Rig Veda 5.38.2: Mandala 5, Sukta 38, Mantra 2
Sukta 5.38
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Gayatri
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
यदीमिन्द्र श्रवाय्यमिषं शविष्ठ दधिषे । पप्रथे दीर्घश्रुत्तमं हिरण्यवर्ण दुष्टरम् ॥
yád īm indra śravā́yyam íṣaṃ śaviṣṭha dadhíṣe | papráthe dīrgha-śrút-tamaṃ híraṇya-varṇa dúṣṭaram ||
Lorsque toi, ô Indra, le plus puissant, tu établis la force digne d’être entendue et célébrée, tu t’étends jusqu’à l’écoute la plus lointaine, la plus durable — d’or en couleur, difficile à franchir pour les puissances hostiles.
Word by Word
- यद्
- when/ifIndeclinableसम्बन्ध/शर्त-समुच्चयार्थे अव्ययम् (यदा/यद् = ‘जब/यदि’)Root यद् (यद्-प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
- ईम्
- then/indeed (emphatic particle)Indeclinableनिपातः; प्रायः ‘एव/तदा/इदम्’ इत्यर्थे, वाक्य-प्रबलकःRoot ईम् (निपात)
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन-एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- श्रवाय्यम्
- fame-worthy, to be celebratedAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचन; ‘इषम्’ विशेषणम्Role कर्म (विशेष्य-विशेषणभावेन)Root श्रवाय्य (श्रवस् + अय्य; ‘श्रवणीय/कीर्तनीय’)
- इषम्
- refreshment; nourishment; strengthNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचनRole कर्मRoot इष्/इषा (प्रातिपदिक) ‘बल/पोषण/आहार-रस’
- शविष्ठ
- O most mightyAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन-एकवचन; ‘इन्द्र’ विशेषणम्Role सम्बोधनRoot शविष्ठ (शवस्-तम/इष्ठ; अतिशयार्थक)
- दधिषे
- you place/you bestowVerbलट् (वर्तमाने); मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्Role क्रियाRoot धा (धातु) ‘धारणे/स्थापने’
- पप्रथे
- you have spread out; you have expandedVerbलिट् (परोक्ष/परिपूर्णभूत); मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्Role क्रियाRoot प्र-थॄ/थृ (धातु) ‘विस्तारे’
- दीर्घश्रुत्तमम्
- most long-renowned; of widest fameAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचन; ‘इषम्’ (वा तत्सम्बद्धं) विशेषणम्Role कर्म (विशेष्य-विशेषणभावेन)Root दीर्घ-श्रुत्तम (समास; दीर्घ + श्रुत + तम)
- हिरण्यवर्ण
- O golden-huedAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन-एकवचन; ‘इन्द्र’ विशेषणम्Role सम्बोधनRoot हिरण्य-वर्ण (समास)
- दुष्टरम्
- hard to overcome; irresistibleAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचन; ‘इषम्’ (वा तत्सम्बद्धं) विशेषणम्Role कर्म (विशेष्य-विशेषणभावेन)Root दुष्टर (दुर् + √तॄ/तॄ ‘तरणे’ → ‘अतितरितुं कठिन’)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (pada-style): यदी॑म् → यद् + ईम् (निपात)
- इन्द्र श्र॒वाय्य॒मिषं॑ → इन्द्र + श्रवाय्यम् + इषम् (विशेषण-विशेष्य)
- शविष्ठ दधि॒षे → शविष्ठ + दधिषे
- प॒प्र॒थे → पप्रथे
- दी॑र्घ॒श्रुत्त॑मं॒ → दीर्घश्रुत्तमम्
- हिर॑ण्यवर्ण दु॒ष्टर॑म् → हिरण्यवर्ण + दुष्टरम्
- (Accent marks retained in source; analysis given on resolved padas.)
The meaning
Outer meaning
When Indra establishes a force worthy of fame/hearing, he expands it into far-reaching renown—golden-colored and difficult for hostile powers to cross.
Inner meaning
The ‘iṣ’ is the impulsion/energy of effective action placed by Indra in the being—an inspired drive that is ‘śravāyya’, fit to be heard because it carries the vibration of truth. Once set, it spreads as a wide field of resonance (dīrghaśrut-tama): the consciousness begins to hear farther—intuition, guidance, and the voice of truth become long-ranging. ‘Golden-hued’ signals the supramental/solar tint of illumined knowledge, and ‘hard to cross’ indicates that hostile forces (habitual darkness, doubt, inertia) cannot easily penetrate this established luminous current.
Universal truth
A true inner impulsion, once founded in truth, naturally radiates influence and becomes a protective, luminous field that resists negativity and confusion.
Themes
Expansion of power, Renown/hearing as spiritual receptivity, Golden truth-substance
The seer
- Other hymns
- RV 5.36 (Indra), RV 5.41 (Viśve Devāḥ; allied powers)
Family tradition
Mandala 5’s Indra hymns often stress effective force (śuṣma, iṣ) and victorious illumination; this verse fits that psychological emphasis.
Significance
The seer’s key insight is the transformation of ‘hearing’: spiritual progress is marked by extended receptivity and a golden, truth-tinted impulsion that becomes difficult for darkness to breach.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Śaviṣṭha (most mighty), Hiraṇyavarṇa (golden-hued; descriptive epithet here)
- Related deities
- Soma (bliss that supports expansion), Bṛhaspati (word/vision that is ‘worthy to be heard’)
Cosmic role
Sets the effective force in motion and spreads its victorious resonance; protects the luminous advance from hostile crossings.
