Rig Veda 4.21.4: Mandala 4, Sukta 21, Mantra 4
Sukta 4.21
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
स्थूरस्य रायो बृहतो य ईशे तमु ष्टवाम विदथेष्विन्द्रम् । यो वायुना जयति गोमतीषु प्र धृष्णुया नयति वस्यो अच्छ ॥
sthūrásya rāyó bṛható yá ī́śe tám u ṣṭavāma vidátheṣv índram | yó vāyúnā jáyati gómatiṣu prá dhṛṣṇu-yā́ náyati vásyo áccha ||
那位主宰厚重而广大丰盈之财（rāyas）者——因陀罗——我们当在诸集会（vidatha）中赞颂他。是他凭借风息之力（vāyu）在光明丰饶之域（gomatī）中取胜；又以无畏之劲，引领我们向前，趋向更善、更可欲之境。
Word by Word
- स्थूरस्य
- of the massive/solidAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)Root स्थूर
- रायः
- of wealthNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)Root रायि (स्त्री.)
- बृहतः
- of the great/loftyAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)Root बृहन्त्
- यः
- whoPronounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot यद्
- ईशे
- rules, is lord ofVerbलट्; आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचनRole (क्रिया)Root ईश्
- तम्
- himPronounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot तद्
- उ
- indeedIndeclinableनिपातRole (सम्बन्धक/बलवाचक)Root उ
- ष्टवाम
- we two praiseVerbलट्; परस्मैपद; उत्तमपुरुष; द्विवचनRole (क्रिया)Root स्तु
- विदथेषु
- in the assemblies/ritesNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; बहुवचनRole अधिकरणRoot विदथ
- इन्द्रम्
- IndraNoun (Proper)पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot इन्द्र
- यः
- whoPronounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot यद्
- वायुना
- with/through the wind (Vāyu)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया; एकवचनRole करणRoot वायु
- जयति
- conquers, winsVerbलट्; परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचनRole (क्रिया)Root जि
- गोमतीषु
- among the cow-rich (prizes/possessions)Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; बहुवचनRole अधिकरणRoot गोमत्
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableउपसर्ग/निपातRole (क्रियाविशेषण)Root प्र
- धृष्णुया
- with boldness, boldlyAdjective (used adverbially)स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया; एकवचन (क्रियाविशेषणवत्)Role करणRoot धृष्णु
- नयति
- leadsVerbलट्; परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचनRole (क्रिया)Root नी
- वस्यः
- the better (good), a better state/boonNoun/Adjective (comparative)नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot वस्यस्
- अच्छ
- towardsIndeclinableउपसर्ग/निपात (गतिवाचक)Role (दिशा/गति)Root अच्छ
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: स्थूरस्य रायः बृहतः यः ईशे तम् उ ष्टवाम विदथेषु इन्द्रम् । यः वायुना जयति गोमतीषु प्र धृष्णुया नयति वस्यः अच्छ । विशेष-सन्धिः: (1) तमु → तम् + उ (निपात-सन्धि)
- (2) विदथेष्विन्द्रम् → विदथेषु + इन्द्रम् (उ + इ → वि…ष्वि…; पदान्त उ/ओ परे इ-आदौ ‘व्’ आगमः)
- (3) वस्यो॒ अच्छ → वस्यः + अच्छ (विसर्गस्य ओ-आदेशः ‘अ’ आरम्भे; RV-पाठे ‘वस्यो’)
The meaning
Outer meaning
We praise Indra in the assemblies—Indra who rules over the huge and vast wealth. By Vāyu (breath/wind) he conquers in the cow-rich fields and by bold force leads us forward to what is better and desirable.
