Rig Veda 10.44.2: Mandala 10, Sukta 44, Mantra 2
Sukta 10.44
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
सुष्ठामा रथः सुयमा हरी ते मिम्यक्ष वज्रो नृपते गभस्तौ । शीभं राजन्त्सुपथा याह्यर्वाङ्वर्धाम ते पपुषो वृष्ण्यानि ॥
suṣṭhāmā́ ráthaḥ su-yámā hárī te mimyákṣa vájro nṛpate gábhastau | śībháṃ rājann su-páthā yāhy arvā́ṅ vardhā́ma te papúṣo vṛ́ṣṇyāni ||
इंद्र की रथ बिल्कुल स्ट्रॉन्ग है, उसके दो घोड़े भी अच्छे से चलते हैं। उसके हाथ में वज्र है, वो पक्का है। हे राजा, जल्दी आओ, अच्छा रास्ता लो और हमारे पास आओ। जब तुम सोम पियोगे, तुम्हारी ताकत बढ़ती है।
Word by Word
- सु॒ष्ठामा॒
- well-standing, firmly setAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (रथः इति विशेषणम्)Role Kartā (रथः-सम्बद्धः)Root सु- + स्थामन् (प्रातिपदिक) < √स्था
- रथः
- the chariotNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole KartāRoot रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
- सु॒यमा॒
- well-reined, well-controlledAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन (हरी इति विशेषणम्)Role Kartā (हरी-सम्बद्धः)Root सु- + यम (प्रातिपदिक) < √यम्
- हरी
- the two bay steedsNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचनRole KartāRoot हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
- ते
- of you / yourPronounषष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root युष्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- मिम्यक्ष
- has become ready/has been set (in place)Verbलिट् (परोक्ष), 3 पुरुष, एकवचनRole KriyāRoot √म्यक्स्/म्यच् (वेदिक; ‘to be fixed/firm, to be set in motion/ready’)
- वज्रः
- the thunderboltNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (मिम्यक्ष इत्यस्य)Root वज्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- नृपते
- O lord of menNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole SambodhanaRoot नृपति (प्रातिपदिक)
- गभस्तौ
- in the hand/graspNounपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (वेदिक द्विवचन-रूपसदृशम्)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot गभस्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
- शीभम्
- swiftlyAdverb (indeclinable use of neut. acc.)अव्ययवत् (नपुंसक-एकवचन-आकृतिः)Role Kriyā-viśeṣaṇaRoot शीभ (प्रातिपदिक)
- राजन्
- O kingNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole SambodhanaRoot राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- सुपथा
- by a good pathAdverbial (instr.)नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (मार्गेण इत्यर्थे)Role KaraṇaRoot सु- + पथ (प्रातिपदिक)
- याहि
- goVerbलोट्, 2 पुरुष, एकवचनRole KriyāRoot √या
- अर्वाङ्
- hither, toward usIndeclinable/Adverbअव्ययRole Kriyā-viśeṣaṇaRoot अर्वाञ्च् (प्रातिपदिक)
- वर्धाम
- may I increase / strengthenVerbलोट्, 1 पुरुष, एकवचनRole KriyāRoot √वृध्
- ते
- for youPronounचतुर्थी, एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- पपुषः
- of you who have drunk (Soma)Participle (perfect) used adjectivallyपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (ते इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root √पा (पिबति) → पपुष् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
- वृष्ण्यानि
- manly powers, heroic strengthsNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole KarmaRoot वृष्ण्य (प्रातिपदिक) < वृषन्
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (वेदिक-सन्धि-निरसन): सु॒ष्ठामा॒ | रथः | सु॒यमा॒ | हरी | ते | मि॒म्यक्ष॒ | वज्रः | नृपते | गभस्तौ | शीभम् | राजन् | सुपथा | याहि | अर्वाङ् | वर्धाम | ते | पपुषः | वृष्ण्यानि । विशेषम्: (1) ‘राजन्त्सुपथा’ → ‘राजन् सुपथा’ (न् + स् संयोगे पदसंहिता-रूपम्). (2) ‘याह्यर्वाङ्’ → ‘याहि अर्वाङ्’ (इ + अ संधिः). (3) ‘वर्धाम ते’ पदसंहिता में ‘वर्धाम ते’ ही। (4) ‘मिम्यक्ष’ लिट्-रूपः (वेदिक), अर्थे ‘स्थिर/सज्ज’ इत्यादि
- पाठभेद/धात्वनिश्चय परम्परानुसार भिन्न व्याख्या सम्भव।
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra’s chariot is well-founded, his two steeds well-guided; his thunderbolt is firm in his grasp. He is asked to come swiftly by good paths toward us; we increase his heroic powers as he drinks.
Inner meaning
The mantra describes the divine instrumentation for victorious action. The ‘chariot’ is the formed vehicle of consciousness (organized mind-life) stable in its base (suṣṭhāmā). The ‘two steeds’ (harī) are the dual dynamic energies—thought-force and life-force, or will and execution—well-yoked and rightly directed (suyamā). The vajra in the grasp is decisive discrimination that shatters obstruction. The seeker asks Indra to arrive swiftly through ‘good paths’ (supathā): right movements of thought, speech, and action. As Indra ‘drinks’ (soma), i.e., as joy/ānanda is offered and received, the heroic power (vṛṣṇyāni) in the being increases.
Universal truth
Rightly yoked energies and a stable inner vehicle allow illumination to act decisively. When joy is offered to the higher power, strength grows naturally and action becomes swift and true.
