Rig Veda 4.31.1: Mandala 4, Sukta 31, Mantra 1
Sukta 4.31
- Devata
- Indra
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
कया नश्चित्र आ भुवदूती सदावृधः सखा । कया शचिष्ठया वृता ॥
kayā́ naś citrá ā́ bhuvad ūtī́ sadā́vṛdhaḥ sákhā | kayā́ śáciṣṭhayā vṛtā́ ||
ഏതു ദീപ്തമായ ഊതിയാൽ നമ്മുടെ സദാവർദ്ധമാന സഖാവ് നമ്മിലേക്കു വരും? ഏതു അതിശക്തമായ ശചി (പ്രജ്ഞാ–ക്രിയാശക്തി)യാൽ നമ്മെ വറി, ഋതത്തിന്റെ യുക്തകർമ്മത്തിൽ നമ്മെ നിയോഗിക്കും?
Word by Word
- कया
- by which (means/way)?Pronoun/Interrogative adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (कया = ‘by which?’)Role करणRoot क (किम्-प्रातिपदिक) + या (स्त्री. प्रातिपदिक)
- नः
- to us / for usPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी, बहुवचन (enclitic ‘our/to us’; here genitive sense ‘of us’)Role सम्प्रदानRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- चित्रः
- the bright/wondrous oneAdjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्ताRoot चित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- आ
- hither, towardsIndeclinable (preverb/particle)अव्ययRoot आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- भुवत्
- may he become / did he becomeVerbलुङ् (aorist), 3 पुरुष, एकवचन; injunctive/aorist sense ‘became/shall become’Root भू (धातु)
- ऊती
- help, aidNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्ता (predicate-noun with भुवत्)Root ऊति (स्त्री. प्रातिपदिक)
- सदावृधः
- ever-increasing (ever-growing)Adjective (bahuvrīhi-like epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्ता (apposition to चित्रः)Root सदा (अव्यय) + वृध (प्रातिपदिक; ‘growing/strengthening’)
- सखा
- friendNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्ता (apposition)Root सखि/सखा (प्रातिपदिक)
- कया
- by which (means/way)?Pronoun/Interrogative adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करणRoot क (किम्) + या
- शचिष्ठया
- by the most powerful / most effective (power)Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करणRoot शचिष्ठ (superlative adj. from शचि/शक्ति/शच्- ‘power, might, skill’ as Vedic epithet)
- वृता
- chosen, selectedParticiple (past passive) used adjectivallyस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (agreeing with implied ऊतिः)Role कर्ता/विशेषण (of the aid)Root वृत (PPP from √वृ ‘to choose, to select’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (resolved): कया | नः | चित्रः | आ | भुवत् | ऊती | सदावृधः | सखा | कया | शचिष्ठया | वृता । 1) नश्चित्रः = नः + चित्रः (विसर्ग-लोप/सन्धि before च)
- 2) भुवदूती = भुवत् + ऊती (त् + ऊ → दू, i.e., त् becomes voiced before vowel and coalesces in Saṃhitā)
- 3) सदावृधः is a compound (सदा + वृधः) written as one pada in Saṃhitā
- Accents as in Saṃhitā text: कया॑, नः, चि॒त्रः, आ, भु॑वत्, ऊ॒ती, स॒दावृ॑ध॒ः, सखा॑, कया॒, शचि॑ष्ठया, वृ॒ता
The meaning
Outer meaning
By what bright help will our ever-increasing Friend come to us—by what most potent wisdom-power, choosing us?
Inner meaning
The seeker asks: by what form of aid will the luminous Friend (Indra as intimate ally of the aspiration) approach—what śaciṣṭhā (most effective power of insight and execution) will he employ, and by what choice (vṛtā) will he take up our working? It is the psychology of receptivity: the right attitude and right instrument by which divine Force can enter and act.
Universal truth
Divine help is constant, but its mode depends on our receptivity and alignment; the highest aid is effective wisdom—knowledge that accomplishes.
Themes
Invocation, Seeking divine method, Friendship with the god, Soma-ritual (inner delight)
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 4.31 (hymn continues the inquiry into Indra’s modes of help)
Significance
The opening question frames a yogic attitude: inquiry into the operative form of grace, and a conscious aspiration to be chosen for right working.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra (implied)
- Epithets
- Citra (bright/wondrous), Sadāvṛdha (ever-increasing), Sakhā (friend), Śacīvant/Śaciṣṭha (most effective)
- Related deities
- Agni (leader of sacrifice), Soma (delight that opens receptivity), Sarasvatī (inspired flow)
Cosmic role
Brings victorious illumination and effective force to the human seeker.