Inner meaning
Indra, the illumined divine Mind, governs the “vast plenitude” of consciousness (bṛhat rayas). In the inner sacrifice, he conquers the luminous fields (gomatīṣu = regions rich in rays of knowledge) by the regulated life-breath (vāyunā), i.e., by prāṇic force yoked to aspiration. Through dhṛṣṇu-śakti (audacious, courageous energy) he leads the seeker beyond limitation toward the higher good (vasyaḥ) and the desired fulfilment (accha).
Universal truth
True progress is not mere effort but an inspired conquest: when breath and will are aligned with illumination, the mind can break through obscurity and lead life toward its higher good and authentic desire.
Themes
Indra-as-master-of-plenitude, Victory-by-breath-force, Guidance-to-the-better
The seer
- Rishi
- Vāmadeva Gautama
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 4.18, RV 4.20, RV 4.26, RV 4.27
Family tradition
Vāmadeva’s hymns often dramatize the inner conquest: release of the cows (rays), opening of the mountain (obstruction), and the strengthening of the Word and sacrifice as psychological processes.
Significance
Vāmadeva is portrayed (in later tradition and in the “Vāmadeva-vision”) as a seer of expansive identity and victory over limitation—apt for Indra’s role as liberator of light and wideness.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- bṛhat-rāyāḥ īśa (lord of vast plenitude), vṛṣan (bull, dynamic power), jit (conqueror), puraṃdara (breaker of strongholds—implicit)
- Related deities
- Agni, Vāyu, Soma, Uṣas
Cosmic role
Breaker of obstruction, releaser of the waters and lights; establishes the victorious movement of ṛta in mind and life.
Inner power
Illuminative intelligence and decisive will that conquers the Coverer through energized aspiration and right force.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-stotra within Soma-yajña sequences (general Indra praise; also applicable in iṣṭis where Indra is invoked for victory and increase).
स्थू॒रस्य॑ रा॒यो बृ॑ह॒तो य ईशे॒ तमु॑ ष्टवाम वि॒दथे॒ष्विन्द्र॑म् । यो वा॒युना॒ जय॑ति॒ गोम॑तीषु॒ प्र धृ॑ष्णु॒या नय॑ति॒ वस्यो॒ अच्छ॑ ॥
स्थू॒रस्य॑ । रा॒यः । बृ॒ह॒तः । यः । ईशे॑ । तम् । ऊँ॒ इति॑ । स्त॒वा॒म॒ । वि॒दथे॑षु । इन्द्र॑म् । यः । वा॒युना॑ । जय॑ति । गोऽम॑तीषु । प्र । धृ॒ष्णु॒ऽया । नय॑ति । वस्यः॑ । अच्छ॑ ॥
sthūrasya | rāyaḥ | bṛhataḥ | yaḥ | īśe | tam | oṃ iti | stavāma | vidatheṣu | indram | yaḥ | vāyunā | jayati | go--matīṣu | pra | dhṛṣṇu-yā | nayati | vasyaḥ | accha
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4 pādas × ~11 syllables (Triṣṭubh norm; exact count varies by sandhi/recension)
Forward-driving, martial yet spacious cadence—suited to Indra’s victorious movement.
Builds inner momentum (preraṇā) and confidence; supports a strong, steady breath and an expansive mental poise.
- स्थूरस्य (sthūrasya)
- Literal: massive, solid. Symbolic: the dense foundation of embodied life; the heavy inertia to be mastered and used
- रायः / रयः (rāyaḥ/rayaḥ)
- Literal: wealth, plenitude. Symbolic: spiritual abundance—powers, joy, wideness of consciousness
- बृहतः (bṛhataḥ)
- Literal: vast, wide. Symbolic: the Vast (Bṛhat)—expanded consciousness beyond ego-limits
- विदथेषु (vidatheṣu)
- Literal: in assemblies, sessions of worship. Symbolic: inner gatherings of faculties—mind, life, body unified in offering
- वायुना (vāyunā)
- Literal: by wind/breath. Symbolic: prāṇa disciplined into an upward-moving force supporting illumination
- गोमतीषु (gomatīṣu)
- Literal: rich in cows. Symbolic: rich in rays of knowledge/light (go = illumination)
- धृष्णुया (dhṛṣṇuyā)
- Literal: by bold/daring (force). Symbolic: fearless tapas—energetic insistence of the will toward truth
- वस्यः (vasyaḥ)
- Literal: better, more excellent. Symbolic: the higher good—greater harmony, truth, and wideness
Vidatha-praise highlighting Indra’s mastery of plenitude and his victory through vāyu/prāṇa—useful in invocatory and laudatory sequences
During praise/śastra-stotra portions, especially where Indra’s aid in conquest and increase is sought.
