Rig Veda 2.11.1: Mandala 2, Sukta 11, Mantra 1
Sukta 2.11
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
श्रुधी हवमिन्द्र मा रिषण्यः स्याम ते दावने वसूनाम् । इमा हि त्वामूर्जो वर्धयन्ति वसूयवः सिन्धवो न क्षरन्तः ॥
śrudhī hávam indra mā́ riṣaṇyaḥ syā́ma te dā́vane vásūnām | imā́ hí tvām ūrjó vardháyanti vasūyávaḥ síndhavo ná kṣárantaḥ ||
この呼びかけを聞け、インドラよ。われらを害するな。願わくは、汝が存在の富を与えることに、われらがふさわしくありますように。これらの滋養の力は、真の富を求めつつ、汝を増し育てる——流れを止めぬ川々のように。
Word by Word
- श्रुधी
- hear (listen)!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यम पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; (वेदिक) इन्द्रं प्रति आज्ञाRoot श्रु (धातु)
- हवम्
- the call/invocationNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot हव (प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- मा
- do notIndeclinableनिषेध (prohibitive particle) लोट्/विधिलिङ् के साथRoot मा
- रिषण्यः
- harm (us) / injure (us)Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यम पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; (वेदिक रूप) ‘हानिं/क्षतिं कुरु’Root रिष् (धातु)
- स्याम
- may we beVerbविधिलिङ्, उत्तम पुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदRoot अस् (धातु)
- ते
- of you / yourPronounषष्ठी, एकवचन (enclitic) / ‘thy/your’Role सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- दावने
- for (your) giving / for bestowalKṛdanta (verbal noun)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; ‘दावन’ = दान/देय (giving) के अर्थ मेंRole सम्प्रदान (उद्देश्य/प्रयोजन)Root दा (धातु) → दावन (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
- वसूनाम्
- of goods/wealthNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot वसु (प्रातिपदिक)
- इमाः
- thesePronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- हि
- indeed / forIndeclinableनिपात (emphatic/causal particle)Root हि
- त्वाम्
- youPronounद्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- ऊर्जः
- of strength/nourishmentNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot ऊर्ज् (प्रातिपदिक)
- वर्धयन्ति
- increase / strengthenVerbलट् (वर्तमान), प्रथम पुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदRoot वृध् (धातु)
- वसूयवः
- wealth-seeking (ones)Noun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot वसूयु (प्रातिपदिक; ‘वसु-इच्छु/वसु-प्राप्ति-याचक’)
- सिन्धवः
- riversNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (उपमान-समूह)Root सिन्धु (प्रातिपदिक)
- न
- like / asIndeclinableउपमा-सूचक निपातRoot न
- क्षरन्तः
- flowingParticipleवर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (उपमान-विशेषण)Root क्षर् (धातु) → क्षरन्त् (कृदन्त)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (sandhi-resolution): श्रु॒धी | हवम् | इन्द्र | मा | रिषण्यः | स्याम् | ते | दावने | वसूनाम् || इमाः | हि | त्वाम् | ऊर्जः | वर्धयन्ति | वसूयवः | सिन्धवः | न | क्षरन्तः || मुख्य संधि/रूप-टिप्पणी: (1) ‘मा रिषण्यः’ = मा + रिषण्यः (निषेध + लोट्-रूप)
- (2) ‘स्याम ते’ में ‘स्याम्’ के अन्त्य ‘म्’ के बाद ‘ते’ (enclitic) आता है
- (3) ‘त्वामूर्जो’ = त्वाम् + ऊर्जः (अनुस्वार/मकार के बाद स्वरारम्भ; संहिता में संयोग)
- (4) ‘वसूयवः सिन्धवो न’ = वसूयवः + सिन्धवः + न (संहिता में विसर्ग/ओ-रूप आदि के कारण ‘सिन्धवो’ पाठ)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Hear our call, Indra; do not harm us. May we be fit for your giving of riches. These nourishments increase you, desiring wealth, like rivers that keep flowing.
Inner meaning
Indra (divine Mind/illumination) is invoked to respond without adverse reaction—i.e., let the force of awakening not break the seeker through impatience or egoic misuse. The aspirants ask to be fit vessels for the ‘riches’ (vasūnām: powers of being, wideness, joy). The ‘ūrjaḥ’ are streams of nourishing energies—offerings, inspirations, life-pressures rightly directed—that augment Indra’s action in us, flowing continuously like rivers: sustained aspiration feeds illumination.
Universal truth
Illumination grows by steady nourishment: continuous sincere offerings and life-energies directed toward truth make the higher mind stronger in us and bring plenitude.
Themes
invocation, boon of riches, nourishment and increase, protective appeal
The seer
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada (Bhārgava)
- Lineage
- Bhārgava
- Other hymns
- RV 2.11, RV 2.12 (Indra-related in Mandala 2 context; adjacent thematic current)
Family tradition
In Maṇḍala 2, Agni and Indra are central: Agni purifies and prepares; Indra illumines and breaks resistance—two complementary movements in Bhārgava sadhana.
Significance
Gṛtsamada’s Indra invocations often emphasize sustained increase of the illumining power through hymns and offerings—psychological ‘rivers’ feeding the divine mind.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- śakra (implied: powerful), śūra (heroic; explicit in nearby verses)
- Related deities
- Agni, Soma, Vāyu, Bṛhaspati
Cosmic role
Slayer of Vṛtra; releaser of the waters; establishes luminous order by breaking the coverer.
Inner power
Illumined intelligence and decisive force that opens blocked energies, brings clarity, and distributes spiritual riches.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-invocation in soma pressing and offering sequences; also used in praise/uktha contexts.
