Rig Veda 7.23.1: Mandala 7, Sukta 23, Mantra 1
Sukta 7.23
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
उदु ब्रह्माण्यैरत श्रवस्येन्द्रं समर्ये महया वसिष्ठ । आ यो विश्वानि शवसा ततानोपश्रोता म ईवतो वचांसि ॥
úd u bráhmāṇy airata śravasyéndraṃ samaryé mahayā vasiṣṭha | ā́ yó víśvāni śávasā tatānópaśrótā me ī́vato vácāṃsi ||
ശ്രവസ്—കീർത്തി-ശ്രവണത്തിന്റെ ജയത്തിനായി—ബ്രഹ്മാണി (മന്ത്രങ്ങൾ) ഉയർത്തുക; ഹേ വസിഷ്ഠാ! സമരത്തിൽ ഇന്ദ്രനെ മഹത്വപ്പെടുത്തുക. തന്റെ ശവസാൽ എല്ലാം വ്യാപിപ്പിച്ചവൻ, എന്റെ ആകാംക്ഷയുള്ള വചനങ്ങൾക്ക് ഉപശ്രോതാ—ശ്രോതാവായി—വരട്ടെ.
Word by Word
- उत्
- up; forthIndeclinableनिपात/उपसर्ग (अव्यय)Root उत् (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- उ
- indeed; andIndeclinableनिपात (अव्यय)Root उ (निपात)
- ब्रह्माण्यैः
- with hymns/prayers; with sacred formulationsNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचनRole करणRoot ब्रह्मण्य (प्रातिपदिक; ब्रह्मन् + य)
- अर॑त
- he set in motion; he raised; he stirredVerbलुङ् (अोरिस्ट), परस्मैपद, प्रथम पुरुष, एकवचनRoot ऋ (धातु; ऋ गतौ/प्रापणे)
- श्रवस्ये
- in/for fame; in glorious (contest)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचनRole अधिकारणRoot श्रवस्य (प्रातिपदिक; श्रवस् + य)
- इन्द्रम्
- IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- समर्ये
- in battle; in the conflictNounपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचनRole अधिकारणRoot समर्य (प्रातिपदिक; समर ‘battle’ + य)
- महया
- he magnifies; he makes (him) greatVerbलट्, परस्मैपद, प्रथम पुरुष, एकवचन (कारणार्थ/प्रेरणार्थ: ‘makes great’)Root मह् (धातु; मह पूजायाम्/वर्धने) → महय (कारणार्थ)
- वसिष्ठ
- Vasiṣṭha (the seer)Noun (proper)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot वसिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक; ऋषिनाम)
- आ
- towards; hitherIndeclinableउपसर्ग (अव्यय)Root आ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- यः
- whoPronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- विश्वानि
- all (things); all (deeds)Adjective (substantive)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- शवसा
- with might; by strengthNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचनRole करणRoot शवस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- ततान
- he has stretched out; he has extendedVerbपरिप्रयोग-परफेक्ट (लिट्), परस्मैपद, प्रथम पुरुष, एकवचनRoot तन् (धातु; तन् विस्तारे)
- उपश्रोता
- a listener; one who listens attentivelyNoun (agent)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot उप-श्रु (धातु; श्रु श्रवणे) → उपश्रोतृ (कृदन्त)
- मे
- of me; to mePronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी एकवचन (एन्क्लिटिक रूप)Role सम्बन्ध/सम्प्रदानRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- ईवतः
- of (me) seeking/imploring; of the suppliantAdjective/Participle-likeपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot ईवत् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘seeking/going’—वेदिक विशेषण)
- वचांसि
- words; utterances; hymnsNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (मुख्य): उत् + उ + ब्रह्माण्यैः + अरत + श्रवस्ये + इन्द्रम् + समर्ये + महया + वसिष्ठ । आ + यः + विश्वानि + शवसा + ततान + उपश्रोता + मे + ईवतः + वचांसि । सन्धि-विशेष: (1) उदु = उत् + उ (उत्-निपातस्य तकार-लोपः, उकारे संधिः)। (2) ततानोपश्रोता = ततान + उपश्रोता (अ + उ → ओ)। (3) म ईवतो = मे + ईवतः (एन्क्लिटिक ‘मे’ पदान्ते, स्वर/पदविभागे पृथक्)।
The meaning
Outer meaning
The poet urges the uplifting of sacred formulas for fame and victory, magnifies Indra in the battle, and asks the mighty one who extended all things by force to come and listen to his words.
Inner meaning
The seeker raises potent formations of speech (brahmāṇi) to win śravas (the soul’s true hearing and luminous renown). The “battle” is the inner conflict where illumination must prevail. Indra—the awakened divine Mind—who has widened the being by strength (śavas) is invoked to attend the aspirant’s ardent utterance, i.e., to receive and confirm the will-to-progress.
Universal truth
When aspiration is uplifted into a higher vibration, the illumined intelligence responds: the consciousness widens, and guidance becomes audible within. Victory begins with right invocation and attentive receptivity.
Themes
Invocation, Inner battle (samarya), Hearing/śravas
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha (Maitrāvaruṇa)
- Other hymns
- RV 7.18, RV 7.33, RV 7.82, RV 7.88
Family tradition
One of the great ṛṣi-families (Vasiṣṭhas) of the Rig Veda; associated with the harmonizing power of ṛta and the priestly leadership of inner sacrifice.
