Rig Veda 7.104.2: Mandala 7, Sukta 104, Mantra 2
Sukta 7.104
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Indra-Soma
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Raudra (fury)
इन्द्रासोमा समघशंसमभ्यघं तपुर्ययस्तु चरुरग्निवाँ इव । ब्रह्मद्विषे क्रव्यादे घोरचक्षसे द्वेषो धत्तमनवायं किमीदिने ॥
índrāsomā sám aghaśáṁsam abhý àgháṁ tápur yayastu carúr agnivā́n iva | brahmadvíṣe kravýāde ghorácakṣase dvéṣo dhattam anavāyáṁ kimī́dine ||
О Индра и Сома, соберите и оттесните назад злоречивый порыв и грех, что давит на нас. Пусть ваша жгучая сила выступит, как пылающее приношение (чару), сияющее огнём Агни. На ненавистника Брахмана, пожирателя жизненной сути, на страшноглазого — на того kīmīdin, на того неодолимого вредителя — возложите вашу вражду, ваше отвращение.
Word by Word
- इन्द्रासोमा
- O Indra and SomaNoun (dual compound vocative)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, द्विवचन (द्वन्द्व-समास)Role सम्बोधनRoot इन्द्र + सोम
- सम्
- together, completelyIndeclinable (preverb)उपसर्गRoot सम् (उपसर्ग)
- अघशंसम्
- the evil-speaking one / slandererNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot अघ-शंस (प्रातिपदिक) < शंस्
- अभि
- towards, againstIndeclinable (preverb)उपसर्गRoot अभि (उपसर्ग)
- अघम्
- evil, sin, harmNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot अघ (प्रातिपदिक)
- तपुः
- heat, burning (torment)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot तपुस् (प्रातिपदिक) < तप्
- ययः
- metal, iron (weapon)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot यय (प्रातिपदिक)
- तु
- but, indeedIndeclinableनिपातRoot तु (निपात)
- चरुः
- a ladle/oblation (cooked offering)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole उपमान (विशेष्य-रूपेण) / कर्तृ-सम्बन्धRoot चरु (प्रातिपदिक)
- अग्निवान्
- having fire, fieryAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole विशेषणRoot अग्नि-वत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- इव
- likeIndeclinableउपमानवाचक अव्ययRole उपमानRoot इव
- ब्रह्मद्विषे
- to the hater of sacred speech (brahman)Noun (agent noun)पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot ब्रह्म-द्विष् (प्रातिपदिक) < द्विष्
- क्रव्यादे
- to the flesh-eaterNoun (agent noun)पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot क्रव्याद् (प्रातिपदिक) < अद्
- घोरचक्षसे
- to the dread-eyed oneNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot घोर-चक्षस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- द्वेषः
- hatred, hostilityNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot द्वेष (प्रातिपदिक) < द्विष्
- धत्तम्
- place, bestow (you two)Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, द्विवचन; परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot धा (धातु)
- अनवायम्
- the unprotected/undefended one (one without refuge)Adjective/Nounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot अन-आ-वा-य (प्रातिपदिक; न-उपसर्गयुक्त)
- किमीदिनॆ
- to Kīmīdin (a demon/evil being)Noun (proper/epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot किमीदि (प्रातिपदिक; दैत्य/राक्षस-नाम)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सम्भाव्य): इन्द्रा॑सोमा | सम् | अघशंसम् | अभि | अघम् | तपुः | ययः | तु | चरुः | अग्निवान् | इव | ब्रह्मद्विषे | क्रव्यादे | घोरचक्षसे | द्वेषः | धत्तम् | अनवायम् | किमीदिनॆ || 1) इन्द्रा+सोमा → इन्द्रासोमा (द्वन्द्व, सम्बोधन-द्विवचन)
- 2) सम+अघशंसम् → समघशंसम् (उपसर्ग-सन्धि)
- 3) अभि+अघम् → अभ्यघम् (इ/अ → य्)
- 4) चरुः+अग्निवान् → चरुरग्निवान् (विसर्ग-लोप/रुत्व-प्रभाव)
- 5) द्वेषः+धत्तम् → द्वेषो धत्तम् (विसर्गस्य ओ-आदेशः)
- 6) अनवायम्+किमीदिनॆ → अनवायं किमीदिनॆ (म् + क् → ं; अनुस्वार)
- वैदिक-स्वरचिह्न मूलपाठानुसार यथास्थान (इन्द्रा॑-, -सोमा॒, -घशं॑-, -भ्य१॒॑घं, तपु॑र्-, -वाँ इ॑व, -द्विषे॑, -यादे॑, -रच॑क्षसे॒, द्वेषो॑, -वा॒यं, -मी॒दिने॑)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra and Soma, gather and drive back the evil-voiced and the sin pressing upon us; let your burning force go forth like a blazing oblation with Agni. Place hatred/repulsion upon the brahman-hater, the flesh-devourer, the dreadful-eyed—against that non-human harmful disturber.
