Rig Veda 6.46.3: Mandala 6, Sukta 46, Mantra 3
Sukta 6.46
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja Bārhaspatya
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
यः सत्राहा विचर्षणिरिन्द्रं तं हूमहे वयम् । सहस्रमुष्क तुविनृम्ण सत्पते भवा समत्सु नो वृधे ॥
yáḥ satrāhā́ vícarṣaṇir índraṃ táṃ hūmahe vayám | sáhasramuṣka tuvínṛmṇa sátpate bhávā samátsu no vṛ́dhe ||
സകലത്തിലും ജയിക്കുന്നവനും വിശാലമായി ഭരിക്കുന്നവനും ആയ ഇന്ദ്രനെ ഞങ്ങൾ ആഹ്വാനിക്കുന്നു. ഹേ സഹസ്ര-ബലവാനേ, ഹേ മഹാപൗരുഷവാനേ, ഹേ സത്പതേ, ഞങ്ങളുടെ സംഘർഷങ്ങളിൽ ഞങ്ങൾക്ക് വർദ്ധനയും വളർച്ചയും ആയി ഭവിക്കണമേ.
Word by Word
- यः
- who (he who)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध/विशेष्य (इन्द्रस्य विशेषण-सम्बन्धः) तथा वाक्ये कर्तृ-सूचकःRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सत्राहा
- slayer in battles / ever-smitingAdjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role विशेषणम् (यः/इन्द्रः) — कर्तृ-सम्बन्धःRoot सत्राहन् (प्रातिपदिक; सत्र + अहन्)
- विचर्षणिः
- wide-ruling, far-seeing (mighty among men)Adjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role विशेषणम् (यः/इन्द्रः)Root विचर्षणि (प्रातिपदिक) अथवा विचर्षणिन्
- इन्द्रम्
- IndraNounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्म (हूमहे) — whom we invokeRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- तम्
- himPronounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्म (हूमहे) — ‘him’ (resumptive)Root तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- हूमहे
- we invoke / callVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपदम्, उत्तमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Role क्रियाRoot √हू (ह्वे) ‘आह्वाने’
- वयम्
- wePronounप्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृ (हूमहे) — weRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सहस्रमुष्क
- thousand-strong / having a thousand powersAdjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन, एकवचनम्Role सम्बोधन (इन्द्रस्य)Root सहस्र + उष्क (प्रातिपदिक; बहुव्रीहिः) अथवा सहस्रम् + उष्क
- तुविनृम्ण
- of great manly mightAdjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन, एकवचनम्Role सम्बोधन (इन्द्रस्य)Root तुवि + नृम्ण (प्रातिपदिक; बहुव्रीहिः)
- सत्पते
- lord of the good / true lordNoun (epithet)पुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन, एकवचनम्Role सम्बोधन (इन्द्रस्य)Root सत् + पति (प्रातिपदिक; तत्पुरुषः)
- भव
- be (become)Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ/विधिलिङ्-प्रायः), परस्मैपदम्, मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role क्रिया (आह्वान/प्रार्थना)Root √भू ‘सत्तायाम्’
- समत्सु
- in battles / in contestsNounपुंलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, बहुवचनम्Role अधिकरण (भव) — in battlesRoot समत्सु (प्रातिपदिक; ‘समत्स’ = battle/contest) अथवा समत्सु- (लोक.)
