Rig Veda 8.97.13: Mandala 8, Sukta 97, Mantra 13
Sukta 8.97
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Likely Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
तमिन्द्रं जोहवीमि मघवानमुग्रं सत्रा दधानमप्रतिष्कुतं शवांसि । मंहिष्ठो गीर्भिरा च यज्ञियो ववर्तद्राये नो विश्वा सुपथा कृणोतु वज्री ॥
tám índraṃ johavīmi maghávānam ugráṃ satrā́ dádhānam áprati-skutaṃ śávāṃsi | maṃhíṣṭho gī́r-bhir ā́ ca yajñíyo vávartad rā́ye no víśvā su-páthā kṛṇotu vajrī́ ||
ข้าพเจ้าขอวิงวอนอินทรา (Indra) องค์นั้นครั้งแล้วครั้งเล่า—ผู้เอื้อเฟื้อ ผู้เกรียงไกร—ผู้ทรงกำลังทั้งหลายไว้เสมอ มิอาจถูกหันกลับหรือขัดขวางได้ ขอผู้ใจกว้างยิ่ง ผู้ควรแก่ยัญพิธี จงมาด้วยถ้อยคำสรรเสริญของเรา; ขอผู้ถือวัชระ ผู้ทรงอานุภาพสายฟ้า จงทำให้หนทางทั้งปวงเพื่อความงอกงามของเรา ตรงและสว่างไสว
Word by Word
- तम्
- himPronounपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्रम्
- IndraNounपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- जोहवीमि
- I repeatedly invoke/callVerbलट्, उत्तमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; वेदिक-आवृत्त/इंटेन्सिव् (frequentative) रूपम्Role (क्रिया)Root √ह्वे (ह्वयति) / √हू (आह्वाने)
- मघवानम्
- the bountiful oneNoun (epithet)पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role कर्म (इन्द्रस्य विशेषणम्)Root मघवन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- उग्रम्
- mighty, fierceAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role कर्म (इन्द्रस्य विशेषणम्)Root उग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- सत्रा
- always, continuallyIndeclinableअव्ययम्Role अधिकारण (काल/रीति-अर्थे)Root सत्रा (अव्यय)
- दधानम्
- bearing, bestowingParticipleवर्तमानकृदन्तः (शतृ), पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role कर्म (इन्द्रस्य विशेषणम्)Root √धा (धारणे) ; वर्तमान-कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक दधान-
- अप्रतिष्कुतम्
- unopposed, not repelledAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role कर्म (इन्द्रस्य विशेषणम्)Root अ- + प्रति-√स्कु/√स्कुन्द्? (वेदिक; ‘प्रतिष्कुत’ = प्रतिहत/प्रतिरुद्ध/प्रतिस्कन्दित इत्यर्थे) ; प्रातिपदिक अप्रतिष्कुत-
- शवांसि
- powers, strengthsNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया/प्रथमा बहुवचनम् (अत्र कर्मरूपेण)Role कर्म (दधानम् इत्यस्य)Root शवस् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘बल’)
- मंहिष्ठः
- most bountifulAdjective (superlative)पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (ववर्तत् इत्यस्य; इन्द्रः)Root मंहिन्/मंह (प्रातिपदिक; ‘दानशील/उदार’) + इष्ठ (तमप्)
- गीर्भिः
- with hymns/words of praiseNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे तृतीया बहुवचनम्Role करणRoot गीर् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘स्तुति/वाक्’)
- आ
- towards, hitherIndeclinableअव्ययम् (उपसर्गार्थे ‘towards, hither’)Role (क्रियाविशेषणम्)Root आ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- च
- andIndeclinableअव्ययम्Role (समुच्चय)Root च (अव्यय)
- यज्ञियः
- worthy of sacrificeAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (ववर्तत् इत्यस्य; इन्द्रः)Root यज्ञिय (प्रातिपदिक; ‘यज्ञार्ह’)
- ववर्तत्
- has turned/has come (hither), has rolled forthVerbलिट् (परिपूर्ण/वेदिक-परफेक्ट), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role (क्रिया)Root √वृत् (वर्तने) ; परस्मैपद
- राये
- for wealthNounपुंलिङ्गे चतुर्थी एकवचनम्Role सम्प्रदानRoot राय्/रायि (प्रातिपदिक; ‘धन’)
- नः
- for us / of usPronounषष्ठी बहुवचनम् (एन्क्लिटिक)Role सम्बन्धRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- विश्वाः
- allAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया बहुवचनम् (सुपथा इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्म (कृणोतु इत्यस्य)Root विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- सुपथाः
- good pathsNoun/Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया बहुवचनम्Role कर्म (कृणोतु इत्यस्य)Root सु- + पथ (प्रातिपदिक) → सुपथ (प्रातिपदिक)
- कृणोतु
- may he makeVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role (क्रिया)Root √कृ (करणे)
- वज्री
- the wielder of the thunderboltNoun (epithet)पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (कृणोतु इत्यस्य; इन्द्रः)Root वज्रिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (principal): तमिन्द्रं → तम् + इन्द्रम्
- जोहवीमि (no sandhi; Vedic frequentative of √ह्वे/√हू)
- मघवानमु॒ग्रं → मघवानम् + उग्रम्
- सत्रा दधानम् (no sandhi)
- दधानमप्रतिष्कुतं → दधानम् + अप्रतिष्कुतम्
- अप्रतिष्कुतं शवांसि → अप्रतिष्कुतम् + शवांसि
- गीर्भिरा → गीर्भिः + आ
- यज्ञियो ववर्तत् → यज्ञियः + ववर्तत्
- ववर्तद्राये → ववर्तत् + राये
- राये नो → राये + नः
- नो विश्वा → नः + विश्वाः
- सुपथा कृणोतु → सुपथाः + कृणोतु
The meaning
Outer meaning
The speaker repeatedly calls Indra—bountiful, formidable—who always holds his strengths and is unassailable. May he, most generous and worthy of sacrifice, come by our songs; may the thunderbolt-bearer make all paths for our wealth/prosperity good and straight.
