Rig Veda 4.24.1: Mandala 4, Sukta 24, Mantra 1
Sukta 4.24
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
का सुष्टुतिः शवसः सूनुमिन्द्रमर्वाचीनं राधस आ ववर्तत् । ददिर्हि वीरो गृणते वसूनि स गोपतिर्निष्षिधां नो जनासः ॥
kā́ suṣṭutíḥ śávasaḥ sūnúm índram arvācīnáṃ rā́dhase ā́ vavartat | dadír hí vīró gṛṇaté vásūni sá gṓpatir niṣṣídhāṃ no janāsaḥ ||
Pujian sempurna apakah yang akan memalingkan Indra—putera Kekuatan—ke arah kami demi kurnia-Nya? Kerana sang wira benar-benar mengurniakan harta kepada yang memuji; dia, Gopati, Tuan kawanan yang bercahaya, menghalau daripada kami tekanan yang menindih, wahai manusia.
Word by Word
- का
- which? what (fem.)Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (प्रश्नवाचक कर्तृ-स्थान) / विषयःRoot किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
- सु॑ष्टु॒तिः
- good praise, fine hymnNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (विषयः) / विधेय-सम्बन्धःRoot सु-स्तुति (स्तु √स्तु ‘to praise’)
- शव॑सः
- of strength, of mightNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी) — ‘of might’Root शवस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- सू॒नुम्
- sonNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole Karma (आह्वान/स्तुति-गम्यः)Root सू॒नु (प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्र॑म्
- IndraNoun (Proper)पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole Karma (स्तुति/आवर्तनस्य विषयः)Root इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- अर्वाची॒नम्
- turned hither, facing towards usAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (इन्द्रम् इति विशेषणम्)Role Karma-विशेषणRoot अर्वाचीन (प्रातिपदिक)
- राध॑सः
- of bounty, of giftNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी) — ‘of bounty’Root राधस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- आ
- towards, hitherIndeclinable (Preverb)उपसर्गः (ववर्तत् इत्यस्य)Role क्रियाविशेषण (दिशा/सम्प्राप्ति)Root आ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- ववर्तत्
- turned (hither), came/was directedVerbलङ् (इम्परफेक्ट्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole Kriyā (मुख्यक्रिया) — कर्ता: सु॑ष्टु॒तिःRoot √वृत् (वर्तते/वर्तयति) ‘to turn, to come/roll’
- द॒दिः
- giverNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (द्वितीयवाक्ये) — सः (इन्द्रः) द॒दिःRoot द॒दि (प्रातिपदिक; ‘giver’, RV-विशेषः) < √दा ‘to give’
- हि
- for, indeedIndeclinableनिपातःRole सम्बन्ध/हेतु-प्रदर्शनRoot हि (अव्यय)
- वी॒रः
- heroNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (द॒दिः/सः इत्यस्य विशेषण-रूपेण) / विधेय-सम्बन्धःRoot वीर (प्रातिपदिक)
- गृ॑ण॒ते
- to the praiser (who sings/praises)Verb (participle-like finite form) / verbal formलट्, आत्मनेपद, तृतीयपुरुष, एकवचन (वेदे ‘to the praiser’ अर्थे दत्तिवत् प्रयोगः)Role Sampradāna (दत्तेः प्राप्ता) — ‘to the one who praises’Root √गृ (गृणाति) ‘to sing/praise’
- वसू॑नि
- goods, richesNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole Karma (ददाति इत्यर्थे)Root वसु (प्रातिपदिक)
- स
- hePronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (तृतीयवाक्ये) — इन्द्रःRoot तद् (सः/सा/तत्) सर्वनाम
- गोप॑तिः
- lord of cattleNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā-विशेषण / विधेय-नामRoot गो-पति (गो + पति)
- निः
- out, forthIndeclinable (Preverb)उपसर्गः (षिधां इत्यस्य धात्वर्थे)Role क्रियाविशेषण (अपगम/निष्क्रमण-भाव)Root निः (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- ष्षिधाम्
- to repel, to ward offVerb (infinitival/gerundive-like Vedic form) / verbal nounतुमुन्/धातुनाम-प्रायः: ‘to repel/ward off’ (कर्म-सम्बन्धः)Role Karma/प्रयोजन (गोपतिः … ‘to ward off’)Root √सिध्/√षिध् (वेद. रूप; ‘to drive away/ward off, to repel’)
- नः
- our, for usPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी, बहुवचन (वेदे ‘our/us’)Role सम्बन्ध/सम्प्रदान (अस्माकं/अस्मभ्यं) संदर्भेRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- जनासः
- O people, menNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole Sambodhana/Addressed group (सम्बोधन-प्रायः) / श्रोत्र-विषयःRoot जन (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धिविग्रह): का | सु॑ष्टु॒तिः | शव॑सः | सू॒नुम् | इन्द्र॑म् | अर्वाची॒नम् | राध॑सः | आ | ववर्तत् || द॒दिः | हि | वी॒रः | गृ॑ण॒ते | वसू॑नि | स | गोप॑तिः | निः-षिधाम् | नः | जनासः || 1) निः + षिधाम् → निःषिधाम्
- संहितायां ‘निःषिधाम्’ इत्यत्र विसर्गस्य षकारे परे ष्ष-समास/संयोगः (निःषिधाम् → नि॒ष्षिधाम् लेखनम्).
