहुवचन (enclitic)Role SampradānaRoot अस्मद्
- आप्यम्
- near, accessible, friendlyAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (predicate: ‘(you are) near/accessible’)Role Kartā (predicate-nominative)Root आप्य (प्रातिपदिक; आप् ‘जल/आपः’ अथवा ‘प्राप्ति’ से; ‘near/related/accessible’)
- मा
- do notIndeclinableनिषेधार्थक अव्ययRoot मा (निषेध)
- नः
- to usPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी, बहुवचन (enclitic)Role SampradānaRoot अस्मद्
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- परा
- awayIndeclinableक्रियाविशेषण/उपसर्गRoot परा (अव्यय/उपसर्ग)
- वृणक्
- choose (us)Verbलोट्, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (वेदिक रूप)Role क्रियाRoot वृ (वृणोति)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (resolved): मा | नः | इन्द्र | परा | वृणक् | भवा | नः | सधमाद्यः | त्वम् | नः | ऊती | त्वम् | इत् | नः | आप्यम् | मा | नः | इन्द्र | परा | वृणक् । 1) ‘वृण॒ग्भवा॑’ = ‘वृणक् + भवा’ (क् + भ् संधि: क् → ग् before voiced stop)
- 2) ‘त्वमिन्न’ = ‘त्वम् + इत् + नः’ (म् + इ → मि; इत्-निपातः संधौ ‘इन्न’ इव दृश्यते)
- 3) ‘ऊ॒ती’ स्वतंत्रं पदम् (स्त्री. प्रथमा एक.)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Do not cast us away, O Indra; be for us a companion in the common ecstasy. You are our help; you indeed are our intimate belonging. Do not cast us away, O Indra.
Inner meaning
The seeker fears separation from the illumined power and prays for abiding companionship (sadhamādyaḥ: sharing the same intoxication/rapture—Soma-ānanda). Indra is invoked as both outer aid (ūtī) and inner kinship (āpyam: one’s own, intimate, ‘of our family’). Psychologically, it is the insistence that illumination must not be episodic; it should become a constant ally and an inner possession—so that the mind does not relapse into obscurity and abandonment.
Universal truth
Spiritual growth requires continuity: not occasional inspiration but a stable relationship with the higher intelligence that guides, protects, and becomes inwardly one with us.
Themes
protection prayer, divine friendship, Soma fellowship, dependence on Indra
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 8.97.1-11
Family tradition
A prayer-strand within Indra hymns where the relationship becomes personal and continuous; attribution uncertain.
Significance
Marks a shift from summoning Indra to establishing intimacy—illumination as a permanent companion rather than a visiting power.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Indra (lord of luminous mind)
- Related deities
- Soma (shared ecstasy), Agni (inner priest sustaining continuity)
Cosmic role
Protector and helper of the sacrificer; ensures victory over forces of darkness and division.
Inner power
Steadying presence of discernment and courage; prevents backsliding into tamas and confusion.
In ritual
Where it is used
Protective/continuity prayer within Indra-Soma sequences
मा न॑ इन्द्र॒ परा॑ वृण॒ग्भवा॑ नः सध॒माद्य॑: । त्वं न॑ ऊ॒ती त्वमिन्न॒ आप्यं॒ मा न॑ इन्द्र॒ परा॑ वृणक् ॥
मा । नः॒ । इ॒न्द्र॒ । परा॑ । वृ॒ण॒क् । भव॑ । नः॒ । स॒ध॒ऽमाद्यः॑ । त्वम् । नः॒ । ऊ॒ती । त्वम् । इत् । नः॒ । आप्य॑म् । मा । नः॒ । इ॒न्द्र॒ । परा॑ । वृ॒ण॒क् ॥
mā | naḥ | indra | parā | vṛṇak | bhava | naḥ | sadha-mādyaḥ | tvam | naḥ | ūtī | tvam | it | naḥ | āpyam | mā | naḥ | indra | parā | vṛṇak
Likely Anuṣṭubh or a shorter Book 8 pragātha-like cadence (the verse has a refrain-like repetition)
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4 pādas of ~8 syllables (if Anuṣṭubh), with refrain repetition of the opening plea
Supplicatory, mantra-like, circular; the repeated line acts as a protective seal.
Creates a feeling of closeness and safeguarding; effective as a daily protective remembrance.
- मा नः ... परा वृणक् (mā naḥ ... parā vṛṇak)
- Literal: do not choose (cast) us away. Symbolic: do not withdraw the light; prevent relapse into lower nature
- सधमाद्यः (sadhamādyaḥ)
- Literal: sharing the same feast/intoxication. Symbolic: companionship in divine delight; collective ecstasy of consciousness
- ऊती (ūtī)
- Literal: help, protection. Symbolic: active guidance and saving force in struggle
- आप्यम् (āpyam)
- Literal: belonging, intimate kin. Symbolic: inner nearness—Indra as an inmost faculty awakened in us
Protective refrain-like petition within Soma praise: maintaining Indra’s favor/presence.
As a plea during offerings when seeking Indra’s continued presence and favor
Refrain-like supplication; reaffirming bond between deity and sacrificer
Use as a daily ‘do-not-abandon’ prayer during periods of doubt, depression, or spiritual dryness.
vṛṇak: from √vṛ ‘choose’ with separative parā → ‘choose away, reject’. sadha-mādya: sadha ‘together/common’ + mādya ‘intoxication/joy’ from √mad. ūtí: from √av/√ū? conventional RV noun ‘help, favor’. āpya: ‘belonging to waters/home’ (āp ‘waters’), extended to ‘intimate, of one’s own circle’ in RV usage.
grace and non-rejection, divine companionship in the inner work, belonging (āpya) as sustained connection to the life-waters
Asks that the right order not be interrupted by withdrawal of the guiding power.
Truth here is fidelity—keeping the inner covenant with the Light.
Sustenance rather than origin: maintenance of contact between human and divine power.
Bhakti-tinged Vedic psychology: personal relation with a cosmic power as inner faculty.
Feast = shared field of delight; abandonment = eclipse of light; companionship = continuous inner guidance.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Not a combat myth but the covenant of companionship: Indra as ally in the shared Soma-joy. The fear is separation (‘do not reject’), and the desired mythic relation is the god who remains present as helper and intimate power.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- pate is absent here, but √vṛ ‘choose’ and √mad ‘exhilarate’ show archaic verbal semantics; the refrain-like repetition is a common early Indo-European hymn device for emphasis and performative force.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi speaks from dependence and closeness: Indra is both ūtī (aid) and āpya (one’s own sustaining kin-power). The relationship is not transactional alone but relational—continued presence is itself the boon.
Stabilize relationship with inner illumination; cultivate trust and continuity.
hṛdaya (heart)
Japa on the exhale: ‘mā na indra parā vṛṇak’; 27 or 54 repetitions
From insecurity to surrendered steadiness; from fluctuation to companionship
When the mind feels ‘far from light’, repeat the refrain gently until a sense of inner kinship (āpyam) arises; then sit in quiet gratitude without forcing experiences.
Keep the refrain identical both times; maintain stable pitch contours for memorability; follow Vedic udatta/anudatta where known from recitation tradition.
Stress ‘indra’ and ‘ūtī’; let ‘mā naḥ’ be tender but firm. Pause briefly before repeating the final refrain.
vṛṇak: retroflex ṇ; final k is unreleased, crisp, sadhamādyaḥ: keep long ā; ‘dh’ aspirated, āpyam: long ā, then ‘py’ cluster cleanly
Soft, intimate, pleading-turned-steady.
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