Rig Veda 8.2.22: Mandala 8, Sukta 2, Mantra 22
Sukta 8.2
- Rishi
- Kaṇva
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Anuṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
आ तू षिञ्च कण्वमन्तं न घा विद्म शवसानात् । यशस्तरं शतमूतेः ॥
ā́ tū́ ṣiñca kaṇvá-mantaṃ ná ghā́ vidma śavasānā́t | yaśás-taraṃ śatám-ūteḥ ||
ఇప్పుడు కణ్వ-ప్రేరిత పరిపూర్ణతను పోయుము; ఎందుకంటే ఆ మహాబలవంతుడు (ఇంద్రుడు) కంటే గొప్పవాడెవడో మాకు తెలియదు. అతడు మరింత యశస్సుతో ప్రకాశించువాడు—శతసహాయుడు (శతమూతి).
Word by Word
- आ
- hither, towardsIndeclinableउपसर्ग/निपात (गत्यर्थकः)Root आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- तू
- thou, youPronounपुं/स्त्री/नपुं; प्रथमा एकवचन (2nd person pronoun used as subject)Role KartāRoot त्वम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- षिञ्च
- pour! sprinkle!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्Root षिच् (षिञ्चति) धातु
- कण्वम्
- Kanva (the seer)Noun (proper)पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot कण्व (ऋषि-नाम, प्रातिपदिक)
- अन्तम्
- the end; the last (one)Noun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
- न
- notIndeclinableनिषेधRoot न (निपात)
- घा
- indeed, at all (emphatic particle)Indeclinableवैदिक-निपातः (बलार्थ/खल्वर्थ; often with negation)Root घा (वैदिक-निपात)
- विद्म
- we knowVerbलिट् (परिपूर्ण/परस्मै; वैदिक-परफेक्ट), उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचनRoot विद् (वेद) धातु
- शवसानात्
- from the mighty one / from (his) strengthAdjective (kṛdanta used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी एकवचन (अपादान/हेतौ)Role ApādānaRoot शवसान (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √शू/शव् ‘to be strong, to prevail’ → ‘mighty’)
- यशस्तरम्
- more glorious, more renownedAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole KarmaRoot यशस् (प्रातिपदिक) + तरप् (तुलनार्थक-प्रत्यय)
- शतमूतेः
- of the hundred-aided / of him who has a hundred helpsNoun/Adjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी एकवचनRole Sambandha (Genitive)Root शत-मूति (समास; मूति < √मव्/मू ‘to help, to favor’ in Vedic ‘help, bounty’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: आ | तू | षिञ्च | कण्वम् | अन्तम् | न | घा | विद्म | शवसानात् | यशस्तरम् | शतमूतेः । Sandhi/phonology: (1) ‘आ’ + ‘तू’ is simple juxtaposition (no change)
- (2) ‘षिञ्च’ is the Vedic/phonetic form of imperative from √षिच् ‘to pour’ (class 6), appearing as षिञ्च (with nasal)
- (3) ‘न घा’ is a common Vedic collocation: negation + emphatic particle
- (4) ‘शवसानात्’ is ablative singular of the kṛdanta-stem ‘शवसान-’ used adjectivally/substantively (‘mighty’), governing an ablatival sense ‘from/out of’
- (5) ‘शतमूतेः’ is genitive singular of the epithet ‘शत-मूति-’ (bahuvrīhi/tatpuruṣa-like epithet meaning ‘having/possessing a hundred helps’), functioning as a genitive qualifier to the praised entity (implicit deity)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Pour in now the Kaṇva-inspired fullness; we do not know any greater than the mighty one; more glorious is he, the hundred-helping.
Inner meaning
“ā tū ṣiñca” is a call to an inflow—of force, inspiration, and Soma-like delight—into the seeker’s vessel. “kaṇva-mantam” suggests the mantra-born substance of the Kaṇva seers: a consciousness-content shaped by inspired speech. Indra is affirmed as unsurpassed in might and help (“śatamūtiḥ”): the power that aids in countless ways in the inner sacrifice.
Universal truth
True spiritual transmission is an inflow: inspired word becomes living substance when poured into the receptive being. The highest help is manifold—arriving as strength, clarity, protection, and joy according to need.
Themes
infusion of strength, Kaṇva inspiration, Indra’s many aids, glory/yaśas
The seer
- Rishi
- Kaṇva
- Other hymns
- RV 8.2 (hymn context)
Family tradition
Self-referential Kāṇva voice: the seer invokes the potency of his own inspired tradition as a channel for Indra’s descent.
Significance
Highlights mantra as transmission: the seer’s inspired speech is a vessel for the god’s force; the lineage becomes a living conduit.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- śavasān (mighty), śatamūti (hundred-helping), yaśasvān (glorious; implied)
- Related deities
- Soma, Agni, Maruts
Cosmic role
Bestower of victorious might and radiant fame; sustainer of the sacrificer’s advance.
