Rig Veda 8.2.13: Mandala 8, Sukta 2, Mantra 13
Sukta 8.2
- Rishi
- Kaṇva
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Anuṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
रेवाँ इद्रेवतः स्तोता स्यात्त्वावतो मघोनः । प्रेदु हरिवः श्रुतस्य ॥
revā́m̐ id revátaḥ stotā́ syāt tvā́vato maghónaḥ | prédu hari-vaḥ śrutásya ||
Nawa ang mangunguna na kumakanta ay tunay na yumaman sa liwanag na kasaganaan, sapagkat siya ay tinataguyod mo, O mapagkaloobang Indra; at nawa ang katanyagan ng kinasasabikang pagdinig ay lumaganap, O panginoon ng mga kayumangging kabayo.
Word by Word
- रे॒वान्
- wealthy, splendidAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole विशेषण (कर्ता-सम्बन्धी)Root रेवत् (प्रातिपदिक) < रेव्/रु (धातु, ‘धन/समृद्धि’ भाव) + वत्
- इत्
- indeed, justIndeclinableनिपात (अव्यय)Role सम्बन्ध-बोधक/निपात (emphasis)Root इत् (निपात; इद्/इत्)
- रे॒वत॑ः
- of the wealthy one (Indra)Adjective (used substantively) / Noun-epithetपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive: ‘of the wealthy one’)Root रेवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- स्तो॒ता
- praiser, singerNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्ताRoot स्तोतृ (प्रातिपदिक) < स्तु (धातु ‘स्तुति’ ) + तृ
- स्यात्
- may beVerbविधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot अस् (धातु ‘to be’)
- त्वा
- you (Indra)Pronounद्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अवत॑ः
- of the protector/helperAdjective (used substantively) / Noun-epithetपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive: ‘of the helper/protector’)Root अवत् (प्रातिपदिक) < अव् (धातु ‘रक्षा/सहाय’ ) + अत्
- म॒घोनः॑
- of the bountiful (Indra)Noun-epithetपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive: ‘of the bountiful one’)Root मघवन्/मघोन् (प्रातिपदिक; इन्द्र-विशेषण ‘दानशील/समृद्ध’)
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRole क्रिया-विशेषकRoot प्र (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- एदु
- come! on!Indeclinableनिपात (वैदिक)Role सम्बोधन/प्रेरणा (particle)Root एदु (वैदिक निपात; प्रोत्साहन/आह्वानार्थ)
- हरिवः
- O you with tawny steedsNoun-epithet (vocative) / Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot हरिवत्/हरिवस् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘हरि-युक्त’, इन्द्र-विशेषण)
- श्रु॒तस्य॑
- of the heard-of, renowned (i.e., of famed praise/renown)Adjective / Noun (past passive participle)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive: ‘of the heard/renowned [praise]’)Root श्रुत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) < श्रु (धातु ‘to hear’) + क्त
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (sandhi-resolved): रेवान् | इत् | रेवतः | स्तोता | स्यात् | त्वा | अवतः | मघोनः | प्र | एदु | हरिवः | श्रुतस्य । 1) ‘रेवाँ इद्’ → ‘रेवान् इत्’ (अनुस्वार/नकार-परिवर्तन; पदान्त -न् + इ-)
- 2) ‘स्यात् त्वा’ संधि-रूप में ‘स्यात्त्वा’ (त् + त् = त्त्)
- 3) ‘प्रेदु’ = ‘प्र + एदु’ (स्वर-संधि: अ/आ-पूर्व ‘प्र’ + ए-)
The meaning
Outer meaning
May the singer become rich in wealth, supported by you, O bountiful Indra; and may the fame of the inspired hearing go forth, O lord of tawny steeds.
Inner meaning
When Indra supports the seeker (tvāvataḥ), the stotṛ (inner singer—aspiring soul) becomes revān: filled with luminous plenitude, not merely outer riches. The ‘śrutasya’ is inspired hearing—inner receptivity to the truth-sound. As that inner hearing matures, its ‘fame’ (pra…śrutasya) goes forth: the realized vibration spreads into life, speech, and action. Hari-vaḥ (tawny steeds) indicates Indra’s dynamic energies—disciplined vital forces carrying illumination forward.
Universal truth
When higher intelligence supports aspiration, inner receptivity grows into plenitude, and realized truth naturally expresses itself outwardly as effective speech and action.
Themes
Indra-invocation, praise-and-boon reciprocity, inner wealth (rayi), mantric audition (śruti)
The seer
- Rishi
- Kaṇva
- Lineage
- Kāṇva
- Other hymns
- RV 8.2 (hymn context), RV 8.48 (Kāṇva Soma hymn, inner joy and immortality), RV 1.24–1.30 (Kāṇva-associated clusters in some traditions; Indra/Agni themes)
Family tradition
Kāṇva hymns (notably in RV 8) emphasize Indra’s support of the seer and the transformation of speech/hearing into luminous power.
Significance
Kaṇva’s line is marked by ‘śruti’ as living inner hearing: revelation becomes effective speech (mantra) and dynamic action under Indra’s force.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- maghavan (bountiful), hari-vaḥ (lord of tawny steeds), śūra (hero)
- Related deities
- Sarasvatī (inspiration and speech), Bṛhaspati (inspired word), Maruts (energies)
Cosmic role
Champion of the gods; giver of victory and abundance; awakener of inspired speech and hearing through illumination.
