Rig Veda 6.32.3: Mandala 6, Sukta 32, Mantra 3
Sukta 6.32
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja Bārhaspatya
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
स वह्निभिॠक्वभिर्गोषु शश्वन्मितज्ञुभिः पुरुकृत्वा जिगाय । पुरः पुरोहा सखिभिः सखीयन्दृळ्हा रुरोज कविभिः कविः सन् ॥
sa vahni-bhir ṛkva-bhir goṣu śaśvan mitajñu-bhiḥ puru-kṛtvā jigāya | puraḥ puraḥ-hā sakhi-bhiḥ sakhīyan dṛḷhā ruroja kavi-bhiḥ kaviḥ san ||
Mit den Trägern der Flamme und mit den Hymnensängern, immer unter den Strahlen, mit maßvollen Kennern, das Werk auf vielerlei Weise vollbringend, siegte er. Der Zerstörer der Burgen, in Gefährtenschaft mit Gefährten, durchbrach die festen Widerstände; als ṛṣi unter ṛṣi wurde er in uns zur seherischen Kraft.
Word by Word
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) → स
- वह्निभिः
- with/through the bearers (fire-priests/impellers)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, तृतीया, बहुवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot वह्नि- (प्रातिपदिक)
- ऋक्वभिः
- with the ṛk-singers (chanters)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, तृतीया, बहुवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot ऋक्वन्- (प्रातिपदिक)
- गोṣu
- among the cows / in the cattle (spoils)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, बहुवचनम्Role AdhikaraṇaRoot गो- (प्रातिपदिक)
- शश्वत्
- always, continuallyIndeclinableअव्ययम्Role AdverbialRoot शश्वत् (अव्यय/निपात)
- मितज्ञुभिः
- with the measured/wise (knowers of measure)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, तृतीया, बहुवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot मितज्ञु- (प्रातिपदिक)
- पुरुकृत्वा
- having done much; of many deedsAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम् (कर्तरि ‘सः’ विशेषणम्)Role Kartā (qualifier)Root पुरु-कृत्वा (प्रातिपदिक; बहुव्रीहि/कर्मधारय-समास)
- जिगाय
- won, conqueredVerbलिट् (परोक्शभूत/परफेक्ट), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role KriyāRoot √जि (जये)
- पुरः
- forth, forward; in frontIndeclinableअव्ययम्Role AdverbialRoot पुरस्/पुरः (अव्यय/उपसर्गवत्)
- पुरोहाः
- the one placed in front; the leader/priest (purohita)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role Kartā (apposition to सः)Root पुरो-हा (प्रातिपदिक; ‘पुरः’ + √हा ‘to put/place’ → ‘one who puts in front’)
- सखिभिः
- with friendsNounपुंलिङ्गः, तृतीया, बहुवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot सखि- (प्रातिपदिक)
- सखीयन्
- seeking/acting as a friend; befriendingVerb (participial)वर्तमानकृदन्तः (शतृ/यत्-प्रत्यय-सम्भवः), पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; ‘सः’ विशेषणम्Role Kartā (qualifier)Root सखी-य (denominative/verb-stem from सखि ‘friend’)
- दृळ्हाः
- firm, strong (fortresses)Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम् (कर्मपदम्; ‘पुरः’ इत्यर्थे ‘fortresses’)Role KarmaRoot दृळ्ह- (प्रातिपदिक; √दृंह्/दृढ् ‘to make firm’ से)
- रुरोज
- broke, shatteredVerbलिट् (परफेक्ट), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role KriyāRoot √रुज् (भङ्गे ‘to break’)
- कविभिः
- with poets/seersNounपुंलिङ्गः, तृतीया, बहुवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot कवि- (प्रातिपदिक)
- कविः
- a poet-seerNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role Kartā (apposition to सः)Root कवि- (प्रातिपदिक)
- सन्
- beingVerb (participle)वर्तमानकृदन्तः (शतृ), पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; ‘कविः’/‘सः’ विशेषणम्Role Kartā (qualifier)Root √अस् (भुवि ‘to be’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: सः | वह्निभिः | ऋक्वभिः | गोṣu | शश्वत् | मितज्ञुभिः | पुरुकृत्वा | जिगाय | पुरः | पुरोहाः | सखिभिः | सखीयन् | दृळ्हाः | रुरोज | कविभिः | कविः | सन् । प्रमुख-सन्धयः: (1) स वह्निभिः → सः + वह्निभिः (विसर्ग-लोपः/सन्धिः)
- (2) ऋक्वभिर्गोषु → ऋक्वभिः + गोṣu (विसर्गस्य ‘र्’ आदेशः)
- (3) शश्वन्मितज्ञुभिः → शश्वत् + मितज्ञुभिः (त् + म् → न् + म्, परसवर्ण/अनुस्वार-प्रवृत्तिः; संहितायां ‘शश्वन्-’ रूपम्)
- (4) पुरः पुरोहाः—पुनरुक्ति/पदविभागः, सन्धि-विशेषः न
- (5) सखीयन्दृळ्हा → सखीयन् + दृळ्हाः (न् + द् संयोगः; संहितायां ‘-न्दृ-’)
- (6) कविभिः क॒विः सन्—पदविभागः: कविभिः | कविः | सन् ।
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra, aided by flame-bearers and hymn-chanters, among the cows (wealth/rays), with measured knowers, accomplishes many works and wins. As destroyer of forts, moving with comrades, he breaks firm obstacles; seer among seers, he becomes the true seer-power.
