Rig Veda 5.36.3: Mandala 5, Sukta 36, Mantra 3
Sukta 5.36
- Rishi
- Atri
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Jagati
- Rasa
- Karuna (compassion) and Vira (heroism)
चक्रं न वृत्तं पुरुहूत वेपते मनो भिया मे अमतेरिदद्रिवः । रथादधि त्वा जरिता सदावृध कुविन्नु स्तोषन्मघवन्पुरूवसुः ॥
cakráṁ ná vṛttáṁ puruhūta vepate máno bhiyā́ me ámater íd adrivaḥ | rathā́d ádhi tvā jaritā́ sadāvṛdha kúvin nu stóṣan maghavan purūvásuḥ ||
मेरा दिमाग घबरा रहा है, जैसे पहिया घूमेगा। मैं डर रहा हूँ कि कहीं मैं फेल न जाऊँ। रथ से एक गायक तुम्हे पुकार रहा है। हे देने वाले, क्या तुम्हारे पास धन है? क्या तुम्हारी ताकत बढ़ रही है?
Word by Word
- चक्रम्
- wheelNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनRole उपमान (तुल्योपमेय-निर्देश; ‘like a wheel’)Root चक्र (प्रातिपदिक; √कृ/√चक्र् ‘to make/turn’ as etymon)
- न
- like, asIndeclinableउपमा-निपातRole सम्बन्ध (उपमा-चिह्न)Root न
- वृत्तम्
- rolled, turned (round)Adjective (used substantively)नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनRole विशेषण/उपमान-विशेषणRoot वृत्त (ppp of √वृत् ‘to turn/roll’)
- पुरुहूत
- O much-invoked (Indra)Noun (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot पुरुहूत (प्रातिपदिक)
- वेपते
- trembles, quiversVerbलट् (वर्तमान); आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचनRole क्रियाRoot √वेप्
- मनः
- mindNounनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनRole कर्तृ (वेपते)Root मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
- भिया
- with fear, from fearNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया एकवचनRole करण (हेतु/निमित्त-भावे)Root भी (प्रातिपदिक ‘fear’)
- मे
- myPronounषष्ठी एकवचन (enclitic)Role सम्बन्ध (possessor)Root अस्मद्
- अमतेः
- of folly, of thoughtlessnessNounस्त्रीलिङ्ग; षष्ठी एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (cause/source notion with bhiyā: ‘fear because of…’)Root अमति (प्रातिपदिक; a-mati ‘lack of thought/folly’)
- इत्
- indeed, justIndeclinableनिपात (emphatic/limiting)Role सम्बन्ध (निपात-प्रयोग)Root इत्
- अद्रिवः
- O wielder of the stone/bolt (Indra)Noun (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन एकवचन (Vedic voc. in -oḥ)Role सम्बोधनRoot अद्रिवन् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘stone/bolt-bearing’)
- रथात्
- from the chariotNounपुंलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी एकवचनRole अपादानRoot रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
- अधि
- upon, onIndeclinableउपसर्ग/उपपद-अव्यय (locative sense ‘upon/over’)Role अधिकारण (स्थाने)Root अधि
- त्वा
- youPronounद्वितीया एकवचनRole कर्म (स्तोषन्/स्तु-क्रिया)Root युष्मद्
- जरिता
- the singer, praiserNounपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनRole कर्तृ (स्तोषन्)Root जरितृ (प्रातिपदिक; from √गॄ/√जर् ‘to sing/praise’)
- सदावृध
- O ever-increasing oneAdjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot सदा-वृध् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘ever-growing/ever-increasing’)
- कुवित्
- whether indeed?, perhaps?Indeclinableप्रश्नार्थ/सम्भावनार्थ निपातRole सम्बन्ध (निपात-प्रयोग)Root कुवित्
- नु
- now, indeedIndeclinableनिपात (emphasis/now)Role सम्बन्ध (निपात-प्रयोग)Root नु
- स्तोषन्
- praisingVerb (participle)शतृ (वर्तमान कृदन्त); परस्मैपद-भाव; प्रथमा एकवचन पुंलिङ्गRole कर्तृ (जरिता = stōṣan ‘praising’)Root √स्तु
- मघवन्
- O bountiful oneNoun (epithet)पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन एकवचनRole सम्बोधनRoot मघवन् (प्रातिपदिक)
- पुरूवसुḥ
- (one) rich in many goods; very wealthyAdjective (used as noun/epithet)पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनRole कर्तृ (implied with stōṣan/jaritā)Root पुरूवसु (प्रातिपदिक; ‘having much wealth’)
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेद (Vedic sandhi resolved): चक्रम् | न | वृत्तम् | पुरुहूत | वेपते | मनः | भिया | मे | अमतेः | इत् | अद्रिवः || रथात् | अधि | त्वा | जरिता | सदावृध | कुवित् | नु | स्तोषन् | मघवन् | पुरूवसुḥ || प्रमुख-सन्धयः: (1) मघवन् + पुरूवसुḥ → मघवन्पुरूवसुḥ (न् + प्)
- (2) अमतेः + इत् → अमतेरिद् (ः/र्-आदेशः + इ-आदि; Vedic orthography shows ‘रि’)
- (3) रथात् + अधि is pad-boundary
The meaning
Outer meaning
The singer’s mind trembles like a turning wheel from fear of incapacity; from the chariot he calls Indra—will the wealthy indeed praise the bountiful one?
