Rig Veda 4.21.1: Mandala 4, Sukta 21, Mantra 1
Sukta 4.21
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
आ यात्विन्द्रोऽवस उप न इह स्तुतः सधमादस्तु शूरः । वावृधानस्तविषीर्यस्य पूर्वीर्द्यौर्न क्षत्रमभिभूति पुष्यात् ॥
ā́ yā́tv índro 'váse úpa na ihá stutáḥ sadha-mā́d astu śū́raḥ | vāvṛdhānás távīṣīr yásya pū́rvīr dyáur ná kṣatrám abhi-bhū́ti púṣyāt ||
ຂໍໃຫ້ອິນທຣະເຂົ້າມາໃກ້ພວກເຮົາທີ່ນີ້ເພື່ອປ້ອງກັນພວກເຮົາ; ຖືກສັນລະເສີນ, ຂໍໃຫ້ວິລະຊົນຢູ່ຮ່ວມໃນການປະຊຸມ. ເພີ່ມພູນພະລັງຢ່າງຕໍ່ເນື່ອງ, ຜູ້ທີ່ພະລັງຫຼາຍຫຼາຍຂອງພຣະອົງເຝົ້າລ້ອມອຳນາດຄືດັ່ງສະຫວ່າງ, ຂໍໃຫ້ການເປັນເຈົ້າຊະນະຂອງພຣະອົງເຕີບໃຫຍ່ໃນພວກເຮົາ.
Word by Word
- आ
- hither, towardsIndeclinableउपसर्ग (गत्यर्थक)Root आ (उपसर्ग) / ā (preverb)
- यातु
- let (him) comeVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Root या (धातु)
- इन्द्रः
- IndraNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- अवसे
- for help, for aidNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, चतुर्थी, एकवचनम् (दातृ/प्रयोजनार्थे)Role SampradānaRoot अवस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- उप
- near, untoIndeclinableनिपातः (समीपार्थक)Root उप (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- नः
- of us / for usPronounषष्ठी (एन्क्लिटिक), बहुवचनम्Role SampradānaRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- इह
- hereIndeclinableदेशवाचक-अव्ययम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot इह (अव्यय)
- स्तुतः
- praisedParticiple (Adjective)भूतकृदन्तः (क्त), पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Root स्तु (धातु) → स्तुत (कृदन्त)
- सधमादः
- companion at the common feast/pressing (comrade in the soma-session)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role Kartā (सम्बन्धे/विशेषणे इन्द्रस्य)Root सधमाद (प्रातिपदिक)
- तु
- indeed, andIndeclinableनिपातः (पुनरुक्ति/विशेषण/अन्वय)Root तु (अव्यय)
- शूरः
- hero, mighty oneNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role Kartā (इन्द्रस्य विशेषणम्)Root शूर (प्रातिपदिक)
- वावृधानः
- growing strong, waxingParticiple (Adjective)वर्तमानकृदन्तः (शानच्), पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; पुनरुक्त-आभ्यासः (वा-वृध्)Root वृध् (धातु) → वावृधान (कृदन्त)
- तविषीः
- powers, mightsNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्Role KarmaRoot तविषी (प्रातिपदिक)
- यस्य
- whosePronounषष्ठी, एकवचनम् (सम्बन्धे)Root यद् (सर्वनाम)
- पूर्वीः
- former, ancientAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role Kartā (द्योः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Root पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- द्यौः
- heaven, skyNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot द्यौ (प्रातिपदिक)
- न
- like, asIndeclinableउपमानार्थक-निपातःRoot न (अव्यय)
- क्षत्रम्
- dominion, sovereign powerNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot क्षत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- अभिभूति
- overpowering, conquest, superiorityNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot अभि-भू (धातु) → अभिभूति (प्रातिपदिक)
- पुष्यत्
- may (it) prosper/increaseVerbविधिलिङ्/आशीर्लिङ् (वेदिक), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Root पुष् (धातु)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (padapāṭha-style): आ | यातु | इन्द्रः | अवसे | उप | नः | इह | स्तुतः | सधमादः | तु | शूरः । वावृधानः | तविषीः | यस्य | पूर्वीः | द्यौः | न | क्षत्रम् | अभिभूति | पुष्यत् । Key sandhis: यातु+इन्द्रः → यात्विन्द्रो (u-vowel sandhi)
- इन्द्रः+अवसे → इन्द्रोऽवसे (visarga before vowel → o’)
- द्यौः+न → द्यौर्न (visarga before dental nasal)
- अभिभूति+पुष्यत् → अभिभूति पुष्यत् (no further sandhi; pada break). Accents retained as in saṃhitā
- pada forms given without accent marks
The meaning
Outer meaning
May Indra come near for our protection here; praised, may the Hero be present at the common session. Increasing his powers of force, whose many mights nourish sovereignty like heaven, may his victorious mastery grow in us.
Inner meaning
The mantra invites the illumined Mind to draw near in the present field of practice (iha) and to preside over the collective inner work (sadhāmāda: shared session/communion). Indra’s taviṣīḥ are the intensities of force—capacities of decisive action and luminous courage. As heaven supports and spreads sovereignty, so Indra’s wideness nourishes kṣatra: inner rulership, mastery over mind-life-body. The prayer is not only for Indra’s presence but for his ‘victorious mastery’ to increase within us—an inner kingship of right order.
Universal truth
Protection is not mere shielding; it is the establishment of a higher governance in consciousness. When illumination presides over our ‘common session’ (community or integrated parts of self), strength grows into rightful mastery.
Themes
Invocation, Indra-sovereignty, Protection-and-victory
The seer
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 4.21, RV 4.22, RV 4.24
Family tradition
In the Fourth Maṇḍala, Vāmadeva’s Indra hymns often function as ‘arrival’ mantras—calling the force to preside over the inner yajña and to establish kṣatra (spiritual governance).