Inner power
Bestows inner riches: clarity, courage, expansive force; yokes vital energies (horses) to the light of the mind.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra praise within Soma offering sequences; concluding benediction for the singer and the rite
रे॒वाँ इद्रे॒वत॑: स्तो॒ता स्यात्त्वाव॑तो म॒घोन॑: । प्रेदु॑ हरिवः श्रु॒तस्य॑ ॥
रे॒वान् । इत् । रे॒वतः॑ । स्तो॒ता । स्यात् । त्वाऽव॑तः । म॒घोनः॑ । प्र । इत् । ऊँ॒ इति॑ । ह॒रि॒ऽवः॒ । श्रु॒तस्य॑ ॥
revān | it | revataḥ | stotā | syāt | tvāvataḥ | maghonaḥ | pra | it | oṃ iti | hari-vaḥ | śrutasya
Anuṣṭubh (stated probable; fits the compact RV 8.2 style)
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4 pādas of ~8 syllables
Blessing-like and expansive despite brevity; forward propulsion on pra-ed u.
Instills confidence and uplift; seals the preceding preparation/warning with a promise of plenitude and right expression.
- stotā
- Literal: praiser/singer. Symbolic: aspiring soul; inner voice of offering and affirmation
- revān / revataḥ
- Literal: rich, splendid, possessed of wealth. Symbolic: plenitude of light, joy, force; inner abundance
- tvāvataḥ
- Literal: protected/supported by you. Symbolic: held by higher consciousness; grace through alignment
- maghonaḥ
- Literal: bountiful. Symbolic: Indra as giver of inner riches (illumination, strength)
- hari-vaḥ
- Literal: having tawny steeds. Symbolic: dynamic life-energies yoked to illumination
- śrutasya
- Literal: of what is heard; fame of hearing. Symbolic: inspired audition (śruti) within; receptivity to truth
Indra-stotra in Soma-yajña context (general Soma praise; used as invitatory/affirmation of Indra’s boon-giving in pressing rites)
At or near the close of an Indra-invocation segment to affirm fruit (plenitude, fame of śruti)
Stotra/śastra recitation; calling Indra to grant abundance and confirm inspired hearing
Use as an affirmation after meditation or chanting: may inner hearing mature into luminous, effective life-expression.
/ from √rev/ru (to roar, shine, be splendid) and semantic field of rayi (plenitude, riches, luminous abundance). (agent noun) from √stu ‘to praise’. optative of √as ‘to be’ indicating desired becoming. from maghá ‘gift, bounty’ (Indra as power of bestowal). - from √hṛ/har ‘to bear, carry, tawny’ → energies/steeds that carry the ascent. - from √śru ‘to hear’ → inspired hearing/śruti as inner reception.
Śruti as inner revelation, Rayi as plenitude of being, aspirational becoming (optative mood as spiritual intention)
When supported by Indra, speech aligns with ṛta—becoming effective, timely, and true.
Śruti as satya entering mind and word.
Revelation-to-manifestation: what is heard inwardly becomes creative force outwardly.
Mantric psychology: revelation (śruti) → expression (stotra) → embodied effectiveness (hari energies).
Horses symbolize mobilized life-force; ‘hearing’ symbolizes receptive intuition—together they mean inspired truth carried into action.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Not a narrative combat but the core reciprocity-mythologem: the hymn (stoma/stuti) as a force that draws Indra’s bounty (magha/rayi). The ‘richness’ is the luminous increase that comes when Indra’s energizing powers (hari) carry the seeker’s consciousness forward.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √śru ‘hear’ aligns with PIE *ḱleu̯- ‘hear, be famed’ (cf. Greek κλέος ‘fame’), supporting śruti/śruta as both hearing and renown. The emphasis particle id is a typical Indo-European discourse marker used to seal assertion. Agentive formations like stotā (from √stu) parallel PIE praise-formulas where speech-act effects divine response.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi positions the stotā as ‘tvāvataḥ’—one who possesses Indra inwardly (Indra-force lodged in the seeker). The hymn is not flattery but an exchange of powers: the articulated truth-sound (śruta) becomes effective, and Indra reciprocates by establishing rayi (plenitude) in the singer.
Cultivate ‘inspired hearing’ (śruti) and let it express as steady speech and right action supported by illumined will.
Viśuddha (mantric expression) supported by Ājñā (Indra-illumination)
Gentle ujjāyī to steady voice and attention; short silent listening after each recitation to contact śruti.
Confident luminous poise; receptive and empowered.
Chant once, then sit in silence and ‘listen’ inwardly. Let a single clear intention arise; then act with calm vigor, as if yoked to Indra’s tawny steeds.
Mixed udātta/anudātta/svarita per Śākala; chant with clear stress on maghonaḥ and hari-vaḥ as vocatives.
Keep the blessing tone: slightly lift on revān and pra; pause cleanly at pāda breaks; let hari-vaḥ ring as the closing call.
revān: long ā; nasalization minimal, tvāvataḥ: long ā; v articulated (not ‘w’), maghonaḥ: gh aspirated; o long, hari-vaḥ: visarga ḥ at end of hari-vaḥ lightly released
Uplifting, resonant, confident.
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