Rig Veda 7.20.2: Mandala 7, Sukta 20, Mantra 2
Sukta 7.20
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
हन्ता वृत्रमिन्द्रः शूशुवानः प्रावीन्नु वीरो जरितारमूती । कर्ता सुदासे अह वा उ लोकं दाता वसु मुहुरा दाशुषे भूत् ॥
hántā vṛtrám índraḥ śū́śuvānaḥ prá āvīn nú vīró jaritā́ram ūtī́ | kártā sudā́se áha vā́ u lokáṃ dātā́ vásu múhur ā́ dāśúṣe bhūt ||
వృత్రహంత అయిన ఇంద్రుడు, ఉత్సాహంతో ఉద్ధీప్తుడై, నిజంగా ముందుకు వచ్చి స్తోతా-గాయకునికి రక్షణ-సహాయాన్ని అందించాడు. సుదాసునికి విస్తారమైన లోకాన్ని అతడు నిర్మించాడు; యజ్ఞంలో అర్పించి దానం చేసే వానికి అతడు మళ్లీ మళ్లీ వసు (ధన-సంపద) దాతగా అయ్యాడు.
Word by Word
- हन्ता
- slayerNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot हन् (धातु) / हन्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- वृत्रम्
- VṛtraNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot वृत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्रः
- IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- शूशुवानः
- having grown strong; vigorousAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; परोक्षभूत/परफेक्ट-कर्तरि कृदन्त (क्वसुँ/वाँस्-प्रत्यय)Role कर्तृ (विशेषण)Root श्वि/शु (धातु: शू ‘to swell/strengthen, be vigorous’)
- प्रावीৎ
- protected; helpedVerbलुङ् (अorist), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot अव् (धातु) + प्र-
- नु
- now; indeedIndeclinableनिपातRoot नु (निपात)
- वीरः
- heroNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (इन्द्रस्य विशेषण)Root वीर (प्रातिपदिक)
- जरितारम्
- the singer; praiserNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot जरितृ (प्रातिपदिक) < √गॄ/गिर् ‘to sing/praise’ (जर्- ‘to praise’ वैदिक)
- ऊती
- with help; by aidNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करणRoot ऊति (प्रातिपदिक)
- कर्ता
- maker; doerNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot कृ (धातु) / कर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- सुदासे
- for SudāsNounपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot सुदास (प्रातिपदिक)
- अह
- indeed; surelyIndeclinableनिपातRoot अह (निपात)
- वा
- or; indeed (enclitic)IndeclinableनिपातRoot वा (निपात)
- उ
- indeed; justIndeclinableनिपातRoot उ (निपात)
- लोकम्
- space; world; free scopeNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
- दाता
- giverNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot दा (धातु) / दातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- वसु
- wealth; goodNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (समष्टि/द्रव्यवाचक)Role कर्मRoot वसु (प्रातिपदिक)
- मुहुः
- again and again; repeatedlyIndeclinableकालवाचक-अव्ययRoot मुहुः (अव्यय)
- आ
- towards; forth (intensifier)Indeclinableउपसर्ग (दा-क्रियायाम्) / निपातRoot आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- दाशुषे
- to the worshipper; to the giver (offerer)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot दाश्वांस्/दाशुष् (प्रातिपदिक) < √दाश् ‘to worship, offer’
- भूत्
- became; wasVerbलुङ् (अorist), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot भू (धातु)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सम्भाव्य): हन्ता वृत्रम् इन्द्रः शूशुवानः प्रावीन्नु वीरः जरितारम् ऊती । कर्ता सुदासे अह वा उ लोकं दाता वसु मुहुरा दाशुषे भूत् ॥ प्रमुख-सन्धि: (1) प्रावीन्नु = प्रावीৎ + नु (त् + न् → न्न्, वैदिक संधि/संहितापाठ). (2) मुहुरा = मुहुः + आ (विसर्ग-लोपः, र्-आगमः/रुत्व; संहितायां ‘मुहुर् आ’ > ‘मुहुरा’). (3) दाशुषे भूत्: संधि-रहित पदयोजना
- भूत् = लुङ्-रूप (अorist) ‘अभूत्’ का वैदिक संक्षेप/संहितारूप
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra, eager, slayer of Vṛtra, has come forth to help the singer. He made a wide world for Sudāsa and repeatedly gave riches to the offerer.
Inner meaning
Indra as illumined mind-force is ‘śūśuvāna’—ardent, pressing forward. He slays Vṛtra, the Coverer: the psychological resistance that blocks the release of light and free movement. He comes to help the jaritṛ (the singer): the aspirant whose speech is mantra and whose will calls the higher power. ‘Sudāsa’ can be read inwardly as the ‘good-giver/one who gives well’: the part of the being that offers rightly; for that, Indra creates ‘loka’—a wide inner world, spacious consciousness, room for the soul’s life. Riches (vasu) are not merely cattle/gold but stable attainments: clarity, strength, joy, right action—given again and again as the offering (dāśuṣ) is renewed.
Universal truth
When aspiration is sincere, illumination breaks the inner obstruction, widens consciousness, and repeatedly bestows lasting gains proportional to one’s offering of self and effort.
Themes
Vṛtra-slaying, help to the singer, gift-cycle (dāśuṣ ↔ dātā), world-widening
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha (Maitrāvaruṇa lineage)
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 7.18 (Sudāsa context), Rig Veda 7.20.1, Rig Veda 7.20.3, Rig Veda 7.33
Family tradition
Connected with Bharata tradition and Sudāsa narratives; Vasiṣṭha’s hymns often convert outer victory into inner widening and right-giving.