Inner power
Establishing inspired impetus (iṣ) and widening inner receptivity (‘long hearing’) while sealing the being against adverse intrusion.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra praise within Soma offering sequences; general stotra usage
यदी॑मिन्द्र श्र॒वाय्य॒मिषं॑ शविष्ठ दधि॒षे । प॒प्र॒थे दी॑र्घ॒श्रुत्त॑मं॒ हिर॑ण्यवर्ण दु॒ष्टर॑म् ॥
यत् । ई॒म् । इ॒न्द्र॒ । श्र॒वाय्य॑म् । इष॑म् । श॒वि॒ष्ठ॒ । द॒धि॒षे । प॒प्र॒थे । दी॒र्घ॒श्रुत्ऽत॑मम् । हिर॑ण्यऽवर्ण । दु॒स्तर॑म् ॥
yat | īm | indra | śravāyyam | iṣam | śaviṣṭha | dadhiṣe | paprathe | dīrghaśrut-tamam | hiraṇya-varṇa | dustaram
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3 × 8 (likely)
Quick, luminous, spreading cadence (fits paprathe imagery)
Invokes a felt expansion of inner hearing and a bright protective atmosphere.
- śravāyya
- Literal: worthy to be heard/praised. Symbolic: Carrying the authentic vibration of truth; guidance that the soul recognizes
- iṣ
- Literal: impulse, refreshment, strength, food. Symbolic: Dynamic impetus of the yoga: energized will in harmony with higher light
- dadhiṣe
- Literal: you place/establish. Symbolic: Fixing the higher force as a stable formation in the nature
- paprathe
- Literal: you spread out, expand. Symbolic: Diffusion of illumined influence through mind, life, and body
- dīrghaśruttamam
- Literal: farthest/longest hearing. Symbolic: Extended inner hearing: subtle receptivity, intuition, prophetic discernment
- hiraṇyavarṇa
- Literal: golden-colored. Symbolic: Solar/supramental hue: luminous truth-consciousness
- duṣṭaram
- Literal: hard to cross. Symbolic: Protective barrier of light against adverse forces and old habits
Invocation for establishing iṣ (impulse/force) and śravas (inspired hearing/renown) through Indra’s power; used to affirm the spread of divine force in the rite.
When seeking strength and protective victory over opposition
Chant with offering; affirmation of Indra’s established force
Chant before study, teaching, or decision-making to ‘set in place’ a truth-aligned impulse and protect attention from distraction.
śrávas from √śru ‘hear’ → fame and inspired hearing; śravā́yya = ‘to be heard’ (worthy of reception). íṣ from √iṣ ‘impel’ → dynamic push of the sacrifice/inner will. híraṇya ‘gold’ symbolizes solar truth-substance; dúṣṭara from dur- + √tṛ ‘cross’ → difficult to pass, i.e., a protected attainment.
śravas as receptive inspired hearing, iṣ as impelling force, unassailable attainment (duṣṭara)
The ‘worthy-to-be-heard’ force is the vibration of ṛta in action—right impulsion.
Golden hue indicates truth-light that cannot be easily crossed by falsehood.
Establishment (dadhise) precedes expansion (paprathe): creation as fixation of a higher pattern then its diffusion.
Integral-psychological reading aligned with Aurobindo’s ‘widening and heightening’ of consciousness.
Dawn-to-sunrise (suggested by golden hue)
Solar illumination establishing a stable current of inspired energy and widening subtle hearing.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Indra’s establishment and expansion of a golden, unassailable force: the god founds an impulse (iṣ) that becomes ‘long-heard’—a sustained spiritual resonance—protecting the seeker against hostile crossings.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √śru ‘hear’ reflects PIE *ḱlew- ‘hear, fame’ (cf. Greek kléos, English loud via Germanic). This deep IE poetic concept (‘fame/hearing’) is refunctionalized as inner receptivity and enduring spiritual resonance.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi seeks Indra’s act of ‘placing’ (dadhíṣe) the right impulse in the being; as Indra expands it into enduring śravas, the seeker gains a protected luminous state—an attainment difficult for hostile forces to overrun.
Establish a truth-aligned impulsion (iṣ) and expand inner listening (dīrghaśruti).
Viśuddha (inner hearing/śruti) and Ājñā (illumined direction) (interpretive mapping)
Bhrāmarī (gentle) 5 rounds, then chant to sensitize inner hearing
Receptive wideness with a golden clarity
After chanting, listen inwardly for 2 minutes without forcing thought; note the ‘most true’ impulse that remains when agitation subsides.
Standard Vedic accents; maintain clear rise on udatta in key words like śravāyyam, hiraṇyavarṇa.
Let the cadence ‘open’ on paprathe; avoid compressing consonant clusters in dīrghaśruttamam.
yad īm: keep the hiatus clean; do not swallow īm., śravāyyam: pronounce ‘yy’ as a clear glide, not a hard break., hiraṇyavarṇa: retroflex ‘ṇy’ cluster; keep ‘varṇa’ with clear ‘rṇ’.
Resonant and listening-oriented; slightly softer volume to enhance inner audition.
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