Rig Veda 5.40.2: Mandala 5, Sukta 40, Mantra 2
Sukta 5.40
- Rishi
- Atri
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Gayatri
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
वृषा ग्रावा वृषा मदो वृषा सोमो अयं सुतः । वृषन्निन्द्र वृषभिर्वृत्रहन्तम ॥
vṛ́ṣā grā́vā vṛ́ṣā mádo vṛ́ṣā sómo ayáṃ sutáḥ | vṛ́ṣann índra vṛ́ṣabhir vṛtrahantama ||
Stier ist der Pressstein, Stier ist der Rausch, Stier ist dieser gepresste Soma. Darum, o Indra, du Stier, komm mit deinen Stierkräften – du mächtigster Vṛtrahan –, damit in uns die stärkende Wonne siege.
Word by Word
- वृषा
- bull-like, mightyAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (विशेष्य-सम्बन्ध: ग्रावा) / विधेय-विशेषणRoot वृषन् (प्रातिपदिक) < √वृष् ‘वर्षणे/वृषत्वे’ (बलवर्षण/वीर्य) से
- ग्रावा
- the pressing-stoneNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (अस्ति-लुप्त वाक्य में) / विषयRoot ग्रावन् (प्रातिपदिक) ‘सोमपेषण-शिला’
- वृषा
- mightyAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (विशेष्य-सम्बन्ध: मदः) / विधेय-विशेषणRoot वृषन् (प्रातिपदिक) < √वृष्
- मदः
- intoxication, exhilarationNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (अस्ति-लुप्त) / विषयRoot मद (प्रातिपदिक) < √मद् ‘हर्ष/मत्तता’
- वृषा
- mightyAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (विशेष्य-सम्बन्ध: सोमः) / विधेय-विशेषणRoot वृषन् (प्रातिपदिक) < √वृष्
- सोमः
- Soma (the pressed sacred drink)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (अस्ति-लुप्त) / विषयRoot सोम (प्रातिपदिक) < √सु ‘अभिषवे/प्रसवे’ (रस-निष्पादन) से
- अयम्
- thisPronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā/विषय (सोमः का निर्देश) सह-सम्बन्धRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सुतः
- pressed, expressedParticiple (Adjectival)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तRole कर्म-विशेषण (सोमः) / परिणाम-स्थितिRoot सु (धातु) → क्त (PPP) ‘सुत’
- वृषन्
- O bull (mighty one)Noun (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधन (इन्द्र का आह्वान)Root वृषन् (प्रातिपदिक) < √वृष्
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- वृषभिः
- with bulls; with mighty ones/forcesNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole Karaṇa (साधन/सहाय: ‘bulls’ = शक्तिशाली सहाय/बल)Root वृषभ (प्रातिपदिक) < √वृष्
- वृत्रहन्तम्
- the Vṛtra-slayerNoun/Adjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole Karma (स्तुत्य/आह्वेय-रूपेण: ‘him, the Vṛtra-slayer’)Root वृत्रहन् (प्रातिपदिक; वृत्र + हन् < √हन् ‘वध’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धि-निरसन): वृषा | ग्रावा | वृषा | मदः | वृषा | सोमः | अयम् | सुतः || वृषन् | इन्द्र | वृषभिः | वृत्रहन्तम् ।
- ‘वृषन्निन्द्र’ = वृषन् + इन्द्र (न् + इ → न्नि, अनुनासिक/द्वित्व)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The pressing-stone is bull; the ecstasy is bull; this pressed Soma is bull. Therefore Indra the Bull is invoked with his bull-powers as the mightiest Vṛtra-slayer.
Inner meaning
All instruments and results of the inner sacrifice are charged with ‘vṛṣa’—abundant, conquering force. The very means (grāvā), the experience (mada), and the essence (Soma) become one dynamic power of Ananda. When delight is strong and pure, it naturally calls Indra’s illumined might to break the inner cover and establish victorious energy.
Universal truth
When discipline, joy, and essence align in a single upward force, higher intelligence is compelled to act; delight becomes power, and power becomes liberation.
Themes
Soma potency, ecstasy as force, mantra repetition for intensification
The seer
- Rishi
- Atri Ātreya
- Lineage
- Ātreya
- Other hymns
- RV 5.40.1, RV 5.40.3, RV 5.40.4
Family tradition
Atri hymns often intensify a single key-word (here vṛṣa) to build a mantra-force; a hallmark of seer-poetry used as inner incantation.
Significance
Atri’s vision turns repetition into a hammering tapas: the word becomes the power it names, forging a unified energy for victory over obscuration.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Vṛṣan, Vṛtrahantama
- Related deities
- Soma, Agni, Maruts
Cosmic role
Champion of the gods who releases the light and waters by breaking the covering powers.
