Rig Veda 2.19.6: Mandala 2, Sukta 19, Mantra 6
Sukta 2.19
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Raudra (fury)
स रन्धयत्सदिवः सारथये शुष्णमशुषं कुयवं कुत्साय । दिवोदासाय नवतिं च नवेन्द्रः पुरो व्यैरच्छम्बरस्य ॥
sá randhayat sa-dívaḥ sā́rathaye śúṣṇam aśúṣaṃ kúyavaṃ kútsāya | divódāsāya navatíṃ ca návéndraḥ puró vyàirac chámbarasya ||
Ia menundukkan Śuṣṇa, si pengering, dan Kuyava bagi Kutsa, sang sais dari langit. Demi Divodāsa, Indra memecahkan terbuka sembilan puluh sembilan kubu Śambara.
Word by Word
- सः
- he (Indra)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) → स
- रन्धयत्
- subdued, brought under controlVerbलङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role क्रियाRoot रन्ध् (रन्धयति) धातु
- सदिवः
- accompanied by heaven / with the skyAdjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम् (इन्द्रस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृ (विशेषणम्)Root स-दिव् (उपसर्ग/पूर्वपद ‘स’ + दिव्/दिवस् ‘द्यौः/स्वर्ग’)
- सारथये
- to the charioteerNounपुंलिङ्गः, चतुर्थी, एकवचनम्Role सम्प्रदानRoot सारथि (प्रातिपदिक)
- शुष्णम्
- ŚuṣṇaNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot शुष्ण (प्रातिपदिक; दैत्यनाम)
- अशुषम्
- un-drying, not withering (i.e., vigorous)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम् (शुष्णम् इति विशेषणम्)Role कर्म (विशेषणम्)Root अ-शुष (प्रातिपदिक; ‘अ’ नञ् + शुष ‘सूखापन/बल’)
- कुयवम्
- KuyavaNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot कुयव (प्रातिपदिक; दस्यु/असुरनाम)
- कुत्साय
- for KutsaNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्गः, चतुर्थी, एकवचनम्Role सम्प्रदानRoot कुत्स (प्रातिपदिक; ऋषिनाम)
- दिवोदासाय
- for DivodāsaNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्गः, चतुर्थी, एकवचनम्Role सम्प्रदानRoot दिवोदास (प्रातिपदिक; राजनाम)
- नवतिम्
- ninetyNumeralस्त्रीलिङ्गः (पुरः इति स्त्रीलिङ्गस्य विशेषणम्), द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्म (विशेषणम्)Root नवति (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चयार्थक अव्ययम्Root च
- नव
- nineNumeralस्त्रीलिङ्गः (पुरः इति स्त्रीलिङ्गस्य विशेषणम्), द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्/अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (संख्याविशेषणम्)Role कर्म (विशेषणम्)Root नव (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्रः
- IndraNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- पुरः
- fortresses, strongholdsNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्Role कर्मRoot पुर्/पुरा (प्रातिपदिक ‘पुर्’)
- वि
- apart, asunderIndeclinable (preverb)उपसर्गः (क्रियायोगे)Root वि (उपसर्ग)
- ऐरच्छत्
- broke through, piercedVerbलङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role क्रियाRoot ऋच्छ्/अर्च्छ् (ऋच्छति/अर्च्छति) धातु
- शम्बरस्य
- of ŚambaraNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्धRoot शम्बर (प्रातिपदिक; दस्युनाम)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धिविग्रहः): सः | रन्धयत् | स-दिवः | सारथये | शुष्णम् | अ-शुषम् | कुयवम् | कुत्साय | दिवोदासाय | नवतिम् | च | नव | इन्द्रः | पुरः | वि | ऐरच्छत् | शम्बरस्य । मुख्य-सन्धयः: (1) स रन्धयत् → सः रन्धयत् (विसर्गलोपः पदान्ते) । (2) सदिवः → स-दिवः (समास/उपपद-योगः; ‘दिवः’ इति षष्ठी-एकवचनम्) । (3) सारथये शुष्णम्—पदान्त/पदादि संयोगः, विशेष-सन्धि न आवश्यकः । (4) नवेन्द्रः → नव + इन्द्रः (अ + इ → ए; संधिः) । (5) व्यैरच्छत् → वि + ऐरच्छत् (इ + ऐ → व्यै; यणादेशः/वृद्धिसन्धिः) ।
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra subdued Śuṣṇa and Kuyava for Kutsa, the charioteer of heaven. For Divodāsa, Indra broke open ninety-nine strongholds of Śambara.
