Rig Veda 6.21.1: Mandala 6, Sukta 21, Mantra 1
Sukta 6.21
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
इमा उ त्वा पुरुतमस्य कारोर्हव्यं वीर हव्या हवन्ते । धियो रथेष्ठामजरं नवीयो रयिर्विभूतिरीयते वचस्या ॥
imā u tvā purutamasya kāror havyaṃ vīra havyā havante | dhiyo ratheṣṭhām ajaraṃ navīyo rayir vibhūtir īyate vacasyā ||
اے ویر! یہ ہدیے تجھے پکارتے ہیں اس گائیک سے جو سب سے زیادہ مال دار ہے۔ یہ نذریں تجھے بلاتی ہیں۔ الہامی خیالات، رتھ کے راستے پر جمے ہوئے، ہمیشہ نئے اور نہ بگڑنے والے، ایک رئی کی طرح آگے بڑھتے ہیں، ایک ہر جگہ پھیلی ہوئی پوریتا، بول کی طاقت سے۔
Word by Word
- इमाः
- these (hymns/words)Pronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्म (स्तुतिरूपा गिरः) / विषयRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- उ
- indeed / nowIndeclinableनिपात (अवधारण/सम्बोधन-प्राय)Root उ (निपात)
- त्वा
- youPronounद्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- पुरुतमस्य
- of the most bountiful / of the very manyAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी) — ‘of the most abundant/many’Root पुरुतम (विशेषण; पुरु + तमप्)
- कारोः
- of the singer (poet)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी) — ‘of the singer/poet’Root कारु (प्रातिपदिक; ‘कवि/स्तोता’)
- हव्यम्
- oblation / offeringNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot हव्य (प्रातिपदिक; √हु ‘to sacrifice/call’ से)
- वीर
- O heroNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot वीर (सम्बोधन-प्रातिपदिक)
- हव्या
- offeringsNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन (यहाँ कर्म-बहुवचन)Role कर्मRoot हव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- हवन्ते
- they invoke / they callVerbलट्, आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचनRole क्रियाRoot √हू (जुहोति/ह्वयति; ‘to call/invoke’)
- धियः
- insights / prayersNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole कर्तृRoot धि (स्त्री; ‘thought, insight, prayer’)
- रथेष्ठाम्
- (as) chariot-standing / chariot-mountedAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (धियः… [स्तुतिं] रथेष्ठाम्—विशेषणरूपेण) / वैदिक-प्रयोगे कर्मणिRole कर्म (धियः द्वारा अभिप्रेत-स्तुतिः) / विशेषणRoot रथेष्ठा (प्रातिपदिक; रथे + स्था ‘standing on the chariot’, epithet)
- अजरम्
- unaging / undecayingAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म / विशेषणRoot अजर (अ- + जर ‘aging’)
- नवीयः
- newer / ever-freshAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म / विशेषणRoot नवीयस् (तुलनात्मक; नव ‘new’ से)
- रयिः
- wealth / bountyNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot रयि (पुं; ‘wealth, bounty’)
- विभूतिः
- abundance / wide prosperityNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (रयिः… विभूतिः—समास/समन्वय) / विशेषणRoot विभूति (स्त्री; वि-√भू ‘to be, to become’ से ‘abundance, manifestation’)
- ईयते
- goes forth / comesVerbलट्, आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot √इ (ईयते; ‘to go, to come, to move’)
- वचस्या
- speech-rich / eloquent (in praise)Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (रयिः… वचस्या—विशेषण)Role विशेषणRoot वचस्य (विशेषण; वचस् ‘speech’ से ‘eloquent, of speech’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धि-विग्रह): इ॒माः उ त्वा पुरु॒तम॑स्य कारोः हव्यम्, वीर, हव्या हवन्ते । धियः रथे॒ष्ठाम् अजरम् नवीयः, रयिः विभूतिः ईयते वचस्या । प्रमुख सन्धि: कारोः+हव्यम् → कारोर्हव्यम् (रेफ-सन्धि)
- रथेष्ठाम्+अजरम् (अनुस्वार/विसर्ग-रहित संयोग)
- रयिः+विभूतिः (इति पद-समन्वय, सन्धि-परिवर्तन नहीं)।
The meaning
Outer meaning
Offerings call Indra, the Hero, from a singer rich in plenitude; oblations summon him. Inspired thoughts, set firmly on the chariot-path, ever-young and undecaying, move forward as rayi—an all-pervading abundance—through the power of the word.
