Rig Veda 3.32.7: Mandala 3, Sukta 32, Mantra 7
Sukta 3.32
- Rishi
- Gāthin Viśvāmitra
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Adbhuta (wonder)
यजाम इन्नमसा वृद्धमिन्द्रं बृहन्तमृष्वमजरं युवानम् । यस्य प्रिये ममतुर्यज्ञियस्य न रोदसी महिमानं ममाते ॥
yajā́ma ín namasā vṛ́ddham índraṃ bṛhántam ṛṣvám ajáraṃ yúvānam | yásya priyé mamatúr yajñíyasya ná ródasī mahimā́naṃ mamā́te ||
আমি নমস্কাৰে পূজা কৰোঁ ইন্দ্ৰক—বৃদ্ধ, বিস্তৃত; মহৎ আৰু উচ্চ, অজৰ, সদা-যুৱান। যজ্ঞযোগ্য, প্ৰিয় সেই শক্তিৰ আনন্দত স্বৰ্গ আৰু পৃথিৱী—দুয়ো—তাঁৰ মহিমা মাপিব নোৱাৰে।
Word by Word
- यजामः
- we worship / we sacrificeVerbलट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Role (क्रिया)Root यज्
- इत्
- indeed, justIndeclinableनिपातः (एव/हि-अर्थे)Role (निपात)Root इद् (निपात) / इत् (निपात)
- नमसा
- with reverence, by homageNounनपुंसकलिङ्गम्, तृतीया, एकवचनम्Role करणRoot नमस्
- वृद्धम्
- grown, greatAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot वृद्ध
- इन्द्रम्
- IndraNounपुंलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot इन्द्र
- बृहन्तम्
- lofty, vastAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot बृहन्त्
- ऋष्वम्
- towering, exaltedAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot ऋष्व
- अजरम्
- unagingAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot अजर
- युवानम्
- youthfulAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot युवन्
- यस्य
- whosePronounपुंलिङ्गम्, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root यद्
- प्रिये
- in/at the dear (place/thing); in what is dearNoun/Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्गम्, सप्तमी, एकवचनम् (लोके)Role अधिकारणRoot प्रिय
- ममतुः
- the two (heaven and earth) rejoiced / exultedVerbलिट् (परोक्श/परफेक्ट), प्रथमपुरुषः, द्विवचनम्Role (क्रिया)Root मम् (धातु, ‘to rejoice/be glad’, वैदिक)
- यज्ञियस्य
- of the worshipful, of the sacrificial-worthyAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गम्, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root यज्ञिय
- न
- notIndeclinableनिषेधःRole (निपात)Root न
- रोदसी
- the two worlds (Heaven and Earth)Noun (dual) / fixed Vedic expressionस्त्रीलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा, द्विवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot रोदसी (द्यावापृथिव्यौ)
- महिमानम्
- greatness, majestyNounपुंलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot महिमन्
- ममाते
- measures out / encompassesVerbलट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, आत्मनेपदम्Role (क्रिया)Root मा (धातु, ‘to measure’, वैदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- संहिता-पाठः: यजा॑म॒ इन्नम॑सा वृ॒द्धमिन्द्रं॑ बृ॒हन्त॑मृ॒ष्वम॒जरं॒ युवा॑नम् । यस्य॑ प्रि॒ये म॒मतु॑र्य॒ज्ञिय॑स्य॒ न रोद॑सी महि॒मानं॑ म॒माते॑ ॥ पद-विच्छेद (मुख्य): यजामः | इत् | नमसा | वृद्धम् | इन्द्रम् | बृहन्तम् | ऋष्वम् | अजरम् | युवानम् | यस्य | प्रिये | ममतुः | यज्ञियस्य | न | रोदसी | महिमानम् | ममाते | Sandhi: (1) इन् = इत् + (अगला शब्द ‘नमसा’ के नकार के कारण) ‘त्’ → ‘न्’ (परसवर्ण/अनुनासिक-संधि) : इत् + नमसा → इन्नमसा
- (2) वृद्धम् + इन्द्रम् → वृद्धमिन्द्रम् (म् + इ → मि-)
- (3) बृहन्तम् + ऋष्वम् → बृहन्तमृष्वम् (म् + ऋ → मृ-)
- (4) ममतुः + यज्ञियस्य → ममतुर्यज्ञियस्य (विसर्गाभाव/र्-आदेश: उः + य → उर्य)
The meaning
Outer meaning
We adore Indra with reverence—vast, mighty, lofty, ageless yet ever-young; in the delight of that beloved and sacrifice-worthy power, neither Heaven nor Earth can measure his greatness.
Inner meaning
The seeker offers namas (self-giving) to the ever-growing divine Mind-force. Indra is ‘aged’ because he is the ancient power present throughout evolution, and ‘young’ because illumination is perpetually fresh, newly born in each moment of awakening. His greatness exceeds Heaven and Earth—meaning the higher mental ranges and the embodied physical cannot contain or define the amplitude of the illumined consciousness when it descends in delight (priya).
Universal truth
True intelligence is not merely analytical capacity; it is a living, renewing power that grows with surrender and cannot be confined by our current frameworks (inner ‘heaven’ of ideas or ‘earth’ of habits).
Themes
Indra’s greatness, Cosmic vastness, Devotion and reverence
The seer
- Rishi
- Gāthin Viśvāmitra
- Lineage
- Viśvāmitra (Kauśika lineage, traditional)
- Other hymns
- RV 3.32, RV 3.33, RV 3.53, RV 3.62
Family tradition
Hymns of dynamic aspiration and self-offering to powers that widen and uplift the consciousness.