Inner meaning
Indra overcomes specific forms of resistance: Śuṣṇa ‘the drying one’ is the force that desiccates delight and aspiration—psychic drought. Kuyava is a deceiving, perverting impulse (crooked will) that misleads the vital. Kutsa, ‘charioteer of the heavenly’, symbolizes the guided dynamic will (life-force yoked to the higher). For Divodāsa (‘servant/giver of the divine light’), Indra breaks open the ninety-nine ‘fortresses’ of Śambara: entrenched subconscient formations, habitual defenses of ignorance that partition the being. The opening of forts is the liberation of blocked energies and lights into the conscious field.
Universal truth
Spiritual progress requires naming and conquering distinct resistances—drought of joy, deceit of impulse, and entrenched habit-structures—so the will can serve the higher and the inner light can expand.
Themes
Indra’s battles, Overcoming dryness (Śuṣṇa), Breaking fortresses (Śambara), Aid to allies
The seer
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Lineage
- Bhārgava (traditional)
- Other hymns
- RV 2.14 (Indra and battles), RV 2.20, RV 2.23–2.24 (word-power and release)
Family tradition
The second maṇḍala often narrates Indra’s mythic victories as inner psychology: each ‘demon’ is a specific obstruction in sādhanā.
Significance
The seer maps a taxonomy of resistances; the mantra functions as a diagnostic and a call for targeted force.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Vṛtrahan (by extension), Purandara (breaker of forts, implied), Śūra
- Related deities
- Maruts (storm-powers aiding breakthroughs), Agni (will leading sacrifice), Bṛhaspati (breaker of caves by the Word)
Cosmic role
Breaker of closed formations; liberator of waters/lights; protector of the Arya (the striving being).
Inner power
Dynamic discrimination and force that pierces entrenched patterns and restores flow of delight and right action.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra praise in Soma ritual; also recited in contexts seeking victory/protection
स र॑न्धयत्स॒दिव॒: सार॑थये॒ शुष्ण॑म॒शुषं॒ कुय॑वं॒ कुत्सा॑य । दिवो॑दासाय नव॒तिं च॒ नवेन्द्र॒: पुरो॒ व्यै॑र॒च्छम्ब॑रस्य ॥
सः । र॒न्ध॒य॒त् । स॒ऽदिवः॑ । सार॑थये । शुष्ण॑म् । अ॒शुष॑म् । कुय॑वम् । कुत्सा॑य । दिवः॑ऽदासाय । न॒व॒तिम् । च॒ । नव॑ । इन्द्रः॑ । पुरः॑ । वि । ऐ॒र॒त् । शम्ब॑रस्य ॥
saḥ | randhayat | sa-divaḥ | sārathaye | śuṣṇam | aśuṣam | kuyavam | kutsāya | d ivaḥ-dāsāya | navatim | ca | nava | indraḥ | puraḥ | vi | airat | śambarasya
44
4 x ~11
Hard, percussive; lists foes and then the climactic ‘opening of forts’.
Invokes forceful resolve; helpful for cutting repetitive patterns and fatigue.
