Rig Veda 3.41.4: Mandala 3, Sukta 41, Mantra 4
Sukta 3.41
- Rishi
- Gāthin Viśvāmitra
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
रारन्धि सवनेषु ण एषु स्तोमेषु वृत्रहन् । उक्थेष्विन्द्र गिर्वणः ॥
rārандhi sávaneṣu ṇa eṣú stómeṣu vṛtrahan | uktheṣv índra girvaṇaḥ ||
इंद्र, हम तुम्हे बुला रहे हैं। सोम का जूस निकल रहा है, हम गाना गा रहे हैं। तुम जो दुश्मन को मारते हो, हमारी तरफ देखो। जो लोग तुम्हे बुलाते हैं उनपे अपनी खुशी बरसाओ। हमें भी अपनी शक्ति से भर दो।
Word by Word
- रा॒र॒न्धि
- grant; bestow; make availableVerbलोट् (imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचनRole (क्रिया) —Root √रन्ध् (randh) / रन्धयति
- सव॑नेषु
- in the pressings (Soma-pressings)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचनRole अधिकरणRoot सवन- (prātipadika)
- नः
- of us; for usPronounषष्ठी (genitive), बहुवचन (enclitic)Role सम्प्रदान (हित/लाभ-सम्बन्धः) / सम्बन्धRoot अस्मद् (pronominal stem)
- ए॒षु
- in thesePronounपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचनRole अधिकरणRoot एतद् (pronominal stem)
- स्तोमे॑षु
- in the praises; in the hymnsNounपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचनRole अधिकरणRoot स्तोम- (prātipadika)
- वृत्रहन्
- O Vṛtra-slayerNoun (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot वृत्रहन्- (prātipadika; epithet of Indra)
- उ॒क्थेषु
- in the recitations (ukthas)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचनRole अधिकरणRoot उक्थ- (prātipadika)
- इ॒न्द्र
- O IndraNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot इन्द्र- (prātipadika)
- गिर्वणः
- O praised by songs (song-praised)Adjective/Noun (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot गिर्वणस्- (prātipadika; epithet)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: रारन्धि | सवनेषु | नः | एषु | स्तोमेषु | वृत्रहन् | उक्थेषु | इन्द्र | गिर्वणः । विशेषः: उक्थेष्विन्द्र = उक्थेषु + इन्द्र (सवर्णदीर्घ/यण्-सन्धि-प्रकारः; पदान्त -षु + इ- आरम्भः → -ष्वि-).
- नः एषु इति पदद्वयम् पृथक् (enclitic pronoun + demonstrative)
The meaning
Outer meaning
A prayer to Indra to grant riches/joy in the Soma-pressings, hymns, and recitations; invoking him as Vṛtrahan (slayer of Vṛtra) and Girvaṇaḥ (delighted in song).
Inner meaning
The seeker asks the illumined Mind-Power (Indra) to become actively present in every stage of the inner yajña: in the ‘pressings’ (distillations of consciousness), in the formed hymns (stoma: structured aspiration), and in the spoken word (uktha: articulate mantra). Indra’s victory over Vṛtra is the breaking of inner obstruction—habitual darkness and subconscious resistance—so that delight and plenitude can descend into the system.
Universal truth
When aspiration is offered repeatedly—through practice, speech, and concentrated inner work—the higher intelligence responds by breaking limiting patterns and establishing a felt abundance of clarity and joy in life.
Themes
Vṛtra-slaying, Soma-pressing, Power of hymn, Divine reciprocity
The seer
- Rishi
- Gāthin Viśvāmitra
- Lineage
- Viśvāmitra (Kauśika lineage; traditional attribution)
- Other hymns
- RV 3.41.1-8, RV 3.62.10 (Gāyatrī mantra; Viśvāmitra tradition), RV 3.53 (selected Viśvāmitra hymns)
Family tradition
Third Maṇḍala: hymns of the Viśvāmitras, marked by dynamic aspiration and the psychology of conquest over inner obstruction.
Significance
Viśvāmitra embodies the rishi as spiritual warrior: the will to transform nature by invoking Indra’s illumination and Agni’s leading force; his mantras emphasize effective descent of power into human speech and action.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Vṛtrahan, Girvaṇaḥ, Śavasas pati (lord of force), Maghavan (bountiful)
- Related deities
- Agni, Soma, Bṛhaspati, Uṣas
Cosmic role
Bringer of the luminous heaven into the human; breaker of the obstructing powers; opener of the ‘cows’ (rays) and the waters (flows of consciousness).
Inner power
Illuminating intelligence allied with courage and decisive action—clarity that actively removes inner knots, not merely contemplates them.
In ritual
Where it is used
Soma-yajña (pressing/chant cycle) and Indra-invocation in offering sequences
रा॒र॒न्धि सव॑नेषु ण ए॒षु स्तोमे॑षु वृत्रहन् । उ॒क्थेष्वि॑न्द्र गिर्वणः ॥
र॒र॒न्धि । सव॑नेषु । नः॒ । ए॒षु । स्तोमे॑षु । वृ॒त्र॒ह॒न् । उ॒क्थेषु॑ । इ॒न्द्र॒ । गि॒र्व॒णः॒ ॥
rarandhi | savaneṣu | naḥ | eṣu | stomeṣu | vṛtrahan | uktheṣu | indra | girvaṇaḥ
44
4 pādas × ~11 syllables
Driving, martial-forward cadence suited to invocation and breakthrough.
