Rig Veda 4.22.9: Mandala 4, Sukta 22, Mantra 9
Sukta 4.22
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Raudra (fury)
अस्मे वर्षिष्ठा कृणुहि ज्येष्ठा नृम्णानि सत्रा सहुरे सहांसि । अस्मभ्यं वृत्रा सुहनानि रन्धि जहि वधर्वनुषो मर्त्यस्य ॥
asmé várṣiṣṭhā kṛṇuhi jyéṣṭhā nṛmṇā́ni satrā́ sahure sáhāṃsi | asmábhyaṃ vṛtrā́ su-hánāni randhi jahí vádhar vanúṣo mártyasya ||
Wahai Indra, jadikanlah pada kami kuasa-Mu yang paling menurunkan hujan, yang tertua—kekuatan-kekuatan kepahlawanan yang menewaskan dalam pertempuran yang berterusan. Untuk kami, wahai pembunuh Vṛtra, kurniakan penewasan-penewasan yang baik; hempaskan dan hancurkan senjata si fana yang mencari untuk mencederakan.
Word by Word
- अस्मे
- in/for usPronounसप्तमी (locative), एकवचन (sg)Role अधिकारणRoot अस्मद्
- वर्षिष्ठाः
- most mighty / best (ones)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (विशेषणरूपेण)Root वृध् → वर्षिष्ठ (superlative adj.)
- कृणुहि
- make!Verbलोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot कृ
- ज्येष्ठाः
- eldest / greatestAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (विशेषणरूपेण)Root ज्येष्ठ (superlative adj.)
- नृम्णानि
- manly powers / heroic strengthsNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot नृम्ण
- सत्रा
- always, altogetherIndeclinableअव्ययRole क्रियाविशेषणRoot सत्रा
- सहुरे
- for the overpowering oneAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (dat.), एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot सहुर (adj. stem) / सह् (semantic base ‘to overpower/endure’)
- सहांसि
- strengths, mightsNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot सहस्
- अस्मभ्यम्
- to/for usPronounचतुर्थी (dat.), बहुवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot अस्मद्
- वृत्रा
- Vṛtras / obstructersNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot वृत्र
- सुहनानि
- good-to-slay / easily slainAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्म (विशेषण)Root सु-हन् (kṛdanta: ‘well-smiting’) → सुहन
- रन्धि
- subdue! bring under control!Verbलोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot रन्ध्
- जहि
- smite! kill!Verbलोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot हन्
- वधः
- slaying, slaughterNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot वध
- वनुषः
- of the desirer/striver (enemy)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (gen.), एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot वनुष
- मर्त्यस्य
- of the mortalNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (gen.), एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot मर्त्य
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (pada-wise): अस्मे | वर्षिष्ठाः | कृणुहि | ज्येष्ठाः | नृम्णानि | सत्रा | सहुरे | सहांसि || अस्मभ्यम् | वृत्रा | सुहनानि | रन्धि | जहि | वधः | वनुषः | मर्त्यस्य । Notable: (1) ‘अस्मे’ is Vedic loc. sg. of अस्मद् (‘in/for us’)
- (2) ‘सत्रा’ is an indeclinable adverb ‘always/altogether’
- (3) ‘सुहनानि’ is a kṛdanta-based adjective from सु-हन् ‘to smite well’, used as neut
- acc. pl. qualifying ‘वृत्रा’
- (4) ‘सहुरे’ is dat. sg. of an adjective-stem ‘सहुर’ (‘overpowering’), governing the sense ‘for the overpowering one’
The meaning
Outer meaning
Make in us your most abundant, eldest heroic powers that conquer in the continuous battle. For us, O slayer of Vṛtra, grant good slayings; strike down the weapon of the mortal who would wound.
Inner meaning
Invoke Indra to establish within our nature his ‘raining’ powers—descents of force and illumination—most ancient (jyeṣṭhā) and most effective. These are nṛmṇāni: manly/heroic energies of the soul that endure and prevail in the unceasing inner conflict. ‘Vṛtras’ are the coverers: inertia, ignorance, subconscient resistance. We ask for ‘good slayings’—right victories without violence of ego—and for the disabling of the hostile instrument: the impulsion in the mortal nature that seeks to injure (self-sabotage, doubt, divisive speech).
Universal truth
Spiritual progress requires not only inspiration but enduring powers that repeatedly conquer resistance; true victory is the removal of the obscuring force and the disarming of harmful impulses.
Themes
Vṛtra-slaying, Inner protection, Establishing heroic powers, Right victory (su-han)
The seer
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 4.16, RV 4.17, RV 4.22
Family tradition
Gautama lineage hymns often frame Indra as the inner warrior of light, converting outer combat into psychological conquest.
Significance
Vāmadeva emphasizes a disciplined heroism: the descent of higher powers must be made stable ‘in us’ and used for repeated victories over the coverer.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra (Vṛtrahan)
- Epithets
- Vṛtrahan, Sahura (conquering/enduring, by sense), Maghavan (contextual)
- Related deities
- Agni, Soma, Maruts
Cosmic role
Breaks the obstruction, releases the waters/lights, and sustains the victorious movement of the gods in the worlds.
