Rig Veda 8.33.4: Mandala 8, Sukta 33, Mantra 4
Sukta 8.33
- Rishi
- Medhyātithi
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Likely Jagatī
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
पाहि गायान्धसो मद इन्द्राय मेध्यातिथे । यः सम्मिश्लो हर्योर्यः सुते सचा वज्री रथो हिरण्ययः ॥
pā́hi gāyāndhaso máda índrāya medhyātithe | yáḥ sáṃmiślo háryor yáḥ suté sácā vajrī́ rátho hiraṇyáyaḥ ||
હે મેધ્યાતિથિ, ઇન્દ્ર માટે અંધસ (સોમ-રસ)ના મદને રક્ષ અને ગાન કર. કારણ કે હર્યો (બે તામ્ર અશ્વ-શક્તિઓ)નું સંયુક્ત જોડાણ તેનું છે; સુત સાથે સહચર બની ચાલતો વજ્રીનો હિરણ્યય (સુવર્ણ) રથ તેનું છે—તેથી વિજયી ઊર્જા અમામાં સુરક્ષિત થાય.
Word by Word
- पा॒हि
- protect! / guard!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदRole (क्रिया)Root पा (पाने/रक्षणे)
- गायान्
- cowsNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot गो (प्रातिपदिक: गो-)
- अन्धसः
- of the Soma-juice / of the drinkNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root अन्धस् (प्रातिपदिक: अन्धस्-)
- मदे
- in intoxication / in exhilarationNounपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot मद (प्रातिपदिक: मद-)
- इन्द्राय
- for IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक: इन्द्र-)
- मेध्यातिथे
- O MedhyātithiNoun (proper name, vocative)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot मेध्यातिथि (प्रातिपदिक: मेध्यातिथि-)
- यः
- whoPronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (relative clause)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सम्मिश्लः
- mingled together / closely joinedAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (as predicate adjective of यः)Root सम् + मिश्र (प्रातिपदिक: सम्मिश्ल-)
- हर्योः
- of the two bay steedsNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, द्विवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root हरि (प्रातिपदिक: हरि-)
- यः
- whoPronounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (relative clause)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सुते
- in the pressed (Soma) / at the pressingNoun (kṛdanta used substantively)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचनRole AdhikaraṇaRoot सु (धातु: सु—सवने) → सुत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
- सचा
- together with / in companyIndeclinableअव्ययRole (क्रियाविशेषण/सहभाव)Root सच् (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक: सचा)
- वज्री
- the wielder of the thunderboltNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (apposition to यः)Root वज्रिन् (प्रातिपदिक: वज्रिन्-)
- रथः
- chariotNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (apposition; ‘the chariot’)Root रथ (प्रातिपदिक: रथ-)
- हिरण्ययः
- golden / made of goldAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (predicate adjective of रथः)Root हिरण्यय (प्रातिपदिक: हिरण्यय-)
Sandhi Notes
- पाठ-विभाग (sandhi-resolution): पा॒हि | गायान् | अन्धसः | मदे | इन्द्राय | मेध्यातिथे || यः | सम्मिश्लः | हर्योः | यः | सुते | सचा | वज्री | रथः | हिरण्ययः । विशेष: ‘गायान्’ = गो- (acc.pl.) का वैदिक रूप
- ‘सुते’ = सुत- (सम्+सु धातु से) नपुंसक सप्तमी ‘pressed soma/pressing’ अर्थे
- ‘सचा’ अव्यय ‘सह’
- ‘हर्योः’ = हरि- (gen.du.) ‘दो हरि (इन्द्र के अश्व)’।
The meaning
Outer meaning
Protect and sing the Soma-ecstasy for Indra, O Medhyātithi; his are the joined tawny horses and the golden chariot of the vajra, accompanying the pressed Soma.
Inner meaning
The mantra turns to the seer Medhyātithi as an inner priest-function: safeguard (pāhi) and articulate (gāya) the ecstasy of Soma’s essence so that Indra may be firmly present. The ‘two tawny powers’ yoked together are the paired dynamic energies (illumined thought and forceful life-energy) brought into harmony. The golden chariot is the luminous vehicle of action; the vajra is the concentrated will of illumination that strikes through resistance. When these powers move ‘with Soma’ (sute sacā), action is guided by delight and becomes victorious.
Universal truth
Spiritual effectiveness requires both protection of inner delight and disciplined expression; when life-force and mind-force are yoked and moved by a higher joy, action becomes luminous and conquering.
Themes
Soma-ecstasy, Indra’s chariot, Ritual as inner discipline
The seer
- Rishi
- Medhyātithi (invoked as the chanter/priest within the hymn milieu)
- Lineage
- Kāṇva (hymn milieu; Medhyātithi associated with Kāṇva circles in several traditions)
- Other hymns
- RV 8.33 (context)
Family tradition
Name suggests ‘guest of the sacred/fit for offering’—a figure of pure receptivity and right ritual speech, here read psychologically as the inner officiant of mantra.
Significance
Medhyātithi represents the disciplined part of the being that can both guard the subtle delight and give it true expression so that Indra’s force may act without distortion.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Vajrī (wielder of the thunder-force)
- Related deities
- Soma, Agni, Maruts
Cosmic role
Rides with swift powers and strikes through obstruction; turns Soma into victorious movement.
