Rig Veda 2.11.2: Mandala 2, Sukta 11, Mantra 2
Sukta 2.11
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Raudra (fury)
सृजो महीरिन्द्र या अपिन्वः परिष्ठिता अहिना शूर पूर्वीः । अमर्त्यं चिद्दासं मन्यमानमवाभिनदुक्थैर्वावृधानः ॥
sṛjó mahī́r indra yā́ ápinvaḥ pári-sthitā́ áhinā śūra pūrvī́ḥ | ámartyam cid dāsáṃ mányamānam ávā́bhinad ukthaír vāvṛdhā́naḥ ||
வீர இந்திரனே, பழங்காலம் முதல் அடக்கப்பட்டிருந்த மஹீ (விரிந்த) நீர்/சக்திப் பெருக்குகள்—அஹி (பாம்பு) சூழ்ந்து தடுத்திருந்தவை—அவற்றை நீ விடுவித்தாய். தன்னை அமரன் என எண்ணிய தாசனையும் நீ வீழ்த்தினாய். ஸ்தோத்திரங்களால் வளர்ந்து நீ தடையை உடைக்கிறாய்.
Word by Word
- सृजः
- thou releasest / thou sendest forthVerbलट् (वर्तमाने), मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्Role (क्रिया)Root सृज्
- महीः
- the great (waters/streams)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्Role KarmaRoot मही (प्रातिपदिकम्)
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNounपुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन, एकवचनम्Role (सम्बोधन)Root इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिकम्)
- याः
- which (them)Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्Role KarmaRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिकम्)
- अपिन्वः
- thou didst cause to swell / didst make aboundVerbलिट्/लुङ्-प्रयोगः (वैदिकः), मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्Role (क्रिया)Root पिव्/प्याय् (अपि-√पिव्/√प्याय् ‘to swell, make abound’)
- परिष्ठिताः
- standing around / encompassedAdjective/Participleस्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्; भूतकृदन्तः (क्त)Role Kartā (याः…परिष्ठिताः) / विशेषणम्Root स्था (परि-√स्था) / परिष्ठित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिकम्)
- अहिना
- by/with the serpent (Ahi)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, तृतीया, एकवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot अहि (प्रातिपदिकम्)
- शूर
- O heroNounपुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन, एकवचनम्Role (सम्बोधन)Root शूर (प्रातिपदिकम्)
- पूर्वीः
- former / ancient / manyAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्Role Karma (महीः…पूर्वीः) / विशेषणम्Root पूर्व (प्रातिपदिकम्)
- अमर्त्यम्
- the immortalAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot अमर्त्य (प्रातिपदिकम्)
- चित्
- evenIndeclinableअव्ययम्Role (निपातः)Root चित् (निपात)
- दासम्
- the Dāsa / foeNounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot दास (प्रातिपदिकम्)
- मन्यमानम्
- thinking (himself), deemingParticipleपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; वर्तमानकृदन्तः (आत्मनेपदीयः)Role Karma (दासम्…मन्यमानम्) / विशेषणम्Root मन् (√मन् ‘to think’) / मन्यमान (शतृ/शानच्-प्रातिपदिकम्)
- अवाभिनत्
- he clave down / he shatteredVerbलुङ् (अorist), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्Role (क्रिया)Root भिद् (अवा-अभि-√भिद्)
- उक्थैः
- with hymns (ukthas)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, तृतीया, बहुवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot उक्थ (प्रातिपदिकम्)
- वावृधानः
- growing strong, waxing (in might)Participleपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; परिपूर्ण/इंटेन्सिव्-प्रकारः (वैदिकः), वर्तमानार्थकःRole Kartā (इन्द्रः…वावृधानः) / विशेषणम्Root वृध् (√वृध् ‘to grow, strengthen’) / वावृधान (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिकम्)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (वैदिक-सन्धिविच्छेद): सृजः | महीः | इन्द्र | याः | अपिन्वः | परि-स्थिताः | अहिना | शूर | पूर्वीः || अमर्त्यम् | चित् | दासम् | मन्यमानम् | अव-अभिनत् | उक्थैः | वावृधानः || 1) ‘महीरि॑न्द्र’ = ‘महीः इन्द्र’ (विसर्गलोपः/रुत्व-प्रभावः)
- 2) ‘अपि॑न्व॒:’ = ‘अपिन्वः’ (ः = वैदिक-उदात्तचिह्नयुक्तः)
- 3) ‘अवा॑भिनद्’ = ‘अवाभिनत्’ (अव + अभि + √भिद्; लुङ् 3sg)
- 4) ‘उ॒क्थैर्वा॑वृधा॒नः’ = ‘उक्थैः वावृधानः’ (विसर्गः → र् before voiced consonant)
The meaning
Outer meaning
You released, O Indra, the vast forces/waters that were pent up from of old, hemmed in by the serpent, O hero. Even the servant who thought himself immortal you struck down; growing by hymns you break the obstruction.
