Rig Veda 8.14.8: Mandala 8, Sukta 14, Mantra 8
Sukta 8.14
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Likely Anuṣṭubh-like shorter meter in this opening
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
उद्गा आजदङ्गिरोभ्य आविष्कृण्वन्गुहा सतीः । अर्वाञ्चं नुनुदे वलम् ॥
úd gā́ ājad áṅgirobhya āvíṣ kṛṇván guhā́ satī́ḥ | arvā́ñcaṃ nunude valám ||
ท่านทรงขับโคแห่งแสง (รัศมี) ให้พุ่งขึ้นเพื่อเหล่าอังคิรส ทำสิ่งที่ซ่อนอยู่ในถ้ำให้ปรากฏ และทรงผลักวาละ (Vala) ผู้กั้นล้อมต้านทานให้ถอยไป เพื่อให้แสงกลับคืนสู่เรา
Word by Word
- उद्गाः
- the chanters / singers (Udgātṛ-like singers)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot उद्गा- (प्रातिपदिक; √गै/गाय् ‘गायने’ से) अथवा ‘उद्गातृ’ (उद्+√गै) का संक्षिप्त रूप
- आजत्
- drove / impelledVerbलुङ् (अोरिस्ट), परस्मैपद, 3 पुरुष, एकवचनRole Kriyā (मुख्य क्रिया)Root √अज् (गतौ/क्षेपे) ‘चलना/हांकना’
- अङ्गिरोभ्यः
- to/for the AṅgirasesNounपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, बहुवचनRole SampradānaRoot अङ्गिरस्- (ऋषि-नाम)
- आविष्कृण्वन्
- making manifest / revealingParticipleवर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (आजत् का कर्तृ-विशेषण)Root आविष् (अव्यय) + √कृ (करणे) → ‘आविष्कृ’
- गुहाः
- from/in the caveNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (अथवा षष्ठी) एकवचन—वैदिक प्रयोग में ‘गुहाः’ रूपRole Apādāna (from within the cave) / Adhikaraṇa (in the cave)Root गुहा- (प्रातिपदिक) ‘गुफा/गुहा’
- सतीः
- the existing ones (fem.) / the true (ones)Adjective (used substantively)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot सत्/सती- (√अस् ‘भू’ से) ‘being, existent’
- अर्वाञ्चम्
- turned this way / facing toward (us)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole Karma (वलम् का विशेषण)Root अर्वाञ्च्- (प्रातिपदिक) ‘अर्वाक्/इधर की ओर’
- नुनुदे
- has thrust away / drove offVerbलिट् (परिपूर्ण/परफेक्ट), आत्मनेपद, 3 पुरुष, एकवचनRole Kriyā (मुख्य क्रिया)Root √नुद् (प्रेरणे/अपसारणे) ‘धकेलना’
- वलम्
- Vala (the obstructing demon/covering)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot वल- (प्रातिपदिक; ‘वल’ दैत्य/आवरण)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सम्भाव्य): उद्गाः | आजत् | अङ्गिरोभ्यः | आविष्कृण्वन् | गुहाः | सतीः | अर्वाञ्चम् | नुनुदे | वलम् । 1) ‘उद्गा’ + ‘आजत्’ में संधि नहीं
- पदान्त ‘आः’ के बाद स्वरारम्भ। 2) ‘कृण्वन्’ + ‘गुहा’ → ‘कृण्वन्गुहा’ (न् + ग् पर अनुस्वार/नकार-संधि; संहितापाठ में ‘न्ग’)। 3) ‘गुहा’ + ‘सतीः’ में संधि नहीं (अन्त्य ‘आ’ + प्रारम्भ ‘स’)। 4) ‘अर्वाञ्चम्’ + ‘नुनुदे’ में संधि नहीं। उच्चारण-चिह्न (आ॑, ॒, ॑) मूल संहितापाठ के वैदिक स्वर (उदात्त/अनुदात्त/स्वरित) सूचक हैं
- पदच्छेद में सामान्यतः हट जाते हैं।
The meaning
Outer meaning
He drove the cows upward for the Angirases, making them manifest though hidden in the cave; he thrust Vala back toward us.
Inner meaning
Indra releases the Rays of Knowledge (gāḥ) for the Angirases—seer-powers of the flame—by making visible what is concealed in the subconscient cave (guhā). He pushes back the resistance (Vala) that blocks the return-flow of light to the human field (arvāñcam: toward us). Thus illumination becomes available to the waking nature.
Universal truth
Real knowledge is often hidden behind subconscious enclosures; persistent inner force guided by seer-intuition can bring it to the surface and make it operative in daily life.
Themes
Angirasa-myth, cows-as-rays, removal-of-obstruction
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 1.62-63 (Angirases and cows), RV 2.24 (Bṛhaspati opens the cave)
Significance
The verse explicitly joins Indra’s illumination with Angirasa-seeing: intuition (Angirases) receives the released rays, and the human field benefits by the ‘return’ of light.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- goṣṭhā (finder of the cows, by extension), vala-bhid, maghavan
- Related deities
- Angirases, Agni, Bṛhaspati
Cosmic role
Liberator of light; ally of the seers; repeller of the enclosing darkness.
