Rig Veda 1.33.9: Mandala 1, Sukta 33, Mantra 9
Sukta 1.33
- Rishi
- Gautama Rāhūgaṇa
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
परि यदिन्द्र रोदसी उभे अबुभोजीर्महिना विश्वतः सीम् । अमन्यमानाँ अभि मन्यमानैर्निर्ब्रह्मभिरधमो दस्युमिन्द्र ॥
pári yád indra ródasī ubhé ábubhojīr mahinā́ viśvátas sīm | ámanyamānāṃ abhí manyamānair nír brahmábhīr adhámo dásyum indra ||
حينَ يا إندرا، بعظمتك أحطتَ بالعالَمَين كليهما من كلّ جانب؛ عندئذٍ بقوى الكلمة المقدّسة (brahman) طرحتَ الداسيو—الأدنى—بينما كانت القوى المتكبّرة، بإرادتها الذاتية، تضغط على النفس غير المُطالِبة.
Word by Word
- परि
- around, all aroundIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRole AdhikaraṇaRoot परि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- यदि
- if, whenIndeclinableसम्बन्ध/शर्तसूचक अव्ययRole AdhikaraṇaRoot यदि (अव्यय)
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन/प्रथमा एकवचन (हे इन्द्र)Role KartāRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- रोदसी
- the two worlds (heaven and earth)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्विवचन, द्वितीया (उभे रोदसी)Role KarmaRoot रोदसी (प्रातिपदिक; द्वन्द्व-युगलार्थ)
- उभे
- bothAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्विवचन, द्वितीया (रोदसी इति पदस्य विशेषणम्)Role KarmaRoot उभ (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अबुभोजीः
- you encompassed/embraced; you took into your powerVerbलुङ् (अorist), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचनRole KriyāRoot भुज् (धातु) / भुज्- (पालने/भोगे)
- महिना
- by (your) might, with greatnessNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot महि (प्रातिपदिक) → महिन्/महिमा
- विश्वतः
- from all sides, on every sideIndeclinableअव्यय (दिशा/परितः-अर्थे)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot विश्व (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (तद्धित/अव्ययीभाव)
- सीम्
- them (enclitic: the two worlds)Indeclinableअव्यय/एनक्लिटिक (ताम्/तद्-प्रत्ययार्थे) — ‘them/it’Role KarmaRoot सीम् (अव्यय; एनक्लिटिक सर्वनामिक)
- अमन्यमानान्
- those not thinking (themselves so), the unassumingAdjectiveवर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्यय (परस्मैपद), पुंलिङ्ग, बहुवचन, द्वितीयाRole KarmaRoot मन् (धातु) + अ- (निषेध) → अमन्यमान (कृदन्त)
- अभि
- towards, againstIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRole AdhikaraṇaRoot अभि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- मन्यमानैः
- by those thinking (themselves), by the self-conceitedAdjectiveवर्तमानकाले शानच्-प्रत्यय (आत्मनेपद), पुंलिङ्ग, बहुवचन, तृतीयाRole KaraṇaRoot मन् (धातु) → मन्यमान (कृदन्त)
- निर्ब्रह्मभिः
- by (your) spell/holy power(s), by sacred formulas (as weapons)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, बहुवचन, तृतीयाRole KaraṇaRoot ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + निस् (उपसर्ग) → निर्ब्रह्मन्
- अधमः
- the lowest (one), the most inferiorAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (इन्द्रस्य विशेषणवत्/विधेय)Role KartāRoot अधम (प्रातिपदिक)
- दस्युम्
- the Dasyu (hostile foe)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीयाRole KarmaRoot दस्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन/प्रथमा एकवचन (हे इन्द्र)Role KartāRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (padapāṭha-style): परि | यदि | इन्द्र | रोदसी | उभे | अबुभोजीः | महिना | विश्वतः | सीम् | अमन्यमानान् | अभि | मन्यमानैः | निः-ब्रह्मभिः → निर्ब्रह्मभिः (विसर्ग + ब् = र्) | अधमः | दस्युम् | इन्द्र । Accent marks in the saṃhitā text are not reproduced in the pada list
- forms are given as lexical padas after sandhi-splitting
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra, by his greatness, encompassed both worlds on every side; by the powers of sacred speech he cast down the Dasyu, the lower adversary, amid opposing forces.
Inner meaning
When the illumined Mind (Indra) widens to contain both the higher and lower ranges of consciousness (rodasī—heaven/earth), it can act from a totality rather than a fragment. Then the mantric Word (brahma) becomes an effective force: it dislodges the ‘Dasyu’—the dark, lawless tendency in us—especially when arrogant claimings (manyamāna) assault the unpretending, open soul (amanyamāna). True speech born of truth-consciousness defeats self-will.
Universal truth
Expansion of consciousness plus truth-spoken word overcomes inner lawlessness; humility and openness are protected, while arrogance collapses under the force of truth.
Themes
World-encompassing Indra, Dasyu-expulsion, Mantra-as-power, Humility vs arrogance
The seer
- Rishi
- Gautama Rāhūgaṇa
- Lineage
- Gautama
- Other hymns
- RV 1.33.8, RV 1.33.10, RV 1.33.11, RV 1.33.12
Family tradition
Gautama hymns frequently connect Indra’s victories with the efficacy of brahman (inspired word) and the widening of the worlds as inner realizations.
Significance
The seer emphasizes that victory is not mere force but force guided by wideness and the right Word—an integral yoga principle: expansion + truth-mantra.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Mahān (great, by mahinā), Vajrin, Maghavan
- Related deities
- Bṛhaspati (lord of brahman), Sarasvatī (inspired speech), Agni (will that carries the word)
Cosmic role
World-encompassing lord of luminous intelligence; upholder of cosmic order against the Dasyu powers.
