Rig Veda 4.22.6: Mandala 4, Sukta 22, Mantra 6
Sukta 4.22
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
ता तू ते सत्या तुविनृम्ण विश्वा प्र धेनवः सिस्रते वृष्ण ऊध्नः । अधा ह त्वद्वृषमणो भियानाः प्र सिन्धवो जवसा चक्रमन्त ॥
tā tū́ te satyā́ tuvi-nṛmṇa víśvā prá dhenávaḥ sisrate vṛ́ṣṇa ū́dhnaḥ | ádhā ha tvád-vṛṣamaṇo bhiyānā́ḥ prá síndhavo jávasā cakramanta ||
ഹേ വൃഷ്ണ (ഇന്ദ്ര), ഇവ നിന്റെ സത്യമായ, തുവിനൃമ്ണ—വിപുല പുരുഷബലമുള്ള—സകല ശക്തികളുമാണ്; വൃഷഭന്റെ ഉദരത്തിൽ നിന്ന് എല്ലാ ധേനുക്കളും പാലധാരയായി ഒഴുകുന്നു. പിന്നെ നിന്റെ ഉഗ്രവേഗശക്തിയാൽ പ്രേരിതമായ സിന്ധുക്കൾ (നദികൾ) നിന്നെ ഭയന്നതുപോലെ വേഗത്തിൽ മുന്നോട്ട് പാഞ്ഞൊഴുകുന്നു.
Word by Word
- ताः
- those (f.)Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- तु
- but/indeedIndeclinableनिपातRoot तु (निपात)
- ते
- of you/yourPronounषष्ठी, एकवचन (एन्क्लिटिक)Role सम्बन्धRoot त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सत्याः
- true, genuineAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (विशेषण)Root सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- तुविनृम्ण
- O mighty-one of great manly powerAdjective (vocative epithet)सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot तुवि-नृम्ण (प्रातिपदिक; बहुव्रीहि/कर्मधारय-समास)
- विश्वाः
- allAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (विशेषण)Root विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableउपसर्गRoot प्र (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- धेनवः
- milch-cowsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot धेनु (प्रातिपदिक)
- सिस्रते
- flow/stream forthVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचनRoot सृ (धातु) [=सिस्रते, पुनरुक्त/इंटेन्सिव्-प्रयोगः]
- वृष्णः
- of the bull (i.e., the strong one)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot वृषन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- ऊध्नः
- of the udderNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot ऊधन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- अधा
- then, thereafterIndeclinableकाल/अनुक्रम-निपातRoot अधा (अव्यय)
- ह
- indeedIndeclinableनिपातRoot ह (निपात)
- त्वत्
- from youPronounपञ्चमी, एकवचनRole अपादानRoot त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वृषमणः
- the bull-spirited/strong-minded onesNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot वृष-मन् (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
- भियानाः
- fearing, in aweParticipleपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (वर्तमान कृदन्तः)Role कर्तृ (विशेषण)Root भी (धातु) → भियान (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; शानच्/आनच्-प्रत्यय, आत्मनेपद-भाव)
- प्र
- forthIndeclinableउपसर्गRoot प्र (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- सिन्धवः
- rivers/streamsNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot सिन्धु (प्रातिपदिक)
- जवसा
- with speedNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करणRoot जवस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- चक्रमन्त
- they strode/moved, set in motionVerbलुङ् (अorist/इंजंक्टिव्-प्रयोगः), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचनRoot क्रम् (धातु) + च (पुनरुक्त/इंटेन्सिव्-आगम) → चक्रम्
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धि-विग्रह): ताः | तु | ते | सत्याः | तुविनृम्ण | विश्वाः | प्र | धेनवः | सिस्रते | वृष्णः | ऊध्नः || अधा | ह | त्वत्-वृषमणः | भियानाः | प्र | सिन्धवः | जवसा | चक्रमन्त || 1) त्वद्वृषमणः = त्वत् + वृषमणः (त् + व् संयोग). 2) वृष्ण ऊध्नः इति संहितायां वृष्ण॒ ऊध्न॑:—विसर्ग/उदात्त-प्रभावेन पदान्त-रूपभेदः
- पदपाठे वृष्णः | ऊध्नः. 3) प्र धेनवः, प्र सिन्धवः—उपसर्ग/अव्यय ‘प्र’ पृथक् पदम्. (स्वरचिह्नाः संहितापाठानुसारं; पदपाठे सामान्यतः न दर्श्यन्ते.)
