Rig Veda 4.17.9: Mandala 4, Sukta 17, Mantra 9
Sukta 4.17
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shringara (love)
अयं वृतश्चातयते समीचीर्य आजिषु मघवा शृण्व एकः । अयं वाजं भरति यं सनोत्यस्य प्रियासः सख्ये स्याम ॥
ayáṃ vṛ́taś cātayate samīcī́r yá ā́jiṣu maghávā śṛṇvá ékaḥ | ayáṃ vā́jaṃ bharati yáṃ sanóty asyá priyā́saḥ sakhyé syāma ||
Ten odpędza zamkniętą przeszkodę i ustanawia prawidłowo płynące prądy; on jeden, hojny, jest słyszany w bitwach. Ten przynosi pełnię mocy, którą zdobywa, bądźmy jego umiłowanymi w więzi przyjaźni.
Word by Word
- अयम्
- this (he)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वृतः
- covered; obstructedAdjective/Participleपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम् (भूतकृदन्तः/कर्मणि-भावः: ‘covered/obstructed’)Role KartāRoot √वृ (वरणे) → वृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
- चातयते
- drives away; cleavesVerbलट्, आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role KriyāRoot √चातय्/√चत् (चातने/छेदने; ‘to split, drive away’)
- समीचीः
- the straight/right (paths/ways)Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम् (विशेषणम्)Role KarmaRoot समीचि (प्रातिपदिक; ‘straight/true/right’)
- यः
- whoPronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- आजिषु
- in battles/contestsNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, बहुवचनम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot आजी (प्रातिपदिक; ‘race, contest, battle’)
- मघवा
- the bountiful one (Indra)Noun (epithet)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot मघवन् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘bountiful, generous’)
- शृण्वे
- is famed/heard; is renownedVerbलट्, आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role KriyāRoot √श्रु (श्रवणे)
- एकः
- alone; singleAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot एक (प्रातिपदिक)
- अयम्
- this (he)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वाजम्
- the prize; victoryNounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot वाज (प्रातिपदिक; ‘prize, strength, food, victory’)
- भरति
- brings; bearsVerbलट्, परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role KriyāRoot √भृ (भरणे)
- यम्
- which; whomPronounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सनोति
- wins; gainsVerbलट्, परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role KriyāRoot √सन्/√सन्ु (सने/लाभे; ‘to win, gain’)
- अस्य
- of him; hisPronounपुंलिङ्गः/नपुंसकलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Role Sambandha (genitive)Root इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- प्रियासः
- dear ones; favoritesNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
- सख्ये
- in friendshipNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, एकवचनम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot सख्य (प्रातिपदिक; ‘friendship, alliance’)
- स्याम
- may we beVerbविधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपदम्, उत्तमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Role KriyāRoot √अस् (भू; ‘to be’) → स्या- (विधिलिङ्-आदेश)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (resolved): अयम् | वृतः | चातयते | समीचीः | यः | आजिषु | मघवा | शृण्वे | एकः || अयम् | वाजम् | भरति | यम् | सनोति | अस्य | प्रियासः | सख्ये | स्याम । प्रमुख-सन्धयः: (1) समीचीः + यः → समीचीर्यः (विसर्ग-लोप/र्-आदेशः)
- (2) शृण्वे + एकः → शृण्व एकः (ए/अ संधि; पदपाठे शृण्वे | एकः)
- (3) सनोति + अस्य → सनोत्यस्य (इ/अ संधि: इ + अ → य)
The meaning
Outer meaning
This one drives away the closed obstruction and sets the right-moving currents; he alone, the bountiful, is heard in battles. He brings the prize/strength which he wins—may we be his beloveds in friendship.
Inner meaning
Indra is the power that removes vṛta (the shut/covered condition) and sets samīcīḥ—currents that move ‘straight/right’—into operation: thoughts, breaths, impulses aligned to truth. In the inner āji (battle: moments of decision, conflict with habit), he alone is truly ‘heard’—i.e., the decisive inspiration becomes audible when we listen inwardly. He brings vāja (effective force) that he has conquered; the prayer seeks sakhya (friendship) with Indra: an intimate, ongoing alliance with illumined intelligence so it becomes our natural guide.
Universal truth
Freedom is the restoration of right movement. In life’s battles, the most reliable ally is inner clarity. When we befriend it, strength and right outcomes arrive.
Themes
Indra hears in battle, dispelling obstruction, seeking friendship with the god
The seer
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 4.17, Rig Veda 4.31
Family tradition
A seer-line that stresses relationship (sakhya) with divine powers: not distant worship but inner companionship guiding action.
Significance
The verse culminates the hymn’s movement: from praising Indra’s cosmic might to seeking intimate alliance—making illumination a living friend in the daily inner battle.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- maghavā (bountiful), ekaḥ (the one, decisive)
- Related deities
- Agni (inner priest who carries offerings to Indra), Soma (delight that supports victory), Sarasvatī (right flow, inspiration—conceptual affinity with samīcīḥ)
Cosmic role
Remover of obstruction; setter of right currents; giver of victorious power.
Inner power
Discerning guidance that becomes ‘audible’ in crisis; restores aligned flow in mind-life-body.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra invocation for victory and right flow; suitable in Soma settings and general stotras.
