Rig Veda 8.40.6: Mandala 8, Sukta 40, Mantra 6
Sukta 8.40
- Rishi
- Nabhāka
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Jagatī
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Raudra (fury)
अपि वृश्च पुराणवद्व्रततेरिव गुष्पितमोजो दासस्य दम्भय । वयं तदस्य सम्भृतं वस्विन्द्रेण वि भजेमहि नभन्तामन्यके समे ॥
ápi vṛśca purāṇavád vratáter iva guṣpitám ójo dāsásya dambhaya | vayáṃ tád asya sambhṛtáṃ vásv índreṇa ví bhajemahi nábhantām anyaké samé ||
Ścięj nawet jak dawniej sępną siłę, jak się tnie powiązanie łamiącego śluby; roztrzaskaj moc Dāsy. Wtedy możemy z Indrą rozdzielić zgromadzony skarb istnienia; niech inni zostaną rozproszeni na tym samym polu.
Word by Word
- अपि
- also; indeedIndeclinableparticle (emphatic/also)Root अपि
- वृश्च
- cut off; hew downVerbimperative, 2nd person singular, parasmaipadaRole (predicate)Root वृश्च्
- पुराणवत्
- as of old; in the ancient wayAdjective/Indeclinable (adverbial)indeclinable in -वत् (morphologically adj., here adverbial)Root पुराण + वत्
- व्रततेः
- of the (one) who keeps/holds a vow; of the vow-keeperNounfeminine, genitive singularRole Sambandha (genitive relation)Root व्रतति-
- इव
- like; asIndeclinablecomparative particleRoot इव
- गुष्पितम्
- the swollen/strengthened (force); amassed mightNoun/Adjectiveneuter, accusative singularRole Karma (object of वृश्च)Root गुष्पित- (from √गुष्प/गुष्प्, ‘to swell/strengthen’, Vedic)
- ओजः
- might; strengthNounneuter, nominative/accusative singular (here appositional to गुष्पितम् as object)Role Karma (object, in apposition)Root ओजस्
- दासस्य
- of the Dāsa (foe)Nounmasculine, genitive singularRole Sambandha (genitive relation)Root दास-
- दम्भय
- crush; subdue; make failVerbimperative, 2nd person singular, parasmaipada (causative)Role (predicate)Root दम्भय् (causative of √दभ्/√दम्भ् ‘to harm/deceive’, Vedic)
- वयम्
- wePronoun1st person, nominative pluralRole Kartā (of विभजेमहि)Root अस्मद्
- तत्
- thatPronounneuter, accusative singularRole Karma (object of विभजेमहि)Root तद्
- अस्य
- of him/itPronounmasculine/neuter, genitive singularRole Sambandha (genitive relation)Root इदम्/अयम् (enclitic gen.)
- सम्भृतम्
- collected; amassedAdjectiveneuter, accusative singular (agreeing with तत्)Role Karma (qualifier of object)Root सम्-√भृ
- वसु
- wealth; goodNounneuter, accusative singular (apposition to तत्/सम्भृतम्)Role Karma (object/apposition)Root वसु-
- इन्द्रेण
- with/through IndraNounmasculine, instrumental singularRole Karaṇa (means/agency)Root इन्द्र-
- वि
- apart; out; distributivelyIndeclinablepreverb (separative/distributive)Root वि
- भजेमहि
- may we share/divide; may we partakeVerbpresent subjunctive/optative-like (Vedic injunctive/subjunct nuance), 1st person plural, ātmanepadaRole (predicate)Root √भज्
- नभन्ताम्
- let them perish; let them be destroyedVerbimperative, 3rd person plural, ātmanepadaRole (predicate)Root √नभ् (Vedic: ‘to burst/vanish; be destroyed’)
- अन्यके
- in/with the other (party); among strangersNoun/Adjectivemasculine, locative singularRole Adhikaraṇa (locus/condition)Root अन्यक- (Vedic adj./noun ‘other, alien’)
- समे
- in the battle; in the contestNounneuter, locative singularRole Adhikaraṇa (locus)Root सम-
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolved as: पुराण॒वद्व्र॒तते॑रिव → पुराणवत् + व्रततेः + इव (final -त् before v-; gen.sg. -तेः before इव)
- गुष्पि॒तमोजो॑ → गुष्पितम् + ओजः (m + o → mo)
- वस्विन्द्रे॑ण → वसु + इन्द्रेण (u + i → vī/vi by sandhi; written as वस्विन्द्रेण)
- तद॑स्य → तत् + अस्य (t + a → d a in external sandhi)
- नभ॑न्तामन्य॒के → नभन्ताम् + अन्यके (m + a → ma)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Cut down, as in ancient times, the knotted force—like cutting the fastening of a vow-breaker; shatter the Dāsa’s power. Then with Indra may we distribute the gathered treasure; may the others be scattered in the same field.
