Rig Veda 5.35.2: Mandala 5, Sukta 35, Mantra 2
Sukta 5.35
- Rishi
- Atri
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Gayatri
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace) and Vira (heroism)
यदिन्द्र ते चतस्रो यच्छूर सन्ति तिस्रः । यद्वा पञ्च क्षितीनामवस्तत्सु न आ भर ॥
yád índra te cátasro yác chūra sánti tisráḥ | yád vā́ páñca kṣitīnā́m ávas tát su na ā́ bhara ||
इन्द्र, तेरी जितनी भी मददें हैं, चार हों या तीन, हे वीर। या दुनिया के लिए पाँच भी हों, वो सब हमें दे दे। तेरी हर तरह की सुरक्षा की ताकत हमारे सफ़र में आए और हमें आगे बढ़ाए।
Word by Word
- यदि
- ifIndeclinableसम्बन्धबोधक-अव्ययम् (शर्त/अन्वयः = ‘if/when’)Root यदि (avyaya)
- इन्द्र
- O IndraNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन-एकवचनम्Role सम्बोधनRoot इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
- ते
- of you / yourPronounषष्ठी-एकवचनम् (एन्क्लिटिक)Role सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root युष्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- चतस्रः
- fourAdjective (numeral)स्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृ/विशेष्य-सम्बन्धः (with implied feminine plural noun)Root चतुर् (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
- यत्
- whatever / that whichPronoun (relative)नपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचनम् (correlative with तत्)Role कर्म/विषय (relative object/subject, context-dependent)Root यद् (सर्वनाम)
- शूर
- O heroNoun (epithet)पुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन-एकवचनम्Role सम्बोधनRoot शूर (प्रातिपदिक)
- सन्ति
- areVerbलट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्Role अस्ति-क्रिया (linking verb)Root अस् (धातु)
- तिस्रः
- threeAdjective (numeral)स्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-बहुवचनम्Role कर्तृ/विशेष्य-सम्बन्धः (with implied feminine plural noun)Root त्रि (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
- यत्
- whatever / that whichPronoun (relative)नपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचनम्Role कर्म/विषय (relative)Root यद् (सर्वनाम)
- वा
- orIndeclinableविकल्पार्थक-अव्ययम्Root वा (avyaya)
- पञ्च
- fiveAdjective (numeral)अव्ययवत् संख्याशब्दः (here used as numeral ‘five’)Role विशेषणRoot पञ्चन् (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
- क्षितीनाम्
- of the earths / of the regionsNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, षष्ठी-बहुवचनम्Role सम्बन्ध (genitive)Root क्षिति (प्रातिपदिक)
- अवः
- help, aidNounनपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया-एकवचनम्Role कर्मRoot अवस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- तत्
- thatPronoun (demonstrative)नपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया-एकवचनम् (correlative to यत्)Role कर्म (appositional to अवः: ‘that help’)Root तद् (सर्वनाम)
- सु
- well / indeedIndeclinableउपसर्ग/निपातः (intensifier: ‘well, indeed’)Root सु (avyaya)
- नः
- to usPronounचतुर्थी-बहुवचनम् (एन्क्लिटिक)Role सम्प्रदानRoot अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
- आ
- hither / towardsIndeclinable (preverb)उपसर्गः (directional: ‘towards, hither’)Root आ (उपसर्ग)
- भर
- bringVerbलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Role क्रिया (with कर्म = अवः/तत्; सम्प्रदान = नः)Root भृ (धातु)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: यदि | इन्द्र | ते | चतस्रः | यत् | शूर | सन्ति | तिस्रः | यत् | वा | पञ्च | क्षितीनाम् | अवः | तत् | सु | नः | आ | भर || प्रमुख-सन्धयः: (1) यदि॑न्द्र = यदि + इन्द्र (इकारादि-स्वर-सन्धिः; यद् + इन्द्र → यदिन्द्र)
- (2) यच्छूर = यत् + शूर (त् + श् → च्छ्)
- (3) यद्वा = यत् + वा (त् + व् → द्व्)
- (4) नामवस्तत्सु = नाम + अवः + तत् + सु (अवः + तत् → अवस्तत्; तत् + सु → तत्सु)
- (5) न॒ आ = नः + आ (विसर्गलोप/एन्क्लिटिक-सन्धिः)
The meaning
Outer meaning
Indra is asked to bring whatever forms of help he has—four, or three, or five—for the worlds, and to bring that support fully to the worshippers.
Inner meaning
The numbers hint at structured powers of protection and aid: multiple modalities by which illumination supports the ascent. Whether the help manifests as threefold (e.g., thought-word-deed; or mind-life-body), fourfold (e.g., the four directions/establishments; or the fourfold inner instrument), or fivefold (the five kṣiti/world-fields; or fivefold vital currents), the seeker asks for the complete set appropriate to their condition. The point is integrality: not a partial inspiration but a full-spectrum support so every layer of nature is upheld and transformed.
Universal truth
Transformation requires comprehensive support: the higher power must touch all levels of our being—mental, vital, physical and their subranges—so that no layer is left as a loophole for resistance.