Builds a sense of upward pressure and victorious insistence; supports will, confidence, and clarity during recitation.
- रारन्धि (rārandhi)
- Literal: grant, bestow; make us possess. Symbolic: establish in us a stable possession of delight/force; make the attainment effective, not momentary
- सवनेषु (savaneṣu)
- Literal: in the pressings (Soma pressings). Symbolic: in repeated inner extractions/distillations—meditative intensifications where essence is drawn out
- स्तोमेषु (stomeṣu)
- Literal: in hymns/praises. Symbolic: in organized aspiration and thought-forms that build a ladder to the higher light
- वृत्रहन् (vṛtrahan)
- Literal: slayer of Vṛtra. Symbolic: power that breaks the coverer—inner resistance, inertia, obscurity, depression, doubt
- उक्थेषु (uktheṣu)
- Literal: in recitations/solemn utterances. Symbolic: in voiced mantra and conscious self-expression aligned to truth
- गिर्वणः (girvaṇaḥ)
- Literal: who rejoices in songs/chant. Symbolic: the divine power that answers vibratory invocation; responsiveness to right rhythm and sincerity
Soma pressing sessions (savana): prayer for Indra’s effective presence across hymn (stoma) and recitation (uktha)
During Soma pressings or Indra-stotras/ukthas where Indra is called to ‘sit’ in the sacrifice
Recitation to invite Indra’s presence and confirm his effective participation; strengthening the sacrificer’s aim
Use as a pre-meditation invocation: ‘May the higher mind be present in my practice, my chanting, and my speech; may it break the coverer.’
rarandhi: from √randh (also √radh/√randh in Vedic usage) ‘to yield, grant, satisfy’ → ‘bestow, make successful’; here as an imperative. savana- from √su ‘press (Soma)’ → ‘pressing’. stoma- from √stu ‘praise’ → ‘hymn’. vṛtra-han: han- from √han ‘strike, slay’ + vṛtra ‘coverer/obstructor’ from √vṛ ‘cover’ → ‘obstruction of light’. uktha- from √vac/√ukṣ? (uktha is a set recitation; traditionally from √vac ‘speak’ as ‘spoken hymn’). girvaṇas: ‘praise-loving’, a fixed epithet of Indra.
ṛta as efficacy of right speech (stoma/uktha) and right offering (savana), removal of the ‘covering’ (avidyā-like obscuration) by luminous force
Indra’s action restores Ṛta by breaking forces that block the right flow of light and waters.
Truth becomes effective through uktha (right speech) aligned with inner sincerity.
Release of hidden plenitudes (waters/cows) by the victorious power—creation as unveiling.
Proto-Vedāntic/Integral (Aurobindonian) reading: ascent and descent, word-power, transformation of nature.
Pressing = extraction of essence; hymn/uktha = vibratory formation; Indra’s ‘slaying’ = psychological rupture of obscurity so delight and plenitude can flow.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Vṛtra-slaying as a living psychological event: Indra is invoked as the force that breaks the inner ‘covering’ so the Soma-delight can flow through the pressings and through inspired speech.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- han- ‘slay’ (PIE *gʷhen- ‘strike, kill’), √vṛ ‘cover’ (PIE *wer- ‘cover, enclose’), √stu ‘praise’ (PIE *ḱlew- ‘hear, fame’ underlies praise/fame semantics across IE poetics). The compound vṛtra-han preserves archaic IE heroic diction: ‘X-slayer’ epithet formation.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The ṛṣi binds Indra to the present rite by naming the god’s essential function (vṛtrahan) and by offering structured speech (stoma/uktha). Indra’s return-gift is ‘rarandhi’—the making-effective of the rite: delight, force, and removal of obstruction within the sacrificer.
Invite the higher, decisive clarity to enter breath, thought, and speech; concentrate on removing the ‘coverer’—the felt block.
Ājñā (clarity/illumination) with support from Maṇipūra (will-force)
Moderate nāḍī-śodhana for 6–12 rounds, then recite once per exhale; brief pause after each pāda to ‘feel Indra arrive’.
Alert, luminous, courageous poise (sattva with dynamic tapas).
Before speaking or acting, recite inwardly: ‘Be present in my uktha’; then observe where resistance appears and offer it to be ‘split’ by insight.
Mixed udatta/anudatta/svarita per Rigvedic accent; consult śākhā-specific svara marks for exact udātta positions.
Keep udātta syllables slightly raised; let svarita glide downward; avoid flattening ‘vṛtrahán’—carry the accent cleanly.
rārandhi: roll ‘r’, keep long ā, savaneṣu: dental n; clear eṣu, vṛtrahan: vocalic ṛ in vṛ; aspirate h, girvaṇaḥ: hard g; retroflex ṇ
Bright, firm, invoking (not harsh); slight lift on epithets.
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