Rig Veda 1.53.9: Mandala 1, Sukta 53, Mantra 9
Sukta 1.53
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
त्वमेताञ्जनराज्ञो द्विर्दशाबन्धुना सुश्रवसोपजग्मुषः । षष्टिं सहस्रा नवतिं नव श्रुतो नि चक्रेण रथ्या दुष्पदावृणक् ॥
tvám etā́ñ jana-rā́jño dvír dáśā́bandhunā su-śrávasā upa-jágmuṣaḥ | ṣaṣṭíṃ sahásrā navatíṃ náva śrutó ní cakréṇa rathyā́ duḥpádā avṛṇak ||
Engkau menjadikan raja-raja manusia itu—dua kali sepuluh—yang mara melawan Suśravas seolah-olah tanpa sandaran, berada pada tapak yang sukar; dan bala yang masyhur—enam puluh ribu, sembilan puluh dan sembilan—Engkau tumbangkan dengan roda kereta; demikianlah Engkau mengelirukan kekuatan-kekuatan kejahilan yang berhimpun.
Word by Word
- त्वम्
- thouPronounपुं/स्त्री/नपुं; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- एतान्
- thesePronounपुं; द्वितीया; बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- जनराज्ञः
- of the people-king (chieftain)Nounपुं; षष्ठी; एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root जन-राजन् (समास: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष; प्रातिपदिक: राजन्)
- द्विर्दशाबन्धुना
- with (his) ‘twice-ten’ kinsman/allyNoun (epithet)पुं; तृतीया; एकवचनRole सह/करण (तृतीया)Root द्विर्दशा-बन्धु (समास; प्रातिपदिक: बन्धु)
- सुश्रवसा
- with the famed one / with good fameAdjective/Noun (epithet)पुं; तृतीया; एकवचनRole सह/करण (तृतीया)Root सु-श्रवस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- उपजग्मुषः
- having approached (they)Participle (verbal adjective)पुं; प्रथमा; बहुवचन (लिट्-कृदन्त: ‘having approached’)Role कर्तृRoot उप-गम् (धातु: गम्) → परिपूर्ण-भूत कृदन्त (परफेक्ट/लिट्) ‘जग्मुष्’
- षष्टिम्
- sixtyNumeralस्त्री; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot षष्टि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
- सहस्राणि
- thousandsNounनपुं; द्वितीया; बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- नवतिम्
- ninetyNumeralस्त्री; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot नवति (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
- नव
- nineNumeralअव्यय (संख्यावाचक)Role विशेषण (संख्या-निर्देश)Root नव (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
- श्रुतः
- the famed/heard-of oneParticiple (verbal adjective)पुं; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृ/विशेषणRoot श्रु (धातु) → क्त (भूतकृदन्त) ‘श्रुत’
- नि
- down, forthIndeclinable (preverb)अव्ययRole क्रियाविशेषणRoot नि (उपसर्ग)
- चक्रेण
- with a wheel / with the discusNounनपुं; तृतीया; एकवचनRole करणRoot चक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- रथ्याः
- chariot-tracks/roadsNounस्त्री; द्वितीया; बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot रथ्या (प्रातिपदिक)
- दुष्पदाः
- hard to treadAdjectiveस्त्री; द्वितीया; बहुवचनRole कर्म-विशेषणRoot दुष्-पद (समास; प्रातिपदिक: पद)
- अवृणक्
- he removed/clearedVerbलुङ् (आोरिस्ट); परस्मैपद; 3 पुरुष; एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot वृज्/वृण् (धातु: ‘to turn/ward off, remove’; RV aorist form)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution: त्वम् + एतान् (no change). जनराज्ञः is a compound ‘जन-राज्ञः’ (of the people-king). द्विर्दशाबन्धुना is a compound (dvirdáśa- + bandhú-). सुश्रवसा + उपजग्मुषः: external sandhi gives सुश्रवसोपजग्मुषः (ā/ā́ + u → o). In pāda 2, the numerals are in apposition: षष्टिम् सहस्राणि नवतिम् नव = ‘sixty thousand, ninety-nine’. नि is preverb with the verb
- चक्रेण is instrumental of means. दुṣ्पदाः qualifies रथ्याः. अवृणक् is RV aorist 3sg.
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra made the twice-ten people-kings who attacked Suśravas (though he seemed without allies) stumble into a difficult footing; he overthrew the famed host—sixty thousand, ninety and nine—by the chariot wheel.
Inner meaning
The ‘kings of men’ are ruling impulses/claims in the nature—many authorities that govern thought and desire. They attack Suśravas (‘good fame/hearing’): the part of us that can truly hear the higher word and receive inspiration, even when it seems ‘without support’ (abandhu: lacking outer props). Indra turns the attackers into duṣpada (bad footing): their movements lose balance and coherence. The ‘wheel of the chariot’ is the turning law of illumined progression—disciplined, rhythmic advance (cakra = integrative rotation of knowledge-force) that crushes massed ignorance.
Universal truth
When genuine receptivity to truth stands firm, higher intelligence can unseat the many pretenders that rule the psyche; disciplined forward movement dismantles even vast accumulated ignorance.
Themes
overwhelming odds defeated, wheel (cakra) victory, collective hostile powers, protection of Suśravas
The seer
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Lineage
- Gāthin (Viśvāmitra lineage)
- Other hymns
- RV 1.53, RV 1.52
Family tradition
Narratives of allies and enemies encode inner forces; Viśvāmitra stresses the triumph of the rightly inspired listener over massed contrary powers.
