Rig Veda 3.32.1: Mandala 3, Sukta 32, Mantra 1
Sukta 3.32
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
इन्द्र सोमं सोमपते पिबेमं माध्यंदिनं सवनं चारु यत्ते । प्रप्रुथ्या शिप्रे मघवन्नृजीषिन्विमुच्या हरी इह मादयस्व ॥
índra sómaṃ somapate píba imáṃ mā́dhyandinaṃ sávanaṃ cā́ru yát te | praprúthyā śípre maghavann ṛjīṣin vimúcyā hárī ihá mādayasva ||
इंद्र को पुकारा जा रहा है, वो सोम के मालिक हैं। उन्हें कहते हैं कि यह सोम पिएँ, दोपहर का बनाया हुआ, जो उन्हें पसंद है। उनके गाल खिल गए हैं, वो बड़े दाता हैं। अपनी ताकत थोड़ा आराम दे के, यहाँ खुश हो जाओ।
Word by Word
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- सोमम्
- Soma (drink)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
- सोमपते
- O lord of SomaNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot सोमपति (प्रातिपदिक)
- पिब
- drinkVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole (क्रिया)Root पा (धातु)
- इमम्
- thisPronounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (विशेषण-रूपेण सोमम्)Root इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- माध्यंदिनम्
- middayAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (विशेषण-रूपेण सवनम्/सोमम्)Root माध्यंदिन (प्रातिपदिक; मध्यंदिन-सम्बद्ध)
- सवनम्
- pressing; Soma-offeringNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot सवन (प्रातिपदिक)
- चारु
- pleasant; lovelyAdjectiveनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (अव्ययवत् विशेषणम्)Role कर्म (विशेषण-रूपेण सवनम्)Root चारु (प्रातिपदिक)
- यत्
- whichPronounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (सम्बन्धसूचक)Role (सम्बन्ध/यद्-तद्-सम्बन्धः)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- ते
- for you; of youPronounषष्ठी, एकवचन (एन्क्लिटिक)Role सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- प्रप्रुथ्या
- having spread/expanded forthVerbक्त्वा-प्रत्यय (अव्यय), पूर्वक्रियाRole (क्रियाविशेषण; पूर्वकर्म)Root प्र-√प्रथ्/पृथ् (धातु; ‘विस्तार/प्रसार’), क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त रूप (वेदिक)
- शिप्रे
- O (you) of the two jaws/cheeksNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, द्विवचन (इन्द्रस्य ‘शिप्रे’ = गण्डौ/जबडौ)Role सम्बोधनRoot शिप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- मघवन्
- O bountiful oneNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot मघवन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- ऋजीषिन्
- O bearer of the r̥jīṣa (straw/filter); O r̥jīṣinAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot ऋजीषिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- विमुच्य
- having unyoked/releasedVerbल्यप् (अव्यय), पूर्वक्रियाRole (क्रियाविशेषण; पूर्वकर्म)Root वि-√मुच् (धातु)
- हरी
- the two bay steedsNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, द्विवचनRole कर्मRoot हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
- इह
- hereIndeclinableअव्ययRole अधिकरण (देश)Root इह (अव्यय)
- मादयस्व
- rejoice; be exhilaratedVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपदRole (क्रिया)Root √मद् (धातु)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (वेदिक-सन्धि-निरसन): इन्द्र | सोमम् | सोमपते | पिब | इमम् | माध्यंदिनम् | सवनम् | चारु | यत् ते | प्रप्रुथ्या | शिप्रे | मघवन् | ऋजीषिन् | विमुच्य | हरी | इह | मादयस्व । मुख्य-सन्धयः: (1) यत्ते → यत् + ते (व्यञ्जन-सन्धि; त् + त्)
- (2) मघवन्नृजीषिन् → मघवन् + ऋजीषिन् (न् + ऋ → न्-र्/नृ-प्रकारेण संयोग; संहितायां नृ-प्रतीति)
- (3) विमुच्या हरी → विमुच्य + हरी (अव्यय-रूप ‘विमुच्य’ परे पदारम्भे)
- (4) इह मा॑दयस्व → इह + मादयस्व (सन्धि-रहित पदसीमा)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The poet invites Indra, lord of Soma, to drink the delightful midday Soma. Indra is pictured as swelling his cheeks with the draught and then unyoking his two horses/powers to rejoice in the intoxication.
