Rig Veda 1.28.5: Mandala 1, Sukta 28, Mantra 5
Sukta 1.28
- Devata
- Ritual implement in service of Indra/Soma context
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Hasya (mirth)
यच्चिद्धि त्वं गृहेगृह उलूखलक युज्यसे । इह द्युमत्तमं वद जयतामिव दुन्दुभिः ॥
yác ciddhí tváṃ gṛhé-gṛha ulū́khalaka yujyáse | ihá dyumáttamaṃ vada jayatā́m iva dundubhíḥ ||
और अगर तुम घर घर में इस्तेमाल हो रहे हो मोर्टर। तो यहाँ आवाज़ उठाओ, इतनी चमकदार कि जीतने वालों की ढोलक जैसी हो। जीत की पूजा हो।
Word by Word
- यत्
- whatever; that whichPronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध/विशेष्य (यत्-तत् सम्बन्धः; ‘यत् … तत्’)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) / यद्-शब्द
- चित्
- even; indeedIndeclinableनिपात (अव्यय)Role सम्बन्ध (बलवर्धक/अपि-अर्थे)Root चित् (निपात)
- हि
- for; indeedIndeclinableनिपात (अव्यय)Role सम्बन्ध (हेतु/निश्चयार्थक)Root हि (निपात)
- त्वम्
- youPronounउत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- गृहे-गृहे
- in each houseNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (वितरणार्थे) — ‘प्रत्येकस्मिन् गृहे’Role अधिकरणRoot गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
- उलूखलक
- O mortar (for pounding)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot उलूखल (प्रातिपदिक) + क (सम्बोधन-रूप)
- युज्यसे
- you are yoked/put to use; you are employedVerbलट् (वर्तमान), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपदRole क्रिया (कर्तृ=त्वम्)Root युज् (धातु; युजँ योगे) — आत्मनेपद
- इह
- hereIndeclinableदेशवाचक-अव्ययRole अधिकरणRoot इह (अव्यय)
- द्युमत्तमम्
- the most glorious; most splendidAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (वद-क्रियायाः कर्म)Role कर्मRoot द्युमत् (विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक) < द्युम्/द्युत् (दीप्ति) + मतुप्; तमप् (सुपरलेटिव)
- वद
- speak; utterVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole क्रिया (आज्ञा)Root वद् (धातु; वदँ व्यक्तायां वाचि)
- जयताम्
- let (them) win; may (they) be victoriousVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), तृतीयपुरुष, द्विवचन/बहुवचन? — रूपतः 3rd pl. imperative (जयताम्) ‘let them win’Role क्रिया (आशीः/आज्ञा)Root जि (धातु; जि जय॑े) — परस्मैपद
- इव
- like; asIndeclinableउपमानार्थक-अव्ययRole सम्बन्ध (उपमा)Root इव (निपात)
- दुन्दुभिः
- with drums; by drumsNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole करणRoot दुन्दुभि (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: यत् + चित् + हि + त्वम् + गृहे-गृहे + उलूखलक + युज्यसे । इह + द्युमत्तमम् + वद + जयताम् + इव + दुन्दुभिः ॥ 1) यच्चिद्धि = यत् + चित् + हि (त् + च → च्च; निपात-संयोग). 2) गृहेगृह = गृहे + गृहे (पुनरुक्ति; वितरणार्थे ‘प्रत्येकस्मिन्’).
- तृतीया-बहुवचन-रूपम्
The meaning
Outer meaning
Even if you, little mortar, are used in every house, here speak the most luminous sound—like the drum of victors.
Inner meaning
The instrument of pressure (ulūkhalaka) is the embodied practice available ‘house after house’—in every ordinary life-situation. The rishi asks it to utter the brightest note: let repetitive effort become revelation. The ‘victory-drum’ is the proclamation of an inner conquest—when the lower nature is steadily worked upon, the sound of practice turns into the announcement of light.
Universal truth
Spiritual practice is not confined to special places. When ordinary actions are consecrated, they can become a victorious rhythm that strengthens courage and clarity in all who hear/feel it.
Themes
Ritual personification, Victory motif, Mantric sound, Soma-ritual
The seer
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 1.28.1-8
Significance
A ‘domestic’ hymn that becomes a spiritual teaching: the commonplace tool is elevated into a symbol of persistent sādhanā, emphasizing integral transformation in ordinary life.
The deity
- Devata
- Ulūkhala (ritual implement) in Indra–Soma context
- Epithets
- dyumattama-vāk (speaker of the most luminous note), jayad-dundubhi-sadṛśa (like the victors’ drum)
- Related deities
- Indra, Soma, Agni
Cosmic role
Serves the Soma-release that feeds Indra; mediates between human effort and divine reception.
Inner power
The power of repetition and pressure that converts inertia into radiance; the ‘sound-body’ of disciplined practice.
