Rig Veda 7.19.3: Mandala 7, Sukta 19, Mantra 3
Sukta 7.19
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
त्वं धृष्णो धृषता वीतहव्यं प्रावो विश्वाभिरूतिभिः सुदासम् । प्र पौरुकुत्सिं त्रसदस्युमावः क्षेत्रसाता वृत्रहत्येषु पूरुम् ॥
tváṃ dhṛ́ṣṇo dhṛṣatā́ vītáhavyaṃ prā́vo viśvā́bhir ūtíbhiḥ sudā́sam | prá paurúkutsiṃ trasádasyum āvā́ḥ kṣétrasātā vṛtrahátyeṣu pūrúm ||
ഹേ ധൃഷ്ണ (ധീരൻ), ധൃഷതാ (പ്രചണ്ഡ) ബലത്തോടെ, വീതഹവ്യ (സുഹവിസ് അർപ്പിക്കുന്ന) സുദാസനെ നീ എല്ലാ സഹായങ്ങളാലും സംരക്ഷിച്ചു. നീ പൗരുകുത്സിയെ സഹായിച്ചു, നീ ത്രസദസ്യുവിനെ സഹായിച്ചു; ക്ഷേത്ര-സാതയിൽ, വൃത്ര-ഹത്യകളിൽ, നീ പൂരുവിനെ താങ്ങിനിർത്തി.
Word by Word
- त्वम्
- thouPronounपुं/स्त्री/नपुं; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- धृष्णो
- O bold oneAdjective (vocative)पुं; संबोधन; एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot धृष्णु- (प्रातिपदिक; धृष्-धातु से)
- धृषता
- with bold/strong (power)Adjective (instrumental)पुं/नपुं; तृतीया; एकवचनRole करणRoot धृषत्- (प्रातिपदिक; धृष्-धातु से)
- वीतहव्यम्
- (him) whose oblation is accepted / well-invokedAdjectiveपुं; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot वीतहव्य- (प्रातिपदिक; वीत- + हव्य)
- प्र
- forth; forwardIndeclinableअव्ययRoot प्र (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- आवः
- thou didst help/protectVerbलुङ् (अorist); मध्यम; एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot अव् (धातु) / अव्- ‘रक्षणे’
- विश्वाभिः
- with allAdjectiveस्त्री; तृतीया; बहुवचनRole करणRoot विश्व- (प्रातिपदिक)
- ऊतिभिः
- helps; aidsNounस्त्री; तृतीया; बहुवचनRole करणRoot ऊति- (प्रातिपदिक)
- सुदासम्
- SudāsProper Nounपुं; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot सुदास- (प्रातिपदिक; व्यक्तिनाम)
- प्र
- forth; forwardIndeclinableअव्ययRoot प्र (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- पौरुकुत्सिम्
- PaurukutsiProper Noun/Adjectiveपुं; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot पौरुकुत्सि- (प्रातिपदिक; पोरुकुत्स-वंशज)
- त्रसदस्युम्
- TrasadasyuProper Nounपुं; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot त्रसदस्यु- (प्रातिपदिक; व्यक्तिनाम)
- आवः
- thou didst help/protectVerbलुङ् (aorist); मध्यम; एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot अव् (धातु) / अव्- ‘रक्षणे’
- क्षेत्रसाता
- in the winning of territoryNoun (locative sg.)स्त्री; सप्तमी; एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot क्षेत्रसाति- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘क्षेत्र’+‘साति’)
- वृत्रहत्येषु
- in the Vṛtra-slayings (battles)Nounस्त्री; सप्तमी; बहुवचनRole अधिकरणRoot वृत्रहत्य- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘वृत्र’+‘हत्य’)
- पूरुम्
- PūruProper Nounपुं; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot पूरु- (प्रातिपदिक; जन/व्यक्तिनाम)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (Vedic sandhi resolved): त्वम् | धृष्णो | धृषता | वीतहव्यम् | प्र | आवः | विश्वाभिः | ऊतिभिः | सुदासम् || प्र | पौरुकुत्सिम् | त्रसदस्युम् | आवः | क्षेत्रसाता | वृत्रहत्येषु | पूरुम् । 1) प्रावो = प्र + आवः (उपसर्ग/निपात + लुङ् 2sg)
- 2) विश्वा॑भिरू॒तिभि॑ः = विश्वाभिः + ऊतिभिः (सन्धि: -भिः + ऊ- → -भिरू-)
- 3) त्रसदस्युमावः = त्रसदस्युम् + आवः (म् + आ- संधि से मावः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra, bold with bold force, protected Sudās with all helps; he aided Paurukutsi and Trasadasyu; in winning the field and in slaying Vṛtra, he upheld Pūru.
