Rig Veda 2.12.13: Mandala 2, Sukta 12, Mantra 13
Sukta 2.12
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
द्यावा चिदस्मै पृथिवी नमेते शुष्माच्चिदस्य पर्वता भयन्ते । यः सोमपा निचितो वज्रबाहुर्यो वज्रहस्तः स जनास इन्द्रः ॥
dyāvā cid asmai pṛthivī namete śuṣmāc cid asya parvatā bhayante | yaḥ soma-pā ni-cito vajra-bāhur yo vajra-hastaḥ sa janāsa indraḥ ||
جس کے آگے آسمان اور زمین جھکتی ہیں؛ اس کی تیز طاقت سے پہاڑ بھی ڈرتے ہیں۔ وہ سوم پینے والا، مضبوط، بجلی بازو والا، ہاتھ میں بجلی لئے، وہ، اے لوگو، اندر ہے۔
Word by Word
- द्यावा
- the two heavens (Heaven and its pair)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-द्विवचन (Vedic dual stem द्यावा = द्यावौ)Role कर्तृRoot द्याव् (प्रातिपदिक: द्यौ/द्याव्)
- चित्
- evenIndeclinableनिपात; ‘even/indeed’ (emphatic)Root चित् (अव्यय)
- अस्मै
- to himPronounचतुर्थी-एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- पृथिवी
- EarthNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot पृथिवी (प्रातिपदिक)
- नमेतॆ
- bow (do obeisance)Verbलट् (वर्तमान); प्रथमपुरुष; बहुवचन; आत्मनेपदRoot नम् (धातु)
- शुष्मात्
- from (his) might/impetuous powerNounपुंलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी-एकवचनRole अपादानRoot शुष्म (प्रातिपदिक)
- चित्
- evenIndeclinableनिपात; ‘even’ (emphatic)Root चित् (अव्यय)
- अस्य
- of himPronounषष्ठी-एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम)
- पर्वताः
- mountainsNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot पर्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
- भयन्ते
- fearVerbलट् (वर्तमान); प्रथमपुरुष; बहुवचन; आत्मनेपदRoot भी (धातु)
- यः
- whoPronounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot यद् (सर्वनाम)
- सोमपा
- Soma-drinkerNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot सोमपा (प्रातिपदिक; समास: सोम + पा ‘पिबति’)
- निचितः
- set down, establishedParticipleभूतकर्मणि/भूतकृत् (क्त); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचनRole कर्तृ (विशेषणरूपेण)Root नि-चि (धातु) → क्त (कृदन्त)
- वज्रबाहुः
- whose arm is (like) a thunderbolt / thunderbolt-armedNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचनRole कर्तृ (विशेषण)Root वज्रबाहु (प्रातिपदिक; समास: वज्र + बाहु)
- यः
- whoPronounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot यद् (सर्वनाम)
- वज्रहस्तः
- thunderbolt-in-handNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचनRole कर्तृ (विशेषण)Root वज्रहस्त (प्रातिपदिक; समास: वज्र + हस्त)
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot तद् (सर्वनाम)
- जनासः
- peoples, menNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (स्तुत्यर्थे संबोधन-सदृशः)Root जनास (प्रातिपदिक; Vedic form of जन/जनाः ‘people’)
- इन्द्रः
- IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (Vedic): द्यावा | चित् | अस्मै | पृथिवी | नमेतॆ || शुष्मात् | चित् | अस्य | पर्वताः | भयन्ते । यः | सोमपा | निचितः | वज्रबाहुः | यः | वज्रहस्तः | सः | जनासः | इन्द्रः ॥ Sandhi/phonology: (1) चिदस्मै = चित् + अस्मै (त् + अ → द्, परसवर्ण/स्वर-संधि with voicing). (2) पृथिवी नमेते: no external sandhi
- verb is plural agreeing with dual+singular compound subject (द्यावा + पृथिवी) in Vedic usage. (3) शुष्माच्चिदस्य = शुष्मात् + चित् + अस्य (त् + च → च्च; then चिदस्य with त् + अ → द्). (4) सोमपा निचितो = सोमपा + निचितः (visarga lost in saṃhitā before voiced? here written without visarga in pada-text style; underlying nominative sg -ः). (5) वज्रबाहुर्यो = वज्रबाहुः + यः (visarga before य → र्, i.e., ḥ + y → r y). (6) हस्तः स = हस्तः + सः (visarga before s often retained; here orthographically ‘हस्त: स’). Accents as in saṃhitā: द्यावा॑, चित् (enclitic), शुष्मा॑त्, पर्व॑ताः, सो॑मपा, नि॑चितः, वज्र॑बाहुः, वज्र॑हस्तः, इन्द्र॑ः
The meaning
Outer meaning
Even Heaven and Earth bow to Indra; mountains tremble before his force. He is the Soma-drinker, steadfast, with the thunderbolt as arm and weapon—this is Indra, known to all peoples.
