Rig Veda 7.23.6: Mandala 7, Sukta 23, Mantra 6
Sukta 7.23
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
एवेदिन्द्रं वृषणं वज्रबाहुं वसिष्ठासो अभ्यर्चन्त्यर्कैः । स नः स्तुतो वीरवद्धातु गोमद्यूयं पात स्वस्तिभिः सदा नः ॥
evéd índraṃ vṛ́ṣaṇaṃ vájra-bāhuṃ vasiṣṭhā́so abhy àrcanty arkáiḥ | sá naḥ stutó vī́ra-vad dhātu gómad yūyáṃ pāta svastí-bhiḥ sadā́ naḥ ||
اس طرح وسیشتھا اندر کی تعریف کرتے ہیں، بیل کی طرح، بجری بازو والے کو ستوتوں سے۔ وہ تعریف کیا گیا ہماری طرف سے ہمارے لیے روشنی کی دولت اور بہادری کی دولت قائم کرے، اور تم دیوی محافظ ہمیشہ خوشحالی کی حالتوں سے ہماری حفاظت کرو۔
Word by Word
- एव
- indeed, just soIndeclinableनिपात (अव्यय)Root एव (निपात)
- इन्द्रम्
- Indra (as object of praise)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole KarmaRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- वृषणम्
- the mighty/bull-like oneAdjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन (इन्द्रम् विशेषणम्)Role KarmaRoot वृषण (प्रातिपदिक; from √वृष् ‘to rain/strengthen’)
- वज्रबाहुम्
- whose arm bears the thunderboltAdjective (compound)पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन (इन्द्रम् विशेषणम्)Role KarmaRoot वज्र-बाहु (समास; वज्र + बाहु)
- वसिष्ठासः
- the Vasiṣṭhas (Vasiṣṭha’s clan/poets)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole KartāRoot वसिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक; ऋषिनाम)
- अभि
- towards, untoIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRoot अभि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- अर्चन्ति
- they praise, singVerbलट् (वर्तमान); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; बहुवचनRole KriyāRoot √अर्च् (स्तुतौ/पूजायाम्)
- अर्कैः
- with hymns/songsNounपुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया; बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot अर्क (प्रातिपदिक)
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole KartāRoot तद् (सर्वनाम)
- नः
- of us / to usPronounषष्ठी (एन्क्लिटिक); बहुवचनRole SampradānaRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- स्तुतः
- praisedParticipleभूतकृदन्त (क्त); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन (सः विशेषणम्)Role KartāRoot √स्तु (स्तुतौ) → स्तुत (कृदन्त)
- वीरवत्
- (granting) hero-power / with heroesAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन (गोमत् इत्यादि सह—फलविशेषणम्)Role KarmaRoot वीरवत् (प्रातिपदिक; वीर + वत्)
- धातु
- may he place/grantVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ/विधिलिङ्-प्राय); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचनRole KriyāRoot √धा (धारणे/स्थापने)
- गोमत्
- rich in cattleAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन (फलविशेषणम्)Role KarmaRoot गोमत् (प्रातिपदिक; गो + मतुप्)
- यूयम्
- you (all)Pronounप्रथमा; बहुवचनRole KartāRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- पात
- protect!Verbलोट्; परस्मैपद; मध्यमपुरुष; बहुवचनRole KriyāRoot √पा (पालने/रक्षणे)
- स्वस्तिभिः
- with well-being, with blessingsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया; बहुवचनRole KaraṇaRoot स्वस्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
- सदा
- alwaysIndeclinableकालवाचक-अव्ययRoot सदा (अव्यय)
- नः
- of us / for usPronounषष्ठी (एन्क्लिटिक); बहुवचनRole SampradānaRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: एव | इन्द्रम् | वृषणम् | वज्रबाहुम् | वसिष्ठासः | अभि | अर्चन्ति | अर्कैः || सः | नः | स्तुतः | वीरवत् | धातु | गोमत् || यूयम् | पात | स्वस्तिभिः | सदा | नः || संधयः: ए॒वेदिन्द्रम् = एव + इन्द्रम्
- वसि॑ष्ठासो = वसिष्ठासः (प्रथमा बहु)
- अ॒भ्य॑र्चन्ति = अभि + अर्चन्ति
- स्तु॒तो = स्तुतः
- गोम॑द् = गोमत् (मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त)
- स्व॒स्तिभि॒: = स्वस्तिभिः. (स्वर/उदात्तादि पाठानुसारः; पदच्छेदे मूलरूपाणि दत्तानि)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The Vasiṣṭhas praise Indra, the bull and wielder of the thunder-weapon. May Indra, praised, grant heroic strength and cattle/wealth; and may the divine guardians protect us always with well-being.
