Rig Veda 8.40.7: Mandala 8, Sukta 40, Mantra 7
Sukta 8.40
- Rishi
- Nabhāka
- Devata
- Indrāgnī
- Chandas
- Jagatī
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism)
यदिन्द्राग्नी जना इमे विह्वयन्ते तना गिरा । अस्माकेभिर्नृभिर्वयं सासह्याम पृतन्यतो वनुयाम वनुष्यतो नभन्तामन्यके समे ॥
yád indrā́gnī jánā imé vi-hváyante tánā girā́ | asmā́kebhir nṛ́bhir vayáṃ sāsahyā́ma pṛtanyató vanuyā́ma vanuṣyató nábhantām anyaké samé ||
ஓ இந்திரா-அக்னியே! இம்மக்கள் தங்கள் குரலாலும் தங்கள் கீரையாலும் (ஸ்தோத்திரவாக்காலும்) உங்களை அழைத்தால்—எங்கள் நரர்களுடன் நாம் தாங்கி நிலைத்து வெல்வோமாக; போரிடுவோரையும், வெல்ல விரும்புவோரையும் எதிர்த்து நாம் வெற்றியடைவோமாக; மற்றவர்கள் அதே போர்க்களத்தில் சிதறிப் போகட்டும்.
Word by Word
- यदि
- ifIndeclinableसम्बन्ध/शर्त-निपात (conditional particle)Root यदि
- इन्द्राग्नी
- Indra and AgniNoun (dual deity-compound)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/सम्बोधन द्विवचन (द्वन्द्व-समास)Role KartāRoot इन्द्र + अग्नि
- जनाः
- peopleNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचनRole KartāRoot जन
- इमे
- thesePronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचनRole Kartā (जनाः का विशेषणम्)Root इदम्
- विह्वयन्ते
- they call upon, invokeVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथम पुरुष, बहुवचनRole KriyāRoot √ह्वे (आह्वाने) + वि
- तना
- with their own person / themselvesNoun (instrumental adverbial use)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचन (वेद. प्रयोगः ‘स्वयम्/स्वदेहेन’)Role KaraṇaRoot तनू
- गिरा
- with (a) hymn/voiceNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot गिर्
- अस्माकेभिः
- with us / by ourPronounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot अस्मद्
- नृभिः
- with men, with heroesNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot नृ
- वयम्
- wePronounप्रथमा बहुवचनRole KartāRoot अस्मद्
- सासह्याम
- may we overpower, may we prevailVerbविधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, उत्तम पुरुष, बहुवचनRole KriyāRoot √सह् (सहने/जयने) + स (intensive/strengthening) → सासह्
- पृतन्यतः
- from/against the fighting (foe)Participle (present)पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी/पञ्चमी एकवचन (वेद. रूप; ‘from/against the battling one(s)’)Role Apādāna (विरोध/अपगम-भाव)Root √पृतन्/पृतना (युद्धे) → पृतन्यत्
- वनुयाम
- may we winVerbविधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, उत्तम पुरुष, बहुवचनRole KriyāRoot √वन् (लाभे/जये)
- वनुष्यतः
- from/against the striving (foe)Participle (present)पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी/पञ्चमी एकवचन (वेद. रूप; ‘from/against the striving/desiring one(s)’)Role Apādāna (विरोध/अपगम-भाव)Root √वन् (इच्छा/सेवा/लाभ) → वनुष्यत्
- नभन्ताम्
- let them perish / be destroyedVerbलोट् (imperative), आत्मनेपद, तृतीय पुरुष, बहुवचनRole KriyāRoot √नभ् (हिंसागत्योः/क्षये) [वेद. ‘to be destroyed/come to naught’]
- अन्यके
- the othersPronoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन (वेद. -के बहुवचन-प्रत्ययः)Role Kartā (नभन्ताम् का कर्ता)Root अन्य
- समे
- in the battle/encounterNoun/Adjective (locative)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचन (वेद. ‘in the encounter/battle’)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot सम
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धि-विग्रह): यदि | इन्द्रा-अग्नी → इन्द्राग्नी (द्वन्द्व, स्वर-सन्धि) | जना इमे → जनाः इमे (अः + इ- आरम्भे) | विह्वयन्ते तना गिरा (सन्धि नहीं) | अस्माकेभिः नृभिः वयम् (सन्धि नहीं) | सासह्याम पृतन्यतः (सन्धि नहीं) | वनुयाम वनुष्यतः (सन्धि नहीं) | नभन्ताम अन्यके (सन्धि नहीं) | समे (स्थानीय पद). उच्चारण-चिह्न (उदात्त/स्वरित) मूल संहिता-पाठानुसार
- पद-पाठ में प्रायः निरस्त/सरलीकृत होते हैं।
The meaning
Outer meaning
When these peoples call on Indra and Agni with their own voice, then with our men may we endure and prevail; may we win against those who fight and those who seek to win; may the others be scattered in the same field.
Inner meaning
The verse contrasts outer calls (peoples invoking with their own natural voice) with the rishi’s aligned collective force (asmākebhir nṛbhiḥ—our inner heroes/energies disciplined for the yajña). When Indra-Agni are invoked, the practitioner seeks steadfast endurance (sāsahyāma) and victory over aggressive and competitive movements within the same plane—thoughts, desires, and impulses that battle for mastery. The mantra affirms that the organized inner faculties, led by illumined mind and divine will, can outlast and surpass rival formations.
Universal truth
In any field where many voices compete, victory belongs to the disciplined inner forces that invoke clarity and right will—endurance and right aspiration outlast mere noise and rivalry.