Inner power
Illumined will-in-action: the capacity to translate delight-born clarity into decisive transformative force.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma praise and safeguarding of the offering; Indra’s arrival on the chariot
पा॒हि गायान्ध॑सो॒ मद॒ इन्द्रा॑य मेध्यातिथे । यः सम्मि॑श्लो॒ हर्यो॒र्यः सु॒ते सचा॑ व॒ज्री रथो॑ हिर॒ण्यय॑: ॥
पा॒हि । गाय॑ । अन्ध॑सः । मदे॑ । इन्द्रा॑य । मे॒ध्य॒ऽअ॒ति॒थे॒ । यः । सम्ऽमि॑श्लः । हर्योः॑ । यः । सु॒ते । सचा॑ । व॒ज्री । रथः॑ । हि॒र॒ण्ययः॑ ॥
pāhi | gāya | andhasaḥ | made | indrāya | medhya-atithe | yaḥ | sam-miślaḥ | haryoḥ | yaḥ | sute | sacā | vajrī | rathaḥ | hiraṇyayaḥ
48
4 x ~12 syllables
Processional and vehicular—suggests movement of a chariot; steady propulsion.
Supports rhythmic entrainment; helps ‘yoke’ breath and attention, producing a felt unity of energies.
- pāhi
- Literal: protect/guard. Symbolic: keep the inner state from leakage, disturbance, or dispersion
- gāya
- Literal: sing/chant. Symbolic: give right vibration and formulation to the experience
- andhasaḥ mada
- Literal: ecstasy/intoxication of Soma’s essence. Symbolic: uplift of consciousness by inner delight
- haryor
- Literal: of the two tawny (horses). Symbolic: paired dynamic energies (illumined mind-force and vital force) yoked to the divine
- vajrī
- Literal: thunderbolt-bearer. Symbolic: concentrated luminous will that breaks obstruction
- rathaḥ hiraṇyayaḥ
- Literal: golden chariot. Symbolic: luminous instrument of right action in the world
Instruction/exhortation within Soma rite: preserve and sing the Soma-ecstasy for Indra; emphasizes proper ritual-psychological containment of the offering’s force
During Soma sessions when stotra is sung and offerings are protected/maintained in purity.
Chanting (sāman-like praise in spirit), guarding the Soma/altar space, invoking Indra’s chariot-power.
Before dynamic activity (work, travel, decision): ‘yoke the two tawny powers’ by aligning mind and life under a calm delight; then act.
√pā ‘protect’ indicates safeguarding the ‘mada’ (ecstatic force) so it remains intact and effective. sam-miśla ‘well-mixed/yoked’ suggests coordinated energies (the Harīs) rather than scattered impulses. vajrī marks Indra as bearer of the decisive ‘splitting’ force (vajra). ratha- as vehicle symbolizes the organized movement of divine power into manifestation.
containment and safeguarding of ecstasy (pāhi mada), harmonized energies (sammiśla harī), divine descent via ordered vehicle (ratha)
Right yoking of powers enables action in harmony with ṛta rather than impulsive force.
Golden chariot symbolizes truth-guided movement; vajra symbolizes truth’s power to pierce falsehood.
Divine movement entering the human field—descent of the chariot as organizing principle.
Integral yoga psychology: delight (Soma) as support for illumined action (Indra).
Horses = vital energies; chariot = embodied action-system; gold = supramental/solar clarity; Soma = delight-essence powering transformation.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘golden chariot of Indra with the Harīs’—a descent/arrival mythologem coupled with Soma ecstasy. Innerly, it is the disciplined preservation of delight and the harmonized movement of energies that carry the thunder-force into effective action.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- ratha- ‘chariot’ and the chariot-cult complex are pan-Indo-European cultural-poetic elements. √pā ‘protect’ and √gai ‘sing’ reflect the archaic pairing: preservation of sacred potency and performative utterance to activate it.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi (or addressed seer) is tasked with guarding and voicing the Soma-ecstasy—human stewardship of the sacred force—so Indra’s coordinated energies (Harīs) and decisive power (vajra) may arrive and operate. The exchange is: careful offering and true chant for divine empowerment.
Harmonize mind-force and life-force; protect inner joy; invoke decisive luminous will for action.
maṇipūra (will/action) with anāhata (delight)
ujjāyī with a gentle internal ‘chant’ on exhale; feel ‘pāhi’ as containment, ‘gāya’ as resonance.
Collected potency; delight-held dynamism.
Begin by sensing a quiet sweetness in the heart (Soma). Guard it from agitation (pāhi). Then let a clear mantra-tone rise (gāya). Visualize two tawny currents (mind and vital) yoking into one direction; act from that unified chariot.
Observe udātta on key imperatives (pāhi, gāya) as per recensional accents; keep the cadence steady like a chariot beat.
Do not blur conjuncts: medhyātithe, sammiślo, haryor, hiraṇyayaḥ; keep visarga in andhasaḥ audible before consonant.
medhyātithe: ‘dhy’ conjunct, long ā, sammiślaḥ: double ‘m’ lightly lengthened; ś clear, hiraṇyayaḥ: retroflex ṇ; ‘yaḥ’ with visarga-like breath when appropriate
Firm, contained, rhythmic; slightly martial but controlled.
5
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.
