Rig Veda 6.37.5: Mandala 6, Sukta 37, Mantra 5
Sukta 6.37
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- likely Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
इन्द्रो वाजस्य स्थविरस्य दातेन्द्रो गीर्भिर्वर्धतां वृद्धमहाः । इन्द्रो वृत्रं हनिष्ठो अस्तु सत्वा ता सूरिः पृणति तूतुजानः ॥
índro vā́jasya sthávirasya dāténdro gīrbhír vardhatāṃ vṛ́ddhamahāḥ | índro vṛtráṃ hániṣṭho astu sátvā́ ā́ tā́ sūríḥ pṛṇati tū́tujānaḥ ||
Indra jest dawcą stałej i trwałej pełni siły; Indra, wielki w swoim wzroście, niech wzrasta przez nasze natchnione słowa. Niech Indra będzie najsilniejszym zabójcą Zakrywającego, prawdziwą potęgą; wtedy oświecony przywódca, gorliwie podążając, napełnia nas tym obfitością.
Word by Word
- इन्द्रः
- IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- वाजस्य
- of prize/strength (vāja)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root वाज (प्रातिपदिक)
- स्थविरस्य
- of the strong/steadfastAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (वाजस्य विशेषणम्)Role सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root स्थविर (प्रातिपदिक)
- दाते
- to/for the giverNoun (agent)पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot दा (दाने) → दातृ (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्रः
- IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- गीर्भिः
- with hymns/utterancesNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole करणRoot गीर्/गिर् (प्रातिपदिक)
- वर्धताम्
- let (him) grow/increaseVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (आशीर्लिङ्ग/आज्ञार्थ-प्रयोगः: ‘let … grow’)Role (क्रिया)Root वृध् (वर्धने)
- वृद्ध-महाः
- great by growth / grown-greatAdjective (compound)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (इन्द्रस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृ (विशेषणम्)Root वृद्ध (कृदन्त/विशेषण) + महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्रः
- IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- वृत्रम्
- VṛtraNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot वृत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- हनिष्ठः
- the most slaying / best slayerAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (इन्द्रस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृ (विशेषणम्)Root हन् (हिंसागत्योः) → हनिष्ठ (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; -इष्ठ superlative)
- अस्तु
- let (him) beVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole (क्रिया)Root अस् (भुवि)
- सत्वा
- the strong/valiant oneNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (इन्द्रस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृ (विशेषणम्)Root सत्वन्/सत्व (प्रातिपदिक; ‘strong, valiant’)
- ताम्
- her/that (f.)Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot तद् (सर्वनाम)
- सूरिः
- the patron/generous lordNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot सूरि (प्रातिपदिक)
- पृणति
- fills/satisfiesVerbलट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole (क्रिया)Root पॄ/पृ (पूरणे)
- तूतुजानः
- impelling/urging on, pressing forwardParticiple (adjectival)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (सूरिः विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृ (विशेषणम्)Root तुद् (तुदने) → तूतुजान (कृदन्त; तीव्र/पुनरुक्त-आभ्यासयुक्त वर्तमान-कृदन्त)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (मुख्यः): इन्द्रः वाजस्य स्थविरस्य दाते | इन्द्रः गीर्भिः वर्धताम् वृद्ध-महाः | इन्द्रः वृत्रम् हनिष्ठः अस्तु सत्वा | ताम् सूरिः पृणति तूतुजानः || 1) दा॒तेन्द्रो॑ = दाते + इन्द्रः (ए + इ → ए; संहितायां ‘ए’ परे स्वरादौ यथावत्, लेखने ‘दातेन्द्रः’)
- 2) गी॒र्भिर्व॑र्धताम् = गीर्भिः + वर्धताम् (विसर्गस्य ‘र्’ आदेशः: ः + व → र्व)
- 3) वृ॒द्धम॑हाः = वृद्ध + महाः (समास/संधि: द् + म → द्म; पदे ‘वृद्ध-महाः’)
- 4) ता सू॒रिः = ताम् + सूरिः (अनुस्वार/मकार-लोपः पदान्ते छन्दसि; पदपाठानुसारं ‘ताम्’)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra is the giver of firm, enduring plenitude; may Indra, great in growth, increase through our hymns. Let Indra be the strongest slayer of Vṛtra, the true power; then the illumined leader, impelling, fills us with that abundance.