श्रु॒धी हव॑मिन्द्र॒ मा रि॑षण्य॒: स्याम॑ ते दा॒वने॒ वसू॑नाम् । इ॒मा हि त्वामूर्जो॑ व॒र्धय॑न्ति वसू॒यव॒: सिन्ध॑वो॒ न क्षर॑न्तः ॥
श्रु॒धि । हव॑म् । इ॒न्द्र॒ । मा । रि॒ष॒ण्यः॒ । स्याम॑ । ते॒ । दा॒वने॑ । वसू॑नाम् । इ॒माः । हि । त्वाम् । ऊर्जः॑ । व॒र्धय॑न्ति । व॒सु॒ऽयवः॑ । सिन्ध॑वः । न । क्षर॑न्तः ॥
śrudhi | havam | indra | mā | riṣaṇyaḥ | syāma | te | dāvane | vasūnām | imāḥ | hi | tvām | ūrjaḥ | vardhayanti | vasu-yavaḥ | sindhavaḥ | na | kṣarantaḥ
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4 pādas of ~11 syllables; typical Indra hymn gait with strong caesura possibilities.
Invocatory and forceful, with a river-like flow in the final comparison.
Energizes aspiration and confidence; stabilizes the sense of continuous inner flow feeding illumination.
- Indra
- Literal: Vedic deity Indra. Symbolic: divine Mind, lord of luminous power; breaker of obstruction
- havam
- Literal: call, invocation. Symbolic: aspiration that summons higher consciousness
- mā riṣaṇyaḥ
- Literal: do not harm. Symbolic: let the awakening force act with right measure; protection from premature or ego-driven intensity
- vasūnām
- Literal: of riches. Symbolic: spiritual wealth: powers, joy, wideness, effective faculties of being
- ūrjaḥ
- Literal: nourishments, sap, vigour. Symbolic: sustaining energies of practice—faith, perseverance, right enjoyment, prāṇa rightly offered
- sindhavaḥ
- Literal: rivers. Symbolic: continuous currents of aspiration and offering, ceaseless movement toward the ocean of consciousness
Indra-stotra in Soma pressing (Indra as primary Soma-drinker); used to invite protective and giving aspect of Indra during offerings
During Indra-focused stotras/śastras or when seeking strength, victory over obstacles, and increase of power.
Calling Indra, affirming fitness (adhikāra) for receiving boons, sustaining the ‘flow’ of offerings.
For courage and clarity: recite before difficult decisions or during periods of stagnation; cultivate steady daily ‘river’ practice rather than sporadic intensity.
√śru ‘hear’ (imperative śrudhi) marks divine receptivity. √riṣ ‘to hurt, injure’ in riṣaṇyaḥ. dā́vane from √dā ‘to give’. ūrj from √urj ‘strength, sap’. sindhu ‘river’ (also ‘ocean/stream’) as image of continuous force. vasu from √vas ‘to dwell/shine’ in Vedic usage: ‘good, wealth’, psychologically ‘stable luminous possessions of consciousness’.
reciprocity of offering and boon, unbroken flow of force, vasu as inner wealth aligned with ṛta
The image of unceasing rivers expresses ṛta as continuous right movement—energy aligned to truth does not dry up.
Vasūyavaḥ (desiring true wealth) implies wealth aligned with truth, not egoic gain.
Release and circulation: consciousness grows when blocked energies become free-flowing currents.
Yoga of illumination: strengthening the higher mind through sustained offering and right desire.
Rainy season motif (implied by rivers/flow; not explicit).
Rivers are currents of aspiration and life-force moving toward the vast; ‘nourishments’ are energies that feed the illumining power.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythic pattern is the ‘summons of Indra’ to descend and bestow vasu (treasures) as a response to the steady inflow of ūrj (nourishing forces). Rivers that never stop flowing become the image of continuous offerings/energies that build Indra’s might and invite his generosity.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √śru ‘hear’ continues PIE *ḱleu- ‘hear’ (cf. Greek klýō, Latin cluēre). dā ‘give’ continues PIE *deh₃- ‘give’ (cf. Greek didōmi). The river image (sindhu) is an Indo-Iranian poetic inheritance for streaming powers and abundance.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi asks for non-harm and for eligibility to receive (syāma te dāvane). Indra is strengthened by the aspirant’s steady energies (ūrjaḥ), and in return is urged to give vasu—spiritual possessions that stabilize and illumine the human being.
Invoke the illumined mind to hear the inner call; establish a continuous ‘river’ of practice (daily steady effort).
Ājñā (illumination) supported by Anāhata (sincere call) and Maṇipūra (energy/nourishment).
Flow-breath: smooth unbroken inhalation/exhalation, visualizing a river-current rising to the brow.
Confident, uplifted, steadily aspiring.
Offer a few minutes of continuous attention without breaks (no checking, no switching). Let aspiration be ‘non-ceasing’ like rivers; then ask for right measure—illumination that strengthens, not shocks.
Use Vedic accents as transmitted; keep clear lift on udātta in śrudhī and indra where marked in pada tradition.
Let the final pāda flow smoothly to mirror ‘rivers not ceasing’; avoid hard stops mid-pāda.
śrudhī: retroflex ḍh; long ī at end., riṣaṇyaḥ: retroflex ṣ; palatal ñy cluster., dāvane: long ā., sindhavo: keep dh aspirated., kṣarantaḥ: kṣ cluster crisp; do not reduce to ‘sh’.
Clear, strong, invoking; end with a flowing cadence.
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