Inner power
The luminous mind-force that converts ecstasy into effective action and conquest of inertia.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma offering to Indra; praise during pressing and invitation
वृषा॒ ग्रावा॒ वृषा॒ मदो॒ वृषा॒ सोमो॑ अ॒यं सु॒तः । वृष॑न्निन्द्र॒ वृष॑भिर्वृत्रहन्तम ॥
वृषा॑ । ग्रावा॑ । वृषा॑ । मदः॑ । वृषा॑ । सोमः॑ । अ॒यम् । सु॒तः । वृष॑न् । इ॒न्द्र॒ । वृष॑ऽभिः । वृ॒त्र॒ह॒न्ऽत॒म॒ ॥
vṛṣā | grāvā | vṛṣā | madaḥ | vṛṣā | somaḥ | ayam | sutaḥ | vṛṣan | indra | vṛṣa-bhiḥ | vṛtrahan-tama
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3 × 8 (approx.; mantra includes a repeated closing formula)
Mantric, hammering repetition; emphatic and martial.
Builds a single rising vibration of strength; helpful for breaking tamas and self-doubt.
- ग्रावा (grāvā)
- Literal: pressing-stone. Symbolic: focused tapas; the firm will that extracts the essence
- मदः (madaḥ)
- Literal: intoxication/ecstasy. Symbolic: uplifted rapture that energizes consciousness
- सोमः (somaḥ)
- Literal: Soma. Symbolic: Ananda, immortal delight as conscious force
- वृषा (vṛṣā)
- Literal: bull. Symbolic: abounding victorious energy pervading means, experience, and result
- वृत्रहन्तम (vṛtrahantama)
- Literal: most Vṛtra-slaying. Symbolic: decisive removal of resistance
Soma pressing chant emphasizing potency of Soma and the means of extraction; energizing Indra’s arrival.
At Soma-pressings where Indra’s arrival and drinking are emphasized.
Recitation alongside pressing/offerings; reinforces the potency (vṛṣa) of Soma.
As an energizing japa before work or sadhana: affirm that means, joy, and essence are one victorious force.
The triple vṛṣā is a deliberate mantra-structure: it identifies potency at every level—instrument (grāvan), experience (mada), and essence (soma). mada from √mad ‘to be exhilarated’ is not mere intoxication but uplifted force and joy. grāvan ‘stone’ symbolizes the firm disciplined pressure that releases Soma; psychologically, concentrated effort releases delight-force.
unity of means, experience, and essence in yoga of transformation, Soma-mada as conscious delight empowering action
Victory-force establishes right order by removing obstruction.
The ‘bull’ quality signifies truth-force (satyam) that acts, not merely knows.
Transformation of substance into bliss-power through pressing (inner alchemy).
Integral-psychological Vedism: Ananda as a dynamic power for transformation.
Stone = concentrated will; ecstasy = uplifted vital-mental delight; Soma = distilled bliss; bull = victorious potency pervading the whole being.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The identification of Soma and its pressing as ‘bull-power’ that empowers Indra’s victory. The mythic frame is the energization of the god; the inner frame is that disciplined pressure, delight, and essence are one continuum of potency leading to conquest of obstruction.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √mad ‘be exhilarated’ has Indo-Iranian parallels (Avestan mad-). The pervasive use of a single epithet (vṛṣā) as predicate across nouns is an inherited poetic device akin to Indo-European ring-composition and parallelism.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi ‘builds’ Indra’s manifestation by asserting the universal potency of the rite and experience. By naming stone, ecstasy, and Soma as vṛṣā, the seer invites Indra to mirror that potency and act as vṛtrahantama within the aspirant.
Unify discipline (grāvā), joy (mada), and essence (Soma) into one upward force; then invite illumined action.
maṇipūra (power) with support of ājñā (illumination)
Brisk-energetic breathing for 3 cycles, then steady nasal breath while chanting; feel ‘vṛṣā’ as a pulse in the solar plexus.
Dynamic collectedness; energized clarity.
Chant 12 or 27 times when tamas is strong; after chanting, sit quietly and notice where resistance loosens—then act immediately from that opening.
Exact svaras not provided; keep repeated ‘vṛṣā’ with consistent pitch and stress to create mantra-hammering; lift slightly on ‘índra’.
Strike ‘vṛ-ṣā’ cleanly each time; avoid swallowing visarga in ‘sutaḥ’.
grāvā: long ā in both syllables, madaḥ: final ḥ is a soft aspiration, somaḥ: keep o long and rounded, vṛṣabhiḥ: final ḥ lightly released
Resonant, rhythmic, percussive (like a drumbeat of will).
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