Rig Veda 8.21.10: Mandala 8, Sukta 21, Mantra 10
Sukta 8.21
- Devata
- Indra
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
हर्यश्वं सत्पतिं चर्षणीसहं स हि ष्मा यो अमन्दत । आ तु नः स वयति गव्यमश्व्यं स्तोतृभ्यो मघवा शतम् ॥
haryáśvaṃ sátpatiṃ carṣaṇī-sáhaṃ sá hí ṣmā́ yó ámandata | ā́ tu naḥ sá vayati gávyam áśvyaṃ stotṛ́bhyo maghávā śatám ||
ஹரித-அசுவங்களையுடைய, சத்திய-அதிபதி, மக்களைக் காக்கும் வல்லவன்—அவனே நிச்சயமாக மகிழ்வுறுபவன். அவன் எங்களிடம் வந்து, எங்களுக்காக கோ-செல்வமும் அசுவ-வலிமையும், ஒளிமிகு செல்வத்தையும் நெய்தருளட்டும்; மகவான் (இந்திரன்) ஸ்தோதர்களுக்கு நூற்றுமடங்கு நிறைவை அருளட்டும்.
Word by Word
- हर्यश्वम्
- (him) having tawny/bright horsesAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot हर्यश्व (प्रातिपदिक) < हरि + अश्व
- सत्पतिम्
- the lord of the good/true (men)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot सत्पति (प्रातिपदिक) < सत् + पति
- चर्षणीसहम्
- helper/supporter of the peoplesAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot चर्षणीसह (प्रातिपदिक) < चर्षणी + सह
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- हि
- for/indeedIndeclinableनिपातRoot हि (निपात)
- ष्मा
- indeed, surelyIndeclinableनिपात (बलार्थ/नूनम्-भाव)Root ष्मा (वैदिक निपात)
- यः
- whoPronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अमन्दत
- rejoiced / was exhilaratedVerbलुङ् (अorist), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot मन्द् (धातु) [वैदिक प्रयोग: ‘हर्षे/मदे’]
- आ
- towards, hitherIndeclinableउपसर्गRoot आ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- तु
- but/and thenIndeclinableनिपात (अन्वर्थ/विरोध/अनुक्रम)Root तु (निपात)
- नः
- of us / ourPronounषष्ठी (एन्क्लिटिक), बहुवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वयति
- weaves, fashions, providesVerbलट्, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot वय् (धातु) ‘वयने/तानकरणे’
- गव्यम्
- bovine wealth (cattle)Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot गव्य (प्रातिपदिक) < गो
- अश्व्यम्
- equine wealth (horses)Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot अश्व्य (प्रातिपदिक) < अश्व
- स्तोतृभ्यः
- to the praisersNounपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, बहुवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot स्तोतृ (प्रातिपदिक) < √स्तु (स्तवने) + तृ
- मघवा
- the bountiful one (Maghavan, Indra)Noun (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot मघवन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- शतम्
- a hundredNumeral/Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot शत (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- संहिता-पाठ: हर्य॑श्वं सत्प॑तिं चर्षणी॒सहं स हि ष्मा यो अम॑न्दत । आ तु न॒: स व॑यति गव्य॒मश्व्यं॑ स्तो॒तृभ्यो॑ म॒घवा॑ श॒तम् ॥ पदच्छेद (sandhi-resolved): हर्यश्वम् | सत्पतिम् | चर्षणीसहम् | सः | हि | ष्मा | यः | अमन्दत | आ | तु | नः | सः | वयति | गव्यम् | अश्व्यम् | स्तोतृभ्यः | मघवा | शतम् | विशेष: नः = अस्मदः षष्ठी बहुवचन (एन्क्लिटिक)
- गव्यम् अश्व्यम्—द्वे नपुंसक-द्वितीया एकवचन-रूपे, ‘धनम्’ इत्यध्याहार्यं (गव्यं धनम्, अश्व्यं धनम्)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra of tawny horses, true lord, supporter of peoples—he delights. May he come and weave for us cow-wealth and horse-wealth; may Maghavan grant a hundred to the singers.
