Rig Veda 8.64.5: Mandala 8, Sukta 64, Mantra 5
Sukta 8.64
- Devata
- Indra
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
त्यं चित्पर्वतं गिरिं शतवन्तं सहस्रिणम् । वि स्तोतृभ्यो रुरोजिथ ॥
tyáṁ cit párvataṁ giríṁ śatá-vantaṁ sahasríṇam | ví stotṛ́bhyó rurojitha ||
శతములూ సహస్రములూ గల ఆ పర్వత-శిఖరాన్నికూడా—ఆ ఉన్నత గిరిని—స్తుతి చేసే ఋషుల కొరకు నీవు విస్తారంగా పగులగొట్టి తెరిచితివి; అంతర్లీనంగా దాగిన పరిపూర్ణత వెలువడునట్లు.
Word by Word
- त्यम्
- him/that onePronounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) → त्य (एतद्/तद्-प्रत्ययात्मक रूप)
- चित्
- indeed, evenIndeclinableनिपात (अव्यय)Root चित् (निपात)
- पर्वतम्
- mountainNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot पर्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
- गिरिम्
- mountain, hillNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot गिरि (प्रातिपदिक)
- शतवन्तम्
- having hundreds (of peaks/strength), hundredfoldAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (विशेषणम्; पर्वतम्/गिरिम् इत्यस्य)Role कर्मRoot शतवत् (प्रातिपदिक; शत + वत् ‘having hundreds’)
- सहस्रिणम्
- thousandfold, possessing thousandsAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (विशेषणम्; पर्वतम्/गिरिम् इत्यस्य)Role कर्मRoot सहस्रिन् (प्रातिपदिक; सहस्र + इन् ‘possessing thousands’)
- वि
- apart, asunder, forthIndeclinableउपसर्गः (क्रियाविशेषकः)Root वि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- स्तोतृभ्यः
- to/for the praisers (singers)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी/पञ्चमी, बहुवचनRole सम्प्रदान (दत्त-लाभार्थ) / अपादान (वियोगार्थ) (सन्दर्भानुसार)Root स्तोतृ (प्रातिपदिक; √स्तु ‘to praise’ + तृ)
- रुरोजिथ
- you have shattered/brokenVerbलिट् (परिपूर्ण/परोक्शभूत), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्Role क्रिया (कर्तृ-निहिता)Root √रुज् (रुजोति ‘to break, shatter’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: त्यम् | चित् | पर्वतम् | गिरिम् | शतवन्तम् | सहस्रिणम् | वि | स्तोतृभ्यः | रुरोजिथ । 1) त्यं चित् → त्यम् + चित् (अनुस्वार-सन्धिः: म् + च्)। 2) स्तोतृभ्यो रुरोजिथ → स्तोतृभ्यः + रुरोजिथ (विसर्ग-सन्धिः: अः + र् → ओ र्; ‘भ्यः’ → ‘भ्यो’)।
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra has broken open even a great mountain for the praising seers.
Inner meaning
The ‘mountain’ is the massive obstruction or compressed formation in consciousness—habit, ignorance, subconscient inertia—holding back the hidden riches (light, force, delight). Indra’s illumined power cleaves it open for the stotṛs (those who affirm and articulate the truth), releasing the concealed plenitudes into the waking being.
Universal truth
When aspiration and true speech persist, the higher force can break the hardest inner resistances and liberate long-stored capacities and joy.
Themes
obstacle-breaking, release motif, praise-power, Indra’s force
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 8.64.3-4, Rig Veda 8.64.6-7
Significance
The verse carries a classic Indra motif (cleaving the mountain/cave) central to the psychological reading: liberation of the hidden light for the seeker through inspired speech and aspiration.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- breaker-open (implicit), victor over covers (Vṛtrahan motif implied)
- Related deities
- Bṛhaspati (opener by the Word), Sarasvatī (inspired flow), Agni (leader of sacrifice)
Cosmic role
Opener of the closed places, releaser of the waters/cows/lights; champion in the cosmic battle.
