Rig Veda 7.25.5: Mandala 7, Sukta 25, Mantra 5
Sukta 7.25
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
कुत्सा एते हर्यश्वाय शूषमिन्द्रे सहो देवजूतमियानाः । सत्रा कृधि सुहना शूर वृत्रा वयं तरुत्राः सनुयाम वाजम् ॥
kútsā eté háryaśvāya śū́ṣam índre sáho deva-jū́tam iyānā́ḥ | satrā́ kṛdhi su-hánā śūra vṛtrā́ vayáṃ tarútrāḥ sanuyā́ma vā́jam ||
Te impulsy są dla jaszczurowego, dla Indry, moce pędzone przez bogów, dążące do mocy. Uczyń nas zawsze dobrymi zabójcami, o bohaterze, osłaniaczy; abyśmy, przezwyciężając, mogli zdobyć pełnię siły.
Word by Word
- कुत्साः
- the Kutsa-s (Kutsa’s men/companions)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot कुत्स (प्रातिपदिक)
- एते
- thesePronounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (कुत्साः इत्यस्य विशेषण/सहवर्ती)Root एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- हर्यश्वाय
- to the bay-horsed (Indra)Noun (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी; एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot हर्यश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- शूषम्
- strength, mightNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot शूष (प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्रे
- in/with IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- सहः
- force, powerNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्म (शूषम् इत्यस्य समन्वितम्)Root सहस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- देवजूतम्
- god-impelled, urged by the godsAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्म-विशेषण (शूषम्/सहः)Root देवजूत (प्रातिपदिक; देव + जूत ‘impelled/urged’)
- इयानाः
- going, advancingParticipleपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (कुत्साः/एते इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Root √इ (गत्यर्थ) → इयान (कृदन्त, परस्मैपदी; PPP/परिप्रयोगः ‘going’)
- सत्रा
- always, continuallyIndeclinableअव्ययRole क्रियाविशेषणRoot सत्रा (अव्यय)
- कृधि
- make!, do!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ); मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot √कृ (करणे)
- सुहना
- good-slayer, well-strikingAdjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन; एकवचनRole सम्बोधन (इन्द्रस्य)Root सुहना (प्रातिपदिक; सु- + हना ‘slaying/striking’)
- शूर
- O heroNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन; एकवचनRole सम्बोधन (इन्द्रस्य)Root शूर (प्रातिपदिक)
- वृत्रा
- Vṛtra-s (obstructors/enemies)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot वृत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- वयम्
- wePronounप्रथमा; बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- तरुत्राः
- victorious, overcomingAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole कर्तृ-विशेषण (वयम्)Root तरुत्र (प्रातिपदिक; ‘overcoming, victorious’)
- सनुयाम
- may we win/obtainVerbविधिलिङ् (संभावना/आशीः); उत्तमपुरुष; बहुवचन; परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot √सन्/√सन्ु (लाभे/प्राप्तौ; ‘to win, obtain’) → स्नु/सनुय (धातु-प्रयोगः)
- वाजम्
- prize, booty; strength (winning)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot वाज (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: कुत्साः | एते | हर्यश्वाय | शूषम् | इन्द्रे | सहः | देवजूतम् | इयानाः || सत्रा | कृधि | सुहना | शूर | वृत्रा | वयम् | तरुत्राः | सनुयाम | वाजम् || प्रमुख-सन्धयः: (1) कुत्सा॑ ए॒ते → कुत्साः एते (अः + ए → अ ए; विसर्गः पदान्ते) । (2) शू॒षमिन्द्रे॒ → शूषम् इन्द्रे (म् + इ- आरम्भे पृथक् पद) । (3) दे॒वजू॑तमिया॒नाः → देवजूतम् इयानाः (म् + इ-; पदविभागः) ।
The meaning
Outer meaning
These impulses/powers go to Indra of tawny horses, driven by the gods toward might. Make us always good slayers of the Vṛtras (coverers), so that we, overcoming, may win vāja (prize/plenitude).
Inner meaning
The rising movements of aspiration (ete śūṣam) are themselves ‘god-driven’—impulsions from higher planes pressing the seeker toward luminous strength. Indra (illumined mind) is invoked to shape the practitioner into a constant conqueror of inner coverers (vṛtrāḥ): doubts, inertia, subconscient habits. Victory is not for egoic triumph but to win vāja—plenitude of effective force, capacity, and accomplishment in the yoga.
Universal truth
True empowerment comes when higher inspiration governs our impulses and turns them into persistent victory over inner resistance, yielding a stable plenitude of strength and skill.
Themes
Vṛtra-slaying (inner), Victory, Attainment of vāja
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Other hymns
- RV 7.19, RV 7.23, RV 7.24, RV 7.25.1-6
Family tradition
Seer of ordered victory: the conquest is made continuous (satrā) and grounded in divine impulsion (devajūta).
Significance
Vasiṣṭha frames battle imagery as inner discipline: impulses must be divinely driven and aimed at removing the ‘coverers’ rather than feeding the ego.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Haryaśva (tawny-steeded), Śūra (hero), Sahā (mighty)
- Related deities
- Maruts (impulsions), Agni (will), Soma (bliss-force), Bṛhaspati (word/vision)
Cosmic role
Breaker of Vṛtra; channel of divine might that turns aspiration into victorious action.