Inner meaning
The illumined Mind (Indra) conquers in the inner sacrifice when it works in harmony with the soul’s will and aspiration: the vahnís (carriers of the flame—impulses of consecrated energy) and ṛkvans (mantric thinkers) support the ascent. ‘Goṣu’ are not cattle but the fields of Light—rays of knowledge in consciousness. ‘Mitajñu’ suggests disciplined discernment: the right measure that prevents scattered force. Indra as purāhā breaks the hardened subconscient formations (‘forts’) with the help of inner comradeship—aligned powers of the being. Then the kavi (seer-consciousness) awakens in us: insight becomes stable, collective, and effective.
Universal truth
Real victory over resistance comes when aspiration (flame), true thought (mantra), and disciplined discernment act together; illumination is strongest when the inner powers cooperate rather than compete. The ‘seer’ is not a person but a state—conscious intelligence that becomes operative in life.
Themes
Indra as purahā, Seer-community collaboration, Victory through manifold action, Release/maintenance of illumination
The seer
- Rishi
- Bharadvāja Bārhaspatya
- Lineage
- Bharadvāja
- Other hymns
- RV 6.1–6.73 (Bharadvāja maṇḍala core, many Indra/Agni hymns), RV 6.45 (Indra, victory and plenitude), RV 6.47 (Indra, overcoming and protection)
Family tradition
Āṅgirasa/Bārhaspatya line emphasizing inspired speech (Brahmanaspati lineage) and victorious illumination through mantra.
Significance
Bharadvāja’s Indra-hymns often show the psychology of victory: disciplined force guided by inspired word breaks the ‘forts’ of obscurity and releases the hidden light.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- पुरःहा (purāhā), वृषन् (vṛṣan) implicit bull-power, तुर्षासाट् (turāṣāṭ) overcomer (contextual in hymn)
- Related deities
- Agni, Brahmanaspati, Sarasvatī, Maruts
Cosmic role
Lord of luminous Mind who releases the waters/lights, smashes the coverer, and leads the gods in the battle for truth-consciousness.
Inner power
Dynamic illumination—decisive mental force that organizes allied faculties (will, speech, insight) to pierce resistance and establish clarity.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-stotras in Soma-yajña contexts (praise to Indra as victor and fort-breaker).
स वह्नि॑भि॒ॠक्व॑भि॒र्गोषु॒ शश्व॑न्मि॒तज्ञु॑भिः पुरु॒कृत्वा॑ जिगाय । पुर॑: पुरो॒हा सखि॑भिः सखी॒यन्दृ॒ळ्हा रु॑रोज क॒विभि॑: क॒विः सन् ॥
सः । वह्नि॑ऽभिः । ऋक्व॑ऽभिः । गोषु॑ । शश्व॑त् । मि॒तज्ञु॑ऽभिः । पु॒रु॒ऽकृत्वा॑ । जि॒गा॒य॒ । पुरः॑ । पु॒रः॒ऽहा । सखि॑ऽभिः । स॒खि॒ऽयन् । दृ॒ळ्हा । रु॒रो॒ज॒ । क॒विऽभिः॑ । क॒विः । सन् ॥
saḥ | vahni-bhiḥ | ṛkva-bhiḥ | goṣu | śaśvat | mitajñu-bhiḥ | puru-kṛtvā | jigāya | puraḥ | puraḥ-hā | sakhi-bhiḥ | sakhi-yan | dṛḷhā | ruroja | kavi-bhiḥ | kaviḥ | san
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4 pādas of ~11 syllables each
Strong, forward-driving cadence suited to heroic overcoming and decisive action.
Builds inner momentum; supports concentration with a ‘march-like’ uplift that helps break tamasic inertia.
