Rig Veda 3.40.3: Mandala 3, Sukta 40, Mantra 3
Sukta 3.40
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
इन्द्र प्र णो धितावानं यज्ञं विश्वेभिर्देवेभिः । तिर स्तवान विश्पते ॥
índra prá no dhitā́vānaṃ yajñáṃ víśvebhir devébhiḥ | tíra stavāna viśpate ||
इन्द्र को पुकारो और कहना कि हमारी पूजा को आगे ले चलो। सारे देवी-देवता उसके साथ हों। रास्ते में जो रुकावटें आएँ, उनको पार करके ले जाओ। इन्द्र सबका मालिक है, वोही इस काम को पूरा करेगा।
Word by Word
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableअव्ययRole (क्रियाविशेषण/उपसर्ग)Root प्र (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- नः
- of us, ourPronounषष्ठी (एन्क्लिटिक), बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- धितावानम्
- well-ordered/established (having been set/placed)Adjective (participial)पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्म (यज्ञम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Root धिता-वत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक); धिता < √धा (धा धारणे/स्थापने) + -त (PPP), + वत्
- यज्ञम्
- sacrifice, ritualNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक) < √यज् (यज देवपूजासंगतिकरणदानेषु)
- विश्वेभिः
- with allAdjective (used substantively)पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole करणRoot विश्व (सर्व/समस्त) (प्रातिपदिक)
- देवेभिः
- with the godsNounपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचनRole करणRoot देव (प्रातिपदिक) < √दिव् (दिव् दीप्तौ)
- तिरः
- across, over; beyondIndeclinableअव्ययRole (क्रियाविशेषण)Root तिरस् (अव्यय/उपपद)
- स्तवान
- praising, the praiserParticiple (agentive)पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृ (अन्तर्निहित क्रिया: ‘स्तौति/स्तवते’)Root स्तवान् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) < √स्तु (स्तु स्तुतौ) + शतृ/शानच् (वेदिक रूप)
- विश्पते
- O lord of the clan/peopleNoun (compound, vocative)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot विश्-पति (समास) (प्रातिपदिक): विश् ‘कुल/जन/विष्टि’ + पति
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (सन्धि-विग्रह): इन्द्र | प्र | नः | धितावानम् | यज्ञम् | विश्वेभिः | देवेभिः | तिरः | स्तवान् | विश्पते । 1) ‘विश्वेभिर्देवेभिः’ = विश्वेभिः + देवेभिः (विसर्ग-सन्धि: ः + द् → र्द्). 2) ‘ति॒र स्त॑वान’ पाठे ‘तिरः स्तवान्’ (अन्त्यः विसर्गः पदान्ते; संहितायां विसर्ग-लोप/रूपान्तरं सम्भवम्). 3) ‘इन्द्र॒’ तथा ‘णो॑/धि॒/तावा॑नं’ इत्यादि स्वरचिह्न संहितापाठानुसारं
- पदपाठे सामान्यतः स्वर-चिह्न पृथक् निर्दिष्ट होते हैं।
The meaning
Outer meaning
A call to Indra to advance and establish the sacrifice together with all the gods, overcoming obstructing forces, as he is praised as the lord of the people/tribe.
Inner meaning
The seeker asks the illumined Mind (Indra) to lead the inner yajña (consecrated self-offering) in harmony with all the divine powers (Viśve Devāḥ: coordinated faculties of the higher nature). The mantra is a push forward of the sādhanā across resistances (coverings, inertia, doubt) so the inner rite can move in a victorious passage—an ordered ascent of consciousness.
Universal truth
True progress is not solitary will-power but a coordinated alignment of all higher forces in us; when the mind turns into an instrument of the Divine and the whole nature consents, the journey crosses resistance and the work becomes steadily victorious.
Themes
Yajna as inner work, Collective divinities, Overcoming obstruction, Leadership of Indra
The seer
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Lineage
- Viśvāmitra (Kauśika lineage)
- Other hymns
- RV 3.1, RV 3.12, RV 3.62 (Gāyatrī mantra), RV 3.53
Family tradition
Royal-seer tradition; a kṣatriya rishi whose hymns emphasize conquest of inner and outer obstacles through divine powers, especially Indra and Agni.
Significance
Viśvāmitra embodies the transition from forceful human aspiration to illumined seership; his Indra hymns often read as a psychology of victory—breaking coverings so the Light can found a stable inner order (ṛta).
The deity
- Devata
- Indra (with Viśve Devāḥ)
- Epithets
- Viśpati (lord of the people/powers), Stavāna (praised/invoked)
- Related deities
- Viśve Devāḥ, Agni, Soma, Bṛhaspati
Cosmic role
Champion of the gods who releases the Light and the Waters, establishes wide space, and leads the divine host in victory over the coverer.
