Rig Veda 10.42.3: Mandala 10, Sukta 42, Mantra 3
Sukta 10.42
- Devata
- Indra
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
किमङ्ग त्वा मघवन्भोजमाहुः शिशीहि मा शिशयं त्वा शृणोमि । अप्नस्वती मम धीरस्तु शक्र वसुविदं भगमिन्द्रा भरा नः ॥
kím aṅg tvā maghavan bhojám āhuḥ śiśī́hi mā śiśayáṃ tvā śṛṇomi | ápnasvatī́ máma dhī́r astu śakra vasu-vídaṃ bhágam indrā́ bhara naḥ ||
Warum nennt man dich denn, o Maghavan, den „Spender des Genusses“? Schärfe mich; ich höre dich, den Erwecker. Voll wirksamer Kraft sei mein Denken, o Śakra; bring uns, o Indra, den Anteil, der Reichtum findet — das Los, das die wahren Füllen erschließt.
Word by Word
- किम्
- what?Pronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot किम् (प्रश्न-प्रातिपदिक)
- अङ्ग
- indeed; prayIndeclinableनिपात (सम्बोधन/प्रोत्साहनार्थ)Root अङ्ग (निपात)
- त्वा
- you (as object)Pronounद्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- मघवन्
- O bountiful one (Indra)Noun (vocative epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRoot मघवन् (प्रातिपदिक; इन्द्रस्य विशेषण)
- भोजम्
- benefactor; giverNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot भोज (प्रातिपदिक)
- आहुः
- they have called / they callVerbलिट् (परोक्शभूत/परफेक्ट), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचनRoot अह् (धातु; ‘कथने’), परस्मैपद
- शिशीहि
- sharpen; rouseVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot शिश्/शिशी (धातु; ‘तीक्ष्णीकरणे/प्रेरणे’), परस्मैपद
- मा
- mePronounद्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- शिशयम्
- (you) keen/rousedAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (त्वा इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role KarmaRoot शिशय (प्रातिपदिक; ‘तीक्ष्ण/उत्सुक/प्रेरित’)
- त्वा
- youPronounद्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- शृणोमि
- I hearVerbलट् (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot श्रु (धातु; ‘श्रवणे’), परस्मैपद
- अप्नस्वती
- rich in gain; bringing successAdjective (f.)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (धीर् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role KartāRoot अप्नस्/अप्न (प्रातिपदिक; ‘सम्पत्ति/कार्यसिद्धि’) + वत् (मतुप्-प्रत्यय)
- मम
- myPronounषष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- धीः
- thought; prayer; insightNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot धी (प्रातिपदिक; ‘बुद्धि/प्रार्थना/ध्यान’)
- अस्तु
- let it beVerbलोट् (आशीर्लिङ्/आज्ञार्थ-प्रयोग), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot अस् (धातु; ‘भुवि’), परस्मैपद
- शक्र
- O Śakra (Indra)Noun (vocative)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRoot शक्र (प्रातिपदिक; इन्द्रस्य नाम)
- वसुविदम्
- finding wealth; wealth-winningAdjective (kṛdanta)पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (भगम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role KarmaRoot वसु (प्रातिपदिक) + विद् (धातु; ‘विन्दने/लाभे’) → वसुविद् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
- भगम्
- share; bountyNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot भग (प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNoun (vocative)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- भरा
- bringVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot भृ (धातु; ‘भरणे’), परस्मैपद
- नः
- to us / for usPronounचतुर्थी/षष्ठी, बहुवचन (एन्क्लिटिक)Role SampradānaRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: किम् अङ्ग त्वा मघवन् भोजम् आहुः | शिशीहि मा शिशयम् त्वा शृणोमि | अप्नस्वती मम धीः अस्तु शक्र | वसुविदम् भगम् इन्द्र भरा नः || मुख्य-सन्धयः: (1) मघवन् + भोजम् → मघवन्भोजम् (न् + भ)
- (2) भोजम् + आहुः → भोजमा॑हुः (म् + आ)
- (3) शिशीहि + मा → शिशीहि मा (सन्धि-न)
- (4) शिशयम् + त्वा → शिश॒यं त्वा (म् + त्)
- (5) मम + धीः + अस्तु → मम धीरस्तु (विसर्ग/रेफ-सन्धि: धीः + अस्तु → धीरस्तु)
- (6) भगम् + इन्द्र → भगमिन्द्र (म् + इ)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The poet asks why Indra is called ‘enjoyer/giver of enjoyment’ and prays: ‘Sharpen me; I hear you as the awakener.’ He asks that his understanding be full of effective work and that Indra bring a wealth-finding portion (bhaga).
