Rig Veda 8.92.31: Mandala 8, Sukta 92, Mantra 31
Sukta 8.92
- Devata
- Indra
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
मा न इन्द्राभ्यादिशः सूरो अक्तुष्वा यमन् । त्वा युजा वनेम तत् ॥
mā́ na indrābhyā́diśaḥ sū́ro aktúṣv ā́ yaman | tvā́ yujā́ vanema tát ||
Janganlah arah-arah yang memusuhi menekan kami, wahai Indra, sebagaimana matahari menempuh malam-malam; dengan Engkau sebagai sahabat sekukuh dalam kuk, semoga kami memenangi itu—kemenangan yang dihajati dan hasil yang benar.
Word by Word
- मा
- do not / lestIndeclinableनिषेधार्थक कण (prohibitive particle)Root मा (निषेध) / mā́
- नः
- to us / for usPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी बहुवचन (enclitic ‘nas’ = our / to us)Role SampradānaRoot अस्मद् (प्रथमपुरुष सर्वनाम)
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNoun (proper)सम्बोधन एकवचन, पुंलिङ्गRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- अभ्या
- towards / against (us)Indeclinableअव्यय; ‘towards/against, from near’ (Vedic usage)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot अभि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + आ (अव्यय) → अभ्या (Vedic adverbial form)
- दिशः
- the directions (quarters)Nounप्रथमा बहुवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्गRole KartāRoot दिश् (स्त्री. प्रातिपदिक)
- सूरः
- the hero / strong oneNounप्रथमा एकवचन, पुंलिङ्गRole KartāRoot सूर (पुं. प्रातिपदिक; ‘hero/strong one’)
- अक्तु
- in the night / in darknessNounसप्तमी एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग (Vedic locative)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot अक्तु (पुं. प्रातिपदिक; ‘night/darkness’)
- त्वा
- youPronounद्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot त्वद् (द्वितीयपुरुष सर्वनाम)
- यमन्
- restrain / hold backVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ) मध्यमपुरुष एकवचन, परस्मैपद; Vedic injunctive/imperatival nuanceRoot यम् (धातु)
- त्वा
- youPronounद्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot त्वद् (द्वितीयपुरुष सर्वनाम)
- युजा
- with (you as) our yoked ally / by yokingNoun (instrumental) / Kṛdanta-derived stemतृतीया एकवचन (Vedic instr. of युज्/युजा ‘as yoked helper/with yoke’)Role KaraṇaRoot युज् (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त-भाव; ‘yoke, yoked companion’)
- वनेम
- may we winVerbविधिलिङ्/लोट्-सम्भाव्य (optative/jussive) उत्तमपुरुष बहुवचन, परस्मैपदRoot वन् (धातु; ‘to win’)
- तत्
- that (prize/goal)Pronounद्वितीया एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्गRole KarmaRoot तद् (सर्वनाम)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (sandhi-resolved): मा | नः | इन्द्र | अभ्या | दिशः | सूरः | अक्तु | त्वा | यमन् | त्वा | युजा | वनेम | तत् । Notes: (1) इन्द्रा॒भ्या॒३॒॑दिश॒: is taken as इन्द्र + अभ्या + दिशः (Vedic sandhi/orthography with accent marks)
- (2) अ॒क्तुष्वा is resolved as अक्तु + त्वा (u + t → utv in saṃhitā writing)
- (3) Accent marks (udātta/anudātta/svarita) are preserved in the source but not re-applied per pada here beyond the given orthography
The meaning
Outer meaning
A prayer to Indra that hostile ‘directions’ (pressures from all sides) may not overpower the worshippers, as the sun moves through the nights; with Indra as yoked companion they seek to win the desired result.
Inner meaning
The sādhaka asks that adverse movements of consciousness—fear, doubt, hostile suggestions, and dispersing mental currents (ādiśaḥ)—not seize the being. ‘Sūryaḥ in the nights’ hints at the inner Sun (illumined mind) maintaining its course even through periods of obscurity. By yoking oneself to Indra (the illumined, victorious mind-force), one wins ‘tat’—the intended spiritual attainment: right action, right result, and inner victory.
Universal truth
When consciousness is yoked to a higher clarity and courage, opposing forces lose their power to press in from the periphery; perseverance of inner light through dark phases leads to the destined fulfilment.
Themes
protection-prayer, victory, light-through-darkness
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 8.92 (Indra-focused cluster), RV 8.93 (transition to Sūrya/Indraic praise)
Family tradition
Likely Kāṇva-style Indra hymnal tradition emphasizing victory, protection, and the allied movement of the divine powers.
Significance
The anonymity highlights a collective yogic voice: the seeker-community calling Indra as inner ally against surrounding adverse formations.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Vṛtrahā (implied in adjacent verses), Maghavan (bounteous), Sakha (friend/companion), Śakra (mighty, by function)
- Related deities
- Agni, Soma, Sūrya, Uṣas, Maruts
Cosmic role
Breaker of obstructions, releaser of the waters/light, leader of victorious movements in the cosmos.