Inner meaning
The turning wheel images the restless mind caught in cyclical motion. The seeker confesses bhiyā (fear) arising from amati (insufficient understanding/immature mental power). Yet he calls Indra from the ratha (the moving vehicle of sādhanā, the embodied journey). The question ‘will the rich praise?’ becomes inward: will those who possess inner riches (purūvasu) still remember to offer gratitude and aspiration, or will abundance breed forgetfulness? The mantra converts anxiety into a sharper call for the illumined Mind’s steadying force.
Universal truth
Human consciousness often spins in anxious repetition when it feels inadequate; the remedy is to invoke higher clarity and to keep gratitude alive especially in times of plenty.
Themes
Confession of weakness, Invocation for support, Praise as bridge
The seer
- Rishi
- Atri Ātreya (traditional attribution for RV 5.36)
- Lineage
- Ātreya
- Other hymns
- RV 5.36.2, RV 5.36.4, RV 5.40.6
Family tradition
Atri hymns often include frank psychological confession (fear/insufficiency) followed by a strong turn toward invocation and victory.
Significance
Shows the rishi’s method: expose the limitation (amati), then call the higher Power (Indra) to transform it into increasing force (sadāvṛdha).
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- puruhūta, adrivaḥ, sadāvṛdha, maghavan
- Related deities
- Maruts, Agni, Soma
Cosmic role
Stabilizer and victorious transformer of the mental field; breaker of obstacles to right knowledge.
Inner power
Firm, ‘stone-like’ will allied to illumination—able to steady the trembling mind and convert fear into forward force.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra praise in Soma context; also suitable as a personal ‘confessional’ invocation before offering.
च॒क्रं न वृ॒त्तं पु॑रुहूत वेपते॒ मनो॑ भि॒या मे॒ अम॑ते॒रिद॑द्रिवः । रथा॒दधि॑ त्वा जरि॒ता स॑दावृध कु॒विन्नु स्तो॑षन्मघवन्पुरू॒वसु॑: ॥
च॒क्रम् । न । वृ॒त्तम् । पु॒रु॒ऽहू॒त॒ । वे॒प॒ते॒ । मनः॑ । भि॒या । मे॒ । अम॑तेः । इत् । अ॒द्रि॒ऽवः॒ । रथा॑त् । अधि॑ । त्वा॒ । ज॒रि॒ता । स॒दा॒ऽवृ॒ध॒ । कु॒वित् । नु । स्तो॒ष॒म् । म॒घ॒ऽव॒न् । पु॒रु॒ऽवसुः॑ ॥
cakram | na | vṛttam | puru-hūta | vepate | manaḥ | bhiyā | me | amateḥ | it | adri-vaḥ | rathāt | adhi | tvā | jaritā | sadāvṛdha | kuvit | nu | stoṣam | magha-van | puru-vasuḥ
48
4×12 (approx.)
Rolling, wheel-like continuity—apt for the ‘cakra’ image.
If chanted evenly, it pacifies mental oscillation; the long pādas encourage sustained breath and steadiness.