Significance
The Viśvāmitra vision often moves from struggle to adoration: after breakthrough, the being bows to the vastness that made it possible.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Bṛhat (vast), Ṛṣva (lofty), Ajara (ageless), Yuvā (ever-young), Yajñiya (worthy of sacrifice)
- Related deities
- Soma, Agni, Uṣas, Sūrya, Bṛhaspati
Cosmic role
Sustainer and enlarger of power in the worlds; awakener of victorious consciousness.
Inner power
Expansive, renewing illumination that grows by surrender and delight, surpassing mental and physical limits.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-stuti in Soma rituals; general praise for empowerment and growth of force.
यजा॑म॒ इन्नम॑सा वृ॒द्धमिन्द्रं॑ बृ॒हन्त॑मृ॒ष्वम॒जरं॒ युवा॑नम् । यस्य॑ प्रि॒ये म॒मतु॑र्य॒ज्ञिय॑स्य॒ न रोद॑सी महि॒मानं॑ म॒माते॑ ॥
यजा॑मः । इत् । नम॑सा । वृ॒द्धम् । इन्द्र॑म् । बृ॒हन्त॑म् । ऋ॒ष्वम् । अ॒जर॑म् । युवा॑नम् । यस्य॑ । प्रि॒ये । म॒मतुः॑ । य॒ज्ञिय॑स्य । न । रोद॑सी॒ इति॑ । म॒हि॒मान॑म् । म॒माते॒ इति॑ ॥
yajāmaḥ | it | namasā | vṛddham | indram | bṛhantam | ṛṣvam | ajaram | yuvānam | yasya | priye | mamatuḥ | yajñiyasya | na | rodasī iti | mahimānam | mamāteiti
44
4 pādas of ~11 syllables each
Broad and elevating; balanced praise with a strong upward lift.
Creates reverent expansion; steadies the mind into a wide, uplifted poise.
- नमसा (namasā)
- Literal: with obeisance. Symbolic: self-offering, humility that opens the being to higher force
- वृद्धम् (vṛddham)
- Literal: grown, increased. Symbolic: ever-expanding illumination; widening consciousness
- बृहन्तम् (bṛhantam)
- Literal: the vast. Symbolic: greatness of the cosmic Mind; largeness beyond ego
- ऋष्वम् (ṛṣvam)
- Literal: lofty, exalted. Symbolic: uplifted aspiration and high-minded clarity
- अजरम् (ajaram)
- Literal: ageless. Symbolic: timeless power of truth not subject to decay
- युवानम् (yuvānam)
- Literal: young. Symbolic: ever-fresh revelation and energy of awakening
- प्रिये (priye)
- Literal: in the delight/belovedness. Symbolic: ānanda as consent and sweetness of the divine contact
- यज्ञियस्य (yajñiyasya)
- Literal: worthy of sacrifice. Symbolic: the power that rightfully receives and transforms our offerings
- रोदसी (rodasī)
- Literal: Heaven and Earth. Symbolic: mind and body (or higher and lower ranges) as measures that fail before the Infinite
Praise-verse (stuti) in an Indra Soma hymn; supports invocation by magnifying the deity’s immeasurable greatness
At points of offering/praise to Indra, especially to invoke vastness and might.
Recitation with namas; offering of Soma/oblations in the outer rite, self-offering in the inner rite.
As a daily invocation before meditation or study to cultivate humility, wideness, and fresh insight.
√yaj frames worship as ‘consecration’ (inner offering). bṛhant- relates to √bṛh ‘to grow, expand’ (cf. bṛhat), a key RV term for the Vast (bṛhat) linked with satyam r̥tam bṛhat. mamāte from √mā ‘measure’ marks the immeasurable nature of Indra’s mahimā.
bṛhat (the Vast), immeasurability of divine power, yajña as inner alignment
Indra’s greatness supports Ṛta by enlarging and uplifting the movements of life toward truth.
The immeasurable indicates Satya’s infinity beyond conceptual containment.
Vedic yoga of widening (bṛhat) and delight (ānanda) as conditions for higher knowledge.
Heaven/Earth = higher thought and embodied nature; their inability to ‘measure’ = the Infinite exceeding all constructs.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Not a single deed but a theophany of Indra as the Vast: his greatness exceeds the cosmic measures (Heaven and Earth). The mythic frame shifts from action to stature—Indra as unbounded power supporting and exceeding the worlds.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √mā ‘measure’ is strongly Indo-European (cf. Latin metior, Greek μέτρον from related measuring roots). The formula ‘Heaven and Earth’ (rodasī) as cosmic totality is a common inherited poetic dyad across IE traditions.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi approaches through namas (ego-submission) and yajña (consecration). The deity is presented as simultaneously ‘ever-young’ and ‘unaging’, implying that the seeker’s contact with Indra renews force without decay.
Cultivate namas: inward bow to the vast illumined consciousness; invite fresh insight.
ajna
Nadi-śodhana (gentle) to balance and widen; end with a few breaths emphasizing spaciousness in the brow and crown.
Reverent wideness; quiet awe.
Repeat the verse slowly, feeling ‘vṛddham/bṛhantam’ as expansion in the mind-space; let ‘ajaraṃ yuvānam’ dissolve fatigue and renew aspiration.
Vedic tri-svara; keep udātta prominence on indram, bṛhantam, ajaram, yuvānam.
Maintain Triṣṭubh lift on descriptors; pause lightly at pāda breaks to preserve grandeur.
yajāma in: keep short i in in, ṛṣvam: vocalic ṛ, not ri, ajaraṃ: clear j sound, avoid ‘z’, rodasī: long ī at end
Warm, reverent, expansive; avoid harsh attack.
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