Rig Veda 3.35.5: Mandala 3, Sukta 35, Mantra 5
Sukta 3.35
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
मा ते हरी वृषणा वीतपृष्ठा नि रीरमन्यजमानासो अन्ये । अत्यायाहि शश्वतो वयं तेऽरं सुतेभिः कृणवाम सोमैः ॥
mā́ te hárī vṛ́ṣaṇā vīta-pṛ́ṣṭhā ní rīraman anyá-yajamānāso anyé | aty-ā́yāhi śáśvato vayáṁ te 'ráṁ sutébhiḥ kṛṇavāma sómaiḥ ||
इंद्र, दूसरे लोग जो पूजा करते हैं वो तुम्हारे दो तान के घोड़े को रोके नहीं रखेंगे। वो घोड़े ताकतवाले हैं और उनका सीना चौड़ा है। तुम उन सब से आगे निकल के हमारे पास आते रहो। हम तुम्हारे लिए सोम रस तैयार रखते हैं।
Word by Word
- मा
- do notIndeclinableनिषेधार्थक अव्यय (prohibitive particle)Root मा (निषेध) / mā́
- ते
- of you / to youPronounषष्ठी/चतुर्थी एकवचन (enclitic)Role सम्बन्ध (gen./dat. relation)Root युष्मद्
- हरी
- the two bay horsesNounपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा द्विवचनRole कर्तृRoot हरि-
- वृषणा
- the two vigorous/strong onesAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा द्विवचन (हरी इति विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृ (हरी-विशेषणम्)Root वृषण-
- वीतपृष्ठा
- having the (well-)girt backs / well-harnessed-backedAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा द्विवचन (हरी इति विशेषणम्)Role कर्तृ (हरी-विशेषणम्)Root वीत-पृष्ठ- (वीत + पृष्ठ)
- नि
- down, away (as preverb)Indeclinableउपसर्ग/निपातRoot नि
- रीरमन्
- may they not leave/abandon (us); may they not turn awayVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपद, 3 पुरुष, द्विवचन (हरी-विषयक)Role कर्तृ (हरी), कर्म (अभिप्रेतं: अस्मान्/यज्ञम्)Root रम् (ram) [causative/intensive: रीरम-]
- अन्ययजमानासः
- other sacrificersNoun (compound) / Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (रीरमन् इत्यस्य हेतु/प्रतियोगी)Root अन्य- + यजमान-
- अन्ये
- other (people)Pronoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (अन्ययजमानासः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Root अन्य-
- अत्य
- over, beyond; forth (as preverb)Indeclinableउपसर्ग (आ-याहि इत्यत्र)Root अति
- आ
- towards, hither (as preverb)Indeclinableउपसर्गRoot आ
- याहि
- come!Verbलोट्, परस्मैपद, 2 पुरुष, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (त्वम् = इन्द्रः), अधिकरण/गन्तव्य (अस्मान्/यज्ञम् implicit)Root या (yā)
- शश्वतः
- always, continuallyAdverbial (from adjective) / Indeclinable useअव्ययीभाववत् क्रियाविशेषण-प्रयोगः (नित्यं/सदा)Root शश्वत्
- वयम्
- wePronounप्रथमा बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (कृणवाम)Root अस्मद्
- ते
- for youPronounचतुर्थी एकवचन (enclitic)Role सम्प्रदानRoot युष्मद्
- अरम्
- duly, sufficiently, properlyIndeclinableक्रियाविशेषण (पर्याप्तम्/यथेष्टम्)Root अरम्
- सुतेभिः
- with the pressed (draughts)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया बहुवचनRole करणRoot सुत- (√सु / √सु- ‘to press’ > ‘pressed’)
- कृणवाम
- let us make/doVerbलोट्/विधिलिङ्-सम्भाव्य (वेदे प्रार्थनार्थ), परस्मैपद, 1 पुरुष, बहुवचनRole कर्तृ (वयम्), कर्म (अभिप्रेतं: स्तोमं/यज्ञं/तर्पणम् implicit)Root कृ (kṛ)
- सोमैः
- with soma (draughts)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया बहुवचनRole करणRoot सोम-
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धि-निरसन): मा | ते | हरी | वृषणा | वीतपृष्ठा | नि | रीरमन् | अन्य-यजमानासः | अन्ये || अति-आ | याहि | शश्वतः | वयम् | ते | अरम् | सुतेभिः | कृणवाम | सोमैः । विशेषाः: (1) तेऽरम् = ते + अरम् (स्वर-सन्धि/अवग्रह)
- (2) अत्याया॑हि = अति + आ + याहि (उपसर्ग-संयोगः; इकारस्य यकारादेशः: अति + आ → अत्य + आ)
- (3) अन्यज॑मानासो = अन्य-यजमानासः (समास/पदसंयोगः; RV पाठे -ओ बहुवचन-प्रथमा वैदिक-रूपः)
- (4) नि री॑रमन्: नि-उपसर्गः + रीरमन् (√रम्-धातोः वैदिक-प्रयोगः; द्विवचन-आज्ञार्थः हरी-विषयकः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
The poet asks that no other worshippers detain Indra’s two powerful tawny horses; Indra should pass beyond them and come repeatedly to this sacrifice, where abundant pressed Soma is prepared for him.
