Rig Veda 8.63.7: Mandala 8, Sukta 63, Mantra 7
Sukta 8.63
- Devata
- Indra
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
यत्पाञ्चजन्यया विशेन्द्रे घोषा असृक्षत । अस्तृणाद्बर्हणा विपोऽर्यो मानस्य स क्षयः ॥
yát pā́ñca-janyayā viśéndre ghóṣā asṛ́kṣata | ástṛṇād barháṇā vipó’ryó mā́nasya sá kṣáyaḥ ||
五つの民より生まれた人の共同体のために、インドラへと希求の叫びが放たれたとき、霊感の見者は高める座（barhis）を敷き広げた。それこそが、心がĀrya（高貴なる者）となる住処—内なる上昇によって高貴となる—である。
Word by Word
- यत्
- whenIndeclinableसम्बन्ध/काल-निर्देशक अव्यय (यदा/यत् = ‘जब/जिस समय’)Role Adhikaraṇa (काल-सम्बन्ध) / सम्बन्धकRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) अथवा यत् (सम्बन्ध-अव्यय)
- पाञ्चजन्यया
- with/through the fivefold people (i.e., belonging to the five tribes)Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्गे तृतीया एकवचन (विशेषण-रूप; ‘पाञ्चजन्य’)Role Karaṇa (साधन/हेतु) अथवा सहचर्य-निर्देशकRoot पाञ्चजन्य (प्रातिपदिक; पञ्च-जन-सम्बन्धी)
- विशा
- with the clan/peopleNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे तृतीया एकवचनRole Karaṇa / सह (सम्बद्ध समुदाय)Root विश् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘जन/कुल/समुदाय’)
- इन्द्रे
- in/for IndraNounपुंलिङ्गे सप्तमी एकवचनRole Adhikaraṇa (आश्रय/विषय: ‘इन्द्र में/इन्द्र के लिए/इन्द्र के प्रसंग में’)Root इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- घोषाः
- shouts/cries (acclamations)Nounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनRole KartāRoot घोष (प्रातिपदिक)
- असृक्षत
- they let loose / sent forthVerbलुङ् (अorist), परस्मैपद, 3 पुरुष बहुवचनRole KriyāRoot सृज् (धातु; ‘छोड़ना/प्रवाहित करना/उत्सर्जन करना’)
- अस्तृणात्
- he spread (strewed)Verbलुङ् (अorist), परस्मैपद, 3 पुरुष एकवचनRole KriyāRoot स्तृ (धातु; ‘बिछाना/विस्तार करना’)
- बर्हणा
- with the sacred grass/with the strewing (barhis)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया एकवचन (वेदिक रूप; साधन/उपकरण)Role KaraṇaRoot बर्हण (प्रातिपदिक; ‘बर्हिस्/स्तरण’ से सम्बन्धित)
- विपः
- the inspired poets/priestsNounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचन (वेदिक बहुवचन)Role Kartā (अस्तृणात् के कर्ता-समूह के रूप में) / सहकर्ताRoot विप्/विप (प्रातिपदिक; ‘कवि/विप्र’ वर्ग)
- अर्यः
- the Arya (noble man)Nounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनRole Kartā (मुख्य कर्ता/विषय) अथवा ‘विपः’ का विशेष्यRoot अर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- मानस्य
- of the mind / mentalAdjectiveपुं/नपुंसक-सम्भव षष्ठी एकवचन (सम्बन्ध: ‘मन का/मानसिक’)Role Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)Root मानस (प्रातिपदिक; ‘मनस्’ से)
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनRole Kartā/विषय-सूचकRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- क्षयः
- dwelling/abodeNounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनRole Kartā-सम्बन्धी विधेय (नाम-प्रत्ययार्थ: ‘वह (एक) निवास/आश्रय है’)Root क्षय (प्रातिपदिक; ‘निवास/आवास/स्थिर-स्थान’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सम्भाव्य): यत् | पाञ्चजन्यया | विशा | इन्द्रे | घोषाः | असृक्षत । अस्तृणात् | बर्हणा | विपः | अर्यः | मानस्य | सः | क्षयः । विशेष: ‘विपो॒ऽर्यो’ = ‘विपः अर्यः’ (ओऽवग्रहः: अ + अ → ’)
- ‘यत्पाञ्च…’ = ‘यत् पाञ्च…’ (त् + प् संयोग)
The meaning
Outer meaning
When, for the fivefold human community, cries/sounds were released toward Indra, the inspired seer spread the barhis (sacrificial seat); that is the dwelling-place of the Arya’s mind.
