Rig Veda 8.76.2: Mandala 8, Sukta 76, Mantra 2
Sukta 8.76
- Devata
- Indra
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Raudra (fury)
अयमिन्द्रो मरुत्सखा वि वृत्रस्याभिनच्छिरः । वज्रेण शतपर्वणा ॥
ayám índro marútsakhā́ ví vṛtrásyābhinác chíraḥ | vájreṇa śatáparvaṇā ||
ഈ ഇന്ദ്രൻ, മരുതുകളുടെ സഖാവ്, ശതപർവ്വമുള്ള വജ്രംകൊണ്ട് വൃത്രന്റെ ശിരസ് പിളർത്തി; തടസ്സത്തിന്റെ കെട്ട് പൊട്ടിച്ച്, ശക്തിയുടെയും പ്രകാശത്തിന്റെയും പ്രവാഹങ്ങൾ സ്വതന്ത്രമായി ഒഴുകാൻ ഇടയാക്കി.
Word by Word
- अयम्
- this (one)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role विशेषणम् (इन्द्रस्य) / कर्तृ-पदस्य सहचरःRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्रः
- IndraNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- मरुत्सखा
- friend/ally of the MarutsNoun/Adjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role विशेषणम् (इन्द्रस्य)Root मरुत् + सखि (समास-प्रातिपदिक; बहुव्रीहि/तत्पुरुष-प्रायः: ‘मरुतां सखा’)
- वि
- apart, asunder; forthIndeclinableRole क्रियाविशेषणम् (उपसर्गः)Root वि (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- वृत्रस्य
- of VṛtraNounपुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध (कर्मणः/वस्तुनः) — ‘of Vṛtra’Root वृत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- अभिनच्छिः
- has struck/has smitten (upon)Verbलिट् (परफेक्ट्), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role क्रिया (कर्तृ: इन्द्रः)Root नश् (धातु; ‘to reach/strike/attain’), उपसर्गः अभि-; (वेदिक्: परस्मैपद, लिट्/परफेक्ट् रूपम्)
- शिरः
- headNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- वज्रेण
- with the thunderboltNounपुंलिङ्गः, तृतीया, एकवचनम्Role करणRoot वज्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- शतपर्वणा
- (with the) hundred-jointed (one)Adjective (instrumental epithet of वज्र)पुंलिङ्गः/नपुंसकलिङ्गः (वज्र-विशेषणम्), तृतीया, एकवचनम्Role विशेषणम् (करणस्य)Root शतपर्वन् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘having a hundred joints/segments’)
Sandhi Notes
- संहिता-पाठः: अ॒यमिन्द्रो॑ म॒रुत्स॑खा॒ वि वृ॒त्रस्या॑भिन॒च्छिर॑: । वज्रे॑ण श॒तप॑र्वणा ॥ पद-विच्छेदः (सन्धि-निरासः): अयम् | इन्द्रः | मरुत्सखा | वि | वृत्रस्य | अभिनच्छिः | शिरः | वज्रेण | शतपर्वणा । मुख्य-सन्धयः: (1) अयम् + इन्द्रः → अयमिन्द्रः (म् + इ → मि)
- (2) वृत्रस्य + अभिनच्छिः → वृत्रस्याभिनच्छिः (अ + अ → आ)
The meaning
Outer meaning
This Indra, friend of the Maruts, split apart the head of Vṛtra with the hundred-jointed thunderbolt.
Inner meaning
Indra, illumined Mind allied with the Maruts (purified life-breaths/energies), breaks the ‘head’—the governing knot—of Vṛtra, the Coverer. The hundred-jointed vajra signifies a complex, many-faceted power of discrimination and force (multiple ‘joints’ of insight and will) that can penetrate layered resistance in the subconscient and release the blocked currents of light and energy.
Universal truth
Obstruction is often organized—having a ‘head’ that coordinates our ignorance. Liberation requires a many-sided, persistent power of insight and force that can break the central knot, not merely treat symptoms.
Themes
Vṛtra-slaying, Indra’s vajra, Maruts alliance, obstacle-breaking
The seer
Significance
The seer’s vision is archetypal: the decisive inner event where obstruction’s ‘command center’ is broken—an experiential turning point in yoga.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- marutsakhā (Marut-friend), vajrin (vajra-bearer), vṛtrahan (slayer of Vṛtra, implied)
- Related deities
- Maruts, Soma, Bṛhaspati, Agni
Cosmic role
Breaker of the obstruction; releaser of waters and light; establisher of the luminous order.
