Rig Veda 1.32.3: Mandala 1, Sukta 32, Mantra 3
Sukta 1.32
- Rishi
- गृत्समदः शौनकः
- Devata
- इन्द्रः
- Chandas
- त्रिष्टुप्
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
वृषायमाणोऽवृणीत सोमं त्रिकद्रुकेष्वपिबत्सुतस्य । आ सायकं मघवादत्त वज्रमहन्नेनं प्रथमजामहीनाम् ॥
vṛṣāyámāṇo ’vṛṇīta sómaṃ trikádrukeṣv apibat sutásya | ā sā́yakaṃ maghávā́ datta vájram áhann enaṃ prathamajā́m áhīnām ||
इंद्र ने सोम पिया, वो भी तीन बार निचोड़ के। फिर उसने अपना हथियार उठाया, वज्र पकड़ा। उसने साँप जैसी पहली ताकत को मार दिया जो रास्ता रोक रही थी।
Word by Word
- वृषायमाणः
- acting like a bull; raging (Indra)Verb (participle)प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग (कर्तरि वर्तमान कृदन्तः)Role कर्तृRoot वृषाय (धातु; वृष्/वृषभ-भावे, ‘वृषायते’)
- अवृणीत
- choseVerbलुङ् (अorist), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot वृ (वृणोति/वृणुते ‘choose’)
- सोमम्
- Soma (juice)Nounद्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्गRole कर्मRoot सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
- त्रिकद्रुकेषु
- in the Trikadrukas (three pressing-places)Noun (locative phrase)सप्तमी विभक्ति, बहुवचन, पुल्लिङ्गRole अधिकरणRoot त्रिकद्रुक (प्रातिपदिक; त्रि+कद्रुक)
- अपिबत्
- drankVerbलङ् (imperfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot पा (पिबति ‘drink’)
- सुतस्य
- of the pressed (Soma)Adjective/Noun (genitive qualifier)षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्गRole सम्बन्धRoot सु (धातु ‘press out’) → सुत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
- आ
- to; forth; up (preverb)Indeclinableउपसर्गः (गत्यर्थ/आगमन-सम्प्राप्त्यर्थ)Root आ (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- सायकम्
- missile; dartNounद्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्गRole कर्मRoot सायक (प्रातिपदिक)
- मघवा
- the bountiful one (Indra)Noun (epithet)प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्गRole कर्तृRoot मघवन् (प्रातिपदिक; इन्द्र-विशेषण)
- अदत्त
- gave; took up (bestowed/assumed)Verbलुङ् (aorist), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot दा (ददाति ‘give’)
- वज्रम्
- the thunderboltNounद्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्गRole कर्मRoot वज्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- अहन्
- slew; struck downVerbलुङ् (aorist), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot हन् (हनति ‘smite, slay’)
- एनम्
- himPronounद्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्गRole कर्मRoot एतद्/इदम्-प्रत्ययात्मक सर्वनाम (enam)
- प्रथमजाम्
- the first-born (one)Adjective (used substantively)द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्ग (जाम् = -ām)Role कर्मRoot प्रथमजा (प्रातिपदिक; प्रथम+जा ‘first-born’)
- अहीनाम्
- of the serpents (Ahi-s)Nounषष्ठी विभक्ति, बहुवचन, पुल्लिङ्गRole सम्बन्धRoot अहि (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: वृषायमाणः | अवृणीत | सोमम् | त्रिकद्रुकेषु | अपिबत् | सुतस्य || आ | सायकम् | मघवा | अदत्त | वज्रम् | अहन् | एनम् | प्रथमजाम् | अहीनाम् || 1) वृषायमाणोऽवृणीत = वृषायमाणः + अवृणीत (अः + अ → ‘ओऽ’)
- 2) त्रिकद्रुकेष्वपिबत् = त्रिकद्रुकेषु + अपिबत् (उ + अ → व्-अगमः: ‘ष्व’)
- 3) मघवादत्त = मघवा + अदत्त (आ + अ → दीर्घ/सन्धि-समासरूपेण ‘आ’ लोपः/संयोगः; पदपाठे पृथक्)
- 4) वज्रमहन्नेनम् = वज्रम् + अहन् + एनम् (म् + अ → म; अहन् + एनम् में संयोग)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra, swelling with bull-like force, chooses Soma and drinks it at the triple pressing; then he takes up the missile and the thunderbolt and strikes down the first-born of the obstructing serpents.
