Rig Veda 2.13.11: Mandala 2, Sukta 13, Mantra 11
Sukta 2.13
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
सुप्रवाचनं तव वीर वीर्यं यदेकेन क्रतुना विन्दसे वसु । जातूष्ठिरस्य प्र वयः सहस्वतो या चकर्थ सेन्द्र विश्वास्युक्थ्यः ॥
su-pravā́canaṃ táva vīra vīryàṃ yád ékena krátunā vindáse vásu | jātū́ṣṭhirasya prá váyaḥ sáhasvato yā́ cákartha sá índra viśvā́sy ukthyáḥ ||
सुप्रवाचनं तव वीर वीर्यं यदेकॆन क्रतुना विन्दसे वसु । जातूष्ठिरस्य प्र वयः सहस्वतो या चकर्थ सेन्द्र विश्वास्युक्थ्यः ॥ सुप्रवाचनं तव वीर वीर्यं—यद् एकेन क्रतुना वसु विन्दसे। जातूष्ठिरस्य सहस्वतो वयः प्र नयसि; या चकर्थ, सेन्द्र, विश्वास्य उक्थ्यः।
Word by Word
- सु-प्र-वा॒चनम्
- (thy) well-proclaimed praise / good utteranceNoun (neuter) / adjectival substantiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot वचन (प्रातिपदिक; √वच् ‘वदने’)
- तव
- of thee / thyPronounषष्ठी एकवचनRole Sambandha (genitive relation)Root युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वीर
- O heroNoun (masc.)सम्बोधन एकवचनRole SambodhanaRoot वीर (प्रातिपदिक)
- वी॒र्यम्
- heroic power / prowessNoun (neuter)नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot वीर्य (प्रातिपदिक; from वीर)
- यत्
- whichRelative pronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन (correlative to ‘वीर्यम्’)Role KarmaRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- एकेन
- with one / by a singleNumeral/Adjectiveपुं/नपुंसक; तृतीया एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot एक (प्रातिपदिक)
- क्रतुना
- by (thy) resolve / power of will / counselNoun (masc.)पुल्लिङ्ग; तृतीया एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot क्रतु (प्रातिपदिक)
- विन्दसे
- thou findest / obtainestVerbलट् (वर्तमान); मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचन; आत्मनेपदRole Kriyā (verbal action)Root √विद्/√विन्द् (लभे ‘to find, obtain’)
- वसु
- wealth / good (treasure)Noun (neuter) (collective ‘wealth/good’)नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot वसु (प्रातिपदिक)
- जातूष्ठिः
- (thy) birth-/origin-glory; innate might (RV epithet)Noun (fem.)स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनRole KartāRoot जातूष्ठि (प्रातिपदिक; RV-lexeme)
- अस्य
- of him / of this (one)Pronounषष्ठी एकवचनRole Sambandha (genitive relation)Root इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- प्र
- forth / forwardIndeclinableअव्ययRole Upasarga/particleRoot प्र (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- वयः
- vigor / strength / vital powerNoun (neuter)नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन (Vedic form: वयः) अथवा द्वितीया एकवचन—contextually ‘strength/vigor’ as subject with ‘प्र’Role KartāRoot वयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- सहस्वतः
- of the mighty oneAdjective (used substantively)पुल्लिङ्ग; षष्ठी एकवचन (qualifying ‘अस्य’)Role Sambandha (genitive relation)Root सहस्वत् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘mighty, strong’)
- या
- which (deed)Relative pronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनRole KartāRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- च
- andIndeclinableअव्ययRole ConnectorRoot च (निपात)
- चकार्थ
- thou hast done / didst makeVerbलिट् (परोक्ष/परफेक्ट); मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole Kriyā (verbal action)Root √कृ (करणे ‘to do, make’)
- स-इन्द्र
- O Indra (with companions) / O Indra together (with the Maruts etc.)Noun (masc.) (vocative compound)सम्बोधन एकवचनRole SambodhanaRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) with सह- (prefix ‘with’)
- विश्वा
- all (things/deeds)Adjective (used substantively)नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- अस्य
- of him / thereofPronounषष्ठी एकवचनRole Sambandha (genitive relation)Root इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- उक्थ्यः
- praiseworthy / worthy of hymns (the praised one)Adjective/Noun (masc.)पुल्लिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनRole KartāRoot उक्थ्य (प्रातिपदिक; from उक्थ ‘hymn/praise’)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolved as: सुप्रवाचनम् (सु-प्र- + वाचनम्)
- यद् + एकेन → यद् एकेन (no further fusion in pada reading)
- सेन्द्र = स + इन्द्र (vocative)
- other forms largely already in pada shape. Accent marks in the Saṃhitā text retained on the surface forms
- analysis given on underlying stems/roots
The meaning
Outer meaning
Your hero-power is well-worthy to be spoken, O hero, since by a single resolve you find the riches. You drive forward the strength of the ever-stable, the forceful; whatever you have done, O Indra, you are hymn-worthy in all.
