Rig Veda 8.52.5: Mandala 8, Sukta 52, Mantra 5
Sukta 8.52
- Rishi
- Kaṇva
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Jagatī
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
यो नो दाता स नः पिता महाँ उग्र ईशानकृत् । अयामन्नुग्रो मघवा पुरूवसुर्गोरश्वस्य प्र दातु नः ॥
yó no dātā́ sá naḥ pitā́ mahā́n ugrá īśānakṛ́t | áyāmann ugró mághavā purūvásur gór áśvasya prá dātu naḥ ||
Ten, który jest naszym dawcą, staje się dla nas naszym ojcem, rozległy, potężny, kształtujący panowanie. Niech ten możny hojny wyruszy w drogę i udzieli nam przepływu świetlistych stad i mocy szybkiego ruchu.
Word by Word
- यः
- who (he who)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- नः
- to us / for usPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी, बहुवचनम् (एन्क्लिटिक)Role SampradānaRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- दाता
- giverNoun (agent)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot दा (धातु) → दातृ (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- नः
- of us / ourPronounषष्ठी, बहुवचनम् (एन्क्लिटिक)Role SampradānaRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- पिता
- fatherNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- महान्
- greatAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- उग्रः
- mighty, fierceAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot उग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- ईशानकृत्
- lordly/sovereign in deed; exercising lordshipCompound (adjectival)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम् (समासः: बहुव्रीहिः/कर्मधारय-भावः ‘ruler-doer’)Role KartāRoot ईशान (प्रातिपदिक, ‘ruling’) + कृत् (कृदन्त, √कृ ‘to do/make’)
- अयामन्
- advance, onward impulseNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम् (अव्यक्त-रूप; ‘advance/impulse’ as object)Role KarmaRoot अयामन् (प्रातिपदिक; Vedic, ‘course/going, advance’)
- नु
- now, indeedIndeclinableनिपातःRoot नु (निपात)
- उग्रः
- the mighty oneAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot उग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- मघवा
- Maghavan (Indra), the bountifulNoun (proper/epithet)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot मघवन् (प्रातिपदिक; epithet of Indra)
- पुरूवसुः
- Purūvasu, rich in many goodsNoun (proper/epithet)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot पुरूवसु (प्रातिपदिक; epithet)
- गोः
- of cattleNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Role ApādānaRoot गो (प्रातिपदिक)
- अश्वस्य
- of horseNounपुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Role ApādānaRoot अश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- प्र
- forth, abundantlyIndeclinableउपसर्गः (direction/intensity)Root प्र (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- दातु
- to giveVerb (infinitive)तुमुनन्तम् (infinitive), ‘to give’Role PrayojanaRoot दा (धातु) → दातु (तुमुन्-इन्फिनिटिव)
- नः
- to usPronounचतुर्थी, बहुवचनम् (एन्क्लिटिक)Role SampradānaRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (Vedic sandhi resolution): यो→यः
- नो॑→नः
- दा॒ता→दाता
- स→सः
- न॑:→नः
- पि॒ता→पिता
- म॒हाँ→महान्
- उ॒ग्र→उग्रः
- ई॑शान॒कृत्→ईशानकृत्
- अया॑मन्नु॒ग्रो→अयामन् + नु + उग्रः (न् + नु sandhi; उग्रः preserved)
- म॒घवा॑→मघवा
- पुरू॒वसु॒र्गोरश्व॑स्य→पुरूवसुः + गोः + अश्वस्य (ः + ग → र् (visarga sandhi) giving -वसुर्-)
- प्र दा॑तु→प्र + दातु
- नः unchanged. Accent marks in the Saṃhitā text are not reproduced in the pada forms
The meaning
Outer meaning
He who is our giver is our father—great, fierce, maker of mastery. May that mighty bounteous one set forth and grant us abundance of cows and horses.
Inner meaning
Indra as the inner Father: the power that both gives and generates our growth. ‘Ugra’ is not mere wrath but irresistible force against inertia and obscurity. Īśānakṛt: he fashions sovereignty—inner mastery over nature. The ‘cows’ are rays of knowledge; the ‘horses’ are vital energies disciplined for right action. The prayer is for a free outflow (pra dātu) of light and force—knowledge and executive energy—needed for the yoga of transformation.
Universal truth
True guidance is both nurturing and demanding: it gives, trains, and compels us toward mastery; knowledge and energy must descend together for integral progress.
Themes
boon-request, inner mastery, abundance as light-and-force, Indra as father-giver
The seer
- Rishi
- Kaṇva
- Lineage
- Kāṇva
- Other hymns
- RV 8.52.3, RV 8.52.4, RV 8.52.6, RV 8.52.7
Family tradition
Kāṇva hymns often portray Indra as both warrior and benefactor—force that fathers the soul’s victory.
Significance
Frames the divine as intimate (father) yet formidable (ugra): the psychological truth that transformation needs both love and power.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Ugra, Maghavan, Purūvasu, Īśānakṛt
- Related deities
- Agni (will), Soma (bliss), Maruts (life-forces)
Cosmic role
Champion of the gods; establishes dominion of light; distributes riches (vasu) won by victory.
