Rig Veda 6.17.8: Mandala 6, Sukta 17, Mantra 8
Sukta 6.17
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja Bārhaspatya
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Raudra (fury)
अध त्वा विश्वे पुर इन्द्र देवा एकं तवसं दधिरे भराय । अदेवो यदभ्यौहिष्ट देवान्त्स्वर्षाता वृणत इन्द्रमत्र ॥
ádha tvā víśve púra índra devā́ ékaṃ tavásaṃ dadhire bhárāya | ádevo yád abhy-áuhiṣṭa devā́n svàr-sātā vṛṇate índram átra ||
ครั้งนั้น โอ้อินทระ เหล่าเทพทั้งปวงได้ตั้งท่านไว้เบื้องหน้า ให้เป็นพลังอันกล้าเพียงหนึ่งเดียวเพื่อแบกภาระแห่งศึก เมื่อผู้ไร้เทพกดดันเหล่าเทพอย่างหนัก ผู้ชนะซึ่งได้แสงสว่างจึงเลือกอินทระไว้ ณ ที่นี้
Word by Word
- अध
- then, nowIndeclinableअव्यय (काल/विभक्ति-रहित)Role Adhikaraṇa (वाक्य-सम्बन्ध/अन्वय सूचक)Root अध (अव्यय)
- त्वा
- youPronounद्वितीया-एकवचन (सर्वनाम)Role KarmaRoot युष्मद् (त्वद्)
- विश्वे
- allAdjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-बहुवचनRole KartāRoot विश्व
- पुरः
- before, formerlyIndeclinable/Adverbial noun-formअव्ययीभावार्थे (before/at first)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot पुरस्
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-एकवचनRole SambodhanaRoot इन्द्र
- देवाः
- the godsNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-बहुवचनRole Kartā (विश्वे देवाः)Root देव
- एकम्
- one (single)Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचनRole Karma (दधिरे) / विधेय-विशेषणRoot एक
- तवसम्
- strength, mightNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचनRole Karma (एकं तवसम्)Root तवस्
- दधिरे
- they placed, they establishedVerbलिट् (परोक्ष/परफेक्ट), आत्मनेपद, ३पुरुष, बहुवचनRole KriyāRoot धा (दधि-)
- भराय
- for bearing/support; for the battle-burdenNounपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-एकवचनRole Sampradāna / प्रयोजन (उद्देश्य)Root भर
- अदेवः
- the non-god, ungodly one (demon)Noun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचनRole Kartā (यद्-उपवाक्ये) / विरोधीRoot अ-देव
- यत्
- when/that whichRelative pronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचन (अव्यक्त-सम्बन्ध)Role Sambandha (यद्…तद्) / कर्म-सम्भावनाRoot यद्
- अभ्यौहिṣṭ
- he pressed upon, attackedVerbलुङ् (अorist), परस्मैपद, ३पुरुष, एकवचनRole KriyāRoot अभि-उह् (उह्/वह्-सम्बद्धः; ‘to push/drive/press upon’)
- देवान्
- the godsNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot देव
- स्वःषाता
- winner of heaven/lightNoun (agent) / Epithetपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचनRole Kartā (वृणत) / विशेषणRoot स्वः-षातृ (√षा/√सद्? वैदिक ‘winner of svàr/heavenly light’)
- वृणत
- they choseVerbलङ् (imperfect), परस्मैपद, ३पुरुष, बहुवचनRole KriyāRoot वृ (वृणुते/वृणोति)
- इन्द्रम्
- IndraNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचनRole KarmaRoot इन्द्र
- अत्र
- here, in this matterIndeclinableअव्ययRole AdhikaraṇaRoot अत्र (अव्यय)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (pada-style): अध | त्वा | विश्वे | पुरः | इन्द्र | देवाः | एकम् | तवसम् | दधिरे | भराय || अदेवः | यत् | अभ्यौहिṣ्ट | देवान् | स्वःषाता | वृणत | इन्द्रम् | अत्र । Notable: देवान्त्स्वर्षाता = देवान् + स्वःषाता (final -न् before sibilant)
- accent marks in the Saṃhitā text are not reproduced in the separated padas
The meaning
Outer meaning
All the gods placed Indra in front as the single strong power for bearing the battle. When the godless pressed the gods, the winners of light chose Indra here.
