Rig Veda 10.49.1: Mandala 10, Sukta 49, Mantra 1
Sukta 10.49
- Rishi
- Indra, hymn 10.49 is a prominent Indra-ātmastuti
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
अहं दां गृणते पूर्व्यं वस्वहं ब्रह्म कृणवं मह्यं वर्धनम् । अहं भुवं यजमानस्य चोदितायज्वनः साक्षि विश्वस्मिन्भरे ॥
aháṃ dā́ṃ gṛṇaté pū́rvyaṃ vásv aháṃ bráhma kṛṇavaṃ máhyaṃ várdhanam | aháṃ bhuvaṃ yájamānasya coditā́yájvanaḥ sākṣí víśvasmin bháre ||
ମୁଁ ସ୍ତୁତି କରୁଥିବାକୁ ପ୍ରାଚୀନ ବସୁ (ସମୃଦ୍ଧି) ଦେଉଛି; ମୋ ପାଇଁ ବ୍ରହ୍ମକୁ (ପବିତ୍ର ବଚନ/ବଳକୁ) ବୃଦ୍ଧିରୂପେ ମୁଁ ଗଢ଼େ। ମୁଁ ଯଜମାନଙ୍କର ପ୍ରେରକ ହୁଏ; ଏବଂ ଅୟଜ୍ୱନ (ଯେ ଯଜ୍ଞ କରେନି)ର ମଧ୍ୟ, ପ୍ରତ୍ୟେକ ଭାର-ବହନରେ, ସାକ୍ଷୀ ରହେ।
Word by Word
- अहम्
- IPronounपुं/स्त्री/नपुं; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- दाम्
- the giverNoun (agentive epithet)पुं; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृ (अहम्-समनाधिकरण विशेषण)Root दा (धातु) → दामन्/दाम (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; ‘दाता/दानशील’)
- गृणते
- (to him) who praises / praisesVerbवर्तमाने; परस्मैपद; तृतीया-पुरुषः; एकवचन (गृणते = ‘he praises’)Root गॄ/गृ (स्तुति-धातु) → गृण्
- पूर्व्यम्
- ancient, primevalAdjectiveनपुंसक; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्म (कृणवं/भुवम् इत्यादि क्रियापदस्य विशेषण-रूपेण)Root पूर्व्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- वसुः
- a benefactor; good (wealth)Nounपुं; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृ (अहम्-समनाधिकरण)Root वसु (प्रातिपदिक)
- अहम्
- IPronounप्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- ब्रह्म
- sacred utterance; hymn/prayerNounनपुंसक; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- कृणवम्
- I made / I fashionedVerbलुङ् (आगम-रहितः वैदिक-आओरिस्टः); परस्मैपद; उत्तम-पुरुषः; एकवचनRoot कृ (धातु)
- मह्यम्
- for mePronounचतुर्थी; एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वर्धनम्
- increase; strengtheningNounनपुंसक; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्म (कृणवम् इत्यस्य)Root वर्धन (प्रातिपदिक; वर्ध्-धातोः)
- अहम्
- IPronounप्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- भुवम्
- I became / I wasVerbलुङ् (आओरिस्टः); परस्मैपद; उत्तम-पुरुषः; एकवचनRoot भू (धातु)
- यजमानस्य
- of the sacrificerNounपुं; षष्ठी; एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root यजमान (प्रातिपदिक; यज्-धातोः वर्तमान-कृदन्त)
- चोदिताय
- for the impelled/urged (one)Adjective (past passive participle used substantively)पुं; चतुर्थी; एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot चोदित (प्रातिपदिक; चुद्-धातोः क्त)
- अयज्वनः
- of the non-sacrificerNounपुं; षष्ठी; एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root अयज्वन् (प्रातिपदिक; नञ्-पूर्वकः ‘यज्वन्’)
- साक्षि
- witnessNounपुं; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृ (अहम्-समनाधिकरण)Root साक्षिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- विश्वस्मिन्
- in every / in the wholeAdjective (used substantively)नपुंसक; सप्तमी; एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- भरे
- in the battle; in the contestNounपुं; सप्तमी; एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot भर (प्रातिपदिक; ‘संघर्ष/युद्ध/संभार’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सम्भाव्य): अहम् | दाम् | गृणते | पूर्व्यम् | वसुः | अहम् | ब्रह्म | कृणवम् | मह्यम् | वर्धनम् || अहम् | भुवम् | यजमानस्य | चोदिताय | अयज्वनः | साक्षि | विश्वस्मिन् | भरे || 1) ‘वस्वहम्’ इति संहितायां = ‘वसुः अहम्’ (विसर्ग-लोपः/सन्धिः)
- 2) ‘चोदि॒ताय॑ज्वनः’ इति संहितायां = ‘चोदिताय अयज्वनः’ (अ + अ संयोगे संहितालेखनम्; पदपाठे पृथक्)
- 3) ‘विश्व॑स्मि॒न्भरे॑’ = ‘विश्वस्मिन् भरे’ (न् + भ् संयोगः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
I give the ancient wealth to the singer; I make for myself the Brahman, an increase. I become the impeller of the sacrificer and the witness of the non-sacrificer in every bearing of the load.
