Rig Veda 3.51.4: Mandala 3, Sukta 51, Mantra 4
Sukta 3.51
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
नृणामु त्वा नृतमं गीर्भिरुक्थैरभि प्र वीरमर्चता सबाधः । सं सहसे पुरुमायो जिहीते नमो अस्य प्रदिव एक ईशे ॥
nṛṇām u tvā nṛ́tamaṃ gīrbhir uktháir abhí prá vīrám arcata sabā́dhaḥ | sáṃ sáhase purumāyó jihīte námo asya pradíva éka īśe ||
लोगों, इंद्र की तारीफ करो। वो सबसे बड़ा वीर है। अपने गीतों और बोलों से उसकी पूजा करो। वो वो शक्ति है जो हर रुकावट तोड़ के आगे बढ़ता है। अपनी ताकत वो खुद इकट्ठा करता है। वो कई शक्तियों का मालिक है। सिर्फ उसी को हम प्रणाम करते हैं। वो सबसे दूर तक चमकने वाला है और सबका मालिक है।
Word by Word
- नृणाम्
- of menNounपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; बहुवचनRole सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)Root नृ (प्रातिपदिक) नर
- उ
- indeed / andIndeclinableनिपातRoot उ (निपात)
- त्वा
- you (as object)Pronounद्वितीया; एकवचनRole कर्मRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- नृतमम्
- the most manly / best of menAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन (त्वा इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)Role कर्मRoot नृतम (प्रातिपदिक; नर + तमप्)
- गीर्भिः
- with songs / praisesNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया; बहुवचनRole करणRoot गिर् (प्रातिपदिक)
- उक्थैः
- with hymns (recited praises)Nounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया; बहुवचनRole करणRoot उक्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
- अभि
- towards, untoIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRoot अभि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- प्र
- forth, forwardIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRoot प्र (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- वीरम्
- the heroNounपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन (त्वा इत्यस्य समानाधिकरण/विशेषणभावः)Role कर्मRoot वीर (प्रातिपदिक)
- अर्चत
- praise (you)!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे); मध्यमपुरुष; बहुवचन; परस्मैपदRole कर्तृ (युष्मदर्थः—‘यूयम्’)Root अर्च् (धातु)
- सबाधः
- pressing/urgent, vehement (in praise)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन (अर्चत इत्यस्य कर्तृ-सम्बोधन/विशेषणभावः)Role कर्तृRoot सबाध (प्रातिपदिक; स- + बाध)
- सम्
- together, completelyIndeclinableउपसर्ग/अव्ययRoot सम् (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
- सहसे
- for strength / to (his) mightNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी; एकवचनRole सम्प्रदानRoot सहस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- पुरुमायः
- the one of many powers/arts (many devices)Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot पुरुमाय (प्रातिपदिक; पुरु + माया)
- जिहीते
- abandons / gives upVerbलट्; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; आत्मनेपदRole कर्तृRoot हा (धातु) √हा ‘त्यागे/परित्यागे’ (वेदे: जिहीते इति विशेषरूपम्)
- नमः
- obeisance, homageNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृ/भाव (उक्तिः—‘obeisance’ as uttered)Root नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- अस्य
- of him / hisPronounषष्ठी; एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- प्रदिवः
- of the highest heaven / of fore-heavenNounपुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; एकवचनRole सम्बन्धRoot प्रदिव् (प्रातिपदिक; प्र + दिव्) / ‘प्रदिव’ (वेद. ‘highest heaven/foreheaven’)
- एकः
- alone, oneAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot एक (प्रातिपदिक)
- ईशे
- rules, is lordVerbलट्; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; आत्मनेपदRole कर्तृRoot ईश् (धातु) √ईश् ‘ऐश्वर्ये’
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: नृणाम् उ त्वा नृतमम् गीर्भिः उक्थैः अभि प्र वीरम् अर्चत सबाधः । सम् सहसे पुरुमायः जिहीते नमः अस्य प्रदिवः एकः ईशे ॥ मुख्य-सन्धि: (1) नृणामु → नृणाम् + उ (व्यञ्जनान्त + स्वर)
- (2) गीर्भिरुक्थैः → गीर्भिः + उक्थैः (विसर्ग-लोप/रुत्व-प्रभावः; संहितायां ‘र्’ प्रादुर्भावः)
- (3) अभि प्र (उपसर्ग-द्वयम्, पृथक्)
- (4) सं सहसे → सम् + सहसे (अनुस्वार/परसवर्ण)
- (5) नमो अस्य → नमः + अस्य (विसर्ग-लोपः, ओ-आ संधिः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Men are urged to praise Indra—the most heroic—through hymns and inspired speech; he is the warrior who breaks through obstacles. He collects strength for his mighty power, the wielder of many formative powers; to him alone, far-shining, belongs reverent homage and sovereign mastery.
