Rig Veda 8.7.23: Mandala 8, Sukta 7, Mantra 23
Sukta 8.7
- Rishi
- Kāṇva
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Raudra (fury)
वि वृत्रं पर्वशो ययुर्वि पर्वताँ अराजिनः । चक्राणा वृष्णि पौंस्यम् ॥
ví vṛtráṃ parváśo yayúr ví párvatāṃ arājínaḥ | cakrāṇā́ vṛ́ṣṇi paúṃsyam ||
Wyszli przeciwko Vṛtrze, członk po członku, roztrzaskali nieustępliwe góry, kształtując, o Mocny, bohaterską siłę: tak przeszkoda zostaje przełamana i ukryte światło uwolnione.
Word by Word
- वि
- apart, asunder, forthIndeclinableupasarga (preverb)Root वि (upasarga)
- वृत्रम्
- Vṛtra (the obstructing demon)Nounmasculine, accusative singularRole KarmaRoot वृत्र (prātipadika)
- पर्वशः
- joint by joint; piece by pieceIndeclinable (adverbial) / Noun-derivedavyaya in -शस्, distributive/adverbialRoot पर्वश (prātipadika; from पर्वन् ‘joint, section’ + -शस्)
- ययुः
- they went; they advancedVerbperfect (Vedic), 3rd person plural, parasmaipadaRole KartāRoot या (dhātu) ‘to go’
- वि
- apart, asunderIndeclinableupasarga (preverb)Root वि (upasarga)
- पर्वतान्
- mountainsNounmasculine, accusative pluralRole KarmaRoot पर्वत (prātipadika)
- अराजिनः
- the unshining/without splendor ones; (as epithet) the non-royal/without radiance (ones)Adjective (used substantively) / Nounmasculine, nominative pluralRole KartāRoot अराजिन् (prātipadika; a- + राजिन् ‘shining/kingly’; Vedic epithet)
- चक्राणाः
- having made; having wroughtParticipleperfect middle participle (कृ → चक्राण), masculine nominative pluralRole KartāRoot कृ (dhātu) ‘to do, make’
- वृष्णि
- in strength; in manly vigorNoun (locative) / Adverbial locative(likely) masculine/neuter, locative singular (Vedic locative in -i)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot वृष्णि (prātipadika; Vedic, ‘strength/male vigor’ or epithet ‘of the strong one’)
- पौंस्यम्
- manliness; male powerNounneuter, accusative singularRole KarmaRoot पौंस्य (prātipadika; from पुंस् ‘man’)
Sandhi Notes
- Padapāṭha-style resolution: वृ॒त्रं → वृत्रम्
- प॑र्व॒शो → पर्वशः (visarga in saṃhitā often realized as o before voiced sounds)
- य॑यु॒र् → ययुः (final -r in saṃhitā corresponds to padapāṭha visarga -ः)
- पर्व॑ताँ → पर्वतान् (Vedic accusative plural with nasalization/length in saṃhitā)
- अरा॒जिन॑: → अराजिनः
- च॒क्रा॒णा → चक्राणाः
- वृष्णि॒ → वृष्णि (loc. sg.)
- पौंस्य॑म् → पौंस्यम्
The meaning
Outer meaning
They went forth against Vṛtra joint by joint; they shattered the unyielding mountains; fashioning the manly power, O strong one.
Inner meaning
The allied powers (Maruts) advance with Indraic consciousness against Vṛtra, the Coverer—subconscient resistance that blocks the flow of light. “Mountains” are fixed inert formations (habits, rigid mental structures, dense vital knots) that imprison the rays (go = light/knowledge). By building hero-force (pauṃsya) in the soul and nerves, the seeker breaks these formations progressively (parvaśaḥ), releasing the hidden illumination.
Universal truth
Obstruction yields to a steadily constructed courage and clarity. Breakthrough is often incremental: resistance is dismantled layer by layer until the imprisoned truth can emerge.
Themes
Vṛtra-slaying, breaking obstruction, Indraic heroism, release of hidden riches
The seer
- Rishi
- Kāṇva
- Other hymns
- RV 1.32 (classic Vṛtra slaying; shared mythic-psychological core), RV 1.62 (release of hidden light; cows as rays), RV 8.7 (hymn context)
Family tradition
Kāṇva poetry often narrates the Vṛtra-myth as an inner drama of liberation: the breaking of mountains and coverers to release light and waters.
Significance
The seer emphasizes that divine victory is supported by a host of forces; the seeker is not alone when aligned with the Indraic consciousness.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra (with Marut allies implied)
- Epithets
- vṛṣṇi (strong one), Vṛtrahan (implied by action)
- Related deities
- Maruts, Bṛhaspati, Agni
Cosmic role
Lord of the luminous mind; breaker of obstructions; releaser of waters and light; champion of the gods against the powers of darkness.
Inner power
Illuminating intelligence plus decisive will: the capacity to cut through confusion, fear, and inertia, opening channels for higher consciousness.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra praise in Soma sacrifice; Vṛtra-victory verses used to strengthen Indra’s action in the rite.
