Rig Veda 6.21.10: Mandala 6, Sukta 21, Mantra 10
Sukta 6.21
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
इम उ त्वा पुरुशाक प्रयज्यो जरितारो अभ्यर्चन्त्यर्कैः । श्रुधी हवमा हुवतो हुवानो न त्वावाँ अन्यो अमृत त्वदस्ति ॥
ima u tvā puruśāka prayajyo jaritāro abhy arcanty arkaiḥ | śrudhī havam ā huvato huvāno na tvāvān anyo amṛta tvad asti ||
ਹੇ ਪੁਰੁਸ਼ਾਕ (ਵਿਸ਼ਾਲ-ਸਮਰੱਥ), ਹੇ ਪ੍ਰਯਜ੍ਯ (ਪੂਰਵ-ਅਰਪਣ ਦੇ ਯੋਗ), ਇਹ ਜਰਿਤਾਰ ਤੇਜਸਵੀ ਅਰਕਾਂ ਨਾਲ ਤੇਰੀ ਅਭਿਆਰਚਨਾ ਕਰਦੇ ਹਨ। ਬੁਲਾਉਣ ਵਾਲੇ ਦੀ ਹਵਨ-ਪੁਕਾਰ ਸੁਣ—ਜੋ ਤੈਨੂੰ ਬੁਲਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ; ਹੇ ਅਮ੍ਰਿਤ, ਤੇਰੇ ਵਰਗਾ ਹੋਰ ਕੋਈ ਨਹੀਂ—ਤੇਰੇ ਤੋਂ ਪਰੇ ਹੋਰ ਕੋਈ ਅਸਤਿਤਵ ਨਹੀਂ।
Word by Word
- इमे
- thesePronounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृ (स्तुतिकर्तारः) / विषय-निर्देशRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- उ
- indeed / nowIndeclinableनिपातः (अवधारण/सम्बोधन-प्राय)Root उ (निपात)
- त्वा
- youPronounद्वितीया एकवचनम्Role कर्म (अर्चनस्य) / सम्बोध्य-देवताRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- पुरुशाक
- O much-mighty / of many powersNoun/Adjective (epithet)सम्बोधन एकवचनम् (पुंलिङ्ग)Role सम्बोधनRoot पुरुशाक (प्रातिपदिक; इन्द्रस्य विशेषणम्)
- प्रयज्यः
- O worthy of worshipAdjectiveसम्बोधन एकवचनम् (पुंलिङ्ग) — ‘हे प्रयज्य’Role सम्बोधनRoot प्र + यज् (यज् धातु) → प्रयज्य (यजनीय/पूजनीय)
- जरितारः
- the singers / praisersNounपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot √जॄ (जॄ/जृ; ‘स्तु’ अर्थे) → जरितृ (कर्तृ-नाम)
- अभि
- towards / uponIndeclinableउपसर्गः (क्रियायाः दिशि/तीव्रतायाम्)Root अभि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- अर्चन्ति
- praise / worshipVerbलट्, परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Role क्रियाRoot √अर्च् (पूजायाम्/स्तुतौ)
- अर्कैः
- with hymns / versesNounपुंलिङ्गे तृतीया बहुवचनम्Role करणRoot अर्क (प्रातिपदिक; ‘स्तुति/ऋक्/गीत’)
- श्रुधी
- hear!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), परस्मैपदम्, मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role क्रिया (आज्ञा) / सम्बोधितस्य कर्तव्य-क्रियाRoot √श्रु (श्रवणे)
- हवम्
- the call / invocationNounपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role कर्म (श्रवणस्य) / विषयRoot हव (प्रातिपदिक; ‘आह्वान/आहूति/आह्वान-शब्द’)
- आ
- hither / toIndeclinableउपसर्गः (आगमन/समन्तात्)Root आ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- हुवतः
- of the one who callsParticipleषष्ठी एकवचनम् (पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक-सम्भव; ‘of the caller’)Role सम्बन्ध (जनक/कर्तृ-सम्बन्धः ‘हवम्’ इत्यस्य) / कर्तृ-सम्बन्धRoot √हू (आह्वाने) → हुवत् (वर्तमान कृदन्त)
- हुवानः
- calling (you) / being invokedParticipleपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम् (सम्बोधित-देवता-विशेषणम्) অথবা कर्तृवाचकःRole कर्तृ-विशेषण / सम्बोधितस्य विशेषणRoot √हू (आह्वाने) → हुवान (वर्तमान कृदन्त; आत्मनेपद-प्राय)
- न
- notIndeclinableनिषेध-निपातःRoot न (निषेध)
- त्वावान्
- like you / possessing you (i.e., your power)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ/विषय (तुल्यत्व-निर्देशः)Root त्वावत् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘त्वद्-समः/त्वद्वान्’)
- अन्यः
- anotherPronoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (अस्ति-क्रियायाः) / विषयRoot अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- अमृत
- O immortalNoun/Adjective (epithet)सम्बोधन एकवचनम् (पुंलिङ्ग) — ‘हे अमृत’Role सम्बोधनRoot अमृत (प्रातिपदिक; ‘अमृत/अमर’)
- त्वत्
- than you / from youPronounपञ्चमी एकवचनम्Role अपादान (तुलना/व्यतिरेकः: ‘than you’)Root त्वद् (सर्वनाम; अपादानार्थे)
