Rig Veda 8.1.29: Mandala 8, Sukta 1, Mantra 29
Sukta 8.1
- Rishi
- Medhyātithi Kāṇva
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Jagatī
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
मम त्वा सूर उदिते मम मध्यंदिने दिवः । मम प्रपित्वे अपिशर्वरे वसवा स्तोमासो अवृत्सत ॥
máma tvā sū́ra údite máma madhyáṃdine diváḥ | máma prapitvé apiśarvaré vasavā́ stómāso avṛtsata ||
സൂര്യോദയത്തിൽ നിന്നെ തിരഞ്ഞെടുക്കുന്ന സ്തോത്രങ്ങൾ എന്റേതാണ്; ദ്യൗവിന്റെ മധ്യാഹ്നത്തിലും എന്റേതാണ്; സന്ധ്യയുടെ സമീപനത്തിലും, പൊതിയുന്ന രാത്രിയിലും എന്റേതാണ്. ഹേ വസു! സ്തോമങ്ങൾ നിന്റെ അടുക്കലേക്ക് തിരിഞ്ഞിരിക്കുന്നു—നിന്നെയേ തങ്ങളുടെ വാസസ്ഥലമാക്കി.
Word by Word
- मम
- of me / myPronounषष्ठी (genitive), एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitival relation)Root अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) → मम
- त्वा
- youPronounद्वितीया (accusative), एकवचन (enclitic)Role कर्म (object)Root युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) → त्वा
- सूर
- O Sūra (solar one)Nounसम्बोधन (vocative), एकवचन, पुंलिङ्गRole सम्बोधनRoot सूर (प्रातिपदिक; voc. of सूर/सूर्य-सम्बद्ध ‘sun/solar one’)
- उदिते
- at (sun-)rise / when risenAdjective (used substantively as time-locative)सप्तमी (locative), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (कालवाचक प्रयोग)Role अधिकरण (time)Root उदित (कृदन्त; √उद्/उद् ‘to rise’ → उदित ‘risen’)
- मम
- of me / myPronounषष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot अस्मद् → मम
- मध्यम्
- middayNoun (time-expression)द्वितीया (accusative), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्गRole अधिकरण (time; accusative of extent/time)Root मध्य (प्रातिपदिक) → मध्यम्
- दिने
- in the dayNounसप्तमी (locative), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्गRole अधिकरण (time)Root दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
- दिवः
- of heaven / of the dayNounषष्ठी (genitive), एकवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Vedic: दिवः ‘of heaven/of day’)Role सम्बन्धRoot दिव्/द्यौस् (प्रातिपदिक: दिव् ‘sky, day’)
- मम
- of me / myPronounषष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot अस्मद् → मम
- प्रपित्वे
- at the meeting/approach (time)Nounसप्तमी (locative), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्गRole अधिकरण (circumstance)Root प्रपित्व (प्रातिपदिक; ‘approach/coming, meeting, companionship’ < प्र-√पि/√प्याय? (Vedic noun))
- अपि
- also, evenIndeclinableअव्ययRole सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय (particle)Root अपि (निपात)
- शर्वरे
- in the nightNounसप्तमी (locative), एकवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Vedic loc. -e)Role अधिकरण (time)Root शर्वरि/शर्वरी (प्रातिपदिक ‘night’) → शर्वरे
- वसवः
- the VasusNounप्रथमा (nominative), बहुवचन, पुंलिङ्गRole कर्तृ (subject)Root वसु (प्रातिपदिक; class of gods ‘Vasus’)
- स्तोमासः
- praise-hymnsNounप्रथमा, बहुवचन, पुंलिङ्गRole कर्तृ (co-subject)Root स्तोम (प्रातिपदिक ‘hymn of praise’)
- अवृत्सत
- have encompassed / have come around / have attendedVerbलुङ्/इञ्जङ्क्टिव (aorist-injunctive), 3rd person, बहुवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot √वृत् (वृत्तौ/वरणे) with preverb अव-; Vedic injunctive/aorist form
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (sandhi-resolution): मम | त्वा | सूर | उदिते | मम | मध्यम् | दिने | दिवः | मम | प्रपित्वे | अपि | शर्वरे | वसवः | स्तोमासः | अवृत्सत । 1) मध्यम् + दिने → मध्यम् दिने (no further sandhi; ‘midday in the day’ = ‘at midday’). 2) अपि + शर्वरे → अपि शर्वरे (no sandhi change). 3) अवृत्सत is taken as Vedic aorist-injunctive 3pl of अव-√वृत्
- accent in Saṃhitā indicates finite verb at cadence
The meaning
Outer meaning
The singer claims the hymns that choose Indra at sunrise, midday, dusk, and night; the chants turn to him as their dwelling.
