Rig Veda 8.33.14: Mandala 8, Sukta 33, Mantra 14
Sukta 8.33
- Rishi
- Kanva
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Likely Jagatī
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
वहन्तु त्वा रथेष्ठामा हरयो रथयुजः । तिरश्चिदर्यं सवनानि वृत्रहन्नन्येषां या शतक्रतो ॥
váhantu tvā rathéṣṭhām ā́ hárayo ratha-yújaḥ | tiráś cid aryáṃ sávanāni vṛtra-hann anyéṣāṃ yā́ śatakrato ||
రథేష్ఠామా (రథంలో శ్రేష్ఠుడా), రథయుజమైన హరయః (తామ్రవర్ణ అశ్వాలు) నిన్ను ఇక్కడికి తీసుకురావాలి. హే వృత్రహన్, ప్రత్యర్థినీ దాటి సవనాలకు (సోమయాగ పీడనాలకు) రా; హే శతక్రతో, ఇతరులందరినీ మించు.
Word by Word
- वहन्तु
- let (them) carryVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपद, 3 पुरुष, बहुवचनRole (क्रिया)Root वह्
- त्वा
- youPronounद्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot त्वद्
- रथेष्ठाम्
- (you) the best on the chariot / best charioteerNoun/Epithetद्वितीया, एकवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्ग (विशेषणवत् संबोधनार्थक उपाधि)Role कर्म (त्वा-विशेषण)Root रथेष्ठा (रथ-इष्ठा)
- हरयः
- the tawny (horses)Nounप्रथमा, बहुवचन, पुल्लिङ्गRole कर्ताRoot हरि
- रथयुजः
- yoked to the chariotAdjectiveप्रथमा, बहुवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग (हरयः-विशेषण)Role कर्ता (हरयः-विशेषण)Root रथयुज् (रथ-युज्)
- तिरश्चित्
- even across / even sidewaysIndeclinableअव्यय (तिरस् ‘across/sideways’ + चित् ‘even’)Role (क्रियाविशेषण)Root तिरस् + चित्
- अर्यम्
- the Aryan / the noble (man)Nounद्वितीया, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्गRole कर्मRoot अर्य
- सवनानि
- pressings; soma-ritesNounद्वितीया, बहुवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्गRole कर्मRoot सवन
- वृत्रहन्
- O Vṛtra-slayerNoun/Epithetसंबोधन, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्गRole सम्बोधनRoot वृत्रहन्
- अन्येषाम्
- of othersPronoun/Adjectiveषष्ठी, बहुवचन (पुं/नपुं)Role सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root अन्य
- या
- whichPronounप्रथमा, बहुवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग (सवनानि-सम्बन्धी यद्-सम्बन्ध)Role कर्ता/विषय (यद्-सम्बन्ध)Root यद्
- शतक्रतो
- O hundred-powered / of a hundred resolvesNoun/Epithetसंबोधन, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्गRole सम्बोधनRoot शतक्रतु
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (Vedic): वहन्तु त्वा रथेष्ठाम् हरयः रथयुजः । तिरश्चित् अर्यम् सवनानि वृत्रहन् अन्येषाम् या शतक्रतो ॥ 1) तिरस् + चित् → तिरश्चित् (स् + च् = श्च्). 2) अन्येषाम् + या: पदपाठे पृथक्
- संहितायां ‘अन्येषां॒ या’ इति उच्चारण (अनुस्वार/नासिक्य-प्रयोग व छन्दोऽनुसार दीर्घता). 3) वृत्रहन्, शतक्रतो: संबोधन-रूपेण (इन्द्रस्य उपाधयः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
May the tawny horses yoked to the chariot bring Indra here, best of charioteers. Crossing even the rival, come to the Soma-pressings; O slayer of Vṛtra, surpass the others, O Śatakratu.
Inner meaning
Indra’s ‘tawny horses’ (harayaḥ) are the dynamic vital energies disciplined and yoked to the chariot of the illumined mind. They are asked to bring the higher power swiftly into the field of practice. ‘Crossing the rival’ signifies surpassing competing impulses, doubts, and hostile suggestions in the nature. ‘Savana’ (Soma pressings) becomes the repeated inner occasions where delight is extracted from experience and offered upward, empowering illumination. As Vṛtrahan, Indra breaks the coverer—subconscient resistance—so consciousness can exceed ordinary limits (‘surpass the others’).
Universal truth
When life-energies are yoked to a higher intention, they can carry consciousness beyond rivalry and resistance into repeated moments of inner offering and breakthrough.
Themes
Vritra-slaying, arrival of Indra, savana, overcoming rivals/obstructions
The seer
- Lineage
- Kāṇva (probable, not guaranteed)
- Other hymns
- RV 8.33 (context hymn, Indra)
Family tradition
Kāṇva hymns often depict Indra’s horses and chariot as swift powers—apt symbols for harnessed life-energy in the inner battle.
Significance
This verse is a yogic image of mastery: the vital is not rejected but yoked, becoming the carrier of illumination to the inner ‘pressings’ where delight is offered and power increases.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Ratheṣṭhā (best of charioteers), Vṛtrahan (slayer of obstruction), Śatakratu (hundred-powered)
- Related deities
- Maruts (storm-vital allies), Soma, Agni
Cosmic role
Warrior-lord who rides with tawny steeds, conquers the coverer, and brings the plenitude of light and force.
