Rig Veda 3.52.8: Mandala 3, Sukta 52, Mantra 8
Sukta 3.52
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
प्रति धाना भरत तूयमस्मै पुरोळाशं वीरतमाय नृणाम् । दिवेदिवे सदृशीरिन्द्र तुभ्यं वर्धन्तु त्वा सोमपेयाय धृष्णो ॥
práti dhānā́ bharata tū́yam asmai puroḷā́śaṃ vīrátamāya nṛṇā́m | díve-dive sadṛ́śīr indra túbhyaṃ várdhantu tvā soma-peyā́ya dhṛṣṇo ||
जल्दी से अनाज और यह भोजन लाओ। यह सबसे बहादुर आदमी के लिए है। इंद्र, रोज़ तुम्हारे लिए ताकत बढ़ती रहे। सोम पीने से तुम और स्ट्राँग बनो। तुम आगे बढ़ते रहो।
Word by Word
- प्रति
- towards; in returnIndeclinableअव्ययRoot प्रति (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- धानाः
- roasted grains; grain-offeringsNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (वैदिक प्रयोग), प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot धाना (प्रातिपदिक; √धा/धाव्? वैदिक ‘धान’ = roasted grains)
- भरत
- carry; bring (offer)!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदRoot √भृ
- तूयम्
- swiftlyIndeclinableअव्ययRoot तूयम् (अव्यय; ‘शीघ्रम्’)
- अस्मै
- to him (to this one)Pronounपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot अयम्/इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- पुरोळाशम्
- the puroḍāśa (sacrificial cake)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole KarmaRoot पुरोळाश (प्रातिपदिक)
- वीरत॑माय
- to the most heroicAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot वीरत॑म (प्रातिपदिक; वीर + तमप्)
- नृणाम्
- of menNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचनRoot नृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- दिवे-दिवे
- day by dayNoun (reduplicated adverbial) / Indeclinable phraseनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; पुनरुक्तिRole AdhikaraṇaRoot दिव्/द्यौ (प्रातिपदिक ‘दिव’)
- सदृशीः
- like; corresponding (ones)Adjective (used substantively)स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनRole KartāRoot सदृश (प्रातिपदिक)
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNoun (vocative)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- तुभ्यम्
- for youPronounपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- वर्धन्तु
- let (them) increase; strengthenVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपदRoot √वृध्
- त्वा
- youPronounद्वितीया, एकवचन (एन्क्लिटिक रूप)Role KarmaRoot युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- सोमपेयाय
- for the soma-drinkerAdjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचनRole SampradānaRoot सोमपेय (प्रातिपदिक; सोम + पेय ‘drinkable/fit to drink’)
- धृष्णो
- O bold oneAdjective (vocative)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRoot धृष्णु (प्रातिपदिक; √धृष् ‘to be bold’)
Sandhi Notes
- External sandhi is minimal in this mantra
- मुख्यतः पदच्छेद: प्रति | धानाः | भरत | तूयम् | अस्मै | पुरोळाशम् | वीरतमाय | नृणाम् || दिवे-दिवे | सदृशीः | इन्द्र | तुभ्यम् | वर्धन्तु | त्वा | सोमपेयाय | धृष्णो । ‘दिवेदिवे’ is a fixed reduplicated locative expression (दिवे + दिवे)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Bring quickly the grains and the puroḍāśa offering for him, the most heroic among men. Day by day, may the fitting powers grow for Indra; may they increase him for Soma-drinking, O impetuous one.
Inner meaning
The sādhanā calls for swift gathering of energies (dhānāḥ) and a well-shaped inner formation (puroḍāśa) for the Divine Mind, the ‘most heroic’ in the human being—our power to act from light. Daily renewal is essential: the ‘sadṛśīḥ’ (harmonious, fitting powers) must grow each day, enlarging Indra in us until he is ready to drink Soma—i.e., to receive and convert bliss into stable force that can face all resistance.
Universal truth
Spiritual progress is cumulative and rhythmic: daily right preparation and harmonization of our faculties enlarges the inner light, enabling joy to become power and power to become mastery over obstruction.
Themes
daily practice, growth of divine force, heroic Indra, soma empowerment
The seer
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra Gāthina
- Lineage
- Gāthin / Kauśika
- Other hymns
- RV 3.52, RV 3.53
Family tradition
A tradition of mantric force aimed at conquest of inner and outer obstacles; emphasis on growth (vardhana) of divine powers through repeated offering.
Significance
The seer frames discipline as ‘daily increase’—a tapas of recurrence that steadily builds the Indra-force capable of holding Soma (bliss) without collapse into inertia.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- vīratama, somapeya, dhṛṣṇu
- Related deities
- Soma, Agni, Maruts
Cosmic role
Strengthener of the gods; receiver of Soma who becomes mighty to release the waters and lights; guardian of victorious progress.