Inner meaning
The ‘evil-voiced’ (aghaśaṃsa) is the inner vibration of falsehood—self-talk, suggestion, and hostile mantra that undermines faith. Indra-Soma are asked to concentrate (sam) and push back the pressure of wrong movement (agha). Their tapas should advance like an Agni-filled offering—purifying by luminous intensity. The brahma-dviṣ (hater of the sacred word) is the part that rejects truth and aspiration; the kravyād (devourer) consumes the soul’s substance (energy, sincerity). The mantra establishes a strong immune response of consciousness: a deliberate ‘repelling force’ (dveṣa) against the invasive distortion.
Universal truth
What harms us most is often a vibration—false speech, inner sabotage, and hostile suggestion. Concentrated light and joy, allied with purifying will, can repel these forces and restore integrity.
Themes
Protection/Apotropaic, Battle of Light vs. Darkness, Defense of Brahman (sacred word), Repulsion of Rakṣas/hostile agencies
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha Maitrāvaruṇi
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha
- Other hymns
- RV 7.104.1, RV 7.104.3, RV 7.33, RV 7.18
Family tradition
Known for hymns of protection and for affirming the sovereignty of brahman (mantric truth) over hostile forces; priestly mastery of word as power.
Significance
Positions the sacred Word (brahman) as a living force that can be defended; the seer’s speech becomes a weapon of light when aligned with Indra-Soma.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra-Soma (with Agni as the model of burning offering)
- Epithets
- Vṛṣaṇā (mighty pair), Aghahara (removers of evil—functional), Agni-vat (fire-charged—by simile)
- Related deities
- Agni (purifier), Bṛhaspati (brahman and word-force), Sarasvatī/Vāc (right speech)
Cosmic role
They repel anti-ṛta vibrations, protect the sacrifice, and restore the right circulation of power between gods and human seeker.
Inner power
Union of discernment and delight that generates a purifying ‘immune fire’—able to detect and expel falsehood at the level of speech and perception.
In ritual
Where it is used
Rakṣo-han / protective recitation in the context of Soma sacrifice safeguarding; also applicable in expiatory contexts
इन्द्रा॑सोमा॒ सम॒घशं॑सम॒भ्य१॒॑घं तपु॑र्ययस्तु च॒रुर॑ग्नि॒वाँ इ॑व । ब्र॒ह्म॒द्विषे॑ क्र॒व्यादे॑ घो॒रच॑क्षसे॒ द्वेषो॑ धत्तमनवा॒यं कि॑मी॒दिने॑ ॥
इन्द्रा॑सोमा । सम् । अ॒घऽशं॑सम् । अ॒भि । अ॒घम् । तपुः॑ । य॒य॒स्तु॒ । च॒रुः । अ॒ग्नि॒वान्ऽइ॑व । ब्र॒ह्म॒ऽद्विषे॑ । क्र॒व्य॒ऽअदे॑ । घो॒रऽच॑क्षसे । द्वेषः॑ । ध॒त्त॒म् । अ॒न॒वा॒यम् । कि॒मी॒दिने॑ ॥
indrāsomā | sam | agha-śaṃsam | abhi | agham | tapuḥ | yayastu | caruḥ | agnivān-iva | brahma-dviṣe | kravya-ade | ghora-cakṣase | dveṣaḥ | dhattam | anavāyam | kimīdine
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4 pādas × ~11 syllables
Incantatory and expulsive; ‘sam…abhi…’ creates a gathering-then-thrust motion.
Feels like concentrating power in the chest/solar plexus and projecting it outward to repel intrusion.