Inner meaning
Indra as haryaśva (tawny-steeded) is the master of dynamic life-energies harnessed to illumination. Satpati (‘true lord’) is the inner ruler who governs by truth, not by desire. Carṣaṇīsaha (‘upholder/conqueror of the peoples’) becomes psychologically the power that supports and masters the many ‘peoples’ within—our multiple impulses, subpersonalities, and functions. ‘He delights’ (amandata) indicates the divine joy in the upward offering. The crucial verb ‘vayati’ (weaves) suggests integration: Indra can weave rays of knowledge (gavyam) and swift action-forces (aśvyam) into a single fabric of life. The ‘hundred’ (śatam) is fullness/abundance—complete measure of force and light for those who sing (stotṛbhyaḥ), i.e., who use inspired speech to align with the higher power.
Universal truth
When truth-governed intelligence leads, it can integrate knowledge and action into a coherent life; abundance follows not as indulgence but as the natural fullness of aligned consciousness.
Themes
bounty, illumination and energy, singers’ reward, Indra as satpati
The seer
- Lineage
- Kāṇva (probable)
- Other hymns
- RV 8.21.1-10, RV 1.81 (Indra with tawny horses; gifts to singers), RV 6.47 (Indra as lord and giver of abundance)
Family tradition
Kāṇva Indra hymns regularly join ‘go’ and ‘aśva’ as inner gifts: illumination and force, both to be integrated for victory and fullness.
Significance
Presents a complete integral ideal: truth-led governance of the inner multiplicity, weaving knowledge and action into a single victorious life.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Haryaśva, Satpati, Carṣaṇīsaha, Maghavan
- Related deities
- Agni (will and leader of sacrifice), Soma (delight), Maruts (dynamic forces), Bṛhaspati (word-power)
Cosmic role
King-force of the luminous gods; organizer of powers; giver of increase and victory in the evolutionary struggle.
Inner power
Integrative illumined intelligence that harmonizes knowledge-rays and action-energies; supports the many inner ‘peoples’ and establishes truth-governance.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-stotra seeking gifts (go/aśva) for the sacrificers/singers in Soma ritual milieu
हर्य॑श्वं॒ सत्प॑तिं चर्षणी॒सहं॒ स हि ष्मा॒ यो अम॑न्दत । आ तु न॒: स व॑यति॒ गव्य॒मश्व्यं॑ स्तो॒तृभ्यो॑ म॒घवा॑ श॒तम् ॥
हरि॑ऽअश्वम् । सत्ऽप॑तिम् । च॒र्ष॒णि॒ऽसह॑म् । सः । हि । स्म॒ । यः । अम॑न्दत । आ । तु । नः॒ । सः । व॒य॒ति॒ । गव्य॑म् । अश्व्य॑म् । स्तो॒तृऽभ्यः॑ । म॒घऽवा॑ । श॒तम् ॥
hari-aśvam | sat-patim | carṣaṇi-saham | saḥ | hi | sma | yaḥ | amandata | ā | tu | naḥ | saḥ | vayati | gavyam | aśvyam | stotṛ-bhyaḥ | magha-vā | śatam
44
4 x ~11 (approx.)
Strong, regal, and expansive; balances invocation with benefaction.
Elicits confidence and uplift; supports a sense of integrated power and abundance flowing into the practitioner.
