Rig Veda 8.3.5: Mandala 8, Sukta 3, Mantra 5
Sukta 8.3
- Devata
- Indra
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
इन्द्रमिद्देवतातय इन्द्रं प्रयत्यध्वरे । इन्द्रं समीके वनिनो हवामह इन्द्रं धनस्य सातये ॥
índram íd deva-tā́taya índraṃ prayaty ádhvare | índraṃ samīké vaníno havāmahe índraṃ dhánasya sātáye ||
إندرا وحده ندعوه لمجيء الألوهيّة؛ إندرا في اليَجْنَة المتقدّمة؛ إندرا في المواجهة القريبة نستدعيه—نحن الطالبين؛ إندرا لظفرِ غنى الوجود.
Word by Word
- इन्द्रम्
- IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्म (हवामहे इत्यस्य)Root इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- इत्
- indeed, justIndeclinableनिपात; अव्ययRoot इत् (निपात)
- देवतायतयः
- those who go toward the gods / god-seekers (worshippers)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (हवामहे इत्यस्य)Root देवतायतु (प्रातिपदिक; देवता + आयतु)
- इन्द्रम्
- IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्म (प्रयत्यध्वरे इत्यत्र)Root इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- प्रयति
- at the setting-forth, at the advance (of the rite)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot प्रयति (प्रातिपदिक; प्र-√या से)
- अध्वरे
- in the sacrifice/ritualNounपुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot अध्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्रम्
- IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्म (हवामहे इत्यस्य)Root इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- समीके
- in the encounter/close contest, in the meetingNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; एकवचनRole अधिकरणRoot समीक (प्रातिपदिक)
- वनिनः
- the winners/conquerors (prize-seekers)Nounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (हवामहे इत्यस्य)Root वनिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- हवामहे
- we invoke/call uponVerbलट् (वर्तमान); उत्तमपुरुष; बहुवचन; आत्मनेपदRoot √ह्वा (ह्वे) ‘to call, invoke’
- इन्द्रम्
- IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्म (हवामहे इत्यस्य)Root इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- धनस्य
- of wealth, of prizeNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (सातये इत्यस्य)Root धन (प्रातिपदिक)
- सातये
- for winning, for attainmentNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी; एकवचनRole सम्प्रदान (हवामहे इत्यस्य प्रयोजनम्)Root साति (प्रातिपदिक; √सा/सन् ‘to win, gain’ से)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: इन्द्रम् इत् देवतायतयः | इन्द्रम् प्रयति अध्वरे | इन्द्रम् समीके वनिनः हवामहे | इन्द्रम् धनस्य सातये || 1) इन्द्रम्+इत् → इन्द्रमिद् (द्-आदेशः)
- 2) देवतायतयः: समास/व्युत्पत्तिः ‘देवता’ + ‘आयतु’ (आ-√या ‘गमन’) → ‘देवतायतु’ ‘देवतायतयः’ (प्रथमा बहु)
- 3) इन्द्रम्+प्रयति → इन्द्रं प्रयति (अनुस्वार/नकार-परिवर्तनं)
- 4) प्रयति+अध्वरे → प्रयत्यध्वरे (इ+अ → य्-सन्धिः)
- 5) इन्द्रम्+समीके → इन्द्रं समीके
- 6) हवामह+इन्द्रम् → हवामह इन्द्रम् (पदविरामे)
- 7) इन्द्रम्+धनस्य → इन्द्रं धनस्य
- 8) धनस्य+सातये → धनस्य सातये (विसर्गाभावः; पदविरामे)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra alone we call for the coming of the godhead; Indra in the advancing sacrifice; Indra in close encounter we invoke, we seekers—Indra for winning riches.
Inner meaning
The verse insists on a single indispensable power in the yoga of works: Indra, the illumined mind, is invoked at every stage—awakening the divine presence (devatātaya), guiding the forward movement of the inner sacrifice (prayati adhvare), supporting us at the decisive confrontation with resistance (samīke), and securing the ‘riches’ (dhana) of being—light, force, joy, and right accomplishment. The repetition is a psychological hammering: keep turning to illumination, not to confusion, at each step.
Universal truth
In any transformative path, clarity and higher intelligence must be invoked repeatedly—at the beginning, during progress, and at crises—so that the true wealth of life can be won.
Themes
Exclusive invocation, Ritual progression, Winning of spiritual wealth
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 8.3 (repetitive Indra-invocation pattern)
Significance
The mantra models insistence (abhyāsa): repeated invocation as a method to keep consciousness aligned with illumination through all phases of the inner journey.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- sole called (indram id), leader of the adhvara, giver of dhana (riches of being)
- Related deities
- Agni, Soma, Maruts
Cosmic role
Leads the gods (powers) into manifestation and secures victory in the battle for light.
Inner power
Repeatedly accessible discernment and decisive will in the mind that turns crises into conquest.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra invocation in Soma sacrifice praise; suitable as a refrain in stotra sequences.
