Rig Veda 8.32.12: Mandala 8, Sukta 32, Mantra 12
Sukta 8.32
- Rishi
- Kaṇva
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Gāyatrī or Anuṣṭubh-like short meter
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
स नः शक्रश्चिदा शकद्दानवाँ अन्तराभरः । इन्द्रो विश्वाभिरूतिभिः ॥
sá naḥ śakráś cid ā́ śakád dā́navāṃ antarābharáḥ | índro víśvābhir ūtíbhiḥ ||
स नः शक्रश्चिदा शकद्दानवान् अन्तराभरः; इन्द्रो विश्वाभिरूतिभिर्नोऽन्तरिताद्भयात् परि वहति।
Word by Word
- स
- he (that one)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot तद् (सः/सा/तत्) सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक
- नः
- of us / for usPronounषष्ठी (एन्क्लिटिक), बहुवचनम्Role सम्प्रदान (हित-सम्बन्धः) / सम्बन्धRoot अस्मद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक
- शक्रः
- Śakra (Indra)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (स के विशेषण/अप्पोज़िशन)Root शक्र (प्रातिपदिक; इन्द्र-नाम)
- चित्
- evenIndeclinableअव्ययम्Root चित् (निपात)
- आ
- towards, hither (prefix)Indeclinableउपसर्गः (आ-)Root आ (उपसर्ग)
- शकत्
- may he be able / can heVerbलोट्/विधिलिङ्-प्रायः (वेदिक), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्Role क्रियाRoot शक् (धातु)
- दानवान्
- the Dānava (demon) / one of the Dānava raceNoun (agent/possessive) / Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (स के विशेषणः)Root दानव (प्रातिपदिक)
- अन्तराभरः
- may he bring (it) across / may he carry throughVerbलोट्/आशीर्लिङ्-प्रायः (वेदिक), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्; (अन्तरा- उपसर्गयुक्तः)Role क्रियाRoot अन्तरा (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + √भृ (धातु)
- इन्द्रः
- IndraNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (पुनरुक्त-कर्तृनिर्देशः)Root इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- विश्वाभिः
- with allAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्गः, तृतीया, बहुवचनम्Role करणRoot विश्व (सर्व) (प्रातिपदिक)
- ऊतिभिः
- helps, protectionsNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, तृतीया, बहुवचनम्Role करणRoot ऊति (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: स | नः | शक्रः | चित् | आ | शकत् | दानवान् | अन्तराभरः | इन्द्रः | विश्वाभिः | ऊतिभिः || Sandhi/phonology: (1) शक्रश्चिदा = शक्रः + चित् + आ (विसर्गः → श् before च; चित् + आ → चिदा)
- (2) शकद्दानवाँ = शकत् + दानवान् (त् + द् → द्द्; final -न् may show Vedic nasalization/length in saṃhitā as -वाँ)
- (3) विश्वाभिरूतिभिः = विश्वाभिः + ऊतिभिः (इः + ऊ → इरू by external sandhi; written -भिरू-)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra the Mighty is able to bring us across; the giver who carries us through the in-between danger, with all his helps.
Inner meaning
The Indric consciousness is not only victorious; it is a ‘carrier across’ (antarābharaḥ) through transitional zones where old supports fall away and the new is not yet established. With his many protections (viśvābhir ūtibhiḥ), the illumined Mind guides the seeker safely over inner peril—confusion, doubt, and the pull of lower habit.
Universal truth
Transitions are the most vulnerable phases of growth; a higher guiding intelligence can ‘carry across’ when personal effort alone cannot bridge the gap.
Themes
Protection, Crossing beyond danger, Divine ability and generosity, All-aids (viśvā ūtayaḥ)
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 8.32.13 (same sequence: Indra as ferrier/guardian), RV 8.6 (Kāṇva Indra-help themes)
Family tradition
Maṇḍala 8 praise-poetry emphasizing Indra as helper, protector, and giver in the journey.
Significance
The seer-voice here is that of the collective aspirant (‘naḥ’): a communal yoga where Indra’s help is invoked for passage through dangerous intervals of transformation.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Śakra, Dānavān, Antarābharaḥ
- Related deities
- Sarasvatī (guiding flow), Pūṣan (guide), Varuṇa (law/guard), Agni (leader of sacrifice)
Cosmic role
Champion of the gods who establishes safe passage and victory for the forces of light; protector in crossings (rivers, intervals, battles).
