Rig Veda 4.22.10: Mandala 4, Sukta 22, Mantra 10
Sukta 4.22
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
अस्माकमित्सु शृणुहि त्वमिन्द्रास्मभ्यं चित्राँ उप माहि वाजान् । अस्मभ्यं विश्वा इषणः पुरंधीरस्माकं सु मघवन्बोधि गोदाः ॥
asmā́kam ítsu śṛṇuhi tvám indrāsmábhyaṃ citrā́ṃ úpa māhi vā́jān | asmábhyaṃ víśvā iṣaṇaḥ púraṃdhīr asmā́kaṃ sú maghavan bodhi godā́ḥ ||
హే ఇంద్రా, మమ్మల్నే విను; చిత్రవర్ణమైన, బహువిధ వాజ-సంపదలను మా దగ్గరకు తీసుకురా. మా కొరకు సమస్త ప్రేరణలను, పురంధి (పూర్తి-సిద్ధులను) ప్రవహింపజేయి; హే మఘవన్, మా కొరకు గోదాః—ప్రకాశ (గో) దాత—జాగ్రత్తగా ఉండు.
Word by Word
- अस्माकम्
- of us, ourPronounषष्ठी (gen.), बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitival relation)Root अस्मद्
- इत्
- indeed, justIndeclinableनिपात (emphatic particle)Root इत् (निपात)
- सु
- well, thoroughlyIndeclinableनिपात (intensifier)Root सु (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- शृणुहि
- hear! listen!Verbलोट् (imperative), मध्यम पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRoot श्रु
- त्वम्
- thou, youPronounप्रथमा (nom.), एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot युष्मद्
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNoun (proper)सम्बोधन (voc.), एकवचन, पुंल्लिङ्गRole सम्बोधनRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- अस्मभ्यम्
- to usPronounचतुर्थी (dat.), बहुवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot अस्मद्
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चयRoot च (निपात)
- चित्रान्
- bright, splendidAdjectiveद्वितीया (acc.), बहुवचन, पुंल्लिङ्ग; विशेषणम् (वाजानाम्)Role कर्मRoot चित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- उप
- towards, nearIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्यय (directional: ‘towards, near’)Root उप (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- माहि
- do not (indeed)… / (Vedic emphatic/prohibitive)Indeclinable (prohibitive particle cluster)वैदिक: ‘मा’ निषेध + ‘हि’ बलार्थक; पदपाठे प्रायः पृथक् (मा हि)Root मा (माङ्) + हि (निपात) / वैदिक प्रयोग
- वाजान्
- prizes, strengths, bootyNounद्वितीया (acc.), बहुवचन, पुंल्लिङ्गRole कर्मRoot वाज (प्रातिपदिक)
- अस्मभ्यम्
- to usPronounचतुर्थी (dat.), बहुवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot अस्मद्
- विश्वाः
- allAdjectiveप्रथमा (nom.), बहुवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्ग; विशेषणम् (पुरंधीः)Role कर्तृRoot विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- इषणः
- the impeller, the instigatorNoun (agent/impulse)प्रथमा (nom.), एकवचन, पुंल्लिङ्गRole कर्तृRoot इष् (धातु) → इषण (कृदन्त/नाम)
- पुरंधीः
- bounties, gifts; (lit.) ‘abundance-bearing’Nounप्रथमा (nom.), बहुवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्गRole कर्तृRoot पुरंधि (प्रातिपदिक)
- अस्माकम्
- of us, ourPronounषष्ठी (gen.), बहुवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot अस्मद्
- सु
- well, indeedIndeclinableनिपात (intensifier)Root सु (निपात)
- मघवन्
- O bountiful oneNoun (epithet)सम्बोधन (voc.), एकवचन, पुंल्लिङ्गRole सम्बोधनRoot मघवन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- बोधि
- be aware! take heed!Verbलोट् (imperative), मध्यम पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; वैदिक रूपRoot बुध्
- गोदाः
- giver of cowsNoun (epithet)प्रथमा (nom.), एकवचन, पुंल्लिङ्ग; इन्द्रस्य विशेषणम्Role कर्तृ (as predicate/epithet of Indra)Root गोदा (प्रातिपदिक: गो + दा)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (main): इन्द्रा॒स्मभ्यम् → इन्द्र + अस्मभ्यम्
- चित्राँ उप → चित्रान् + उप (acc. pl. masc.)