Inner meaning
A sustained invocation (johavīmi) to the Indric power: the bountiful giver of inner riches (maghavān) and the formidable breaker of resistance (ugra). He holds his śavāṃsi (strengths) continuously (satrā) and cannot be turned back (apratiṣkuta): the steadfast victorious consciousness. By inspired speech (gīrbhiḥ) we invite that power to descend into our sacrifice (yajñiya). The boon sought is rāyaḥ—not merely outer wealth, but plenitude of being—and ‘supathā’ are straight luminous pathways: right movements of life, thought, and action aligned to the higher guidance.
Universal truth
Persistent aspiration calls a steadfast higher power. When it responds, life’s ways become clearer, straighter, and more fruitful—prosperity as right increase of being.
Themes
Prayer for guidance, Indra invocation, Obstacle-breaking
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 8.97.9–12 (supremacy, forging, Soma, hearing)
Family tradition
The hymn-voice is devotional and pragmatic: call the power, invite descent, ask for right paths—typical of seers who unite praise with inner guidance.
Significance
A complete sādhanā gesture: aspiration (call), offering (songs/sacrifice), descent (come), and transformation of life-paths (supathā).
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Maghavān, Ugra, Apratiṣkuta, Yajñiya, Vajrī
- Related deities
- Agni (sacrifice-leader), Soma (fuel of Indra), Pūṣan (path-finder; thematic kinship with supathā)
Cosmic role
Victor and benefactor: breaks obstruction and establishes the right course for growth.
Inner power
Decisive illumined will that clears confusion and opens straight pathways of action.
In ritual
Where it is used
Concluding or climactic Indra-invocation within a stotra sequence; prayer for prosperity and right course
तमिन्द्रं॑ जोहवीमि म॒घवा॑नमु॒ग्रं स॒त्रा दधा॑न॒मप्र॑तिष्कुतं॒ शवां॑सि । मंहि॑ष्ठो गी॒र्भिरा च॑ य॒ज्ञियो॑ व॒वर्त॑द्रा॒ये नो॒ विश्वा॑ सु॒पथा॑ कृणोतु व॒ज्री ॥
तम् । इन्द्र॑म् । जो॒ह॒वी॒मि॒ । म॒घऽवा॑नम् । उ॒ग्रम् । स॒त्रा । दधा॑नम् । अप्र॑तिऽस्कुतम् । शवां॑सि । मंहि॑ष्ठः । गीः॒ऽभिः । आ । च॒ । य॒ज्ञियः॑ । व॒वर्त॑त् । रा॒ये । नः॒ । विश्वा॑ । सु॒ऽपथा॑ । कृ॒णो॒तु॒ । व॒ज्री ॥
tam | indram | johavīmi | magha-vānam | ugram | satrā | dadhānam | aprati-skutam | śavāṃsi | maṃhiṣṭhaḥ | gīḥ-bhiḥ | ā | ca | yajñiyaḥ | vavartat | rāye | naḥ | v iśvā | su-pathā | kṛṇotu | vajrī
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4 × ~11 syllables; longer syntactic sweep with prayerful closure
Invocation builds, then resolves into a blessing cadence on ‘supathā kṛṇotu’.
Stabilizes courage and gives a felt sense of guidance—‘the path becomes clear’.