Inner meaning
The seeker’s offerings are inner acts: aspiration, self-giving, and clarified intention calling Indra (illumined mind-force). The ‘dhiyas’ are inspired discernments yoked to the right movement (ratha-sthā—firm on the chariot-path): thought becomes a vehicle of the god. Ever-young, undecaying inspiration advances as rayi/vibhūti—spiritual plenitude and expansive capacity—carried by vacas (mantric word).
Universal truth
When thought is inspired and rightly yoked, and speech becomes true mantra, a higher intelligence is drawn in and consciousness expands into plenitude.
Themes
Indra-invocation, Mantra as power, Inner ascent via inspired thought, Plenitude (rayi) and expansion (vibhūti)
The seer
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja Bārhaspatya
- Lineage
- Bharadvāja
- Other hymns
- RV 6.21.2, RV 6.21.3, RV 6.22.1
Family tradition
Mandala 6 Indra hymns: a lineage of mantra-craft where inspired speech is itself a vehicle (ratha) for the descent of divine powers.
Significance
Bharadvāja frames sacrifice as an inner technology: offerings are states of consciousness; dhī and vacas are instruments for invoking Indra’s luminous action.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Vīra (Hero), Gīrvāhas (carrier of songs), Purutama (most abundant/many-filled—implied by purutamasya)
- Related deities
- Soma, Agni, Sarasvatī (as speech-power, implicit), Maruts
Cosmic role
Receives Soma and hymns; brings wide luminous power and victorious expansion; supports the right movement of the chariot (progress).
Inner power
Illumined mind that responds to mantra and right-directed thought, turning inspiration into effective force and plenitude (rayi).
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra invocation at Soma offering; opening praise in an Indra-sūkta context
इ॒मा उ॑ त्वा पुरु॒तम॑स्य का॒रोर्हव्यं॑ वीर॒ हव्या॑ हवन्ते । धियो॑ रथे॒ष्ठाम॒जरं॒ नवी॑यो र॒यिर्विभू॑तिरीयते वच॒स्या ॥
इ॒माः । ऊँ॒ इति॑ । त्वा॒ । पु॒रु॒ऽतम॑स्य । का॒रोः । हव्य॑म् । वी॒र॒ । हव्याः॑ । ह॒व॒न्ते॒ । धियः॑ । र॒थे॒ऽस्थाम् । अ॒जर॑म् । नवी॑यः । र॒यिः । विऽभू॑तिः । ई॒य॒ते॒ । व॒च॒स्या ॥
imāḥ | oṃ iti | tvā | puru-tamasya | kāroḥ | havyam | vīra | havyāḥ | havante | dhiyaḥ | rathe--sthām | ajaram | navīyaḥ | rayiḥ | vi-bhūtiḥ | īyate | vacasyā
44
4×11 syllables (approx.)
Strong, expansive stride; suitable for ‘movement forward’ (īyate) and ‘chariot-path’ imagery.
Gives a sense of forward momentum and widening; stabilizes the mind in a purposeful rhythm.
- हव्यं/हव्याः (havyaṃ/havyāḥ)
- Literal: offering/oblations. Symbolic: acts of inner sacrifice: attention, will, gratitude, self-giving
- वीर (vīra)
- Literal: hero. Symbolic: courageous illumined power within (Indra) that leads progress
- धियः (dhiyo)
- Literal: thoughts, inspirations. Symbolic: intuitive discernments and luminous ideations from higher mind
- रथेऽस्थाम् (rathe-sthām)
- Literal: standing on the chariot. Symbolic: thought fixed in right movement and disciplined direction; mind as vehicle
- अजरम् नवीयः (ajaram navīyaḥ)
- Literal: undecaying, ever-new. Symbolic: renewing inspiration not worn by habit; perennial freshness of truth
- रयिः विभूतिः (rayiḥ vibhūtiḥ)
- Literal: wealth, pervasive abundance. Symbolic: spiritual plenitude; widening of being and capacities
- वचस्या (vacasyā)
- Literal: through/by speech. Symbolic: mantra-śakti: word as power that carries realization
General Indra-invocation in Soma-yajña contexts (e.g., Indra-stotra/śastra usage within Agniṣṭoma-type Soma rites); also applicable as a call for protection and increase of rayi (inner plenitude).
