Rig Veda 8.21.16: Mandala 8, Sukta 21, Mantra 16
Sukta 8.21
मा ते गोदत्र निरराम राधस इन्द्र मा ते गृहामहि । दृळ्हा चिदर्यः प्र मृशाभ्या भर न ते दामान आदभे ॥
mā́ te godatra nír arāma rā́dhasa índra mā́ te gṛhāmahi | dṛḷhā́ cid aryáḥ prá mṛśābhyā́ bhara ná te dā́māna ādábhē ||
Hỡi Indra, đấng ban những Bò Ánh Sáng, xin đừng để chúng con bị xua khỏi của cải của Ngài; xin đừng để chúng con bị cắt lìa khỏi Ngài. Dẫu thế lực thù nghịch có bám chặt, xin hãy đưa chúng con vượt qua nhờ những che chở vươn tới phía trước của Ngài; xin đừng để ai chạm đến các pháp lệnh (dāman) của Ngài, những điều ràng buộc và nâng đỡ.
Protective prayer within Soma offering; securing continuity of Indra’s boons and safeguarding the rite from hostile interruption.
Rita as binding ordinance (dāman), struggle of knowledge vs. ignorance
‘dāmānaḥ’ can be read as the binding ordinances of ṛta that uphold the worlds and the seeker’s path.
Protection of the truth-order in consciousness against hostile distortion.
Release and safeguarding of plenitude once won—maintenance of the created order within the human microcosm.
Proto-Vedāntic/Integral-Vedic psychology (Aurobindo/Kashyap style reading): ascent of mind into illumined mind and beyond.
Cows = rays of knowledge; cords/ordinances = inner law that stabilizes the ascent; ‘hard-set foe’ = inertia of the subconscient.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘cows as rays’ mythologem: Indra as go-datra bestows and protects illuminations/knowledges. The hostile ‘aryá’ (opponent) seeks to obstruct; Indra is asked to carry the seeker through and prevent harm to the binding ordinances of right force.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- bhara from √bhṛ continues PIE *bher- ‘carry’ (Eng. bear, Gk. phérō). The social term arya- is Indo-Iranian with complex semantic development. The prohibitive mā́ is inherited Indo-Iranian usage.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi seeks an unbroken channel of Indra’s rādhas (plenitudes) and petitions against inner/outer adversaries. In exchange, the hymn sustains Indra’s presence through remembrance and offering; the rishi aligns with Indra’s dāmānaḥ (binding laws of right force) rather than egoic seizure.
Staying inwardly ‘not cut off’ from the illumined mind; invoking protection for the truth-order in the practice.
ājñā (brow)
Nadi-śodhana (gentle alternate-nostril) followed by a brief kumbhaka while mentally offering the prayer for protection.
Collected, vigilant, forward-moving (tapas with clarity).
When resistance feels entrenched, do not argue with it—invoke the higher light, reaffirm the inner law (dāmānaḥ), and proceed step-by-step with steady attention.
Not specified in the prompt; chant in a steady Vedic recitation style with clear udātta peaks on accented syllables as per śākhā tradition.
Sustain udātta syllables slightly higher; let anudātta fall; svarita glide downward—maintain caesura after main vocatives (e.g., ‘indra’).
Keep retroflex ḻ in dṛḻhā crisp (not ‘drilha’)., Differentiate dental d (in dāman) from retroflex ḍ (not present here)., Pronounce ‘ṛ’ in mṛśa with a brief vocalic r, not ‘ri’., Maintain visarga/breath where applicable in connected chanting.
Firm, protective, centered in the chest with clear articulation.
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