Rig Veda 3.53.5: Mandala 3, Sukta 53, Mantra 5
Sukta 3.53
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Adbhuta (wonder)
परा याहि मघवन्ना च याहीन्द्र भ्रातरुभयत्रा ते अर्थम् । यत्रा रथस्य बृहतो निधानं विमोचनं वाजिनो रासभस्य ॥
párā yāhi maghaván nā́ ca yāhī́ndra bhrātar ubháyatrā te ártham | yátrā rathásya bṛható nidhā́naṃ vimócanam vājíno rāsábhasya ||
हे दान करने वाले इंद्र, तुम आगे बढ़ो और वापस भी आओ। तुम्हारा काम दोनों तरफ है। जहाँ बड़ा रथ खड़ा होता है, वहाँ उस ताकत वाले घोड़े को छोड़ा जाता है।
Word by Word
- परा
- away, forthIndeclinableअव्ययRole Adhikaraṇa (गतिद्योतकः) / क्रियाविशेषणRoot परा (उपसर्ग/निपात)
- याहि
- go!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचनRole (क्रिया) —Root या (धातु)
- मघवन्
- O bountiful one (Indra)Noun (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधन (कर्तृ-सम्बोधन)Root मघवन् (प्रातिपदिक; इन्द्रस्य विशेषणम्)
- न
- and / alsoIndeclinableअव्ययRole (समुच्चय/विकल्पसूचक)Root न (निपात)
- च
- andIndeclinableअव्ययRole (समुच्चय)Root च (निपात)
- याही
- go!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; वैदिक-रूप (दीर्घीकरणम्)Role (क्रिया) —Root या (धातु)
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- भ्रातः
- O brotherNounपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन (वैदिक सम्बोधन-रूप)Role सम्बोधनRoot भ्रातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
- उभयत्र
- in both ways/places, on both sidesIndeclinableअव्ययRole Adhikaraṇa (देश/पक्ष-निर्देश) / क्रियाविशेषणRoot उभयत्र (अव्यय; उभय + त्र)
- ते
- of you, yourPronounषष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive) / अधिकार-सम्बन्धRoot त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- अर्थम्
- purpose, aim, objectNounपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole Karma (प्राप्तव्य/गन्तव्य-विषयः) / उद्देश्यRoot अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
- यत्र
- whereIndeclinableअव्ययRole Adhikaraṇa (स्थानवाचक) / सम्बन्धसूचकRoot यत्र (अव्यय)
- रथस्य
- of the chariotNounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
- बृहतः
- of the great/mightyAdjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (रथस्य विशेषणम्)Role सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root बृहन्त् (विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक)
- निधानम्
- resting-place, deposit, setting-downNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनRole Adhikaraṇa/कर्म-निर्देश (यत्र … निधानम्)Root निधान (प्रातिपदिक; नि-धा से भाव/कर्म-नाम)
- विमोचनम्
- release, unyokingNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनRole Adhikaraṇa/कर्म-निर्देश (यत्र … विमोचनम्)Root विमोचन (प्रातिपदिक; वि-मुच् से भाव/कर्म-नाम)
- वा
- orIndeclinableअव्ययRole विकल्प (either/or)Root वा (निपात)
- वाजिनः
- of the swift one / of the racerNoun/Adjectiveपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root वाजिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- रासभस्य
- of the ass (donkey)Nounपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root रासभ (प्रातिपदिक)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (sandhi-विग्रह): परा | याहि | मघवन् | न | च | याही | इन्द्र | भ्रातः | उभयत्र | ते | अर्थम् | यत्र | रथस्य | बृहतः | निधानम् | विमोचनम् | वा | वाजिनः | रासभस्य । 1) मघव॒न्ना → मघवन् + न (अन्त्य-न् + न = न्न)
- 2) च॑ या॒हीन्द्र॑ → च + याही + इन्द्र (ई/इ-स्वर-सन्धिः; याही + इन्द्र → याहीन्द्र)
- 3) भ्रातरुभ॒यत्रा॑ → भ्रातः/भ्रातर् + उभयत्र (र् + उ → रु; ‘भ्रातरु-’)
- 4) ते॒ अर्थ॑म् → ते + अर्थम् (स्वर-सन्धिः; ए + अ)
- 5) यत्रा॒ रथ॑स्य → यत्र + रथस्य (अ + र; पदान्त-अवग्रह-लोपः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra is asked to go forth and also come back; his purpose is in both directions—where the great chariot is stationed and where the release of the strong bearer (rāsabha) occurs.