Inner meaning
The ‘fivefold-born’ (pāñcajanya) signifies the human being organized in fivefold nature (body, life, mind, higher mind/intuition, and soul-impulse—or the five prāṇas/senses as a functional pentad). When collective aspiration (ghoṣāḥ) rises toward Indra (illumination), the vipra (inspired seer within) lays out the barhis—an inner foundation of receptivity and peace where higher forces can descend. This prepared ‘seat’ becomes the stable home (kṣaya) of the Arya mind: a consciousness made noble by ascent, clarity, and right striving.
Universal truth
When aspiration becomes communal/total (all parts of the being call), a stable inner foundation is created; then the mind becomes a fit dwelling for higher light and a nobler way of being.
Themes
communal invocation, foundation of inner sacrifice, nobility (ārya) as inner rightness
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 1.31 (Agni and the barhis as seat—motif), RV 2.24 (vipra/Bṛhaspati opening the hidden light—parallel psychology)
Family tradition
Part of the Indra-illumination stream emphasizing aspiration and the prepared seat (barhis) for divine descent.
Significance
Highlights a key yogic step: aspiration must be followed by preparation—creating a stable inner ‘seat’ where the Arya mind can abide.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- purandara (breaker of cities/forts) (by function), jyotiṣmat (luminous) (by role)
- Related deities
- Agni (preparer of the seat through inner fire), Bṛhaspati (seer-force), Uṣas (awakening)
Cosmic role
Receives the calls of humanity and answers by opening the way of light; supports the establishment of higher order in the mind.
Inner power
Illumination that responds to aspiration; catalyzes the formation of a stable receptive consciousness.
In ritual
Where it is used
General stotra context; barhis imagery aligns with Soma-yajña preparation
यत्पाञ्च॑जन्यया वि॒शेन्द्रे॒ घोषा॒ असृ॑क्षत । अस्तृ॑णाद्ब॒र्हणा॑ वि॒पो॒३॒॑ऽर्यो मान॑स्य॒ स क्षय॑: ॥
यत् । पाञ्च॑ऽजन्यया । वि॒शा । इन्द्रे॑ । घोषाः॑ । असृ॑क्षत । अस्तृ॑णात् । ब॒र्हणा॑ । वि॒पः । अ॒र्यः । मान॑स्य । सः । क्षयः॑ ॥
yat | pāñca-janyayā | viśā | indre | ghoṣāḥ | asṛkṣata | astṛṇāt | barhaṇā | vipaḥ | aryaḥ | mānasya | saḥ | kṣayaḥ
Appears as 2 long lines; likely 4 pādas in underlying metric segmentation.
Narrative rise: release of cries → spreading of seat → establishment of dwelling; a building cadence.
Creates a felt sense of gathering, calling, and then settling into a prepared inner space.
- pāñcajanya
- Literal: fivefold-born; belonging to the five tribes/peoples. Symbolic: the fivefold human nature; all sub-personalities gathered into one seeking
- viś
- Literal: clan, people, community. Symbolic: the collective of inner parts (senses, impulses, thoughts) needing integration
- ghoṣāḥ
- Literal: cries, sounds, acclamations. Symbolic: aspirational calls, mantric vibrations rising from the being
- vipra
- Literal: inspired sage, seer. Symbolic: the intuitive faculty that receives and arranges higher influence
- barhis
- Literal: sacrificial grass/seat. Symbolic: inner receptivity, a calm prepared ground for descent
- arya
- Literal: noble, Aryan. Symbolic: the soul-led being; consciousness that chooses truth and ascent
- mānasya
- Literal: of the mind. Symbolic: mental being transformed by illumination
- kṣaya
- Literal: dwelling, abode. Symbolic: stable establishment of higher consciousness in the mind
Indra-invocation with communal (viś) orientation; barhiṣ imagery suggests Soma-yajña setting; inwardly, preparation of the ‘seat’ for the descent of force.
