Rig Veda 1.32.5: Mandala 1, Sukta 32, Mantra 5
Sukta 1.32
- Rishi
- गृत्समदः शौनकः
- Devata
- इन्द्रः
- Chandas
- त्रिष्टुप्
- Rasa
- Raudra (fury) and Vira (heroism)
अहन्वृत्रं वृत्रतरं व्यंसमिन्द्रो वज्रेण महता वधेन । स्कन्धांसीव कुलिशेना विवृक्णाहिः शयत उपपृक्पृथिव्याः ॥
áhan vṛtráṃ vṛtrátaraṃ vyàṃsam índro vájreṇa mahatā́ vadhéna | skándhāṃsīva kúliśenā vívṛkṇā́híḥ śáyata upapṛ́k pṛthivyā́ḥ ||
इंद्र ने वृत्र को वज्र से मारा, बड़े ज़ोर से। वो साँप जैसे किसी ने कुल्हाड़ी से कंधा काट दिया हो, वैसे ही टूट के ज़मीन पर गिर गया। रोका हुआ पानी आज़ाद हो गया।
Word by Word
- अहन्
- he slewVerbलुङ् (aorist), परस्मैपद, प्रथम्-पुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot हन् (√हन्)
- वृत्रम्
- VṛtraNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot वृत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- वृत्रतरम्
- the more Vṛtra-like / the mightier VṛtraAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (वृत्रम् इति विशेषणम्)Role कर्मRoot वृत्रतर (वृत्र + तर)
- व्यम्सम्
- sprawling, outstretchedAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (वृत्रम् इति विशेषणम्)Role कर्मRoot व्यम्स (प्रातिपदिक; ‘विकृत/विस्रस्त/विकट’ इत्यर्थे, RV-प्रयोगः)
- इन्द्रः
- IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- वज्रेण
- with the thunderboltNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करणRoot वज्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- महता
- great, mightyAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (वज्रेण/वधेन इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role करणRoot महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- वधेन
- with a blow / with slaughterNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करणRoot वध (प्रातिपदिक)
- स्कन्धांसि
- shouldersNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot स्कन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
- इव
- like, asIndeclinableउपमा-अव्ययम्Role (उपमान-सूचक)Root इव
- कुलिशेन
- with an axe / cleaverNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करणRoot कुलिश (प्रातिपदिक)
- विवृक्णाः
- cut off, hewnAdjective (Participle)बहुवचन, प्रथमा (स्त्री/पुं-समासानुसार; स्कन्धांसि इत्यर्थे ‘छिन्नानि’ भावः)Role (कर्म-विशेषणम्)Root वि-√व्रश्च्/√वृक् (कृदन्त-धातु; RV में ‘काटना/छेदन’), कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक: विवृक्ण
- अहिः
- the serpent (Vṛtra)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ/विषय (शयते इत्यस्य)Root अहि (प्रातिपदिक)
- शयते
- liesVerbलट् (present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथम्-पुरुष, एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot शी (√शी)
- उपपृक्
- clinging to, in contact withAdjective (Kṛdanta)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (अहिः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृ-विशेषणम्Root उप-√पृच् (धातु; ‘संयोग/संसर्ग’), कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक: उपपृक्
- पृथिव्याः
- of the earthNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (उपपृक्-सम्बन्धः)Root पृथिवी (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: अहन् | वृत्रम् | वृत्रतरम् | व्यंसम् | इन्द्रः | वज्रेण | महता | वधेन | स्कन्धांसि | इव | कुलिशेन | विवृक्णाः | अहिः | शयते | उपपृक् | पृथिव्याः । 1) ‘अहन्’ = √हन् लुङ् (अोरिस्ट) 3sg. 2) ‘स्कन्धांसीव’ = स्कन्धांसि + इव (इव-आद्यस्वर-सन्धिः)
- 3) ‘कुलिशेना’ = कुलिशेन + (इति पदान्त ‘अ’/प्रगृह्य-प्रयोगः; संहितायां दीर्घ/स्वर-प्रभावः)
- 4) ‘विवृक्णाहिः’ = विवृक्णाः + अहिः (विसर्ग/स्वर-सन्धिः; संहितायां ‘आ’ दीर्घः)
- 5) ‘उपपृक्पृथिव्याः’ = उपपृक् + पृथिव्याः (व्यञ्जन-सन्धिः: क् + प्)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra smote Vṛtra, the most Vṛtra-like, the spreader-out, with the thunderbolt in a great slaying; like shoulders cut by an axe the serpent lay torn, clinging low upon the earth.
