Rig Veda 2.14.7: Mandala 2, Sukta 14, Mantra 7
Sukta 2.14
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
अध्वर्यवो यः शतमा सहस्रं भूम्या उपस्थेऽवपज्जघन्वान् । कुत्सस्यायोरतिथिग्वस्य वीरान्न्यावृणग्भरता सोममस्मै ॥
ádhvaryavo yáḥ śatám ā́ sahásraṃ bhū́myā upásthé'vapat jaghánvān | kútsasyā́yor atithí-gvasya vīrā́n nyā́vṛṇag bháratā sómam asmai ||
ହେ ଅଧ୍ୱର୍ୟବୋ, ଯେ ଭୂମିର ଉପସ୍ଥରେ ଶତ ଓ ସହସ୍ରକୁ ପତନ କରାଇ ସଂହାର କଲେ; ଯେ କୁତ୍ସ, ଆୟୁ ଓ ଅତିଥିଗ୍ୱଙ୍କ ବୀରମାନଙ୍କୁ ସୁରକ୍ଷିତ କରି ନିଶ୍ଚିତ କଲେ—ତାଙ୍କ ପାଇଁ ସୋମ ଆଣ।
Word by Word
- अध्वर्यवः
- O Adhvaryu priestsNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole सम्बोधन (आह्वान) / कर्तृ (आहूताः)Root अध्वर्यु- (प्रातिपदिक)
- यः
- whoPronounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- शतम्
- a hundredNumeralनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया/प्रथमा; एकवचन (अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः)Role कर्म (परिमाण/संख्या)Root शत (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
- सहस्रम्
- a thousandNumeralनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया/प्रथमा; एकवचन (अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः)Role कर्म (परिमाण/संख्या)Root सहस्र (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
- भूम्याः
- of the earthNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root भूमि- (प्रातिपदिक)
- उपस्थे
- in the lap/bosomNounपुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot उपस्थ- (प्रातिपदिक)
- अव
- down, awayIndeclinableउपसर्गः (क्रियायोगे)Root अव (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- अपत्
- fellVerbलुङ् (अorist); परस्मैपद; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृ-क्रिया (यः … अपत्)Root पत् (धातु; पतँ गतौ)
- जघन्वान्
- having struck down, slayingParticipleपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन (कर्तरि)Role कर्तृ (विशेषणम् ‘यः’)Root हन् (धातु; हनँ हिंसायाम्) → जघन्- (परिपूर्ण/अभ्यास-रूप), क्त्ववत्-प्रत्ययः
- कुत्सस्य
- of KutsaNounपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root कुत्स- (प्रातिपदिक; नाम)
- आयॊः
- of ĀyuNounपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; एकवचन (वैदिक रूप: आयोः)Role सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root आयु- (प्रातिपदिक)
- अतिथिग्वस्य
- of AtithigvaNounपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root अतिथिग्व- (प्रातिपदिक; नाम)
- वीरान्
- heroes, warriorsNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot वीर- (प्रातिपदिक)
- नि
- down, awayIndeclinableउपसर्गःRoot नि (उपसर्ग)
- आवृणक्
- repelled, drove awayVerbलुङ् (अorist); परस्मैपद; प्रथमा; एकवचन (वैदिक रूप: आवृणक्)Role कर्तृ-क्रिया (यः … आवृणक्)Root वृज्/वृण् (धातु; वृणोति/वृणक्ति ‘to ward off, repel’)
- भरत
- bring (you all)Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ); परस्मैपद; मध्यम; बहुवचनRole कर्तृ-क्रिया (आह्वानः ‘अध्वर्यवः’)Root भृ (धातु; भृञ् धारणे)
- सोमम्
- SomaNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot सोम- (प्रातिपदिक)
- अस्मै
- to himPronounपुंलिङ्ग/सर्वलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी; एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धिविच्छेद): अध्वर्यवः | यः | शतम् | सहस्रम् | भूम्याः | उपस्थे | अव | अपत् | जघन्वान् || कुत्सस्य | आयोः | अतिथिग्वस्य | वीरान् | नि | आवृणक् | भरत | सोमम् | अस्मै || विशेषम्: (1) उपस्थेऽव = उपस्थे + अव (ए/अ सन्धिः; अवग्रहः). (2) अपज्जघन्वान् = अपत् + जघन्वान् (त् + ज → ज्ज; वैदिक संधि). (3) वीरान्न्यावृणक् = वीरान् + नि + आवृणक्
- न् + नि → न्नि, तथा नि + आ → न्याऽ (इ/आ संधिः; ‘न्य-’). (4) आयोर्-रूपः वैदिकः: आयोः (षष्ठी एकवचन)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra cast down and slew a hundred and a thousand upon Earth’s lap, and secured the heroes of Kutsa, Āyu, and Atithigva; bring Soma for him.
