Rig Veda 10.116.5: Mandala 10, Sukta 116, Mantra 5
Sukta 10.116
- Devata
- Indra
- Rasa
- Raudra (fury) and Vira (heroism)
नि तिग्मानि भ्राशयन्भ्राश्यान्यव स्थिरा तनुहि यातुजूनाम् । उग्राय ते सहो बलं ददामि प्रतीत्या शत्रून्विगदेषु वृश्च ॥
ní tigmā́ni bhrā́śayan bhrā́śyāny áva sthirā́ tanúhi yātu-jū́nām | ugrā́ya te sáho bálaṃ dadāmi pratī́tyā śátrūn vi-gadéṣu vṛśca ||
नि तिग्मानि शस्त्राणि भ्राशयन् भ्राश्यानि तेजांसि च, यातुजूनां दृढस्थिराणि बलानि तनुहि। उग्राय ते सहो बलं च ददामि; प्रतीत्य शत्रूणां विगदेषु ग्रन्थिषु च स्थितानि बलानि वृश्च।
Word by Word
- नि
- down, forth; (as preverb)Indeclinableupasarga/avyayaRoot नि (upasarga) / ni (avyaya)
- तिग्मानि
- sharp (things), sharp weaponsAdjective (used substantively)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot तिग्म (prātipadika)
- भ्राशयन्
- causing to flash/brandishVerbलट् (present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमा, एकवचन (कर्तरि); present participle m.nom.sgRole Kartā (participial agent) / verbal qualifierRoot भ्राश् (धातु) [causative: भ्राशय-]
- भ्राश्यानि
- flashing (weapons), gleaming missilesAdjective (used substantively)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot भ्राश्य (prātipadika; from √भ्राश्, ‘to flash’)
- अव
- down, away; (as preverb)Indeclinableupasarga/avyayaRoot अव (upasarga) / ava (avyaya)
- स्थिराः
- firm, steadyAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग/स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (here agreeing with implied ‘(they)’)Role Kartā (of following imperative, as predicate/qualifier)Root स्थिर (prātipadika)
- तनुहि
- stretch out, extendVerbलोट् (imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यम, एकवचनRole Kriyā (main verb); Kartā = ‘त्वम्’ (addressed deity)Root तन् (धातु)
- यातुजूनाम्
- of the sorcerers, of the demon-wizardsNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचनRole Sambandha (genitive relation) / Apādāna-sense contextually (‘from/against sorcerers’)Root यातुजु (prātipadika)
- उग्राय
- to the fierce oneAdjective (as noun-epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot उग्र (prātipadika)
- ते
- to/for you; yourPronounषष्ठी, एकवचन (enclitic)Role Sambandha (genitive: ‘thy’)Root त्वद् (pronoun)
- सहः
- might, forceNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन (here as object with बलम्)Role KarmaRoot सहस् (prātipadika)
- बलम्
- strengthNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot बल (prātipadika)
- ददामि
- I giveVerbलट् (present), परस्मैपद, उत्तम, एकवचनRole Kriyā (main verb); Kartā = ‘अहम्’Root दा (धातु)
- प्रतीत्य
- having approached; having turned toward/againstVerbal indeclinableअव्यय (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), ‘having approached/turned against’Role Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (adverbial to main action) / Karaṇa-sense (‘by approaching’)Root प्रति-इ (धातु) → प्रतीत्य (absolutive)
- शत्रून्
- enemiesNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot शत्रु (prātipadika)
- विगदेषु
- in the joints/limbs (lit. ‘in the separations’); in vulnerable partsNounपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot विगद (prātipadika)
- वृश्च
- cut, hew downVerbलोट् (imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यम, एकवचनRole Kriyā (injunctive/imperative); Kartā = ‘त्वम्’ (addressed deity)Root वृश्च् (धातु)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (sandhi-resolution): नि | तिग्मानि | भ्राशयन् | भ्राश्यानि | अव | स्थिराः | तनुहि | यातुजूनाम् || उग्राय | ते | सहः | बलम् | ददामि | प्रतीत्य | शत्रून् | विगदेषु | वृश्च । 1) भ्राशयन् + भ्राश्यानि: nasal of participle retained before following word
- no further sandhi. 2) अव स्थिराः: hiatus (ava + sthirāḥ) kept in saṃhitā as ‘अव स्थि-’. 3) प्रतीत्य: absolutive from प्रति + √इ (Vedic contraction i + i → ī)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Cast down sharp weapons and flashing powers; break the firm strengths of sorcerous attackers. To the fierce one (Indra) I give force and might; advancing, cut the enemies in their knots and entanglements.
