Rig Veda 5.37.1: Mandala 5, Sukta 37, Mantra 1
Sukta 5.37
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
सं भानुना यतते सूर्यस्याजुह्वानो घृतपृष्ठः स्वञ्चाः । तस्मा अमृध्रा उषसो व्युच्छान्य इन्द्राय सुनवामेत्याह ॥
sáṃ bhā́nunā yatate sū́ryasyā́juhvāno ghṛtá-pṛṣṭhaḥ sváñcāḥ | tásmā amṛ́dhrā uṣáso vy ùcchānyá índrāya sunávā́m ety ā́ha ||
Mit dem Strahl der Sonne sammelt er sich und strebt voran, opfernd, mit einem Rücken aus geklärtem Glanz, in seiner eigenen rechten Richtung gehend. Für ihn weiten sich die untrüglichen Morgenröten und brechen hervor — für den, der spricht: »Lasst uns Soma für Indra pressen.«
Word by Word
- सम्
- together, completelyIndeclinableउपसर्ग/निपातRoot सम् (उपसर्ग) प्रत्ययार्थे
- भानुना
- with (his) radiance/beamNounपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया विभक्ति; एकवचनRole KaraṇaRoot भानु (प्रातिपदिक) < √भा (दीप्तौ)
- यतते
- strives, exerts himselfVerbलट् (वर्तमान); आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचनRole (क्रिया)Root √यत् (प्रयत्ने/यतने)
- सूर्यस्य
- of the SunNounपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी विभक्ति; एकवचनRole Sambandha (genitive relation)Root सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- आजुह्वानः
- invoking, calling uponParticipleवर्तमान कृदन्त (शानच्); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचनRole Kartā (agent, as qualifier of the subject)Root आ-√ह्वा (आह्वाने) → जुह्वान (परस्मैपदी धातोः शतृ/शानच्-प्रकारः; वेदिक रूप)
- घृतपृष्ठः
- having a ghee-backed (surface), ghee-backedAdjective/Nounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचनRole Kartā (as epithet of the subject)Root घृत-पृष्ठ (समास: कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष; घृत + पृष्ठ)
- स्वञ्चाः
- self-going, moving of themselvesAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; बहुवचनRole Kartā (as accompanying subjects/attendants)Root स्वञ्च (प्रातिपदिक; वेदिक) < स्व + अञ्च् (गत्यर्थ)
- तस्मै
- to himPronounपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी विभक्ति; एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot तद् (सर्वनाम)
- अमृध्राः
- unfailing, not negligentAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; बहुवचनRole Kartā (qualifier of उषसः)Root अ-मृध्र (प्रातिपदिक; नञ्-समास) < मृध्र (हानि/द्रोह-भाव)
- उषसः
- the DawnsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; बहुवचनRole KartāRoot उषस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- वि
- apart, forthIndeclinableउपसर्गRoot वि (उपसर्ग)
- उच्छान्
- shining forth, dawningParticipleवर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन (सम्बद्धः ‘अन्यः’)Role Kartā (as qualifier of अन्यः)Root √उच्छा/उद्-√छा (दीप्तौ/प्रकाशे; वेदिक) → उच्छान्
- अन्यः
- another (one)Pronoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचनRole KartāRoot अन्य (सर्वनाम/विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्राय
- for IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी विभक्ति; एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- सुनवाम
- let us press (Soma), let us prepareVerbलोट्/विधिलिङ्-प्राय (वेदिक injunctive/optative usage); परस्मैपद; उत्तमपुरुष; बहुवचनRole (क्रिया)Root √सु (सवने/प्रसवे; ‘to press/produce (soma)’)
- इति
- thusIndeclinableउद्धरण/वाक्य-समाप्ति सूचकRoot इति (निपात)
- आह
- saidVerbलिट् (परिपूर्ण/परोक्श भूत); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचनRole (क्रिया)Root √अह्/√आह् (ब्रूवणे; ‘to say’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धि-विग्रह): सं + भानुना
- यतते सूर्यस्य
- आजुह्वानः घृतपृष्ठः स्वञ्चाः
- तस्मै अमृध्राः उषसः
- वि + उच्छान् → व्युच्छान्
- अन्यः इन्द्राय
- सुनवाम इति
- आह. (स्वञ्चाः: वेदिक रूप; उच्छान्: √उच्छा/उद्-√छा से वर्तमान कृदन्त; सुनवाम: वेदिक प्रयोग में आज्ञार्थ/विध्यर्थ ‘let us…’)
The meaning
Outer meaning
A worshipper, empowered by the Sun’s ray, advances in his own right course, offering with a “ghee-backed” (luminous) strength. For him the faultless Dawns spread and break forth—he who declares, “Let us press Soma for Indra.”
