Rig Veda 2.12.5: Mandala 2, Sukta 12, Mantra 5
Sukta 2.12
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Jagatī
- Rasa
- Bhayankara and Shanta (peace)
यं स्मा पृच्छन्ति कुह सेति घोरमुतेमाहुर्नैषो अस्तीत्येनम् । सो अर्यः पुष्टीर्विज इवा मिनाति श्रदस्मै धत्त स जनास इन्द्रः ॥
yáṃ smā pṛcchánti kúha séti ghorám utém ā́hur náiṣó astī́ti enam | só aryáḥ púṣṭīr víja ivā́ mināti śrád asmai dhatta sá janāsa índraḥ ||
लोग पूछते हैं, वो कहाँ है? कुछ लोग बोलते हैं, वो है ही नहीं। पर वो दुश्मन का खाना छीन लेता है, जैसे कोई जुआरी जीता जीता पैसा ले जाता है। ईमानदारी से उसपे भरोसा रखो। लोगों, यह है इन्द्र।
Word by Word
- यम्
- whomPronounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- स्म
- indeed / justIndeclinableनिपातः (अनर्थक/स्मरणार्थक-प्रयोगः)Root स्म (निपात)
- पृच्छन्ति
- they askVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Root प्रच्छ् (पृच्छति)
- कुह
- where?Indeclinableअव्ययम्Role अधिकारण (प्रश्नार्थे)Root कुह (प्रश्नाव्यय)
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- इति
- thusIndeclinableअव्ययम् (वाक्य-समाप्ति/उद्धरणचिह्न)Root इति (उद्धरण-निपात)
- घोरम्
- terrible, formidableAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्Role कर्म (यम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Root घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
- उत
- and / moreoverIndeclinableअव्ययम्Root उत (समुच्चय/उपपद-निपात)
- इम
- this one (him)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्Role कर्म (आहुः इत्यस्य)Root इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- आहुः
- they sayVerbलिट् (परोक्श/परिपूर्ण), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Root अह् (आह) / ब्रू (अर्थे) — वैदिक परिपाट्या “आहुः”
- न
- notIndeclinableअव्ययम्Root न (निषेध)
- एषः
- this (one)Pronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (अस्ति इत्यस्य)Root एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अस्ति
- is / existsVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Root अस्
- इति
- thusIndeclinableअव्ययम्Root इति (उद्धरण-निपात)
- एनम्
- himPronounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्Role कर्म (आहुः/पृच्छन्ति इत्यस्य)Root एतद्/इदम् (एन्-प्रत्ययान्त सर्वनाम-प्रयोगः)
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अर्यः
- the noble one / AryaNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (मिनाति इत्यस्य)Root अर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- पुष्टीः
- prosperities, nourishmentsNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्Role कर्मRoot पुष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
- विजः
- a bird (as) / a swift one (as)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (उपमान-पद) अथवा अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोगे उपमानम्Root विज्/विज (प्रातिपदिक; वैदिक ‘विजः’ = ‘विजः/विजस्’ इव)
- इव
- likeIndeclinableअव्ययम्Root इव (उपमा-निपात)
- मिनाति
- he diminishes / destroysVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Root मि (मिनोति/मिनाति)
- श्रद्
- faith / trustIndeclinableअव्ययम् (श्रद्धा-प्रयोगे)Root श्रद् (निपात; ‘श्रद्धा’ इत्यस्य पूर्वाङ्गम्)
- अस्मै
- to himPronounपुंलिङ्गः, चतुर्थी विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्Role सम्प्रदानRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- धत्त
- place / giveVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपदम्, मध्यमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Root धा
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (अस्ति—अध्याहृत/सम्बन्धः)Root तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- जनासः
- peoples, menNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृ (धत्त इत्यस्य—सम्बोधनार्थे)Root जन (प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्रः
- IndraNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (मिनाति इत्यस्य) / विषयःRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (RV-पदपाठानुसार): यम् । स्म । पृच्छन्ति । कुह । सः । इति । घोरम् । उत । इमम् । आहुः । न । एषः । अस्ति । इति । एनम् । सः । अर्यः । पुष्टीः । विजः । इव । मिनाति । श्रद् । अस्मै । धत्त । सः । जनासः । इन्द्रः ॥ मुख्य-सन्धि-निर्णयाः: (1) सेति = सः + इति (विसर्ग-लोपः, स्वर-सन्धिः)
- (2) उतेमाहुः = उत + इमम् + आहुः (त् + इ → ति; इमम् → इम; पदान्त-समास/सन्धि-प्रयोगः)
- (3) नैषोऽस्तीत्येनम् = न + एषः + अस्ति + इति + एनम् (न + एषः → नैषः; एषः + अस्ति → एषोऽस्ति; अस्ति + इति → अस्तीत्य्)
- (4) श्रदस्मै = श्रद् + अस्मै (व्यञ्जन-सन्धि: द् + अ → द)
The meaning
Outer meaning
People ask, ‘Where is he?’ about the formidable one, and even say, ‘He does not exist.’ Yet he, the Arya, diminishes the adversary’s nourishments like a gambler stripping winnings. Put faith in him: he is Indra.