Significance
The seer emphasizes reciprocity: the truth-seeker’s offering evokes repeated divine bestowals and an enlarging of the inner world.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- vṛtrahan (slayer of Vṛtra), vīra (hero), śūśuvāna (ardent), dātā (giver)
- Related deities
- Soma (as the force that heightens Indra’s ardor), Bṛhaspati (as the brahman-force behind the singer), Maruts (as battle-aids)
Cosmic role
Breaker of the cosmic obstruction; opener of the worlds; giver of vāja/vasu to the sacrificer.
Inner power
Breakthrough intelligence that widens consciousness and converts aspiration into repeated concrete attainments.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-Soma context; praise of Vṛtra-slaying and gift-giving; also victory hymns for patrons (Sudāsa).
हन्ता॑ वृ॒त्रमिन्द्र॒: शूशु॑वान॒: प्रावी॒न्नु वी॒रो ज॑रि॒तार॑मू॒ती । कर्ता॑ सु॒दासे॒ अह॒ वा उ॑ लो॒कं दाता॒ वसु॒ मुहु॒रा दा॒शुषे॑ भूत् ॥
हन्ता॑ । वृ॒त्रम् । इन्द्रः॑ । शूशु॑वानः । प्र । आ॒वी॒त् । नु । वी॒रः । ज॒रि॒तार॑म् । ऊ॒ती । कर्ता॑ । सु॒ऽदासे॑ । अह॑ । वै । ऊँ॒ इति॑ । लो॒कम् । दाता॑ । वसु॑ । मुहुः॑ । आ । दा॒शुषे॑ । भू॒त् ॥
hantā | vṛtram | indraḥ | śūśuvānaḥ | pra | āvīt | nu | vīraḥ | jaritāram | ūtī | kartā | su-dāse | aha | vai | oṃ iti | lokam | dātā | vasu | muhuḥ | ā | dāśuṣe | bhūt
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4 × ~11
Decisive and proclamatory; sharp verbs (hantā, prāvīt, kartā, dātā) give a hammering clarity.
Elicits courage and trust; supports the sense of ‘breaking through’ and ‘widening’.
- वृत्र (vṛtra)
- Literal: the coverer. Symbolic: Subconscient resistance, obstruction, ignorance that blocks flow
- हन्ता (hantā)
- Literal: slayer. Symbolic: Decisive power of breakthrough
- शूशुवानः (śūśuvānaḥ)
- Literal: eager, ardent. Symbolic: Intensified aspiration-force in the divine Mind
- जरितारम् (jaritāram)
- Literal: the singer/praiser. Symbolic: The aspiring soul using mantra as effective will
- लोकम् (lokam)
- Literal: world, open space. Symbolic: Widened field of consciousness; inner freedom
- वसु (vasu)
- Literal: wealths, riches. Symbolic: Stable spiritual possessions: strength, light, joy, right capacity
- दाशुषे (dāśuṣe)
- Literal: to the giver/offerer. Symbolic: The part of us that offers ego and energy into the inner yajña
Praise of Indra as helper of the jaritṛ and giver to the dāśuṣ; Soma offering context
Soma sacrifices and celebratory recitations after success/victory; patron-centered rituals.
Stotra praising Indra’s deeds; offerings seeking protection, widening, and prosperity.
Chant after overcoming a blockage (addiction, fear, procrastination) to stabilize gains and widen life-space inwardly.
śūśuvānaḥ (from √śu/śvi ‘to swell/impel’ in intensive formation) conveys heightened drive. loka ‘space/world’ from √lok ‘to see’ (semantic: ‘open realm of vision’), supporting inner ‘widened consciousness’. vasu ‘good, wealth’ becomes ‘essential being-plenty’ rather than material goods.
widening of loka (field of consciousness), reciprocity of offering and grace
Vṛtra represents anti-ṛta constriction; Indra’s act restores right flow and spacious order (loka).
The jaritṛ’s truthful praise becomes a channel for divine action.
Opening of loka echoes cosmogonic widening; creation as liberation of space and flow.
Integral-yogic Vedism: battle myths as inner liberation of consciousness and energies.
Coverer = compression of awareness; loka = expansion; vasu = consolidated attainments.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Vṛtra-slaying coupled with the ‘widening of the world’ (loka): Indra breaks obstruction and creates an open field for the patron/aspirant (Sudāsa). Inner sense: the divine force opens the consciousness and repeatedly pours essential riches into the offering nature.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √han ‘strike’ and √dā ‘give’ are ancient IE verbal cores (cf. Latin donum from *deh₃- ‘give’ as cognate set). The gift-cycle (dāśuṣ/dātā) reflects IE reciprocity patterns in hymn-poetry.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- Indra is explicitly the helper of the jaritṛ (poet), validating the rishi’s role: inspired speech draws divine intervention. The deity then expands the rishi/patron’s loka and returns gifts repeatedly to the offering being.
Name the ‘coverer’ in your nature; invoke Indra to strike it and feel space open in mind and life-force.
āhata (opening space) and ājñā (illumined decision)
Exhale-focused chanting: take a full inhale, chant one pāda per exhale if comfortable; rest between padas.
From constriction to spaciousness; from struggle to stable gain.
After chanting, sit 2 minutes sensing ‘loka’—inner roominess; then list one ‘vasu’ (attainment) to protect by right habit.
Tri-svara with strong udātta emphasis on key nouns/verbs (índraḥ, vṛtrám, prāvíd, kartā, dātā).
Keep caesura after vṛtram; articulate prā-vīt (प्रावीन्) with clean long ā; avoid swallowing final -ḥ in indraḥ.
Retroflex ṭ in vṛtra? ( cluster): keep crisp ‘tra’, not ‘ṭra’., śūśuvānaḥ: long ū and repeated śū; keep ś sound clear., muhur ā: separate muhur | ā (do not merge into one long blur).
Heroic, clear, slightly percussive on decisive verbs.
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