Rig Veda 1.57.2: Mandala 1, Sukta 57, Mantra 2
Sukta 1.57
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha Maitrāvaruṇi
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
अध ते विश्वमनु हासदिष्टय आपो निम्नेव सवना हविष्मतः । यत्पर्वते न समशीत हर्यत इन्द्रस्य वज्रः श्नथिता हिरण्ययः ॥
ádha te víśvam ánu ha āsad iṣṭáye ā́po nimnéva sávānā haviṣmátaḥ | yát párvate ná samáśīt haryatá índrasya vájraḥ śnáthitā hiraṇyáyaḥ ||
પછી યજ્ઞ માટે સર્વે તારા અનુસરે; હવિષ્માન (હવિષ ધરનાર)ના સવનો (સોમ-પીડનો) તરફ જળો નીચાણમાં જેમ વહે તેમ વહે આવ્યા. જ્યારે હર્યત (ઇચ્છનીય) ઇન્દ્રનો હિરણ્યય (સુવર્ણ) વજ્ર પર્વત પર અટક્યો નહિ, પરંતુ તેને ચીરવીને ભાંગી નાખ્યો.
Word by Word
- अध
- then, thereafterIndeclinableRoot अध (avyaya)
- ते
- to youPronoundative singularRole SampradānaRoot युष्मद् (pronominal base त्वद्)
- विश्वम्
- all (the whole)Adjective (used substantively)neuter nominative singularRole KartāRoot विश्व (prātipadika)
- अनु
- after, along, followingIndeclinableRoot अनु (avyaya)
- ह
- indeed, surelyIndeclinableRoot ह (avyaya)
- असदिष्टयः
- the (well-)directed streams/impulses (lit. ‘right-going wishes/offerings’)Noun (collective/agentive epithet)feminine nominative pluralRole KartāRoot सद् (dhātu) + इष्टि (prātipadika) → सदिष्टि (kṛdanta/derivative stem)
- आपः
- the watersNounfeminine nominative pluralRole KartāRoot अप् (prātipadika)
- निम्ना
- by/like a depth, in a low placeNounneuter instrumental singularRole KaraṇaRoot निम्न (prātipadika)
- इव
- like, asIndeclinableRoot इव (avyaya)
- सवनानि
- pressings (Soma-pressings), libationsNounneuter nominative/accusative pluralRole KarmaRoot सवन (prātipadika)
- हविष्मतः
- of the oblation-bearing (worshipper)Adjectivemasculine genitive singularRole Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandhaRoot हविष्मत् (prātipadika)
- यत्
- which, that whichPronounneuter nominative/accusative singularRole KarmaRoot यद् (relative pronoun)
- पर्वते
- on/in the mountainNounmasculine locative singularRole AdhikaraṇaRoot पर्वत (prātipadika)
- न
- notIndeclinableRoot न (avyaya)
- समशीः
- you lay/layest (down), you restedVerbaorist (injunctive) 2nd person singular, parasmaipadaRole KriyāRoot शा/शी (dhātu ‘to lie, rest’) with preverb सम्
- हर्यतः
- of the golden/ardent oneAdjective (used substantively)masculine genitive singularRole Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandhaRoot हर्यत् (prātipadika, ‘golden/bright; eager’)
- इन्द्रस्य
- of IndraNoun (proper)masculine genitive singularRole Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandhaRoot इन्द्र (prātipadika)
- वज्रः
- the thunderboltNounmasculine nominative singularRole KartāRoot वज्र (prātipadika)
- श्नथिता
- shattered, crushedParticiple (past passive)feminine nominative singular (agreeing with implied ‘धारा/इष्टि’ or as epithet in apposition)Role Kartā/ViśeṣaṇaRoot श्नथ् (dhātu ‘to pierce, crush, shatter’) → श्नथित (PPP)
- हिरण्ययः
- goldenAdjectivemasculine nominative singularRole ViśeṣaṇaRoot हिरण्यय (prātipadika)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (principal): विश्वमनु → विश्वम् + अनु
- हासदि॒ष्टयः → ह + असदिष्टयः (enclitic ह + initial a-)
- निम्नेव → निम्ना + इव
- सव॑ना → सवनानि (Vedic plural used for Soma-pressings; pada-text often shows sávānā)
- यत्पर्व॑ते → यत् + पर्वते
- वज्र॒: श्नथि॑ता → वज्रः + श्नथिता. Accent marks are from saṃhitā
- pada-forms given without accent
The meaning
Outer meaning
All followed you for the sacrifice; the waters came down as to a low place, to the pressings of the offerer. Indra’s desirable golden thunderbolt did not stop at the mountain but shattered it.