Inner meaning
Indra is ‘bhoja’ because illumination naturally carries delight: true light is not dry but fulfilling. ‘Sharpen me’ is a prayer for the cutting edge of discernment and will—an inner vajra-like clarity. ‘I hear you as the awakener’ points to inner audition: the seeker recognizes Indra’s call as the force that rouses consciousness. ‘Apnasvatī dhīḥ’ is intelligence filled with effective power (apnas)—thought that becomes accomplished action in harmony with truth. ‘Vasuvid bhaga’ is the share of consciousness that discovers real riches: stable powers, wideness, joy, and right capacities.
Universal truth
Genuine awakening unites clarity and joy. When intelligence is sharpened and made effective, life becomes a field of discovered riches—inner resources that are unlocked by illumination rather than acquired by mere struggle.
Themes
Prayer for sharpened consciousness, Bounty as spiritual plenitude, Indra as awakener
The seer
Significance
The voice is that of a sādhaka-poet: questioning, then turning the question into a direct inner demand for sharpening (śiśīhi) and effective intelligence (apnasvatī dhīḥ).
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Maghavan, Śakra, Bhoja (here), Śiśaya (awakener; functional epithet)
- Related deities
- Bhaga, Sarasvatī (as dhī/vāk power, by function), Soma
Cosmic role
Giver of luminous power, distributor of true portions (bhaga) of strength and prosperity; awakens the faculties.
Inner power
Keen discernment and victorious mental force that turns thought into effective realization.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-invocation in Soma setting; inner application: strengthening of dhī (insight) and acquisition of bhaga (right share) through Indra’s sharpening force.
किम॒ङ्ग त्वा॑ मघवन्भो॒जमा॑हुः शिशी॒हि मा॑ शिश॒यं त्वा॑ शृणोमि । अप्न॑स्वती॒ मम॒ धीर॑स्तु शक्र वसु॒विदं॒ भग॑मि॒न्द्रा भ॑रा नः ॥
किम् । अ॒ङ्ग । त्वा॒ । म॒घ॒ऽव॒न् । भो॒जम् । आ॒हुः॒ । शि॒शी॒हि । मा॒ । शि॒श॒यम् । त्वा॒ । शृ॒णो॒मि॒ । अप्न॑स्वती । मम॑ । धीः । अ॒स्तु॒ । श॒क्र॒ । व॒सु॒ऽविद॑म् । भग॑म् । इ॒न्द्र॒ । आ । भ॒र॒ । नः॒ ॥
kim | aṅga | tvā | magha-van | bhojam | āhuḥ | śiśīhi | mā | śiśayam | tvā | śṛṇomi | apnasvatī | mama | dhīḥ | astu | śakra | vasu-vidam | bhagam | indra | ā | bhara | naḥ
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4 x ~11 syllables (approx.)
Interrogative opening followed by imperative prayer; a tightening rhythm that matches ‘sharpening’.
Creates alertness; stimulates clarity and confident receptivity to inner guidance.
