Rig Veda 8.13.6: Mandala 8, Sukta 13, Mantra 6
Sukta 8.13
- Devata
- Indra
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
स्तोता यत्ते विचर्षणिरतिप्रशर्धयद्गिरः । वया इवानु रोहते जुषन्त यत् ॥
stotā́ yát te vícarṣaṇir atipraśardháyad gíraḥ | vayā́ ivā́nu rohate júṣanta yát ||
Ketika penyanyi, wahai Engkau yang memandang manusia dan perbuatannya, membuat kidung-kidung meluap melampaui segala perlawanan—maka kidung itu terbang menyusul-Mu laksana burung-burung dalam penerbangan, ketika Engkau menerimanya dan berkenan padanya.
Word by Word
- स्तोता
- the praiser (singer)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot स्तु (धातु) / स्तोतृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- यत्
- that whichPronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया/प्रथमा; एकवचन (सम्बन्धसूचक/यद्-तद्-सम्बन्धे)Role कर्मRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- ते
- of you / yourPronounषष्ठी; एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- विचर्षणिः
- the far-seeing one (epithet)Adjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृ (विशेषणरूपेण)Root विचर्षणि (प्रातिपदिक; विशेषण)
- अतिप्रशर्धयत्
- overpowered / surpassedVerbलङ् (इम्पर्फेक्ट); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot शर्ध् (धातु) + अति-प्र (उपसर्ग)
- गिरः
- songs, hymnsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (क्रियायाः)Root गिर् (प्रातिपदिक)
- वयाः
- birdsNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (उपमान-कर्तृ)Root वयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- इव
- likeIndeclinableअव्ययRole उपमान-निर्देशकRoot इव (निपात)
- अनु
- along, afterIndeclinableअव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण/उपसर्गार्थ)Role क्रियाविशेषणRoot अनु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- रोहते
- they mount / rise / climbVerbलट् (वर्तमान); आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष; बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot रुह् (धातु)
- जुषन्त
- may they enjoy / may they favorVerbलोट्/विधिलिङ्-छायायुक्तः (वैदिक प्रयोगः); परस्मैपद; तृतीयपुरुष; बहुवचन (आशीर्लिङ्ग/विध्यर्थ-प्राय)Role क्रियाRoot जुष् (धातु)
- यत्
- when / asIndeclinable (relative particle)अव्ययवत् सम्बन्ध-निपातः (यदा/यत् = ‘when/that’)Role सम्बन्ध (यदर्थ-सम्बन्ध)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धिविग्रह): स्तोता | यत् | ते | विचर्षणिः | अतिप्रशर्धयत् | गिरः | वयाः | इव | अनु | रोहते | जुषन्त | यत् । 1) यत्ते = यत् + ते (व्यञ्जन-सन्धि: त् + त → त्त)
- 2) विचर्षणिरतिप्रशर्धयत् = विचर्षणिः + अतिप्रशर्धयत् (विसर्गसन्धि: ः + अ → र्; वैदिक/पदपाठ-परम्परानुसार ‘…णिर…’)
- 3) प्रशर्धयद्गिरः = प्रशर्धयत् + गिरः (व्यञ्जनसन्धि: त् + ग → द्ग)
- 4) वयाइव = वयाः + इव (विसर्गलोप/स्वर-सन्धि: ः + इ → (याः)इव; संहितायां दीर्घ/य-आगम-छाया)
The meaning
Outer meaning
When the singer, O observer of men, makes the hymns surge beyond resistance, they rise after you like birds when you accept them.
Inner meaning
When the human voice (stotā) and inspired word (giraḥ) break past inner resistances (ati-praśardhayat), the mantric forces rise and follow Indra—meaning the illumined Mind takes them up, empowers them, and they ascend like birds (vayāḥ) into freer spaces of consciousness. Divine acceptance (juṣanta) is the moment the Word becomes effective power.
Universal truth
Speech becomes transformative when it crosses inertia and doubt; once accepted by a higher consciousness, it lifts the whole being into freedom.
Themes
Poetics of praise, Ascent imagery, Divine acceptance, Indra as perceiver of men
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 8.13.1-8, Rig Veda 10.125 (Vāk hymn; thematic resonance of Word-power)
Significance
Shows the psychological mechanics of mantra: the Word must exceed resistance; then it is lifted by the illumined Power into effective ascent.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- vi-carṣaṇi (seer of men)
- Related deities
- Vāk (speech), Bṛhaspati (lord of the Word), Agni (carrier of offering)
Cosmic role
Receives and empowers the Word; leads the upward movement of the sacrificer’s consciousness.
Inner power
Discernment that accepts true aspiration and converts it into ascending force; grants ‘lift’ to the mantric mind.
In ritual
Where it is used
Praise/recitation within Indra-Soma context; emphasis on efficacy of hymn.