Inner meaning
When Indra’s illumined action is present, the whole being aligns with the inner sacrifice (iṣṭi). The waters—streams of inspiration and conscious force—naturally descend into the prepared receptacle (nimna: humility, receptivity) where Soma is pressed (savanā: concentrated delight). The golden vajra (hiraṇyaya: luminous discernment) does not halt before the ‘mountain’ of hardened habit or ego-structure; it breaks it, opening passage for the flow.
Universal truth
When aspiration is organized and receptive, higher energies gather and descend; luminous discernment can break even long-standing inner hardness and open new pathways.
Themes
Soma pressings, vajra action, flow of waters/energies, breaking barriers
The seer
- Rishi
- Vasiṣṭha Maitrāvaruṇi
- Lineage
- Vasiṣṭha (Maitrāvaruṇa lineage)
- Other hymns
- RV 1.57.1, RV 1.57.3, RV 1.56.5, RV 1.56.6
Family tradition
Vasiṣṭha often portrays the sacrifice as an inner coordination where forces ‘follow’ and descend when the channel is prepared.
Significance
Shows a key law of sādhanā: receptivity (nimna) and concentrated delight (Soma) call down the waters; discernment (vajra) breaks rigidity.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- haryata (desirable, beloved), vajrin (thunderbolt-bearer, implied), hiraṇyaya-vajra (golden-thunderbolt)
- Related deities
- Soma, Agni, Maruts (as following forces, thematic)
Cosmic role
Leader in the sacrifice who draws forces into right channels and breaks the ‘mountain’ that blocks the world’s flow.
Inner power
Attractive luminous power that gathers energies and cleaves entrenched formations.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma pressing (savana) hymnic praise to Indra; emphasizes response of waters and efficacy of vajra.
अध॑ ते॒ विश्व॒मनु॑ हासदि॒ष्टय॒ आपो॑ नि॒म्नेव॒ सव॑ना ह॒विष्म॑तः । यत्पर्व॑ते॒ न स॒मशी॑त हर्य॒त इन्द्र॑स्य॒ वज्र॒: श्नथि॑ता हिर॒ण्यय॑: ॥
अध॑ । ते॒ । विश्व॑म् । अनु॑ । ह॒ । अ॒स॒त् । इ॒ष्टये॑ । आपः॑ । नि॒म्नाऽइ॑व । सव॑ना । ह॒विष्म॑तः । यत् । पर्व॑ते । न । स॒म्ऽअशी॑त । ह॒र्य॒तः । इन्द्र॑स्य । वज्रः॑ । श्नथि॑ता । हि॒र॒ण्ययः॑ ॥
agha | te | viśvam | anu | ha | asat | iṣṭaye | āpaḥ | nimnāiva | savanā | haviṣmataḥ | yat | parvate | na | sam-aśīta | haryataḥ | indrasya | vajraḥ | śnathitā | hiraṇyayaḥ
44
4×11
First half gathers and descends; second half strikes—sharp consonantal clusters mirror the ‘shattering’.
Creates a pull downward into receptivity, then a sudden energetic ‘cleave’ at vajra/pārvat imagery.
