Rig Veda 3.31.4: Mandala 3, Sukta 31, Mantra 4
Sukta 3.31
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
अभि जैत्रीरसचन्त स्पृधानं महि ज्योतिस्तमसो निरजानन् । तं जानतीः प्रत्युदायन्नुषासः पतिर्गवामभवदेक इन्द्रः ॥
abhí jaitrī́r asacanta spṛdhānáṃ máhi jyótiḥ támaso nír ajānan | táṃ jānatī́ḥ práty udā́yann uṣā́sāḥ pátir gávām abhavad éka índraḥ ||
जीतने वाली शक्ति ने दुश्मन पे दबाव डाला। अंधेरे से बड़ा उजाला बाहर लाया। डॉन्स, उसे जान के, उससे मिलने उठी। इंद्र अकेला उन सब का मालिक बन गया।
Word by Word
- अभि
- towards, uponIndeclinableउपसर्ग (क्रियायोगे) / अव्ययRoot अभि (उपसर्ग)
- जैत्रीः
- the victorious (fem.), the conquering onesAdjective (used substantively) / Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot जैत्री- (प्रातिपदिक; √जि ‘to conquer’ से) अथवा जैत्र- ‘victorious’
- असचन्त
- they joined/attached (themselves)Verbलुङ् (aorist), परस्मैपद, 3 पुरुष, बहुवचनRoot √सच् (सचँ/सच्) ‘to accompany, join, attach’
- स्पृधानम्
- the rival/contender (one)Adjective / Nounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot स्पृधान- (प्रातिपदिक; √स्पृध् ‘to contend, rival’)
- महि
- greatly, mightilyIndeclinableअव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण)Root महि (अव्यय; महत्- से)
- ज्योतिः
- light, radianceNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot ज्योतिस्- (प्रातिपदिक)
- तमसः
- from darknessNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचनRole ApādānaRoot तमस्- (प्रातिपदिक)
- निरजानन्
- they brought forth/produced (out)Verbलुङ् (aorist), परस्मैपद, 3 पुरुष, बहुवचनRoot √जन् (जनँ) ‘to be born; to produce’ + नि: (उपसर्ग) → ‘to bring forth, generate out’
- तम्
- himPronounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot तद् (सर्वनाम)
- जानतीः
- knowing (fem. pl.), the knowing onesParticiple (adjectival) / Nounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (वर्तमान सक्रिय कृदन्त)Role KartāRoot √ज्ञा (ज्ञा) ‘to know’ → जानत् (वर्तमान कृदन्त)
- प्रति
- towards, in responseIndeclinableअव्ययRoot प्रति (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- उदायन्
- rising, coming forthVerb (participle) / Kṛdantaपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; शतृ (वर्तमान सक्रिय कृदन्त) — ‘rising/coming forth’Root √या (या) ‘to go’ + उद् (उपसर्ग) → उद्-आ-या ‘to go up/come forth’
- उषासः
- the DawnsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot उषस्- (प्रातिपदिक)
- पतिः
- lord, masterNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (of ‘अभवत्’) / विधेयRoot पति- (प्रातिपदिक)
- गवाम्
- of the cowsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive) / षष्ठी-सम्बन्धRoot गो- (प्रातिपदिक)
- अभवत्
- became, wasVerbलुङ्/अorist (अभवत् as injunctive/aorist form in Vedic usage), परस्मैपद, 3 पुरुष, एकवचनRoot √भू (भू) ‘to be, become’
- एकः
- alone, singleAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole विशेषण (इन्द्रस्य) / Kartā-विशेषणRoot एक- (प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्रः
- IndraNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole Kartā (of ‘अभवत्’)Root इन्द्र- (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution (pada-wise): जैत्री॑र्+असचन्त → जैत्रीः असचन्त (final -र् before vowel; visarga in pada)
- ज्योति॒स्+तम॑सः → ज्योतिः तमसः (s-final → visarga before t-)
- निर॑जानन् is niḥ + ajānan (upasarga + aorist of √जन्)
- प्रत्युदा॑यन्+उषासः → प्रति उदायन् उषासः (pra-ti + ud-ā-ya- participle; sandhi in saṃhitā gives praty-)
- पति॒र्+गवा॑म् → पतिः गवाम् (final -र् before g-; visarga in pada)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The conquering powers pressed upon the challenger and brought out the great Light from darkness. The Dawns, knowing him, rose to meet him; Indra alone became the lord of the cows (rays).