Inner meaning
The human instruments (nṛṇām) are called to invoke the illumined Mind-Power (Indra) with mantric speech (gīr, uktha). Indra is “nṛtama”—the most capable force in us for courageous right action—who pierces the psychological resistances (sabādhaḥ: the press of obstruction, Vṛtra-like coverings). His “many māyās” are not illusion but powers of formation: the capacity of the higher mind to shape thought, will, and life into truth-forms. When we bow (namo) to that far-luminous sovereignty (pradivaḥ), the inner ruler becomes single and decisive (eka īśe): scattered impulses yield to one guiding Light.
Universal truth
Progress depends on aligning speech, thought, and will with a higher luminous intelligence that can break inertia and unify the being. True mastery arises when the many powers of formation are governed by one far-seeing principle of consciousness.
Themes
heroic ascent, breaking obstruction, mantric speech as power, divine sovereignty
The seer
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Lineage
- Viśvāmitra (Gāthina line)
- Other hymns
- Rig Veda 3.51.1, Rig Veda 3.51.2, Rig Veda 3.51.3, Rig Veda 3.52, Rig Veda 3.53, Rig Veda 3.62 (Gāyatrī/“tat savitur”)
Family tradition
Royal-turned-brahmarṣi; hymns of dynamic conquest where mantra becomes an instrument of inner victory and universal order.
Significance
Viśvāmitra embodies the passage from force of rule (kṣatra) to force of vision (brahma): the will becomes illumined and mantric, capable of breaking inner obstacles through truth-speech.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- nṛtama (most heroic), vīra (hero), purumāya (many-formative), pradivaḥ (far-shining), īśa (sovereign)
- Related deities
- Agni, Soma, Maruts, Bṛhaspati
Cosmic role
Breaker of obstructions, releaser of the lights and the waters; establisher of victorious order in the worlds.
Inner power
Illuminated intelligence allied to decisive will—clarity that acts, cuts through doubt, and organizes the being around a single luminous command.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-stotra within Soma-yajña sequences (praise to invite Indra’s power)
नृ॒णामु॑ त्वा॒ नृत॑मं गी॒र्भिरु॒क्थैर॒भि प्र वी॒रम॑र्चता स॒बाध॑: । सं सह॑से पुरुमा॒यो जि॑हीते॒ नमो॑ अस्य प्र॒दिव॒ एक॑ ईशे ॥
नृ॒णाम् । ऊँ॒ इति॑ । त्वा॒ । नृऽत॑मम् । गीः॒ऽभिः । उ॒क्थैः । अ॒भि । प्र । वी॒रम् । अ॒र्च॒त॒ । स॒ऽबाधः॑ । सम् । सह॑से । पु॒रु॒ऽमा॒यः । जि॒ही॒ते॒ । नमः॑ । अ॒स्य॒ । प्र॒ऽदिवः॑ । एकः॑ । ई॒शे॒ ॥
nṛṇām | oṃ iti | tvā | nṛ-tamam | gīḥ-bhiḥ | ukthaiḥ | abhi | pra | vīram | arcata | sa-bādhaḥ | sam | sahase | puru-māyaḥ | jihīte | namaḥ | asya | pra-divaḥ | ekaḥ | īśe
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4 pādas of ~11 syllables each
Forward-driving, martial and expansive; suited to invocation and breakthrough.
Builds inner courage and a sense of ascent; the cadence supports piercing concentration and decisive aspiration.
