Rig Veda 8.53.2: Mandala 8, Sukta 53, Mantra 2
Sukta 8.53
- Rishi
- Kaṇva
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Jagatī
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism)
य आयुं कुत्समतिथिग्वमर्दयो वावृधानो दिवेदिवे । तं त्वा वयं हर्यश्वं शतक्रतुं वाजयन्तो हवामहे ॥
yá āyúṃ kútsam atithigváṃ árdayo vāvṛdhānó dívédive | táṃ tvā vayáṃ háryaśvaṃ śatákratuṃ vājayánto havāmahe ||
Tu, que abateste Ayu, Kutsa e Atithigva, crescendo em poder dia após dia — a ti, senhor dos corcéis fulvos, Śatakratu, «de cem feitos», nós invocamos, acendendo em nós a força vitoriosa.
Word by Word
- यः
- who (he who)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- आयुम्
- life, lifetimeNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot आयु (प्रातिपदिक)
- कुत्सम्
- KutsaNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot कुत्स (प्रातिपदिक; ऋषि/नरनाम)
- अतिथिग्वम्
- AtithigvaNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot अतिथिग्व (प्रातिपदिक; ऋषि/नरनाम)
- अर्दयः
- you crushed/overpoweredVerbलङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Root अर्द् (धातु)
- वावृधानः
- growing strong, increasingParticiple (adjectival)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role Kartā (विशेषणम्) / कर्तृविशेषणRoot वृध् (धातु) → वावृधान (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; परिपूर्ण/वर्धमान)
- दिवे
- on the dayNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, सप्तमी (वेदे प्रायः ‘दिवे’ = लोकेटिव-एकवचन), एकवचनम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot दिव् (प्रातिपदिक)
- दिवे
- day by day (each day)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, एकवचनम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot दिव् (प्रातिपदिक)
- तम्
- himPronounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- त्वा
- youPronounद्वितीया, एकवचनम् (एन्क्लिटिक रूप)Role KarmaRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वयम्
- wePronounप्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- हर्यश्वम्
- the one with tawny/yellowish horsesAdjective/Noun (epithet)पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role Karma (सम्बोधनार्थ-स्तुत्यर्थ) / कर्मRoot हर्यश्व (प्रातिपदिक; इन्द्रविशेषण)
- शतक्रतुम्
- of a hundred powers/rites (Śatakratu)Adjective/Noun (epithet)पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role Karma (सम्बोधनार्थ-स्तुत्यर्थ) / कर्मRoot शतक्रतु (प्रातिपदिक; इन्द्रविशेषण)
- वाजयन्तः
- seeking to win/bring prizes, striving for strengthParticipleपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role Kartā (वयम्-विशेषणम्)Root वाजय् (नामधातु/धातु) → वाजयन्त् (वर्तमान-कृदन्त)
- हवामहे
- we call/invokeVerbलट् (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्, आत्मनेपदम्Root ह्वे (धातु)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: यः | आयुम् | कुत्सम् | अतिथिग्वम् | अर्दयः | वावृधानः | दिवे दिवे | तम् | त्वा | वयम् | हर्यश्वम् | शतक्रतुम् | वाजयन्तः | हवामहे । Sandhi: (1) दिवे-दिवे इति पुनरुक्ति (अव्ययीभाववत् ‘day by day’)
- (2) तं त्वा = तम् + त्वा (म् + त् संयोगः)
- (3) वाजयन्तो हवामहे = वाजयन्तः + हवामहे (विसर्ग-लोपः/संधिः पदान्ते छन्दसि)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra, growing day by day, smote Ayu, Kutsa, and Atithigva. We invoke him—tawny-horsed, hundred-powered—as we seek victory/strength.
Inner meaning
The named figures can be read as personifications of obstructive tendencies or hostile formations the illumined mind defeats as it grows ‘day by day’ (dive-dive)—a progressive yoga. Hari-aśva (tawny steeds) are the dynamic life-energies yoked to the divine Mind. Śatakratu (hundred powers/works) is the many-sided capacity of illumination to act in all parts of nature. Vājayantaḥ: we ‘make for vāja’—we kindle the victorious force and effective energy within by invocation.
Universal truth
Spiritual strength is cumulative: daily practice grows luminous power that can overcome deeply rooted resistances and mobilize life-energies for right action.
Themes
heroic myth memory, invocation for victory, Indra’s growing power, vāja activation
The seer
- Rishi
- Kaṇva
- Lineage
- Kāṇva
- Other hymns
- RV 8.53.1 (Indra as fort-breaker and cow-finder), RV 8.52.9 (release of medhā through ṛta), RV 1.80 (Indra’s growing might and help—theme resonance)
Family tradition
Kāṇva tradition often frames Indra’s victories as paradigms for inner conquest supported by steady repetition and growth.
Significance
The seer highlights daily growth (dive-dive) as the law of realization: Indra’s force increases in the practitioner through persistent invocation.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Haryaśva, Śatakratu
- Related deities
- Maruts (storm-powers aiding Indra), Agni (kindler of aspiration), Soma (exhilarating delight)
Cosmic role
Champion of the gods; daily increaser of power; conqueror of adversaries; bestower of vāja (effective victory).