Inner meaning
The seer-family kindles the inner sacrifice through inspired hymns (arkaḥ) to Indra, the illumined Mind-force. Indra’s “vajra-arm” is the concentrated power of discernment that breaks inner obstruction. The prayer asks for two inner riches: (1) go-mat—rays of knowledge and clear perceptions; (2) vīra-vat—heroic energies of the soul-nature that can act on the truth. The closing plural appeal turns to the protecting powers (often the Ādityas/guardians of ṛta) to maintain a steady field of swasti—harmonious right-being—so the illumination can be held and not lost to relapse.
Universal truth
True progress requires both light and force: illumination (knowledge-rays) and courageous executive power. When the higher intelligence is invoked and supported by protective harmonies of life, the being stabilizes in well-being and can sustain transformation.
Themes
Praise and boon, Light-wealth (gomat), Heroic plenitude (vīravat), Protective refrain
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha (family-voice: Vasiṣṭhāsaḥ)
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha-gotra
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 7.24, Rig Veda 7.18, Rig Veda 7.33
Family tradition
Maṇḍala 7 is predominantly the Vasiṣṭha family collection, marked by disciplined mantric craft and a sustained yoga of invoking Indra-Agni powers for victory over inner limitations.
Significance
Vasiṣṭha represents the ‘most established’ (vasu + iṣṭha): the seer of stable vastness and right order (ṛta). His tradition emphasizes holding the descent of power in a steady, protected consciousness.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- vṛṣaṇa (bull-mighty), vajrabāhu (thunder-armed)
- Related deities
- Agni, Soma, Maruts, Ādityas (protective guardians of ṛta)
Cosmic role
Breaker of the Coverer; leader of the luminous powers who releases the hidden light and establishes victorious order.
Inner power
Illumined, forceful intelligence that both knows and executes; it converts inspiration into effective mastery over obstruction.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma-yajña / Indra-stuti within Śrauta offerings (general Indra praise)
ए॒वेदिन्द्रं॒ वृष॑णं॒ वज्र॑बाहुं॒ वसि॑ष्ठासो अ॒भ्य॑र्चन्त्य॒र्कैः । स न॑: स्तु॒तो वी॒रव॑द्धातु॒ गोम॑द्यू॒यं पा॑त स्व॒स्तिभि॒: सदा॑ नः ॥
ए॒व । इत् । इन्द्र॑म् । वृष॑णम् । वज्र॑ऽबाहुम् । वसि॑ष्ठासः । अ॒भि । अ॒र्च॒न्ति॒ । अ॒र्कैः । सः । नः॒ । स्तु॒तः । वी॒रऽव॑त् । धातु॑ । गोऽम॑त् । यू॒यम् । पा॒त॒ । स्व॒स्तिऽभिः॑ । सदा॑ । नः॒ ॥
eva | it | indram | vṛṣaṇam | vajra-bāhum | vasiṣṭhāsaḥ | abhi | arcanti | arkaiḥ | saḥ | naḥ | stutaḥ | vīra-vat | dhātu | go--mat | yūyam | pāta | svasti-bhiḥ | sadā | naḥ
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4 pādas of ~11 syllables each
Forward-driving, declarative, suited to invocation and victory-formulas
Builds confidence and uplift; the cadence supports a ‘raising’ of energy and a firm settling of intention.