Inner meaning
The illumined Mind (Indra) gathers increasing power (vṛṣāyamāṇaḥ) by choosing and drinking Soma—inner Ananda that intensifies consciousness—at the ‘three pressings’ (a stable triple rhythm of sādhanā: aspiration–rejection–surrender / knowledge–will–delight). Empowered, the seeker’s decisive force (vajra) is taken up and the primal obstruction (prathamajā ahīnām: first-born coiling resistance of the subconscient) is struck, opening the blocked channels for light.
Universal truth
When consciousness deliberately chooses delight (Soma) and repeatedly assimilates it through disciplined practice, the mind gains an unshakable force that can break the earliest, deepest patterns of resistance; liberation begins with the defeat of the ‘first-born’ obstruction in the roots of habit-energy.
Themes
Vṛtra-slaying, Soma-empowerment, Divine weapon (vajra), Inner battle: Knowledge vs Ignorance
The seer
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada Śaunaka
- Lineage
- Śaunaka (Bhr̥gu-Aṅgiras stream, as preserved in later tradition)
- Other hymns
- RV 2.12, RV 2.13, RV 2.14, RV 2.20
Family tradition
Gṛtsamada is a principal seer of Maṇḍala 2; in the Anukramaṇī he is linked with a lineage of inspired poets whose hymns emphasize Indra’s victory and the right ordering of inner and outer life.
Significance
Gṛtsamada’s Indra-vision highlights the psychology of conquest: Soma (delight) first, then vajra (decisive illumination) against the oldest resistances—an archetype for inner transformation rather than mere mythic battle.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Maghavā (the Bounteous), Vṛṣan (the Bull), Vajrin (Wielder of the thunderbolt)
- Related deities
- Agni, Soma, Uṣas, Sūrya, Bṛhaspati
Cosmic role
Breaker of the Coverer; releaser of the waters/light; establisher of wide heaven and ordered movement.
Inner power
Illuminated Mind and heroic will that, strengthened by Ananda (Soma), pierces ignorance and frees the streams of consciousness.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-Soma offerings within Soma-yajña sequences (general Indra stotra usage)
वृ॒षा॒यमा॑णोऽवृणीत॒ सोमं॒ त्रिक॑द्रुकेष्वपिबत्सु॒तस्य॑ । आ साय॑कं म॒घवा॑दत्त॒ वज्र॒मह॑न्नेनं प्रथम॒जामही॑नाम् ॥
वृ॒ष॒ऽयमा॑णः । अ॒वृ॒णी॒त॒ । सोम॑म् । त्रिऽक॑द्रुकेषु । अ॒पि॒ब॒त् । सु॒तस्य॑ । आ । साय॑कम् । म॒घवा॑ । अ॒द॒त्त॒ । वज्र॑म् । अह॑न् । ए॒न॒म् । प्र॒थ॒म॒ऽजाम् । अही॑नाम् ॥
vṛṣa-yamāṇaḥ | avṛṇīta | somam | tri-kadrukeṣu | apibat | sutasya | ā | sāyakam | maghavā | adatta | vajram | ahan | enam | prathama-jām | ahīnām
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4 pādas of ~11 syllables each
Strong, forward-driving, martial cadence suited to heroic action and decisive turns.
Builds inner momentum; the listener feels a rising force culminating in the ‘vajra’ удар—useful for energizing and clearing mental inertia.
- वृषायमाणः (vṛṣāyamāṇaḥ)
- Literal: growing bull-like, swelling in strength. Symbolic: expanding spiritual force; the mind becoming a ‘bull’ of luminous power
- सोम (soma)
- Literal: Soma drink. Symbolic: divine Ananda/bliss; nectar of widened consciousness
- त्रिकद्रुकेषु (trikadrukeṣu)
- Literal: in the three pressings/seats. Symbolic: triple inner sacrifice; repeated assimilation across three planes or three movements of yoga
- सुतस्य (sutasya)
- Literal: of the pressed/expressed (Soma). Symbolic: delight made conscious and available through tapas and offering
- सायकम् (sāyakam)
- Literal: missile, arrow. Symbolic: directed intention; pointed will of discrimination
- वज्र (vajra)
- Literal: thunderbolt. Symbolic: Indra’s luminous discernment-force that shatters covering
- प्रथमजाम् (prathamajām)
- Literal: first-born. Symbolic: original root-knot of obstruction in the subconscient
- अहीनाम् (ahīnām)
- Literal: of serpents. Symbolic: coiling, inertial powers that constrict consciousness
Soma-pressing context (general Somayāga usage; recited in Indra-invocations connected with the Vajra/Vṛtra motif, especially within Indra-stotras of Soma rites)
During Soma pressing and Indra invocations; also as praise in recitation cycles for victory and release.