- अस्ति
- isVerbलट्, परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role क्रियाRoot √अस् (भुवि)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धिविग्रहः): इमे उ त्वा पुरुशाक प्रयज्यः जरितारः अभि अर्चन्ति अर्कैः । श्रुधी हवम् आ हुवतः हुवानः । न त्वावान् अन्यः अमृत त्वत् अस्ति ॥ मुख्य-सन्धयः: (1) इम उ → इमे उ (स्वर-सन्धिः: अ+उ → ओ, परन्तु यहाँ ‘इमे’ स्वतन्त्र-रूपम्; ‘उ’ निपातः पृथक्) (2) अभ्यर्चन्ति → अभि + अर्चन्ति (उपसर्ग-सन्धिः: इ + अ → य) (3) हवमा → हवम् + आ (व्यञ्जनान्त ‘म्’ + स्वर ‘आ’ संहितायाम्) (4) हुवतो हुवानो → हुवतः + हुवानः (विसर्ग-सन्धिः: अः + ह → ओ; पदपाठे ‘हुवतः हुवानः’) (5) त्वदस्ति → त्वत् + अस्ति (त् + अ → द् + अ, जश्त्व)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The singers praise Indra, worthy of the fore-offering, with radiant hymns; they ask him to hear their call, declaring none other equals or surpasses the Deathless.
Inner meaning
The aspiring soul gathers its illumined thoughts (arkāḥ) and offers them first to the divine Mind-Power (Indra) as the indispensable leader of the inner yajña. The call is the concentrated will-to-awaken; the verse insists on exclusiveness of reliance: no other force can replace the illumining consciousness that breaks limitation.
Universal truth
When the consciousness sincerely turns toward the highest illuminative power, all lesser supports are seen as partial; the one Light that awakens discernment becomes the decisive aid for crossing obscurity.
Themes
Climactic invocation, Exclusive reliance on Indra, Mantric insistence (hu- repetition)
The seer
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja (Bārhaspatya)
- Lineage
- Bharadvāja
- Other hymns
- RV 6.21.1-12, RV 6.22.1-10, RV 6.23 (Indra-Bṛhaspati themes)
Family tradition
Bārhaspatya-Aṅgirasa line emphasizing inspired speech (brahman) and victorious illumination (Indra) as supports of the inner sacrifice.
Significance
Bharadvāja’s Indra hymns repeatedly frame Indra as the awakener and path-maker for the human journey—an archetype of the illumined mind leading the seeker through resistance.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- puruśāka, prayajyá, amṛta (as addressed here), vṛṣabha (bull, in adjacent hymn 6.22.1)
- Related deities
- Agni, Bṛhaspati, Viśve Devāḥ, Soma
Cosmic role
Lord of the luminous heaven; wielder of the thunderbolt that breaks the coverer and releases the hidden lights and waters.
Inner power
The decisive illuminative intelligence and heroic will that hears the soul’s call, breaks obstruction, and establishes clarity and right movement.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-stotra within Soma-yāga sequences; also general Indra praise in śastra/stotra contexts.
इ॒म उ॑ त्वा पुरुशाक प्रयज्यो जरि॒तारो॑ अ॒भ्य॑र्चन्त्य॒र्कैः । श्रु॒धी हव॒मा हु॑व॒तो हु॑वा॒नो न त्वावाँ॑ अ॒न्यो अ॑मृत॒ त्वद॑स्ति ॥
इ॒मे । ऊँ॒ इति॑ । त्वा॒ । पु॒रु॒ऽशा॒क॒ । प्र॒य॒ज्यो॒ इति॑ प्रऽयज्यो । ज॒रि॒तारः॑ । अ॒भि । अ॒र्च॒न्ति॒ । अ॒र्कैः । श्रु॒धि । हव॑म् । आ । हु॒व॒तः । हु॒वा॒नः । न । त्वाऽवा॑न् । अ॒न्यः । अ॒मृ॒त॒ । त्वत् । अ॒स्ति॒ ॥
ime | oṃ iti | tvā | puru-śāka | prayajyo itipra-yajyo | jaritāraḥ | abhi | arcanti | arkaiḥ | śrudhi | havam | ā | huvataḥ | huvānaḥ | na | tvāvān | anyaḥ | amṛta | tvat | asti
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4 pādas of ~11 syllables each (with Vedic metrical flexibility)
Forward-driving, emphatic cadence suited to invocation and assertion.
