Rig Veda 5.39.2: Mandala 5, Sukta 39, Mantra 2
Sukta 5.39
- Rishi
- Atri
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace)
यन्मन्यसे वरेण्यमिन्द्र द्युक्षं तदा भर । विद्याम तस्य ते वयमकूपारस्य दावने ॥
yán manyase váreṇyam índra dyukṣáṃ tád ā́ bhar | vidyā́ma tásya te vayám akū́pārasya dā́vane ||
Tout ce que tu juges, ô Indra, le plus digne d’élection et le plus lumineux — apporte-le ici; puissions-nous connaître ton don sans rivage, ta largesse inépuisable dans l’offrande.
Word by Word
- यत्
- that which / ifIndeclinable (relative pronoun used as conjunction)नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम् (यत् = ‘which/that’)Role (सम्बन्ध/विशेषण-सम्बन्धः) — correlates with तद्Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) / यद्-शब्द
- मन्यसे
- you think / you supposeVerbलट् (वर्तमान); मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्Role क्रिया (मुख्य क्रिया) — ‘you think’Root √मन् (मन्यते) ‘to think, suppose’
- वरेण्यम्
- worthy to be chosen; excellentAdjective (used substantively)नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role कर्म (मन्यसे इति क्रियायाः) — ‘(it) as excellent’Root वरेण्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √वृ ‘to choose’ → वरणीय/वरेण्य ‘to be chosen, excellent’)
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन एकवचनम्Role सम्बोधनRoot इन्द्र (देवनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- द्युक्षम्
- the shining/radiant (one/thing)Adjective (used substantively)नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role कर्म (भर इति क्रियायाः) — ‘bring the radiant (thing)’Root द्युक्ष (प्रातिपदिक; ‘shining, radiant’)
- तत्
- thatPronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role कर्म (भर इति क्रियायाः) — ‘that’Root तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- आ
- hither; towards (as preverb)Indeclinableउपसर्गः (आ-)Role क्रियाविशेषण/उपसर्गः (भर इत्यस्य) — ‘hither, towards’Root आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- भर
- bringVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ); मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्Role क्रिया (आदेशः) — ‘bring!’Root √भृ (भरति) ‘to bear, bring’
- विद्याम
- may we knowVerbविधिलिङ्/आशीर्लिङ् (वेदिक-प्रयोगे ‘may we know’); उत्तमपुरुष; बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्Role क्रिया (प्रार्थना/इच्छा) — ‘may we know’Root √विद् (वेद) ‘to know, find out’
- तस्य
- of thatPronounपुं/नपुंसक; षष्ठी एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी) — ‘of that’Root तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- ते
- yourPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी एकवचनम्; अत्र षष्ठी (‘thy/your’)Role सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी) — ‘your’Root त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वयम्
- wePronounप्रथमा बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृ (विद्याम इति क्रियायाः) — ‘we’Root अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अकूपारस्य
- of the boundless / shorelessAdjective (genitive dependent)पुं/नपुंसक; षष्ठी एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी) — qualifies दावने (‘of the boundless … giving’)Root अकूपार (प्रातिपदिक; a- + कूपार ‘shore/boundary’; ‘shoreless, boundless’)
- दावने
- for (his) giving / for the giftNoun (verbal noun)नपुंसकलिङ्ग (वेदे प्रायः); चतुर्थी एकवचनम्Role सम्प्रदान/प्रयोजन (चतुर्थी) — ‘for giving’Root दावन (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √दा ‘to give’ → दावन ‘giving, gift’; here as dative of purpose)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution: यन्मन्यसे → यत् + मन्यसे
- वरेण्य॒मिन्द्र॑ → वरेण्यम् + इन्द्र
- तदा → तत् + आ (tad + ā)
- विद्याम॒ तस्य॑ → विद्याम् + तस्य
- व॒यमकू॑पारस्य → वयम् + अकूपारस्य
- Accent marks in the Saṃhitā text are retained in the citation but pada-forms are given without explicit accent notation
The meaning
Outer meaning
The singer asks Indra to bring whatever he considers most excellent and luminous, so that the worshippers may know and partake of his boundless, inexhaustible giving.
Inner meaning
The seeker yields preference to the higher Wisdom: “what You deem best.” Indra as the illumined Mind selects the right light for the present stage. The prayer is not for quantity but for the ‘choice’ (vareṇyam) illumination that leads to true knowledge (vidyāma) and an experience of inexhaustible spiritual giving (akūpāra).
Universal truth
Progress is quickest when we ask for the highest that our present nature can truly assimilate, and when knowledge becomes participation in an infinite Source rather than mere information.
Themes
choice excellence (vareṇya), luminous gift, infinite giving
The seer
- Rishi
- Atri (Ātreya)
- Lineage
- Ātreya
- Other hymns
- RV 5.39.1, RV 5.40.6, RV 5.41.1
Family tradition
Atri hymns often combine humility before the higher discernment with strong aspiration for luminous knowledge.