Inner meaning
The illumined Mind-Power (Indra) is so sovereign that the highest (dyāvāḥ: luminous mentality) and the foundational (pṛthivī: embodied consciousness) consent to it. The ‘mountains’ are fixed formations of our nature—habits, rigid structures, subconscious blocks—that fear the descending force (śuṣma) of awakening. Soma-drinking indicates Indra’s capacity to receive and intensify bliss-consciousness; the vajra is the decisive discriminating power that breaks the Coverer and releases hidden light.
Universal truth
When the awakened intelligence is fed by inner delight (Soma) and wielded with clear discernment (vajra), even entrenched resistances yield; the whole being aligns—above and below—with a higher order of truth.
Themes
cosmic sovereignty, soma, vajra power, fear of mountains (obstructions)
The seer
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Lineage
- Bhārgava (traditionally connected with the Bhr̥gu line)
- Other hymns
- RV 2.12.1, RV 2.12.1-15 (Indra-stuti sequence), RV 2.13.1-2
Family tradition
Māṇḍala 2 is traditionally attributed to the Gṛtsamada family; hymns often stress Indra’s victorious illumination and the right offering (inner and outer).
Significance
Gṛtsamada’s Indra hymns repeatedly affirm the conquering power of illumined mind over obstruction; the poetry functions as a psychological ‘assurance’ mantra—naming the victorious consciousness so it can be invoked in the aspirant.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- somapā (Soma-drinker), vajrabāhu (thunderbolt-armed), vajrahasta (thunderbolt-in-hand), nicita (firmly founded)
- Related deities
- Agni, Soma, Bṛhaspati, Uṣas, Maruts
Cosmic role
Champion of the gods who breaks the Coverer, releases the waters/cows (lights), and establishes ṛta in the human field.
Inner power
Illuminative intelligence joined to force—clarity that can act, decide, and pierce through confusion and inertia.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-stotra within Soma-related Śrauta sequences (general Indra praise used in Soma sacrifice contexts)
द्यावा॑ चिदस्मै पृथि॒वी न॑मेते॒ शुष्मा॑च्चिदस्य॒ पर्व॑ता भयन्ते । यः सो॑म॒पा नि॑चि॒तो वज्र॑बाहु॒र्यो वज्र॑हस्त॒: स ज॑नास॒ इन्द्र॑: ॥
द्यावा॑ । चि॒त् । अ॒स्मै॒ । पृ॒थि॒वी इति॑ । न॒मे॒ते॒ इति॑ । शुष्मा॑त् । चि॒त् । अ॒स्य॒ । पर्व॑ताः । भ॒य॒न्ते॒ । यः । सो॒म॒ऽपाः । नि॒ऽचि॒तः । वज्र॑ऽबाहुः । यः । वज्र॑ऽहस्तः । सः । ज॒ना॒सः॒ । इन्द्रः॑ ॥
dyāvā | cit | asmai | pṛthivī iti | nameteiti | śuṣmāt | cit | asya | parvatāḥ | bhayante | yaḥ | soma-pāḥ | ni-citaḥ | vajra-bāhuḥ | yaḥ | vajra-hastaḥ | saḥ | janāsaḥ | indraḥ
44
4 pādas of ~11 syllables each
Strong, driving, declarative cadence suited to proclamation and victory.
Builds confidence and upward surge; the repeated ‘yaḥ… sa… indraḥ’ style (in the surrounding hymn) anchors recognition of the invoked power.