Significance
Vasiṣṭha’s voice often carries the poise of accomplished clarity: a seer of right order (ṛta) who invokes the gods as powers of inner realization, especially Indra as the breaker of limits and establisher of wideness.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- śravasyu (giver of glory/hearing), vṛtrahan (slayer of the Coverer), maghavan (bounteous), śūra (hero)
- Related deities
- Agni, Soma, Bṛhaspati, Uṣas, Vāyu
Cosmic role
Lord of the luminous Mind who releases the waters/rays and establishes wideness between heaven and earth; champion of the gods against the powers of obstruction.
Inner power
Illuminative intelligence and decisive will that hears the true call, breaks subconscious resistance, and widens the mental-vital being into truth-consciousness.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-stotra within Soma sacrifice sequences (general Indra praise)
उदु॒ ब्रह्मा॑ण्यैरत श्रव॒स्येन्द्रं॑ सम॒र्ये म॑हया वसिष्ठ । आ यो विश्वा॑नि॒ शव॑सा त॒तानो॑पश्रो॒ता म॒ ईव॑तो॒ वचां॑सि ॥
उत् । ऊँ॒ इति॑ । ब्रह्मा॑णि । ऐ॒र॒त॒ । श्र॒व॒स्या । इन्द्र॑म् । स॒ऽम॒र्ये । म॒ह॒य॒ । व॒सि॒ष्ठ॒ । आ । यः । विश्वा॑नि । शव॑सा । त॒तान॑ । उ॒प॒ऽश्रो॒ता । मे॒ । ईव॑तः । वचां॑सि ॥
ut | oṃ iti | brahmāṇi | airata | śravasyā | indram | sa-marye | mahaya | vasiṣṭha | ā | yaḥ | viśvāni | śavasā | tatāna | upa-śrotā | me | īvataḥ | vacāṃsi
44
4 pādas × ~11 syllables
Driving, martial cadence with firm rises—suited to invocation in struggle.
Builds uplift and forward pressure; supports concentration and a sense of widening response from above.
- ब्राह्माणि (brahmāṇi)
- Literal: sacred utterances, hymns. Symbolic: mantric thought-formations that shape consciousness and call down higher force
- श्रवस्या (śravasyā)
- Literal: for glory/fame (that is heard). Symbolic: power of inner hearing; luminous recognition of truth in consciousness
- समर्ये (samarye)
- Literal: in battle. Symbolic: inner struggle against ignorance and inertia
- शवसा (śavasā)
- Literal: by force, strength. Symbolic: spiritual energy that widens and establishes the being
- उपश्रोता (upaśrotā)
- Literal: near-listener. Symbolic: the indwelling divine attention that receives sincere aspiration
- ईवतः (īvataḥ)
- Literal: eager, impetuous. Symbolic: intense aspiration (tapas of speech) seeking response
Stotra/śastra-style summons at the opening of a new hymn sequence; invites Indra to 'hear' during Soma offerings and the competitive rite (samarya).
During Soma pressing/offerings or as an Indra-invocation in competitive/strength-seeking rites
Recitation by hotṛ with offerings to Indra; “raising” the brahman as effective speech
Before challenging tasks: chant to invoke clear decisive intelligence and inner guidance; set an intention to ‘be heard’ by the higher mind within.
from √īr/√er 'raise, set in motion' (impulse of mantra). is 'hearing, fame'—innerly the received luminous vibration. (sam-√ṛ 'to go/fit together' > contest) as inner battle. √tan 'stretch' marks Indra as one who establishes wide order. - (√śru 'hear') presents the devatā as responsive consciousness.
Mantra as raised power (īr), Divine hearing (śru) as receptivity of higher consciousness, R̥ta as universal extension/order (tan)
Invocation aligns speech with ṛta so the divine power can ‘hear’ and act.
Truth as that which is ‘stretched out’/established by higher force in the being.
Widening/extension of worlds—consciousness expanded by divine might.
Proto-Vedāntic/Integral (Aurobindo): gods as powers of consciousness; Vāc as formative force.
The ‘battle’ is the psychic-mental field; the ‘extension’ is expansion of awareness into a larger truth-space where guidance becomes audible.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The call to Indra as 'listener' before battle: mythically the warrior-god is summoned to the contest; psychologically, the higher force must first 'hear' and accept the aspirant’s raised mantra before it acts in the inner struggle.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √śru 'hear' is IE (PIE *ḱleu̯- 'hear, be famed' cf. Greek klúō, English 'loud' via fame/hearing complex). √tan 'stretch' is IE (PIE *ten- 'stretch' cf. Latin tendere, English tend).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi takes responsibility for raising the mantra-force (brahmāṇi airata) and magnifying Indra; Indra’s side of reciprocity is attentive reception (upaśrotā) and the universal power that can extend/order the aspirant’s world.
Invoke the ‘inner Indra’ to listen: place attention in the forehead/inner hearing and offer your aspiration as precise speech.
ājñā (brow)
4-4-6 breathing (inhale-hold-exhale) while mentally repeating key words (indraṃ… upaśrotā)
Uplifted, alert, receptive wideness
Begin with a clear inner ‘call’; chant once slowly, then speak your intention; end in silence to ‘hear back’ as intuition or calm certitude.
Mixed udātta/anudātta/svarita per Rigvedic accent; keep udātta peaks on key invocatory words (indraṃ, śavasā, upaśrotā).
Let udātta be clear and slightly higher; avoid flattening compounds; pause lightly at pāda breaks.
= ud u (separate, light glide), : brahmāṇy-airata (sandhi: -ṇy- + ai-), : upa-śrotā (śro = ‘shro’, not ‘sro’), : īvataḥ (long ī)
Clear, resonant, upward-leading; end each pāda with contained firmness.
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