अ॒यं वृत॑श्चातयते समी॒चीर्य आ॒जिषु॑ म॒घवा॑ शृ॒ण्व एक॑: । अ॒यं वाजं॑ भरति॒ यं स॒नोत्य॒स्य प्रि॒यास॑: स॒ख्ये स्या॑म ॥
अ॒यम् । वृतः॑ । चा॒त॒य॒ते॒ । स॒म्ऽई॒चीः । यः । आ॒जिषु॑ । म॒घऽवा॑ । शृ॒ण्वे । एकः॑ । अ॒यम् । वाज॑म् । भ॒र॒ति॒ । यम् । स॒नोति॑ । अ॒स्य । प्रि॒यासः॑ । स॒ख्ये । स्या॒म॒ ॥
ayam | vṛtaḥ | cātayate | sam-īcīḥ | yaḥ | ājiṣu | magha-vā | śṛṇve | ekaḥ | ayam | vājam | bharati | yam | sanoti | asya | priyāsaḥ | sakhye | syāma
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4 pādas of ~11 syllables each
Clear demonstrative ‘ayam’ repetition creates immediacy; cadence alternates clearing-action and prayerful intimacy.
Shifts from forceful clearing to warm devotion; leaves the listener with a sense of guided companionship.
- वृतः (vṛtaḥ)
- Literal: closed, covered, obstructed. Symbolic: the shut state of consciousness; resistance and blockage
- चातयते (cātayate)
- Literal: drives away, scatters. Symbolic: dissolves obstruction; breaks rigid formations
- समीचीः (samīcīḥ)
- Literal: straight/right-moving (currents). Symbolic: aligned energies: right thought-streams, right prāṇa-flow, right impulses
- आजिषु (ājiṣu)
- Literal: in battles/contests. Symbolic: inner conflicts, decisive life-tests, yogic struggles
- शृण्वे (śṛṇve)
- Literal: is heard, is listened to. Symbolic: the inner voice of illumination becomes perceptible
- वाजम् (vājam)
- Literal: prize, strength, plenitude. Symbolic: effective capacity, victorious force for right works
- प्रियासः (priyāsaḥ)
- Literal: beloveds, dear ones. Symbolic: those in whom the illumined power takes delight—receptive instruments
- सख्ये (sakhye)
- Literal: in friendship. Symbolic: stable inner companionship with the guiding light
Petition for Indra’s ‘hearing’ and aid in contests; in ritual, strengthens the sacrificer’s claim to Indra’s support and the boon of vāja.
When seeking removal of obstacles and success in contests; also as concluding prayer for Indra’s favor.
Recite with offering; conclude with personal intention of sakhya (friendship) and receptivity.
As a ‘guidance mantra’ before difficult conversations, exams, negotiations—listen for the inner Indra in the battle.
√śru ‘hear’ (śṛṇve) indicates responsive divine attention; √bhṛ ‘bear, bring’ (bharati) shows vāja is carried into the human field; √san ‘win’ frames attainment through struggle (ājiṣu). vṛta as ‘closed’ state (from √vṛ) supports the psychological reading: the shut-in movements are opened into sam-īcīḥ, right-directed currents.
divine responsiveness (śru), friendship bond (sakhya) as yoga of alliance, opening of the closed (vṛta)
samīcīḥ embodies ṛta as straight, harmonious flow in the worlds and the being.
From blockage to flow: liberation as re-establishment of cosmic circulation within the individual.
Bhakti-tinged Integral approach: friendship with the divine power as method of transformation.
Currents = prāṇa and thought streams; closure = psychic knot/dam; battle = moments when old patterns resist new light.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Indra as the responsive ally in ‘battles’ who dispels the closed obstruction and brings the won vāja. Mythically: the helper in conflict; inwardly: the awakened power that answers aspiration, corrects the movements (samīcīḥ), and delivers force-plenitude.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √śru ‘hear’ reflects PIE *ḱleu- ‘hear’ (cf. Greek klýō, English ‘loud’ via different developments, and ‘listen’ not cognate but the auditory root is ancient); √bhṛ reflects PIE *bʰer- ‘bear’ (cf. English ‘bear’). These inherited verbs anchor the verse’s core dynamics: hearing and bearing/bringing.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- It is explicitly sakhya (friendship): the seer seeks not only gifts but a sustained alliance in which Indra hears and acts. The singer’s ‘dearness’ (priyāsaḥ) is cultivated through praise and alignment, producing a stable channel for vāja.
From obstruction to right flow: feel where energy is ‘closed’ and invite Indra to set samīcī currents moving.
viśuddha (listening/inner hearing)
Slow exhale-focused breathing (inhale 4, exhale 6–8) while ‘listening’ for the quiet directive within.
Alert, guided, relational (clarity with devotion).
Chant once, then sit and ask: ‘Where is vṛta in me right now?’ Feel the tight place; on each exhale imagine it opening into a straight, gentle current. End by affirming: ‘asya sakhye syāma’—choose friendship with clarity over alliance with habit.
The repeated ‘ayam’ benefits from consistent udatta lift; let the final prayer pāda soften with gentler accenting.
First two pādas: crisp articulation and forward drive; last pāda: slower, affectionate tone on priyāsaḥ / sakhye.
cātayate: long ā; ‘ty’ cluster clean, samīcīr: long ī; final ‘r’ light (sandhi may color), śṛṇve: vocalic ṛ; retroflex ṇ, vṛtaś: keep ś audible; do not drop final consonant, syāma: long ā; gentle nasalization not needed
Clear and confident at start; warm and intimate at the close.
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