Rig Veda 8.13.24: Mandala 8, Sukta 13, Mantra 24
Sukta 8.13
- Devata
- Indra
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
तमीमहे पुरुष्टुतं यह्वं प्रत्नाभिरूतिभिः । नि बर्हिषि प्रिये सददध द्विता ॥
tám īmahe puruṣṭutáṃ yahváṃ pratnā́bhir ū́tibhiḥ | ní barhíṣi priyé sadad ádha dvitā́ ||
Siya ay aming nilalapitan, na lubos na pinupuri, ang matulin, sa pamamagitan ng sinaunang mga tulong; sana siya ay umupo sa minamahal na banal na upuan, at muling magtatag sa kanyang sarili sa loob.
Word by Word
- तम्
- himPronounपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- ईमहे
- we implore / we seekVerbलट् (वेद. वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, उत्तम-पुरुष, बहुवचनRole (क्रिया)Root याच्/ई (याचने/प्रार्थने) — √ई/√याच् (वेद.)
- पुरुष्टुतम्
- much-praisedAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-एकवचनम् (तम् इति सर्वनामस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्मRoot पुरु-स्तुत (प्रातिपदिक) < पुरु + स्तुत (√स्तु ‘to praise’)
- यह्वम्
- mighty / impetuousAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-एकवचनम् (तम् इति विशेषणम्)Role कर्मRoot यह्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- प्रत्नाभिः
- with ancient (customary)Adjective (used substantively)स्त्रीलिङ्गे तृतीया-बहुवचनम् (ऊतिभिः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role करणRoot प्रत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
- ऊतिभिः
- helps / protectionsNounस्त्रीलिङ्गे तृतीया-बहुवचनम्Role करणRoot ऊति (प्रातिपदिक) < √अव्/√ऊ ‘to help, protect’ (वेद.)
- नि
- down; inIndeclinableउपसर्गः (सदत्/सददध इत्यस्य)Role (क्रियाविशेषण)Root नि (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- बर्हिषि
- on the sacred grass (barhis)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी-एकवचनम्Role अधिकरणRoot बर्हिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- प्रिये
- dear, belovedAdjective (used substantively)नपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी-एकवचनम् (बर्हिषि इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role अधिकरणRoot प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
- सदत्
- let him sit / may he sitVerbलोट्/आज्ञार्थे (वेद. injunctive/imperative usage), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचनRole (क्रिया)Root √सद् (आसने)
- अध
- then; thereuponIndeclinableसम्बन्ध/अनन्तर्ये निपातःRole (क्रियाविशेषण)Root अध (निपात)
- द्विता
- again; a second timeIndeclinableअव्ययम् (पुनः/द्विधा-भावे)Role (क्रियाविशेषण)Root द्विता (अव्यय) < द्वि
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सम्भाव्यः): तम् ईमहे पुरुष्टुतम् यह्वम् प्रत्नाभिः ऊतिभिः । नि बर्हिषि प्रिये सदत् अध द्विता ॥ 1) तमी॑महे = तम् + ईमहे (अन्त्यं -म् + आद्यस्वरः; संहितायां ‘मी’ इव दृश्यते)
- 2) प्र॒त्नाभि॑रू॒तिभि॑ः = प्रत्नाभिः + ऊतिभिः (विसर्गलोपः/रुत्व-प्रवृत्तिः; संहितायां ‘-भिर्-’)
- 3) सद॒दध॑ = सदत् + अध (त् + अ → द + अ; संधौ ‘द’)
- 4) नि बर्हिषि प्रिये: ‘प्रिये’ बर्हिषि इत्यस्य विशेषणं (सप्तमी-एकवचन)
The meaning
Outer meaning
We seek Indra, much-praised and impetuous, with ancient helps; may he sit on the beloved barhis (sacred seat) and again establish himself within.
Inner meaning
The seeker calls the illumined Mind not merely to descend once, but to ‘sit’ firmly on the prepared inner seat (barhis = the rightly arranged foundation of the being: purified nervous system, quiet mind, receptive heart). ‘Ancient succours’ are the perennial aids of the path—truth-force, aspiration, and the accumulated power of mantra/tradition. ‘Again, within’ indicates stabilization: illumination must become resident, not episodic.
Universal truth
Real transformation requires a prepared foundation and repeated establishment of higher clarity until it becomes stable in daily consciousness.
Themes
invitation and indwelling, prepared receptivity (barhis), renewed descent (dvitā)
The seer
- Lineage
- Kāṇva (probable)
- Other hymns
- RV 8.13.23-27 (sequence focused on Indra’s approach and establishment)
Family tradition
Kāṇva hymns often stress effective invocation and the settling of the deity in the sacrifice—read inwardly as settling of the power in consciousness.
Significance
The seer’s emphasis is not only calling Indra but making him ‘sit’—the yogic principle of stabilizing realization through receptivity and repetition.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- puruṣṭuta, yahva, protector (implied by ‘succours’)
- Related deities
- Agni (preparer of the seat), Soma (rapture that attracts Indra), Bṛhaspati (word/vision that opens)
Cosmic role
Brings victorious illumination and establishes the luminous order in the human field.
