Rig Veda 1.178.1: Mandala 1, Sukta 178, Mantra 1
Sukta 1.178
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Karuna (compassion) and Vira (heroism)
यद्ध स्या त इन्द्र श्रुष्टिरस्ति यया बभूथ जरितृभ्य ऊती । मा नः कामं महयन्तमा धग्विश्वा ते अश्यां पर्याप आयोः ॥
yád dha syā́ ta indra śruṣṭír ásti yáyā babhū́tha jaritṛ́bhya ūtī́ | mā́ naḥ kā́maṃ maháyantam ā́ dhag víśvā te aśyāṃ páry ā́pa ā́yoḥ ||
Jika benar ada padamu, wahai Indra, pendengaran yang segera itu—yang dengannya engkau menjadi pertolongan bagi para penyanyi—maka janganlah engkau mengetepikan hasrat kami yang makin membesar; semoga aku mencapai segala kekayaanmu, melingkupinya seluruhnya, wahai daya-hidup (āyuḥ).
Word by Word
- यत्
- that which / sincePronounनपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम् (सम्बन्ध/यद्-तद्-सम्बन्धः)Role सम्बन्ध/विशेषण (यद्-उपवाक्य-प्रवर्तक)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) / यद्-शब्द
- ह
- indeedIndeclinableनिपातःRoot ह (निपात)
- स्याः
- you may be / you would beVerbविधिलिङ् (optative) परस्मैपदम्, मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role (सम्बन्ध-क्रिया)Root अस् (धातु)
- ते
- of you / yourPronounषष्ठी एकवचनम् (एन्क्लिटिक) अथवा चतुर्थी एकवचनम्; अत्र ‘तव’ (gen.)Role सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNounपुंलिङ्गे सम्बोधन एकवचनम्Role सम्बोधनRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- श्रुष्टिः
- hearing, attentive listeningNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ/विषय (अस्ति-क्रियायाः)Root श्रुष्टि (प्रातिपदिक; √श्रु ‘to hear’ से भाव/कृदन्त-निर्मिति)
- अस्ति
- isVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Root अस् (धातु)
- यया
- by whichPronounस्त्रीलिङ्गे तृतीया एकवचनम्Role करण (instrument)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- बभूथ
- you have become / you becameVerbलिट् (परिपूर्ण/परफेक्ट), परस्मैपदम्, मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Root भू (धातु)
- जरितृभ्यः
- to the praisersNounपुंलिङ्गे चतुर्थी बहुवचनम्Role सम्प्रदान (recipient)Root जरितृ (प्रातिपदिक; √गॄ/√जर् ‘to sing/praise’ से ‘praiser’)
- ऊती
- help, aidNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ/विषय (अभिप्रेत-‘भू’-सम्बन्धः: ‘ऊति’ रूपेण)Root ऊति (प्रातिपदिक)
- मा
- do notIndeclinableनिषेधः (prohibitive particle)Root मा (निषेध-निपात) अथवा मा (अव्यय)
- नः
- for us / ourPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी बहुवचनम् (एन्क्लिटिक); अत्र ‘अस्माकम्/अस्मभ्यम्’ सन्दर्भे ‘our/us’Role सम्प्रदान/सम्बन्ध (प्रार्थना-वाक्ये)Root अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- कामम्
- desire, wishNounपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot काम (प्रातिपदिक)
- महयन्तम्
- increasing, making greatParticiple (verbal adjective)पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम् (शतृ-प्रत्ययः; present active participle)Role विशेषण (कामम्)Root महय् (धातु; caus./denom. ‘to magnify, to gladden, to make great’) / महयन्त् (वर्तमान-कृदन्त)
- आ
- towards, untoIndeclinableउपसर्गः/अव्ययम्Root आ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- धक्
- then / indeed (Vedic particle)Indeclinableवैदिक-निपातःRoot धक् (निपात/अव्यय; वैदिक ‘धक्’ = ‘अथ/तदा/इति’ प्रकारेण, प्रायः पदपूरक/उद्गार)
- विश्वाः
- allAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role विशेषण (आपः)Root विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- ते
- yourPronounषष्ठी एकवचनम् (एन्क्लिटिक)Role सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अश्याम्
