Rig Veda 8.90.6: Mandala 8, Sukta 90, Mantra 6
Sukta 8.90
- Devata
- Indra
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Karuna (compassion)
तमु त्वा नूनमसुर प्रचेतसं राधो भागमिवेमहे । महीव कृत्तिः शरणा त इन्द्र प्र ते सुम्ना नो अश्नवन् ॥
tám u tvā nū́nam asura prácetasaṃ rā́dho bhā́gam ivemahe | mahī́va kṛ́ttiḥ śaraṇā́ ta indra prá te sumnā́ no aśnavan ||
ഹേ അസുര, വിശാലപ്രചേതസ്സുള്ളവനേ, ഇപ്പോൾ നിശ്ചയമായി ഞങ്ങൾ നിന്നെ റാധസ്സിന്റെ (സമ്പദിന്റെ) ഒരു പങ്കുപോലെ തേടുന്നു. ഹേ ഇന്ദ്ര, നിന്റെ ശരണം മഹത്തായ മറപോലെ സംരക്ഷണമാകുന്നു; നിന്റെ സുമ്നങ്ങൾ (കൃപാപ്രസാദങ്ങൾ) ഞങ്ങളിലേക്കെത്തി, ഞങ്ങൾ അവയെ പ്രാപിക്കട്ടെ.
Word by Word
- तम्
- him/that (one)Pronounपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- उ
- indeed/andIndeclinableनिपात (अव्यय)Root उ (निपात)
- त्वा
- you (acc.)Pronounद्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- नूनम्
- now; surelyIndeclinableकाल/निश्चयार्थक अव्ययRoot नूनम् (अव्यय)
- असुर
- O Asura (mighty lord)Noun (vocative epithet)पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन; एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
- प्रचेतसम्
- the wise/foreknowing oneAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole विशेषण (कर्मणि) / कर्मRoot प्र-चेतस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- राधः
- bounty; giftNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन (वैदिक रूप: -ः = -स्)Role कर्मRoot राधस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- भागम्
- share; portionNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
- इव
- as; likeIndeclinableउपमार्थक अव्ययRoot इव (अव्यय)
- ईमहे
- we seek/beseechVerbलट् (वर्तमान); उत्तमपुरुष; बहुवचन; आत्मनेपदRole क्रियाRoot यम् (धातु; आत्मनेपद) / √यम् ‘to strive, seek, ask’ (वैदिक)
- मही
- great; mightyAdjective/Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृ/विशेष्य (अगले पद का)Root मही (प्रातिपदिक)
- इव
- as; likeIndeclinableउपमार्थक अव्ययRoot इव (अव्यय)
- कृत्तिः
- protection; covering (lit. a cut-out/garment)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृ (उपमा-विषय) / विशेष्यRoot कृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
- शरणा
- shelters; refugesNoun (vocative/nom. pl.)नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (या सम्बोधन); बहुवचनRole सम्बोधन/विशेषणRoot शरण (प्रातिपदिक)
- ते
- yourPronounषष्ठी; एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root त्वद्/युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन; एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- प्र
- forth; forwardIndeclinableउपसर्ग/निपातRoot प्र (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- ते
- for you; to youPronounचतुर्थी; एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot त्वद्/युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सुम्ना
- favors; blessingsNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; बहुवचन (वैदिक)Role कर्मRoot सुम्न (प्रातिपदिक)
- नः
- of us / usPronounषष्ठी/द्वितीया; बहुवचन (एन्क्लिटिक)Role सम्बन्ध/कर्म (संदर्भानुसार)Root अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अश्नवन्
- may they attain/reachVerbलोट् (आशीर्लिङ्/आज्ञार्थक वैदिक प्रयोग) अथवा लुङ्-आशीर्वादात्मक; तृतीयपुरुष; बहुवचन; परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot अश् (धातु) √अश् ‘to reach, attain’
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (pada-wise): तमु त्वा → तम् + उ + त्वा
- नूनमसुर → नूनम् + असुर (सम्बोधन)
- प्रचेतसं राधो → प्रचेतसम् + राधः (वैदिक नपुंसक -स् का रूप -ः)
- भागमिवेमहे → भागम् + इव + ईमहे
- महीव → मही + इव
- शरणा त इन्द्र → शरणा + ते + इन्द्र
- प्र ते → प्र + ते
- सुम्ना नो → सुम्ना + नः
- अश्नवन् is taken as a Vedic optative/benedictive ‘may (they) attain’
The meaning
Outer meaning
The worshippers seek Indra, called Asura of wide perception, for a share of wealth; his protection is like a vast cloak; may his favors reach them.
Inner meaning
Indra is invoked as asura-pracetasa—lordly power with wide, luminous discernment. The seeker asks not for outer gain alone but for a ‘share’ (bhāga) of the divine fulfillment (rādhas): the portion of light and strength needed now. Indra’s protection is a vast mantle—psychologically, a widening peace and guarding clarity that allows the being to endure the pressure of change. The ‘sumnā’ are harmonious graces—right arrangements of thought, life, and body under the higher Mind.
Universal truth
Spiritual progress needs both conquest and shelter: the higher intelligence not only removes obstacles but also provides a wide protection in which growth can safely mature.
Themes
Seeking fulfilment (rādhas), Refuge/protection (śaraṇa), Divine grace
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 8.90.1, Rig Veda 8.90.2, Rig Veda 8.90.3, Rig Veda 8.90.4, Rig Veda 8.90.5
Family tradition
Indra hymns of Mandala 8 often combine heroic motifs with protective grace; this verse leans to shelter and beneficence.