Inner power
Friend-as-Force: the intimate descent of illumined intelligence that makes the work succeed.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-invocation at the start of a hymn—setting intention for divine assistance in the rite.
कया॑ नश्चि॒त्र आ भु॑वदू॒ती स॒दावृ॑ध॒: सखा॑ । कया॒ शचि॑ष्ठया वृ॒ता ॥
कया॑ । नः॒ । चि॒त्रः । आ । भु॒व॒त् । ऊ॒ती । स॒दाऽवृ॑धः । सखा॑ । कया॑ । शचि॑ष्ठया । वृ॒ता ॥
kayā | naḥ | citraḥ | ā | bhuvat | ūtī | sadāvṛdhaḥ | sakhā | kayā | śaciṣṭhayā | vṛtā
Appears as two pādas in citation, likely part of a triṣṭubh verse.
Interrogative and uplifting; rising cadence on ‘kayā’.
Opens aspiration and receptivity; creates an inward questioning that invites descent of help.
- ऊती (ūtī)
- Literal: help, aid. Symbolic: Active grace—intervention of higher force in the being
- चित्रः (citraḥ)
- Literal: bright, variegated, wonderful. Symbolic: Luminous, many-sided help: inspiration, strength, clarity
- सदावृधः (sadāvṛdhaḥ)
- Literal: ever-increasing. Symbolic: Power that grows with acceptance; progressive intensification of consciousness
- सखा (sakhā)
- Literal: friend. Symbolic: Indwelling ally—divine presence supporting the sacrifice
- शचिष्ठया (śaciṣṭhayā)
- Literal: by the most śacī (effective power). Symbolic: Most efficacious wisdom-force: insight that becomes successful action
- वृता (vṛtā)
- Literal: chosen, selected. Symbolic: Grace that ‘chooses’ the right channel; the seeker’s readiness that invites selection
Soma hymn opening inquiry: used to invite Indra’s approach to the pressing and offering, seeking the mode of his aid.
At commencement of Indra stotra sequences; when seeking the ‘right mode’ of help.
Opening inquiry/praise; establishes the sacrificer’s orientation.
As a daily ‘invocation question’ before meditation: ask for the most effective form of help today (clarity, strength, harmony, etc.).
citra- from √cit 'to perceive/notice' → 'conspicuous, brilliant.' sadā-vṛdha- from √vṛdh 'grow.' sakhā related to √sac 'to accompany' (semantic field of companionship). śacī from √śak 'be able' (power/ability), with superlative śaciṣṭha-. vṛtā from √vṛ 'choose' (key for the idea of divine election/assent).
Grace as 'mode' (kayā… ūtī), Growth of consciousness (sadāvṛdha), Choice/election (vṛtā)
The ‘right working’ implies alignment with ṛta; Indra’s aid comes as effective ordering power.
Descent of higher force into human instrument; progressive growth (sadāvṛdha).
Bhakti-yoga of the Veda (friendship with the divine power) combined with tapas of aspiration
dawn-like (symbolically)
A dawning approach of illumination: the Friend comes as a new light in consciousness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is Indra’s 'approach' to the sacrificer as the Friend who comes with a specific mode of power (śacī). It is the recurrent Vedic pattern: the god is invited not abstractly but through his effective energy that makes the victory of light possible.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The interrogative-instrumental kayā ('by what means') is a PIE inheritance (cf. Latin quā). The relational term sakhā belongs to an old Indo-European register of 'companion' vocabulary used in ritual-poetry to encode reciprocity between human and divine.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi does not command; he inquires into the right channel of descent of the divine force. The relationship is pedagogic and reciprocal: the seeker aligns the offering so the god may 'choose' (vṛtā) and arrive as an intimate ally.
Ask inwardly for the ‘most effective’ help—clarity that acts; then remain receptive.
Ājñā (guidance) and Anāhata (friendship/devotion)
Inhale with ‘kayā’; exhale with ‘ūtī’; keep gentle attention at brow-heart axis.
Receptive aspiration (mumukṣutā-like), quiet expectancy.
Do not force an answer mentally; let the day reveal the mode of help (a needed insight, a restraint, a courage). End by offering consent: ‘choose me for the right working’ (vṛtā).
Interrogative ‘kayā’ should carry a gentle udatta lift; keep even tone thereafter; exact svara requires a marked text.
Let ‘kayā’ be clearly articulated twice; slight pause after the first pāda to preserve the question structure.
kayā: long ā, naś: anusvāra not present—keep ‘naḥ’ with visarga if reciting in pada form, citra: ‘tr’ cluster crisp, sadāvṛdhaḥ: long ā in -dā-, retroflex ḍh, śaciṣṭhayā: palatal ś, retroflex ṣṭh cluster clear
Bright yet gentle, inquisitive, prayerful.
18
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.
