Rig Veda 8.32.5: Mandala 8, Sukta 32, Mantra 5
Sukta 8.32
- Rishi
- Kaṇva
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Gāyatrī or Anuṣṭubh-like short meter
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
स गोरश्वस्य वि व्रजं मन्दानः सोम्येभ्यः । पुरं न शूर दर्षसि ॥
sa goráśvasya ví vrajáṃ mandānó somyébhyaḥ | puráṃ ná śūra darṣasi ||
তিনি, সোমীয় শক্তিতে আনন্দিত হয়ে, গাভী ও অশ্বের ব্ৰজ (বেড়া/আবরণ) উন্মুক্ত করেন; আর বীরের মতো তাকে প্রকাশ করেন—যেন কেউ দুর্গকে দৃশ্য করে তোলে।
Word by Word
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- गोः
- of the cow / of cattleNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः (वैदिके प्रायः), षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root गो (प्रातिपदिक)
- अश्वस्य
- of the horseNounपुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root अश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- वि
- apart, asunder; forthIndeclinable (preverb)Root वि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- व्रजम्
- enclosure, pen, fold (stall)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot व्रज (प्रातिपदिक)
- मदानः
- rejoicing, exhilaratedParticiple (adjectival) / Kṛdantaपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम् (सः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृ (कर्तृविशेषणम्)Root मद् (धातु) → मदान (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; शतृ/शानच्-प्रकारः) अथवा वैदिके ‘मदान’ = ‘मदमान’ (प्रसन्न/उन्मत्त) भावः
- सोम्येभ्यः
- from the Soma-people / from those connected with SomaAdjective (used substantively) / Noun-likeपुंलिङ्गे (वा नपुंसके) बहुवचनम्, पञ्चमी/षष्ठी?— अत्र पञ्चमी बहुवचनम्Role अपादानRoot सोम्य (प्रातिपदिक; ‘सोम’ + यत्)
- पुरम्
- fortress, strongholdNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot पुर्/पुर (प्रातिपदिक)
- न
- like, asIndeclinableRoot न (अव्यय)
- शूर
- O heroNoun (vocative) / Adjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन, एकवचनम्Role सम्बोधनRoot शूर (प्रातिपदिक)
- दर्षसि
- you see / you beholdVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपदम्, मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role क्रियाRoot दृश् (धातु)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: सः | गोः | अश्वस्य | वि | व्रजम् | मदानः | सोम्येभ्यः | पुरम् | न | शूर | दर्षसि । 1) ‘गोरश्वस्य’ = ‘गोः अश्वस्य’ (षष्ठी-द्वन्द्व/समाहार-सम्बन्धः; विसर्ग-लोपः पदसन्धौ)
- 2) ‘मदानः सोम्येभ्यः’— ‘सोम्येभ्यः’ पञ्चमी बहुवचनं, ‘मदानः’ कर्तृविशेषणम्
- 3) ‘पुरं न’ उपमान-निर्देशः (न = उपमा-अव्ययम्)
The meaning
Outer meaning
He, gladdened by the Soma-powers, opens the enclosure of the cow and the horse; like a hero he makes it visible as one reveals a fort.
Inner meaning
Indra, strengthened by Soma-delight, opens the vraja (enclosure/cave) where the ‘cows’ (rays of knowledge) and ‘horses’ (vital energies of action) are hidden or held back. The spiritual hero does not merely win; he makes the concealed luminous resources visible and available to the waking nature—turning latent capacities into conscious instruments.
Universal truth
Delight allied with illumination releases hidden knowledge and energy; what was enclosed becomes usable, visible, and organized for the journey.
Themes
Indra as opener of the cows, Soma inspiration, Revelation of hidden light, Victory over obstruction
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 8.32 (hymn context; Kaṇva tradition likely)
Significance
Even without explicit attribution, the verse carries a classic Kāṇva/Indra psychology: Soma-delight empowers the release of light (go) and force (aśva).
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- śūra (hero), mandāna (gladdened/exhilarated)
- Related deities
- Soma, Bṛhaspati (cave-opener), Uṣas (illumination that makes visible)
Cosmic role
Revealer of the hidden; opener of the cave/enclosure; leader who makes the luminous herds visible.
Inner power
Illumined mind-force that, strengthened by bliss, liberates knowledge-rays and energizes action-nature.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-Soma praise emphasizing release of ‘cows’ (light) and ‘horses’ (force)
स गोरश्व॑स्य॒ वि व्र॒जं म॑न्दा॒नः सो॒म्येभ्य॑: । पुरं॒ न शू॑र दर्षसि ॥
सः । गोः । अश्व॑स्य । वि । व्र॒जम् । म॒न्दा॒नः । सो॒म्येभ्यः॑ । पुर॑म् । न । शू॒र॒ । द॒र्ष॒सि॒ ॥
saḥ | goḥ | aśvasya | vi | vrajam | mandānaḥ | somyebhyaḥ | puram | na | śūra | darṣasi
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4 × ~11 (probable)
Expansive with a ‘revealing’ cadence at the end
Gives a sense of opening and emergence; supports visualization of release.
