Rig Veda 8.46.13: Mandala 8, Sukta 46, Mantra 13
Sukta 8.46
- Devata
- Indra
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
स नो वाजेष्वविता पुरूवसुः पुरस्थाता मघवा वृत्रहा भुवत् ॥
sá no vā́jeṣv avitā́ purūvásuḥ puraḥsthā́tā maghávā vṛtrahā́ bhuvat ||
ขอพระองค์ทรงเป็นผู้คุ้มครองช่วยเราในความอุดมแห่งพลัง—ผู้มั่งคั่งด้วยทรัพย์นานา—ยืนอยู่เบื้องหน้าเป็นผู้นำของเรา; ขอผู้ใจกว้าง ผู้สังหารผู้ปกปิด (วฤตระ) จงเป็นเพื่อเราเถิด.
Word by Word
- स
- he (that one)Pronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (एन्क्लिटिक ‘स’ = ‘सः’)Role KartāRoot तद् (सः/सा/तत्) सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक
- नः
- for us / to usPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी, बहुवचन (एन्क्लिटिक)Role SampradānaRoot अस्मद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक
- वाजेषु
- in (the) contests / in prizes (of victory)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot वाज- (प्रातिपदिक)
- अविता
- protector, helperNoun (agent) / Epithetपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot √अव् (रक्षणे) → अवितृ- (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
- पुरूवसुः
- possessing much wealthAdjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot पुरू-वसु- (समास-प्रातिपदिक; ‘many’+‘goods/wealth’)
- पुरस्थाता
- one who stands in front; leaderNoun (agent) / Epithetपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot पुरस्-स्थातृ- (समास-प्रातिपदिक; पुरस् ‘in front’ + √स्था ‘to stand’)
- मघवा
- the bountiful oneNoun (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot मघवन्- (प्रातिपदिक)
- वृत्रहा
- Vṛtra-slayerNoun (agent) / Epithetपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot वृत्र-हन्- (समास-प्रातिपदिक; ‘Vṛtra’ + √हन् ‘to slay’)
- भुवत्
- may he be / let him becomeVerbलोट् (आशीर्लिङ्/विधिलिङ्-प्रयोगसदृशः वैदिकः), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole (क्रिया)Root √भू (सत्तायाम्)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: स | नः | वाजेषु | अविता | पुरूवसुः | पुरस्थाता | मघवा | वृत्रहा | भुवत् । Sandhi/phonetics: ‘स नो’ = सः + नः (एन्क्लिटिक सर्वनाम; विसर्ग-लोपः).
- ‘भुवत्’ वैदिक-लोट् रूपं (आशीर्वादार्थे) ।
The meaning
Outer meaning
A prayer to Indra to become the community’s helper in battles/contests for strength and wealth, to stand in front as leader, and to slay Vṛtra (the obstructer).
Inner meaning
Indra is invoked as the illumined Mind that leads the inner sacrifice from the front (purasthātā). In the moments of vāja (surging force, decisive energy), he becomes the protector who brings many inner riches (purūvasuḥ: multiple powers, capacities, truths) and breaks the Vṛtra-covering—resistance, inertia, subconscient obstruction—so the seeker can advance.
Universal truth
Human progress depends on a conscious leading power of clarity and courage that goes before us; when that leadership awakens, it dissolves inner obstruction and releases hidden capacities into effective action.
Themes
Vṛtra-slaying, Leadership and protection, Spiritual abundance
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 8.46 (same sūkta context: Indra praise with themes of vāja, magha, vṛtrahā)
Significance
The anonymity of the seer highlights the collective voice of aspiration: the mantra functions as a universal petition for the mind’s divine leadership and the removal of obstruction.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- purūvasuḥ (many-riches), purasthātā (fore-leader), maghavā (bounteous), vṛtrahā (slayer of the Coverer)
- Related deities
- Agni (as inner priest and will), Soma (as bliss/rapture that empowers Indra), Maruts (as dynamic life-powers that aid Indra)
Cosmic role
Lord of luminous force who releases the waters/lights and establishes victorious movement against obstruction.
Inner power
Awakened, discerning mental power that leads, protects, and breaks limiting formations so higher energies can flow.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-stotra in Soma-related praise sequence; recitation in contexts seeking victory, strength, and removal of obstacles.
