Rig Veda 5.32.5: Mandala 5, Sukta 32, Mantra 5
Sukta 5.32
- Rishi
- Atri
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Triṣṭubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
त्यं चिदस्य क्रतुभिर्निषत्तममर्मणो विददिदस्य मर्म । यदीं सुक्षत्र प्रभृता मदस्य युयुत्सन्तं तमसि हर्म्ये धाः ॥
tyáṃ cid asya krátubhir níṣattam amármaṇo vidád íd asya márma | yád īṃ sukṣatra prábhṛtā mádasya yúyutsantaṃ támási harmyé dhāḥ ||
वो दुश्मन अपनी चाल-बाज़ी से छुपा बैठा था, कोई कमज़ोरी नहीं दिख रही थी। पर इंद्र ने उसकी कमज़ोरी ढूंढ ली। जब वो अपनी हवा में लड़ने को तैयार हुआ, इंद्र ने उसे अंधेरे में फंस दिया, बंद कमरे में।
Word by Word
- त्यम्
- him / that onePronounपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- चित्
- even / indeedIndeclinableनिपातः (अव्ययम्)Root चित् (निपात)
- अस्य
- of him / hisPronounपुं/नपुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root इदम्/अयम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- क्रतुभिः
- by (his) powers / stratagemsNounपुंलिङ्गे तृतीया बहुवचनम्Role करणRoot क्रतु (प्रातिपदिक)
- निषत्तमम्
- most firmly seated / most entrenchedAdjective (participial superlative)पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role कर्म (विशेषणम्)Root नि-षद् (धातु) → निषत्त (कृदन्त-भूतकृदन्त/कृत) + तमप्
- मर्मणः
- of the vital spot / of the secret pointNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे षष्ठी एकवचनम् (वेदिक-रूपम्)Role सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root मर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- विदत्
- he found / he discoveredVerbलुङ् (अोरिस्ट) परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमा एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (क्रिया)Root विद् (ज्ञाने)
- इद्
- indeed / justIndeclinableनिपातःRoot इद् (निपात)
- अस्य
- of himPronounपुं/नपुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root इदम्/अयम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- मर्म
- the vital spot / the secretNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot मर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- यत्
- when / since / thatRelative pronounनपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम् (सम्बन्धे)Root यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- ईम्
- him (enclitic)Indeclinableनिपातः (एनक्लिटिक)Root ईम् (निपात)
- सुक्षत्र
- O well-protecting one / O good rulerAdjective (vocative)पुंलिङ्गे सम्बोधन एकवचनम्Role सम्बोधनRoot सु-क्षत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- प्रभृता
- brought forth / producedAdjective/Participleनपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया बहुवचनम् (वेदिक-प्रयोगः; ‘प्रभृताः’ इत्यर्थे)Root प्र-भृ (धातु) → प्रभृत (कृदन्त)
- मदस्य
- of exhilaration / of intoxication (soma-rapture)Nounपुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी एकवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root मद (प्रातिपदिक)
- युयुत्सन्तम्
- wishing to fight / eager to battleParticiple (desiderative present)पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role कर्म (विशेषणम्)Root युध् (सम्प्रहारे) → युयुत्स (इच्छार्थक-देशिदेरिवेटिव) + शतृ
- तम्
- himPronounपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
- तमसि
- in darknessNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी एकवचनम्Role अधिकरणRoot तमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- हर्म्ये
- in the house / in the mansionNounनपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी एकवचनम्Role अधिकरणRoot हर्म्य (प्रातिपदिक)
- धाः
- put! / place!Verbलोट् (आज्ञार्थे) परस्मैपदम्, मध्यमपुरुष एकवचनम्Role कर्तृ (आज्ञा)Root धा (धारणे/स्थापने)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः (सन्धिविग्रहः): त्यं चित् अस्य क्रतुभिः निषत्तमम् मर्मणः विदत् इद् अस्य मर्म । यत् ईम् सुक्षत्र प्रभृता मदस्य युयुत्सन्तम् तम् असि तमसि हर्म्ये धाः ॥ मुख्य-सन्धयः: (1) त्यं चित् = त्यम् + चित् (अनुस्वार-सन्धि/पदसंयोग)
- (2) चिदस्य = चित् + अस्य (त् + अ → द् + अ; ‘चिदस्य’)
- (3) मर्मणो विददिदस्य = मर्मणः + विदत् + इद् + अस्य (ः + व → ओ; ‘मर्मणो’; त् + इद् → दिद्; ‘विददिद्’)
- (4) यदीं = यत् + ईम् (त् + ई → दी; ‘यदीम्’)
- (5) युयुत्सन्तं तमसि = युयुत्सन्तम् + तमसि (म् + त → ंत; ‘युयुत्सन्तं तमसि’)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra finds the vulnerable point of one deemed invulnerable; when the enemy, uplifted by intoxication, wants to fight, Indra places him in darkness, in a closed house.
