Rig Veda 1.63.7: Mandala 1, Sukta 63, Mantra 7
Sukta 1.63
- Rishi
- Gotama Rāhūgaṇa
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism)
त्वं ह त्यदिन्द्र सप्त युध्यन्पुरो वज्रिन्पुरुकुत्साय दर्दः । बर्हिर्न यत्सुदासे वृथा वर्गंहो राजन्वरिवः पूरवे कः ॥
tváṃ ha tyád indra saptá yúdhyann púro vajrin puru-kútsāya dárdaḥ | barhír ná yát su-dā́se vṛ́thā várgaṃho rā́jan várivaḥ pūráve káḥ ||
ಹೇ ಇಂದ್ರ, ವಜ್ರಧಾರಿ! ನೀನೇ ಯುದ್ಧಮಾಡುತ್ತಾ ಪುರುಕುತ್ಸನಿಗಾಗಿ ಏಳು ಪುರಗಳನ್ನು (ದುರ್ಗಗಳನ್ನು) ಒಡೆದೆ. ಮತ್ತು ನೀನು ಸುಧಾಸನಿಗಾಗಿ—ಬರ್ಹಿಸ್ನಂತೆ ವಿಸ್ತರಿಸುವ ಪವಿತ್ರ ಆಸನದಂತೆ—ಅನ್ಯಾಯದ ದಮನದ ವಿರುದ್ಧ ನಿರ್ಬಾಧ ಮಾರ್ಗವನ್ನು ತೆರೆದಾಗ, ಹೇ ರಾಜನೇ, ಪೂರುಗೆ ಅಷ್ಟು ವಿಶಾಲ ಅವಕಾಶವನ್ನು ಇನ್ನಾರು ನೀಡಬಲ್ಲರು?
Word by Word
- त्वम्
- thouPronounपुं/स्त्री/नपुं; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot युष्मद्
- ह
- indeedParticleनिपात (उपपद)Root ह
- त्यत्
- that (deed/thing)Pronounनपुंसक; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot तद्
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNoun (proper)पुं; सम्बोधन; एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot इन्द्र
- सप्त
- sevenNumeralअव्ययवत् (संख्यावाचक), here qualifying ‘पुरः’Root सप्तन्
- युध्यन्
- fightingVerb (participle)वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ); पुं; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot युध्
- पुरः
- fortresses/citadelsNounस्त्री; द्वितीया; बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot पुर्
- वज्रिन्
- O wielder of the vajraNoun/Adjectiveपुं; सम्बोधन; एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot वज्रिन्
- पुरुकुत्साय
- for PurukutsaNoun (proper)पुं; चतुर्थी; एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot पुरुकुत्स
- दर्दः
- thou didst shatter/breakVerbलिट् (परोक्ष/परफेक्ट); परस्मैपद; उत्तम? (न) → प्रथम्; एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot दर्द्
- बर्हिः
- sacrificial grass (barhis)Nounनपुंसक; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole उपमान (विशेष्य-सम्बन्ध)Root बर्हिस्
- न
- like/asParticleउपमा/निपातRoot न
- यत्
- which/that (when/that which)Relative pronounनपुंसक; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot यद्
- सुदासे
- for SudāsNoun (proper)पुं; चतुर्थी; एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot सुदास
- वृथा
- in vain; fruitlesslyIndeclinableक्रियाविशेषणRoot वृथा
- वर्गम्
- troop/host; arrayNounपुं; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot वर्ग
- अंहः
- distress; harmNounनपुंसक; द्वितीया; एकवचन (here as apposition/second object)Role कर्मRoot अंहस्
- राजन्
- O kingNounपुं; सम्बोधन; एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot राजन्
- वरिवः
- wide space; aid/protectionNounनपुंसक; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot वरिवस्
- पूरवे
- for PūruNoun (proper/tribal)पुं; चतुर्थी; एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot पूरु
- कः
- who? (i.e., who else?)Interrogative pronounपुं; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृ (प्रश्नवाचक)Root किम्
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धि-निरसन): त्वं ह त्यद् इन्द्र सप्त युध्यन् पुरः वज्रिन् पुरुकुत्साय दर्दः । बर्हिः न यत् सुदासे वृथा वर्गम् अंहः राजन् वरिवः पूरवे कः ॥ मुख्य सन्धयः: (1) त्यदि॑न्द्र = त्यद् + इन्द्र (द् + इ → दि)
- (2) युध्य॒न्पुरो॑ = युध्यन् + पुरः (न् + प्)
- (3) वज्रिन्पुरुकुत्साय = वज्रिन् + पुरुकुत्साय (न् + प्)
- (4) यत्सुदासे = यत् + सुदासे (त् + स्)
- (5) वर्गं॒हो = वर्गम् + अंहः (म् + अ → ं + अ; अनुस्वार)
- (6) राज॒न्वरि॑वः = राजन् + वरिवः (न् + व्)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra, fighting, broke the seven forts for Purukutsa. Like a spreading barhis, he opened a free path for Sudās against wrongful oppression; who else, O king, could grant such wide room for Pūru?
