Rig Veda 8.21.14: Mandala 8, Sukta 21, Mantra 14
Sukta 8.21
- Devata
- Indra
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
नकी रेवन्तं सख्याय विन्दसे पीयन्ति ते सुराश्वः । यदा कृणोषि नदनुं समूहस्यादित्पितेव हूयसे ॥
nákī revántaṃ sakhyā́ya vindase pī́yanti te surā́śvaḥ | yadā́ kṛṇóṣi nadanúṃ samū́hasy ā́dit pitā́iva hūyase ||
സഖ്യതയ്ക്കായി നിന്നേക്കാൾ ശ്രേഷ്ഠവും ദീപ്തവുമായ സുഹൃത്ത് ആരും കണ്ടെത്തുന്നില്ല; പ്രകാശമാന അശ്വങ്ങളുള്ള നിന്റെ ശക്തികൾ നിന്നെ പാനം ചെയ്യുന്നു. നീ ഗർജ്ജിക്കുന്ന പ്രളയധാരയെ സൃഷ്ടിച്ച് അതിനെ ഒന്നായി കൂട്ടിച്ചേർക്കുമ്പോൾ, അപ്പോൾ നിന്നെ പിതാവിനെപ്പോലെ വിളിക്കുന്നു—കാരണം നീ അഭയം നൽകുന്ന ഏകത്വം നിർമ്മിക്കുന്നു.
Word by Word
- नकिḥ
- no one, noneIndeclinableनिपात; अव्यय; अर्थे ‘कोऽपि न/कश्चन न’Root नकि (नकिः-प्रातिपदिक, नकारादि निपात) / PIE *ne-kʷi? (न- + किः)
- रेवन्तम्
- the wealthy/prosperous oneAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot रेवन्त (प्रातिपदिक; ‘धन/समृद्धि-युक्त’)
- सख्याय
- for friendship, for companionshipNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी; एकवचन (दातिव)Role सम्प्रदानRoot सख्य (प्रातिपदिक; सखि-भाव)
- विन्दसे
- you find/obtainVerbलट् (वर्तमान); मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचन; आत्मनेपदRoot √विद् (विन्दति ‘प्राप्नोति/लभते’)
- पीयन्ति
- they drinkVerbलट् (वर्तमान); प्रथमपुरुष; बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद (मध्य/कर्मणि-प्रयोगः)Root √पा (पिबति) / √पा (पीयते ‘पेयते’)
- ते
- yourPronounषष्ठी; एकवचन (एन्क्लिटिक) — ‘तव/ते’Role सम्बन्धRoot त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सुराश्वाः
- the Surāśvas (a clan/men named Surāśva)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole कर्ताRoot सुराश्व (प्रातिपदिक; ‘सुरा- (उत्तम/वीर) + अश्व’)
- यदा
- whenIndeclinableकालवाचक-अव्ययRoot यदा (निपात)
- कृणोषि
- you make, you doVerbलट् (वर्तमान); मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपदRoot √कृ (कृणोति ‘करोति’)
- नदनुम्
- joy, revelryNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot नदनु (प्रातिपदिक; ‘आनन्द/हर्ष’ अथवा ‘क्रीडा/उत्सव’)
- समूहसि
- you gather together, you bring togetherVerbलट् (वर्तमान); मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपदRoot √ऊह्/√वह् (सम्-उह्/सम्-वह् ‘समवहति/समाहारयति’; वैदिक रूप ‘समूहसि’)
- आ
- towards, hitherIndeclinableउपसर्गः; आह्वान/आगमन-भावेRoot आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- इत्
- indeed, justIndeclinableनिपात; अव्ययRoot इत् (निपात; एव/खलु-बलार्थ)
- पितेव
- like a fatherNoun + Indeclinableपिता = पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; इव = अव्ययRole कर्ता (उपमान-रूपेण)Root पितृ (प्रातिपदिक) + इव (उपमा-अव्यय)
- हूयसे
- you are invoked/calledVerbलट् (वर्तमान); मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि (passive)Root √ह्वे (ह्वयति/हूयते ‘आह्वीयते’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: नकिḥ | रेवन्तम् | सख्याय | विन्दसे | पीयन्ति | ते | सुराश्वाः || यदा | कृणोषि | नदनुम् | समूहसि | आ | इत् | पितेव | हूयसे || 1) नकी॑ → नकिḥ (अव्यय-रूप; पदान्त-विसर्गः)
- 2) स॒ख्याय॑ विन्दसे: सख्याय (चतुर्थी एक.) + विन्दसे (लट् म.एक.आ.)