Inner meaning
A call to sever entrenched knots of hostile vitality (guṣpita ojas: compacted/knotted force) that belong to the Dāsa—symbol of darkness, inertia, and perverse desire in the lower nature. The ‘vow-breaker’ image points to movements that violate the soul’s law (vrata) and must be cut at the binding point. With Indra’s illumination we then rightly apportion (vi-bhaj) the recovered inner wealth (vasu)—energies, insights, and powers gathered back into the being—while rival impulses are dispersed.
Universal truth
Spiritual progress requires decisive cutting of habitual knots and broken commitments; once the obstruction is shattered, the reclaimed energies can be redistributed harmoniously under a higher intelligence.
Themes
cutting obstruction, defeat of Dāsa (inner darkness), sharing the treasure (vasu)
The seer
- Rishi
- Nabhāka
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 8.40.1-9
Family tradition
Kāṇva milieu; hymn-voice of practical victory—mantra as an instrument to cut knots and reclaim vasu.
Significance
The rishi’s emphasis is on inner ethics of vrata (law of aspiration). The ‘vow-breaker’ is not merely social; it is the psychological betrayal that must be cut for the inner yajña to proceed.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra (with Indrāgnī background)
- Related deities
- Agni, Bṛhaspati, Soma
Cosmic role
Breaker of obstructions; champion who defeats Dāsa/Dasyu powers and releases wealth and waters.
Inner power
Illumined intelligence that can detect knots, strike precisely, and reorganize energies into right distribution.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra invocation for victory over rivals/obstacles; wealth-winning recitation in soma contexts
अपि॑ वृश्च पुराण॒वद्व्र॒तते॑रिव गुष्पि॒तमोजो॑ दा॒सस्य॑ दम्भय । व॒यं तद॑स्य॒ सम्भृ॑तं॒ वस्विन्द्रे॑ण॒ वि भ॑जेमहि॒ नभ॑न्तामन्य॒के स॑मे ॥
अपि॑ । वृ॒श्च॒ । पु॒रा॒ण॒ऽवत् । व्र॒ततेः॑ऽइव । गु॒ष्पि॒तम् । ओजः॑ । दा॒सस्य॑ । द॒म्भ॒य॒ । व॒यम् । तत् । अ॒स्य॒ । सम्ऽभृ॑तम् । वसु॑ । इन्द्रे॑ण । वि । भ॒जे॒म॒हि॒ । नभ॑न्ताम् । अ॒न्य॒के । स॒मे॒ ॥
api | vṛśca | purāṇa-vat | vratateḥ-iva | guṣpitam | ojaḥ | dāsasya | dambhaya | vayam | tat | asya | sam-bhṛtam | vasu | indreṇa | vi | bhajemahi | nabhantām | anyake | same
48
4×12 (approx.)
Cutting, decisive phrasing with strong verb openings (vṛśca, dambhaya).
Energizes will and courage; supports ‘surgical’ clarity—helpful for breaking habit patterns.