Inner meaning
Indra speaks as the inner divine Mind-Force: he grants the ‘ancient plenitude’ (pūrvyaṃ vasu)—the perennial spiritual riches—to the one who chants (gṛṇate), i.e., who aligns speech and will with truth. He ‘makes Brahman’ for himself—builds the mantric power and formative word within the being as an ever-growing force (vardhanam). He becomes the inner impulsion (coditā) behind the true yajamāna (the one who offers their works) and also the silent witness (sākṣi) in those who do not yet offer—present in all movements of life’s burden (bhara).
Universal truth
The divine power responds to sincere aspiration and right speech, increasing the inner word of truth. It drives conscious self-offering and still remains present as witness even where offering is absent—supporting evolution in all circumstances.
Themes
Indra-self-praise, Mantra-power, Inner sacrifice psychology
The seer
- Rishi
- Indra (self-proclaiming voice), RV 10.49 Indra-ātmastuti
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 10.49.1-5, Rig Veda 10.48.1-11
Family tradition
Ātmastuti hymns where the deity declares its operations in human consciousness; late Rigvedic introspective style.
Significance
Defines Indra as giver of perennial riches and as the inner driver-witness—bridging active yoga (yajña) and passive presence (sākṣitva).
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Pūrvya-vasu-dā (giver of ancient wealth, implied), Coditā (impeller), Sākṣi (witness)
- Related deities
- Bṛhaspati (brahman/power of word), Agni (sacrifice-fire), Soma (delight that supports brahman)
Cosmic role
Bestows plenitude, increases brahman (mantric power), impels sacrifice, oversees all action.
Inner power
Illuminated executive mind that both acts (impels) and observes (witnesses), growing the truth-word in the being.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra śastra/stotra within Soma sacrifice (general)
अ॒हं दां॑ गृण॒ते पूर्व्यं॒ वस्व॒हं ब्रह्म॑ कृणवं॒ मह्यं॒ वर्ध॑नम् । अ॒हं भु॑वं॒ यज॑मानस्य चोदि॒ताय॑ज्वनः साक्षि॒ विश्व॑स्मि॒न्भरे॑ ॥
अ॒हम् । दा॒म् । गृ॒ण॒ते । पूर्व्य॑म् । वसु॑ । अ॒हम् । ब्रह्म॑ । कृ॒ण॒व॒म् । मह्य॑म् । वर्ध॑नम् । अ॒हम् । भु॒व॒म् । यज॑मानस्य । चो॒दि॒ता । अय॑ज्वनः । सा॒क्षि॒ । विश्व॑स्मिन् । भरे॑ ॥
aham | dām | gṛṇate | pūrvyam | vasu | aham | brahma | kṛṇavam | mahyam | vadharnam | aham | bhuvam | yajamānasya | coditā | ayajvanaḥ | sākṣi | viśvasmin | bhare
44
4 × ~11; balanced clauses suit self-definition and doctrinal clarity.
Measured, didactic, self-affirming; steady forward cadence rather than explosive.
Stabilizes faith in inner guidance; supports both effortful offering and calm witnessing.