- 3) सुरा॒श्व॑: → सुराश्वाः (प्रथमा बहु.; पदान्त ‘ः’)
- 4) समू॑ह॒स्यादित्पि॒तेव॑ → समूहसि + आ + इत् + पितेव (स्य + आ = स्या; ततः ‘आदित्’ इति संधि-समूहः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
No one finds a more splendid friend than you; your bright-steeded ones drink. When you make the roaring surge and gather it together, then you are called like a father.
Inner meaning
Indra is the richest ally of the seeker; the ‘bright-steeded’ powers (surāśvaḥ) are the luminous energies of action that draw strength by ‘drinking’ his force—taking in illumination. When Indra creates the roaring current (nadanu)—the released flood of energies/experiences—and gathers it into unity (sam ūhasi), he becomes ‘father-like’: the one who builds protective oneness, ordering the many forces into a coherent inner government.
Universal truth
True leadership is not only power but integration: awakening energies and then unifying them into a sheltered harmony that supports growth.
Themes
friendship, integration of forces, father-protector image, soma-drinking powers
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 8.21.11-13, RV 8.21.15
Family tradition
Kāṇva Indra hymns often stress sakhya (friendship) and the organizing victory of Indra over scattered forces.
Significance
A key psychological teaching: after the breakthrough comes integration—Indra gathers the released energies into a single sheltered order (fatherhood as inner governance).
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Revant (splendid), Sakhā (friend, implied), Pitṛvat (father-like, implied)
- Related deities
- Varuṇa (order), Mitra (harmony), Maruts (energies), Soma (drink/force)
Cosmic role
Releaser and organizer: makes the flood of powers flow and then establishes unity and protection in the world-order.
Inner power
Integrating intelligence: awakens dynamic energies (horses) and unifies them into a coherent direction.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra praise during Soma rites; also suitable as a verse for harmony after victory
नकी॑ रे॒वन्तं॑ स॒ख्याय॑ विन्दसे॒ पीय॑न्ति ते सुरा॒श्व॑: । य॒दा कृ॒णोषि॑ नद॒नुं समू॑ह॒स्यादित्पि॒तेव॑ हूयसे ॥
नकिः॑ । रे॒वन्त॑म् । स॒ख्याय॑ । वि॒न्द॒से॒ । पीय॑न्ति । ते॒ । सु॒रा॒श्वः॑ । य॒दा । कृ॒णोषि॑ । न॒द॒नुम् । सम् । ऊ॒ह॒सि॒ । आत् । इत् । पि॒ताऽइ॑व । हू॒य॒से॒ ॥
nakiḥ | revantam | sakhyāya | vindase | pīyanti | te | surāśvaḥ | yadā | kṛṇoṣi | nadanum | sam | ūhasi | āt | it | pitāiva | hūyase
48
4 × ~12; flowing, river-like movement
Expansive and rolling; mirrors ‘roaring surge’ and then ‘gathering into one’.
First energizing (surge), then soothing (integration), leaving a sense of protected unity.
