Rig Veda 10.48.1: Mandala 10, Sukta 48, Mantra 1
Sukta 10.48
- Devata
- Indra
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
अहं भुवं वसुनः पूर्व्यस्पतिरहं धनानि सं जयामि शश्वतः । मां हवन्ते पितरं न जन्तवोऽहं दाशुषे वि भजामि भोजनम् ॥
aháṃ bhúvam vásunaḥ pū́rvyas pátir aháṃ dhánāni sáṃ jayāmi śáśvataḥ | mā́ṃ havante pitáraṃ ná jantávo ’háṃ dāśúṣe ví bhajāmi bhójanam ||
ข้าคือเจ้าแห่งความอุดม ผู้เป็นนายดั้งเดิมแห่งเหล่าวสุ (Vasu); ข้ารวบรวมทรัพย์สมบัติให้มาประชุมกันเป็นนิตย์. สรรพชีวิตเรียกหาข้า ดุจเรียกบิดา; และแก่ผู้ถวายบูชา (dāśuṣ) ข้าแบ่งปันส่วนแห่งการเสวย—เป็นอาหารหล่อเลี้ยงภายในและส่วนแห่งความผาสุก.
Word by Word
- अहम्
- IPronounप्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अभुवम्
- I became / I have beenVerbलुङ् (अorist), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole कर्तृ (क्रिया)Root √भू (भवति)
- वसूनाम्
- of the Vasus (or: of riches)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root वसु (प्रातिपदिक)
- पूर्व्यः
- ancient, primevalAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचनRole कर्तृ-विशेषणRoot पूर्व्य (विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक)
- पतिः
- lordNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (समास/विधेय)Root पति (प्रातिपदिक)
- अहम्
- IPronounप्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- धनानि
- wealths, treasuresNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot धन (प्रातिपदिक)
- सम्
- together, completelyIndeclinableउपसर्ग (क्रियाविशेषक)Root सम् (उपसर्ग)
- जयामि
- I win, I conquerVerbलट् (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole कर्तृ (क्रिया)Root √जि (जयति)
- शश्वतः
- always, continuallyIndeclinableअव्यय (कालवाचक)Role अधिकारण (काल)Root शश्वत् (अव्यय/निपात-प्रातिपदिक)
- माम्
- mePronounद्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- हवन्ते
- they call/invokeVerbलट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, आत्मनेपदRole कर्तृ (क्रिया)Root √ह्वे (ह्वयति/ह्वयते; Vedic: हवते)
- पितरम्
- a fatherNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचनRole कर्म (उपमान-रूपेण)Root पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- न
- like, asIndeclinableउपमानार्थक-अव्ययRoot न (निपात)
- जन्तवः
- creatures, peopleNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot जन्तु (प्रातिपदिक)
- अहम्
- IPronounप्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- दाशुषे
- to the worshipper/giverNoun (participle used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी विभक्ति, एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot दाशुष् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √दाश्/√दश् ‘to give, worship’)
- वि
- apart, out, distributivelyIndeclinableउपसर्ग (क्रियाविशेषक)Root वि (उपसर्ग)
- भजामि
- I apportion, I bestowVerbलट् (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole कर्तृ (क्रिया)Root √भज् (भजति)
- भोजनम्
- nourishment, bounty, enjoymentNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot भोजन (प्रातिपदिक; from √भुज्/√भोज् ‘to enjoy, feed’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: अहम् | अभुवम् | वसूनाम् | पूर्व्यः | पतिः | अहम् | धनानि | सम् | जयामि | शश्वतः | माम् | हवन्ते | पितरम् | न | जन्तवः | अहम् | दाशुषे | वि | भजामि | भोजनम् । मुख्य-सन्धयः: (1) भुवं → अभुवम् (लुङ्-रूपे ‘अ-’ आगमः; संहितायां ‘अहं भुवं’ इति पाठः) (2) पूर्व्यस्+पतिः → पूर्व्यः पतिः (विसर्ग-सन्धि) (3) जन्तवोऽहम् = जन्तवः + अहम् (ओ/अः + अ → ओऽ; अवग्रह) (4) सं जयामि = सम् + जयामि (अनुस्वार/म्-परसवर्णः; उपसर्गः) (5) वि भजामि = वि + भजामि (उपसर्गः; संधि-रूपेण पृथक् उच्चारणः)।
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra speaks: he is the ancient lord of abundance, gathers riches forever; beings call him like a father; to the offerer he apportions enjoyment/food.
Inner meaning
Indra as the illumined Mind proclaims his perennial sovereignty over inner plenitude (vasu, dhana). He ‘gathers’ scattered energies and faculties into a coherent power of being. The seeker calls him ‘father’ because illumination generates and protects the higher life in us. To the dāśuṣ (the one who gives/serves—offers the inner sacrifice), Indra distributes bhojana: not mere food but the share of delight, strength, and sustaining consciousness that nourishes the yoga.
Universal truth
A higher intelligence becomes paternal when we align with it through offering: it organizes our scattered resources and grants a sustainable joy and capacity proportional to our sincerity and surrender.
Themes
Deity self-revelation, Abundance and distribution, Reciprocity of offering and boon
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 10.48.1-5 (Indra’s self-proclamation sequence)
Significance
Self-revelatory mantras present the deity as an inner power speaking from within the seeker—useful for meditation as identification with the illumined principle rather than external petition.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- pūrvyas pati (ancient lord), pitṛvat (father-like), maghavan (bountiful)
- Related deities
- Agni (inner priest), Soma (delight)
Cosmic role
Collector and distributor of the plenitudes; organizer of energies for the victory of light.