- वृश्च (vṛśca)
- Literal: cut! sever!. Symbolic: decisive discrimination and renunciation—clean severing of knots
- पुराणवत् (purāṇavat)
- Literal: as of old. Symbolic: recurrence of the perennial victory-method; memory of earlier breakthroughs
- व्रततेः (vratateḥ)
- Literal: of the vow-breaker. Symbolic: forces that betray the soul’s law/aspiration; inner falsehood
- गुष्पितम् (guṣpitam)
- Literal: knotted, compacted, clenched. Symbolic: congealed vital-ego force; resistant samskāra-knot
- ओजः (ojaḥ)
- Literal: force, vigor. Symbolic: effective energy—here distorted and hostile
- दासस्य (dāsasya)
- Literal: of the Dāsa. Symbolic: dark/ignorant nature, subconscient resistance (anti-divine)
- दम्भय (dambhaya)
- Literal: crush, shatter, confound. Symbolic: break the coherence of false force
- सम्भृतम् वसु (sambhṛtam vasu)
- Literal: gathered treasure/wealth. Symbolic: recovered inner riches: light, strength, joy, capacities reclaimed from obscuration
- वि भजेमहि (vi bhajemahi)
- Literal: may we distribute/apportion. Symbolic: right ordering and integration of regained energies under illumination
Victory/repulsion (abhicāra-free, protective) intent within Soma ritual: removal of obstructing forces and right distribution of vasu.
When seeking removal of hostile forces, success in contest, or recovery of ‘wealth’ (resources/strength).
Recitation with offering; intention of severing bonds and redistributing gains.
Use as a mantra for cutting addictions, compulsions, or repetitive negative thoughts; follow with a brief reflection on how to ‘redistribute’ reclaimed energy into dharmic action.
vṛśca from √vraśc ‘to cut’. dāsa in early RV often denotes hostile/obstructive powers (social referent secondary to the symbolic function in many hymns). dambhaya from √dambh ‘to injure, deceive; to crush/confound’ (Vedic). bhaj from √bhaj ‘to share, apportion’ (also ‘to partake’).
vrata as law of right action (ṛta), removal of knots/saṃhati in consciousness, right distribution (vi-bhaj) of attained powers
Vrata aligns with ṛta; vow-breaking is a deviation that creates knots; Indra restores right order by cutting them.
Truth-discernment that exposes the Dāsa-force as false strength.
From obstruction to recovered wealth—re-integration of dispersed powers into ordered being.
Integral yoga psychology (Aurobindo/Kashyap style): transformation by removal of knots and reorganization of energies.
Knots = samskāra bindings in vital nature; cutting = tapas guided by illumination; treasure = latent capacities freed from obscuration.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The cutting/shattering of the Dāsa’s power—an obstruction-defeat motif—followed by the apportioning of the recovered ‘treasure’ (vasu), echoing the recovery-and-distribution pattern after victory.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √bhaj ‘share/apportion’ has Indo-European parallels in distributive/partitive semantics (though cognate mapping is complex). The formulaic ‘as of old’ (purāṇavat) reflects inherited poetic traditionalism—victory re-enacted by ritual speech.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The r̥ṣi asks not only for divine destruction of obstruction but for cooperative enjoyment: ‘with Indra’ we apportion the gained vasu—divine force enables, human community integrates and uses the attainment in right order.
Identify the ‘knotted force’ (a habitual compulsion) and invoke Indra to cut it; then consciously reassign the freed energy to a higher aim.
maṇipūra (will/ojas) with support of ājñā (discernment)
Brisk-energetic recitation for 3 rounds; then 7 slow breaths sensing release in the belly/solar plexus.
From tightness/compulsion to liberated strength and ordered clarity.
Name the knot silently; on ‘vṛśca’ feel a decisive severing; on ‘vi bhajemahi’ choose one concrete dharmic channel for the reclaimed energy (study, service, meditation, creative work).
Follow Vedic accent marks; give strong clarity to initial imperatives (api vṛśca… dambhaya).
Do not blur consonant clusters: guṣpitam (guṣ-pi-tam), sambhṛtam (sam-bhṛ-tam).
ṛ in vṛśca: crisp vocalic r., vratater iva: keep dental t; avoid retroflexing., dāsasya: long ā., vi bhajemahi: clear separation vi | bhajemahi.
Forceful, cutting, but not harsh; end with steadiness on ‘vi bhajemahi’.
3
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