Inner meaning
The ‘hundred and thousand’ are many recurring impulses and thoughts that Indra throws down into the grounding field (Earth) so they lose their power. Earth’s lap is the stable basis of embodied consciousness where disturbances can be digested and neutralized. Indra also ‘wins’ or ‘settles’ the heroes—our aspiring powers (vīrāḥ) allied to right seeking (Kutsa/Āyu/Atithigva as lineages of effort and hospitality to the divine). Soma is brought to strengthen this alliance of inner faculties.
Universal truth
Victory is not only overthrowing negativity; it is also consolidating and protecting the noble forces within so they can act together.
Themes
Indra protector, ally myths (Kutsa, Āyu, Atithigva), Soma offering
The seer
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada (Āṅgirasa)
- Lineage
- Āṅgirasa
- Other hymns
- RV 2.14.4, RV 2.14.6, RV 2.12.9
Family tradition
Āṅgiras vision often includes ‘winning the helpers’—gaining the right powers and companions for the journey of light.
Significance
Here the seer highlights consolidation: after breaking obstacles, the illumined mind must gather and secure the inner ‘heroes’ (capacities) for stable progress.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Jitvā (victorious, implied), Vṛtrahan, Sahasrājin (winner of thousands, implied by scale)
- Related deities
- Pṛthivī (Earth), Maruts, Soma
Cosmic role
Warrior of the gods who stabilizes the world-order by subduing chaotic forces and supporting the Aryan helpers.
Inner power
Power to ground and integrate—bringing turbulence down into steadiness; establishing a protected inner polity.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-Soma offering within Soma sacrifice
अध्व॑र्यवो॒ यः श॒तमा स॒हस्रं॒ भूम्या॑ उ॒पस्थेऽव॑पज्जघ॒न्वान् । कुत्स॑स्या॒योर॑तिथि॒ग्वस्य॑ वी॒रान्न्यावृ॑ण॒ग्भर॑ता॒ सोम॑मस्मै ॥
अध्व॑र्यवः । यः । श॒तम् । आ । स॒हस्र॑म् । भूम्याः॑ । उ॒पऽस्थे॑ । अव॑पत् । ज॒घ॒न्वान् । कुत्स॑स्य । आ॒योः । अ॒ति॒थि॒ऽग्वस्य॑ । वी॒रान् । नि । अवृ॑णक् । भर॑त॒ । सोम॑म् । अ॒स्मै॒ ॥
adhvaryavaḥ | yaḥ | śatam | ā | sahasram | bhūmyāḥ | upa-sthe | avapat | jaghanvān | kutsasya | āyoḥ | atithi-gvasya | vīrān | ni | avṛṇak | bharata | somam | asmai
44
4×11 with a heavy opening in pāda 1 (‘śatam ā sahasram’) that sets a mass-falling rhythm.
Weighty and descending, then resolving into a calmer ‘securing’ cadence.
Helps the practitioner feel disturbances settle downward; ends in a collecting, stabilizing mood.
