Rig Veda 8.46.17: Mandala 8, Sukta 46, Mantra 17
Sukta 8.46
- Devata
- Indra with Maruts
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
महः सु वो अरमिषे स्तवामहे मीळ्हुषे अरंगमाय जग्मये । यज्ञेभिर्गीर्भिर्विश्वमनुषां मरुतामियक्षसि गाये त्वा नमसा गिरा ॥
maháḥ su vo áram iṣé stavāmahe mīḷhúṣe araṃgamā́ya jágmaye | yajñébhir gī́rbhir viśvámanuṣāṃ marútām iyákṣasi gā́ye tvā námasā girā́ ||
Dla wielkiego, dla waszego dobra i wzrostu, wysławiamy was chwałą - o szczodry, gotowy przybyć, któryś przybył. Przez ofiary i natchnione pieśni wspierasz powszechne ludzkie dążenie; pomagasz Marutom: śpiewam tobie z hołdem i z mantrycznym głosem.
Word by Word
- म॒हः
- of the great (one); of greatnessNoun/Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचन (महः = महतः) [वेद. संक्षेप]Role सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)Root महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- सु
- well; indeedIndeclinableअव्ययRole विशेषण-निपात (intensifier/qualifier)Root सु (अव्यय)
- वः
- of you; yourPronounषष्ठी बहुवचन (enclitic) / वैदिके कदाचित् द्वितीया-बहुवचनार्थेऽपि; अत्र ‘your’Role सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)Root युष्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- अरम्
- properly; sufficiently; fittinglyIndeclinableअव्ययRole क्रियाविशेषण (manner/fitness)Root अरम् (अव्यय)
- इषे
- I seek; I desireVerbलट्, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद (इषे = I seek/desire)Role कर्तृ (speaker as agent)Root इष् (धातु) / इष्- (इष्टि/इष् ‘to seek, to desire’)
- स्तवामहे
- we praiseVerbलट्, उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचन, आत्मनेपद (स्तवामहे = we praise)Role कर्तृ (we as agent)Root स्तु (धातु)
- मीळ्हुषे
- to the bountiful one (giver)Noun (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी एकवचनRole सम्प्रदान (recipient)Root मीळ्हु (प्रातिपदिक; ‘bountiful/giver’, epithet)
- अरंगमाय
- to the swift-going/ready oneAdjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी एकवचन (वेद. रूप)Role सम्प्रदान (recipient; in apposition)Root अरंगम (प्रातिपदिक; ‘swift-going/ready-going’, epithet)
- जग्मये
- to the goer/arriverKṛdanta (participle used as noun/epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी एकवचनRole सम्प्रदान (recipient; in apposition)Root गम् (धातु) → जग्मि/जग्म (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक ‘one who has gone/comes’)
- यज्ञेभिः
- with sacrificesNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया बहुवचनRole करण (instrument)Root यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
- गीर्भिः
- with hymns/songsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया बहुवचनRole करण (instrument)Root गीर् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘song, hymn’)
- विश्वम्
- all; the whole (of it)Adjective (substantive)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्म (object)Root विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- अनुषाम्
- in due order; successivelyAdverbial noun/indeclinable-like form(वेद.) षष्ठी बहुवचन-रूपेण अव्ययीभाववत्: ‘in succession/according to’Role क्रियाविशेषण (manner)Root अनु (उपसर्ग) + शा/शास् (धातु) → अनुशा/अनुषा (प्रातिपदिक; ‘following, in due order’; RV usage)
- मरुताम्
- of the MarutsNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)Root मरुत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- इयक्षसि
- you worship; you sacrificeVerbलट्, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद (वेद. इयक्षसि < यक्षसि; with augment-like i-)Role कर्तृ (you as agent)Root यज् (धातु)
- गाये
- sing!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद (गाये = sing!)Role कर्तृ (you as agent)Root गै/गा (धातु ‘to sing’)
- त्वा
- youPronounद्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्म (object)Root त्वद् (सर्वनाम)
- नमसा
- with reverence; with homageNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचनRole करण (instrument)Root नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- गिरा
- with a hymn/voiceNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचनRole करण (instrument)Root गिर् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘voice, hymn’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धि-विग्रह): महः | सु | वः | अरम् | इषे | स्तवामहे | मीळ्हुषे | अरंगमाय | जग्मये || यज्ञेभिः | गीर्भिः | विश्वम् | अनुषाम् | मरुताम् | इयक्षसि || गाये | त्वा | नमसा | गिरा || मुख्य सन्धि/रूप-टिप्पणी: (1) महः = महतः (वेद. षष्ठी-एकवचन संक्षेप)
- (2) इयक्षसि वैदिक-रूप: यज् धातोः ‘यक्षसि’ इत्यस्य प्राग्रहीत-इकार (i-) सहितं रूपम्
- (3) अनुषाम् RV-प्रयोगे षष्ठी-बहुवचन-रूपेण क्रियाविशेषणवत् ‘क्रमेण/अनुक्रमेण’ अर्थे
The meaning
Outer meaning
We praise you for greatness and for your well-being and increase, bountiful one ready to come, who has arrived. By sacrifices and songs you foster the universal human endeavor; you further the Maruts. I sing to you with homage and with inspired utterance.