The meaning
Outer meaning
These are your true powers of vast manhood: all the milch-cows stream forth from the Bull’s udder. Then the rivers, in awe of your impetuous might, run forward swiftly.
Inner meaning
Indra’s authentic powers (satyā) manifest as a release of the ‘cows’—rays of knowledge and luminous perceptions—flowing from the Bull’s udder (the potent source of creative consciousness). As knowledge is liberated, the ‘rivers’—currents of life-energy and inner experience—move forward rapidly, compelled by the awakened force and trembling before its truth-demand.
Universal truth
When truth-power is established, knowledge and energy naturally pour forth; illumination is not static insight but a generative source that sets the whole being into a swift, ordered flow.
Themes
Indra as releaser, Release of the cows (light/knowledge), Dynamic descent of force, Victory of ordered power over obstruction
The seer
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 4.2 (Agni and illumination), RV 4.24 (Indra and release), RV 4.26-27 (mystic ascent themes)
Family tradition
Vāmadeva’s imagery of cows and rivers is characteristically illuminative: knowledge-rays and liberated flows replacing scarcity and obstruction.
Significance
He presents satya not as doctrine but as a force that produces abundance—light and flow—within the practitioner.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- tuvinṛmṇa, vṛṣan
- Related deities
- Sarasvatī (river/flow of inspiration), Soma (nourishing bliss), Bṛhaspati (release of cows/words)
Cosmic role
Giver of abundance; releaser of waters and cows; energizer of rivers and rains.
Inner power
Truth-empowered illumination that releases nourishing knowledge and sets prāṇa and experience into swift forward motion.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-Soma context; hymns of release and abundance
ता तू ते॑ स॒त्या तु॑विनृम्ण॒ विश्वा॒ प्र धे॒नव॑: सिस्रते॒ वृष्ण॒ ऊध्न॑: । अधा॑ ह॒ त्वद्वृ॑षमणो भिया॒नाः प्र सिन्ध॑वो॒ जव॑सा चक्रमन्त ॥
ता । तु । ते॒ । स॒त्या । तु॒वि॒ऽनृ॒म्ण॒ । विश्वा॑ । प्र । धे॒नवः॑ । सि॒स्र॒ते॒ । वृष्णः॑ । ऊध्नः॑ । अध॑ । ह॒ । त्वत् । वृ॒ष॒ऽम॒नः॒ । भि॒या॒नाः । प्र । सिन्ध॑वः । जव॑सा । च॒क्र॒म॒न्त॒ ॥
tā | tu | te | satyā | tuvi-nṛmṇa | viśvā | pra | dhenavaḥ | sisrate | vṛṣṇaḥ | ūdhnaḥ | adha | ha | tvat | vṛṣa-manaḥ | bhiyānāḥ | pra | sindhavaḥ | javasā | cakramanta
44
4×11 (approx.)
Abundant and streaming; the meter’s momentum mirrors ‘pouring forth’ and ‘running forward’.
Encourages a felt sense of inner abundance and flow; helps dissolve constriction in thought and breath.
- सत्या (satyā)
- Literal: true, real. Symbolic: aligned with satya; effective truth-power
- तुविनृम्ण (tuvinṛmṇa)
- Literal: of vast manhood/might. Symbolic: great spiritual potency; expansive capacity to act
- धेनवः (dhenavaḥ)
- Literal: milch-cows. Symbolic: streams of light/knowledge that nourish the soul
- वृष्णः ऊध्नः (vṛṣṇaḥ ūdhnaḥ)
- Literal: from the Bull’s udder. Symbolic: from the potent creative source (luminous consciousness as generative power)
- सिन्धवः (sindhavaḥ)
- Literal: rivers. Symbolic: flowing currents of consciousness and life-force
- जवसा (javasā)
- Literal: with speed/impetus. Symbolic: quickened progress; energized movement of realization
- भियानाः (bhiyānāḥ)
- Literal: fearing, in awe. Symbolic: reverent trembling of lower nature before higher truth-force
Indra-stotra in Soma rites (general Soma-yajña context; used as praise to invoke Indra’s force and the release of plenitudes).
