Rig Veda 5.37.3: Mandala 5, Sukta 37, Mantra 3
Sukta 5.37
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Shringara (love) and Vira (heroism)
वधूरियं पतिमिच्छन्त्येति य ईं वहाते महिषीमिषिराम् । आस्य श्रवस्याद्रथ आ च घोषात्पुरू सहस्रा परि वर्तयाते ॥
vadhū́r iyáṃ pátim icchánty eti yá īṃ váhāte máhiṣīm iṣirā́m | ā́sya śravasyā́d rátha ā́ ca ghoṣāt purū́ sahásrā pári vartayāte ||
Esta novia avanza buscando al Señor; él la lleva, poderosa reina, fuerza impulsora. De su fama el carro se acerca con su estruendo; muchos millares se mueven y giran en torno a él: potencias que se congregan hacia su manifestación victoriosa.
Word by Word
- वधूः
- the bride/young wifeNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot वधू-
- इयम्
- thisPronounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (वधूः इयम् = कर्तृसमासार्थे)Root इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- पतिम्
- husbandNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot पति-
- इच्छन्ती
- desiringVerb (participle)वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (वधूः) सह विशेषणRoot इष् (इच्छति)
- एति
- goes/comesVerbलट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot इ (एति)
- यः
- whoPronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (वहाते इत्यस्य)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- एनम्
- himPronounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot इदम् (एन्-प्रयोगः)
- वहाते
- carries/bearsVerbलट्, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपदRole क्रियाRoot वह्
- महिषीम्
- the queen/consort (noble lady)Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot महिषी-
- इषिराम्
- vigorous/impetuous (fair, lively)Adjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (महिषीम् इति विशेषणम्)Role कर्म (विशेषणत्वेन)Root इषिरा-
- आस्य
- of the mouth; of the faceNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot आस् (आस्य = आस्-धातोः/आस्-प्रातिपदिकस्य रूपम्)
- श्रवस्यात्
- from (its) famed/renowned (sound)Adjective (comparative/derivative used predicatively)पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन (अर्थे: ‘श्रवस्य’ = कीर्त्य/यशस्य; -आत् = abl.)Role अपादानRoot श्रवस्य-
- रथः
- the chariotNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot रथ-
- आ
- towards, forthIndeclinable (preverb) / particleउपसर्ग/निपातRole (क्रियाविशेषक)Root आ
- च
- andIndeclinableसमुच्चयRole (समुच्चय)Root च
- घोषात्
- from the shout/clamourNounपुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचनRole अपादानRoot घोष-
- पुरू
- much, manyAdjective (indeclinable-like in RV usage)(अव्ययीभाववत्) बहु/अनेक अर्थे, here used adverbiallyRole (क्रियाविशेषण)Root पुरु
- सहस्रा
- thousandsNumeral/Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन (अत्र ‘many thousands’)Role कर्म/प्रमाण (परि-वर्तयाते इत्यस्य)Root सहस्र-
- परि
- aroundIndeclinable (preverb) / adverbउपसर्ग/निपातRole (क्रियाविशेषक)Root परि
- वर्तयाते
- the two turn/roll about; revolveVerbलट्, तृतीयपुरुष, द्विवचन, आत्मनेपद (वेदिके द्विवचन-प्रयोगः)Role क्रियाRoot वृत्/वर्त् (वर्तयति caus.)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (padapāṭha-style): वधूः इयम् पतिम् इच्छन्ती एति । यः एनम् वहाते महिषीम् इषिराम् । आस्य श्रवस्यात् रथः आ च घोषात् पुरू सहस्रा परि वर्तयाते ॥ Notes: (1) वधूरियं → वधूः इयम् (visarga + i-)
- (2) इच्छन्त्येति → इच्छन्ती एति (ī + e)
- (3) य ईं → यः एनम् (RV enclitic ‘ईं’ = ‘enam’)
- (4) आस्य श्रवस्या॒द्रथ॒ → आस्य श्रवस्यात् रथः (t + r sandhi)
- (5) घोषात्पुरू → घोषात् पुरू (t + p)
The meaning
Outer meaning
A bride goes seeking her husband; he carries her, the mighty impelling queen. From his fame the chariot comes with sound; many thousands move around him.
Inner meaning
The seeking soul-power (vadhū) moves toward its Lord (pati)—the higher ruling consciousness. Indra bears and leads the mighty queen-energy (mahiṣī iṣirā): the empowered Shakti of action and aspiration. As illumination’s victory becomes renowned (śravasyāt), the chariot of force approaches with a resounding vibration (ghoṣa): the dynamic movement of realization. Around the central victory, countless supporting powers—thought-forces, life-forces, helpful impulses—organize and revolve (purū sahasrā pari vartayāte).
Universal truth
When aspiration turns wholly toward the Highest, the inner Power responds; realization is not solitary—many supporting forces gather around a central alignment.
Themes
Mystic marriage symbolism, Epiphany of the god, Gathering of powers, Approach of Indra
The seer
- Rishi
- Atri (attributed for RV 5.37 as a whole; verse-level attribution uncertain)
- Lineage
- Atri
- Other hymns
- RV 5.1, RV 5.3, RV 5.52
Family tradition
Atri poetry often uses vivid human images (marriage, chariot, fame) to encode inner union and victorious descent of power.
