Rig Veda 6.21.12: Mandala 6, Sukta 21, Mantra 12
Sukta 6.21
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja Bārhaspatya
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
स नो बोधि पुरएता सुगेषूत दुर्गेषु पथिकृद्विदानः । ये अश्रमास उरवो वहिष्ठास्तेभिर्न इन्द्राभि वक्षि वाजम् ॥
sá no bodhi pura-etā́ su-géṣū́ta duḥ-géṣu pathi-kṛ́d vidā́naḥ | yé aśrámāsa urávo váhiṣṭhās tébhir na indrā́bhi vakṣi vā́jam ||
ఓ ఇంద్రా! మా కొరకు ముందుండి నడిపించే నాయకుడిగా మేల్కొను—సుగమ మార్గాల్లోను దుర్గమ మార్గాల్లోను దారి వేసే వాడా, జ్ఞానివా. విశాలమైనవి, అలసటలేనివి, అత్యంత వాహకమైన ఆ శక్తులతో, ఓ ఇంద్రా, మమ్మల్ని బల-సమృద్ధి (వాజ) వైపు ముందుకు నడిపించు.
Word by Word
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot तद् (स-आदेशः)
- नः
- of us / for usPronounषष्ठी (एन्क्लिटिक), बहुवचनम्Role SampradānaRoot अस्मद्
- बोधि
- be aware; take noticeVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थः), मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Role KriyāRoot √बुध् (बोधति)
- पुरएता
- the forerunner; leader in frontNoun (agentive epithet)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot पुर-एतृ (प्रातिपदिकम्)
- सुगेषु
- in good paths / easy passagesNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, बहुवचनम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot सु-ग (प्रातिपदिकम्: सुग)
- उत
- and; alsoIndeclinableअव्ययम्Role SambandhaRoot उत
- दुर्गेषु
- in difficult passagesNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, बहुवचनम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot दुर्-ग (प्रातिपदिकम्: दुर्ग)
- पथिकृत्
- path-makerNoun (agentive)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot पथि-कृत् (कृदन्तः; √कृ)
- विदानः
- knowing; wiseParticipleवर्तमानकाले कृदन्तः (शानच्), पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot √विद् (विद्/वेद्) + शानच्
- ये
- who (those who)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot यद्
- अश्र्मासः
- stones; stone(-like ones)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role KartāRoot अश्मन् (प्रातिपदिकम्)
- उरवः
- broad; wideAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role Viśeṣaṇa (of अश्र्मासः)Root उरु (प्रातिपदिकम्)
- वहिष्ठाः
- most bearing; strongest carriersAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्Role Viśeṣaṇa (of अश्र्मासः)Root वहिष्ठ (सुपरलेटिव; √वह्/वह् ‘to carry’)
- तेभिः
- with themPronounपुंलिङ्गः, तृतीया, बहुवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot तद्
- नः
- usPronounद्वितीया (एन्क्लिटिक), बहुवचनम्Role KarmaRoot अस्मद्
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNoun (vocative)पुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन, एकवचनम्Role SambodhanaRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिकम्)
- अभि
- towards; untoPreverb/Indeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययम्Role SambandhaRoot अभि
- वक्षि
- carry; conveyVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थः), मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्Role KriyāRoot √वह् (वक्षति)
- वाजम्
- prize; strength; bootyNounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot वाज (प्रातिपदिकम्)
Sandhi Notes
- स नो बोधि = सः + नः + बोधि (एन्क्लिटिक नः)
- पुरएता (पुरः-एता) समास/सन्धि-रूपम् ‘fore-goer’
- सुगेषूत = सुगेषु + उत (उत्-आदौ उ-स्वरः; पदपाठे ‘सुगेषु उत’)
- पथिकृद्विदानः = पथिकृत् + विदानः (व्यञ्जन-सन्धिः: त् + व् → द्व्)
- तेभिर्न = तेभिः + नः (विसर्ग-लोपः/र्-आदेशः: ः + न → र्न)
- इन्द्राभि = इन्द्र + अभि (स्वर-सन्धिः: अ + अ → आ)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra is asked to awaken as the leader in front, the path-maker in easy and difficult ways. With unwearied, wide, most-bearing powers, he is asked to carry the worshippers to vāja (plenitude/strength).
Inner meaning
The seeker asks the illumined mind to become consciously active (‘bodhi’) as the pioneer (puraetā) and maker of inner pathways through both smooth and rugged passages—pleasant states and crises. The ‘wide, most-bearing, unwearied’ powers are the supporting energies of the being when aligned with Indra; together they carry consciousness toward vāja: plenitude of force, capacity, and victorious becoming.
Universal truth
Progress requires a guiding intelligence that can chart a way through both ease and difficulty; when allied forces are harmonized, life’s obstacles become passages to greater power.
Themes
guidance and protection, crossing difficult passages, attainment of power/plenitude
The seer
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja Bārhaspatya
- Lineage
- Bharadvāja
- Other hymns
- RV 6.21.10-11 (hearing the call; supporting powers), RV 6.22.1-2 (Indra’s sovereignty; ancestral attainment)
Family tradition
A pragmatic spiritual tradition: illumination is not only vision but guidance for the path—especially through ‘durga’ passages of resistance.
Significance
This verse is a classic Bharadvāja prayer for guidance: Indra as inner path-maker, not merely giver of outer victory.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- puraetā, pathikṛt (functionally), vidvān (knower, implied)
- Related deities
- Agni, Maruts (supporting forces), Viśve Devāḥ
Cosmic role
Opens the ways, breaks obstacles, leads the host of powers toward the goal (vāja).