Themes
communal invocation, victory in contest, repulsion of rivals
The seer
- Rishi
- Nabhāka
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 8.40.1-9
Family tradition
Kāṇva; victory hymns where ‘battle’ is both social and inner—contest of forces in consciousness.
Significance
The rishi frames spiritual life as a field (same) with many claimants; the true ‘men’ are inner faculties made heroic by Indra-Agni.
The deity
- Devata
- Indrāgnī
- Related deities
- Maruts (battle-force), Bṛhaspati (word-power)
Cosmic role
Guardians of the divine cause in the human field; they empower endurance and victory in conflict.
Inner power
Agni gives steadfast aspiration and moral ardor; Indra gives strategic illumination and victorious courage.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-Agni invocation for victory in contests and protection of one’s side
यदि॑न्द्रा॒ग्नी जना॑ इ॒मे वि॒ह्वय॑न्ते॒ तना॑ गि॒रा । अ॒स्माके॑भि॒र्नृभि॑र्व॒यं सा॑स॒ह्याम॑ पृतन्य॒तो व॑नु॒याम॑ वनुष्य॒तो नभ॑न्तामन्य॒के स॑मे ॥
यत् । इ॒न्द्रा॒ग्नी इति॑ । जनाः॑ । इ॒मे । वि॒ऽह्वय॑न्ते । तना॑ । गि॒रा । अ॒स्माके॑भिः । नृऽभिः॑ । व॒यम् । स॒स॒ह्याम॑ । पृ॒त॒न्य॒तः । व॒नु॒याम॑ । व॒नु॒ष्य॒तः । नभ॑न्ताम् । अ॒न्य॒के । स॒मे॒ ॥
yat | indrāgnī iti | janāḥ | ime | vi-hvayante | tanā | girā | asmākebhiḥ | nṛ-bhiḥ | vayam | sasahyāma | pṛtanyataḥ | vanuyāma | vanuṣyataḥ | nabhantām | anyake | same
48
4×12 (approx.)
Martial, rolling stride; repeated win/withstand verbs create a campaign-like rhythm.
Strengthens resolve and group-cohesion; useful before challenges requiring endurance and composure.
- वि ह्वयन्ते (vihvayante)
- Literal: they call/invoke. Symbolic: movements of nature seeking power through invocation—often unaligned desire calling higher forces for ego ends
- तना गिरा (tanā girā)
- Literal: with their own voice. Symbolic: natural/ego speech as opposed to illumined mantra-speech
- अस्माकेभिः नृभिः (asmākebhir nṛbhiḥ)
- Literal: with our men/warriors. Symbolic: inner heroic powers: disciplined faculties, courage, prāṇa under guidance
- सासह्याम (sāsahyāma)
- Literal: may we endure, withstand. Symbolic: spiritual forbearance and steadiness under pressure
- पृतन्यतः (pṛtanyataḥ)
- Literal: those who fight. Symbolic: openly hostile impulses, reactive vital forces
- वनुष्यतः (vanuṣyataḥ)
- Literal: those who seek to win. Symbolic: subtler competitive ego-movements, ambition and appropriation
Protective/victory invocation for communal contest; applicable to Soma rites seeking triumph over rivals and inner adversities.
During competitive rites or when seeking protection against rivals; adaptable as a protective daily recitation.
Recitation as a ‘victory prayer’ accompanying offerings; mentally aligning one’s forces to Indra-Agni.
Use before debates, exams, negotiations, or inner confrontations (cravings, anger): cultivate endurance and right victory without hostility.
vi-√hvay ‘to call’ (invoke). pṛtanā ‘battle’ (pṛtanyati). √van ‘to win, desire’ (vanuyāma optative). √sah as earlier.
collective aspiration (janāḥ calling), endurance-force (sah), victory over rival impulses (inner pṛtanā)
Victory is legitimate when aligned with ṛta (right order), not mere competitive calling.
True invocation vs. merely ‘one’s own voice’; mantra aligns speech with truth-force.
Establishing divine order in the human arena through conflict and integration.
Yoga of transformation: inner battle leading to harmonized nature under higher guidance.
Field = same plane of consciousness where impulses contend; voice = vibration shaping inner reality; victory = emergence of higher order.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The god-assisted victory of a group in contest: when the call goes up, Indrāgnī empower ‘our side’ to outlast and overcome battling rivals—mythic-social contest mapped onto the inner war of impulses.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √van ‘to win/desire’ has Indo-Iranian prominence and fits an older IE agonistic lexicon (contest/winning). The optative cohortatives (sāsahyāma, vanuyāma) preserve an ancient injunctive/optative style typical of early Indo-European poetics.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The r̥ṣi frames a reciprocity in a plural social setting: the devatā respond to invocation by strengthening the community’s ‘men’ (energies/capacities), enabling endurance and victory; divine power is requested as an inner reinforcement of collective will.
Collect the ‘inner team’ (nṛbhiḥ): breath, attention, will, and discernment; invoke Indra-Agni to endure and win over reactive and competitive impulses.
anāhata (courage/steadiness) with ājñā (clarity)
4-4-6 breathing (inhale-hold-exhale) for steadiness; recite on the long exhale.
From scattered competitive mind to unified, courageous poise.
Before action, pause: ‘Who is calling in me—ego voice or mantra voice?’ Then invoke Indra-Agni and proceed with calm endurance, not agitation.
Observe Vedic accents; keep ‘indrāgnī’ clearly as dual invocation; avoid rushing long compounds.
Mark phrase boundaries: yad … vihvayante | … sāsahyāma | vanuyāma …
vihvayante: articulate hv cluster (vih-vay-an-te)., pṛtanyataḥ: clear ṛ and palatal ny., vanuṣyataḥ: ṣ retroflex sibilant.
Martial yet composed; steady mid-range pitch; firm endings.
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