Rig Veda 3.32.2: Mandala 3, Sukta 32, Mantra 2
Sukta 3.32
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
गवाशिरं मन्थिनमिन्द्र शुक्रं पिबा सोमं ररिमा ते मदाय । ब्रह्मकृता मारुतेना गणेन सजोषा रुद्रैस्तृपदा वृषस्व ॥
gavā́śiraṃ manthínam indra śukráṃ pibā́ sómaṃ rarimā́ te mádāya | brahmakṛ́tā mārútena gaṇéna sajóṣā rudráis tṛ́padā vṛṣasva ||
Bebe, oh Indra, el Soma brillante, mezclado con la «cabeza de la vaca», batido para ti para la embriaguez; te lo damos para el arrobamiento. Preparado por la fuerza del Brahmán, con la hueste de los Marut, en concordia con los Rudra: sacíate y crece en tu poder taurino.
Word by Word
- गवाशिरम्
- the ‘cow-headed’ (pressing-stone/implement)Noun/Adjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot गवाशिर (प्रातिपदिक; गो-शीर्षन् ‘cow’s head/with cow’s head’)
- मन्थिनम्
- the churning/pressing (implement), the stirrerNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot मन्थिन् (प्रातिपदिक; मन्थ् ‘to churn/stir’)
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- शुक्रम्
- bright, pureAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (विशेषणम्)Role कर्मRoot शुक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- पिब
- drink!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole (क्रिया)Root पा (धातु)
- सोमम्
- SomaNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
- ररिमा
- I have given / I bestowVerbलिट्/परिपूर्ण-भूतार्थक (Vedic perfect), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचनRole (क्रिया)Root ररी (धातु; ‘to give, bestow’—Vedic) अथवा √दा-अर्थक दानधातु-प्रयोगः
- ते
- to youPronounचतुर्थी, एकवचन (एन्क्लिटिक)Role सम्प्रदानRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- मदाय
- for exhilarationNounपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole प्रयोजन/सम्प्रदानRoot मद (प्रातिपदिक; ‘intoxication/rapture’)
- ब्रह्मकृता
- by (that which is) fashioned by sacred speechAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (विशेषणम्)Role करणRoot ब्रह्मकृत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; ब्रह्मन् + √कृ ‘made by prayer/sacred formulation’)
- मारुतेन
- with the Marut-host’s (Marutian)Adjective/Nounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करणRoot मारुत (प्रातिपदिक)
- गणेन
- troop, companyNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करणRoot गण (प्रातिपदिक)
- सजोषाः
- together, in fellowshipAdjective/Indeclinable-like(प्रयोगे अव्ययवत्) — ‘together, in concord’Role (क्रियाविशेषण)Root सजोषस् (अव्ययीभाव/विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक; सह + जोष ‘in companionship/with one accord’)
- रुद्रैः
- with the RudrasNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole करणRoot रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- तृपदाः
- O three-stepping/three-footed oneAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (इन्द्रस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृRoot तृपद (प्रातिपदिक; ‘three-footed/three-step’)
- वृषस्व
- grow strong / pour forth (become vigorous)Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदRole (क्रिया)Root वृष् (धातु; ‘to be strong, to rain/stream, to become vigorous’)
Sandhi Notes
- मुख्य-सन्धि-विच्छेदः: गवा॑शिरं = गवाशिरम् (अन्त्य-अनुस्वार-लेखनम्)
- म॒न्थिन॑मिन्द्र = मन्थिनम् + इन्द्र (म् + इ → मिन्द्र)
- पिबा॒ सोमं॑ = पिब + सोमम् (पदच्छेदे लोट् ‘पिब’)
- ररि॒मा ते॒ = ररिमा + ते
- ब्रह्मकृता॒ मारु॑तेना = ब्रह्मकृता + मारुतेन
- ग॒णेन॑ स॒जोषा॑ = गणेन + सजोषाः
- रु॒द्रैस्तृ॒पदा = रुद्रैः + तृपदाः (ः + त् → स्त्)
- वृ॑षस्व = वृषस्व (लोट्, आत्मनेपद)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra is asked to drink the bright Soma, churned and mixed with ‘cow’s head’ (a dairy admixture), prepared for his exhilaration. Made by brahman (sacred word) with the Marut host; together with the Rudras, he is to be satisfied and increase in power.