Inner power
Illumined mind-force and courageous discernment that cuts through confusion and establishes right action.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-stotra within Soma-related praise sequences (general usage rather than a single fixed rite)
मा न॑ इन्द्रा॒भ्या॒३॒॑दिश॒: सूरो॑ अ॒क्तुष्वा य॑मन् । त्वा यु॒जा व॑नेम॒ तत् ॥
मा । नः॒ । इ॒न्द्र॒ । अ॒भि । आ॒ऽदिशः॑ । सूरः॑ । अ॒क्तुषु॑ । आ । य॒म॒न् । त्वा । यु॒जा । व॒ने॒म॒ । तत् ॥
mā | naḥ | indra | abhi | ādiśaḥ | sūraḥ | aktuṣu | ā | yaman | tvā | yujā | vanema | tat
Anuṣṭubh (probable, based on cadence and two-line structure)
32
4 pādas of ~8 syllables (compressed into two half-verses in some recensions)
Compact, martial-directive rhythm suited for protective resolve.
Builds a ‘shielding’ mental posture; steadies the will and aligns effort with a higher victorious intelligence.
- आदिशः (ādiśaḥ)
- Literal: directions/quarters; injunctions or indications from outside. Symbolic: pressures from all sides; hostile suggestions, dispersing currents of mind and life
- सूरः/सूर्यः (sūraḥ/sūryaḥ)
- Literal: sun. Symbolic: inner illumination; the truth-seeing mind that persists through obscurity
- अक्तुषु (aktuṣu)
- Literal: in the nights/darknesses. Symbolic: periods of ignorance, depression, subconscient obscurity
- युजा (yujā)
- Literal: as yoked companion. Symbolic: integration of the human effort with the divine Force; harnessed will
- वनेम (vanema)
- Literal: may we win. Symbolic: attainment by inner conquest; victory of truth over resistance
- तत् (tat)
- Literal: that. Symbolic: the sought realisation/result—right outcome aligned with ṛta
Apotropaic and victory-prayer within Indra-Soma hymns: protection from hostile quarters/powers; securing success (vana) with Indra as ally.
During offerings/praise to Indra for protection and victory; also adaptable to daily recitation for inner fortitude.
Stuti (praise) and yācñā (prayer) for warding off hostile forces and securing success.
Use as a mantra of psychological protection before challenging work, travel, or decisive conversations—‘yoking’ to clarity rather than reacting to pressure.
(pl.) from ā-√ ‘to point out, direct, command’ → ‘directions/indications’, extended to hostile ‘pressures’ in the quarters. ‘night’ (Vedic) associated with darkness/tamas. < √ ‘to win, gain’. ā ‘with as yoked’ from √ ‘yoke, join’ (PIE *yeug-). : Vedic form related to √ ‘to rein in, restrain, direct’—here: ‘let not (hostile forces) hem us in / control us’.
tamas vs. sūrya (illumination moving through darkness), protection from adverse forces (rakṣaṇa)
‘Winning that’ implies success aligned with ṛta, not merely personal gain.
Refusal to be pressed by false directions preserves truth-perception.
Light’s continuity through darkness—illumination as the cosmic thread.
Proto-Vedāntic/Integral (Aurobindonian) reading: ascent from obscurity to illumined mastery.
night (as inner obscurity) with the sun’s implied hidden course
The inner Sun of discernment moves even when outer mind feels ‘night’; hostile ‘quarters’ are peripheral impulses and suggestions.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The passage of light through darkness: like the sun traversing nights, the seeker asks Indra to prevent hostile powers from enclosing him, enabling the winning of the intended goal.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √ ‘yoke’ reflects PIE *yeug- (Lat. iugum, Eng. yoke). √ ‘win’ resonates with IE victory lexicon. The quarters as agentive forces is an archaic IE cosmopoetic trait.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- Indra is requested as protective yokemate: not merely giver of gifts but co-combatant; the rishi seeks shared agency (‘with you yoked’) to secure the result.
Yoking the mind to a higher illumined force; refusing hostile suggestions; holding a quiet victorious intention (‘tat’).
ājñā (discernment) and maṇipūra (will-force)
Equal ratio breathing (sama-vṛtti) while mentally repeating ‘tvā yujā’ on exhale to ‘yoke’ the being.
From scattered vigilance to steady luminous resolve.
In a difficult phase (‘night’), do not argue with every pressure; turn inward, invoke Indra, and keep the inner Sun’s course—act only from the yoked clarity.
Vedic accents as per śākha tradition: observe udatta on key vocatives (índra) and svarita/anudatta transitions; exact svara requires the pada-svara text of the recension.
Keep ‘índra’ crisp; avoid flattening the cadence at ‘tvā yujā vanema’.
Hold long vowels: mā, tvā, yujā., Retroflex clarity: ṛ in spṛś-like clusters not present here, but keep ‘ṣ’ in ādiśaḥ as palatal/retroflex per tradition., Anusvāra/visarga: articulate ḥ in ādiśaḥ lightly but audibly.
Steady, firm, protective—more ‘command’ than lament.
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