Inner power
The growing illumined mind that becomes capable of containing bliss and using it as energy for transformation.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra offering in Soma sacrifice; preparation and presentation of dhānā and puroḍāśa
प्रति॑ धा॒ना भ॑रत॒ तूय॑मस्मै पुरो॒ळाशं॑ वी॒रत॑माय नृ॒णाम् । दि॒वेदि॑वे स॒दृशी॑रिन्द्र॒ तुभ्यं॒ वर्ध॑न्तु त्वा सोम॒पेया॑य धृष्णो ॥
प्रति॑ । धा॒नाः । भ॒र॒त॒ । तूय॑म् । अ॒स्मै॒ । पु॒रो॒ळाश॑म् । वी॒रऽत॑माय । नृ॒णाम् । दि॒वेऽदि॑वे । स॒ऽदृशीः॑ । इ॒न्द्र॒ । तुभ्य॑म् । वर्ध॑न्तु । त्वा॒ । सो॒म॒ऽपेया॑य । धृ॒ष्णो॒ इति॑ ॥
prati | dhānāḥ | bharata | tūyam | asmai | puroḷāśam | vīra-tamāya | nṛṇām | dive--dive | sa-dṛśīḥ | indra | tubhyam | vardhantu | tvā | soma-peyāya | dhṛṣṇo iti
44
4 × ~11
Quick imperative openings balanced by expansive ‘day-by-day’ growth lines.
Creates urgency first (bring quickly), then steadiness (daily increase), ending in daring momentum (dhṛṣṇo).
- prati
- Literal: forth, towards. Symbolic: a forward offering-movement—turning the energies toward the higher aim
- dhānāḥ
- Literal: grains. Symbolic: collected energies/seeds of effort and capacity
- puroḻāśa (puroḍāśa)
- Literal: sacrificial cake/portion. Symbolic: a formed inner oblation—structured practice, coherent will and understanding
- vīratamāya nṛṇām
- Literal: most heroic of men. Symbolic: the highest courageous intelligence within the human field
- dive-dive
- Literal: day by day. Symbolic: the law of steady recurrence; daily renewal of aspiration and practice
- sadṛśīḥ
- Literal: fitting, corresponding. Symbolic: harmonized powers—faculties aligned with truth (right measure, right relation)
- vardhantu tvā
- Literal: may they increase you. Symbolic: enlargement of the illumined consciousness in the being
- somapeyāya
- Literal: for Soma-drinking. Symbolic: fitness to receive Ananda and transmute it into strength
- dhṛṣṇo
- Literal: impetuous, daring. Symbolic: the bold thrust of illumination that does not accept limitation
Ongoing daily Soma worship; exhortation to bring offerings and to increase Indra’s soma-drinking power (i.e., his operative potency)
At moments of presenting oblations and inviting Indra to Soma-drinking; part of Indra-focused sequences.
Carrying offerings to the fire/altar; recitation to increase Indra’s might for Soma.
Use as a ‘daily practice’ mantra: reaffirm steady incremental growth of clarity and courage; pair with morning routine and short offering of attention.
(bharata) from √bhṛ ‘to bear, carry’ → carry forward; psychologically, bring into active manifestation. from √vṛdh ‘to grow’ → increase/expand (ties to bṛhat/vṛddhi field). (dhṛṣṇu) from √dhṛṣ ‘to dare, be bold’ → impetuous force. (sadṛś) ‘similar/fitting’ indicates right correspondence—ṛta as harmony of means with end.
ṛta as correspondence (sadṛśīḥ), progressive growth (vṛdh) through repetition (dive-dive), soma as delight enabling victorious action
sadṛśīḥ: right correspondence—powers must be proportionate and aligned to cosmic order.
Growth is ‘fitting’—truth-based development, not inflated ego-force.
Daily re-creation of the inner god through offering: consciousness is built by repeated right action.
Integral-yogic reading: faculties become ‘sadṛśa’ by alignment to higher consciousness.
daily cycle implied (dive-dive)
Daylight = recurring illumination; grains = stored energies; Soma-drinking = receiving joy-power.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The mythologem of ‘increasing the god’: offerings ‘grow’ Indra for Soma-drinking. Inwardly, repeated right correspondences (sadṛśīḥ) build the Indra-force in the practitioner until it can decisively confront resistance.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √bhṛ ‘bear’ is PIE *bʰer- (cf. English bear). √vṛdh ‘grow’ connects to PIE growth/strengthening semantics (cf. Latin virid- ‘green’ is adjacent semantically; the exact cognacy is complex), but the core ‘increase’ function is archaic and ritualized.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- A sustained reciprocity over time: the rishi enjoins swift offering and daily repetition; Indra is ‘increased’ by these corresponding energies, and in return his bold power becomes more available within human life (nṛṇām) as the most heroic force.
Daily increase of ‘fitting powers’: align mind, life-force, and body to one intention; cultivate capacity to hold joy without distraction.
ājñā (alignment) with maṇipūra (strength)
Nadi-śodhana (alternate nostril) 5–9 rounds to create sadṛśī (balance), then 3 slow breaths imagining Soma-light filling the head and chest.
Balanced dynamism—collected, ready, daring.
Choose one faculty to harmonize daily (speech, attention, desire). Offer it as ‘puroḍāśa’—a shaped practice. Track ‘day-by-day’ growth rather than dramatic leaps.
Maintain Vedic udātta lifts on marked syllables (práti, dhānā́ḥ, índra, várdhantu, somapéyāya, dhṛ́ṣṇo); keep anudātta low and even.
First pāda slightly brisk (tūyam), second and third steadier (dive-dive), final pāda firm on somapéyāya dhṛṣṇo.
puroḻāśa/puroḍāśa: retroflex ḍ sound if using standard form, vīratamāya: long āya, sadṛśīḥ: retroflex ṛ; long īḥ, dhṛṣṇo: retroflex ṛ; ṣṇ conjunct
Clear and steady; a tone of building strength rather than forceful attack.
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