Rig Veda 6.28.2: Mandala 6, Sukta 28, Mantra 2
Sukta 6.28
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
इन्द्रो यज्वने पृणते च शिक्षत्युपेद्ददाति न स्वं मुषायति । भूयोभूयो रयिमिदस्य वर्धयन्नभिन्ने खिल्ये नि दधाति देवयुम् ॥
índro yájvane pṛṇaté ca śíkṣaty upéd dadāti ná sváṃ muṣāyati | bhū́yo-bhūyo rayím íd asya várdhayann abhínne khilyé ní dadhāti devayúm ||
ఇంద్రుడు యజమానుని—ఇచ్చేవానిని, నింపేవానిని—శిక్షిస్తాడు; సమీపానికి వచ్చి దానం చేస్తాడు; ఎవరి స్వంతాన్ని దోచడు. మళ్లీ మళ్లీ అతని రయి (సంపద)ను వృద్ధి చేస్తాడు; విరగని విస్తారమైన తెరవెనెల మైదానంలో దేవయు (దేవాన్వేషి)ని స్థాపిస్తాడు.
Word by Word
- इन्द्रः
- IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- यज्वने
- to the sacrificerNounपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot यज्वन् (प्रातिपदिक; यज्-धातु से ‘यजमान/यज्ञकर्ता’)
- पृणते
- (who) gives / fills (liberally)Verbवर्तमान, आत्मनेपद, प्र. पु., एकवचन (पृणते)Role कर्तृ (उपवाक्य में)Root पॄ/पृ (धातु; ‘भरना, तृप्त करना, देना’)
- च
- andIndeclinableअव्ययRoot च (निपात)
- शिक्षति
- helps / instructsVerbवर्तमान, परस्मैपद, प्र. पु., एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot शिक्ष् (धातु; ‘सिखाना/प्रेरित करना/सहायता करना’)
- उप
- near; towardsIndeclinableअव्यय (उपसर्गार्थे)Root उप (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- इत्
- indeedIndeclinableअव्ययRoot इत् (निपात; ‘ही/एव’ बलार्थक)
- ददाति
- givesVerbवर्तमान, परस्मैपद, प्र. पु., एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot दा (धातु; ‘देना’)
- न
- notIndeclinableअव्ययRoot न (निपात)
- स्वम्
- his own (property)Pronoun/Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot स्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- मुषायति
- stealsVerbवर्तमान, परस्मैपद, प्र. पु., एकवचन (णिच्-प्रयोग: मुषायति ‘चुराता है’)Role कर्तृRoot मुष् (धातु; ‘चुराना/हरना’)
- भूयः-भूयः
- again and again; more and moreIndeclinableअव्यय (पुनरुक्ति)Root भूयस् (तुलनात्मक/अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोग; ‘बार-बार, अधिकाधिक’)
- रयिम्
- wealthNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot रयि (प्रातिपदिक)
- इद्
- indeedIndeclinableअव्ययRoot इद् (निपात; ‘एव/ही’)
- अस्य
- of himPronounपुं/नपुं, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वर्धयन्
- increasingVerb (Participle)वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (इन्द्रः का विशेषण)Root वृध् (धातु; ‘बढ़ना/बढ़ाना’) + णिच्
- अभिन्नॆ
- in the unbroken (place)Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot अ-भिन्न (भिद्-धातु से; ‘अटूटा/अभेद्य’)
- खिल्ये
- in the fallow/open fieldNounपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot खिल्य (प्रातिपदिक; ‘खिल/परती भूमि, खुला मैदान’)
- नि
- down; firmlyIndeclinableअव्यय (उपसर्गार्थे)Root नि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- दधाति
- places; setsVerbवर्तमान, परस्मैपद, प्र. पु., एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot धा (धातु; ‘रखना/स्थापित करना’)
- देवयुम्
- the god-seeking (man); the pious worshipperNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot देवयु (प्रातिपदिक; ‘देवों की ओर जाने वाला/देव-भक्त/देव-इच्छुक’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धि-निरसन): इन्द्रो → इन्द्रः (ओः विसर्ग)
- शिक्षत्युपेद्ददाति → शिक्षति + उप + इत् + ददाति (शिक्षति + उप = शिक्षत्युप; उप + इत् = उपेत्; इत् + ददाति = इद्ददाति/एद्ददाति—वेदपाठ में ‘उपेद्ददाति’)
- न स्वं → न + स्वम्
- भूयोभूयो → भूयः + भूयः
- रयिमिदस्य → रयिम् + इद् + अस्य
- वर्धयन्नभिन्ने → वर्धयन् + अभिन्ने (न् + अ = न्न)
- खि॒ल्ये नि → खिल्ये + नि
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra educates the sacrificer who gives and fills (the offering); he approaches and grants, not taking away what belongs to the worshipper. Again and again he increases that person’s wealth (rayi), and in an unbroken open space he establishes the god-seeking one.
