Rig Veda 3.41.8: Mandala 3, Sukta 41, Mantra 8
Sukta 3.41
- Rishi
- Gāthin Viśvāmitra
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shringara (love)
मारे अस्मद्वि मुमुचो हरिप्रियार्वाङ्याहि । इन्द्र स्वधावो मत्स्वेह ॥
mā́re asmád ví mumucaḥ hári-priya ārvā́ṅ yāhi | índra svadhāvo mátsvehá ||
इंद्र, तुम हमसे दूर मत जाओ। तुम्हे घोड़े पसंद हैं, ठीक है, पर हमारे पास आओ। तुम अपनी मर्ज़ी के मालिक हो। यहाँ आओ, यहाँ खुश रहो। हमने यह सब तुम्हारे लिए किया है। इससे तुम खुश हो जाओ और हमारे काम आओ।
Word by Word
- मारे
- do not (O…!)Indeclinableनिषेधार्थक अव्यय; ‘रे’ = सम्बोधन-निपातRoot मा (अव्यय/निषेध) + रे (सम्बोधन-निपात)
- अस्मत्
- from usPronounपुं/स्त्री/नपुं (सर्वनाम); पञ्चमी (अपादान), एकवचन/बहुवचन-प्रयोगः ‘अस्मत्’ (Vedic form for ‘अस्मद्’)Role ApādānaRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वि
- apart, awayIndeclinableउपसर्गः (विभाग/वियोग/विशेषार्थ)Root वि (उपसर्ग)
- मुमुचः
- you have released / let goVerbलिट् (परिपूर्ण/पूर्वकृत), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; वेदिक-रूपः ‘मुमुचः’ (≈ ‘मुमोचिथ’/‘मुमोचः’)Role Kartā (क्रियापद-कर्तृ-सम्बन्धः: ‘त्वम्’ निहितः)Root मुच् (धातु) + वि; लिट्/परस्मैपद-रूप (वेदिक)
- हरिप्रियाः
- O beloved of the tawny steeds (Hari)Adjective (vocative) / Epithetपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन (वेदिक-सम्बोधन-प्रयोगः) — ‘O Hari-beloved (Indra)’Role SambodhanaRoot हरि-प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक; बहुव्रीहि/तत्पुरुष-समास)
- अर्वाङ्
- hither, toward usIndeclinable / Adverbदिशावाचक अव्यय: ‘towards here, hither’Root अर्वाङ् (अव्यय/विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक)
- आ
- to, hitherIndeclinableउपसर्गः (आगमन/समन्तात्)Root आ (उपसर्ग)
- याहि
- come!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRole Kartā (आह्वानः; कर्ता = ‘त्वम्’)Root या (धातु)
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNoun (vocative)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole SambodhanaRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- स्वधावः
- O self-empowered / possessing svadhāAdjective (vocative) / Epithetपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; ‘स्वधा’ (स्व-शक्ति/स्व-नियम/स्व-आहार) युक्तःRole SambodhanaRoot स्वधा-वन्/स्वधावत् (प्रातिपदिक)
- मत्स्व
- be exhilarated / rejoiceVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; वेदिक-रूपः ‘मत्स्व’ = ‘मदस्व’Role Kartā (आह्वानः; कर्ता = ‘त्वम्’)Root मद् (धातु) + लोट्; ‘मदस्व’ (वेदिक संक्षेप)
- इह
- hereIndeclinableदेशवाचक अव्ययRole AdhikaraṇaRoot इह (अव्यय)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: मारे | अस्मत् | वि | मुमुचः | हरिप्रियाः | अर्वाङ् | आ | याहि | इन्द्र | स्वधावः | मत्स्व | इह । 1) ‘मारे’ = निषेध ‘मा’ + सम्बोधन-निपात ‘रे’। 2) ‘अस्मद्’ का वेदिक रूप ‘अस्मत्’ (पञ्चमी ‘from us’)
- 3) ‘मत्स्व’ वेदिक संधि/संक्षेप: ‘मदस्व’ (लोट्, 2sg, आत्मनेपद) → ‘मत्स्व’। 4) ‘अर्वाङ्या॑हि’ पाठ में संधि: ‘अर्वाङ्’ + ‘आ’ + ‘याहि’ (आगमनार्थ)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Do not go far from us; come here facing us, O lover of the tawny horses. Indra, master of your own power, rejoice here.
Inner meaning
The rishi asks Indra not to ‘loosen away’—not to withdraw the illuminating force from the inner field. ‘Haripriya’ (lover of the tawny steeds) suggests the divine mind’s affinity with vibrant life-forces (hari as energies that carry Indra). The call ‘ārvāṅ yāhi’ is a demand for direct presence—illumination turned toward the seeker, not elsewhere. ‘Svadhāvaḥ’ indicates self-existent power: Indra can act from his own sovereign energy; therefore he is urged to take delight (matsva) in this very moment of offering and awakening.
Universal truth
Spiritual help becomes effective when we ask for sustained presence, not occasional visits. The higher clarity must turn toward our life and stay engaged, taking ‘delight here’ in our sincerity.
Themes
Invitation, Retention of deity, Soma-ecstasy, Luminous energies (hari)
The seer
- Rishi
- Gāthin Viśvāmitra
- Lineage
- Viśvāmitra (Kauśika lineage; traditional attribution)
- Other hymns
- RV 3.41.7 (reciprocity), RV 3.41.4 (presence in stoma/uktha)
Family tradition
Viśvāmitra’s tone often becomes intimate and insistent: not only praise but a direct demand for abiding divine presence.