Inner meaning
The ‘bright Soma’ is clarified Ananda mixed with go-essence—rays of knowledge (go) that give the bliss a luminous head/principle (śiras). ‘Churned’ indicates inner tapas: the mixing of experience until the pure delight emerges. ‘Brahma-kṛtā’ signals that mantra/word-power (vac) prepares the offering; the Maruts/Rudras are the dynamic storm-forces—purifying, intensifying energies—that accompany Indra’s illumination, making the consciousness strong enough to bear and expand the rapture.
Universal truth
Bliss becomes transformative when it is illumined by knowledge and prepared by disciplined inner work. The Word (focused intention/mantra) and the purifying energies of life-force together make the higher mind capable of stable, growing power rather than fleeting excitement.
Themes
Soma preparation (manth-), Indra-Marut cooperation, Mantra power (brahman), Strength through delight
The seer
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Lineage
- Viśvāmitra (Gāthin lineage)
- Other hymns
- RV 3.26-3.33 (Viśvāmitra cycle, including river hymn 3.33)
Family tradition
A tradition emphasizing the efficacy of brahman (word-power) to marshal the gods/powers for inner victory.
Significance
This verse highlights Viśvāmitra’s characteristic synthesis: mantra (brahman) + dynamic forces (Maruts/Rudras) + illumined mind (Indra) producing stable, luminous Ananda.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra (supported by Maruts/Rudras)
- Epithets
- Indra, (implicit) Vṛṣan (bull-like), Soma-drinker
- Related deities
- Maruts, Rudra, Soma, Agni, Bṛhaspati (via brahman/word-power)
Cosmic role
Central illuminator who receives Soma and leads the host of storm-powers to break resistances and widen the worlds.
Inner power
A mind-force that grows by luminous delight, aided by prāṇic dynamisms (Maruts) and purificatory intensity (Rudras).
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma offering to Indra with Maruts at the midday pressing
गवा॑शिरं म॒न्थिन॑मिन्द्र शु॒क्रं पिबा॒ सोमं॑ ररि॒मा ते॒ मदा॑य । ब्र॒ह्म॒कृता॒ मारु॑तेना ग॒णेन॑ स॒जोषा॑ रु॒द्रैस्तृ॒पदा वृ॑षस्व ॥
गोऽआ॑शिरम् । म॒न्थिन॑म् । इ॒न्द्र॒ । शु॒क्रम् । पिब॑ । सोम॑म् । र॒रि॒म । ते॒ । मदा॑य । ब्र॒ह्म॒ऽकृता॑ । मारु॑तेन । ग॒णेन॑ । स॒ऽजोषाः॑ । रु॒द्रैः । तृ॒पत् । आ । वृ॒ष॒स्व॒ ॥
go--āśiram | manthinam | indra | śukram | piba | somam | rarima | te | madāya | brahma-kṛtā | mārutena | gaṇena | sa-joṣāḥ | rudraiḥ | tṛpat | ā | vṛṣasva
44
4 × ~11
Alternation of bright descriptive phrases and forceful collective invocations; energetic but controlled.
Elicits a feeling of purification and intensification—like ‘churning’—ending in expansion and satisfaction.