Inner meaning
Indra as the illumined Divine Mind trains the inner seeker who “fills” the sacrifice with aspiration and self-giving. When the offering is sincere, the higher Mind comes near (upa) and adds power without diminishing the soul’s rightful inner gains—true illumination does not rob the being, it restores its own. Repeated descents of light increase rayi as spiritual abundance (clarity, force, joy, right movement). In the “unbroken open field” (abhinne khilye) of widened consciousness, Indra founds and stabilizes the devayú—one whose whole nature turns toward the Gods (higher powers).
Universal truth
Growth by self-giving attracts guidance that increases inner resources without loss. True knowledge enlarges the field of consciousness and establishes a stable orientation toward the Divine.
Themes
Indra as giver, increase of rayi, ethical economy of offering, wideness (open field)
The seer
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja (Bārhaspatya lineage)
- Lineage
- Bharadvāja
- Other hymns
- RV 6.1 (Agni), RV 6.17 (Indra), RV 6.28 (Gāvaḥ)
Family tradition
Mandala 6 is largely Bharadvāja; hymn 6.28 is a Bharadvāja-line praise where ‘cows’ are luminous powers and their protector is Indra.
Significance
Bharadvāja’s vision often stresses disciplined ascent: right offering (yajña) draws near the gods as powers of consciousness, converting ‘wealth’ into inner plenitude and stable godward orientation.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Maghavan (bountiful), Vṛtrahan (slayer of the Coverer), Purandara (breaker of strongholds), Gopati (guardian of the rays/cows, hymn-context)
- Related deities
- Agni, Soma, Bṛhaspati, Uṣas
Cosmic role
Releases the hidden lights and waters, establishes wide spaces, and increases the seeker’s ‘rayi’ through victorious illumination.
Inner power
Decisive luminous intelligence that trains the nature, protects rightful gains, and repeatedly enlarges consciousness.
In ritual
Where it is used
Cow-related and prosperity invocations within soma/yajña milieu; also general Indra-invocation for increase of rayi.
इन्द्रो॒ यज्व॑ने पृण॒ते च॑ शिक्ष॒त्युपेद्द॑दाति॒ न स्वं मु॑षायति । भूयो॑भूयो र॒यिमिद॑स्य व॒र्धय॒न्नभि॑न्ने खि॒ल्ये नि द॑धाति देव॒युम् ॥
इन्द्रः॑ । यज्व॑ने । पृ॒ण॒ते । च॒ । शि॒क्ष॒ति॒ । उप॑ । इत् । द॒दा॒ति॒ । न । स्वम् । मु॒षा॒य॒ति॒ । भूयः॑ऽभूयः । र॒यिम् । इत् । अ॒स्य॒ । व॒र्धय॑न् । अभि॑न्ने । खि॒ल्ये । नि । द॒धा॒ति॒ । दे॒व॒ऽयुम् ॥
indraḥ | yajvane | pṛṇate | ca | śikṣati | upa | it | dadāti | na | svam | muṣāyati | bhūyaḥ-bhūyaḥ | rayim | it | asya | vardhayan | abhinne | khilye | ni | dadhāti | deva-yum
11
4 pādas of ~11 syllables (triṣṭubh cadence; minor Vedic resolutions possible)
Forward-driving, declarative, suited to instruction and victorious increase.
Builds confidence and expansiveness; supports a felt ‘approach’ of higher power and widening of inner space.