Significance
Represents the mature aspirant’s stance: having tasted illumination, he asks for continuity—no withdrawal—so transformation can proceed.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Haripriya, Svadhāvaḥ, Vṛtrahan (contextually)
- Related deities
- Maruts (vital storm-forces), Soma (delight that Indra enjoys), Agni (invoking will)
Cosmic role
Rider of the vital energies (hari) harnessed to light; bringer of immediate presence; sustainer of victorious force.
Inner power
Sovereign, self-supported illumination that can remain engaged in the human field and intensify joy and clarity.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-āvāhana (invitation) within Soma/oblations; a ‘do not depart’ formula
मारे अ॒स्मद्वि मु॑मुचो॒ हरि॑प्रिया॒र्वाङ्या॑हि । इन्द्र॑ स्वधावो॒ मत्स्वे॒ह ॥
मा । आ॒रे । अ॒स्मत् । वि । मु॒मु॒चः॒ । हरि॑ऽप्रिय । आ॒र्वाङ् । या॒हि॒ । इन्द्र॑ । स्व॒धा॒ऽवः॒ । मत्स्व॑ । इ॒ह ॥
mā | āre | asmat | vi | mumucaḥ | hari-priya | ārvāṅ | yāhi | indra | svadhāvaḥ | matsva | iha
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4 × ~11
Urgent and directive; imperatives create a pulling, ‘come-here’ momentum.
Stabilizes attention and calls back wandering energy; evokes a sense of near, vivid presence.
- मा आरे (mā āre)
- Literal: not far away. Symbolic: do not let consciousness slip into distance/absence; prevent withdrawal of light
- वि मुमुचः (vi mumucoḥ)
- Literal: do not release/loosen (yourself) away. Symbolic: do not disconnect the higher force from our nature; maintain linkage
- हरिप्रिय (hari-priya)
- Literal: lover of the tawny horses. Symbolic: one who delights in dynamic life-energies yoked to illumination; mastery of vital forces
- आर्वाङ् याहि (ārvāṅ yāhi)
- Literal: come facing (towards us). Symbolic: turn the light directly upon our being; present, immediate guidance
- स्वधावः (svadhāvaḥ)
- Literal: possessing svadhā (own power/food). Symbolic: self-sustained divine capacity; autonomous effective force within the yoga
- मत्स्व इह (matsva iha)
- Literal: rejoice here. Symbolic: take delight in this inner sacrifice now; intensify presence as joy-power
Soma invitation and retention formula: keep Indra present; urge immediate enjoyment of Soma in the rite
At the moment of welcoming/retaining the deity’s presence at the offering seat
Preventing the deity’s departure; turning him toward the sacrificer; encouraging enjoyment of Soma
Use when clarity fades: a ‘recall’ mantra to bring attention back; also before chanting/meditation sessions to invoke steadiness.
√muc ‘release’ (PIE *mewk- ‘slip, release’), with vi- indicating separation. hári- ‘tawny’ (steeds; also rays/energies) + priya ‘dear’. ārvā́ñc ‘turned hither’ (directional). √yā ‘go/come’ (PIE *h₁ey-). svadhā: sva ‘self’ + dhā from √dhā ‘place’ → ‘self-established power/law’; a key term for inherent capacity. matsva: from √mad ‘be exhilarated’.
svadhā as self-law (inner autonomy of divine power), stability of divine presence (not ‘departing’ from the field)
Right alignment requires the divine power to face the human field; withdrawal enables disorder/covering to return.
Truth is sustained by continued presence of illumination; svadhā indicates inherent truth-power.
Turning of the divine gaze toward the human—descent and stabilization of light.
Integral yoga: not escape but sustained divine engagement with life-energies (hari) for transformation.
Horses = vital energies; turning toward = focused illumination; not far = continuity of consciousness; rejoicing here = Ananda stabilizing in the present moment.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The ‘turning of the god toward the human’: ārvā́ṅ yāhi is the mythic gesture of reorientation—divine force is made to face the sacrificer, not remain remote. Psychologically, it is the insistence that illumination and power stay engaged with the sādhanā.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- Directional adverbs (āre/ārvāṅ) and imperatives (yāhi) preserve archaic IE deictic-invocation style. svadhā (self-established law) reflects an Indo-Iranian theological development from basic compounding (sva + √dhā).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The ṛṣi speaks with ritual authority: he can ‘hold’ the deity by word—‘do not depart’. Indra is addressed as svadhāvaḥ, implying he can choose to remain by his inherent mastery; the ṛṣi’s mantra seeks to align that self-law with the human need.
Recall and stabilize the illumined presence; harness vital energies to serve clarity.
Maṇipūra (vital mastery) rising to Ājñā (directed light)
Brisk-energetic 10–20 breaths (kapālabhāti light, if suitable), then settle into slow exhale recitation of ‘ārvāṅ yāhi… matsveha’.
Vivid immediacy; collected power; joyful engagement.
When attention ‘slips away’, speak inwardly ‘mā āre…’; then feel the ‘turning’ of awareness back to the heart/forehead center; end with a quiet savoring of ‘matsva iha’.
Rigvedic accents; imperatives benefit from crisp udātta execution; verify śākhā-specific accent marks for ‘ārvāṅ’.
Make ‘mā’ a clear prohibition; keep ‘ārvāṅ yāhi’ as the energetic peak; ‘matsveha’ as a settling cadence.
māre: long ā; distinct re, mumucoḥ: double mu; aspirate none; final ḥ light, haripriya: clear short i; trilled r, ārvāṅ: long ā; nasalization at ṅ; avoid inserting extra vowel, svadhāvaḥ: dh aspirated; long ā
Commanding yet devotional; bright forward tone; end with warm fullness on ‘iha’.
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