Rig Veda 8.24.12: Mandala 8, Sukta 24, Mantra 12
Sukta 8.24
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Anuṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
नह्यङ्ग नृतो त्वदन्यं विन्दामि राधसे । राये द्युम्नाय शवसे च गिर्वणः ॥
náhy àṅga nṛ́to tvád anyáṃ vindā́mi rā́dhase | rāyé dyumnā́ya śávase ca girvaṇaḥ ||
แท้จริงแล้ว โอ้เจ้าแห่งการเคลื่อนขบวนของมนุษย์ ข้าพเจ้าไม่พบผู้ใดอื่นนอกจากท่าน เพื่อการประทานความอุดมอันมีฤทธิ์ผล (rādhas)—เพื่อทรัพย์ (rāyá) เพื่อชัยชนะอันรุ่งเรือง (dyumná) และเพื่อพลังแห่งวิญญาณ (śávas) โอ้ผู้รับบทสรรเสริญ.
Word by Word
- नहि
- not indeedIndeclinableनिषेधार्थक अव्यय (emphatic negation: ‘not indeed’)Root नहि (न + हि)
- अङ्ग
- indeed, surelyIndeclinableनिपात (emphatic particle)Root अङ्ग
- नृतः
- O singer/chanter (praiser)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (Vedic form; vocative-like address possible)Role सम्बोधन (address)Root नृत् (प्रातिपदिक: नृत्/नृतु- ‘नर्तक/गायक’)
- त्वत्
- from youPronounपञ्चमी एकवचन (ablative)Role अपादानRoot त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अन्यम्
- another (one)Adjective/Pronounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्मRoot अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- विन्दामि
- I find / I obtainVerbलट् (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRoot √विद् (विन्दति ‘to find, obtain’)
- राधसे
- for bounty / for a giftNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी एकवचन (dative)Role सम्प्रदानRoot राधस् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘gift, bounty, favor’)
- राये
- for wealthNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी एकवचन (Vedic dative; later: राये = राये/रायै)Role सम्प्रदानRoot राय्/रायि (प्रातिपदिक; ‘wealth’)
- द्युम्नाय
- for splendour / renownNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot द्युम्न (प्रातिपदिक; ‘splendour, fame’)
- शवसे
- for strengthNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot शवस् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘strength, might’)
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चयार्थक अव्ययRoot च
- गिर्वणः
- O Girvaṇas (Indra), praised by songsNoun (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन एकवचन (vocative)Role सम्बोधनRoot गिर्वणस् (प्रातिपदिक; epithet of Indra: ‘praised by hymns’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद: नहि अङ्ग नृतः त्वत् अन्यम् विन्दामि राधसे । राये द्युम्नाय शवसे च गिर्वणः ॥ 1) न॒ह्य१॒॑ङ्ग = नहि + अङ्ग (इ + अ → य्, ‘नह्यङ्ग’). 2) त्वद॒न्यं = त्वत् + अन्यम् (त् + अ → द् + अ by external sandhi/voicing in saṃhitā). 3) अन्यं विन्दामि: no special sandhi beyond normal word-junction. Accents retained as in saṃhitā
- pada-forms given without accent marks
The meaning
Outer meaning
The speaker declares there is none other than Indra to be found for giving bounty—wealth, luminous glory, and strength—addressing him as acceptor of the chant.
Inner meaning
A decisive turn of exclusive reliance: among the mind’s many impulses and proposed helpers, only the illumined divine Mind-force can truly give effective plenitude—inner riches (rāya), luminous victory (dyumna), and soul-force (śavas). ‘Gīrvāṇa’ indicates the power that receives the mantra-vibration and answers it: the inner Indra grows by the truth-speech and becomes the sole dependable giver for transformation.
Universal truth
Lasting strength and luminous success arise when we rely on the highest clarity within (the illumined intelligence) rather than substitutes; truth-speech and aspiration call that power into action.
Themes
Indra-invocation, exclusive-reliance on the deity, bounty-and-luminous-victory, psychological-strength
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 8.24 (Indra hymn cluster)
Significance
Represents śaraṇāgati toward the inner Indra: a focused dependence on the highest discriminating and victorious consciousness for all real gains.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- nṛto (lord of the human march), girvaṇaḥ (acceptor of chants)
- Related deities
- Agni (speech/fire of aspiration), Sarasvatī (inspired speech), Bṛhaspati (lord of mantra and opening)
Cosmic role
Sustainer of victorious progress for humans; receiver of praise that strengthens his action in the world.
Inner power
The responsive illumined Mind that grows through mantra and grants wealth (capacity), splendor (illumination), and strength (effective force).
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-stuti emphasizing exclusivity of Indra as giver of boons; used to fortify faith in the chosen deity/power.
न॒ह्य१॒॑ङ्ग नृ॑तो॒ त्वद॒न्यं वि॒न्दामि॒ राध॑से । रा॒ये द्यु॒म्नाय॒ शव॑से च गिर्वणः ॥
न॒हि । अ॒ङ्ग । नृ॒तो॒ इति॑ । त्वत् । अ॒न्यम् । वि॒न्दामि॑ । राध॑से । रा॒ये । द्यु॒म्नाय॑ । शव॑से । च॒ । गि॒र्व॒णः॒ ॥
nahi | aṅga | nṛto iti | tvat | anyam | vindāmi | rādhase | rāye | dyumnāya | śavase | ca | girvaṇaḥ
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4 × ~11 syllables typical; confirm from saṃhitā pada division.