Inner meaning
Indra’s vīrya is ‘supravācana’—not merely praiseworthy but transformative to speak and remember: the spoken recognition itself awakens force. With a single kratu (concentrated will/insight), Indra discovers the inner riches (vasu)—light, right joy, capacities. He pushes forward the strength of what is ‘ever-stable’ (jātūṣṭhira): the soul’s enduring poise or the steadfast foundation in the being, so that dynamic power is grounded and not scattered. Thus all Indra’s acts become universally ‘ukthya’—fit to be invoked as methods of inner progress.
Universal truth
Concentrated will aligned with higher intelligence discovers resources that scattered effort cannot. True strength is the forward movement of a stable inner base, making action effective and speech potent.
Themes
Single-pointed will, Discovery of riches, Praise of heroic potency
The seer
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Lineage
- Āṅgirasa
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 2.12.5, Rig Veda 2.16.4, Rig Veda 2.13.1
Family tradition
Gṛtsamada emphasizes the efficacy of kratu (will/insight) and the transformation of speech into a vehicle of power—core to Vedic mantra-yoga.
Significance
This verse teaches the inner discipline: a single, unified will calls forth riches; speech becomes a conscious tool when aligned with that will.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- vīra (hero), ukthya (hymn-worthy)
- Related deities
- Sarasvatī (speech), Agni (will-fire), Soma (bliss as richness)
Cosmic role
Finder and distributor of riches; leader who advances stable strength into victorious action.
Inner power
Focused luminous will (kratu) that discovers inner resources and propels stable energy forward.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra stotra emphasizing vīrya and kratu in Soma sacrifice
सु॒प्र॒वा॒च॒नं तव॑ वीर वी॒र्यं१॒॑ यदेके॑न॒ क्रतु॑ना वि॒न्दसे॒ वसु॑ । जा॒तूष्ठि॑रस्य॒ प्र वय॒: सह॑स्वतो॒ या च॒कर्थ॒ सेन्द्र॒ विश्वा॑स्यु॒क्थ्य॑: ॥
सु॒ऽप्र॒वा॒च॒नम् । तव॑ । वी॒र॒ । वी॒र्य॑म् । यत् । एके॑न । क्रतु॑ना । वि॒न्दसे॑ । वसु॑ । जा॒तूऽस्थि॑रस्य । प्र । वयः॑ । सह॑स्वतः । या । च॒कर्थ॑ । सः । इ॒न्द्र॒ । विश्वा॑ । अ॒सि॒ । उ॒क्थ्यः॑ ॥
su-pravācanam | tava | vīra | vīryam | yat | ekena | kratunā | vindase | vasu | jātū-sthirasya | pra | vayaḥ | sahasvataḥ | yā | cakartha | saḥ | indra | viśvā | asi | ukthyaḥ
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4 × ~11
Clear, declarative, with a strong mid-line lift; suited to affirming will and accomplishment
Strengthens resolve; helps unify intention and speech; energizes disciplined forward movement.