Inner meaning
Sudās (‘good-giver’) is the part of us that offers rightly; such sincerity draws abundant help (ūtibhiḥ). The ‘field’ (kṣetra) is the inner ground of action and experience; winning it means establishing mastery over life-energies and habitual patterns. Vṛtra-slayings are repeated breakthroughs where the coverer is struck and the blocked light/waters are released. Indra upholds multiple soul-powers (Paurukutsi, Trasadasyu, Pūru) — different formations of aspiration and courageous will — as the integral being is built through successive victories.
Universal truth
When offering and aspiration are sincere, the higher intelligence supports every part of the journey—helping us win the inner field again and again by breaking the recurring coverings.
Themes
Indra’s aids to kings/heroes, field-winning, Vṛtra-slaying, protection through right offering
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha (Maitrāvaruṇa lineage)
- Other hymns
- RV 7.18, RV 7.19, RV 7.20
Family tradition
Royal-protective hymns recast as inner governance: the gods uphold the ‘rightly offering’ consciousness and expand it toward fullness.
Significance
Vasiṣṭha presents Indra’s help as comprehensive (viśvābhir ūtibhiḥ): the divine does not aid a single faculty only, but coordinates the whole being toward integral conquest.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- dhṛṣṇu (bold), dhṛṣatā (with bold force), protector (prāvo/āvaḥ), vṛtrahan (Vṛtra-slayer)
- Related deities
- Maruts (impulsions of force), Agni (leader of sacrifice), Soma (bliss-force sustaining victory)
Cosmic role
Victorious power that secures the ‘field’ for the gods; ensures expansion of light and right order.
Inner power
Courageous, organizing intelligence that protects the offering nature and repeatedly breaks subconscious resistance.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra hymns within Soma yajñas; also used as victory-protection stotra for patrons.
त्वं धृ॑ष्णो धृष॒ता वी॒तह॑व्यं॒ प्रावो॒ विश्वा॑भिरू॒तिभि॑: सु॒दास॑म् । प्र पौरु॑कुत्सिं त्र॒सद॑स्युमाव॒: क्षेत्र॑साता वृत्र॒हत्ये॑षु पू॒रुम् ॥
त्वम् । धृ॒ष्णो॒ इति॑ । धृ॒ष॒ता । वी॒तऽह॑व्यम् । प्र । आ॒वः॒ । विश्वा॑भिः । ऊ॒तिऽभिः॑ । सु॒ऽदास॑म् । प्र । पौरु॑ऽकुत्सिम् । त्र॒सद॑स्युम् । आ॒वः॒ । क्षेत्र॑ऽसाता । वृ॒त्र॒ऽहत्ये॑षु । पू॒रुम् ॥
tvam | dhṛṣṇo iti | dhṛṣatā | vīta-havyam | pra | āvaḥ | viśvābhiḥ | ūti-bhiḥ | su-dāsam | pra | pauru-kutsim | trasadasyum | āvaḥ | kṣetra-sātā | vṛtra-hatyeṣu | pūrum
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4×11
Steady march rhythm; enumerative structure amplifies sense of many aids.
Stabilizes confidence; gives a grounded sense of protection across multiple life-fronts.