- johavīmi
- Literal: I call repeatedly. Symbolic: steady aspiration; insistence of the soul
- maghavān
- Literal: bountiful, giver of riches. Symbolic: giver of inner abundance—light, strength, joy
- ugra
- Literal: formidable, fierce. Symbolic: force that confronts and breaks inner resistance
- satrā
- Literal: always, continuously. Symbolic: unbroken presence of strength in the awakened state
- apratiṣkuta
- Literal: not turned back, unassailable. Symbolic: invincible steadfastness against doubt and inertia
- śavāṃsi
- Literal: strengths, powers. Symbolic: capacities of effective consciousness
- gīrbhiḥ
- Literal: by songs/words. Symbolic: mantric speech as a vehicle of descent
- yajñiya
- Literal: worthy of sacrifice. Symbolic: the divine power that responds to sincere offering
- rāye
- Literal: for wealth. Symbolic: plenitude of being; increase in consciousness-life
- supathā
- Literal: good paths. Symbolic: right, luminous ways of movement; aligned choices
- vajrī
- Literal: wielder of the vajra. Symbolic: decisive lightning-force that shatters the coverer
General Indra-invocation within Soma and praise cycles; prayer for guidance (supathā) and rayi
After praise, as a request for boon/protection and successful completion of rite
Recite as a sealing prayer (āśīḥ) for increase and right movement
Daily invocation for guidance: chant before travel, major decisions, or beginning a new discipline; treat ‘supathā’ as ethical-spiritual alignment.
johavīmi is intensive/iterative of √hū ‘call’ (PIE *ḱlew? not; rather √hū is Indo-Aryan); maghávan from maghá ‘gift, bounty’ (inner: plenitude bestowed); aprati-skuta: prati + √sku/√skud ‘repel/drive back’ (rare; sense ‘not repelled’); śavas ‘strength’ (cf. Av. xšaθra? not exact; Vedic śavas as dynamic might); vavartat from √vṛt ‘turn, roll, come’ (PIE *wert- ‘turn’); rayi ‘wealth’ as fullness (often linked to √rā ‘give’); vajra ‘thunderbolt’ (weapon-symbol of decisive force).
Rayi as fullness of being, Supathā (right path) as ordered movement toward ṛta, Indra as unrepelled force (apratiskuta)
Supathā are r̥ta’s tracks in life; Indra enforces them by breaking falsehood/covering.
Straight paths imply satya—non-crookedness of thought and action.
Transformation of the life-journey: from tangled ways to luminous routes under higher rule.
Karma-yoga-like Vedic stance: right action guided by higher illumination; integral prosperity (rāyaḥ) as fullness of being.
Thunderbolt = decisive insight-force; path = life-direction in consciousness; strength = sustained capacity to act in truth.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The coming of Indra by hymn and his making of ‘good paths’: the victorious god turns toward the sacrificer and clears the ways. Innerly, mantra-invocation draws down decisive force that straightens the movements of life toward increase (rāye) and right order.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √vṛt ‘turn/come’ reflects PIE *wert- (Lat. vertō, Eng. turn/‘-ward’ via Germanic *werþan etc.); the prayer ‘make paths’ is an IE poetic commonplace where the god ‘leads’ on a good way (cf. Avestan path imagery).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi offers gīr (inspired speech) as the means of approach; Indra reciprocates by arriving (vavartat) and by actively constructing ‘supathā’—a divine re-ordering of the aspirant’s life-movements toward plenitude.
Call the Indric power as inner guide; then contemplate ‘supathā’—one or two concrete right next steps—felt as luminous simplicity.
ājñā (guidance) with grounding in mūlādhāra (steadfastness)
Inhale with ‘tam indraṃ’; exhale with ‘johavīmi’; after chanting, 5 breaths silently repeating ‘supathā’.
Resolute aspiration culminating in guided equanimity.
Use when stuck: chant once, then write down what ‘straight path’ means today (one truthful action, one renunciation of crookedness). Offer it inwardly to Indra and act.
Invocatory rise on ‘indraṃ’ and ‘maghavānam’; steady emphasis on ‘apratiṣkutaṃ’; blessing cadence on ‘supathā kṛṇotu’. Exact svara per śākhā needed for precision.
Keep ‘johavīmi’ flowing (not chopped). Slight pause after ‘śavāṃsi’ to mark the invincible holding of strengths.
johavīmi: ‘h’ is voiced breath; keep long ī., apratiṣkutaṃ: consonant cluster ṣk is crisp; do not insert extra vowel., vavartat: roll ‘r’; keep short ‘a’., vajrī: ‘jra’ conjunct; avoid ‘vaj-ree’ diphthong—keep pure ī.
Firm, prayerful, concluding with calm assurance.
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