Rig Veda 3.44.2: Mandala 3, Sukta 44, Mantra 2
Sukta 3.44
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Gāyatrī
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
हर्यन्नुषसमर्चयः सूर्यं हर्यन्नरोचयः । विद्वाँश्चिकित्वान्हर्यश्व वर्धस इन्द्र विश्वा अभि श्रियः ॥
háryann uṣásam arcayaḥ sū́ryaṃ háryann arocayaḥ | vidvā́ṃś cikitvā́n haryáśva vardhase índra víśvā abhi śríyaḥ ||
D’un élan fauve (hari) tu chantes Uṣas, l’Aurore ; d’un élan fauve tu fais resplendir Sūrya, le Soleil. Sachant, clairvoyant, ô Indra aux coursiers fauves, tu grandis en toutes splendeurs — en toute Śrī, en tout accomplissement lumineux.
Word by Word
- ह॒र्यन्
- (O Indra) having tawny/greenish (horses), tawny oneAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (वर्तमान कृदन्त-प्रत्यय: शतृ → हर्यन् = ‘हरितवर्णः/हरिभिः युक्तः’)Role KartāRoot हरि (प्रातिपदिक) / √हृ (हरति) (अर्थ-आधार)
- नु
- now; indeedIndeclinableनिपात (अवधारण/सम्प्रति-अर्थ) अव्ययRoot नु
- उषसम्
- DawnNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot उषस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- अर्चयः
- you praised; you sang toVerbलङ् (इम्पर्फेक्ट), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot √अर्च् (अर्चति)
- सूर्यम्
- the SunNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- ह॒र्यन्
- tawny one; having tawny steedsAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (शतृ-कृदन्त-रूप)Role KartāRoot हरि (प्रातिपदिक) / √हृ (हरति) (अर्थ-आधार)
- अरोचयः
- you caused to shine; you made brightVerbलङ् (इम्पर्फेक्ट), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; causative sense ‘to cause to shine’Root √रुच् (रोचते/रोचयति)
- विद्वान्
- knowing; wiseAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (कृदन्त: क्त्वस्/वत्-प्रत्यय; nom. sg. विद्वान्)Role KartāRoot √विद् (वेद) → विद्वस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- चिकित्वान्
- discerning; intelligentAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (परिपूर्ण/रेडुप्लिकेटेड कृदन्त; ‘well-discerning’)Role KartāRoot √चित् (चेतति) → चिकित्वस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- हर्यश्व
- O you of tawny horsesNoun (vocative epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole SambodhanaRoot हर्यश्व (समास: हरि + अश्व)
- वर्धसे
- you grow; you increaseVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचनRoot √वृध् (वर्धते/वर्धयति)
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole SambodhanaRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- विश्वाः
- allAdjectiveस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (विशेषण; ‘all’)Role Kartā (with implied ‘श्रियाḥ’ as head-noun)Root विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
- अभि
- towards; uponIndeclinable (preverb/preposition)उपसर्ग/अव्यय; ‘towards, over, upon’Root अभि
- श्रियः
- splendors; prosperities; gloriesNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole Kartā (of implied ‘(सन्ति/आयान्ति)’ or as goal of ‘वर्धसे’ in sense ‘increase in splendors’)Root श्री (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (Vedic sandhi resolved): ह॒र्यन् | नु | उषसम् | अर्चयः | सूर्यं | ह॒र्यन् | अरोचयः | विद्वान् | चिकित्वान् | हर्यश्व | वर्धसे | इन्द्र | विश्वाः | अभि | श्रियः । मुख्य सन्धि: (1) हर्यन् + उषसम् → हर्यन्नुषसम् (न् + उ → न्नु/न्नु, अनुनासिक-संयोग) । (2) सूर्यं + हर्यन् → सूर्यंहर्यन् (ं + ह → अनुस्वार-परसवर्ण/विसर्ग-रहित संयोग) । (3) चिकित्वान् + हर्यश्व → चिकित्वान्हर्यश्व (न् + ह → न्ह्) । (4) इन्द्र + विश्वाः → इन्द्रविश्वाः (अ + व् संयोग; पदान्त ‘अ’ दीर्घ नहीं) । (5) अभि + श्रियः → अभि श्रियः (सन्धि नहीं; पदविराम) ।
The meaning
Outer meaning
With tawny ardor you hymn the Dawn; with tawny ardor you make the Sun shine. Knowing and discerning, O Indra of tawny steeds, you grow into all splendors.
Inner meaning
Indra’s illumined force (haryan) awakens the dawn of consciousness (Uṣas) and brings forth the sun of truth-vision (Sūrya). Because he is the knowing and discerning power, he increases in the being as universal splendor—multiple luminous capacities integrating mind, life, and sense into a higher clarity.
Universal truth
True growth is growth in light: when discernment awakens, dawn becomes sun—initial illumination matures into stable truth-consciousness, and life fills with ‘śrī’ (luminous fulfilment).
Themes
Illumination, Indra as knower, Dawn-and-Sun symbolism, Growth into splendour
The seer
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Lineage
- Gāthina (Kauśika lineage associated with Viśvāmitra)
- Other hymns
- RV 3.44.1, RV 3.62.10 (light/illumination theme in the mandala)
Family tradition
Mantras that connect Indra with the progressive unveiling of light (Uṣas → Sūrya), emphasizing discernment as the key to growth.
Significance
The seer presents Indra not only as warrior but as illuminator: the force that turns awakening into full truth-vision and multiplies inner ‘śrī’.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Haryaśva (tawny-steeded), Vidvān (knower), Cikitvān (discerner)
- Related deities
- Uṣas, Sūrya, Savitṛ
Cosmic role
Brings dawn and sun into manifestation; supports the growth of splendor in the worlds.