Inner power
A descending and stabilizing clarity that occupies the ‘seat’ of the mind-heart complex, governing it from within.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra invitation to take the seat in Soma sacrifice (āsana/niṣadana motif)
तमी॑महे पुरुष्टु॒तं य॒ह्वं प्र॒त्नाभि॑रू॒तिभि॑: । नि ब॒र्हिषि॑ प्रि॒ये स॑द॒दध॑ द्वि॒ता ॥
तम् । ई॒म॒हे॒ । पु॒रु॒ऽस्तु॒तम् । य॒ह्वम् । प्र॒त्नाभिः॑ । ऊ॒तिऽभिः॑ । नि । ब॒र्हिषि॑ । प्रि॒ये । स॒द॒त् । अध॑ । द्वि॒ता ॥
tam | īmahe | puru-stutam | yahvam | pratnābhiḥ | ūti-bhiḥ | ni | barhiṣi | priye | sadat | adha | dvitā
Probable Jagatī or Triṣṭubh-family; requires scansion of full verse with Vedic sandhi
44
4 pādas (likely 11-syllable pādas)
Invocatory opening with a settling cadence in the second half, mirroring ‘sit down’ and ‘establish’.
Moves from calling to quiet receptivity; supports a felt ‘descent and settling’ in meditation.
- पुरुष्टुत (puruṣṭuta)
- Literal: much-praised by many. Symbolic: the frequently confirmed power of illumination, validated by many experiences/seekers
- यह्व (yahva)
- Literal: impetuous, swift, mighty. Symbolic: the rapid, forceful movement of awakened intelligence breaking inertia
- प्रत्न ऊति (pratnā ūti)
- Literal: ancient helps/succours. Symbolic: timeless supports: mantra-force, inner guidance, inherited yogic pathways
- बर्हिस् (barhis)
- Literal: sacrificial grass/seat. Symbolic: the prepared inner ground—purified receptivity and ordered energies
- प्रिये (priye)
- Literal: beloved. Symbolic: the heart’s consenting delight in the divine presence
- द्विता (dvitā)
- Literal: again, a second time; repeatedly. Symbolic: re-establishment until permanence; iterative integration
Āvāhana and seating (āsana) of the deity on barhis; in Soma rites, inviting Indra to sit and partake.
At the welcoming/inviting phase of Indra in stotra sequences
Inviting the deity to sit on barhis; offering Soma mentally/ritually
Before meditation, ‘prepare the seat’ (posture + calm breath) and chant to invite stable clarity into the mind.
barhis is ritual seat (grass) but psychologically the 'spread' of conscious receptivity (√bṛh 'to expand' resonates with barhis as broadened base). √sad 'sit' indicates stable presence/indwelling of the devatā. pratna 'ancient' signals perennial powers rather than temporal antiquity.
descent of divine force into prepared base, perennial aid (pratnā ūti), stability of presence (sad)
R̥ta (ordered establishment); Satyam (true presence); Tapas (disciplined preparation; implied by ‘seat’ and repeated establishing)
Indra ‘sits’ where the inner order is arranged; stability is the mark of R̥ta in the being.
True illumination is recognized by its capacity to remain and govern, not merely flash.
Descent of higher power into the formed instrument; making the human ‘seat’ fit for the divine.
Integral-psychological Vedic exegesis (Aurobindo/Kashyap line).
Barhis corresponds to the nervous and mental ground made soft, pure, and receptive; ‘sitting’ is the settling of force into stable awareness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The seating of Indra on the barhis: the epiphany is stabilized—god not only comes but sits. Inwardly, the impetuous force is made to descend and dwell upon the prepared foundation of consciousness, repeatedly (dvitā) until establishment is firm.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √sad 'sit' (PIE *sed- 'sit'; cf. Latin sedeō, English sit is Germanic but from same PIE root) is a key inherited verb used for divine indwelling. The preverb ni- marks descent/into-ness, a common IE spatial-to-abstract mapping.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The Rishi prepares the 'seat' (barhis) through ordered offering and speech; the devatā answers by consenting to stable presence. The relationship is hospitality inwardly: the human makes room; the god inhabits.
Stabilizing illumination: invite the higher mind to ‘take its seat’ in the head-heart axis.
Ājñā (seat of inner governance) with Anāhata (beloved consent)
Exhale-lengthening (e.g., 4 in / 6 out) to support ‘settling’; brief pause after exhale to feel presence seated
Quiet receptivity with a firm, bright center.
Prepare posture as ‘barhis’; chant once with force (yahva), then rest in silence as if the power sits; repeat until the sense of presence becomes steady (dvitā).
Follow Saṃhitā accent marks; maintain clear udātta on highlighted syllables; soften into a steadier tone around ‘ni barhiṣi priye sadat’ to reflect settling.
First half slightly more projecting; second half more grounded and even.
puruṣṭutam: keep ṣṭ cluster crisp (ṣ-ṭu)., yahvam: pronounce ‘yh’ smoothly (ya-hvam), not ‘yaavam’., pratnābhir: retroflex ṇ in pratnā; keep long ā., barhiṣi: clear ‘ṣ’ at end; short i.
Inviting, steady, and settling; end with a gentle cadence.
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