Rig Veda 7.18.11: Mandala 7, Sukta 18, Mantra 11
Sukta 7.18
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
एकं च यो विंशतिं च श्रवस्या वैकर्णयोर्जनान्राजा न्यस्तः । दस्मो न सद्मन्नि शिशाति बर्हिः शूरः सर्गमकृणोदिन्द्र एषाम् ॥
ékaṃ ca yó viṃśatíṃ ca śravasyā́ vaikarṇáyor jánān rājā́ nyàstaḥ | dasmó ná sádmann ní śiśāti bárhiḥ śūráḥ sárgam akṛṇod índra eṣām ||
Dia yang menundukkan raja—yang satu dan dua puluh—daripada kaum Vaikarṇa, demi meraih kemasyhuran. Seperti pembuat keajaiban di rumah, ia menyusun barhis (hamparan suci) pada tempatnya; Indra, sang wira, menjadikan bagi mereka pelepasan yang memutus, lontaran yang menentukan.
Word by Word
- एकम्
- oneAdjective/Numeralनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Karma (गणनाविशेष्य/परिमाण)Root एक (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चयार्थक अव्ययRoot च (निपात)
- यः
- whoPronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- विंशतिम्
- twentyNoun/Numeralस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole Karma (गणनाविशेष्य/परिमाण)Root विंशति (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चयार्थक अव्ययRoot च (निपात)
- श्रवस्याः
- of fame / gloriousAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root श्रवस्या (प्रातिपदिक; श्रवस्-सम्बद्ध ‘कीर्त्य/यशस्कर’)
- वैकर्णयोः
- of the two VaikarṇasNoun (Proper/Tribal)पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, द्विवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root वैकर्ण (प्रातिपदिक; ‘विकर्ण’/‘वैकर्ण’ नाम/गोत्र)
- जनान्
- peoples / menNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot जन (प्रातिपदिक)
- राजा
- the kingNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (सम्बन्धे ‘यः’ इत्यस्य विशेषण/अप्पोज़िशन)Root राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- नि
- down; in/intoIndeclinableउपसर्ग (अवरोह/न्यस्त-भाव)Root नि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- अस्तः
- set down / placedVerb (Past Participle)क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (राजा इत्यस्य विशेषण)Role Kartā-विशेषणRoot अस् (धातु) + त (क्त; क्त-प्रत्यय)
- दस्मः
- wondrous; mightyAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā-विशेषण (इन्द्रस्य)Root दस्म (प्रातिपदिक)
- न
- likeIndeclinableउपमार्थक अव्ययRoot न (उपमा-निपात)
- सद्मन्
- in the seat/abodeNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (वेदिक रूप; ‘सद्मनि’ अर्थे)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot सद्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- नि
- down; thoroughlyIndeclinableउपसर्ग (निश्शेष/अवरोह)Root नि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- शिशाति
- sharpens / sets in orderVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kriyā (कर्तृ: इन्द्रः)Root शि/शै (धातु; ‘शिश्/शि’—तीक्ष्णीकरण/प्रेरण)
- बर्हिः
- the sacred grass (barhis)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Karma (शिशाति इत्यस्य)Root बर्हिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- शूरः
- the heroAdjective/Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā-विशेषण (इन्द्रस्य)Root शूर (प्रातिपदिक)
- सर्गम्
- a rush/charge; onslaughtNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot सर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
- अकृणोत्
- made; wroughtVerbलुङ् (अorist/इम्पर्फेक्ट), परस्मैपद, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kriyā (कर्तृ: इन्द्रः)Root कृ (धातु)
- इन्द्रः
- IndraNoun (Deity)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- एषाम्
- of these (men/peoples)Pronounपुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी, बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धि-निरसन): एकं च | यः विंशतिं च | श्रवस्याः वैकर्णयोः जनान् | राजा नि-अस्तः (न्यस्तः) || दस्मः न सद्मन्-नि (सद्मन्नि) शिशाति | बर्हिः | शूरः सर्गम् अकृणोत् | इन्द्रः एषाम् || 1) न्यस्तः = नि + अस्तः (उपसर्ग-सन्धि)
- 2) सद्मन्नि = सद्मन् + नि (अव्यय-समास/सन्धि; ‘सद्मनि’ अर्थे वेदिक रूप)
The meaning
Outer meaning
He set down the king—one and twenty—of the Vaikarṇa peoples for fame. Like a wonder-worker at home he arranges the sacred seat; Indra the hero made for them the decisive casting-forth/release.
Inner meaning
The ‘king one-and-twenty’ suggests a consolidated leadership of many sub-forces (a collective formation) that Indra ‘sets down’—brings to a stop, disarms, or puts in its place. In psychological terms, a central ego-formation that rules many tendencies is dethroned for the sake of śravas (true renown: the soul’s victorious manifestation). Indra is ‘dasmaḥ’—the skillful wonder-worker—who in the inner home (sadman) sets the barhis: prepares the seat/ground of offering, i.e., establishes a purified, receptive foundation in consciousness. Then comes sarga—casting forth: a release from bondage, a decisive expulsion of the obstructing formation.
Universal truth
Spiritual progress requires both inner preparation (a true seat of offering) and decisive release: the dethroning of centralized ego-structures that command many minor habits.
Themes
Decisive rout/release, Indra as craftsman of the inner seat, Fame as luminous fulfilment (śravas)
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha-gotra
- Other hymns
- RV 7.18, RV 7.19, RV 7.23
Family tradition
Ritual mastery aligned with inner mastery: the Vasiṣṭha line links correct ‘seat’ (barhis) with psychological readiness and victory.