Inner power
Discriminating illumination that awakens, reveals, and integrates capacities into luminous fulfilment.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra stotra with dawn/sun linkage; can accompany morning recitations within wider Soma/Indra sequences.
ह॒र्यन्नु॒षस॑मर्चय॒: सूर्यं॑ ह॒र्यन्न॑रोचयः । वि॒द्वाँश्चि॑कि॒त्वान्ह॑र्यश्व वर्धस॒ इन्द्र॒ विश्वा॑ अ॒भि श्रिय॑: ॥
ह॒र्यन् । उ॒षस॑म् । अ॒र्च॒यः॒ । सूर्य॑म् । ह॒र्यन् । अ॒रो॒च॒यः॒ । वि॒द्वान् । चि॒कि॒त्वान् । ह॒रि॒ऽअ॒श्व॒ । व॒र्ध॒से॒ । इन्द्र॑ । विश्वा॑ । अ॒भि । श्रियः॑ ॥
haryan | uṣasam | arcayaḥ | sūryam | haryan | arocayaḥ | vidvān | cikitvān | hari-aśva | vardhase | indra | viśvā | abhi | śriyaḥ
24
3 pādas of ~8 syllables
Bright, quick, rising; suited to dawn/sun imagery and repeated recitation.
Produces alertness and clarity; excellent as a morning mantra for awakening discernment.
- हर्यन् (haryan)
- Literal: being tawny/ardent. Symbolic: illumined ardor; golden force of awakened energy
- उषसम् (uṣasam)
- Literal: Dawn. Symbolic: spiritual awakening; first light of consciousness
- सूर्यम् (sūryam)
- Literal: Sun. Symbolic: truth-vision; full illumination
- अर्चयः (arcayaḥ)
- Literal: you hymn/praise. Symbolic: you awaken and intensify by inspired vibration
- अरोचयः (arocayaḥ)
- Literal: you make shine. Symbolic: you manifest and stabilize illumination
- विद्वान्, चिकित्वान् (vidvān, cikitvān)
- Literal: knowing, discerning. Symbolic: higher intelligence that distinguishes truth from mixture
- श्रियः (śriyaḥ)
- Literal: splendors, prosperities. Symbolic: luminous fulfilments; perfected powers of consciousness
Praise-stanza in Soma stotra: connects Indra’s force with illumination (uṣas/sūrya) to support awakening in the rite
At dawn or early morning; as an awakening verse in personal practice.
Praise/recitation; mental offering of clarity and aspiration.
Morning meditation for clarity: chant to kindle discernment and bring stable ‘sunlight’ into the day’s mind.
uṣas (dawn) and sūrya (sun) are here not mere nature-objects but stages of illumination: dawn as first opening, sun as full truth-light. √ruc ‘shine’ (arocayaḥ) supports the inner sense of manifestation of consciousness. vidvān (√vid; PIE *weyd- ‘see/know’) and cikitvān (√cit) emphasize Indra as knowing power, not brute force—his growth (√vṛdh) is into śrī, the radiances of fulfilment.
Emergence of illumination (uṣas → sūrya), Knowledge as power (vid/cit), Śrī as radiance of fulfilment
Indra’s discernment aligns the being to ṛta; dawn becomes ordered day (sun).
Sūrya symbolizes Satya-vision; Indra makes it shine in the mind.
From first emergence (dawn) to full manifestation (sun): progressive revelation of consciousness.
Vedic psychology of illumination; bridges toward Upaniṣadic emphasis on knowledge as liberation.
dawn
Dawn = first awakening; Sun = stable truth-consciousness; tawny ardor = energized clarity in mind and prāṇa.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The illumination mythologem: Indra as the force that hymns/evokes the Dawn and makes the Sun shine—i.e., brings awakening and full truth-light. Innerly, it is the rise from first opening to full clarity under the Indric power.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- vidvān from √vid corresponds to PIE *weyd- (‘see/know’), tying knowledge to vision. The dawn/sun dyad reflects an inherited IE poetic structure of progressive light (opening → full day).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi praises Indra not only for might but for luminous intelligence (vidvān, cikitvān). The implied exchange: by invoking this knowing-force, the seeker’s consciousness can grow into śrī—stable radiances of fulfilled being.
Track the shift from ‘dawn’ (first awareness) to ‘sun’ (steady seeing); cultivate discernment in choices and thoughts.
ājñā (discernment) and sahasrāra (light above mind, as sun-symbol)
Sūrya-bhedana lightly (right-nostril inhale) for 7 rounds, then chant softly to stabilize clarity (avoid if contraindicated).
Alert serenity; luminous discrimination.
In the morning, chant while facing natural light; then sit quietly and let one clear intention ‘shine’ through the day’s movements.
Keep gāyatrī cadence even; emphasize udatta on key verbs (arcayaḥ, arocayaḥ) and epithets (haryaśva).
Lift slightly on ‘uṣasam’ (dawn), brighten on ‘sūryam’ (sun), and settle on ‘viśvā abhi śriyaḥ’.
haryan: hár-yan (clear ry cluster), uṣasam: retroflex ṣ, arcayaḥ: ar-ca-yaḥ (final ḥ), arocayaḥ: a-ro-ca-yaḥ, cikitvān: ci-kit-vān (clear t-v), śriyaḥ: śri-yaḥ (palatal ś)
Clear, luminous, lightly nasal-resonant; morning-bright rather than forceful.
9
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.
