Rig Veda 7.18.17: Mandala 7, Sukta 18, Mantra 17
Sukta 7.18
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
आध्रेण चित्तद्वेकं चकार सिंह्यं चित्पेत्वेना जघान । अव स्रक्तीर्वेश्यावृश्चदिन्द्रः प्रायच्छद्विश्वा भोजना सुदासे ॥
ādhreṇa cit tád vékaṁ cakāra siṁhyáṁ cit pétvenā jaghāna | áva sraktī́r veśyā́vṛścad índraḥ práyachad víśvā bhójanā sudā́se ||
ആധ്രം (ദുർബലമായ) ഉപകരണത്താലും അവൻ അതിനെ ഒരൊറ്റ നിർണായക കൃത്യമാക്കി; സിംഹസദൃശമായ ബലത്തെയും ഒരു പ്രഹാരമാത്രത്തിൽ അവൻ വീഴ്ത്തി. ഇന്ദ്രൻ സാധാരണ ജീവിതത്തിന്റെ തൂങ്ങിക്കിടക്കുന്ന ബന്ധനങ്ങൾ മുറിച്ചെറിഞ്ഞു; സുദാസനു സർവ്വ ഭോജന-പോഷണശക്തികളും സമ്മാനിച്ചു.
Word by Word
- आध्रेण
- with/through the wet (weapon/means); by a moist (means)Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया-एकवचनम् (instrumental sg.)Role KaraṇaRoot आध्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- चित्
- even; indeedIndeclinableअव्ययम्Root चित् (अव्यय)
- तत्
- thatPronounनपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वेकम्
- the weka (a hostile person/tribe-name)Nounपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot वेक (प्रातिपदिक)
- चकार
- made; didVerbलिट् (परस्मैपदम्), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Root कृ
- सिंह्यम्
- lion-like; pertaining to Siṃhya (name/epithet)Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया-एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot सिंह्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- चित्
- evenIndeclinableअव्ययम्Root चित् (अव्यय)
- पेत्वेना
- with/through Pétva (name; as an instrument/means)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया-एकवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot पेत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- जघान
- slew; struck downVerbलिट् (परस्मैपदम्), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Root हन्
- अव
- down; awayIndeclinableअव्ययम्Root अव (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- स्रक्तीः
- (their) hanging locks/tresses; (also) garlands/pendantsNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया-बहुवचनम्Role KarmaRoot स्रक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
- वेश्याः
- (their) settlements/dwellings (clan-homes)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया-बहुवचनम्Role KarmaRoot वेश्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- अवृश्चत्
- cut off; hewed downVerbलङ् (परस्मैपदम्), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Root व्रश्च्
- इन्द्रः
- IndraNounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- प्रायच्छत्
- gave forth; bestowedVerbलङ् (परस्मैपदम्), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Root प्र-यम् (यच्छति)
- विश्वा
- allAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया-बहुवचनम् (or adverbial acc. pl.)Role KarmaRoot विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- भोजना
- enjoyments; provisions; spoilsNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया-बहुवचनम्Role KarmaRoot भोजन (प्रातिपदिक)
- सुदासे
- to SudāsNounपुंलिङ्गे चतुर्थी-एकवचनम्Role SampradānaRoot सुदास (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (sandhi-resolved): आध्रेण | चित् | तत् | वेकम् | चकार | सिंह्यम् | चित् | पेत्वेना | जघान | अव | स्रक्तीः | वेश्याः | अवृश्चत् | इन्द्रः | प्रायच्छत् | विश्वा | भोजना | सुदासे । प्रमुख-सन्धयः: (1) चित्तद्वेकं = चित् + तत् + वेकम् (द्-आगमः/संयोगः) । (2) चित्पेत्वेना = चित् + पेत्वेना (त् + प् → त्प्) । (3) वेश्याऽवृश्चत् = वेश्याः + अवृश्चत् (विसर्ग-लोपः, अ-आरम्भे) । (4) इन्द्रः प्रायच्छत्: पदान्त-विसर्गः, पृथक् पदे।
The meaning
Outer meaning
Even with a weak means he made one decisive act; he struck down even a lion-like force with a mere blow. Indra cut away hanging fetters of the common life and granted all enjoyments/nourishments to Sudās.
Inner meaning
Indra shows that spiritual victory does not depend on outer instrument: even what seems ‘ādhra’ (weak/soft) becomes, in the illumined mind, a single-pointed decisive movement (ekaṃ cakāra). The ‘leonine’ vital arrogance is felled by a precise stroke. He cuts the dangling bonds of the veśyā—ordinary, dispersed social/vital consciousness—and releases true bhogana (powers of enjoyment and nourishment) to Sudās, the ‘good-giver’: the soul-personality that offers rightly and therefore receives the right plenitude.
Universal truth
When consciousness is unified, even small means accomplish decisive transformation; liberation is the cutting of habitual bonds, and true enjoyment is restored to the rightly ordered giver within.
Themes
bond-cutting, minimal-means-maximal-effect, bestowal-of-nourishment
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha (Maitrāvaruṇa lineage)
- Other hymns
- RV 7.18, RV 7.19, RV 7.33, RV 7.82
Family tradition
Vasiṣṭha hymns frequently interpret victory as establishment of right order and right giving/receiving (dāna) between human and divine powers.
Significance
The seer highlights a yogic law: concentration makes the small decisive; bondage is cut not by bulk force but by luminous precision.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Maghavan (bountiful), Vajrī (wielder of vajra), Purandara (fort-breaker)
- Related deities
- Soma, Agni, Bṛhaspati, Maruts
Cosmic role
Turns the tide of struggle, breaks hostile strengths, and bestows abundance to the aligned sacrificer.