Inner meaning
The mantra encodes the double movement of yoga: expansion into action (parā yāhi) and return into the inner source (ā ca yāhi). Indra, as the illumined Mind, must operate in both—outward mastery of life and inward consolidation of light. The ‘great chariot’ is the organized vehicle of consciousness (bṛhat ratha) placed rightly (nidhāna) in the being; the ‘release/unharnessing’ (vimocana) of the forceful bearer indicates freeing the vital-energy (vājina) from crude compulsion so it can serve the truth-impulse.
Universal truth
Spiritual progress requires a rhythm: engage the world with clarity and power, then return inward to re-center and renew. The highest intelligence is not one-sided; it governs both movement and repose, both expression and withdrawal.
Themes
Indra as ally, Release of force, Establishing the Vast (bṛhat)
The seer
- Rishi
- Viśvāmitra (Kauśika)
- Lineage
- Kauśika
- Other hymns
- RV 3.33 (Vipāśā-Śutudrī crossing; symbolic passage), RV 3.53 (this hymn: movement, return, and power)
Family tradition
Mantra-warrior tradition: shaping inner and outer victory through inspired speech; frequent emphasis on Indra as ally in overcoming resistances.
Significance
Embodies the integrality of realization—vision that must become effective power in life (kṣatra transmuted into brahman).
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- Maghavan, Bhrātā (brother)
- Related deities
- Agni, Maruts
Cosmic role
Regulator of victorious movement; establishes the right placing of powers and frees energies for the divine work.
Inner power
Discerning, commanding intelligence that can both project force outward and recollect it inward without loss.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-invocation within Soma rites; also suitable as a ‘nivida’ style calling for Indra’s approach and participation
परा॑ याहि मघव॒न्ना च॑ या॒हीन्द्र॑ भ्रातरुभ॒यत्रा॑ ते॒ अर्थ॑म् । यत्रा॒ रथ॑स्य बृह॒तो नि॒धानं॑ वि॒मोच॑नं वा॒जिनो॒ रास॑भस्य ॥
परा॑ । या॒हि॒ । म॒घ॒ऽव॒न् । आ । च॒ । या॒हि॒ । इन्द्र॑ । भ्रा॒तः॒ । उ॒भ॒यत्र॑ । ते॒ । अर्थ॑म् । यत्र॑ । रथ॑स्य । बृ॒ह॒तः । नि॒ऽधान॑म् । वि॒ऽमोच॑नम् । वा॒जिनः॑ । रास॑भस्य ॥
parā | yāhi | magha-van | ā | ca | yāhi | indra | bhrātaḥ | ubhayatra | te | artham | yatra | rathasya | bṛhataḥ | ni-dhānam | vi-mocanam | vājinaḥ | rāsabhasya
44
4×11 (approx.)
Alternating push-pull cadence matching ‘go forth/come back’; strong caesura supports the twofold command.
Creates a felt oscillation: expansion then return; stabilizes the practitioner’s capacity for integral rhythm.