Inner meaning
The illumined intelligence penetrates even the ‘armored’ formation of ignorance and discovers its secret weakness (marma). The resistant power uses its own ‘strategies’ (kratu) to establish itself, but Indra’s higher discernment finds the fissure. When the adversary rises in egoic excitation (mada) and aggression, Indra seals it into tamas—confining it within a limiting formation (harmya), preventing it from spreading in the consciousness.
Universal truth
Every obstruction has a vulnerable point: an untruth, a dependence, a fear. When seen clearly, it can be contained and dissolved. True mastery is not mere struggle but precise knowledge of the ‘marma’ and right placement of force.
Themes
finding the weak point, entrenchment of hostile force, confinement in darkness
The seer
- Rishi
- Atri
- Lineage
- Ātreya
- Other hymns
- RV 5.32.4, RV 5.32.6, RV 5.40.5
Family tradition
Ātreya hymns frequently depict victory through insight—finding the hidden point, releasing light, and re-ordering energies.
Significance
Atri’s seership is diagnostic and surgical: it reveals the ‘marma’ of ignorance and applies the exact force needed for liberation.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- sukṣatra (addressed), vajrī (contextual), vṛṣan (contextual)
- Related deities
- Bṛhaspati (finder of the hidden), Agni (inner priest), Varuṇa (law of truth)
Cosmic role
Knower and breaker of the knot; establishes sovereignty of luminous order over chaotic powers.
Inner power
Penetrative intuition and executive mastery that can both strike and contain.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra praise in Soma rites; victory and protection recitations
त्यं चि॑दस्य॒ क्रतु॑भि॒र्निष॑त्तमम॒र्मणो॑ वि॒ददिद॑स्य॒ मर्म॑ । यदीं॑ सुक्षत्र॒ प्रभृ॑ता॒ मद॑स्य॒ युयु॑त्सन्तं॒ तम॑सि ह॒र्म्ये धाः ॥
त्यम् । चि॒त् । अस्य॑ । क्रतु॑ऽभिः । निऽस॑त्तम् । अ॒म॒र्मणः॑ । वि॒दत् । इत् । अ॒स्य॒ । मर्म॑ । यत् । ई॒म् । सु॒ऽक्ष॒त्र॒ । प्रऽभृ॑ता । मद॑स्य । युयु॑त्सन्तम् । तम॑सि । ह॒र्म्ये । धाः ॥
tyam | cit | asya | kratu-bhiḥ | ni-sattam | amarmaṇaḥ | vidat | it | asya | marma | yat | īm | su-kṣatra | pra-bhṛtā | madasya | yuyutsantam | tamasi | harmye | dhāḥ
44
4×11 syllables (approx.)
Argumentative, incisive rhythm—well-suited to ‘finding the point’ and delivering the turn.
Creates a focused, analytical intensity; supports inner detection of the weak link in a pattern.