Recitation/praise to invite Indra’s presence and power into the offering.
Use as a mantra of ‘forward lead’: before challenging work, breath-practice, or when seeking clarity and courageous progress.
īś from √īś ‘to own, rule’; vāyu from √vā ‘blow’—inner breath as dynamic life-force; √ji ‘conquer’ (jayati) from PIE *gʷʰei̯-? (victory roots vary), but the semantic field of conquest is central; dhṛṣṇu from √dhṛṣ ‘dare, be bold’.
Prāṇa as instrument of victory, Guidance toward ‘the better’ (vasyaḥ), Plenitude (rāy bṛhat) as spiritual vastness
Indra’s conquest in gomatī fields symbolizes restoring ṛta in the mind—right seeing and right force.
Vasyaḥ as the ‘truer better’ indicates movement toward satya through illumined choice.
Release and increase: the Vast plenitude becomes accessible when obstruction in the lower nature is overcome.
Proto-Vedāntic/Integral (Aurobindo): ascent from vital-breath and will into illumined mind and wideness.
Wind = prāṇic dynamism; fields = inner planes of life-mind; cows = rays of knowledge; leading forward = evolutionary progress of consciousness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Indra as ruler of vast wealth and as conqueror in the ‘cow-rich’ realms: the victory that establishes illumination and then leads the seeker toward a higher good (vasyaḥ).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- vāyu from √vā ‘blow’ continues PIE *h₂weh₁- ‘to blow’ (cf. Latin ventus ‘wind’ from *h₂weh₁-nto-). īśe is Indo-Iranian development of a rulership verb; ‘cows’ as wealth is inherited IE pastoral imagery, while ‘cows as lights’ is Vedic poetic specialization.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi praises Indra in vidatha (communal-sacral assemblies) as the inner ruler who uses life-force (vāyu) to win illumination and then actively leads consciousness toward the preferable state (vasyaḥ).
Invoke Indra as the inner power of clear decision and victorious illumination governing the ‘vast wealth’ of consciousness.
maṇipūra (will/force) with support from anāhata (expansion/wideness)
Slow, steady nāḍī-śodhana or 1:1 breathing; on ‘vāyunā’ feel prāṇa rising and stabilizing in the spine.
Energized clarity—steady, expansive, forward-moving awareness.
Begin with a few breaths; chant once mentally with attention in the heart-space; then chant aloud, feeling the breath as Indra’s ally; end by holding the intention ‘lead me to vasyaḥ’ (the higher good).
Use Vedic tri-svara: udatta (raised), anudatta (lower), svarita (falling). Without a pada-svara text, keep natural Triṣṭubh rise-fall with emphasis on udatta-marked syllables in a proper accent edition.
Lean the stress toward key invocatory words: índram, vāyúnā, gómatiṣu, vásyo áccha; keep caesura after vidatheṣv índram.
Maintain retroflex ṛ in bṛhato, dhṛṣṇuyā., Keep ‘go’ in gomatīṣu as ‘go’ (not ‘gau’)., Pronounce ‘accha’ with clear ‘cch’ gemination., Avoid swallowing visarga/anusvāra effects in sandhi; articulate consonant clusters slowly at first.
Bright, firm, forward-placing tone; breath-led, not throat-driven.
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