Inner power
Guiding illumination with protective force—discernment that carries consciousness beyond intermediate confusions.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra praise in Soma liturgy; protective invocation
स न॑: श॒क्रश्चि॒दा श॑क॒द्दान॑वाँ अन्तराभ॒रः । इन्द्रो॒ विश्वा॑भिरू॒तिभि॑: ॥
सः । नः॒ । श॒क्रः । चि॒त् । आ । श॒क॒त् । दान॑ऽवान् । अ॒न्त॒र॒ऽआ॒भ॒रः । इन्द्रः॑ । विश्वा॑भिः । ऊ॒तिऽभिः॑ ॥
saḥ | naḥ | śakraḥ | cit | ā | śakat | dāna-vān | antara-ābharaḥ | indraḥ | viśvābhiḥ | ūti-bhiḥ
32
4 × ~8 syllables (approx.)
Balanced and supportive, like steady steps across a bridge.
Stabilizes the listener; evokes trust and a sense of being ‘carried’ through difficulty.
- śakraḥ
- Literal: the Mighty. Symbolic: irresistible spiritual force in the mind-nature
- ā śakat
- Literal: is able, can accomplish. Symbolic: effective capacity of higher power to intervene
- dānavān
- Literal: giver, bountiful. Symbolic: the consciousness that increases inner resources (light, force, joy)
- antarābharaḥ
- Literal: one who brings/carries across the ‘between’. Symbolic: guide through liminal states; ferrier over inner gulf
- ūtibhiḥ
- Literal: helps, aids, protections. Symbolic: multiple supports: intuitions, right impulses, protective discernment
Assurance verse: Indra’s universal aids (viśvābhir ūtibhiḥ) carry the sacrificer across dangers/intervals; liturgically supports confidence in Indra’s protection during the soma rite and life-struggles.
At moments seeking protection and successful completion of rite/journey; metaphorically ‘crossing’ rites.
Stotra recitation inviting Indra’s ūtis (helps) to secure passage.
Chant during life transitions (new job, relocation, grief-to-renewal) to cultivate inner protection and guidance.
śak- ‘be able’ (PIE *sekʰ- ‘have power’ proposed). dā́na- ‘giving’ from √dā ‘give’ (PIE *deh₃- ‘give’, cf. Greek dídōmi). antara ‘between’ (PIE *h₁enter ‘between/inside’, cf. Latin inter). ā-bhar ‘bring/carry’ √bhṛ (PIE *bʰer-). ūti from √av ‘help/protect’.
transition across inner intervals (antara) between states of consciousness, divine assistance (ūti) as manifold, capacity (śak) as spiritual competence
The ‘across’ movement is the restoration of right progression when the middle-zone is perilous.
Indra’s helps are truth-signals preventing deviation.
Bridging worlds/levels (antarikṣa as ‘between’); ascent through planes of consciousness.
Integral psychological interpretation: gods as functional powers enabling ascent.
The ‘in-between peril’ is the intermediate consciousness between lower habit and higher clarity; Indra’s helps are inner safeguards and right impulses.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘carrying across’ (ā-bhar) motif: Indra as ferrier/protector who brings the seeker beyond an ‘antara’—a perilous intermediate zone. It echoes the broader Vedic theme of crossing from limitation to wideness under divine aid.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- antara is cognate with Latin inter (PIE *h₁enter). dā- ‘give’ aligns with PIE *deh₃- (Greek didōmi). bhṛ ‘bear’ aligns with PIE *bʰer- (English bear).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi claims Indra’s competence as a certainty (‘even the Mighty is able’), framing the god’s gift as guidance through transitions—Indra’s many helps become inner supports for safe passage in the soul’s journey.
Surrender the ‘middle passage’—ask the illumined mind to carry you through uncertainty without panic.
anāhata (trust) / ājñā (guidance)
4-4-6 breathing; silently intone ‘indraḥ…ūtibhiḥ’ on the long exhale.
Protected transition: vigilant calm.
When old patterns loosen, do not rush to rebuild them; invoke Indra’s ‘all helps’ and wait for the right bridge of insight to appear.
Svara marks not supplied; keep a reassuring, even contour; slight lift on ‘indraḥ’ and ‘ūtibhiḥ’.
Articulate conjuncts: an-ta-rā-bha-raḥ; viś-vā-bhir ū-ti-bhiḥ.
Long vowels: śakād (ā), antarā- (ā), ūti- (ū)., Keep nasalization in dānavām̐ (vāṃ) light but clear.
Warm, steady, protective.
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