Rig Veda 1.13.12: Mandala 1, Sukta 13, Mantra 12
Sukta 1.13
- Rishi
- Kaṇva
- Devata
- Indra, with collective Devas invited
- Chandas
- Anuṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
स्वाहा यज्ञं कृणोतनेन्द्राय यज्वनो गृहे । तत्र देवाँ उप ह्वये ॥
svā́hā yajñáṃ kṛṇotanéndrā́ya yájvano gṛhé | tátra devā́m̐ úpa hvaye ||
سواہا، قربانی کو قربانی کرنے والے کے گھر میں تیار کرو، اندر کے لیے، وہاں میں دیوتاؤں کو بلاتا ہوں تاکہ حق کی طاقتیں تیار شدہ اندرونی گھر میں جمع ہوں۔
Word by Word
- स्वाहा
- ‘svāhā!’ (ritual exclamation at offering)Indeclinableअव्यय; यज्ञे हविः-समर्पण-उद्गारःRole (वाक्य-प्रयोगे) क्रिया-विशेषण/उद्गारRoot स्वाहा (निपात/यज्ञ-उद्गार)
- यज्ञम्
- the sacrifice/riteNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
- कृणोतन
- make, perform (you all)Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे); मध्यमपुरुष; बहुवचन; परस्मैपदRole (मुख्य क्रिया)Root कृ (धातु)
- इन्द्राय
- for IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी विभक्ति; एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- यज्वनः
- of the sacrificer/worshipperNounपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी विभक्ति; एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root यज्वन् (प्रातिपदिक) < यज्
- गृहे
- in the houseNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी विभक्ति; एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
- तत्र
- thereIndeclinableअव्यय; देशवाचकRole अधिकरण-निर्देशक (क्रिया-विशेषण)Root तत्र (सर्वनाम-आधारित अव्यय)
- देवान्
- the godsNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक)
- उप
- near, towardsIndeclinableअव्यय; उपसर्गः (ह्वये इत्यस्य सह) ‘निकटम्/अभिमुखम्’Role क्रिया-विशेषण/उपसर्गRoot उप (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- ह्वये
- I call/invokeVerbलट्; उत्तमपुरुष; एकवचन; आत्मनेपदRole (मुख्य क्रिया)Root ह्वे (धातु)
Sandhi Notes
- संहिता-पाठः: स्वाहा॑ य॒ज्ञं कृ॑णोत॒नेन्द्रा॑य॒ यज्व॑नो गृ॒हे । तत्र॑ दे॒वाँ उप॑ ह्वये ॥ पद-विभागः (सन्धि-विच्छेद): स्वाहा | यज्ञम् | कृणोतन | इन्द्राय | यज्वनः | गृहे | तत्र | देवान् | उप | ह्वये । प्रमुख-सन्धिः: (1) कृणोतन + इन्द्राय → कृणोतनेन्द्राय (अ + इ → ए)
- (2) देवान् + उप → देवानुप (न् + उ → नु; संहिता-लोप/संयोग)
The meaning
Outer meaning
With ‘svāhā’, prepare the sacrifice in the house of the sacrificer for Indra; there the poet calls the gods near.
Inner meaning
Svāhā is the consenting power that makes an offering truly ‘go’ to the divine. The ‘house’ is the inner home—our embodied consciousness—where the yajña must be arranged. Indra, lord of illumined mind-force, is invited to preside so the gathered powers (devāḥ) can act together. The verse is about preparing the inner field so illumination can assemble and conquer resistance.
Universal truth
Spiritual success depends on preparation: a ready inner home and a consenting will; then higher forces gather and the illumined power leads the transformation.
Themes
Invocation, Indra-strengthening, Consecrated inner home, Soma-ritual
The seer
- Rishi
- Kaṇva
- Lineage
- Kaṇva (Kaṇva-gotra)
- Other hymns
- RV 1.13, RV 1.14 (Agni with the gods for Soma)
Family tradition
Kaṇva sequences often culminate in calling Indra and the collective gods once the supports and channels are set.
Significance
This is the ‘gathering call’: after seating harmonies and enabling transmission, the illumined leader (Indra) and the host of powers are invited into the prepared inner dwelling.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra (with Viśve Devāḥ invited)
- Epithets
- victorious lord (implicit), receiver of svāhā-offering (ritual formula)
- Related deities
- Agni (priest and carrier), Soma (delight that strengthens Indra), Maruts (forces that aid Indra)
Cosmic role
Indra governs the luminous mind and victorious force that breaks obstruction and releases the waters/cows (truth-energies).
Inner power
Illumination with dynamic courage; the power to organize and lead the inner yajña toward conquest of the coverer.
