Rig Veda 8.52.6: Mandala 8, Sukta 52, Mantra 6
Sukta 8.52
- Rishi
- Kaṇva
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Jagatī
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
यस्मै त्वं वसो दानाय मंहसे स रायस्पोषमिन्वति । वसूयवो वसुपतिं शतक्रतुं स्तोमैरिन्द्रं हवामहे ॥
yásmai tváṃ vaso dānā́ya máṃhase sá rāyás póṣam invati | vasūyávo vásupatiṃ śatákratuṃ stómair índraṃ havāmahe ||
ഹേ വസു (സമ്പത്തിന്റെ അധിപതി), ദാനത്തിനായി നീ നിന്റെ പ്രേരക ഉദാരത ഏവർക്കു നൽകുന്നുവോ, അവൻ റായസ്-പോഷ (സമൃദ്ധിയുടെ പോഷണം) മുന്നോട്ട് നയിക്കുന്നു. ഞങ്ങൾ വസൂയവഃ (യഥാർത്ഥ സമ്പത്ത് തേടുന്നവർ), വസുപതി ആയ ശതക്രതു ഇന്ദ്രനെ സ്തോമങ്ങളാൽ ആഹ്വാനം ചെയ്യുന്നു.
Word by Word
- यस्मै
- to whomPronounपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (प्रयोगतः), चतुर्थी एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) → यस्-
- त्वम्
- thouPronounउत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वसो
- O Vasu / O wealthy oneNoun (vocative)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot वसु (प्रातिपदिक)
- दानाय
- for giving, for a giftNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी एकवचनRole प्रयोजन/सम्प्रदानRoot दान (प्रातिपदिक; √दा ‘to give’ से भाव)
- मंहसे
- for bounty, for largesseNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot मंहस् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘bounty, liberality’)
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- रायः
- of wealthNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root राय्/रायि (प्रातिपदिक; ‘wealth’)
- पोषम्
- nourishment, increaseNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्मRoot पोष (प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्वति
- impels, furthersVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot √इन्/ईन् (Vedic) ‘to set in motion, to impel, to further’
- वसूयवः
- we, desiring wealthAdjective/Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot वसूयु (प्रातिपदिक; ‘desiring wealth’)
- वसुपतिम्
- the lord of wealthNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्मRoot वसुपति (प्रातिपदिक; ‘lord of wealth’)
- शतक्रतुम्
- the hundred-powered (Indra)Adjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचनRole विशेषण (of the object)Root शतक्रतु (प्रातिपदिक; ‘of a hundred powers/acts’, epithet of Indra)
- स्तोमैः
- with hymns, with praisesNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया बहुवचनRole करणRoot स्तोम (प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्रम्
- IndraNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्मRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- हवामहे
- we invoke, we callVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, उत्तमपुरुष बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot √ह्वा (ह्वयति/ह्वयते) ‘to call, invoke’
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धि-विग्रह): यस्मै | त्वम् | वसो | दानाय | मंहसे | सः | रायः | पोषम् | इन्वति | वसूयवः | वसुपतिम् | शतक्रतुम् | स्तोमैः | इन्द्रम् | हवामहे । प्रमुख सन्धि: (1) रायस् + पोषम् → रायस्पोषम् (विसर्ग-लोप/सकारादेश)
- (2) स्तोमैः + इन्द्रम् → स्तोमै॒रिन्द्रं (विसर्गः → र्, ‘रुँ’ सन्धि)
The meaning
Outer meaning
To whom you, O Vasu, give generous gifts, he increases prosperity and abundance. We seekers of riches call Indra, lord of riches, hundred-powered, with hymns.
Inner meaning
When the divine Substance (vasu) flows through Indra’s power of giving, the recipient’s inner ‘wealth’ grows—poṣa is not mere accumulation but the flourishing of consciousness and capacity. Vasūyavaḥ are those who seek true riches: stable light, strength, delight, and right action. Stoma becomes the instrument that aligns the being to receive and then to ‘drive forward’ (invati) the increase—sadhana turns grace into growth.
Universal truth
Grace is catalytic: what is given must be increased by conscious collaboration; true prosperity is the expansion of inner capacities aligned to the divine order.
Themes
spiritual abundance, invocation by stoma, Indra as lord of riches, inner nourishment
The seer
- Rishi
- Kaṇva
- Lineage
- Kāṇva
- Other hymns
- RV 8.52.3, RV 8.52.4, RV 8.52.5, RV 8.52.7
Family tradition
Kāṇva spirituality highlights the economy of inner sacrifice: invocation → descent of wealth → increase through right action.
Significance
A practical formula for sadhana: receive, then ‘increase’—the Vedic insistence on active participation with grace.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Vasupati, Śatakratu, Vaso (as lord of substance/wealth)
- Related deities
- Kubera (later wealth-lord, conceptual parallel), Agni, Soma
Cosmic role
Distributor of divine wealth won by victory; empowers flourishing of the worlds.