- रेवन्तम् (revantam)
- Literal: splendid, rich, brilliant. Symbolic: abundance of luminous power; beneficence of the higher mind
- सख्याय (sakhyāya)
- Literal: for friendship. Symbolic: alliance with the divine consciousness; intimate guidance
- सुरा॒श्वः (surāśvaḥ)
- Literal: bright/noble horses. Symbolic: illumined vital energies and dynamic faculties that carry action
- पीयन्ति (pīyanti)
- Literal: they drink. Symbolic: energies absorb the divine force; taking in light/bliss to act rightly
- नदनुम् (nadanuṃ)
- Literal: roaring surge/river-flood. Symbolic: powerful life-current released after obstruction; surge of prāṇa/experience
- सम् ऊहसि (sam ūhasy)
- Literal: you gather together. Symbolic: integration; harmonizing the many movements into one order
- पिता इव (pitā iva)
- Literal: like a father. Symbolic: protective originative consciousness that shelters and unifies
Closing praise highlighting Indra as best friend and father-like protector; suitable where the rite seeks integration of energies and a gathered force for victory and stability.
After invocations seeking strength; when establishing auspicious unity in the rite
Stotra celebrating Indra’s friendship and unifying power
Use to integrate after intense experiences (success, conflict, strong meditation): invoke unification of energies and a ‘fatherly’ inner shelter.
: from rev ‘wealth, shine’ → splendid abundance (inner fullness). √pā ‘drink’ in pīyanti suggests soma-partaking powers. : from √nad ‘roar, sound’ → surge/roar (outer river/storm; inner energy-voice). -√ūh: ‘gather into one’ → integration. : father (PIE *ph₂tḗr) → protective origin; Indra as integrator becomes father-like. √hū ‘call’ indicates invocation as recognition of function.
integration/oneness (sam-ūh), divine friendship (sakhya), fatherhood as protective ordering principle
‘Sam ūhasi’ is ṛta in action—ordering multiplicity into harmony.
The ‘revant’ friend is truth-beneficent: splendor that supports, not inflates ego.
From released flood to formed unity: creation is both expansion and organization.
Integral Yoga: not only liberation of energies but their harmonization into a higher unity (psychic and spiritual governance).
Horses = vital dynamisms; drinking = assimilation of force; flood = released prāṇa/experience; father = organizing protective consciousness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The integrator myth: Indra gathers the roaring surge into unity (sam-ūh), a signature of the storm-god who organizes chaotic force into ordered power—psychologically, collecting scattered energies into a single will and consciousness.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- pitā continues PIE *ph₂tḗr (Lat. pater, Gk. patḗr). √nad ‘roar’ has Indo-European sound-symbolic parallels (roaring/water verbs across IE). The verse’s father-simile uses a deeply inherited Indo-European kinship metaphor for protective sovereignty.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi recognizes Indra as the supreme friend (revantam sakhyāya) and as father-like because he performs inner integration: by gathering the surge, Indra becomes the invoked protector who creates a stable unity for the seeker.
After awakening energy, gather it into oneness; cultivate Indra as inner ‘father’—protective integrator.
hṛdaya (sakhya, shelter) with maṇipūra (surge of power) harmonized under ājñā (direction)
Wave breath: slightly fuller inhale (surge) + long exhale (gathering). Mentally ‘sam’ on exhale to feel integration.
Unified dynamism—power held in harmony.
If practice releases strong energy/emotion, don’t disperse it. Offer it upward to Indra (clarity), then consciously ‘gather’ attention into a single intention and rest in a sheltered wideness.
Rigvedic accenting per text; keep a flowing delivery matching Jagatī; observe the caesura at |.
Lift on ‘nakī revantam’, keep clarity on ‘surāśvaḥ’, broaden tone on ‘nadanuṃ’, and soften into unity on ‘sam ūhasy’.
nakī: long ī, revantam: clear ‘v’, dental t, sakhyāya: khy cluster; long ā, pīyanti: long ī; palatal y, surāśvaḥ: long ā; śv cluster, nadanuṃ: dental n; final anusvāra nasalization, ūhasy: long ū; h voiced gently, pitā iva: long ā; iva short i
Warm, expansive, then gently unifying toward the end.
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