Inner meaning
When inner conflict intensifies—forces of obscurity (adeva) assault the luminous tendencies (deva)—the whole hierarchy of aspiring powers in us (viśve devāḥ) puts forward Indra, the concentrated might of illumination, as the leader. ‘Battle’ (bhara) is the pressure of transformation: to carry it, consciousness must centralize in a decisive, light-winning intelligence. The ‘winners of the Light’ (svarṣātāḥ) are those movements of the being that choose truth and clarity; they select Indra ‘here’—in the immediate field of practice, not in abstraction.
Universal truth
In crisis, the psyche must choose a governing principle. Victory belongs to the part of us that consciously elects illumination as leader when darkness presses.
Themes
Divine election of Indra, Victory as illumination, Battle for svàr, Leadership of the One Force
The seer
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja Bārhaspatya
- Lineage
- Bharadvāja
- Other hymns
- RV 6.17.1-10, RV 6.18.1-5
Family tradition
Bharadvāja hymns often dramatize the inner battle: the gods as powers of consciousness, the asuric/adeva as resistances, and Indra as chosen leader.
Significance
The seer frames yoga as a collective inner alignment: when all higher faculties consent, illumination becomes sovereign and the battle turns.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- puraḥ-sthita (set in front), eka-tavasa (single concentrated strength), svarṣātā (light-winner)
- Related deities
- Maruts (supporting forces/impulsions), Agni (will as priest/initiator), Sarasvatī (inspired flow of truth)
Cosmic role
Marshal of the gods; decisive champion in the conflict between light and darkness.
Inner power
Leadership of discernment—ability to take command of the inner army, prioritize truth, and act with unified force.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-invocation for victory in Soma offerings; also recited as protective/leadership stotra in competitive rites.
अध॑ त्वा॒ विश्वे॑ पु॒र इ॑न्द्र दे॒वा एकं॑ त॒वसं॑ दधिरे॒ भरा॑य । अदे॑वो॒ यद॒भ्यौहि॑ष्ट दे॒वान्त्स्व॑र्षाता वृणत॒ इन्द्र॒मत्र॑ ॥
अध॑ । त्वा॒ । विश्वे॑ । पु॒रः । इ॒न्द्र॒ । दे॒वाः । एक॑म् । त॒वस॑म् । द॒धि॒रे॒ । भरा॑य । अदे॑वः । यत् । अ॒भि । औहि॑ष्ट । दे॒वान् । स्वः॑ऽसाता । वृ॒ण॒ते॒ । इन्द्र॑म् । अत्र॑ ॥
adha | tvā | viśve | puraḥ | indra | devāḥ | ekam | tavasam | dadhire | bharāya | adevaḥ | yat | abhi | auhiṣṭa | devān | svaḥ-sātā | vṛṇate | indram | atra
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4 × 11
Martial and directive; natural emphasis on ‘puraḥ’ and ‘ekaṃ’ gives a command-like lift.
Energizes resolve; helps practitioners ‘choose’ a higher center when scattered by conflict.