Inner power
Power of concentrated illumination that unifies will, cuts bonds, and restores right enjoyment.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra praise in Soma liturgy; also suitable for rites seeking release from bonds and attainment of prosperity.
आ॒ध्रेण॑ चि॒त्तद्वेकं॑ चकार सिं॒ह्यं॑ चि॒त्पेत्वे॑ना जघान । अव॑ स्र॒क्तीर्वे॒श्या॑वृश्च॒दिन्द्र॒: प्राय॑च्छ॒द्विश्वा॒ भोज॑ना सु॒दासे॑ ॥
आ॒ध्रेण॑ । चि॒त् । तत् । ऊँ॒ इति॑ । एक॑म् । च॒का॒र॒ । सिं॒ह्य॑म् । चि॒त् । पेत्वे॑न । ज॒घा॒न॒ । अव॑ । स्र॒क्तीः । वे॒श्या॑ । अ॒वृ॒श्च॒त् । इन्द्रः॑ । प्र । अ॒य॒च्छ॒त् । विश्वा॑ । भोज॑ना । सु॒ऽदासे॑ ॥
ādhreṇa | cit | tat | oṃ iti | ekam | cakāra | siṃhyam | cit | petvena | jaghāna | ava | sraktīḥ | veśyā | avṛścat | indraḥ | pra | ayacchat | viśvā | bhojanā | su-dāse
44
4×11 syllables (approx.)
Compact, emphatic; strong contrasts (‘even…even…’) create punchy cadence.
Encourages confidence that inner concentration can overcome large obstacles; energizes decisive renunciation.
- आध्रेण (ādhreṇa)
- Literal: with a weak/soft instrument. Symbolic: humble means, small effort made effective by concentration
- एकम् चकार (ekaṃ cakāra)
- Literal: made it one. Symbolic: unification of will; single-pointed action (ekāgratā)
- सिंह्यम् (siṃhyam)
- Literal: leonine. Symbolic: proud, predatory vital force; aggressive ego-power
- पेत्वेन (petvenā)
- Literal: with a blow/strike. Symbolic: precise intervention of light; a clean decisive cut
- स्रक्तीः (sraktīḥ)
- Literal: hanging straps/fetters. Symbolic: attachments, dangling habits, passive bonds of the vital
- वेश्या (veśyā)
- Literal: of the common people/settlement. Symbolic: ordinary consciousness dispersed in collective habit
- भोजना (bhojanā)
- Literal: foods/enjoyments. Symbolic: right enjoyment: energies that nourish the being when purified
- सुदासे (sudāse)
- Literal: to Sudās (a king). Symbolic: the ‘right giver’ within—aligned generosity/offer that attracts plenitude
Indra praised as remover of bonds and giver of ‘bhojana’ (nourishing powers) to the sacrificer; Soma praise context
During Indra-stotra segments; thematically in prayers for freedom and plenty.
Stuti with intent of obstacle-removal and bestowal of bhoga/anna.
Recite when feeling trapped in habits or social pressure; pair with a resolve to make one clear decisive change.
avṛścat from √vraśc ‘to cut’ (cf. ‘carve’) expresses decisive severance. siṁhya ‘lion-like’ denotes dominating vital force. veśyā relates to veśa ‘settlement/house/people’, later ‘merchant’—here interpreted as the outward social-vital consciousness that trades truth for gain; sraktī ‘hanging strap’ becomes a natural symbol for bondage/attachment.
liberation from bonds (bandha-kṣaya), transmutation of enjoyment into right possession under ṛta
Unification (ekaṃ) is a movement toward ṛta—order replacing dispersion.
Cutting fetters enables truthful being and right enjoyment, not compulsive pleasure.
Release of energies (bhogana) from bondage into rightful circulation.
Integral Yoga reading: conversion of vital, liberation from collective habit, establishment of right delight.
Lion-force = aggressive vital; cords = attachments; nourishment = assimilable life-energy when purified.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Indra as bond-cutter and distributor: he slays the ‘lion-like’ dominance and cuts fetters, then reallocates the life-powers to the right-holder (Sudās).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √vraśc ‘cut’ belongs to an old IE toolkit of ‘cut/sever’ verbs used in myth to mark liberation. The emphatic particles (cit) and parallelism are characteristic of archaic Indo-European poetics.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer celebrates Indra’s intimate efficacy: even with ‘weak’ means he accomplishes decisive liberation, implying that in the aspirant a small opening to Indra’s force can sever deep attachments and redirect energies toward the inner right giver.
Ekāgratā: make the will ‘one’; cut one binding habit consciously; reclaim purified enjoyment as strength for sadhana.
Maṇipūra (decisive will) supported by Anāhata (release from knots/attachments)
Kapalabhati-light or brisk exhale rounds (if suitable), then settle into steady breathing while repeating ‘ekaṃ cakāra’.
Decisive, liberated, forward-ready.
Choose one fetter (compulsion, procrastination, resentment). On each recitation, visualize Indra cutting it; then perform one concrete act aligned with your higher aim.
Standard Vedic accenting; emphasize udatta on key contrasts (चित्… चित्) and on इन्द्रः.
Keep ‘cit’ crisp and short; mark pāda pauses clearly to preserve the contrastive rhetoric.
(ādhreṇa): long ā, retroflex ṇ, (sraktīḥ): consonant cluster ‘srk’ articulated cleanly, (avṛścat): ṛ vowel and śc cluster, (bhojanā): bh- voiced aspirate, long ā
Bright, cutting, confident.
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