Inner meaning
The “two tawny ones” (harī) are Indra’s dynamic powers—illumined life-force and swift mind-force—that carry the Divine Mind toward the seeker. “Other sacrificers” symbolize competing impulses, lesser desires, or rival thought-currents that try to divert the descending illumination. The rishi prays that Indra’s powers not be held by these distractions, but come constantly to the inner yajña. The “pressed Soma” is the distilled delight born of aspiration and inner purification; offering it “rightly” (aram) means harmonizing will, thought, and feeling so illumination can act without obstruction.
Universal truth
Spiritual progress depends on calling the highest light repeatedly, refusing diversion by lesser attractions, and making the inner being ready—through concentrated aspiration and purified delight—for the descent of clarity and power.
Themes
Invocation, Soma-ritual, Overcoming rival claims, Preparation of offering
The seer
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Lineage
- Gāthina
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 3.33, Rig Veda 3.34, Rig Veda 3.35, Rig Veda 3.36
Family tradition
Kṣatriya-seer who embodies the transformation of power into spiritual illumination; a key voice of the Indra-centered psychology of conquest over obstruction.
Significance
Viśvāmitra’s Indra hymns often depict the disciplined calling of higher light against competing forces; his vision stresses steadfast recurrence (śaśvataḥ) of the divine help until the inner kingdom is secured.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Vṛṣan (the Mighty), Hari-vāhana (he who is borne by the tawny ones), Maghavan (the Bountiful)
- Related deities
- Agni, Soma, Maruts, Uṣas
Cosmic role
Breaker of the cover (Vṛtra), establisher of luminous order, releaser of the rays (go) and the waters (āpaḥ).
Inner power
Divine Mind and illumined intelligence that arrives with swift energies, overpasses distractions, and organizes the inner sacrifice toward victory.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-Soma offering within Soma-yajña sequences (general Indra-stotra usage)
मा ते॒ हरी॒ वृष॑णा वी॒तपृ॑ष्ठा॒ नि री॑रम॒न्यज॑मानासो अ॒न्ये । अ॒त्याया॑हि॒ शश्व॑तो व॒यं तेऽरं॑ सु॒तेभि॑: कृणवाम॒ सोमै॑: ॥
मा । ते॒ । हरी॒ इति॑ । वृष॑णा । वी॒तऽपृ॑ष्ठा । नि । री॒र॒म॒न् । यज॑मानासः । अ॒न्ये । अ॒ति॒ऽआया॑हि । शश्व॑तः । व॒यम् । ते । अर॑म् । सु॒तेभिः॑ । कृ॒ण॒वा॒म॒ । सोमैः॑ ॥
mā | te | harī iti | vṛṣaṇā | vīta-pṛṣṭhā | ni | rīraman | yajamānāsaḥ | anye | ati-āyāhi | śaśvataḥ | vayam | te | aram | sutebhiḥ | kṛṇavāma | somaiḥ
44
4 pādas of ~11 syllables each
Forward-driving, martial yet controlled cadence; suited to invocation and decisive movement.
Builds momentum and aspiration; supports a felt ‘arrival’ of force and clarity in the listener.