- माहि is Vedic cluster often corresponding to padapāṭha ‘मा हि’ (prohibitive मा + emphatic हि). मघवन्बोधि → मघवन् + बोधि. Accent marks are retained from saṃhitā but not re-assigned per pada here
The meaning
Outer meaning
Hear only us, O Indra; bring near to us the many-colored plenitudes of force. For us set in motion all inspirations and fulfillments; for us, O bounteous one, be awake as the giver of the cows (lights).
Inner meaning
The rishi asks for exclusive attention: let the illumined Mind turn fully toward this aspirant. ‘Citrān vājān’ are varied powers and capacities—energies of accomplishment in many forms. ‘Iṣaṇaḥ’ indicates impulsions/inspirations set in right motion, and ‘puraṃdhīḥ’ are fulfillments that ‘build’ and ‘complete’ the being. Finally, Indra is invoked as ‘godāḥ’—giver of the cows—meaning: release and bestow the rays of knowledge that were hidden or scattered, so the whole nature becomes richly illuminated and effective.
Universal truth
When consciousness turns wholeheartedly to the higher Light, life receives diverse capacities, right inspirations, and concrete fulfillments; knowledge is not abstract but a bestowed illumination that multiplies power and harmony.
Themes
Boon request, Illumination (go), Plenitude of force (vāja), Divine hearing and response
The seer
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 4.20, RV 4.21, RV 4.22
Family tradition
In Vāmadeva’s Indra hymns, the prayer moves from battle to plenitude: once obstruction is handled, the seeker asks for varied powers and the gift of light (cows).
Significance
Shows the integral aim: not merely liberation from Vṛtra but enrichment—many-sided powers, inspirations, fulfillments, and illumining knowledge.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra (Maghavan, Godā)
- Epithets
- Indra, Maghavan, Godā
- Related deities
- Sarasvatī (inspiration), Bṛhaspati (word/illumination), Soma
Cosmic role
Distributor of divine riches; awakener who releases hidden lights and empowers works.
Inner power
Awake intelligence that hears the soul-call, multiplies capacities, and reveals knowledge-rays.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra invocation in Soma rite; prayer for boons and increase
अ॒स्माक॒मित्सु शृ॑णुहि॒ त्वमि॑न्द्रा॒स्मभ्यं॑ चि॒त्राँ उप॑ माहि॒ वाजा॑न् । अ॒स्मभ्यं॒ विश्वा॑ इषण॒: पुरं॑धीर॒स्माकं॒ सु म॑घवन्बोधि गो॒दाः ॥
अ॒स्माकम् । इत् । सु । शृ॒णु॒हि॒ । त्वम् । इ॒न्द्र॒ । अ॒स्मभ्य॑म् । चि॒त्रान् । उप॑ । मा॒हि॒ । वाजा॑न् । अ॒स्मभ्य॑म् । विश्वाः॑ । इ॒ष॒णः॒ । पुर॑म्ऽधीः । अ॒स्माक॑म् । सु । म॒घ॒ऽव॒न् । बो॒धि॒ । गो॒दाः ॥
asmākam | it | su | śṛṇuhi | tvam | indra | asmabhyam | citrān | upa | māhi | vājān | asmabhyam | viśvāḥ | iṣaṇaḥ | puram-dhīḥ | asmākam | su | magha-van | bodhi | godāḥ
44
4 x ~11
Broad and generous; repeated ‘asmabhyaṃ’ creates a steady insistence and receptivity.
Builds confident petition and receptivity; stabilizes attention on invoking plenitude rather than struggle.