Inner meaning
Indra breaks the ancient confinement of consciousness: the ‘vast waters’ are large energies of being and knowledge held back in the subconscient by Ahi/Vṛtra (the coiling coverer). When illumination strikes, the long-stored powers are released into the system. The ‘dāsa’ who imagines himself immortal is the egoic or false personality claiming permanence; Indra shatters that pretension. Strengthened by uktha (true utterance/hymn), the illumined mind-force breaks the obstruction repeatedly until the flow is free.
Universal truth
Liberation is not merely gaining experiences but breaking the deep coverer and the ego’s false immortality; steady true affirmation strengthens the power that releases the hidden energies of the being.
Themes
Vṛtra-slaying, release of waters, victory over obstruction, word-power (uktha)
The seer
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada (Bhārgava)
- Lineage
- Bhārgava
- Other hymns
- RV 2.11, RV 2.12
Family tradition
Bhārgava Indra hymns frequently revisit the Vṛtra-myth as an inner psychology: release of waters = release of consciousness; serpent = subconscient resistance.
Significance
The seer interprets heroic myth as a map of inner liberation: illumination must break both the deep obstruction and the ego’s false security.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- śūra (hero)
- Related deities
- Soma (ecstasy that empowers Indra), Bṛhaspati (word that breaks the cave), Agni (purifying will preparing the field)
Cosmic role
Breaker of Vṛtra/Ahi; releaser of the waters; champion of the gods (luminous powers).
Inner power
Decisive illuminative force that pierces the subconscient coil, releases blocked energies, and destroys egoic formations.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-soma praise; uktha recitation contexts where Indra is strengthened by hymns.
सृ॒जो म॒हीरि॑न्द्र॒ या अपि॑न्व॒: परि॑ष्ठिता॒ अहि॑ना शूर पू॒र्वीः । अम॑र्त्यं चिद्दा॒सं मन्य॑मान॒मवा॑भिनदु॒क्थैर्वा॑वृधा॒नः ॥
सृ॒जः । म॒हीः । इ॒न्द्र॒ । याः । अपि॑न्वः । परि॑ऽस्थिताः । अहि॑ना । शू॒र॒ । पू॒र्वीः । अम॑र्त्यम् । चि॒त् । दा॒सम् । मन्य॑मानम् । अव॑ । अ॒भि॒न॒त् । उ॒क्थैः । व॒वृ॒धा॒नः ॥
sṛjaḥ | mahīḥ | indra | yāḥ | apinvaḥ | pari-sthitāḥ | ahinā | śūra | pūrvīḥ | amartyam | cit | dāsam | manyamānam | ava | abhinat | ukthaiḥ | vavṛdhānaḥ
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4 x ~11 syllables; strong heroic rhythm aligned with ‘breaking’ action.
Hammering and expansive—often a surge in the first half and a decisive close.
Evokes courage and breakthrough; supports confronting inner resistance without collapse.