Inner meaning
The rishi affirms continuous remembrance: Indra (illumined mind-force) is invoked through all phases of consciousness—awakening (sunrise), full activity (midday), transition (dusk), and the enveloping subconscient (night). The ‘stomāsaḥ’ (inspired formations of speech) ‘take him as home’: the mantra-life becomes established in the illumined mind, not only in special moments but across the entire cycle of inner time. Addressing Indra as Vasu underscores that this steady turning yields true ‘wealth’—stable luminous capacity.
Universal truth
Transformation requires continuity. A single peak experience is not enough; the higher consciousness must be chosen at every inner hour—clarity in action, vigilance in transition, and faith even in obscurity.
Themes
time-cycle devotion, continuous invocation, light and night symbolism
The seer
- Rishi
- Medhyātithi Kāṇva
- Lineage
- Kāṇva
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 8.1 (sequence continuity: 28–32)
Family tradition
Kāṇva hymncraft often stresses repeated invocation and the building of a stable inner relation with Indra as giver of light and victory.
Significance
The seer models ‘sarvakāla-smaraṇa’ (all-time remembrance): mantra as a continuous habitation in the divine power, not a compartmentalized rite.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Vasu (wealth-bringer), Maghavan (giver), Sūryānucarā (follower/ally of the light—by function)
- Related deities
- Sūrya, Uṣas, Agni, Soma
Cosmic role
Sustains the luminous order through the cycle of day/night; makes the light effective in action.
Inner power
Continuity of illumination—keeping the mind turned toward truth through changing inner states.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-stotra for repeated offerings across a Soma day; also suitable as a daily remembrance verse.
मम॑ त्वा॒ सूर॒ उदि॑ते॒ मम॑ म॒ध्यंदि॑ने दि॒वः । मम॑ प्रपि॒त्वे अ॑पिशर्व॒रे व॑स॒वा स्तोमा॑सो अवृत्सत ॥
मम॑ । त्वा॒ । सूरे॑ । उत्ऽइ॑ते । मम॑ । म॒ध्यन्दि॑ने । दि॒वः । मम॑ । प्र॒ऽपि॒त्वे । अ॒पि॒ऽश॒र्व॒रे । व॒सो॒ इति॑ । आ । स्तोमा॑सः । अ॒वृ॒त्स॒त॒ ॥
mama | tvā | sūre | ut-ite | mama | madhyandine | divaḥ | mama | pra-pitve | api-śarvare | vaso iti | ā | stomāsaḥ | avṛtsata
48
4 × 12 (verification advised)
Even, cyclical flow matching the day’s quarters named in the verse.
Creates steadiness and ‘all-day’ recollection; supports rhythmic anchoring of attention.