- may I attainVerbविधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपदम्, उत्तमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Root अश् (धातु ‘to reach, attain’)
- परि
- around, fullyIndeclinableउपसर्गः/अव्ययम्Root परि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- आपः
- watersNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role कर्म/विषय (अश्याम्—प्राप्नुयाम्)Root अप्/आप् (प्रातिपदिक ‘water’)
- आयोः
- of life / lifetimeNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे षष्ठी एकवचनम् (वैदिक रूप ‘आयोः’ = ‘आयुषः’)Role सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root आयु (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- सन्धि-विच्छेद (मुख्य): यद्ध → यत् + ह
- न॒: → नः
- महयन्त॒मा ध॒ग् → महयन्तम् + आ + धक् (वैदिक निपात ‘धक्’)
- अश्यां॒ पर्याप॑ → अश्याम् + परि + आपः
- आ॒योः = आयुषः (वैदिक षष्ठी एकवचन ‘आयोः’)
The meaning
Outer meaning
If Indra has the attentive hearing by which he helps the singers, then he should not reject their growing desire; may the speaker attain all Indra’s riches, encompassing them, O vital power.
Inner meaning
The seeker appeals to Indra’s śruṣṭi—his ready responsiveness to the soul-call. This ‘hearing’ is the law that illumination answers sincere aspiration. The growing kāma is not desire for pleasure but the intensifying will-to-realize. The prayer is that Indra not turn it aside, but allow the seeker to encompass (pary āpa) all his ‘riches’—the multiple powers of light, force, wideness, and joy that belong to the illumined consciousness. Addressing āyuḥ (vital power/life-force) indicates the transformation sought is not abstract: it must pervade and fulfill life-energy itself.
Universal truth
Spiritual aspiration grows by being answered. When higher intelligence responds, it should not remain a partial illumination; it must become an all-around possession that embraces life and reorganizes it.
Themes
Prayer for response, Aspiration and growth, Wealth as plenitude, Indra’s aid to singers
The seer
Significance
A prayer from the threshold of response: the seer knows Indra’s law of hearing and asks that aspiration be met fully, not deferred—an important psychological moment in the Vedic yoga of invocation.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Śrotā/Śruṣṭimat (the Hearer, implied), Sakhā (friend, developed in the next verse contextually)
- Related deities
- Agni (aspiration), Uṣas (dawn of knowledge), Soma (bliss that supports aspiration)
Cosmic role
Protector and helper of the inspired seers; grants riches of light and power.
Inner power
The answering illumination that validates aspiration and turns it into integrated attainment across the being, including life-force.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-stuti within offering rites; petition for aid and wealth
यद्ध॒ स्या त॑ इन्द्र श्रु॒ष्टिरस्ति॒ यया॑ ब॒भूथ॑ जरि॒तृभ्य॑ ऊ॒ती । मा न॒: कामं॑ म॒हय॑न्त॒मा ध॒ग्विश्वा॑ ते अश्यां॒ पर्याप॑ आ॒योः ॥
यत् । ह॒ । स्या । ते॒ । इ॒न्द्र॒ । श्रु॒ष्टिः । अस्ति॑ । यया॑ । ब॒भूथ॑ । ज॒रि॒तृऽभ्यः॑ । ऊ॒ती । मा । नः॒ । काम॑म् । म॒हय॑न्तम् । आ । ध॒क् । विश्वा॑ । ते॒ । अ॒श्या॒म् । परि॑ । आपः॑ । आ॒योः ॥
yat | ha | syā | te | indra | śruṣṭiḥ | asti | yayā | babhūtha | jaritṛ-bhyaḥ | ūtī | mā | naḥ | kāmam | mahayantam | ā | dhak | viśvā | te | aśyām | pari | āpaḥ | āyoḥ
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4 × ~11 syllables
Supplicatory but strong; conditional opening (‘if indeed…’) followed by a firm petition.