- ‘आ ववर्तत्’ इति उपसर्ग-क्रिया पृथक् पदे। 3) उच्चारणचिह्नाः (उदात्त/स्वरित) मूलपाठानुसारं पदेषु यथास्थानं।
The meaning
Outer meaning
The poet asks what highest praise can turn Indra—son of Strength—toward us for generosity. Indra gives wealth to the singer; as lord of the herds, he drives away oppressive constraints for the people.
Inner meaning
The question is a yogic one: what vibration of right speech (suṣṭuti) can draw the illumined Mind-Power (Indra, śavasaḥ sūnu) into the seeker’s consciousness so that it releases inner riches (vasūni) and removes the forces that press down and restrict (niṣṣidhāḥ). The ‘herds’ are the rays of knowledge (go), guarded and led by Indra as gopati; when the mantra is rightly formed and sincerely offered, illumination turns ‘toward us’ (arvācīnam) and breaks the psychological compression that blocks progress.
Universal truth
A rightly tuned aspiration and truthful praise align the human mind with a higher intelligence; then inner resources awaken and the weight of limiting patterns lifts. Spiritual help responds most surely to sincerity, clarity, and the right word.
Themes
Indra as giver, Cow/light guardianship, Overcoming constraints
The seer
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama (hymn-level tradition; verse attribution sometimes listed as unknown)
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 4.18, RV 4.20, RV 4.26, RV 4.27
Family tradition
Vāmadeva is a principal seer of Maṇḍala 4; his Indra hymns often move from battle-imagery to inner conquest—illumination breaking coverings and releasing the ‘cows’ of knowledge.
Significance
Vāmadeva’s vision emphasizes Indra as the awakener of the luminous mind and the liberator of hidden light; praise is not flattery but a precision-invocation that shapes consciousness.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- śavasaḥ sūnu (son of Strength), vīra (hero), gopati (lord of the luminous herds), maghavā (bounteous)
- Related deities
- Agni, Soma, Bṛhaspati, Uṣas
Cosmic role
Breaker of the Coverer, releaser of the waters/lights, establisher of wide space for life and thought.
Inner power
Illumined intelligence and decisive will that dispels depression, fear, and constriction; awakens right seeing and effective action.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-stotra within Soma-yajña praise sequences (general)
का सु॑ष्टु॒तिः शव॑सः सू॒नुमिन्द्र॑मर्वाची॒नं राध॑स॒ आ व॑वर्तत् । द॒दिर्हि वी॒रो गृ॑ण॒ते वसू॑नि॒ स गोप॑तिर्नि॒ष्षिधां॑ नो जनासः ॥
का । सु॒ऽस्तु॒तिः । शव॑सः । सू॒नुम् । इन्द्र॑म् । अ॒र्वा॒ची॒नम् । राध॑से । आ । व॒व॒र्त॒त् । द॒दिः । हि । वी॒रः । गृ॒ण॒ते । वसू॑नि । सः । गोऽप॑तिः । निः॒ऽसिधा॑म् । नः॒ । ज॒ना॒सः॒ ॥
kā | su-stutiḥ | śavasaḥ | sūnum | indram | arvācīnam | rādhase | ā | vavartat | dadiḥ | hi | vīraḥ | gṛṇate | vasūni | saḥ | go--patiḥ | niḥ-sidhām | naḥ | janāsaḥ
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4 pādas × ~11 syllables
Firm, forward-driving, suited to invocation and heroic ascent.
