Rig Veda 4.22.7: Mandala 4, Sukta 22, Mantra 7
Sukta 4.22
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
अत्राह ते हरिवस्ता उ देवीरवोभिरिन्द्र स्तवन्त स्वसारः । यत्सीमनु प्र मुचो बद्बधाना दीर्घामनु प्रसितिं स्यन्दयध्यै ॥
atrā́ha te hari-vás tā́ u devī́r ávo-bhir indra stavanta svásāraḥ | yát sī́m ánu prá mucó badbadhānā́ dīrghā́m ánu prá-sitim syandáyadhyai ||
ທີ່ນີ້ ອົດທາດຂອງມ້າທັງເຫຼົ່ານັ້ນ ພຣະເຊື່ອນາທັງສອງຜູ້ເປັນທິດານຸສາ ສັດຊົມສັດສະເຫວີຍພຣະອົງດ້ວຍການຊ່ວຍເຫຼືອຂອງເຂົາເຈົ້າ ອົດອິນທຣະ ໃນເວລາທີ່ພຣະອົງຕາມຫຼັງມາ ແລະ ປ່ອຍຜູ້ຖືກຜູ້ກັກຂັງໄວ້ ເພື່ອໃຫ້ການໄຫຼອອກອັນຍາວທອດສົ່ງ ໄດ້ໄຫຼອອກມາ
Word by Word
- अत्र
- hereIndeclinableस्थानवाचक अव्ययRole अधिकारणRoot अत्र (अव्यय)
- आ
- hither; towardsIndeclinableउपसर्ग/निपातRoot आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- ते
- of you/yourPronounषष्ठी एकवचन (enclitic)Role सम्बन्धRoot युष्मद्
- हरिवस्ताः
- the Harivastu(-ones) (Indra’s bay-horsed/horse-gear companions; epithet)Noun (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot हरिवस्तु- (हरि + वस्तु)
- उ
- indeed; andIndeclinableनिपात (emphatic/continuative)Root उ (निपात)
- देवीः
- the goddessesNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot देवी-
- अवोभिः
- with helps; with protectionsNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया बहुवचनRole करणRoot अवस्-
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNoun (vocative)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot इन्द्र-
- स्तवन्त
- they praiseVerbलट्, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot स्तु (स्तवति)
- स्वसारः
- sistersNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot स्वसृ-
- यत्
- which; that (which)Pronoun/Relativeनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (relative)Role कर्मRoot यद्
- सीम्
- him/it (enclitic particle)Indeclinableनिपात (enclitic; ‘him/it’ as emphatic particle in RV usage)Root सीम् (निपात)
- अनु
- after; alongIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRoot अनु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- प्र
- forth; forwardIndeclinableउपसर्गRoot प्र (उपसर्ग)
- मुचः
- releasing; letting looseVerb (participle)शतृ (वर्तमान कृदन्त), प्रथमा एकवचन (पुं.)Role कर्तृRoot मुच्
- बद्बधानाः
- binding; fastening (themselves/being engaged in binding)Verb (participle)मध्यम/आत्मनेपद वर्तमान कृदन्त (शानच्), प्रथमा बहुवचन (स्त्री.)Role कर्तृRoot बध् (बध्नाति) / बन्ध् (बध्नाति)
- दीर्घाम्
- longAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्मRoot दीर्घा-
- अनु
- along; afterIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRoot अनु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- प्रसितिम्
- course; extension; onward stretchNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्मRoot प्रसिति-
- स्यन्दयध्यै
- to make flow; to cause to streamVerb (infinitive)तुमर्थे दध्यै-प्रत्यय (वैदिक infinitive), परस्मैपद-भावRole प्रयोजन (उद्देश्य)Root स्यन्द् (स्यन्दयति)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (sandhi-resolved): अत्र | आ | ते | हरिवस्ताः | उ | देवीः | अवोभिः | इन्द्र | स्तवन्त | स्वसारः || यत् | सीम् | अनु | प्र | मुचः | बद्बधानाः | दीर्घाम् | अनु | प्रसितिम् | स्यन्दयध्यै । प्रमुख संधि: (1) अत्राह = अत्र + आ (दीर्घ/स्वर-संधि)
- (2) हरिवस्ताः उ = हरिवस्ताः + उ (विसर्ग/उकार-प्रगृह्य; पदान्तः ‘-आः’ के बाद निपात ‘उ’)
- (3) दे॒वीरवो॑भिः = देवीः + अवोभिः (विसर्ग-लोप/रकारादेश: -ईः + अ- → -ईर-)
- (4) अवोभिरिन्द्र = अवोभिः + इन्द्र (विसर्ग-लोप: -भिः + इ- → -भिरि-)
- (5) यत्सीमनु = यत् + सीम् + अनु (त् + स → त्स)
- (6) मुचो बद्बधा॒ना = मुचः + बद्बधानाः (ः + ब → ओ/र्-प्रवृत्ति; वैदिक संधि-रूप ‘मुचो’)
- (7) दीर्घामनु = दीर्घाम् + अनु (म् + अ → म-)
- (8) प्रसितिं स्यन्दयध्यै = प्रसितिम् + स्यन्दयध्यै (म् + स → म्स्/अनुस्वार-प्रवृत्ति)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Here the divine Sisters praise you, O Indra of tawny steeds, with their aids—when you release the one held bound, so that the long outflow may stream.
