Rig Veda 8.6.1: Mandala 8, Sukta 6, Mantra 1
Sukta 8.6
- Rishi
- Kaṇva
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Anuṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
महाँ इन्द्रो य ओजसा पर्जन्यो वृष्टिमाँ इव । स्तोमैर्वत्सस्य वावृधे ॥
mahā́ṃ índro yá ójasā parjányo vṛṣṭímāṃ iva | stómair vatsásya vāvṛdhe ||
ด้วยเดชานุภาพของตน อินทรายิ่งใหญ่ดุจปัรชัญญะผู้เอิบอิ่มด้วยสายฝน. ด้วยบทสรรเสริญของเรา พระองค์ยิ่งเจริญงอกงาม ดุจชีวิตในลูกโคที่ได้รับการหล่อเลี้ยง—ดังนั้นพลังแห่งความสว่างภายในของผู้แสวงหาก็พองขยายขึ้น.
Word by Word
- म॒हाँ
- greatAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (इन्द्रस्य विशेषणम्)Role Kartā (कर्तृ-सम्बन्धी विशेषणम्)Root महत् (प्रातिपदिक) ← √मह् ‘to be great’
- इन्द्रः
- IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- यः
- whoPronoun (relative)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (इन्द्रं प्रति)Role Kartā (य-सम्बन्धः)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- ओजसा
- with strength, by mightNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot ओजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- पर्जन्यः
- Parjanya (rain-god)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (उपमान-कर्तृ)Root पर्जन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- वृष्टिमान्
- possessing rain, rain-ladenAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (पर्जन्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role Kartā (कर्तृ-सम्बन्धी विशेषणम्)Root वृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक) + मतुप् (-मान्)
- इव
- like, asIndeclinableअव्ययRole (उपमा-सूचक)Root इव
- स्तोमैः
- with praises, by hymnsNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot स्तोम (प्रातिपदिक)
- वत्सस्य
- of the calfNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)Root वत्स (प्रातिपदिक)
- वावृधे
- has grown, has increasedVerbलिट् (परिपूर्ण/परफेक्ट), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole (क्रिया)Root √वृध् ‘to grow, increase’ (with reduplication: वावृध-)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: म॒हाँ | इन्द्रः | यः | ओजसा | पर्जन्यः | वृष्टिमान् | इव | स्तोमैः | वत्सस्य | वावृधे । 1) ‘महाँ इन्द्रः’ इत्यत्र स्वर-संयोगेऽपि पदसीमा
- ‘महाँ’ = महत्-शब्दस्य प्रथमा एकवचन (वैदिक रूप). 2) ‘वृष्टि॒माँ इ॑व’ = वृष्टिमान् + इव (पदसीमा; अन्त्य-न् परतः अव्यय ‘इव’). 3) ‘स्तोमै॑र्व॒त्सस्य॑’ संहितायां ‘स्तोमैः वत्सस्य’ (विसर्ग/ः + व् → र्, अर्थात् स्तोमैः + वत्सस्य → स्तोमैर् वत्सस्य)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra is great by strength, like Parjanya heavy with rain; by hymns he grows, as a calf grows (vatsasya).
Inner meaning
Indra as the divine Mind-power of illumination is vast by inherent force (ojas). Like Parjanya’s rain that fertilises the earth, Indra’s downpour is the descent of light and energising clarity into the mental-vital nature. Our stomas (inspired affirmations) ‘increase’ Indra in us—meaning the illumined consciousness becomes more active and expansive, as the inner life-force (vatsa: the growing ‘calf’ of the soul’s formation) is nourished.
Universal truth
Illumination grows through right affirmation and aspiration. When we feed the higher power with sincere invocation, it rains clarity and strength into life, maturing what is still young in us.
Themes
Indra-praise, increase-by-stoma, rain-abundance symbol, inner-growth
The seer
- Rishi
- Kaṇva
- Other hymns
- RV 8.6.2, RV 8.6 (Indra sequence), RV 1.62-63 (Indra-Vṛtra themes, broader tradition)
Family tradition
Kaṇvas are prominent Indra-singers; their hymns often present Indra as a power that can be intensified by mantra and aspiration, yielding decisive breakthroughs.
Significance
The seer highlights a reciprocal law: the god grows by our true speech, and we grow by the god’s rain of force and light.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- maghavā (bountiful), vṛtrahan (slayer of the coverer), śatakratu (of a hundred powers), bṛhad (vast)
- Related deities
- Parjanya, Agni, Soma, Bṛhaspati
Cosmic role
Champion of the gods who releases the waters and light; establishes a victorious order against obstruction.
