Rig Veda 4.22.3: Mandala 4, Sukta 22, Mantra 3
Sukta 4.22
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
यो देवो देवतमो जायमानो महो वाजेभिर्महद्भिश्च शुष्मैः । दधानो वज्रं बाह्वोरुशन्तं द्याममेन रेजयत्प्र भूम ॥
yó devó devátamo jā́yamāno mahó vājébhir mahádbhiś ca śúṣmaiḥ | dádhāno vájraṃ bāhvór uśántaṃ dyā́m aména rejáyat prá bhū́ma ||
பிறந்தவுடனே தேவர்களில் மிகத் தேவரான அந்த தேவன்—மிகுந்த வலச் செல்வங்களாலும் பேராற்றல் (ஷுஷ்ம) வெள்ளத்தாலும் மகத்தானவன்—தன் புயங்களில் விரும்பத்தக்க வஜ்ரத்தைத் தாங்கி, வானத்தை நடுங்கச் செய்து, பூமியைப் பொங்கி எழச் செய்கிறான்.
Word by Word
- यः
- whoPronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role Kartā (सम्बन्ध-कर्तृ; यः = सः)Root यद्- (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- देवः
- the godNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role Kartā (यः देवः …) सहसम्बन्धःRoot देव-
- देवत॑मः
- most divine, best of godsAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role Viśeṣaṇa (देवस्य) / Kartṛ-सम्बन्धीRoot देवत॑म- (देव + तमप्)
- जाय॑मानः
- being born, coming into beingParticipleपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम् (वर्तमान, आत्मनेपद-भावः)Role Kartā-विशेषणम् (देवः … जायमानः)Root √जन् (जायते) → जायमान- (शतृ/शानच्, आत्मनेपद-वर्तमान कृदन्त)
- म॒हः
- great (might/majesty)Adjective (substantivized) / Noun-likeनपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम् (अव्यक्त-रूप)Role Karma (रेजयत् इत्यस्य; ‘महः’ = महान् प्रभावः/महत्त्वम्)Root महत्- (नपुंसक-रूप: महः)
- वाजे॑भिः
- with prizes/strengths (vigor, powers)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, तृतीया, बहुवचनम्Role Karaṇa (महः … वाजेभिः) / साधनम्Root वाज-
- म॒हद्भिः
- with great (ones)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, तृतीया, बहुवचनम्Role Viśeṣaṇa (वाजेभिः) / Karaṇa-संबद्धम्Root महत्-
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चय-अव्ययम्Root च
- शुष्मैः
- with powers/impetuositiesNounपुंलिङ्गः, तृतीया, बहुवचनम्Role Karaṇa (महः … शुष्मैः) / साधनम्Root शुष्म-
- दधा॑नः
- bearing, holdingParticipleपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role Kartā-विशेषणम् (देवः … दधानः)Root √धा (दधाति) → दधान- (शतृ, परस्मैपद-वर्तमान कृदन्त)
- वज्रम्
- the thunderboltNounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role Karma (दधानः किम्? वज्रम्)Root वज्र-
- बाह्वोः
- in/of the two armsNounपुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी/सप्तमी, द्विवचनम् (वैदिके ‘-ओः’ द्विवचन-रूपम्)Role Adhikaraṇa/सम्बन्ध (बाह्वोः = in/on the two arms; ‘bearing in his two arms’)Root बाहु-
- उशन्तम्
- desired, eagerly soughtParticiple (used adjectivally)पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role Viśeṣaṇa (वज्रम्) / Karma-विशेषणम्Root √वश्/उश् (इच्छति/कामयते) → उशन्त् (वर्तमान कृदन्त)
- द्याम्
- the heaven (sky)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role Karma (रेजयत् किम्? द्याम्)Root द्यौ- (स्त्रीलिङ्ग-रूप: द्याम्)
- अमे॑न
- with might, by strengthNounपुंलिङ्गः, तृतीया, एकवचनम्Role Karaṇa (अमेन् = by/with might)Root अम- (वैदिक: ‘अम’ = बल/सामर्थ्य)
- रेजयत्