- वह्निभिः (vahnibhiḥ)
- Literal: with flame-bearers / carriers. Symbolic: impulses of consecrated will that carry the inner fire upward
- ऋक्वभिः (ṛkvabhiḥ)
- Literal: with hymn-chanters. Symbolic: mantric intelligence; rhythmic thought that invokes higher power
- गोषु (goṣu)
- Literal: among cows. Symbolic: among rays/fields of illumination; luminous knowledges
- मितज्ञुभिः (mitajñubhiḥ)
- Literal: with measured knowers. Symbolic: disciplined discernment; right measure (mātrā) in action and knowledge
- पुरुकृत्वा (purukṛtvā)
- Literal: doing many works/ways. Symbolic: multiple inner operations—purification, widening, ascent, integration
- पुरःहा (puraḥ-hā)
- Literal: fort-slayer. Symbolic: breaker of fixed subconscient structures and habitual resistances
- दृळ्हा (dṛḻhā)
- Literal: firm, hard. Symbolic: hardened formations of ignorance; rigid patterns
- कविः (kaviḥ)
- Literal: seer, poet. Symbolic: illumined consciousness that perceives truth directly
Praise emphasizing Indra’s alliance with seers and the host of ritual powers; suitable for collective recitation in Soma sessions.
During Soma pressing/offerings and Indra invocations for victory and rain/abundance (outer) and for inner triumph (esoteric).
Recitation/chant with offerings; calling Indra to ‘break the forts’ and grant vāja.
Use as a mantra of inner breakthrough when facing rigid habits, fear, or mental obscurity; recite before demanding work or spiritual practice.
vahní ‘carrier’ from √vah ‘to carry’ (PIE *wegh- ‘to convey’; cf. Latin vehere, English ‘way’ is different root; English ‘vehicle’ from Latin). jigāya from √ji ‘to conquer’ (PIE *gʷeiH- ‘to live’ is different; √ji is Indo-Iranian ‘win’). mitajñu: mita ‘measured’ (√mā ‘measure’, PIE *meh1-) + jñu ‘knowing’ (√jñā, PIE *ǵneh3- ‘know’). ruroja from √ruj ‘to break’.
disciplined knowledge (mitajñu), collective yoga of powers (sakhya), breaking hardened formations (dṛḷha)
Indra’s victory is portrayed as restoration of right order by breaking obstructive formations.
Kavi-hood indicates emergence of truth-perception in the human instrument.
Release of hidden powers/knowledges from confinement; manifestation through victorious illumination.
Proto-Vedāntic/Integral (Aurobindonian) reading: ascent from obscurity to illumined mind and seer-consciousness.
Fire = will/aspiration; forts = subconscient resistances; cows = rays of knowledge; comrades = harmonized faculties; seer = awakened intuition.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘comradeship of powers’ in the conquest: Indra wins and breaks the dṛḷha resistances as purahā, but explicitly together with vahnis, singers, and seers. Inner reading: illumination is stabilized by a coordinated assemblage of faculties—discernment (mitajñu), inspired speech (ṛkva), and carrying energies (vahni).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √vah ‘carry’ reflects PIE *wegh- (Latin vehere). √mā ‘measure’ (mita) reflects PIE *meh1- (Greek métron). √jñā ‘know’ reflects PIE *ǵneh3- (Greek gignōskō, Latin (g)nōscere). These roots show inherited Indo-European poetics linking measure, knowledge, and conveyance.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The verse frames Indra not as solitary aggressor but as leader within a sacrificial-psychological collective (sakhya). The rishi implies that when human faculties align (measured knowing + chant + carrying energies), Indra’s seer-power (kaviḥ) manifests more fully—divine and human cognition converge.
Invoke Indra as the illumined Mind coordinating will (Agni-like flame), mantra-thought, and discernment to break rigid patterns.
ājñā (illumination/command) with support from maṇipūra (will-force).
Moderate paced recitation on exhale; brief kumbhaka after each pāda to ‘seal’ the intent of breaking resistance.
From effortful concentration to decisive clarity and intuitive seeing.
Before chanting, recollect one ‘fort’ (habit/fear). Chant 9 or 27 times; after each cycle, sit silently and feel the mind become ‘kavi among kavis’—quiet, precise, and luminous.
Triṣṭubh recitation with Vedic udātta peaks on key invocatory words; preserve padapāṭha segmentation for clarity.
Lift (udātta) on power-words like पुरःहा, दृळ्हा, क॒विः; keep compounds clean: purohā, sakhīyan.
ṛ in ṛkvabhiḥ is a vocalic r (short, crisp), dṛḻhā: retroflex ḻh cluster—hold ‘ḻ’ lightly then aspirate, goṣu: ‘o’ long and rounded; ṣ is retroflex, kavi-bhiḥ: separate kavi + bhiḥ, avoid merging into ‘kavibhi’ blur
Firm, resonant, forward-pressing; end each pāda with a clean stop to feel ‘breaking’ energy.
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