Rig Veda 8.3.2: Mandala 8, Sukta 3, Mantra 2
Sukta 8.3
- Devata
- Indra
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
भूयाम ते सुमतौ वाजिनो वयं मा नः स्तरभिमातये । अस्माञ्चित्राभिरवतादभिष्टिभिरा नः सुम्नेषु यामय ॥
bhūyā́ma te su-matáu vā́jino vayáṃ mā naḥ staḥ abhí-mātaye | asmā́n citrā́bhir avatād abhíṣṭibhir ā́ naḥ sumnéṣu yāmaya ||
ขอให้พวกเรา ผู้แสวงหาความอุดมแห่งพลัง ได้อยู่ในพระเมตตาของพระองค์ยิ่ง ๆ ขึ้นไป; อย่าทรงปล่อยเราไว้ต่อการจู่โจมของผู้คิดเป็นศัตรู. ด้วยความช่วยเหลืออันหลากสีของพระองค์ ขอทรงคุ้มครองเรา และทรงนำเราเข้าสู่ความผาสุกของพระองค์.
Word by Word
- भूयाम
- may we be / may we becomeVerbविधिलिङ् (आशीर्लिङ्-प्राय), उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपदRole KartāRoot भू (धातु)
- ते
- of you / yourPronounषष्ठी, एकवचन (enclitic)Role SampradānaRoot त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सुमतौ
- in (your) good will / favorNounसप्तमी, एकवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्गRole AdhikaraṇaRoot सुमति (प्रातिपदिक: सु- + मति)
- वाजिनः
- (we) prize-winners / vigorous onesNoun/Adjectiveप्रथमा, बहुवचन, पुल्लिङ्गRole KartāRoot वाजिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- वयम्
- wePronounप्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- मा
- do notIndeclinableनिषेध (prohibitive particle)Root मा (निषेध-अव्यय)
- नः
- usPronounद्वितीया, बहुवचन (enclitic)Role KarmaRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- स्तरभि
- with oppression / by assaultNounतृतीया, एकवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्ग (instrumental of means)Role KaraṇaRoot स्तरभि (प्रातिपदिक; Vedic, ‘oppression/violence/assault’)
- आमातये
- for harming / for injuryNounचतुर्थी, एकवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्गRole SampradānaRoot आमाति (प्रातिपदिक; ‘harm/hostility’, dat. of purpose)
- अस्मान्
- usPronounद्वितीया, बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- चित्राभिः
- with bright/wondrous (helps)Adjectiveतृतीया, बहुवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्गRole KaraṇaRoot चित्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
- अवताद्
- let (him) help / may (he) protectVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), तृतीयपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole KartāRoot अव (धातु)
- अभिष्टिभिः
- with protections / with aidsNounतृतीया, बहुवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्गRole KaraṇaRoot अभिष्टि (प्रातिपदिक; ‘aid, protection’)
- आ
- towards / intoIndeclinableउपसर्ग/पूर्वक (directional ‘towards’)Root आ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- नः
- usPronounद्वितीया, बहुवचन (enclitic)Role KarmaRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सुम्नेषु
- in blessings / in favorsNounसप्तमी, बहुवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्गRole AdhikaraṇaRoot सुम्न (प्रातिपदिक; ‘favor, blessing’)
- यामय
- lead (us) / bring (us)Verbलोट्, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद (णिच्-प्रयोग: ‘cause to go/lead’)Role KartāRoot यम् (धातु) / यामय (causative stem)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: भूयाम् ते सुमतौ वाजिनः वयम् । मा नः स्तरभि आमातये । अस्मान् चित्राभिः अवतात् अभिष्टिभिः । आ नः सुम्नेषु यामय ॥ मुख्य-सन्धयः: (1) भूयाम् + ते → भूयाम ते (अनुस्वार/विराम-पूर्वक पदान्त)
- (2) मा + नः → मा नः (अव्यय + एनक्लिटिक)
- (3) स्तरभि + आमातये → स्तरभि आमातये (स्वर-संहिता में दीर्घ ‘आ’ यथावत्)
- (4) अस्मान् + चित्राभिः → अस्माञ्-चित्राभिः (पदान्त न् + च् → ञ्च्; संहिता-रूप: अस्माञ्चित्राभिः)
- (5) अवतात् + अभिष्टिभिः → अवतादभिष्टिभिः (त् + अ → द + अ; संहिता-रूप: अवतादभिष्टिभिः)
- (6) आ + नः → आ नः (उपसर्ग + एनक्लिटिक)
The meaning
Outer meaning
A prayer to Indra for continued favor and protection: may we grow in your goodwill, not be abandoned to hostile attack, be guarded by your varied aids, and be led into your blessings.