In pressings where Indra’s ‘true powers’ and gifts are celebrated; linked with prosperity and victory motifs.
Praise and offering to secure release of ‘cows/waters’ (symbolic abundance).
Chant to support learning, creative insight, and removal of mental tightness—before study, teaching, or contemplative writing.
Key terms: (1) satyā́ < satyá- from sat- (√as ‘to be’) + -ya: ‘truth, that which is in being’; in inner sense, powers aligned to truth-consciousness. (2) tuvi-nṛ́mṇa: tuví ‘mighty, abundant’ + nṛ́mṇa ‘manhood, effective force’ (connected to nṛ́ ‘man’; semantic field of vigor/heroic potency). (3) dhenú- ‘milch-cow’ from √dhā/√dhen ‘to suck, nourish’; hence ‘nourishing streams’ → rays/knowledges that feed the soul. (4) vṛ́ṣan ‘bull’ from √vṛṣ ‘to rain/sprinkle, be virile’; links rainfall/force with generative power. (5) síndhu- ‘river, stream’ (also ‘ocean’), here as flowing currents of being; (6) jávas ‘speed, impetus’ from √ju ‘to impel, hasten’; (7) cakramanta: middle aorist/preterite of √kram ‘to step, stride’ with preverb implied by context; sense ‘moved forward, set themselves in motion’.
Satya (truth-being), Rita (ordered flowing of powers, implied by regulated streams), Plenitude and release (opening of sources)
Freed rivers indicate restored ṛta: energies move in right channels, not blocked or chaotic.
Explicit: satyā powers—truth as productive force.
Abundance from a generative source: creation as continual outpouring when obstruction is removed.
Vedic integralism: knowledge (go) and energy (sindhu) are coupled expressions of one truth-force.
Cows = rays of insight; bull/udder = potent source-consciousness; rivers = moving prāṇa and experiential currents once released.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘release’ mythologem: the Bull (Indra’s forceful consciousness) causes the dhenavaḥ (cows as luminous nourishments) to stream forth, and the síndhavaḥ (rivers as life-currents) to surge forward. This is the archetype of opening the sealed sources—illumination and vitality—once the higher power is active; the awe (bhiyānāḥ) marks the submission of lower movements to the sovereign force of truth-power.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- Several lexemes preserve archaic IE poetic diction: síndhu- ‘river’ parallels Iranian *hindū- and participates in an old hydronymic register; √kram ‘step/stride’ (cakramanta) has IE cognates (e.g., Latin crēscere is not cognate, but the stepping root aligns with PIE *krem-/ *k̑rem- ‘to step’ proposed in some etymologies; more securely, the semantic ‘stride/advance’ is an inherited poetic motif). vṛṣan- ‘bull’ reflects an Indo-European association of virility with storm/rain powers (bull = thunderer), a shared mythopoetic equation across IE traditions.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer witnesses and affirms Indra’s satyā́ powers as an operative reality within the sacrifice and within the human vessel: Indra’s ‘true’ might is validated by its effects—release, flow, forward movement. The reciprocity is implicit: praise recognizes the divine action, and that recognition (stoma) invites a more complete descent of the same powers as ordered streams of nourishment and force.
Rest in satya-force: invite a gentle outpouring of insight (go) and allow life-currents (sindhu) to move unobstructed.
viśuddha (expression/flow)
Ujjāyī (soft) to create a smooth ‘river’ sensation; chant on exhale, feel inner streaming on inhale.
Flow-state: receptive clarity with energized movement.
Do not ‘force’ insight; invoke Indra’s satya and let perceptions arise as nourishment. End with silent witnessing of the moving currents.
Vedic accents with clear lift on satyā́, dhénavaḥ, síndhavaḥ; keep triṣṭubh swing.
Let the first pāda feel like an assertion (satyā powers), then soften into ‘streaming’ in the second, then accelerate slightly on javasa.
(tuvinṛmṇa): keep vocalic ṛ clear; cluster -mṇ- nasal + retroflex n, (dhenavaḥ): dh aspirated, e long-ish by quantity rules; final -ḥ audible, (vṛṣṇaḥ): retroflex ṣṇ cluster, (sisrate): light sibilants, avoid ‘sh’, (cakramanta): cakra cluster clear, final -nta crisp
Full, nourishing, flowing; avoid harshness.
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