Inner meaning
Indra’s vajra is the decisive luminous cognition that strikes the ‘vṛtratara’—the obstruction that is obstruction itself: a pervasive, spreading inertia (vyaṃsam) that diffuses energy and prevents ascent. The result is a collapse of the coiled resistance: it is ‘hewn’ like severed shoulders—its supports are cut—so the obstructive force can no longer stand in the being and falls into the lowest level (pṛthivī: the physical consciousness).
Universal truth
When true discernment cuts the structural supports of ignorance, even a pervasive resistance loses coherence and collapses to its base; obstruction is not negotiated with—it is dismantled at its joints.
Themes
Indra’s decisive slaying, Obstruction collapsed to the lower nature, Cleaving/discrimination symbolism
The seer
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada Śaunaka
- Lineage
- Śaunaka (later tradition)
- Other hymns
- RV 2.11, RV 2.12, RV 2.16
Family tradition
His poetic style often intensifies epithets (vṛtratara) to mark psychological depth: not just an enemy but the essence of obstruction.
Significance
He depicts the mechanics of victory: not merely striking the serpent, but cutting its ‘shoulders’—the supporting structures of ignorance—an instruction for radical inner change.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Vajrin, Vṛtrahan, Mahāvīra (great hero, by sense)
- Related deities
- Maruts (supporting energies), Agni (will-fire that prepares the victory), Soma (delight that empowers)
Cosmic role
Champion who releases blocked powers and re-establishes the flow of waters and lights.
Inner power
Force of illumined mind that can execute a decisive ‘cut’ through tamas and dispersion.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra victory stotra in Soma liturgy; praise of Vṛtrahan in warrior/royal contexts (protective, success).
अह॑न्वृ॒त्रं वृ॑त्र॒तरं॒ व्यं॑स॒मिन्द्रो॒ वज्रे॑ण मह॒ता व॒धेन॑ । स्कन्धां॑सीव॒ कुलि॑शेना॒ विवृ॒क्णाहि॑: शयत उप॒पृक्पृ॑थि॒व्याः ॥
अह॑न् । वृ॒त्र॑म् । वृ॒त्र॒ऽतर॑म् । विऽअं॑सम् । इन्द्रः॑ । वज्रे॑ण । म॒ह॒ता । व॒धेन॑ । स्कन्धां॑सिऽइव । कुलि॑शेन । विऽवृ॑क्णा । अहिः॑ । श॒य॒ते॒ । उ॒प॒ऽपृक् । पृ॒थि॒व्याः ॥
ahan | vṛtram | vṛtra-taram | vi-aṃsam | indraḥ | vajreṇa | mahatā | vadhena | skandhāṃsi-iva | kuliśena | vi-vṛkṇā | ahiḥ | śayate | upa-pṛk | pṛthivyāḥ
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4 x ~11
Heavy, hammering beats; strong caesurae that mimic blows and chopping cuts.
Evokes firmness and ‘cutting through’; helpful when the mind is scattered or procrastinating.