- इष्टि (iṣṭi)
- Literal: sacrifice, offering. Symbolic: inner yoga—coordinated aspiration and self-giving
- आपः (āpaḥ)
- Literal: waters. Symbolic: descending streams of inspiration/force responding to right preparation
- निम्न (nimna)
- Literal: low place, depression. Symbolic: humility and receptivity; a prepared inner vessel
- सवना (savanā)
- Literal: Soma pressings. Symbolic: acts of concentration that extract delight/essence for transformation
- वज्र (vajra)
- Literal: thunderbolt. Symbolic: luminous power of decisive discrimination; force that cleaves obstruction
- पर्वत (parvata)
- Literal: mountain. Symbolic: mass of inertia, hardened formation, fixed ego-structure
- हिरण्यय (hiraṇyaya)
- Literal: golden. Symbolic: supramental/luminous quality of the force—light-filled power
Connects Indra’s vajra-deed with the Soma-pressings: the rite calls the waters/energies to flow toward the sacrificer’s work; used to intensify the sense of Indra’s presence at savanas.
During Soma pressings; also in recitation sequences celebrating Indra’s decisive act.
Chant with offerings; symbolically ‘calling waters’ (rain/prosperity) and ‘breaking mountains’ (obstacles).
Use when stuck in rigid patterns: first cultivate receptivity (nimna), then apply clear discernment (vajra) to one concrete obstruction.
vájra ‘thunderbolt’ (possibly from √vaj ‘to be strong/drive’), symbol of condensed force; √śnath ‘crush’ (śnathitā) → decisive breaking; hiraṇya ‘gold’ → luminous substance (light-nature); nimná ‘low place’ → receptivity where waters gather (psychologically: humility/receptive depth).
receptivity (nimna), luminous force (hiraṇyaya vajra), opening of obstructions (mountain as blockage)
Waters moving to the low place is ṛta—forces follow right channels when sacrifice is rightly arranged.
Golden vajra implies truth-light acting as effective power.
Opening of blocked passages in the world/mind so the life-waters can circulate.
Aurobindonian symbolism: descent of higher forces into receptivity; discrimination breaks formations.
Valley = humility/receptive consciousness; mountain = hardened resistance; thunderbolt = luminous will/insight; waters = descending inspiration.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The vajra shattering the mountain/obstruction, causing the waters to follow—an image contiguous with Vṛtra-breaking. Inner sense: when Indra’s luminous thunder-force acts, the blocked formations crack and the life-flows naturally run toward the receptive depth of the offering (nimna, savana).
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The thunderbolt motif is central to IE storm-god myth cycles. The ‘golden’ epithet (hiraṇyaya) participates in an IE poetic convention where divine weapons/vehicles are radiant. The water-to-low-place simile is a shared archaic image of natural lawfulness (r̥ta-like flow).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The r̥ṣi links ritual action (savana, iṣṭi) with cosmic action (vajra breaking mountains): the sacrificer’s work becomes a field where Indra’s deed repeats inwardly. The reciprocity is explicit: the offerer provides havis and order; Indra provides the shattering force that makes the energies converge.
Receptivity plus decisive discrimination; letting higher energies descend into a prepared vessel.
Ājñā (vajra-like discernment) and Anāhata (humble receptivity)
Inhale gently imagining ‘waters descending’; exhale sharply (but not strained) on ‘vajraḥ’ to feel a clean cut through resistance.
Receptive descent followed by luminous decisiveness.
Prepare a ‘nimna’ within—soften the heart and belly; then bring one-pointed clarity to the ‘mountain’ thought-pattern and let it split without violence, by light.
Maintain clear udātta on ‘vajraḥ’; keep the first hemistich smoother, second more emphatic per accent.
Mark the caesura naturally between hemistichs; let ‘nimneva’ be gently descending; strike articulation on ‘śnathitā’.
nimneva: pronounce as nimna-iva with light sandhi., haviṣmataḥ: keep ṣ retroflex., śnathitā: cluster śn- must be clear, not simplified., hiraṇyayaḥ: retroflex ṇ in hiraṇ-.
Controlled power: calm in first half, bright and cutting in second.
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