Rig Veda 8.49.7: Mandala 8, Sukta 49, Mantra 7
Sukta 8.49
- Rishi
- Kaṇva
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh/Jagatī
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Raudra (fury)
यद्ध नूनं यद्वा यज्ञे यद्वा पृथिव्यामधि । अतो नो यज्ञमाशुभिर्महेमत उग्र उग्रेभिरा गहि ॥
yád dha nūnáṃ yád vā yajñé yád vā pṛthivyā́m ádhi | áto no yajñám āśúbhir mahe-mate ugrá ugrébhi r ā́ gahi ||
それが今であれ、祭儀の中であれ、あるいは大地の上であれ――ゆえに、速き者たちとともに我らの供犠（ヤジュニャ）へ来たれ。大いなる意志の主よ、来たれ。恐るべき者よ、恐るべき力とともに来たれ。
Word by Word
- यत्
- whatever / that whichPronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनRole (सम्बन्ध/विशेष्य-निर्देश) — ‘यत्’ = ‘whatever/that which’Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) / यद्-शब्द
- ह
- indeed / surelyIndeclinableनिपात (अव्यय)Root ह (निपात)
- नूनम्
- now; surelyIndeclinableकाल/निश्चयार्थक अव्ययRoot नूनम् (अव्यय)
- यत्
- whatever / that whichPronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनRole (सम्बन्ध/विशेष्य-निर्देश)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वा
- orIndeclinableविकल्पार्थक अव्ययRoot वा (निपात)
- यज्ञे
- in the sacrificeNounपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
- यत्
- whatever / that whichPronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनRole (सम्बन्ध/विशेष्य-निर्देश)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वा
- orIndeclinableविकल्पार्थक अव्ययRoot वा (निपात)
- पृथिव्याम्
- on/within the earthNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot पृथिवी (प्रातिपदिक)
- अधि
- upon; overIndeclinableउपरी/अधिकरणार्थक अव्ययRole अधिकरण (स्थान-निर्देश)Root अधि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- अतः
- from that; thereforeIndeclinableअपादान/हेतुअर्थक अव्यय (‘from that/therefore’)Role अपादान (तात्पर्यतः ‘from that/thereupon’)Root अतः (अव्यय)
- नः
- of us / ourPronounषष्ठी (एन्क्लिटिक), बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (possessor)Root अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- यज्ञम्
- sacrificeNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
- आ
- towards; hitherIndeclinableउपसर्ग (आ-)Root आ (उपसर्ग)
- शुभिः
- with splendors / with bright powersNoun (instrumental plural)नपुंसकलिङ्ग (वैदिक प्रयोग), तृतीया, बहुवचनRole करणRoot शुच्/शुभ् → शुभ (प्रातिपदिक) / ‘शुभ्’ (तेजस्/शोभा) से ‘शुभ’
- महेम
- may we rejoice / may we be gladVerbलोट्/विधिलिङ्-सम्भाव्य वैदिक रूप; उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचन (आत्मनेपद-परम्परा: ‘महे’)Role कर्तृ (वयं)Root मह् (धातु) ‘to rejoice/be glad; to be great’ (वैदिक: ‘महे’ = ‘we rejoice/are glad’)
- मत्
- thereby / from thatIndeclinableनिपात (वैदिक)Root मत् (अव्यय/निपात) — वैदिक ‘मत्’ = ‘from/than; in consequence’ (प्रायः ‘मद्/मत्’ कण)
- उग्रः
- the mighty oneAdjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ/सम्बोधन-सन्निकर्ष (आगमन-क्रिया का कर्ता)Root उग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- उग्रेभिः
- with the mighty (ones) / with fierce powersAdjective (instrumental plural)पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole करण/सहकारिRoot उग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- आ
- hitherIndeclinableउपसर्ग (आ-)Root आ (उपसर्ग)
- गहि
- come!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रिया; कर्ता (त्वम्)Root गम् (धातु) ‘to go/come’
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (padapāṭha-style): यद्ध → यत् + ह (final -t before h; orthographic doubling in saṃhitā)
- यद्वा → यत् + वा
- पृथि॒व्यामधि → पृथिव्याम् + अधि (anusvāra/m-final before vowel)
- यज्ञमा॒शुभिः → यज्ञम् + आ + शुभिः
- उ॒ग्र उ॒ग्रेभि॒रा ग॑हि → उग्रः + उग्रेभिः + आ + गहि (visarga before vowel often lost in saṃhitā; ‘रा’ reflects -भिः + आ coalescence in recitation)
- Accent marks are preserved in the given saṃhitā text but not re-applied per pada here
The meaning
Outer meaning
Whether it is now, or in the sacrifice, or upon the earth—therefore come to our offering with your swift ones, O mighty; come, formidable, with formidable powers.
Inner meaning
The mantra removes limitation of time and place: Indra’s help is not confined to a ritual hour or a sacred ground; the divine Mind can descend ‘now’, in any act of offering (yajña) and in the embodied field (pṛthivī). The call is for Indra to arrive with āśu forces—swift energies of execution and progress (often the Marut-like dynamisms). ‘Ugra with ugrebhiḥ’ is the demand for strong illumination to meet strong resistance: the higher power must come with matching intensities to conquer the Coverer in life.
Universal truth
Spiritual assistance is available in every moment when life is made an offering. To overcome entrenched inertia, one must invoke not half-measures but a full, courageous descent of power.
Themes
invitation, descent of power, consecrated action, Indra with swift energies
The seer
- Rishi
- Kaṇva
- Lineage
- Kāṇva
- Other hymns
- RV 8.49.1-6, RV 8.48 (Soma ecstasy as ever-available), RV 8.50 (neighboring Indra themes)
Family tradition
Kāṇva invocations frequently universalize the yajña into life and call for swift, forceful descents of Indra’s power.