Inner power
A versatile aid: breaks obstacles, pours energy, increases luminous capacity and confidence.
In ritual
Where it is used
Libation/pressing context implied by ‘pour’; used in Indra-Soma praise cycles.
आ तू षि॑ञ्च॒ कण्व॑मन्तं॒ न घा॑ विद्म शवसा॒नात् । य॒शस्त॑रं श॒तमू॑तेः ॥
आ । तु । सि॒ञ्च॒ । कण्व॑ऽमन्तम् । न । घ॒ । वि॒द्म॒ । श॒व॒सा॒नात् । य॒शःऽत॑रम् । श॒तम्ऽऊ॑तेः ॥
ā | tu | siñca | kaṇva-mantam | na | gha | vidma | śavasānāt | yaśaḥ-taram | śatam-ūteḥ
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4 × ~8
Imperative then laudatory; a two-step rhythm (command → proclamation).
Energizes receptivity; good for ‘opening’ practice before deeper meditation.
- आ तु सिञ्च (ā tu siñca)
- Literal: pour in now. Symbolic: descent/inflow of force and delight into the adhāra
- कण्वमन्तम् (kaṇva-mantam)
- Literal: Kaṇva-inspired; possessing Kaṇva-mantra. Symbolic: mantric consciousness-substance; inspired formation that carries power
- शवसानात् (śavasānāt)
- Literal: from the mighty/strong one. Symbolic: from the divine Force-source, not from ego-effort
- यशस्तरम् (yaśas-taram)
- Literal: more glorious. Symbolic: increasing radiance of consciousness, victorious manifestation
- शतमूतेः (śatam-ūteḥ)
- Literal: of hundred helps. Symbolic: multiform assistance of the higher Power in many movements of sādhanā
Soma/force-infusion petition: ‘pour’ the inspired plenitude; typical of Soma-pressing and offering moments
During offering sequences—especially when inviting the deity’s share and power to ‘fill’ the rite.
Pouring Soma/oblations; inwardly, pouring concentration and aspiration into the inner fire and receiving descent.
A mantra for receptivity: before study, mantra-japa, or creative work—ask for the ‘Kaṇva-inspired’ fullness to be poured into speech and mind.
√sic ‘pour’ indicates infusion of Soma/force; psychologically, descent of power. kaṇva-mant- ‘having Kaṇva (seer) as mantra/inspiration’ (mant from √man ‘think’ → mantra field). śavas- ‘strength’ from √śū/śvi ‘swell, be strong’ (semantic field of force). yaśas ‘glory’ tied to √yaś ‘to be famed’. śatam ‘hundred’ as idiom for multiplicity of aids.
descent/infusion of power, mantra-inspiration (mant), multiplicity of divine help (śatamūti)
The ‘pouring’ is the ordered descent of force responding to right call (ṛta).
Acknowledging no greater power indicates alignment with the true hierarchy of consciousness.
Mantra as formative power—speech (vāc) shaping substance in manifestation.
Mantra-śakti perspective consistent with Vedic yoga and Aurobindo’s ‘inspired Word’.
Libation symbolizes the flow of conscious force; the vessel is the receptive mind-heart; fullness is plenitude of śakti.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘pouring’ mythologem: divine force is infused as a substance (outer Soma, inner power). Indra as śatamūti embodies manifold assistance, making the seeker’s being more glorious (yaśas) through received strength.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √sic ‘pour’ participates in an IE ritual lexicon of libation and infusion. √man (mant/mantra field) reflects PIE *men- ‘think’, showing how ‘thought’ becomes ‘spell/utterance’ in Indo-Iranian sacral language.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi requests an active descent (‘pour in’) of Indra’s might into the Kaṇva-inspired vessel. The relationship is one of receptivity and increase: the seer’s inspired capacity is expanded by Indra’s many-sided help.
Receptive descent: imagine a luminous nectar pouring into the crown and filling the whole being with strength and gladness.
sahasrāra (descent) into ājñā and anāhata (filled heart)
Inhale gently while visualizing ‘ā tu’; exhale as ‘siñca’—letting the descent spread through the body.
From effortful seeking to receptive fullness; from scarcity to plenitude.
Chant 3 times, then sit silently and ‘receive’; note where the being resists filling (tightness), and soften there on each repetition.
Follow marked accents; keep imperatives ‘ā tu siñca’ crisp; avoid flattening the cadence in the praise half.
Slight pause after ‘kaṇvamantam’; emphasize ‘śatamūteḥ’ as the culmination.
(siñca): palatal ñ clearly, (kaṇva): retroflex ṇ, (śavasānāt): śa-va-sā-nāt, long ā, (śatamūteḥ): long ū; final ḥ light
Inviting then exultant; resonant chest tone.
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