In ritual
Where it is used
Householder and shrauta offering contexts using svāhā; invitation to Indra and devas in the prepared yajña-space
स्वाहा॑ य॒ज्ञं कृ॑णोत॒नेन्द्रा॑य॒ यज्व॑नो गृ॒हे । तत्र॑ दे॒वाँ उप॑ ह्वये ॥
स्वाहा॑ । य॒ज्ञम् । कृ॒णो॒त॒न॒ । इन्द्रा॑य । यज्व॑नः । गृ॒हे । तत्र॑ । दे॒वान् । उप॑ । ह्व॒ये॒ ॥
svāhā | yajñam | kṛṇotana | indrāya | yajvanaḥ | gṛhe | tatra | devān | upa | hvaye
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4 × 8
Ritual-command cadence with a clear ‘svāhā’ opening; gathers momentum into the final invitation.
Builds readiness and summoning energy; good as a threshold mantra before deeper practice.
- स्वाहा (svāhā)
- Literal: hail/oblation-call; offering-acclamation. Symbolic: Consent and self-giving that releases the offering to the divine
- यज्ञम् कृणोतन (yajñam kṛṇotana)
- Literal: make/prepare the sacrifice. Symbolic: Organize life as conscious offering; establish right inner arrangement
- गृहे (gṛhe)
- Literal: in the house. Symbolic: The inner home/adhāra: body-mind as the dwelling for the gods
- इन्द्राय (indrāya)
- Literal: for Indra. Symbolic: For the illumined mind-force that breaks coverings and leads victory
- यज्वनः (yajvanaḥ)
- Literal: of the sacrificer. Symbolic: The aspiring doer who offers works to the Divine
- देवान् उप ह्वये (devān upa hvaye)
- Literal: I call the gods near. Symbolic: Invite multiple higher powers to descend and cooperate within
Svāhā-formula and establishment of yajña in the sacrificer’s ‘house’; calling the deities to the rite in soma context.
At the moment of making offerings ‘for Indra’ and calling the devas to the rite
Uttering svāhā; preparing/lighting; inviting devas to partake
Before a challenging task: ‘prepare the inner house’ (clean attention, simplify motives), then invoke Indra’s clarity and courage; use as a consecration formula.
svāhā: traditionally analyzed as su-āhā ‘well said/uttered’ or ‘well carried’; functions as an offering-formula indicating correct transmission. kṛṇotana: imperative plural from √kṛ ‘do/make’—a directive to officiants/powers to establish the rite. Indra: from ind ‘to kindle/strengthen’ (traditional), signifying intensification of force; psychologically the conquering luminous power. gṛha: ‘house’ as the seat of life; inner sense: the embodied consciousness made fit for divine presence.
ṛta through correct offering (svāhā), Indra as victorious force of expansion against inner obstruction, consecration of the ‘house’ (gṛha) as psychic field
Preparation ‘in the house’ is establishing ṛta in the personal field so the gods can act without confusion.
Indra represents effective truth-power (satya in action) that makes the offering victorious.
Descent and assembly: higher powers gather in the prepared receptacle to shape life.
Integral yoga of consecrated action: the inner home becomes a temple for descending powers.
House = embodied psyche; preparation = purification and ordering; Indra = illumined mental force; gods assembling = harmonized faculties awakening.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘assembly in the consecrated house’ mythologem: the yajña is made in the gṛha and the gods are called to gather there. In inner terms, the embodied being becomes the altar/house; when offering is rightly sealed (svāhā), the powers assemble to support Indra’s victorious work against obstruction.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √kṛ ‘do/make’ is an Indo-Iranian development comparable in function to PIE *kwer-/*ker- ‘make’ proposals, though exact equation is debated; √hū ‘call’ has Indo-Iranian parallels. The social/ritual ‘house’ (gṛha) participates in inherited domestic-sacral symbolism widespread across Indo-European traditions.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi organizes a reciprocal ‘hosting’: the human prepares the house/field by yajña; the gods respond by coming near (upa) to cooperate. Indra is singled out as the required force for the next stage of inner conquest; the collective devas are invited as supporting faculties.
Consecration and summoning: make the inner home ready; invite Indra’s illumined force to lead the faculties.
Maṇipūra (dynamic will) guided by Ājñā (illumination).
3 rounds: inhale ‘prepare’, exhale ‘offer’ (svāhā feeling); then chant; sit 1–2 minutes feeling an inner assembly.
Collected, courageous, organized readiness.
Before practice, mentally ‘clean the room’: drop distractions, set one intention; chant once, then invite specific powers—clarity, courage, harmony—to take their places.
Keep ‘svāhā’ with its marked accent; observe udātta/anudātta in Saṃhitā; end each pāda cleanly to preserve anuṣṭubh symmetry.
Let ‘indrāya’ be clearly articulated; slight pause after ‘svāhā’ to mark consecration.
svāhā: long ā, clean h, kṛṇotana: retroflex ṇ, short vowels, yajvano: avoid inserting extra ‘a’ between j and v, devān: nasalization minimal; lengthen ā properly
Bright, confident, forward-moving tone.
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