Themes
Request for Indra’s comprehensive help, Cosmic/psychic planes, Integral protection
The seer
- Rishi
- Atri Ātreya
- Lineage
- Ātreya
- Other hymns
- RV 5.35.1, RV 5.35.3, RV 5.35.4
Family tradition
Atri’s approach is pragmatic-spiritual: call the divine power in whatever forms it exists, but demand completeness—support for all ‘worlds’ within.
Significance
The verse encodes an integral psychology: the seeker recognizes multiple strata and requests a systematic divine assistance, not a single peak experience.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- śūra (hero)
- Related deities
- Viṣṇu (wide strides—support across worlds), Maruts (dynamic forces aiding Indra), Agni (will that applies the help)
Cosmic role
Protector and opener of the worlds; distributes aids suited to different domains of existence.
Inner power
Adaptive illumination—Indra’s help appears in the form required: insight, courage, right impulse, or protective strength across layers.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra praise within soma sequences; also protective recitation for success in undertakings.
यदि॑न्द्र ते॒ चत॑स्रो॒ यच्छू॑र॒ सन्ति॑ ति॒स्रः । यद्वा॒ पञ्च॑ क्षिती॒नामव॒स्तत्सु न॒ आ भ॑र ॥
यत् । इ॒न्द्र॒ । ते॒ । चत॑स्रः । यत् । शू॒र॒ । सन्ति॑ । ति॒स्रः । यत् । वा॒ । पञ्च॑ । क्षि॒ती॒नाम् । अवः॑ । तत् । सु । नः॒ । आ । भ॒र॒ ॥
yat | indra | te | catasraḥ | yat | śūra | santi | tisraḥ | yat | vā | pañca | kṣitīnām | avaḥ | tat | su | naḥ | ā | bhara
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3 pādas of ~8 syllables
Enumerative, quick, and balancing—suited to listing powers without heaviness.
Gives a sense of completeness and coverage; mentally ‘maps’ the being and invites help into each region.
- चतस्रः (catasraḥ)
- Literal: four (helps). Symbolic: fourfold supports—stability, wideness, harmony, foundation (context-dependent)
- तिस्रः (tisraḥ)
- Literal: three (helps). Symbolic: triple movement—illumination, force, harmony; or mind-life-body integration
- पञ्च (pañca)
- Literal: five. Symbolic: fivefold world-fields/senses/energies to be supported and purified
- क्षितीनाम् (kṣitīnām)
- Literal: of the worlds/abodes. Symbolic: planes or domains of consciousness in the seeker
- अवः (avaḥ)
- Literal: help, protection. Symbolic: active grace that carries the journey through resistances
General Indra invocation for avaḥ (help) across ‘worlds’; recitable as a compact prayer in Soma contexts and daily rites
When seeking comprehensive protection/aid—before journeys, contests, or sustained rites.
Recitation accompanying offering, emphasizing fullness (tat su na ā bhara).
Use as a ‘whole-being’ invocation: silently scan body–life–mind while chanting, inviting Indra’s support into each.
avaḥ ‘help’ is a key Vedic term for protective grace. kṣiti ‘dwelling/world’ from √kṣi ‘to dwell/rule’ suggests structured planes. The numeration (3/4/5) is left polyvalent: it can encode ritual sets, cosmic regions, or graded inner faculties; psychologically, multiple modalities of Indra’s support across levels of consciousness.
Multiplicity of divine powers across planes (kṣiti), Grace/help (avaḥ), Integral ascent (support in all modes)
Help is asked not randomly but as a lawful set across worlds—ṛta as structured harmony.
Truth is multi-level; support must reach each level to make satya embodied.
The many worlds are sustained by a single divine power that can distribute itself in multiple measures.
Integral Vedism: many planes of being require coordinated divine action.
Kṣiti/worlds = inner domains; numbers = structured functions/energies requiring alignment.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- Indra as multi-modal protector whose ‘helps’ are counted in sets (3/4/5). Innerly, the mythologem is the descent of comprehensive divine support across the different ‘worlds’ (levels) of the seeker’s being.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- The numerative structuring is a common IE poetic device (formulaic counting). kṣiti from √kṣi relates to notions of dwelling/settling found across IE cultures, where ‘worlds’ are conceived as ordered habitations rather than abstract space.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi does not specify one boon but requests the total set of Indra’s avaḥ, implying a trust in Indra’s superior knowledge of what mode of help is needed at each level of the journey.
Invite support into ‘three/four/five’ layers: body, life, mind (and widen to heart and intuition).
muladhara-to-ajna (sequential coverage)
Box breathing 4-4-4-4 for 5 cycles, then chant to ‘fill’ the inner spaces.
Even, protected, integrative.
After chanting, note which ‘world’ feels least supported (body fatigue, emotional unrest, mental doubt) and offer it consciously to Indra’s light.
Standard Rigvedic three-tone; keep the enumerations (catasro… tisraḥ… pañca…) clearly articulated.
Slight lift on the number-words; a gentle emphasis on ‘tat su na ā bhara’ as the culminating request.
yad indra: link smoothly without inserting extra vowels, catasro/tisraḥ: keep dental ‘t’; final ḥ audible but light, kṣitīnām: long ī; clear kṣ conjunct, avas tat su: keep ‘su’ short and bright
Even, assuring, with a firm closing cadence.
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