- shook, made trembleVerbलङ् (इम्पर्फेक्ट्), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role Kriyā (मुख्यक्रिया)Root √रेज् (कम्पने)
- प्र
- forth, forward, intenselyIndeclinable (preverb)उपसर्गःRoot प्र
- भूम॑
- the earthNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role Karma (रेजयत् किम्? भूमिम्) सह-समुच्चयः (द्याम् … भूमिम्)Root भूमि- (स्त्रीलिङ्ग; वैदिक संहितायां ‘भूम’ इति रूपम्)
Sandhi Notes
- संहिता-पाठे ‘शुष्मैः । दधा॑नो’ इत्यत्र पद-सीमा
- ‘रेजय॒त्प्र’ = ‘रेजयत् + प्र’ (त् + प् संयोगः). ‘भूम॑’ संहिता-रूपं, पदपाठे सामान्यतः ‘भूमिम्’ (द्वितीया एकवचन). ‘बाह्वोरुशन्तम्’ = ‘बाह्वोः + उशन्तम्’ (ओः + उ → ओरु)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra, born as the most divine among the gods, mighty with great powers and impetuous force, holds the desired thunderbolt and makes heaven tremble and earth surge.
Inner meaning
The illumined Mind (Indra) is born in the seeker as the highest divine faculty. Armed with the vajra—discriminative, truth-cutting power—he shakes the fixed constructions of the ‘heaven’ (mental formations) and releases the ‘earth’ (the embodied nature) from inertia, so the being can move forward in a new ascent.
Universal truth
When a higher consciousness awakens, it destabilizes old inner certainties and releases suppressed energies; true transformation begins with a decisive act of clarity and force that reorders both thought and embodied life.
Themes
cosmic power of Indra, breakthrough force, birth of divine power in the human field
The seer
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 4.1, RV 4.18, RV 4.26-27
Family tradition
Vāmadeva is a major seer of Maṇḍala 4 (Gautama lineage), noted for psychological readings where Indra’s battles signify inner conquest and release of light.
Significance
Vāmadeva’s vision often portrays the ‘birth’ of divine powers in the human being and their victory over inner obstruction; his Indra is the awakener of vastness and luminous dynamism.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- devatama, harivas, śūra, vṛṣan
- Related deities
- Agni, Soma, Uṣas, Maruts
Cosmic role
Breaker of obstructions; establisher of the free flow of waters/light; lord of victorious force in the ordered cosmos.
Inner power
Illumined Mind and decisive will-force that shatters ignorance and releases the streams of knowledge and life-energy.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma pressing (savana) praise of Indra
यो दे॒वो दे॒वत॑मो॒ जाय॑मानो म॒हो वाजे॑भिर्म॒हद्भि॑श्च॒ शुष्मै॑: । दधा॑नो॒ वज्रं॑ बा॒ह्वोरु॒शन्तं॒ द्याममे॑न रेजय॒त्प्र भूम॑ ॥
यः । दे॒वः । दे॒वऽत॑मः । जाय॑मानः । म॒हः । वाजे॑भिः । म॒हत्ऽभिः॑ । च॒ । शुष्मैः॑ । दधा॑नः । वज्र॑म् । बा॒ह्वोः । उ॒शन्त॑म् । द्याम् । अमे॑न । रे॒ज॒य॒त् । प्र । भूम॑ ॥
yaḥ | devaḥ | deva-tamaḥ | jāyamānaḥ | mahaḥ | vājebhiḥ | mahat-bhiḥ | ca | śuṣmaiḥ | dadhānaḥ | vajram | bāhvoḥ | uśantam | dyām | amena | rejayat | pra | bhūma
44
4 pādas of ~11 syllables each
Strong, forward-driving cadence suited to heroic proclamation.
Energizes resolve and clarity; evokes the ‘birth’ of power and the shock of breakthrough in meditation.