Inner meaning
In the inner battle, hostile formations (yātujūna—forces of deceptive will/occult distortion) use ‘sharp’ and ‘flashing’ instruments: cutting thoughts, brilliant but false suggestions, and compulsive impulses. The mantra asks Indra’s fierce discernment to throw down these weapons and to loosen what has become fixed and rigid in us (sthirā). The offering of ‘force and might’ is our conscious consent and gathered energy placed in the hands of the higher Mind so it can sever the enemies at their binding points (vigadeṣu)—their knots of habit, obsession, and subconscious linkage.
Universal truth
Real freedom is not achieved by fighting symptoms; it comes by cutting the knot-structures where deceptive forces bind attention and will. When our energy is surrendered to a higher clarity, it acts precisely at the entanglements.
Themes
anti-demonic, severing obstruction, heroic force, psychological warfare against bindings
The seer
Significance
The voice is that of a practical inner warrior: the rishi functions as a strategist of consciousness, identifying not only enemies but their ‘weapons’ and ‘knots’—a hallmark of psychological Vedic seeing.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra (Ugra aspect)
- Epithets
- उग्र (Ugra), वज्रिन् (Vajrin—implied)
- Related deities
- Agni (will that executes), Maruts (storm-powers aiding Indra)
Cosmic role
Protector of the sacrifice; destroyer of hostile powers; opener of the paths by force of truth.
Inner power
Razor-like discrimination and spiritual courage that breaks rigid formations and cuts binding knots.
In ritual
Where it is used
Protective/abhicāra-countering Indra invocation within Soma/Indra rites (general)
नि ति॒ग्मानि॑ भ्रा॒शय॒न्भ्राश्या॒न्यव॑ स्थि॒रा त॑नुहि यातु॒जूना॑म् । उ॒ग्राय॑ ते॒ सहो॒ बलं॑ ददामि प्र॒तीत्या॒ शत्रू॑न्विग॒देषु॑ वृश्च ॥
नि । ति॒ग्मानि॑ । भ्रा॒शय॑न् । भ्राश्या॑नि । अव॑ । स्थि॒रा । त॒नु॒हि॒ । या॒तु॒ऽजूना॑म् । उ॒ग्राय॑ । ते॒ । सहः॑ । बल॑म् । द॒दा॒मि॒ । प्र॒ति॒ऽइत्य॑ । शत्रू॑न् । वि॒ऽग॒देषु॑ । वृ॒श्च॒ ॥
ni | tigmāni | bhrāśayan | bhrāśyāni | ava | sthirā | tanuhi | yātu-jūnām | ugrāya | te | sahaḥ | balam | dadāmi | prati-itya | śatrūn | vi-gadeṣu | vṛśca
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4 × ~11
Clipped, cutting rhythm; imperative verbs create percussive force.
Elicits courage and sharp clarity; supports decisive inner ‘no’ to intrusive thoughts and impulses.
