Rig Veda 8.3.23: Mandala 8, Sukta 3, Mantra 23
Sukta 8.3
- Rishi
- Kaṇva
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
यस्मा अन्ये दश प्रति धुरं वहन्ति वह्नयः । अस्तं वयो न तुग्र्यम् ॥
yásmā anyé dáśa práti dhúraṃ váhanti váhnayaḥ | ástaṃ váyo ná tugryám ||
యారికోసం ఇతర పది మంది ధురం (నూగం)ను ప్రతిస్పందనగా మోస్తారో—అగ్ని-బల వాహకులు—సాయంకాలం గూటికి చేరే పక్షులవలె; అలాగే సమస్త శక్తులు ఆ అగ్ర-తత్త్వం, ఆ స్థిర విశ్రాంతి-స్థానానికే తిరిగి చేరుతాయి.
Word by Word
- यस्मै
- to whomPronounपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी (सम्प्रदान) एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अन्ये
- othersAdjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- दश
- tenNumeralअव्ययवत् (संख्याशब्दः; here used indeclinably)Role विशेषण (कर्तृ-सम्बन्धी)Root दशन् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
- प्रति
- towards, againstIndeclinableअव्ययRole अधिकारण/दिशा-सम्बन्ध (towards)Root प्रति (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- धुरम्
- the yoke-pole / yoke (burden)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्मRoot धुर्/धुरा (प्रातिपदिक)
- वहन्ति
- they carry, they bearVerbलट् (वर्तमान); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot वह् (धातु)
- वह्नयः
- bearers; (also: fires/priests as carriers)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot वह्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
- अस्तम्
- homeward; to rest/settingIndeclinable (directional)अव्यय (गत्यर्थे: ‘home, to setting’)Role अधिकारण/दिशा-सम्बन्धRoot अस्त (प्रातिपदिक; also used as avyaya in sense ‘home/down’)
- वयः
- a bird (lit. ‘winged one’)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (here as accusative with implied motion)Role कर्म (उपमान-रूपेण)Root वयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- न
- like, asIndeclinableअव्यय (उपमा-सूचक)Role सम्बन्ध (simile-marker)Root न (निपात)
- तुग्र्यम्
- Tugrya (name/epithet); the Tugrya-man (object of motion/attainment)Adjective (used as noun/epithet)पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्म (गन्तव्य/प्राप्य)Root तुग्र्य (प्रातिपदिक; विशेषण/नाम)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: यस्मै | अन्ये | दश | प्रति | धुरम् | वहन्ति | वह्नयः | अस्तम् | वयः | न | तुग्र्यम् || बाह्यसन्धिः न्यूनः—मुख्यतः ‘यस्मा॑’ → ‘यस्मै’ (चतुर्थी एकवचन), ‘धुरं॒’ → ‘धुरम्’ (द्वितीया एकवचन), ‘तुग्र्य॑म्’ → ‘तुग्र्यम्’
- ‘अस्तं’ here functions adverbially (‘homeward/at setting’)
The meaning
Outer meaning
To whom the other ten bear the yoke in response—the flame-bearing carriers—like birds returning home at dusk.
Inner meaning
A single leading principle (Indra as the illumined sovereign) becomes the center toward which the ‘ten’ powers of the being (often read as the ten faculties/energies) bring their yoke—i.e., they consent to be harnessed to the higher aim. The vahnayaḥ (fire-carriers) are the dynamic forces that carry Agni’s impulse; they return to the inner home (astam) when the day’s dispersion ends—symbol of recollection and integration of energies into the psychic center and the illumined mind.
Universal truth
When consciousness finds its true leader, the many powers cease wandering and converge; integration is the basis of inner mastery and rest.
Themes
convergence, integration, discipline of forces, return-to-source
The seer
- Rishi
- Kaṇva
- Lineage
- Kaṇva (Kaṇvāḥ)
- Other hymns
- RV 8.3.1-30 (contextual cluster), RV 8.4.1-20 (Indra invitations)
Family tradition
Kaṇva hymns frequently portray a convergence of powers around Indra’s leadership—victory through unified aspiration rather than scattered effort.
Significance
The seer articulates yoga of integration: the many become instruments when yoked to the one illumined ruler within.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra (as the central leader to whom powers yoke)
- Epithets
- netṛ (leader), maghavan (giver), vṛtrahan (breaker of resistance)
- Related deities
- Agni (vahnayaḥ link), Savitṛ (yoking), Bṛhaspati (guiding word)
Cosmic role
Unifies and directs the cosmic energies; establishes a center of luminous governance.