Inner power
Illuminative force that organizes impulses into effective conquest of ignorance and inertia.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra stotra in Soma rites; martial praise connected to Vṛtra-victory themes
कुत्सा॑ ए॒ते हर्य॑श्वाय शू॒षमिन्द्रे॒ सहो॑ दे॒वजू॑तमिया॒नाः । स॒त्रा कृ॑धि सु॒हना॑ शूर वृ॒त्रा व॒यं तरु॑त्राः सनुयाम॒ वाज॑म् ॥
कुत्सा॑ । ए॒ते । हर्यि॑ऽअश्वाय । शू॒षम् । इन्द्रे॑ । सहः॑ । दे॒वऽजू॑तम् । इ॒या॒नाः । स॒त्रा । कृ॒धि॒ । सु॒ऽहना॑ । शू॒र॒ । वृ॒त्रा । व॒यम् । तरु॑त्राः । स॒नु॒या॒म॒ । वाज॑म् ॥
kutsā | ete | haryi-aśvāya | śūṣam | indre | sahaḥ | deva-jūtam | iyānāḥ | satrā | kṛdhi | su-hanā | śūra | vṛtrā | vayam | tarutrāḥ | sanuyāma | vājam
44
4 x ~11
Energetic, rallying cadence; suited to mobilization and victory.
Stirs courage and forward motion; helpful when facing lethargy, fear, or recurring habits.
- शूषम् (śūṣam)
- Literal: impulse, ardour, power. Symbolic: ascending drive of aspiration; energized intention moving toward transformation
- हर्यश्वाय (haryaśvāya)
- Literal: to the tawny-steeded. Symbolic: illumined mind carried by disciplined life-energies (vital powers yoked to Light)
- देवजूतम् (devajūtam)
- Literal: impelled by the gods. Symbolic: movements initiated by higher consciousness, not by desire-nature
- सत्रा (satrā)
- Literal: always, continuously. Symbolic: unbroken practice; persistence across cycles of progress and relapse
- सुहना (suhanā)
- Literal: good slayers. Symbolic: effective inner warriors—clear discernment and force that actually removes obstruction
- वृत्रा (vṛtrā)
- Literal: coverers, obstructers. Symbolic: subconscient resistance, ignorance, habitual formations that ‘cover’ the light
- तरुत्राः (tarutrāḥ)
- Literal: overcomers, crossers. Symbolic: those who pass beyond limiting formations; victorious consciousness
- वाजम् (vājam)
- Literal: prize, strength, plenitude. Symbolic: accomplishing power; fullness of energy and capacity in the being
Indra-victory prayer; suitable for rites seeking conquest of obstacles and attainment of vāja
During Indra-focused recitation/offerings; especially when seeking strength and victory
Chant with offering/mental oblation of impulses into the higher Mind
Use before challenging tasks or when confronting addictions/habits: convert raw impulse into ‘devajūta’ aspiration and ask for steady conquest.
vṛtra (from √vṛ ‘cover, obstruct’): symbolically the covering of consciousness by ignorance. taru- (in tarutrāḥ): from √tṛ ‘cross over’—the overcoming passage. deva-jūta: ‘impelled by the gods’—energies not ego-driven but guided by higher powers.
ignorance as covering (vṛtra), divine impulsion (deva-jūta), crossing beyond (taru/tr̥)
Victory over Vṛtra restores the right movement of energies and opens the ordered flow of light.
‘Suhanā’ implies truth-effective action (not symbolic victory).
Opening the closed by force of illumination; releasing plenitude (vāja) from obstruction.
Integral psychological Vedism: impulses purified and yoked to higher mind for transformation.
Harnessing vital energies (horses) and stormy drives into disciplined, god-led momentum that breaks inner ‘dams’.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Vṛtra-slaying: the coverers (vṛtrā) are to be overcome so that vāja (plenitude of force) is won. The myth is explicitly interiorizable: obstruction of consciousness is slain by Indra-powered energies.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √vṛ ‘cover’ is PIE *wer- ‘cover/close’ (cf. English ‘wrap’ via Germanic developments; Latin operīre is different root but same semantic field). √tṛ ‘cross’ is PIE *terh₂- ‘cross over’ (cf. Latin trāns ‘across’ as a related spatial notion). The inherited ‘hero vs serpent/obstructor’ pattern is pan-IE.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi aligns the human energies as ‘deva-jūta’ (god-driven) and asks Indra to make them ‘su-hanā’ (effective slayers) of inner obstruction; the human side aspires and advances (iyānāḥ), Indra confers victorious capacity, culminating in the winning of vāja.
Transform impulses into god-led aspiration; practice steady removal of ‘coverers’ through luminous discernment.
maṇipūra (force) refined toward ājñā (illumination)
Brisk-energetic bhastrikā (gentle, 20–30 strokes) then quiet witnessing; chant once the breath settles.
Victorious, dynamic clarity.
When a resistance arises, name it as ‘vṛtra’; invoke Indra to strike it with clear insight and decisive action; maintain satrā—no bargaining with relapse.
Rigvedic accents per śākhā; emphasize vocatives and key nouns (índre, śūra, vṛtrā́, vā́jam) with correct udātta placements.
Keep strong caesura after ‘iyānāḥ |’; let ‘satrā kṛdhi’ be crisp and commanding.
kutsā: retroflex ṭ? (here dental t in transliteration; keep ‘ku-tsā’ clean), haryaśvāya: split har-ya-śvā-ya; śv cluster clear, devajūtam: long ū; soft j, suhanā: su-ha-nā, long ā, tarutrāḥ: roll r lightly; long āḥ at end
Bright, forceful, battle-ready yet controlled.
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