Inner meaning
The victorious inner forces (jaitrīḥ—powers of the soul and disciplined energies) attack the resisting opponent (spṛdhānam—the rival, the obstruction in consciousness). From the darkness (tamas) they bring out the great Light (mahi jyotis): the hidden illumination released when resistance is overcome. The Dawns (uṣāsaḥ—successive awakenings) rise in recognition of that illumined consciousness. Indra, the one sovereign Mind of revelation, becomes ‘patir gavām’—master of the rays of knowledge (go), organizing and possessing the light that was previously concealed.
Universal truth
When the inner battle is met with steadfast aspiration and disciplined force, illumination emerges from obscurity; true knowledge dawns repeatedly, and the illumined mind becomes sovereign over the scattered rays of understanding.
Themes
light vs darkness, dawn-revelation, Indra as lord of rays, victory
The seer
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Lineage
- Kauśika (traditional)
- Other hymns
- RV 3.30 (Indra’s victory themes), RV 3.31 (Angiras cycle), RV 3.34
Family tradition
Warrior-seer tradition: conquest (jaya) imagery transposed into inner victory—release of Light and establishment of Indra’s sovereignty.
Significance
Viśvāmitra’s mantras often portray illumination as a recovered treasure: the Light is not created anew but brought out from concealment by inner conquest.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra (with Uṣas as attending powers)
- Epithets
- eka (the one, sovereign), patir gavām (lord of the rays), jetr̥ (conqueror—implied)
- Related deities
- Uṣas, Agni, Soma, Bṛhaspati
Cosmic role
Breaker of obstructions; releaser of light and waters; king of the luminous Mind that governs perception and victory.
Inner power
Illumined intelligence that strikes through confusion, organizes the rays of knowledge, and leads the being to expansive clarity.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra invocations in Soma and victory-related offerings (general Śrauta context)
अ॒भि जैत्री॑रसचन्त स्पृधा॒नं महि॒ ज्योति॒स्तम॑सो॒ निर॑जानन् । तं जा॑न॒तीः प्रत्युदा॑यन्नु॒षास॒: पति॒र्गवा॑मभव॒देक॒ इन्द्र॑: ॥
अ॒भि । जैत्रीः॑ । अ॒स॒च॒न्त॒ । स्पृ॒धा॒नम् । महि॑ । ज्योतिः॑ । तम॑सः । निः । अ॒जा॒न॒न् । तम् । जा॒न॒तीः । प्रति॑ । उत् । आ॒य॒न् । उ॒षसः॑ । पतिः॑ । गवा॑म् । अ॒भ॒व॒त् । एकः॑ । इन्द्रः॑ ॥
abhi | jaitrīḥ | asacanta | spṛdhānam | mahi | jyotiḥ | tamasaḥ | niḥ | ajānan | tam | jānatīḥ | prati | ut | āyan | uṣasaḥ | patiḥ | gavām | abhavat | ekaḥ | indraḥ
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4 × ~11 syllables
Martial yet luminous; a pressure-and-release movement matching ‘pressing upon’ and ‘bringing out’.
Energizes resolve, then opens into brightness; helpful for breaking mental heaviness.