Inner power
Centralizing illumination: the capacity to gather scattered faculties into a single effective will.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-focused stotra in Soma settings; also suitable for evening recollection
यस्मा॑ अ॒न्ये दश॒ प्रति॒ धुरं॒ वह॑न्ति॒ वह्न॑यः । अस्तं॒ वयो॒ न तुग्र्य॑म् ॥
यस्मै॑ । अ॒न्ये । दश॑ । प्रति॑ । धुर॑म् । वह॑न्ति । वह्न॑यः । अस्तम् । वयः॑ । न । तुग्र्य॑म् ॥
yasmai | anye | daśa | prati | dhuram | vahanti | vahnayaḥ | astam | vayaḥ | na | tugryam
44
4 × ~11 syllables; compact and convergent phrasing
A ‘drawing-in’ rhythm—begins with outward plurality (anye daśa) and resolves into homecoming (astam).
Promotes inward gathering; the cadence naturally settles, mirroring return-to-center.
- दश (daśa)
- Literal: ten. Symbolic: the full set of faculties/forces (senses, prāṇas, powers of action/knowledge) brought under unity
- धुरम् (dhuram)
- Literal: yoke/shaft-load. Symbolic: discipline and directed effort; consenting energies
- वह्नयः (vahnayaḥ)
- Literal: carriers; fire-bearers. Symbolic: dynamic forces that bear the flame of aspiration and action
- अस्तम् (astam)
- Literal: home; setting (of sun). Symbolic: inner resting-place; recollection into the soul-center
- वयः (vayaḥ)
- Literal: birds. Symbolic: thoughts/impulses that roam and then return to the nest of silence
- तुग्र्यम् (tugryam)
- Literal: of Tugra / Tugrya; also ‘swift/strong’ in some contexts. Symbolic: the journeying force seeking its settled term; the ‘home’ of the striving movement
Soma hymn sequence: praising the central power to whom subsidiary powers 'yoke' themselves; supports the gathering of energies for the rite and for victory.
Toward conclusion of a recitation set, or at day’s end as symbolic ‘return home’
Chant to align faculties to the chosen deity/aim; mental offering of dispersed energies
Evening practice to collect attention: ‘all my powers return to the inner home and yoke to the highest intention’.
√vah 'carry' from PIE *weǵh- (cf. Latin vehō, English 'way' is different root; but 'vehicle' from vehō). váhnayaḥ from vahní- 'carrier, bearer' (agent noun from √vah), also used for fire-priests/fires as 'bearers' of offering. dhurá 'yoke' from √dhṛ 'hold' (< PIE *dher-). ástam 'home/setting' from √as 'to be' with locative sense 'to one's place'; also conventional for 'sun’s setting'. The simile 'birds to home' encodes cyclic return to origin/center.
integration of powers into a single governing consciousness, return to the source/center, ordered discipline (dhura) as r̥ta in action
The ‘yoke-bearing’ images R̥ta: energies moving in right response (prati).
Astam as the settled truth-seat where faculties rest in authenticity.
From multiplicity to unity—cosmic integration as a principle of manifestation.
Integral Yoga psychology: centralization around the psychic/illumined mind.
dusk (implicit in astam)
At the ‘inner dusk’ (end of dispersion), thoughts and energies return to the heart-center and submit to higher guidance.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythic pattern is 'many powers yoke themselves to the leader'—a convergence motif. Inner reading: the dispersed energies (ten) accept the discipline (dhura) and are carried by the flame-like carriers (vahnayaḥ) back to a central consciousness, as thoughts (birds) return to their resting home (astam).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √vah (carry) reflects PIE *weǵh- (Latin vehō), a classic IE transport root; dhurá from √dhṛ continues PIE *dher- 'hold, support'. The yoke/transport metaphor is a pan-IE poetic inheritance linking order, work, and the chariot-technological world.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi frames the devata as the attractor and organizer: other powers 'carry the yoke' toward him. The human counterpart is the aspirant’s need to gather scattered faculties into a single directed offering, mirroring the cosmic integration around Indra’s sovereignty.
Centralize: let the ‘ten powers’ (senses/energies) offer their movement to the inner leader.
anāhata (home/astam) and ājñā (leadership/Indra)
Lengthened exhale with a brief pause to induce ‘return’; mentally repeat astam on the pause.
collected, inwardly seated
After chanting, close the eyes and ‘call back’ the senses one by one; feel them yoking to a quiet luminous center above the heart.
Maintain Vedic accents on marked syllables (e.g., यस्मा॑, प्रति॒, वह॑न्ति, वह्न॑यः, तुग्र्य॑म्).
Give a gentle lift on udatta; let the line ‘settle’ on astam—slight cadence of arrival.
yasmā: long ā, daśa: dental ś, prati: clear short i, vahnayaḥ: vah-ni-yaḥ with clear h, astaṃ: nasalized ṃ, tugryam: cluster gry as tight, not giri
soft, gathering, inward; avoid sharp attacks
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Rig Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
