Rig Veda 8.24.3: Mandala 8, Sukta 24, Mantra 3
Sukta 8.24
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
स नः स्तवान आ भर रयिं चित्रश्रवस्तमम् । निरेके चिद्यो हरिवो वसुर्ददिः ॥
sá naḥ stávāna ā́ bhara rayíṃ citráśravastamam | niréke cid yó harivo vásur dadíḥ ||
హే హరివో! మా స్తుతితో స్తుతింపబడినవాడా—మాకు రయి, చిత్రశ్రవస్తమం (అత్యంత ప్రకాశమయ ఖ్యాతిగల) సమృద్ధిని ఇక్కడికి తెమ్ము. నిరేక—అల్పతలోనూ నీవే సత్య వసు (ధనం) దాతవు.
Word by Word
- सः
- he (that one)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) → स
- नः
- to us / for usPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी, बहुवचनम् (एन्क्लिटिक)Role SampradānaRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- स्तवानः
- being praisedParticiple (Adjective)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि/आत्मनेपदे कृदन्तः (स्तवमान/स्तवान- प्रकारः) ‘being praised’Role KartāRoot √स्तु (स्तुतौ) → स्तव (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
- आ
- hither, forth (as preverb)Indeclinableउपसर्गः (√भृ इत्यस्य सह)Root आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- भर
- bring!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), परस्मैपदम्, मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Root √भृ (भरणे)
- रयिम्
- wealthNounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot रयि (प्रातिपदिक)
- चित्रश्रवस्तमम्
- most famed for splendid renownAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; तमप्-प्रत्ययेन अतिशय (superlative)Role KarmaRoot चित्र-श्रवस् (समास-प्रातिपदिक) + तमप्
- निरेके
- in want / in destitutionNounपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग-प्रयोगः, सप्तमी, एकवचनम् (स्थाने/अवस्थायाम्)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot नि-एक (प्रातिपदिक; ‘separation/solitude/need’) → निरेक
- चित्
- evenIndeclinableअवधारणार्थक/अपि-अर्थक निपातःRoot चित् (निपात)
- यः
- whoPronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- हरिवः
- O bay-horsed oneNoun (vocative epithet)सम्बोधन, एकवचनम् (विशेषण-नामधेयम्)Role SampradānaRoot हरिवत्/हरिवन् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘having bay horses’) → हरिव
- वसुः
- a benefactor / good (giver)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot वसु (प्रातिपदिक)
- ददिः
- has givenVerbलिट् (परोक्श/परफेक्ट), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; वैदिक-रूपम् ‘ददिः’ = ‘he has given’Root √दा (दाने)
Sandhi Notes
- स नः → सः + नः (विसर्ग-लोपः पदान्ते एन्क्लिटिक-सर्वनामपूर्वे)
- स्तवान आ → स्तवानः + आ (विसर्गस्य लोपः/विकल्पः पदसंहितायाम्)
- चिद्यो → चित् + यः (द्/त् + य् संयोगे संधिः: चित् + यः → चिद्यः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra, praised by us, bring rich wealth most radiant in fame; even in scantness, O Hari (tawny-steeded), you give true treasure.
Inner meaning
When the seeker praises (stavānaḥ) the illumined Mind, it responds by bringing rayi—not mere material gain but the plenitude of inner resources: luminous thoughts, right powers, protective force, and wideness. Even when the outer life feels ‘scant’ (nireka), Indra can still give vasu, the true treasure—stable spiritual substance: courage, clarity, and a sure inner support that does not depend on circumstances.
Universal truth
The higher help is not cancelled by external lack; inner wealth can be most available precisely when outer supports are minimal, provided aspiration and praise keep the channel open.
Themes
Petition for plenitude, Indra as giver, From lack to fullness
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 8.24.2, Rig Veda 8.24.4, Rig Veda 8.24.5, Rig Veda 8.24.6
Family tradition
Kāṇva-style Indra praise emphasizing rayi (plenitude) and the reliability of Indra’s giving even in lack.
Significance
The seer stresses a yogic law: praise/aspiration draws the descent; scarcity is not an obstacle to inner wealth when the channel to the higher mind remains active.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- harivaḥ (tawny-steeded), dātā (giver, implied), maghavan (bountiful, implied)
- Related deities
- Soma, Agni, Aśvins, Pūṣan
Cosmic role
Bringer of victorious plenitudes; he carries the powers of light into the human field and sustains the journey through limitations.