Significance
The seer emphasizes Indra’s wide perception and protective vastness—an integral yoga note: power must be accompanied by wideness and harmony.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- asura (sovereign power), pracetasa (wide-perceiving), śaraṇa (protector)
- Related deities
- Varuṇa (asura/wide law), Mitra (harmony), Agni (leader of sacrifice), Soma (delight)
Cosmic role
Bestower of rādhas (effective fulfillment) and guardian of the sacrificer; maintains victorious order with protective wideness.
Inner power
A vast, discerning intelligence that shelters the seeker and arranges the nature into harmony (sumnā).
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra praise in Soma context; also protective invocation (śaraṇa) within general śrauta recitations.
तमु॑ त्वा नू॒नम॑सुर॒ प्रचे॑तसं॒ राधो॑ भा॒गमि॑वेमहे । म॒हीव॒ कृत्ति॑: शर॒णा त॑ इन्द्र॒ प्र ते॑ सु॒म्ना नो॑ अश्नवन् ॥
तम् । ऊँ॒ इति॑ । त्वा॒ । नू॒नम् । अ॒सु॒र॒ । प्रऽचे॑तसम् । राधः॑ । भा॒गम्ऽइ॑व । ई॒म॒हे॒ । म॒हीऽइ॑व । कृत्तिः॑ । श॒र॒णा । ते॒ । इ॒न्द्र॒ । प्र । ते॒ । सु॒म्ना । नः॒ । अ॒श्न॒व॒त् ॥
tam | oṃ iti | tvā | nūnam | asura | pra-cetasam | rādhaḥ | bhāgam-iva | īmahe | mahī-iva | kṛttiḥ | śaraṇā | te | indra | pra | te | sumnā | naḥ | aśnavat
44
4 × ~11 syllables
Broad, sheltering flow; less ‘striking’ than prior verses—more expansive.
Elicits trust and receptivity; supports a feeling of being held in a wide protection while invoking grace.
- असुर (asura)
- Literal: lord, powerful being. Symbolic: sovereign mastery of consciousness-force (not later ‘demon’ sense)
- प्रचेतसम् (pracetasaṃ)
- Literal: widely perceiving, intelligent. Symbolic: luminous awareness that foresees and guides
- राधः (rādhaḥ)
- Literal: bounty, success, fulfillment. Symbolic: effective grace: capacities and results of inner offering
- भागम् (bhāgam)
- Literal: share, portion. Symbolic: the exact needed measure of descent for the current stage
- कृत्तिः (kṛttiḥ)
- Literal: cloak, mantle. Symbolic: wide protection—peace, containment, and supporting force
- शरणा (śaraṇā)
- Literal: refuge, protection. Symbolic: inner shelter in the divine Mind
- सुम्ना (sumnā)
- Literal: favors, graces, good-will. Symbolic: harmonizing influences that align the nature with truth
Supplication for protection (śaraṇā) and sumná during struggle; compatible with Soma context and general protective invocations.
When seeking protection and successful completion of offerings; also in times of vulnerability or transition.
Supplication (īmahe) and request for sumnā (graces) to ‘reach’ the worshippers.
Use as a protective mantra during anxiety, overload, or major life transitions—invoking wide discernment and sheltering peace.
asura in older RV often ‘lord of vital power’ (asu ‘breath, life’) rather than later demon sense; prácetas ‘fore-conscious’ (pra + cetas from √cit ‘to perceive’). sumná (su + √man ‘to think/settle’) suggests a ‘good settling/harmony’—a grace that establishes right inner arrangement.
Asura as lordship of life-force, Grace (sumná) as harmonising order
Protection is not mere defense but establishment of right order in the being—harmonizing sumnā as ṛta in life.
Pracetas implies truth-seeing intelligence guiding action and protection.
Vastness as a condition for stable manifestation; the cloak of protection as the widening base for further descent.
Integral-psychological Vedism: asura as sovereign consciousness-force; grace as effective harmonization.
Mantle = enveloping peace; refuge = inner station in a higher consciousness; ‘share of fulfillment’ = measured descent of force/knowledge.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Indra as Asura-pracetas: the sovereign of life-force and wide perception who grants a ‘share’ of fulfilment. The mythic king becomes the inner protector whose mantle-like refuge allows the seeker to endure and progress.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √cit ‘perceive’ (cetas) aligns with IE cognition roots; √aś ‘reach/attain’ has cognate-like semantics across IE. The metaphor of ‘share/portion’ (bhāga) reflects archaic distributive economy imagery common in IE ritual-poetic speech.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The Rishi approaches as a claimant of grace: he ‘seeks’ (īmahe) a rightful portion of rādhas, while acknowledging dependence on Indra’s shelter (śaraṇā). The requested reciprocity is not goods but sumná—an inner harmonising favour enabling attainment.
Rest in wide protection while asking for the ‘right share’ of force and clarity; cultivate trust in the guiding intelligence.
Anahata (shelter/faith) with Sahasrara (wide perception)
Lengthen exhale (e.g., 4 in / 8 out) while feeling a ‘mantle’ of peace descending over the head and shoulders.
Receptive wideness; protected openness to grace.
After a few repetitions, sit silently and sense where life feels exposed; invite Indra’s ‘kṛtti’ to cover that area; then ask for one concrete ‘bhāga’—a specific guidance or strength for today.
Three-tone Vedic style; keep a calmer melodic contour than the preceding ‘vira’ verses.
Emphasize: nūnam, asura, pracetasaṃ, rādho, śaraṇā, indra, sumnā.
pracetasaṃ: ‘ce’ is palatal; keep ‘ṃ’ nasalization, mahīva: long ī; do not shorten, aśnavan: pronounce ‘śn’ cluster cleanly
Warm, enveloping, steady; soften at line ends to evoke shelter.
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