Rig Veda 7.18.24: Mandala 7, Sukta 18, Mantra 24
Sukta 7.18
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
यस्य श्रवो रोदसी अन्तरुर्वी शीर्ष्णेशीर्ष्णे विबभाजा विभक्ता । सप्तेदिन्द्रं न स्रवतो गृणन्ति नि युध्यामधिमशिशादभीके ॥
yásya śrávo ródasī antárurvī́ śīrṣṇéśīrṣṇe vibabhā́jā vibhaktā́ | saptéd índraṃ ná sraváto gṛṇanti ní yudhyāmadhím āśiśād abhī́ke ||
อินทรา (Indra)—ผู้ซึ่งเกียรติยศอันเกิดจากแรงดลใจเติมเต็มสองโลกภายในความกว้างใหญ่ และแจกจ่ายอำนาจจากยอดสู่ยอด—ฤๅษีทั้งเจ็ดสรรเสริญพระองค์ดุจสายน้ำที่ไหลริน. ในการปะทะระยะประชิด พระองค์กดข่มผู้รุกรานผู้ใฝ่ศึก และทำให้ความขัดแย้งยอมจำนน.
Word by Word
- यस्य
- whosePronounपुं/नपुं, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive relation)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- श्रवः
- fame, renownNounनपुंसक, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ/विषय (subject)Root श्रवस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- रोदसी
- the two worlds (heaven and earth)Nounस्त्री, प्रथमा, द्विवचनRole कर्तृ/विषय (co-subject)Root रोदसी (द्विवचन-प्रातिपदिक; द्यावापृथिव्यौ)
- अन्तर्
- within, betweenIndeclinableअव्ययRole अधिकरण (locative sense: within)Root अन्तर् (अव्यय/उपसर्गीय)
- उर्वी
- broad, wide (expanse)Adjective/Nounस्त्री, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole विशेषण/विषयRoot उर्वी (प्रातिपदिक)
- शीर्ष्णे
- on/at the headNounनपुंसक, सप्तमी, एकवचन (वेदिक रूप)Role अधिकरणRoot शीर्षन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- शीर्ष्णे
- on/at the headNounनपुंसक, सप्तमी, एकवचन (वेदिक रूप)Role अधिकरणRoot शीर्षन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- विबभाजा
- has apportioned, has distributedVerbलिट् (परोक्श/परफेक्ट), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot भज् (धातु) + वि
- विभक्ता
- the distributor, apportionerParticipleभूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (agent epithet)Root भज् (धातु) + वि
- सप्त
- sevenNumeralअव्ययवत्/अविकारी संख्या (यहाँ विशेषणरूपेण)Role विशेषणRoot सप्तन् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
- इत्
- indeed, justIndeclinableअव्ययRole निपात (emphasis)Root इत् (निपात)
- इन्द्रम्
- IndraNounपुं, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- न
- like, asIndeclinableअव्ययRole उपमान-निपातRoot न (निपात)
- स्रवतः
- of the flowing (one/stream)Adjective/Participleवर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), पुं, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive: of the flowing one)Root स्रवत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √स्रु ‘to flow’)
- गृणन्ति
- they praise, singVerbलट्, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot गृ (धातु; ‘to sing/praise’)
- नि
- down, in; firmlyIndeclinableअव्ययRole उपसर्ग (direction/intensifier)Root नि (उपसर्ग)
- युध्याम
- you should fight / fight!Verbविधिलिङ्/आशीर्लिङ् (वेदिक injunctive-like use), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपदRole क्रियाRoot युध् (धातु)
- अधि
- upon, overIndeclinableअव्ययRole अधिकरण/उपसर्ग (over, upon)Root अधि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- मशिशाद
- has sat down/has settled; has pressed on (contextual)Verbलिट्/लुङ् (वेदिक), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रियाRoot शद्/शद्? (वेदिक √शद्/√शद् ‘to sit/settle’ or √शद् ‘to overcome’; here: म-शिशाद as perfect/aorist of √शद् with intensification)
- अभीके
- in the near encounter, at close quartersNoun/Adverbialनपुंसक, सप्तमी, एकवचन (अव्ययीभाव-प्राय)Role अधिकरणRoot अभीक (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (Vedic): यस्य | श्रवः | रोदसी | अन्तर् | उर्वी | शीर्ष्णे | शीर्ष्णे | विबभाजा | विभक्ता | सप्त | इत् | इन्द्रम् | न | स्रवतः | गृणन्ति | नि | युध्याम् | अधि | मशिशाद् | अभीके । प्रमुख सन्धि: (1) अन्तरुर्वी → अन्तर् + उर्वी (र् + उ → रु)
- (2) सप्तेदिन्द्रम् → सप्त + इत् + इन्द्रम् (त् + इ → ते; इत् + इ- संधि से दीर्घ/संयोग)
- (3) न स्रवतो गृणन्ति: स्रवतो = स्रवतः (पदपाठ में विसर्ग-लोप/वेदिक रूप)
- (4) नि युध्यामधिमशिशादभीके → नि + युध्याम् + अधि + मशिशाद् + अभीके (पदसंयोग से ध्वनि-सन्धि)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra’s renown fills the two worlds, distributing mastery from summit to summit. Seven seers praise him like flowing streams. In close encounter he has pressed down the battling assailant and made the conflict yield.