- सोम्येभ्यः (somyebhyaḥ)
- Literal: from/with Soma-things/powers. Symbolic: forces of delight that intensify consciousness
- व्रजम् (vrajam)
- Literal: enclosure, pen, cave. Symbolic: inner holding/covering where powers are concealed
- गोः (goḥ)
- Literal: cow. Symbolic: rays of light/knowledge
- अश्वस्य (aśvasya)
- Literal: horse. Symbolic: vital energy, force of action
- वि (vi)
- Literal: apart, open. Symbolic: opening, release, differentiation into conscious functioning
- पुरम् (puram)
- Literal: fort, stronghold. Symbolic: fixed structure of concealment/resistance made manifest and overcome
- दर्षसि (darṣasi)
- Literal: you make visible/show. Symbolic: bringing hidden powers into conscious sight
Soma sacrifice context (general): invocatory/celebratory verse supporting Indra’s releasing action; suitable to soma-pressing recitations praising Indra as opener of the ‘vraja’ (release of cows/light).
In Soma context; also in prayers for inspiration and energy
Recitation with offerings; symbolic ‘opening’ gesture (mental)
Chant before study/creative work (release of rays) or before disciplined action (release of horses).
Key terms: (1) vrája- ‘enclosure, fold’ (RV often for the hidden pen of the cows/light); linked to √vraj/√vraṅg ‘to go/roam’ but in RV semantics a ‘closed space’ to be opened by the god. (2) darṣasi < √dṛś ‘see, make seen’; causative-like force ‘cause to be seen/revealed’. (3) mandāná- from √mand ‘to rejoice, be exhilarated’—standard soma-psychology: the god’s force becomes luminous and effective. (4) go- ‘cow’ in RV multivalent: animal/wealth/light-ray; here paired with aśva- suggests the recovered illuminations and energies.
Rita as the right release of concealed truth, Satyam-Ritam-Brihat (truth made visible), inner liberation from obstruction (āvaraṇa)
Released rays and energies must move in r̥ta—right proportion and direction.
Visibility (darśana) is satya becoming manifest in consciousness.
Revelation: the hidden becomes seen; creation advances by uncovering.
Integral: knowledge and force are liberated together, empowered by delight (Soma).
dawn-like implication (making visible)
Cows = illuminations; horses = prāṇic energies; enclosure = subconscious holding; dawn/sun = awakening that makes capacities visible.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘opening of the vraja’—Indra releases the cows (rays of Light/knowledge) and horses (energies of force) from a closed enclosure. The fortress (pur) image compresses the same mythic action: revelation through the breaking of inner obstruction.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- darṣasi derives from √dṛś ‘to see’ (PIE *derk- ‘to see’, cf. Greek dérkomai). The semantic pairing go-/aśva- reflects an Indo-European poetic habit of coupling ‘light/wealth’ with ‘horse/force’ as complementary goods/powers; aśva- continues PIE *h₁éḱwos ‘horse’ (Latin equus).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The poet positions Indra as the inner agent of revelation: soma-inspired power in the human offering becomes the god’s exhilaration (mandānaḥ), and the reciprocal return is ‘showing’—making the hidden truth visible to the seer and community.
Release of inner light (insight) and force (capacity to act) from subconscious enclosure.
Ājñā (light/insight) and Svādhiṣṭhāna/Maṇipūra (vital force and execution)
Inhale imagining a sealed cave; exhale chanting ‘vi vrajam’; pause sensing rays and energy emerging.
Joyful, luminous activation; capacities become available
After chanting, write down one insight (cow) and one concrete action (horse) that emerges; execute the action within the day.
Maintain steady Triṣṭubh flow if used as such; give a gentle lift on ‘mandānaḥ’ and ‘somyebhyaḥ’; resolve clearly on ‘darṣasi’ (exact svara needs source).
Make ‘vi vrajam’ audible as the ‘opening’ moment; brighten on ‘goḥ aśvasya’; end with a revealing tone on ‘puraṃ na… darṣasi’.
goḥ: visarga ḥ lightly aspirated, aśvasya: ś clear; avoid ‘ash’ flattening, vrajam: vr cluster clean; short a, mandānaḥ: long ā; final ḥ light
Joyful, expansive, bright resonance
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