Inner meaning
The seeker affirms Indra as the arriving power (jagmaye) that responds to sincere invocation. Through yajña (inner offering) and gīḥ (inspired speech), Indra fosters viśvamanuṣām—our whole human nature—helping it grow toward its universal fulfillment. He also ‘furthers the Maruts’: he harmonizes and uplifts the dynamic life-forces so they become allies of illumination rather than turbulence.
Universal truth
When aspiration is organized as a conscious offering and truthful speech, higher intelligence descends, integrates our human parts, and directs our energies toward a universal good.
Themes
Indra-Marut alliance, Collective aspiration, Wideness and increase (iṣ)
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 8.46 (context of Indra praise; here explicitly links Indra with Maruts and human universality)
Significance
Shows the integral movement: Indra’s descent is supported by yajña and mantra, and it transforms both the universal human field and the life-forces (Maruts) into instruments of progress.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra (with Maruts as associated powers)
- Epithets
- mahān (great—implied by mahaḥ), mīḻhuṣ (bountiful), araṃgamā (ready-to-come), jagmā (arrived)
- Related deities
- Maruts (dynamic life-powers), Agni (yajña leader), Soma (delight that supports descent)
Cosmic role
Leader of the luminous hosts, who coordinates storm-energies (Maruts) and advances the human journey toward universality.
Inner power
Descending illumined mind that integrates the being and disciplines life-force into courageous, harmonious action.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-Marut stuti within Soma ritual cycles; also fits communal praise in gatherings.
म॒हः सु वो॒ अर॑मिषे॒ स्तवा॑महे मी॒ळ्हुषे॑ अरंग॒माय॒ जग्म॑ये । य॒ज्ञेभि॑र्गी॒र्भिर्वि॒श्वम॑नुषां म॒रुता॑मियक्षसि॒ गाये॑ त्वा॒ नम॑सा गि॒रा ॥
म॒हः । सु । वः॒ । अर॑म् । इ॒षे॒ । स्तवा॑महे । मी॒ळ्हुषे॑ । अ॒र॒म्ऽग॒माय । जग्म॑ये । य॒ज्ञेभिः॑ । गीः॒ऽभिः । वि॒श्वऽम॑नुषाम् । म॒रुता॑म् । इ॒य॒क्ष॒सि॒ । गाये॑ । त्वा॒ । नम॑सा । गि॒रा ॥
mahaḥ | su | vaḥ | aram | iṣe | stavāmahe | mīḷhuṣe | aram-gamāya | jagmaye | yajñebhiḥ | gīḥ-bhiḥ | viśva-manuṣām | marutām | iyakṣasi | gāye | tvā | namasā | gi rā
Processional and expansive, suited to ‘arrival’ and ‘universal human’ scope; alternating firmness (praise) and flow (songs).
Creates a sense of invocation culminating in presence; harmonizes breath and energizes collective aspiration.