- kratu
- Literal: power of will/intelligence; plan, resolve. Symbolic: strategic mental-vital contrivance; the ego’s cleverness that entrenches habit
- niṣattam
- Literal: seated, established. Symbolic: a fixed formation in consciousness; entrenched pattern
- amarmā / amarmaṇaḥ
- Literal: without a vulnerable point; invulnerable. Symbolic: the seeming invincibility of a long-standing samskāra/complex
- marma
- Literal: vital spot, weak point. Symbolic: the precise node where falsehood can be pierced by truth
- sukṣatra
- Literal: good lordship, good rule. Symbolic: right governance of the inner kingdom; the soul’s rightful sovereignty
- mada
- Literal: intoxication. Symbolic: overcharged desire/anger; the rush that precedes collapse
- tamas
- Literal: darkness. Symbolic: subconscient inertia where forces are rendered ineffective
- harmya
- Literal: house, mansion; closed dwelling. Symbolic: sealed compartment of consciousness; confinement of a hostile impulse
Recited to invoke Indra’s discerning strike—finding the ‘marma’—in contests and in the inner struggle where the adversary seems impregnable.
When invoking Indra’s protective mastery and victory over hostile powers
Recitation as stotra/śastra; mental offering of clarity and force
For moments of relapse or compulsion: use as ‘pattern-confinement’—identify the trigger (marma) and close the door (harmya) before escalation.
kratu- ‘will, resolve, inspired intelligence’ (from √kṛ ‘to do/make’ with semantic specialization in RV). niṣad ‘sit down’ (ni + √sad). marma ‘vital point’ (possibly from √mṛ ‘to die’ → ‘death-point’/vital spot). amarmaṇa ‘without marma’ (a- privative). yuyuts- desiderative from √yudh ‘to fight’ (PIE *h₁leudh-?; more secure IE: Sanskrit yudh- has Iranian cognates). harmya ‘house, enclosure’ (closed space; symbolically the sealed subconscient chamber). √dhā ‘to place’.
kratu (will/intelligence) vs. egoic stratagem, discernment of the ‘vital point’ (marma) as yogic insight, tamas as concealment to be overcome
Right rule (sukṣatra) is the governance of energies according to ṛta rather than ego-strategy.
Truth-vision locates the marma of the ‘invulnerable’ lie.
Ordering and partitioning: hostile powers are confined so the higher creation can proceed.
Integral psychological interpretation: battle as transformation of entrenched formations.
Darkness = inert subconscient; house = bounded mental compartment; confinement = yogic containment of vāsanā.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The motif of the ‘invulnerable’ adversary whose secret weak point is discovered and struck; the enemy is then cast into a dark enclosure. Inner sense: even entrenched resistance has a hidden joint; Indra’s illumined discernment finds it and relegates the force to its proper place—darkness—no longer governing the surface consciousness.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √sad ‘sit’ (niṣatta) reflects PIE *sed- ‘to sit’ (cf. Latin sedēre). √dhā reflects PIE *dʰeh₁- ‘to put’. marma as ‘vital point’ shows an old Indo-European body-semantic of ‘joint/spot’ as locus of death or defeat, comparable to Achilles’ heel as a typological parallel (not direct etymology).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi appeals to Indra as su-kṣatra, the right sovereign power in the being, who not only possesses force but also precision—knowledge of the marma. The reciprocity is guidance: Indra’s action becomes a template for the seeker’s inner discrimination in confronting seemingly ‘amarmaṇa’ compulsions.
‘Find the marma’: observe an entrenched reaction and locate its precise entry-point (a sensation, a thought, a justification). Apply a clean inward ‘vajra’ of attention there.
ājñā (discrimination)
Nadi-śodhana to steady the mind; then short retention (kumbhaka) while holding attention at the marma-point.
From reactive agitation (mada) to contained still mastery (sukṣatra).
Journal the ‘invulnerable’ habit; identify its marma (time, emotion, narrative). During practice, visualize placing the impulse into a sealed room (harmya) of quiet darkness until it loses charge, then reopen with light.
Triṣṭubh with clear udātta on vidád, márma, sukṣátra; maintain anudātta baseline; svarita transitions on falling tones.
Mark the contrast amarmaṇó / márma with crisp articulation; do not blur consonant clusters in kratúbhir.
kratu-bhiḥ: keep aspirate th absent; it is ‘tu’, not ‘thu’, amarmā: long ā; avoid nasalizing, harmye: pronounce ‘harmyé’ with clear y glide, yuyutsantam: keep repeated yu clean, avoid ‘yuj’
Focused, steady, slightly clipped at caesura; end lines with contained firmness.
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