Inner power
Widening awareness that contains opposites; mantric authority that disarms arrogance and falsehood.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra praise in Soma rites; brahman emphasis aligns with priestly recitation efficacy.
परि॒ यदि॑न्द्र॒ रोद॑सी उ॒भे अबु॑भोजीर्महि॒ना वि॒श्वत॑: सीम् । अम॑न्यमानाँ अ॒भि मन्य॑मानै॒र्निर्ब्र॒ह्मभि॑रधमो॒ दस्यु॑मिन्द्र ॥
परि॑ । यत् । इ॒न्द्र॒ । रोद॑सी॒ इति॑ । उ॒भे इति॑ । अबु॑भोजीः । म॒हि॒ना । वि॒श्वतः॑ । सी॒म् । अम॑न्यमानान् । अ॒भि । मन्य॑मानैः । निः । ब्र॒ह्मऽभिः॑ । अ॒ध॒मः॒ । दस्यु॑म् । इ॒न्द्र॒ ॥
pari | yat | indra | rodasī iti | ubhe iti | abubhojīḥ | mahinā | viśvataḥ | sīm | amanyamānān | abhi | manyamānaiḥ | niḥ | brahma-bhiḥ | adhamaḥ | dasyum | indra
44
4×11 syllables (approx.)
Expansive yet forceful; long stride suitable to ‘encompassing’ imagery.
Encourages widening breath and mental space; then a decisive drop in tone for ‘casting down’ the Dasyu.
- रोदसी (rodasī)
- Literal: the two worlds (heaven and earth). Symbolic: higher mind/spirit and lower nature; the full field of consciousness
- महिना (mahinā)
- Literal: by greatness. Symbolic: widening power of consciousness; magnanimity of the illumined mind
- परि (pari)
- Literal: around, encompassing. Symbolic: integral awareness that surrounds and contains movements without being seized by them
- ब्रह्मभिः (brahmabhiḥ)
- Literal: by brahman-powers (sacred formulations). Symbolic: mantric word-force; truth-vibration that effects inner change
- दस्यु (dasyu)
- Literal: raider, enemy, impious one. Symbolic: lawless obscuring force; the lower hostile formation in the psyche
- अमन्यमान (amanyamāna)
- Literal: not thinking oneself; unclaiming. Symbolic: humble receptivity; ego-less openness
- मन्यमान (manyamāna)
- Literal: self-asserting, arrogant. Symbolic: ego-claim, self-will pressing against truth
Indra praise within Soma liturgy; supports the efficacy of brahman (mantra) as weapon alongside vajra
During Indra invocations where victory over enemies/obstacles is sought.
Recitation to empower the brahman (mantric force) accompanying offering.
Use when feeling pressured by arrogance (one’s own or others’): expand attention to include body-breath-mind, then speak/act from calm truth.
ábubhojīḥ: perfect/intensive nuance from √bhuj ‘to enjoy/possess; to bend around’ → ‘encompass’. manyamāna: present middle participle of √man ‘to think, imagine’ → ‘self-conceited’. brahmábhīḥ: instrumental plural of brahmán (mantric formulation) indicating the Word as effective force (not mere hymn). dásyu: in RV often a hostile/obstructive being; inner reading: forces of ignorance opposing Ṛta.
Ṛta upheld by Indra’s encompassing power, Brahman (mantric speech) as formative force, Asuric self-will vs receptive truth-seeking
Indra’s encompassing establishes right order across both worlds; the Dasyu is disorder.
Brahmabhiḥ indicates truth-speech as an instrument of Satya.
Widening of the worlds as a condition for effective spiritual action.
Mantra-śakti oriented Vedism; bridges to Upaniṣadic ‘vāk’ and ‘brahman’ as power.
Sky-earth polarity becomes a psychological polarity (higher/lower). Encompassing means integrating the whole field without contraction.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Indra’s cosmic ‘encompassing’ of Heaven and Earth precedes the expulsion of the Dasyu. Mythically it is universal sovereignty; psychologically it is the establishment of a vast consciousness in which the lower hostile formations are driven out by brahman—illumined speech and insight.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √man ‘think’ < PIE *men- (cf. Greek ménos ‘spirit’, Latin mens). The contrast amanyamāna vs manyamāna exploits the same root to oppose non-egoic receptivity and egoic self-assertion—an old Indo-European poetic antithesis encoded morphologically.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi relies on Indra not only as physical victor but as the cosmic establisher of wideness; the offering is the brahman itself, and Indra’s return-gift is the removal of the ‘lower Dasyu’ and the securing of a larger, ordered field for the seeker.
Practice ‘encompassing awareness’: include sensations, emotions, thoughts as one field; then introduce a short truth-sankalpa (brahman) to dislodge the Dasyu tendency.
viśuddha (truth-speech)
slow 1:1 breathing while mentally repeating a clear phrase of truth; then chant the mantra once aloud.
Wide, calm, authoritative clarity.
Notice where ego-claim (manyamāna) tightens the system; relax into wideness (rodasī), then speak inwardly a precise truth—let the false movement fall away without struggle.
Tri-svara per accent marks; keep prominence on índra and key action-words like ábubhojīḥ, nír (as marked in tradition).
Open the first pāda with a widening tone; maintain clear udātta peaks; avoid rushing through consonant clusters (manyamānaiḥ, brahmabhiḥ).
rodasī: long ī at end, abubhojīḥ: articulate bh + oj; long īḥ, viśvataḥ: śv cluster clean, amanyamānām̐: nasalization at end; keep vowels long where marked, nir brahmabhiḥ: light sandhi; do not swallow ‘r’
Broad, resonant, steady; end phrases with controlled firmness.
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