Inner power
Force of illumination and courageous mastery that defeats inner darkness and protects the aspirant from hostile impulses.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra stotra within Soma rites; also protective invocation in battle/contest contexts (by later usage)
अ॒स्मे वर्षि॑ष्ठा कृणुहि॒ ज्येष्ठा॑ नृ॒म्णानि॑ स॒त्रा स॑हुरे॒ सहां॑सि । अ॒स्मभ्यं॑ वृ॒त्रा सु॒हना॑नि रन्धि ज॒हि वध॑र्व॒नुषो॒ मर्त्य॑स्य ॥
अ॒स्मे इति॑ । वर्षि॑ष्ठा । कृ॒णु॒हि॒ । ज्येष्ठा॑ । नृ॒म्णानि॑ । स॒त्रा । स॒हु॒रे॒ । सहां॑सि । अ॒स्मभ्य॑म् । वृ॒त्रा । सु॒ऽहना॑नि । र॒न्धि॒ । ज॒हि । वधः॑ । व॒नुषः॑ । मर्त्य॑स्य ॥
asme iti | varṣiṣṭhā | kṛṇuhi | jyeṣṭhā | nṛmṇāni | satrā | sahure | sahāṃsi | asmabhyam | vṛtrā | su-hanāni | randhi | jahi | vadhaḥ | vanuṣaḥ | martyasya
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4 x ~11 syllables
Martial and insistent; suited to commands (kṛṇuhi, randhi, jahi).
Energizes will and courage; produces a protective, cutting clarity in the listener.
- varṣiṣṭhā
- Literal: most raining. Symbolic: Most abundant descent of power/light into the being
- jyeṣṭhā
- Literal: eldest, foremost. Symbolic: Primordial, highest faculties of the illumined mind
- nṛmṇāni
- Literal: heroic powers. Symbolic: Soul-forces of courage, mastery, and effective action
- satrā
- Literal: continually. Symbolic: The constant nature of sādhanā and inner battle
- Vṛtra/Vṛtrā
- Literal: the Coverer(s). Symbolic: Obstructions of ignorance, inertia, and subconscient darkness
- suhanāni
- Literal: good slayings. Symbolic: Right discriminations and victories that free without egoistic excess
- vadhar
- Literal: weapon. Symbolic: Harmful impulse, hostile formation, or destructive speech-thought
- martyasya
- Literal: of the mortal. Symbolic: Lower nature bound to limitation; the ego-sense
Protective and victorious invocation within Soma praise; used to secure ‘victory’ and ward off hostile forces (inner and outer) during the rite.
When seeking Indra’s aid for victory and removal of obstacles
Recitation to empower the sacrificer and ward off harm
Use before challenging tasks or during periods of inner resistance; as a ‘protective’ chant to cut through doubt and inertia.
varṣiṣṭhā ‘most raining’ from √vṛṣ ‘to rain/pour’ (also virile force): indicates descent/outpouring of higher energy into the being. nṛmṇá- ‘manly force’ again foregrounds effective might. vṛtrá- ‘obstruction’ from √vṛ ‘to cover, enclose’ → that which blocks; Indra as vṛtra-han is the power that breaks coverings. su-hánāni: su- ‘good/right’ + √han ‘strike’—not violence but right elimination of obstructive movements. √randh ‘to subject, bring under control; to grant’ fits the psychological sense: make hostile energies submissive, bestow victories.
Inner battle (continuous satrā struggle), Removal of obstruction (Vṛtra as covering), Descent of power into the vessel (asmé)
Indra’s victories restore ṛta by removing distortions and hostile formations.
‘Good slayings’ imply truth-guided discrimination rather than rajasic aggression.
Release of withheld powers through the breaking of the coverer.
Yoga of inner battle (Aurobindo’s ‘Vṛtra within’ reading); ethical purification of force.
A rain of higher power descends; it arms the seeker with luminous courage and disarms the lower nature’s harmful impulses.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Vṛtra-slaying transposed inward: the obstruction that seals the waters/light becomes the hostile ‘weapon’ in the mortal nature. Indra is invoked to establish in the seeker the foremost raining powers—continuous victorious forces that can strike down the attacking movement and restore right flow.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The cover/break opposition (vṛ- ‘cover’ → vṛtra ‘obstruction’ vs han ‘strike’) is an archaic mythic binary found across IE storm-god traditions (thunderer vs serpent/obstructor). The superlative varṣiṣṭhā shows inherited Indo-European gradation morphology used for sacral intensification.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi asks not only for external victory but for implantation ‘in us’ of Indra’s highest powers. The reciprocity: the human offers praise/aspiration; Indra answers by transforming the inner constitution—making it capable of sustained overcoming (satrā sahure).
Invoke the ‘eldest powers’ of illumined mind; visualize them raining into the head and heart, then cutting the knot of resistance in the belly/subconscient.
maṇipūra (battle with inertia) supported by ājñā (illumined command)
Brisk, even breathing for 1–2 minutes; then slow exhale while mentally repeating ‘jahi’ to release obstruction.
Dynamic concentration; fearless clarity.
Name the inner Vṛtra (habit, fear, dullness); call Indra’s power; act immediately on the clearest next step—this is the ‘good slaying’.
Tri-svara chanting; treat imperatives (kṛṇuhi, randhi, jahi) with a clear udātta lift and controlled svarita fall.
Keep pāda pauses after ‘sahāṃsi’ and ‘randhi’; sharpen consonants in ‘vṛtrā suhanāni’.
vṛtrā: vocalic ṛ is short and crisp, satrā: clear long ā, suhanāni: su-ha-nā-ni (do not merge ha-nā), vadhar: dh is aspirated; keep it distinct from d
Firm, protective, slightly percussive articulation.
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