- चक्रं न वृत्तम् (cakraṃ na vṛttam)
- Literal: like a wheel turning. Symbolic: mental repetition, cyclical restlessness
- वेपते (vepate)
- Literal: trembles. Symbolic: instability of the lower mind under pressure
- भिया (bhiyā)
- Literal: by fear. Symbolic: ego’s reaction to the unknown; shrinking from ascent
- अमतेः (amateḥ)
- Literal: from incapacity/immaturity of mind. Symbolic: insufficient discernment; unillumined mentality
- अद्रिवः (adrivaḥ)
- Literal: stone-bearing (Indra). Symbolic: holder of the firm will/force that breaks resistance
- रथात् अधि (rathād adhi)
- Literal: from upon the chariot. Symbolic: from the moving life-journey; yogic progress in action
- सदावृध (sadāvṛdha)
- Literal: ever-increasing. Symbolic: the growing power of illumination as it is invoked
- मघवन् (maghavan)
- Literal: bountiful. Symbolic: giver of inner riches—light, strength, victory
- पुरूवसु (purūvasu)
- Literal: rich in abundance. Symbolic: one who has gathered inner wealth; the accomplished seeker
Personal supplication within praise: acknowledging human limitation (a-mati) and calling Indra for strengthening during the rite
During Indra invocations when seeking strength and steadiness for the rite’s success.
Recitation accompanying offerings; calling Indra to the ‘chariot’ of the rite.
Use when anxious or self-doubting: acknowledge the spinning mind, then invoke clarity and strength to proceed with one step of right action.
cakra (n. ‘wheel’, √kṛ/√car?; standard RV lexeme); √vṛt ‘turn’ (PIE *wert- ‘turn’, cf. Latin vertere, English worth/ward via Germanic); a-mati (negated mati ‘thought, understanding’, √man/√mat ‘think’); √vip ‘tremble’; √stu ‘praise’. Symbolic justification: the trembling mind ‘like a wheel’ shows cyclic unrest; Indra is sought as stabilizing and empowering will.
Human incapacity (a-mati) vs divine increase (sadā-vṛdha), Fear as obstruction to the will, Need for stabilizing force (Indra)
The trembling wheel-mind is a deviation; Indra restores right movement by illumination.
The honest admission of amati becomes a satya-vāk (truth-speech) that opens help.
Integral/Vedantic psychology: lower manas vs. higher buddhi/illumined mind (Indra).
Wheel = repetitive thought; chariot = embodied journey and disciplined movement guided by higher power.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The vulnerable singer before the mighty god: a devotional mythologem where human fear and limitation are confessed, and the god’s ‘ever-increasing’ power is sought to steady the turning mind.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- √vṛt ‘turn’ reflects PIE *wert- with clear cognates (Latin vertere, etc.), and the wheel-turning metaphor is pan-Indo-European. The negated abstract a-mati shows archaic derivational morphology (a- privative + abstract noun).
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi’s relationship is intimate and ethically charged: he admits a deficiency of understanding (a-mati) and approaches Indra from the ‘chariot’ (active life-movement), trusting that praise can reopen the channel to bounty and strength.
Witness the spinning mind; call down illumined steadiness.
maṇipūra (fear/insufficiency transformed into power) guided by ājñā (clarity).
Lengthen exhale (e.g., 4–6) while repeating ‘puruhūta’ mentally to reduce tremor.
From rajasic agitation toward sattvic steadiness.
Name the fear without drama; offer it to Indra; take one deliberate action ‘from the chariot’—in motion, not withdrawal.
Rigvedic accentuation with clear udatta peaks; preserve the ‘vepate’ stress contour to convey tremor then resolve.
Do not rush the first pāda; let ‘cakraṃ na vṛttam’ roll evenly. Slightly strengthen the call-words: puruhūta, adrivaḥ, sadāvṛdha, maghavan.
: ‘kr’ cluster clean, short ‘a’, : vocalic ṛ clear; double ‘tt’ crisp, : short ‘a’, dental ‘t’, long ‘eḥ’ with visarga, : ‘dri’ cluster; soft visarga, : keep ‘nu’ light, not ‘no’
Steady, grounding, slightly inward at start; brighter on invocation.
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