Offering of Soma with stotra/śastra; mental ‘offering’ of delight and will in inner yajña.
Use before demanding work or meditation to invoke clarity and courage: ‘choose Soma’ (inner delight) then apply ‘vajra’ (decisive discrimination) to a specific blockage.
: from √ (to be strong, to rain/impel, bull-force) + intensive/participial formation ‘-’ indicating waxing/energizing; suggests the gathering of virile dynamis. : aorist middle of √ (to choose, select), indicating an inward assent/appropriation of Soma. : from √/√ (press, extract; also ‘to impel’ in extended sense), hence ‘pressed essence’; psychologically the extracted delight-power. : tri- ‘three’ + kadruka (traditional Soma-pressing designation); in inner sense, threefold station of preparation (body-life-mind or three planes of consciousness). : from √/√ (to be strong; to strike), the hard, decisive force; not merely weapon but concentrated luminous will. : aorist of √ (to smite), the decisive overcoming of the covering. : ‘serpent’ from PIE *h₁éngʷʰis? (cf. Latin anguis), symbolically the coiling constriction of consciousness; ‘’ plural genitive indicates a class of obstructing formations.
Ṛta (right order restored by the slaying of obstruction), inner sacrifice (Soma as distilled consciousness), victory of light-force over constriction
Indra’s act restores Ṛta by breaking the primal cover that distorts the flow of the waters (inspiration, life, joy).
Truth becomes effective only after the ‘first-born’ obstruction is struck; then the mind can hold Satya without distortion.
Release of blocked powers precedes manifestation of higher light; victory enables new birth of order in consciousness.
Proto-Vedāntic / integral psychological reading (Aurobindonian): gods as powers of consciousness and yajña as inner transformation.
Soma = bliss-substance; thunderbolt = lightning of insight; serpent = coiled inertia; triple pressing = repeated inner extraction of delight across levels (body–life–mind) or threefold yoga movement.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The empowerment-and-slaying sequence of the Vṛtra cycle: Indra drinks Soma (acquires intensified force/conscious delight), then takes up missile and vajra, and strikes the primordial serpent-obstruction. Inner sense: the yogic/psychic being first concentrates delight-force (Soma) and then applies a decisive luminous will (vajra) to break the earliest knot of subconscient constriction.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- ‘serpent’ aligns with Indo-European ‘snake’ lexemes (cf. Latin anguis), supporting a shared dragon/serpent adversary motif across IE traditions. √ ‘to smite’ has IE parallels for striking/killing verbs in heroic formulae. The formula ‘Soma-drinking → weapon-taking → dragon-slaying’ reflects inherited Indo-European poetic architecture: acquisition of sacred drink/strength followed by combat victory.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The seer presents Indra not as an external storm-god only, but as an indwelling power of victorious consciousness. The implied reciprocity is: the human side prepares/presses Soma (distilled aspiration and delight), and the divine power, strengthened by that offering, acts within to cleave the first obstruction—restoring Ṛta and opening the path for further releases (light, waters, wideness).
‘Choose Soma’—enter the felt sense of quiet joy, then apply a single pointed will (vajra) to one recurring inner obstruction.
maṇipūra (will/fire) with support from ājñā (discernment)
Moderate pace: inhale on ‘vṛṣāyamāṇo…’, exhale on ‘…avṛṇīta somaṃ’; a slightly sharper exhale on ‘vajram ahan’ to embody the strike.
Energized clarity (sattva with heroic tapas).
First cultivate Ananda as fuel; avoid fighting from dryness. Identify the ‘first-born’ pattern (oldest habit), name it, and meet it with calm, bright decisiveness rather than agitation.
Triṣṭubh recitation with standard udātta/anudātta/svarita per pada; emphasize udātta peaks on key action words (e.g., somaṃ, vajram, ahan).
Let the cadence rise through the first hemistich (Soma choosing/drinking) and land firmly on ‘vājram… ahan’. Pause lightly at the danda (|) for breath and meaning.
Keep retroflex ṛ in vṛṣāyamāṇaḥ and trikadrukeṣu clear; avoid turning ṛ into ri., Differentiate ś/ṣ/s: vṛṣā- has ṣ (retroflex)., Pronounce ‘maghavā’ with clear gh aspiration; do not harden into ‘g’., In ‘ahann enam’, keep double n (ahan + enam) smooth with light nasal continuity.
Bright, steady, heroic; avoid shouting—let force come from clarity.
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