Rig Veda 3.53.22: Mandala 3, Sukta 53, Mantra 22
Sukta 3.53
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra / Viśvāmitras
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Anuṣṭubh-like
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder) and Vira (heroism)
परशुं चिद्वि तपति शिम्बलं चिद्वि वृश्चति । उखा चिदिन्द्र येषन्ती प्रयस्ता फेनमस्यति ॥
paraśúṃ cid ví tapati śimbaláṃ cid ví vṛścati | ukhā́ cid indra yéṣantī prá-yastā phénam asyati ||
Yeh taakat itni hai ki kulhadi bhi jalne lagti hai. Jo bada ped hai, use bhi kaat deti hai. Chulha ka barta bhi jab chalta hai, toh usme se jhaag nikalta hai. Indra ki taakat aisi hi hai, sab kuchh chalu kar deti hai.
Word by Word
- परशुम्
- an axeNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot परशु-
- चित्
- even; indeedIndeclinableनिपात (अवधारण/अपि-अर्थ) अव्ययRoot चित्
- वि
- apart; asunderIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRoot वि
- तपति
- heats; burnsVerbलट् (वर्तमान); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचनRole कर्तृ (अकर्मक-प्रयोग) / क्रियाRoot तप्
- शिम्बलम्
- a pod/husk (shell)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot शिम्बल-
- चित्
- evenIndeclinableनिपात (अवधारण/अपि-अर्थ) अव्ययRoot चित्
- वि
- apartIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRoot वि
- वृश्चति
- cuts; hewsVerbलट् (वर्तमान); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचनRole कर्तृ (सकर्मक-प्रयोग) / क्रियाRoot वृश्च्
- उखा
- a cooking-pot; a potNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot उखा-
- चित्
- evenIndeclinableनिपात (अवधारण/अपि-अर्थ) अव्ययRoot चित्
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन; एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot इन्द्र-
- येषन्ती
- striving; pressing on; hasteningVerbवर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ/शानच्-प्रकार); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot येष्
- प्रयस्ता
- stretched forth; extendedAdjectiveभूतकृदन्त (क्त); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृ-विशेषणRoot प्र + यम्
- फेनम्
- foam; frothNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot फेन-
- अस्यति
- throws; castsVerbलट् (वर्तमान); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचनRole कर्तृ (सकर्मक) / क्रियाRoot अस् (क्षेपणे) / अस्य्
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सम्भाव्य): परशुं चित् वि तपति | शिम्बलं चित् वि वृश्चति | उखा चित् इन्द्र येषन्ती प्रयस्ता फेनम् अस्यति || 1) चिद् + वि → चिद्वि (व्यञ्जन-सन्धि: द् + व् संयोग). 2) चित् + इन्द्र → चिदिन्द्र (त् → द् before vowel; then vowel-sandhi gives i + i → i, written as चिदिन्द्र).
- ‘वि’ उपसर्ग क्रियापदों (तपति, वृश्चति) के साथ पृथक् पद रूप में भी मिलता है।
The meaning
Outer meaning
A striking image: she makes even an axe blaze; she cuts even a śimbala; even a hearth-pot, when driven and set to work, throws out froth—addressed to Indra.
Inner meaning
The verse teaches Indra’s power to activate inert instruments. The ‘axe’ (paraśu) is decisive discrimination; it can ‘blaze’ when filled with Indra’s force—cutting becomes illumined action. The ‘hearth-pot’ (ukhā) is the vessel of tapas where raw substance is cooked; when rightly driven (yeṣantī) and applied (prayastā), it produces ‘foam’ (phena)—the upsurge of energized essence, like Soma’s effervescence. Psychologically: even dull parts of our nature can become effective when the divine mind-force enters and drives them.
Universal truth
Power is not only in the tool but in the force that uses it. When consciousness is awakened and rightly applied, even ordinary faculties become luminous and transformative.
Themes
Energizing inert nature, Transformation through heat, Indra’s impelling force
The seer
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra (Gāthina)
- Lineage
- Kauśika
- Other hymns
- RV 3.26 (Agni and the forging of force), RV 3.32 (Indra’s releasing power)
Family tradition
This cluster in 3.53 uses practical images to convey a doctrine of energized instrumentation—typical of Viśvāmitra’s tapas-driven approach to realization.
Significance
The seer emphasizes that divine force can transfigure the means—turning even ‘inert tools’ into carriers of victory, a key insight for integral sādhanā in life.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Śūra, Maghavan, Vajrī (wielder of the bolt, implied)
- Related deities
- Agni (heat/tapas), Soma (effervescence/bliss), Tvaṣṭṛ (fashioner of instruments—conceptual)
Cosmic role
Energizer and breaker of resistance; he makes the instruments of the gods effective in the cosmic work.
Inner power
Dynamic illumination that enters faculties (mind, speech, action) and makes them sharp, heated, and victorious.