- धृष्णु (dhṛṣṇu)
- Literal: bold, daring. Symbolic: fearless illumined force that does not yield to inertia
- वीतहव्य (vītahavya)
- Literal: one whose oblation is enjoyed/accepted. Symbolic: nature in which the offering is received—sincere, rightly aligned
- ऊतिभिः (ūtibhiḥ)
- Literal: helps, aids. Symbolic: multiple interventions of the divine powers—insights, energies, protections
- सुदास (Sudās)
- Literal: good-giver (name). Symbolic: the generous soul-nature that gives itself to the divine work
- क्षेत्रसात (kṣetrasātā)
- Literal: winner of the field. Symbolic: mastery of the inner domain of action and experience
- वृत्रहत्य (vṛtrahatya)
- Literal: slaying of Vṛtra. Symbolic: breaking of coverings; release of light and life-currents
- पूru (Pūru)
- Literal: name of a king/tribe. Symbolic: the wide, plenary being (pūru ~ fullness) upheld by victory
Indra stotra recalling past aids to secure present protection; used to invoke ‘all helps’ (ūtis) for victory and establishment of the sacrificer’s field.
During Indra offerings; in rites seeking strength, protection of the sacrificer, and success in ventures.
Praise + invocation of Indra’s ‘many helps’ and Vṛtra-slaying power.
Chant when overwhelmed by multiple challenges: invoke ‘all helps’ and reclaim the inner field step-by-step.
dhṛṣ- ‘to be bold, venture’ (cf. Avestan dərəs- ‘dare’ in related semantic space). ūti ‘help’ from √av/√ūt? (Vedic noun). vṛtra from √vṛ ‘to cover’—obstruction as ‘covering’. kṣetra ‘field’ (PIE *ḱes- ‘cut’?; Indo-Aryan development to ‘cultivated field’) becomes inner domain to be won.
repeated overcoming of obstruction (vṛtra-hatya as ongoing inner work), right offering (vīta-havya) as condition for divine descent, stabilizing the collective being (Pūru as broad base)
Winning the field = establishing ṛta in the domain of action.
Victory is grounded in truth of offering (vītahavya).
Expansion toward vastness through repeated breakthroughs against the coverer.
Integral Yoga lens: progressive conquest of subconscient resistance; building the ‘wide being’.
Field = inner life-field; storm = descent of force; victories = openings through which waters/light circulate.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is the ‘protector of the right sacrificer’ and ‘slayer of the coverer’: Indra repeatedly wins the field and breaks Vṛtra. Innerly, the field is the consciousness-territory reclaimed from covering inertia; right offering makes the being ‘vīta-havya’—fit to receive the force.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- vṛtra from √vṛ ‘cover’ encodes obstruction as a cover—an IE-familiar metaphor (covering/darkness). The hero-name Trasadasyu is a transparent compound typical of archaic IE poetics (name as function: ‘one who makes the enemy tremble’).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi strengthens the present invocation by recounting Indra’s prior reciprocities: where there is accepted offering (vīta-havya), Indra responds with comprehensive aids (ūtis), enabling the seeker’s territorial victory (kṣetra-sāta).
Reclaim the ‘inner field’: observe where energy is lost; invite Indra’s bold clarity to secure boundaries and right action.
maṇipūra (field of action)
Moderate breath with a brief kumbhaka after inhale (2–3 seconds) to feel ‘holding’ power; chant on exhale.
From dispersed engagement to protected, purposeful action; calm courage.
List three ‘fronts’ of struggle. After each pāda, inwardly affirm one front being protected. End by feeling the ‘wide being’ (Pūru) supported from above.
Triṣṭubh; keep accentual peaks on dhṛṣṇo/dhṛṣatā and vṛtrahatyeṣu; maintain crisp caesura after pāda halves.
Make the first pāda bold and compact; second and third enumerate aids with steady pace; final pāda lands firmly on ‘vṛtrahatyeṣu pūrum’.
dhṛṣṇo: vocalic ṛ; retroflex ṣṇ cluster, vītahavyam: long ī; aspirated hv, viśvābhir: ś palatal; long ā, ūtibhiḥ: long ū; final ḥ audible, kṣetrasātā: kṣ cluster clean, vṛtrahatyeṣu: retroflex ṛ; ty cluster
Steady, martial but composed; emphasize protection rather than aggression.
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