Inner meaning
The ‘divine Sisters’ (devīḥ svasāraḥ) are supporting illumined powers—often read as Dawns/Light-forces or allied energies of revelation—that assist Indra. When Indra loosens what is bound (the constrained flow of consciousness, inspiration, or life-energy), the long-held stream (dīrghā prasiti) begins to pour: sustained release rather than a momentary opening.
Universal truth
Lasting liberation is supported by a harmony of inner powers: illumination, aspiration, and life-force cooperate so that what was bound in the psyche can flow continuously into life.
Themes
Unbinding, Assisting goddesses/powers, Directed outflow, Overcoming obstruction
The seer
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 4.22.1-2 (context), RV 4.51 (Uṣas hymns, by other seers, for sisterhood motif)
Family tradition
In Vāmadeva’s hymns, allied goddesses/powers often appear as functional supports to Indra’s victory—suggesting an inner ecology of forces.
Significance
The seer highlights that liberation is aided by ‘sisters’—multiple luminous faculties—implying a coordinated sādhanā rather than solitary effort.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra (with devīḥ svasāraḥ as supporting powers)
- Epithets
- harivas
- Related deities
- Uṣas (as sister-light), Sarasvatī (stream/inspiration), Maruts (helpers/energies)
Cosmic role
Releaser of bound streams; leader whose action is celebrated by allied divine powers.
Inner power
Dynamic illumination that unbinds constricted channels, enabling a long, continuous flow of consciousness into action and expression.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra praise in Soma context; accompaniment to themes of release (waters/flows)
अत्राह॑ ते हरिव॒स्ता उ॑ दे॒वीरवो॑भिरिन्द्र स्तवन्त॒ स्वसा॑रः । यत्सी॒मनु॒ प्र मु॒चो ब॑द्बधा॒ना दी॒र्घामनु॒ प्रसि॑तिं स्यन्द॒यध्यै॑ ॥
अत्र॑ । अह॑ । ते॒ । ह॒रि॒ऽवः॒ । ताः । ऊँ॒ इति॑ । दे॒वीः । अवः॑ऽभिः । इ॒न्द्र॒ । स्त॒व॒न्त॒ । स्वसा॑रः । यत् । सी॒म् । अनु॑ । प्र । मु॒चः । ब॒द्ब॒धा॒नाः । दी॒र्घाम् । अनु॑ । प्रऽसि॑तिम् । स्य॒न्द॒यध्यै॑ ॥
atra | aha | te | hari-vaḥ | tāḥ | oṃ iti | devīḥ | avaḥ-bhiḥ | indra | stavanta | svasāraḥ | yat | sīm | anu | pra | mucaḥ | badbadhānāḥ | dīrghām | anu | pra-sitim | syandayadhyai
44
4×11 (approx.)
Begins with praise and gathers into a release-action; the cadence supports ‘unbinding’ and ‘streaming’.
Soothes and opens; encourages continuity of inner flow after a breakthrough.
