अस्मे धेहि श्रवो बृहद्द्युम्नं सहस्रसातमम् ।
इन्द्र ता रथिनीरिषः ॥ ८ ॥

Asme Dehi Shravo Brihad Dyumnam Sahasrasatamam.
Indra Ta Rathinir Ishah. ॥ 8 ॥

Meaning

अस्मे (Asme) For us. This is a prayer offered to the Divine not merely for personal needs, but for the welfare of everyone.

धेहि (Dehi) Give, bestow, bless us with. It is a humble request to the Divine to grant wealth, prosperity, and goodness.

श्रवः (Shravah) Good reputation, wealth, fame. It refers to good name, knowledge, prosperity, and all those qualities that elevate human life.

बृहत् (Brihat) Great, vast, expansive, developed. It indicates that the wealth received should not remain limited, but should continue to grow and expand.

द्युम्नम् (Dyumnam) Radiant wealth, prosperity endowed with the light of knowledge. Wealth should not darken or diminish knowledge; rather, it should become a source of illumination that develops knowledge.

सहस्रसातमम् (Sahasrasatamam) Abundant wealth capable of supporting thousands of acts of giving. Wealth should be sufficient to support charity, service, righteous actions, and other noble activities.

इन्द्र (Indra) The supremely prosperous Divine, the Lord of power. The Supreme Reality who bestows all blessings.

ता (Ta) That, those. It refers to the particular higher forms of wealth and prosperity being requested.

रथिनीः (Rathinih) Possessing chariots, equipped with vehicles. It signifies prosperity accompanied by movement, facilities, transportation, progress, and the capacity to accomplish activities necessary for advancement in life.

इषः (Ishah) Food, nourishment, sustenance. It refers to the basic food and nutritional resources necessary for life.

Explanation

This mantra is a profound prayer found within the Vedic tradition. Here, the devotee addresses Indra, the Supreme Divine, and asks not merely for material wealth necessary for life, but also for higher forms of prosperity associated with knowledge, reputation, and righteousness. This is not simply a prayer for worldly wealth; its fundamental purpose is that wealth should elevate the human being, develop knowledge, and become useful for the welfare of society and for charitable activities.

The mantra begins with the humble request, “Grant this to us.” This expresses a prayer offered to the Divine not merely for personal welfare, but with a broader concern that includes the welfare of everyone. It then asks for “great and growing reputation and wealth.” Here, wealth does not mean money alone; it includes good name, knowledge, fame, and noble qualities. This wealth should not remain limited but should continue to grow.

The mantra further teaches that this wealth should be “radiant”. In other words, wealth should not become a darkness that obscures knowledge. Instead, it should become a source of light that illuminates and develops knowledge. It should not lead a person towards arrogance, but should provide clarity, awareness, and higher understanding.

The prayer then asks for “abundant wealth capable of supporting thousands of acts of giving.” This expresses the highest purpose of wealth. Wealth should not be accumulated merely for personal possession; it should be used for charity, service, righteousness, and other noble activities. The true value of wealth is realized when it becomes a means of benefiting others.

The devotee then prays to Indra for resources that provide movement, facilities, advancement, and the ability to progress in life, together with basic necessities such as food and nourishment. Through this, the desire is expressed that life should attain completeness in every dimension, including the body, mind, and social life.

Overall, this mantra explains the higher purpose of human life. Wealth should not exist for selfish enjoyment; it should become an instrument for developing knowledge, upholding righteousness, and contributing to the welfare of society. The resources received by a human being should elevate that person and, through that person, bring benefit to others as well. This is the deeper philosophical meaning of this prayer.

Conclusion

The overall essence of this mantra is that wealth, reputation, knowledge, and facilities received in human life should not be used merely for selfish purposes, but should be directed towards higher and meaningful objectives. The blessings requested from the Divine should not lead a person towards arrogance. Instead, they should become a source of light that develops knowledge, an instrument that upholds righteousness, and a form of prosperity that can be used for charity and the welfare of society.

Along with receiving the basic necessities of life such as food, facilities, and opportunities for progress, all these resources should elevate the human being in spirituality, knowledge, and noble qualities. Thus, the mantra teaches that wealth and prosperity should raise the individual and, through the individual, bring benefit to others as well.

This is the final message of the mantra: true wealth is that which elevates the individual, strengthens righteousness, develops knowledge, and becomes a source of benefit to the wider world.