Inner power
Executive illumination: discernment that becomes guidance, courage, and forward movement through resistance.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra guidance/prasava-type invocation within soma contexts; also general prayer for safe passage and victory.
स नो॑ बोधि पुरए॒ता सु॒गेषू॒त दु॒र्गेषु॑ पथि॒कृद्विदा॑नः । ये अश्र॑मास उ॒रवो॒ वहि॑ष्ठा॒स्तेभि॑र्न इन्द्रा॒भि व॑क्षि॒ वाज॑म् ॥
सः । नः॒ । बो॒धि॒ । पु॒रः॒ऽए॒ता । सु॒ऽगेषु॑ । उ॒त । दुः॒ऽगेषु॑ । प॒थि॒ऽकृत् । विदा॑नः । ये । अश्र॑मासः । उ॒रवः॑ । वहि॑ष्ठाः । तेभिः॑ । नः॒ । इ॒न्द्र॑ । अ॒भि । व॒क्षि॒ । वाज॑म् ॥
saḥ | naḥ | bodhi | puraḥ-etā | su-geṣu | uta | duḥ-geṣu | pathi-kṛt | vidānaḥ | ye | aśramāsaḥ | uravaḥ | vahiṣṭhāḥ | tebhiḥ | naḥ | indra | abhi | vakṣi | vājam
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4×11 (approx.)
March-like movement with alternating ease/strain—mirrors ‘sugeṣu/durgeṣu’.
Gives steadiness and forward impetus; useful when the mind wavers or feels blocked.
- bodhi
- Literal: awaken, perceive. Symbolic: activate higher awareness; shift from mechanical living to conscious guidance
- puraetā
- Literal: going in front, leader. Symbolic: the inner pioneer faculty that anticipates and leads action
- sugeṣu / durgeṣu
- Literal: in easy ways / hard ways. Symbolic: favorable and adverse inner conditions; clarity and confusion; joy and struggle
- pathikṛt
- Literal: path-maker. Symbolic: creator of new inner routes beyond habit-patterns
- vidānaḥ
- Literal: knowing. Symbolic: gnostic discernment that chooses right movement
- aśramāsaḥ
- Literal: unwearied. Symbolic: persistent energies not exhausted by resistance
- uravaḥ
- Literal: wide, vast. Symbolic: expansive consciousness and large capacities
- vahiṣṭhāḥ
- Literal: most-bearing, strongest carriers. Symbolic: best supportive forces—steady prāṇa, courage, faith
- vājam
- Literal: prize, strength, plenitude. Symbolic: integral power and fulfilled capacity in life and yoga
Guidance/protection stanza in Indra praise within Soma-yajña sequences; also suitable for pravargya-like ‘path’ invocations in a generalized sense (non-exclusive)
When seeking successful ‘passage’ through a rite’s stages or before undertaking a challenging action.
Recitation accompanying offerings or as a stotra for ‘leading forth’.
Chant before travel, exams, surgery, conflict resolution, or any ‘durga’ phase; use as a centering mantra for resilience.
pura-etā́: etā́ ‘goer’ from √i/√ay ‘to go’, with puras ‘in front’. pathi-kṛ́t: pathin ‘path’ + √kṛ ‘to make’—a key RV epithet for a god who creates inner passages. vā́ja: from √vaj/√vāj ‘to be strong, drive’; hence ‘force/plenitude’—supports the psychological sense of empowered advance through duḥgá.
inner awakening (bodhi), overcoming difficulty (duḥga) by knowledge, vāja as concentrated power
Path-making is ṛta-guidance: right order in movement through life’s mixed terrains.
‘Knowing’ leadership implies truth-discernment that does not get lost in appearances.
Opening of ways—evolutionary advance from limitation to plenitude.
Yoga of ascent: higher mind leading the life-force toward integral strength.
Roads = channels of consciousness; hard passes = knots of resistance; vāja = harvest of force after crossing.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Indra as ‘path-maker’ and ‘pioneer’—the god who opens passages through obstruction. Mythically this echoes the archetype of breaking through the closed (durgá) into the open (sugá), i.e., the victory of luminous force over limiting resistance.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √budh (bodhi) corresponds to PIE *bheudh- ‘be aware, wake’ (cf. English be-‘bode’/Skt budh). √vah (vakṣi, vahiṣṭha) corresponds to PIE *wegh- ‘carry, convey’ (cf. Latin vehō). The su-/duḥ- polarity is an inherited Indo-European evaluative prefix pattern marking ease vs difficulty.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The r̥ṣi asks Indra not only to grant but to ‘lead’—a pedagogic relation: the deity is invoked as conscious guide (vidānaḥ) who awakens the human collectivity and carries it with supporting powers toward vāja, the inner substance of victory.
Feel Indra as a bright presence at the brow leading from the front; surrender the next step rather than the whole future.
ājñā
walking-breath or seated: inhale 4, exhale 6 while mentally repeating ‘puraetā… pathikṛt’
From anxiety to guided confidence; steady will aligned with light.
When facing ‘durga’ moments, chant once, then name the obstacle inwardly; ask for the ‘next right step’ only. Act immediately on the clearest small guidance.
Emphasize imperatives ‘bodhi’ and ‘vakṣi’ with clear udatta lift where marked in the tradition.
Slightly lengthen ‘sugeṣūta durgeṣu’ to mirror contrast; keep pāda breaks clean for ‘path-making’ feel.
‘puraetā’: keep the sandhi as ‘pura-etā’ with clear e., ‘durgeṣu’: hard g, not j., ‘vahiṣṭhāḥ’: ṣṭh cluster crisp; do not soften to ‘shth’.
Steady, leading tone—like a guide calling from the front.
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