Firm, decisive assertion; strong negation-affirmation structure.
Creates single-pointed reliance and confidence; quiets wavering and mental alternatives.
- नहि अङ्ग (nahi aṅga)
- Literal: surely indeed. Symbolic: emphatic inner certainty; turning-point resolve
- नृतो (nṛto)
- Literal: of men/human march. Symbolic: lord of the human journey; guide of inner progress
- राधसे (rādhase)
- Literal: for bounty. Symbolic: effective grace that accomplishes
- राये (rāye)
- Literal: for wealth. Symbolic: inner riches: capacities, harmony, wideness
- द्युम्नाय (dyumnāya)
- Literal: for splendor/glory. Symbolic: luminous victory, radiance of realization
- शवसे (śavase)
- Literal: for strength. Symbolic: soul-force; energetic might of consciousness
- गिर्वणः (girvaṇaḥ)
- Literal: accepting the chant/praise. Symbolic: the power that is nourished by mantra and responds to true invocation
Indra-Soma praise in the soma-yajña setting; suitable for recitation during soma pressing/offerings to invoke Indra’s force and bounty.
In praise sequences where the sacrificer affirms Indra as primary support for prosperity and victory.
Declaration of dependence; offering of chant (gīr) as the means of connection.
A mantra for decision and focus: when distracted by many options, return to the one inner principle—clarity—before acting.
vindāmi: √vid 'to find, know, obtain' (1st sg. pres.); suggests discovery/attainment through inner seeing. rādhase: dat. sg. of rādhas- 'bounty, success-giving power' (from √rādh 'to succeed, accomplish, prosper'). rāye: dat. sg. of rayi- 'riches, abundance'; in inner sense, plenitude of being. dyumnāya: dat. sg. of dyumna- 'brightness, glory, victorious splendour' (from √dyut 'shine'). śavase: dat. sg. of śavas- 'strength, might' (linked to energic force). girvaṇaḥ: voc. sg., epithet of Indra, 'he who is pleased by hymns' (gir- 'song' + √van 'to like/desire/woo').
Rita (right order expressed as right giving/achievement: rādhas), Satyam-Ritam-Brihat (luminous victory as a sign of truth-conscious force)
nṛto: Indra governs the ordered advance of human consciousness under ṛta.
The emphatic ‘none other’ is satya as discernment—choosing the true helper within.
Establishing the central divine principle in the human instrument through mantra and devotion.
Mantra-yoga orientation; Aurobindonian: Indra as illumined Mind; gīr as effective vibration shaping consciousness.
Sun = inner illumination and victorious clarity; wealth/splendor/strength = triad of capacity, light, and force needed for transformation.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem is the exclusive sovereignty of Indra as the sole effective giver of rādhas (accomplishing bounty). Mythically, Indra is the unique victorious power; psychologically, the awakened Indra-force in the seeker is the only agency that can convert aspiration into luminous success (dyumna) and enduring strength (śavas).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- Key lexemes align with inherited Indo-European semantics: √vid 'find/know' (cf. Latin vidēre, English wit/wise via PIE *weyd-), dyumna from √dyut 'shine' (PIE *dyeu- 'sky/daylight'), and the semantic field of strength in śavas parallels PIE notions of vital force. The datives (rāye, dyumnāya, śavase) form a triadic goal-structure typical of archaic Indo-European hymn style: wealth/abundance + glory/light + power/force.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The speaker declares a vow of exclusive dependence: no 'other' is found for rādhas. The reciprocity is mediated by gir (hymn): Indra as girvaṇaḥ responds to inspired speech, granting rayi (plenitude), dyumna (victorious light), and śavas (force). This is a dakṣiṇā-like exchange in inner terms: the offering is concentrated praise/aspiration; the return is the deity’s effective increase of consciousness-power.
Ekāgratā: choose the inner Indra (clarity) as sole guide; let all other impulses become subordinate.
Ājñā (discernment) and Viśuddha (truth-speech/mantra).
Japa on the natural breath: mentally repeat the key line ‘nahi aṅga… tvad anyam’ on exhale, ‘rāye dyumnāya śavase’ on inhale.
Resolved clarity; centered will.
Before important choices, chant 11 times; then ask inwardly: ‘What increases rāya (capacity), dyumna (light), and śavas (force) together?’ Act only on what satisfies all three.
If svara marks are not provided, chant with a decisive opening stress on nahi aṅga and a bright lift on dyumnāya; close with a respectful cadence on girvaṇaḥ.
náhi | áṅga | nṛtó | tvát | anyám | víndāmi | rādhasé || rāyé | dyumnā́ya | śávasé | ca | gírvāṇaḥ.
(aṅga): nasal ‘ṅ’ before ‘g’, (nṛto): short vocalic ṛ, (vindāmi): clear ‘nd’ cluster, (dyumnāya): ‘dyum’ as one unit, not ‘di-yum’, (girvaṇaḥ): ‘gir-va-ṇaḥ’ with retroflex ṇ
Calm, firm, declarative; slightly more luminous tone on ‘dyumnāya’.
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