Rig Veda 8.21.14: Mandala 8, Sukta 21, Mantra 14
Sukta 8.21
- Devata
- Indra
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
नकी रेवन्तं सख्याय विन्दसे पीयन्ति ते सुराश्वः । यदा कृणोषि नदनुं समूहस्यादित्पितेव हूयसे ॥
nákī revántaṃ sakhyā́ya vindase pī́yanti te surā́śvaḥ | yadā́ kṛṇóṣi nadanúṃ samū́hasy ā́dit pitā́iva hūyase ||
کوئی تجھ سے زیادہ شاندار دوست نہیں پاتا؛ تیرے روشن گھوڑوں والی طاقتیں تجھ سے پیتی ہیں۔ جب تو گرجتی موج بناتا ہے اور اسے ایک میں جمع کرتا ہے، تب واقعی تو باپ کی طرح پکارا جاتا ہے، کیونکہ تو وہ یکجہتی بناتا ہے جو پناہ دیتی ہے۔
Word by Word
- नकिḥ
- no one, noneIndeclinableनिपात; अव्यय; अर्थे ‘कोऽपि न/कश्चन न’Root नकि (नकिः-प्रातिपदिक, नकारादि निपात) / PIE *ne-kʷi? (न- + किः)
- रेवन्तम्
- the wealthy/prosperous oneAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot रेवन्त (प्रातिपदिक; ‘धन/समृद्धि-युक्त’)
- सख्याय
- for friendship, for companionshipNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी; एकवचन (दातिव)Role सम्प्रदानRoot सख्य (प्रातिपदिक; सखि-भाव)
- विन्दसे
- you find/obtainVerbलट् (वर्तमान); मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचन; आत्मनेपदRoot √विद् (विन्दति ‘प्राप्नोति/लभते’)
- पीयन्ति
- they drinkVerbलट् (वर्तमान); प्रथमपुरुष; बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद (मध्य/कर्मणि-प्रयोगः)Root √पा (पिबति) / √पा (पीयते ‘पेयते’)
- ते
- yourPronounषष्ठी; एकवचन (एन्क्लिटिक) — ‘तव/ते’Role सम्बन्धRoot त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सुराश्वाः
- the Surāśvas (a clan/men named Surāśva)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole कर्ताRoot सुराश्व (प्रातिपदिक; ‘सुरा- (उत्तम/वीर) + अश्व’)
- यदा
- whenIndeclinableकालवाचक-अव्ययRoot यदा (निपात)
- कृणोषि
- you make, you doVerbलट् (वर्तमान); मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपदRoot √कृ (कृणोति ‘करोति’)
- नदनुम्
- joy, revelryNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot नदनु (प्रातिपदिक; ‘आनन्द/हर्ष’ अथवा ‘क्रीडा/उत्सव’)
- समूहसि
- you gather together, you bring togetherVerbलट् (वर्तमान); मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपदRoot √ऊह्/√वह् (सम्-उह्/सम्-वह् ‘समवहति/समाहारयति’; वैदिक रूप ‘समूहसि’)
- आ
- towards, hitherIndeclinableउपसर्गः; आह्वान/आगमन-भावेRoot आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- इत्
- indeed, justIndeclinableनिपात; अव्ययRoot इत् (निपात; एव/खलु-बलार्थ)
- पितेव
- like a fatherNoun + Indeclinableपिता = पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; इव = अव्ययRole कर्ता (उपमान-रूपेण)Root पितृ (प्रातिपदिक) + इव (उपमा-अव्यय)
- हूयसे
- you are invoked/calledVerbलट् (वर्तमान); मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि (passive)Root √ह्वे (ह्वयति/हूयते ‘आह्वीयते’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: नकिḥ | रेवन्तम् | सख्याय | विन्दसे | पीयन्ति | ते | सुराश्वाः || यदा | कृणोषि | नदनुम् | समूहसि | आ | इत् | पितेव | हूयसे || 1) नकी॑ → नकिḥ (अव्यय-रूप; पदान्त-विसर्गः)
- 2) स॒ख्याय॑ विन्दसे: सख्याय (चतुर्थी एक.) + विन्दसे (लट् म.एक.आ.)
- 3) सुरा॒श्व॑: → सुराश्वाः (प्रथमा बहु.; पदान्त ‘ः’)
- 4) समू॑ह॒स्यादित्पि॒तेव॑ → समूहसि + आ + इत् + पितेव (स्य + आ = स्या; ततः ‘आदित्’ इति संधि-समूहः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
No one finds a more splendid friend than you; your bright-steeded ones drink. When you make the roaring surge and gather it together, then you are called like a father.
Inner meaning
Indra is the richest ally of the seeker; the ‘bright-steeded’ powers (surāśvaḥ) are the luminous energies of action that draw strength by ‘drinking’ his force—taking in illumination. When Indra creates the roaring current (nadanu)—the released flood of energies/experiences—and gathers it into unity (sam ūhasi), he becomes ‘father-like’: the one who builds protective oneness, ordering the many forces into a coherent inner government.
Universal truth
True leadership is not only power but integration: awakening energies and then unifying them into a sheltered harmony that supports growth.
Themes
friendship, integration of forces, father-protector image, soma-drinking powers
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 8.21.11-13, RV 8.21.15
Family tradition
Kāṇva Indra hymns often stress sakhya (friendship) and the organizing victory of Indra over scattered forces.
Significance
A key psychological teaching: after the breakthrough comes integration—Indra gathers the released energies into a single sheltered order (fatherhood as inner governance).