- citrān
- Literal: many-colored, varied. Symbolic: Multiple modes of power suited to different parts of the being
- vājān
- Literal: prizes/strengths/forces. Symbolic: Capacities of effective action and accomplishment
- iṣaṇaḥ
- Literal: impulsions, instigations. Symbolic: Inrushes of inspired will and right movement
- puraṃdhīḥ
- Literal: fulfillments, ‘city-building’ powers. Symbolic: Formative completions—organizing intelligence that makes inner gains stable
- maghavan
- Literal: bounteous. Symbolic: The generous higher power that increases the seeker’s riches of consciousness
- godāḥ
- Literal: giver of cows. Symbolic: Bestower of rays of knowledge/illumination
Boon-request stanza in Indra-Soma hymn: asks for vājas (plenitudes) and go (illumination), aligning ritual gift with inner attainment.
After praises when requesting concrete boons (vāja) and illumination (go)
Recitation accompanying offerings and requests for prosperity/victory
A mantra for abundance-with-clarity: before creative work, study, or decision-making to invite ‘many-hued’ capacities and knowledge.
√śru ‘hear’ is the archetypal Vedic request: receptivity of the deity/power. vāja- from √vaj/√vāj ‘to be strong, to speed’ → ‘plenitude of force’ (not merely food/prize). √iṣ ‘to impel, seek, send forth’ gives iṣaṇaḥ ‘impulsions’—energies that drive inner progress. puraṃdhī- (puraṃ ‘plenitude/abundance’ + √dhā ‘to place’/√dhī ‘thought’) denotes ‘abundant placing/filling’ → fulfillments and rich formations of intelligence. godā́- ‘cow-giver’ in inner sense: giver of rays/knowledges (go) that illumine the being.
Awakening (bodhi) of the divine power in the seeker, Impulsion (iṣ) as evolutionary drive, Plenitude (puraṃ) as fullness of being
‘Set in motion’ (iṣaṇaḥ) implies energies moving in right order, not impulsive chaos.
Godā: truth-light released as knowledges that guide action.
From awakened higher mind comes multiplicity of powers and stable formations (puraṃdhīḥ).
Integral psychology: illumination must express as capacities and organized fulfillments.
dawn-like awakening (implied)
Awakening of higher intelligence releases rays of knowledge and distributes diverse life-powers and fulfillments.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The gift of the cows (light) and vājas (plenitudes of force): Indra as Maghavan/Godā is invoked to awaken and bestow illumination and dynamic fullness. The mythic ‘cows’ become the inner rays of knowledge recovered and granted to the seeker.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The prayer-formula ‘hear us’ (√śru) is an inherited sacral speech-act pattern. go- as a central wealth/light term belongs to an archaic Indo-Iranian semantic complex where ‘cattle/wealth’ and ‘radiance’ interpenetrate in poetic diction; vāja- as ‘strength/prize’ similarly reflects early IE heroic economy transposed into spiritual potency.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The relationship is explicitly reciprocal: the rishi claims Indra’s attention (‘only us’) and asks Indra to ‘wake’ (bodhi) as an active presence in the human field, granting impulses (iṣaṇaḥ), fulfillments (puraṃdhīḥ), force-plenitudes (vā́jān), and illumination (go).
Rest attention in the brow as if calling a wakeful Intelligence; invite ‘many-colored powers’ to arrange your day and your nature.
ājñā (hearing/command) and viśuddha (inspiration/word)
Slow inhale with ‘śṛṇuhi’; slow exhale with ‘bodhi godāḥ’; 9 cycles.
Receptive widening with alert clarity.
After quieting, ask for one clear inspiration and one concrete fulfillment; watch for a ‘ray’ of knowledge that simplifies choices.
Tri-svara; keep repeated ‘asmabhyaṃ’ even and slightly lifted; ‘bodhi godāḥ’ with a clear concluding fall.
Mark the anaphora: asmākam… asmabhyaṃ… asmabhyaṃ… asmākaṃ; maintain clean pāda breaks.
citrān: retroflex ṭ not present; but keep ‘tr’ crisp, puraṃdhīḥ: anusvāra before dh; long īḥ at end, maghavan: aspirate gh, godāḥ: long āḥ, do not shorten
Warm, inviting, clear enunciation.
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