Inner power
Commanding intelligence that harnesses life-force, crosses opposition, and repeatedly breaks through resistance patterns.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma-yajña invitation to Indra at savanas
वह॑न्तु त्वा रथे॒ष्ठामा हर॑यो रथ॒युज॑: । ति॒रश्चि॑द॒र्यं सव॑नानि वृत्रहन्न॒न्येषां॒ या श॑तक्रतो ॥
वह॑न्तु । त्वा॒ । र॒थे॒स्थाम् । आ । हर॑यः । र॒थ॒ऽयुजः॑ । ति॒रः । चि॒त् । अ॒र्यम् । सव॑नानि । वृ॒त्र॒ऽह॒न् । अ॒न्येषा॑म् । या । श॒त॒क्र॒तो॒ इति॑ शतऽक्रतो ॥
vahantu | tvā | rathesthām | ā | harayaḥ | ratha-yujaḥ | tiraḥ | cit | aryam | savanāni | vṛtra-han | anyeṣām | yā | śatakrato itiśata-krato
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4 pādas × ~8 syllables; strong imagery, multiple vocatives.
Rapid movement imagery; kinetic cadence with imperative ‘yā’ (come) and victory epithets.
Mobilizes energy; gives a felt sense of being ‘carried’ toward a breakthrough.
- हरयः (harayaḥ)
- Literal: tawny horses. Symbolic: vital energies, dynamic forces of action harnessed to illumination
- रथ (ratha)
- Literal: chariot. Symbolic: integrated psycho-physical instrument directed by higher mind
- रथेṣ्ठाम् (ratheṣṭhām)
- Literal: best charioteer. Symbolic: mastery of the instrument; sovereign guidance of action
- रथयुजः (rathayujaḥ)
- Literal: yoked to the chariot. Symbolic: disciplined energies aligned to the inner aim
- तिरः (tiraḥ)
- Literal: across, beyond. Symbolic: transcending opposition and limiting formations
- अ॒र्यं (aryaṃ)
- Literal: rival/other (contextual). Symbolic: inner competitor: ego-impulse, doubt, inertia, hostile suggestion
- सवनानि (savanāni)
- Literal: Soma-pressings. Symbolic: repeated inner extractions of delight/essence from life offered to the Divine
- वृत्रहन् (vṛtrahan)
- Literal: slayer of Vṛtra. Symbolic: breaker of the coverer—subconscient resistance and darkness
- शतक्रतु (śatakratu)
- Literal: of a hundred powers/works. Symbolic: multiplied effective will—many-sided capacity for victorious action
Chariot-arrival formula for Indra to attend the savanas (Soma pressings), especially in competitive/sacrificial settings where Indra is asked to ‘outstrip’ other claimants.
At Soma-pressings when Indra is called to the offering; paired naturally with the preceding verse.
Summoning Indra’s arrival, celebrating his victory over Vṛtra, ensuring presence at offerings.
Use before demanding work or sadhana sessions: consciously yoke energies (harayaḥ) to the inner aim and invoke breakthrough over habitual resistance.
√vah ‘carry’ (PIE *weǵh- ‘convey’); √yuj ‘yoke’ (PIE *yeug-); vṛtra from √vṛ ‘to cover, obstruct’ → the Coverer (ignorance/inertia); vṛtra-han ‘obstruction-slayer’. Symbolic reading: ‘rival’ (aryá) is the opposing tendency in nature; ‘crossing beyond’ indicates surpassing competing pulls.
Vṛtra as obstruction/covering (avidyā-like concealment), Ṛta as right movement toward the offering
Victory over Vṛtra restores right flow (ṛta) of waters/light in the inner worlds.
Śatakratu implies many effective truth-acts rather than one grand idea.
Release and expansion through repeated cycles of offering and conquest.
Psychological symbolism of the battle: transformation of vital nature by illumined mind.
Savana times (ritual cycle)
Horses = prāṇic/vital drives; chariot = embodied instrument; crossing rivals = transcending competing samskāras; Soma pressing = extracting joy-essence from experience.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Indra’s chariot-approach to the Soma and his Vṛtra-slaying identity: the mythic force is ‘arrival for battle and boon.’ Psychologically, the yoked powers (harī) carry the awakened force to the inner pressings, where it breaks the Coverer (vṛtra) and outstrips competing impulses.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The verb set √vah (carry) and √yuj (yoke) are strong PIE inheritances (*weǵh-, *yeug-), preserving the Indo-European poetic formula of the god borne by yoked steeds to the rite.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi actively ‘yokes’ Indra through invocation: by naming his steeds and function (vṛtrahan), the poet establishes the conditions for Indra’s intervention—attendance at savanas and victory over inner/outer resistances.
Harness the vital energies to the higher mind; invoke breakthrough over the ‘coverer’.
Maṇipūra (vital power) directed by Ājñā (commanding clarity)
Kapalabhāti (gentle, if appropriate) or brisk nāḍī-śodhana to mobilize; then steady breathing while chanting to ‘yoke’ energy.
Forceful, disciplined, victory-oriented; readiness for inner conquest.
Before chanting, set a clear intention (one ‘ratha’ direction). While chanting, feel the breath as the horses—strong but obedient—carrying awareness to the brow-light; end by offering a moment of sweetness (Soma) inwardly.
Maintain RV accenting; keep vocatives ‘vṛtrahan’ and ‘śatakrato’ emphatic without shouting.
Crisp consonants in ‘vahantu tvā’; keep ‘ratheṣṭhām’ compact; pause slightly after ‘rathayujaḥ’; give weight to ‘vṛtrahan’.
(vahantu): ‘h’ clear, not dropped, ṣ (ratheṣṭhām): retroflex ṣṭh cluster—practice slowly, (harayaḥ): light ‘h’, clear ‘yaḥ’, (vṛtrahan): retroflex ṛ; ‘tr’ cluster clean, (śatakrato): ‘ś’ palatal; short vowels except final ‘o’
Commanding, rhythmic, drum-like articulation (steady breath support).
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