Inner power
Force that makes hidden truth explicit; capacity to reverse resistance and restore the flow of illumination into life.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-vala mythic praise in Soma rite context
उद्गा आ॑ज॒दङ्गि॑रोभ्य आ॒विष्कृ॒ण्वन्गुहा॑ स॒तीः । अ॒र्वाञ्चं॑ नुनुदे व॒लम् ॥
उत् । गाः । आ॒ज॒त् । अङ्गि॑रःऽभ्यः । आ॒विः । कृ॒ण्वन् । गुहा॑ । स॒तीः । अ॒र्वाञ्च॑म् । नु॒नु॒दे॒ । व॒लम् ॥
ut | gāḥ | ājat | aṅgiraḥ-bhyaḥ | āviḥ | kṛṇvan | guhā | satīḥ | arvāñcam | nunude | valam
44
4 pādas (approx. 11 syllables)
Ascending movement (‘ud’) followed by a pushing-back cadence—fits the two actions: release and repulsion.
Creates a felt upward surge of light, then a clearing of obstruction; good for ‘unblocking’ practice.
- गाः (gāḥ)
- Literal: cows. Symbolic: rays of light; illuminations/knowledges
- अङ्गिरः (aṅgiraḥ)
- Literal: Angirases (seer clan). Symbolic: powers of inner flame and intuition that discover truth
- गुहा (guhā)
- Literal: cave. Symbolic: subconscient depth where light is concealed
- आविः कृण्वन् (āviḥ kṛṇvan)
- Literal: making manifest. Symbolic: bringing subconscious content into conscious clarity
- वल (vala)
- Literal: encloser. Symbolic: resistance that seals knowledge and joy
- अर्वाञ्चम् (arvāñcam)
- Literal: toward us, earthward. Symbolic: return of light into the waking, practical consciousness
Recitation for 'opening' and manifestation: suitable in rites seeking revelation/illumination and the removal of obstruction; mythic recollection used as operative mantra.
During narrative praise sections that recall Indra’s release of cows/light; adaptable to dawn study/meditation.
Stotra recalling the paradigmatic liberation to invite similar liberation now.
Use when seeking insight from the ‘cave’ (dreams, deep habits): chant, then journal what becomes ‘manifest’.
gā́ḥ (go-): 'cow' but RV polysemy includes 'ray/light' (go as 'that which moves/comes', linked to √gam 'go' and to the radiant herds imagery). ājat: from √aj 'drive' (PIE *h₂eǵ- 'drive' cf. Latin agere). āvíṣ: adverbial 'manifest' from ā- + √viś/√vid? (traditional āviḥ 'openly'). guhā: 'cave' from √guh 'hide'. nunude: perfect/aorist of √nud 'push, thrust' (PIE *neud- 'push' is often compared).
hidden knowledge in the subconscient (guhā), revelation (āviḥ) as a movement of Rita
The right movement is the free circulation of light; Vala is the disordering seal; Indra restores ṛta.
Manifestation (āviḥ) is Satya becoming effective in mind-life.
Revelation from concealment: the hidden becomes disclosed; a key Vedic creation motif.
Aurobindonian symbolism: cows as illuminations, cave as subconscient, Angirases as intuitive flames.
dawn (suggested by ‘bringing out’ and Angirasa theme, though not explicit)
Cows = rays; cave = subconscious; upward driving = ascent of knowledge into conscious mind; pushing Vala back = removing resistance patterns.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The recovery of the cows/rays for the Angirases and the repulsion of Vala. Innerly: the flame-born seer-powers receive the released illuminations when the obstructing seal is forced back.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √aj 'drive' corresponds to an old IE action-verb (cf. Latin agere), fitting the 'driving out the herd' mythic formula. The conceal/reveal opposition (guhā vs āviḥ) reflects an inherited binary central to IE poetics: hidden treasure disclosed by heroic/divine action.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi aligns with the Angirases—inner priests of the flame—and calls Indra’s action as the enabling force for revelation. The hymn positions the human seeker as beneficiary of the divine disclosure of what is already 'there' but hidden.
Bring hidden knowledge to light; invite intuitive ‘Angirasa’ fire to interpret what emerges.
Svadhisthana/Manipura (subconscient-vital store) opening upward to Ajna
Deep diaphragmatic breathing; on inhale imagine drawing light from a cave upward; on exhale imagine pushing resistance outward/back.
Revelatory and clearing; active purification.
Chant 7 times; then focus below navel as the ‘cave’; call a small flame (Agni/Angirasa) there; allow images/insights to surface; seal by offering them upward to the brow for discrimination.
Use a rising melodic contour on ud gā ājad and a firm, expulsive finish on nunude valam; exact Vedic accents require a sourced accent recording.
Give clear articulation to guhā satīḥ (the ‘hidden in the cave’) and emphasize the verb nunude (thrust back).
aṅgirobhyaḥ: keep ‘bhyaḥ’ as a single cluster, not separated., āviṣkṛṇvan: pronounce ‘viṣ’ with clear ṣ., arvāñcam: nasalization before ‘c’ and long ā.
Energetic, cutting through; slightly brighter on ‘ud’ (upward).
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