- विश्वे देवाः (viśve devāḥ)
- Literal: all the gods. Symbolic: all luminous faculties—aspiration, discernment, courage, harmony
- पुरः (puraḥ)
- Literal: in front. Symbolic: to the forefront of consciousness as leader
- एकं तवसम् (ekaṃ tavasaṃ)
- Literal: the one strong (power). Symbolic: centralized force of illumined mind
- भरा॑य (bharāya)
- Literal: for the battle/burden-bearing. Symbolic: to carry the pressure of sadhana and inner struggle
- अदेवः (adevaḥ)
- Literal: godless, non-luminous. Symbolic: forces of ignorance, denial, inertia, perversion
- स्वःसाता (svaḥ-sātā)
- Literal: winners of svah/light. Symbolic: inner movements that win illumination and higher consciousness
- वृणते (vṛṇate)
- Literal: they choose. Symbolic: act of inner consent—decision for the higher leadership
Indra invoked as leader-force in Soma offering sequences; suitable for rites seeking victory (svàr-sāti) and removal of hostile/demonic pressures.
When seeking triumph over opposition (outer or inner) and for strengthening the yajamāna’s resolve.
Recitation with offering; mentally place Indra ‘in front’ of the rite as protector and leader.
Use before difficult decisions or when facing inner relapse: a short ‘leadership invocation’ to put clarity first.
tavása: ‘strong’ from √tav ‘be strong’ (cf. Av. tava-). bhárāya: dat. of bhára ‘bearing, bringing, contest’ from √bhṛ ‘to bear’ (PIE *bʰer-). svàr-sātā: compound ‘winning svàr’ (svàr ‘sun-light, luminous heaven’ + √san/√sā ‘to win, gain’), a characteristic RV idiom for victory as attainment of illumination. a-deva: privative a- + deva ‘shining one’; psychologically ‘forces not consenting to light/ṛta’.
svàr (illumined world), choice/election of the divine force (vṛṇate), conflict of deva vs. a-deva as knowledge vs. ignorance
Choosing Indra is choosing ṛta-led intelligence over adeva distortion.
Truth wins by consent and alignment of inner powers, not by force alone.
Ordering of powers—establishing a leader principle so the cosmos/psyche can act coherently.
Integral yoga psychology: inner parts must consent to the psychic/illumined leadership for transformation.
A rallying of energies; attention moves to the ‘front’ (waking executive mind) under a higher light-guidance.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘election of the champion’ mythologem: the gods place Indra at the forefront as the concentrated force for the decisive carrying (bhara) of the conflict, specifically when the a-deva pressures assail the luminous order. Inner sense: the illumined faculties select and enthrone the will-force (Indra) to lead the integral struggle for svàr (illumination).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The verse uses inherited battle/victory diction: √bhṛ ‘bear/carry’ (PIE *bʰer-) for ‘bearing the conflict’, √vṛ ‘choose’ (PIE *wel- ‘to wish/choose’) for divine selection, and the light-world term svàr (cognate cluster debated; archaic Indo-Iranian celestial lexicon). The syntax ‘puraḥ … dadhire’ matches common IE poetic formulas for placing a leader in front.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi aligns with the collective divine intention (‘all the gods’), affirming Indra as the single focused potency needed when hostile pressures rise. The hymn thus becomes an act of inner appointment: speech (brahman) ratifies Indra’s leadership in the sādhanā of svàr-sāti.
Inner election: consciously place illumined mind in command; gather scattered parts and offer them to Indra.
Ājñā (command center)
Brisk 3-part inhale (clavicular expansion) + long exhale to ‘seat Indra in front’; 7 rounds.
From reactive fragmentation to unified executive clarity.
Before action, pause and inwardly say ‘pura indra’; feel the ‘front’ of awareness brighten; then proceed from that light, not from pressure.
Use śākhā svara marks; keep strong udātta on índra and on contrast terms devā/adeva.
Make ‘pura índra devāḥ’ a clear opening unit; slight pause after bharāya; articulate contrasts (devān / adevaḥ) distinctly.
viśve: ‘śv’ cluster clean, not ‘shiv’, abhy auhiṣṭa: sandhi—keep glide ‘y a’ without breaking, svarṣātā: retroflex ṣ; long ā at end, vṛṇata: vocalic ṛ, dental n
Commanding, bright, slightly higher placement; end each pāda with firmness.
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