- जैत्रीः (jaitrīḥ)
- Literal: conquering (feminine plural). Symbolic: victorious soul-powers; effective energies of sādhanā
- स्पृधानम् (spṛdhānam)
- Literal: the challenger/rival. Symbolic: the resisting force—ego, inertia, subconscient obstruction
- महि ज्योतिः (mahi jyotiḥ)
- Literal: great light. Symbolic: large illumination; revelation-consciousness
- तमसः (tamasaḥ)
- Literal: from darkness. Symbolic: ignorance, inertia, subconscient cover
- उषासः (uṣāsaḥ)
- Literal: dawns. Symbolic: successive awakenings; openings of illumination
- गवाम् (gavām)
- Literal: of the cows. Symbolic: rays of knowledge; luminous perceptions
- एकः इन्द्रः (ekaḥ indraḥ)
- Literal: Indra alone. Symbolic: the single sovereign illumined Mind that rules the lights
Indra/Uṣas thematic complex: used to invoke emergence of light and victory over darkness; appropriate to dawn-pressings and victory petitions.
When invoking Indra for overcoming obstacles and for the ‘release’ of boons (light, strength).
Recitation alongside offerings; mentally ‘pressing’ the obstruction and calling forth clarity.
Use when facing confusion or discouragement: chant as a ‘breakthrough’ mantra to summon illumination and inner courage.
jyotis from √dyut ‘shine’ (PIE *dyew- field). tamas ‘darkness’ (PIE *temH- ‘dark’). uṣas ‘dawn’ (PIE *h₂éwsōs; cf. Greek Ēōs, Latin Aurora). pátī ‘lord’ from PIE *pótis. The ‘cows’ (gāvaḥ) again function as rays of light/knowledge.
revelation of jyotis from tamas, unity of the victorious power (eka indraḥ), illumination as lordship over rays (pati gāvām)
The great Light is the sign of Ṛta emerging when obstruction is conquered.
Truth is experienced as illumination (jyotis) that becomes governable (patir gavām).
Revelation as uncovering: light drawn out from hiddenness rather than invented.
Yoga of revelation (Indra as illumined mind); aligns with Aurobindo’s ‘recovery of the hidden Sun’ motif.
Dawn
From night of ignorance to successive dawns of insight; the mind becomes master of luminous perceptions.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The emergence of the great Light from darkness—an archetypal Vedic cosmogonic-victory scene. Indra becomes ‘lord of the cows’ (rays/knowledges) as the Dawns recognize and rise to him, indicating the stabilization of illumination after the conquest.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- uṣas (PIE *h₂éwsōs) is a prime Indo-European dawn goddess reflex; pátir (PIE *pótis) is an inherited lordship term. The verse preserves an IE mythic grammar: dawns rising to the victorious sky-power who establishes light.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi narrates the divine process as an inner model: victorious forces press the obstruction and bring out jyotis. The seeker aligns with this revelation by ‘knowing’ (jānatīḥ) the power; knowledge-recognition is itself part of the dawning.
Visualize a compact knot of darkness in the mind; on each recitation, apply ‘pressure’ with steady will until a clear light opens behind it.
Ajna (illumination) supported by Manipura (force to overcome)
4-4-6 breathing (inhale-hold-exhale) lightly; exhale with the sense of ‘nir ajānan’—drawing light out.
From effortful concentration to luminous clarity and confident guidance.
When a problem loops in thought, chant slowly, then sit in silence for the ‘dawns’—successive insights—without forcing conclusions.
Maintain clear udātta rises on key action words (asacanta, nir ajānan, ud āyan) per śākhā; keep the caesura after each pāda.
abhi jaitrīr | asacanta spṛdhānam || mahi jyotis | tamaso nir ajānan ||
: ‘jaitrīḥ’ with long ī, : ‘spṛ-dhā-nam’ (ṛ as vocalic r), : ‘jyo-tiḥ’, : ‘u-ṣā-saḥ’ retroflex ṣ
Firm, bright, victorious; open the vowels on ‘mahi jyotiḥ’.
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