Rig Veda 8.69.7: Mandala 8, Sukta 69, Mantra 7
Sukta 8.69
- Rishi
- Pragātha tradition of Mandala 8
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Likely Jagatī/Triṣṭubh-family
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
उद्यद्ब्रध्नस्य विष्टपं गृहमिन्द्रश्च गन्वहि । मध्वः पीत्वा सचेवहि त्रिः सप्त सख्युः पदे ॥
úd yád bradhnásya viṣṭápaṃ gṛhám índraś ca gánvahi | mádhvaḥ pītvā́ sacevahi tríḥ saptá sákhyuḥ padé ||
جب تو چڑھتا ہے وسیع دائرے تک، روشن کے گھر تک، وہاں جا - اے اندر - اور شہد کی مٹھاس پی کر، ہمارے ساتھ ساتھی بن کر چل - دوستی کے تین سات قدموں میں۔
Word by Word
- उद्यत्
- rising, upliftedAdjective/Participleनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचन (वर्तमान कृदन्त, शतृ-प्रत्यय: ‘उद्यत्’)Role विशेषण (कर्म/अधिकरण-सम्बद्ध)Root उद्-यत् (यत् ‘प्रयत्न/उद्यम’)
- ब्रध्नस्य
- of the ruddy/bright one (Bradhna)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root ब्रध्न (प्रातिपदिक)
- विष्टपम्
- the (heavenly) seat/abode, firm stationNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot विष्टप (प्रातिपदिक)
- गृहम्
- house, dwellingNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्म (विष्टपम् के साथ समन्वय)Root गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्रः
- IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चय-अव्ययRole समुच्चयRoot च
- गन्वहि
- go! come!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ); मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद (वैदिक रूप)Role क्रियाRoot गम् (गच्छति) / गन्व् (वैदिक रूप, ‘गच्छ’)
- मध्वः
- of honey/sweet drink (Soma)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; एकवचन (वैदिक: ‘मध्वः’ = ‘मधुनः’)Role सम्बन्ध (पान-वस्तु)Root मधु (प्रातिपदिक)
- पीत्वा
- having drunkGerundक्त्वा-प्रत्यय (अव्ययीभाव/तुमुन्-समकक्ष); ‘having drunk’Role पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (क्रियाविशेषण)Root पा (पिबति)
- सचेवहि
- join (us), accompanyVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ); मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचन; आत्मनेपद (वैदिक)Role क्रियाRoot सच् (सचते ‘सह/अनुगमन’)
- त्रिः
- thriceIndeclinableसंख्यावाचक-अव्ययRole क्रियाविशेषणRoot त्रिः
- सप्त
- sevenNumeral(सामान्यतः अव्ययवत्); यहाँ ‘सप्त’ = sevenRole विशेषण (सख्युः/पदे से सम्बद्ध)Root सप्तन् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
- सख्युः
- of the companion/friendNounपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; एकवचन (i-प्रातिपदिक: सख्युः)Role सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root सखि (प्रातिपदिक)
- पदे
- in/at the step, place, footprintNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot पद (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (sandhi-resolved): उद्यत् ब्रध्नस्य विष्टपम् गृहम् इन्द्रः च गन्वहि । मध्वः पीत्वा सचेवहि त्रिः सप्त सख्युः पदे ॥ 1) उद्यद् + ब्रध्नस्य → उद्यद्ब्रध्नस्य (द् + ब् संयोग)
- 2) गृहम् + इन्द्रः → गृहमिन्द्रः (म् + इ-)
- 3) इन्द्रः + च → इन्द्रश्च (विसर्ग + च = श्च)
- 4) मध्वः: वैदिक षष्ठी एकवचन ‘मध्वः’ (क्लासिकल ‘मधुनः’)
The meaning
Outer meaning
When you rise to the wide realm, the home of the Radiant One, go there, O Indra; having drunk the honey, move with us in companionship in the thrice-seven steps of friendship.
Inner meaning
Indra is invoked to ascend to the luminous world (viṣṭapaṃ gṛham bradhnasya)—the home of the radiant principle (bradhna: the shining, the sun-like). There he drinks madhu, the bliss that fuels illumination. Then he is asked to ‘move with us’ (sacevahi): to accompany the seeker through graded movements of realization—‘thrice-seven steps’ (triḥ sapta pade) suggesting a complete progression of consciousness (levels/planes or repeated cycles of perfection) stabilized by friendship (sakhyuḥ): intimate alliance between human aspiration and divine mind.
Universal truth
Higher realization is not a single leap but a rhythmic ascent through stages; when the higher intelligence is nourished by delight, it can companion us step by step into a stable luminous life.
Themes
ascent, Soma-drinking, divine friendship, stages of realization
The seer
- Rishi
- Pragātha tradition (Mandala 8; Kāṇva-associated compilation)
- Lineage
- Kāṇva (probable)
- Other hymns
- RV 8.69.6 (madhu feeding Indra), RV 1.154 (Viṣṇu’s three strides; conceptual parallel for ‘steps’)
Family tradition
Indra hymns in Mandala 8 often map outer journey (heaven, chariot) to inner ascent and companionship with the divine power.
Significance
The seer asks not only for a divine act but for sustained companionship through a complete path—an early yogic sense of staged realization.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra (with bradhna allusion)
- Epithets
- Madhu-pa (honey-drinker; implied), Sakhā (companion/friend; implied by sakhyuḥ)
- Related deities
- Soma (madhu), Viṣṇu (stride/steps archetype), Sūrya/Bradhna (radiant principle)
Cosmic role
Mediator between human striving and luminous worlds; brings down powers from the vast realm into embodied steps.