- परा याहि (parā yāhi)
- Literal: go forth. Symbolic: outward expansion into works; manifestation
- आ च याहि (ā ca yāhi)
- Literal: also come back. Symbolic: inward return; recollection and reintegration
- उभयत्र ते अर्थम् (ubhayatrā te artham)
- Literal: your purpose is in both places. Symbolic: integral yoga: inner realization + outer transformation
- रथस्य बृहतः (rathasya bṛhataḥ)
- Literal: of the great chariot. Symbolic: vast vehicle of consciousness; organized faculties
- निधानम् (nidhānam)
- Literal: placing, stationing. Symbolic: right establishment of power in the being
- विमोचनम् (vimocanam)
- Literal: release, unyoking. Symbolic: liberation of energy from bondage/compulsion
- वाजिनः (vājinaḥ)
- Literal: of the strong/forceful one. Symbolic: dynamic vital force capable of victory
- रासभस्य (rāsabhasya)
- Literal: of the strong bearer (often ‘donkey/ass’ in later Sanskrit). Symbolic: the burden-bearing life-force; stubborn energy to be freed and redirected
Indra’s movement is invoked as part of the dynamic Soma rite: the god goes forth to conquer/clear obstructions and returns to the offering; inwardly, force must both expand into action and return to establish in the being.
At moments emphasizing Indra’s movement to/from the sacrifice; transitional points in chanting/offerings
Invitatory recitation; conceptual ‘yoking/unyoking’ of powers
Use when balancing meditation and activity: chant before work (parā yāhi) and before meditation (ā ca yāhi) to keep one consciousness in both.
parā/ā as paired directionals encode expansion and return (outer action and inner integration). nidhā́na from ni-√dhā ‘to place, establish’ indicates founded power. vimócanam from vi-√muc ‘to release’ suggests unbinding. vājín- from vāja (strength/prize/plenitude) points to energic fullness rather than mere ‘food’. rāsábha ‘ass/strong beast’ can denote the heavy, resistant vital-physical instrument that must be ‘released’ into right motion.
twofold movement (expansion and return), liberation (vimocana) of bound energies
Ṛta is maintained by right ‘placing’ (nidhāna) and right ‘release’ (vimocana) of forces—neither repression nor chaos.
Truth is integral: it must be true in inward state and outward act.
Ordering of energies into a ‘vehicle’ that can carry the divine intention.
Integral/psychological Vedism: double movement as law of transformation.
Chariot = coordinated psycho-physical system; bearer = vital energy; going/returning = expansion/recollection cycle.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Indra’s chariot-journey with a double direction: outward conquest and inward return. The mythic mobility becomes a psychological instruction: force must be released (vimocana) from inertia and then founded (nidhāna) in the vast chariot of the being.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- ni-√dhā ‘place’ parallels IE ‘set/put’ formations (cf. Greek títhēmi). vi-√muc ‘release’ reflects the widespread IE imagery of unbinding (Latin mūnus is not cognate; closer are Sanskrit muc-, Avestan muc-). Directional particles (ā, parā) are archaic discourse markers in IE poetics for ritual movement and inner movement.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi addresses Indra as ‘brother’, indicating intimacy: Indra is not distant nature-force but an allied power within. The request is guidance of energies—both to go forth (effective action) and to return (stable realization).
Practice the ‘two movements’: outward offering of action and inward return to the heart/quiet mind, both under Indra’s illumination.
Ajñā (governing intelligence) coordinating with Anāhata (return/home)
Box-breath 4-4-4-4 for balance; mentally pair exhale with ‘parā’ and inhale with ‘ā’.
Dynamic equilibrium; calm command.
Chant once with emphasis on ‘parā’, pause; chant again emphasizing ‘ā ca’. Sit and observe where energies feel ‘bound’; invite ‘vimocana’ as a gentle release rather than force.
Rigvedic accenting as per śākhā tradition; keep imperative verbs ‘yāhi’ clear and slightly energized; avoid dragging the cadence.
Mark the contrast: slightly lift ‘parā’ and ‘ā’; keep ‘ubhayatrā’ evenly flowing to convey integrality.
parā: long ‘ā’, yāhi: long ‘ā’; light ‘h’, bhrātar: long ‘ā’; retroflex ‘ṭ’ in some recensions? here ‘t’ is dental in bhrātar, ubhayatrā: keep ‘bh’ aspirated, nidhānaṃ: dental ‘dh’; anusvāra as nasal before consonant, vimocanam: ‘mo’ long-open; ‘c’ as ‘ch’ sound? here ‘c’ unaspirated palatal, rāsabhasya: keep ‘s’ dental; don’t turn into ‘sh’
Commanding but even; balanced projection.
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