Themes
invocation, equipment of Indra, swift descent of power, increase through soma
The seer
Significance
A technical yogic image: the divine power needs a well-built ‘ratha’ (adhāra/vehicle) and well-yoked energies—suggesting inner preparation as the condition for descent of force.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- nṛpati (lord of men), rājan (king), vajra-dhṛt (holder of the thunderbolt—implied)
- Related deities
- Soma, Maruts, Agni
Cosmic role
Royal leader of the luminous gods; commander in the battle for light; establisher of right paths.
Inner power
Mastery over energies; swift execution; discrimination that cleaves confusion; power increased by delight (soma).
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-soma offering hymnic praise (stuti) and invitation
सु॒ष्ठामा॒ रथ॑: सु॒यमा॒ हरी॑ ते मि॒म्यक्ष॒ वज्रो॑ नृपते॒ गभ॑स्तौ । शीभं॑ राजन्त्सु॒पथा या॑ह्य॒र्वाङ्वर्धा॑म ते प॒पुषो॒ वृष्ण्या॑नि ॥
सु॒ऽस्थामा॑ । रथः॑ । सु॒ऽयमा॑ । हरी॒ इति॑ । ते॒ । मि॒म्यक्ष॑ । वज्रः॑ । नृ॒ऽप॒ते॒ । गभ॑स्तौ । शीभ॑म् । रा॒ज॒न् । सु॒ऽपथा॑ । आ । या॒हि॒ । अ॒र्वाङ् । वर्धा॑म । ते॒ । प॒पुषः॑ । वृष्ण्या॑नि ॥
su-sthāmā | rathaḥ | su-yamā | harī iti | te | mimyakṣa | vajraḥ | nṛ-pate | gabhastau | śībham | rājan | su-pathā | ā | yāhi | arvāṅ | vardhāma | te | papuṣaḥ | vṛṣṇyāni
44
4 × ~11 syllables; descriptive first half, imperative second half
Well-knit and ‘rolling’ like a chariot; then a quick imperative turn (ā yāhi arvāṅ).
Stabilizes and organizes the will; then energizes swift, clean movement toward a goal.
- रथः (rathaḥ)
- Literal: chariot. Symbolic: Vehicle/formation of consciousness enabling action
- हरी (harī)
- Literal: two tawny steeds of Indra. Symbolic: Twin dynamic energies (mental and vital) yoked to the divine will
- वज्रः (vajraḥ)
- Literal: thunderbolt. Symbolic: Decisive illumined force that breaks the Coverer/resistance
- सुपथा (supathā)
- Literal: by good paths. Symbolic: Right inner movements; disciplined channels of progress
- शीभम् (śībham)
- Literal: swiftly. Symbolic: Unhesitating execution when clarity is present
- पपुषः (papuṣo)
- Literal: as you have drunk/drinking. Symbolic: Reception of Soma-bliss; assimilation of delight into power
Soma invitation and praise of Indra’s equipment; inwardly, aligning the seeker’s ‘vehicle’ and channels for the descent/ascent of force
During soma libations to Indra; also as a preparatory call before strenuous ritual segments
Praise of Indra’s equipment and request for swift approach; offering soma to augment divine power in the rite
Use before beginning a project: ‘yoke the horses’ (align energies), then invoke swift right action.
ratha as inner vehicle recurs widely: the organized movement of force. su-pathā indicates right channels (nāḍī-like imagery in later traditions, but here ‘right ways’). vajra is the concentrated will-force. √vṛdh ‘increase’ is the growth of Indra’s might through soma (papuṣaḥ), i.e., through the offered delight/essence.
right paths (su-pathā), stability and guidance of energies
Supathā indicates ṛta as the true route; wrong paths dissipate energy.
Vajra as truth-force: decisive clarity that does not waver.
Power grows by delight: soma as creative nourishment of the gods within the human field.
Integral/psychological Vedism: instruments (ratha/harī) as inner faculties needing right yoking.
Chariot = embodied system; horses = prāṇa and thought-energy; lightning = sudden illumination; path = neural/psychic channel of right movement.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The epiphany of Indra as the arriving warrior-king with chariot, steeds, and vajra—mythic armament recast as inner instrumentation for breaking obstruction and moving by ‘good paths’ toward the human field.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- vajra is Indo-Iranian (cf. Avestan vazra-). √vṛdh (vardhāma) continues PIE *werdh- ‘grow’ (cf. English worth in distant semantic development; German werden ‘to become’).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi ‘feeds’ Indra’s might through soma: a reciprocity—human offering increases divine force, and the strengthened divine force arrives swiftly to act for the human ascent and victory.
Align the ‘vehicle’ and ‘steeds’: stabilize posture and yoke attention + life-force to a single divine intention; then call decisive clarity (vajra).
Maṇipūra (drive) + Svādhiṣṭhāna (vital flow) harmonized under Ājñā (direction)
3 rounds: inhale ‘suṣṭhāmā rathaḥ’, exhale ‘suyamā harī te’; then chant full verse on one steady breath cycle.
Collected dynamism—stable base with swift readiness.
Before chanting, set one ‘supathā’ rule: no impulsive deviation; act only from the aligned center. Offer a moment of gratitude/joy as ‘soma’ to feed the force.
Follow Vedic accents; raise on ‘índra’ (implied by context) and key nouns (rathaḥ, harī, vajraḥ).
First two pādas descriptive—keep even; third pāda command ‘ā yāhi arvāṅ’ slightly quicker; final pāda broaden on ‘vardhāma’.
suṣṭhāmā: retroflex ṣṭh cluster; keep long ā in -thā-, suyamā: ‘ya’ clear, long ā, mimyakṣa: pronounce -kṣa- as kṣ, not ‘ksa’, śībham: long ī; avoid ‘shibham’ short i
Clear, forward, rhythmic like hoofbeats; avoid harshness—kingly steadiness.
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