Inner power
Force of awakened will and illumined intelligence that creates mastery over impulses and fear.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra praise for wealth/victory in Soma setting
यो नो॑ दा॒ता स न॑: पि॒ता म॒हाँ उ॒ग्र ई॑शान॒कृत् । अया॑मन्नु॒ग्रो म॒घवा॑ पुरू॒वसु॒र्गोरश्व॑स्य॒ प्र दा॑तु नः ॥
यः । नः॒ । दा॒ता । सः । नः॒ । पि॒ता । म॒हान् । उ॒ग्रः । ई॒शा॒न॒ऽकृत् । अया॑मन् । उ॒ग्रः । म॒घऽवा॑ । पु॒रु॒ऽवसुः॑ । गोः । अश्व॑स्य । प्र । दा॒तु॒ । नः॒ ॥
yaḥ | naḥ | dātā | saḥ | naḥ | pitā | mahān | ugraḥ | īśāna-kṛt | ayāman | ugraḥ | magha-vā | puru-vasuḥ | goḥ | aśvasya | pra | dātu | naḥ
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4 × 12 (probable)
Weighty and declarative in first half; accelerative petition in second—mirrors ‘fatherhood’ then ‘granting’.
Instills trust and strength; supports resolve to claim both clarity (go) and energy (aśva).
- दाता (dātā)
- Literal: giver. Symbolic: the divine source of all inner increase
- पिता (pitā)
- Literal: father. Symbolic: originator and guide of growth; sustaining consciousness
- महान् (mahān)
- Literal: great. Symbolic: vast capacity beyond ego-scale
- उग्र (ugra)
- Literal: fierce, mighty. Symbolic: irresistible force that breaks resistance
- ईशानकृत् (īśānakṛt)
- Literal: maker of lordship. Symbolic: builder of self-mastery and governing will
- मघवा (maghavā)
- Literal: bounteous. Symbolic: generous bestower of spiritual riches
- पुरुवसु (purūvasuḥ)
- Literal: having many goods. Symbolic: plenitude of inner resources
- गोः (goḥ)
- Literal: cows. Symbolic: rays of light/knowledge
- अश्वस्य (aśvasya)
- Literal: horses. Symbolic: vital powers/forces of action
Indra-prayers within Soma pressing; petitions for increase of ‘go’ and ‘aśva’ as inner luminous resources and active powers
Invocations for increase and protection; also adaptable for household prosperity prayers.
Chanted with offering; intention to receive ‘twofold wealth’—knowledge and force.
Use when needing disciplined energy with clear understanding—before work requiring courage, leadership, or breaking habits.
dātā from √dā 'give'. pitā from √pā 'protect' (semantic nexus: father as protector/nourisher). īśāna-kṛt: īśāna 'lord, master' + √kṛ 'make'—the power that establishes mastery in the adhvaryu/seeker. ayāman: desiderative/optative nuance from √yā 'go, extend', indicating progressive movement of force. go/ aśva: in RV symbolism, go = rays/illumined knowledges; aśva = dynamic energies that carry consciousness forward.
paternity as originating support of the soul’s growth, īśitva (mastery) as inner sovereignty, progressive movement (√yā) as yoga of advance
Īśānakṛt implies governance aligned with ṛta rather than ego-control.
The ‘father’ gives what supports truth-growth, not indulgence.
Mastery is ‘made’—a crafted sovereignty in nature.
Yoga of transformation: knowledge (go) + force (aśva) as twin instruments.
Journey = progressive sadhana; cows = illuminations; horses = harnessed prāṇa/vital dynamism.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Indra as the ‘Father-Giver’: the deity is not only a warrior but the generative source who establishes sovereignty (īśānakṛt) and releases ‘cows and horses’—illumined knowledges and swift energies—into the human field.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- śru/klew is not present here; instead, √dā ‘give’ is a stable Indo-European root (PIE *deh₃- ‘give’). The semantic pairing of go/aśva mirrors archaic Indo-Iranian poetic diction where cattle/horses encode wealth and power, readily extended to inner-psychological registers.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The r̥ṣi positions Indra as both benefactor and progenitor: gifts are not external prizes but paternal nourishment for growth. The request ‘pra dātu naḥ’ is a call for manifestation—Indra’s force to externalize inner gains into stable possession within consciousness.
Invoke the ‘inner father’—a protective power that also demands growth; ask for one clear illumination (go) and one actionable energy (aśva).
Maṇipūra (mastery/īśāna) supported by Ājñā (illumination).
Bhastrikā-lite (gentle bellows) for 10–20 breaths, then chant once slowly to ‘direct’ the force into clarity.
Firm, masterful, steady-forward.
After chanting, identify one resistance pattern; offer it inwardly to Indra’s ugra force; wait for a clean, non-reactive impulse of right action.
Keep name-words and power-words lifted (udātta tendency) and let petitions settle with gentle svarita falls; exact accents depend on śākhā notation.
Emphasize dātā, pitā, mahān, ugra, īśānakṛt, maghavā, gor aśvasya, pra dātu naḥ.
(īśānakṛt): long ī; ‘śā’ long; final t crisp., (purūvasu): long ū in purū-., (pra dātu): keep separation; long ā in dātu., (ayāman): long ā; nasal n clear.
Deep, steady, authoritative yet devotional.
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