- मघवन् (maghavan)
- Literal: bountiful, generous. Symbolic: the luminous power that increases inner riches
- भोजम् (bhojam)
- Literal: enjoyer/giver of enjoyment. Symbolic: illumination that carries delight and fulfillment
- शिशीहि (śiśīhi)
- Literal: sharpen! whet!. Symbolic: intensify discernment, refine will, make consciousness keen
- शिशयम् (śiśayam)
- Literal: awakener/stirrer. Symbolic: the force that rouses dormant faculties
- धीः (dhīḥ)
- Literal: understanding, inspired thought. Symbolic: revelatory intelligence capable of right formation
- अप्नस्वती (apnasvatī)
- Literal: possessed of successful work. Symbolic: thought-power that accomplishes, effective tapas in action
- वसुविदम् (vasuvidam)
- Literal: finder of riches. Symbolic: consciousness that discovers true inner plenitudes
- भगम् (bhagam)
- Literal: portion, share, fortune. Symbolic: the destined allotment of light/joy/power granted by the Divine Mind
Indra-invocation in Soma setting; inner application: strengthening of dhī (insight) and acquisition of bhaga (right share) through Indra’s sharpening force.
Indra invocations for strength, success, and ‘portion’ (bhaga) in soma sessions or praise sequences.
Praise and petition for empowerment of dhī (inspired intelligence) and attainment of vasu (riches).
Use before study, creative work, or decision-making: chant to invoke sharp discernment and effective action.
śiśīhi from √śiś ‘sharpen, whet’ (intensification); dhī from √dhī ‘think, perceive’ (inspired thought); apnas from √ap ‘work/attain’ (apnasvatī = endowed with effective accomplishment); bhaga from √bhaj ‘apportion, share’ (PIE *bʰag- ‘share’ cf. Slavic bogŭ ‘god’ via ‘dispenser’); vasu ‘good, excellent, treasure’ (semantic of essential goods).
bhaga (right apportionment in ṛta), dhī (inspired intelligence), vasu (essential riches of being)
Apnas (successful work) implies works aligned with rita rather than ego.
The ‘vasu’ sought are true riches—stable powers of consciousness.
Illumination awakens and organizes capacities into effective manifestation.
Integral/psychological Vedism (dhī as instrument of revelation and action).
Whetting is the refinement of mind; riches are recovered powers (light, joy, strength) latent in the being.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Indra as ‘Maghavan’ the dispenser of bhaga (share) and vasu (riches). The mythic motif of Indra granting wealth is internalized as granting the ‘wealth-finding’ faculty—an intelligence (dhī) sharpened to discover hidden plenitudes of light/force.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- bhaga from √bhaj reflects PIE *bʰag- ‘to apportion’ with wide IE reflexes; this supports the idea of the god as ‘dispenser’. The semantic shift from external ‘wealth’ to ‘essential riches’ is enabled by vasu’s broad meaning ‘good/excellent/treasure’ rather than a narrow material referent.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi asks not first for objects but for a transformed instrument: ‘sharpen me’—make my dhī apnasvatī (effectual). The reciprocity is: aspiration and receptivity → Indra’s energizing descent → the right share (bhaga) of vasu realized as inner plenitude.
Invoke Indra to sharpen buddhi and awaken inner hearing; then receive the ‘bhaga’—a clear next step that feels both true and joyful.
Ajna (discernment) with support from Manipura (effective work/apnas)
Bhramari 7 rounds (to awaken inner hearing), then quiet nasal breathing observing a bright point between the brows.
Alert sattva—wakeful, clear, empowered.
Chant 3–7 times; after each, pause and feel the mind becoming ‘keen’. Ask inwardly: ‘What is the true portion now?’ Wait for a calm, decisive insight rather than mental chatter.
Maintain Rigvedic udatta/anudatta/svarita as marked (e.g.,, ). If untrained, chant in a steady monotone but keep vowel lengths exact.
Let interrogatives (‘kim aṅga’) be slightly lifted, then firm imperatives (‘śiśīhi mā’) with clear articulation.
: nasalize lightly; do not separate ‘kim’ and ‘aṅga’ too hard, : final ‘-van’ soft, not ‘-waan’, : three clear ‘śi’ sounds; long ‘ī’, : cluster ‘pna’ cleanly (not ‘apana’), : ‘vid’ as in ‘vid-’ (short i)
Clear, incisive, confident; minimal vibrato.
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