Rig Veda 2.20.7: Mandala 2, Sukta 20, Mantra 7
Sukta 2.20
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
स वृत्रहेन्द्रः कृष्णयोनीः पुरंदरो दासीरैरयद्वि । अजनयन्मनवे क्षामपश्च सत्रा शंसं यजमानस्य तूतोत् ॥
sá vṛtra-héndraḥ kṛṣṇá-yonīḥ puram-daró dā́sīr airayad ví | ájanayan mánave kṣā́ma-paś ca satrā́ śáṃsaṃ yájamānasya tū́tot ||
स वृत्रहेन्द्रः कृष्णयोनीः पुरंदरो दासीः ऐरयद्वि। अजनयन्मनवे क्षामपश्च सत्रा शंसं यजमानस्य तूतोत्॥
Word by Word
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वृत्रहा
- Vṛtra-slayerNoun/Adjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role Kartā (सः इन्द्रः—विशेषणम्)Root वृत्रहन् (वृत्र + हन्)
- इन्द्रः
- IndraNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- कृष्णयोनीः
- having dark/black wombs (i.e., with dark lairs/abodes)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम् (बहुव्रीहिः—इन्द्रस्य विशेषणम्)Role Kartā (विशेषणम्)Root कृष्णयोनि (कृष्ण + योनि)
- पुरंदरः
- fort-destroyerNoun/Adjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role Kartā (विशेषणम्)Root पुरंदर (पुर्/पुरम् + √दॄ/दर् ‘to split, break’)
- दासीः
- Dāsī women / female slaves (Dāsa women)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्Role KarmaRoot दासी (प्रातिपदिक)
- ऐरयत्
- drove/impelledVerbलङ् (अभूत्), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role (क्रिया) —Root √ईर्/इर् (प्रेरणे) caus. √ईरय्
- इति
- thus (quotative/particle)IndeclinableनिपातःRoot इति
- अजनयत्
- generated/producedVerbलङ् (अभूत्), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role (क्रिया) —Root √जन् (जनने) caus. √जनय्
- मनवे
- for ManuNounपुंलिङ्गः, चतुर्थी, एकवचनम्Role SampradānaRoot मनु (प्रातिपदिक)
- क्षाम्
- the earth/groundNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot क्षाम्/क्षामा (प्रातिपदिक; ‘earth/ground’)
- अपः
- watersNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्Role KarmaRoot अप् (प्रातिपदिक)
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चय-निपातःRoot च
- सत्रा
- continually/altogetherIndeclinableक्रियाविशेषणम्Root सत्रा
- शंसम्
- praiseNounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot शंस (प्रातिपदिक; ‘praise/recitation’)
- यजमानस्य
- of the sacrificerNounपुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root यजमान (प्रातिपदिक)
- तूतोत्
- praised (again and again) / kept praisingVerbलिट् (परोक्स/परफेक्ट्), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role (क्रिया) —Root √तू/तव् (स्तुतौ/तोषणे; intensive/reduplicated stem तूतो-)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (sandhi-resolved): सः | वृत्रहा | इन्द्रः | कृष्णयोनीः | पुरंदरः | दासीः | ऐरयत् | इति | अजनयत् | मनवे | क्षाम् | अपः | च | सत्रा | शंसम् | यजमानस्य | तूतोत् । मुख्य-सन्धयः: (1) वृत्र॒हेन्द्र॑: = वृत्रहा + इन्द्रः (अ + इ → ए). (2) दासी॑रैरय॒द्वि = दासीः + ऐरयत् + इति
- दासीः + ऐ- → दासीरै- (विसर्ग-लोप/र्-आदेशः), तथा ऐरयत् + इति → ऐरयदिति (त् + इ → दि). (3) अज॑नय॒न्मन॑वे = अजनयत् + मनवे (त् → न्, परसवर्ण/अनुस्वार-प्रवृत्ति). (4) क्षाम॒पश्च॑ = क्षाम् + अपः + च (म् + अ → म, संयोगः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra the slayer of Vṛtra, breaker of forts, drove apart the dark-dwelling Dāsī powers. He brought forth for Manu the fields and the waters and continually impelled the sacrificer’s praise.
Inner meaning
Vṛtra is the Coverer: the inertia that blocks the flow of consciousness. Indra breaks the ‘forts’—fixed defensive structures of ignorance—and separates the dark-origin forces (kṛṣṇayonīḥ) that confuse and bind the nature. For Manu (the mental being aspiring to become truly human), he manifests ‘kṣām’ (the wide field/earth: stable basis of life) and ‘āpah’ (waters: flowing energies, inspiration, delight-currents). He also ‘impels the praise’—awakens in the seeker the right articulation and aspiration, making the inner sacrifice continuous (satrā).
Universal truth
When illumination conquers the coverer, life gains both stability (field) and flow (waters), and aspiration becomes self-renewing rather than occasional.
Themes
Vṛtra-slaying, release of waters, breaking of dark formations, support of the yajamāna’s praise
The seer
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Lineage
- Bhārgava (Bhr̥gu lineage)
- Other hymns
- RV 2.20.1-11, RV 2.21
Family tradition
This hymn-line shows the classic Bhārgava emphasis: victory over darkness yields both inner order (kṣām) and inner flow (āpah), supporting sustained practice.
Significance
Positions Indra not only as destroyer of obstruction but as positive creator of a new inner ecology—ground and waters—for the evolving human.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Vṛtrahan, Puraṃdara, impeller of praise (tūtot)
- Related deities
- Sarasvatī (inspiration-waters), Agni (inner sacrifice), Bṛhaspati (word-force)
Cosmic role
Releases the worlds (space/earth/waters) by defeating the Coverer and dispersing dark forces.
