Rig Veda 6.18.7: Mandala 6, Sukta 18, Mantra 7
Sukta 6.18
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja Bārhaspatya
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
स मज्मना जनिम मानुषाणाममर्त्येन नाम्नाति प्र सर्स्रे । स द्युम्नेन स शवसोत राया स वीर्येण नृतमः समोकाः ॥
sa májmanā jánima mā́nuṣāṇām ámartyena nā́mnā́ti prá sarsre | sa dyumnéna sa śávasotā́ rāyā́ sa vīryèṇa nṛ́-tamaḥ sam-okā́ḥ ||
Swoją wielkością przewyższył narodziny ludzi; przez nieśmiertelne Imię wyprzedził wszystkich. Przez świetlistą chwałę, przez siłę i przez obfitość jest najbardziej męski wśród tych, którzy mieszkają razem; przez bohaterską moc prowadzi wspólny dom.
Word by Word
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- मज्मना
- by might/strengthNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, तृतीया, एकवचनम्Role करणRoot मज्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) < √मज्/मञ्ज् (बल/समृद्धि-भाव)
- जनिम
- birth, originNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot जनि (प्रातिपदिक; ‘birth, origin’) < √जन्
- मानुषाणाम्
- of men, of humansNounपुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, बहुवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root मानुष (प्रातिपदिक) < मनु
- अमर्त्येन
- by the immortal (one)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, तृतीया, एकवचनम्Role करणRoot अमर्त्य (प्रातिपदिक) < मर्त्य (√मृ) + अ-
- नाम्ना
- by nameNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, तृतीया, एकवचनम्Role करणRoot नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- अति
- over, beyondIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRole (क्रियाविशेषण)Root अति
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRole (क्रियाविशेषण)Root प्र
- ससर्स्रे
- has streamed/has rushedVerbलिट् (परिपूर्ण/परोक्श), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role (मुख्यक्रिया)Root √सृ (सरणे)
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- द्युम्नेन
- by splendour, by gloryNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, तृतीया, एकवचनम्Role करणRoot द्युम्न (प्रातिपदिक)
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- शवसा
- by power, by forceNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, तृतीया, एकवचनम्Role करणRoot शवस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- उत
- and alsoIndeclinableनिपात/अव्ययRole (समुच्चय)Root उत
- राया
- by wealthNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, तृतीया, एकवचनम्Role करणRoot राय्/रायि (प्रातिपदिक; ‘wealth’)
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वीर्येण
- by heroism, by valourNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, तृतीया, एकवचनम्Role करणRoot वीर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- नृतमः
- the most manly, best of heroesAdjective (superlative used substantively)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (विशेषण-रूपेण)Root नृतम (प्रातिपदिक; ‘most manly/best of men’) < नर्/नृ
- समोकाः
- dwelling together/at home (with us)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम् (वैदिक-रूप: -आः = -ः)Role कर्तृ (विशेषण-रूपेण)Root समोक (प्रातिपदिक; ‘having the same dwelling/at home together’) < सम् + ओकस्
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सम्भाव्य): सः | मज्मना | जनिम् | मानुषाणाम् | अमर्त्येन | नाम्ना | अति | प्र | ससर्स्रे || सः | द्युम्नेन | सः | शवसा | उत | राया | सः | वीर्येण | नृतमः | समोकाः || 1) नाम्ना + अति → नाम्नाति (स्वर-सन्धि/अकार-सन्धि)
- 2) नाम्नाति + प्र → नाम्नाति प्र (सन्धि नहीं; पद-सीमा)
- 3) नृतमः + समोकाः → नृतमः समोकाः (विसर्ग-सन्धि वैकल्पिक; संहितायां ‘नृतम॒: समो॑काः’)
- 4) वैदिक विशेषता: ‘समोकाः’ प्रथमा-एकवचन-रूपेण -आः (RV में) = शास्त्रीय -ः
The meaning
Outer meaning
By greatness Indra surpasses human birth; by the immortal Name he surges beyond. By glory, force, and wealth he is the most manly among those of one home; by hero-power he is preeminent in the shared dwelling.
Inner meaning
Indra’s majman (vastness) exceeds the limited human formation (janima). The ‘immortal Name’ is the enduring vibration/identity of the divine power—when invoked, consciousness breaks past mortal limitation. Dyumna (luminous glory), śavas (force), and rāyā (plenitude) are inner endowments: clarity, strength, and abundance of right energies. ‘Samokāḥ’ (common home) becomes the integrated being—mind, life, body gathered into one habitation of the soul; Indra is nṛtamaḥ, the most ‘manly’ (most capable, most masterful) power within that integration.
Universal truth
Human limitation is not final: through contact with the immortal principle (the divine Name), consciousness can exceed inherited boundaries and establish an integrated, luminous, forceful, and abundant life.
Themes
Indra surpassing human limitation, glory-force-plenitude triad (dyumna-śavas-rāy), integration (samokas)
The seer
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja Bārhaspatya
- Lineage
- Bharadvāja
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 6.18 (entire hymn), Rig Veda 6.14, Rig Veda 6.73
Family tradition
Seer-line allied to Bṛhaspati: emphasis on mantra as a power of naming and on victorious integration of the being.
Significance
Bharadvāja frames Indra not merely as a battle-god but as the surpasser of mortal limitation through the immortal Name—hinting at a yoga of invocation and widening.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- majman-possessor (implied), amartya-nāman (linked with immortal Name), nṛtamaḥ
- Related deities
- Bṛhaspati (Name/Word power), Agni (will), Soma (bliss)
Cosmic role
Expander of consciousness; leader of the gods in establishing luminous order among the collectivity.
