Rig Veda 7.19.11: Mandala 7, Sukta 19, Mantra 11
Sukta 7.19
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
नू इन्द्र शूर स्तवमान ऊती ब्रह्मजूतस्तन्वा वावृधस्व । उप नो वाजान्मिमीह्युप स्तीन्यूयं पात स्वस्तिभिः सदा नः ॥
nū́ índra śūra stávamāna ūtī́ bráhmajūtas tanvā̀ vāvṛdhasva | úpa no vā́jān mimīhy úpa stī́n yūyáṃ pāta svastíbhiḥ sádā naḥ ||
ഇപ്പോൾ, ഹേ ശൂര ഇന്ദ്രാ! സ്തുതിക്കപ്പെടുമ്പോൾ നിന്റെ ഊതി (സഹായം)യിൽ വർദ്ധിക്ക; ബ്രഹ്മം പ്രേരിപ്പിച്ചതായി, നിന്റെ തന്വാ (ശക്തിമയ ദേഹം)യിൽ വികസിക്ക. ഞങ്ങൾക്കായി വാജാ (ബലത്തിന്റെ പൂർണ്ണതകൾ) പടുത്തുയർത്തുക, ഞങ്ങളുടെ ദൃഢസ്ഥാനങ്ങൾ പടുത്തുയർത്തുക; നിങ്ങൾ ഞങ്ങളെ സദാ സ്വസ്തിഭിഃ (ക്ഷേമത്താൽ) കാത്തുകൊള്ളുക.
Word by Word
- नु
- now, indeedIndeclinableparticle (emphatic/temporal): ‘now, indeed’Root नु
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNounmasculine, vocative singularRole SambodhanaRoot इन्द्र
- शूर
- O hero, valiant oneNoun/Adjectivemasculine, vocative singularRole SambodhanaRoot शूर
- स्तवमानः
- praising (you)Participle (Adjective) from verbpresent middle participle, masculine nominative singularRole Kartā (of the participial action ‘praising’)Root स्तु (धातु) → स्तवमान (प्रातिपदिक) वर्तमान कृदन्त
- ऊती
- with help, with aidNounfeminine, instrumental singular (Vedic form; instr. of ऊति-)Role KaraṇaRoot ऊति
- ब्रह्मजूतः
- impelled/quickened by prayer (brahman)Adjective (compound) सहभागीmasculine nominative singularRole Kartā (qualifier of the subject) / Karaṇa-sense in compound (‘impelled by’)Root ब्रह्म + जूत (PPP from √जु/जव् ‘to impel, speed, set in motion’)
- तन्वा
- with (your) body/selfNounfeminine, instrumental singularRole KaraṇaRoot तनू
- वावृधस्व
- grow strong; increaseVerbimperative, 2nd person singular, middle; intensive/reduplicated formation (vā-vṛdh-)Role (finite verb; addressee as agent)Root √वृध्
- उप
- towards, nearIndeclinablepreverb/adverb ‘towards, near, up to’Root उप
- नः
- for us; ourPronoungenitive plural (enclitic) ‘of us/our’Role Sampradāna (beneficiary) / ŚeṣaRoot अस्मद्
- वाजान्
- prizes; strengths; spoilsNounmasculine, accusative pluralRole KarmaRoot वाज
- मिमीहि
- apportion; mete outVerbimperative, 2nd person singular, active; reduplicated present stem (mi-mī-)Role (finite verb)Root √मा (मि) ‘to measure, mete out, apportion’
- उप
- towards, nearIndeclinablepreverb/adverb ‘towards, near’Root उप
- स्तीनि
- possessions; goods; storesNounneuter, accusative plural (Vedic)Role Karma (with implied verb ‘protect/keep’) / object of ‘up’ in sense ‘near our…’Root स्ती (स्ति) / स्ती- (Vedic noun)
- ऊयम्
- indeed; just soIndeclinable/ParticleVedic emphatic particle (≈ ‘indeed, just, in this way’)Root ऊयम् (Vedic form; pronominal/particle-like, emphatic)
- पात
- protectVerbimperative, 2nd person plural, activeRole (finite verb)Root √पा (to protect) / √पा (to drink) — here ‘protect’
- स्वस्तिभिः
- with well-beings; with blessingsNounfeminine, instrumental pluralRole KaraṇaRoot स्वस्ति
- सदा
- alwaysIndeclinableadverb ‘always’Root सदा
- नः
- for us; ourPronoungenitive plural (enclitic) ‘of us/our’Role Sampradāna (beneficiary) / ŚeṣaRoot अस्मद्
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (padapāṭha-style): नू → नु (particle)
- स्तवमान ऊती: hiatus retained (no coalescence)
- ब्रह्मजूतस् तन्वा: final -स् of ब्रह्मजूतस् before dental त gives ब्रह्मजूतस्तन्वा in saṃhitā
- उप नो वाजान्: no change (enclitic नः after उप)
- मिमीह्युप: saṃhitā mīmīhí + upa → मिमीह्युप (y-insertion from final -i before vowel u)
- उप स्तीनि: no change
- स्वस्तिभिः सदा: visarga before s retained as : in saṃhitā orthography
The meaning
Outer meaning
The poet praises Indra the hero and asks him to increase in help, strengthened by brahman; to build up for the worshippers the vājās (gains/strengths) and firm stations, and to protect them always with well-being.