Inner power
Capacity to organize energies and resources inwardly—turning scattered impulses into prosperous harmony.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra stotra for prosperity and increase
यस्मै॒ त्वं व॑सो दा॒नाय॒ मंह॑से॒ स रा॒यस्पोष॑मिन्वति । व॒सू॒यवो॒ वसु॑पतिं श॒तक्र॑तुं॒ स्तोमै॒रिन्द्रं॑ हवामहे ॥
यस्मै॑ । त्वम् । व॒सो॒ इति॑ । दा॒नाय॑ । मंह॑से । सः । रा॒यः । पोष॑म् । इ॒न्व॒ति॒ । व॒सु॒ऽयवः॑ । वसु॑ऽपतिम् । श॒तऽक्र॑तुम् । स्तोमैः॑ । इन्द्र॑म् । ह॒वा॒म॒हे॒ ॥
yasmai | tvam | vaso iti | dānāya | maṃhase | saḥ | rāyaḥ | poṣam | invati | vasu-yavaḥ | vasu-patim | śata-kratum | stomaiḥ | indram | havāmahe
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4 × 12 (probable)
Balanced didactic statement followed by collective resolve; smooth, prosperous cadence.
Creates confidence in growth; supports a mindset of abundance with discipline rather than grasping.
- वसो (vaso)
- Literal: O Vasu; wealthy one. Symbolic: divine substance/essential richness behind forms
- दानाय (dānāya)
- Literal: for giving. Symbolic: the movement of grace as bestowal
- मंहसे (maṃhase)
- Literal: you are generous/impelling. Symbolic: forceful generosity that accelerates growth
- रायः (rāyaḥ)
- Literal: wealth, plenitude. Symbolic: inner riches—light, strength, harmony
- पोषम् (poṣam)
- Literal: increase, thriving. Symbolic: flourishing of the being’s powers
- इन्वति (invati)
- Literal: drives forward, sets in motion. Symbolic: active collaboration; turning gift into progress
- वसुपतिम् (vasupatim)
- Literal: lord of riches. Symbolic: master of inner resources; organizer of abundance
- स्तोमैः (stomaiḥ)
- Literal: with hymns. Symbolic: rhythmic formations of aspiration that open receptivity
Soma-stotra style invocation; used to invoke Indra as giver of poṣa (increase) and rayi (plenitude)
Soma rites and ancillary invocations for rāyas-poṣa (increase of wealth).
Chanting with offering; intention to receive and expand resources.
Prosperity mantra in the inner sense: for increasing clarity, steadiness, and capacity; suitable before financial/work planning with ethical alignment.
vasu: 'good, excellent, substance' (often ‘wealth’)—psychologically the stable essence that supports growth. √maṃh: to enlarge, be bounteous; indicates an expansive bestowal. poṣa from √puṣ ‘to thrive, nourish’. invati from √inv ‘impel, set going’. havāmahe from √hū ‘call’ (middle voice emphasizes inward appropriation).
rāyas-poṣa (growth of fullness of being), grace-to-effort dynamic (gift leading to self-propulsion: invati), krátu as effective will
Right increase is increase that supports ṛta—harmony and right functioning.
Prosperity grounded in truthfulness and right relation (non-grasping).
World-process as continuous increase through divine giving and human cooperation.
Integral approach: abundance as spiritual growth, not mere material gain.
Increase = organic flourishing of faculties; treasure = consolidated inner force; hymn = tuning-fork for receptivity.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘gift that becomes self-increase’: Indra’s generosity (maṃhase) initiates a movement where the seeker ‘impels’ (invati) the growth of rayi/poṣa. Mythically, divine bestowal turns into human expansion—grace becomes dynamic tapas.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √puṣ (poṣa) continues Indo-Iranian patterns of ‘thriving/nourishing’. The middle voice in havāmahe reflects the older Indo-European reflexive/benefactive nuance: invocation is for inward possession, not merely outward address.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The r̥ṣi frames a law of reciprocity: Indra gives enlargement; the human recipient converts it into sustained increase. The hymn (stoma) is the instrument that aligns the seeker with ṛta so the gift becomes stable growth.
Receptivity to ‘vasu’ (substance) and commitment to increase it through right habits and right thought.
Svādhiṣṭhāna (flow of substance/pleasure refined) harmonized with Maṇipūra (increase/poṣa).
Slow nasal breathing with gentle internal mantra on exhale to cultivate receptivity; pause after exhale to feel ‘increase’.
Quietly abundant; stable receptivity.
Chant, then list (mentally) the inner riches you seek (clarity, patience, courage). Offer one concrete action to ‘drive forward’ that increase today.
Sustain a calm udātta lift on invocations (vaso, indraṃ) and let descriptive clauses flow evenly; avoid aggressive peaks—this is a ‘poṣa’ verse.
Highlight vaso, dānāya, maṃhase, rāyas poṣam, invati, vasupatiṃ, śatakratuṃ, stomair, havāmahe.
(maṃhase): nasal ‘ṃ’ before h; do not drop it., ṣ (poṣam): retroflex ṣ; ‘po-ṣam’., (vasūpatim): long ū; clear ‘pa’., (havāmahe): long ā; ‘he’ ending light.
Warm, even, resonant; ‘giving’ tone.
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