Inner meaning
Indra shatters the seven enclosing formations—habitual structures of ignorance—so the soul-force (Purukutsa/Sudās/Pūru as types of the striving being) can move in a widened consciousness. ‘Forts’ are fixed mental-vital barricades; Indra’s vajra is discriminative illumination that breaks them. ‘Wide room’ (varivas) is the liberated inner space where the true life can act under ṛta, free from the oppression of falsehood.
Universal truth
Liberation is not merely a new experience but an opening of inner space: when illumination breaks entrenched patterns, life gains lawful freedom and a larger field for right action.
Themes
aid to kings, seven fortresses, wideness and freedom, victory over oppression
The seer
- Rishi
- Gotama Rāhūgaṇa
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 1.62, RV 1.63
Family tradition
Gautama Indra hymns often recall archetypal victories (breaking forts, releasing space) as inner paradigms for the sacrificer’s progress.
Significance
The rishi encodes historical names as psychological types: the seeker’s being (various soul-personalities) receives Indra’s widening and liberation from constriction (aṃhas).
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- vajrin, rājan (king), śūra (hero, contextual)
- Related deities
- Maruts, Bṛhaspati, Agni
Cosmic role
Overcomes the powers of division and confinement; establishes ‘wide space’ and victorious order for the gods and men.
Inner power
Breaker of limiting formations; giver of inner wideness, courage, and right pathways through difficulty.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra praise in Soma ritual; also recited for ‘vijaya’ (victory) intentions in śrauta settings.
त्वं ह॒ त्यदि॑न्द्र स॒प्त युध्य॒न्पुरो॑ वज्रिन्पुरु॒कुत्सा॑य दर्दः । ब॒र्हिर्न यत्सु॒दासे॒ वृथा॒ वर्गं॒हो रा॑ज॒न्वरि॑वः पू॒रवे॑ कः ॥
त्वम् । ह॒ । त्यत् । इ॒न्द्र॒ । स॒प्त । युध्य॑न् । पुरः॑ । व॒ज्रि॒न् । पु॒रु॒ऽकुत्सा॑य । द॒र्द॒रिति॑ दर्दः । ब॒र्हिः । न । यत् । सु॒ऽदासे॑ । वृथा॑ । वर्क् । अं॒होः । रा॒ज॒न् । वरि॑वः । पू॒रवे॑ । कः ॥
tvam | ha | tyat | indra | sapta | yudhyan | puraḥ | vajrin | puru-kutsāya | dardaḥ | barhiḥ | na | yat | su-dāse | vṛthā | varka | aṃhoḥ | rājan | varivaḥ | pūrave | kaḥ
11
4 × 11; emphatic verb-placements (dardaḥ) give удар-like impacts.
Percussive and heroic; suited to ‘breaking’ imagery and widening release.
Builds a sense of breakthrough; supports determination to dismantle inner rigidity.