Inner meaning
The seeker asks the illumined Mind-Power (Indra) to increase the inner state of right understanding (sumati) so the dynamic energies (vājinaḥ) can move safely. The “hostile thinker” is the negating, doubting, perverting mentality (abhimāti) that assaults sadhana. Indra’s “many-colored helps” are diverse illuminations and powers (citrāḥ abhiṣṭayaḥ) that protect the aspiring nature and lead it into stable felicity (sumna)—a settled gladness of right force and right knowledge.
Universal truth
Progress requires a growing alignment with higher intelligence and goodwill; otherwise the mind’s hostile formations distort effort. Many forms of help—insight, courage, discrimination, right companions, timely strength—converge to protect aspiration and guide it into enduring well-being.
Themes
Protection, Guidance, Inner battle (knowledge vs ignorance)
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 8.3 (adjacent verses 8.3.1–8.3.18, Indra hymn context)
Significance
The voice is that of the aspiring sacrificer: a collective ‘we’ seeking sustained alignment with Indra’s luminous governance, emphasizing protection from inner negations and guidance into stable delight.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- protector of the seeker, slayer of obstruction (Vṛtra-han), lord of vāja (victorious force), giver of sumna (felicity)
- Related deities
- Agni, Soma, Uṣas, Bṛhaspati
Cosmic role
Establishes the reign of Light by breaking obstructions and releasing the powers needed for ordered manifestation.
Inner power
The illumined, decisive Mind that detects falsehood, repels hostile formations, and leads the energies into right action and joy.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-stotra within Soma-related praise cycles (general Indra invocation)
भू॒याम॑ ते सुम॒तौ वा॒जिनो॑ व॒यं मा न॑: स्तर॒भिमा॑तये । अ॒स्माञ्चि॒त्राभि॑रवताद॒भिष्टि॑भि॒रा न॑: सु॒म्नेषु॑ यामय ॥
भू॒याम॑ । ते॒ । सु॒ऽम॒तौ । वा॒जिनः॑ । व॒यम् । मा । नः॒ । स्तः॒ । अ॒भिऽमा॑तये । अ॒स्मान् । चि॒त्राभिः॑ । अ॒व॒ता॒त् । अ॒भिष्टि॑ऽभिः । आ । नः॒ । सु॒म्नेषु॑ । य॒म॒य॒ ॥
bhūyāma | te | su-matau | vājinaḥ | vayam | mā | naḥ | staḥ | abhi-mātaye | asmān | c itrābhiḥ | avatāt | abhiṣṭi-bhiḥ | ā | naḥ | sumneṣu | yamaya
Two half-verses (hemistichs) with internal cadence; exact pada count not securely inferable here.
Supplicatory yet forceful; a forward-driving cadence suitable for protective invocation.
Builds confidence and inner alignment; the repeated appeals create a protective psychological ‘field’ against doubt and adverse suggestion.