Inner meaning
The seeker gathers the scattered energies by the illumining ray (bhānu) of the inner Sun (sūrya). Kindling aspiration and offering (ājuhvānaḥ), he moves straight (svañcāḥ) with a clarified, luminous foundation (ghṛtapṛṣṭhaḥ). When the will turns decisively to prepare bliss (Soma) for the illumined Mind (Indra), the Dawns—successive unveilings of consciousness—open wide without error (amṛdhrāḥ).
Universal truth
When one aligns effort with illumination and offers one’s energies to a higher intelligence, clarity arrives in ordered stages; awakening is not random but “unerring” when the intention is sincere and the movement is straight.
Themes
Soma pressing resolve, Dawn of illumination, Solar truth-light, Ritual as inner yoga
The seer
- Rishi
- Atri (attributed for RV 5.37 as a whole; verse-level attribution uncertain)
- Lineage
- Atri
- Other hymns
- RV 5.2, RV 5.11, RV 5.40
Family tradition
Book 5 is predominantly Atris; hymns often celebrate Indra with solar and dawn supports, stressing inner victory and illumination.
Significance
Atri-vision emphasizes the ascent from obscurity to light through Agni’s will and Indra’s illumination, with Dawn as the sign of progressive awakening.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra (supported by Surya and Ushas)
- Epithets
- vṛtrahan, maghavan, śatakratu
- Related deities
- Surya, Ushas, Agni, Soma
Cosmic role
Breaker of the Coverer; establisher of free light, wide space, and victorious order for the human journey.
Inner power
Illumined intelligence that organizes energies, compels right movement, and opens the dawns of insight when Soma-bliss is prepared.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma pressing and Indra-invocation within Soma-yajña sequences
सं भा॒नुना॑ यतते॒ सूर्य॑स्या॒जुह्वा॑नो घृ॒तपृ॑ष्ठ॒: स्वञ्चा॑: । तस्मा॒ अमृ॑ध्रा उ॒षसो॒ व्यु॑च्छा॒न्य इन्द्रा॑य सु॒नवा॒मेत्याह॑ ॥
सम् । भा॒नुना॑ । य॒त॒ते॒ । सूर्य॑स्य । आ॒ऽजुह्वा॑नः । घृ॒तऽपृ॑ष्ठः । सु॒ऽअञ्चाः॑ । तस्मै॑ । अमृ॑ध्राः । उ॒षसः॑ । वि । उ॒च्छा॒न् । यः । इन्द्रा॑य । सु॒नवा॑म । इति॑ । आह॑ ॥
sam | bhānunā | yatate | sūryasya | ājuhvānaḥ | ghṛta-pṛṣṭhaḥ | su-añcāḥ | tasmai | amṛdhrāḥ | uṣasaḥ | vi | ucchān | yaḥ | indrāya | sunavāma | iti | āha
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4 padas of ~11 syllables each (with Vedic resolution/caesura variations possible)
Forward-driving, expansive, suited to aspiration and advance
Builds a sense of gathered force and widening light; supports an inner ‘march’ toward clarity.