- सप्त पुरः (sapta puroḥ)
- Literal: seven forts/strongholds. Symbolic: multiple layers of obstruction (mental, vital, physical, subconscient patterns) that imprison consciousness
- वज्रिन् (vajrin)
- Literal: bolt-bearer. Symbolic: power of luminous discrimination that breaks fixed formations
- युध्यन् (yudhyan)
- Literal: fighting. Symbolic: tapas in inner conflict; persistent spiritual effort
- वरिवः (varivaḥ)
- Literal: wide room, free space. Symbolic: inner wideness and freedom for the soul’s movement
- अंहः (aṃhaḥ)
- Literal: narrowness, distress, sin/oppression. Symbolic: constriction and false pressure created by ignorance
- बर्हिः (barhiḥ)
- Literal: sacrificial grass/spreading seat. Symbolic: a prepared foundation of offering; also the widening base of consciousness for descent of power
Commemorative praise of Indra’s aid to kings; used to secure ‘varivas’ (free scope) and victory for the patron in ritual setting
When invoking Indra’s power to remove obstacles and grant ‘uru varivas’ (wideness).
Stotra recitation with offerings; mental ‘opening’ of the path before undertaking difficult rites or actions.
Chant when feeling trapped by habits, fear, or oppressive circumstances; use as an affirmation of inner wideness and lawful freedom.
sapta often carries symbolic completeness. varivaḥ from √vṛ ‘to choose/cover’? (traditional: ‘space, room, free scope’), used as a key inner term for wideness and liberty of consciousness. The historical names (Purukutsa, Sudās, Pūru) function as exemplars of the soul aided by Indra against oppression.
wideness/freedom of being (varivas), sevenfold completeness (sapta), sovereignty (rājan) of the illumined force
Indra opens the ‘free path’ not for chaos but for ṛta—right movement against ‘wrong oppression’.
Truth is experienced as spaciousness (varivas) replacing narrowness (aṃhas).
Cosmic expansion: breaking enclosures so the worlds can widen and flow.
Integral Vedantic psychology: liberation as expansion of consciousness and right dynamism.
Forts = hardened formations in nature; barhis = broadened base of offering; wide space = liberated consciousness-field.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Indra’s breaking of the ‘seven fortresses’ and granting varivas (wide room) to his protégés. Innerly, this is the opening of a complete set of blocked gates in consciousness, producing wideness—freedom from oppressive wrong-movement—so the soul-nature can expand and act in ṛta.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The heroic catalogue of benefactions to named allies resembles Indo-European praise poetry where the god/hero’s deeds for patrons are enumerated to reactivate protection. The numeral ‘seven’ as a completeness marker is also widely attested across Indo-European symbolic systems.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi argues by precedent: Indra has historically opened paths and broken fortresses; therefore he can and should do so now for the sacrificer. The relationship is contractual-sacral: praise recalls deeds, deeds guarantee present wideness (varivas).
Visualize seven layers of obstruction dissolving under a single stroke of illumined discernment; rest in widened awareness.
ājñā (discernment) with anāhata (wideness/space)
Brisk-energetic japa; on ‘varivaḥ’ take a fuller inhalation to embody expansion.
Breakthrough concentration leading to spacious clarity.
Name your ‘seven forts’ (key recurring limitations). On each repetition, offer one fort into the inner fire and invoke Indra’s vajra as clear seeing that dismantles it.
Tri-svara; keep udātta emphasis on ‘índra’ and ‘vájrin’; avoid flattening the second pāda where the ‘breaking’ verb lands.
Let ‘sapta…puro…dardaḥ’ be slightly more accented to mirror the impact; soften into ‘varivaḥ’ with an expansive tone.
vajrin (j + r cluster cleanly), purukutsāya (long āya; keep retroflex ṭs cluster clear), sudāse (dā long), vṛthā (ṛ vowel), aṃho (anusvāra + h), pūrave (ū long)
Clear, strong, slightly percussive; end with open resonance on ‘varivaḥ’.
7
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