स नो॒ वाजे॑ष्ववि॒ता पु॑रू॒वसु॑: पुरस्था॒ता म॒घवा॑ वृत्र॒हा भु॑वत् ॥
सः । नः॒ । वाजे॑षु । अ॒वि॒ता । पु॒रु॒ऽवसुः॑ । पु॒रः॒ऽस्था॒ता । म॒घऽवा॑ । वृ॒त्र॒ऽहा । भु॒व॒त् ॥
saḥ | naḥ | vājeṣu | avitā | puru-vasuḥ | puraḥ-sthātā | magha-vā | vṛtra-hā | bhuvat
Forward-driving, martial cadence suited to invocation of leadership and victory.
Energizes resolve; evokes a sense of being led from the front by a clear, powerful intelligence.
- वाजेषु (vājeṣu)
- Literal: in the prizes/strengths, in contests. Symbolic: in the plenitudes of force—moments of intensified energy where progress is decided
- अविता (avitā)
- Literal: helper, protector. Symbolic: the inner safeguarding power that supports aspiration and right effort
- पुरुवसु (purūvasuḥ)
- Literal: rich in many goods. Symbolic: possessor of many inner riches—multiple lights, powers, and fulfilled capacities
- पुरःस्थाता (purasthātā)
- Literal: standing in front, leader. Symbolic: the fore-leading consciousness that goes ahead of the being and shows the way
- मघवा (maghavā)
- Literal: bounteous, giver. Symbolic: the generous bestower of inner gifts (illumination, strength, wideness)
- वृत्रहा (vṛtrahā)
- Literal: slayer of Vṛtra. Symbolic: breaker of the Coverer—destroys obscurity, doubt, inertia, and subconscient resistance
Indra Soma praise for victory over obstruction (vṛtra) and leadership in attaining vāja; used to secure protection and success in the sacrificial advance.
During Indra praises within Soma offerings or allied stotras; also adaptable for daily recitation before demanding action.
Stuti (praise) and āhvāna (invocation) for protective leadership and vṛtra-bheda (breaking obstruction).
Before study/work/decisions: invoke inner leadership (purasthātā) and consciously name the ‘Vṛtra’ to be broken (fear, procrastination, confusion).
: from √av ‘to help, protect’. : puraḥ ‘in front’ + √sthā ‘stand’ → leader. : vṛtra (from √vṛ ‘to cover, obstruct’) + han ‘to strike, slay’—psychologically the destruction of the covering Ignorance that blocks the flow of Light and Force.
Battle of Light vs. Covering (Ignorance), Rita as forward-leading order (puraḥsthātā)
Indra’s victory restores Ṛta by breaking the cover that blocks the true flow of powers.
The ‘slaying of Vṛtra’ symbolizes truth’s emergence when obscurity is pierced.
Release of concealed powers (waters/lights) through the breaking of obstruction.
Proto-Vedāntic/Integral Yoga reading (Aurobindo): ascent from mental obscurity to illumined mind and beyond.
Storm = decisive illumination; cloud-cover = subconscious resistance; the ‘front’ = the leading edge of consciousness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The Vṛtra-slaying mythologem: Indra breaks the Coverer (vṛtra) so the seeker can move forward into vāja. Inner sense: the decisive removal of the psychological obstruction that blocks force, joy, and illumination.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √han ‘to strike/kill’ reflects PIE *gʷhen- (cf. Greek phénō ‘slay’, Sanskrit ). √sthā ‘stand’ reflects PIE *steh₂- (cf. Latin stō). These inherited roots support the archaic heroic diction: the god stands in front and strikes down the obstruction.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi asks Indra not merely to grant gifts but to take position 'in front' as the active leader of the inner campaign; the devotee’s advance depends on Indra’s protective guidance and his decisive act against Vṛtra.
Invoke the ‘fore-leader’ mind: feel a luminous intelligence stepping ahead of your thoughts and actions.
ājñā (brow)
4-4-6 breathing (inhale-hold-exhale) while mentally repeating ‘purasthātā… vṛtrahā’.
From scattered mental movement to directed, victorious clarity.
Name the obstruction (Vṛtra) plainly; offer it into the inner fire (Agni) and call Indra to break the limiting formation; then act immediately on one clear step.
Not fully derivable from provided text alone; chant in a neutral Vedic recitation style with attention to udātta peaks on accented syllables as per śākhā tradition.
Sustain the natural lift on key epithets: purūvasuḥ / purasthātā / maghavā / vṛtrahā; keep sandhi clear in ‘sa no vājeṣv avitā’.
: ‘vā-je-ṣu’ (clear śa), : ‘vṛ-tra-hā’ (retroflex ṛ; long ā), : separate ‘puraḥ-sthā-tā’ with audible visarga before sth
Bright, forward, commanding; avoid heaviness.
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