Inner power
Dynamic illumination that harnesses vital energy and repeatedly defeats resistance across many fronts.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra invocation in Soma and victory-oriented stotras; remembrance of Indra’s slayings as assurance of efficacy.
य आ॒युं कुत्स॑मतिथि॒ग्वमर्द॑यो वावृधा॒नो दि॒वेदि॑वे । तं त्वा॑ व॒यं हर्य॑श्वं श॒तक्र॑तुं वाज॒यन्तो॑ हवामहे ॥
यः । आ॒युम् । कुत्स॑म् । अ॒ति॒थि॒ऽग्वम् । अर्द॑यः । व॒वृ॒धा॒नः । दि॒वेऽदि॑वे । तम् । त्वा॒ । व॒यम् । हरि॑ऽअश्वम् । श॒तऽक्र॑तुम् । वा॒ज॒ऽयन्तः॑ । ह॒वा॒म॒हे॒ ॥
yaḥ | āyum | kutsam | atithi-gvam | ardayaḥ | vavṛdhānaḥ | dive--dive | tam | tvā | vayam | hari-aśvam | śata-kratum | vāja-yantaḥ | havāmahe
48
4 × 12 (approx.)
Forward-driving narrative-invocation; supports a sense of steady daily advance.
Encourages perseverance; the long line carries momentum—useful for building inner ‘vāvṛdhāna’ (growth).
- ववृधानः (vāvṛdhānaḥ)
- Literal: growing, increasing. Symbolic: the progressive ascent where illumination steadily amplifies
- दिवे-दिवे (dive-dive)
- Literal: day by day. Symbolic: consistent sādhanā; incremental transformation
- हर्यश्वम् (haryaśvam)
- Literal: having tawny horses. Symbolic: illumined mind guiding purified vital energies (aśva = force of action)
- शतक्रतुम् (śatakratum)
- Literal: of a hundred powers/works. Symbolic: multi-potent intelligence capable of many decisive interventions
- वाजयन्तः (vājayantaḥ)
- Literal: seeking/bringing vāja (prize), strengthening. Symbolic: arousing victorious energy and effectiveness in the being
- हवामहे (havāmahe)
- Literal: we call/invoke. Symbolic: active aspiration drawing down higher force
Heroic remembrance within Soma praise; recited to summon Indra’s victorious energy for the sacrificer’s inner battle
When invoking Indra’s increasing strength and calling for victory (vāja).
Praise-recollection of Indra’s feats; calling him to empower the sacrificer.
Daily practice mantra: chant at the same time each day to build ‘dive-dive’ accumulation of strength and clarity.
ardayaḥ from √ard ‘press, crush, smite’—heroic overcoming of resistance. vavṛdhāna from √vṛdh ‘grow’—Indra’s power increases with repeated invocation/offerings, psychologically with repeated victories. haryaśva: hari ‘tawny, golden’ + aśva ‘horse’—light-bearing energies. vājayantaḥ from √vāj/√vaj suggests activating the plenitude of force.
progressive intensification of power (vṛdh), inner battle against resistances (names as personified obstacles or hostile formations), vāja as victory-force
Day-by-day growth reflects ṛta as a lawful progression: steady rhythm yields steady increase.
Truth becomes power when practiced consistently; satya is stabilized by repetition.
Evolutionary conquest: consciousness grows by repeated victories over hostile formations.
Integral yoga emphasis on progressive transformation rather than one-time attainment.
day (explicit)
Daily cycle = disciplined rhythm; horses = vital energies; battle = inner struggle against inertia/obscurity.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Heroic smiting of named adversaries: a mythic catalogue of Indra’s victories, read inwardly as the destruction of specific resistant formations in the psyche; the continual ‘day by day’ growth indicates a repeatable yogic strengthening.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The formula ‘day by day’ (dive-dive) is a traditional IE iterative emphasis. The horse-epithet aligns with IE heroic chariot/horse imagery as the vehicle of divine power; √vṛdh ‘grow’ is a widely inherited growth-verb in Indo-Iranian.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The r̥ṣi invokes Indra by recalling prior victories (myth as mantra). Memory functions as a lever: by naming Indra’s deeds, the seeker ‘vājayantaḥ’ actively kindles the same victorious force in the present inner struggle.
Cultivate ‘daily increase’ of illumined will: recall one past victory over a habit, then invoke for today’s step.
Maṇipūra (will) with support from Ājñā (guidance)
Rhythmic breathing 6-6 (inhale-exhale) while mentally repeating dive-dive; then chant aloud 3–7 times.
Steady heroic persistence; energized clarity.
Choose one small, repeatable discipline (10 minutes). Chant, then immediately do it—link mantra to action (aśva) under illumination (Indra).
Keep the repeated dive-dive evenly timed; preserve Vedic pitch accents without flattening into song.
Let vāvṛdhāno and śatakratuṃ carry the energetic peaks; pause lightly at pāda ends to keep Jagatī structure clear.
atithigvam: keep th aspirated; do not merge with t., vāvṛdhāno: vocalic ṛ; keep dh aspirated., haryaśvam: palatal ś; avoid ‘s’., śatakratuṃ: retroflex ṭ not present—it's dental t; keep ś at start clear.
Strong, rhythmic, forward-moving; avoid strain by grounding the breath low.
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