Inner power
Penetrating illumination and courageous force that breaks entrenched patterns in the subconscient/vital.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra victory-stotra within Soma rite cycles
अ॒यमिन्द्रो॑ म॒रुत्स॑खा॒ वि वृ॒त्रस्या॑भिन॒च्छिर॑: । वज्रे॑ण श॒तप॑र्वणा ॥
अ॒यम् । इन्द्रः॑ । म॒रुत्ऽस॑खा । वि । वृ॒त्रस्य॑ । अ॒भि॒न॒त् । शिरः॑ । वज्रे॑ण । श॒तऽप॑र्वणा ॥
ayam | indraḥ | marut-sakhā | vi | vṛtrasya | abhinat | śiraḥ | vajreṇa | śata-parvaṇā
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3 x 8 (probable)
Striking, percussive—mirrors the ‘cleaving’ action.
Produces a sense of cutting through; energizes resolve and sharpens discernment.
- मरुत्सखा (marut-sakhā)
- Literal: friend/companion of the Maruts. Symbolic: illumination supported by disciplined prāṇa and purified dynamism
- वृत्र (vṛtra)
- Literal: the coverer, obstructer. Symbolic: subconscient resistance; the power that blocks light, joy, and free movement
- शिरः (śiraḥ)
- Literal: head. Symbolic: central controlling formation of ignorance; the coordinating knot
- वज्र (vajra)
- Literal: thunderbolt. Symbolic: decisive force of illumined knowledge; irresistible spiritual power
- शतपर्वणा (śata-parvaṇā)
- Literal: hundred-jointed. Symbolic: multi-jointed discrimination; repeated strikes of insight across many layers
Recitation praising Indra’s Vṛtra-slaying in Soma ritual; reinforces the intention of removing obstacles for the sacrificer.
When affirming Indra’s power to overcome obstacles and release the ‘waters’
Recitation to strengthen the Indra-force in the sacrifice and in the sacrificer
Obstacle-breaking mantra for inner blocks (fear, addiction, inertia), paired with disciplined breath and clear intention.
(vṛtra) from √ (vṛ, 'to cover, obstruct') → 'the Coverer/Obstructor'. (vajra) tied to strength/hardness (√/√ semantic field); psychologically the compacted force of illumined will. - 'hundred-jointed': 'joint, knot, articulation'—suggests a power with many effective linkages, able to break complex obstruction. is traditionally from √/√ or √ in sense; here functionally 'he cleft' (aorist narrative).
battle of Light vs. obstruction, release of inner flows (waters as energies/knowledge), Rita’s restoration by breaking the cover
Slaying Vṛtra restores R̥ta by releasing what was held back.
Truth-force cleaves the false covering at its source.
Cosmic emergence through the breaking of the cover—release of hidden powers.
Aurobindonian psychological myth: Vṛtra as subconscient coverer; vajra as truth-force.
storm season (symbolic)
Thunderbolt = sudden decisive insight; storm-winds = prāṇa purification; blocked waters = held-back energies/joys.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The Vṛtra-slaying: Indra cleaves the head of the Obstructor with the vajra. Inner sense: the illumined force breaks the controlling knot in the mind/vital that blocks the free movement of truth and energy.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- vṛtra- from √ 'cover' aligns with PIE *wer- 'cover, shut' (cf. English 'war' not cognate; but 'to ward' is different; closer are notions of covering/closing in IE). The mythic lexeme shows inherited Indo-Iranian patterning: Avestan cognates for obstructing demons and storm-god victory motifs.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi does not ask directly; he establishes faith by recounting the decisive archetypal deed. Praise of the primordial victory functions as an invocation of that same power to act now in the sacrificer’s inner field.
Bring attention to the ‘head-knot’ of a recurring pattern (the thought that governs it). Invoke Indra to cleave it with discerning force.
Ājñā (cutting insight) and Manipura (force to act)
Kapalabhāti (gentle, 30–60 strokes) then silent pause; recite once, feeling a ‘vajra’ of clarity descending through the brow.
From entanglement to breakthrough and release.
Do not fight many symptoms. Locate the governing idea/fear (‘śiraḥ’) and strike it with a clear decision aligned to truth; then let the released energy flow into constructive action.
Emphasize the strike-words (indraḥ, vṛtrasya, vajreṇa) with clear udātta lift; end with firm cadence on śata-parvaṇā.
ayám índro… marútsakhā́… ví vṛtrásyā́bhinac chíraḥ… vájreṇa… śatáparvaṇā́ (approx.).
abhinat: ‘a-bhi-nat’ with dental t, śiraḥ: ‘shi-rah’ with final ḥ lightly released, vajreṇa: ‘va-j-ṇa’ (jra cluster) cleanly, śata-parvaṇā: keep retroflex ṇ; long ā at end
Percussive, resolute, like a single decisive stroke.
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