Inner meaning
Indra is invoked as the illumined divine Mind-force in us. When the seeker’s brahman (the soul’s true word, mantra-force born of truth) impels him, Indra “grows in body” as a stable inner power (tanū) capable of action. The prayer asks for the building of vājās—plenitudes of effective force, capacities, and victorious energies—and for upa stīn, firm inner standings: stable seats of consciousness that do not collapse under attack of doubt, inertia, or desire. “Yūyam” hints that Indra works with allied powers (Maruts/Angiras forces): the illumination is not solitary but a coordinated uplift of the nature. The result sought is svasti: an abiding harmony and safe passage in the yoga.
Universal truth
When aspiration is voiced from truth (brahman), higher intelligence and will consolidate within the person, building capacities and stable bases; protection is not mere external safety but an inner well-being that persists through life’s pressures.
Themes
increase of divine power, bestowal of vāja, protection and well-being, stability/foundations
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha (Maitrāvaruṇa lineage)
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 7.18, Rig Veda 7.19, Rig Veda 7.20, Rig Veda 7.33, Rig Veda 7.82
Family tradition
Saptarṣi Vasiṣṭha, principal seer of RV Maṇḍala 7; tradition emphasizes inner kingship of ṛta, guidance of the Bharatas/Sudās, and the power of the truth-word (brahman) to summon divine help.
Significance
Vasiṣṭha’s voice is marked by steadiness (adhiṣṭhāna) and ṛta-oriented speech: prayer becomes a formative force that builds stable consciousness and victorious energy.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- śūra (hero), harivān (lord of the shining steeds), vṛtrahan (slayer of the coverer, implicit), tuvīṣma/taviṣī (mighty, intense)
- Related deities
- Maruts (allied powers implied by yūyam), Agni (as initiator of the inner sacrifice), Soma (as ecstasy/essence that empowers Indra), Bṛhaspati (brahman-power behind the word)
Cosmic role
Opens the obstructions, releases the streams of force/light, establishes wide spaces for life and thought; protector and increaser of power.
Inner power
Illumined intelligence joined to decisive will; the capacity to organize energies (vājāḥ) and establish stable inner stations (stīn).
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-stotra within Soma-yajña sequences (general Indra praise); also adaptable as protective invocation.
नू इ॑न्द्र शूर॒ स्तव॑मान ऊ॒ती ब्रह्म॑जूतस्त॒न्वा॑ वावृधस्व । उप॑ नो॒ वाजा॑न्मिमी॒ह्युप॒ स्तीन्यू॒यं पा॑त स्व॒स्तिभि॒: सदा॑ नः ॥
नु । इ॒न्द्र॒ । शू॒र॒ । स्तव॑मानः । ऊ॒ती । ब्रह्म॑ऽजूतः । त॒न्वा॑ । व॒वृ॒ध॒स्व॒ । उप॑ । नः॒ । वाजा॑न् । मि॒मी॒हि॒ । उप॑ । स्तीन् । यू॒यम् । पा॒त॒ । स्व॒स्तिऽभिः॑ । सदा॑ । नः॒ ॥
nu | indra | śūra | stavamānaḥ | ūtī | brahma-jūtaḥ | tanvā | vavṛdhasva | upa | naḥ | vājān | mimīhi | upa | stīn | yūyam | pāta | svasti-bhiḥ | sadā | naḥ
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4 pādas × ~11 syllables
Strong, forward-driving cadence suited to invocation and command-prayer.