Inner power
Decisive illumination: the mind-force that organizes, commands, and pierces through confusion and inertia, enabling coordinated action of all higher faculties.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-Soma offerings within Soma-yajña sequences (general Indra stotras)
इन्द्र॒ प्र णो॑ धि॒तावा॑नं य॒ज्ञं विश्वे॑भिर्दे॒वेभि॑: । ति॒र स्त॑वान विश्पते ॥
इन्द्र॑ । प्र । नः॒ । धि॒तऽवा॑नम् । य॒ज्ञम् । विश्वे॑भिः । दे॒वेभिः॑ । ति॒र । स्त॒वा॒न॒ । वि॒श्प॒ते॒ ॥
indra | pra | naḥ | dhita-vānam | yajñam | viśvebhiḥ | devebhiḥ | tira | stavāna | viśpate
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4 pādas × ~11 syllables
Forward-driving, martial yet controlled cadence suited for invocation and overcoming resistance.
Builds momentum and confidence; supports a ‘crossing’ movement in the listener—steady push through inner obstruction into widened clarity.
- indra
- Literal: Indra, Vedic deity. Symbolic: Illumined/divine Mind-power that breaks obstructions and leads the ascent
- yajñam
- Literal: sacrifice, rite. Symbolic: Inner offering of works, energies, and attention into the Divine Fire of transformation
- viśvebhir devebhiḥ
- Literal: with all the gods. Symbolic: Integration of all divine faculties (light, will, harmony, truth) acting together
- tiraḥ
- Literal: across, beyond. Symbolic: Crossing over the boundary of limitation/resistance into freer consciousness
- stavāna
- Literal: being praised. Symbolic: Mantric affirmation that strengthens the god-power in the seeker
- viśpate
- Literal: lord of the people/settlement. Symbolic: Master of the embodied collectivity—Indra governing the ‘clan’ of powers in the being
Soma rite: coordinating Indra’s reception with the Viśve Devāḥ; invocation for the successful ‘carrying forward’ of the yajña
During Soma pressing/offerings and Indra praise sections; also adaptable to daily recitation for strength and clarity.
Stotra/śastra-style praise to invite Indra and the All-Gods to empower and ‘carry forward’ the sacrifice.
Use at the start of meditation or work as a sankalpa for integrated effort: ‘Let the higher mind lead my offering beyond resistance.’
dhitá (from √dhā ‘to place, set’ → ‘set firmly’) often shades into ‘set in thought’ via dhī (inspired intelligence). yajñá from √yaj ‘to worship, sacrifice, offer’. víśva ‘all’ from PIE *weyḱ-? (complex; standard IE ‘all’ set), devá from √div ‘to shine’ (PIE *diw-). tíra ‘across’ relates to √tṛ ‘to cross over’ (cf. tīrtha). viśpáti = viś ‘clan/settlement’ + pati ‘lord’ (PIE *pótis).
Rita (right ordering of the yajña as cosmic alignment), Collective harmony of powers (Viśve Devāḥ as totality of luminous functions)
The ‘well-founded’ yajña implies alignment with ṛta—right arrangement of inner movements.
Praise (stuti) is effective when it is true speech aligning mind with the Real.
Establishing the rite as a creative act: ordering the inner cosmos by divine leadership.
Proto-Vedāntic/Vedantic psychology as read by Sri Aurobindo: gods as powers of consciousness.
The ‘crossing’ is a passage from constricted mental-vital nature to widened luminous mind; the sacrifice is the inner fire-process of transformation.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘carrying of the sacrifice’ mythologem: the rite must be led safely across obstructing forces. Indra, as viśpati, marshals the totality of gods (integrated powers) so the yajña crosses beyond limitation into effective realization.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- páti ‘lord’ is PIE *pótis (Greek -pótēs, Latin potis). devá from PIE *diw- ‘shine/sky’. The formula ‘with all the gods’ (víśvebhir devébhiḥ) reflects an inherited IE poetic tendency to invoke a total divine assembly for completeness and success.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi requests governance and forward motion: the human aspiration cannot ‘carry’ the inner yajña alone; Indra is asked to lead it together with the full set of luminous powers. Praise (stava) is the human contribution that sustains the divine action.
Offer the day’s energies into an inner yajña; invite the illumined mind to coordinate all faculties and lead beyond resistance.
ājñā (brow)
Moderate nāḍī-śodhana for 6–12 rounds, then chant on a steady exhale.
Active concentration moving toward lucid, wide awareness.
Before action: pause, recall the ‘well-founded sacrifice’ (clear intention), then chant once or thrice; feel a collective alignment of inner powers, and visualize crossing a threshold into a freer working.
Use Vedic-style udatta/anudatta/svarita as per śākhā; key lifts often fall on divine names (índra) and action verbs (prá, yájñam).
Keep ‘índra’ with a clear initial rise; maintain crisp consonants in clusters (viśvebhir, devebhiḥ).
(viśvebhiḥ): ‘śv’ cluster clean, short ‘i’ at end, (devebhiḥ): avoid ‘devē’; keep ‘e’ pure, (viśpate): ‘śp’ cluster, no extra vowel insertion
Clear, steady, slightly forceful (commanding) without strain.
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