- शुष्णम् (śuṣṇam)
- Literal: Śuṣṇa (the drying one). Symbolic: psychic drought; loss of rasa/joy; tamasic depletion
- कुयवम् (kuyavam)
- Literal: Kuyava (a foe). Symbolic: perverting desire, deceitful impulse, distorted motivation
- कुत्साय (kutsāya)
- Literal: for Kutsa. Symbolic: the life-will as charioteer when aligned to the ‘heavenly’ mind
- सारथये (sārathaye)
- Literal: to the charioteer. Symbolic: the guiding faculty that steers prāṇa under higher direction
- दिवोदासाय (divodāsāya)
- Literal: for Divodāsa. Symbolic: one who gives/serves the divine light; the soul’s generous aspiration
- नवतिं च नव (navatiṃ ca nava)
- Literal: ninety and nine. Symbolic: many-layered fixities; near-total enclosure of consciousness
- पुरः (puroḥ)
- Literal: forts, strongholds. Symbolic: subconscient habit-walls; fixed mental-vital formations
- शम्बरस्य (śambarasya)
- Literal: of Śambara. Symbolic: the hoarder/coverer power that stores light in the subconscient
Heroic catalogue of Indra’s victories; ritually strengthens the sacrificer’s confidence in overcoming entrenched resistances (puraḥ) and aridity (Śuṣṇa).
When invoking Indra as destroyer of obstacles and protector in contests.
Offerings with martial stotra; symbolic ‘breaking open’ of obstruction.
Use when facing relapse into old habits or when energy feels ‘dry’: chant to restore flow and break inner walls.
śuṣṇa: from √ 'to dry'; symbolizes aridity of consciousness, absence of Soma-rasa. /puraḥ: 'fort, stronghold' (PIE *pl̥h₂-? uncertain); in RV becomes image of obstructive structures. divodāsa: 'giver/servant of heaven' (divo + dāsa); a human figure representing one who serves the luminous. Randhayat from √ 'to subject, subdue'.
breaking fixed formations of ignorance (puraḥ), restoring rasa/delight against dryness, divine aid to human exemplars (Kutsa, Divodāsa)
Breaking forts restores the free movement of powers according to ṛta rather than compulsive habit.
Expansion by rupture of limitation; liberation of concealed energies from the subconscient storehouse.
Yoga of transformation: conquest of tamas (Śuṣṇa) and distortion (Kuyava) enabling ascent and widening.
dry season turning to rain (suggested by Śuṣṇa vs Indra’s storm force)
Dryness = loss of rasa; storm-force = decisive spiritual energy; forts/caves = subconscious enclosures.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The fortress-breaking and drought-conquering mythologem: Indra subdues powers of dryness and entrenched resistance (Śuṣṇa, Śambara’s forts). Psychologically, it is the breaking of rigid subconscient formations and the restoration of sap/delight needed for the journey.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The storm-god as breaker of enclosures/forts is a recurrent IE pattern (thunder-force opening what is shut). The demon as 'drying' (from √śuṣ) encodes a natural-to-psychological mapping: drought → lack of inner rasa, a metaphorical extension typical of archaic IE poetics.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The ṛṣi cites exemplars (Kutsa, Divodāsa) to show Indra’s consistent companionship with the striving human. The devotee invokes this precedent so that Indra may similarly subdue inner dryness and shatter the fortified resistances encountered in practice.
Locate the ‘dry place’ in the being (where joy/faith is absent). Call Indra’s force there; visualize walls cracking and a cool luminous current returning.
maṇipūra (will-force) supporting anāhata (restored rasa)
Kapalabhati-light (if appropriate) or strong exhales for 1–2 minutes, then calm breathing while chanting.
From tamasic blockage to energized clarity and forward movement.
Identify one entrenched ‘fort’ (a repetitive thought loop). During chanting, see it as a wall; after chanting, take one concrete action that contradicts the pattern.
Keep a strong udātta on randhayat and key enemy names; let ‘puro vy airat’ be the climactic lift.
Articulate enemy names distinctly; pause slightly before ‘puro’ to emphasize the breakthrough.
śuṣṇam: retroflex ṣ, and ‘ṣṇ’ cluster clear, kuyavam: ‘ku-ya’ light glide, avoid ‘kuyvum’, divodāsāya: long ā in -dā-, and final -ya, vy airat: separate ‘vi’ + ‘airat’ in chanting flow, don’t swallow the vowel
Forceful, percussive, steady; avoid shouting—aim for controlled power.
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.