- इन्द्र (indra)
- Literal: Indra, chief of the gods. Symbolic: Divine Mind/illumined intelligence that releases light and power
- वृषण (vṛṣaṇa)
- Literal: bull, virile, mighty. Symbolic: Abundant, overflowing strength of the illumined consciousness
- वज्रबाहु (vajrabāhu)
- Literal: one whose arm is the thunderbolt. Symbolic: Decisive power of discrimination that smites resistance
- अर्कैः (arkaiḥ)
- Literal: with hymns, shining chants. Symbolic: Mantric speech carrying light; inspired formulation that calls down force
- गोमत् (gomat)
- Literal: possessing cows. Symbolic: Possessing rays of knowledge/illumination
- वीरवत् (vīravat)
- Literal: possessing heroes. Symbolic: Possessing soul-forces: courage, mastery, victorious energies
- स्वस्तिभिः (svastibhiḥ)
- Literal: with well-beings, auspiciousnesses. Symbolic: States of harmony/protection that preserve the gain of sādhanā
Concluding benediction of the hymn; requests establishment of go-mat and vīra-vat prosperity and seals with svasti protection.
During Indra invocations and praise-sequences, especially in Soma contexts or victory/protection prayers
Recitation/chant of arka to invite Indra’s force; concluding protective benediction (svasti)
Use as a daily invocation for clarity + courage, ending with a protection/grounding intention for steadiness through the day.
(bull) from √vṛṣ 'rain, be potent' conveys overflowing force. is the hard/diamond weapon; as inner symbol, concentrated will. (possibly related to √arc 'shine, praise') is luminous hymn. √dhā 'place' (dhātu) is foundational establishment. continues the go=rays symbolism; from √vīr is manly/heroic force—inner courage and capacity.
Establishment in being (dhā), Go as rays (knowledge), Vīra as soul-force (courageous energies), Svasti as protective wideness
Protection ‘with swasti’ implies alignment and maintenance of ṛta so gains are not lost to disorder.
The ‘go’ as rays indicates truth-light made manifest in mind and life.
Release and establishment of luminous wealth (light and force) as the ongoing work of creation in the human vessel.
Proto-Vedāntic/Integral (Aurobindonian) reading: ascent by hymn/inspiration and descent of power into nature.
Thunderbolt = decisive awakening; bull = overflowing strength; cows = released illuminations; swasti = harmonized field that protects realization.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Indra the bull with thunderbolt-arm granting go-mat and vīra-vat: mythically the victorious god grants cattle and heroes; psychologically he establishes luminous knowledge (rays) and courageous inner powers, safeguarded by svasti.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √arc/ark 'shine/praise' participates in an IE poetics of luminous speech. √dhā 'place' is IE (PIE *dʰeh1- 'put' cf. Greek títhēmi, Latin facere is different; English 'do' is different root, but 'deed' is related).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- Collective family-chant (Vasiṣṭhāsaḥ) intensifies the invocation; Indra’s reciprocity is requested as stable establishment (dhātu) of inner light (gomat) and heroic force (vīravat), while allied divine protections maintain the seeker in svasti.
Invoke illumined intelligence to grant clear perception (go-mat) and courageous execution (vīra-vat).
Ājñā (clarity/command) and Maṇipūra (will-force)
4-4-6 breathing (inhale-hold-exhale) while mentally repeating ‘indraṃ vṛṣaṇaṃ vajrabāhum’ to gather and release force
Uplifted, battle-ready clarity moving toward steady calm protection
Begin with a brief centering; chant once slowly for meaning, then 3–9 times to build vīrya; end by resting in ‘svasti’—a felt envelope of harmony around mind and heart.
Triṣṭubh recitation with Vedic accents: maintain udatta peaks on key invocatory words (indraṃ, vṛṣaṇaṃ, vajrabāhum); avoid flattening enclitics (naḥ, ca).
Let the main name/epithet carry the lift; keep pāda-end cadences slightly lengthened, especially before the protective close ‘svastibhiḥ sadā naḥ’.
vṛṣaṇaṃ: vocalic ṛ, retroflex ṣ, vajrabāhuṃ: clear jra cluster; long ā in bāhuṃ, go-mat: distinct o; dental t, svastibhiḥ: sva-sti, not ‘su-asti’; aspirate bh in bhiḥ
Bright, firm, confident; soften into a calm, protective tone in the final pāda
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