- सुमतौ (sumatau)
- Literal: in good thought / good will. Symbolic: right-mindedness, luminous guidance, the higher consent in the mind
- वाजिनः (vājinaḥ)
- Literal: possessing vāja; seekers of prize/force. Symbolic: dynamic energies striving for plenitude; effective life-force yoked to the aim
- अभिमातये (abhimātaye)
- Literal: to hostile attack/hostile thinking. Symbolic: the adversarial mentality—doubt, denial, perversion, subconscious resistance acting through thought
- चित्राभिः (citrābhiḥ)
- Literal: many-colored, varied. Symbolic: multiple modes of divine assistance—insight, strength, protection, right circumstance
- अभिष्टिभिः (abhiṣṭibhiḥ)
- Literal: with helps/protections. Symbolic: supporting powers that guard the sacrifice (inner work) and stabilize progress
- सुम्नेषु (sumneṣu)
- Literal: in blessings/felicities. Symbolic: states of inner gladness and right-ordered harmony that come from illumination
Protective prayer within Soma laud; can function as an anuvākyā-style request for safeguarding the sacrificer from hostile forces.
During praise/invocation sections to strengthen the sacrificer’s relation with Indra; also adaptable to daily japa.
Recitation as stotra/śastra-like praise asking for protection and guidance.
Use as a mantra for mental protection: before work/meditation, or when facing negativity, self-doubt, or hostile environments.
vājín- from vāja (semantic complex: ‘prize, strength, nourishment, speed’), here taken as ‘plenitude of force’ (victorious energy) consistent with Indraic context. abhi-māti: abhi ‘against’ + mati ‘thought/intention’ (√man ‘think’) → hostile mental formation; supports psychological reading as attack of false thought. sumná (su + √man/√mnā?) traditionally ‘favor, grace’; inwardly stable felicity. √av ‘to protect’ is central to Indra’s role as helper.
Su-mati (right harmony of thought), Conflict of true vs hostile thought (mati vs abhi-mati), Sumná (felicity/grace)
Seeking Indra’s guidance into ‘sumna’ implies entry into right-ordered movement protected from distortions.
Protection from abhimāti safeguards the mind’s fidelity to truth-perception.
The many-colored helps suggest a plural deployment of divine powers to uphold evolution toward luminous harmony.
Proto-Vedāntic/Vedantic-psychological reading (Aurobindo/Kashyap style): deities as powers of consciousness.
Variegated ‘lights’ in consciousness (citra) become differentiated aids—discernment, courage, clarity—leading the being into settled felicity.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem of divine protection against the ‘enemy’: not merely human foes but abhi-māti—hostile thought/intent. Indra’s many-formed aids (citrābhiḥ abhiṣṭibhiḥ) are invoked to escort the seeker into sumná (felicity), echoing the larger Vedic combat of Light against obstructing powers.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- mati ‘thought’ is from √man, tied to PIE *men- ‘to think’ (cf. Greek menos ‘spirit’, Latin mens ‘mind’). √yam ‘to guide/restrain’ reflects PIE *yem- ‘to hold, restrain’ (cf. Sanskrit yama-). The verse foregrounds mind-terms (mati) as primary battleground, a common IE poetic trope of ‘counsel/intent’ as power.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The speaker seeks sustained alignment with Indra’s su-mati (good intention) and asks not to be ‘left’ to hostile mental forces. The deity is not only giver of outer victory but inner guide (yāmaya) into sumná—grace as a stable state of consciousness.
Align the mind with a higher, benevolent clarity; observe and reject hostile thought-forms (abhimāti).
ājñā (brow)
Nadi-śodhana for 6–12 rounds, then slow recitation on exhale.
From scattered vigilance to protected, luminous steadiness.
Before chanting, name the ‘hostile thinker’ in yourself (doubt, cynicism, resentment). On each ‘sumatau/sumneṣu’ feel consent to a higher guidance; on ‘mā naḥ staḥ’ practice firm inner refusal of the negation.
Notated svaras not provided; chant in a steady Vedic recitation style with natural udātta emphasis on accented syllables as per śākhā tradition.
Keep clear stress on key invocatory words: sumatau, mā naḥ, abhimātaye, citrābhiḥ, sumneṣu.
(bhūyāma): long ū, (vājino): ‘vā’ long ā; soft ‘j’, (abhimātaye): ‘bh’ aspirated; ‘taye’ clear, (citrābhiḥ): ‘tr’ cluster clean; ‘bhiḥ’ with visarga
Clear, steady, protective firmness; avoid rushing the prohibitive phrase ‘mā naḥ’.
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