Inner meaning
Indra is not always evident to the surface mind; in periods of obscurity, the soul doubts the reality of the illumined Power (‘he is not’). But Indra works invisibly: the awakened higher mind-force steadily reduces the ‘nourishments’ (supports, pleasures, energies) of the hostile formations—like a gambler who takes away the opponent’s gains, Indra turns the life-force back from wrong channels. The mantra ends as a direct yogic instruction: place śraddhā (trust, soul-faith) in this hidden helper; faith itself becomes a lever for Indra’s action.
Universal truth
The highest help is often unseen; doubt is natural in darkness, but sustained faith aligns the being with a real transformative power that quietly withdraws energy from destructive patterns.
Themes
Indra’s invisibility/hidden operation, Faith (śraddhā), Diminishing the adversary’s increase
The seer
- Rishi
- Gṛtsamada
- Lineage
- Bhārgava
- Other hymns
- RV 2.12 (refrain-based recognition of Indra), RV 2.26–2.27 (Bhārgava themes of protection and right guidance, thematic)
Family tradition
Bhārgava hymns often combine heroic myth with direct inner counsel; here the counsel is explicit: śraddhā is required when the divine seems absent.
Significance
The rishi addresses the crisis of doubt in sādhanā and affirms an operative but unseen divine Mind-force; this is a key psychological turning-point in the hymn.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Ghora (formidable), Vṛtrahan, Maghavan
- Related deities
- Soma (bliss that supports faith), Agni (will that maintains practice)
Cosmic role
Not only a public victor but a hidden governor who redistributes forces—taking strength away from the hostile and giving it to the seeker.
Inner power
The ‘invisible’ illumined intelligence that undermines adverse habits and restores energy to aspiration; awakens śraddhā.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-stotra in Soma contexts; also suitable for protective recitation when facing fear or skepticism.
यं स्मा॑ पृ॒च्छन्ति॒ कुह॒ सेति॑ घो॒रमु॒तेमा॑हु॒र्नैषो अ॒स्तीत्ये॑नम् । सो अ॒र्यः पु॒ष्टीर्विज॑ इ॒वा मि॑नाति॒ श्रद॑स्मै धत्त॒ स ज॑नास॒ इन्द्र॑: ॥
यम् । स्म॒ । पृ॒च्छन्ति॑ । कुह॑ । सः । इति॑ । घो॒रम् । उ॒त । ई॒म् । आ॒हुः॒ । न । ए॒षः । अ॒स्ति॒ । इति॑ । ए॒न॒म् । सः । अ॒र्यः । पु॒ष्टीः । विजः॑ऽइव । आ । मि॒ना॒ति॒ । श्रत् । अ॒स्मै॒ । ध॒त्त॒ । सः । ज॒ना॒सः॒ । इन्द्रः॑ ॥
yam | sma | pṛcchanti | kuha | saḥ | iti | ghoram | uta | īm | āhuḥ | na | eṣaḥ | asti | iti | enam | saḥ | aryaḥ | puṣṭīḥ | vijaḥ-iva | ā | mināti | śrat | asmai | dhatta | saḥ | janāsaḥ | indraḥ
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4×12
Dialogic opening (questions/denial) followed by a turning assertion and imperative; rhythm mirrors doubt-to-faith conversion.
Carries the listener from uncertainty into grounded trust; the imperative ‘śrad asmai dhatta’ functions as a meditative command.