At moments of ‘inviting’ the deity and preparing the altar/seat; adaptable to meditation openings.
Symbolic laying of barhis: arranging the ritual seat; inwardly, establishing quiet receptivity after invocation.
Use at the start of group meditation: collective aspiration, then a minute of stillness as the ‘barhis’ is spread in the mind.
pāñca-janya- ‘fivefold-born’ from pañca ‘five’ + janya ‘born/of birth’ (√jan ‘be born’). ghoṣa- from √ghuṣ ‘to sound’. asṛkṣata: aorist/middle from √sṛj ‘send forth, release’. astṛṇāt: aorist from √stṛ ‘spread, strew’ (barhis spreading in ritual; inwardly: preparing the basis for ascent). vip- (vipaḥ) denotes inspired seer/poet; possibly connected with √vip/vep ‘to tremble, be stirred’ → inward vibration of inspiration. ārya- from √ar ‘to fit, to move rightly’ (nobility as right ordering). kṣaya- from √kṣi ‘to dwell, settle’.
collective ascent (viś, pāñcajanya), formation of an inner dwelling (kṣaya) for right consciousness (ārya)
The Arya mind’s dwelling is the establishment of right order (ṛta) in mental movements.
Indra’s illumination is the satya-force that makes the mind true and noble.
From undifferentiated calls to formed foundation: consciousness organizes itself to host higher powers.
Integral Yoga reading: aspiration (call) + receptivity (seat) → descent (illumination) → stable transformation (kṣaya).
Mantric vibration gathers the being; then a calm inner ‘ground’ is prepared for the descent of light.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythic pattern is ‘the call that opens the way’: the collective releases ghoṣāḥ toward Indra, and the inspired seer spreads the barhiṣ (seat of offering). Inwardly, aspiration (sound) prepares a stable inner ground (kṣaya) where the Arya-mind can dwell—an image of establishing a psychic settlement in the right order.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √jan (birth) continues PIE *ǵenh₁- ‘beget, produce’. √sṛj resonates with PIE *sreg- ‘let go, release’ (semantic parallels in ‘streaming’). √stṛ ‘spread’ aligns with PIE *ster- ‘spread, strew’ (cf. Latin sternere). √kṣi ‘dwell’ is cognate with PIE *tḱey-/*ḱey- ‘lie, settle’ (broad IE ‘settling/dwelling’ semantics).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi (vipaḥ) mediates between the community’s cry and Indra’s response by ‘spreading the barhiṣ’—outer ritual act and inner psychological preparation. The devatā answers not as a distant god but as the force that makes the mind’s dwelling noble (ārya) and stable (kṣaya).
Unify the ‘fivefold’ being in one aspiration; then establish a quiet receptive base.
anāhata (heart) (for aspiration/ghoṣa) and ājñā (for Indra’s illumination)
Group or personal: inhale—feel the call rise; exhale—spread the inner barhis (relax the body, soften the mind).
From uplifted aspiration to settled receptivity.
Chant once slowly; then sit 2 minutes imagining a luminous seat spreading across the mind-field. Let thoughts become ‘noble’ (arya) by choosing truth, calm, and upward orientation.
Chant with rising intonation on ghoṣāḥ asṛkṣata (release of cries), then settling downward on astṛṇād barhaṇā (spreading the seat). Exact Vedic svara not provided.
Mark a clear pause after asṛkṣata |; emphasize vipā/vipra and ārya.
pāñcajanyayā: keep ‘ñca’ nasal-palatal; ‘janya’ soft ‘j’, viś: short i, palatal ś, ghoṣāḥ: long ō, retroflex ṣ, asṛkṣata: vocalic ṛ, ‘kṣ’ cluster, astṛṇāt: retroflex ṇ, barhaṇā: ‘rh’ cluster; keep ‘ṇā’ long, ārya: long ā
Invocatory at first, then soothing and grounding.
7
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