Significance
Atri’s voice models surrender of egoic choice to the divine chooser, a key movement in inner sacrifice.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- vareṇya-dyukṣa (bringer/chooser of luminous excellence), dātā (giver)
- Related deities
- Sarasvatī (inspired flow of knowledge), Bṛhaspati (word/illumination), Soma (bliss supporting knowledge)
Cosmic role
Dispenser of the right light and victorious power; establishes wideness by breaking limitation.
Inner power
Discriminating illumination—selects the exact force of truth needed for the seeker’s next step.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra praise within Soma offerings; also suitable as a general ‘choice boon’ request in invocations.
यन्मन्य॑से॒ वरे॑ण्य॒मिन्द्र॑ द्यु॒क्षं तदा भ॑र । वि॒द्याम॒ तस्य॑ ते व॒यमकू॑पारस्य दा॒वने॑ ॥
यत् । मन्य॑से । वरे॑ण्यम् । इन्द्र॑ । द्यु॒क्षम् । तत् । आ । भ॒र॒ । वि॒द्याम॑ । तस्य॑ । ते॒ । व॒यम् । अकू॑पारस्य । दा॒वने॑ ॥
yat | manyase | vareṇyam | indra | dyukṣam | tat | ā | bhara | vidyāma | tasya | te | vayam | akūpārasya | dāvane
44
4 × ~11
Clear, upward-reaching interrogative-then-imperative cadence (yan… tad ā bhara).
Creates receptivity and trust; the mind relaxes its preferences and opens to a higher selection of light.
- vareṇyam
- Literal: most choice, excellent, to be chosen. Symbolic: The right and highest illumination suited to the soul’s growth
- dyukṣam
- Literal: shining, luminous, splendid. Symbolic: Light of consciousness; clarity that reveals truth
- vidyāma
- Literal: may we know. Symbolic: Realization/participatory knowledge (seeing + becoming)
- akūpāra
- Literal: without a far shore, boundless. Symbolic: Infinite consciousness-giving; inexhaustible spiritual plenitude
- dāvane
- Literal: in giving. Symbolic: The act-law of divine bestowal responding to aspiration
Petition at Soma praise: asking for the ‘best’ (vareṇya) and ‘luminous’ (dyukṣa) gift; aligns with seeking clarified force in ritual and inner ascent.
When seeking guidance, discernment, and auspicious bestowal; before major undertakings.
Recitation with offering; mentally placing one’s choices into Indra’s higher discernment.
A mantra for decision-making: ask for the ‘most choice and luminous’ outcome; use before study/teaching, strategy, or life transitions.
vareṇya- from √vṛ ‘choose’ indicates ‘the choosable best’, hence an inner criterion of the divine will. dyukṣa- from dyu ‘shine/sky’ suggests a light-substance to be brought into manifestation. akūpāra-: kūpāra ‘far shore/limit’ (metaphor of measure); a- privative = ‘limitless’. vidyāma: √vid ‘know’ implies experiential possession—knowledge as participation.
knowledge (vid) as realization, the boundless (akūpāra) as infinite plenitude of being
Indra’s ‘choice’ gift aligns the seeker with right order—what is timely and true, not merely desired.
Dyukṣa as truth-illumination that makes knowledge effective.
Infinite giving as a perpetual source; the human becomes capable of receiving wideness.
Integral yoga resonance: surrender + discernment + descent of light leading to realization.
dawn-like (implied by dyukṣa)
Light = awakening intelligence; shoreless ocean = infinite consciousness from which gifts arise without depletion.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘descent of light’ as divine gift: Indra chooses the best luminous power and brings it. Mythically this echoes the release/bringing of light after victory; psychologically it is the selection by higher will (kratu/manas) of what most advances the soul.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √vṛ ‘choose’ relates to PIE *wel-/*wer- ‘choose/want’ (comparanda are debated but ‘choose’ roots are widespread). √vid from PIE *weyd- ‘see/know’. dyu from PIE *dyew- ‘sky/daylight’ (cf. Zeus, Jupiter < *dyēus).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi entrusts the selection to Indra’s higher discernment (‘what thou deemest vareṇya’), implying surrender to divine wisdom. The ask is not arbitrary wealth but the precise luminous power needed for progress, and the capacity to ‘know’ (realize) Indra’s boundless giving.
Surrender the personal preference; invite the highest suitable illumination.
ājñā (discernment)
Inhale on yan manyase vareṇyam; exhale on tad ā bhara—feel selection then descent.
Receptive clarity; quiet aspiration.
Before meditation, name your question inwardly, then repeat the mantra letting ‘vareṇyam dyukṣam’ stand for the precise light needed now; end by sitting silently to ‘know’ (vidyāma) as felt insight.
Ṛgvedic accenting as preserved in pada text; emphasize the udatta on key invocatory words (indra, ā bhara).
Let vareṇyam and dyukṣam be slightly elongated to ‘taste’ the chosen light; keep ā bhara crisp.
vareṇyam: retroflex ‘ṇy’ cluster—va-re-ṇyam, dyukṣam: ‘dyu’ as palatalized ‘d’ + ‘yu’, and ‘kṣ’ as conjunct, akūpārasya: long ū; articulate kū-pā-ra
Clear, luminous, less martial than typical Indra hymns; a ‘request for guidance’ tone.
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.