Inner meaning
Indra is invoked as the giver of vāja—effective force/achievement—made stable (sthavira) in the being, not a fleeting excitement. Our inspired words (gīrbhiḥ) are not flattery but formations of consciousness that ‘increase’ Indra in us: the illumined mind grows as we speak truth from aspiration. Indra must become haniṣṭha—most capable of slaying Vṛtra, the Coverer: the subconscious resistance that blocks the flow of light and power. When that resistance is broken, the sūri (inner illumined leader) in us—our governing intelligence—impels the nature (tūtujānaḥ) and fills it with the released abundance.
Universal truth
Stable strength and lasting accomplishment come when illumination is consciously increased by true speech and when inner resistance is confronted and broken; then the best part of us can lead and distribute the gained power through life.
Themes
Vṛtra-slaying, increase of Indra by hymn, bestowal of vā́ja, inner fullness (pṝ)
The seer
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja tradition
- Lineage
- Bharadvāja
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 6.37.3, Rig Veda 6.37.4
Family tradition
Indra hymns in Book 6 often couple praise (gīr) with inner battle (Vṛtra-slaying) and the resulting stable vāja (enduring force).
Significance
Shows the Aurobindo-Kashyap pattern: mantra-speech increases the inner god; victory over the Coverer yields a stable, distributable plenitude led by the sūri (illumined faculty).
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- vṛddhamahāḥ (great in growth), vṛtra-han (Vṛtra-slayer, sense), dātā (giver)
- Related deities
- Soma, Agni, Bṛhaspati
Cosmic role
Champion who releases the blocked powers (light/force/joy) by slaying obstruction; then grants stable plenitude.
Inner power
Illumined intelligence as warrior-will; capacity to convert inspiration into enduring force in the system.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-stotra in Soma rites; also used as a victory-invocation in broader śrauta contexts.
इन्द्रो॒ वाज॑स्य॒ स्थवि॑रस्य दा॒तेन्द्रो॑ गी॒र्भिर्व॑र्धतां वृ॒द्धम॑हाः । इन्द्रो॑ वृ॒त्रं हनि॑ष्ठो अस्तु॒ सत्वा ता सू॒रिः पृ॑णति॒ तूतु॑जानः ॥
इन्द्रः॑ । वाज॑स्य । स्थवि॑रस्य । दा॒ता । इन्द्रः॑ । गीः॒ऽभिः । व॒र्ध॒ता॒म् । वृ॒द्धऽम॑हाः । इन्द्रः॑ । वृ॒त्रम् । हनि॑ष्ठः । अ॒स्तु॒ । सत्वा॑ । आ । ता । सू॒रिः । पृ॒ण॒ति॒ । तूतु॑जानः ॥
indraḥ | vājasya | sthavirasya | dātā | indraḥ | gīḥ-bhiḥ | vardhatām | vṛddha-mahāḥ | indraḥ | vṛtram | haniṣṭhaḥ | astu | satvā | ā | tā | sūriḥ | pṛṇati | tūtujānaḥ
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4 pādas × ~11 syllables
Martial and declarative; strong caesuras suit affirmation (‘Indro… Indro… Indro…’).
Builds conviction and fighting spirit; supports inner resolve against inertia and doubt.