Inner power
Guiding intelligence that can accompany practice, giving stable footholds and progressive wideness.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-Soma praise: inviting Indra to the celestial home and to drink Soma
उद्यद्ब्र॒ध्नस्य॑ वि॒ष्टपं॑ गृ॒हमिन्द्र॑श्च॒ गन्व॑हि । मध्व॑: पी॒त्वा स॑चेवहि॒ त्रिः स॒प्त सख्यु॑: प॒दे ॥
उत् । यत् । ब्र॒ध्नस्य॑ । वि॒ष्टप॑म् । गृ॒हम् । इन्द्रः॑ । च॒ । गन्व॑हि । मध्वः॑ । पी॒त्वा । स॒चे॒व॒हि॒ । त्रिः । स॒प्त । सख्युः॑ । प॒दे ॥
ut | yat | bradhnasya | viṣṭapam | gṛham | indraḥ | ca | ganvahi | madhvaḥ | pītvā | sacevahi | triḥ | sapta | sakhyuḥ | pade
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Likely 4 pādas with one elongated cadence (Jagatī tendency) given the expansive imagery; exact scansion requires metrical check.
Ascending and spacious; longer phrases evoke wideness (viṣṭapa) and a measured stepping (pade).
Induces uplift and breadth; supports visualization of ascent and sequential stabilization.
- उद् (ud)
- Literal: up, out. Symbolic: ascent of consciousness
- ब्रध्नस्य (bradhnasya)
- Literal: of the radiant one. Symbolic: luminous solar principle; supramental/sun-mind archetype
- विष्टपम् (viṣṭapam)
- Literal: wide realm, heaven. Symbolic: vast plane of consciousness beyond constriction
- गृहम् (gṛham)
- Literal: home. Symbolic: stable station of being; settled realization
- मध्वः पीत्वा (madhvaḥ pītvā)
- Literal: having drunk honey. Symbolic: illumination nourished by ananda
- सचेवहि (sacevahi)
- Literal: move together/keep company. Symbolic: divine guidance as intimate companionship in practice
- त्रिः सप्त (triḥ sapta)
- Literal: three times seven. Symbolic: complete graded perfection; repeated totality across three domains (mind-life-body) or triple time (past-present-future)
- पदे (pade)
- Literal: step/footing. Symbolic: stable attainment; foothold in consciousness
Soma-drinking and divine companionship motif; inviting Indra to partake and then act in alliance with the sacrificer
During Soma offering sequences; also as a concluding ‘companionship’ prayer in a hymn cycle.
Invocation + request for continued alliance and guidance.
Use as a path-mantra: before a multi-step practice (study, japa, contemplation, action), ask for companionship through all stages.
bradhna: ‘shining, ruddy, radiant’ (often solar); from √bṛdh/√bradh semantic field ‘to grow/expand’ → ‘swelling radiance’. viṣṭapa: ‘wide space/seat’ (vi- + √stambh/√stabh ‘support’ proposed in some analyses), indicating an established realm. ganvahi: Vedic imperative variant of √gam ‘go’ (PIE *gʷem-). sacevahi: from √sac ‘to follow, accompany’ (PIE *sekʷ- ‘follow’ possible). pade: from pada ‘foot/step’ (PIE *pōd-).
ascent to higher plane (ut), friendship (sakhya) as yoga-like union, symbolic numerology (triḥ sapta)
‘Steps’ indicate ordered progression—ṛta as sequential stabilization of realization.
Ascent to the luminous home and descent of companionship into embodied stages.
Integral Yoga: ascent to higher plane, then bringing its force into life through graded integration.
daylight/solar implied by bradhna
Sky-home = vast consciousness; sun-radiance = truth-light; honey = bliss; steps = progressive integration into life.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Indra’s ascent to the radiant realm and his Soma-drinking followed by alliance with the worshipper—mythically the god goes to the luminous ‘home’ and returns empowered; psychologically the force ascends in consciousness, drinks delight, and then operates in a structured progression (pade) with the seeker.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √gam (ganvahi) continues PIE *gʷem- ‘go’. pada ‘step’ continues PIE *pōd- (foot). madhu continues PIE *médʰu. The verse exemplifies inherited IE poetics: spatial ascent terms mapped to spiritual attainment.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The ṛṣi requests not only Indra’s going and drinking, but Indra’s continued ‘companionship’ (√sac) in defined ‘steps’—a reciprocal path where the divine power consents to act as co-worker in the human progression.
Visualize ascent into a wide luminous ‘home’ above the crown; offer inner sweetness (gratitude/ananda) to the guiding intelligence; then return to the body with a commitment to stepwise integration.
Sahasrāra (vast home) descending to Ājñā (guidance) and Anāhata (friendship)
Ujjāyī-light breathing for 3 minutes; chant with a sense of rising on inhale and settling companionship on exhale.
Uplifted wideness followed by grounded, friendly guidance.
Map ‘thrice-seven steps’ as 21 mindful steps in walking meditation after chanting—each step: ‘widen, sweeten, clarify’ repeating through three cycles.
Not provided; chant with an ascending melodic contour on ‘ud’ and ‘viṣṭapam’, then a softer cadence on ‘sacevahi… pade’.
Keep ‘bradhnasya viṣṭapam gṛham’ as one expansive phrase; articulate ‘triḥ sapta’ distinctly with a slight pause between triḥ and sapta.
(bradhnasya): ‘dhna’ cluster—lightly, no extra vowel, (viṣṭapam): retroflex ṣ, clear ‘ṭa’, (madhvaḥ): ‘dhv’ conjunct; visarga lightly aspirated, (sacevahi): ‘ce’ clear, not ‘se’
Wide, resonant, slightly lifted; end with silence after ‘pade’.
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