- हरि (harī)
- Literal: the two tawny horses of Indra. Symbolic: twin dynamic powers carrying illumination: swift mind-force and vital force disciplined to the light
- वृषणा (vṛṣaṇā)
- Literal: two mighty/bull-like. Symbolic: irresistible strength of the illumined powers
- वीतपृष्ठा (vītapṛṣṭhā)
- Literal: broad-backed in their going. Symbolic: vast support and endurance of the divine energies in action
- यजमानासः अन्ये (yajamānāso anye)
- Literal: other sacrificers. Symbolic: rival movements in the psyche seeking to appropriate energy/attention
- अत्यायाहि (atyāyāhi)
- Literal: overpass and come. Symbolic: transcend lower pulls; decisive turning of consciousness to the higher
- सुत (suta) / सुतेभिः (sutebhiḥ)
- Literal: pressed (Soma). Symbolic: delight extracted by inner pressure of tapas and aspiration
- सोम (soma)
- Literal: Soma-juice. Symbolic: divine Ananda nourishing the illumined mind
- अरम् (aram)
- Literal: rightly, sufficiently, in due measure. Symbolic: right arrangement of the inner offering; harmonious preparedness
Soma pressing invitation; competitive calls of different yajamānas are ritually real, but inwardly signify rival pulls on the consciousness—prayer for Indra’s force to choose this offering of right preparedness (aram).
During Soma pressing and invitation (āvāhana) to Indra; recited to draw the deity swiftly to the offering.
Calling Indra’s approach; presenting pressed Soma as hospitality.
Use when attention is scattered: chant to withdraw energy from distractions and invite steady illumination into meditation or work.
(dual of vṛṣan- ‘bull, potent’; from √vṛṣ ‘to rain, to be strong/virile’ → force that pours). (vīta- ‘gone/advanced’ + pṛṣṭha ‘back’; ‘having a strong back/support in motion’). - (ati- ‘over, beyond’ + ā-√yā ‘come’). (indecl.; ‘fit, ready’; linked to √ar ‘fit, join’/notion of proper adjustment). (ppp of √su ‘press’). (Soma from √su ‘press’; inner: extracted delight-essence).
adhikāra (fitness/readiness implied by aram), steadfast aspiration against dispersion (other yajamānas = distractors)
“Aram” implies right measure and right arrangement—an inner ṛta in the offering so the divine power can act.
Truthful discernment that refuses rival claimants on the inner energies.
The descent of luminous power is conditioned by prepared delight (soma) and ordered will (yajña).
Proto-Vedāntic / Integral (Aurobindonian) reading: gods as powers of consciousness acting in the inner sacrifice.
Horses = mobilized life-energy and mind-speed; Soma = distilled bliss that attracts and sustains illumination.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘choice of the god’ mythologem: Indra’s steeds must not be held by other callers; Indra is urged to ‘cross over’ and come here. Psychologically, the aspirant asks that the illumined force not be diverted by competing desires/ritual claims but be drawn to the prepared stream of delight.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √yā ‘go/come’ (āyāhi) is PIE *h₁ey-/*h₂ey- ‘go’ (cf. Greek eimi ‘I go’). vṛṣan- as ‘bull/virile’ aligns with Indo-European storm/strength imagery; the semantic field ‘rain/strength’ is typical of IE poetics.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi asserts an exclusive inner claim by readiness (aram) and right offering (suta soma). The devatā’s freedom is acknowledged—he can be ‘detained’ elsewhere—yet persuasion is made through the promise of a fuller, properly prepared delight.
Call the illumined mind-force to overpass distractions and settle in the heart-offering of delight.
ājñā (illumined mind) and anāhata (heart-offering of Soma/Ananda)
4-4-6 breathing (inhale-hold-exhale) while repeating the key call ‘atyāyāhi… śaśvataḥ’ to stabilize attention.
Gathered, aspiring, victorious clarity.
Before chanting, identify the ‘other sacrificers’ as specific distractions. Offer them into Agni (will), then invoke Indra’s harī as disciplined speed and luminous force; end by resting in a felt sweetness (soma) in the chest.
Triṣṭubh with Vedic accents distributed across key invocatory words; keep udatta clear on the main calling verbs and deity markers (e.g., te, harī, atyāyāhi, soma).
Sustain udatta slightly higher; let svarita glide down; keep anudatta unforced—avoid flattening the line’s forward drive.
(harī): long ī, not ‘hari’ short, (vṛṣaṇā): retroflex ṛ; ṣ; long ā at end, (vītapṛṣṭhā): pṛ with vocalic ṛ; ṣṭh cluster clean, (atyāyāhi): articulate tyā; lengthen ā, (somaiḥ): ai diphthong; visarga as light breath
Clear, summoning, slightly forceful but not strained.
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