- हरिवस् (harivas)
- Literal: possessing tawny steeds. Symbolic: master of dynamic life-energies; swift powers of action
- देवीः स्वसारः (devīḥ svasāraḥ)
- Literal: divine sisters. Symbolic: cooperating light-powers (dawns/insights/helps) that support realization
- अवोभिः (avobhiḥ)
- Literal: with helps, protections. Symbolic: graces/assistances; supportive inner movements
- प्र मुचः (pra muco)
- Literal: you release/loosen forth. Symbolic: liberation of bound energies and perceptions
- बद्बधान (badbadhāna)
- Literal: held bound, tightly fastened. Symbolic: psychic knots; constricted channels; repression
- दीर्घाम् प्रसितिम् (dīrghām prasitim)
- Literal: long outflow/extended streaming. Symbolic: sustained descent/flow of inspiration and force into life
- स्यन्दयध्यै (syandayadhyai)
- Literal: in order to make stream. Symbolic: to establish continuous flow (not intermittent experiences)
Soma praise emphasizing Indra’s releasing action; suited to moments of invoking ‘unbinding’ (symbolically clearing obstructions in the rite and consciousness).
Recited where Indra’s freeing action is invoked; can accompany rites seeking unobstructed prosperity/flow.
Stotra/śastra praising Indra with allied powers; intention of unbinding and establishing flow.
Chant when seeking sustained creative flow, emotional release, or unblocking speech/breath; also supportive in trauma-informed gentle practice (without forcing).
hari-vás ‘having tawny (hari) steeds’ marks Indra as kinetic power. √muc ‘release’ is central to Indra’s function (unbinding the streams/cows). badbadhānā́ḥ is an intensive/reduplicated formation from √bandh ‘bind’, emphasizing strong obstruction. pra-sití- ‘sending forth/extension’ from √sā/√si ‘to impel, send’ with pra-, denotes the directed course of the liberated energy. √syand ‘flow’ (cf. ‘syna-’ in Indo-Iranian hydrological vocabulary) expresses the descent/streaming of force and delight once released.
Release from bondage (mokṣa-like motif in seed form: √muc), Rita as right-directed flow (pra-siti), Cooperation of divine powers (svásāraḥ)
Unbinding restores right movement (ṛta) as a continuous stream rather than blocked fragments.
The ‘long flow’ implies stable truth-current entering life.
Release of streams is a creation-act: the worlds are renewed by freeing what was held back.
Integral yoga reading: breakthrough must become continuous descent/flow (prasiti) sustained by multiple inner powers.
Horses = vital energies harnessed; bonds = psychological knots; long stream = enduring inspiration/prāṇa/current of consciousness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘unbinding of the bound’ (bandha → muc) that enables the long outflow (dīrghā pra-siti) to stream. Mythically it echoes Indra’s opening of blocked waters; psychologically it is the loosening of constricted energies so the consciousness can run in a sustained, rightly-directed current.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √muc ‘release’ and √bandh ‘bind’ form a stark inherited opposition (binding vs loosening) common to Indo-European ritual-poetic language. The reduplication in badbadhānā́ḥ is an archaic intensification strategy, also widespread in early IE poetics.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi positions Indra’s act of release as the condition for the supportive powers (devīḥ svásāraḥ) to become effective ‘helps’ (avobhiḥ). Praise is offered not merely for might, but for the precise function: transforming bound potential into a streaming, usable force in the sacrificer.
Invite the ‘divine sisters’—supportive light-energies (insight, aspiration, calm strength)—and ask Indra to loosen the tight knot that blocks sustained flow.
viśuddha (flow of expression)
Lengthen exhale gently (1:1.5 ratio) while chanting; feel ‘untying’ on exhale and ‘streaming’ on inhale.
Quiet opening leading to continuous flow (prasiti) rather than peak experience.
Chant softly; after each repetition, pause in silence and sense where the body-mind is ‘bound’. Do not push—allow the release to become long and steady.
Vedic accents as per Śākala; highlight udātta on harívas, índra, pramúcaḥ; keep flowing intonation to match ‘streaming’.
Soften consonants in the second half to evoke release; maintain clear pāda boundaries without chopping the phrase ‘dīrghām anu prasitim’.
(harivastāḥ): v as labio-dental, not w; final -stāḥ clear, (svasāraḥ): sv cluster clean; long ā, (pra muco): keep pra separate, muc with soft c, (badbadhānāḥ): doubled bd; articulate gently without adding vowels, (syandayadhyai): dy + dhy clusters carefully; keep ‘syan’ nasal light
Soft, continuous, soothing; prioritize smooth breath and resonance.
27
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Rig Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