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Revant (splendid), Sakhā (friend, implied), Pitṛvat (father-like, implied)
- Related deities
- Varuṇa (order), Mitra (harmony), Maruts (energies), Soma (drink/force)
Cosmic role
Releaser and organizer: makes the flood of powers flow and then establishes unity and protection in the world-order.
Inner power
Integrating intelligence: awakens dynamic energies (horses) and unifies them into a coherent direction.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra praise during Soma rites; also suitable as a verse for harmony after victory
नकी॑ रे॒वन्तं॑ स॒ख्याय॑ विन्दसे॒ पीय॑न्ति ते सुरा॒श्व॑: । य॒दा कृ॒णोषि॑ नद॒नुं समू॑ह॒स्यादित्पि॒तेव॑ हूयसे ॥
नकिः॑ । रे॒वन्त॑म् । स॒ख्याय॑ । वि॒न्द॒से॒ । पीय॑न्ति । ते॒ । सु॒रा॒श्वः॑ । य॒दा । कृ॒णोषि॑ । न॒द॒नुम् । सम् । ऊ॒ह॒सि॒ । आत् । इत् । पि॒ताऽइ॑व । हू॒य॒से॒ ॥
nakiḥ | revantam | sakhyāya | vindase | pīyanti | te | surāśvaḥ | yadā | kṛṇoṣi | nadanum | sam | ūhasi | āt | it | pitāiva | hūyase
48
4 × ~12; flowing, river-like movement
Expansive and rolling; mirrors ‘roaring surge’ and then ‘gathering into one’.
First energizing (surge), then soothing (integration), leaving a sense of protected unity.
- रेवन्तम् (revantam)
- Literal: splendid, rich, brilliant. Symbolic: abundance of luminous power; beneficence of the higher mind
- सख्याय (sakhyāya)
- Literal: for friendship. Symbolic: alliance with the divine consciousness; intimate guidance
- सुरा॒श्वः (surāśvaḥ)
- Literal: bright/noble horses. Symbolic: illumined vital energies and dynamic faculties that carry action
- पीयन्ति (pīyanti)
- Literal: they drink. Symbolic: energies absorb the divine force; taking in light/bliss to act rightly
- नदनुम् (nadanuṃ)
- Literal: roaring surge/river-flood. Symbolic: powerful life-current released after obstruction; surge of prāṇa/experience
- सम् ऊहसि (sam ūhasy)
- Literal: you gather together. Symbolic: integration; harmonizing the many movements into one order
- पिता इव (pitā iva)
- Literal: like a father. Symbolic: protective originative consciousness that shelters and unifies
Closing praise highlighting Indra as best friend and father-like protector; suitable where the rite seeks integration of energies and a gathered force for victory and stability.
After invocations seeking strength; when establishing auspicious unity in the rite
Stotra celebrating Indra’s friendship and unifying power
Use to integrate after intense experiences (success, conflict, strong meditation): invoke unification of energies and a ‘fatherly’ inner shelter.
: from rev ‘wealth, shine’ → splendid abundance (inner fullness). √pā ‘drink’ in pīyanti suggests soma-partaking powers. : from √nad ‘roar, sound’ → surge/roar (outer river/storm; inner energy-voice). -√ūh: ‘gather into one’ → integration. : father (PIE *ph₂tḗr) → protective origin; Indra as integrator becomes father-like. √hū ‘call’ indicates invocation as recognition of function.
integration/oneness (sam-ūh), divine friendship (sakhya), fatherhood as protective ordering principle
‘Sam ūhasi’ is ṛta in action—ordering multiplicity into harmony.
The ‘revant’ friend is truth-beneficent: splendor that supports, not inflates ego.
From released flood to formed unity: creation is both expansion and organization.
Integral Yoga: not only liberation of energies but their harmonization into a higher unity (psychic and spiritual governance).
Horses = vital dynamisms; drinking = assimilation of force; flood = released prāṇa/experience; father = organizing protective consciousness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The integrator myth: Indra gathers the roaring surge into unity (sam-ūh), a signature of the storm-god who organizes chaotic force into ordered power—psychologically, collecting scattered energies into a single will and consciousness.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- pitā continues PIE *ph₂tḗr (Lat. pater, Gk. patḗr). √nad ‘roar’ has Indo-European sound-symbolic parallels (roaring/water verbs across IE). The verse’s father-simile uses a deeply inherited Indo-European kinship metaphor for protective sovereignty.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi recognizes Indra as the supreme friend (revantam sakhyāya) and as father-like because he performs inner integration: by gathering the surge, Indra becomes the invoked protector who creates a stable unity for the seeker.
After awakening energy, gather it into oneness; cultivate Indra as inner ‘father’—protective integrator.
hṛdaya (sakhya, shelter) with maṇipūra (surge of power) harmonized under ājñā (direction)
Wave breath: slightly fuller inhale (surge) + long exhale (gathering). Mentally ‘sam’ on exhale to feel integration.
Unified dynamism—power held in harmony.
If practice releases strong energy/emotion, don’t disperse it. Offer it upward to Indra (clarity), then consciously ‘gather’ attention into a single intention and rest in a sheltered wideness.
Rigvedic accenting per text; keep a flowing delivery matching Jagatī; observe the caesura at |.
Lift on ‘nakī revantam’, keep clarity on ‘surāśvaḥ’, broaden tone on ‘nadanuṃ’, and soften into unity on ‘sam ūhasy’.
nakī: long ī, revantam: clear ‘v’, dental t, sakhyāya: khy cluster; long ā, pīyanti: long ī; palatal y, surāśvaḥ: long ā; śv cluster, nadanuṃ: dental n; final anusvāra nasalization, ūhasy: long ū; h voiced gently, pitā iva: long ā; iva short i
Warm, expansive, then gently unifying toward the end.
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