- वृत्र (vṛtra)
- Literal: the coverer/obstructor. Symbolic: subconscient resistance that blocks flow of light and joy
- वृत्रतरम् (vṛtrataraṃ)
- Literal: more Vṛtra-like, most obstructive. Symbolic: the densest, most essential knot of resistance
- व्यंसम् (vyaṃsam)
- Literal: spreading out, diffusing. Symbolic: tamasic dispersion that scatters will and attention
- वज्रेण (vajreṇa)
- Literal: with the thunderbolt. Symbolic: luminous discrimination; mind’s divine weapon
- महता वधेन (mahatā vadhena)
- Literal: with a great slaying. Symbolic: major irreversible inner breakthrough
- कुलिश (kuliśa)
- Literal: axe. Symbolic: cutting power that severs false supports/habits
- पृथिव्याः (pṛthivyāḥ)
- Literal: of/on the earth. Symbolic: physical consciousness; the lowest plane where resistance collapses when defeated
Heroic Indra verses in Soma praise; supports the ritual’s inner aim: removal of obstruction so the offerings and lights can flow
During Indra-focused recitations, especially where ‘release’ and ‘victory’ are thematically invoked.
Offerings with praise; inner action: identify dispersion, gather force, execute one decisive renunciation.
Chant when facing strong inertia/addiction-like loops; pair with a concrete ‘axe-cut’ action (remove trigger, simplify environment).
: from √ (to cover, obstruct), hence ‘coverer’. -: likely from √/? here as ‘spreading/extended’; semantically a being that ‘occupies’ and prevents wideness. : cleaver/axe; in Vedic imagery parallels vajra as a cleaving power. : upa- + √/√ ‘to be in contact, cling’, indicating the fallen obstruction pressed to the lower plane (pṛthivī).
breaking of the ‘cover’ (vṛtra) to allow wideness (bṛhat), restoration of Ṛta through decisive force
Vṛtra’s diffusion violates Ṛta by scattering forces; Indra’s cut restores ordered flow.
Satya acts as force (vajra) when mind aligns with truth rather than compromise with tamas.
Collapse of obstruction allows the re-emergence of structured worlds/planes; defeat pushes resistance down to the base.
Aurobindonian psychological cosmology: planes (heaven/earth) as states of consciousness; battle as inner evolution.
Lightning = sudden insight; axe = deliberate severing; serpent = coiled habit-force; earth = physical layer where inertia is felt most concretely.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The climactic slaying: Vṛtra is struck and left torn apart, fallen upon Earth. Inner sense: the obstructing formation that held back expansion is cleft; the lower nature no longer supports the serpent-force, which becomes inert and pressed down.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The combat formula and weapon imagery correspond to IE heroic diction (storm-god vs. dragon). The semantics of ‘covering/obstructing’ (vṛtra) and ‘striking’ (√) align with inherited verbal and mythic patterns of overcoming a constricting adversary to restore cosmic order.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi’s utterance is a proclamation of accomplished victory, strengthening faith (śraddhā) in Indra’s capacity to cleave inner obstruction. By naming and vividly imaging the defeat, the hymn functions as a mantric reinforcement for the seeker’s own battle.
One-pointed ‘vajra-buddhi’: choose one false support (excuse, fear, attachment) and cut it cleanly; then feel the stillness in the body.
maṇipūra (decisive will) and mūlādhāra (tamas knot)
Brisk, controlled exhale on ‘ahan vṛtraṃ…’; after chanting, 9 slow breaths into the lower belly to stabilize the ‘fallen serpent’ in the physical.
Forceful tapas; ‘warrior stillness’ after action.
Do not multiply battles. Strike once, thoroughly: reduce dispersion (vyaṃsam) by simplifying tasks, then apply one decisive inner ‘no’.
Triṣṭubh; give strong udātta emphasis to ‘indro’, ‘vajreṇa’, ‘mahatā’, ‘ahan’.
Make the second hemistich more ‘chopping’ in delivery, matching the kulisha imagery; keep clear internal pauses.
‘vṛtrataraṃ’—keep both retroflex ṛ and clear double t., ‘skandhāṃsīva’—nasalization on āṃ should be light, not overdone., ‘kuliśenā’—ś is palatal; avoid retroflex ṣ., ‘upapṛk’—cluster pṛk: keep ṛ short and crisp.
Firm, percussive, controlled; avoid harshness in throat.
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