- कुह सेति (kuha seti)
- Literal: where is he?. Symbolic: the mind’s search for the unseen divine force during inner night
- घोरम् (ghoram)
- Literal: formidable, terrible. Symbolic: the overwhelming power of illumination that is fearsome to ignorance
- नैषो अस्ति (naiṣo astī)
- Literal: he is not. Symbolic: nihilistic doubt, denial born of tamas
- आर्यः (āryaḥ)
- Literal: Arya. Symbolic: the inner nobility aligned to truth; also Indra as champion of the Arya consciousness
- पुष्टीः (puṣṭīḥ)
- Literal: nourishments. Symbolic: supports/energies that feed either the soul’s growth or the adversary’s formations
- विजः इव (vija iva)
- Literal: like a gambler. Symbolic: strategic reversal—reclaiming energies and winnings from the hostile side
- श्रत् धत्त (śrad dhatta)
- Literal: place faith. Symbolic: install śraddhā as a stable inner posture enabling descent of help
Faith-affirmation within Indra hymn; supports śraddhā in ritual efficacy and inner realization
When seeking victory over adversity; psychologically, when faith wavers and inner support feels absent.
Recitation with offering; inwardly, renewal of vow/resolve (saṅkalpa) to continue the inner sacrifice.
A mantra for doubt and ‘dark night’ phases: chant to re-establish faith and to withdraw energy from compulsions.
√pṛcch ‘ask’; ghorá ‘terrible’ from √ghur/ghor semantic ‘frightening’. √mī/min ‘diminish’ (mināti). śrad-dhā: ‘to place faith’ (śrad ‘heart-faith’ + √dhā ‘put’). The verse highlights the ‘hidden’ divinity: denied by some, yet effective.
Śraddhā (faith) as a power enabling realization, Hiddenness of the divine force (denied yet operative)
Faith aligns the individual with Ṛta; denial (‘he is not’) aligns with anṛta and dissolution.
Truth is real even when not perceived; perception is not the measure of being.
Sustaining creation in consciousness: the divine force maintains order by reallocating energies away from hostile growth.
Bridges to Upaniṣadic śraddhā as a prerequisite for knowledge (vidyā) and realization.
night/inner night (implied)
Night = obscurity of consciousness; gambler = strategic reversal of energy-flow; ‘nourishments’ = prāṇic supports feeding formations.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘hidden god’ motif: Indra is questioned and even denied (‘he is not’), yet he acts decisively to strip the adversary’s nourishment. Psychologically, the inner divine will may be unseen by the surface mind, but faith (śraddhā) opens the channel for its effective action.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The collocation śrad + √dhā (‘place faith’) is an archaic formation comparable to IE patterns of ‘put/establish trust’ (PIE *dʰeh₁- ‘put’). The rhetorical device—reporting skeptics’ speech then overturning it by deed—fits archaic hymn polemics.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi instructs the community: do not rely on surface perception that doubts the god; place faith in Indra. The reciprocity is internalized—śraddhā becomes the human contribution that allows Indra to diminish hostile growth and secure the Arya’s advance.
Stabilize śraddhā when the divine seems absent; observe how Indra withdraws energy from adverse patterns.
Anahata (faith/inner reliance) supported by Ajna (illumined guidance).
Slow exhale-lengthening (inhale 4, exhale 8) while repeating ‘śrad asmai dhatta’ mentally; let doubt release on the long exhale.
From tamasic denial to sattvic trust; a quiet but firm inner alignment.
Begin by acknowledging the thought ‘maybe nothing is there’; then shift to felt-sense of a higher clarity above the head/forehead. End with 12 repetitions of ‘śrad asmai dhatta’ as a seal.
Keep interrogative opening with slightly lifted udātta on ‘kúha’ and ‘ghóram’; mark the turning with stronger udātta on ‘só aryáḥ’; imperative ‘śrád asmai dhatta’ should have clear accent and deliberate pacing.
Make a meaningful pause after the denial clause (‘naiṣo astī’); then deliver the assertion and imperative with steadiness.
‘kuha’: short u, aspirate none; keep ‘h’ clear., ‘ghoram’: voiced aspirate gh; do not harden into ‘g’., ‘naiṣo’: keep ai diphthong distinct; ‘ṣ’ retroflex sibilant., ‘śrad’: palatal ś + r conjunct; avoid inserting vowel (not ‘sharad’)., ‘vija iva’: keep ‘vija’ as vi-ja, not ‘vijay’.
Quietly forceful, reassuring; let the ending imperative be warm and unwavering.
12
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