Significance
Represents the yogic moment of inviting the higher mind to take the seat of leadership in the integrated practice (sadhāmāda).
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Śūra (Hero), Vāvṛdhāna (ever-increasing), Abhibhū (overmastering)
- Related deities
- Maruts, Agni, Soma
Cosmic role
Arriving power that presides over the rite; increaser of force; establisher of sovereignty in the mental world.
Inner power
Governing illumination that organizes energies into victorious mastery.
In ritual
Where it is used
Āvāhana-style invocation within Indra hymns; suitable for opening of Indra praise in Soma rites
आ या॒त्विन्द्रोऽव॑स॒ उप॑ न इ॒ह स्तु॒तः स॑ध॒माद॑स्तु॒ शूर॑: । वा॒वृ॒धा॒नस्तवि॑षी॒र्यस्य॑ पू॒र्वीर्द्यौर्न क्ष॒त्रम॒भिभू॑ति॒ पुष्या॑त् ॥
आ । या॒तु॒ । इन्द्रः॑ । अव॑से । उप॑ । नः॒ । इ॒ह । स्तु॒तः । स॒ध॒ऽमात् । अ॒स्तु॒ । शूरः॑ । व॒वृ॒धा॒नः । तवि॑षीः । यस्य॑ । पू॒र्वीः । द्यौः । न । क्ष॒त्रम् । अ॒भिऽभू॑ति । पुष्या॑त् ॥
ā | yātu | indraḥ | avase | upa | naḥ | iha | stutaḥ | sadha-māt | astu | śūraḥ | vavṛdhānaḥ | taviṣīḥ | yasya | pūrvīḥ | dyauḥ | na | kṣatram | abhi-bhūti | puṣyāt
44
4 × ~11
Invocatory and expansive; a ‘coming-near’ lift followed by broad, sky-like cadence.
Creates a sense of presence and protection; widens the mind and strengthens resolve.
- ā yātu
- Literal: let (him) come. Symbolic: descent/approach of higher consciousness into the active nature
- avase
- Literal: for protection/help. Symbolic: guidance that prevents deviation and supports growth
- iha
- Literal: here. Symbolic: in the present moment, in embodied life
- stutaḥ
- Literal: praised. Symbolic: invoked through conscious alignment and mantra
- sadhāmāda
- Literal: common session/feast. Symbolic: collective harmony; integration of the being’s parts in a shared offering
- śūraḥ
- Literal: hero. Symbolic: courageous power of illumination confronting resistance
- taviṣīḥ
- Literal: powers of force. Symbolic: intensities of effective energy under clear mind
- kṣatram
- Literal: sovereignty. Symbolic: inner rulership; mastery over impulses and thoughts
- abhibhūti
- Literal: victorious mastery. Symbolic: overcoming dominance of light over obscurity
Opening invitation (ā yātu) in Indra-hymn for Soma session; calling the power to the collective rite/inner assembly
At the beginning of a recitation sequence to invite Indra’s presence in the sadas (session)
Calling the deity to the seat; establishing protective presence
Use at the start of meditation or group practice to invoke clarity, courage, and inner governance.
ava-se from √av ‘to protect’; kṣatra from √kṣi ‘to rule, possess’—inner kingship; abhi-√bhū ‘to prevail over’ indicates conquest of lower movements by higher force; taviṣī from √tav ‘to be strong’.
Kṣatra (inner sovereignty), Abhibhūti (victorious overcoming), Growth (vāvṛdhāna) as spiritual increase
Sovereignty grows when actions align with ṛta; Indra’s mastery is the victory of right order in mind and life.
True mastery is not domination but alignment with the luminous law (satya-ṛta).
Heaven-like wideness nurturing rulership: expansion precedes stable governance.
Integral-Vedic psychology: descent of higher mind establishes inner kingliness (kṣatra) over nature.
Sky = wideness of consciousness; sovereignty nourished by wideness rather than constriction.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘coming of Indra’ to the sacrifice/assembly: the descent of sovereign force into the human collective so that victorious mastery (abhibhūti) may be nourished.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √av ‘help/protect’ relates to PIE *h₂ew- ‘to help’ (cf. Latin iuvāre ‘help’ is from *h₂yuH-; not identical but adjacent semantic field). √bhū from PIE *bʰuH- ‘become, be’ (English ‘be’). The sovereignty lexeme kṣatra is Indo-Iranian political-sacral vocabulary with parallels in Avestan xšaθra-.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi invites Indra not as distant storm-god but as present protector in the shared seat (sadha-māt). The relationship is one of indwelling: Indra’s growing forces are asked to grow as sovereignty within the human field.
Invite Indra as inner governor; feel protective clarity presiding over the ‘session’ of thoughts and energies.
ājñā (governance/clarity) and sahasrāra (wideness above)
even-count breathing (6-6) while mentally repeating ‘ā yātu’ to feel descent
collected, protected, widened
Begin practice with 3 recitations; then sit as if under a vast sky of awareness; offer the day’s actions to be ruled by a higher mastery (kṣatra).
Udātta emphasis often on invocatory verbs and ‘indra’; maintain clear pāda breaks to preserve Triṣṭubh stride.
Give ‘ā yātu’ a lifted call; keep ‘avase’ gentle and protective; end with a strong cadence on mastery-growth sense.
ā yātu: long ā; yātu with clear dental t, indro’vasa: sandhi—keep a slight glide, not a hard break, sadhāmāda: long ā; retroflex ḍh not present—keep dh dental, taviṣīḥ: ṣ retroflex; long īḥ
invoking, spacious, steady
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