- इन्द्र (indra)
- Literal: Indra, Vedic god of power and victory. Symbolic: Divine Mind/illumination-force that conquers inner darkness
- नृतम (nṛtama)
- Literal: most manly/most heroic. Symbolic: the most effective courageous power in the seeker for right action
- गीर्भिः (gīrbhiḥ)
- Literal: with songs/utterances. Symbolic: inspired speech; mantra-vibration shaping consciousness
- उक्थैः (ukthaiḥ)
- Literal: with hymns/recitations. Symbolic: formulated truth-thought offered in the inner sacrifice
- सबाधः (sabādhaḥ)
- Literal: with/against pressure, obstruction. Symbolic: resistances of the subconscient; compressions that block light
- पुरुमायः (purumāyaḥ)
- Literal: of many māyās/powers. Symbolic: multiple formative powers of consciousness (not ‘illusion’)
- प्रदिवः (pradivaḥ)
- Literal: far-shining, of the high heaven. Symbolic: supramental/overmental luminosity; wide seeing
- नमः (namaḥ)
- Literal: bow, homage. Symbolic: ego-surrender enabling higher guidance
Soma praise (uktha) to strengthen Indra’s force for overcoming obstructions; used as stotra/śastra material in Soma liturgy broadly
During Soma pressing/offerings and Indra invocations; also as a general victory-stotra
Recitation/chant to draw Indra to the offering and empower the rite
Use before challenging work or meditation to invoke clarity, courage, and the will to overcome inner resistance.
nṛtama (nṛ ‘man/hero’ + superlative -tama) marks Indra as archetype of heroic soul-force. bādha from √bādh ‘to press, afflict, obstruct’ gives the psychological ‘pressure’ of inertia/ignorance. īśe from √īś indicates sovereignty—Indra as the ruling power when awakened. puru-māya: māyā from √mā ‘to measure/form’ → formative skill, multiple effective capacities of manifestation.
sovereignty of awakened force (īśe), integration of energies (sam), creative formation (māyā as power of shaping)
Indra’s victory is the restoration of ṛta against the ‘coverer’ forces that compress and distort.
Mantric praise aligns speech with satya, making it an effective force.
Formation (māyā) as conscious shaping of worlds/forms by luminous intelligence.
Aurobindonian psychological reading; consonant with Upaniṣadic move from scattered to unified īśa (sovereignty of consciousness).
Atmospheric battle becomes the inner battle: illumination-force breaks the pressure of obscurity and establishes a wide, high seeing.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Indra the heroic breaker of ‘bādha’ (pressing resistance). Mythically the storm-god who breaks barriers; psychologically the force that breaks inner inertia and hostile pressure so the human powers (nṛṇām) can advance.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √sed (sad) not present here, but √īś ‘to own/rule’ parallels IE notions of possession/sovereignty (Indo-Iranian specialization). √arc ‘to praise’ is Indo-Iranian; √sah (sahas) continues an old IE endurance/victory semantic complex. The superlative -tama is inherited Indo-Iranian morphology used to mark divine preeminence.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- Collective humans are urged to ‘arcata’ with gī and uktha; the offering is speech-power that consolidates Indra’s sahas. In exchange, Indra’s singular mastery (eka īśe) becomes operative, clearing resistances and enabling right rule in the inner kingdom.
Invoke the inner Indra: luminous discrimination that acts; offer speech/thought into a single higher command.
ājñā (brow)
Moderate rhythmic breathing (e.g., 4-4 or 6-6) synchronized with each pāda; brief pause after each line for ‘breakthrough’ intention.
Vigilant, upward-striving, decisive clarity.
Begin with 3 recitations; feel resistances as ‘pressure’ in the mind/heart; on ‘sabādhaḥ’ imagine a cleaving of the knot; end with silent namas—ego yielding to the far-seeing guidance.
Use Vedic three-tone contour: udatta peaks on key invocatory words (índra/ vī́ram/ námaḥ), anudatta baseline between, svarita as the falling glide after peaks; follow śākhā tradition if available.
Keep clear lift on accented syllables in ‘nṛtamaṃ’, ‘vīram’, ‘purumāyo’; do not flatten ‘namo asya’. Break slightly at the caesura after ‘sabādhaḥ’.
Maintain retroflex ṇ in nṛṇām, nṛtamaṃ., Keep ‘ukthair’ as uk-thaiḥ (not ‘uk-khair’)., Pronounce ‘purumāyaḥ’ with long ā: mā-yaḥ., ‘pradivaḥ’ as pra-di-vaḥ with crisp dental d.
Bright, steady, invoking; slight increase in force on ‘sabādhaḥ’.
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