Creates intimate confidence—like speaking to a powerful ally—then expands into a wish for total, surrounding possession.
- श्रुष्टि (śruṣṭi)
- Literal: ready hearing, attentive listening. Symbolic: responsive openness of the higher Mind to the soul’s call
- ऊति (ūtī)
- Literal: help, aid. Symbolic: effective grace/power that intervenes in consciousness
- काम (kāma)
- Literal: desire. Symbolic: intensifying aspiration/will for realization
- विश्वा (viśvā)
- Literal: all. Symbolic: integral attainment; not a fragmentary change
- पर्याप (pary āpa)
- Literal: to reach around, encompass. Symbolic: to hold and integrate the powers received
- आयुः (āyuḥ)
- Literal: life, vital force. Symbolic: the life-energy to be fulfilled and divinized by illumination
Petitionary verse within Indra praise; used to secure Indra’s attentive response and abundance in Soma setting
When seeking Indra’s response to the call—often in sequences of invitation and boon-request
Recitation accompanying offerings and intention-setting
Use when motivation flags: a mantra to renew aspiration and ask for a tangible response that permeates daily life-energy.
śruṣṭi- from √śru ‘hear’ is not mere audition but responsive attention—divine ‘hearkening’. kāma- is aspiration; mahayantam ‘growing’ aligns with the Vedic ideal of expansion (bṛhat). √aś ‘reach’ (aśyām) emphasizes attainment as contact with a field of power. āyu- ‘life-force’ frames wealth as vital plenitude rather than material possession.
divine hearkening (śruṣṭi) as grace, expansion of aspiration (kāma mahayantam), plenitude as encompassing abundance
The ‘hearing’ is part of ṛta: true call elicits true response; aspiration and grace meet by law.
The singer’s call must be sincere and aligned; then Indra’s help becomes reliable.
Integration: surrounding and possessing powers—microcosmic ordering of life by light.
Integral yoga emphasis: realization must include āyuḥ (life), not only mind.
Sound/call symbolizes aspiration rising; ‘life’ symbolizes the vital field to be filled by the answering light.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Indra as the hearkening helper of the singers, asked not to turn away the aspirant’s growing desire. Psychologically, the ‘myth’ is the necessity of divine responsiveness: when the higher power listens, aspiration can expand and encompass the streams of abundance (āpaḥ) in the life-force (āyu).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √śru is PIE *ḱlew- ‘hear; fame’ (Greek klúō, kléos). āyu- relates to PIE *h₂eyu- ‘vital force, lifetime’ (cognates across Indo-Iranian). √aś ‘reach’ has possible PIE connections in ‘attain’ semantics, though exact mapping is debated.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi appeals to Indra’s established character—responsive to earlier singers—and converts it into a present claim: do not dismiss our aspiration. The exchange is ethical-spiritual: the poet’s sustained desire and praise seek Indra’s attentive sanction, which alone allows the plenitude to be ‘reached’ and held.
Cultivate the ‘call’ (havam) and receptive trust that illumination hears and answers.
Anāhata (heart’s aspiration) moving to Ājñā (illumined response)
Heart-focused breathing: inhale ‘calling’, exhale ‘receiving’ (6 breaths/min for 3–5 minutes).
Supplicatory openness with quiet strength.
Chant once, then pause and listen inwardly (śruṣṭi). Notice where aspiration is ‘growing’ and where doubt rejects it; offer that doubt into the mantra and return to a wider, surrounding awareness (pary āpa).
Rigvedic tri-svara method; exact accents require svara-marked recension text.
Mark a clear lift on ‘indra’; keep the conditional opening steady; broaden tone on ‘viśvā’ and ‘pary āpa’ to embody ‘encompassing’.
yad dha (separate yad | dha; avoid merging), śruṣṭir (ṣṭ cluster; retroflex ṣ), jaritṛbhyaḥ (ṛ vowel; bhyaḥ aspirated), mahayantam (h clear; do not nasalize wrongly), aśyām (ś palatal; long ā), āyuḥ (final ḥ audible, not dropped)
Intimate, prayerful, with widening resonance on the final pādas.
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