- नः
- of us / for usPronounषष्ठी (gen.), बहुवचनम् (enclitic)Role सम्बन्ध (वृधे) — for us / of usRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- वृधे
- for growth / for strengtheningNoun (abstract)स्त्रीलिङ्गः, चतुर्थी, एकवचनम् (दत्त्यर्थः)Role सम्प्रदान (भव) — for (our) increaseRoot वृध् (प्रातिपदिक ‘वृधि/वृध’ = growth) अथवा √वृध् ‘वर्धने’ (कृदन्त-भाव)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धि-निरसन): यः | सत्राहा | विचर्षणिः | इन्द्रम् | तम् | हूमहे | वयम् | सहस्रमुष्क | तुविनृम्ण | सत्पते | भव | समत्सु | नः | वृधे । मुख्य-सन्धयः: (1) इन्द्रं तं → इन्द्रम् तम् (अनुस्वारस्य परसवर्णः/पदविभागे म्) ।
- पदान्त ‘ए’ + ‘व’ यथावत्। (3) सत्पते भव — विसर्गादि न
- पदविभागे स्पष्टम्। (4) समत्सु नो → समत्सु नः (एन्क्लिटिक ‘नः’). स्वर-चिह्नाः (उदात्त/स्वरित/अनुदात्त) पाठे यथालिखिताः
- पदच्छेदे मूल-स्वरस्थानं अपरिवर्तितम्।
The meaning
Outer meaning
We invoke Indra who is ever-victorious and wide-ruling; we ask the thousand-strong, mighty lord of the true to give us increase in battles/clashes.
Inner meaning
The seeker calls the illumined Divine Mind (Indra) that conquers repeatedly (satrāhā) the recurring resistances. “Battles” are inner conflicts where obscurity, doubt, and inertia rise; Indra is invoked to enlarge our consciousness and power of right action. “Lord of the true” indicates Indra’s governance when the will aligns to satya/ṛta, producing growth (vṛdhi) rather than mere outer victory.
Universal truth
Human progress depends on a higher discernment-power that can repeatedly overcome resistance and widen the rule of truth in life; true increase is the expansion of consciousness and capacity to act from the Real.
Themes
Vṛtra/hostile forces (implicit), Victory and growth, Heroic power (nṛmṇa), Indra as inner augmenter
The seer
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja Bārhaspatya
- Lineage
- Bharadvāja
- Other hymns
- RV 6.45, RV 6.46, RV 6.47, RV 6.48
Family tradition
Āṅgirasa/Bārhaspatya line noted for hymns of inspired intellect (Bṛhaspati) and victorious illumination (Indra).
Significance
Bharadvāja’s vision often joins force (indra-śakti) with right inspiration (brahman/ṛc), presenting yoga of luminous will: victory as inner clarification and enlargement.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- satrāhā, vicarṣaṇi, sahasramuṣka, tuvinṛmṇa, satpati, rājan (implicit in the hymn context)
- Related deities
- Agni, Bṛhaspati, Soma, Maruts, Uṣas
Cosmic role
Breaker of the cover (Vṛtra), opener of the waters and the rays, establisher of wide dominion for the gods in the human field.
Inner power
Illumined mind-force: decisive discrimination, courage of consciousness, and the executive power that turns insight into victorious action.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-stotra within Soma-yajña sequences; also recited in Indra-focused offerings for strength and victory.
यः स॑त्रा॒हा विच॑र्षणि॒रिन्द्रं॒ तं हू॑महे व॒यम् । सह॑स्रमुष्क॒ तुवि॑नृम्ण॒ सत्प॑ते॒ भवा॑ स॒मत्सु॑ नो वृ॒धे ॥
यः । स॒त्रा॒ऽहा । विऽच॑र्षणिः । इन्द्र॑म् । तम् । हू॒म॒हे॒ । व॒यम् । सह॑स्रऽमुष्क । तुवि॑ऽनृम्ण । सत्ऽप॑ते । भव॑ । स॒मत्ऽसु॑ । नः॒ । वृ॒धे ॥
yaḥ | satrāhā | vi-carṣaṇiḥ | indram | tam | hūmahe | vayam | sahasra-muṣka | tuvi-nṛmṇa | sat-pate | bhava | samat-su | naḥ | vṛdhe
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4 pādas of ~11 syllables each
Forward-driving, martial yet controlled cadence suited to invocation and conquest-hymns.
Builds resolve and uplift; the steady 11-syllable surge supports a feeling of widening power and confident ascent.