- अघशंसम् (aghaśaṃsam)
- Literal: evil-speaking. Symbolic: false inner speech; hostile suggestion; vibration of discouragement
- अघम् (agham)
- Literal: evil/sin/harm. Symbolic: wrong movement that distorts the being
- तपुः (tapuḥ)
- Literal: heat, burning force. Symbolic: tapas as purifying intensity
- चरुः अग्निवानिव (carur agnivān iva)
- Literal: an oblation as if full of Agni. Symbolic: offering charged with inner fire—will made luminous and effective
- ब्रह्मद्विषे (brahmadviṣe)
- Literal: hater of brahman. Symbolic: anti-truth tendency; resistance to mantra and higher guidance
- क्रव्यादे (kravyāde)
- Literal: flesh-eater. Symbolic: devouring impulse that consumes prāṇa and clarity
- घोरचक्षसे (ghoracakṣase)
- Literal: dreadful-eyed. Symbolic: distorted perception that frightens and misleads
- किमीदिने (kimīdine)
- Literal: harm-doer/one who seeks ‘what harm?’. Symbolic: non-human disruptive force; intrusive compulsion or obsession
Apotropaic/abhicāra countering: protective use within Soma-sacrifice recitations; employed to repel rakṣas, sorcery, and brahma-dveṣa (hostility to sacred speech).
When countering hostile influences, slander/false speech, or inner disturbance during rite; also as personal protective japa.
Recite with intent to ‘gather’ (sam) and ‘drive back’ (abhi) negativity; visualize a fire-offering moving outward.
Use when dealing with intrusive thoughts, toxic inner narratives, or environments of negativity—strengthen truth-speech and boundaries.
Key roots: √tap 'to heat, burn' → tapuḥ (purifying ardor); √yā 'to go' → yayastu (let it go forth/impel); √dhā 'to place' → dhattam (set/establish, 2nd dual). agha 'evil, harm' + śaṃsa (from √śaṃs 'to recite, proclaim') → aghaśaṃsa 'one who proclaims evil/evil-voiced'. brahman (sacred formulation/vision) + √dviṣ 'to hate' → brahmadviṣ. kravya 'raw flesh' + √ad 'to eat' → kravyād 'flesh-eater', extended symbolically to devouring vital/psychic substance.
Tapas (purifying ardor), Satya vs. Anṛta (truth vs. falsehood implied by brahman-hatred), Rita (right order defended by sacred speech)
Brahma-dviṣ is anṛta-aligned; Indra-Soma restore ṛta by repelling it.
Protection of brahman equals protection of satya in speech and perception.
Fire-charged offering as transformative projection: consciousness shapes reality through aligned vibration.
Mantra-śakti and yogic psychology: speech as creative force; false vibration as hostile formation.
Fire-offering = focused will; devouring beast = compulsive craving; dreadful eyes = fear-based perception.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The joint wielding of Indra’s force and Soma’s luminous intoxication to repel and burn hostile beings (rakṣas-like agencies): a purification-by-fire mythic action where the divine powers establish a protective aversion (dveṣas) against the brahman-hater and devourer.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √dviṣ 'hate' aligns with PIE *dwey-/*dwi- patterns of hostility/dual opposition (semantic field of 'to be in two minds/hostile'); √ed 'eat' in kravyād relates to PIE *h₁ed- 'to eat' (cf. Latin edō). √dhā 'put' reflects PIE *dʰeh₁- 'to set, place' (cf. Greek τίθημι).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer invokes Indra-Soma not for outer gain but for an inner safeguarding: the gods are asked to install a psychic repulsion (dveṣas) that protects the brahman (mantric truth) in the human vessel, implying reciprocity—human offering/formulation (caru, brahmāṇi) calls down divine force to restore right order.
Purify inner speech: detect ‘aghaśaṃsa’ as a vibration, not a truth; invoke Indra-Soma to replace it with luminous, calm affirmation.
Viśuddha (speech integrity) protected by Ājñā (discernment) and Maṇipūra (tapas)
Inhale gather (sam), exhale project (abhi) with the mantra; finish with a few cooling breaths to stabilize Soma.
From invaded/pressured mind to sovereign, truth-aligned clarity.
Maintain brahman-friendly habits: truthful speech, clean impressions, and regular ‘fire-offering’ of attention; repel toxic narratives immediately.
Emphasize udatta on sam, abhi, tapuḥ, agnivān, brahmadviṣe, kravyāde; let svarita fall after each thrust for a ‘push-away’ effect.
Start gathered and dense; project the middle with heat; end with firm, clipped resolve on kimīdine.
aghaśaṃsam: keep śaṃ nasalization clear, abhy agham: articulate sandhi cleanly (abhy), tapuḥ: final ḥ audible but light, carur: roll r; short u, agnivān iva: long ā in vān; separate iva lightly, brahmadviṣe: retroflex ṣ; long ī, kravyāde: cluster kr- clear; long ā, ghoracakṣase: retroflex ṣ; aspirate gh
Firm, bright, protective; avoid shouting—let resonance carry force.
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