इन्द्र॒मिद्दे॒वता॑तय॒ इन्द्रं॑ प्रय॒त्य॑ध्व॒रे । इन्द्रं॑ समी॒के व॒निनो॑ हवामह॒ इन्द्रं॒ धन॑स्य सा॒तये॑ ॥
इन्द्र॑म् । इत् । दे॒वऽता॑तये । इन्द्र॑म् । प्र॒ऽय॒ति । अ॒ध्व॒रे । इन्द्र॑म् । स॒म्ऽई॒के । व॒निनः॑ । ह॒वा॒म॒हे॒ । इन्द्र॑म् । धन॑स्य । सा॒तये॑ ॥
indram | it | deva-tātaye | indram | pra-yati | adhvare | indram | sam-īke | vaninaḥ | havāmahe | indram | dhanasya | sātaye
Two hemistichs with strong anaphora (‘indram’ repeated) creating a mantra-refrain.
Percussive, insistent, battle-ready.
Creates focus and mobilizes energy; repetition drives away wavering and builds resolve.
- देवतातये (devatātaye)
- Literal: for the coming/manifestation of the godhead. Symbolic: descent/awakening of higher consciousness in the human field
- अध्वरे (adhvare)
- Literal: in the sacrifice (often ‘uninjured’ rite). Symbolic: the path of inner work; disciplined offering of nature
- प्रयति (prayati)
- Literal: in the forward going/advance. Symbolic: progressive movement of sadhana; evolutionary push
- समीके (samīke)
- Literal: in close encounter, battle-meeting. Symbolic: decisive inner confrontation with obstruction, doubt, desire
- वनिनः (vaninaḥ)
- Literal: seekers, desirers, those who strive. Symbolic: aspirants seeking the true gain, not merely outer reward
- धनस्य सातये (dhanasya sātaye)
- Literal: for the winning of riches. Symbolic: attainment of spiritual wealth—light, power, harmony, delight
Refrain-like invocation usable at multiple ritual moments: beginning (prayati), encounter (samīke), and aim (sāti of dhana).
At points requiring reinforcement of Indra’s presence—before offerings or during competitive/agonistic rites.
Refrain-like calling (havāmahe) to establish Indra’s aid.
A practical ‘clarity mantra’ for moments of decision, conflict, or when beginning a demanding task—repeat ‘indram’ as a cue to return to discernment.
adhvara often glossed ‘sacrifice’; etymology sometimes linked to a-dhvara ‘non-injurious/unbroken’—supports inner sense of integral offering. devatā-tati suggests ‘extension/manifestation of divinities’—Indra as opener of the divine host. dhana ‘wealth’ is read as ‘treasure of being’ (not mere material), consistent with Indra’s role as giver of rays, force, wideness.
Progress of sacrifice (prayati), Invocation as calling down power (havana), Dhana as fullness of being
Calling Indra at each stage keeps action aligned with right order rather than impulse.
Indra’s function is to restore truth-perception in the mind before action.
‘Coming of the godhead’ indicates descent/manifestation of higher powers into the human instrument.
Karma-yoga prototype: illumination as the indispensable guide of works.
The ‘advance’ is the inner journey; the ‘encounter’ is the inevitable clash with inertia and falsehood; Indra is the light that turns the path into victory.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Indra as the indispensable mediator who brings the ‘godhead’ (devatā-tati) into the rite and secures the ‘winning’ (sāti) of dhana. Innerly, Indra is the central power that makes the sacrifice-progress effective and converts aspiration into possession of being.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √hū ‘call’ is part of an IE pattern of vocative/invocation verbs (cf. Greek κλύω ‘hear’ as ritual hearing; less direct cognacy, but shared ritual semantics). √yat ‘go, strive’ relates to PIE *yeh₁- ‘to go’ (broadly). sāti ‘winning’ reflects √san/√sā ‘to gain’ with IE parallels in acquisition semantics.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi positions the community as vaninaḥ (seekers) who repeatedly invoke Indra through stages of the rite and inner journey, trusting a single divine power to bring the host of divine workings and to secure the final gain.
Use repetition as a ‘return to clarity’ practice: each ‘indram’ is a reset into luminous discernment.
maṇipūra (will)
Box-breath 4-4-4-4 for 3 rounds, then chant each ‘indram’ on a firm exhale.
From agitation to decisive, victorious clarity.
When facing inner conflict, repeat the mantra as a refrain. At ‘samīke’ visualize the exact point of resistance; at ‘dhanasya sātaye’ feel the deeper wealth (peace, light) as the true prize.
Notated svaras not provided; emphasize the repeated ‘इन्द्रम् (indram)’ with consistent pitch prominence as refrain.
Mark the four contexts distinctly: devatātaye (uplift), prayaty adhvare (forward), samīke (firm), dhanasya sātaye (settled assurance).
(indram): clear nasal ‘m’ at end, (devatātaye): long ā; ‘tā’ not clipped, (adhvare): ‘dhv’ cluster careful, (sātaye): long ā; ‘ye’ clear
Firm, rhythmic, rallying; avoid harshness—keep luminous strength.
108
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