Builds resolve and upward pressure; the cadence supports calling down a decisive clarity that ‘turns toward’ the chanter.
- सुस्तुतिः (suṣṭutiḥ)
- Literal: well-formed praise. Symbolic: right speech/mantric formulation that aligns consciousness
- शवसः सूनुम् (śavasaḥ sūnum)
- Literal: son of strength. Symbolic: Indra as born of tapas/inner force; the emergent power of illumination
- अर्वाचीनम् (arvācīnam)
- Literal: turned toward (us). Symbolic: descent/turning of higher consciousness toward the seeker
- राधसे (rādhase)
- Literal: for giving, bounty. Symbolic: grace as effective power; inner abundance released
- वसूनी (vasūni)
- Literal: treasures. Symbolic: attainments: clarity, force, joy, capacities of the soul
- गोपतिः (gopatiḥ)
- Literal: lord of cows. Symbolic: guardian of rays of knowledge/illumined perceptions
- निष्षिधाम् (niṣṣidhām)
- Literal: down-pressings, restraints. Symbolic: subconscient pressure, depressive obstruction, limiting formations
Indra-invocation in Soma praise to draw the deity ‘hither’ for rādhas (bounty) and removal of constraints
During Indra invocations accompanying pressing/offerings; also as a stotra for strength and removal of obstacles.
Recitation/chant to invite Indra’s presence and generosity; offering with clarified intention.
Use as a mantra of ‘right aspiration’: before study, decision-making, or when feeling mentally oppressed—chant to invoke clarity and wideness.
śavas ‘strength’ from √śū/√śav ‘to be strong’. rādhas ‘bounty’ relates to giving/beneficence as spiritual richness. gopati ‘lord of cows’ ties to the cow-as-light myth. niḥ-sidh from √sidh ‘to repel/ward off; also ‘to succeed’ in other contexts’: here niḥ- ‘down/away’ + sidh indicates forces that ‘press down/obstruct’; Indra removes these.
right praise as effective alignment, bounty (rādhas) as spiritual riches, removal of suppression (niḥ-sidh)
Right praise aligns the human word with Ṛta, enabling the descent of Indra’s ordering light.
Bounty is ‘true’ when it establishes real wideness and freedom, not merely outer gain.
Release of hidden light/wealth through victorious illumination.
Proto-Vedāntic/Vedic yoga of ascent and descent (Aurobindonian psychological reading)
The ‘herds’ are rays of insight; ‘treasures’ are inner capacities; ‘down-pressings’ are tamasic/subconscient weights that block the ascent.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Indra as the giver-hero and lord of the luminous herds who removes suppressing forces: a condensed Vṛtra/cow-guardianship pattern where the deity’s approach brings release and riches.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √dā ‘give’ is PIE *deh₃- ‘give’ (Latin dō). go- ‘cow’ is PIE *gʷōus. The inherited economy of gift and praise (do ut des) is encoded through rādhas (bounty) and stuti (praise).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi seeks the precise ‘su-stuti’ that turns Indra toward the human sphere; the exchange is hymn for bounty. Indra’s response is twofold: bestowal of vasu (inner riches) and removal of niḥ-sidh (downward constraints) so the community can rise.
Invoke the illumined Mind to turn toward you; offer speech as precise aspiration; feel the ‘wide space’ replacing pressure.
ājñā (brow) and anāhata (heart-wideness)
Moderate nāḍī-śodhana for 6–8 cycles, then chant on steady exhale.
From compressed/tamas to widened sattva with a spark of heroic clarity.
Before chanting, form one clear intention (what constraint is to be driven out). Chant 9 or 27 times; after each set, sit quietly and notice where space opens and what new insight (go) arises.
Mixed udatta/anudatta/svarita as per RV śākhā; preserve udātta on key invocatory words (índram, vī́raḥ).
Keep the main lift on ‘índram’; avoid flattening the cadence in pāda 2; let pāda endings settle gently.
: pronounce ‘suṣ-ṭu-tiḥ’ (retroflex ṭ), : ‘śa-va-saḥ’ (soft ś), : ‘ar-vā-cī-nam’ long ā, ī, : geminate ṣṣ ‘niṣ-ṣidhām’ with clear retroflex ṣ
Clear, resonant, slightly forceful (Indra-invocation) with controlled breath.
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