In ritual
Where it is used
Accompanies preparation of Soma/offerings; hymn to pressing implement
यच्चि॒द्धि त्वं गृ॒हेगृ॑ह॒ उलू॑खलक यु॒ज्यसे॑ । इ॒ह द्यु॒मत्त॑मं वद॒ जय॑तामिव दुन्दु॒भिः ॥
यत् । चि॒त् । हि । त्वम् । गृ॒हेऽगृ॑हे । उलू॑खलक । यु॒ज्यसे॑ । इ॒ह । द्यु॒मत्ऽत॑मम् । व॒द॒ । जय॑ताम्ऽइव । दु॒न्दु॒भिः ॥
yat | cit | hi | tvam | gṛhe--gṛhe | ulūkhalaka | yujyase | iha | dyumat-tamam | vada | jayatām-iva | dundubhiḥ
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4×8 (with Vedic flexibility)
March-like and proclamatory; suited to ‘drum’ imagery
Energizes confidence and steadiness; helpful for overcoming dullness and procrastination.
- गृहे-गृहे (gṛhe-gṛhe)
- Literal: in house after house. Symbolic: in every life-context; the yoga of daily living
- उलूखलक (ulūkhalaka)
- Literal: little mortar. Symbolic: the humble, repeatable discipline that grinds the ego and frees essence
- युज्यसे (yujyase)
- Literal: you are yoked/used. Symbolic: practice harnessed to purpose; energy put to right work
- इह (iha)
- Literal: here. Symbolic: in the present moment—where realization must occur
- द्यु-मत्तमम् (dyumattamam)
- Literal: most luminous. Symbolic: highest clarity/illumination emerging from the act
- दुन्दुभिः (dundubhiḥ)
- Literal: drum. Symbolic: the resonant affirmation of victory; mantra-sound that rallies the being
- जयताम् इव (jayatām iva)
- Literal: like of those who win. Symbolic: the triumphant tone of conquered obscurity and regained inner kingdom
Soma preparation: a charming addressing of the mortar to sound auspiciously; functions as a benedictory/victory-intonation within the rite.
During pressing/preparatory phases; also adaptable as a household consecration chant
Addressing the mortar; invoking auspicious, victorious resonance
Use before work/study: chant to convert routine into luminous rhythm; set a ‘victory tone’ for the day.
ulū́khalaka is a diminutive of ulū́khala ‘mortar’; affectionate personification typical of Vedic ritual poetics. yujyáse from √yuj ‘yoke’ (PIE *yeug-; cf. Latin iugum, English yoke). dyumát ‘luminous’ from dyú ‘sky, day, light’ (PIE *dyeu-). dundubhí- ‘drum’ is likely sound-symbolic/onomatopoetic; here explicitly linked to proclamation of victory.
instrument as voice of consciousness, victory (jaya) as conquest of inner obstruction, dyu/light as awakened mind
‘House after house’ under ṛta: right habit and right rhythm as spiritual law.
The ‘most luminous utterance’ is truth-sound—speech aligned with inner light.
Sound as creator: the drum-like mantra organizes the being into victorious coherence.
Mantric psychology (Aurobindo): vāc as a force that shapes consciousness when charged by aspiration.
Matter (mortar) becomes conscious instrument; sound becomes the carrier of light; the home becomes the inner altar of transformation.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘instrument becomes herald’ mythologem: the mortar is made a speaking agent that proclaims victory, like a war-drum. Innerly, disciplined work in ordinary life (house after house) can become luminous proclamation when consecrated.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √yuj (yoke) is a strong PIE inheritance (*yeug-). dyu- belongs to the classic PIE *dyeu- ‘sky/daylight’ complex. The verse illustrates how inherited IE lexicon is ritualized into Vedic psychological symbolism.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi addresses a humble tool as a carrier of divine vibration, implying that all embodied faculties can be yoked to the divine work. The ‘devata’ acts through the instrument when it sounds the right (dyumat) note.
Making daily repetition luminous; hearing the ‘victory-drum’ of steady practice.
Vishuddha (sound/utterance) supported by Manipura (will)
Bhrāmarī (gentle) or humming exhale to feel resonance; then chant clearly
Uplifted, confident, rhythmically focused
Choose one daily habit (study, japa, walking). Before it, chant once slowly, then proceed while keeping an inner ‘drumbeat’ of remembrance. Let the sound symbolize inevitable victory over tamas.
Follow Vedic accents; keep clear udatta on emphatic words like dyumattamam and vada as guided by recitational tradition.
Make each pada end clean; do not over-sing—let the ‘drum’ quality come from steady beat, not volume.
gṛhe-gṛha: keep syllables distinct; avoid collapsing the reduplication., ulūkhalaka: long ū; light kh; final -ka clear., dyumattamam: dyu- as ‘dhyu’ glide; geminate tt lightly., dundubhiḥ: retroflex not needed; keep ‘ndu’ cluster clear.
Bright, ringing, declarative—like a victory call without strain.
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