- सत्राहा (satrāhā)
- Literal: slaying/conquering continuously; in every encounter. Symbolic: the power that repeatedly overcomes recurring inner resistance
- विचर्षणि (vicarṣaṇi)
- Literal: wide-ruling, far-seeing among men. Symbolic: vast luminous intelligence that governs the parts of nature
- सहस्रमुष्क (sahasramuṣka)
- Literal: thousand-strong; with many powers. Symbolic: plenitude of effective energies of illumination
- तुविनृम्ण (tuvinṛmṇa)
- Literal: of great manly strength. Symbolic: irresistible force of awakened will and clarity
- सत्पति (satpati)
- Literal: lord of the true/good. Symbolic: mastery of consciousness founded on satya/ṛta
- समत्सु (samatsu)
- Literal: in battles/conflicts. Symbolic: inner confrontations with darkness, fear, desire, inertia
- वृधे (vṛdhe)
- Literal: for increase, growth. Symbolic: expansion of being, widening of light and power
Battle-prayer and inner-struggle invocation within Soma-liturgical setting
During Soma pressing/offerings or when invoking Indra for overcoming obstacles and gaining strength.
Stotra/śastra praise to invite Indra, accompanied by oblations (ghee/soma) and recitation.
Use before demanding work, conflict-resolution, or disciplined practice: invoke clarity and courageous right action rather than aggression.
satrā-hā: satrā ‘continually’ + -hā ‘slayer’ from √han (PIE *gʷhen- ‘strike, slay’). vi-carṣaṇi: vi + carṣaṇi ‘people/active domain’; indicates pervasive governance in the human field. nṛmṇa: ‘manly power, heroic force’ from nṛ ‘man’ (PIE *h₂ner-). vṛdh (vṛ́dhe): PIE *werdʰ- ‘grow’ (cf. English ‘worth’ is different; German werden ‘become’ is closer). satpati again encodes truth-being as sovereignty.
Truth-lordship (satpati), Growth (vṛdh) through confrontation (samat)
Indra’s ‘wide rule’ is the establishment of ṛta in the field of action—right movement replacing disorder.
satpati: growth comes by alignment to truth, not by egoic victory.
Opening and enlargement: consciousness increases by repeated conquest over the coverer.
Proto-Vedāntic and Yogic (Aurobindonian): ascent of mind to supramental light through victorious illumination.
Storm-battle = churn of inner energies; ‘thousand-strong’ = many rays/powers of awakened intelligence supporting growth.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Indra the perpetual conqueror (satrāhā) invoked to be present in the ‘battles’ (samat)—the recurring confrontations with obstruction. The mythic battle is internalized: clashes are moments where truth-force must increase the aspirant (vṛdhe).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √han ‘slay’ corresponds to PIE *gʷhen- (cf. Greek phénō ‘slay’, Avestan jan-). nṛ ‘man’ aligns with PIE *h₂ner- (Greek anḗr). √vṛdh ‘grow’ aligns with PIE *werdʰ- (cf. German werden). The verse thus rests on inherited roots that encode a poetics of heroic conquest and becoming.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi does not merely admire Indra’s might; he requests Indra’s active presence as the principle of increase in struggle. The reciprocity is explicit: the call (hūmahe) invites the satpati to enter the field of conflict and convert it into growth (vṛdh) for the human vessel.
Invoke the inner Indra: a clear, courageous intelligence that repeatedly conquers doubt and inertia and establishes truth in action.
Ājñā (brow)
Moderate nāḍī-śodhana; on exhale, feel ‘clearing’ of resistance; on inhale, draw in widening light.
Dynamic concentration (dhāraṇā) moving toward luminous certainty.
Before action, repeat the mantra 11 or 33 times; then sit 3 minutes sensing a ‘wide rule’ in mind—decisions arise from clarity, not impulse.
Vedic tri-svara (udātta/anudātta/svarita) as per śākhā recitation; maintain udātta lift on key invocatory words (e.g., índram).
Keep the udātta syllable slightly higher and clearer; avoid melodic sliding—use step-like elevation; preserve pada boundaries at caesura.
vicarṣaṇiḥ: clear ‘ṣa’ retroflex, not ‘sa’, sahasramuṣka: keep ‘ṣk’ cluster crisp, tuvinṛmṇa: pronounce ‘ṛ’ lightly (tuvin-ṛmṇa), satpate: dental ‘t’, not retroflex
Bright, steady, invoking; firm consonants without harshness.
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