Rig Veda 7.83.4: Mandala 7, Sukta 83, Mantra 4
Sukta 7.83
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Indra–Varuṇa
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
इन्द्रावरुणा वधनाभिरप्रति भेदं वन्वन्ता प्र सुदासमावतम् । ब्रह्माण्येषां शृणुतं हवीमनि सत्या तृत्सूनामभवत्पुरोहितिः ॥
indrā́varuṇā vadhánābhir apratí bhédáṃ vanvántā prá sudā́sam āvatam | bráhmāṇy eṣāṃ śṛṇutaṃ hávīmani satyā́ tṛ́tsūnām abhavat puróhitiḥ ||
हे इन्द्रावरुणौ, युवयोर्वधनाभिः अप्रतिभेद्यं भेदं वन्वन्तौ सुदासम् अवतम्। हवीमनि तेषां ब्रह्माणि शृणुतम्; तृत्सूनां सत्याऽभवत् पुरोहितिः, या यात्रायाः पुरतः नयति।
Word by Word
- इन्द्रा
- O Indra (as one of the pair)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन/प्रथमा-द्विवचन (Vedic: dual address)Role सम्बोधनRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- वरुणा
- O Varuṇa (as one of the pair)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन/प्रथमा-द्विवचन (Vedic: dual address)Role सम्बोधनRoot वरुण (प्रातिपदिक)
- वधनाभिः
- with weapons / with means of smitingNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया-बहुवचनRole करणRoot वधन (प्रातिपदिक; ‘weapon/means of striking’)
- अप्रति
- irresistibly; without oppositionIndeclinableअव्ययRole विशेषण (क्रियाविशेषण)Root अ- + प्रति (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- भेदम्
- a breach; a breaking (of the enemy/obstacle)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचनRole कर्मRoot भेद (प्रातिपदिक; from √भिद्)
- वन्वन्ता
- pressing on; pursuingVerbवर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ/शानच्-प्रकार); प्रथमा-द्विवचन, पुंलिङ्ग (कर्तरि)Role कर्तृRoot √वन्/वन्व् (to strive, press on, pursue)
- प्र
- forth; forwardIndeclinableअव्ययRole विशेषण (क्रियाविशेषण)Root प्र (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- सुदासम्
- Sudās (the king)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचनRole कर्मRoot सुदास (प्रातिपदिक; proper name)
- आवतम्
- you two helped / protectedVerbलङ् (इम्पर्फेक्ट); परस्मैपद; 3 पुरुष; द्विवचनRole कर्तृ (क्रिया)Root √अव् (to help, protect, favour) with आ-
- ब्रह्माणि
- the sacred hymns / prayersNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक; hymn, sacred formulation)
- एषाम्
- of these (men/people)Pronounषष्ठी-बहुवचन (सर्वनाम)Role सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- शृणुतम्
- hear (you two)!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ); परस्मैपद; 2 पुरुष; द्विवचनRole कर्तृ (आज्ञा)Root √श्रु (to hear)
- हवीमनि
- in the offering; at the oblationNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot हवीमन (प्रातिपदिक; ‘oblation/act of offering’, Vedic)
- सत्या
- true; faithfulAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचन (agreeing with पुरोहितिः)Role विशेषणRoot सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- तृत्सूनाम्
- of the TṛtsusNounपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root तृत्सु (प्रातिपदिक; clan-name)
- अभवत्
- became; wasVerbलङ् (इम्पर्फेक्ट); परस्मैपद; 3 पुरुष; एकवचनRole कर्तृ (क्रिया)Root √भू (to be, become)
- पुरोहितिः
- the purohita-priest (chaplain)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचनRole कर्तृ/विधेय (predicate nominative)Root पुरोहिति (प्रातिपदिक; ‘priest placed in front’, chaplain)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (sandhi-resolution): इन्द्रा वरुणा | वधनाभिः | अप्रति | भेदम् | वन्वन्ता | प्र | सुदासम् | आवतम् || ब्रह्माणि एषाम् | शृणुतम् | हवीमनि | सत्या | तृत्सूनाम् | अभवत् | पुरोहितिः || प्रमुख संधि: (1) इन्द्रा॑वरुणा = इन्द्रा + वरुणा (द्विवचन-सम्बोधन/प्रथमा)
- (2) ब्रह्मा॑ण्येषाम् = ब्रह्माणि + एषाम् (इ + ए → ये; ‘-ण्ये-’ लेखन)
- अन्य पद प्रायः असन्धित/पद-सीमा पर विराम।
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra and Varuṇa, with irresistible slaying powers, shattered the resistance and aided Sudās. They are asked to hear the prayers in the offering procession; the true purohita-ship became established for the Tṛtsus.