- महे (mahaḥ)
- Literal: for the great. Symbolic: for the vastness—wideness of consciousness
- इषे (iṣe)
- Literal: for increase, nourishment. Symbolic: for growth of inner power and right enjoyment (īṣ)
- मीळ्हुषे (mīḻhuṣe)
- Literal: bountiful, gracious. Symbolic: the power that pours help and abundance into the seeker
- अरंगमाय (araṃgamāya)
- Literal: ready to come, fit to arrive. Symbolic: the responsive descent of higher force when conditions are prepared
- जग्मये (jagmaye)
- Literal: to the one who has come/arrived. Symbolic: the realized presence—not merely invoked, but established in consciousness
- यज्ञेभिः (yajñebhiḥ)
- Literal: by sacrifices. Symbolic: by inner offerings—self-giving of mind, life, and works
- गीर्भिः (gīrbhiḥ)
- Literal: by songs. Symbolic: by inspired mantric speech that shapes consciousness
- विश्वमनुषाम् (viśvamanuṣām)
- Literal: the whole of men/humanity. Symbolic: the total human nature in us, aspiring toward universality
- मरुताम् (marutām)
- Literal: of the Maruts. Symbolic: the life-energies, prāṇic forces, dynamic impulses to be harmonized and empowered
Soma-liturgical praise linking Indra’s arrival with the energizing of Maruts; used where Indra-Marut synergy is invoked for force, movement, and collective uplift.
When invoking Indra’s coming with the Marut energies; during stotra/śastra segments emphasizing support of the yajamāna and the people.
Stavana with namas (homage) and gīḥ (hymn) as offerings; calling the deity as ‘arrived’ presence.
Group chanting for collective uplift: align intention (yajña) + voice (gīḥ) to harmonize group energy (Maruts) and invite clear leadership (Indra).
/: from √iṣ ‘to impel, invigorate, nourish’—inner growth-force. : from √mīḍh ‘to be gracious, bestow’—beneficence. -: aram ‘fitly’ + √gam ‘go/come’—'coming readily/rightly'. : perfect participle of √gam. Marut: storm-gods; psychologically dynamic life-forces that accompany Indra; 'iyakṣasi' from √yaj in causative/extended sense 'to cause to worship/attain/further through sacrificial action'.
Mahas (the Vast) as wideness of consciousness, Collective human striving (viśva-manuṣām) uplifted by sacrifice and mantra
Indra ‘fosters’ the right movement of the whole human field; Maruts become ordered powers rather than chaotic impulses.
Gīḥ (inspired songs) as carriers of satya-vibration; homage (namas) aligns ego to truth.
Descent/arrival of higher power into human striving; integration of universal human nature.
Integral Yoga affinity: transformation is collective/universal (viśvamanuṣām) and includes life-force (Maruts).
Winds = prāṇic currents; arrival = descent of higher consciousness; sacrifice = inner self-offering that opens the channel.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The Indra–Marut alliance: the king-force (Indra) advances with and empowers the storm-forces (Maruts). Inner meaning: the central will-to-victory harmonizes and uplifts the multiple life-energies, enabling a universal human advance.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √gam ‘go/come’ continues PIE *gʷem- (cf. Latin venīre via different root; Greek baínō different; but Indo-Iranian preserves *gʷem). √yaj has Indo-Iranian ritual centrality, reflecting inherited sacral vocabulary. The collocation yajña + gīr mirrors Indo-European pairing of offering and song.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi offers yajña and gīr as the means by which the deity arrives and acts; in return the deity increases iṣ (growth-force) and organizes the Marut energies, making the human collective more capable of the vast movement (mahas).
Feel Indra ‘arrive’ as clear leadership in the mind; then invite Marut energies to align—turn restlessness into courageous, rhythmic action.
anāhata (heart) and ājñā (brow)
Alternate-nostril breathing (nāḍī-śodhana) before chanting to harmonize ‘Marut’ currents; then chant steadily with devotion (namasā).
From scattered collective impulses to integrated, universalized striving under illumined guidance.
Treat your day’s work as yajña: offer one intention, one action, one speech-act. After chanting, choose a single service-oriented act (viśvamanuṣām) to embody universality.
Not fully derivable; chant with clear phrasing and uplift on invocatory words (stavāmahe, mīḻhuṣe, jagmaye, gāye).
Make a dignified pause after ‘stavāmahe’; emphasize ‘yajñebhir gīrbhir’; soften into devotion on ‘namasā girā’.
: ‘mī-ḻhu-ṣe’ (retroflex ḻh—approximate as ‘ḍh’/‘lh’ per tradition; keep long ī), : ‘a-raṃ-ga-mā-ya’ (anusvāra ‘ṃ’ before g), : ‘viś-va-ma-nu-ṣām’ (retroflex ṣ; long āṃ), : ‘ma-ru-tām’ (long ā)
Noble, resonant, devotional yet energized; suitable for group unison.
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