Rig Veda 5.35.4: Mandala 5, Sukta 35, Mantra 4
Sukta 5.35
- Rishi
- Atri
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
वृषा ह्यसि राधसे जज्ञिषे वृष्णि ते शवः । स्वक्षत्रं ते धृषन्मनः सत्राहमिन्द्र पौंस्यम् ॥
vṛ́ṣā hí asi rā́dhase jajñiṣé vṛ́ṣṇi te śávaḥ | svákṣatraṁ te dhṛ́ṣan mánaḥ satrā́ham indra páuṁsyam ||
Pues tú eres el Toro del poder; para otorgar la plenitud has venido a manifestarte. Tu fuerza es poderosa; firme es tu realeza propia (svakṣatra), audaz tu mente. Inquebrantable y constante, oh Indra, es en nosotros tu vigor varonil.
Word by Word
- वृषा
- bull; the strong oneNoun (used adjectivally)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole Kartā (predicate-nominative addressing Indra)Root वृषन् (प्रातिपदिक) < √वृष् (वर्षणे/वृषणे) ‘to be strong, to rain/impel’
- हि
- indeed; forIndeclinableनिपात (emphatic/causal particle)Root हि (निपात)
- असि
- you areVerbलट् (वर्तमान), मध्यम पुरुष, एकवचनRole (copula)Root √अस् (भू) ‘to be’
- राधसे
- for bounty; for givingNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी एकवचनRole Sampradāna (dative: ‘for bounty/for giving’)Root राधस् (प्रातिपदिक) ‘gift, bounty, favor’
- जज्ञिषे
- you have been born; you are bornVerbलिट् (परोक्श/परफेक्ट), मध्यम पुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपदRoot √जन् ‘to be born’ (perfect middle with desiderative/iterative nuance in Vedic usage)
- वृष्णि
- in vigor; in manly strengthNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचन (Vedic locative)Role Adhikaraṇa (locative: ‘in/with respect to vigor’)Root वृष्णि (प्रातिपदिक) ‘manly power, vigor; of the strong one’
- ते
- yourPronounषष्ठी एकवचन (enclitic)Role (genitive: possessor)Root त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- शवः
- strength; mightNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole Kartā (subject of implied ‘is’)Root शवस् (प्रातिपदिक) ‘strength, might’
- स्वक्षत्रम्
- self-sovereignty; own lordly powerNoun/Adjective (substantivized)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (here nominative as predicate)Role Kartā (predicate-nominative of ‘your … is’)Root स्व-क्षत्र (प्रातिपदिक) ‘own dominion/sovereign power’
- ते
- yourPronounषष्ठी एकवचन (enclitic)Role (genitive)Root त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- धृषन्मनः
- bold mind; daring spiritNoun (compound)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचनRole Kartā (subject/predicate: ‘your mind is bold’)Root धृषन्-मनस् (समास) : धृषन् (present participle/adjectival stem from √धृष् ‘to dare, be bold’) + मनस् ‘mind’
- सत्रा
- always; continuallyIndeclinableक्रियाविशेषणRoot सत्रा (अव्यय) ‘always, altogether, continuously’
- अहम्
- IPronounप्रथमा एकवचनRole Kartā (speaker as subject)Root अहम् (सर्वनाम)
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन एकवचनRole (address)Root इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- पौंस्यम्
- manliness; heroic vigorNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचनRole Karma (object of implied verb like ‘praise/seek/declare’ in Vedic ellipsis)Root पौंस्य (प्रातिपदिक) < पुम्स्/पुंस् ‘man’ (derivative meaning ‘manliness, male vigor’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (sandhi-resolved): वृषा | हि | असि | राधसे | जज्ञिषे | वृष्णि | ते | शवः | स्वक्षत्रम् | ते | धृषन्मनः | सत्रा | अहम् | इन्द्र | पौंस्यम् । मुख्य सन्धि: ह्यसि = हि + असि (यणादेश/व्यञ्जनसन्धि: इ + अ → य, ‘हि’ → ‘ह्य’)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra is praised as the Bull for giving riches; his force is powerful, his self-rule firm, his mind daring; his manly strength is constant and unbroken.
Inner meaning
Indra is the mighty principle of illumined power in us. As vṛṣā (Bull), he symbolizes concentrated potency that can generate plenitude (rādhas) not merely as outer wealth but as inner richness—capacity, wideness, and joy. His svakṣatra (self-kingdom) is sovereignty that does not depend on outer conditions: the inner governance of the truth-mind. Dhṛṣan manaḥ is the bold mind that dares to cross old limits and confront the subconscient. Satrāham pauṃsyam: an unbroken continuity of strength—spiritual virility that persists through cycles of effort, not a short-lived enthusiasm.
Universal truth
True power is self-governed and continuous: when strength is rooted in inner sovereignty and illumined daring, it becomes a steady force for plenitude and transformation.
Themes
Bounty as inner plenitude (rādhas), Indra as master-force, Courage of mind
The seer
- Rishi
- Atri Ātreya
- Lineage
- Ātreya
- Other hymns
- RV 5.35.1, RV 5.35.2, RV 5.35.3
Family tradition
Atri’s praise often links power with right rule: strength must be self-sovereign (svakṣatra) and continuous (satrāham), not merely explosive.
Significance
The seer frames Indra as the archetype of inner kingship: daring mind plus self-rule yields enduring transformative strength.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- vṛṣā (Bull), svakṣatra (self-sovereign), dhṛṣan-manas (daring-minded)
- Related deities
- Varuṇa (law/order aspect of sovereignty), Mitra (harmony in rule), Agni (executive will that serves the kingly mind)
Cosmic role
King of the luminous heavens; establishes divine dominion by breaking obstruction and distributing plenitude.