Inner meaning
Indra–Varuṇa break the ‘bheda’—the dividing resistance that blocks unity of the being. Their ‘vadhanābhiḥ’ are not mere weapons but powers that cut through inertia, falsehood, and fragmentation. Sudās symbolizes the ‘good giver’ or right-disposed soul-force that can lead a collective nature. When the mantras (brahmāṇi) are heard in the march of offering (havīmani), the satyā purohita—true front-leading will (Agni-like guiding force in the forefront)—is established for the Tṛtsus (the striving powers).
Universal truth
Victory is secured when illumination and truth-law destroy inner division and establish a truthful leading will at the front of life’s movement.
Themes
irresistible breakthrough, mantric efficacy, truth-guided leadership, collective victory
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha (Maitrāvaruṇa line)
- Other hymns
- RV 7.18 (battle of the ten kings—Sudās), RV 7.19 (victory and guidance), RV 7.1 (Agni as purohita)
Family tradition
Seers of brahman and ṛta; closely connected with royal leadership myths (Sudās/Tṛtsu) as symbols of guided collective evolution.
Significance
Vasiṣṭha frames outer history as inner yoga: the right leader wins when the true guiding will (purohita) is established by truth and illumination.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra–Varuṇa
- Epithets
- aprati-śakti (irresistible power, implied), ṛta-satya-sthāpaka (establishers of order and truth, implied)
- Related deities
- Agni (purohita), Bṛhaspati (brahman/mantra), Mitra (harmony)
Cosmic role
They remove cosmic obstruction and re-seat right leadership: Indra executes victory; Varuṇa legitimizes it by truth and law.
Inner power
Indra gives breakthrough-force; Varuṇa gives ethical-spiritual legitimacy and stable order—together they establish the true ‘front-priest’ guidance.
In ritual
Where it is used
Praise for divine aid in victory; recitation in soma ritual contexts and royal/collective success ceremonies
इन्द्रा॑वरुणा व॒धना॑भिरप्र॒ति भे॒दं व॒न्वन्ता॒ प्र सु॒दास॑मावतम् । ब्रह्मा॑ण्येषां शृणुतं॒ हवी॑मनि स॒त्या तृत्सू॑नामभवत्पु॒रोहि॑तिः ॥
इन्द्रा॑वरुणा । व॒धना॑भिः । अ॒प्र॒ति । भे॒दम् । व॒न्वन्ता॑ । प्र । सु॒ऽदास॑म् । आ॒व॒त॒म् । ब्रह्मा॑णि । ए॒षा॒म् । शृ॒णु॒त॒म् । हविआ॑मनि । स॒त्या । तृत्सू॑नाम् । अ॒भ॒व॒त् । पु॒रःऽहि॑तिः ॥
indrāvaruṇā | vadhanābhiḥ | aprati | bhedam | vanvantā | pra | su-dāsam | āvatam | brahmāṇi | eṣām | śṛṇutam | haviāmani | satyā | tṛtsūnām | abhavat | puraḥ-hitiḥ
44
4 × ~11
Heroic and declarative; strong caesura supports ‘shatter → establish’ logic
Elicits confidence and forward drive; reinforces the sense of an inner leader taking the front.