Significance
Shows the Vedic motif of union (yoga) between seeker and divine power, where the ‘bride’ is the aspiring soul and the ‘lord’ is the illumined ruler.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- rathī (charioteer), maghavan, vṛtrahan
- Related deities
- Ushas, Surya, Maruts
Cosmic role
Brings the victorious movement, gathers forces, and establishes sovereignty of light over the being.
Inner power
A commanding illumination that carries the soul-nature and organizes a thousand energies into a single victorious advance.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-invocation within Soma context; imagery supports Indra’s approach and entourage
व॒धूरि॒यं पति॑मि॒च्छन्त्ये॑ति॒ य ईं॒ वहा॑ते॒ महि॑षीमिषि॒राम् । आस्य॑ श्रवस्या॒द्रथ॒ आ च॑ घोषात्पु॒रू स॒हस्रा॒ परि॑ वर्तयाते ॥
व॒धूः । इ॒यम् । पति॑म् । इ॒च्छन्ती॑ । ए॒ति॒ । यः । ई॒म् । वहा॑ते । महि॑षीम् । इ॒षि॒राम् । आ । अ॒स्य॒ । श्र॒व॒स्या॒त् । रथः॑ । आ । च॒ । घो॒षा॒त् । पु॒रु । स॒हस्रा॑ । परि॑ । व॒र्त॒या॒ते॒ ॥
vadhūḥ | iyam | patim | icchantī | eti | yaḥ | īm | vahāte | mahiṣīm | iṣirām | ā | asya | śravasyāt | rathaḥ | ā | ca | ghoṣāt | puru | sahasrā | pari | vartayāte
44
4×11 (approx.)
Narrative-drive with a mounting cadence; imagery turns into a surge
Elicits longing turning into arrival—useful for bhāva of seeking and receiving.
- वधू (vadhū)
- Literal: bride. Symbolic: the soul’s seeking nature (psychic being) turning toward union
- पति (pati)
- Literal: lord, husband. Symbolic: the higher Master-consciousness; the indwelling Divine
- महिṣी (mahiṣī)
- Literal: queen, great lady. Symbolic: sovereign Shakti in the being; empowered executive force
- इषिर (iṣira)
- Literal: impelling, swift. Symbolic: dynamic urge of progress; force of effective action
- रथ (ratha)
- Literal: chariot. Symbolic: vehicle of the divine movement; organized dynamism
- घोष (ghoṣa)
- Literal: sound, roar. Symbolic: vibration of arriving power; audible certainty of progress
- श्रवस्य (śravasyá)
- Literal: fame, renown. Symbolic: established victory-sign in consciousness; acknowledged light
- पुरु सहस्र (purū sahasrā)
- Literal: many thousands. Symbolic: multitude of supporting energies and faculties
Invitational/epiphanic imagery within Soma context: the god’s approach is announced; used to intensify the sense of arrival and participation of many powers.
When calling the deity’s ‘coming’ (ā yāhi) and affirming the gathering of powers
Recitation during offerings to invite Indra’s presence and force
Use as a mantra of inner union: ‘the seeking soul goes to the Lord; the power arrives with sound.’
vadhū́ (bride) is a common IE social image, here psychologized as the aspiring soul seeking union with the divine lord (páti). śrávas from √śru ‘hear’ indicates ‘that which is heard’ → fame/renown; inwardly, the ‘heard’ truth or mantra-force that announces the god’s coming. √vṛt ‘turn’ (vart-) suggests cyclic gathering/ordering around a center.
aspiration (icchā) toward union, śravas as ‘heard’ truth/fame, centering of forces around the divine
The movement of bride to lord suggests right joining (yoga) as ṛta fulfilled in the individual.
Śravas as the sign of truth-made-effective: inner victory becomes established.
Convergence: many forces revolve around a central sovereignty, like planets around a sun of realization.
Yoga-oriented symbolic exegesis (Aurobindo/Kashyap): union of psychic aspiration with illumined mind-force.
Chariot = organized force of progress; sound = vibration of descending power; ‘thousands’ = multiple faculties aligning.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘bride seeking the husband’ is a union mythologem: the aspiring nature moves toward the divine lord, who bears and empowers her; the god’s chariot arrives with audible signs and a multitude of attendant forces.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- páti ‘lord’ is a strong PIE inheritance (*pótis; cf. Greek pósis ‘husband’, Latin potis ‘able’). The marriage/household lexicon is archaic Indo-European poetic material, here redeployed for inner yogic union.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi frames the encounter as mutual approach: human aspiration (vadhū seeking) meets divine support (he bears the queen-energy). The ‘fame/heardness’ of the god signals that the invocation has made the divine presence concretely operative.
Psychic aspiration (bride) seeking the inner Lord; invite the descending force to ‘carry’ the nature.
anāhata (devotional seeking) rising to ājñā (guidance) and crown opening
4-4-6 breathing: inhale ‘seeking’, hold ‘offering’, exhale ‘receiving/being carried’.
Tender aspiration with steady confidence
Repeat slowly, feel the ‘turning’ of many inner parts around one central intention; end with 2 minutes listening to inner ‘ghoṣa’ (subtle vibration).
Observe Vedic accent; keep clear separation of vadhūr/iyam/patim; maintain triṣṭubh gait.
Slight emphasis on ‘patim’, ‘vahāte’, ‘rathaḥ’, ‘ghoṣāt’ to bring the arrival alive.
vadhūḥ: long ū, visarga light., icchanty: articulate cch clearly., māhiṣīm: long ī; retroflex ṣ., śravasyāt: ś (palatal) distinct from ṣ.
Warm, devotional in first half; more resonant and triumphant as the chariot approaches.
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