Inner power
A reliable inner beneficence—illumined intelligence that can convert lack into opportunity for a purer, truer gain.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra praise in Soma offerings; general stotra for rayi
स न॒: स्तवा॑न॒ आ भ॑र र॒यिं चि॒त्रश्र॑वस्तमम् । नि॒रे॒के चि॒द्यो ह॑रिवो॒ वसु॑र्द॒दिः ॥
सः । नः॒ । स्तवा॑नः । आ । भ॒र॒ । र॒यिम् । चि॒त्रश्र॑वःऽतमम् । नि॒रे॒के । चि॒त् । यः । ह॒रि॒ऽवः॒ । वसुः॑ । द॒दिः ॥
saḥ | naḥ | stavānaḥ | ā | bhara | rayim | citraśravaḥ-tamam | nireke | cit | yaḥ | hari-vaḥ | vasuḥ | dadiḥ
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4 pādas × ~11 syllables (probable)
Longer, forward-sweeping line; spacious and declarative.
Creates a sense of widening and arrival (‘ā bhara’), supportive for invoking descent of plenitude.
- stavānaḥ
- Literal: being praised. Symbolic: opened by aspiration, affirmation, and conscious receptivity
- ā bhara
- Literal: bring here. Symbolic: effectuate a descent into active life and mind
- rayi
- Literal: wealth, abundance. Symbolic: plenitude of consciousness—powers, capacities, wideness
- citraśravastama
- Literal: most brilliant in fame/hearing. Symbolic: most radiant and manifold in its manifested effects
- nireke
- Literal: in scantness, lack. Symbolic: state of inner dryness/outer limitation; minimal vital support
- harivaḥ
- Literal: having tawny steeds. Symbolic: master of dynamic energies (vital forces) yoked to illumination
- vasuḥ
- Literal: treasure, good, wealth. Symbolic: true substance—stable spiritual good, enduring support
- dadiḥ
- Literal: giver. Symbolic: bestower of realizations and powers in response to receptivity
Petition for rayi (plenitude) following praise; fits common Soma-stotra progression: praise → request → assurance.
At points of inviting Indra to partake and to bestow gifts; also suitable as a household prayer for increase of strength and means.
Chanting with offering and request for rayi/vasu.
Recite when resources feel low (money, energy, time) to shift from anxiety to receptivity for ‘true treasure’—clear priorities, right action, calm strength.
rayi- (acc sg rayim): from √rā 'to bestow, give' (and related semantic field of wealth/plenty); in RV often both material and luminous/spiritual plenitude—here read as fullness of being and resources of consciousness. citra- 'bright, manifold' + śravas- 'fame, glory' (from √śru 'hear' → what is 'heard of'). bhara: 2sg impv √bhṛ 'bear/bring'. nireka-: Vedic term for 'lack, scantness' (semantic: narrowed supply/insufficiency).
Rayi as plenitude of being, Grace responding to praise (stuti → rāti)
Rayi comes when the being aligns with right movement; Indra supports that alignment.
Vasu as ‘true treasure’ indicates enduring truth-substance rather than transient gain.
Descent of plenitude into limitation; transformation of lack into support for growth.
Integral/Vedāntic psychology: higher mind supplies real wealth as consciousness-contents and powers.
Steeds = dynamic life-energies yoked to illumination; ‘wealth’ = stored light-power in the being; ‘scantness’ = dry phase before descent.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The giver-after-victory motif: the conquering Indra, once praised, brings rayi (plenitude). The mythic pattern is that the breaker of obstruction also becomes the distributor of released riches (light, waters, powers).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- śravas 'fame' from √śru 'hear' matches an old IE poetic economy where glory is 'what is heard' (cf. Greek kléos). The relative construction (yó ... dadíḥ) is typical of inherited formulaic style: defining the god by a habitual action.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- Praise is presented as the activating condition (stávānaḥ): when Indra is affirmed, he 'brings' rayi. The poet positions human speech as an opening that allows divine abundance to enter even states of inner scarcity (nireka).
Call in ‘rayi’ as inner plenitude: ask for one concrete inner gift (clarity, courage, right decision) rather than vague abundance.
hṛd (heart) for trust; ājñā for clear guidance
So-ham style: inhale ‘ā bhara’ (receive), exhale ‘vasur dadiḥ’ (let the true treasure settle).
Receptive calm with a steady upward aspiration.
Chant 11 or 27 times; after chanting, write the ‘true treasure’ you already have today (one line) and the next right action it suggests—this anchors rayi into r̥ta (right movement).
Svara not provided; keep udatta-like lift on ā bhara, rayiṃ, harivo, vasuḥ.
Let ā bhara be the energetic ‘call’; soften into vasur dadiḥ as assurance.
rayiṃ: nasal ṃ lightly (ra-yim), citraśravastamam: break as ‘ci-tra-śra-vas-ta-mam’, nireke: ‘ni-re-ke’ (clear vowels), harivo: ‘ha-ri-vo’
Warm, inviting, confident.
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