Builds confidence and inner uprightness; rhythm supports the sense of ‘establishing’ (upa…mimīhi) and sustained protection (sadā naḥ).
- इन्द्र (indra)
- Literal: Indra, lord of power. Symbolic: Divine Mind/illumination that leads the battle against obscurity
- शूर (śūra)
- Literal: hero. Symbolic: Courageous luminous force in consciousness
- ब्रह्मजूत (brahmajūta)
- Literal: impelled by brahman. Symbolic: Moved by the truth-word/soul-force; mantra as effective will
- तन्वा (tanvā)
- Literal: in body. Symbolic: A formed, stable embodiment of power in the nature
- वाजान् (vājān)
- Literal: prizes, strengths, plenitudes. Symbolic: Gains of force, capacities, victorious energies of sadhana
- स्तीन् (stīn)
- Literal: posts/stations, firm standings. Symbolic: Stable inner seats/levels of consciousness, established poise
- स्वस्तिभिः (svastibhiḥ)
- Literal: with well-being. Symbolic: Harmonious protection; right-ordered inner condition (ṛta-friendly)
Concluding benediction-style request for protection and vāja in Soma praise
During Indra praises in Soma pressing/offerings; also as a general prayer for strength and svasti.
Recitation with offerings (oblations) to Indra; request for vāja (victory/strength) and protection.
Use as a daily invocation before work/effort: ‘build my powers, establish my inner seat, protect my mind with well-being’.
brahma-jūta: √ju ‘to impel, set in motion’—brahman is not mere ‘prayer’ but formative truth-speech that drives the god-force. vājān: vāja from strength/plenitude (semantic: ‘force, prize, nourishment’), here taken as ‘plenitudes of effective energy’. mimīhi from √mā ‘measure, form’ → ‘build up/shape’ inner capacities and stable bases (stīn).
brahman as truth-force shaping reality, svasti as right-being (su-asti)
Brahman as truth-word aligns the seeker with ṛta; Indra’s help establishes right functioning of energies.
Stavamāna + brahmajūta: praise becomes satya-vāk that compels effective divine response.
‘Building’ (mimīhi) suggests cosmic/inner construction: establishing worlds/stations in consciousness.
Proto-Vedāntic and Yogic reading (Aurobindo/Kashyap): gods as powers of consciousness, yajña as inner transformation.
Construction imagery becomes inner architecture: capacities (vājāḥ) and stable levels of awareness (stīn) held in a protective harmony (svasti).
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Not a narrative myth but a ritual-psychological motif: brahman (truth-word) impels the god to grow and to ‘measure out’ vāja and stable seats. The mythic background is the god’s empowerment through praise, translating into protection and victorious force.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √mā ‘measure’ is strongly IE (cf. Latin metiri, Greek métron). The idea that ‘measuring’ equals ‘forming/establishing’ is archaic IE poetics. su-asti (svasti) is transparent compound ‘good-being’, paralleling IE compositional strategies for benedictive formulas.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- Praise is presented as causal (stavamāna … brahmajūta): the rishi’s brahman actively moves Indra. In return, Indra ‘builds’ inner energies (vāja) and stable bases (stīn) and maintains continuous protection (svastibhiḥ sadā).
Invoke the illumined mind to consolidate inner power and establish a steady seat of consciousness.
maṇipūra (will/force) and ājñā (illumined mind)
Moderate nāḍī-śodhana 6–6 rounds, then recite on a steady exhale.
From active striving to established poise (adhiṣṭhāna) under a calm protection.
Before a challenging task, repeat the mantra 9 or 27 times; feel Indra ‘growing’ as a clear decisive intelligence; visualize inner stations becoming firm and unmoving.
Use Vedic tri-svara (udātta/anudātta/svarita) as per śākhā tradition; key lifts often fall on deity-name and action-verbs (indra, vāvṛdhasva, mimīhi, pāta).
Keep ‘índra’ with clear udātta on the first syllable; emphasize imperative verbs ‘vāvṛdhasva’, ‘mimīhi’, ‘pāta’ without rushing.
Differentiate ś in śūra from s in sadā., Hold long vowels: ū in ūtī, ā in vājān, ī in mimīhi., Pronounce ṛ in vāvṛdhasva and vṛtra (if referenced) with a clear vocalic ‘r̥’., Final visarga in svastibhiḥ: light aspiration before pause.
Steady, resonant, uplifting; avoid harshness—strength with clarity.
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