Inner power
Power of widening and integration: makes the many parts of the being a ‘common home’ governed by illumined strength.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra praise in Soma rites; recited to affirm Indra’s supremacy and to draw dyumna/śavas/rāyas to the sacrificer.
स म॒ज्मना॒ जनि॑म॒ मानु॑षाणा॒मम॑र्त्येन॒ नाम्नाति॒ प्र स॑र्स्रे । स द्यु॒म्नेन॒ स शव॑सो॒त रा॒या स वी॒र्ये॑ण॒ नृत॑म॒: समो॑काः ॥
सः । म॒ज्मना॑ । जनि॑म । मानु॑षाणाम् । अम॑र्त्येन । नाम्ना॑ । अति॑ । प्र । स॒र्स्रे॒ । सः । द्यु॒म्नेन॑ । सः । शव॑सा । उ॒त । रा॒या । सः । वी॒र्ये॑ण । नृऽत॑मः । सम्ऽओ॑काः ॥
saḥ | majmanā | janima | mānuṣāṇām | amartyena | nāmnā | ati | pra | sarsre | saḥ | dyumnena | saḥ | śavasā | uta | rāyā | saḥ | vīryeṇa | nṛ-tamaḥ | sam-okāḥ
44
4×11 syllables (approx.)
Expansive, declarative sweep; balanced clauses support ‘surpassing’ imagery.
Creates a felt widening in the chest and brow; stabilizes confidence and collective harmony within the psyche.
- मज्मना (majmanā)
- Literal: by greatness, vastness. Symbolic: widening consciousness that outgrows ego-limits
- जनिम (janima)
- Literal: birth, origin. Symbolic: the mortal formation and its inherited constraints
- अमर्त्येन नाम्ना (amartyena nāmnā)
- Literal: by the immortal Name. Symbolic: divine vibration/identity that carries consciousness beyond mortality
- द्यु्म्नेन (dyumnena)
- Literal: by luminous glory. Symbolic: illumination, shining intelligence, victorious clarity
- शवसा (śavasā)
- Literal: by force. Symbolic: effective power of will and action in the being
- राया (rāyā)
- Literal: by wealth, abundance. Symbolic: plenitude of energies, inner prosperity of harmony
- वीर्येण (vīryeṇa)
- Literal: by hero-power. Symbolic: courageous potency that sustains transformation
- नृतमः (nṛtamaḥ)
- Literal: most manly/best of men. Symbolic: most capable inner leader-force, master of the integrated nature
- समोकाः (samokāḥ)
- Literal: dwelling together, common home. Symbolic: unified inner habitation—collected being beyond division
Praise of Indra’s transcendence over human limitation; used to call the ‘immortal name’ into the sacrificer’s shared life-field (samokas).
During Indra-focused stotras/śastras, especially when seeking strength, fame, and increase.
Recitation with offerings and intention for increase of luminous force and plenitude.
A mantra for transcending self-limiting narratives (‘human birth’) and establishing integrated strength in community/family/work.
majman ‘greatness’ (from mah/maj semantic field of magnitude); amartya ‘immortal’ (a- + mṛ ‘die’); nāman ‘name’ as power-signature; dyumna from dyu ‘shine/sky’ (PIE *dyeu-); rāy- ‘wealth’ here taken as plenitude; nṛ ‘man’ (PIE *h₂ner-).
amṛtatva (immortality) via ‘immortal name’, rāyī as plenitude of being, transcendence of merely human birth (janima)
‘Samokāḥ’ suggests ordered togetherness; Indra maintains ṛta in the collective field of energies.
The ‘immortal Name’ signifies a truth-identity that outlasts mortal formations.
Surpassing birth: evolution of consciousness beyond the given human stage.
Integral Vedism: ascent by Name/Word (nāma) and widening (majman) toward integrated being.
Sky-vastness = widened mind; radiance = illumined perception; force/wealth = empowered and harmonious life-energies.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The god who surpasses human birth by the ‘immortal Name’: a mythic statement of divine transcendence that becomes psychological—Indra’s consciousness exceeds mortal formation and can be installed as the leading manly power within the collective dwelling (samokas) of the being.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- dyu-/dyumna relates to PIE *dyeu- ‘sky, shine’ (Skt dyáuḥ, Lat Iūpiter via *dyēus). nṛ ‘man’ corresponds to PIE *h₂ner- (Gk anḗr). The use of instrumental triads (dyumnena… śavasā… rāyā) is a common archaic IE poetic device for cumulative power-description.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi positions Indra as the divine standard that human life can exceed itself by: invoking the ‘immortal Name’ is a call to bring a deathless power into the shared human dwelling, so the community of faculties becomes led by nṛtama vīrya.
Contemplate the ‘immortal Name’ as a living vibration above the mind; let it widen the field beyond personal history.
Viśuddha (nāma/word) and Ājñā (illumination)
Japa on exhale with a gentle lengthening; brief pause after exhale to feel widening (majman).
Widened, integrated, quietly triumphant.
Chant while sensing the body-mind as one home; on ‘amartyena nāmnā’ feel a higher identity descend; then rest in dyumna-śavas-rāyas as three supports: clarity, strength, plenitude.
Maintain Vedic accentuation; let udatta peaks emphasize ‘majmanā’, ‘amartyena nāmnā’, ‘dyumnena’, ‘vīryeṇa’.
Keep the first pāda expansive; avoid rushing ‘amartyena nāmnā’—make it the sonic center.
(majmanā): clear ‘jm’ cluster, no inserted vowel., (amartyena): ‘ty’ crisp., (nāmnā): long ā; nasal ‘mn’ cluster smooth., (dyumnena): ‘dyu’ as one unit, not ‘di-yu’., (nṛtamaḥ): vocalic ṛ; soft ‘t’ dental.
Broad, resonant, slightly uplifted; emphasize spaciousness over force.
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