- भूम्याः उपस्थे (bhūmyāḥ upasthe)
- Literal: on the lap of Earth. Symbolic: grounded stability of the body-nature; the holding field where energies are integrated
- शतम्…सहस्रम् (śatam…sahasram)
- Literal: a hundred…a thousand. Symbolic: multitudes of repetitive patterns; swarm of impulses/thought-forms
- जघन्वान् (jaghanvān)
- Literal: slaying. Symbolic: cutting off the life-force of false movements by clear rejection
- वीरान् (vīrān)
- Literal: heroes. Symbolic: courageous soul-powers and faculties that fight for the Light
- नि आवृणक् (ni āvṛṇak)
- Literal: he enclosed/secured/obtained. Symbolic: established and protected the right forces within the psychic order
- सोम (soma)
- Literal: Soma. Symbolic: delight that seals the victory and unifies the allies
Soma offering; praises Indra as protector of allied ‘heroes’ (kṣatriya-like forces) within the sacrificial community/inner polity.
When recounting Indra’s victories and his protection of allies; accompanies Soma presentation.
Recitation while bringing Soma (bharata) and mentally aligning the ‘helpers’ of the rite.
For grounding after agitation: chant while feeling the breath descend into the belly/pelvis, letting ‘hundreds and thousands’ of thoughts settle into Earth-like steadiness.
upastha ‘lap, seat, base’ suggests a grounding plane; ‘Earth’s lap’ symbolizes the lower nature where hostile forces are made to fall inert. - (ni + √vṛ ‘cover/enclose’) can mean ‘enclosed/secured’—a positive enclosure as protection (contrast Vṛtra/Vala’s negative covering).
grounding and subduing hostile forces into lower nature, protection/establishment of inner heroic faculties
Indra maintains ṛta by subduing chaotic multiplicity and establishing supportive forces (vīrāḥ) for the divine work.
Truth organizes; it gathers the right powers and excludes the wrong.
Stabilization of the field (Earth) so higher light can act without being scattered.
Vedic integralism: ascent requires a firm base; descent of disturbances into a transformed foundation.
Earth = steadiness and receptivity; falling = release of mental noise into grounded awareness; Soma = sweetness that harmonizes the system.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Indra as slayer and protector: he casts down masses of foes and establishes the heroes of allied figures. Inner sense: Indra both subdues invading forces into the lower nature and secures the seeker’s active powers so they can advance the work.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The ally-hero narrative (Indra aiding named companions) resembles IE patron-warrior patterns. √vṛ ‘cover/enclose’ shows semantic bifurcation: hostile covering (Vṛtra) vs protective enclosure (ni-avṛṇak).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi presents Indra as guarantor of the community’s inner champions. The offering is thus not merely for personal gain but to maintain the divine protection that stabilizes the ‘heroes’ (faculties) needed for the ascent.
Grounding victory: let the mind’s swarm settle into the ‘Earth-lap’ of the body; then call in the inner ‘heroes’—courage, clarity, perseverance.
mūlādhāra (grounding) supporting maṇipūra (strength)
Long exhale emphasis (e.g., inhale 4, exhale 8) while visualizing ‘casting down’ turbulence; brief kumbhaka after exhale to feel stability.
Settled power—calm readiness rather than agitation.
After any inner battle, spend 3–5 minutes consolidating: name three supportive qualities (vīrāḥ) and ‘secure’ them with a quiet offering of gratitude (Soma).
Triṣṭubh; keep the opening numerals steady; udātta on key nouns/verbs; preserve svarita slides on compounded clusters per tradition.
Make ‘bhūmyā upasthe’ softer and grounded; return to a clear imperative energy on ‘bharatā somam asmai’.
upasthe: ‘sth’ cluster clean, ’vapaj: light initial vowel, crisp ‘paj’, atithigvasya: maintain ‘thi’ aspirate, ‘gv’ cluster distinct, ny āvṛṇak: nasal ‘ny’, retroflex ṛ
Strong but settling; let the tone descend slightly on Earth imagery.
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