Builds inner confidence and one-pointed reliance; the rhythm supports a clear ‘call-and-response’ feeling between seeker and deity.
- puruśāka
- Literal: wide-capable, of many powers. Symbolic: the all-competent divine Mind that can act in many planes of the being
- prayajyá
- Literal: worthy of the fore-offering. Symbolic: the first necessity in inner practice: illumination must precede and guide all action
- jaritāraḥ
- Literal: singers, praisers. Symbolic: aspirant faculties offering mantra-thoughts and soul-affirmations
- arkaiḥ
- Literal: with hymns/verses; ‘rays’ of song. Symbolic: luminous formations of thought—rays of knowledge shaped into invocation
- havam
- Literal: call, invocation. Symbolic: the soul’s urgent appeal, the will that summons higher consciousness
- amṛta
- Literal: deathless. Symbolic: the immortal principle of awakened consciousness beyond decay and ignorance
Concluding intensification: a strong Indra-call suited to climactic points of Indra-stotra in Soma rites; also used for affirming exclusive reliance on Indra’s force in overcoming obstruction.
During Indra invocations connected with pressing/offerings; as a strengthening praise before requests for victory and force.
Recitation/chanting of ṛk while offering clarified butter or Soma portions (context-dependent).
Use as a pre-meditation invocation to establish inner leadership of illumination before work, study, or difficult decisions.
puru-śāka ‘many-strong/capable’ (śak from √śak ‘be able’, PIE *sekʷ- ‘be able’ debated; Indo-Aryan √śak is clear). pra-yajya ‘to be sacrificed to first’ from pra + √yaj. arka from √arc ‘shine/praise’. hu-forms (havam, huvataḥ, huvānaḥ) from √hū ‘call’ create a sonic insistence. amṛta (a- + mṛta ‘mortal/dead’, √mṛ ‘die’ < PIE *mer-). tvāvān ‘having you’ expresses possession/indwelling rather than mere devotion.
Immortality (amṛta) as divine status accessible by contact, Indwelling power (tvāvān) as criterion of realization
The ‘hearing of the call’ implies alignment of human aspiration with ṛta-guidance by higher mind.
‘None beyond you’ points to the supremacy of truth-consciousness over fragmented mental supports.
Release of light by the supreme illuminator; re-ordering of the inner world around a single highest principle.
Proto-Vedāntic/Integral (Aurobindonian) reading: ascent to higher mind and its sovereignty over nature.
Rays = thoughts of illumination; offering = surrender of mental-vital energies to the guiding Light.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The 'exclusive deity' affirmation: none other is ‘tvāvān’ and none exists beyond Indra for this work. Mythically it crowns the invocation; psychologically it is one-pointed reliance on the victorious force, excluding competing impulses and doubts.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- amṛta from √mṛ ‘die’ < PIE *mer- (cf. Lat mors). √yaj (prayajya) corresponds to Avestan yaz- ‘worship’ (Indo-Iranian inheritance). √arc ‘shine/praise’ preserves the hymn-as-light metaphor common in Indo-European poetics.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi intensifies the call through repetition (havam/huvataḥ/huvānaḥ) and asserts Indra’s unmatched capacity. The reciprocity becomes total: the human offers exclusive dedication; the god is expected to answer decisively as the deathless power.
Invoke the inner Indra as the faculty of luminous discernment that must lead the day’s ‘sacrifice’ (actions).
ājñā (brow)
moderate nāḍī-śodhana 6–12 rounds, then one steady inhale-exhale per pāda
From scattered mind to focused, illumined attention (dhāraṇā moving toward dhyāna).
Before chanting, formulate one clear question or difficulty; chant once slowly, then listen inwardly in silence for the ‘answering light’ rather than mental debate.
Follow śākala-style udatta/anudatta/svarita as per pada + saṃhitā accents; key lift on vocatives (e.g., puruśāka) and imperatives (śrudhī).
Keep udatta syllables bright and slightly raised; svarita as a gentle fall; avoid flattening the imperative ‘śrudhī’.
Differentiate śru- ( + ) cleanly; do not turn into ‘sru’., Hold ṛ in ‘amṛta’ as vocalic ṛ (a-mṛ-ta), not ‘amrita’ with i., In ‘tvāvām̐’, nasalization is light; keep ‘tvā’ long.
Clear, resonant, ‘calling’ tone—firm but not strained.
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