At the start of Indra hymns during Soma pressing/oblation sequences; also for invoking strength before undertakings.
Recitation with offering (ghee/Soma) and affirmation of dhī (inspired intention).
Use as a ‘start mantra’ before study, creative work, or meditation: align thought (dhī) and speech (vacas) to call in clear intelligence and abundance of right results.
Key roots/derivations: (1) √hū ‘to call, invoke’ → havante ‘they invoke’; havya ‘to be invoked/offerable’. (2) kāru ‘poet, singer’ (agent noun; linked to fashioned speech/skill). (3) dhī ‘inspired thought’ (from √dhī/√dhā in the sense of placing/holding the vision; Vedic dhī as illumined intelligence). (4) ratha ‘chariot’ as symbol of dynamic will/force; rathe-sthā ‘standing on the chariot’ = established in the moving power. (5) ajara ‘un-aging’ (a- + jara ‘decay’). (6) navīyas ‘newer’ (comparative of nava ‘new’) used for ever-renewed revelation. (7) rayi ‘wealth’ in RV often denotes plenitude/abundance of force and felicity. (8) vibhūti (vi-√bhū ‘to become, expand into distinct manifestation’) = wide expansion/manifest power. (9) vacas/vāc ‘word’ (√vac ‘to speak’) as formative power of mantra.
R̥ta (right order as the stable path of the inspired dhī), Vāc (mantric speech as creative power), Rayi (plenitude of being/force)
Dhī set on the chariot-path symbolizes mind aligned to ṛta—right direction and rhythm.
Vacas as truth-bearing power: speech that manifests what it knows.
Manifestation through Word: inspired speech carries plenitude into form (rayi/vibhūti).
Vedic mantra-yoga: consciousness expands by inspired thought and word-power invoking divine mind.
Chariot = disciplined vehicle of mind; path = right rhythm of progress; offerings = inner surrender; rayi = widening fullness of being.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The core mythologem is the 'summoning of Indra by offering and hymn'—not a battle scene yet, but the ritual-psychological mechanism by which the Hero-Power is drawn into the human field. The dhī (illumined intelligence) is pictured as chariot-established: the mythic chariot becomes the inner vehicle of progress, and rayi/vibhūti is the resulting expansion of being.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √hū ‘call’ (havante) continues PIE *ḱeuH-/ *ǵʰeuH- type ‘call/cry’ semantic field (Indo-Iranian developments show specialized ritual ‘invoke’). √vac ‘speak’ (vāc/vacas) aligns with PIE *wekʷ- ‘to speak’ (cf. Lat. vox, Engl. voice via Germanic). √bhū ‘become’ (vibhūti) reflects PIE *bʰuH- ‘to be, become’ (cf. Greek phýsis ‘growth/nature’).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The poet (kāru) offers havya through vāc and receives rayi/vibhūti: a reciprocal economy where speech-surrender is the human contribution and Indra’s descent is the answering force. Psychologically, the seer’s dhī becomes the prepared vehicle (ratha) for Indra’s power, yielding an ever-new, undecaying movement of consciousness.
Unify intention (dhī) and mantra (vacas) to invoke Indra’s clear action; feel ‘rayi’ as widening calm strength.
āñjā (brow) for illumined thought; viśuddha (throat) for word-power
4-4-6 breathing (inhale-hold-exhale) for 12 rounds; then chant on natural exhale, sensing thought riding the breath like a chariot.
Ever-new clarity (navīyaḥ) with stable forward movement; widening of mind-space.
Before chanting, set one clear inner offering (attention + sincerity). Chant while imagining the mind seated firmly on a luminous chariot-track; after chanting, sit silently and let one inspired direction arise without forcing.
Tri-svara; emphasize udātta on invocative tvā and key nouns (dhíyaḥ, rayíḥ) according to Śākala accents.
Keep caesura after each pāda; let ‘dhiyo ratheṣṭhām’ be articulated as one coherent image (no rushed split).
purutamasya: articulate ṛ lightly (puru-tamasya)., rathéṣṭhām: clear retroflex ṣṭh cluster., ajarám navīyaḥ: keep short a vs long ī distinct., vacas-yā: keep palatal c crisp.
Clear, resonant, slightly uplifting; avoid heaviness—keep ‘ever-new’ freshness.
9
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.