Significance
This is a practical sādhanā key: remove ‘conditions’ (only in ritual, only later) and invoke the divine power in the immediacy of life.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- ugra, mahemata
- Related deities
- Maruts (swift powers), Agni (yajña leader), Soma (delight-force that supports Indra)
Cosmic role
Brings victorious force into time, rite, and earth; mobilizes swift powers to establish divine order.
Inner power
Great-minded illumination that can act immediately and concretely in embodied life through swift dynamisms.
In ritual
Where it is used
General Indra āvāhana (invocation) applicable across rites; not tied to a single moment
यद्ध॑ नू॒नं यद्वा॑ य॒ज्ञे यद्वा॑ पृथि॒व्यामधि॑ । अतो॑ नो य॒ज्ञमा॒शुभि॑र्महेमत उ॒ग्र उ॒ग्रेभि॒रा ग॑हि ॥
यत् । ह॒ । नू॒नम् । यत् । वा॒ । य॒ज्ञे । यत् । वा॒ । पृ॒थि॒व्याम् । अधि॑ । अतः॑ । नः॒ । य॒ज्ञम् । आ॒शुऽभिः॑ । म॒हे॒ऽम॒ते॒ । उ॒ग्रः । उ॒ग्रेभिः॑ । आ । ग॒हि॒ ॥
yat | ha | nūnam | yat | vā | yajñe | yat | vā | pṛthivyām | adhi | ataḥ | naḥ | yajñam | āśu-bhiḥ | mahe--mate | ugraḥ | ugrebhiḥ | ā | gahi
Likely 4 pādas; imperative ‘ā gahi’ often closes Triṣṭubh Indra verses, but full syllable count is needed for certainty.
Refrain-like, urgent, and summoning; strong imperatives create a marching cadence.
Cuts procrastination and doubt; generates immediacy and invocation-power, suitable for energizing group chant.
- नूनम् (nūnam)
- Literal: now. Symbolic: present-moment opening; immediacy of grace
- यज्ञे (yajñe)
- Literal: in the sacrifice. Symbolic: in any conscious self-offering, inner practice
- पृथिव्याम् (pṛthivyām)
- Literal: on the earth. Symbolic: in embodied life and material nature
- आशुभिः (āśubhiḥ)
- Literal: with the swift ones. Symbolic: rapid forces/energies of progress; dynamic prāṇas under divine direction
- महेमत (mahemata)
- Literal: O great-minded/greatly thinking. Symbolic: vast consciousness; large seeing and intention
- उग्रः… उग्रेभिः (ugra… ugrebhiḥ)
- Literal: formidable with formidable (powers). Symbolic: strong illumination accompanied by strong executing forces
Explicit invitatory (ā gahi) used in Soma ritual sequences to summon Indra with his swift powers
At transitions—inviting Indra’s presence ‘now’ and ‘here’ in the yajña; can function as a refrain.
Call Indra to the offering with his swift powers; intensify the rite’s force to meet obstacles.
As an ‘on-demand’ mantra for courage and momentum: chant before confronting resistance, fear, or inertia in daily life.
: from √yaj ‘to worship, sacrifice, consecrate’. āśu ‘swift’ (PIE *h₂eḱu- ‘swift’ often proposed). -: mahā ‘great’ + mati ‘mind/intent’ (√man ‘think’).
yajña as inner union and ordered action (ṛta in act), embodiment (pṛthivī) as field for divine descent
Indra’s coming ‘upon the earth’ is R̥ta’s establishment in material life—order descending into embodiment.
The insistence on ‘now’ affirms Satya as timelessly accessible when invoked in sincerity.
Descent into time-place-body: the divine not remote but immanent through yajña-consciousness.
Karmayoga-like Vedic root: yajña as conscious action; divine power invoked into works.
Earth = embodied field; swift ones = quickened prāṇa and mental energies; storm-force = transformative power that clears stagnation.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘arrival epiphany’ mythologem: the god is called from any locus—now, in ritual space, or on earth—into manifest presence. Innerly, it is the summoning of the higher force into embodied consciousness for the work of transformation.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The imperative ‘come’ and the formulaic triad of locations (now/ritual/earth) reflect inherited Indo-European hymn pragmatics (deity-invitation). The root √man in mati and √yaj in yajña show Indo-Iranian continuities in cultic vocabulary.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi asserts a right of access through yajña: wherever the human stands (time, ritual, earth), he can call the divine force to participate. The relationship is practical—Indra is requested as collaborator, arriving with ‘swift ones’ to energize the work.
Invoke Indra’s presence in the present moment and in the body; call in ‘swift forces’ to move stuck energy and establish clarity.
Maṇipūra (courage/drive) with grounding in Mūlādhāra (earth-field)
3 sharp but controlled exhales (kapālabhāti-light) then normal breathing; chant once on a full exhale ending with ‘ā gahi’ as a decisive call.
Immediate, forceful, mobilized awareness.
When resistance appears, chant 3 or 11 times; then take one swift, concrete step aligned with truth—make that step your yajña.
Keep imperatives clearly lifted; sustain final ‘आ गहि’ with decisive cadence; follow saṃhitā accents where available.
Punch ‘नूनम्’ (now) distinctly; broaden on ‘महेमत’; intensify on ‘उग्र उग्रेभिः’.
‘pṛthivyām’: clear ṛ and aspirated th not dental t., ‘āśubhiḥ’: ś palatal; keep ‘bhiḥ’ light but audible., ‘ā gahi’: g hard; hi short and clean.
Commanding, clear, forward; end with a firm closure on ‘गहि’.
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