Significance
Integrates outer yajña imagery with inner yoga: preparation of the seat and the decisive release of obstructing rulers in the being.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Dasma (wonder-worker, skillful), Śūra (hero), Vṛtrahan, Maghavan
- Related deities
- Agni (priest of the inner sacrifice), Bṛhaspati (lord of the word), Mitra-Varuṇa (order)
Cosmic role
Overthrows oppressive rulerships; establishes the right seat for the gods; effects release/discharge of obstruction.
Inner power
Skillful transformative force: prepares the inner ground (barhis) and executes decisive liberation (sarga).
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra praise within Soma-yajña; barhis/seat imagery aligns with altar preparation
एकं॑ च॒ यो विं॑श॒तिं च॑ श्रव॒स्या वै॑क॒र्णयो॒र्जना॒न्राजा॒ न्यस्त॑: । द॒स्मो न सद्म॒न्नि शि॑शाति ब॒र्हिः शूर॒: सर्ग॑मकृणो॒दिन्द्र॑ एषाम् ॥
एक॑म् । च॒ । यः । विं॒श॒तिम् । च॒ । श्र॒व॒स्या । वै॒क॒र्णयोः॑ । जना॑न् । राजा॑ । नि । अस्तः॑ । द॒स्मः । न । सद्म॑न् । नि । शि॒शा॒ति॒ । ब॒र्हिः । शूरः॑ । सर्ग॑म् । अ॒कृ॒णो॒त् । इन्द्रः॑ । ए॒षा॒म् ॥
ekam | ca | yaḥ | viṃśatim | ca | śravasyā | vaikarṇayoḥ | janān | rājā | ni | astaḥ | dasmaḥ | na | sadman | ni | śiśāti | barhiḥ | śūraḥ | sargam | akṛṇot | indraḥ | eṣām
44
4×11
Authoritative and declarative; a ‘settling’ beat followed by a releasing thrust.
Creates a sense of inner order and readiness; ends with a liberating momentum.
- rājā (राजा)
- Literal: king. Symbolic: central ego-formation or ruling habit-structure
- ekaṃ ca viṃśatiṃ ca (एकं च विंशतिं च)
- Literal: one and twenty. Symbolic: a consolidated collective of sub-forces; many tendencies unified under one rule
- śravasyā (श्रवस्या)
- Literal: for fame/renown. Symbolic: for the soul’s true victory and luminous manifestation
- sadman (सद्मन्)
- Literal: home, seat. Symbolic: the inner dwelling-place of consciousness where sacrifice is prepared
- barhiḥ (बर्हिः)
- Literal: sacrificial grass/seat. Symbolic: prepared receptive foundation; purified nervous-mental ground for descent of light
- sarga (सर्ग)
- Literal: sending forth, discharge, release. Symbolic: decisive expulsion of obstruction; liberation of bound energies
Indra victory and establishment; barhis-ordering imagery links to Soma ritual preparation
During sequences emphasizing Indra’s victory and the correct setting of ritual space
Consecration of the seat (barhis) and invocation of Indra to ‘cast out’ obstruction
A short pre-meditation ‘setup’ verse: prepare your seat/body-mind, then invoke decisive release of the ruling distraction.
√sṛj (sargám) ‘let go, release, discharge’ is pivotal: Indra creates a ‘release’—mythically routing enemies, psychologically discharging pent-up obstruction. barhís as the ‘seat’ is not mere ritual furniture: it is the ordered foundation in consciousness where the god-force can sit/work. śiśāti ‘sharpens/sets’ continues the theme of making the inner instrument keen.
release (sarga) as liberation of energies, ordered seat (barhis) as prepared consciousness
Right ‘seating’ of the sacrifice mirrors establishing ṛta in the inner home.
True renown (śravas) is the soul’s truth-manifestation, not social acclaim.
Sarga resonates with cosmic ‘sending forth’—here as inner liberation and re-creation of order.
Integral yoga reading: preparation (purification/receptivity) + decisive transformation (expulsion of ego-rule).
Seat = stable posture and purified ground; home = heart-center of being; release = discharge of blocked energies.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Indra ‘casts down’ the king and makes ‘sarga’—a discharge/rout. Psychologically, the god-force both prepares the inner seat (barhis) and releases the bound obstruction, enabling a new order of consciousness.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √sṛj ‘release’ is related to PIE *sergʰ-/*sreg- ‘to let go/throw’ (comparative alignments proposed; exact correspondences vary). √yeug- is not here, but the ritual lexicon (barhis) shows Indo-European sacral ‘seat/foundation’ semantics in poetic form.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The ṛṣi sees Indra as both warrior and ritual-artisan: he defeats the hostile leadership and simultaneously ‘sets’ the barhis—meaning the divine power acts effectively when the human field is made ready, and it itself perfects that readiness.
Prepare the inner seat (barhis) and invoke the power that dethrones the ruling distraction/ego-knot.
mūlādhāra (stability of seat)
3 settling breaths: inhale down to the pelvic floor, exhale lengthened; then one strong exhale imagining ‘sarga’—casting out the obstruction.
Grounded, prepared, decisive release
Sit firmly. Make the ‘barhis’: relax the jaw, soften the belly, lengthen the spine. Identify the ‘king’—the dominant pattern that rules your day. On the final pāda, release it as a discharge into space; return to quiet readiness.
Emphasize the cadence on action-verbs: ‘ny astaḥ’, ‘ni śiśāti’, ‘akṛṇot’.
Keep ‘dasmo na sadman’ intimate and inward (home-seat), then let the final ‘sargam’ be projected outward (release).
vaikarṇayor: keep ai diphthong; retroflex ṇ in karṇa, śravasyā: śra-va-syā with clear ś, barhiḥ: h not voiced; keep rhi crisp, akṛṇod: retroflex ṛ; final d lightly released
Ritually precise, then more forceful on the final release phrase
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