- सुप्रवाचनम् (supravācanam)
- Literal: well to be spoken. Symbolic: Mantric recognition that awakens the power it names
- वीर्यं (vīryaṃ)
- Literal: hero-power. Symbolic: Effective spiritual force; victorious capacity of illumined mind
- एकेन क्रतुना (ekena kratunā)
- Literal: by one resolve/will. Symbolic: One-pointed intention; concentrated discernment
- वसु (vasu)
- Literal: riches. Symbolic: Inner wealth: light, strength, joy, right capacities
- जातूस्थिर (jātūṣṭhira)
- Literal: ever-stable. Symbolic: Steady soul-foundation; enduring poise in consciousness
- प्र वयः (pra vayaḥ)
- Literal: drive forward the strength/vigor. Symbolic: Progressive unfolding and leading of energy toward the goal
- विश्वासि उक्थ्यः (viśvāsi ukthyaḥ)
- Literal: hymn-worthy in all. Symbolic: Universally applicable divine method/power
General Indra stotra: emphasizes kratu (will/insight) as key to finding vasu; relevant to sacrificer’s intention-setting
When seeking success through concentrated will and the finding of needed resources
Praise with offering; internal ‘ekāgratā’ (one-pointedness) as the hidden ritual act
Use as an affirmation-mantra before focused work/meditation: unify intention, then act from steadiness rather than urgency.
kratu ‘resolve, intelligence’ (cognate Av. xratu- ‘understanding’), an Indo-Iranian key term for luminous will. vīra from PIE *uih₁ro- ‘man’. vasu ‘good, wealth’ (PIE *wesu- ‘good’).
Kratu (luminous will), Unity of intention (ekena), Vasu as inner good
One-pointed will aligns action with ṛta, making discovery and progress natural.
Speech that is ‘supravācana’ is speech carrying satya-force.
Discovery (vindase) as revelation: riches are found when consciousness is rightly oriented.
Yoga of will and speech (mantra) consonant with Aurobindo’s emphasis on kratu as conscious-force.
Forward drive as evolutionary push of consciousness; stability as mountain-like poise supporting ascent.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘finding of the riches’ by unified will: a discovery mythologem (akin to finding the cows/light) expressed psychologically. Indra embodies the capacity by which a single, luminous resolve (kratu) recovers the inner goods (vasu).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- kratu’s Indo-Iranian cognate (Av. xratu-) points to shared archaic theology of ‘intelligent will’. vasu continues an IE ‘good’ lexeme (*wesu-), showing that ‘wealth’ is originally ‘the good’ rather than material possession.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi’s speech aims at ‘su-pravācana’—right utterance that matches the deity’s right will. The hymn mirrors Indra’s unity (ekena kratunā) by seeking a unified mantric proclamation that can attract and embody that power.
Unify will (kratu) and speech: chant as a deliberate act of alignment; then sit in steady ‘jātūṣṭhira’ poise and let right action arise.
maṇipūra (will) and viśuddha (speech)
Inhale 4, exhale 8 while chanting mentally on the exhale; 12 cycles
Ekāgratā (one-pointedness) leading to confident, sattvic action
Before chanting, state one clear intention. After chanting, take one concrete step from a calm base—train the being to ‘find riches by one will’.
RV tones; give a deliberate lift on ‘ekena kratunā’ and a steady, grounded cadence on ‘jātūṣṭhirasya’.
Keep ‘supravācanaṃ’ flowing as one unit; avoid breaking sandhi in sendra (saḥ indra → sendra).
supravācanaṃ: keep long ā., kratuṇā: retroflex ṇ., vindase: clear dental d., sendra: pronounce as ‘sendra’ with smooth euphonic join.
Clear, confident, slightly bright; articulate consonants cleanly
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