Inner power
Illuminative intelligence and executive force that breaks mental darkness and pours energising clarity into life.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra stotras in Soma sacrifices; general Indra praise in offerings for strength and victory
म॒हाँ इन्द्रो॒ य ओज॑सा प॒र्जन्यो॑ वृष्टि॒माँ इ॑व । स्तोमै॑र्व॒त्सस्य॑ वावृधे ॥
म॒हान् । इन्द्रः॑ । यः । ओज॑सा । प॒र्जन्यः॑ । वृ॒ष्टि॒मान्ऽइ॑व । स्तोमैः॑ । व॒त्सस्य॑ । व॒वृ॒धे॒ ॥
mahān | indraḥ | yaḥ | ojasā | parjanyaḥ | vṛṣṭimān-iva | stomaiḥ | vatsasya | vavṛdhe
32
4 pādas of 8 syllables
Compact, punchy, and memorable; suited to a strong declarative praise.
Quickly concentrates will and confidence; energises the listener like a short mantra of power.
- indraḥ
- Literal: Indra. Symbolic: divine Mind and luminous power; breaker of obstruction; lord of inner clarity
- ojasā
- Literal: by force/vigor. Symbolic: spiritual energy that makes illumination effective in action
- parjanyaḥ vṛṣṭimān
- Literal: Parjanya heavy with rain. Symbolic: fertilising descent: showers of insight, force, and refreshment into the being
- stomaiḥ
- Literal: by hymns/praises. Symbolic: mantric affirmations that align the mind to higher truth and increase the god-power within
- vatsasya
- Literal: of the calf. Symbolic: the growing inner formation—new life of the soul-nature that needs nourishment
- vāvṛdhe
- Literal: he has grown/increased. Symbolic: expansion of illumined consciousness through sustained invocation
Indra-stotra in Soma sacrifice (Indra as primary recipient of Soma; stoma increases Indra’s power for victory and illumination)
During Indra’s pressing/offerings; also morning recitation for strength.
Stotra to magnify Indra and invite his rain of force.
Use before demanding work or sādhanā sessions to invoke clarity, courage, and a ‘rain’ of inspiration.
ojasā: ojas ‘vigor’ possibly from √uj/√vaj semantic field of strength; used for concentrated power. vāvṛdhe: perfect of √vṛdh ‘increase’ (PIE *werdh- ‘grow’, cf. English worth in distant relation; German werden). Parjanya is the rain-power; the simile encodes the descent of abundance as inner increase through stoma (mantric speech).
mantric speech as formative power (stoma), increase (vṛddhi) of divine force in the human instrument under ṛta
Indra’s greatness supports ṛta by breaking obstruction and restoring right flow.
True hymn (stoma) is effective speech aligned with satya; it increases the luminous power.
Fertilisation and growth: descent (rain) leading to maturation (calf’s growth) in the evolving being.
Yoga of ascent-and-descent: invocation intensifies higher power; higher power descends as force/light.
rainy season imagery (monsoon motif)
Rain = descent of energising illumination; calf = nascent soul-formation; growth = maturation of inner nature.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Indra’s increase through praise: the god grows by stoma like a rain-cloud swelling to pour. Psychologically, the illumined mind-force expands when fed by true affirmation and aspiration.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √vṛdh ‘grow’ reflects PIE *werdh- (grow/become). √mah ‘great’ reflects PIE *megʰ-. The rain-god motif (Parjanya) parallels IE storm/dew bringers, though the name itself is Indo-Iranian.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi’s stoma is not flattery but nourishment: speech of truth increases Indra’s operative force, and Indra in return increases the seeker’s capacity for victory and luminous expansion.
Invoke Indra as inner clarity-force; feel a descent like cool rain washing dullness.
maṇipūra (power) and ājñā (illumination)
Inhale imagining rain of light from above the head; exhale sending strength through the spine and arms (ojas).
Energised, confident, clear-minded.
Chant 8–12 times, then sit quietly and sense where ‘rain’ is needed (fatigue, confusion). Offer that area to Indra’s force; wait for a clean, decisive impulse.
Rigvedic accenting; keep ‘mahān’ and ‘indraḥ’ prominent; avoid over-musicalising—retain the Anuṣṭubh firmness.
Slight emphasis on ojasā and vṛṣṭimān; keep pāda breaks clean for Anuṣṭubh (8-syllable feel).
mahān: nasalised ān (hold the length), parjanyo: clear rj cluster; y consonantal, vṛṣṭimāniva: vocalic ṛ; ṣṭ retroflex cluster, stomair: ai diphthong clean, no extra y-glide
Strong, resonant, chest-supported; clear articulation.
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