- mahīḥ (āpah implied)
- Literal: the vast (waters/forces). Symbolic: great currents of consciousness, knowledge, and life-energy held in reserve
- apinvaḥ / pariṣṭhitāḥ
- Literal: swollen/held back; enclosed. Symbolic: energies dammed in the subconscient by habitual formations
- ahi
- Literal: serpent. Symbolic: the coiling coverer, Vṛtra-force of obstruction and inertia
- dāsa
- Literal: servant, hostile. Symbolic: the lower ego-personality or adverse formation serving ignorance
- amartyaṃ manyamānam
- Literal: thinking itself immortal. Symbolic: ego’s claim to permanence; the false self-sense that resists transformation
- ukthaiḥ vāvṛdhānaḥ
- Literal: growing by hymns. Symbolic: illumined force strengthened by true mantra/affirmation and right expression
- abhinat
- Literal: he struck, split. Symbolic: decisive breaking of the knot/covering
Indra-Vṛtra victory recitation in Soma sacrifice; reinforces Indra’s function as opener of the waters/forces for the sacrificer
During soma offerings or Indra-focused recitations seeking release, victory, and expansion.
Praise to empower Indra; symbolic ‘breaking’ of obstruction through mantra.
Use during periods of inner blockage, compulsive habits, or fear: a mantra for breakthrough and release of withheld energies.
√sṛj ‘to release, let flow’ central to Vṛtra-myth (release of waters). ahi ‘serpent’ as coiling obstruction; Vṛtra as ‘encloser’ (from √vṛ ‘to cover/enclose’). dāsa in RV often denotes hostile powers; psychologically ‘servile darkness’ that obstructs. uktha from √vac/√ukth (solemn recitation) as energizing speech. √bhid/√bhanj in abhinat ‘broke/struck’ conveys rupture of blockage.
breaking obstruction (vṛtra) to restore ṛta-flow, mantra as force that increases divine power, false immortality of egoic darkness
The restored flow of the ‘vast waters’ is ṛta re-established after obstruction is split.
The dāsa’s false ‘immortality’ is untruth; Indra’s action restores the true order of being.
Uncovering: creation proceeds by releasing what is concealed; the hidden becomes manifest through illumination.
Aurobindonian psychology of the subconscient: Ahi as the coiled resistance; liberation as descent of illumined force.
Monsoon/storm motif (implied by Indra and released waters).
Waters = stored consciousness-energy; serpent = coiled subconscious obstruction; storm = force of illumination breaking inertia.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The classic Vṛtra/Ahi myth: Indra breaks the serpent-obstruction and releases the vast imprisoned waters. Psychologically, the ‘waters’ are the great life-forces and streams of inspiration held back by coiled ignorance; Indra, strengthened by hymns (ukthaiḥ), shatters the knot.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The ‘serpent/obstructor’ complex is Indo-European in motif (dragon/serpent-slayer). The covering/enclosing semantics of √vṛ (Vṛtra) resonate with IE roots for covering (cf. English ‘wrap’ as a distant semantic parallel), while √sṛj ‘release’ encodes the opening/flow theme central to IE storm-god poetry.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi’s uktha is not mere praise but a strengthening force that increases Indra (vavṛdhānaḥ). In return, Indra performs the decisive inner act: breaking the obstruction and restoring the ancient flow of the vast powers needed for growth and right order.
Break the ‘coil’: identify the main inner obstruction (fear, craving, inertia) and call the illumined force to split it.
Maṇipūra (force to break inertia) rising to Ājñā (illumination that directs the breakthrough).
Kapalabhāti-light or short forceful exhales (if appropriate and safe) followed by stillness; otherwise strong but steady exhale with the sense of ‘clearing a blockage’.
Dynamic, penetrating, fearless clarity.
Recite, then sit and watch where energy is ‘dammed’. Do not wrestle mentally; invoke a single decisive clarity (Indra) and allow the blocked current to move—often felt as warmth, tears, tremor, or sudden insight.
Maintain Vedic accenting; emphasize the force-words (sṛjo, mahīr, abhinat) with clean pitch transitions rather than loudness.
Let the break-action be mirrored by a slight caesura before abhinat; keep the flow after ‘sṛjo’ expansive like released waters.
sṛjo: vocalic ṛ; do not insert extra vowel (‘siri-’)., mahīr: long ī; final r lightly tapped., pariṣṭhitāḥ: retroflex ṣṭh cluster clear., ahinā: short a; dental n., abhinat: bh aspirated; t crisp., ukthair: kh aspirated; avoid ‘kair’.
Strong, penetrating, controlled—like a single decisive stroke.
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