Inner meaning
‘Śravas’ is not mere fame but the inspired vibration of victorious truth that pervades mind and life (rodasī: the two worlds). Indra distributes from ‘summit to summit’—from higher mental peaks down through levels of consciousness—apportioning powers rightly (vibhaktā). The ‘seven seers’ are the seven inner faculties/streams of inspired perception (or the seven rays) that praise the illumined Mind as rivers praise the sea: their flow is the movement of revelation. In the intimate clash (abhīke), Indra presses down the assailant—inner resistance, the Vṛtra-like force that fights to keep consciousness narrow—and makes the struggle yield into widened order.
Universal truth
When illumination governs, it permeates every plane and organizes powers from the highest to the lowest. Then the many streams of our being turn naturally toward praise (alignment), and resistance collapses in the decisive inner encounter.
Themes
Indra as distributor, seven seers/streams, pervasion of the two worlds, subduing the adversary
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha (Maitrāvaruṇa)
- Other hymns
- RV 7.18.1–20 (Indra victory narrative), RV 7.82–7.84 (orderly sovereignty themes)
Family tradition
Book 7 often frames victory as establishment of wide order; Vasiṣṭha’s ‘seven’ motif resonates with seer-collectivity and integral functioning.
Significance
Vasiṣṭha speaks as one who experiences illumination as organizing mastery across planes, not a momentary flash.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Vṛtrahan, Śatakratu, Maghavan, Vibhaktā (distributor, here)
- Related deities
- Maruts (sevenfold/hosted forces aiding Indra), Sarasvatī (flowing inspiration, stream imagery), Agni (the will that prepares the encounter)
Cosmic role
Establishes wide dominion of light; organizes the worlds; crushes the resisting assailant.
Inner power
Master of luminous intelligence that integrates multiple faculties and wins in the decisive inner battle.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra praise in Soma offerings; victory/overcoming obstruction stotra
यस्य॒ श्रवो॒ रोद॑सी अ॒न्तरु॒र्वी शी॒र्ष्णेशी॑र्ष्णे विब॒भाजा॑ विभ॒क्ता । स॒प्तेदिन्द्रं॒ न स्र॒वतो॑ गृणन्ति॒ नि यु॑ध्याम॒धिम॑शिशाद॒भीके॑ ॥
यस्य॑ । श्रवः॑ । रोद॑सी॒ इति॑ । अ॒न्तः । उ॒र्वी इति॑ । शी॒र्ष्णेऽशी॑र्ष्णे । वि॒ऽब॒भाज॑ । वि॒ऽभ॒क्ता । स॒प्त । इत् । इन्द्र॑म् । न । स्र॒वतः॑ । गृ॒ण॒न्ति॒ । नि । यु॒ध्या॒म॒धिम् । आ॒शि॒शा॒त् । अ॒भीके॑ ॥
yasya | śravaḥ | rodasī iti | antaḥ | urvī iti | śīrṣṇe--śīrṣṇe | vi-babhāja | vi-bhaktā | sapta | it | indram | na | sravataḥ | gṛṇanti | ni | yudhyāmadhim | āśiśāt | abhīke
44
4 × ~11
Grand, panoramic first half (world-filling renown), then quickening in the battle-clinch (abhīke).
Creates vastness and then a decisive compression—mirroring expansion of consciousness and the final strike through resistance.