- वधनाभिः (vadhanābhiḥ)
- Literal: with slaying powers/weapons. Symbolic: decisive forces that cut through obstruction and falsehood
- अप्रति (aprati)
- Literal: irresistible, unmatched. Symbolic: higher power not answerable to lower resistance
- भेदम् (bhedam)
- Literal: breach, division, cleft. Symbolic: fragmentation/inner split; the cover that separates from truth
- प्र सुदासम् (pra sudāsam)
- Literal: forward Sudās. Symbolic: bringing the right soul-force to the front
- ब्रह्माणि (brahmāṇi)
- Literal: sacred formulations. Symbolic: mantric thoughts that embody truth-consciousness
- हवीमनि (havīmani)
- Literal: in the offering-march/act of oblation. Symbolic: the moving sacrifice—life offered in progressive action
- सत्या (satyā)
- Literal: true. Symbolic: aligned with satya; effective truth
- पुरोहितिः (purohitiḥ)
- Literal: purohita-ship, priesthood in front. Symbolic: the inner leader (Agni-will) placed in the forefront of the journey
Victory and protection in collective rite; emphasizes efficacy of brahman (mantra) and the purohita principle as front-leading guidance.
During stotra/śastra sequences invoking victory and right leadership; contextually linked to rājan/saṃgrāma themes
Stuti plus request to ‘hear the brahmāṇi’ in the offering movement
For leadership and discipline: establish a ‘purohita principle’—daily inner governance by truth before action.
√bhid ‘split’ (PIE *bheid- ‘to split’, cf. English ‘bite’). brahman from √bṛh ‘to expand’ → word that enlarges consciousness. puro-hita ‘placed in front’ (puras ‘front’ + √dhā/hi ‘place’ via hita) → leading will/guide. √van ‘win/desire’ conveys both conquest and aspiration.
brahman (word-power), satya (truth of being), purohita as leading consciousness
Breaking bheda restores ṛta (cohesion of the cosmos within).
‘satyā purohitiḥ’ indicates truth as the effective leader in manifestation.
From division to organized progression—true guidance as a creative principle.
Integral/psychological Vedism: mantra as force that installs a higher executive will.
Weapons = discriminating force; march = progressive sadhana; ‘front’ = the conscious will leading the life-forces.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythic action is the ‘irresistible breach’—the gods create a decisive opening in what resists. This is paired with the ‘purohita’ mythologem: the true front-leading word/will becomes the guiding principle of the people (Tṛtsus), implying victory is secured by truth-guided consciousness.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √bhid ‘split’ reflects PIE *bheid- (English ‘bite’, German beißen). √bṛh ‘expand’ (brahman) reflects PIE *bʰerǵʰ- ‘high/raise’ in some analyses; regardless, the semantic of expansion is archaic. √śru ‘hear’ is PIE *ḱleu-.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi foregrounds the reciprocity between mantra and divine force: ‘hear the brahmāṇi’ and then act. Divine victory is not arbitrary; it is elicited and shaped by the true word (satya-brahman) that places the guiding will in front (purohitiḥ).
Install the ‘purohita’—the conscious will aligned with truth—at the front of thought and action
maṇipūra (executive will)
Kapalabhati (gentle, 30–60 strokes) then silent repetition of ‘satyā purohitiḥ’ to seat clear will
From scattered effort to unified, led movement
Before work or conflict, recall the inner leader: offer the coming action (havīmani) and ask Indra–Varuṇa to break the bheda (division) so the truthful will leads.
Ṛgvedic svara with emphatic rise on ‘इन्द्रा॑वरुणा’ and strong stress-feel on ‘अप्र॒ति’ and ‘स॒त्या’.
Mark the pivot between pāda 1 (shattering) and pāda 4 (establishing); let ‘स॒त्या … पुरोहितिः’ be clear and settled.
वधनाभिः (vadhanābhiḥ): aspirate dh; long ā, अप्रति (aprati): crisp pr, हवीमनि (havīmani): long ī, पुरोहितिः (purohitiḥ): short i at end; separate ‘h’ clearly
Bright, forceful, victorious; end with a firm, settled tone on ‘पुरोहितिः’
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