- ति॒ग्मानि (tigmāni)
- Literal: sharp (weapons). Symbolic: Cutting, harsh mental formations; aggressive impulses
- भ्राश्यानि (bhrāśyāni)
- Literal: flashing, glittering powers. Symbolic: Brilliant but misleading ideas; glamour/illusion
- यातुजूनाम् (yātujūnām)
- Literal: of sorcerers/attackers. Symbolic: Deceptive forces of distorted will; hostile vital-mental suggestions
- स्थिरा (sthirā)
- Literal: firm, fixed. Symbolic: Rigid habits; entrenched patterns in the subconscient
- उग्राय (ugrāya)
- Literal: to the fierce one. Symbolic: Indra’s formidable aspect—decisive, uncompromising truth-force
- सहः (sahaḥ)
- Literal: power, energy. Symbolic: Concentrated spiritual force (effective tapas)
- बलम् (balam)
- Literal: strength. Symbolic: Stable capacity to persist in truth
- विगदेषु (vigadeṣu)
- Literal: in the knots/entanglements. Symbolic: Binding nodes where desire-thought-habit interlock
- वृश्च (vṛśca)
- Literal: cut!. Symbolic: Severance by discriminative illumination
Apotropaic/warrior petition within Soma hymn: breaking hostile bindings (yātu-jū) and cutting enemy knots; usable in protective rites and Indra invocations.
When seeking protection from hostile influences; metaphorically during obstacles in practice.
Empowering Indra with offered strength; commanding the cutting down of enemies’ bindings.
Use for psychological protection: before difficult conversations, addiction-recovery work, or when intrusive thoughts arise—chant to ‘cut the knot’ rather than argue with content.
tigmá ‘sharp’ (cf. ‘tig’ in Indo-Iranian) indicates keen cutting force. √bhrāś ‘fall, collapse, strike down’ conveys overthrowing hostile energies. yātu-jū (yātu ‘sorcery’ + jū ‘impel, hasten’) are forces that attack by distortion/illusion—psychologically, perverting impulses. √tan ‘stretch’ can imply ‘extend (one’s power)’ or ‘lay out/bring down’ depending on object; here with sthirā suggests breaking fixed resistances. √vraśc ‘cut’ (vṛśca) is decisive severing of knots (gade).
cutting knots (release from bindings), battle against illusion/distortion (yātu), application of force (sahas, balam)
Hostiles disrupt r̥ta through glamour and rigidity; Indra restores right movement by severance.
True strength is the capacity to cut illusion at its binding points.
Unbinding as a creative act: freeing blocked energies so the right flow can manifest.
Integral-yogic hermeneutic: hostile forces as formations in consciousness; liberation by discrimination and higher force.
Weapons=mental-vital instruments; flashing=glamour; knots=granthis of habit; cutting=liberating insight.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is Indra’s cutting down of hostile, sorcerous attackers and severing enemies in their ‘knots’. Inner sense: the divine force breaks fixed subconscious bindings and dismantles deceptive impulses that entangle the being.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √tan, √dā (dadāmi), and √vraśc are old IE roots; the imperative style (tanuhi, vṛśca) matches inherited hymn-command diction, where the poet’s word functions as a performative act.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The Rishi ‘gives’ (dadāmi) sahas and balam—i.e., supplies energizing affirmation and offering—so Indra can act as the fierce cutter of bonds. The reciprocity is explicit: human invocation empowers divine action, which returns as liberation from inner enemies.
Identify recurring ‘knot’ (trigger → thought → craving → action). Invoke Indra-Ugra to cut at the trigger-link.
Maṇipūra (courage) and Ājñā (discrimination).
Brisk kapalabhāti (3 rounds of 30–60 strokes) if suitable, then steady breathing; chant on stable exhale to embody ‘cutting’.
Fierce clarity; protected, unentangled attention.
Chant 7 or 11 times; then silently name the knot once; imagine a single vajra-strike at its binding point; rest in quiet firmness without reaction.
Rigvedic three-tone; exact accents require svara text for RV 10.116.5.
Emphasize imperatives (ava, tanuhi, vṛśca) with clean consonants; keep compounds clear (yātu-jūnām).
tigmāni: hard ‘g’ (not ‘j’), bhrāśayan/bhrāśyāni: aspirate ‘bh’; ‘śy’ cluster distinct, sthirā: ‘sth’ cluster; avoid ‘sith’, pratītyā: long ī; dental ‘t’, vigadeṣu: soft ‘g’, retroflex ‘ṣ’
Sharp, commanding, well-articulated.
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