Rig Veda 5.37.4: Mandala 5, Sukta 37, Mantra 4
Sukta 5.37
- Devata
- Indra
- Chandas
- Trishtubh
- Rasa
- Vira (heroism) and Shanta (peace)
न स राजा व्यथते यस्मिन्निन्द्रस्तीव्रं सोमं पिबति गोसखायम् । आ सत्वनैरजति हन्ति वृत्रं क्षेति क्षितीः सुभगो नाम पुष्यन् ॥
ná sá rājā vyathate yásminn índras tīvráṃ sómam píbatí gó-sakhāyam | ā́ satvanáir ájati hánti vṛtráṃ kṣéti kṣitī́ḥ su-bhágo nā́ma púṣyan ||
वो राजा कभी हारता नहीं जिसके अंदर इंद्र सोम पीता है। अपनी ताकत से वो आगे बढ़ता है, दुश्मन को मारता है। वो अपना राज चलाता है, अपना नाम बड़ा करता है। जीत के साथ वो बढ़ता है।
Word by Word
- न
- notIndeclinableनिषेध (negation)Root न
- सः
- hePronounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot तद्
- राजा
- kingNounपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role Kartā (apposition to सः)Root राजन्
- व्यथते
- is shaken / tremblesVerbलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Root व्यथ्
- यस्मिन्
- in whom / in whichPronounपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्गः, सप्तमी, एकवचनम् (सम्बन्ध/अधिकरण)Role AdhikaraṇaRoot यद्
- इन्द्रः
- IndraNoun (proper)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्Role KartāRoot इन्द्र
- तीव्रम्
- strong, sharpAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम् (सोमम्-विशेषणम्)Role Karma (qualifier)Root तीव्र
- सोमम्
- Soma (pressed drink)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot सोम
- पिबति
- drinksVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Root पा
- गोसखायम्
- the cow-friend (Indra)Noun/Adjective (epithet)पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम् (इन्द्रम्-विशेषणम्/सम्बोधन-भावः)Role Karma (as epithet in object-position) / SambandhaRoot गोसखि (गो+सखि)
- आ
- towards; forthIndeclinable (preverb) / particleउपसर्गः/निपातःRoot आ
- सत्वनैः
- with/through the strong ones (helpers/forces)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, तृतीया, बहुवचनम्Role KaraṇaRoot सत्वन्
- अजति
- drives on; impelsVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Root अज्
- हन्ति
- slaysVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Root हन्
- वृत्रम्
- Vṛtra (the obstructer)Nounपुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्Role KarmaRoot वृत्र
- क्षेति
- dwells; rulesVerbलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्Root क्षि
- क्षि-तीः
- the lands; settlementsNounस्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्Role KarmaRoot क्षिति
- सुभगः
- fortunate; graciousAdjectiveपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम् (इन्द्रः-विशेषणम्)Role Kartā (as epithet)Root सुभग
- नाम
- indeed; by nameIndeclinable (particle)निपातः (emphatic/quotative: ‘indeed, by name’)Root नाम
- पुष्यन्
- prospering; causing to thriveVerbal adjective (present participle)पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम् (इन्द्रः-विशेषणम्)Role Kartā (as epithet)Root पुष् (वर्धने) → वर्तमान कृदन्त
Sandhi Notes
- Sandhi resolution: (1) स राजा → सः राजा (visarga before r). (2) यस्मिन्निन्द्रः → यस्मिन् इन्द्रः (final -n + initial vowel). (3) सोमं पिबति → सोमम् पिबति (anusvāra as sandhi of final -m). (4) गोसखायम् is a compound (गो+सखि) in accusative singular. (5) सत्वनैरजति → सत्वनैः अजति (instrumental plural ending -ैः + initial vowel). (6) क्षेति क्षितीः: written as separate words
- क्षितीः is accusative plural of क्षिति
The meaning
Outer meaning
That king does not falter in whom Indra drinks the strong Soma, companion of the cows (rays). With his victorious forces he drives on and slays Vritra. He rules the domains, prospering his fortunate name.
Inner meaning
The inner ruler (rājā)—the governing part of the being—does not waver when the illumined Mind (Indra) is present and nourished by intense bliss (tīvra soma). That Soma is ‘companion of the cows’ (gosakhāya): delight that walks with the rays of knowledge, not with outer possessions. Then the victorious energies (satvanaiḥ) press forward, and the Coverer (Vṛtra)—subconscient resistance that blocks light and flow—is slain. The being can inhabit and master its domains (kṣetīḥ), and the ‘fortunate name’ (subhago nāma) grows: a stable state of victory and well-being in consciousness.
Universal truth
A life becomes steady and sovereign when intelligence is fed by joy and clarity; then resistance yields, and one’s inner domains come under harmonious governance.
Themes
Vṛtra-slaying, Soma empowerment, Inner sovereignty, Light vs. darkness
The seer
- Rishi
- Atri (attributed for RV 5.37 as a whole; verse-level attribution uncertain)
- Lineage
- Atri
- Other hymns
- RV 5.31, RV 5.34, RV 5.35
Family tradition
Atri hymns often frame inner progress as kingship: sovereignty achieved by Indra’s victory over Vṛtra through Soma-fed illumination.
Significance
Encodes the secret: joy (Soma) is not indulgence but fuel for illumination; it stabilizes the ruler-mind and enables conquest of resistance.
The deity
- Devata
- Indra
- Epithets
- vṛtrahan, somapā, maghavan
- Related deities
- Soma, Agni, Surya
Cosmic role
Champion of the gods, liberator of light and waters, establisher of wide spaces and victorious order.
Inner power
Illumined intelligence empowered by delight; it drives forward the energies and breaks the knot of subconscient obstruction.