- गृणते (gṛṇate)
- Literal: to the singer/praiser. Symbolic: the one who aligns thought and speech with the higher truth
- पूर्व्यं वसु (pūrvyaṃ vasu)
- Literal: ancient wealth. Symbolic: timeless spiritual plenitude; perennial inner resources
- ब्रह्म (brahma)
- Literal: sacred word/power, prayer. Symbolic: mantric consciousness; formative truth-word that builds the being
- वर्धनम् (vardhanam)
- Literal: increase, growth. Symbolic: progressive intensification of spiritual capacity
- यजमान (yajamāna)
- Literal: sacrificer. Symbolic: the doer who offers works to the Divine (karma as yajña)
- चोदिता (coditā)
- Literal: impeller, stimulator. Symbolic: inner divine impulsion toward right action
- अयज्वन् (ayajvan)
- Literal: non-sacrificer. Symbolic: parts of nature not yet turned to offering; egoic or inert tendencies
- साक्षि (sākṣi)
- Literal: witness. Symbolic: inner observing consciousness; divine presence in all states
- भरे (bhare)
- Literal: in the bearing, burden-bearing. Symbolic: life’s load; evolutionary work carried through experience
Indra praise in Soma rites; supports the efficacy of brahman (mantra) as increase and protection for the yajamāna
Recited in Indra sequences; thematically supports the singer-priest and yajamāna.
Praise that ‘increases’ brahman—ritual speech as effective power.
Daily affirmation before work: offer actions inwardly (yajña) and remember the witness in all burdens.
brahman from √bṛh ‘to grow, expand’ → ‘that which makes vast’ (mantric force). vardhanam from √vṛdh ‘increase’ (PIE *werdh- ‘grow’; cf. English ‘worth’ via Germanic developments). coditā from √cud ‘impel’ (causative semantics). sākṣi from sākṣin ‘eyewitness’ (sa- + akṣi ‘eye’).
brahman as formative word-power, witness-consciousness (sākṣi), sacrifice as inner offering vs. withholding
Indra impels the yajamāna toward r̥ta-aligned action; the witness ensures accountability to truth.
Brahman as formative truth that increases with sincere chant and alignment.
Evolution through sacrifice: burdens borne become offerings; inner word grows and shapes life.
Karma-yoga and sākṣī-bhāva in Vedic seed-form (later elaborated in Upaniṣads/Gītā)
Wealth = inner resources of consciousness; burden = life’s evolutionary load; chant = vibration shaping mind.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem of Indra as giver and increaser through brahman: the divine force grants primordial plenitude to the praising voice and simultaneously grows itself as mantric power within the seeker. The god is also the moral-psychological witness in all life-bearings.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √vṛdh ‘grow’ corresponds to PIE *werdh- (broad IE growth lexicon). The semantic field of ‘fame/praise’ (√gṛ) and ‘gift’ (dā-) belongs to inherited Indo-European reciprocity structures between human poet and divine patron.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- Reciprocity is explicit: the singer’s praise draws down vasu, while Indra ‘makes brahman’ as an increase—suggesting that mantra and divine force co-generate. Indra as sākṣi indicates an innerized devatā: the god is present as consciousness that observes and judges the movement of offering.
Unite chant (brahman), offering (yajña), and witnessing (sākṣi) as one practice.
viśuddha (mantric word) with ājñā (witnessing).
Japa on exhale; after each verse, 1–2 breaths in silent witnessing.
Calm, attentive, quietly empowered.
Chant once, then feel: (1) a gift descending (vasu), (2) the word-power consolidating in the throat/heart (brahman), (3) a gentle push toward right action (coditā), (4) the witness watching without strain (sākṣi).
Tri-svara; keep ‘aham’ statements emphatic but even; exact Śākala accents to be taken from a svara-pāṭha source.
Mark small pauses after each ‘aham’ clause to preserve meaning and cadence.
Keep aspiration in gṛṇate (not ‘grinate’)., Pronounce brahma with clear ‘br’ and short final ‘a’., In viśvasmin bhare: articulate śv cluster cleanly; keep final e in bhare long/open per recitation style.
Clear, steady, inwardly confident; not aggressive.
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