Inner power
Force of illumination that shatters rigid mental-vital formations and opens the inner pathways.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra praise in Soma ritual; mythic exemplum to strengthen the rite
त्यं चि॒त्पर्व॑तं गि॒रिं श॒तव॑न्तं सह॒स्रिण॑म् । वि स्तो॒तृभ्यो॑ रुरोजिथ ॥
त्यम् । चि॒त् । पर्व॑तम् । गि॒रिम् । श॒तऽव॑न्तम् । स॒ह॒स्रिण॑म् । वि । स्तो॒तृऽभ्यः॑ । रु॒रो॒जि॒थ॒ ॥
tyam | cit | parvatam | girim | śata-vantam | sahasriṇam | vi | stotṛ-bhyaḥ | rurojitha
32
4 pādas of ~8 syllables (typical anuṣṭubh cadence; exact scansion uncertain)
Hammer-like, decisive; suitable for a ‘breaking’ image.
Builds confidence and dynamic pressure against inner resistance.
- parvata / giri
- Literal: mountain, hill. Symbolic: concentrated obstruction; fixed formations of ignorance/subconscient resistance
- śatavantaṃ sahasriṇam
- Literal: having hundreds and thousands. Symbolic: seemingly innumerable layers of difficulty; vast stored energies within the obstruction
- vi rurojitha
- Literal: you broke open wide. Symbolic: decisive opening/cleaving of the cover; liberation of blocked consciousness
- stotṛbhyaḥ
- Literal: for the praisers. Symbolic: for those who practice affirmation/mantra and soul-aspiration through the Word
Soma praise of Indra’s ‘opening’ power; used to intensify the sense of Indra as breaker of obstructions before/while offering Soma.
During stotras recounting Indra’s victorious deeds
Stuti with itihāsa-like deed remembrance
Use when facing persistent blocks (fear, addiction patterns, inertia): recite as an inner ‘opening’ mantra before effort.
√ruj ‘to break’ (rurojitha) conveys forceful opening; in Indra’s mythic pattern it corresponds to smashing obstacles (mountain/cave) to release withheld riches (cows/waters/light). parvata/giri function as symbolic ‘hard formations’ of ignorance or subconscient inertia. stotṛ points to √stu ‘praise’—the Word as effective power that invites Indra’s action.
release of the hidden plenitude, obstruction vs. revelation, efficacy of the Word (stotra)
Breaking the mountain restores the free flow required by ṛta.
Truth releases what is concealed by false fixities.
Revelation of hidden plenitude from within apparent hardness.
Yoga of transformation: uncovering the concealed light in matter-like consciousness.
Rock = hardened subconscient; cleaving = breakthrough/insight; hidden thousands = latent energies and knowledges.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Indra ‘splits the mountain’—a standard release-myth (mountain/cave as enclosure of light/waters/cows). Inner sense: the divine force breaks the hardened formation of ignorance so the concealed powers can flow into the conscious life.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √ruj ‘break’ has Indo-European parallels in the semantic field of ‘breaking/crushing’ (cf. related Indic forms like ruj-/rujā). The poetic formula of ‘splitting the mountain’ parallels Indo-European dragon/obstruction-slaying and release narratives (storm-god vs. enclosure).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The stotṛ (praiser) offers the formulated Word; Indra reciprocates by opening what is closed. The relationship is functional: aspiration articulated as hymn becomes the lever for the divine action of release.
Break the ‘inner rock’: identify one rigid pattern; invoke Indra’s force to split it and release light.
maṇipūra (force to break inertia)
Kapalabhati-light (if suitable) or strong exhale on ‘vi rurojitha’ to embody the ‘opening’.
Dynamic will with clear intent; breakthrough readiness.
After chanting, sit and watch for the first ‘crack’—a small shift in perception/energy. Follow it gently; do not force the mind, let the opening widen naturally.
Maintain the punch on ‘vi’ and the verb ‘rurojitha’; keep compounds flowing without breaking rhythm.
Slight emphasis on parvataṃ giriṃ (the object) then strongest on vi rurojitha (the action).
tyaṃ: nasalized ‘ṃ’ at end, parvatam: clear ‘rv’ cluster, śatavantaṃ: dental t, avoid retroflex, sahasriṇam: keep ‘h’ audible, retroflex ṇ
Firm, percussive, victorious.
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