Inner power
Integrative illumination that gathers scattered parts of the being and apportions delight as stable nourishment.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra’s self-manifestation hymns support confidence and receptivity in the sacrificer; used to affirm Indra’s sovereignty and his law of distributing ‘bhoga’ to the dāśuṣ (offerer).
अ॒हं भु॑वं॒ वसु॑नः पू॒र्व्यस्पति॑र॒हं धना॑नि॒ सं ज॑यामि॒ शश्व॑तः । मां ह॑वन्ते पि॒तरं॒ न ज॒न्तवो॒ऽहं दा॒शुषे॒ वि भ॑जामि॒ भोज॑नम् ॥
अ॒हम् । भु॒व॒म् । वसु॑नः । पू॒र्व्यः । पतिः॑ । अ॒हम् । धना॑नि । सम् । ज॒जा॒मि॒ । शश्व॑तः । माम् । ह॒व॒न्ते॒ । पि॒तर॑म् । न । ज॒न्तवः॑ । अ॒हम् । दा॒शुषे॑ । वि । भ॒जा॒मि॒ । भोज॑नम् ॥
aham | bhuvam | vasunaḥ | pūrvyaḥ | patiḥ | aham | dhanāni | sam | jajāmi | śaśvataḥ | mām | havante | pitaram | na | jantavaḥ | aham | dāśuṣe | vi | bhajāmi | bhojanam
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4×11
Majestic, proclamatory; suited to self-assertion of divine power.
Instills confidence and inner dependence on a higher guidance; supports integration and steadiness.
- वसुनः पतिः (vasunaḥ patiḥ)
- Literal: lord of riches. Symbolic: sovereign of inner resources—light, strength, joy
- पूर्व्यः (pūrvyáḥ)
- Literal: ancient, primordial. Symbolic: ever-present principle of illumination in consciousness
- धनानि सं जयामि (dhanāni saṃ jayāmi)
- Literal: I gather/conquer riches together. Symbolic: integration of faculties; victory over dispersion
- पितरम् (pitaram)
- Literal: father. Symbolic: generative guide of the inner life; protector of growth
- दाśुṣe (dāśuṣe)
- Literal: to the giver/offerer. Symbolic: to the one who offers ego and energies into the inner sacrifice
- भोजनम् (bhojanam)
- Literal: food/enjoyment. Symbolic: psychic nourishment—share of delight and sustaining force
Indra’s self-manifestation hymns support confidence and receptivity in the sacrificer; used to affirm Indra’s sovereignty and his law of distributing ‘bhoga’ to the dāśuṣ (offerer).
Indra stotras where the deity’s greatness and generosity are declared; supportive in prosperity/protection sequences.
Recitation to affirm Indra’s lordship and invite distribution of ‘bhojana’ to the sacrificer.
Affirmation-mantra for inner integration: chant before work to gather energies and act from illumined guidance.
This sukta is Indra’s self-declaration (aham-style). vasu ‘good, bright, wealth’ from √vas ‘to dwell/shine’ (overlapping fields of ‘dwelling’ and ‘good possession’). ji √ji ‘to conquer, win’ (PIE *gʷei̯h₃- ‘live’ is separate; here ‘win’ is Indo-Iranian). bhaj √bhaj ‘to share’ (cf. Bhaga, distributor). dāś √dāś ‘to worship, offer’ → dāśuṣ ‘pious giver’.
Divine distribution (bhaga/bhaj), Perpetual winning/gathering (śaśvataḥ), Fatherhood as protective consciousness
Indra’s gathering and apportioning implies ordering of forces according to ṛta.
The ‘ancient’ lord suggests an abiding truth-principle in consciousness.
From unity of gathered powers comes sustained enjoyment (bhojana) and growth.
Psychological Vedism: deity as inner function—illumined mind organizing the being.
Wealth/food symbolize energies and delight that sustain inner evolution; ‘father’ symbolizes originating consciousness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘divine king as distributor’ mythologem: Indra declares himself lord of vasu and the one who wins and gathers riches, then apportions enjoyment to the sacrificer. Inner reading: the awakened luminous mind-force gathers scattered energies and distributes a right enjoyment (bhoga) to the consecrated parts of the being.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- pitṛ ‘father’ continues PIE *ph₂tḗr (cf. Latin pater). The distributive √bhaj relates to the Indo-Iranian concept of Bhaga (portioner), comparable to PIE *bʰag- ‘share, apportion’ (cf. Slavic bogŭ with semantic shifts).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The hymn places the rishi/sacrificer as a dependent ‘creature’ who calls the divine Father; yet the relationship is contractual in ṛta: the one who offers (dāśuṣ) receives a measured distribution (vi-bhajāmi) of inner sustenance, not random gift.
Invoke the ‘ancient lord’ within: gather scattered attention into one luminous center; receive inner nourishment as quiet joy and strength.
Maṇipūra (gathering power) and Anāhata (paternal support)
Inhale 4 (gather), exhale 6 (offer); chant one pāda per breath-cycle.
Integration and quiet empowerment.
After chanting, list (mentally) the ‘scattered riches’ (attention, time, energy) and offer them inwardly; then act on one integrated priority.
Mixed; emphasize udātta on ‘ahám’, ‘pū́rvyáḥ’, ‘pítaram’, ‘bhójanam’ (as marked in recitation tradition).
Keep the repeated ‘aham’ strong but not harsh; let the cadence broaden on ‘śaśvataḥ’.
‘śaśvataḥ’: three clear syllables śa-śva-taḥ., ‘jantavo’: soft ‘j’, and avoid nasalizing ‘vo’., ‘vi bhajāmi’: separate vi-bha-jā-mi cleanly., Maintain long ā in ‘māṃ’.
Steady, dignified, slightly resonant in the chest.
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