In ritual
Where it is used
Indra-Soma offering in Soma sacrifice; affirmation of Indra’s Vṛtra-slaying power
न स राजा॑ व्यथते॒ यस्मि॒न्निन्द्र॑स्ती॒व्रं सोमं॒ पिब॑ति॒ गोस॑खायम् । आ स॑त्व॒नैरज॑ति॒ हन्ति॑ वृ॒त्रं क्षेति॑ क्षि॒तीः सु॒भगो॒ नाम॒ पुष्य॑न् ॥
न । सः । राजा॑ । व्य॒थ॒ते॒ । यस्मि॑न् । इन्द्रः॑ । ती॒व्रम् । सोम॑म् । पिब॑ति । गोऽस॑खायम् । आ । स॒त्व॒नैः । अज॑ति । हन्ति॑ । वृ॒त्रम् । क्षेति॑ । क्षि॒तीः । सु॒ऽभगः॑ । नाम॑ । पुष्य॑न् ॥
na | saḥ | rājā | vyathate | yasmin | indraḥ | tīvram | somam | pibati | go--sakhāyam | ā | satvanaiḥ | ajati | hanti | vṛtram | kṣeti | kṣitīḥ | su-bhagaḥ | nāma | puṣyan
44
4×11 (approx.)
Strong declarative cadence; victory-march character
Instills steadiness and courage; good for overcoming doubt and inertia.
- राजन् (rājan)
- Literal: king. Symbolic: the governing consciousness in the person; inner sovereignty
- तीव्र सोम (tīvra soma)
- Literal: strong/intense Soma. Symbolic: potent distilled bliss that energizes illumination
- गोसखाय (gosakhāya)
- Literal: companion of cows. Symbolic: allied with rays of knowledge (go), delight that increases light
- सत्वन् (satvan)
- Literal: victorious, strong. Symbolic: forces of conquest over inertia and obscurity
- वृत्र (vṛtra)
- Literal: the coverer. Symbolic: subconscient resistance that blocks light, wideness, and flow
- क्षिति (kṣiti)
- Literal: abodes, domains. Symbolic: levels/fields of the being (mind, life, body) brought under mastery
- सुभग (subhaga)
- Literal: fortunate, auspicious. Symbolic: state of harmonious prosperity in consciousness
Indra-Soma empowerment verse: asserts the condition of unshaken kingship (inner sovereignty) when Indra drinks Soma and destroys Vṛtra—used to affirm victory and stability in the rite.
At/around Soma libations to Indra, especially in victory-themed recitations
Offering Soma; invoking Indra’s conquering energy and stability for the patron
Use as a resilience mantra: ‘When illumination is fed by joy, I do not falter; resistance is slain.’
vṛtrá from √vṛ ‘to cover, enclose’ → the Obstructor/covering darkness. gó in Vedic is multivalent: ‘cow’ and ‘ray/light’; from √gā ‘to go’ (movement) and the semantic of ‘that which moves/comes’ → luminous rays; gó-sakhāya = ally of rays/illumination. √puṣ ‘nourish’ indicates growth of the ‘name’ (nāma) as stable realized power.
inner kingship (rājā) as mastery, knowledge-rays (go) recovered, victory over ignorance (vṛtra)
The king ‘does not falter’—steadiness is a sign of ṛta established in the individual governance.
Go (rays) indicates truth-light accompanying Soma; delight is aligned to knowledge.
Breaking the cover releases the hidden plenitude (light/waters), allowing domains to be inhabited fully.
Integral psychology: delight and illumination cooperate to transform the subconscient.
Soma = delight-substance; Vṛtra/cloud = obscuring inertia; ‘cows’ = rays of knowledge.
- What is the primary Vedic 'mythologem' present in this verse?
- The Vṛtra-slaying mythologem: Indra, strengthened by intense Soma, destroys the Coverer and thereby secures stable sovereignty. Inwardly, the empowered will breaks ignorance and establishes mastery across the domains of the being.
- How does the linguistic structure reflect Proto-Indo-European roots?
- rājā continues the IE ‘rule’ lexicon (cf. Latin rēx, Gaulish rīx) from PIE *h₃rḗǵs. √vṛ ‘cover’ is an old IE root with broad reflexes of ‘enclose/cover’. The verse thus combines archaic kingship ideology with the dragon/obstructor combat theme.
- What is the relationship between the Rishi and the Devata here?
- The rishi presents a law of attainment: when the human ruler-consciousness hosts Indra’s Soma-drinking (i.e., when delight-essence is offered and received), the divine force acts decisively to remove obstruction and establish prosperous identity (‘name’) and stable dwelling in the planes of life.
Feed illumination with joy: recall a pure gladness, offer it upward, then confront the ‘coverer’ pattern calmly.
maṇipūra (power to act) + ājñā (illumination); soma-delight as sahasrāra touch
Inhale 4 (draw in clarity), exhale 6 (release obstruction), then 3 breaths with silent ‘vajra’ intention.
Courageous steadiness; luminous aggression against obscurity without anger
Identify one resistance habit (Vṛtra). Chant once, then act immediately on a small decisive step (satvanaiḥ ajati).
Follow Vedic accents; give clear lift on ‘índraḥ’ and ‘somám’; keep compounds crisp (gosakhāyam).
Sustain firmness through ‘na sa rājā vyathate’; punch ‘hanti vṛtram’ with controlled force, not harshness.
vyathate: aspirate th clearly., tīvraṃ: long ī; nasalization on ṃ., gosakhāyam: go-sa-khā-yam, keep kh aspirate., vṛtram: vocalic ṛ, light but distinct.
Commanding and grounded; fuller chest resonance on victory phrases.
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