Significance
Affirms that true receptivity (śravaṇa of the inner word) can prevail even when unsupported by outer circumstances.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- maghavan, vṛtrahan, rathī (charioteer/warrior, implied)
- Related deities
- Sarasvatī (inspiration/hearing), Bṛhaspati (word), Maruts (supporting energies)
Cosmic role
Organizer of victorious movement; turns the tide against massed hostile powers.
Inner power
Establishes right basis under the feet (pada); brings stability and coordinated advance that defeats chaos.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra victory stotra; recited for protection against hostile forces
त्वमे॒ताञ्ज॑न॒राज्ञो॒ द्विर्दशा॑ब॒न्धुना॑ सु॒श्रव॑सोपज॒ग्मुष॑: । ष॒ष्टिं स॒हस्रा॑ नव॒तिं नव॑ श्रु॒तो नि च॒क्रेण॒ रथ्या॑ दु॒ष्पदा॑वृणक् ॥
त्वम् । ए॒तान् । ज॒न॒ऽराज्ञः॑ । द्विः । दश॑ । अ॒ब॒न्धुना॑ । सु॒ऽश्रव॑सा । उ॒प॒ऽज॒ग्मुषः॑ । ष॒ष्टिम् । स॒हस्रा॑ । न॒व॒तिम् । नव॑ । श्रु॒तः । नि । च॒क्रेण॑ । रथ्या॑ । दुः॒ऽपदा॑ । अ॒वृ॒ण॒क् ॥
tvam | etān | jana-rājñaḥ | dviḥ | daśa | abandhunā | su-śravasā | upa-jagmuṣaḥ | ṣaṣṭim | sahasrā | navatim | nava | śrutaḥ | ni | cakreṇa | rathyā | duḥ-padā | avṛṇak
44
4 × ~11
Weighty, enumerative cadence (numbers) giving a sense of overwhelming opposition then sudden reversal.
Transforms intimidation into confidence; the ‘wheel’ rhythm feels like steady crushing progress.
- जनराज्ञः (janarājñaḥ)
- Literal: people-kings. Symbolic: ego-governing impulses; many ‘rulers’ in the mind-life
- द्विर्दश (dvir-daśa)
- Literal: twice ten (twenty). Symbolic: multiplicity of powers; organized bands of tendencies
- अबन्धु (abandhu)
- Literal: without kin/support. Symbolic: aspiration that stands without outer dependence; inner reliance
- सुश्रवस् (suśravas)
- Literal: good fame; good hearing. Symbolic: capacity to hear the true word; receptive intelligence
- दुःपदा (duṣpadā)
- Literal: bad footing. Symbolic: loss of stability of false movements; collapse of wrong basis
- चक्रेण (cakreṇa)
- Literal: by the wheel. Symbolic: law of progressive movement; integrative power that grinds down ignorance
- रथ्या (rathyā)
- Literal: of the chariot. Symbolic: yogic vehicle of disciplined action and will
Victory narrative used to invoke Indra’s capacity to rout overwhelming odds; supports the psychological stance of fearlessness in the sacrificial/inner battle.
In Soma sessions or protective rites where Indra’s overcoming is sought.
Libation/praise; symbolic trampling of enemies (inner/outer).
For anxiety before facing ‘too much’: chant to invoke the steady ‘wheel’—small consistent steps that dismantle large problems.
bandhu ‘kin, connection’ from √bandh ‘bind’ (a-bandhu = unbound/without ties); upa-√gam ‘approach’; cakra ‘wheel’ (PIE *kʷekʷlos ‘wheel’, cf. Greek kyklos); duḥ-pada ‘bad step/footing’ (pada from √pad ‘step’).
the solitary aspirant supported by divine force (a-bandhu → Indra as true bandhu), overthrow of entrenched multiplicities of ignorance, right movement vs. bad footing (pada imagery)
duṣpada vs. right footing: ṛta establishes true ‘pada’ (foundation) for consciousness.
Suśravas as true hearing aligns with satya-vāk (true word).
Order conquers chaotic multiplicity; the wheel symbolizes cosmic law in motion.
Integral psychological reading: stabilization of consciousness under higher governance.
Wheel = cyclic yet progressive discipline; chariot = embodied sadhana vehicle; massed host = accumulated inertia/samskara.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Indra’s victory against vast confederations: the divine force overturns the massed and ‘famed’ (habitual) powers of resistance, ensuring the triumph of the seemingly unsupported seeker.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- cakra directly reflects the PIE wheel-word *kʷekʷlos, a strong Indo-European cultural isogloss. The use of large numbers as poetic magnification is shared with other IE heroic traditions to mark the superhuman scale of divine intervention.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi frames Indra as the true support for the ‘a-bandhu’ condition of the human seeker: when outer supports fail, divine force becomes the inner kinship that overturns the collective pressures of the lower nature.
Stabilize ‘good hearing’—listen inwardly for the next true step; invoke Indra’s wheel as disciplined practice that crushes overwhelm.
mūlādhāra (footing/stability) with ājñā (guidance)
Box breathing 4-4-4-4 for steadiness; then chant on a slow exhale.
Steady, grounded courage; rhythmic perseverance.
Chant 11 times slowly. After each repetition, feel the soles of the feet (or base of spine) becoming firm. End by choosing one practical action-step (the ‘wheel-turn’) for the day.
Rigvedic accenting; keep numbers articulated clearly without rushing; maintain udātta prominence where marked in recitation tradition.
Slightly lengthen at caesura; emphasize ‘ni cakreṇa’ as the turning point (release/overthrow).
dvirdaśā: keep consonant cluster clean, suśravasopajagmuṣaḥ: break mentally into su-śravasā upa-jagmuṣaḥ for clarity, ṣaṣṭiṃ: retroflex ṣṭ, duṣpadā: retroflex ṣp; long ā at end
Steady, weight-bearing tone; avoid excessive speed on enumerations.
11
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Rig Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