स्तो॒ता यत्ते॒ विच॑र्षणिरतिप्रश॒र्धय॒द्गिर॑: । व॒या इ॒वानु॑ रोहते जु॒षन्त॒ यत् ॥
स्तो॒ता । यत् । ते॒ । विऽच॑र्षणिः । अ॒ति॒ऽप्र॒श॒र्धय॑त् । गिरः॑ । व॒याःऽइ॑व । अनु॑ । रो॒ह॒ते॒ । जु॒षन्त॑ । यत् ॥
stotā | yat | te | vi-carṣaṇiḥ | ati-praśardhayat | giraḥ | vayāḥ-iva | anu | rohate | juṣanta | yat
Surging and then soaring; the second hemistich naturally ‘lifts’ like the bird-simile.
Helps overcome inertia; evokes a felt upward flight after a moment of inner breakthrough.
- स्तोता (stotā)
- Literal: singer, praiser. Symbolic: aspirant-soul using mantra/affirmation
- विचर्षणिः (vi-carṣaṇiḥ)
- Literal: he who sees men/works. Symbolic: the illumined intelligence that discerns movements of nature
- अतिप्रशर्धयत् (ati-praśardhayat)
- Literal: makes surge beyond opposition/resistance. Symbolic: breakthrough of mantra beyond inner obstruction (tamas, doubt, inertia)
- गिरः (giraḥ)
- Literal: hymns, utterances. Symbolic: mantric vibrations; formations of consciousness
- वयाः इव (vayāḥ iva)
- Literal: like birds. Symbolic: thought-forces and soul-impulses liberated into higher flight
- अनु रोहते (anu rohate)
- Literal: they rise after/follow upward. Symbolic: ascent of consciousness following illumined leadership
- जुषन्त (juṣanta)
- Literal: accepting, taking delight. Symbolic: divine sanction—when higher power takes up the offering and it becomes effective
Stotra dynamics: describes how praise becomes effective when accepted (juṣ-) by the deity; applicable as a meta-poetic reflection within Soma praise.
At or after offering, when seeking acceptance (juṣ) of the praise.
Recitation of stotra; inviting divine acceptance.
Use as a practice-mantra for voice/affirmation: repeat when struggling with doubt; aim for the ‘surge beyond resistance’ in one’s own speech and intent.
vicarṣaṇí- epithet (vi- ‘wide’ + carṣaṇí ‘men/peoples’ or ‘activity among men’), often ‘he who rules/sees men’; atipraśardhayat from ati- ‘beyond’ + pra- + √śṛdh/śardh ‘press, drive, overpower’ (semantic: overcome resistance); gír- ‘song’ (PIE *gʷerh₃- ‘call/voice’ debated; Vedic gír is well-established); rohate from √ruh ‘rise, grow’ (PIE *h₁rewh₁- ‘to rise’); juṣ- ‘enjoy, accept’ (ritual acceptance). Inner sense: when Indra accepts, the mantras gain wings; speech rises beyond inner resistances and follows the god upward.
Mantra efficacy (acceptance juṣ-), Overcoming inner resistance (praśardh-), Ascent of consciousness (√ruh)
When speech is true and forceful, it becomes a vehicle of rita—right movement upward.
Acceptance (juṣ) corresponds to truth in the word; false speech lacks ascent.
Vāk as creative power: utterance forms and lifts worlds within consciousness.
Mantra-śakti / Vāk-centered integral reading (Word as power of consciousness).
Birds = liberated thought/soul-forces; sky = higher mind; surge = tapas breaking tamas.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The winged ascent of hymns once the god accepts them: a mythologem of Vāc gaining flight and overcoming obstruction. It is the inner victory where inspired speech rises beyond resistance and follows the divine lead.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √ruh ‘rise’ reflects an IE ‘rising/growing’ complex (often compared with Germanic *rūh- semantics are not direct; better: general IE growth/rise roots). √vid/seeing is not explicit here, but vicarṣaṇi encodes the ‘wide’ (vi-) perception. The bird simile for swift ascent is a common IE poetic device.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi’s effort ‘drives’ the hymns beyond resistance, but their true ascent depends on Indra’s juṣ- (acceptance/delight). The relationship is cooperative: human formulation and force meet divine consent, producing effective upward movement of consciousness.
Use sound/affirmation to cross resistance; feel the mantra rise and be ‘taken up’ by a higher clarity.
viśuddha
chant on a long exhale; brief pause after each pāda to feel ‘acceptance’ and upward lift.
From effortful concentration to effortless ascent (lightness).
Start softly; increase clarity and conviction until you feel the inner ‘threshold’ break. Then continue gently, letting the sound feel as if it flies upward on its own.
Notated svara unavailable; chant with a stronger rise through ati-praśardhayad giraḥ, then a lighter, soaring tone on vayāḥ iva.
Give weight to ati-praśardhayat and giraḥ; lighten on vayāḥ iva anu rohate; settle on juṣanta yat.
vicarṣaṇiḥ: keep retroflex ṣṇ cluster clear., ati-praśardhayat: articulate ś and dhy cluster cleanly., vayāḥ: final ḥ is audible aspiration, not dropped.
Start firm and driving; transition to lighter, uplifted resonance in second half.
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