- द्यावा (dyāvā)
- Literal: Heaven(s). Symbolic: Higher mind, luminous consciousness above the ordinary
- पृथिवी (pṛthivī)
- Literal: Earth. Symbolic: Embodied nature, physical-vital foundation that must consent to the Spirit
- नमेते (namete)
- Literal: They bow. Symbolic: Alignment, surrender of lower/higher instruments to the illumined will
- शुष्म (śuṣma)
- Literal: Force, impetuous energy. Symbolic: Dynamic spiritual energy that breaks inertia
- पर्वत (parvata)
- Literal: Mountains. Symbolic: Fixed formations, hardened habits, subconscient ‘masses’ resisting change
- सोमपा (somapā)
- Literal: Soma-drinker. Symbolic: One who receives and increases divine Ananda as power
- निचित (nicita)
- Literal: Well-set, firmly established. Symbolic: Stable realization; collected, poised consciousness
- वज्र (vajra)
- Literal: Thunderbolt. Symbolic: Illumined discernment; force of truth that shatters obstruction
- इन्द्र (indra)
- Literal: Indra. Symbolic: Divine Mind, lord of illumination and victorious power
Soma offering context (Indra as soma-pā); recited to strengthen Indra’s presence and force in the rite and the practitioner
During Indra invocations/praises; adaptable as an Indra-śastra/stotra element depending on recension practice
Recitation to invoke Indra’s protective victorious force and confirm his presence in the sacrifice
Use as a ‘fear-breaking’ affirmation before challenging work/inner confrontation; chant to steady resolve and dissolve rigidity (parvata) in the psyche.
√nam ‘bow’ indicates universal recognition of sovereignty. śuṣma ‘impetuous might’ is the dynamic pressure needed to break inertia. ni-√ci ‘pile, set’ → ‘well-established’ suggests stable divine presence in the being. soma-pā: Soma as delight/immortalizing essence; Indra drinks it as the power that turns delight into victorious energy.
sovereignty of the truth-force, stability (ni-cita) of realized power, ānanda (soma) fueling victory
Indra’s force compels alignment of ‘heaven and earth’—a symbol of restoring right order across planes of the being.
Indra as the truthful power whose decisive action reveals what is real beneath coverings.
Release and re-ordering: breaking fixed obstruction to allow the hidden plenitudes to emerge.
Proto-Vedāntic/Integral (Aurobindo-style): ascent of consciousness and descent of force to transform nature.
A vertical integration of consciousness (heaven–earth) empowered by lightning-like discrimination that fractures hardened formations; Soma as delight that fuels transformation.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Indra’s universal kingship: even the cosmic supports bow; obstructions (mountains) tremble. Soma-drinking links the mythic warrior to the sacramental delight that becomes force.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √nam ‘bend/bow’ has IE parallels (Latin nem- in related semantic areas is debated; clearer are Indo-Iranian continuities). The stable epithet formation (vajra-bāhu, vajra-hasta) shows productive compound morphology typical of IE poetics.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi’s praise establishes Indra as both transcendent (before whom dyāvāpṛthivī bow) and immanent (ni-cita, established in the rite through Soma), enabling inner stabilization of victorious force.
Invoke the inner Indra to bow the whole being (higher and lower) to truth-directed intelligence.
ājñā (brow)
Moderate-paced japa on exhale; brief pause after each pāda to feel ‘nicita’ steadiness.
Dynamic concentration—clear, forceful, fearless.
Before chanting, recall one rigid habit (‘mountain’) you want to transform; chant 9–27 times, then sit silently and visualize a vajra-flash of discernment splitting the blockage while a calm joy (Soma) rises behind it.
Follow Rigvedic three-tone (udātta/anudātta/svarita) as marked in the saṃhitā accents; maintain clear udātta lifts on accented syllables (e.g.,,, ).
Do not flatten the accents; let udātta rise lightly, svarita fall-glide, anudātta remain grounded—this preserves the ‘vajra-like’ articulation.
ṇamete: keep dental ‘n’ and clear ‘e’ vowels, śuṣmāc: retroflex ‘ṣ’, and lengthen ‘ā’ before ‘c’, vajra: pronounce ‘jra’ conjunct cleanly (vaj-ra), indraḥ: visarga as soft breath at end
Firm, bright, chest-to-brow resonance; end each pāda with decisive closure.
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Rig Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