Inner power
Sovereign illumination—power that governs itself, dares, and persists until the being is reorganized around truth.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra praise in soma rites; affirmation of Indra’s kingship and strength.
वृषा॒ ह्यसि॒ राध॑से जज्ञि॒षे वृष्णि॑ ते॒ शव॑: । स्वक्ष॑त्रं ते धृ॒षन्मन॑: सत्रा॒हमि॑न्द्र॒ पौंस्य॑म् ॥
वृषा॑ । हि । असि॑ । राध॑से । ज॒ज्ञि॒षे । वृष्णि॑ । ते॒ । शवः॑ । स्वऽक्ष॑त्रम् । ते॒ । धृ॒षम् । मनः॑ । स॒त्रा॒ऽहम् । इ॒न्द्र॒ । पौंस्य॑म् ॥
vṛṣā | hi | asi | rādhase | jajñiṣe | vṛṣṇi | te | śavaḥ | sva-kṣatram | te | dhṛṣam | manaḥ | satrāham | indra | paiṃsyam
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4 pādas of ~11 syllables
Majestic and declarative—well-suited to affirm sovereignty and enduring strength.
Instills steadiness and authority; supports a feeling of inner kingship and fearless composure.
- वृषा (vṛṣā)
- Literal: bull. Symbolic: concentrated generative power; potent illumination-force
- राधसे (rādhase)
- Literal: for giving wealth/plenitude. Symbolic: bestowal of inner richness—capacity, wideness, joy
- शवः (śavaḥ)
- Literal: force, might. Symbolic: effective energy that can act and endure
- स्वक्षत्रम् (svakṣatram)
- Literal: self-sovereignty, own dominion. Symbolic: inner self-rule of the truth-being; autonomy from lower nature
- धृषन् मनः (dhṛṣan manaḥ)
- Literal: daring mind. Symbolic: courageous intelligence that confronts resistance and crosses limits
- सत्राहम् (satrāham)
- Literal: throughout the day/always, unbroken. Symbolic: continuity of practice and power; persistence
- पौंस्यम् (pauṃsyam)
- Literal: manliness, virile strength. Symbolic: spiritual virility—steady capacity to conquer and uphold truth
Indra praise in Soma offering context; supports energizing the sacrificer’s will and victory in contests (ājis)
When seeking stability of power—after invoking force, to establish it as self-ruled and continuous.
Recitation accompanying offering; praising Indra’s enduring might and sovereignty.
Use as an affirmation for discipline: chant once before practice, once after, to seal continuity (satrāham) and self-rule (svakṣatra).
rādhas (n. ‘bounty, success’, from √rādh ‘accomplish, succeed, grant’ → ‘attained fullness’); śavas (n. ‘might’, related to √śū/śvi semantic field ‘swell, be strong’); kṣatra (n. ‘dominion’, from √kṣi ‘rule, possess’); dhṛṣ (adj. ‘bold’, √dhṛṣ ‘dare, attack’); pauṁsya (n. ‘manliness’, from pumān ‘man’ < PIE *puh₂mōn-/*peh₂w-?). Symbolic justification: kṣatra as ‘sovereignty’ naturally becomes ‘inner mastery’—the rule of the illumined will over the instruments.
Inner sovereignty (svakṣatra), Tapas (daring force), Rita-supporting power (strength aligned to right order)
Svákṣatra suggests rulership aligned with ṛta—order that is self-founded in truth.
Daring mind becomes true when it serves satya, not ego; then strength is constant and clean.
Plenitude (rādhas) arises when sovereign mind-force establishes dominion over the lower movements.
Kingly Yoga of the mind-force: illumination governing nature (Aurobindonian psychological Indra).
day (explicitly suggested by satrāham: ‘all day/always’)
Bull = concentrated force of illumination; ‘all day’ = uninterrupted awareness; sun = steady sovereignty of consciousness.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Indra as the archetypal ‘Bull’ (vṛṣā) whose force establishes sovereignty (kṣatra): the mythic storm-king becomes the inner ruler who founds stable dominion in the seeker’s mind and being.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The clause structure ‘X hí asi … jajñiṣe’ (identity + causal emphasis + manifestation) is a common Indo-European hymnic pattern of epiphany. Roots √jan and √bhū-type semantics (‘become/manifest’) are inherited; kṣatra/sovereignty terms parallel wider IE sacral kingship vocabulary.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi affirms Indra’s stable attributes (force, sovereignty, daring mind) as enduring realities (‘satrāham’), implying trust that these same powers can be installed and made continuous in the human field—an implicit request for inner enthronement.
Cultivate inner kingship: let the illumined mind rule the day’s impulses with daring calm.
ajna (sovereign direction) with support in manipura (steady power)
Slow coherent breathing (5–6 breaths/min) while repeating ‘svakṣatraṃ te’ mentally to stabilize self-rule.
Steady, fearless, self-governed.
Practice ‘satrāham’: choose one small discipline for the whole day (continuous remembrance, non-reaction, truth-speech) and keep it unbroken.
Rigvedic three-tone; Triṣṭubh should be chanted with dignified steadiness, not haste.
Give weight to ‘svakṣatraṃ’ and ‘satrāham’; let the cadence feel ‘kingly’—firm and even.
vṛṣā: retroflex ṣ; long ā, rādhase: long ā; soft dh, svakṣatraṃ: clear kṣ conjunct; nasal ‘ṃ’ at end, dhṛṣan: retroflex ṣ; vocalic ṛ in dhṛ, pauṃsyam: nasal diphthong auṃ; avoid ‘paunsyam’ flattening
Deep, steady, authoritative; minimal vibrato.
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