Inner meaning
The seeker calls the illumined Mind (Indra) to drink the Soma of delight distilled in the midday of the sadhana—when aspiration and clarity are strongest. “Cheeks filled” suggests the full reception and assimilation of Ananda into the mental being. “Unyoking the two harī” indicates releasing the dual dynamic energies (often read as thought-force and life-force, or the two currents of prāṇa) from outward impulsion so they can turn inward and participate in the ecstasy of inner sacrifice.
Universal truth
Spiritual progress intensifies when consciousness is gathered at its ‘midday’—a peak moment of clarity. When the higher intelligence fully receives bliss, the restless dual energies can be harnessed, released from compulsion, and made to delight in the inner offering rather than external pursuit.
Themes
Soma-ritual, Indra exhilaration, Empowerment for victory, Invocation at midday pressing
The seer
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Lineage
- Viśvāmitra (Gāthin lineage)
- Other hymns
- RV 3.1, RV 3.2, RV 3.3, RV 3.4, RV 3.32, RV 3.33
Family tradition
Royal-turned-brahmarṣi; hymns often show the conversion of kṣatriya force into mantric vision and spiritual mastery.
Significance
Viśvāmitra embodies tapas-driven ascent: the will and warrior-energy purified into seerhood. In Aurobindonian reading, his Indra hymns are practical mantras for invoking illumined mind and releasing the hidden waters of consciousness.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra (Soma-pati)
- Epithets
- Somapati, Maghavan, Ṛjīṣin, Suśipra (implied by the motif of cheeks)
- Related deities
- Soma, Maruts, Rudras, Agni
Cosmic role
Breaker of the cover (Vṛtra-slayer), releaser of waters and light, establisher of wide space for the gods in the human being.
Inner power
Illuminative intelligence that drinks Ananda and turns it into victorious force (vīrya) and right action.
In ritual
Where it is used
Mādhyandina Soma Savana (midday pressing) in Soma-yāga contexts
इन्द्र॒ सोमं॑ सोमपते॒ पिबे॒मं माध्यं॑दिनं॒ सव॑नं॒ चारु॒ यत्ते॑ । प्र॒प्रुथ्या॒ शिप्रे॑ मघवन्नृजीषिन्वि॒मुच्या॒ हरी॑ इ॒ह मा॑दयस्व ॥
इन्द्र॑ । सोम॑म् । सो॒म॒ऽप॒ते॒ । पिब॑ । इ॒मम् । माध्य॑न्दिनम् । सव॑नम् । चारु॑ । यत् । ते॒ । प्र॒ऽप्रुथ्य॑ । शिप्रे॒ इति॑ । म॒घ॒ऽवन् । ऋ॒जी॒षि॒न् । वि॒ऽमुच्य॑ । हरी॒ इति॑ । इ॒ह । मा॒द॒य॒स्व॒ ॥
indra | somam | soma-pate | piba | imam | mādhyandinam | savanam | cāru | yat | te | pra-pruthya | śipreiti | magha-van | ṛjīṣin | vi-mucya | harī iti | iha | mādayasva
44
4 pādas × ~11 syllables
Strong, forward-driving cadence with room for emphatic invocatory pauses.
Builds uplift and heroic momentum; supports a feeling of gathering force and then release into delight (māda).