In ritual
Where it is used
Ritual imagery of implements and heating/cooking processes; supportive verse in Indra-linked rite sequences
प॒र॒शुं चि॒द्वि त॑पति शिम्ब॒लं चि॒द्वि वृ॑श्चति । उ॒खा चि॑दिन्द्र॒ येष॑न्ती॒ प्रय॑स्ता॒ फेन॑मस्यति ॥
प॒र॒शुम् । चि॒त् । वि । त॒प॒ति॒ । शि॒म्ब॒लम् । चि॒त् । वि । वृ॒श्च॒ति॒ । उ॒खा । चि॒त् । इ॒न्द्र॒ येष॑न्ती । प्रऽय॑स्ता । फेन॑म् । अ॒स्य॒ति॒ ॥
paraśum | cit | vi | tapati | śimbalam | cit | vi | vṛścati | ukhā | cit | indra yeṣantī | pra-yastā | phenam | asyati
32
4 × 8 syllables (compressed, aphoristic imagery)
Quick, punchy, epigrammatic; each image lands like a hammer-stroke.
Stimulates will and practical confidence—‘even this can be made effective’.
- परशु (paraśu)
- Literal: axe. Symbolic: discriminating power; cutting away obstruction and falsehood
- वि तपति (vi tapati)
- Literal: heats up, makes blaze. Symbolic: illumines action; tapas entering the instrument
- शिम्बल (śimbala)
- Literal: a fibrous/woody object. Symbolic: stubborn knotty resistance in the substance; what must be cut apart
- उखा (ukhā)
- Literal: hearth-pot, cooking vessel. Symbolic: vessel of tapas; the embodied field where transformation is cooked
- येषन्ती (yeṣantī)
- Literal: driven on, urged forward. Symbolic: prāṇa propelled by will; dynamic application
- प्रयस्ता (prayastā)
- Literal: set to work, applied. Symbolic: right deployment of force; disciplined practice
- फेन (phena)
- Literal: foam, froth. Symbolic: effervescence of awakened energy/bliss; surfacing of refined essence
Efficacy formula: even inert tools become potent when rightly impelled—used to invoke Indra’s energizing power in ritual action.
During preparation/activation of implements; as a supportive recitation when ‘setting to work’ the rite
Consecration by speech; urging the rite’s instruments to become effective
Use before work requiring decisive action or skill training; as a reminder that right force and application can awaken dormant capacity.
√tap ‘heat’ links to tapas (inner intensification). √vraśc ‘cut’ is the decisive separation of obstruction. ukhā as vessel of heating/transformation. phéna ‘foam’ indicates the upsurge of essence when energies are rightly driven (pra-yasta). yeṣantī is uncertain; context indicates energetic driving/urging.
Tapas (transformative heat), Instrumentality (tools/vessels as powers of the being), Release of essence (phena as liberated rasa)
Tools work rightly when driven in the line of Ṛta; wrong use yields only noise, not transformation.
True discrimination ‘cuts’ correctly; false discrimination wounds aimlessly.
Evolution through heating and refinement: substance is cooked into higher essence; energy rises as ‘foam’ of awakened life.
Yoga of works with illumination: faculties become divine instruments when filled with Indra’s light-force.
Heat = tapas; vessel = body-mind field; foam = emergent refined energy/bliss; cutting = removal of knots.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The animation of instruments: a mythologem where even tools and vessels, when impelled, manifest extraordinary efficacy. Inwardly, Indra’s force makes the inert parts of our nature blaze, cut through obstruction, and release the hidden essence.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √tap ‘heat’ is Indo-Iranian (Avestan tap-). √as ‘throw’ has broad IE parallels in the semantic domain of casting. The repetitive ‘cid’ (‘even’) is an archaic intensifier creating a crescendo of marvel—common in early Indo-European poetics.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi demonstrates (by emblematic examples) Indra’s power to convert mere instrumentality into victorious action. The devatā is the inner impeller; the human being offers the instruments and receives their awakened potency.
Bring Indra’s clear force into a ‘dull’ faculty (speech, study, discipline). Visualize it heating and sharpening, then apply it steadily.
maṇipūra (tapas/will)
Kapalabhāti (if appropriate) to kindle inner heat, followed by calm repetition to direct the force intelligently.
Activated steadiness; energized clarity.
Choose one concrete practice. Invoke force, then ‘drive’ it (yeṣantī) with rhythm and consistency (prayastā). Watch for the ‘foam’: signs of new energy and delight emerging as resistance is cut.
Rigvedic accents per śākhā; the repeated ‘cid’ should be light but distinct, not swallowed.
Land the contrasts: ‘paraśuṃ cid… śimbalaṃ cid… ukhā cid…’—each ‘even’ builds emphasis.
paraśuṃ: retroflex ṣ; final anusvāra clear, śimbalaṃ: śi- not si-; keep ‘mb’ cluster, vṛścati: retroflex ṛ; cluster vṛś; ‘cati’ crisp, ukhā: initial u short; kh aspirated; long ā, yeṣantī: retroflex ṣ; long ī, phenam: ph aspirated, not ‘fenam’
Bright, demonstrative, slightly percussive.
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