- भानु (bhānu)
- Literal: ray, beam. Symbolic: a shaft of illumination that collects and directs consciousness
- सूर्य (sūrya)
- Literal: Sun. Symbolic: inner sun of truth-consciousness; discerning light
- आजुह्वानः (ājuhvānaḥ)
- Literal: offering, invoking. Symbolic: active self-giving of the seeker’s energies into the inner sacrifice
- घृतपृष्ठ (ghṛtapṛṣṭha)
- Literal: ghee-backed. Symbolic: supported by clarified light/steady luminous substance (not physical butter)
- स्वञ्च (svañcāḥ)
- Literal: going straight/right. Symbolic: movement aligned with the soul’s right direction (ṛta)
- उषस् (uṣas)
- Literal: Dawn. Symbolic: successive spiritual awakenings/illumined openings
- अमृध्र (amṛdhra)
- Literal: not failing, unerring. Symbolic: reliable unfoldment of light when aligned with truth
- सुनवाम (sunavāma)
- Literal: let us press (Soma). Symbolic: to distill bliss/nectar from experience by inner discipline
- इन्द्र (indra)
- Literal: Indra. Symbolic: divine Mind/illumination-power that breaks resistance
Soma-pressing (savana) motivation-verse: the resolve ‘sunavāma’ frames the rite as an inner concentration and offering that invites dawn-illumination.
During Soma offerings/hymn recitations to Indra, especially when invoking dawn-like openings and victorious advance
Calling Indra to drink Soma; aligning offerings with solar illumination
Morning practice: set intention (‘press Soma’ = distill joy), then a short invocation for clear direction and right action.
bhā́nu from √bhā ‘shine’ → ray as luminous thought. ghṛtá from √ghṛ/√ghṛ ‘to sprinkle, shine’ (semantic overlap in Vedic usage) becomes ‘clarified light’—a key symbol for clarified mind-substance that carries illumination. uṣás from √vas/√uṣ ‘to shine, burn’ → dawn/illumination. √su (sunoti) ‘to press’ Soma: inner distillation of delight-force enabling Indra’s action.
Tapas/effort (yatate) toward light, Rita-aligned movement (sváñcāḥ), Transformative speech-act (āha)
svañcāḥ (right-going) implies movement in ṛta; dawns widen when the inner offering is true.
Surya’s bhānu symbolizes truth-revealing light that gathers the being.
Progressive manifestation: dawns ‘break forth’ as consciousness becomes fit to hold illumination.
Proto-Vedāntic/Integral (Aurobindo-style) reading: ascent of consciousness through sacrifice.
dawn/morning
The sun-ray is the focusing illumination; dawn is the repeated opening of higher awareness after inner offering.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The Dawns opening for the sacrificer who resolves to press Soma for Indra: the mythic dawn is re-read as recurrent inner illumination responding to the soul’s offering and concentration in the Sun’s truth-ray.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- sūrya relates to the solar lexicon across IE (though the exact etymon is debated), while uṣás matches PIE *h₂éusōs ‘dawn’ (cf. Greek Ēōs, Latin Aurora). This archaic dawn-myth is here integrated with the Vedic Soma-Indra complex.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi’s spoken resolve (‘sunavāma’) is causal: by offering and aligning movement, he becomes a fit vessel; the devic powers (Dawns) respond by widening illumination, enabling Indra’s victorious force to act within the human field.
Gather the mind with a single ray of attention; offer the day’s energies to the inner Guide; invite the ‘dawns’ of insight.
ājñā (brow) with support from anāhata (aspiration)
Gentle nāḍī-śodhana 6–12 rounds, then inhale ‘ray of Surya’, exhale ‘offer into Agni/Indra’.
Bright, collected, forward-moving concentration
Begin at dawn: 3 minutes steady gaze inward (bhānu), 1 clear sankalpa (‘sunavāma’), then sit for silent widening (uṣas).
Vedic svaras (udātta/anudātta/svarita) apply; follow śākhā-specific accenting—key lifts often occur on deity-names and action-verbs.
Keep ‘sūryasya’, ‘uṣaso’, ‘indrāya’, ‘sunavāma’ clearly articulated; maintain triṣṭubh caesura feel (~after 4–5 syllables).
Differentiate ś/ṣ/s: sūrya (s), uṣaso (ṣ)., Hold long vowels: bhānunā, sūryasya, indrāya., Pronounce ṛ in amṛdhrāḥ with a light vocalic ‘r’.
Bright, steady, slightly rising on invocatory phrases; avoid rushing the dawn imagery.
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