- श्रवः (śravaḥ)
- Literal: fame/renown. Symbolic: inspired truth-vibration; luminous effectiveness that spreads through the being
- रोदसी (rodasī)
- Literal: the two worlds (heaven and earth). Symbolic: mind and life; higher and lower planes of consciousness
- शीर्ष्णे-शीर्ष्णे (śīrṣṇe-śīrṣṇe)
- Literal: from summit to summit. Symbolic: across levels/peaks of consciousness; from higher mind to its extensions
- विभक्ता (vibhaktā)
- Literal: distributor/apportioner. Symbolic: organizer of energies according to truth (ṛta)
- सप्त (sapta)
- Literal: seven. Symbolic: seven rays/faculties/streams of inspiration in the being
- स्रवतः (sravataḥ)
- Literal: flowing streams. Symbolic: currents of inspiration and perception moving toward the One
- अभीके (abhīke)
- Literal: in close encounter. Symbolic: the intimate inner crisis where resistance is faced directly
- नि युध्यामधिम् (ni yudhyāmadhim)
- Literal: the fighting assailant. Symbolic: the aggressive resistance of the lower nature that contests illumination
Soma praise of Indra as ‘vibhaktā’ (distributor of boons); recitation to secure wide renown (śravas) and victory in contest.
When invoking Indra’s mastery and defeat of enemies/obstacles; often around pressing/offerings to Indra
Recitation to strengthen the victorious force; symbolic ‘pressing down’ of obstruction
For overcoming inner resistance: chant before a difficult conversation, addiction-breaking, or fear-facing—visualize Indra pressing down the assailant.
śrávas (√śru ‘hear’) also aligns with PIE *ḱlew- ‘fame/hearing’ (cf. Greek kléos), a classic Indo-European poetic inheritance. vibhaktā from vi-√bhaj ‘to apportion’ (PIE *bʰag- ‘share, allot’; cf. Slavic bogŭ ‘dispenser’ in later developments) supports Indra as distributor of portions/powers. sravataḥ from √sru ‘to flow’ (PIE *sreu- ‘flow’; cf. English stream) grounds the metaphor of praise as streams.
bṛhat/wideness (urvī), cosmic distribution/order (vi-bhaj as allotment aligned to ṛta), victory in crisis (abhīke as liminal confrontation)
Indra’s mastery is ṛta’s executive power: apportioning energies from summit to summit.
Truth becomes ‘heard’ and effective as śravas filling both worlds.
Expansion (uru) and integration of planes through illumination; rivers-to-sea unity (sapta…sravataḥ).
Vedic integralism: multi-plane consciousness unified under illumined mind.
Summits = higher mind peaks; streams = flows of inspiration; two worlds = mind-life integration.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Indra’s ‘world-filling fame’ and his role as apportioner: he establishes sovereignty across Heaven-and-Earth and subdues the hostile battling force. The seven praising streams encode the archetype of inspired channels feeding the central victorious power.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- śrávas ~ Greek kléos (PIE *ḱlew- ‘fame/hearing’) is a signature Indo-European poetic concept. sravataḥ (√sru, PIE *sreu- ‘flow’) supports the inherited metaphor of song as flowing water.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi’s praise is presented as one of the ‘seven streams’ that feed Indra’s śravas; in return Indra distributes right portions (vibhaktā) and subdues the inner adversary at the critical point (abhīke).
Let illumined mind pervade both ‘worlds’ (thought and action). Gather the seven inner streams into one aspiration; face the key resistance directly.
Ājñā (Indra’s illumined command) with integration down to Maṇipūra (battle-force)
Ujjāyī with a firm exhale on the ‘pressing down’; 7 rounds, each round offering one ‘stream’ (faculty) into the center.
Wide, sovereign clarity culminating in decisive breakthrough
First, expand awareness to include body and mind together (rodasī). Next, feel a descending command from ‘summit’ to ‘summit’—order each part of life. Finally, name one resisting pattern and, on exhale, imagine it pressed down into stillness; rest in the widened space.
Maintain uplift on indram and on key expansive terms (rodasī, urvī, śravaḥ); tighten articulation in pāda 4 (abhīke) for the ‘clinch’.
Pādas 1–2: broad, sustained; pāda 3: flowing like streams; pāda 4: clipped, decisive consonants.
rodasī: keep final ī long, śīrṣṇe-śīrṣṇe: articulate ṣṇ cluster carefully; slight pause at the hyphenated repetition, aśiśād: keep the reduplication clear (a-śi-śād), not ‘ashishad’ slurred
Majestic then forceful; clear attack on consonants in the final pāda
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.