- सूरे उदिते (sūre udite)
- Literal: at the sun’s rising. Symbolic: awakening illumination; the first opening of clarity at the start of practice/day
- मध्यंदिने दिवः (madhyaṃdine divaḥ)
- Literal: at midday of heaven. Symbolic: full conscious activity; sustained clarity amid work and engagement
- प्रपित्वे (prapitve)
- Literal: in the approaching (time). Symbolic: threshold states—fatigue, transition, the approach of obscurity where vigilance is tested
- अपिशर्वरे (apiśarvare)
- Literal: in the enfolding night/darkness. Symbolic: subconscient, sleep, ignorance—where aspiration must still be held
- वसो (vaso)
- Literal: O Vasu (wealthy one). Symbolic: the luminous power that is true inner wealth—capacity, force, and clarity
- स्तोमासः आवृत्सत (stomāsaḥ āvṛtsata)
- Literal: the chants have turned/settled toward (thee). Symbolic: thought-speech and aspiration reorient and take stable refuge in the higher mind
Daily cycle praise within Soma context; reinforces continuous remembrance/invocation across times of day
At dawn, midday, dusk, and before sleep as a fourfold recollection practice.
Recitation as smaraṇa (remembrance) and āhavana (invocation) to keep the mind aligned with illumination.
A ‘four checkpoints’ mindfulness mantra: morning intention, midday recalibration, evening review, night surrender—each time turning thought to the higher clarity.
udita- from ud-√i ‘to go up’ → rising. madhyandina ‘midday’ marks culmination. śarvarī ‘night’ (dark covering) symbolizes obscuration. avṛtsata from ava-√vṛt ‘to turn toward, settle upon’ indicates deliberate orientation of the hymn-consciousness. vasu- ‘good, bright, excellent’ connects to ‘dwelling/wealth’ as inner plenitude rather than material goods.
continuity of aspiration (sādhana through all states), light/dark alternation as knowledge/ignorance rhythm
The ordered cycle of time becomes an inner discipline; aligning each phase with Indra supports ṛta in life.
Truth is not episodic; it must pervade all states, including obscurity.
Establishing a stable seat/home (āyatanam) for the gods within the human instrument.
Integral psychological Veda (Aurobindo/Kashyap): time-symbolism as states of consciousness.
full cycle (dawn–midday–dusk–night)
Fourfold inner time: awakening, active clarity, transition vigilance, subconscious offering/surrender.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Not a battle-myth but a ‘cycle-myth’: the deity is sought at all stations of the day. Innerly it encodes the practice of maintaining connection with the illumining power through waking clarity (sunrise), full force (midday), transitional states (evening), and obscuration (night).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- div- ‘sky/heaven’ from PIE *dyew- (cf. Latin diēs, Greek Zeus via *dyēus). √vṛt ‘turn’ from PIE *wert- (cf. English turn via different root, but Latin vertere is cognate). The temporal triad plus night is a common Indo-European poetic organizing device.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The r̥ṣi claims intimate ownership of the act of praise (‘mama… mama…’), offering sustained attention as dakṣiṇā. The deity is approached as the stable inner wealth (vasu), and the hymns ‘turn to’ him—showing devotion as a deliberate reorientation of consciousness.
Fourfold recollection: ‘I turn my mind to Indra (illumined clarity) in every inner hour.’
anāhata (for steady devotion) / ājñā (for clarity)
Box breathing 4–4–4–4 at the four times named; mentally place one phrase per phase (udite / madhyaṃdine / prapitve / apiśarvare).
Sattvic steadiness; gradual permeation of subconscious by remembrance.
Set alarms for the four times; recite once slowly, then sit 2 minutes watching the mind ‘turn toward’ clarity. Before sleep, offer the day’s residue into Indra as Vasu (inner wealth).
Use standard Rigvedic pitch rules per pada; emphasize temporal markers (udite, madhyaṃdine, prapitve, apiśarvare) with clear udātta lift where applicable.
Slight pause after each time-marker to mark the fourfold cycle; keep ‘mama’ gently insistent, not aggressive.
madhyaṃdine: keep ‘dhyaṃ’ nasalization; do not split too hard, apiśarvare: articulate śar- distinctly; avoid ‘sar’, āvṛtsata: vṛ consonant cluster clear; short a endings
Steady, even, recollective; minimal dramatic fluctuation.
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