- haryaśva
- Literal: tawny-horsed. Symbolic: illumined mastery of vital energies; swift forces yoked to higher mind
- satpati
- Literal: true lord, lord of the good. Symbolic: inner sovereign guided by truth (satya) and right order (ṛta)
- carṣaṇīsaha
- Literal: supporter/conqueror of peoples. Symbolic: mastery/support of the many movements of nature within the seeker
- amandata
- Literal: took delight, rejoiced. Symbolic: divine Ananda responding to sincere offering
- vayati
- Literal: weaves, fashions. Symbolic: integrates disparate powers into harmonious functioning
- gavyam
- Literal: cow(-wealth). Symbolic: rays of knowledge/illumination
- aśvyam
- Literal: horse(-wealth). Symbolic: swift vital energies and executive powers
- maghavā
- Literal: bountiful one. Symbolic: power that increases capacity and fullness
- śatam
- Literal: hundred. Symbolic: complete abundance; total measure of force for realization
- stotṛbhyaḥ
- Literal: to the singers/praisers. Symbolic: to those who align speech (mantra) with truth-power
Stotra requesting Indra’s distribution of ‘cow’ and ‘horse’ wealth to singers—inner illumination (go) and energizing progress (aśva)—typical of Soma praise seeking force and plenitude.
During Indra praise portions; also as a concluding blessing-verse for a recitation session.
Praise + petition for increase; ‘grant to the stotras’ aligns the efficacy of speech with the descent of force.
Use before creative or leadership tasks: invoke satpati (truth-leadership) and ask to ‘weave’ knowledge and action into one effective day.
: hari ‘tawny, shining’ + aśva ‘horse’ → swift luminous dynamism. : sat ‘true/good’ + pati ‘lord’ (PIE *pótis ‘master’). : from carṣaṇi ‘people’ + √sah ‘overcome/support’ → power that bears the collective. : from √mand/√mad ‘rejoice, be exhilarated’ (soma-rapture). : from √vā ‘weave’ → ‘to apportion, arrange’ (inner: to organize powers in the being).
sat (truth/good) as governing principle (satpati), distribution/organization of powers (vā ‘weave’), collective uplift of the community (carṣaṇi)
Weaving (vayati) is ṛta in action: harmonizing forces into ordered functioning.
Satpati indicates sovereignty of truth over the inner kingdom.
Cosmic craftsmanship: the divine weaves powers into form; in the microcosm, integrates faculties into a coherent being.
Integral yoga reading: synthesis of knowledge (go) and power (aśva) under illumined mind (Indra).
Cows = rays of knowledge; horses = vital-executive energies; weaving = integration of mind-life into a single fabric of right action.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The gift-myth: Indra exhilarated (amandata) by soma responds by ‘weaving’ (vayati) light-wealth (cows) and swift power (horses) for the praisers—an inner economy of delight yielding illumination and effective force.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- pati in satpati continues PIE *pótis ‘master’ (cf. Gk. pósis ‘husband’, Lat. potis ‘able’). √sah in -saha continues PIE *seǵʰ- ‘overcome/hold’ (broadly). The formulaic pairing of ‘cows and horses’ reflects an inherited Indo-European poetic merism for total wealth/power.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi offers praise as the condition for Indra’s delighted response; Indra’s reciprocity is concrete yet inwardly symbolic—granting illumination (go) and dynamic progress (aśva) as the singers’ spiritual recompense.
Invite the inner King (satpati) to govern the multiplicity; integrate knowledge and action.
Maṇipūra (executive power) harmonized with Ājñā (illumined direction); supported by Anāhata (delight/joy in offering).
Kapalabhāti (light, 30 strokes) to awaken force, then slow breathing while repeating ‘sa vayati gavyam aśvyam’.
Energetic, organized, luminous readiness; sense of inner sovereignty.
Chant, then visualize two streams entering you: golden rays (go) into the brow and swift red-gold energy (aśva) into the navel; feel them woven into one steady intention; act from that integrated center.
Svara not provided; chant with strong, even udātta-like lift on key epithets (haryaśvaṃ, satpatiṃ, maghavā).
Mark clear pāda ends; slightly emphasize ‘vayati’ (weaves) as the transformational pivot; end with a blessing cadence on ‘śatam’.
haryaśvam: ‘ry’ cluster smooth; ś palatal, carṣaṇīsaham: retroflex ṣ; long ī, gavyam: hard g; ‘vy’ cluster, aśvyam: palatal ś; ‘vy’ cluster, maghavā: aspirated gh; long ā at end
Full, resonant, regal; sustain vowels for richness.
3
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