- वाज (vāja)
- Literal: prize, strength, plenitude. Symbolic: effective force and victorious capacity in works and yoga
- स्थविर (sthavira)
- Literal: firm, enduring. Symbolic: stabilized power; steadiness of realization
- गीर्भिः (gīrbhiḥ)
- Literal: by hymns/words. Symbolic: inspired speech-thought that builds the god-power within
- वृत्रम् (vṛtram)
- Literal: Vṛtra. Symbolic: the Coverer; subconscious obstruction and inertia
- सत्वा (satvā)
- Literal: strong being/power. Symbolic: true puissance—being-force aligned with truth
- सूरिः (sūriḥ)
- Literal: leader/patron. Symbolic: illumined inner governor that can ‘fill’ the nature with right abundance
- तूतुजानः (tūtujānaḥ)
- Literal: urging on, impelling. Symbolic: dynamic tapas; the push that makes realization operative
Soma praise to strengthen Indra through gīr (hymns) for victory over Vṛtra and for bestowal of vā́ja (force-plenitude).
When seeking strength, overcoming obstacles, or establishing a stable gain from the sacrifice.
Praise to ‘increase’ Indra, followed by intent for Vṛtra-slaying and reception of vāja.
Chant before disciplined work or during periods of stagnation; use as an affirmation to break procrastination and inner heaviness.
vā́ja: not merely ‘food/prize’ but ‘plenitude of force’ (√vāj/√vaj: strength, driving impetus). vṛtra: from √vṛ ‘cover, enclose’ → the archetypal obstruction. satvā: ‘possessing sat (being)’ → essential might rather than brute force. tūtujāna: intensive/reduplicated formation from √tuj ‘thrust/impel’ marking energized movement of will.
Sat (being) as the basis of true power (satvā), R̥ta-supported victory: removal of the Coverer to restore right flow
Vṛtra-slaying restores the right flow of Ṛta in mind and life.
gīr as truth-formed speech; when speech aligns to Satya it becomes power.
Release of blocked energies enables stable formation (sthavira vāja) and right governance (sūri).
Vedic yoga of the inner battle (antar-yuddha) culminating in stable siddhi (enduring force).
Cloud/cave cover = subconscious lid; thunderbolt victory = breakthrough; released waters/rays = regained force and clarity; stability = integration.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Explicit Vṛtra-slaying: Indra as haniṣṭha (most effective slayer) of the Coverer. In the inner reading, the ‘Coverer’ is the psychological obstruction that prevents the free flow of force (vā́ja) and fullness (pṛṇati).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √han ‘slay’ continues PIE *gʷhen- ‘to strike/kill’ (cf. Avestan jan-, Greek phénō in older analyses; broadly IE ‘kill’ root). √pṝ ‘fill’ aligns with PIE *pelh₁- ‘fill’ (cf. Greek plḗthō ‘fill’, Latin plēnus ‘full’ via related formations).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The hymns (gīr) are offered as conscious formative speech that ‘increases’ Indra—i.e., opens the channel for the Indric force in the human. Indra reciprocates by giving stable vā́ja and conquering Vṛtra, enabling the sūrī (inner leader) to ‘fill’ the being with the received power.
Invoke Indra as the inner warrior of clarity: identify one ‘Coverer’ pattern (inertia, fear, compulsive thought) and call the vajra of discernment to split it.
manipura (will/force) with support from ajna (clear seeing)
Kapalabhati-light (if appropriate) or 3 rounds of strong exhale emphasis, then stillness; repeat ‘indro vṛtraṃ haniṣṭho astu’.
Dynamic concentration leading to breakthrough and integration.
Speak/chant with precision (gīr): let words be truth-forms; after chanting, take one decisive action that contradicts the inertia—this is the practical ‘Vṛtra-slaying’.
Rigvedic accenting; the triple ‘Indro’ openings benefit from clear udātta lift and consistent cadence across pādas.
Maintain strong pāda endings; avoid rushing through consonant clusters in vṛtraṃ haniṣṭhaḥ.
vṛtraṃ: vocalic ṛ; keep anusvāra before t as nasalization, haniṣṭhaḥ: retroflex ṣṭh cluster; audible visarga, vṛddhamahāḥ: geminate ddh, long āḥ, tūtujānaḥ: long ū; keep -jā- long
Commanding, steady, and bright; avoid strain—power through articulation.
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