- इन्द्र (indra)
- Literal: Indra, king of the gods. Symbolic: Divine Mind; luminous power that conquers obscurity and releases the waters/rays
- सोम (soma)
- Literal: Soma-juice. Symbolic: Divine Bliss/Ananda; nectar of immortal consciousness
- सोमपते (somapate)
- Literal: Lord of Soma. Symbolic: Mastery of bliss-consciousness; capacity to receive and govern Ananda
- माध्यन्दिन सवन (mādhyaṃdina savana)
- Literal: midday pressing. Symbolic: Peak phase of sadhana where illumination is strongest and offering is most potent
- शिप्र (śipra)
- Literal: cheeks/jaws. Symbolic: Powers of reception and assimilation in the mental-vital being
- हरी (harī)
- Literal: two tawny horses. Symbolic: Twin dynamic forces (prāṇic/mental energies) yoked to action; disciplined powers of movement
- मघवन् (maghavan)
- Literal: bounteous one. Symbolic: The giver of inner riches—light, force, joy
- मादयस्व (mādayasva)
- Literal: rejoice, be intoxicated. Symbolic: Enter rapture of Ananda that empowers victorious action
Directly tied to the Mādhyaṃdina-savana (midday Soma pressing) of Soma sacrifices (e.g., Agniṣṭoma), inviting Indra to drink and become empowered.
At the midday libation/pressing, when Indra is especially invoked to drink Soma.
Offering Soma with invitatory recitation; calling Indra to “come, drink, rejoice.”
Use as a midday (or peak-energy) invocation before meditation or focused work: offer the day’s clarity to the higher mind and ask for illumined action.
soma- from √su ‘press’ (outer) and as inner ‘delight’ (mad- field). mādhyandina ‘midday’ marks the second Soma pressing. vi-√muc ‘release/unyoke’ (PIE *mewk- debated; Indo-Iranian well-attested). √mad ‘be intoxicated/exhilarated’ underlies ‘māda’ as ecstasy/bliss.
Soma as ānanda (delight), expansion (prapruthyā), descent of power into the here-and-now (iha)
Indra’s drinking of Soma symbolizes aligning mental force with R̥ta so action becomes true and victorious.
Assimilation of Soma supports truth-seeing (ṛta-cit) rather than impulsive movement.
The ‘pressing’ is a microcosmic creation-act: extracting delight/light from the raw plant = drawing higher essence from nature.
Proto-Vedāntic / integral-psychological reading (Aurobindo-Kashyap): gods as powers of consciousness.
Midday
Midday corresponds to maximum inner lucidity; Soma is distilled joy; horses are mobilized energies that can be unyoked from outward running and turned inward.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Indra’s Soma-drinking before action: the god takes the delight that becomes strength. Innerly, the force of illumination (Indra) is empowered by the nectar of delight (Soma) so it can act victoriously in the human field.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √mad ‘exhilarate/intoxicate’ is an old Indo-Iranian poetic root (cf. Avestan mad-), central to the shared sacral lexicon of ecstasy. The ritual term savana ‘pressing’ preserves archaic sacrificial technology vocabulary.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi offers the precise ‘delightful’ pressing and invites Indra to enter the sacrifice ‘here’, unyoking his powers to participate. The exchange is: offering of Soma-delight → Indra’s intensified presence and action.
Invite the illumined mind to drink the inner nectar; shift from effortful striving to luminous enjoyment that empowers action.
Ājñā (illumined mind) with support from Anāhata (joy)
Gentle kumbhaka after inhale (2–4 counts) while inwardly offering ‘Soma’ (felt sweetness/peace) to the brow-center.
From active concentration → bright stillness with uplifted joy (ānanda with force).
Chant once to gather; pause; feel the ‘midday clarity’ in the head; then mentally ‘unyoke the horses’ by relaxing compulsive thoughts and restless prāṇa, letting delight spread through the system.
Use standard Rigvedic accenting: preserve udatta on marked syllables; svarita on falling tones; anudatta as unraised background (consult śākhā-specific notation if available).
Keep clear stress on invocatory vocatives: índra / somapate; avoid flattening the cadence at pāda ends—let the triṣṭubh fall be audible.
Maintain retroflex ṛ in ṛjīṣin without adding a vowel., (harī): long ī; do not shorten., : articulate -dhy- cluster cleanly (mā-dhyan-di-nam)., : keep śi- crisp; avoid ‘si’.
Bright, calling tone at the start; warmer, fuller resonance on ‘mādayasva’.
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