- इन्द्रः (indraḥ)
- Literal: Indra, lord of heaven/lightning. Symbolic: Divine Mind/illumination-power that breaks obstructions and increases inner riches
- यज्वने (yajvane)
- Literal: to the sacrificer. Symbolic: the practitioner who offers aspiration, discipline, and works to the inner Fire
- पृणते (pṛṇate)
- Literal: filling, satisfying. Symbolic: filling the inner sacrifice with sincerity, energy, and offerings of the nature
- शिक्षति (śikṣati)
- Literal: trains, instructs. Symbolic: illumination educates the mind-vital in right action and right discernment
- उप (upa)
- Literal: near, towards. Symbolic: descent/approach of higher consciousness into the human field
- रयिम् (rayim)
- Literal: wealth, treasure. Symbolic: spiritual abundance: light, power, joy, right capacities
- अभिन्न (abhinna)
- Literal: unbroken, undivided. Symbolic: continuity of awareness; no inner split between higher and lower nature
- खिल्ये (khilye)
- Literal: open field, uncultivated expanse. Symbolic: widened inner space where new growth becomes possible
- देवयुम् (devayum)
- Literal: god-seeking one. Symbolic: the soul-nature oriented to the higher powers; enduring aspiration
Go-sūkta continuation: assures the sacrificer of Indra’s reciprocal increase. In rites, supports giving (dakṣiṇā/offering) by promising non-loss and repeated augmentation.
Recitation in contexts seeking protection, increase, and right establishment of the sacrificer; associated with hymns to gāvaḥ and Indra’s guardianship.
Praise + petition: inviting Indra’s nearness, affirming non-harm, requesting repeated increase and stable establishment.
Use as a mantra of ‘non-loss and increase’: before work/learning, or when rebuilding inner confidence—invoke guidance that adds without depletion.
√yaj ‘sacrifice’ (PIE *h₁yeh₁gʷ- debated; Indo-Iranian ritual root). √pṛ ‘fill’ (PIE *pelh₁- ‘fill’). √muṣ ‘steal’ (IE parallels uncertain; Vedic semantic field of taking away). rayí ‘wealth’ from √rā/rai ‘to give, bestow / wealth’, here read as plenitude of consciousness. khilyá ‘open fallow/field’ becomes inner ‘unbroken wideness’ where the devayú is established.
reciprocity of sacrifice, rāyi as fullness of being, devayú (orientation of the soul toward the divine), non-diminishing divine gift
Indra’s ‘training’ aligns the seeker’s action with ṛta—right giving yields right increase.
‘He does not steal what is one’s own’—illumination restores the true possession of the soul.
Establishing the devayú in a ‘wide field’ mirrors the Vedic motif of making space (uru loka) for growth.
Proto-Vedāntic / integral-psychological (Aurobindonian): gods as powers of consciousness, yajña as inner transformation.
The ‘open field’ is the widened mind-space; ‘treasure’ is accumulated light-force and harmonious capacities.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem of reciprocal increase: the god responds to offering by multiplying rayi and establishing the seeker in wideness. It reframes wealth as a non-zero-sum divine economy: true giving does not steal the self but enlarges it.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √vṛdh ‘grow’ reflects PIE *werdʰ- ‘grow’ (cf. English ‘worth’ via semantic shifts; German werden). The iterative bhūyo-bhūyaḥ is an archaic poetic device for intensification, paralleled in Indo-European formulaic diction.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- Indra is presented as the trainer of the yajvan: he shapes the psychology of giving and confirms it by repeated inner increase. The devayú is ‘placed’ in the unbroken field—Indra establishes a stable wideness of consciousness where the soul can pursue the divine without loss.
Invite the illumined Mind to ‘train’ the nature: offer one sincere movement, then feel the descent that increases clarity and capacity.
ājñā (illumined mind)
moderate nāḍī-śodhana for 6–12 rounds, then silent repetition on natural breath
widening, confident, receptive to guidance
Repeat while contemplating: ‘True light adds; it does not take.’ After japa, sit 3–5 minutes sensing an ‘unbroken open field’ above and around the head and heart.
Triṣṭubh with Vedic udatta/anudatta/svarita accents as per śākhā tradition; key lifts often on deity-name and verbals of giving/increase (, ).
Keep clear stress on udatta syllables; avoid flattening ‘bhūyo-bhūyo’—let it sound iterative and ascending.
: maintain sandhi—‘śikṣaty uped dadāti’ with a clean ‘dd’ in ‘uped-dadāti’, : pronounce ‘mu-ṣā-ya-ti’ with retroflex ṣ, : ‘khi-lye’ (palatal glide), not ‘khi-li-ye’
steady, bright, assuring
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