Inner power
Discriminating, forceful illumination that both clears resistance and establishes stable and flowing supports for sādhanā.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra invocation for victory and increase; commonly aligned with Soma praise cycles.
स वृ॑त्र॒हेन्द्र॑: कृ॒ष्णयो॑नीः पुरंद॒रो दासी॑रैरय॒द्वि । अज॑नय॒न्मन॑वे॒ क्षाम॒पश्च॑ स॒त्रा शंसं॒ यज॑मानस्य तूतोत् ॥
सः । वृ॒त्र॒ऽहा । इन्द्रः॑ । कृ॒ष्णऽयो॑नीः । पु॒र॒म्ऽद॒रः । दासीः॑ । ऐ॒र॒य॒त् । वि । अज॑नयत् । मन॑वे । क्षा॒म॒ऽपः । च॒ । स॒त्रा । शंस॑म् । यज॑मानस्य । तू॒तो॒त् ॥
saḥ | vṛtra-hā | indraḥ | kṛṣṇa-yonīḥ | puram-daraḥ | dāsīḥ | airayat | vi | ajanayan | manave | kṣāma-paḥ | ca | satrā | śaṃsam | yajamānasya | tūtot
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4×11 (approx.)
Martial opening (epithets), then expansive cadence as ‘fields and waters’ are named; ends with a repeated impulse (tūtot).
First energizes and clears; then widens and soothes, leaving a steady drive for ongoing aspiration.
- वृत्रहा (vṛtrahā)
- Literal: slayer of Vṛtra. Symbolic: power that destroys the covering inertia and fear
- पुरंदरो (puraṃdara)
- Literal: breaker of forts. Symbolic: breaker of entrenched mental-vital formations
- कृष्णयोनीः (kṛṣṇayonīḥ)
- Literal: dark-wombed/dark-origin. Symbolic: subconscient impulses arising from obscurity
- दासीः (dāsīḥ)
- Literal: Dāsī powers. Symbolic: forces of division and servitude to ignorance within the nature
- मनवे (manave)
- Literal: for Manu. Symbolic: for the mental being seeking right humanity and law
- क्षाम् (kṣām)
- Literal: earth/field. Symbolic: a stable inner foundation; grounded wideness
- अपः (apaḥ)
- Literal: waters. Symbolic: flowing energies of inspiration, purification, and delight
- सत्रा (satrā)
- Literal: continually, in common session. Symbolic: unbroken practice; sustained inner sacrifice
- शंसम् (śaṃsam)
- Literal: praise. Symbolic: mantric affirmation/aspiration that calls the higher power
Central Indra myth (Vṛtra-slaying) used to invoke present release of waters/fields (inner and outer prosperity)
When seeking removal of obstacles and establishment of prosperity (fields/waters).
Recitation with offering; intent to disperse hostile influences and secure supportive conditions.
Use when rebuilding life after crisis: stabilize routines (kṣām) and restore emotional flow (āpah) while keeping aspiration continuous (satrā).
vṛtra from √vṛ ‘cover, obstruct’ → the coverer; vṛtra-han is the classic obstructor-slayer compound. puram-dara from pura ‘fort’ + √dṛ ‘split’/√dar ‘break’. √jan ‘beget’ (PIE *gen-). ap ‘waters’ is archaic IE (PIE *h₂ep-).
battle of Light vs Darkness (kṛṣṇa-yonīḥ), ṛta-supporting creation of ordered space (kṣāma) and flow (ap)
Dispersal of dark forces enables the right functioning of life-forces in harmony.
Truth-light is what allows ‘earth and waters’ to be rightly born for Manu.
World-formation after the slaying of the Coverer: emergence of stable plane and flowing energies.
Early integral cosmopsychology (worlds as states of consciousness)
From obscurity and confinement to grounded wideness and liberated flow—an inner ‘re-territorialization’ of the being.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The Vṛtra-slaying and fort-breaking mythologem: Indra breaks the obstructing cover and disperses dark-dwelling powers, releasing ‘waters’ and establishing ‘fields’—symbols of liberated flow of consciousness and ordered wideness for the human (Manu).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- ap ‘waters’ reflects PIE *h₂ep-; √jan ‘generate’ is PIE *gen-; the obstructor-slayer compound type (X-han) is an old IE poetic strategy. Darkness-marking kṛṣṇa- parallels widespread IE color-symbolism in mythic conflict.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The r̥ṣi ties cosmic victory to the sacrificer’s inner work: Indra’s archetypal release of waters becomes the present enabling of the yajamāna’s śaṃsa (right utterance), sustaining the movement from obstruction to ordered plenitude.
Identify the ‘coverer’ (avoidance, inertia); invoke Indra to disperse dark-origin impulses; establish stability and flow.
Maṇipūra (force/victory) and Svādhiṣṭhāna (waters/flow)
Kapalabhati light rounds (if suitable) to break inertia, followed by cooling nāḍī-śodhana to restore flow.
From tamasic heaviness to luminous, organized energy.
Chant 3 times briskly to cut inertia, then sit quietly imagining a wide inner field (kṣām) with clear waters (āpah) moving through it; end with one slow repetition to seal continuity (satrā).
If trained, keep clear udātta on epithets (vṛtrahā, indraḥ, puraṃdaraḥ); otherwise mark them with a slight pitch lift.
Strike the consonants in ‘vṛtra-hā’ and ‘puraṃ-daraḥ’; soften and lengthen on ‘kṣām apaś ca’.
vṛtra: vocalic ‘ṛ’ distinct, puraṃdara: anusvāra before ‘d’, kṛṣṇayonīḥ: retroflex ‘ṣṇy’ cluster carefully, kṣām: ‘kṣ’ conjunct, long ‘ā’, tūtot: long ‘ū’, dental ‘t’ crisp
Heroic at start, then broadened and calmer in the second half.
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