- गोआशिर (gavāśiram)
- Literal: mixed with cow’s head (dairy admixture). Symbolic: Bliss joined to the ‘head’ of Light—knowledge-radiance governing delight
- मन्थिन (manthinam)
- Literal: churned/mixed. Symbolic: Tapas and inner processing that extracts essence from experience
- शुक्र (śukra)
- Literal: bright, clear. Symbolic: Purified, luminous Ananda free from tamas
- ब्रह्मकृता (brahmakṛtā)
- Literal: made by brahman. Symbolic: Prepared by mantric Word—truth-vibration shaping consciousness
- मरुतगण (mārutena gaṇena)
- Literal: Marut host. Symbolic: Dynamic life-forces that support ascent; energetic helpers of illumination
- रुद्रैः (rudraiḥ)
- Literal: with the Rudras. Symbolic: Purifying, fierce transformative powers removing inner obstruction
- मदाय (madāya)
- Literal: for ecstasy. Symbolic: For spiritual rapture that increases strength and wideness
- वृषस्व (vṛṣasva)
- Literal: grow strong, become vigorous. Symbolic: Expansion of inner power (ojas/tejas) under Ananda
Midday Soma context with Indra accompanied by Maruts (Indra-Marut nexus common in Śrauta); emphasizes brahman-made offering and collective storm-powers.
During mādhyandina savana when Indra-Marut association is prominent.
Recitation while offering mixed Soma; inviting Indra together with Marut/Rudra forces.
Use when seeking energized clarity: before pranayama/meditation, invoke ‘bright Soma’—joy with knowledge—and ask the life-force to cooperate with illumination.
manth- ‘churn’ (cf. later ‘manthana’) indicates intensification/mixing—innerly a prepared concentration. brahman here is not later ‘absolute’ but ‘mantric formulation’ (from √bṛh ‘to grow, expand’ → ‘that which makes vast’). √tṛp ‘be satisfied’ and √vṛṣ ‘be potent/virile/rain’ reinforce the Soma → power transformation.
brahman as mantric formation that expands consciousness, Soma ecstasy as fuel for divine action, collective powers (gaṇa) supporting the central force
Brahman (true word) fashions the offering in harmony with R̥ta, so the forces act rightly.
Śukra Soma indicates truth-clarified delight, not vital intoxication.
Churning as cosmic process: from the mixed waters/plant emerges the luminous essence; parallels later ‘samudra-manthana’ symbolism.
Integral-psychological theism: gods as functional powers; brahman as formative consciousness-force.
Midday (implied by hymn context)
Churning = disciplined inner work; milk/cow = light-nourishment of knowledge; storm = purifying prāṇa; brightness = clarity of consciousness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Indra’s empowerment by Soma in the company of the storm-host (Maruts/Rudras). Mythically: the warrior drinks with his allies; psychologically: the central illumined force is strengthened by delight and supported by kindred dynamic energies.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √bṛh ‘grow, expand’ (brahman) expresses an IE theme where sacred speech ‘makes vast’. The storm-allies motif and the semantic of √vṛṣ (potency/rain) belong to a wider IE storm-god complex.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi presents an offering explicitly ‘made by brahman’—the poet’s word is causal. Indra’s satisfaction and increase (tṛp, vṛṣ) are the divine response that will translate the mantric preparation into effective power.
Refine joy by joining it to clarity (‘cow’s head’ as knowledge); let breath-energy (Maruts) serve illumination rather than restlessness.
Maṇipūra (transformative fire in the vital) supporting Ājñā
Bhrāmarī or soft ujjāyī for 3–7 rounds, then silent listening; feel ‘churning’ in the navel rising to the brow as bright ease.
Energized lucidity—joy that is clean, strong, and widening.
Before chanting, recall one truth you live by (brahman). Chant, then sit; invite dynamic energies to align with that truth; let delight become steady power, not agitation.
Maintain Rigvedic accents as marked; keep compound clusters clear (brahma-kṛtā, mārutenā).
Give a slight lift on śukraṃ and brahmakṛtā; keep sajoṣā as a smooth linkage into rudraiḥ.
: articulate go-ā-śi-ram (not ‘gavashiram’ as one blur)., : clear nasal + th (man-thi-nam)., : retroflex ṛ in kṛ; avoid ‘kri’., : final -d is light, not a heavy stop.
Clear, bright, slightly forceful; avoid heaviness to preserve ‘śukra’ quality.
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Rig Veda in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