- देवतमः (devatamaḥ)
- Literal: most godlike. Symbolic: the supreme divine capacity within the human instrument (highest luminous mind)
- जायमानः (jāyamānaḥ)
- Literal: being born. Symbolic: inner awakening; emergence of a new consciousness-state
- वाज (vāja)
- Literal: prize, strength, plenitude. Symbolic: spiritual force and effective power of realization (plenitudes of energy)
- शुष्म (śuṣma)
- Literal: impetuosity, vehemence. Symbolic: dynamic tapas/ardor that breaks resistance
- वज्र (vajra)
- Literal: thunderbolt. Symbolic: luminous discernment; force of truth that cleaves the Coverer
- द्याम् (dyām)
- Literal: heaven/sky. Symbolic: mind-plane; luminous mentality and its structures
- भूम (bhūma)
- Literal: earth. Symbolic: embodied nature; the physical-vital foundation that must be uplifted
Heroic magnification (mahā-stuti) to intensify Indra’s presence in the rite and in the inner battle
During Indra-invocations in Soma-yajña sequences; recited to invoke victorious force and protection.
Stotra/śastra praise accompanying offering and pressing; calling Indra’s might to ‘break barriers’.
Use as a mantra of inner breakthrough before demanding work, sādhanā transitions, or when confronting entrenched habits.
devatama superlative of deva marks hierarchical intensity of luminosity. jāyamāna ‘being born’ is experiential: the god’s power repeatedly manifests. vajra (possibly from √vaj ‘strong/speed’) is the concentrated breaker of coverings. dyā́m/ bhū́m: heaven/earth as mind and embodied nature; ‘trembling’ indicates transformative impact of descending force.
manifestation (jāyamāna), vāja as plenitude, transformation of mind and body (dyauḥ/kṣā)
Indra’s vajra-action restores ṛta by breaking the cover that distorts the true movements of mind and life.
The ‘desired vajra’ symbolizes truth-force that makes false structures tremble.
A new ‘birth’ of divine power initiates re-creation of the inner world (heaven and earth re-formed).
Proto-Vedāntic/Integral (Aurobindonian) psychological cosmology: planes of consciousness and their transformation.
Lightning = sudden illumination; trembling sky = shaken mental rigidity; surging earth = awakened bodily-vital energy ready to ascend.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The epiphany of the storm-king: Indra ‘is born’ as supreme luminous power and, wielding vajra, shakes heaven and earth—symbolizing a transformative descent that reorders mind (dyām) and embodied nature (bhūm).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The heaven/earth dyad is a central Indo-European cosmological pair. The ‘thunder weapon’ and cosmic trembling align with IE storm-god poetics (e.g., sky-shaking hero), indicating inherited mythic grammar.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- By proclaiming Indra devatama and jāyamāna, the rishi invites repeated manifestation in the present sacrifice and consciousness. The praise is a call for the vajra-force to act inwardly, shaking fixed mental and vital structures.
Invoke the ‘birth of Indra’—a clear, decisive luminous mind that can cut through confusion.
ājñā (brow)
Moderate nāḍī-śodhana, then a few rounds of energizing exhales (without strain) before japa.
Dynamic concentration (dhāraṇā) leading to a forceful inner opening.
Begin with stillness; then repeat while feeling a ‘vajra’ of clarity in the brow descending into the body, shaking loose inertia and establishing a forward movement.
Triṣṭubh with Vedic accents (udātta/anudātta/svarita) as in Śākala tradition; key lifts often on force-words like vajrám, rejayat.
Keep udātta as a clear rise; avoid flattening compound accents (e.g., devatamáḥ). Maintain caesura after the 4th/5th syllabic pulse typical of triṣṭubh.
(devatamo): articulate -tamo with a light dental t, (jāyamāno): long ā, and clear y glide, (vajraṃ): cluster -jr- clean, nasalize final -ṃ, (dyām): palatal y, long ā, (rejayat): soft j, final -t unaspirated
Bright, resonant, slightly martial; steady breath support.
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