वि वृ॒त्रं प॑र्व॒शो य॑यु॒र्वि पर्व॑ताँ अरा॒जिन॑: । च॒क्रा॒णा वृष्णि॒ पौंस्य॑म् ॥
वि । वृ॒त्रम् । प॒र्व॒ऽशः । य॒युः॒ । वि । पर्व॑तान् । अ॒रा॒जिनः॑ । च॒क्रा॒णाः । वृष्णि॑ । पौं॒स्य॑म् ॥
vi | vṛtram | parva-śaḥ | yayuḥ | vi | parvatān | arājinaḥ | cakrāṇāḥ | vṛṣṇi | paiṃsyam
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4 pādas × ~11 syllables
Martial, cutting rhythm; repeated ‘vi’ creates a splitting motion in sound.
Invokes courage and a sense of rupture with old patterns; good for breaking lethargy.
- vṛtram
- Literal: Vṛtra (the obstructer). Symbolic: the Coverer: subconscious resistance, inertia, ignorance that blocks the flow of light and force
- parvaśaḥ
- Literal: joint by joint. Symbolic: systematic dismantling of resistance; progressive conquest
- parvatān
- Literal: mountains. Symbolic: hard formations of inertia—fixed habits, rigid structures in mind-life-body
- arājinaḥ
- Literal: unyielding, not breaking (hard). Symbolic: stubborn patterns that do not respond to surface effort
- pauṃsyam
- Literal: manliness, hero-power. Symbolic: spiritual courage and effective force (śuṣma/tejas) that enables liberation
- vṛṣṇi
- Literal: O strong one (bull-like). Symbolic: Indra as the powerful illumined mind-force capable of decisive victory
Core Indra myth recited in Soma rites to invoke the breaking of obstruction and release of powers/waters
Moments invoking victory over obstacles to the sacrifice’s success (inner and outer).
Recitation with Soma offering; affirmation of Indra’s conquering force.
Use when facing inner resistance (procrastination, fear, compulsions): chant to mobilize steady hero-force.
vṛtra from √vṛ 'cover, obstruct'—central Vedic symbol of ignorance/limitation. vi- marks the act of breaking open. parvan 'joint' again implies articulated, methodical force. √kṛ (cakrāṇāḥ) fashions the paumsya: heroic capacity. parvata 'mountain' symbolizes hardened subconscient formations. paumsya from pumān 'man' (PIE *puh₂-? debated) signifies virile/heroic energy as spiritual courage.
battle of Knowledge vs Ignorance (Vṛtra as cover), methodical formation of power (parva-śaḥ), heroic force (paumsya) as spiritual courage
Vṛtra represents anti-Ṛta (constriction); Indraic victory reopens the right flow.
Truth is ‘hidden’ behind formations; breaking them allows satya-light to emerge.
Cosmic evolution through conflict: obstruction is a stage that must be overcome to release the next degree of light and flow.
Aurobindonian evolutionary reading: Vṛtra as subconscient resistance; victory as progressive manifestation of higher consciousness.
Mountains = hardened formations; Vṛtra = coverer; ‘vi’ splitting = inner breakthrough; hero-force = tapas in the will.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The Vṛtra-splitting mythologem: the Coverer is attacked and the mountains are shattered, producing paumsya (heroic force). In the inner reading, the seeker’s articulated will and illumined energies break the subconscient blockage so that the hidden streams of knowledge and delight can flow.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √yā 'go' is PIE *h₁ey-. √kṛ 'make/do' continues PIE *kwer-/*ker- proposals (Vedic √kṛ is central Indo-Iranian; exact PIE mapping debated). The combat-with-obstructor theme is a pan-IE mythic pattern (dragon/serpent/coverer), with Vṛtra as a distinct Vedic instantiation.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi invokes Indra not merely as an external warrior but as the inner strong Power (vṛṣṇi) who fashions hero-force in the human. The praise narrates the divine victory to awaken its repetition in the aspirant: the mantra becomes the means by which paumsya is formed and Vṛtra is split within.
Identify one ‘mountain’ formation (rigid belief, habit). Invoke Indraic clarity and Marut energy to break it stepwise.
Maṇipūra (hero-force) and Ājñā (cutting illumination).
Brisk bhastrikā (3 rounds of 20) if suitable, then quiet breath and one slow recitation to direct the force consciously.
Decisive, fearless concentration; ‘steel’ clarity without agitation.
After chanting, act immediately on the chosen obstacle in a small concrete way (parvaśaḥ principle): one joint at a time.
Stress the repeated ‘vi’ as a splitting impulse; exact śākha-specific svara requires pada-svara source.
Make ‘vi vṛtram… vi parvatān’ clearly separated; keep ‘parvaśo’ distinct; end with strong address ‘vṛṣṇi’.
vṛtram: vocalic ṛ; crisp tr cluster, parvaśaḥ: ś palatal; keep ‘rv’ conjunct clean, arājinaḥ: long ā; ‘j’ soft palatal; final ḥ light, cakrāṇāḥ: long ā; retroflex ṇ; aspirate final ḥ
Commanding, bright, and forceful but controlled; avoid shouting—aim for concentrated power.
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